 The episode is one of the few in the series that has no paranormal elements to it . Carter said of the episode 's conception , " My first chance to work with David Nutter in a long time , and I wanted to give him something he could sink his teeth into . It 's a little bit different for us . It doesn 't really have a paranormal aspect , except for Scully 's perceptions of her deepest fears . I felt that I had to figure out what she is most afraid of , and she is most afraid of those things that most of us are afraid of . The idea of dying at the hands of someone — creature or not — and she is helpless to do anything about it . I thought it was a very good way to explore Scully 's character . " The scene where Dana Scully imagines Pfaster appearing as a devil was influenced by real @-@ life accounts , as described by Carter : " There are reports of people who had been under the spell of Jeffrey Dahmer , who actually claimed that he shape @-@ shifted during those hours when they were held hostage ; that his image actually changed . " Nutter said " In many ways , Chris wanted to sell the idea that , as established in Mulder 's closing dialogue in the show , not all terror comes from the paranormal . It could come from the person next door . " 
 The episode <a href='drop_aux' title='1'><mark>is</mark></a>one of the few in the series <a href='null_relcl' title='2'><mark>that</mark></a><a href='got' title='3'><mark>has</mark></a> no paranormal elements to it . Carter said of the episode <a href='null_genetive' title='4'><mark>'s</mark></a>conception , " My first chance to work with David Nutter in a long time , and I wanted to give him something he could sink his teeth into . It 's a little bit different for us . It <a href='uninflect' title='5'><mark>doesn</mark></a> 't really <a href='got' title='6'><mark>have</mark></a> a paranormal aspect , except for Scully <a href='null_genetive' title='7'><mark>'s</mark></a>perceptions of her deepest fears . I felt that I had to figure out what she is most afraid of , and she <a href='drop_aux' title='8'><mark>is</mark></a>most afraid of those things that most of us <a href='drop_aux' title='9'><mark>are</mark></a>afraid of . The idea of dying at the hands of someone — creature or not — and she <a href='drop_aux' title='10'><mark>is</mark></a>helpless to do anything about it . I thought it was a very good way to explore Scully <a href='null_genetive' title='11'><mark>'s</mark></a>character . " The scene where Dana Scully <a href='uninflect' title='12'><mark>imagines</mark></a> Pfaster appearing as a devil was influenced by real @-@ life <a href='uninflect' title='13'><mark>accounts</mark></a> , as described by Carter : " <a href='dey_it' title='14'><mark>There</mark></a> are reports of people <a href='null_relcl' title='15'><mark>who</mark></a>had been under the spell of Jeffrey Dahmer , <a href='null_relcl' title='16'><mark>who</mark></a>actually claimed that he shape @-@ shifted during those hours when they <a href='uninflect' title='17'><mark>were</mark></a> held hostage ; that his image actually changed . " Nutter said " In many ways , Chris wanted to sell the idea that , as established in Mulder <a href='null_genetive' title='18'><mark>'s</mark></a>closing dialogue in the show , not all terror <a href='uninflect' title='19'><mark>comes</mark></a> from <a href='None' title='20'><mark>the</mark></a><a href='negative_concord' title='21'><mark>paranormal</mark></a> . It could come from the person next door . " 
The episode one of the few in the series got no paranormal elements to it . Carter said of the episode  conception , " mah first chance to work wit David Nutter in a long time , and I wanted to give em something he could sink his teef into . It 's alil bit diff for us . It doesned 't really got a paranormal aspect , except for Scully  perceptions of her deepest fears . I felt dat I had to figure out wht she is most afraid of , and she most afraid of those things tdatmost of us afraid of . The idea of dieing at the hands of someone — creature or not — and she helpless to do anything about it . I thought it was a very gud way to explore Scully  character . " The scene where Dana Scully imagine Pfaster appearing as a devil was influenced by real @-@ life account , as described by Carter : " It is reports of pple had been under da spell of Jeffrey Dahmer , actually claimed that he shape @-@ shifted during those hrs when they was held hostage ; thdatis image actually changed . " Nutter said " In many ways , Chris wanted to sell the idea that , as established in Mulder  closing dialogue in the show , not all terror cum from no paranormal . It could come from tdaperson next door . "