SEASON 1

SEASON 2

SEASON 3

SEASON 4

SEASON 5

FIGHT THE FUTURE

SEASON 6

SEASON 7

SEASON 8

SEASON 9

< PREVIOUS

Back in the hotel, Scully's sitting in a high-backed chair, hands clasped, staring vacantly at another chair in front of her. It's actually quite a clever shot, as the camera pans up from behind the chair onto her troubled face. Woah. There was a quick flash of her father sitting in the chair in her apartment. Freaky. Scully's apparent emotional turmoil is rudely interrupted by a knock at the door. Her head turns toward the door, and this is probably my favorite shot of the series, because it's a close-up of her profile with the light coming sort of from behind the camera to illuminate her eyes in this really weird and cool way. Mulder announces himself as she rises to answer the door. He explains that the bracelet she found was Liz Hurley's. I mean, Liz Holley's, aka College Girl. And, go, Scully, for finding that place. She's, understandingly, a little freaked out that she was so spot on, and changes the subject to Boggs. "Did Boggs confess?" she asks Mulder, subtly putting the chairs back where they belong. In classic Mulder fashion, he doesn't have any idea what she's doing and makes a quippy remark about how Boggs channeled Jimmy Hendrix for three hours. Or something like that. Halfway through his standup routine, Scully blurts out, "I lied to the police about how I found the warehouse," and she explains to Mulder that she was on her way home, right, and she just sorta saw the landmarks Boggs mentioned and followed them outta, y'know, curiosity. Of course, instead of being all, "Finally, Scully! I'm so glad you believe in something I believe in! We should celebrate this occasion with a little sex!" he's all, "Bitch! I told you he was faking, how come you didn't listen to me?" Okay, he didn't say that, but he's upset because she could have been walking into a trap, and without backup. Which, in his defense, was kind of a stupid thing for her to do. He posits that she didn't want to look like an ass in front of the local PD, which is, apparently, his job (and right he is, Scully), and that's why she lied. And, yeah, she kind of agrees with him. But now it's her turn to be pissed. Dude, why you pickin' on our emotionally dragged-through-the-mud-though-albeit-foolish little Scully? She thought you'd "be pleased that [she'd] opened [her]self to extreme possibilities." Yea, normally that would fly, honey, but Mulder's kinda determined to see Boggs fry, and you just spoiled all his fun.

Mulder finally realizes that she's not acting quite like the little ice queen that she normally is this early in the series, and thinks it may have something – not sure what – to do with her father. Hm. "You said he didn't approve of you becoming an FBI agent," he says. When she said that, it must have been in one of those scenes that we hear about later because they'd be way too dramatically intriguing for the audience to handle. Either that, or too hard for the writers to write. "If being on the job now makes you feel guilty or uncomfortable or uneasy, I think you should back away. Because if it's clouding your judgment, you're putting yourself in danger." And I get that he's trying to be all altruistic and understanding here, but he's kinda coming off like an ass. Why is it that, when she believes in something, her judgment is clouded, but when he does he's absolutely right and sure? She just can't win with him. At any rate, Scully isn't buying, although she's thinking about it. With her reddened face and reluctant voice she tells him, "I love this job." He tells her she loves her father. Which is like, duh. But she's not going to quit her job for him. She didn't when he was alive, what's the point now that he's dead? Then, he pulls out the old "Dana" card again, imploring her to "open [her]self up to extreme possibilities only when they're the truth." I so want to punch him in the teeth right now, which is a first for me on this episode. For the 1000th time, why is he right this time, yet still right every other time? I think my keyboard is resenting this line of thinking, because I'm punching the keys a little – okay a lot – too hard. But, Mulder explains, "Luthor Boggs is the greatest of lies," because Mulder "knows" that Boggs is working with the kidnapper and that they need to catch him communicating with him. I don't like skeptic Mulder.

We're back in the prison, and Mulder shoves a newspaper under Scully's nose while she's in the middle of reading something else. Is it just me, or is this kinda rude? But that seems to be keeping with tradition in this episode. The article he shows her indicates that the kidnapped teenagers have been found, but Mulder explains that this is a mock-up done by the Carolinian to trick Boggs into trying to call his cohort. Ah. A guard slides the paper through the cell door as Mulder and Scully watches Boggs read it on a monitor. Two hours later, they continue to watch as Boggs is lead into a small room with a phone, so he can make his one phone call. As Scully tells Random Guy to start recording, a shrill ringing fills the air. Mulder snaps, "Turn off that phone" as Boggs stares into the camera. Scully realizes a few rings in that it's coming from Mulder's cell phone and he sheepishly picks it up. How embarrassing. Boggs is on the other end. He asks Mulder why he doesn't believe when Scully does. Mulder's all, "because she's always wrong and I'm always right. Haven't you been watching the show?" Scully tells Mulder that, whether they're in cahoots or not, they have to follow because the kids are gonna be dead in three days. "And then a day later, our only connection to the case will be pulling up a chair at the gas chamber." Lovely imagery, Agent Scully. Mulder agrees to go along with Boggs, but still makes it known to everyone – everyone! – that he's still right.

Boggs, breathing heavy again. Must be channeling. Does this remind anyone else a little too much of Silence of the Lambs? Other than 3rd wheel Mulder, we have a vulnerable young FBI agent, a guy in jail who has a connection to the killer and is himself a monster, and a grim deadline before the victim(s) is/are murdered. I wonder if writers Morgan and Wong were on a Jodie Foster kick when they sat down to write this. Anyway, Boggs. Channeling. Right. He tells them that the killer's excited to kill, and that he's got a skull earring and cold eyes. Nice. Let's run right out and get him. I think I know exactly who it is. But then Boggs tells them that he's in a small boathouse on Lake Jordan. Now we're getting somewhere. Mulder and Scully hop up to canvas boathouses around the lake when Boggs shares another little nugget of information: "Mulder, don't go near the white cross. I see you down, and your blood spills on the white cross." Mulder's all, whatever, ass. I'm Jewish. And they walk out.

Now we're following the killer as he whips his leg with a coat hanger, then holds it against College Girl's neck all venomously. Before he can, I don't know, scrape her? He hears a noise as a bunch of not-so-subtle feds in FBI flak jackets storm the area. The killer is gone. Scully goes straight for College Girl, who's bound and gagged, but alive. Mulder and his FBI posse go sweep the docks, but Mulder gets separated. He sees a tent flapping off to his right and yells, "Federal Agent!" as a shot is fired from the tent. Scully, while still several buildings away, hears the shot and yells Mulder's name. It's not a tent, it's a boat! Anyway, it speeds off as Mulder's left on the ground. His face has a look of, "Holy fuck, this hurts!" as Scully rushes up to staunch the bleeding. He was shot in the upper leg. And he's laying, coincidentally enough, right under a cross beam that looks like a white cross. And there's Mulder's blood. Wow. Maybe now he'll believe.