Signs and Wonders is actually one of my favourite XF episodes. I really like stories that intentionally subvert and/or play on the archetype of the villain... this is quite predictable of me, eh. But I think it's always been my ambition to write a story with that kind of twist at the end - I'd also like to write a story where the perspective on Draco shifts just that much and suddenly we are told another kind of truth. I really liked how Snake Guy in S&W was not redeemed as the sudden oppressed sweetie whose doctrine made sense all along, but rather as simply not being the murderer. It's like writing a story about Draco where he's still a jerk but not a Hitler in the making... especially given our lack of evidence that he is a Hitler in the making.

I watched S&W a lot of times, even taking notes. :D I thought the twist was very well built, and the anvil not overly didactic, quite the opposite. Have you ever seen The Others? It's quite a more general take on the tricks of perspective when dealing with conflict (well, it's called The Other), but I feel the message isn't so different.

So again people kept claiming stuff happened that hadn't happened

I'm not commenting on that, just snickering quietly in my corner. Then I'm going to write my daily rant about how hard JKR sucks if she doesn't let Draco sex-up the Patil twins before letting the terrorists win.