Memento Mori (The X-Files)
Encyclopedia
"Memento Mori" is a 1997 episode of The X-Files
television series
. It was the fourteenth episode broadcast in the show's fourth season. In "Memento Mori" Dana Scully
(Gillian Anderson
) confirms previous suspicions of cancer, leaving Fox Mulder
(David Duchovny
) to investigate the cause and how to save her.
finds out that she has a tumor between her sinus and cerebrum. She tells only Fox Mulder
and her boss, Assistant Director Walter Skinner
, of the news, and is determined to continue to work. Mulder and Scully head to Allentown, Pennsylvania to see Betsy Hagopian, who was discovered to be suffering from similar symptoms in the episode "Nisei
". When they arrive they are told that Betsy has died, yet they find someone using her phone line. Tracing it, they track down Kurt Crawford, a fellow member of the MUFON network that Betsy belonged to. Crawford tells them that of the women Scully met a year earlier, all have died from cancer except for Penny Northern, who is in the hospital fighting the disease as they speak. Scully is skeptical of Mulder and Crawford's claims that a government conspiracy and her abduction are behind her illness.
Scully goes to see Penny Northern at the hospital, who tells her of treatment she is receiving from a Dr. Scanlon. Mulder discovers that all the abductees were childless but had been treated at a nearby fertility clinic. When Mulder is called away by Scully, Man in Black
the Gray-Haired Man arrives and kills Crawford with a stiletto, revealing him to be an alien-human hybrid
. After meeting Dr. Scanlon, Scully elects to begin treatment, which involves chemotherapy
and heavy doses of radiation
. During this time she starts keeping a diary of her thoughts. Mulder sneaks into the fertility clinic and finds another Kurt Crawford there. The two are able to hack into the clinic's computer database and find notes claiming Scully had been treated by the clinic. Mulder goes to see Skinner, wanting to deal with the Cigarette Smoking Man
to save Scully, but Skinner convinces him not to do so.
Mulder recruits The Lone Gunmen
(Byers
, Frohike
, and Langly
) to help him break into the Lombard Research facility where he thinks he may be able to find more information on how to save Scully. Meanwhile Skinner tries to deal directly with the Cigarette Smoking Man for Scully's life, who tells him he'll get back to him. Mulder and Byers head into the Lombard Facility; when Mulder discovers that Dr. Scanlon works there he sends Byers away to warn Scully. Mulder continues through the facility, discovering several clones of Kurt Crawford working on clones of a young boy (previously seen in "Herrenvolk
"). The clones show Mulder ova harvested from Scully during her abduction and tell him they're trying to save the abducted women's lives since they acted as their birth mothers. Mulder takes Scully's ova and leaves, being pursued by the Gray-Haired Man as he escapes. Mulder returns to the hospital to see Scully, who tells him that Penny has died. Meanwhile, Skinner and the Cigarette Smoking Man come to terms on their deal.
(Gillian Anderson
) cancer
early in the fourth season
. Chris Carter
initially discussed giving Scully's mother cancer but decided to have Scully suffer from it instead. Carter felt it gave the show an interesting platform on which to discuss things such as faith, science, health care and a certain element of the paranormal.
Co-writer Frank Spotnitz
said of the episode's origin, "Darin Morgan
had left the show but was going to contribute an episode. And we realized at the eleventh hour that it wasn't going to happen, and we were stuck with nothing. John, Vince and I broke that story in maybe two days. We split up the acts, wrote it in probably another two days, and gave the crew something to prep before Christmas break. That was the worst ever." Chris ended up rewriting the script over the holiday. The initial cut ended up being too long, resulting in a scene introducing Scully's older brother, Bill Scully, Jr., being removed. The character would eventually make his first appearance in the fourth season finale "Gethsemane
".
in that year's Emmy Award
s. Art Directors Graeme Murray and Gary Allen and set decorator Shirley Inget won the Emmy award for Best Art Direction in a series. Actress Gillian Anderson
also won the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama series for her work on this episode and the fourth season as a whole. Frank Spotnitz
praised the episode, saying, "I think that was the best mythology episode we ever did. It's my favorite one."
The X-Files
The X-Files is an American science fiction television series and a part of The X-Files franchise, created by screenwriter Chris Carter. The program originally aired from to . The show was a hit for the Fox network, and its characters and slogans became popular culture touchstones in the 1990s...
television series
Television program
A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...
. It was the fourteenth episode broadcast in the show's fourth season. In "Memento Mori" Dana Scully
Dana Scully
FBI Special Agent Dana Katherine Scully, M.D. is a fictional character and protagonist on the Fox television series The X-Files , played by Gillian Anderson. She also appeared in two theatrical films based on the series...
(Gillian Anderson
Gillian Anderson
Gillian Leigh Anderson is an American actress.After beginning her career in theatre, Anderson achieved international recognition for her role as Special Agent Dana Scully on the American television series The X-Files. During the show's nine seasons, Anderson won Emmy, Golden Globe, and Screen...
