
''
The X-Files
''The X-Files'' is an American science fiction on television, science fiction drama (film and television), drama television series created by Chris Carter (screenwriter), Chris Carter. The original series aired from September 10, 1993, to Ma ...
'' is an American
science fiction
Science fiction (often shortened to sci-fi or abbreviated SF) is a genre of speculative fiction that deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts. These concepts may include information technology and robotics, biological manipulations, space ...
television series first broadcast in September 1993 and followed by two feature films: ''
The X-Files
''The X-Files'' is an American science fiction on television, science fiction drama (film and television), drama television series created by Chris Carter (screenwriter), Chris Carter. The original series aired from September 10, 1993, to Ma ...
'' and ''
The X-Files: I Want to Believe.'' The characters defined the overarching
mythology of the series. They appeared in a range of episodes across several seasons.
Overview
The first seven seasons of ''The X-Files'' star
Gillian Anderson
Gillian Leigh Anderson ( ; born August 9, 1968) is an American actress, writer, and activist. She is best known for her roles as FBI Special Agent Dana Scully in the sci-fi series ''The X-Files'' (1993–2002; 2016–2018), Lily Bart in the dr ...
as
Dana Scully
Dana Katherine Scully, M.D., is a fictional character and one of the two protagonists in the Fox science-fiction, supernatural television series ''The X-Files'', played by Gillian Anderson. Scully is a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Spe ...
, a medical doctor and hard-line scientist assigned to work alongside
Fox Mulder
Fox William Mulder () is a fictional FBI Special Agent and one of the two protagonists of the Fox science fiction-supernatural television series ''The X-Files'', played by David Duchovny. Mulder's peers dismiss his many theories on extraterr ...
(
David Duchovny
David William Duchovny ( ; born ) is an American actor, writer, and musician. He received his breakthrough with the role of Fox Mulder in The X-Files franchise, earning Golden Globe Award as well as nominations for two Primetime Emmy Awards a ...
), an esteemed FBI profiler who left his coveted position to head up a unit that investigates the paranormal and the unexplained. Tasked with debunking Mulder's work, Scully eventually comes to question her own faith, while Mulder continues to search through the archives of the Hoover building in order to find out what happened to his missing sister. The first seven seasons feature recurring appearances by
Walter Skinner
FBI Assistant Director Walter Sergei Skinner is a fictional character portrayed by American actor Mitch Pileggi on ''The X-Files'' and its short-lived spin-off '' The Lone Gunmen'', both broadcast on Fox.
In the science fiction-supernatural s ...
(
Mitch Pileggi
Mitch Pileggi (; born April 5, 1952) is an American actor. He played Horace Pinker in '' Shocker'', Walter Skinner on ''The X-Files'', Colonel Steven Caldwell on ''Stargate Atlantis'', Ernest Darby in '' Sons of Anarchy'', and Harris Ryland i ...
), conspiracy theorists
The Lone Gunmen
The Lone Gunmen are a trio of fictional characters, Richard "Ringo" Langly, Melvin Frohike and John Fitzgerald Byers, who appeared in recurring roles on the American television series ''The X-Files'', and who starred in the short-lived spin-off ...
(
Tom Braidwood,
Dean Haglund
Dean Haglund (born July 29, 1965) is a Canadian actor, known for the role of Richard "Ringo" Langly, one of The Lone Gunmen on ''The X-Files''. Haglund is also a stand-up comedian, specializing in improvisational comedy, including work with the ...
, and
Bruce Harwood), and secretive informants
Deep Throat (''The X-Files'') (
Jerry Hardin
Jerry Hardin (born November 20, 1929) is an American actor. Hardin has appeared in film and television roles, including the character nicknamed Deep Throat in ''The X-Files''. He has guest starred in '' Star Trek: The Next Generation'' and '' St ...
) and
X (''The X-Files'') (
Steven Williams
Steven Williams (born January 7, 1949) is an American actor in films and television. He is known for his roles as Captain Adam Fuller on ''21 Jump Street'', NYPD Detective Lt. Jefferson Burnett on '' The Equalizer'', Det. August Brooks on '' L.A ...
).
The eighth season and the ninth season represent a change in the direction of the show: Duchovny departs the regular cast and thereafter takes the role of intermittent lead. Scully, now a reluctant believer, is partnered with Special Agent
John Doggett
FBI Special Agent John Jay Doggett is a fictional character in the Fox science fiction-supernatural television series ''The X-Files''. With his FBI partners Dana Scully (season 8) and Monica Reyes (season 9), he works on the X-Files which ar ...
(
Robert Patrick
Robert Hammond Patrick (born November 5, 1958) is an American actor. Known for portraying villains and authority figures, Patrick is a Saturn Award winner with four other nominations.
Patrick dropped out of college when drama class sparked his ...
), a former NYPD detective and a strict skeptic who is still grief-stricken over the death of his son, Luke. As Doggett begins to work on the X-files, Scully continues her search for Mulder, while also carrying his child. At the end of the eighth season, Scully departs the X-files, accept a teaching position at the FBI Academy. Thereafter she acts as only a consultant to Doggett.
Annabeth Gish
Anne Elizabeth "Annabeth" Gish (born March 13, 1971) is an American actress. She played roles in the films '' Shag'', '' Hiding Out'', '' Mystic Pizza'', '' SLC Punk!'', '' The Last Supper'' and ''Double Jeopardy''. On television, she played Spe ...
(as
Monica Reyes
Monica Julieta Reyes is a fictional character in the Fox science fiction-supernatural television series ''The X-Files''. She is portrayed by Annabeth Gish. At first a Field Agent before becoming a Special Agent with the FBI, she works with her ...
