AIR DATE:  December 1, 1995
Written by Frank Spotnitz
Directed by Rob Bowman

	"731" continues on the alien/govt./conspiracy theme where it
appears we get answers to some questions (Scully's abduction) while at the
same time not getting any answers to any of them.  Which is what makes
this show great and frustrating at the same time.  "731" isn't as good or
intriguing as last week's "Nisei", but it has to be one of the better two
parters X-Files has put together.  It wasn't as confusing as the ABC
trilogy and it brought to the forefront the fundamental differences
between Mulder and Scully and how they view the conspiracy.

	In "731" we get two different views on the conspiracy running in
X-Files.  We have the one Mulder believes where the govt. has been doing
experiments with alien DNA on humans to develop a super soldier of some
sort, and we have Scully's belief that the govt. is using the alien
abduction stories to cover up the govt. illegal experiments on humans.
They both believe if the govt can't get away with it they will apologize
with no one taking direct responsiblity for it. This is the conflict we
see developing between Scully and Mulder over which story to believe, and
it appears there was tension between them in the final scene where they
argue over what kind of experiments took place. Mulder appears in this
episode and last week's to be a bit tired of Scully's insistence that the
govt isn't doing experiments between aliens and humans.  Whether any more
will be made of this is questionable, but there definitely seemed to be a
growing tension and distance between them. 

	You could see the tension throughout the two parter by the fact
Mulder kept on doubting Scully's judgement.  Everytime she would tell him
something, from not jumping on the train to having the train stop at a
station so a bomb squad can defuse the bomb, he went ahead and goes
against what she advised.  Also, Mulder would ask her who is giving her
this information, and she wouldn't tell him because she knew Mulder
wouldn't trust them enough to believe them.  She was trying to get him to
not do things based on the trust developed between them, but it wasn't
enough to get him to stop.  His desire for the truth at any cost
outweighed trusting Scully, and the last scene where Mulder is extremely
pissed about how things turned out you can see he is slightly mad at
Scully for not believing him that it was an alien/hybrid in the boxcar. 

	Of course, we the viewers get to see more than the characters do
and we still don't know which story to completely believe.  Which brings
up the point I made earlier about "Neisi/731" where it appears we get
answers to some questions, but at the same time not answering them at all. 
What do I mean by this?  Well, let's look at Scully's abduction: 

A) It appears the implant was put in by the secret govt. inside the boxcar
one of the Smoke Ring's took Scully to with the help of Ishimaru in "731".
Is this what truly happened to her since what we learned of the implant it
appears it had a direct link to the brain and could fool around with one's
memory.  So who is to say this memory of Ishimaru or the box car wasn't
planted into Scully's mind by who ever took her to protect themselves from
having her ever truly remember what happened to her.

- But then again I could be totally off because I will admit that I had a
hard time understanding completely what the implant did, but this is what
I gather it meant it could do along with other things.

B) We never actually find out whether or not the thing in the boxcar was
an alien/human hybrid, but it had to be someone who was important
otherwise why would Ishimaru save that one out of all of them.  It
appeared to be alien more so than the ones Scully saw in the mass grave.
The question is still out on whether there are alien/human hybrids. 
	
	The first time I watched "731" I didn't think the Mulder on the
train scenes were that impressive or suspenseful.  Upon second viewing I
found them the best scenes in the episode where Mulder was in total
control of the situation and once again not afraid to die in order to find
the truth.  Even though we knew there was no chance in hell that Mulder
was going blow up on that train it was still suspenseful to see Mulder's
interaction with the assassin and how far he would go to prove his beliefs
that the govt.  has been putting alien DNA into humans.  The assassin
thought he could easily manipulate Mulder since he didn't know who Mulder
was, but soon realized he was dealing with someone he should take
seriously when he understood that Mulder would shoot him regardless of his
warning that a gunshot could set off the bomb.  Mulder gets nothing out of
the assassin when he starts asking him questions about what's in the
boxcar so Mulder does what he did in "Paperclip", he starts to fill in the
blanks with what he believes to be the truth. They say nothing and let
Mulder's imagination take over so that we can't be sure what is true or
not. 

	It is interesting to see that Mr. X decides to save Mulder instead
of the thing locked the in train compartment even though he must have came
out there to get it.  When Mulder thought someone would come out for the
thing he didn't understand that the Smoking Man and gang wanted it to blow
up to destroy the evidence.  The assassin's job was to kill anyone
involved in the project and get the hell out of there.  Mr. X comes out
there to find out what was so important on the train and to see if his
organization could use it.  This is why he tells Scully it doesn't matter
what is on the train after she realizes Mulder has got on it because
everything has already been set into motion and there isn't anything Mr. X
or she can do to help Mulder.

	Also, it is Mr. X who tells her that most of her answers can be
found by investigating her implant closer.  Sort of like the old following
the money line from "All the President's Men".  It did give her some
answers and a way to help Mulder on the train since her actions at the
Leper colony caught the attention of certain people in the govt.

	Here are a few general comments on "731":

- Mr. X shoots the assassin in the stomach just as Mulder threatens he
would do five minutes earlier.  Ah, the irony. 

- The poor conductor had the look on his face as if he wished he had taken
the day off instead of having to deal with bombs and dead bodies.  Mike
Puttonen who played the conductor acted him as a man out of his element.

- This cannot be said of Don Williams who played the man who takes Scully
to the boxcar.  He was bad in "Paperclip" and he is bad in "731".  It was
almost laughable during the scene at the Leper colony when he is trying to
sound menacing and ominous to Scully about what has been going on there.
He just doesn't have the presence that Mr. X or the Well-Manicured Man
have when they are on screen.

- Mulder saying to Scully, "Tick, tick, tick, Scully" when she couldn't
quite make out the last number on the door code.  It was as if he was
saying to her, "Hurry, the f*** up I don't have time for you to have
doubts on the damn number."

- I don't usually comment on the music, but I thought Mark Snow did an
outstanding job during both episodes, especially when Mulder was on the
move at the rail yard and on the train the music had a real urgency to it.

- The FBI agent who helped Scully with the implant.  You had to wonder why
he was willing to stay till around 8:30pm to give Scully a report on what
he found out about the implant.  It isn't until the end of their scene
together that we figure out he's kind of interested in Scully, and he ends
up doing what we all have done in our life, saying something completely
stupid and knowing it the second it comes out of your mouth. 
   
- The look Mulder gave as he closed the restroom door where the dead
Ishimaru lay was one of defeat and disappointment because his best hope of
finding out what was in the boxcar and what happened to Scully died with
Ishimaru.  Sometimes more can be said by saying nothing at all. 

	Overall a very good two parter where we have to asked ourselves
did we really learn any more about the conspiracy and Scully's abduction. 
Also, we get to see some underlying tension between Mulder and Scully over
their beliefs on what exactly is the govt. conspiracy. 

	"731" gets a B+ under the alien/govt/conspiracy theme and 
individual epiosode.  "Nisei" and "731" together gets a A-.

Claudia
E-Mail:  Claudia.Cauchon@unh.edu

Back to Top of Page