Mulder experiences a dreamlike vision, apparently a memory from childhood, in which
he sees his mother and father reacting as if some terrible tragedy has entered their home.
Mulder awakens in a motel room, sweating profusely, his hands and shirt stained with blood.
He telephones Scully, who drives to the motel to offer assistance. Suffering from a mental
blackout, Mulder cannot recall how he got to the motel. Scully discovers that two rounds
were fired from his gun. She also traces a car parked outside Mulder’s room to a David and
Amy Cassandra. The agents travel to the Cassandra residence, where they speak with a
house-keeper. Inside the home are dozens of paintings of a white clapboard house. Mulder
realizes he was inside the home, but cannot remember why.
The housekeeper gives the agents the address of the home depicted in the painting. As
Mulder approaches the dwelling, he is suddenly struck by a flashback in which he
encounters a young Cigarette-Smoking Man inside his parent’s home. When the seizure
subsides, the agents walk inside the cottage, where they find the dead bodies of David and
Amy Cassandra.
Blood from both victims is found on Mulder’s shirt. Detective Curtis places Mulder under
arrest. But a toxicology report reveals traces of the anesthetic Ketamine in Mulder and Amy
Cassandra’s blood. Scully realizes the drug could account for Mulder’s memory loss. A short
time later, Michael Fazekas, an admitting officer, steps inside a bathroom at the police
station and shoots himself in the head. Scully discovers a small scab on the man’s scalp,
similar to one found on Amy’s hairline. Detective Curtis reveals that Fazekas was a believer
in UFOs. Inside Fazekas’ apartment, Scully discovers a UFO magazine featuring a
photograph of Amy, who believed she was an alien abductee.
A forensics report reveals that the blood spatter pattern on Mulder’s shirt does not
correspond to the point of entry detail. Curtis concludes the Cassandras died as the result of
a murder-suicide. Further research reveals that Amy had been seeing Dr. Charles Goldstein,
a psychiatrist, in an effort to recover suppressed memories. Goldstein admits he used
unconventional therapy to stimulate electrical impulses in the brain.
Mulder suffers another seizure. During the attack, he experiences a vision in which a
young Cigarette-Smoking Man pulled Mrs. Mulder close to him, as if to kiss her. Mulder and
Scully drive to Mrs. Mulder’s Greenwich home. There, Mulder confronts his mother. He
accuses her of lying to him about having been forced to choose Samantha over him. He also
accuses her of being unfaithful to his father. Mrs. Mulder angrily denies the allegations.
Mulder storms out of the house and drives off.
Mulder pulls a gun on Dr. Goldstein and forces him to finish his treatment–to make him
relive (what he believes to be) to his past. Goldstein drugs Mulder, then slowly lowers a
spinning needle towards his hairline. Police arrive at the scene and place Goldstein under
arrest, but Mulder’s whereabouts are unknown. The psychiatrist tells Scully that Mulder left
his office “to exorcise his demons.” Scully finds him at the house in Quonochontaug, balled
up on the floor, a gun in his hand. Jolted by seizures, Mulder aims his gun at Scully. She
attempts to convince him that the powerful hallucinogen injected into his body has affected
his mind and that his visions, his apparent memories, cannot be trusted. Mulder fires a shot,
but the bullet shatters a wall mirror behind Scully. Breaking down into tears, Mulder lowers
the weapon. Scully’s fear changes to sympathy as she comforts her partner.
THE X-FILES “Demons” #4X23
Original Air Date: 05/11/97
CAST:
DAVID DUCHOVNY as Special Agent Fox
Mulder
GILLIAN ANDERSON as Special Agent Dana Scully
GUEST CAST:
JAY ACOVONE as Detective Joe Curtis
MIKE NUSSBAUM as Dr. Charles Goldstein
CHRIS OWENS as Young Cigarette-Smoking Man
REBECCA TOOLAN as Mrs. Mulder
ANDREW JOHNSTON as Medical Examiner
TERRY JANG BARCLAY as Imhof
VANESSA MORLEY as Young Samantha
ERIC BREKER as Admitting Officer
REBECCA HARKER as Housekeeper
SHELLEY ADAM as Young Mrs. Mulder
DEAN AYLESWORTH as Young Bill Mulder
ALEX HAYTHORNE as Young Mulder
WRITTEN BY:
R.W. GOODWIN
DIRECTED BY:
KIM MANNERS