), and Pileggi (as Skinner), join the main cast during the ninth season after recurring previously. The tenth season once again stars Duchovny, Anderson, and Pileggi, while Patrick is notably absent. Gish guest-stars in the finale as Reyes.
Starring
Also starring
Recurring
Notable Guests
Main cast and characters
Fox Mulder
Fox William Mulder is played by
David Duchovny
David William Duchovny ( ; born ) is an American actor, writer, and musician. He received his breakthrough with the role of Fox Mulder in The X-Files franchise, earning Golden Globe Award as well as nominations for two Primetime Emmy Awards a ...
, a trained FBI profiler who believes in the existence of
extraterrestrial visitors and a
government conspiracy to hide or deny the truth regarding extraterrestrial life. Mulder and his partner Special Agent
Dana Scully
Dana Katherine Scully, M.D., is a fictional character and one of the two protagonists in the Fox science-fiction, supernatural television series ''The X-Files'', played by Gillian Anderson. Scully is a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Spe ...
work in the FBI's
X-files office, which is concerned with cases with particularly mysterious or possibly supernatural circumstances that were marked as unsolvable and shelved by the FBI. Mulder considers the X-files and the truth behind the supposed conspiracy so important that he has made their study the main purpose of his life. After seven years partnered with Scully, Mulder is abducted by aliens at the end of the seventh season. Upon returning, he officially hands the X-files to Special Agent John Doggett, who was hired in his absence. Mulder returns to assist the FBI in 2008, and permanently rejoins the bureau in 2016. He and Scully have a son together, named William.
Dana Scully
Dana Katherine Scully is played by
Gillian Anderson
Gillian Leigh Anderson ( ; born August 9, 1968) is an American actress, writer, and activist. She is best known for her roles as FBI Special Agent Dana Scully in the sci-fi series ''The X-Files'' (1993–2002; 2016–2018), Lily Bart in the dr ...
, a medical doctor assigned to debunk the work of Special Agent Fox Mulder. Together they work out of a cramped basement office at the
FBI headquarters
The J. Edgar Hoover Building is a low-rise office building located at 935 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., in the United States. It is the headquarters of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Planning for the building began ...
in
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...
, to investigate unsolved cases labeled "X-files". In contrast to Fox Mulder's "believer" character, Scully was a "skeptic", basing her beliefs solely on what science can prove. However, as the series progresses she becomes more open to the possibility of paranormal happenings. After Mulder is
abducted by aliens, the
eighth season sees the assignment of a new partner to Scully: Special Agent
John Doggett
FBI Special Agent John Jay Doggett is a fictional character in the Fox science fiction-supernatural television series ''The X-Files''. With his FBI partners Dana Scully (season 8) and Monica Reyes (season 9), he works on the X-Files which ar ...
. Later in the same season, she leaves the X-files office to teach at the FBI Academy. Scully departs from the FBI permanently in 2002. Sometime between then and 2008 she finds work as a surgeon. In 2008 she returns to consult with the FBI. She returns to the bureau permanently in 2016 alongside Mulder.
John Doggett
John Doggett is played by
Robert Patrick
Robert Hammond Patrick (born November 5, 1958) is an American actor. Known for portraying villains and authority figures, Patrick is a Saturn Award winner with four other nominations.
Patrick dropped out of college when drama class sparked his ...
, an FBI special agent who makes his first appearance in "
Within," the eighth-season premiere. Doggett served in the
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines or simply the Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is responsible for conducting expeditionar ...
during the 1970s and the 1980s. Later he joined the
New York City Police Department
The City of New York Police Department, also referred to as New York City Police Department (NYPD), is the primary law enforcement agency within New York City. Established on May 23, 1845, the NYPD is the largest, and one of the oldest, munic ...
and was eventually promoted to the rank of
detective
A detective is an investigator, usually a member of a law enforcement agency. They often collect information to solve crimes by talking to witnesses and informants, collecting physical evidence, or searching records in databases. This leads the ...
. After his son's death, Doggett took a job in the FBI working in the Criminal Investigations Division. In 2000 Deputy Director
Alvin Kersh assigned him to the X-files office as Scully's partner after an unsuccessful task force attempt to find a missing Mulder in "
Without". He grows to rely on Scully's friendship, even though he knows he can never replace Mulder. He is later partnered with Monica Reyes, and together they depart the X-files in 2002, when the unit is shut down.
Monica Reyes
Monica Reyes is played by
Annabeth Gish
Anne Elizabeth "Annabeth" Gish (born March 13, 1971) is an American actress. She played roles in the films '' Shag'', '' Hiding Out'', '' Mystic Pizza'', '' SLC Punk!'', '' The Last Supper'' and ''Double Jeopardy''. On television, she played Spe ...
, an FBI special agent who was born and raised in
Mexico City
Mexico City is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Mexico, largest city of Mexico, as well as the List of North American cities by population, most populous city in North America. It is one of the most important cultural and finan ...
, where her parents still reside as of 2002. Because she was raised in Mexico, Reyes speaks fluent Spanish. She majored in
folklore
Folklore is the body of expressive culture shared by a particular group of people, culture or subculture. This includes oral traditions such as Narrative, tales, myths, legends, proverbs, Poetry, poems, jokes, and other oral traditions. This also ...
and
mythology
Myth is a genre of folklore consisting primarily of narratives that play a fundamental role in a society. For scholars, this is very different from the vernacular usage of the term "myth" that refers to a belief that is not true. Instead, the ...
at
Brown University
Brown University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. It is the List of colonial colleges, seventh-oldest institution of higher education in the US, founded in 1764 as the ' ...
