Jared Chirp
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.
Season 7 · Episode 9
Signs and Wonders
Character-labelled dialogue prepared from the official DVD subtitle track.
Production code7ABX09Original airdate · January 23, 2000
232 dialogue entries
Scene 01
Opening scene
[ thunder crashing ]
[ rattling ]
Jared Chirp
Holy ghost, come to me.
[ rattling ]
Unidentified speaker
Aah!
[ panicked gasping ]
Jared Chirp
Oh, help me, jesus! Oh, help me, jesus! Help me, jesus!
[ gun firing ]
[ screams ]
[ rattling ]
Scene 02
Scene 02
Fox Mulder
Not as far as you know. Right. Not this time of year. All right. Thank you, doctor. Good-bye.
Dana Scully
Snakes.
Fox Mulder
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.
Dana Scully
Oh, my god.
Fox Mulder
116 separate bite marks. Judging from the wound measurements, there were 50 different snakes involved, mostly copperheads And rattlers.
Dana Scully
But it says here that he was found dead in his car.
Fox Mulder
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.
Dana Scully
But what happened to all the snakes?
Fox Mulder
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.
Dana Scully
So you think that mr. Chirp was murdered.
Fox Mulder
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?
Dana Scully
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.
Fox Mulder
Maybe these ones actually do.
Dana Scully
These particular serpents actually were serving evil? Are you gonna type that on our travel request?
Fox Mulder
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.
Scene 03
BLESSING COMMUNITY CHURCH
Reverend Mackey
Jared is in a better place now, Gracie. He's at peace.
Iris Finster
You know Reverend Mackey's right, honey. He is in a better place.
Fox Mulder
Reverend samuel Mackey? My name is Fox Mulder. This is Dana Scully. We're with the FBI may we speak with you, sir?
Iris Finster
Come on, Gracie. Let's get you home.
Fox Mulder
We apologize for our timing. We'd like to ask you a few questions about Jared Chirp.
Reverend Mackey
I've already spoken to the sheriff about it, though I'm not sure that that was a good idea.
Fox Mulder
Specifically, you had suspicions about the manner in which he died?
Reverend Mackey
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.
Dana Scully
But?
Reverend Mackey
Before Jared joined us, he belonged to a fundamentalist Congregation outside of town, the church of god with signs & wonders. It practices snake handling.
Fox Mulder
As a sign of faith, worshippers handle deadly snakes or drink poison.
Reverend Mackey
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.
Fox Mulder
Why did he walk away?
Reverend Mackey
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.
Dana Scully
Animus enough to motivate a murder?
Scene 04
"LOOK UNTO ME AND BE SAVED:
Dana Scully
Snake handling. We didn't learn that in catechism class.
Fox Mulder
That's funny, I knew a couple catholic schoolgirls who were expert at it. Enoch O'Connor? Federal agents. Where's the light switch?
Dana Scully
The nearest one? Probably ten Miles from here.
Unidentified speaker
Yeah. All right.
Dana Scully
Rattlesnakes And medieval visions of damnation. I, for one, feel a whole lot closer to god.
Fox Mulder
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--
Dana Scully
Or believing in flying saucers, for that matter.
Fox Mulder
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?
Dana Scully
Something slithery?
Fox Mulder
It's all right. It's empty.
Dana Scully
Why is it empty?
[ hissing, rattling ]
Reverend O'Connor
By what right are you here?
Dana Scully
Reverend enoch O'Connor, we're federal agents. We're, uh, with the FBI
Fox Mulder
Reverend, do something about these snakes, please.
Reverend O'Connor
You got nothing to fear if you're righteous people.
Fox Mulder
Just in case we're not, we could use a little righteous help here.
Reverend O'Connor
What do you want?
Dana Scully
We're here to ask you questions about a former member of your church-- Jared Chirp.
Reverend O'Connor
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.
Fox Mulder
He died from multiple snake bites. We thought maybe you'd have a special insight into that.
Reverend O'Connor
I do. It was a test.
Dana Scully
Test? What do you mean?
Reverend O'Connor
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.
Dana Scully
You speaking about the devil's test or your test?
