The X-Files (1993–…): Season 7, Episode 9 - Signs & Wonders - full transcript

Holy Ghost, come to me.

Praise God. Praise God.
Move up on me, Holy Ghost.

Praise God.
This here sinner repents.

Holy Ghost, move up on me.

Protect me and mine
with your quickening power.

Holy Ghost, come to me.

Aah!

Oh, help me, Jesus!

Oh, help me, Jesus!
Help me, Jesus!

Not as far as you know.

Right.



Not this time of year.

All right. Thank you, Doctor. Good-bye.

Snakes.

Lots and lots of snakes.

Very pissed-off ones,
from the look of it.

It's the former Mr. Jared Chirp
of McMinn County, Tennessee.

- Oh, my God.
- 116 separate bite marks.

Judging from the wound measurements,

there were 50 different snakes involved,
mostly copperheads and rattlers.

But it says here that he
was found dead in his car.

Yeah, with a pistol in his hand.
He fired six shots into the floorboards,

into the passenger seat,
even into his own right kneecap.

The windows were shut
and the doors were locked.

But what happened
to all the snakes?



No one seems to know that.
There was not a scale found.

I just got off the phone with a herpetologist
at the Smithsonian, and he's stumped,

especially because these rattlesnakes
tend to hibernate in winter.

So you think that
Mr. Chirp was murdered.

It certainly would appear that way,
but the question is how.

There's no physical evidence at all...
no tire tracks, no footprints.

I can't see how anyone could've accomplished
this. Then you gotta ask yourself why.

Why would anybody use poisonous snakes
as a murder weapon?

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.

Maybe these ones actually do.

These particular serpents
actually were serving evil?

Are you gonna type that
on our travel request?

No.

But at the very least this case
does seem to center around religion,

and you're not the only one
to think that, by the way.

Jared is in a better
place now, Gracie.

He's at peace.

You know Reverend Mackey's
right, honey.

He is in a better place.

Reverend Samuel Mackey?

My name is Fox Mulder.
This is Dana Scully.

We're with the F.B.I.
May we speak with you, sir?

Come on, Gracie.
Let's get you home.

We apologize for our timing. We'd like to
ask you a few questions aboutJared Chirp.

I've already spoken
to the sheriff about it,

though I'm not sure that
that was a good idea.

Specifically, you had suspicions
about the manner in which he died?

I should be the last one to
point a finger or say a harsh word.

Our church is founded on
acceptance and tolerance...

- Of all people, all beliefs.
- But?

BeforeJared joined us, he belonged to a
fundamentalist congregation outside of town,

the Church of God
with Signs & Wonders.

It practices snake handling.

As a sign of faith, worshippers
handle deadly snakes or drink poison.

They believe that the Holy Spirit
protects the righteous.

Jared grew up in that church,
but it is very difficult...

to walk away from a belief system
that one is raised in.

It takes great courage.

Why did he walk away?

He and Gracie, his girlfriend,
left it together.

They found that a rigid interpretation
of the Bible was not for them,

especially when it involves risking
life and limb in the act of worship.

But, again,
it is not for me to judge.

I will say, however,
that both Jared and Gracie...

were persecuted by the members
of their former church.

All this animus...

stems from their church leader,
Enoch O'Connor.

Animus enough
to motivate a murder?

Snake handling.
We didn't learn that in catechism class.

That's funny, I knew a couple Catholic
schoolgirls who were expert at it.

Enoch O'Connor?

Federal agents.

Where's the light switch?

The nearest one?
Probably ten miles from here.

Yeah.

All right.

Rattlesnakes and medieval visions
of damnation.

I, for one, feel
a whole lot closer to God.

I don't know, Scully.
When you get right down to it,

is snake handling
any harder to buy into than...

communion wafers
or transubstantiation...

Or believing in flying saucers,
for that matter.

I'm just saying that your faith
and O'Connor's seem...

to be based
on the same book.

Uh-oh, Scully. What do you think
O'Connor keeps in here?

Something slithery?

- It's all right. It's empty.
- Why is it empty?

By what right are you here?

Reverend Enoch O'Connor,
we're federal agents.

We're, uh, with the F.B.I.

Reverend, do something
about these snakes, please.

You got nothing to fear
if you're righteous people.

Just in case we're not, we could use
a little righteous help here.

What do you want?

We're here to ask you questions about a
former member of your church... Jared Chirp.