, and has a master's degree in Religious Studies. In 1990, Reyes enrolled in the
FBI
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic Intelligence agency, intelligence and Security agency, security service of the United States and Federal law enforcement in the United States, its principal federal law enforcement ag ...
at
Quantico, Virginia
Quantico (; formerly Potomac) is a town in southeastern Prince William County, Virginia, United States. The population was 578 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. Quantico is approximately 35 miles southwest of Washington, D.C., bound ...
. Her first assignment in the FBI was serving on a special task force investigating
satanic rituals. She is a longtime friend of Doggett's and serves as his partner on the X-files after Scully's departure. Shortly after the closure of the X-files in 2002 she was contacted by the Cigarette Smoking Man who offered to secure her a place among the designated survivors of end-times, in exchange for her assistance. Reyes departed the FBI shortly thereafter, electing to take Spender's offer but with the intent on halting the invasion from within the syndicate.
Walter Skinner
FBI assistant director Walter S. Skinner is played by
Mitch Pileggi
Mitch Pileggi (; born April 5, 1952) is an American actor. He played Horace Pinker in '' Shocker'', Walter Skinner on ''The X-Files'', Colonel Steven Caldwell on ''Stargate Atlantis'', Ernest Darby in '' Sons of Anarchy'', and Harris Ryland i ...
. He served in the
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines or simply the Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is responsible for conducting expeditionar ...
during the
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War (1 November 1955 – 30 April 1975) was an armed conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia fought between North Vietnam (Democratic Republic of Vietnam) and South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam) and their allies. North Vietnam w ...
. During this time he shot and killed a young boy carrying explosives, an episode which scarred him for life. Skinner is originally the direct supervisor of Mulder and Scully, and of the X-files. He later serves the same position for Special Agents
John Doggett
FBI Special Agent John Jay Doggett is a fictional character in the Fox science fiction-supernatural television series ''The X-Files''. With his FBI partners Dana Scully (season 8) and Monica Reyes (season 9), he works on the X-Files which ar ...
and
Monica Reyes
Monica Julieta Reyes is a fictional character in the Fox science fiction-supernatural television series ''The X-Files''. She is portrayed by Annabeth Gish. At first a Field Agent before becoming a Special Agent with the FBI, she works with her ...
. Although he is originally portrayed as a somewhat malevolent character, Skinner eventually becomes a close friend of his subordinates. Skinner is responsible for the reopening of the X-files in 2016.
Federal Bureau of Investigation characters
Brad Follmer
Brad D. Follmer is portrayed by
Cary Elwes
Ivan Simon Cary Elwes (; born 26 October 1962) is an English actor. He starred as Westley in ''The Princess Bride (film), The Princess Bride'' (1987), and also had lead roles in films such as ''Robin Hood: Men in Tights'' (1993) and the Saw (fr ...
. Follmer was an assistant director at the
FBI
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic Intelligence agency, intelligence and Security agency, security service of the United States and Federal law enforcement in the United States, its principal federal law enforcement ag ...
. He had a romantic history with
Monica Reyes
Monica Julieta Reyes is a fictional character in the Fox science fiction-supernatural television series ''The X-Files''. She is portrayed by Annabeth Gish. At first a Field Agent before becoming a Special Agent with the FBI, she works with her ...
that he brought up while trying to keep her away from the X-files. His true motives were more political in nature and part of his sycophancy to
Alvin Kersh. He did not believe in the X-files and deliberately showed disrespect to
John Doggett
FBI Special Agent John Jay Doggett is a fictional character in the Fox science fiction-supernatural television series ''The X-Files''. With his FBI partners Dana Scully (season 8) and Monica Reyes (season 9), he works on the X-Files which ar ...
by calling him "Mr. Doggett" instead of "Agent".
In 2002, new evidence concerning the
murder
Murder is the unlawful killing of another human without justification (jurisprudence), justification or valid excuse (legal), excuse committed with the necessary Intention (criminal law), intention as defined by the law in a specific jurisd ...
of
Luke Doggett came to light. John Doggett sought Follmer's assistance because he had worked on organized crime in
New York City
New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
before coming to
Washington
Washington most commonly refers to:
* George Washington (1732–1799), the first president of the United States
* Washington (state), a state in the Pacific Northwest of the United States
* Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States
** A ...
. Reyes, however, recalled seeing Follmer accept a bribe from a mobster. Although he had convincingly claimed he was only paying an informant, the truth was as Reyes suspected: Follmer was crooked. Once the truth of Luke's fate was revealed, Follmer shot and killed the mobster who had nevertheless threatened to blackmail him concerning his bribe acceptance. Follmer's future at the FBI was left unresolved, although he would have likely faced criminal charges for his actions.
Diana Fowley
Diana Fowley is an FBI agent played by
Mimi Rogers
Miriam Rogers (née Spickler; born January 27, 1956) is an American actress.
Her notable film roles are '' Gung Ho'' (1986), '' Someone to Watch Over Me'' (1987), '' Desperate Hours'' (1990), and '' Full Body Massage'' (1995). She garnered the g ...
and first appeared in the fifth-season finale "
The End
The End may refer to:
Film
* The End (1953 film), ''The End'' (1953 film), a film by Christopher Maclaine
* The End (1978 film), ''The End'' (1978 film), a comedy by Burt Reynolds
* ''The End'' (1995 film), a List of Canadian films of 1995, Cana ...
".
In keeping with the show's history of ambiguity, Fowley's motivations were never explained, although many viewers assumed her to be deeply associated with the
Syndicate
A syndicate is a self-organizing group of individuals, companies, corporations or entities formed to transact some specific business, to pursue or promote a shared interest.
