In Bellefleur, OR
- a police car races down highway. Driving is Detective
Miles, who fans first met in the pilot episode of The
X-Files. He radios to deputy Ray Hoese to wait for backup,
but Miles' car loses power and coasts to a stop, then is
struck by another police car that come careening out of the
dark. The forest is glowing. The dials on Miles' watch are
spinning. Hoese in the other car is dead and green acid is
on the ground. As Miles gets out of the car, another Hoese
walks up to him, unspeaking.
An auditor
(Special Agent Chesty Short) is in the X-Files office.
Mulder and Scully have spent a huge amount on travel - by
FBI standards these numbers are out of control. The auditor
points out that nothing the agents have been investigating
has been resolved. Acknowledging that Mulder's sister was a
major motivation for Mulder, the auditor asks that given the
case report saying that Samantha is dead, what is left to
investigate?
In a "hellhole"
middle eastern prison, Marita Covarrubias gets Alex Krycek
released. She tells him that the smoking man sent her to
find him. The Cigarette Smoking Man is dying.
Meanwhile, Scully
also has to defend the investigation of the conspiracy to
the auditor. The auditor tells Mulder that he is evaluating
what The X-Files does, so if they go forward they can do it
more responsibly. He tells Mulder that if he is going to
spend so much time looking for aliens, he should narrow his
search to where they are - reducing his vision.
Two teenagers
approach Detective Miles in the woods. They heard that there
was an airplane collision with a UFO. He tells them that the
Navy found their plane about three miles away and there is
no of another craft. Miles sends them away.
As Mulder and
Scully are talking in the X-Files office, Billy Miles
telephones Mulder. Mulder and Scully immediately remember
the name. Billy was abducted seven years earlier and Mulder
and Scully investigated. He tells them that it is happening
again, but not to him this time. Even though the auditor
would say they couldn't justify the expense, the agents head
out to Oregon to investigate.
Alex and Marita
visit the Cigarette Smoking Man's apartment. He is in a
wheelchair, attended by a nurse and has to smoke through a
tracheotomy hole in his throat. Krycek accuses that the
smoking man had him thrown in that prison for trying to sell
something that was the smoking man's. The smoking man
counters that they have a singular opportunity now. A crash
in Oregon -- an alien ship has collided with a military
aircraft. It is Roswell and Corona again, the chance to
rebuild the project.
Meanwhile, the
teenagers are back in the Oregon forest at night, looking
for the UFO. One has an incident in which he shakes
violently, then disappears. The other sees lights glowing in
the forest and his flashlight bursts into flame. He runs
off.
Mulder and Scully
arrive in Oregon. Billy has been a sheriff's deputy for
three years. He got over the abductions, but other people in
the area didn't and don't believe it. He tells about the
crash. The other unidentified craft hasn't been found. His
father has been no help, even though a deputy is missing.
Detective Miles drives up. He claims that he has been
working with the FAA and it looks like there was no second
craft.
As they drive to
the scene, Mulder finds the X on the pavement he painted
seven years earlier. It is the same place where Miles car
was struck. Scully finds shells, likely from the missing
deputy's gun, but there is no indication of what he might
have been shooting at. AS Mulder and Scully drive off to see
the missing man's wife, Detective Miles places the evidence
bag with the shells in his car trunk, and viewers see that
the body of the missing deputy is in the trunk.
Mulder and Scully
are surprised that the missing man's wife is Teresa, an
abduction victim who seven years ago approached the agents
for help. Her husband is also an abductee, but they keep it
a secret because people in the community don't understand.
His experiences were more terrifying than hers. He was taken
many times and tested. Teresa has medical files and as she
gets them, Mulder watches Scully play with Teresa's baby.
That evening, as
Mulder study the files, Scully comes to Mulder's door,
uneasy but she doesn't know what is wrong. She felt dizzy
and got chills. Mulder covers her up in his bed and puts an
arm around her to warm her. Mulder says it's not worth it.
He wants her to go home. Seeing her holding the baby shows
him what has been taken away from her - including her health
and the chance to be a mother. (Recall that Scully cannot
have children, because of the procedures done during her
abduction.) Maybe what the FBI says is true, Mulder
speculates. The personal costs are too high. There is so
much she needs to do in her life - so much more than this.
There has to be an end.
Meanwhile, Krycek
is in Oregon, too. He reports by phone to the Smoking Man
that In spite of lots of effort, nobody can find the UFO. He
is told that it must be there, hidden in plain site. Find
the deputy and you'll find the ship. Teresa is awakened in
the night. Her husband, Ray, is home, but when he doesn't
speak she realizes that it is not her husband. She runs
upstairs and he follows. She stabs him with a knife and
noxious gas comes out of his body, overcoming her.
Mulder and Scully
arrive at Teresa's home. Billy reports that Teresa is gone,
apparently taken because the door was open. Inside they find
the mark they immediately recognize as acid burns from what
Scully describes as "arguably an alien." Scully feels faint
again for a moment.
Marita, who has
stayed with the Smoking Man, asks him why bring Krycek into
this matter and then play with him by feeding him incomplete
information. The Smoking Man says that he has great faith
that Krycek will find the ship, but if the Smoking Man tells
him exactly how, Krycek will be tempted to sell it. The ship
is rebuilding itself, the Smoking Man says. What we call God
is an alien intelligence. Marita states her conclusion that
the aliens are coming and the Smoking Man corrected her that
they are coming back.
