MovieChat Forums > The X Files (1993) Discussion > The Great Mutato is a rapist

The Great Mutato is a rapist

posted 7 years ago by AngularTurnip (3338)
10 replies | jump to latest

Something the episode he's in wants audiences desperately to overlook .... or, even worse, excuse. Because, you see, The Great Mutato is a poor, lonely, deformed monster who deserves our pity. As for the women he raped -- well, one of them wanted a child, so ... What a misguided episode. It so desperately wants to be beautiful and poignant (and it certainly is the former; black and white cinematography and "The X Files" go together nicely) but it goes to such pains to skirt the 800 pound gorilla in the room that it just becomes one of the most frustrating, unintentionally unpleasant episodes of the entire series. Too bad because the black and white aesthetic really fits this show like a glove.

[–] lennonforever (2453) 7 years ago

I never really liked this one. It just felt, icky to me, too. I didn't find it charming at all. It made me want to take a shower afterward, well not as much as "Home" did, but close.

[–] AngularTurnip (3338) 7 years ago

I'm starting to question my love for "Small Potatoes" since it too asks us to find a rapist endearing.

[–] lennonforever (2453) 7 years ago

Which one was that? I forget. Remember when the original eps aired, unless we searched on the new "world- wide web" , we didn't know the names of the episodes!

[–] pankoeken (469) 7 years ago

Small Potatoes was the one about the guy who could make himself look like other people. He impregnated several women by looking like their husbands or in one case like Luke Skywalker. The shape shifting guy was played by Darin Morgan who wrote most of the best episodes of the series.

[–] lennonforever (2453) 7 years ago

That isn't ringing a bell.

[–] janelsenor (2048) 7 years ago

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Small_Potatoes_(The_X-Files)

[–] lennonforever (2453) 7 years ago

Oh right, yes, the tails. thanks

[–] WhoToTrust (1130) 5 years ago

[deleted]

[–] lemner (231) 7 years ago

There were some funny bits, though, like when he was practicing to be Mulder and dropped his gun. Also, when the girl friend who thinks Luke Skywalker got her pregnant is talking to the changeling while he is pretending to be Mulder, and talks about his irritating habits (and she herself had irritating habits).

[–] WhoToTrust (1130) 5 years ago

The Great Mutato never raped anyone. It's simply sad that this misconception about the episode never seems to want to die.

The women were impregnated by the old man that took care of Mutato via invitro fertilization. Not that that's acceptable since it was done without the women's consent, but artificial insemination is certainly different than physical rape.

This was all explained at the end of the episode though, where Mutato explains that he was created by the younger doctor, and that the younger doctor considered him a "failed experiment". The old man, who was the young doctors father, took Mutato in to care for him, and not wanting him to be alone, set about experimenting to try to create a companion for Mutato.

It also backs up this explanation that at the time the episode originally aired, the subject and ethics of artificial insemination was being highly discussed around the world. Google "Dolly the sheep" for more background.