Etymology
The word ''syndicate'' comes from the French word ''syndic ...
conspirators and working against Mulder in his pursuit of the truth within the X-files.
As Fowley is an old fling of Mulder's, additional tension was generated on the show and among viewers because of a perceived rekindling of her former close personal relationship with agent Mulder and the possibility of Fowley coming between him and his trusted partner, Special Agent
Dana Scully
Dana Katherine Scully, M.D., is a fictional character and one of the two protagonists in the Fox science-fiction, supernatural television series ''The X-Files'', played by Gillian Anderson. Scully is a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Spe ...
.
The character of Diana Fowley subsequently vanishes during "
The Sixth Extinction II: Amor Fati". Her absence is explained by Scully, who states, "Diana Fowley was found murdered this morning." Her death is not witnessed, though.
Alvin Kersh
Deputy Director Alvin D. Kersh is played by
James Pickens, Jr. Kersh was a
Navy
A navy, naval force, military maritime fleet, war navy, or maritime force is the military branch, branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval warfare, naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral z ...
A-6 Intruder
The Grumman A-6 Intruder is a twinjet all-weather subsonic attack aircraft developed and manufactured by American aircraft company Grumman Aerospace. It was formerly operated by the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps.
The A-6 was designed in ...
weapons officer during the
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War (1 November 1955 – 30 April 1975) was an armed conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia fought between North Vietnam (Democratic Republic of Vietnam) and South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam) and their allies. North Vietnam w ...
. He is known for using the same instincts that served him as an aviator in the military to guide his career in the
FBI
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic Intelligence agency, intelligence and Security agency, security service of the United States and Federal law enforcement in the United States, its principal federal law enforcement ag ...
.
His role in the series is primarily that of a
foil
Foil may refer to:
Materials
* Foil (metal), a quite thin sheet of metal, usually manufactured with a rolling mill machine
* Metal leaf, a very thin sheet of decorative metal
* Aluminium foil, a type of wrapping for food
* Tin foil, metal foil ma ...
to Mulder, Scully and Doggett, constantly trying to undermine and get in the way of their work in the belief of his own superiority.
As an assistant director, he temporarily became supervisor to Agents
Fox Mulder
Fox William Mulder () is a fictional FBI Special Agent and one of the two protagonists of the Fox science fiction-supernatural television series ''The X-Files'', played by David Duchovny. Mulder's peers dismiss his many theories on extraterr ...
and
Dana Scully
Dana Katherine Scully, M.D., is a fictional character and one of the two protagonists in the Fox science-fiction, supernatural television series ''The X-Files'', played by Gillian Anderson. Scully is a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Spe ...
when they were assigned away from the X-Files unit.
During this time, the
Cigarette Smoking Man
The Cigarette Smoking Man (abbreviated CSM or C-Man; sometimes referred to as Cancer Man or the Smoking Man) is a fictional character and one of the primary antagonists of the American science fiction drama television series ''The X-Files''. He s ...
could be seen in his office, reminiscent of his silent presence in
Walter Skinner
FBI Assistant Director Walter Sergei Skinner is a fictional character portrayed by American actor Mitch Pileggi on ''The X-Files'' and its short-lived spin-off '' The Lone Gunmen'', both broadcast on Fox.
In the science fiction-supernatural s ...
's office in earlier seasons.
Kersh assigned Mulder and Scully mostly to menial tasks, such as terrorist details and Federal background checks. When they did investigate an X-File behind his back, Kersh would charge them for expenses they incurred on the case, forcing them to pay out of their own pocket.
He also attempted to separate Mulder and Scully, believing that Mulder threw away a promising career as a
criminal profiler
Offender profiling, also known as criminal profiling, is an investigative strategy used by law enforcement agencies to identify likely suspects and has been used by investigators to link cases that may have been committed by the same perpetrato ...
, but that Scully's career could still be saved.
When Mulder and Scully were reassigned to the X-Files Section, Kersh continued to climb the ladder, culminating in an assignment as deputy director. It was not long after his promotion that Mulder was
abducted by aliens. Kersh assigned
John Doggett
FBI Special Agent John Jay Doggett is a fictional character in the Fox science fiction-supernatural television series ''The X-Files''. With his FBI partners Dana Scully (season 8) and Monica Reyes (season 9), he works on the X-Files which ar ...
to run the
manhunt
Manhunt may refer to:
Search processes
* Manhunt (law enforcement), a search for a dangerous fugitive
* Manhunt (military), a search for a high-value target by special operations forces or intelligence agencies
Social organisations
* Manhun ...
for Mulder.
When Mulder returned, Kersh refused to assign him to the X-Files, keeping Doggett in that position.
When Mulder and Doggett pursued an unauthorized case, Kersh was prepared to fire them both, but Mulder accepted full responsibility and was dismissed from the FBI.
Shortly thereafter, Mulder disappeared again, and Doggett brought in
Monica Reyes
Monica Julieta Reyes is a fictional character in the Fox science fiction-supernatural television series ''The X-Files''. She is portrayed by Annabeth Gish. At first a Field Agent before becoming a Special Agent with the FBI, she works with her ...
to help him investigate Kersh's involvement in the conspiracy surrounding Mulder's disappearance. The investigation turned up nothing. Although Doggett seemed convinced that Kersh was involved in the conspiracy, Kersh insisted that he was actually protecting Mulder.
