Summary: Agent Doggett has Mulder at gun point. He releases Gibson, and backs up and over a cliff. At the bottom, Mulder's body isn't there. When Scully arrives, she explains to Doggett that he saw an Alien Bounty Hunter (ABH). Doggett can't hear this and returns to the deaf school. The ABH is also at the school, still looking for Gibson. Scully observes a student leaving the area and follows her out into the desert. The girl leads her directly to Gibson. Scully promises to help as she splints Praise's leg. That night, Skinner figures out how Doggett knew to go to Arizona. He tells John that Kersh is using him and asks him to trust Scully. When Doggett asks for her whereabouts, she comes walking out of the desert just as another agent confirms that he sees her inside. Scully surmises that the other Scully is the ABH. When they try to capture it, it seriously harms one of the men. Scully slips away with the intention of picking up Gibson but is intercepted by Skinner. Thinking he might be the ABH she pulls a gun on him. When he proves he isn't they take off together. No one is at the hide out, Gibson has crawled into the desert because he 'hears' Mulder. Skinner takes the boy to the hospital while Scully canvases the area. The ABH disguised as the deaf girl enters Gibson's hospital room. Doggett has taken a helicopter to track down Scully. He confesses that he knows where Gibson is at and that his men are on top of things. Scully reminds him that his men may not be his men. Doggett and Scully check Gibson's room and find him gone. As Scully searches the other rooms, she stumbles upon Skinner who claims to have the boy. Suspicious, she trains her gun on him, but the ABH disarms her then throws her across the room. Before he can grab Gibson, Scully reaches her gun and fires. The ABH dies in a gooey mess. Doggett charges in yelling for medical help as Scully dissolves into tears. Kersh reads Doggett's report and is unhappy with it. Later, the agent visits Scully in the hospital. He apprises her of the case. He is now assigned to the X-Files, Scully is sufficiently surprised. In the final scene, Mulder is sitting in his torture chair, surrounded by a group of multiple bounty hunters.

Rumminations: Because Gibson can also 'hear' Mulder, we now know that the torture is taking place during real time and that Scully has some psychic connection to him. This is also corroborated when Mulder calles out to her, when she was near. Perhaps he knew that Scully was just outside. Mytharc-wise, it has been established that when an alien dies the blood is corrosive, but doesn't carry the retrovirus (Colony, Memento Mori, One Son), whereas if the alien is only hurt, the blood acts as a vector and can kill within minutes (End Game, Emily).

Unanswered Questions: Although Kersh is an arrogant SOB, is he working with the Consortium?

Geographical Inconsistancies: See Within.

Plot Oversights: Why would Scully go out into the desert wearing dark clothes, high heels with no water? She's pregnant, and wouldn't (shouldn't) be taking such chances. Incredibly, she keeps up with a girl who's riding a bike. And amazingly, she can find her way back to the school in the dark. Concerning the hide-out, who made it and how did Gibson get a couch down there? Back in the dorms, the ABH came through the door as Agent Crane and immediately morphs into Scully. One: why would he morph in front of witnesses? and Two: why assume Scully's shape? The viewers might believe he changed because he overheard the conversation on the walkie-talkies, but what was he hoping to accomplish? In order to escape he had to morph back into Agent Crane- which leads to the next question- where was Agent Crane? If he was there then the team would have seen two of them in the room.

Changed Premises: The ABH has never had a problem hurting people, yet he doesn't go after Doggett in the opening scene. Why? What's to stop him? Skinner is obviously exposed to the alien blood which causes his symptomatic red eyes, why didn't he die? wasn't it a big enough dose?

Equipment Oddities: Many of the FBI cars appear to have no licence plates. And how about that hefty ceiling in the hospital? It didn't collapse under the weight of a beefy AD Skinner.