That boy strayed from the path
and was lost to the Dark One.

I'm sorry for his soul.

- There ain't much else to say.
- He died from multiple snake bites.

We thought maybe you'd have
a special insight into that.

I do.

- It was a test.
- Test? What do you mean?

A test of faith.
A test of righteousness.

When the devil aims to test you,
you best be ready.

And you sure better know
which side you're on.

You speaking about the devil's test
or your test?

I don't think you people
realize which side you're on.

I do.

You can leave now.

Tennessee. Snakes.

Thank you, Mulder.
Thank you so much.

I say we arrest him and catch
the first flight out of here.

He does seem like a likely suspect, only
the local sheriff s office ruled him out.

Apparently, he was in Kentucky
the nightJared Chirp died.

Mulder, there are other people
in his congregation.

Jared Chirp died with
a packed suitcase by his side.

There's gotta be somebody
that knows where he was headed.

Here you go, honey.

Reverend Mackey?

- This might not be the best time, but can I speak to you?
- Of course.

Jared called the boardinghouse
late the night he died.

He wanted to talk to Gracie.

I didn't let him.
It was after 2:00.

She was sound asleep, and it sounded
to me like the boy had been drinkin'.

He just wasn't
makin' any sense.

He was rantin' about seein' the devil
and payin' for his sins.

Iris, why didn't you
tell the police?

I don't know how
to tell Gracie.

I kept her from speaking toJared
his last night on earth.

I couldn't have known though.

- I couldn't have.
- No, you couldn't have known.

I can help you
talk to Gracie.

- Reverend Mackey? Everybody's here.
- Thank you, Gracie.

You and I will see this through,
Iris, right after study group.

Thank you.

- Our God is a fearsome God.
- Amen!

He demands our very lives!

"'Tis better to be hot or cold
than lukewarm."

God says
if you're lukewarm...

he will vomit you
out of his mouth!

Yes!

- Did you hear what I said?
- Praise God. Praise God.

Yes.
God hates the lukewarm!

"'So, because you
are lukewarm...

I am about to spit you
out of my mouth."'

Now, that could sound
pretty harsh, couldn't it?

I mean, depending on
how one reads it.

But if we put this verse
in a historical context,

I think we'll see thatJohn
was specifically addressing...

the problems of
the church of Laodicea.

God wants you hot!

God wants you on fire!

PraiseJesus!

God wants you
to put your money...

where your mouth is!

People ask me why
I handle snakes.

- Hallelujah! I tell 'em...

it's 'cause the scripture
tells me to!

Praise God!

He offers to join us,

to come into our lives
and dine with us...

if only we'd open the door.

Hallelujah!

Hallelujah!

The manner in which
John ends this chapter,

his emphasis is on teaching the church
of Laodicea perseverance.

He uses the word "overcome"
not once, but twice.

Good Lord, come save me
I'm comin'to the light

Good Lord, come save me
I'm comin' to the light

Sing songs of praise
to the Lord

Good Lord, I love you
I know that you're the light

- Good Lord, I love you I know that
you're the light - Witness the power!

- Witness the awesome power...

of God as he
blesses his people...

and destroys his enemies.

Thank you, God!

I don't understand it.
None of us saw or heard anything.

Just her scream. When we ran in,
she was lying on the floor.

I cleared everybody out of the building
once I saw the bite marks, but...

Reverend, how close
was Iris toJared Chirp?

Not particularly close,

but I'd spoken with her
not 15 minutes earlier about him.

- What'd you talk about?
- She was upset.

Something aboutJared calling her
the night he died, looking for Gracie.

Something about
him paying...

for his sins.

But I don't know. We didn't get
to finish our conversation.

Maybe that was the point.

Why Iris?
Why is this happening?

Gracie, we're investigating the leader
of your former church, Enoch O'Connor.

We believe he may have had something
to do with what happened here tonight.

We would appreciate anything
you could tell us about him.

No, he didn't do this.

He didn't do this.

This is Satan's work,
not man's.

Gracie, that sounds like something
Reverend O'Connor might say.

Now, you're not a member
of that congregation anymore.

I understand this, because you're
someone who thinks for herself.

Keeping an open mind, Gracie, is it conceivable
that O'Connor could've done any of this?

No! Don't you think
I would know?

Me, of all people?

He couldn't have done this.
He just couldn't.

- Gracie might be biased.
- O'Connor is your father.

