SEASON 1

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SEASON 5

FIGHT THE FUTURE

SEASON 6

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Ivory Coast, West Africa. Dr. Merkmallen finds another artifact in the sand. Once he's in his office at the University, the two pieces connect like magnets and fly across the room. Since there aren't any AlienMiracleBabies around, it jams itself into a Bible. Dr. Merkmallen seems pretty shocked, as one would, and removes the artifact. It starts spinning on the desk but then he wraps it in cloth. As he gets on the phone, the camera pans down to show us that the Bible is opened up to Genesis 1:28, a verse explaining God's purpose for the earth. Interesting.

Three days later, Merkmallen has landed in D.C. and arrives at American University. He asks some students where can he find Dr. Sandoz. At some lab in the Biology department, Merkmallen is greeted by "Dr. Sandoz", an older guy wearing a white lab coat and he immediately creeps me out. I don't know why. He's just creepy. He also seems to be giving Merkmallen the skeeves, too. They sit down at a table and discuss the artifacts. Then a whole lot of monkeys in cages start freaking out. Maybe they thought Michael Jackson walked in the room. Or it could have something to do with Merkmallen's mysterious artifact or maybe "Dr. Sandoz" was creeping them out, too. It's hard to say. Creepy "Dr. Sandoz" takes this as his cue to kill Merkmallen. Aww, we hardly got to know you. Oh well. Will the real Dr. Sandoz please stand up? Ok, here he is. He's bald and short and wearing a bowtie. He pretty much looks like he belongs in the Biology department. He finds Merkmallen's bloody body on the floor in the lab and the Creepy Dr. NotSandoz is gone. Dun dun DUN!

Skinman's Office. He's giving Mulder and Scully the assignment of finding out who murdered Merkmallen. It's assumed he was murdered because of all the blood at the scene, but the body was missing. Not really an obvious X-File, but Skinner says that Mulder is familiar with Merkmallen's work. Mulder comments that both Merkmallen and Sandoz believed in "Panspermia," that life on earth originated elsewhere. Skinner wants Scully's opinion. Scully agrees that many scientists believe that "microbes" from other planets landed in our atmosphere and flourished but it's only a theory. Scully wants to know what this has to do with his death. Skinner tells them that Merkmallen found an artifact and shows her a rubbing of it. Merkmallen believed that the writings contained the answer to human existence. Scully shoots Skinner an eyebrow. For those of you who enjoy X-Files drinking games, there's your first eyebrow out of many in this episode. Enjoy. Anyways, Mulder points out that Dr. Sandoz contributed to "a science journal" that he also found an artifact with similar writings. Scully gives a classic eyeroll. Ah, Season 6 Scully. How I've missed you. Scully thinks they should ask Dr. Sandoz some questions but he's missing.

As Mulder and Scully get on the elevator, Scully tells him that she doesn't think this case warrants their attention. Mulder claims that he's just "a hired gun for the FBI." How ironic. Right about now, I'm pretty sure the FBI has hired guns looking for Mulder. Scully sarcastically wonders why two men who claim we're all martians could "come into foul play." As a whole lot of people fill up the elevator, Mulder and Scully move to the back. Scully tries to have a heart-to-heart with Mulder, but he starts hearing a loud ringing noise and lots of indistinct voices. He looks around the elevator, wondering where it's coming from as Scully continues to talk. He can't really hear her until everyone else gets off the elevator and they're alone again. Scully's in mid-rant, telling him that this endless pursuit of the truth doesn't make sense anymore. Word, Scully. Word. Mulder stares at her blankly and Scully assumes that this is just another case of Mulder not wanting to listen to what people are telling him. As they get off the elevator, Scully tells him that he won. He uncovered the truth behind the Syndicate's conspiracy and they're all dead now, so what else does he hope to find. "My sister," he says. Don't even go there.