Reverend O'Connor
I don't think you people realize which side you're on. I do. You can leave now.
Dana Scully
Tennessee. Snakes. Thank you, Mulder. Thank you so much. I say we arrest him And catch the first flight out of here.
Fox Mulder
He does seem like a likely suspect, only the local sheriff's office ruled him out. Apparently, he was in kentucky the night Jared Chirp died.
Dana Scully
Mulder, there are other people in his Congregation.
Fox Mulder
Jared Chirp died with a packed suitcase by his side. There's gotta be somebody that knows where he was headed.
Scene 05
BLESSING COMMUNITY CHURCH
Iris Finster
Here you go, honey. Reverend Mackey? This might not be the best time, but can I speak to you?
Reverend Mackey
Of course.
Iris Finster
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.
Reverend Mackey
Iris, why didn't you tell the police?
Iris Finster
I don't know how to tell Gracie. I kept her from speaking to Jared his last night on earth. I couldn't have known though. I couldn't have.
Reverend Mackey
No, you couldn't have known. I can help you talk to Gracie.
Gracie
Reverend Mackey? Everybody's here.
Reverend Mackey
Thank you, Gracie. You And I will see this through, Iris, right after study group.
Iris Finster
Thank you.
♪♪ [ acoustic guitar, clapping ]
Reverend O'Connor
Our god is a fearsome god.
Man
Amen!
Reverend O'Connor
He demands our very lives! Revelations 3... The 16th verse. "'tis better to be hot or cold than lukewarm."
[ overlapping shouts of praise ]
Reverend O'Connor
God says if you're lukewarm... He will vomit you out of his mouth! Yes! Did you hear what I said? Praise god.
Congregation
Praise god. Yes.
Reverend O'Connor
God hates the lukewarm!
Reverend Mackey
"'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 that john was specifically addressing... The problems of the church of laodicea.
Reverend O'Connor
God wants you hot! God wants you on fire!
Man
Praise jesus!
Reverend O'Connor
God wants you to put your money... Where your mouth is!
[ rattling ]
Reverend O'Connor
People ask me why I handle snakes.
Congregation
[ shouts continue ] hallelujah!
Reverend O'Connor
I tell 'em... It's 'cause the scripture tells me to!
Congregation
Praise god!
Reverend Mackey
He offers to join us, to come into our lives And dine with us... If only we'd open the door.
Reverend O'Connor And Congregation
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Reverend Mackey
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.
Music
♪ good lord, come save me I'm comin' to the light ♪ ♪ 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 ♪
Reverend Mackey
♪ good lord, I love you I know that you're the light ♪
Reverend O'Connor
Witness the power! ♪♪ [ continues ] witness the awesome power... Of god as he blesses his people... And destroys his enemies. Thank you, god!
[ no audible dialogue ]
[ gasps ]
[ screams ]
Scene 06
Scene 06
Reverend Mackey
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--
Fox Mulder
Reverend, how close was Iris to Jared Chirp?
Reverend Mackey
Not particularly close, but I'd spoken with her not 15 minutes earlier about him.
Fox Mulder
What'd you talk about?
Reverend Mackey
She was upset. Something about Jared 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.
Fox Mulder
Maybe that was the point.
[ sobbing, sniffling ]
Gracie
Why Iris? Why is this happening?
Dana Scully
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.
Fox Mulder
We would appreciate anything you could tell us about him.
Gracie
No, he didn't do this. He didn't do this. This is satan's work, not man's.
Dana Scully
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.
Fox Mulder
Keeping an open mind, Gracie, is it conceivable that O'Connor could've done any of this?
Gracie
No! Don't you think I would know? Me, of all people? He couldn't have done this. He just couldn't.
Reverend Mackey
Gracie might be biased.
Fox Mulder
O'Connor is your father.
Reverend Mackey
When Gracie got pregnant--
Fox Mulder
O'Connor barred her from his church-- she And Jared Chirp.
Reverend Mackey
His church And his home.
Scene 07
10:06 PM
Fox Mulder
You comin'?
Dana Scully
I think I'll check around back.
Fox Mulder
"pray for the souls-- lost to us."
