Memento Mori

We finally learn what's up with Scully, and the obvious question is answered, what exactly did Leonard Betts need from her.

Where do you even begin with this one, it has everything going on, it's action packed, dramatic, it's one that really does tug away at the heart strings, one thing it really does offer up though, is hope.

The Lone Gunmen, Cancer Man, Scully's mum, so many familiar faces keep on popping up. We also learn quite a lot about Skinner, and the lengths he's prepared to go to for Scully.

It is a tough watch, as it does deal with a horrid illness that affects to many lives, it's quite sensitively handled here.

Gillian Anderson, I think that's perhaps the best performance I've seen from her so far, she was breathtaking here. I loved her voice overs, I found them so meaningful.

Awesome episode, 10/10.

Emmy-nominated "Memento Mori" (4.14, 1997) (co-written by Chris Carter, Frank Spotnitz, Vince Gilligan and John Shiban) This highly dramatic episode opens with an angst filled prologue by Agent Dana Scully. Her battle against this mysterious "cancer" is described in many emotional vignettes throughout the episode. Mulder's nonacceptance of the possibility of Scully dying is the driving force, because he'll basically go to any length to find out what's really wrong with her. The Ciggarrette Smoking man is here for the ride and Mulder is desperately trying to get information from him with the aid of Skinner. Here to help Mulder in the tight situations are the Lone Gunmen who provide a few lighter moments. Mulder has to make an extremely shady deal to acquire the cure for Scully. Her mother and brother are present for her support and their frustration with the situation is apparent, especially her brothers ideas of Mulder. Scully is a mere shell of herself towards the end of the episode, which the viewer can sympathize with. A great episode, not to miss.

Memento Mori is an episode that will certainly tug at your heartstrings. Right off, we see a touching teaser that features a voice-over by Gillian Anderson. There are lots of voice-overs by Gillian Anderson in this episode, and they help to express the emotion that is present. What gets me right away is Mulder's concern for Scully, and his refusal to accept what has happened to her. He'll go to any length to find out what's really wrong with her. And Skinner is right there with Mulder. He refuses to allow Mulder to deal with the Cigarette Smoking Man. He then essentially "sells his soul to the Devil" in order to get a cure for Scully. This will pay out in a later episode. Another thing that makes this episode great is that the Lone Gunmen are in it and they get to do some action on the outside, helping Mulder break into a building. This episode features an interesting deleted scene with Scully's brother Bill, where he berates her for the choices she's made. The make-up for Scully after she's received some chemotherapy is very good. She looks so beaten. The strong emotion is what carries this episode, and makes it one of the finest of season four.

This episode was depressing. Agent Scully's narration was dreadful. Remember Season 2's Dod Kalm episode when Mulder and Scully were aging on a submarine that was sucking the youth and life out of them? Scully's narration drained the joy and energy out of me then and she did it again during this episode. Her narration is the pits.

Memento Mori probably is my all time favorite mythology episode. Scully is finally diagnosed with cancer. Gillian Anderson's performance in this episode was amazing, this episode will tug at your heart strings. Anderson's emotional force and touching facial expressions work the best here. David Duchovny was terrific too. The Scully centered episodes always tend to be the best ones, eg: "Beyond the Sea" but Duchovny really holds this episode together like he did on season two's "One Breath". The Lone Gunmen also make an appearance, trying to help Mulder find a cure for Scully. "Memento Mori" is as good as the series gets: there is action, humor, emotion, tragedy, all thrown in to the mix. This episode is as personal as it gets. It is truly the best piece of "X-Files" mythology out there.