For art to be interesting, it must be different. Audiences crave innovative twists and shocking endings, high drama and splashy comedy. Never one to be conventional, "The X-Files" has largely stayed away from these shallow attempts at ratings. But it's always managed to be different. In "Milagro," a new side of "The X-Files" was exposed, achieved simply by admitting that its characters are human. For the first time we saw Scully as a real person with emotions and needs, not a dispassionate scientist. For once we saw Mulder as a sensitive, caring partner, not a self-absorbed obsessive. And at long last we saw their love as a tangible entity, now obvious to everyone...including themselves.

"In my book, I'd written that Agent Scully falls in love, but that's obviously impossible. Agent Scully is already in love."

I've often wondered if John Shiban, Frank Spotnitz, and Chris Carter view themselves as creators. Do they believe they are Padgetts, bringing their characters to life on screen? Indeed they might - the tale Padgett wrote and the story which unfolded was entirely of their making, manipulated in such a way to express ideas rarely touched on in this show - raw human emotions like love, jealousy, and fear. While "Milagro" was an interesting look at these human characteristics, especially those found in Mulder and Scully, I can't help but think it was a little weird. For the seasoned fan, the adept descriptions and insightful characterization of these two were captivating, but I can only imagine what a first time viewer must think of all the bizarre symbolism and heady language (Titian? I need a dictionary...). Then again, this episode really wasn't made for them. It was for those of us who enjoy eccentricity once in a while, who know the characters as well as the writers do, and look forward to any expansion of that knowledge. Let the newbies watch "The Unnatural." "Milagro" was for us.

"By their nature words are imprecise and layered with meaning. The signs of things, not the things themselves. It's difficult to say who's in charge."

As strange as it was, "Milagro" had me riveted from the very beginning. Like Scully's curious enchantment with Padgett was my interest in "Milagro," drawn in by the opening sequence and kept until the tragic end. The heart beat and lighting effects of the teaser set up an intense suspense which lasted throughout the episode, leaving me constantly wondering where and how it would end. Padgett's stark, unfurnished apartment, its only wall-hanging a story board (no doubt included by the writers), gave us an insight into our prime antagonist, and an understanding of his world. Though questions still remained - what is the significance of the heart? Why did he take his own heart out of his chest? How? My father seemed especially interested in the origin of it, and spent the whole commercial break pondering this question. He first claimed it was a pig heart - apparently, they're easy to get and roughly the size of a human heart. However, he then wondered if it might not simply be a latex heart made by the special effects crew. Either way, it was gruesome - a suitable beginning to a very disturbing episode.

"I'm sure many a person's had their heart broken out here, but not quite like this."

One very effective tool used in "Milagro" was the voice over. Considering the "story-time" aspect of the episode, and the God-like control of the writer, it was the perfect way to narrate events. Chris Carter has often used such monologues in his stories, filled with symbolism and every descriptor one could imagine. Often, I find them long-winded and without much of a point, but this time it worked. Padgett was an anti- behavioral profiler, creating behavior rather than predicting it, and was thus able to mix his control with reality. Where one ended and the other began was often blurred, making it hard to differentiate the two, to know if what we saw was really happening, or simply fantasy exposed on a flat, dried out piece of pulp. With this show, especially in this last season, what we think it reality doesn't always turn out to be so real. But like a good piece of fiction, this didn't matter in "Milagro." It was able to draw you in, and make even its most unbelievable, horrifying parts alarmingly real.

"Agent Mulder, my book...did you like it?"
"Maybe if it were fiction."

"Milagro" painted a pretty picture of Scully, revealing her human sides, so rarely seen over the course of the series. Eloquently described through the words of her admirer, a picture of the real Scully began to emerge - precise and Victorian to avoid any sexist criticism from her colleagues, yet innately trusting, a romantic looking for a romance. While seemingly correct, it's possible she's not like this at all, not like Padgett or any of us think. Perhaps personality cannot be described with words, but must simply be understood, as Mulder understands her and she him. A central theme in "Milagro" was telepathy, the ability to read people's minds, to get inside their heads. Padgett knew his characters better than they knew themselves, knew them so well he was able to bring them to life. Scully and Mulder have been reading each other minds for years, knowing instinctively the other's thoughts (Scully researched the character of Ken Naciamento before Mulder asked), and needs (Mulder came to Scully's rescue in Padgett's apartment.) In stark contrast, the other major theme, love, was shown to be utterly out of our control. People imagine that they can open up their hearts and expose the love within them, but we simply don't have that power...or do we? Perhaps it is only the destroyers who lack that power. You may say, "Well, what about Mulder and Scully? They haven't admitted their love, and they've known each other for more than six years!" Which brings us back to the first theme - they need not articulate their love, they simply know it, expressed in the unspoken communication of the heart.

