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PLOT:Mulder's old flame returns and asks for his help regarding a case involving British diplomats being incinerated beyond recognition.

This is the second episode in the first season that involved an "element" as a theme. However, it isn't the X-File that makes this episode interesting. This is the first episode that shows us an ex-flame (nice analogy) from Mulder's Oxford University days: Phoebe Green. I have read somewhere that "Phoebe" means "fire" in another language. So it's rather ironic that Mulder was not exaggerating when he said, "Phoebe is fire."

From the start, Phoebe has a special power over Mulder. Even he admits to Scully that she loves playing mind games with him. We find out that Mulder is frightened of fire, and Phoebe knows that. Yet, she doesn't hesitate to have Mulder involved with the case. This is "classic Phoebe" as Mulder says.

Private jokes abound between Mulder and Phoebe, which doesn't escape Scully's notice. Asked about a "three-pipe problem", Mulder casually mentions Sherlock Holmes to Scully. He blushes when he mentions that he and Phoebe were involved, but he got "way over his head" and got burned (another analogy) badly. Later, we find out that Mulder and Phoebe had a sexual "excursion" on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's grave. Scully feels the tension between them and has one of my *all-time* favorite exchanges of the series with Mulder:

S: I noticed you couldn't drop everything fast enough to accommodate her.
M: I was merely extending a professional courtesy.
S: Oh, is *that* what you were extending?

Phoebe, Scotland Yard agent, asks for Mulder's help because it appears that several members of the British Parliament were killed, literally, by fire. She is currently travelling in the States with a diplomat and his family while they are on holiday. They try to figure out how the assassin is able to get close enough to the officials.

Scully instantly takes a disliking to Ms. Green. Many would say that she was jealous of Phoebe, which is possible but for different reasons rather than a romantic one, especially this early in the series. It looks more like a competition for Mulder's attention. Phoebe brushes Scully aside and doesn't ask for her thoughts on the case. She goes off with Mulder without even considering Scully. As many future characters will notice, Phoebe saw a very unique bond between Mulder and Scully and was doing her part to shake that bond just a bit. Plus, she acted like any one of us would when seeing an attractive former lover and confronting an "obstacle" (i.e. Scully).

It's amazing that Scully would still even consider helping Phoebe, since Mulder told her it wasn't necessary. Yet, it's possible that she thinks Mulder might not be totally focused and decides to pursue the case herself. In effect, Scully wants to prove to Mulder and Phoebe that she can handle the case just fine. She even comes up with a profile of the assassin that is pretty much dead-on accurate.

When Scully goes to tell Mulder of her findings, she finds Phoebe in Mulder's arms dancing. The look on Scully's face is barely readable, but it's very obvious that she was not having the nicest thoughts of Phoebe Green at that moment. Her face takes on an even more frustrated look when she sees them kiss. That would have been great to dwell on a bit further, but Scully saves the day instead by noticing the fire alarm going off in the hotel.

Scully was right to assume that Mulder's mind was distracted. Even when she tells him about Cecil L'ively, a British citizen who worked for two previous Parliament members and recently arrived in the States, Mulder is more concerned about Phoebe. They later find out that L'ively is the caretaker of the British family's vacation home. Mulder goes to the house to warn them and finds Phoebe in the arms of the British diplomat.

In the end, L'ively is captured but suffers from severe burns over 90% of his body. Yet, he manages to survive and still retains his pyrokinesis skills. Phoebe doesn't call to say goodbye but leaves an audio tape for Mulder. While Scully impresses us with her almost flawless imitation of a British accent.

This episode doesn't turn out as well as the initial premise. We meet Mulder's ex-flame, and we see Scully jealous. But there just doesn't seem to be enough spark to really get this rolling. Chris Carter wrote the episode with Amanda Pays in mind for the role of Phoebe Green. Yet, even he admits that she doesn't seem to have chemistry with Duchovny. His lovesick look seemed more nauseating than admiring. Why Carter would assume that having a recurring Scotland Yard agent be interesting for the series is puzzling. What would F.B.I. jurisdiction have anything to do with Scotland Yard?

My "Official Guide to the X-Files" has some interesting behind-the-scenes info. Carter, a devout anti-relationshipper, originally had scripted the closing exchange where Scully observes, "Well, never let it be said that you wouldn't walk through fire for a woman, Mulder," to which he replies, "And never let it be said that I wouldn't do it for you again, Scully." Also, the famous "black silk boxer shorts" scene was originally a "Jockey underwear" scene. Finally, Carter said that Phoebe did achieve the desired effect by becoming a character "who fans on the Internet loved to hate." :-)

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