Summary: An undertaker and his wife are attacked. The FBI is called in and this is Doggett and Scully's first case together. The evidence is contradictory and there seems to be some confusion as to whether the culprit is animal or human. Later that day, another woman (Mrs. McKesson) is attacked in her attic. The autopsy on the undertaker lends itself to the 'animal' explanation. Doggett produces an old newspaper story from 1956 about a bat creature. Scully makes the connection between all of the people killed; McKesson's daughter who was just buried. Under Scully's instruction, the police dig up the body of the daughter. The detective who was assigned the case involving the body of Mrs. Mc Kesson's daughter is killed. Upon examination, the daughter's body looks to have been burned postmortem. Since everyone who had contact with this body is dead, she wants to talk to the man who found it (Myron Stefaniuk). Mr. Stefaniuk wants to be left alone. After staking out his place, Scully and Doggett row a boat out to an island in the middle of the river. Ernie Stefaniuk, Myron's brother has been hiding here for 40 years. He was one of the original hunters who shot the bat creature back in 1956. His wife was Mrs. McKesson's daughter. He sent her body ashore so she might be buried properly. The bat man has been tracking Ernie because he killed it's mate, fixating on his scent. Doggett leaves Ernie's cabin to see if Myron is still ok. The bat thing attacks Doggett then goes after Ernie. Scully and Doggett shoot at it, but Ernie is dead. Two weeks later, back at the FBI, Doggett doesn't like having his reports laughed at. Scully say's he'll get used to it, and she's going to get him a desk.

Rumminations: Some nice stuff here. Scully gives Doggett a slide show almost identical as the Pilot (with regards to blocking.) Scully obviously wanted a desk in the office [see Never Again], and out of respect for Agent Doggett, she agrees to get him one.

Unanswered Questions: Why would you sequester yourself on a small island covered in ground radar in the same neck of the woods as a relentless predetor? Wouldn't you travel thousands of miles away, maybe even over the ocean?

Geographical Inconsistancies: Burley Idaho is located near a bend in the Snake River, not Slade River. Bird Island doesn't appear anywhere either, but that might be because it's too small to have been noted.

Summary: Scully is asked to consult on an unusual homicide in Utah. After checking out the crime scene, she calls Doggett then becomes distracted by a passing bus. Driving along some back roads, she is stranded in a strange town who's inhabitants are very odd and uncommunicative. With no phone service, Scully decides to stay at a local boarding house. Early the next morning, Mr. Milsap (the boarding house owner) asks for her help; a stranger is in another room having a seizure. When she turns him over, she sees a nasty circular wound at the small of his back. Scully tries a simple home remedy which helps, but her patient needs to get to a hospital. No one in town has a car. Checking the stranger's back again, Scully observes something crawling under his skin along the spinal column. Meanwhile, Doggett has learned that his partner hasn't arrived at the Sheriff's office. He sends help and after tracking down some leads, goes to Utah. Scully tells the stranger that he will die without real medical attention. She gives him her gun and takes off looking for a way out of town. The stranger tells Mr. Milsap that he's dying and that a swap must be made. Poking around, Scully discovers the bus she was trailing in a barn. The townsfolk have her surrounded and they smash the stranger's head in as she watches. A slug like creature is removed from the body and they approach Scully, intending to implant it into her. Doggett finds his way to this town and asks some questions. When he doesn't get any helpful answers, he leaves. Parking down the road a bit, he contacts the Sheriff's dept. and expresses his suspicions. He finds Scully tied to a bed at the boarding house and carries her to the bus. As he's trying to hot wire it, Scully insists he cut the parasite out of her now. Just then the townsfolk arrive and begin flailing at the bus. Extracting the slug, Doggett shoots it to make sure it's very dead. The townsfolk are indited and claim that they are being persecuted for their religious beliefs. Scully apologizes to Doggett fro going off with out him, and promises not to do it again.

Rumminations: It's lucky that Doggett could perform emergency surgery that doesn't leave Scully paralyzed. If he'd cut a little higher he would have accidentally removed her chip! There were rumors that this episode was originally written with Mulder in mind. He was the supposed to get into trouble, and Scully was the one who was the savior.

Unanswered Questions: Why would a group decide that a slug has divine power? Did it jump up from the garden and start preaching? And, if it was a great honor to have the slug inside of you, why did the cultist implant it into outsiders?

