The Field Where I Died

Written By Glen Morgan & James Wong

Directed by Rob Bowman


From: Season 4

Well, this is my first X Files review at UM, and I decided to pick a stand alone, that is one of my personal favorites from what I’ve seen of The X Files to date. Also, I want to state my “reviews” will be different from my Master’s (Walken). I write these to give personal (as in 100% personal) point of view and interpretation of the episodes I will be writing about.


By the time my Mama, my Old Man and myself reached Season 3’s pick up from Season 2’s cliffhanger, we were now hooked. For Season 4, the addiction grew stronger. After having Season 3’s cliffhanger resolved and having 3 amazing stand alones, The Field Where I Died, however, has taken the medal for being our favorite from Season 4.

The opening (often refereed as The Teaser) of this episode is chilling, poetic, and gripping as quoted;

MULDER: At times, I almost dream. I, too, have spent a life the sages' way and tread once more familiar paths. Perchance I perished in an arrogant self-reliance an age ago... and in that act, a prayer for one more chance went up so earnest, so... instinct with better light let in by death that life was blotted out not so completely... but scattered wrecks enough of it to remain dim memories... as now... when seems once more... the goal in sight again.

After the know world famous title sequence runs, we are pulled “back,” to watch how Mulder ends up In The Field Where I Died, we are immediately thrown into an action sequence X Files style. With an FBI raid assisted by our paranormal neighbor hood FBI agents, FOX MULDER and DANA SCULLY.

From here we find Mulder in one of his “trances,” running out of this compound and into a vast field, empty. He and Scully discover VERNON EPHESIAN and his wives getting ready to take what is obvious a liquid to commit a mass religious suicide. Mulder knocks the cup from MELISSA RIEDAL-EPHESIAN who will become this episode’s main “X File.”

After the haunting look from Mulder and the reaction he gives towards Vernon Ephesian, we are dragged into the plot, the characters and the characterization.

Don’t worry I’m not going to bore you by giving each and every little detail of this episode, but give you, my reader my own thoughts and feelings of certain key scenes, that I believe, I think, stand out in this episode.

I have given you the opening of this episode, simply to give a reader who hasn’t seen this episode an idea of what this episode is about, and to give fellow X Files fans, a little refresher of this episode.

Although in my own personal opinion I think this episode deserves a scene by scene commentary, however, this is not a DVD, but words written and hopefully read, and I know all too well how reviews or even essays can often drift off and seem to waffle, so, I’ll try and keep you, my reader, your interest in my thoughts, as much as I can.

I will not give my thoughts on the opening, since I feel that by mentioning it, I have already given you a feel of my attachment to the episode. So, I will jump to a scene that comes later on, that I personally enjoy, and feel deserves some small form of analyzing.

SCULLY: You didn't even have the courage to tell Skinner what you really believe... that Melissa Riedal is being invaded by her past-life incarnations.

MULDER: Because he wouldn't believe me.

SCULLY: I don't believe that you feel responsible for those fifty lives... or Melissa Riedal. You are only responsible to yourself, Mulder.

(He puts on his coat, having finished packing up. He then proceeds to walk out angrily.)

After having the “Believer/Skeptic” moment between Mulder and Scully, I think this small piece of dialogue, highlights how often Mulder is seen as a “reckless Ahab,” by both the audience and Scully alike. Mulder exits in a temper, showing that Mulder my be Oxford educated, but is still human and can be agitated by his skeptic partner, but also highlights, in my mind, that Mulder is angry more with the fact that Scully perceives him as this selfish searcher for truths and facts to support his own beliefs and has no ounce of care, consideration and empathy for others.

Another great scene is when Mulder calls a therapist to put Melissa under regressive hypnosis:

(Mulder and Scully are driving down a local road, Mulder at the wheel. Melissa is asleep in the back of the truck. Mulder has his cellular phone to his ear.)

SCULLY: Who are you calling?

MULDER: I'm arranging for a therapist trained in hypnosis to be at the command center.

SCULLY: Because hypnosis is used in the treatment of dissociative identities to bring forth a patient's various personalities?

MULDER: She wants to talk, Scully. It's a matter of getting it out of her.

SCULLY: No, it's about regressing her to a past life.

(She pulls on his arm and he turns off the phone.)

