Rerun: "Fugue" (the series) by rivkat

[wendelah1]

This week, we're doing a rerun, while I'm waiting on a friend to finish editing her podfic of "Ingenue" or for so-kiss-me-goodbye to complete "The Lambs," whichever comes first.

Back in the day, I had a theory that "Fugue" was written as a response to complaints that the show is a deeply sexist text, with Mulder being the one who drives the plot, and Scully as his sidekick. That's not how I see the series, and it is just a theory. But there does seem to be a subtext to this fable, one that hinges on female identity and how easily women still can submerge themselves in deference to their mates' ambition and passions.

We discussed this for the first time back in 2008. Eight years seems long enough to justify a rerun of one of my personal favs. Reading this deeply affected me; in fact, the first fic I wrote was in response to "Fugue," rather than the series, and that was long before I'd heard of Remix. It remains one of my favorite stories, in this or any fandom.

Fugue (26052 words) by rivkat
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: The X-Files
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Dana Scully/Fox Mulder
Characters: Dana Scully, Fox Mulder
Additional Tags: Amnesia, Juvenilia
Series: Part 1 of Fugue
Summary:

The DSM-IV defines fugue as travel in foreign places, often under an assumed identity.

Since our first discussion, "Fugue" has become a series, providing two more reasons to revisit the fic.

Devoutly to be wished (496 words) by rivkat
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: The X-Files
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Dana Scully, Fox Mulder, C.G.B. Spender
Additional Tags: Eight crazy nights
Series: Part 2 of Fugue
Summary:

The prompt: The ending of Fugue: The image of Scully shivering on that cold floor, in shock after the visit from the Smoking Man? It haunts me. Please get her up off that floor and, if possible, into a happier ending.

Variations on a Fugue (1224 words) by rivkat
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: The X-Files
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Dana Scully, Fox Mulder
Additional Tags: Amnesia, Remix
Series: Part 3 of Fugue
Summary:

Alternate vision of Fugue, for hulamoth. Fox was the one who couldn't remember, and Dana got her memories back.

After you read the series, consider leaving feedback and/or kudos for the author. Please come back and let us know what you think. As always, the nomination post is open for your suggestions.

Comments

[hooves.livejournal.com]

[Back in the day, I had a theory that "Fugue" was written as a response to complaints that the show is a deeply sexist text, with Mulder being the one who drives the plot, and Scully as his sidekick.]

It makes sense to me that there would be literary discourse about this subject, but I'm a little afraid to delve into academia to find out. Do you happen to know off-hand what drove people to think the show was deeply sexist? I have some vague thoughts about it that I've been trying to put into words, but I'm not sure I can view the series as "deeply" sexist, though I do think sexism lurks within it at various points.

I realize this isn't exactly the place for such a discussion but since you mentioned it, and I've been thinking very hard about it for the last couple of weeks, I jumped to ask you about it. The X-Files is old enough that there is probably a plethora of academic literary discourse on the subject of sexism/misogyny in the series but I'm not sure that's a can of worms I want to open up right now. *sweats*

[wendelah1]

As I understand it, the sexism in The X-Files is rooted in the attitude of the writers toward women, particularly female sexuality and reproduction. The word "agency" comes up a lot, too.

Here are some links to meta:

X-Files Meta Roundup. This list is old (2007) but I do know a woman who is writing her PhD on The X-Files and could point you toward more recent stuff if you are interested. On the other hand, old might be exactly right for trying to understand the milieu that led to "Fugue," and "Iolokus," for that matter.

There are more links in the comments to the post.

Emily Shore's X-File Essay Index. She founded this community. She's very smart.

It's been a long time since I've read any of this. I remember “SCULLY, WHAT ARE YOU WEARING?”: THE PROBLEM OF FEMINISM, SUBVERSION, AND HETERONORMATIVITY IN THE X-FILES as being funny and instructive. It's 84 pages, however...

[hooves.livejournal.com]

I have a few followers on Tumblr who are interested in possibly digesting some good TXF dissertations, particularly about feminism and/or sexism/misogyny, so I'll have to check that one out!

I got a message the other day from a longtime follower who reads my analysis/meta/critique of other TV shows/books/etc and who was super excited to see me get into TXF: "when are you going to start the Scully discourse?"

I've been trying to stay out of it personally, because I haven't finished the series yet, but I can't keep my grubby paws off of good material like this. In the meantime, though, reading other people's criticisms/critiques/thoughts sounds delightful--and like the perfect way to pass time at work when there's no more work to do and hours left on the clock to go. ;)

Some newer stuff could be great, so I'd be happy to know who is writing their PhD on TXF, but you're right in that history (as my secondary interest) is important when it comes to literary/media analysis, so I'll check out everything, particularly the older stuff.

