SIXTH EXTINCTION II: AMOR FATI

AIR DATE: November 14, 1999
Written by David Duchovny and Chris Carter
Directed by Michael Watkins

        David Duchovny should help Chris Carter out more often so we can get a decent coherent story without the need for long winded voiceovers. "The Sixth Extinction II: Amor Fati" only proves more that "The Sixth Extinction" wasn’t a necessary episode and that they could have wrapped everything up in "Amor Fati" which in turn lessened any impact "Amor Fati" had. Otherwise "Amor Fati" was a decent mythology episode even though we didn’t really learn anything new other than Mulder is the chosen one (gee, I wonder if he really has a father at all) to help fight against the coming alien virus invasion. Personally at this point I couldn’t care less if the aliens come or not because I don’t think much of these aliens who for some unexplained reason made some deal with a few select people to not invade instead of invading right away when they have the power to do so.

        What "Amor Fati" did give us was an interesting look into Mulder’s mind from the child on the beach making a sand alien ship to his secret desire to chuck everything for a normal life where he has his sister, a wife, kids and no guilt about what his quest has done to others. As Deep Throat said to him you don’t have to feel guilty anymore for his death, Scully’s sister’s murder, Scully’s kidnapping or illness. This is something he had most likely wanted to hear for a long time: to be absolved of everything, but he knew it wasn’t the truth from the Boy who was building the sand alien ship saying it was Mulder who was destroying it because he was destroying himself by not being true to himself and trading everything for creature comforts. Of course, he has the biggest kicker come in the form of Scully who comes in at his dream death scene and tells him he has betrayed himself and her by not continuing his quest and that he took the easy way out which is something she will never forgive him for. Even drugged up and some genetic material taken out of his brain he realized it is Scully who will keep him grounded to who he really is, not Fowley who will satisfy someone for her own gains.

Now some miscellaneous comments on "Amor Fati":

- I had wondered where Mrs. Mulder was during "The Sixth Extinction". Good to see she at least cares to come to her son’s dying bed. I have no doubt that she was convinced by Cigarette Smoking Man to release Mulder into his hands because CSM convinced her he could cure him.

- The fade out from Mrs. Mulder to CSM was a great shot and CSM voiceover was good too about a son’s hope for their father. The only annoying aspect of CSM’s scene with Mulder was CSM holding out his hands palm up and telling Mulder he was his son. Seemed too soap operish. I won’t believe CSM is Mulder’s father until I see the DNA results and neither should Mulder. This will be the only time I mention this misbegotten idea in my review along with making Mulder a X-Files.

- Who would have guessed a little needle in the head would cure Mulder? Next time Scully should go running to Consortium instead of Africa.

- So when did Scully go back for her laptop with all her files on it from Africa since all we saw was her running away as fast as she could and not returning to her campsite. Maybe Dr. Ngebe shipped it back to her.

-I was pleased to see both Mulder and Scully go for the fridge the second they entered their houses. Mulder’s, of course, was filled with all his favorite stuff while I think Scully looked into an empty refrigerator since it is doubtful she had time to go grocery shopping.

- I was really pleased that the spirit of Albert Holstein was there to state the obvious to us and Scully when he said it was important to find Mulder in order to save him and the world.

- I hope this is the only dream sequence we have to go through this season after having half the episodes last season not really happening it would be nice if most of them really took place. At first I was disturbed that Mulder would imagine having sex and kids with Fowley, but then I realized he could never imagine Scully trading in everything she believed in for a normal life while he knows Fowley has no principals.

- My favorite line was Deep Throat telling Mulder he is "not the hub of the universe".

- I want the same mailing system they have at the F.B.I. where they personally deliver the mail to you at your desk. The University I work for is too cheap for that.

- Maybe next time Scully will go to the library to help her in her research instead of having to wait until someone drops the book right on her desk to help her and move the story along.

- After "Biogensis" you would think Scully would heed Skinner’s request that he not be trusted and she shouldn’t be telling him what she finds out. Also, I still can’t believe Krycek doesn’t stick out like a sore thumb in the F.B.I. building since he is dressed like a bum.

- Was it me of did it seem like everyone in the F.B.I. building was heading for the elevator instead of the stairs during the fire alarm. Where I work the second the fire alarm goes off the elevators stop working once they get to the first floor. I think they need to work on their evaluation procedures.

- One of the best things about this episode was the old Scully was back and not the scaredy-cat Scully we got last week. She goes into Kritschgau’s apartment and deletes his files right in front of him and she goes into the secret government facility to rescue Mulder. Let’s keep this Scully.

- Didn’t they already have an alien/hybrid in Cassandra Spender or am I not remembering that right?

- At least the old person makeup on Mulder was a lot more realistic than it was in "Dod Kolm". Shows what a few extra dollars can do.

- I have to say that was one cool looking sand alien ship. I really would like to know how long it took to built that one in the sand and did they have to keep the water away as they made it or did they just use special effects.

- Could CSM look any more like a lizard while he was laying on the operation table?

- You have to admire Scully who can sleep on her floor all night, but still look sharp the next morning. No wrinkled clothes or messed up hair for her or even an aching back or neck.

- Kritschgau we hardly knew you and we don’t really care that Krycek killed you.

- Good to see Scully knew which building to go to and what rooms to enter with that one little card pass.

- The Unforgivable: Mulder wearing a New York Yankees hat. Isn’t he supposed to have grown up on Martha’s Vineyard, the heart of Boston Red Sox country? I’m still trying to get over his using a New York Knicks sweatshirt in "Beyond the Sea" and wearing Knicks jersey in "Little Green Men."

- What is the old saying? If you don’t see a body then the person is not dead. Meaning Diane Fowley can still pop up anytime this season. If she doesn’t it is no great loss though I think this is the first episode in which she was used effectively. The scene between Scully and Fowley was good because Scully made Fowley question what she was allowing to happen to Mulder.

        Overall an enjoyable mythology episode which didn’t really move the mythology along something we are getting used to, but shouldn’t have to. Everytime they get away from doing a retread of every other alien invasion movie and not introducing another aspect to the mythology story before wrapping up old threats then these episode usually turn out okay. It doesn’t hurt either when they focus on one or both of the main characters. Not great, but a vast improvement over "The Sixth Extinction".

Claudia

E-Mail: Claudia.Cauchon@unh.edu

11/16/1999

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