During the
ninth season, the
Toothpick Man, a key conspirator, could be seen in the company of Kersh, much like Cigarette Smoking Man before. In the end, Kersh showed a heroic side when during the season finale, he helped Doggett and Skinner free Mulder from a military prison. Following this, Kersh had to permanently close the X-Files to appease his irate superiors.
The X-Files are still officially closed when Mulder consults with the FBI
6 years later when FBI Agent Monica Bannon goes missing, however, Kersh is noticeably absent.
Jeffrey Spender
Jeffrey Frank Spender is portrayed by
Chris Owens. Spender was a
skeptic
Skepticism ( US) or scepticism ( UK) is a questioning attitude or doubt toward knowledge claims that are seen as mere belief or dogma. For example, if a person is skeptical about claims made by their government about an ongoing war then the p ...
who was assigned to
The X-Files
''The X-Files'' is an American science fiction on television, science fiction drama (film and television), drama television series created by Chris Carter (screenwriter), Chris Carter. The original series aired from September 10, 1993, to Ma ...
after
Fox Mulder
Fox William Mulder () is a fictional FBI Special Agent and one of the two protagonists of the Fox science fiction-supernatural television series ''The X-Files'', played by David Duchovny. Mulder's peers dismiss his many theories on extraterr ...
's forced leave. Spender is the son of the
Cigarette Smoking Man
The Cigarette Smoking Man (abbreviated CSM or C-Man; sometimes referred to as Cancer Man or the Smoking Man) is a fictional character and one of the primary antagonists of the American science fiction drama television series ''The X-Files''. He s ...
(also known as C. G. B. Spender, or CSM) and his ex-wife, multiple abductee
Cassandra Spender
''The X-Files'' is an American science fiction television series first broadcast in September 1993 and followed by two feature films: ''The X-Files'' and '' The X-Files: I Want to Believe.'' The characters defined the overarching mythology of ...
. Heavily involved in the
Syndicate
A syndicate is a self-organizing group of individuals, companies, corporations or entities formed to transact some specific business, to pursue or promote a shared interest.
Etymology
The word ''syndicate'' comes from the French word ''syndic ...
at that time, CSM abandoned the family when Spender was 12 years old.
Subsequently, his mother was driven insane by what she claims were multiple alien abductions.
Shortly after
Samantha Mulder
Samantha Ann Mulder is a fictional character in the television series ''The X-Files''. She is the younger sister of FBI Special Agent Fox Mulder and the daughter of Teena and Bill Mulder. As a child, Samantha was abducted, ostensibly by aliens, ...
was abducted and then returned, Jeffrey and Samantha were raised together by his father in
California
California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...
.
Spender met Agents
Fox Mulder
Fox William Mulder () is a fictional FBI Special Agent and one of the two protagonists of the Fox science fiction-supernatural television series ''The X-Files'', played by David Duchovny. Mulder's peers dismiss his many theories on extraterr ...
and
Dana Scully
Dana Katherine Scully, M.D., is a fictional character and one of the two protagonists in the Fox science-fiction, supernatural television series ''The X-Files'', played by Gillian Anderson. Scully is a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Spe ...
in 1998. That same year CSM began sending him letters, however Spender would return them unopened.
After his father set fire to
the X-Files
''The X-Files'' is an American science fiction on television, science fiction drama (film and television), drama television series created by Chris Carter (screenwriter), Chris Carter. The original series aired from September 10, 1993, to Ma ...
in "
The End
The End may refer to:
Film
* The End (1953 film), ''The End'' (1953 film), a film by Christopher Maclaine
* The End (1978 film), ''The End'' (1978 film), a comedy by Burt Reynolds
* ''The End'' (1995 film), a List of Canadian films of 1995, Cana ...
," Spender and Agent
Diana Fowley start working on the X-Files.
Spender receives orders from CSM to push for Mulder and Scully to be dismissed from the FBI, which he eventually does in "
Two Fathers".
Later on he reinstates Mulder and Scully to the X-files but appears to be shot in the head and killed by his father in "
One Son".
Three years later, it is revealed in "
William
William is a masculine given name of Germanic languages, Germanic origin. It became popular in England after the Norman Conquest, Norman conquest in 1066,All Things William"Meaning & Origin of the Name"/ref> and remained so throughout the Middle ...
" that Spender survived the gunshot, but that he was subjected to horribly disfiguring experiments at the hands of his father. Posing as Mulder, he infiltrates Scully's house and injects
William
William is a masculine given name of Germanic languages, Germanic origin. It became popular in England after the Norman Conquest, Norman conquest in 1066,All Things William"Meaning & Origin of the Name"/ref> and remained so throughout the Middle ...
with a
magnetite
Magnetite is a mineral and one of the main iron ores, with the chemical formula . It is one of the iron oxide, oxides of iron, and is ferrimagnetism, ferrimagnetic; it is attracted to a magnet and can be magnetization, magnetized to become a ...
substance to seemingly "cure" the baby of his telekinetic powers. The motivation or repercussions of his actions are never fully explained.
He testifies for the defense during Mulder's murder trial in "
The Truth
The Truth may refer to:
Film
* ''The Truth'' (1920 film) starring Madge Kennedy
* ''The Truth'' (1960 film) or ''La Vérité'', a French film by Henri-Georges Clouzot starring Brigitte Bardot
* ''The Truth'' (1988 film), a Hong Kong trial cri ...
