#txf triangle

[actual-changeling]

I know a lot of people interpret Scully's reaction to Mulder's love confession in 'Triangle' as her assuming that he is drugged up and talking nonsense.

There is another (worse) option, though.

"Oh brother" is definitely not what you respond if you're taking it seriously, we can probably agree on that, but i don't think potential drugs are the reasons here.

Let's look back a little. I'm working with the assumption that 'Folie a Deux' is set in May of 1998 with FtF taking place in August. 'The Beginning' happens sometime in September of the same year. If we use this as our timeline, we have a total of around five months during which a LOT of shit happens.

'Folie a Deux' is important because this is the "original" drugged up love confession Scully hears when Mulder is in the psychward. It gets to her, she thinks he is being genuine and does what he asked her to do.

More important than the act itself is what he tells her. I assume most of us have that conversation memorized, but just as a reminder:

"Scully, you have to believe me. Nobody else on this whole damn planet does or ever will. You're my one in five billion."

Even from our point of view, this makes complete sense—she IS the only one he trusts.

Except that it's a lie. I don't expect Mulder to think of Diana in that moment, and it wouldn't have been an issue at all if it weren't for the events of 'The End', which happen about 2-3 weeks later.

Suddenly, there is a person from his past that he trusts unconditionally to the point of stupidity, and he not only doesn't talk to Scully about any of it, he stops talking to her period. It's as if she has been a placeholder for Diana, and now that she's back, there is no use for her anymore.

Mulder works the case with Diana, Scully is dragging herself along and he does not care about her or her work until it is useful for him; he doesn't back her up when a room full of people (including Diana) belittle and mock her. He nods along, which, to Scully, is just the last puzzle piece slotting into place.

To summarize, Mulder's confession in Folie a Deux that she took seriously is revealed to be a lie—a means to an end to get her to do what he wants her to. Whether or not that's objectively true is a totally different matter because this is what Scully is confronted with.

Betrayal.

With that in mind, their argument in FtF in his hallway and Scully thinking of herself as redundant makes complete sense. We get yet another love confession, one she ALSO takes seriously, and if it weren't for that fucking bee, they'd have kissed. Maybe then, the whole mess that comes after could have been avoided, but here we are.

In "The Beginning", Scully repeats said confession back to him in an attempt to calm him and regain his trust in her/her science. Let's see what happens:

He implicitly tells her that none of what he confessed still applies, that the whole speech was, once again, nothing but a farce to get her to stay. Mulder confirms this at the end of the episode, and Scully asking him with tears in her eyes to trust her is a deeply painful contrast to his earlier declarations.

Two times, Mulder confesses his love to her.

Two times, he takes it back later and continues to use it against her.

In 'Triangle', Scully once again finds herself next to Mulder in a hospital bed and listens to him as he confesses his love for a third time. Does she think he's drugged up? Yeah, probably, but that's not the reason she cannot take him seriously.

Considering her track record with Mulder and big speeches, is it at all surprising that she no longer trusts what he tells her?

"Oh, brother," because she is forced to grapple with her many, many feelings for him and process it in a way that fits into everything else that has happened so far.

"Oh, brother," because it might be an attempt to placate her and nothing else.

"Oh, brother," because there is a chance he will twist his 'I love you' into a weapon to stab her with later. Because he says it and does not mean it.

This is not a "oh, he's drugged up" expression to me. This is Scully preparing to get hurt again.

The funniest part is that she's right. She is right. He couldn't have meant it because then he wouldn't be staring her down with apathy in his eyes and tell her not to make it "personal".

SHE is making it personal? After Mulder manipulated her by pulling on their connection like a leash to get her to do what he wants? After he confessed how much he loves and trusts her over and over just to throw it all away?

To ignore all of it in the moment it actually fucking matters?

The drug option is less angsty and kinda fun, and I do enjoy reading fics that interpret it as such, but with their history attached, it is so much more—and so much worse.

Pretending it never happened is one thing, but then actively denying it to her face and using her feelings to hurt her? Yeah, no.

Mulder fucked up and Scully has every right to reject his declarations and distance herself from him.

[lesbianscxlly]

the bermuda triangle ep in season 6 is so funny to me because scully must be an absolute NIGHTMARE to work with for literally everyone all the time. she’s just constantly lying and disregarding everything everyone says i love her

[thanx-files]

hey uhhhh quick poll

no nuance, no vanilla extract, but feel free to elaborate in the notes

[projectorthus]

You're a woman of fine tastes but I'll add that it's somehow even more satisfying when Scully loses her shit.

