The concluding installment in The X-Files Alien/Government Conspiracy has Mulder and Scully chasing after Ratboy Alex Krycek and the man who shot Skinner with both searches converging on Cancer Man, the Consortium and an alien entity which was shot down during WWII. Along the way, we see the possessed Krycek turn over Mulder's Holy Grail, the encrypted digital tape, to Cancer Man in exchange for the location of the entity's craft. Mulder meets with WMM face to face, Skinner's assailant (and Melissa Scully's murderer) is captured and eventually killed, and Mulder and Scully are within feet of seeing a real UFO. Krycek ends up buried alive after serving as a host for the alien to return to its spacecraft, and we are left to ponder some of the answers we've received as well as the new questions which have arisen. Such is the nature of The X-Files when the story-line addresses the Alien/Government Conspiracy.
Director Kim Manners keeps the episode moving at a breakneck pace, smoothly shifting from scene to scene and from venue to venue with no discernible loss in momentum. Every cut comes at a logical juncture, and every transition is made with the utmost care. This episode fairly flew by my eyes, but at the same I never felt as if I were being pushed. It was more as if I were taken by the hand for the rollercoaster ride of my life. It was exhilarating!
Writers Chris Carter and Frank Spotnitz weave a story that folds in several bits of information that were previously known with new information that can and should fuel speculation on this list (and any others) for months. Well, it should fuel speculation at least until the next A/GC arc, which will most likely be shown in the May Sweeps period. ;-)
One of the more notable revelations was the side of Scully that I call "Scully in Charge." From the moment she sees Skinner in the hospital until AD Skinner is back on the job, Scully takes it upon herself to head up the investigation, review the evidence and delegate authority to other agents. She looks like executive material, and this might be a fitting way to end the series: with Scully promoted to Assistant Director.
Gillian Anderson alternatively displays several emotions, all believable, all in character and all with the panache that we've come to expect from this fine actress. Mitch Pileggi as Skinner maintains his fatherly posture, offering Scully some sound advice about maintaining her vigilance when dealing with Cancer Man's circle. Pileggi then reverts to the detached Skinner when Mulder offers his thanks when the AD returns to work. Skinner seems to be saying, "I'm on your side, but I can't let it appear that I'm on your side, so don't get too chummy with me while there are other agents around." It is the subtlety of Mitch Pileggi's portrayal of Walter Skinner that gives depth to this enigmatic character.
David Duchovny's Fox Mulder, with the exception of the tender interlude with Scully at Melissa's grave site, seems to be stuck in the "angry young man" mode. All of Mulder's emotions appear to be motivated by his frustration at not being able to procure any hard evidence which would conclusively prove the existence of extra-terrestrial life and the government/Consortium's involvement in a cover-up of this knowledge. This was evident in his meeting with WMM in Central Park in addition to his "Damn!" after recovering only the empty tape case at Capital Ice. I felt that this episode was a step backwards in terms of character development for Mulder, or at best, a maintaining of the status quo in terms of character growth for Mulder. Maybe he's concentrating on his blossoming movie career. Hello David! Does the name David Caruso mean anything to you? ;-)
Last week, I asserted that with the A/GC stories, for every answer we get, two more questions are raised. This arc verifies this thesis.
It would seem that the French are not members of the Consortium, for if they were, the Consortium would not have been so concerned about how they got the exact location of the downed WWII squadron. This is puzzling. How come the French, who were US allies in WWII are not part of the Consortium, but the Italians, who were enemies of the US in WWII, are?
In the opening scene, we learn that Bill Mulder and Cancer Man (and presumably Deep Throat) have been involved with the cover-up since 1953 when they were interviewing the last surviving sailor from the Zeus Faber. The question of what happened to the alien when it possessed the submarine's captain was answered satisfactorily. There was also a subtle tie-in to a long-ago episode. In "Deep Throat," Mulder sees a triangular craft which was unique in shape and much different from the crafts we've seen in "Duane Barry" and "Paper Clip." The alien craft in "Apocrypha" very strongly resembles the craft from "Deep Throat."
The resolution of Melissa Scully's murder, while somewhat satisfying to the viewer, gave rise to a deepening of the Dana Scully character. Even the death of the perpetrator left Scully with an empty feeling, a feeling of justice denied. You could almost feel Scully struggle with herself as she ponders the opportunity she had to extract personal vengeance on the assassin.
There were more questions posed even as we were given a healthy dose of enlightenment. WMM tells Cancer Man that "our well-placed operatives could be exposed, compromising the secrecy of our work." Who are those "well-placed operatives"? Could Fuller and Colega, who seemed to be either incompetent or unwilling, be among them? Is it possible that even Skinner could be one of those "well-placed operatives"? His position of authority can help keep Mulder and Scully "in line."
I'd like some more insight into what the Consortium's "work" is. I can't believe that they're dedicated solely to the creation of an alien/human hybrid, as the 731/Nisei arc would have us believe. There's something deeper, more sinister going on here.
This "pay-off" episode had one major flaw. When Scully is learning
about the background of the assassin, she's told that he's Panamanian,
and was recruited after Iran-Contra because he impressed the powers that
be with his marksmanship. Marksmanship? In a blatant attempt to
murder Skinner, he shoots only once, in the stomach? Why not one to the
head, after Skinner has fallen?
Well, if my musings about Skinner being one of the "well-placed
operatives" are true, then this makes sense. A skilled marksman
theoretically could shoot someone in the mid-section and do it in such a
way that it was not fatal. From this perspective, it certainly leaves
the underlying motivation of AD Skinner in doubt.
The episode was loaded with irony, from Krycek "saving" Mulder after
the car-wreck to Ratboy being trapped in the silo after Scully recalls
the words of Commander Johanson about "burying our dead alive." The
doctor's reference to malignant tumors as Cancer Man lit up a cigarette
was priceless.
Again, Mark Snow's score blended with the action and heightened the
viewing experience. This man's work may be the most under-appreciated
on the show. The use of the flashlight beams in the silo worked well, as
they did last week on the ship, but too much of a good thing can lead to
predictability and expectation. The one thing The X-Files is
not is predictable. So let's put the flashlights away for an
episode or two.
Steven Mark's editing was of Emmy quality; seamless, smooth and
literally perfect. This episode alone should be worth an Emmy
nomination. Contrast this episode with an episode of Homicide: Life on
the Streets and you'll see what I mean.
In my review of "Piper Maru" last week, I stated that the challenge
to CC & Co. was to conclude the arc with some answers that satisfy,
rather than frustrate fans. They succeeded in answering some things
while raising more interesting questions. This arc rates as one of the
best of the series.
My Score: 10 out of 10