Donald Pfaster
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| The X-Files character | |
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| Donald Pfaster | |
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| Affiliated with | None |
| First appearance | Irresistible |
| Last appearance | Orison |
| Portrayed by | Nick Chinlund |
Donald Addie "Donnie" Pfaster appeared in the episodes "Irresistible" & "Orison", on the science fiction TV series, The X-Files. He was portrayed by Nick Chinlund.
Little is known about his life before his first appearance on the show. He is described as being the younger brother of four older sisters. Pfaster is a "death fetishist" and through his job at the Jenelli-Heller Funeral Home, he collects objects like hair and nails from corpses. After being fired when his fetish was discovered by his boss, Pfaster begins to desecrate the graves of young females. His new criminal act is brought to the attention of Agent Fox Mulder, due the belief by fellow FBI Agent Bocks that it is the work of extraterrestrial life. Mulder looks at the scene of one of the open graves and tells Bocks that it does not look like the work of aliens. Mulder, explaining his past experience in Violent Crimes, correctly states that the perpetrator appears to be a normal human that is desecrating graves out of desperation to satisfy his flesh appetite. The man, Mulder correctly assumes, probably once had easier access to human flesh, most likely at a funeral home. Mulder then states that the perpetrator will begin a yearning for living flesh and will most likely first killing people. Pfaster does indeed expand his fetish and firsts murdering prostitutes.
Pfaster applies for a job as a delivery man for a frozen foods company. During the interview he tells the interviewer that he needs the job so he can fund his schooling in comparative religion, but it is certainly apparent that he wants to use the job in order to gain easy access into people's homes. In the course of Mulder and Scully's investigation, Pfaster is arrested after attempting to abduct a fellow female classmate. While in jail, he notices Scully, who was there interrogating a different suspect. He becomes infatuated, and after being released, he stalks and kidnaps her. Fortunately, Mulder tracks him down in time. Scully, who was disturbed by the case even before being kidnapped, was safe but visibly traumatized by the event.
Five years later, in "Orison", Pfaster appears again in an Illinois penitentiary in a room where a Christian sermon is taking place officiated by the overzealous Reverend Robert Gailen Orison, who is informing the inmates that they can be forgiven of their sins. Pfaster appears to be deep in thought, not listening to the sermon. The Reverend apparently learns of Pfaster's crimes and decides to help him supernaturally escape from prison, believing Pfaster will be a changed man. While on the run, he meets the prison reverend in a cafe where Phaster appears to be in negotiations with a prostitute. Pfaster is upset by the reverend's presence and steals his car, runs it into Orison and dwells at his apartment. The reverend eventually recovers in a local hospital and confronts Pfaster at gunpoint. The reverend, however, is soon killed by Pfaster, who proceeds to pick up where he left off, and heads to Washington, DC, for Scully. At her apartment, Pfaster attacks and binds Scully, but Mulder unexpectedly arrives and draws his firearm. Scully, who had freed herself moments before, takes her own gun and fires point-blank, killing Pfaster. Scully later questions what motivated her to pull the trigger.
[edit] Characteristics
Pfaster is a well groomed, hygienic, polite spoken (when not angry) and adequately dressed young male. On the outside Pfaster does not appear to be threatening or abnormal; but when angry or closing in on somebody he is incredibly daunting. He is a recluse that eerily glares at young women that meet his fancy. He appears to be obsessive-compulsive and is fanatical about shampoo, hair conditioners, and all types of hair and nail products, usually offering (or forcing) to use them on the various young females he encounters.
[edit] Trivia
- The original script for "Irresistible" described Donnie Pfaster as a necrophiliac, which was too much for network television. Chris Carter changed Pfaster's description to that of a "death fetishist."
- It is left ambiguous whether Pfaster is a "normal" serial killer, or if he is in fact supernatural. While he appears to be a human, a few characters, including a captive Scully, very briefly see him appearing as some sort of demonic creature. In the episode "Orison," Pfaster seems to change into a demon at will before the prison minister before Pfaster kills him. Also in "Orison", Scully repeatedly sees her digital clock flash "6:66" for a second, including moments before Pfaster assaults her. Also, at the end of the episode "Irresistible," a photo of Donnie with his family as a child is shown while Mulder gives a monologue describing Donnie as "the boy next door," which further confuses the issue (although it may have merely been a commentary on how ordinary some criminals, "demonic" or not, may appear on the outside.)
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