Unrequited

"Unrequited," directed by Michael Lange, delves into the haunting themes of war, trauma, and the psychological scars left on veterans. Written by the series creator Chris Carter, this episode explores the story of Nathaniel Teager (played by John Hawkes), a Vietnam War veteran who possesses the ability to render himself invisible. The narrative begins with a tense scene at a military funeral where a mysterious figure is seen lurking, hinting at the dark events that will unfold.

As Mulder (David Duchovny) and Scully (Gillian Anderson) investigate a series of murders involving high-ranking military officials, they discover that Teager is targeting those he believes abandoned American POWs during the Vietnam War. The pacing of "Unrequited" is steady, allowing viewers to gradually uncover the layers of Teager's motivations while also exploring Mulder and Scully's dynamic as they navigate the complexities of their investigation. A particularly striking moment occurs when Mulder confronts Teager about his actions, leading to a tense standoff that highlights the moral ambiguities inherent in their pursuit of justice.

Visually, "Unrequited" employs a dark and gritty aesthetic that enhances its themes of despair and vengeance. Lange's direction captures the oppressive atmosphere surrounding the military and its impact on veterans. The cinematography effectively utilizes shadows and muted colors to evoke feelings of unease, particularly during scenes where Teager's abilities are on display. Critics have noted that this visual storytelling immerses viewers in a world where trauma manifests in violent ways.

The performances in this episode are commendable, especially from Hawkes as Nathaniel Teager. His portrayal captures the anguish and desperation of a man haunted by his past; he embodies both vulnerability and rage as he seeks retribution for perceived injustices. Duchovny delivers a strong performance as Mulder, showcasing his determination to understand Teager's motivations while grappling with the ethical implications of his actions. Anderson's Scully provides a rational counterbalance; her skepticism grounds Mulder's theories while emphasizing her concern for the ramifications of their investigation. The chemistry between Duchovny and Anderson continues to shine, adding depth to their partnership as they confront the horrors of their case.

"Unrequited" raises significant questions about morality, justice, and the consequences of war. The episode critiques how society often neglects veterans; it examines how unresolved trauma can lead individuals to commit acts of violence in pursuit of closure. Additionally, it highlights societal attitudes toward authority; characters like Teager represent those who feel betrayed by the very institutions meant to protect them. This exploration invites viewers to reflect on their beliefs regarding accountability, compassion, and the complexities of human behavior.

I guess the idea that we left POWs in Vietnam was a going concern of Hollywood in the 80s and 90s, I'm pretty sure Rambo saved some at one point. By the time we got to GWoT a decade later I guess they decided it wasn't a big deal.

Anyway, the military sold a group of POWs down the river and left them behind. Why? I don't know. They never explain that. The Vietcong never won a battle against the US Army, so it seems like we could have extracted quite a few concessions when our country decided to leave. But I guess they didn't, they left them there.

Anyway, one got loose and flew home after learning the secrets of invisibility. It's a good premise, I like it as a monster-of-the-week episode of the X-Files. You've got a very hard to stop killer, and our two heroes have to stop him. By the nature of the show, Mulder and Scully are never allowed to actually find a sort of external solution, they can't go to the FBI's Q Research department and get special anti-invisibility glasses, or come up with a really sneaky plan like they're doing some reverse heist with a criminal. They just always have to muddle through it, and then Mulder has some not especially clever insight that allows them to defeat the villain. Who in this episode, like in most episodes, is simply too powerful to realistically be stopped, but puts himself in a vulnerable position to accomplish his task for no particularly good reason other than the show needs him to lose.

Also, I would like to note how annoying it is using Scully as a general skeptic at all times even into the last act of the episode. She already knows this guy can turn invisible, they literally caught him on tape sneaking into the Pentagon by simply walking past a group of guards, it's literally undeniable. But then when Scully spots the guy standing along the parade route, and he instantly disappears she's like, "I don't know what I saw!!!" You saw him and then he turned invisible to you Scully, even the United States Military has conceded this to be a fact of life about this guy. What's the point of having her pretend like it isn't happening, other than to make her look emotional and incompetent, waiving her gun around and then acting like maybe she's crazy and confused, not traits the government looks for in federal agents. I wish they'd have given the character a little more respect.