(As far as female sexuality goes I'm not sure where that fits in just yet, but I get the reproduction thing. There's a lot that bothers me about that storyline in this series but it's been hard pinning it down. Maybe I'll have an easier time soon, since I'm almost through S8. Perhaps in the case of TXF sexuality and reproduction are heavily intertwined, which would make a heck of a lot of sense to me.)

Thanks so much!

[wendelah1]

You're welcome.

Issues with sexuality have to do with the absence of even a whiff of an onscreen sex life (or even friendships past season one) for Dana Scully. Mulder got laid in "3" and watches porn and reads Celebrity Skin. He regularly calls up that 900 number and flirts incessantly with women he finds attractive. The one time Scully gets some (or attempts to, perhaps I should say; the controversy still rages) in "Never Again," she nearly gets killed by her (would-be) lover, because it turns out he's a homicidal maniac. I think you could make a case that sex in X-Files Land never ends well, no matter which character we're talking about. Mulder's lover does after all set herself on fire after they've had sex. BUT Scully does have a long stretch where her world narrowed down to Mulder, professional visits to the LoneGunmen, and her family. And while I am open to being convinced in fanfic that she and Mulder had an on-and-off sexual relationship beginning with say, "Paper Clip," or even during the aftermath of "Beyond the Sea," my personal choice, canon is deliberately murky on that point.

You must have changed your tumblr name. I did finally track you down. I hope it's okay if I followed you (no expectation that you follow me back--I'm hardly ever there, lately. And the XF blog where I regularly posted content was killed by my despair over season ten. Someday I'll get back to it.). It sounds like you have had interesting conversations about The X-Files and those are rare on Tumblr.)

[bmerb.livejournal.com]

Ooh so curious! You said, I am open to being convinced in fanfic that she and Mulder had an on-and-off sexual relationship beginning with say, "Paper Clip," or even during the aftermath of "Beyond the Sea," my personal choice, canon is deliberately murky on that point.

So curious about why Beyond the Sea is your personal choice. Why that episode? I liked how Syntax6 dropped it into the time in early season 2 in, um, Puerto Rico? And how Nascent dropped it into those eps in I think season 2 or 3 when they were on the run and not officially on the job.

Sorry to take off tangentially from the discussion of CC and crew's obsession with Scully and the Madonna-whore complex! GA apparently was incredibly frustrated with the writers completely disallowing Scully any kind of intimate life. She was super pleased to learn of a sexual liaison for her in Never Again and specifically requested not just a sex scene but an intense one with head banging against headboard, etc. She too was tired of the perpetual spinster/maiden crap that CC relegated her to, and was frustrated as hell by the changes in the final version of the episode.

[hooves.livejournal.com]

GA apparently was incredibly frustrated with the writers completely disallowing Scully any kind of intimate life.

I'd be frustrated, too. Hell, I am! And it's not just a sexual relationship I'm irritated about (though tbh, I don't care about that). I'm royally annoyed that she's not shown having any kind of intimate life at all: no close friends, no church pals/acquaintances, we never even SEE Charles/Charlie. It's like they wanted her to be a "look don't touch" kind of character. It's poor writing and reeks of some weird male gaze stuff that doesn't sit right with me. Well, that kind of stuff never does...but I think my biggest issue with it is that it reeks of CC and other male writers, relegating Scully to something less than a person--and characters should feel like people, not like objects/plot vehicles/et cetera.

[wendelah1]

Why "Beyond the Sea"? Well. Okay. I've long felt that season one or even early in season two, say before her abduction but after "Little Green Men," was their best chance for a romantic relationship. She was emotionally more open in season one. She actually went on a date in season one. I don't think it's a stretch to imagine her having a little crush on Mulder in season one. This goes a long way in explaining why Syntax6's "Universal Invariants" is such a favorite of mine. And why her sex scene set during LGM in Arecibo is my favorite sex scene in all of XFiles fanfic. Her excellent writing and outstanding characterizations and deft plotting also help. :)

Why "Beyond the Sea"? Well, Scully is more emotionally open to Mulder, first because of her father's death and then because Mulder gets shot during the case. There is even more than the usual amount of touchy-feely happening in BtS. He easily could have died, especially since Scully M.D. seemed to have forgotten basic first aid. Even though we never see it, Mulder would logically need a prolonged recovery from that gunshot wound. He'd be recovering at home, he'd be bored out of his mind, she'd naturally visit him. I can go on and on, but I can see it working in fanfic.

