“Gender Bender” is episode fourteen of season one of The X-Files.
The episode opens in a club and someone is watching those there. The person watches as a man apparently strikes out then goes to use a horoscope machine. The watcher, a woman, approaches the man and takes his hand, rubbing her thumb on it. She whispers something in his ear and the two leave. In what is presumably the man’s hotel room, he is in bed afterwards and says it was incredible. The woman has left the bed and is watching from the other side of the room. The man starts choking, then collapses, froth coming from his mouth. The woman, who has now turned into a man, takes the dead man’s clothes and leaves.
A detective is telling Scully that the man is a New York businessman. He called his wife to say goodnight, then heads out, picks up a woman and brings her back. Beyond that, not a lot makes sense. The security monitor saw the dead man and the woman entering the room, then the same monitor showed another male leaving just after midnight. Scully asks if the woman could have simply have changed her clothes. No, it was definitely a totally different person. The man never entered the room and the woman never left. Mulder has been examining the body in the meanwhile. The unknown make left with the victim’s suit, suitcase and wallet. Scully wants to know why they were notified. Because the Bureau sent out a memo asking to be notified of any case with this COD. It seems Mulder sent the memo.
Mulder, back at the FBI, tells Scully that there have been five deaths, four in the last three weeks, from here to Boston. Two women, three men, all apparently died in the throes of passion. Healthy adults with the symptoms of massive coronary arrest. Scully asks if it’s a new drug. No, it’s the oldest and not even illegal. There were huge amounts of pheromones, a hundred times stronger than anything found in nature. Yes, pheromones have been synthesized, but not like this – and there’s human DNA in them. Scully says that there has always been a question as to whether or not humans can actually produce pheromones.
Scully says that their suspect is of indeterminate height, sex and weight, unarmed yet extremely attractive. What’s even weirder, according to Mulder, is that the suspect has been moving south. There was a death a year ago with the same symptoms, in Steveston, Massachusetts. There is a religious group known as the Kindred, who shun modern amenities, like the Amish, near the town. They make stoneware pots using a white clay particular to that region, a white clay Mulder found in scratches on the victim’s sides. The sect is also known for its abstinence.
Mulder and Scully head north to Steveston, and ask about the Kindred inside a store where there are pictures of the same displayed. The man running the shop says the Kindred don’t like strangers, and the road to their place is in rough shape. A horse and carriage holding members of the Kindred passes at this point, and the shop owner says they are probably going to the feed store. Mulder heads inside with them and Scully speaks to the man left with the horses. Who appears to be uncomfortable talking to her. Then takes her hand and rubs his thumb on it, just like the woman from the club. Which affects Scully. The others come out at this point and Mulder wants to know what’s up with Scully. She says there is something up there. He says he has been saying that for years.
They head to the Kindred’s place, but have to walk the last bit. Then get surrounded by the Kindred. The Kindred tell them they are welcome, but only if they hand over their weapons. The outside world saddens them, but isn’t their concern; here, no-one kills another. Ever.
Mulder and Scully get taken to the Kindred’s place, but they aren’t interested in looking at pictures of the suspect. Pictures are forbidden here. During the questioning, a man has been choking and then he suddenly collapses. The Kindred won’t allow Scully to help, as they take care of their own, and the pair are shown the way back to their car.
Scully says to Mulder after the Kindred have left that they had better take care of their own, or the man will be dead. Mulder thinks the simple life thing is just an act. The Kindred never answered a single question posed them, but got Mulder and Scully to answer theirs. And why no children? Also, the photos Mulder saw of the Kindred in Steveston, the ones from the Thirties? He could swear he saw some of those same people today. Mulder is heading back, and Scully follows. The Kindred have left their homes and are heading to a barn, chanting. Some sort of ceremony is underway.
Meanwhile, the man/woman is looking for more victims in the club, starting as a man. He asks a woman to dance. She isn’t interested – until he takes her hand and rubs his thumb on it. It seems there is some sort of power when that is done.
Nicholas Lea, who would later play the role of Alex Krycek, guest stars in this episode.