Don't do this to her, Mulder. This poor woman's mind, her life, is in shreds. Just being married to Ephesian indicates that, that she is susceptible to suggestion.

(Mulder hits the steering wheel, incredibly angry, screaming at the top of his lungs.)

MULDER: You, you were there, Scully! You saw it. You heard it. Why can't you feel it?

(Scully looks half-ashamed, half-worried.)

How could I know about a bunker in a field where I've never been?

SCULLY: And why is it that Vernon Ephesian is, reported by you, a paranoid sociopath because he believes that he lived in Greece a hundred years ago, and you're not, even though you believe you died in that field?

(Mulder looks away, anger and frustration in his eyes.)

To watch the change in Mulder, to go from our often level headed and goofy believer all things “out side of science,” to throw his temper at his best friend and partner, brings the scare factor of this episode not from a creature or the horrifying ideas from aliens and governments, but from our hero himself, his loss of self control, his inability to function normally. Also we see Scully try and ground her partner into some form of reality, to pull him out from his over zealous belief, by simply stating the small hypocrisy from Mulder himself.

From this brings us to the next high light of the episode which I personally love, and always sends chills down my spine when I see it, there is no dialogue in this scene, just “acting.”

HAMILTON COUNTY HALL OF RECORDS; 4:12 AM
(Scully traces her finger over a map of the battlefield. She folds up the book, which is "Maps and Battle Plans; 1863-1865." She looks over to the county register, containing files from 1800-1900. Placing down a book, she flips through pages until she comes to the name she wants: "Biddle, Sullivan." Then she finds the next name: "Kavanaugh, Sarah." Gasping slightly, she pulls open a drawer containing photographs and digs through until she finds the picture that Mulder was holding. On the back, it reads "Sullivan Biddle, 1862." Scully looks at the picture for a second, then digs through and finds "Sarah Kavanaugh, 1858." It is the second picture Mulder had.)

A wonderful scene in my opinion, simply because we ever so rarely have Scully uncovering these types of “clues,” to an episode, also, very rarely do we even see Scully drop her visage of skeptic and adopt the face of a believer (even when Scully herself uncovers something “paranormal,”),so early and so quickly. It is just such a wonderful scene to such a dramatic episode, that I felt, it deserved a mention of sorts, even though it is nothing more then a plot puller on screen, but speaks so much to the viewer.

Once again the theme of believer crops up, as it does often in The X Files, when Mulder shows Melissa, the pictures Scully had found previously.

MELISSA RIEDAL-EPHESIAN: I don't believe in it.

MULDER: Why?

MELISSA RIEDAL-EPHESIAN: Those tapes are saying that we chose the lives we live before we're born, and who we live with. It's a nice idea. It's a beautiful idea. I want to believe.

(Mulder is surprised by her choice of words.)

And if I knew it were true, I'd want to start over. I'd want to end this pointless life.

(Mulder leans forward, speaking with a slight southern drawl.)

MULDER: Sarah... if it were true... no life would be pointless.

(She looks down at Kavanaugh's picture, then back up at Mulder. The door opens and Vernon looks in, his followers behind him.)

VERNON EPHESIAN: Melissa... it's time to leave.

(Melissa rips up the picture of Kavanaugh and walks out with it. Mulder sighs and stands, then folds his arms against the cabinet and lays his head against it in defeat.)

There is once again a wonderfully dramatic scene, haunting, emotional and beautifully acted. What I found frightening, is that Melissa dismisses Mulder’s claims that they had known each other in a previous life, that she rips the picture in half to symbolize her crush Mulder’s hopes that she too would believe as does. Mulder’s zealous zeal quashed by a woman he believes he knew well over a century ago, that he is once again left with nothing but fragments of metaphysical ideals, nothing more then regressive hypnosis and pictures. The small act of resting his head in defeat, of sadness, lays down the tone and mood for Mulder, that we see our temperamental, zealous man, fall into a pit of defeat and despair simply for being unable to convince Melissa of their past lives. Again, we are carried by not only the verbal interaction by the characters, but by simple acting moments, that add a much greater impact to the episode.

The episode ends with Vernon and his followers committing their mass suicide, but brings Mulder and Melissa full circle. Mulder is unable to save Melissa, holding her, in the field where Mulder believed he had died as a Confederate soldier during the American Civil War.