When Gracie got pregnant...

O'Connor barred her from his church...
she and Jared Chirp.

His church and his home.

- You comin'?
- I think I'll check around back.

"Pray for the souls...
lost to us. "

Oh!

You must be judged!

Repent!

Pray for the Lord's
quickening power.

To the hands of God.

Let her go!

Your F.B.I. partner could've
learned something about herself...

if you hadn't
have stopped me.

Some powerful good news, maybe.

I'd say it's good news for you
that she's not here right now,

considering what you
tried to do to her.

Is that what you did
to your wife?

Alice O'Connor.

Succumbed to multiple
snake bites inJune 1994.

It happened during
a church service...

or at least, that's what
you told local police.

You got away with it...

almost.

What was, uh, the problem
with your wife?

Was she not...
righteous enough for you?

Just like your daughter's boyfriend...
or Iris Finster?

Educated man.
Too smart to know any better.

Smart enough to know
you're a murderer.

Satan is near,
and you don't even have eyes.

You're just proud
and fancy free.

Man, no one quite passes
muster with you, huh?

You feel the need to exact
some kind of Old Testament revenge?

What about your daughter?
What were your plans for her?

I pray for her soul.

I pray and I pray,
because she's lost.

Because she no longer
believes as you do?

You think because you're educated,
you're better than most? You ain't.

Unless you're smart
down here...

the devil's gonna make a fool of you,
and you ain't even gonna know it.

I changed my mind.
I don't want to see him.

Besides, I won't do any better than
you people at getting him to talk.

Gracie.

You still don't believe
your father did it?

It don't matter
what I believe.

He'll be judged
as he deserves.

Can't nobody avoid it.

Help me, Jesus.

Deputy found him
about an hour ago.

There's no telling
when he was attacked.

I guess it's looking less and less
like he's a suspect.

Unless he somehow managed
to do this to himself...

as a test of
his own righteousness.

Well, if so, Mulder, the jury's
still out. I just spoke to his doctors.

- It's a tossup as to whether he's gonna pull through this.
- What about antivenin treatment?

- He's not receiving it.
- Why not?

Gracie stepped in. She's trying to
forbid treatment on religious grounds.

It's not clear whether she has a legal
claim to do it, but she says that...

it's up to God as to
whether he lives or dies.

And you're thinking that her actions
may not be entirely motivated...

by concern for her
father's eternal soul?

Well, more to the point,
Mulder, what if she did this?

She told me that her father
would be judged as he deserves.

- You think this is what she meant?
- She grew up around snakes.

Who's to say she isn't every bit
as adept at handling them as he is?

I can see her being angry enough
at her father to attack him,

but what about the others?

He left in a hurry.
Packed one suitcase and a gun.

Earlier that night
he calls Gracie,

gets Iris instead and starts rambling
about paying for his sins.

He's frightened
and wants to leave town,

presumably with Gracie.

So what's he scared of?

I don't understand
how O'Connor's church...

exerts a strong pull
on these people.

- It's not so hard to understand.

It's a culture with a very
well-defined set of rules.

- It's an intolerant culture, Mulder.
- I don't know, Scully.

Sometimes a little intolerance
can be a welcome thing.

Clear-cut right and wrong,
black and white, no shades of gray.

In a society where hard and fast rules
are harder and harder to come by,

- I think some people would appreciate that.
- You're saying that you,

Fox Mulder, would welcome someone
telling you what to believe?

I'm just saying that somebody
offering you all the answers...

can be a very
powerful thing.

Oh, it's lab results.

Am I reading this right? DidJared Chirp
have himself tested for sterility?

Which turns out to be
more or less the case.

Based on this, that means Jared
can't be the father of Gracie's baby.

It's dated the day he died.

So maybe he was killed
because he discovered the truth.

Gracie...

I'd like to ask
you to reconsider.

No. This is what he'd want.

He may die without
medical treatment.

I've seen him bit
a dozen times.

He always said that
it was up to God...

whether he lives or dies.

Said it was a worse sin
not to trust God.

There are many ways
to trust God, Gracie.

One of them is to trust in
the miracles of doctors and medicine.

Or in your heart...

do you really not want him
to get better?

It ain't for me.

I can't risk his soul.

When you first came to me,

you said that you wanted
to think for yourself...

to live your life...

as you saw fit.

If you stand here
and let your father die,

whose beliefs
are you living?