[hooves.livejournal.com]

I didn't ask for the explanation but I was hoping you'd give one, anyway, because I was also curious to know the answer. Hah!

I was pretty dubious of the idea at first but you explain it really well. I see what you mean, where the earlier episodes were their best chance to have something romantic happen (and, dare I say, work out well?). I'm not sure I've seen that fanfic, yet. Gosh, I have so much reading to do! But at least it's not for a class. Whew.

[wendelah1]

I've enjoyed everything by Syntax6 but "Universal Invariants" is my favorite. It's one of those fics that I can read again and again with pleasure. It has a sequel, too. "Laws of Motion." We've discussed both of them.

Fanfiction by Syntax6.

[bmerb.livejournal.com]

Ok Wendy, I think you may have sold me on that timeline then. I didn't necessarily SEE much sexual tension around then, but there was the comment in the Jersy Devil episode where Scully's friend mentions that she (Dana) said Mulder was cute, and there was Mulder acting possessive in the first episode with Tooms (professionally possessive? Is that even a thing? Territorial, whatever). All that bored recuperation time...

Still I think what Syntax6 did with Universal Invariants, placing during LGM, that was perfect. We have some very clear evidence within canon of connection and affection and draw. That clandestine meeting at the bench where Scully declares that if Mulder quit the FBI she would consider it more than a professional loss (plus extra touching and hair ruffling. Don't know about you but I've never ruffled my coworkers hair), the constant reaching out to one another to consult over things (was it me or did they seem particularly flirty in the flukeman episode?), and the obvious actual flirting that came after Mulder was paired with Krychek, particularly during that one phone conversation). And of course, not being partnered would be something of a green light to have a personal relationship...

Ha, apparently Syntax6 sold it to me reeeally well 😅 And yes, that sex scene in UI, omg... Wish I liked the follow up fic as well!

[hooves.livejournal.com]

D'oh! Of course. I blame my speed-run through the series + my awful memory; I don't give myself any time to digest an episode before I fling myself into the next. What you're saying makes perfect sense.

I read a really good piece on Tumblr yesterday (from maybe a year ago) about Scully as the Good Girl (vs. Phoebe Green's Bad Girl image) as it pertains to sexuality. Like Scully is almost the academic asexual (which is Good) and Phoebe is the oversexed seductress (which is shown as Bad). I took some big issues with Phoebe's portrayal but didn't linger on the episode long enough to put my thoughts into order. The essay I read talked about how this Good/Bad Girl thing was working and your comment about her thing with Ed pinged a light on in my brain. I get it now! And I'm swimming in thoughts. Yikes.

I was never sure how I wanted to deal with the show's jokes with regards to Mulder's sex life (or uhhh lack thereof). Not much is ever proven concretely that couldn't also be interpreted in another way, after all. Kind of like the thing with Ed & Scully; it was left just open enough that you could probably claim they'd had sex if you really wanted to, but you could also go the other way and say nah they totally didn't. Yay, open-endedness in TXF...?

No matter how you slice it, though, it's okay for the series to hint about Mulder being a sexual person, but it's only ever okay for Scully to be viewed as a sexually desirable object by others while also never being allowed to be a sexual person herself.

Not that I see anything inherently wrong with the idea of Scully as a nonsexual/asexual person, but from a narrative point of view it seems sketchy that she would be shown that way but also shown as hot/desirable to other people on a consistent basis while never acknowledging her sexuality AT ALL--while also conveniently making sure via a plethora of jokes that you understand Mulder's.

There's also something to be said about Mulder for-sure having sex vs. Scully's situation being ambiguous/not shown as frankly. It's like the idea that the Good Girl is obviously desirable (particularly by men!) but is Too Good and Pure to actually do anything with them...even if she wants to. :/ I think there's some sketchy stuff in Ed also being a homicidal maniac. Like what are they trying to tell us with a plot element like that, anyway? Whatever it is, it isn't good.

I haven't had any thoughts at all yet on when their sexual relationship might have begun, but I think it's pretty neat to see other people's thoughts on it. :D

Also, yes, I went back to my old screenname. A follow is more than okay, but I'm pretty dull so if you unfollow later, no worries. I keep intending to make a blog just for TXF because what I'd like to do after this watchthrough is to rewatch the series and do a post on each episode individually, and since hardly anyone follows me on Tumblr for TXF it seems weird to post too consistently about it there. But we'll see! I've been busy...and I started up a cat sideblog to post my copious cat gifs/pictures. Maybe this weekend I'll get to it!