The episode ends the way it began, with Mulder’s voice over, holding the two pictures.

As well as being my favorite episode in Season 4, The Field Where I Died, has so far taken its place in my personal Hall of Fame, amongst favorite X Files episodes.

For me, this X File haunts themes many of us often find ourselves in. How often have we found our selves “knowing,” things, little things, about places, we know we have never been to. That we see Mulder and Scully actually trying to obtain some grasp on a idea, a belief, that is not thought of or even encouraged in Western life.

That we see such radical changes in Mulder and Scully and that we have a great episode where both Mulder and Scully have had their friendship strained, their ideals clashing like two mighty titans. To date, from what I have seen, I have yet to see an episode that rivals this one. It is done in such a small scale, the ideas are simple, yet so big, and philosophical, it leaves you chilled, moved and on the verge of tears, when the end credits role.

Now for my numbers:

Scare Factor: 4/10

Acting: 10/10

X Files Factor: 10/10

Over All: 10/10

In future you might want to watch out for giving episodes full marks, as it means you can't improve on better episodes.

Good review. I didn't think too much of that episode. Might have to watch it again.

that was one of my least fave episodes too,i thought it was so boring!!
one of my faves though was"a postmodernday promethius"about the brothers and their mother/girlfriend and that classy car.what an episode.

Well, I must say, I am rather suprised by the fact that this Episode hasn't been well recived by you two.

I guess it is because I see the structre of the episode, how it goes full circle, which is a common theme amongest reincarnation stories, such as Stephen King's The Stand and his Dark Tower stories. Which is something I've always loved, how the structre of a sotry is linked to themes it protrayes. Also I love stoires that are driven by charcters such as this one. Even though it wasn't very scary, it for held a awsome factor, that I just can't ignore, which is why, Master, I had to give it a 10 out of 10. Gving it anything less just wouldn't have sat right with me. The Field Where I Died, was for me, and for me alone, since I very obvisiouly assimalted this episode in my own way, a classic arc to this serial tv show.

But again, that's just me

Nice review El Mariachi!

I too loved seeing the look on Scully's face when she discovered the pictures.

This one is one of my top ten favorites. It was one where the commercials bugged you and when it was over it went to fast. I know some people thought that the episode was a bid for DD to get an emmy or something but in all truth I think it was one of those ole switcheroo shows. Every season it seemed that Mulder got hit with something in the spiritual realm which when it happened to Scully he would belittle. I think one of the reasons this wasn't popular is that Mulder was connected romantically with another woman. X files don't like that..lol.
The whole cult plot was great, and the fact that he had known Scully in another life, even more cemeted the bond between Scully and Mulder.
Here is the excerpt from Robert Brownings Paracelesus Mulder read at the beginning and end of the episode....

…At times I almost dream,
I too have spent a life the sages way
and tread once more familiar paths
perchance I perished in an arrogant self-reliance an age ago
and in that act a prayer for one more chance went up so earnest,
so instinct with better light let in by death that life was blotted out not so completely
but scattered wrecks enough of it to remain dim memories as now
when seems once more the goal in sight again.

I love this episode, it´s the best!!!! I love Xfiles, I love Mulder

Hmm good episode yeah but like said above, how can one factor be 4/10 and the overall be 10/10?

Favourite episode was Tooms pt2

I really liked that episode and it was really well acted...I don't understand people who bash David Duchovny for being a crap actor, from what I've seen in some episodes of the X-Files for instance Closure (my favourite episode) he does a really good job.

Anyway I really liked the episode but another episode in the season also hinted that Mulder may be psychic...but it ain't really brought up again from Season 4...or has it?

I think the people who bash Duchovny for being a crap actor haven't seen X-Files. I can't speak for his acting in the movies he's been in, but I DO know that they're mostly B movies.

Yeah, lol. He has made some pretty crappy looking rom-com/B movies. He directed and starred in House of D, I heard that done quite well. Anyway I really don't understand why he did half of season 8 and didn't do 9 but done the final two episodes...why not just finish the whole thing off?

Well you know I also was not entirely satisfied with Duchovny's acting, but when John Doggett came I realized how good Duchovny was
We still need the X files. The 9th season was bad at most, but who cares it's the X files at least