" where he reveals that
Teena Mulder
''The X-Files'' is an American science fiction television series first broadcast in September 1993 and followed by two feature films: ''The X-Files'' and '' The X-Files: I Want to Believe.'' The characters defined the overarching mythology of ...
had an affair with CSM, and that he and
Fox Mulder
Fox William Mulder () is a fictional FBI Special Agent and one of the two protagonists of the Fox science fiction-supernatural television series ''The X-Files'', played by David Duchovny. Mulder's peers dismiss his many theories on extraterr ...
are half-brothers. A DNA test conducted on a disfigured Spender in the episode "William" initially leads agents Scully, Doggett, and Reyes to believe he is Fox Mulder, thus lending further credence to Spender's claim that both he and Mulder are the children of the Cigarette-Smoking Man.
The Lone Gunmen
John Fitzgerald Byers
John Fitzgerald Byers is portrayed by
Bruce Harwood. Byers was born in
Sterling, Virginia
Sterling refers most specifically to a census-designated place (CDP) in Loudoun County, Virginia. The population of the CDP as of the 2020 United States Census was 30,337 The CDP boundaries are confined to a relatively small area between Virginia ...
on November 22, 1963, the day on which
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), also known as JFK, was the 35th president of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963. He was the first Roman Catholic and youngest person elected p ...
was
assassinated
Assassination is the willful killing, by a sudden, secret, or planned attack, of a personespecially if prominent or important. It may be prompted by political, ideological, religious, financial, or military motives.
Assassinations are orde ...
, and was named after the fallen president—his parents were originally planning to name him Bertram, after his father. Byers idolized his namesake, but always had suspicions about the real cause of his death.
Byers worked as a public affairs officer for the
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is an independent agency of the United States government that regulates communications by radio, television, wire, internet, wi-fi, satellite, and cable across the United States. The FCC maintains j ...
(FCC) in
Baltimore
Baltimore is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the 30th-most populous U.S. city. The Baltimore metropolitan area is the 20th-large ...
until May 1989. At that time he met Susanne Modeski at a consumer electronics show in Baltimore and instantly fell in love with her. Initially lying about her identity to him, she revealed herself to be a scientist working for the Army Advanced Weapons facility and appealed to him for help in stopping one of her developments—a gas causing fear and paranoia—from being used by the military on innocent civilians. Enlisting the help of
Melvin Frohike
''The X-Files'' is an American science fiction television series first broadcast in September 1993 and followed by two feature films: ''The X-Files'' and '' The X-Files: I Want to Believe.'' The characters defined the overarching mythology of ...
and
Richard Langly, who were also at the electronics show, they succeeded in helping Modeski, although she was later kidnapped. Modeski had awakened a desire in all three of them to uncover the truth, which subsequently led to the formation and publication of a newsletter entitled ''
The Lone Gunmen
The Lone Gunmen are a trio of fictional characters, Richard "Ringo" Langly, Melvin Frohike and John Fitzgerald Byers, who appeared in recurring roles on the American television series ''The X-Files'', and who starred in the short-lived spin-off ...
'', providing information on government cover-ups and conspiracy theories.
Byers appears to have some working knowledge of
medicine
Medicine is the science and Praxis (process), practice of caring for patients, managing the Medical diagnosis, diagnosis, prognosis, Preventive medicine, prevention, therapy, treatment, Palliative care, palliation of their injury or disease, ...
,
genetics
Genetics is the study of genes, genetic variation, and heredity in organisms.Hartl D, Jones E (2005) It is an important branch in biology because heredity is vital to organisms' evolution. Gregor Mendel, a Moravian Augustinians, Augustinian ...
, and
chemistry
Chemistry is the scientific study of the properties and behavior of matter. It is a physical science within the natural sciences that studies the chemical elements that make up matter and chemical compound, compounds made of atoms, molecules a ...
; he is able to interpret
DNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid (; DNA) is a polymer composed of two polynucleotide chains that coil around each other to form a double helix. The polymer carries genetic instructions for the development, functioning, growth and reproduction of al ...
strands, instantly informing Mulder that Scully's blood had been tampered with in "
One Breath".
All three of the Lone Gunmen die in the episode "
Jump the Shark
The idiom "jumping the shark", or "shark jumping", or to "jump the shark"; means that a creative work or entity has evolved and reached a point in which it has exhausted its core intent and is introducing new ideas that are discordant with or ...
," sacrificing themselves to save thousands from a terrorist created plague. Skinner arranges for them to be interred at
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery is the largest cemetery in the United States National Cemetery System, one of two maintained by the United States Army. More than 400,000 people are buried in its 639 acres (259 ha) in Arlington County, Virginia.
...
, as a tribute to their brave deeds.
Melvin Frohike
Melvin Frohike is portrayed by
Tom Braidwood. Frohike was born circa 1953 in
Pontiac, Michigan
Pontiac ( ') is a city in and the county seat of Oakland County, Michigan, Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. Located roughly northwest of downtown Detroit, Pontiac is part of the Metro Detroit, Detroit metropolitan area, and is vari ...
. Prior to joining The Lone Gunmen, he was an acclaimed
tango
Tango is a partner dance and social dance that originated in the 1880s along the Río de la Plata, the natural border between Argentina and Uruguay. The tango was born in the impoverished port areas of these countries from a combination of Arge ...
dancer in
Miami
Miami is a East Coast of the United States, coastal city in the U.S. state of Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County in South Florida. It is the core of the Miami metropolitan area, which, with a populat ...
(under the stage name "El Lobo"). On giving up the tango, he toured the country with hippies before founding Frohike Electronics Corp., specializing in cable intrusion hardware.
In 1989 at a consumer electronics show in
Baltimore
Baltimore is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the 30th-most populous U.S. city. The Baltimore metropolitan area is the 20th-large ...
