Title: The
Mulder defense mechanism
Author: Hobrock
Post: I believe that UST has largely been misinterpreted as purely sexual overtures between Mulder and Scully. They in fact originate in Mulder's own mind as an escapist tactic from perceived danger, both physical and emotional.
The most infamous of the UST scenes come to us courtesy of Detour. Mulder comments to Scully, "I was told once that the best way to regenerate body heat was to crawl naked into a sleeping bag with somebody else who's already naked." On the surface, this couldn't be
any more blunt. To truly understand its meaning you must look at the horrible situation Mulder and Scully have found themselves in. They have been isolated from the rest of their search party who, presumably, all died. Without their guide, they have no hope of escaping the woods. Mulder has been injured and is going into the first stages of shock leaving Scully, the remaining dominant figure, to be targeted for the kill by the Moth Men. Mulder either has an incredible libido or something else other
than the obvious is at play here. Mulder, has in fact, been using escapist humor to try to leave the situation behind in his mind. This is also why he asked Scully to sing to him. Imagining anything, especially crawling into a sleeping bag with Scully, would be preferable
to the dire situation in which they found themselves. The moment we see Scully
reciprocate the innuendo Mulder immediately steers the conversation in a new direction. He quiets Scully by having her sing to him which will 1) keep her from navigating the conversation into a territory which he is not comfortable with and is not prepare or willing to enter, and 2) still provide
adequate distraction to keep the 'real world' at bay.
UST has also found ample source in Mulder "one-liners." These usually involve some pun or sexual innuendo. It doesn't get more sexual then, "Scully, is this demonstration of boyish agility turning you on?" Mulder's motives for these comments can be traced back to The Pilot. On Mulder and Scully's first case, we witnessed a mini-clash or jockeying for
position that occurs when two strong-willed and independent people come into contact. When Scully refused to back down from her science, despite the amazing things she had seen, Mulder resorted to offhanded tactics. He left her uninformed, invaded her personal space, used his larger physical size to intimidate her and generally acted like a "jerk." (Scully's later comments, not mine.) Among these tactics were the sexual innuendoes and other one-liners. They were a rather futile attempt to break Scully's prim-and-proper demeanor. Over time, it became a part of the relationship they share as partners and friends. Mulder attempts to break Scully's cool exterior (usually during a losing argument) and Scully acts as if she had never even heard him. It is interesting to note that on the few occasions in which Scully
replies in like manner, Mulder quickly changes the subject.
The final reason for UST has to do with the emotional protection of Scully. When a case has become too intense, a brush with death too close or Scully has become too emotionally vulnerable, Mulder will offer an offhanded comment. It's merely his way of reaffirming their connection to each other and life. It provides a welcome distraction, if only momentarily, from the insanity of a serial killer or the horror of a mutant. It's their
proverbial safety net when the world is intent on knocking them down.
