SCRIPT EXCERPT: The Field Where I Died (Teaser)

Because everywhere I go I have to have this posted: The Teaser to "The Field Where I Died". Gives me the goosebumps! Beautiful episode, I've read the script to this a million times it's so worn out.

Kristi

==============

TEASER

OVER BLACK:

A breeze, soft and cool, whispers across eternity. In moments of doubt, this wind touches each of us. For some, a taunting hint. Others, a comforting reminder; of its' patient wait.

MULDER (V.O.)
At times I almost dream...

CUT TO:

EXT. A FIELD - DAY - WIDE

The breeze flits across a field, brushing lush grass. In the distance, rays of sunlight escape spectacular gray and white (CGI) cumulonimbus clouds to land upon majestic mountains.

And yet, the setting is not intimidating. One day... each of us will be here.

MULDER (V.O.)
(continuing)
I too have spent a life the
sages' way, / And tread once more
familiar paths.

To this point unnoticed, a human form sits alone on a rock or a hill, in the field. CAMERA BEGINS TO MOVE TOWARD the person...

MULDER (V.O.)
(continuing)
Perchance I perished in an
arrogant self-reliance/ An age
ago;

CAMERA CONTINUES to SWEEP TOWARD the figure, head down, looking not upon the scenery but at two objects held in his slightly trembling hands.

MULDER (V.O.)
(continuing)
and in that act, a prayer/ For
one more chance went up so
earnest, so...

AS CAMERA NEARS it becomes clear the figure is Fox Mulder. He is shaken. Confused. Heartbroken.

Yet, a certain sad hopefulness pushes him. Searching for serenity in an answer he wants to believe lies within his hands.

MULDER (V.O.)
(continuing)
Instinct with better light let
in by Death/ That life was
blotted out - not so
completely...

It becomes clear his hands hold two old photographs, one torn in half. His eyes... his soul... remain locked on these two images.

MULDER (V.O.)
(continuing)
But scattered wrecks enough of
it to remain,/ Dim memories;

CAMERA MOVES PAST MULDER AND DOWN to the PHOTOGRAPHS, REVEALING one yellowed photo of a Confederate soldier with a posed blank expression, hiding pride and fear behind clear gray eyes.

MULDER (V.O.)
(continuing)
as now, when seems once more...

The torn image is of a Confederate woman, not aristocracy; simply a pretty young woman captured with equal pride and fear.

MULDER (V.O.)
(continuing)
The goal in sight again...

CAMERA HOLDS on the ancient couple in Mulder's hands. And as the eternal wind taunts and comforts across the images, Mulder and the field...

FADE OUT:

END OF TEASER

Another one of those "what is a SoX forum without this" threads :) Thanks for sharing.

I do what I can. This is required posting, just like the Knowle Stares At You Thread. :)

Because I watched this yesterday and totally flipped out over the episode! I haven't watched an episode in AGES! EONS! And I have to admit, when the FBI and ATF is raiding the Temple of the Seven Stars and we first see Mulder come through the door with a gun... OMG, I totally squealed over him! He's so adorably hot in this episode... I mean, not just that scene, but the WHOLE episode! I think because he's vulnerable in it and I just love that!

"The Field Where I Died" is just amazing. My very favorite episode of the ENTIRE SERIES! OMG! Like O.M.G! Literally, this episode takes my breath away. OMG. I'm so in love with it!

And then there's the Godess (Kristen Cloke). OMG! She's just so amazing in this episode! What a talent! She's so perfect!

And Vernon, my cult leader! I would so drink Kool-Aid for him!

This is seriously one of THE BEST episodes of the entire series. I could watch it again. I was wondering though last night, why did Morgan & Wong choose this part of "Paracelsus" for the end caps of the episode? Does this poem have some kind of meaning about soul mates eternal?

at times I almost dream
I too have spent a life the sages' way,
And tread once more familiar paths. Perchance
I perished in an arrogant self-reliance
Ages ago; and in that act, a prayer
For one more chance went up so earnest, so
Instinct with better light let in by death,
That life was blotted out—not so completely
But scattered wrecks enough of it remain,
Dim memories, as now, when once more seems
The goal in sight again.

I found an interpretation of this part of the poem here: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

interpretation by nishant2200:

The subject of the poem, says many times he has felt, dreamt, that just like sages, he has spent a meaningful life, and has had a feeling of deja vu, a premonition of past births, similar situations, multiple times.

Unfortunately he died, a long time back, in a previous life, in a life where he could not finish the goals, he was too over confident, but when the moment came to die, he realized, and prayed to God for one more chance. The moment of death enlightened him, this light which was led in by death, made him yearn for more lives where he could correct his mistakes and be with the ones he loved so dearly, once more.

Hence, this life was not really completely eradicated by that death. It could not be blotted out completely, but bits and parts of it remained, as sad memories, in his re-incarnation, and this re-birth, now he sees the goal in his sights again. He sees the person he loved again, and he has a chance to get what he lost in his past life again.

Yeah... Duchovny *perfectly* got the emotion of this interpretation through in his reading of the poem in the episode. This Mulder makes my heart ache for Mulder because you could see in Mulder's eyes the connection his soul made to the soul of Melissa. And when he found her dead, holding the picture of his/her past life in her hands, he knew then that she really did want to believe (or actually felt and believed) that she and Mulder were soul mates.

When Mulder does the hypnosis in this episode and says that his soul is tired, I want so badly for him to release his soul's exhaustion and find peace (even though, honestly, that would probably mean that he'd have to die and move on to his next life where he will be with Melissa's soul again).

This episode is the most beautiful episode of the entire series. It's perfect.

Full poem - "Paracelsus: Part I: paracelsus Aspires":
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Thanks for talking about the poem. It always makes me cry.

I also remember crying the very 1st time I saw this ep, on an usual part of the ep when Scully finds original pics of who is supposed to be Mulder and Melissa in past lives. The pic of Mulder look a lot like him and the music and everything and the realisation that it could all be true made me cry.

Duchovny does read it out well and I read he likes poetry and he writes poetry. I love his tone and sadness and the way he ends it.

The part of Mulder walking through that old door in the beginning scenes after the teaser is just amazing directing and cinematography. I remember adding that part towards the end of my "15 Years of Being An X Phile" vid I made.

The intense atmosphere of this ep is truly beautiful. Morgan and Wong could do things with these characters that no one would dream of and were able to pull it off. Carter should be ashamed of himself. He should have handed over the show to Morgan and Wong. What a thought!!

There's still some nice M/S ust in this ep too but the relationship and plot of Mulder and Melissa is too intense and over riding that it puts Scully where she should be with Mulder: a partner and loyal friend.

I find it so interesting when we get some glimpse into Mulder's past beyond his sister being abducted. His religion or his cultural background of perhaps being Jewish is very interesting and I wish they did more with that.

Damn this music....the music. It makes the hairs on my body ALL over stand up.

Then makes tears cup over my eyes...


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I remember watching this one day after work. It was a strange day in March or something, a quiet and dull day and the weather at home was like in the episode. I was just in shock by it. Season 3 and the beginning eps of Season 4 were nothing compared to this. Morgan and Wongs eps of season 4 ruled my enjoyment of the season. Musings, Never Again and Home. Just completely over rode the whole season and what the show was capable of. This didn't happen again for me until The Unnatural, where the show just went over the line and I was so glad it did.