) confirms previous suspicions of cancer, leaving Fox Mulder
Fox Mulder
FBI Special Agent Fox William Mulder is a fictional character and protagonist in the American Fox television shows The X-Files and The Lone Gunmen, two science fiction shows about a government conspiracy to hide or deny the truth of Alien existence. Mulder's peers consider his theories on...
(David Duchovny
David Duchovny
David William Duchovny is an American actor, writer and director. He has won Golden Globe awards for his work as FBI Special Agent Fox Mulder on The X-Files and as Hank Moody on Californication.-Early life:...
) to investigate the cause and how to save her.
Plot
Dana ScullyDana Scully
FBI Special Agent Dana Katherine Scully, M.D. is a fictional character and protagonist on the Fox television series The X-Files , played by Gillian Anderson. She also appeared in two theatrical films based on the series...
finds out that she has a tumor between her sinus and cerebrum. She tells only Fox Mulder
Fox Mulder
FBI Special Agent Fox William Mulder is a fictional character and protagonist in the American Fox television shows The X-Files and The Lone Gunmen, two science fiction shows about a government conspiracy to hide or deny the truth of Alien existence. Mulder's peers consider his theories on...
and her boss, Assistant Director Walter Skinner
Walter Skinner
FBI Assistant Director Walter Sergei Skinner is a fictional character in the American FOX television shows The X-Files and The Lone Gunmen, two science fiction shows about a government conspiracy to hide or deny the truth of Alien existence...
, of the news, and is determined to continue to work. Mulder and Scully head to Allentown, Pennsylvania to see Betsy Hagopian, who was discovered to be suffering from similar symptoms in the episode "Nisei
Nisei (The X-Files)
"Nisei" is the ninth episode of the third season of television series The X-Files.- Plot :In Knoxville, Tennessee, a mysterious train car is left in a railyard. That night, a group of Japanese scientists enter the car and conduct an autopsy on an alien body. The scene is being recorded and...
". When they arrive they are told that Betsy has died, yet they find someone using her phone line. Tracing it, they track down Kurt Crawford, a fellow member of the MUFON network that Betsy belonged to. Crawford tells them that of the women Scully met a year earlier, all have died from cancer except for Penny Northern, who is in the hospital fighting the disease as they speak. Scully is skeptical of Mulder and Crawford's claims that a government conspiracy and her abduction are behind her illness.
Scully goes to see Penny Northern at the hospital, who tells her of treatment she is receiving from a Dr. Scanlon. Mulder discovers that all the abductees were childless but had been treated at a nearby fertility clinic. When Mulder is called away by Scully, Man in Black
Men in Black (The X-Files)
In The X-Files television show, the Men in Black refer, unofficially, to a group of enforcers employed by the Syndicate to execute assassinations, cover ups and other covert operations. It is implied that most, if not all, of them are former members of special operations units...
the Gray-Haired Man arrives and kills Crawford with a stiletto, revealing him to be an alien-human hybrid
Colonist (The X-Files)
The Colonists are an extraterrestrial species in the science fiction television show, The X-Files, as well as the first X-Files feature film. The mystery revolving around their identity and purpose is revealed across the course of the series...
. After meeting Dr. Scanlon, Scully elects to begin treatment, which involves chemotherapy
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is the treatment of cancer with an antineoplastic drug or with a combination of such drugs into a standardized treatment regimen....
and heavy doses of radiation
Radiation therapy
Radiation therapy , radiation oncology, or radiotherapy , sometimes abbreviated to XRT or DXT, is the medical use of ionizing radiation, generally as part of cancer treatment to control malignant cells.Radiation therapy is commonly applied to the cancerous tumor because of its ability to control...
. During this time she starts keeping a diary of her thoughts. Mulder sneaks into the fertility clinic and finds another Kurt Crawford there. The two are able to hack into the clinic's computer database and find notes claiming Scully had been treated by the clinic. Mulder goes to see Skinner, wanting to deal with the Cigarette Smoking Man
Cigarette Smoking Man
The Smoking Man is a fictional character and the antagonist on the American science fiction television series The X-Files. He serves as the arch-nemesis of FBI Special Agent Fox Mulder. Although his name is revealed to purportedly be C.G.B...
to save Scully, but Skinner convinces him not to do so.
Mulder recruits The Lone Gunmen
The Lone Gunmen
The Lone Gunmen are a trio of fictional characters, Richard "Ringo" Langly, Melvin Frohike and John Fitzgerald Byers, who have recurring roles on the American television series The X-Files. They also starred in a short-lived spin-off, also called The Lone Gunmen. The name was derived from the lone...
(Byers
John Fitzgerald Byers
John Fitzgerald Byers is a fictional character in the television shows The X-Files and The Lone Gunmen, played by Bruce Harwood.John Fitzgerald Byers was born on November 22, 1963, the day John F. Kennedy was assassinated, in Sterling, Virginia, and was named after the fallen president – his...
, Frohike
Melvin Frohike
Melvin Frohike is a fictional character in the television shows The X-Files and The Lone Gunmen, played by Tom Braidwood.Frohike was born circa 1953 in Pontiac, Michigan. Prior to joining The Lone Gunmen, he was an acclaimed tango dancer in Miami...