Geographical Inconsistancies: There is no BYU Medical Center in Provo.

Plot Oversights: Scully goes walking in the desert in inappropriate shoes again. Since it didn't hurt her in Without I guess she figures she'll be ok. If Doggett called the police in Utah from DC, how did he get to the cultists before they did? OK, lets talk about the gun. No FBI agent let alone Scully would ever willingly hand over their weapon to a civilian. EVER.

Changed Premises: Scully has a tattoo at the small of her back. It's an ouroboros and she got it during Never Again. When you see her back in this episode it isn't there. Scully says she's never seen anything like this slug which isn't entirely true, what about the parasidic worm in Ice (1x07)?

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Summary: Martin Wells wakes up to find himself in jail. Doggett and Scully are helping to move him to another facility. Mr. Wells seems confused and as the transfer is made, an older man which Martin knows shoots him dead. Well's watch stops at 8:20:44, then begins to move backwards. Martin Wells wakes up again, in the same bunk to find Doggett and Scully asking him questions. He is not dead and he's very confused. Doggett angrily explains that it looks as if Mr. Wells killed his wife. Martin goes to court where he finds out that the date is previous to the day he was killed. We learn that he's a prosecutor and the judge orders him to be transferred for his own safety. Later, Martin meets with Doggett and Scully again. He obviously knows John but not Scully. Doggett reminds him that he met her yesterday (Wednesday). When Scully quires him, Wells can only recall being killed by his father-in-law and staying at a hotel (three days prior to this day). During a meeting with his daughters, Martin asks the nanny to retrieve a hidden camera in a stuffed animal (his nanny-cam). He and his lawyer watch the tape but the video looks damning. Martin Wells wakes up to find himself in the same cell. A guard tells him his lawyers want to see him. When Wells goes to see them he mentions the nanny-cam. His lawyers are confused and a little concerned. It's now Wednesday and Martin realizes that time's moving backward. In the exercise yard, Mr. Well's profession earns him a slashed cheek. Back in his cell, he meets Scully for the first time (at least in her time-contiuom). Martin tries to explain what's happening. Doggett is predictably disgusted and Scully tries to help but there's nothing they can do. Looking at the crime scene photos, Martin knows who killed his wife. Martin Wells wakes up. This time he's on Doggett's couch. He and John go to his house to retrieve the motion activated nanny-cam. When they review it, the murderer is not on the tape. Doggett and Wells go to the nanny's home. At it turns out, the killer is there and Doggett arrests him. When Martin questions him, it comes to light that he prosecuted the killer's brother and didn't share evidence which would have freed him. Wells offers to make a deal, but the murderer is unimpressed. The police arrest Martin on the evidence they have. Wells wakes up in a hotel room. It's hours before his wife's murder. Martin calls Doggett, asking for his help and admitting his crime of omission. Racing home, he finds his wife isn't there. When she walks in, he tells her to hide in the bedroom. Moments later, the killer arrives and tries to murder them both. Shots are fired as Doggett and Scully come storming through the door. The killer is dead and his watch starts to move forward. Three months later, we see Martin Wells in a cell. He's paying for his mistake, but at least his wife is still alive.

Rumminations: This was the third episode filmed, the sixth aired. The date is clearly indicated by legends. Each act starts with the Date and time.

Unanswered Questions: Why was Wells given a second chance? Isn't it funny how strange things happen to people who know the X-Files agents?

Geographical Inconsistancies: Channel 9 WPKZ doesn't exist in Maryland. Wells would have been watching 10 WUSA out of DC. Also, Maryland is cold in December. No one was wearing the proper cold weather clothes.

Plot Oversights: I didn't see any police tape on the Wells' apartment door, when Doggett and Martin entered his home on Tuesday.