Season four, though one of the consistently better years of The X-Files, really suffered from helter-skelter scheduling and last-minute episode switching. Thus, a wholly self-contained episode like "Unrequited," airing just weeks after the momentous events in "Memento Mori," seems out of place and pallid in comparison.

The x-file in this case has to do with invisibility, specifically the paranormal ability of a POW escapee to induce some sort of blind spot in the eyes of others. I didn't really get it, and the writers probably didn't either, but the theme is appropriate: this is an episode largely forgotten amongst the season's pinnacles and for good reason.

As with numerous other Howard Gordon episodes, political overtones float around the script with the subtlety of a brick and a window. Nathaniel Teager, a man left for dead in Vietnam, has returned to the US to carry out his agenda to murder the men responsible for his predicament. Excess preachiness notwithstanding, don't forget this is a theme largely borrowed from season three's "The Walk," which featured basically the same scenario with a few blanks filled in differently.

The generals are not likable characters, the character of Teager is never explored (Peter Lacroix has few spoken lines in the entire episode), an opportunity to explore Skinner's character is all but wasted - despite a contrived mentioning of his time in Vietnam slapped onto the end. Somehow Marita Covarrubias shows up in the mess, reminding us how much Gordon likes to shoehorn his deep throats into plots that don't really necessitate their presence. Even Larry Musser, notable for his sheriff roles in "Die Hand Die Verletzt," "Jose Chung's From Outer Space" and "Chinga," falls flat in his static role of Denny Markham. And somehow at the end of the episode, notable for being one of the series' shortest, it is hard to meet the preceding events with anything but indifference.

There is one scene that I did like, when the agents arrive outside of Markham's compound, and Scully, scanning the perimeter, briefly spots Teager standing in the background. This is truly a creepy scene, and adds a distinguished touch that is unfortunately lacking just about everywhere else.

Overall, this is a fairly skippable episode. There are no particularly interesting characters, the plot has been seen in other episodes, the script is filled with political clichés and just seems far too reminiscent of other Gordon episodes. For the forty-something minutes I invested in this, I feel as though my reward was unrequited.

5/10

Vietnam Veteran Nathaniel Teager goes on a killing spree, killing men of high military standing, he has one huge advantage, invisibility.

I found myself struggling a little with Unrequited, Series 4 has offered up so much variety, so much depth, and huge amounts of character development. This one felt like a step backwards, I don't think enough attention was paid to Teager's motives, Teager felt a little underdeveloped, and I felt it was a bit odd that Scully's recent plight wasn't even mentioned.

On the plus side, I liked the way the episode was mapped out, with the snippet at the beginning being returned to.

I didn't particularly enjoy the characters, and some of the military chest beating didn't work.

The weakest episode from Series 4 I think, 5/10.

Unrequited retreads on the x-files idea of military personnel seeking revenge on their former commanders from Vietnam. The idea is not new, but the suspense is what makes this episode interesting to watch. The teaser is an idea that the x-files uses from time to time where they show events toward the end of the episode that are usually very tense. You are then left guessing as to how they arrived at that suspenseful moment. I like these kind of teasers. They really grab my attention. A few other things I would like to mention. The bleeding eye scene looked pretty real, and gross. The extras used for the parade scene are, well, extras. It's funny to see average, everyday people trying to act. And when Teager gives his fellow soldier those names, it makes you wonder what that soldier did with them. In summary, this is the third x-files episode about vengeful soldiers, following Sleepless and The Walk. And Sleepless also had a disappearing soldier. Being an old theme, the episode loses some of its charm. But viewed by itself, the suspense is what makes Unrequited a good episode to see.