[ rattling ]
Dana Scully
[ gasping ] oh!
Reverend O'Connor
You must be judged! Repent! Pray for the lord's quickening power. To the hands of god.
Fox Mulder
Let her go!
Scene 08
MCMINN COUNTY SHERIFF'S STATION
Reverend O'Connor
Your FBI partner could've learned something about herself... If you hadn't have stopped me. Some powerful good news, maybe.
Fox Mulder
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 in june 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?
Reverend O'Connor
Educated man. Too smart to know any better.
Fox Mulder
Smart enough to know you're a murderer.
Reverend O'Connor
Satan is near, And you don't even have eyes. You're just proud And fancy free.
Fox Mulder
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?
Reverend O'Connor
I pray for her soul. I pray And I pray, because she's lost.
Fox Mulder
Because she no longer believes as you do?
Reverend O'Connor
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.
Gracie
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.
Dana Scully
Gracie. You still don't believe your father did it?
Gracie
It don't matter what I believe. He'll be judged as he deserves. Can't nobody avoid it.
[ snakes rattling ]
[ O'Connor gasping, muttering ]
Unidentified speaker
Help me, jesus.
[ muttering continues ]
Scene 09
Scene 09
Fox Mulder
Deputy found him about an hour ago. There's no telling when he was attacked.
Dana Scully
I guess it's looking less And less like he's a suspect.
Fox Mulder
Unless he somehow managed to do this to himself... As a test of his own righteousness.
Dana Scully
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.
Fox Mulder
What about antivenin treatment?
Dana Scully
He's not receiving it.
Fox Mulder
Why not?
Dana Scully
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.
Fox Mulder
And you're thinking that her actions may not be entirely motivated... By concern for her father's eternal soul?
Dana Scully
Well, more to the point, Mulder, what if she did this? She told me that her father would be judged as he deserves.
Fox Mulder
You think this is what she meant?
Dana Scully
She grew up around snakes. Who's to say she isn't every bit as adept at handling them as he is?
Fox Mulder
I can see her being angry enough at her father to attack him, but what about the others?
Scene 10
JARED CHIRP RESIDENCE
Fox Mulder
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.
Dana Scully
So what's he scared of? I don't understand how O'Connor's church... Exerts a strong pull on these people.
Fox Mulder
[ rattling ] it's not so hard to understand. It's a culture with a very well-defined set of rules.
Dana Scully
It's an intolerant culture, Mulder.
Fox 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.
Dana Scully
You're saying that you, Fox Mulder, would welcome someone telling you what to believe?
Fox Mulder
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? Did Jared Chirp have himself tested for sterility?
Dana Scully
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.
Fox Mulder
It's dated the day he died.
Dana Scully
So maybe he was killed because he discovered the truth.
[ machine beeping ]
Scene 11
Scene 11
Reverend Mackey
Gracie... I'd like to ask you to reconsider.
Gracie
No. This is what he'd want.
Reverend Mackey
He may die without medical treatment.
Gracie
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.
Reverend Mackey
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?
Gracie
It ain't for me. I can't risk his soul.
Reverend Mackey
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?
[ beeping quickens ]
[ gasping ]
Reverend Mackey
Agents, enoch O'Connor is gone. I was away for five minutes. His bed's empty. Gracie is gone too.
Dana Scully
How could Gracie have possibly gotten him out of here?
Fox Mulder
Maybe he took her.
Dana Scully
He was on his deathbed. That's impossible. And besides, what's his motivation?
Reverend Mackey
I may be able to answer that. Jared Chirp wasn't the father of Gracie's child.
Fox Mulder
We know that. What about it?
Dana Scully
Enoch O'Connor is.
Reverend Mackey
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.
Scene 12
Scene 12
Gracie
Uuh! Daddy, please!
[ panicked gasping ]
Reverend O'Connor
I'm bringin' you home.
Gracie
Somebody help me!
Reverend O'Connor
In the name of our holy And most fearsome god.
Congregation
Hallelujah!
Reverend O'Connor
Resist the devil And he will flee. Resist him!
Gracie
Something's wrong. Something's wrong with my baby. Oh!
