Summary
This episode marks a definite "beginning" for me as an X-Files fan. My first exposure to the show having been the last half of Anasazi — upon which I became totally fascinated — I made it a point to come back for its conclusion. This one is a little bit "hit and miss" (although mostly good) as I revisit it for the purposes of this review. I didn't really mind the Navajo cultural references and resulting religious overtones in this one (surprise, surprise) even though those kinds of elements will always drop the believability level of an episode for me. (Luckily, the scenes of Mulder being healed were just too interesting and easy on the eyes.) As DD himself has said, however, the fact that Mulder didn't really play an active role in this one was a bit disappointing. That said, I liked how Scully's personal and professional dilemmas played out, with her reaching out to her mother and sister. And of course, the "mysterious conspiracy" mytharc elements of this one — as presented by WMM, CSM and Skinner — were still worthy of an "oooh" or two back then.
Best or Worst Moment
A lot happened in this episode, particularly towards the end. From Mulder showing up alive at his mother's house to Melissa's murder to the guns-drawn standoff between Skinner and Scully, we got a wonderful lead-in to the following week's conclusion. But the moment that continues to stand out in my mind about this hour was the confirmation from Bill Mulder to his son (during Mulder's dream sequence) that Samantha wasn't "there" with him. Silly, naive me, but I took that to mean that Samantha was alive.
Original Rating: * * *
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