7X09 Signs and Wonders
Mulder and Scully are called in to investigate after the body of a young man, Jared Chirp is discovered with 116 snake bites in the small town of Blessing, McMinn County Tennessee. Jared's body was found in his car will all of the doors and windows locked but no snakes were found at the scene, not to mention the fact that some of the snake bites came from snakes who hibernate during the winter. The agents suspect Jared was murdered, but Mulder is puzzled by snakes being used as the murder weapon. Until Scully points out that serpents and religion go hand in hand and wonders if the use of snakes is symbolic to the killer.
A theory given credence when it turns out that Jared belonged to the 'Church of God with Signs and Wonders', a fundamentaist congregation that practice snake handling as part of their worship. Suspicion soon falls on the church leader Reverend O'Conner, when it transpires that he has been persecuting Jared and his girlfriend, Gracie who is Reverend O'Conner's daughter, since she got pregnant and the pair turned their backs on the Church of God with Signs and Wonders in favour of a less fundamental church in the same area. But when Reverend O'Conner is himself the victim of a snake attack, Mulder and Scully uncover evidence that suggests Jared was killed because he found out that he was sterile and so could not be the father of Gracie's baby. Opening up the possibility of some wider evil at work in the community.
Noteworthy Quote
Mulder: "Why would anybody use poisonous snakes as a murder weapon?"
Scully: "Maybe it's symbolic. I mean, serpents and religion have
gone hand in hand. They've represented the temptation of Eve--
Original Sin. They've been feared and hated throughout history as
they've been thought to embody Satan-- to serve Evil itself."
Mulder: "Maybe these ones actually do."
Credits
| Writer: |
Jeffrey Bell |
| Director: |
Kim Manners |
Cast:
| David Duchovny |
Special Agent Fox Mulder |
| Gillian Anderson |
Special Agent Dana Scully |
Guest Cast:
| Randy Oglesby |
Reverend Mackey |
| Tracy Middendorf |
Gracie |
| Michael Childers |
Reverend O'Connor |
| Eric Nenninger |
Jared Chirp |
| Beth Grant |
Iris Finster |
| Philip Lenkowsky |
Holy Spirit Man #1 |
| Clement E Blake |
Holy Spirit Man #2 |
| Stevie Johnson |
EMT |
| Phyllis Franklin |
Middle Aged Woman |
| Dan Manning |
Deputy |
| Elyse Donalson |
Elderly Woman |
| Donna May |
Holy Spirit Woman #1 |
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