[ muttering ]
Reverend O'Connor
Dear jesus, put your hands on this woman. You can heal her. Oh, yes, god. That's it. Yes, jesus. Yes, jesus. O lord. Dear lord. Dear jesus, deliver this woman. Jesus. Jesus. Yes, lord. Yes, jesus.
Gracie
No! Don't, don't!
Reverend O'Connor
Dear god. Dear heavenly father, deliver this woman. Lay your hands on this woman. God! Yes!
Gracie
No! Don't! Don't!
Reverend O'Connor
Yes. Hallelujah. Praise the lord. Oh, my god. Oh, my god. Dear jesus. Dear jesus. Holy jesus! Hallelujah! Dear jesus! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Dear jesus!
Scene 13
Scene 13
Dana Scully
How is she?
Paramedic
Deep shock And some loss of blood.
Dana Scully
What happened here? Where's the baby?
Cop
These folks aren't talkin'.
Fox Mulder
Scully. Take a look at this.
Dana Scully
Snakes. She gave birth to snakes?
Woman
The devil has been cast out.
Fox Mulder
Stay with her.
Dana Scully
Where are you going?
Fox Mulder
To find her father. He's gonna wanna tie up some loose ends.
Scene 14
Scene 14
Reverend O'Connor
You stole what was most precious to me.
Reverend Mackey
Gracie? She came to me on her own. She wanted to escape a life of fear... And judgment, of intolerance. Please, o god-- [ muttering ] she fled a harsh And vengeful god... And you.
Fox Mulder
Drop the knife!
Unidentified speaker
Uuh!
Fox Mulder
You all right?
[ panting ]
Gracie
Daddy? Daddy?
Dana Scully
Gracie, it's agent Scully. We're taking you to the doctor right now, okay?
Gracie
No, I gotta--
Dana Scully
Can you tell me what happened, Gracie?
Unidentified speaker
[ quavering ] ohh!
Gracie
Where's my daddy?
Dana Scully
You're safe, Gracie. My partner's gone after him. Gracie, you're gonna be okay. He can't hurt you anymore.
Gracie
You don't understand. He saved me.
Reverend Mackey
I'll call for an ambulance.
Fox Mulder
Relax. Help's on the way.
Reverend O'Connor
No, it's not. I told you, boy, you still don't know which side you're on. Be smart. Down here.
Reverend Mackey
Yes, please hurry. They're on their way. Agent.
Fox Mulder
It wasn't O'Connor. It was you. You killed Jared Chirp.
Reverend Mackey
You're joking.
Fox Mulder
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?
Reverend Mackey
Just who is it you think I am?
Fox Mulder
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?
Reverend Mackey
Are you a righteous man, agent Mulder?
Fox Mulder
Stay where you are.
Reverend Mackey
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?
Unidentified speaker
[ rattling ] aah-- aah!
Dana Scully
Where's Mulder?
Fox Mulder
Help! [ gasping ] no!
Reverend O'Connor
You can't help him. This is his alone.
Dana Scully
Mulder!
[ grunting ]
Unidentified speaker
Aah!
[ rattling ]
Scene 15
Scene 15
Fox Mulder
Mackey?
Dana Scully
No, still no trace, even though every law enforcement agency in tennessee's out looking for him.
Fox Mulder
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.
Dana Scully
He's just a man, Mulder... Just like O'Connor.
Fox Mulder
Not like O'Connor. If this was some kind of test, looks like I failed.
Dana Scully
I'd say if it was, you passed with flying colors. You're alive, aren't you?
Fox Mulder
Proud And fancy free.
Scene 16
HAMDEN, CONNECTICUT
Woman
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.
Reverend Mackey
Bless you for saying so.
Woman
Well, I won't keep you. I just wanted to welcome you to hamden.
Reverend Mackey
Thank you. I look forward to seeing you on sunday.
Woman
Thank you.
[ squeaking ]
[ hisses ]
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About this transcript
The dialogue comes from the official DVD subtitle track supplied by Boggsfiles. Speaker and scene attribution was cross-checked against character-labelled reference material. Subtitle wording is preserved while capitalization and spacing are standardized for easier reading.