"The compensatory respect she commanded only deepened the yearnings of her heart... to let it open, to let someone in."

In some ways, "Milagro" reminded me of "Never Again." Both featured a rebellious Scully, a strange new man, and a creepy basement furnace. However, a lot has changed in the past two years, and this time Scully's rebellious streak wasn't as bitter, Mulder was more sensitive towards her feelings, and she never did get drawn in by Padgett, showing the growth in their relationship. A good example of this growth can be found in a simple autopsy. A la "Folie A Deux," Mulder scheduled an autopsy for Scully without asking her first, as a husband might a dentist appointment. But when the defiant Scully showed up late for said autopsy, Mulder didn't get mad. He just made a joke about it - "I was about to start slicing and dicing myself." - an example of how Mulder uses his humour to express his feelings. In an otherwise depressing story, he managed to bring some brevity. I loved it when Mulder spun Scully around because she was arguing his point - little things like that just make me laugh. However, this may be one of the reasons Scully was so intrigued by Padgett. He flattered her, something she doesn't get from Mulder. But Scully's not one to be taken in by such means, so she remained skeptical of this lovelorn Romeo. It's hard to be trusting with all the evils surrounding you, and Scully knows this well. From first sight, Scully was dubious of her elevator compatriot, and with good reason. The camera angles told the tale of his obsession - close ups of her eyes and mouth made me want to tell him, "Now, now, staring's not polite..." And had she been herself, she would have been long gone from Padgett's apartment before he even had a chance to offer her coffee. All the alarms must have been sounding in her head...alone with a stranger in his own apartment with very little lighting...not exactly my idea of a safe situation. Thanks heavens good old protective Mulder broke the spell she was under by busting in to Padgett's apartment, gun in hand. Unfortunately, he wasn't able to save her from the ghostly psychic surgeon. I'll say it once, I'll say it again - Scully is not having a good time this season. This is the fourth time she's been killed! Do Carter, Shiban, and Spotnitz have some sort of vendetta against her? They gave her cancer, took away her daughter, had her put in a big vat of goop in Antarctica...but then devoted most of this episode to complimenting her! A strange paradox - tough love, perhaps? And as much as I hate to admit it, it worked. The drama was thick when a terrified Scully jerked back to life in the final scene, unable to do anything but sob and clutch Mulder, also paralyzed with fear and close to tears. We haven't seen such a breakdown since "Irresistible," the raw emotions of life wordlessly played out on the screen. Emmy contender? I think so.

"She dies?"
"See? It almost writes itself."

At first, I just thought Padgett was the creepy stalker type. He fit the profile - lonely, obsessive, brooding (hmm, he almost sounds like Mulder ;) - and managed to give me a definite case of the willies, a must for every creepy dude. The fact that he believed his hands could do the work of Christ didn't give me anymore confidence in his character. However, by the end of the episode, my opinion of him had taken a U-turn. When Ken Naciamento (aka the guy from "I Know What You Did Last Summer") showed up, Padgett looked like a scared school boy in comparison. But more interestingly, he had evolved into the tragic figure in this production. He thought he knew Scully well enough that he could control her, but she was too strong to succumb to that. He thought he and Scully were similar, because they don't fall in love...but she does, she has fallen in love. Even he, an ardent admirer of Scully became aware of that bond, "the old unconscious at work." And so he committed the ultimate sacrifice. He gave up his life to save his love, and that of Mulder and Scully.

"And in this final act of destruction a chance to give what he could not receive."

"Milagro" is an episode that won't soon be forgotten. It stretched the boundaries of what has been done and what can be done on "The X-Files," horrifying, suspenseful, and insightful all at once. A scary tale of the most terrifying monsters of all, humans, and a breakthrough character piece, it revealed known and unknown characteristics of our two heroes, gave brilliant actors a stage upon which to shine, and wove a new layer into the intricate relationship of Mulder and Scully. Strengthened by adversity, it now seems certain that bond can never be broken.

"A story can have only one true ending."

A Quote From John Shiban

"As always, we're committed to their relationship remaining of a certain type, but we wanted to get to the whole issue of love, which comes to the forefront in "Milagro." That's what the main character wants and that's what Scully sort of wants and maybe doesn't know it but realizes through this man that she might already have it. She might have the perfect love and that love doesn't have to be sexual and marriage and relationship. There are other kinds of love that are just as fulfilling. I think we've done a great job of tantalizing, yet keeping Mulder and Scully still themselves, keeping true to their characters."