Summary: Doggett is given a case involving the deaths of 20 cult members and 2 FBI agents. All of the individuals were killed by an ax to the forehead. The prime suspect is the cult leader Anthony Tipet. Anthony believes that one can reach enlightenment by looking into the darkness (via negativa) and takes hallucinogens to help him acheive that goal. Tipet places a call to a Dr. Bormanis and tells him that he's to blame for what's happening. Later that evening, a homeless man who talked to Anthony is attacked by an incorporeal version of Tipet. Doggett and Skinner track down Andre Bormanis and find out that he knew Tipet in prison and made up some pills for him. They arrest Bormanis, who pleads for his own cache of drugs. He's been trying to stay awake. As soon as he falls asleep, a three-eyed Tipet arrives with a group of rats. The rodents attack and kill Andre in his cell. Scully sends the Lone Gunmen to help Doggett, since she can't be there. The boys suppose that Tipet has found a way to be a psychic assassin. Killing a victim in his dream to effect death outside of the dream. Doggett goes back to Dr. Bormanis' place, and finds Tipet already there. He can't seem to control the killing and he wants it to stop. Out of desperation, he tries to kill himself. Doggett takes Tipet to the hospital and accidentally finds out that Scully is there too. Next morning he's in Kersh's office and is being applauded for a job well done. John isn't satisfied. In Skinner's office, Doggett begins to suspect that he's not awake, that he's living the dream. When he goes down to the 2nd floor, the hallway becomes unending and Tipet is there. Anthony tells John that "She's going to die" because he's going to kill her. Doggett is then inside Scully's apartment, with a bloody ax in his hand. He goes to swing, changes his mind and turns the blade towards himself. Before he can hurt himself, Scully wakes him up.

Rumminations: Although Scully was supposed to be in on this case, she was having problems with her pregnancy- so this is really Doggett's first case alone on the X-Files. Many plot points are similar to the season two Sleepless. Obvioulsy Doggett has some issues with Scully since he saw her severed head in his little cat nap.

Summary: A man runs into a police station late at night, claiming that someone is trying to kill him. When he tries to take one of the officer's guns, they put him in a secure cell by himself. Moments later, the man is dead with a bullet in his head. Scully realizes that the shot came from the roof of the station house, which makes it a fluke or impossibly lucky. The man's name was Chase and he was a well to do Realtor. Before he arrived at the station he made a phone call. Tammi, the bookkeeper at AAA-1 Surekill Exterminators listens to Chase's frantic phone call on the answering machine and erases it. Dwight (the owner of AAA-1) confronts his brother Randall about Chase's death. Randall is the killer and felt the need to 'exterminate' him because he was stealing from AAA-1. Dwight and Randall go out that night to a drug sale. The drug dealers end up dead. Scully posits that the shooter would have to have exceptional, mutated eyesight. Eyesight that would allow him to see through walls. Other evidence ties the crime to an exterminator, which leads the agents to AAA-1 Surekill. Dwight confirms that Chase was a client of theirs, but that's all. He begins to suspect all is not right with Tammi, but drops the subject. Next morning, Tammi arrives early looking for her second set of books. As she reaches for the cash box it's in, Dwight confronts her. Before he can inspect the box, Scully and Doggett come, Warrant in hand. Doggett opens the cash box and finds it empty. At the station, Randall and Dwight are being interviewed. Randall doesn't say much, but what he does say causes Scully to realize that he is the killer and that he can see through walls. None of the suspects say anything, so they're let go. Tammi figures out that Randall took the book from the cash box to protect her. He's got a crush on her. She tells Randall that she needs the money in the bank to run away with him. He gives her the book back, so she may retrieve the cash. As she's leaving the bank, Dwight catches her and makes her return to AAA-1 Surekill. Thinking he's been stood up, Randall leaves the bus station for the office. When Randall gets there, Dwight is disappointed in the betrayal of his brother. He expects Randall to do the right thing and eliminate the Tammi problem. As he goes outside to take a smoke, Randall aims the gun and fires. Dwight is dead and Tammi on the run. Randall sits and stares at Tammi's mug shot on the computer screen in the room next to his cell.

