1428 Elm
Fansided

The X-Files: Top 5 mythology episodes from the series

By Susan Leighton

facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 3
Next

Anasazi

The X-Files – Anasazi – Courtesy of Fox

More from 1428 Elm

Having lived in New Mexico and Arizona, I could truly appreciate this particular show which was steeped in Navajo culture. We also get introduced to an interesting and vital character, Albert Hosteen (Floyd “Red Crow” Westerman).

A Navajo code talker from World War II, he becomes extremely essential to the plot. When a young Indian boy finds an alien body from a buried rail car in the desert, he brings it home for his father and grandfather to see.

Albert immediately knows that his grandson has found something valuable that will cause people to come as he so prophetically pronounces. After this happens, back in Washington, Mulder goes to see the Lone Gunmen who have an associate that needs to speak with him.

Apparently, their colleague has downloaded the Department of Defense’s secret alien files. He turns the tape over to Mulder who is thrilled with the potential juggernaut that could take down the Cigarette Smoking Man (William B. Davis) and his cronies. However, it is indecipherable.

Scully takes a look at some of the text and tells Fox that it may be Navajo. She takes the tape to have it deciphered.

Fox loses his cool and ends up taking his frustration out on Skinner (Mitch Pileggi). Of course, this gets him in trouble and on the verge of suspension. CSM goes to visit Mulder’s dad, William (Peter Donat) thinking that he might know about the tape. Which he doesn’t, however, after the visit, Bill calls his son.

Sins of the Father

While Scully is trying to find resolution and translation for the tape, Mulder heads up to Martha’s Vineyard to see what his Dad wants. When he gets there, Bill informs his son that he has some important information for him.

He excuses himself to go to the bathroom and ends up getting shot by Alex Krychek (Nicholas Lea). Mulder calls Scully who tells him to leave the scene. Fox ends up crashing at Dana’s place. While he is sleeping, she takes his gun to have a ballistics report done to rule him out as a suspect.

When Mulder awakens and Scully isn’t there, he goes back to his place only to find Krychek ready to kill him too. On a hunch, Scully winds up at Mulder’s apartment just in time. To prevent Mulder from being murdered she shoots him in the shoulder and Alex escapes.

Finally, Dana and Fox take off to New Mexico where they meet Albert who has agreed to translate the secret tapes. While they are there, the grandson takes Mulder to the rail car. Ever curious, Fox goes underground and discovers a bunch of bodies.

At first, he thinks they are aliens but then he notices the small pox vaccinations on their arms. More alien hybrid experimentations. Before he can emerge from the car to go back to Hosteen’s house, the army arrives and drops an explosive in the hatch incarcerating Mulder.

What I like about this particular show, in addition to the mytharc, we also learn about the Navajo and the belief of indigenous peoples that they are descendants of “beings from the skies.” Viewers also know that the hybrid project is widespread and can be transmitted through vaccinations.

Memento Mori

The X-Files – Memento Mori – Courtesy of Fox

More from Horror on TV

Scully finds out that she has inoperable cancer as a result of the experimentation done on her when she was abducted. While she tries to come to grips with this news, Mulder is also trying to do the same.

In a meeting with Skinner, the pair discuss the fact that they want to investigate exactly how Scully was given the disease. The Assistant Director gives them his blessing to do so.

Prior to getting this diagnosis, Scully had the implant at the base of her neck removed. Mulder informs her that there is an abductee group in Allentown, Pennsylvania where the women have the same issues as Dana.

So, they head North to speak with the members. However, upon arrival, they find out that Betsy Hagopian, the woman that they wanted to speak with initially passed away. They learn from a MUFON representative that only one woman survives out of the entire abductee group.

The pair find out about Penny Northern (Gillian Barber). Mulder encourages Scully to go and speak with her. Penny tells Dana that she recognizes her from the abduction, Scully can’t recollect her.

While Dana is talking with Penny, Mulder finds out that some of the women were treated at a fertility clinic. Scully asks Fox to get her admitted to the hospital so that she can start the same treatment that Penny is undergoing with Dr. Scanlon (Sean Allen).

Desperate Measures

Fox with the help of the Lone Gunmen heads for the fertility clinic. He discovers that Dr. Scanlon, Scully’s physician is on staff there. Mulder manages to break in to the facility and he discovers Scully’s ova.

Dana is doing her best to comfort Penny through her rigorous treatments. After Fox finds out about her Doctor, he heads back to the hospital where he helps Scully cope with the loss of her friend. He takes care of her.

The next day, Dana informs Skinner she is coming back to work. We learn that he has contacted CSM to see if he could broker a deal for Scully’s cure.

When Dana breaks down in Fox’s arms, you get the sense of how much these two mean to one another. The reality of the casualties resulting from the Syndicate and their desperate measures to adhere to their alien agenda is also extremely powerful.

Do you have a favorite X-Files mythological episode? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below. We want to hear from you.

Next: The X-Files are closed temporarily

Susan Leighton can be found on Twitter and Facebook @SusanontheLedge. She is also featured on Friday Night Tights, the ultimate pop culture wrap up show at Nerdrotic Podcast every Friday night at 11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT. You can catch her weekly coverage on IFC’s Brockmire at TV Series Hub.

Home/Horror on TV