Soft Light (The X-Files)
Encyclopedia
"Soft Light" is the twenty-third episode of the second season of The X-Files
. It was broadcast on the Fox Broadcasting Company
on May 5, 1995.
, a disheveled man named Chester Banton visits one of the rooms, desperately seeking a person named Morris. Banton's shouts and knocking attract the attention of Patrick Newirth, a guest in the room across the hall. When Newirth looks through a peephole to watch Banton, his shadow slips beneath the door and causes Newirth to suddenly evaporate, leaving a burn mark on the floor. Terrified, Banton flees the scene.
Newirth's death, the latest in several, is assigned to newly-promoted local detective Kelly Ryan. She seeks help from Agent Dana Scully
, her former instructor at the FBI Academy
; Fox Mulder
also takes part in the investigation, believing the victim died from spontaneous human combustion
. Mulder and Scully visit the home of an earlier victim and find a similar burn mark. The agents realize that both victims had recently traveled by train, leading Mulder to believe that a killer might be hunting for more at the local train station.
Meanwhile, Banton sits in the train station terminal, cautiously looking at the floor; because the room is lit by soft light
, none can be seen. After he leaves, Banton is confronted by two police officers patrolling the area. Despite Banton's warnings, the officers step into his shadow and disappear, leaving more burn marks. The following day, while reviewing the train station's surveillance tapes, Mulder sees footage of Banton staring at the floor. After blowing up the frame, Mulder sees the logo for a company called Polarity Magnetics on Banton's jacket.
The agents visit Polarity Magnetics, where they meet a scientist named Christopher Davey. He identifies Banton, a physicist
conducting research into dark matter
-- the theoretical fabric of reality itself. Davey reveals that Banton disappeared five weeks earlier after an incident in his laboratory
, in which he was locked in a target room with an active particle accelerator
and exposed to a large amount of quantum particles. The exposure was so intense that his shadow was burned into the wall. Davey implies that Banton let the incident occur in order to experience dark matter firsthand. His account is enough for Scully to consider spontaneous human combustion, but Mulder is now doubtful of this theory.
The agents returned to the train station, Banton's last known location, and set up a surveillance. They eventually find Banton, who runs from the scene to a train platform, where he is cornered. Banton declares that walking into his shadow would kill the agents, so Mulder shoots the overhead lights. An alleviated Banton gives himself in.
At the Yaloff Psychiatric Hospital in Piedmont, Virginia, Banton is put in a room with soft light
per his own request, and tells the agents that the deadly nature of his shadow stemmed from an accident in his laboratory, which caused it to behave like a black hole
, splitting atoms into component atoms and reducing matter into pure energy. Asked if he killed Gail Lambert, Banton claimed that it was an accident, and adds that he is fearful the government would apprehend him before he could understand the nature of his affliction, alleging that the government had been after him for years, breaking into his office and going through his research papers.
Mulder contacts his confidential source, X
, informing him about Banton and the danger he posed to others. X inquired as to the doctor's location, then refused to interfere in the case. Later that night at the Yaloff Hospital, X and two associates attempt to remove Dr. Banton from the facility. In doing so, the two attendants are killed instantly as they stepped into Dr. Banton's shadow. Dr. Banton and X then fled from the hospital.
From the hospital, Banton went to his Polarity Magnetics lab where he is confronted by Ryan. Despite Banton’s entreaties that she back off, Ryan continued to advance, leading Banton to kill her with his shadow. Banton then conspired with Davey to assist Banton in destroying himself in the accelerator. Davey locked Banton inside the room, then refused to cooperate, admitting that he was working for the government. As Davey phoned a contact to report that Dr. Banton was in the lab, X shoots him. Mulder and Scully arrive shortly afterwards, noticing Ryan’s car in front of the building. Once inside, the agents find the scorch mark Ryan left, and a presence in the acceleration chamber that is atomized, leaving behind only a shadow on the wall. The case is considered closed, but then Mulder noticed Davey disappeared after the incidents. The episode ends as X enters a research facility where experiments are being performed on Banton.
; he grew up near Richmond, Virginia, where the episode is set.
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...
. It was broadcast on the Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
on May 5, 1995.
Plot
At a hotel in Richmond, VirginiaRichmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
, a disheveled man named Chester Banton visits one of the rooms, desperately seeking a person named Morris. Banton's shouts and knocking attract the attention of Patrick Newirth, a guest in the room across the hall. When Newirth looks through a peephole to watch Banton, his shadow slips beneath the door and causes Newirth to suddenly evaporate, leaving a burn mark on the floor. Terrified, Banton flees the scene.
Newirth's death, the latest in several, is assigned to newly-promoted local detective Kelly Ryan. She seeks help from Agent 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...
, her former instructor at the FBI Academy
FBI Academy
The FBI Academy, located in Quantico, Virginia, is the training site for new Special Agents of the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was first opened for use in 1972 on 385 acres of woodland. It is a relatively small government academy, housing three dormitory buildings and...
; 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...
also takes part in the investigation, believing the victim died from spontaneous human combustion
Spontaneous human combustion
Spontaneous human combustion describes reported cases of the burning of a living human body without an apparent external source of ignition...
. Mulder and Scully visit the home of an earlier victim and find a similar burn mark. The agents realize that both victims had recently traveled by train, leading Mulder to believe that a killer might be hunting for more at the local train station.
Meanwhile, Banton sits in the train station terminal, cautiously looking at the floor; because the room is lit by soft light
Soft light
Soft light refers to light that tends to "wrap" around objects, casting shadows with soft edges. The softness of the light depends mostly on the following two factors:*Distance. The closer the light source, the softer it becomes.*Size of light source...