, where his company had a trade stand, he met
John Fitzgerald Byers and
Richard Langly and they subsequently formed a group publishing ''
The Lone Gunmen
The Lone Gunmen are a trio of fictional characters, Richard "Ringo" Langly, Melvin Frohike and John Fitzgerald Byers, who appeared in recurring roles on the American television series ''The X-Files'', and who starred in the short-lived spin-off ...
'' newsletter.
Frohike has a deep attraction for
Dana Scully
Dana Katherine Scully, M.D., is a fictional character and one of the two protagonists in the Fox science-fiction, supernatural television series ''The X-Files'', played by Gillian Anderson. Scully is a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Spe ...
. In his first appearance he was taking photographs of Scully, ogling her and calling her “hot”. Whilst this attraction seemed rather lustful at first, he has shown genuine affection for Scully (and
Fox Mulder
Fox William Mulder () is a fictional FBI Special Agent and one of the two protagonists of the Fox science fiction-supernatural television series ''The X-Files'', played by David Duchovny. Mulder's peers dismiss his many theories on extraterr ...
) on numerous occasions, being the first person to bring her flowers after she returned from her abduction in the episode "
One Breath".
All three of the Lone Gunmen die in the ''X-Files'' episode "
Jump the Shark
The idiom "jumping the shark", or "shark jumping", or to "jump the shark"; means that a creative work or entity has evolved and reached a point in which it has exhausted its core intent and is introducing new ideas that are discordant with or ...
". They intentionally lock themselves in a closed hallway with a man carrying a terrorist-created plague, saving thousands. Skinner arranges for them to be interred at
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery is the largest cemetery in the United States National Cemetery System, one of two maintained by the United States Army. More than 400,000 people are buried in its 639 acres (259 ha) in Arlington County, Virginia.
...
.
Richard Langly
Richard “Ringo” Langly is portrayed by
Dean Haglund
Dean Haglund (born July 29, 1965) is a Canadian actor, known for the role of Richard "Ringo" Langly, one of The Lone Gunmen on ''The X-Files''. Haglund is also a stand-up comedian, specializing in improvisational comedy, including work with the ...
. Langly was born circa 1968/69 in Saltville, Nebraska. He showed an aptitude for computers from an early age, which was frowned upon by his parents.
In 1989 he met
Melvin Frohike
''The X-Files'' is an American science fiction television series first broadcast in September 1993 and followed by two feature films: ''The X-Files'' and '' The X-Files: I Want to Believe.'' The characters defined the overarching mythology of ...
and
John Fitzgerald Byers at a consumer electronics show in
Baltimore
Baltimore is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the 30th-most populous U.S. city. The Baltimore metropolitan area is the 20th-large ...
, and they subsequently formed a group publishing ''The Lone Gunman'' newsletter. Langly wears thick black-rimmed glasses, heavy metal and punk T-shirts (favoring the
Ramones
The Ramones were an American punk rock band formed in the New York City neighborhood Forest Hills, Queens in 1974. Known for helping establish the punk movement in the United States and elsewhere, the Ramones are often recognized as one of th ...
in particular) and jeans. He has long blonde hair (which sometimes leads to him being mistaken for a girl) and bears a striking resemblance to Garth Algar from ''
Wayne's World
"Wayne's World" was originally a recurring sketch from the NBC television series ''Saturday Night Live''. The first "Wayne's World" sketch appeared in the 13th ''Saturday Night Live'' episode of the Saturday Night Live season 14, 1988–1989 seas ...
''. He idolizes
Joey Ramone
Jeffrey Ross Hyman (May 19, 1951 – April 15, 2001), known professionally as Joey Ramone, was an American singer, songwriter, and the lead vocalist and founding member of the punk rock band Ramones, with Johnny Ramone and Dee Dee Ramone. His ...
in particular.
Of the Lone Gunmen, Langly is an expert in computers,
hacking, and
programming
Program (American English; also Commonwealth English in terms of computer programming and related activities) or programme (Commonwealth English in all other meanings), programmer, or programming may refer to:
Business and management
* Program m ...
. He is likely the most paranoid of the Gunmen, taping all incoming phone calls, including those from
Fox Mulder
Fox William Mulder () is a fictional FBI Special Agent and one of the two protagonists of the Fox science fiction-supernatural television series ''The X-Files'', played by David Duchovny. Mulder's peers dismiss his many theories on extraterr ...
. All three of the Lone Gunmen died in the X-Files episode "
Jump the Shark
The idiom "jumping the shark", or "shark jumping", or to "jump the shark"; means that a creative work or entity has evolved and reached a point in which it has exhausted its core intent and is introducing new ideas that are discordant with or ...
," sacrificing themselves to save thousands from a terrorist-created plague by using fire doors to seal themselves in a closed hallway with the man carrying the plague. Skinner pulls some strings and arranges for them to be interred at
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery is the largest cemetery in the United States National Cemetery System, one of two maintained by the United States Army. More than 400,000 people are buried in its 639 acres (259 ha) in Arlington County, Virginia.
...
, as a tribute to their brave deeds.
Syndicate characters
Marita Covarrubias

Marita Covarrubias is introduced as an informant to Mulder after the death of his former source,
X. X scrawls the letters "S.R.S.G." in his own blood as he dies, leading Mulder to the Special Representative to the
Secretary-General of the United Nations
The secretary-general of the United Nations (UNSG or UNSECGEN) is the chief administrative officer of the United Nations and head of the United Nations Secretariat, one of the United Nations System#Six principal organs, six principal organs of ...
.
However, it is later revealed that Covarrubias is working for the Smoking Man and the
Syndicate
A syndicate is a self-organizing group of individuals, companies, corporations or entities formed to transact some specific business, to pursue or promote a shared interest.
