Question: How was Tooms able to beat the lie detector test?
Answer: The polygraph machine only works on those with a perceptible change in body physiology while they lie. It really only measures what we consider nervous reactions associated with lying. Psychopaths and sociopaths such as Tooms are extremely difficult to measure with this machine since they do not feel remorse for their actions, and as such typically do not get nervous when lying.
Je Souhaite - S7-E21
Question: What would the yellow powder in Scully's morgue normally be used for (when she doesn't have invisible dead bodies)?
Answer: Judging by the color, it could be lycopodium powder. When sprinkled liberally on latex gloves it helps keep liquids from adhering.
Question: Does anyone know the actual events that this episode was based on?
Answer: The title screen on the pilot episode actually said "based on documented accounts" not "actual events" which is kind of true - there are many claims of alien abduction - so technically the caption isn't false, but the episode was entirely fictional and not based on any real occurence.
Question: I remember watching two particular episodes when younger, and are curious to know what the titles of the episodes were called. One was about a doll that came alive and the other about the trees coming alive, and the tree roots etc. killing people. What are the episode titles of those two?
Chosen answer: The tree root episode is season five, episode nine and is called Schizogeny. And the doll one sounds like it could be the very next episode (season five, episode 10) called Chinga.
Question: Is the "Sixteen Months Later" in with the current timeline (2000) and the "Sixteen Months Earlier" sometime in 1999? Because if "Sixteen Months Earlier" was sometime in 2000, then "Sixteen Months Later" would be in 2001. If you're a true X-Files fan, you'll know that in 2001, Mulder was missing and Scully was pregnant. So that would be a MAJOR plot hole.
Answer: As it says in the season seven mistakes, it would be a plot hole either way.
Question: When they're flying on the plane, Scully starts breathing deeply and looks like she's afraid of flying. Has this ever been explained later? In all the later episodes, they never say she was afraid of flying.
Answer: She's afraid in this scene because the plane has encountered turbulace and is diving down. No fear of flying has ever been mentioned.
Question: Why are no prostitutes arrested during the course of the investigation? Mulder, Scully, and everyone else investigating the case know what they do. This episode takes place in Minnesota, and prostitution is only legal in Nevada, so how can they talk to one (a friend of a victim, who was also a prostitute) and simply let her go?
Answer: You can't arrest someone simply based on what you may know or suspect they do. There needs to be actual proof. A prostitute would have to be caught in the act of soliciting or actively engaging with a customer. Also, investigating prostitution is not Mulder and Scully's purpose here, and arresting someone they need to give them information regarding another crime would be counterproductive to their investigation and scare off other potential witnesses.
Question: We know that the chameleon Eddie Van Blundht can manipulate his unique extra layer of muscles to mimic male faces and physiques, thus hijacking their identities. However, Eddie can't mimic clothing, so he must hastily seek new clothing to go with each new identity. But when Eddie is on the run from Mulder and Scully, he abruptly mimics Fox Mulder and is seen wearing exactly the same tailored suit and tie that Fox Mulder is wearing on the same day. In fact, they even cross paths in the hospital while they are wearing identical tailored suits and ties. Question: where and when could Eddie possibly acquire an exact tailored suit and tie to match Fox Mulder's on such short notice?
Answer: When Eddie enters the home of one of the couples whose baby he fathered and hides in the bathroom, he emerges looking like Mulder, fooling them. Later, they call Mulder asking if they can use their bathroom again and why Mulder needed to take the man's charcoal suit, which tells us that Eddie took the suit on the pretext of needing it for the investigation, but obviously wanted it to wear to better impersonate Mulder.
Question: I didn't understand why Darryl's rain business had been working (before the agents arrived). If Holt was the one who had been changing the weather, and he didn't like Darryl, why was he creating rain and allowing Darryl's business to be successful?
Answer: The rain were Holt's tears, not his happiness. Whenever Darryl did his rain dance, Shelia was in his corner, like a cheerleader, praising him. He caused a tornado, when she confessed her attraction to Agent Mulder.
Answer: Because Darryl's success makes Sheila happy. Holt loves Sheila and is happy when she is happy. Ergo, Holt makes Darryl successful.
Question: Morris Fletcher says he has a $400,000 mortgage on his house when the house was just appraised for $226,000. How does that happen?
Answer: This is actually very common. It's referred to as an "underwater mortgage." The mortgage starts with the cost of the property plus all the interest that will accrue over its life. Also, it is possible for the price of the property to drop below what is still owed.
Je Souhaite - S7-E21
Question: The genie complains about people being selfish and shallow, but what about Leslie wishing to have his brother back? Why was she displeased with that wish?