, and Langly
Richard Langly
Richard “Ringo” Langly is a fictional character in the television shows The X-Files and The Lone Gunmen. He was played by Dean Haglund. Langly was born circa 1968/1969 and grew up on a farm in Saltville, Nebraska...
) to help him break into the Lombard Research facility where he thinks he may be able to find more information on how to save Scully. Meanwhile Skinner tries to deal directly with the Cigarette Smoking Man for Scully's life, who tells him he'll get back to him. Mulder and Byers head into the Lombard Facility; when Mulder discovers that Dr. Scanlon works there he sends Byers away to warn Scully. Mulder continues through the facility, discovering several clones of Kurt Crawford working on clones of a young boy (previously seen in "Herrenvolk
Herrenvolk (The X-Files)
"Herrenvolk" is the season four premiere of The X-Files. While Mulder and Jeremiah Smith attempt to uncover the truth, the Syndicate realizes that they have a traitor in their midst. "Herrenvolk" means "Master Race" in German.-Plot:...
"). The clones show Mulder ova harvested from Scully during her abduction and tell him they're trying to save the abducted women's lives since they acted as their birth mothers. Mulder takes Scully's ova and leaves, being pursued by the Gray-Haired Man as he escapes. Mulder returns to the hospital to see Scully, who tells him that Penny has died. Meanwhile, Skinner and the Cigarette Smoking Man come to terms on their deal.
Production
The show's producers decided to give Dana ScullyDana Scully
FBI Special Agent Dana Katherine Scully, M.D. is a fictional character and protagonist on the Fox television series The X-Files , played by Gillian Anderson. She also appeared in two theatrical films based on the series...
(Gillian Anderson
Gillian Anderson
Gillian Leigh Anderson is an American actress.After beginning her career in theatre, Anderson achieved international recognition for her role as Special Agent Dana Scully on the American television series The X-Files. During the show's nine seasons, Anderson won Emmy, Golden Globe, and Screen...
) cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
early in the fourth season
The X-Files (season 4)
-Episodes:Episodes marked with an asterisk are broadly part of the series' mytharc. Episodes with a double asterisk are primary episodes in the series' Alien Mythology arc....
. Chris Carter
Chris Carter (screenwriter)
Christopher Carl Carter is an American screenwriter, film director and producer. He is the creator of The X-Files and Millennium.- Ten Thirteen Productions :...
initially discussed giving Scully's mother cancer but decided to have Scully suffer from it instead. Carter felt it gave the show an interesting platform on which to discuss things such as faith, science, health care and a certain element of the paranormal.
Co-writer Frank Spotnitz
Frank Spotnitz
Frank Spotnitz is an award-winning American television writer and producer, best known for his work on The X-Files television series.-Biography:...
said of the episode's origin, "Darin Morgan
Darin Morgan
Darin Morgan is an American screenwriter best known for several offbeat, darkly humorous episodes of the television series The X-Files and Millennium. His teleplay for the X-Files episode "Clyde Bruckman's Final Repose" won a 1996 Emmy for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Writing for a Drama...
had left the show but was going to contribute an episode. And we realized at the eleventh hour that it wasn't going to happen, and we were stuck with nothing. John, Vince and I broke that story in maybe two days. We split up the acts, wrote it in probably another two days, and gave the crew something to prep before Christmas break. That was the worst ever." Chris ended up rewriting the script over the holiday. The initial cut ended up being too long, resulting in a scene introducing Scully's older brother, Bill Scully, Jr., being removed. The character would eventually make his first appearance in the fourth season finale "Gethsemane
Gethsemane (The X-Files)
"Gethsemane" is the fourth season finale of the science fiction television series The X-Files. The episode first aired in Canada and the United States on the Fox network and subsequently aired in the United Kingdom on Sky1...
".
Reception
This episode earned a Nielsen household rating of 11.5, with a 17 share. It was viewed by 19.10 million people. This episode was submitted to the television academy to represent The X-FilesThe X-Files
The X-Files is an American science fiction television series and a part of The X-Files franchise, created by screenwriter Chris Carter. The program originally aired from to . The show was a hit for the Fox network, and its characters and slogans became popular culture touchstones in the 1990s...
in that year's Emmy Award
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
s. Art Directors Graeme Murray and Gary Allen and set decorator Shirley Inget won the Emmy award for Best Art Direction in a series. Actress Gillian Anderson
Gillian Anderson
Gillian Leigh Anderson is an American actress.After beginning her career in theatre, Anderson achieved international recognition for her role as Special Agent Dana Scully on the American television series The X-Files. During the show's nine seasons, Anderson won Emmy, Golden Globe, and Screen...
also won the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama series for her work on this episode and the fourth season as a whole. Frank Spotnitz
Frank Spotnitz
Frank Spotnitz is an award-winning American television writer and producer, best known for his work on The X-Files television series.-Biography:...
praised the episode, saying, "I think that was the best mythology episode we ever did. It's my favorite one."