Like in Triangle. She goes completely off the rails. She threatens to kill her co-workers. She kisses Skinner on the lips. She shouts at everyone who talks to her. She does not stop moving until she knows Mulder is safe again. She's usually so outwardly calm that when she snaps it's the best.

am I a bad person for absolutely loving it when mulder loses his shit when scully's hurt or am I a woman of fine tastes

[trusttnno1]

You saved the world, Scully.

[fmluder24]

I had the misfortune of seeing a Fox Mulder edit on TikTok set to the song “Smooth Operator” of all things… and Mulder, my beloved, is a loser. He completely misses Scully trying to get him drunk in his hotel room in “Detour.” He has one self destructive one night stand in the first six seasons as he wallows without Scully. He shows no capacity for nor interest in anything like dating, He uses the name “Marty” to purchase phone sex. He is not a Casanova. He is a loser and I love him.

[x-files-polls]

SPOILERS FOR SEASON 6

vote NOT for your favorite episode or your favorite trope, but your favorite EXECUTION of a trope

[spookysexy]

One of my favorites!

X-Files Triangle

[mvlderfox]

“I would've never seen you again. But you believed me.” // “In your dreams. Mulder, I want you to close your eyes and I want you to think to yourself ‘there's no place like home.’” // “Mmm. Hey, Scully. [Yes?] I love you.” // “Oh, brother…”

[bakedbakermom]

txf+text posts (17/?)

[actual-changeling]

i feel like people vastly overestimate the "romance" in episodes like triangle, arcadia, or rain king.

scully is deeply unhappy in all of them, mulder is STILL keeping secrets from her and manipulating her into doing what he wants, and he still does not apologize for all the fucked up, genuinely mean things he told her. he keeps lying to her and he keeps rejecting any and all responsibility for his own actions.

the love confession in triangle is not cute, it's not romantic, it's not anything for scully. he confessed how much he needs her just to take it back later. several times. his "i love you" is meaningless because she cannot trust his words anymore—and that's mulder's fault.

instead of apologizing he once again attempts to manipulate her into forgiving him for the fucked up shit he did. scully knows that he means it, she doesn't think it's the drugs, and that's what makes it so horrible to hear.

what she WANTS to hear is i'm sorry for lying to you. i'm sorry for leaving you behind. i'm sorry for not including you in what is supposed to be OUR work. i'm sorry being a dick. i'm sorry.

scully wants an apology and a promise to do better—and for him to stick to it. the love confession in triangle is NOT that.

[magicschoolbus-stowaway]

the beginning of the x files season 6 has been giving me tonal whiplash

[kessilover]

[loubetcha]

i cant imagine how CRAZY it’d be to be mulder in triangle. like this man has somehow been inserted in a period-piece fanfic of his life at work and here he is, talking to scully but it’s not his scully but it is but it’s not and he CHOSE TO KISS HER. he knew kissing a 1939 scully would have little to no long-term effects- “in case we never meet again”- but he loves her in any universe and he’s given the perfect opportunity to kiss a scully even if not in his universe and he takes it. and it’s still all so real and so strange when he’s back in his timeline and he’s so enamored by his own scully right in front of him and she can blame it on drugs but she doesn’t know that in a different timeline he got to kiss her. and that’s all the comfort he needs for now. an aching, bruised face has never felt more wonderful and rewarding.

[jtt-033-1613]

mom: you could not have watched this (the x-files) back when it was airing weekly

me: why?!

*also me after every episode:

[casuallycryingoverbooks]

Triangle is so important to me cuz what the fuck do you mean they’re platonic work partners but they find each other in every universe? You thought sad boy Mulder from abduction arc was unhinged? You are not prepared for Scully when Mulder hasn’t called her in 12 hours. SHE PULLS A GUN ON SPENDER IIRC or at least threatens to, we get to see gillian anderson dressed to the 9s in 1940s fashion and then the fact that Scully canonically kisses skinner before Mulder and the poor man is just flabbergasted. And then the end, when Scully is convinced Mulder is delusional and so on drugs that he doesn’t know what he saying/doesnt mean it. OH BROTHER?!?!?

What do you think their relationship was like the few days after that episode, did Mulder remember saying that? Did Scully remember him saying that everytime she walked into his hospital room and when he walked through the door at work for their shitty season 6 background checks?

Also “I suggest you get your Nazi paws off me before you get one in the kisser.” -> “i was expecting a left.” GOLD AHH