Double meaning to "This Is Who We Are"

[Guest RodimusBen]

Food for thought...

When I first saw the new slogan in the opening credits for season 2... "This... is... who we are..." it was of course before I had actually heard any of the MG members utter their now-infamous catch phrase.

My initial interpretation of the words was that Millennium reflects who we are as a society, a culture and as human beings altogether. MM shows us the darkest parts of ourselves as well as the most noble (through Frank's efforts and his inability to be corrupted). We might look down with disgust at the killers and criminals in Millennium, but as the show itself has stated, we all have the potential to become just like them, to succumb to our violent instincts, our jealousy, our anger. This is, truly, who we are.

I don't know if the writers ever thought of this second interpretation of the phrase, but I thought it was worth mentioning and apropos for the show.

[Guest paranoid eyes]

That interpretation might fit better if it was a season 1 opener, cause it was more realistic and concerned with both the noble and horrible sides of human nature. Then again maybe it's a good way to sum what the audience has seen so far, after 20 something episodes showing the most extreme sides of life, we get the information that basicaly all this-cruel, selfish, unstable, strong, noble- is who we are.

Those opening lines were pretty ambiguous -especially who cares?-and left an open field for discussion.

[Guest RodimusBen]

Yeah, it is more appropriate for season one. I always thought "who cares" was kind of funny because it always seemed like I had to explain that one to other people, even though I had interpreted it before I had even read about Chris Carter explaining it. Not trying to sound smug but I think a lot of people just shut their brains off when they watch TV.

[Orodromeus]

I don't know if the writers ever thought of this second interpretation of the phrase, but I thought it was worth mentioning and apropos for the show.

I always thought that was the case. Actually I knew the phrase "TIWWA" for years before I finally saw the episodes and discovered its MG usage, so I always assumed it referred to human nature. A bit like "The Truth Is Out There", the writers were looking for catchphrases like "TIWWA" specifically for their double meaning.

And considering "TIWWA"'s effectiveness and the perplex "who cares?", it's no wonder the season 3 opening titles are an amalgamation of the first two seasons: "wait, worry, TIWWA"!

[Guest Anephric]

Because of the recent CD release and coming to this board, I'm trying to brush up on the show - please pardon me if this is either something discussed endlessly or if my brain doesn't work at 8:30 Monday morning on one cup of coffee.

The first time we hear "This is who we are", I assume this is a Morgan/Wong penned episode? They seem to have a habit of recycling material (an observation, not a criticism) and variations on the Millennium Group catch phrase is in a season one episode as well as a Morgan/Wong penned episode of The X-Files called Ice (where an infected man repeats "We are not who are are" repeatedly).

[Guest RodimusBen]

"This is who we are" doesn't show up until "Beware of the Dog," S2 I believe.

[Guest Watts]

I always liked the ambiguity of its usage on MM. "This is who we are", what is who we are?, who is we? It's like some sort of mysterious mission statement that doesn't really say anything. I always thought only they (the Group) knew the true answer. Paraphrasing what Peter says, "There are truths you wouldn't understand, even if I attempted to explain." Like unless you've taken the blood oath you wouldn't get it.

Edited December 9, 2008 by Watts