Answer: It was because of the brothers' attitudes. If the genie had brought Anson completely back to life, the brothers would have continued being lazy, inconsiderate, obnoxious people. They were not learning anything from the opportunity to have wishes granted. The genie tried to hint at them using a wish to heal Leslie's legs, and neither brother could imagine using a wish for that.
Answer: Because he wasn't specific about his wish. He came back as a living corpse, not healthy and alive before his accident.
The point of Leslie's wish was to be with his brother. The genie complained about so many people making shallow and materialistic wishes, such as money, impressive bodies, etc. Therefore, it's strange that she would be displeased with Leslie for trying to reunite with a family member. Why "punish" him by bringing the living corpse version of Anson?
Jenn wasn't punishing Leslie. Leslie wished for his brother to live so she made it happen. As Jenn explained to Leslie, when someone makes a wish, they need to be very specific in their wishes. If Leslie gave more specifics i.e, the damage done to Anson's body removed, his vital organs functionally properly, to have his senses restored, Jenn would do it but, as Leslie only wished to have Anson live again and with no other details, Jenn could only reanimate Anson's corpse.
Question: Why does Mulder lie to Scully, on the phone, about construction workers outside his window? Why not tell her about the ball he was bouncing?
Answer: He didn't want her to know that he didn't have anything to do. No friends, girlfriends or places to visit. If she knew, she would have said, "Get a life."
I pretty much agree. I think at this point in the series, Mulder and Scully are realizing how close they are. Which might be awkward for both. Mulder is afraid to trust anyone too much, due to Samantha's abduction and his speculation of conspiracy theories. Scully is a strong woman, who also fears trusting. Not to mention the losses of her sister and Emily, her biological daughter. Later, the Cigarette-Smoking Man points out that Scully would die for Mulder, but is afraid to start loving him.
Question: While following Tooms, Mulder specifically says that he can't find his Norwegian Elkhound named Heinrick, who he goes moose-hunting with. I know that he is lying about owning a dog, but why the odd details? Am I missing a joke?
Answer: Mulder is not supposed to be watching Tooms. He is making up details on the spur of the moment, so he can pretend that he has a legitimate reason for talking to a dog-catcher.
Question: What happened to Sharon Skinner after this episode? She and A.D. Skinner don't go through with the divorce, but in a later episode - I believe it was "S.R. 819" - Mulder asks Skinner if he woke up alone, and Skinner firmly answers yes.
Answer: The show never actually reveals what happened to Sharon and in "Avatar" we never really know who or what the old lady is or what it means. So there's a lot of fan theories out there, including that Sharon died in the hospital and Skinner putting his ring back on at The End signifies they reconciled before her death. But in the real world, it's hard for TV shows to keep small side character stories going for various reasons, which is why a lot of times a new character is introduced for one or two episodes and never mentioned again. The "X-Files" writers might have even intended to bring Sharon back later and never found a story to bring her into, or the actor wasn't available, etc.
In addition to this answer, I want to point out that Skinner said *he* would not sign the papers. Sharon said, "Listen to me", but the episode does not reveal if she definitely agreed to reconcile. I believe that she either died, or she lived, but she wanted to remain separated. Maybe he finally gave her a divorce later on. Mitch Pileggi, the actor who plays Skinner, says that Skinner developed feelings for Agent Scully at some point, but knew that she was closer with Agent Mulder.
Answer: One idea of mine is that Skinner refused to finalize the divorce, but for Sharon, the marriage was over anyway. She told Mulder and Scully that they had become "roommates." When he spoke to her in the hospital, before she awoke, it was too late. She wanted him to share those feelings a while ago, and she had already got tired of waiting.
Born Again - S1-E22
Question: At first, Dr. Braun suspected that Michelle was being abused because she kept tearing the toy dolls apart. Can someone explain why this is a sign of possible abuse?
Clyde Bruckman's Final Repose - S3-E4
Question: Why did Clyde open the door when Havez specifically told him not to?
Answer: As someone else basically said, Clyde can't change everyone's fate. For example, the young husband who refused to buy life insurance instead of a boat. The husband and wife did not believe Clyde's warning about the husband's death. Would most people have listened to him?
Answer: He knew he was fated to meet him. You can't change destiny.
But if Clyde never opened the door, Havez would have lived.
Answer: It's not about Scully having a date. Mulder, who is vacationing at Graceland, Elvis Presley's home, is frustrated when Scully calls and says the Pudovkin investigation is not an X File case and she's turned it over to the Philadelphia office. After hanging up, Mulder humorously expresses his frustration by mimicking Elvis' karate moves. Many Elvis imitators do this as a parody.
raywest ★