#robert patrick modell

One of the things that is so genius about Pusher, I think, is the relatively banal antagonist. Robert Patrick Modell isn’t an evil mastermind. He isn’t even a monster per se. He’s just an ordinary man who hasn’t been as successful as he wants in life. He’s been told he has limited time left. And he’s been granted power, which he promptly abuses for his own purposes. It’s perhaps worth observing that Pusher was written by Vince Gilligan, and that this is really not so far off from what Breaking Bad was about, too. (You could possibly even dig into Carol of Pluribus being a more sympathetic female protagonist variation of this type, as her struggle seems at least partly about how much power she has and what to do with it. But I’m not completely convinced of that, and I will write that essay when there is more of Pluribus to analyze.)

There are lots of little moments in Pusher that I consider gems. Scully telling Mulder: “Please explain to me the scientific nature of the whammy.” Mulder playing a corny “made you look” joke on Modell. The horrific Cerulean blue brainwashing.  Scully falling asleep on the stakeout. Modell commenting on the closeness of their partnership. 

But the real showstopper is the finale, of course. Even the lead up to the final scenes is so good— @actual-changeling’s post here makes me appreciate the little detail of how visibly scared Scully is as she watches Mulder prepare to walk into the hospital.

But then there is the nail-biting game of Russian roulette, which apparently made standards and practices nervous back in the day since, as apparently the logic went, you don’t want young people trying Russian roulette at home. (I don’t think that’s the big takeaway message from that scene, but yeah, it does leave an impact.) I'm sure everyone remembers the details: Mulder straining against Modell’s control. Mulder not hesitating when Modell tells him to shoot himself. His look of sweaty, jaw-clenching struggle when fighting the direction to turn the gun and fire on Scully. Scully’s single tear, her wide eyes, her perfectly tousled hair. IT’S ALL SO GOOD.

Even though Pusher is season 3, which usually is not as popular with the fic authors, she's a pretty busy girl, fic wise. I have some recs for you to celebrate her 30th! Some of these are pretty angsty; some are smutty; there are a few that are more sweet hurt-comfort; some are a pleasant combo. Pusher Fic Recs

C’mon Mulder - defnotmeyo A sweet and gentle—but also angsty— moment: Scully helps Mulder get it back together after the climactic events of Pusher. Short but moving.

Anchored - Lydia Bower / @amplifyme This fic digs deeper into the question of why it was easier for Mulder to pull the trigger on himself than on Scully. It’s psychologically interesting and beautiful. CW for suicidal ideation.

First / Second - Amal Nahurriyeh Mulder is exhausted and traumatized post-episode, and Scully tries to give him what he needs, even when that is putting her own needs aside. This is about the first time they have sex (post-Pusher) and the second (post-Detour). CW for dubcon? or consensual but uncomfortable sex had during an anxiety attack? Not sure how I'd put it, but avoid if sensitive to this.

I’ll pull the trigger with my eyes closed - when_it_is_complicated A sad, beautiful fic about the frustrations and longings of early MSR. Scully has a nightmare about Modell when the case ends, and it introduces a more emotionally intimate interlude in her relationship with Mulder.

Pushed Too Far - OnlytheInevitable Modell chooses to play Russian roulette with Scully rather than Mulder. This author digs into Modell’s apparent fascination with the partnership. Pushed - Donna A good old school Gossamer fic. After the events of the ep, both agents are kind of needy and misunderstanding one another.

Pushed - smolderyummy Mulder is shaken and guilty post-episode, and Scully gives him a message he seems to need to hear: you deserve to be loved. Smutty, sweet. 

Pushed - ATTHS_TWICE / @atths--twice Lovely, tender hurt-comfort after the episode. At first they try to recover separately, but of course that doesn’t work. 

This is Us - Frangipanidownunder This is very dark, dubcon (really noncon). I don’t usually rec fic with this CW in my rec lists, but this one is so interesting and moving, it fits with the episode so well, and really it’s about the partnership. I personally really like this fic. But definitely CW, an iteration of fuck or die trope, really.

The Tethers Loose - me me (cecilysass) In the tradition of me always including my own work on fic lists, I wrote this very recently (last Christmas) for the PoangPals Secret Santa. It's a Pusher sequel in a canon divergent universe in which Kitsunegari never happens, and it takes place directly after Elegy during season 4. There are some allusions to noncon (inspired by This is Us) but this isn’t actually in the fic. CW for cancer arc.