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Equipment Oddities: The telephone redial trick would not have worked for Agent Doggett, since the last number Tammi would have entered was probably her credit card number. LOL

Summary: Curtis Delario is comforting Nora Pearce. Her husband has died, possibly from Persian Gulf Syndrome. As he drives away, Curtis runs into a man who is strong enough not to have been hurt by the collision, and in fact has caused the front of his hood to be completely parted. The man is Ray Pearce (Nora's husband) and he smashes through the windshield to grab Curtis. Next morning, Scully and Doggett are called in on the case. Scully uses the evidence at hand to conclude that someone stopped the car by standing in the middle of the road. Doggett protests that only a large block of steel could do that. Prints are found on the car which point to Ray. Doggett questions both Nora and Ray's boss (Harry Odell) as to why Pearce would kill his friend. Nora and Odell doubt the agent because they believe Ray to be dead. Harry goes back to the Salvage yard, his place of business to shred documents. Pearce is there looking for him. Harry shoots Ray, but that doesn't stop him from killing his ex-boss. The clues then lead Scully and Doggett to Chamber Technology, a company experimenting on gene splicing with malleable metals. 'Waste' from these experiments ended up at the salvage yard. Ray was obviously exposed and his body began morphing into a human/metal hybrid. The agents set a trap for Ray, believing that he will find his way to Chamber Technologies. When he arrives, he is captured in a large containment vessel, but manages to escape. Ray's wife finds out where her husband is staying and confronts him. Pearce is trying to exact revenge for the condition he's found himself in. Nora tries to help Ray get information on who shipped the barrels to the salvage yard. She's caught at the company and escorted back to her home. Ray is waiting inside and threatens his wife to get the name he needs. Tracking down an accountant, Ray pulls him from the mini van he's in. As he's about to kill him, Ray watches the man's son yelling in the car. For whatever reason, Pearce does not kill the man. When next we see Ray Pearce, he's hidden himself in a beat-up car, who's fate is the crusher.

Rumminations: Date is infered from the comment about changing presidents. Inaguration day in the US is January 20th.

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Summary: 8th episode shot, 13th aired

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Changed Premises: I'm going to bring up the problem with Scully's pregnancy time line here, because this is where it gets fouled up the most. Scully finds out she's pregnant in Requiem. If we suppose that that occurred in September then realistically she could deliver in May ( the date we're shooting for ). We know for a fact that this is the episode where Doggett finds out about the pregnancy, AND since he didn't know in the previous episode, Medusa we know that Per Manum takes place after it. Unfortunately, when she has her ultrasound done the doctor comments that the baby looks to be about 14 weeks old (which would put this at the beginning of December 2000.) If we disregard that, then Scully should be about five to six months along. Perhaps with a riggerous diet and roomy clothes, she might be able to hide the baby, but it is highly unlikely.
Just when did Mulder tell Scully about the ova which was extracted? In Emily he doesn't mention the vial that he found but he states, "Dana has known for quite some time that she can't bear children." He further goes on to explain that he believes the reason this is so, is he found proof of genetic testing being carried out in which all her ova were removed. Scully is quite clearly upset. In Per Manum, the first flashback scene has Scully and Mulder in the elevator. Scully confides in Mulder that she's infertile. Mulder tells her that he found some of her ova and that he took them to a doctor to be tested and they are unviable. Again, Scully is upset. I suppose this scene could have taken place in season 5 before Emily with Scully first upset over the infertility, and then later upset over the reason she's barren (the harvesting of all her ova). Thanks to Emma Wainwright for pointing this out!

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Changed Premises: The pregnancy timeline rears it's ugly head again. Although episodes are aired out of the order in which they are filmed, the cases as they appear are basically in the order in which they happen in the X-Files universe. (There are some clear exceptions- which are given older date stamps, such as Travelers and Unusual Suspects.) In this episode, Skinner mentions that Scully and Mulder went to Bellefleur, Oregon (the events of Requiem) last spring. If this is the case, Scully should be ready to deliver about now, since we know that this episode occurs after Redrum which has a definitive date of December 4-10, 2000. Also, if this statement is true she would have been showing in Redrum. I guess Mr. Carter isn't familiar with the normal nine month human gestation period.

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