Mulder approaches
some teenagers watching the crime scene where Teresa
disappeared. One of them admits that "they" took his friend,
Gary. He takes Mulder, Scully and Billy to where Gary
disappeared, and he accuses that Detective Miles knows
what's going on, because the teenagers saw him near the
scene. As Scully walks around she is lifted up in the air
and shakes rapidly. Mulder realizes Scully is out of sight
and funds her on the ground, groggy. She doesn't understand
why this is happening to her. Mulder also doesn't know, but
is sure that these aren't just random abductions.
Billy goes to his
father's home and draws his gun, confronting Detective
Miles. Billy says, "I don't know who you are but you are not
going to take me." His father eventually calms him and Billy
gives up his gun, but we see that Detective Miles is the
Bounty Hunter. Mulder and Scully walk up to the door and,
finding it open, walk in. Billy and the Bounty Hunter are
gone.
Two days later at
the FBI building in Washington, Skinner visits Mulder's
office. Mulder thinks he is in trouble and says that if the
higher-ups are coming down on Skinner, he is sorry. Skinner,
however, has Krycek and Marita with him. They explain that
they have a singular opportunity. The Cancer Man is dieing.
His last wish is to rebuild the conspiracy. There is a ship
in those woods, cloaked in an energy field. The alien is
eliminating proof of all the abductions. This is Mulder's
chance to change all that and find the proof. Scully finds
them talking and joins the effort. They call the Lone Gunmen
in to consult and they determine that the ship is so well
cloaked that even military satellites don't detect it, but
the implication is that the gunmen have detected it, because
they know exactly what to look for. It's not going to be
there forever, however.
As they talk it
is rebuilding itself. Scully can't handle it and leaves the
room. Mulder follows into the hall. Mulder won't let her go
back to Oregon. They're taking abductees, he points out, and
Scully is an abductee. Mulder won't risk losing her. They
hug and she vows that she won't let him go alone.
Skinner
accompanies Mulder into the Oregon woods, wondering if it is
just a "snipe hunt." Is this just a snipe hunt? Scully looks
at the medical records with the Lone Gunmen and realizes
that all of the abductees experienced the same kind of
elevated brain activity that Mulder had earlier in
"Biogenesis, Sixth Extinction and Amor Fati". She realises
that the energy field knocked her back because it didn't
want her. They realize that it is Mulder who is in danger,
but Scully collapses.
Mulder and
Skinner lay out a network of laser beams to detect the
energy field of the ship. Mulder walks up to the field and
puts his hand into the field, causing the hand to vibrate
rapidly. Skinner realizes he can't see Mulder. Mulder is
inside the energy field with many of the other abductees. He
enters a glowing circle with them and sees a ship overhead.
The Bounty Hunter walks up and joins them in the circle,
ready to be transported up to the UFO, which is hovering
overhead. Skinner sees the ship. It departs and all of the
other people are gone.
Krycek reports to
the Smoking Man and Marita that he failed. The Smoking Man
speculates that perhaps Krycek never wanted to succeed? "The
hour is at hand?" the Smoking Man asks, and Krycek agrees
that it is time "to send the devil back to hell." The
Smoking Man's final words are, "As you do to Mulder and to
me you do to all mankind." Krycek pushes the wheelchair down
the stairs and the Smoking Man lies at the bottom,
apparently dead.
Skinner visits
Scully in her hospital room. She feels ok - they're just
running some tests. She already heard about Mulder's
disappearance. Skinner will be asked what he saw and can't
deny it. He vows that he won't. They are both crying. Scully
says, "we will find him," and Skinner nods. "I have to," she
adds. Scully tells Skinner that there is something else she
has to tell him, that he must keep to himself. She can't
explain or believe it, but she is pregnant. The screen fades
to black...
By Michael Marek
and Jamie Ruby
It has been
official announced, this will not be the Series Finale. The
X-Files will be back for an eighth season! During the
filming of this episode two endings were shot, because they
still didn't know whether it was going to be the last season
or not. In one of the endings, Mulder was abducted, and it
is possible that they'll continue with this ending and
Mulder (Duchovny) will not appear in the first half of the
season.
From Yahoo:
"Duchovny`s Mulder character is not expected to return to
the series until the middle of next season -- sometime
during the February sweep is a safe bet -- after being
abducted in this season`s final episode, set to air Sunday.
Co-star Gillian Anderson is in for a new partner next season
to assist in her search for Mulder."
From Cinescape:
"With Duchovny`s return to the series still uncertain, the
script for this season`s final episode was written to allow
for any event. According to co-star Gillian Anderson, two
endings were filmed: one that left the series open to
continue next season, and another that attempted to explain
the last seven seasons of the show with just a few lines.
With word of the show`s renewal X-Files fans can breathe a
sigh of relief that the show they`ve faithfully followed for
seven years won`t be wrapped up in such a shoddy manner.
"
"The climax of
the show was also written to allow for the possible
departure of Duchovny. Abducted by aliens, Mulder could
either be rescued next season or disappear forever,
depending on whether or not the show could come to terms
with its recalcitrant star."
"With the show
now officially renewed for its eighth, and most likely,
final season, Duchovny is scheduled to appear in eleven
shows next year. According to the Hollywood Reporter,
Duchovny will not appear until about halfway through the
season, around the time of the February sweeps."
According to
William Davis (CSM), It
will be satisfying I think, if it should be the last episode
of the series. It will also be satisfying if it leads us
into next season. It will also be satisfying if it leads us
into next season without Mulder. It will also be satisfying
if it leads us into a movie. So believe it or not, I think
Chris has covered all of the bases.He's really got a very
clever spin on it.