, none can be seen. After he leaves, Banton is confronted by two police officers patrolling the area. Despite Banton's warnings, the officers step into his shadow and disappear, leaving more burn marks. The following day, while reviewing the train station's surveillance tapes, Mulder sees footage of Banton staring at the floor. After blowing up the frame, Mulder sees the logo for a company called Polarity Magnetics on Banton's jacket.
The agents visit Polarity Magnetics, where they meet a scientist named Christopher Davey. He identifies Banton, a physicist
Physicist
A physicist is a scientist who studies or practices physics. Physicists study a wide range of physical phenomena in many branches of physics spanning all length scales: from sub-atomic particles of which all ordinary matter is made to the behavior of the material Universe as a whole...
conducting research into dark matter
Dark matter
In astronomy and cosmology, dark matter is matter that neither emits nor scatters light or other electromagnetic radiation, and so cannot be directly detected via optical or radio astronomy...
-- the theoretical fabric of reality itself. Davey reveals that Banton disappeared five weeks earlier after an incident in his laboratory
Laboratory
A laboratory is a facility that provides controlled conditions in which scientific research, experiments, and measurement may be performed. The title of laboratory is also used for certain other facilities where the processes or equipment used are similar to those in scientific laboratories...
, in which he was locked in a target room with an active particle accelerator
Particle accelerator
A particle accelerator is a device that uses electromagnetic fields to propel charged particles to high speeds and to contain them in well-defined beams. An ordinary CRT television set is a simple form of accelerator. There are two basic types: electrostatic and oscillating field accelerators.In...
and exposed to a large amount of quantum particles. The exposure was so intense that his shadow was burned into the wall. Davey implies that Banton let the incident occur in order to experience dark matter firsthand. His account is enough for Scully to consider spontaneous human combustion, but Mulder is now doubtful of this theory.
The agents returned to the train station, Banton's last known location, and set up a surveillance. They eventually find Banton, who runs from the scene to a train platform, where he is cornered. Banton declares that walking into his shadow would kill the agents, so Mulder shoots the overhead lights. An alleviated Banton gives himself in.
At the Yaloff Psychiatric Hospital in Piedmont, Virginia, Banton is put in a room with soft light
Soft light
Soft light refers to light that tends to "wrap" around objects, casting shadows with soft edges. The softness of the light depends mostly on the following two factors:*Distance. The closer the light source, the softer it becomes.*Size of light source...
per his own request, and tells the agents that the deadly nature of his shadow stemmed from an accident in his laboratory, which caused it to behave like a black hole
Black hole
A black hole is a region of spacetime from which nothing, not even light, can escape. The theory of general relativity predicts that a sufficiently compact mass will deform spacetime to form a black hole. Around a black hole there is a mathematically defined surface called an event horizon that...
, splitting atoms into component atoms and reducing matter into pure energy. Asked if he killed Gail Lambert, Banton claimed that it was an accident, and adds that he is fearful the government would apprehend him before he could understand the nature of his affliction, alleging that the government had been after him for years, breaking into his office and going through his research papers.
Mulder contacts his confidential source, X
X (The X-Files)
X, sometimes referred to as Mr. X, is a fictional character on the American science fiction television series The X-Files. He serves as an informant, leaking information to FBI Special Agent Fox Mulder to aid Mulder's investigation of paranormal cases, dubbed X-Files...
, informing him about Banton and the danger he posed to others. X inquired as to the doctor's location, then refused to interfere in the case. Later that night at the Yaloff Hospital, X and two associates attempt to remove Dr. Banton from the facility. In doing so, the two attendants are killed instantly as they stepped into Dr. Banton's shadow. Dr. Banton and X then fled from the hospital.
From the hospital, Banton went to his Polarity Magnetics lab where he is confronted by Ryan. Despite Banton’s entreaties that she back off, Ryan continued to advance, leading Banton to kill her with his shadow. Banton then conspired with Davey to assist Banton in destroying himself in the accelerator. Davey locked Banton inside the room, then refused to cooperate, admitting that he was working for the government. As Davey phoned a contact to report that Dr. Banton was in the lab, X shoots him. Mulder and Scully arrive shortly afterwards, noticing Ryan’s car in front of the building. Once inside, the agents find the scorch mark Ryan left, and a presence in the acceleration chamber that is atomized, leaving behind only a shadow on the wall. The case is considered closed, but then Mulder noticed Davey disappeared after the incidents. The episode ends as X enters a research facility where experiments are being performed on Banton.
Production details
"Soft Light" was the first episode by staff writer Vince GilliganVince Gilligan
Vince Gilligan is an American writer, director and producer. He is the creator of the highly acclaimed television series Breaking Bad. Gilligan has also worked on the hit series The X-Files and The Lone Gunmen. He is a graduate of the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University...
; he grew up near Richmond, Virginia, where the episode is set.
In-universe references
- As Scully investigates the air tube in the hotel room in the beginning, Detective Kelly Ryan states that Scully would not possibly consider that to be a way in the room, saying "you don't think anyone could have squeezed in there?" Mulder replies "You never know". The line refers to the episodes "Squeeze" and "ToomsTooms"Tooms" is the twenty-first episode of the first season of the American science fiction television series The X-Files. It premiered on the Fox network on April 22, 1994. "Tooms" was written by Glen Morgan and James Wong, and directed by David Nutter. The episode featured Mitch Pileggi's first...
" from season one, with Eugene Victor Tooms being able to squeeze himself through small openings.