(Three part episode; part 3)
\r\nWell where to start. This three part episode which spans the last episode of season 2 and the first 2 of season 3 gives so much away about the underlying story within the X-Files. The most important mention has to be the secret society that the Smoking man is part of. It seems they are a group that represent global interests (as stated by the well manicured man), and that he does indeed know Mulder’s father. The Lone Gunman help in recognizing a well known Nazi in the photo, which Mulder speaks to. He informs them of operation paperclip – A project which saw testing on the Jew’s, and creating alien\human hybrids. Mulder questions his fathers loyalties, but all is forgotten (for now) when they come across a massive cave deep within a mountain full of archives. The full explanation for which was given to Mulder by the well manicured man: A detailed record of millions of Americans used for the purpose of identifying citizens after a nuclear attack.

Weather or not they believe this, Mulder and Scully certainly did get a preview of strange goings on down there – Mulder witnesses a large flying UFO hovering over the old mining building, and Scully, witnesses (admittedly in the dark), strange smaller creatures (looks very much like aliens) running past her, one pausing to look back on her from the doorway – a small, thin, tall creature.

Things get more complicated when Skinner attempts to bluff the Smoking man into thinking he has the tape, despite loosing it when he was attacked in the hospital by unknown men, one of which was Krycek – the other is someone we’ll be seeing later. Smoking man assures Skinner he’s not a man to make deals or negotiate, and questions Skinner on the possibility of dying in a plane crash.. or perhaps a heart attack? All of this doesn’t deter Skinner’s ace up his sleeve. The Indian capable of reading the encrypted MJ document, and who also saved Mulder’s life. He informs the Smoking man that himself, and 20 other men – all know the contents of the document, and should any harm come to Mulder and Scully, this information would be all over the net.

Things get worse for the Smoking man when an attempt on Krycek’s life goes tits up (due to the hit on Scully getting her sister instead), and Krycek vowels that if the two meet again, Smoking man will become very famous. Scully also gets some tragic news when her sister dies as a result of her wound. Mulder finds himself in a catch 22 when he learns that his father tried to prevent the experiments going on with the Jews, and alien\human testing – so as leverage, Samantha was taken. Mulder’s mother seemed to know a choice was made, as the file in the archives was originally intended for Mulder. This episode was also a dedication to the memory of Mario Mark Kennedy, 1966 – 1995.