Yours...

or his?

You're doing
the right thing.

I'll go tell the doctor, okay?

Agents, Enoch O'Connor is gone.

I was away for five minutes.
His bed's empty.

Gracie is gone too.

How could Gracie have possibly
gotten him out of here?

- Maybe he took her.
- He was on his deathbed.

That's impossible.
And besides, what's his motivation?

I may be able
to answer that.

Jared Chirp wasn't the father
of Gracie's child.

We know that.
What about it?

Enoch O'Connor is.

That's why she wanted to get away
from him and his church...

as fast as she could.

And I tried to teach her
to forgive him.

Uuh! Daddy, please!

I'm bringin' you home.

Somebody help me!

In the name of our holy
and most fearsome God.

Hallelujah!

Resist the devil
and he will flee.

Resist him!

Something's wrong.
Something's wrong with my baby.

Oh!

DearJesus, put your hands
on this woman. You can heal her.

Oh, yes, God. That's it.

Yes, Jesus. Yes, Jesus.

O Lord. Dear Lord.

DearJesus,
deliver this woman.

Jesus. Jesus.

Yes, Lord. Yes, Jesus.

- No! Don't, don't!
- Dear God.

Dear Heavenly Father,
deliver this woman.

Lay your hands
on this woman.

- God! Yes!
- No!

- Don't! Don't!
- Yes. Hallelujah. Praise the Lord.

Oh, my God. Oh, my God.

DearJesus. DearJesus.

HolyJesus! Hallelujah!

DearJesus! Hallelujah!
Hallelujah!

Hallelujah! DearJesus!

- How is she?
- Deep shock and some loss of blood.

What happened here?

- Where's the baby?
- These folks aren't talkin'.

Scully.

Take a look at this.

Snakes.

She gave birth to snakes?

The devil has
been cast out.

Stay with her.

- Where are you going?
- To find her father.

He's gonna wanna tie up
some loose ends.

You stole what was
most precious to me.

Gracie?

She came to me on her own.

- She wanted to escape a life of fear...

and judgment,
of intolerance.

- Please, O God...
- She fled a harsh and vengeful God...

and you.

Drop the knife!

Uuh!

You all right?

- Daddy?

- Daddy?
- Gracie, it's Agent Scully.

We're taking you to the doctor
right now, okay?

- No, I gotta...
- Can you tell me what happened, Gracie?

Ohh!

- Where's my daddy?
- You're safe, Gracie. My partner's gone after him.

Gracie, you're gonna be okay.
He can't hurt you anymore.

You don't understand.
He saved me.

I'll call for an ambulance.

Relax.
Help's on the way.

No, it's not.
I told you, boy,

you still don't know
which side you're on.

Be smart. Down here.

Yes, please hurry.
They're on their way.

- Agent.
- It wasn't O'Connor.

It was you.
You killed Jared Chirp.

- You're joking.
- No. I'm just beginning to see it now.

Jared must've come to understand that
he wasn't the father of Gracie's baby...

that you were.

Did he confront you earlier that night,
only to see you for who you really are?

Just who is it
you think I am?

Is that what happened
with Iris Finster?

Was she beginning to catch on?
Is that why you killed her?

Or was it just to further frame
Enoch O'Connor?

Is that was this is really about?
Ruining O'Connor? Seducing his daughter?

Destroying him by
any conceivable means?

- Are you a righteous man, Agent Mulder?
- Stay where you are.

It's just a simple question.

Most people believe they're
on the side of angels.

But are they?

If you were put to the test,
how would you do?

- Aah... aah!

Where's Mulder?

- Help!
- No!

You can't help him.
This is his alone.

Mulder!

Aah!

- Mackey?
- No, still no trace,

even though every law enforcement agency
in Tennessee's out looking for him.

They won't find him.

People think the devil
has horns and a tail.

They're not used to looking for some kindly
man who tells you what you want to hear.

He's just a man, Mulder...

- Just like O'Connor.
- Not like O'Connor.

If this was some kind of test,
looks like I failed.

I'd say if it was,
you passed with flying colors.

- You're alive, aren't you?
- Proud and fancy free.

Reverend Wells, it's a real joy
to have a man in the pulpit...

who has such an open and modern way
of looking at God.

Bless you for saying so.

Well, I won't keep you.
I just wanted to welcome you to Hamden.

Thank you.
I look forward to seeing you on Sunday.

Thank you.