“Redux” – Season 5 Ep. 1

Scully: Mulder, how long has this been going on?

Mulder: Maybe since the beginning, since you joined me on the X-Files.

Scully: That would mean that for 4 years we’ve been nothing more than pawns in a game, that it was a lie from the beginning. Mulder, these men… You give them your faith and you’re supposed to trust them with your life.

Mulder: There are those who can be trusted. What I need to know is who among them is not. I will not allow this treason to prosper, not if they’ve done this to you.

Scully: Mulder, we can’t go to the Bureau making these accusations.

Mulder: No, but as they lie to us, we can lie to them. A lie to find the truth.

Written by: Chris Carter

Directed by: R.W. Goodwin

Original Air Date: November 2nd, 1997

Principal Setting: Washington, D.C.

Episode Summary:

With a flashback to 24 hours later, we learn the secret of how Mulder is still alive. Scully returns to her apartment to find Mulder waiting for her to tell her that there is a dead man in his apartment. He has come to the brutal realization that he has been duped all of these years believing in the UFO and alien conspiracy, and is now convinced Scully’s cancer may have been given to her as part of the whole scheme. He also believes that the conspiracy reaches into the depths of the military and the FBI, but must find substantial proof before making any accusations.

Mulder uses the dead man’s level 4 security badge to infiltrate the defense research agency where Kritschgau works and he reveals to Mulder why the military started the UFO hoax. The Cigarette Smoking Man breaks into Mulder’s apartment and finds that he has been spied on and he’s not too happy about not being included. Scully learns more about the ice core samples that have interesting microscopic life forms that may not be from this planet. Hearkening back to “Ice”? Dun dun duuuunnn!

Personal Commentary:

This episode is a bit slower compared to the second half, but it still reveals a lot about the role the military has played to not cover up but promote the existence of UFOs to hide the other atrocities they did, like the dropping of the atomic bomb. It leaves you with a lot of questions, like why did CSM allow Mulder to go through the secret evidence room? Did he want Mulder to continue to believe the lie or did he have concern in keeping him alive? There is so many lies going around from everyone that who knows what is the real truth.

Oh and I have to give mad props to John Finn, who plays Kritschgau, in this episode. I was blown away that he memorized all those lines when he’s talking to Mulder in the hallway. It’s seriously a quick history of the 20th century as he spews out a novel’s worth of dialogue, and he crushes it.

Episode Grade: A-

Featured Video:

Fun Facts:

• The X-Files upgrades to Widescreen 16:9 from this season on.

Faces You May Recognize:

No one worth mentioning that you would recognize.