Etymology
The word ''syndicate'' comes from the French word ''syndic ...
.
The Syndicate later discovers that Covarrubias has betrayed them and is providing information to Mulder. As a result, Syndicate scientists infect her with the
black oil virus, so as to test a vaccine they have been working to create.
[Meisler (1999), pp. 187–96] A cured Covarrubias later makes contact with Krycek at the behest of The Smoking Man, who wishes to resume the work of the now-eradicated Syndicate. However, Covarrubias and Krycek betray the Smoking Man and leave him for dead.
In the series finale "
The Truth
The Truth may refer to:
Film
* ''The Truth'' (1920 film) starring Madge Kennedy
* ''The Truth'' (1960 film) or ''La Vérité'', a French film by Henri-Georges Clouzot starring Brigitte Bardot
* ''The Truth'' (1988 film), a Hong Kong trial cri ...
," Skinner seeks Covarrubias as a witness in Mulder's trial for murder. She is called upon to testify, and she speaks about her involvement with the Syndicate. However, when she is pressed for further information about the continuation of the conspiracy, she clams up, and at Mulder's request she is dismissed from the stand, for fear that if she divulges certain knowledge, she will be killed.
The character of Marita Covarrubias was portrayed by
Laurie Holden
Heather Laurie Holden (born December 17, 1969) is an American-Canadian actress, producer, model, and human rights activist. She is best known for her portrayals as Marita Covarrubias in ''The X-Files'' (1996–2002), Andrea Harrison in AMC's ...
in all her appearances. When auditioning for the role, Holden was not allowed access to an episode script, instead simply being told that her character worked for the
United Nations
The United Nations (UN) is the Earth, global intergovernmental organization established by the signing of the Charter of the United Nations, UN Charter on 26 June 1945 with the stated purpose of maintaining international peace and internationa ...
and had an air of "intelligent seriousness".
Writer
Frank Spotnitz
Frank Charles Spotnitz (born 1960) is an American television writer and film producer, producer. He is best known for his work on the series ''The X-Files'' (1995-2002) and its spin-off The Lone Gunmen (TV series), ''The Lone Gunmen'' (2001), an ...
has described Covarrubias as "young, attractive, vital
nddangerous" compared to the other characters working for the Syndicate.
Holden has compared the character to
Mata Hari
Margaretha Geertruida MacLeod (, ; 7 August 187615 October 1917), better known by the stage name Mata Hari ( , ; , ), was a Dutch Stripper, exotic dancer and courtesan who was convicted of being a spy for German Empire, Germany during World War ...
, adding that "you can't really read what she's saying or what her intentions are".
Robert Shearman and Lars Pearson, in their book ''Wanting to Believe: A Critical Guide to The X-Files, Millennium & The Lone Gunmen'', felt that the character was "used so perfunctorily since her introduction" that her appearances added little to the episodes she featured in, describing her as a "bad parody" of the earlier characters
Deep Throat and
X.
Deep Throat
Deep Throat is the first of Mulder's informants, leaking information to him to aid his investigations. As a member of the then-unseen
Syndicate
A syndicate is a self-organizing group of individuals, companies, corporations or entities formed to transact some specific business, to pursue or promote a shared interest.
Etymology
The word ''syndicate'' comes from the French word ''syndic ...
, he is in a position to know a great deal of information. Deep Throat feels that the truth being kept secret from the public by the Syndicate needs to be known. He believes Mulder to be the one person capable of exposing this knowledge.
However, he believes that there are certain truths that the public are not yet ready to know.
In "
The Erlenmeyer Flask," the finale of the first season, Mulder is taken hostage following his investigation into an
alien-human hybridization program. Fearing for Mulder's life, Deep Throat helps Scully to gain access to a high-containment facility, where she manages to secretly remove an alien fetus for use as collateral in saving Mulder. In the subsequent meeting between the operatives and Deep Throat, he is shot and killed.
The character later appears in dreams and visions experienced by Mulder during his recuperation on a Navajo reservation,
[Lowry, pp. 231–233] and again years later while being experimented on by the Smoking Man.
Deep Throat was inspired by the historical
Deep Throat,
FBI
Associate Director Mark Felt
William Mark Felt Sr. (August 17, 1913 – December 18, 2008) was an American law enforcement officer who worked for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) from 1942 to 1973 and was known for his role in the Watergate scandal. Felt was ...
.
Also cited as an influence on the fictional Deep Throat was X, the character portrayed by
Donald Sutherland
Donald McNichol Sutherland (17 July 1935 – 20 June 2024) was a Canadian actor. With a career spanning six decades, he received List of awards and nominations received by Donald Sutherland, numerous accolades, including a Primetime Emmy Award ...
in the 1991
Oliver Stone
William Oliver Stone (born ) is an American filmmaker. Stone is an acclaimed director, tackling subjects ranging from the Vietnam War and American politics to musical film, musical Biographical film, biopics and Crime film, crime dramas. He has ...
film ''
JFK
John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), also known as JFK, was the 35th president of the United States, serving from 1961 until Assassination of John F. Kennedy, his assassination in 1963. He was the first Catholic Chur ...
''.
[Edwards, p. 37] The character was intended to bridge the gap between Mulder and Scully and the shadowy conspirators who were working against them; and was conceived as someone "who works in some level of government that we have no idea exists".
Jerry Hardin
Jerry Hardin (born November 20, 1929) is an American actor. Hardin has appeared in film and television roles, including the character nicknamed Deep Throat in ''The X-Files''. He has guest starred in '' Star Trek: The Next Generation'' and '' St ...
was cast as Deep Throat based on his role in 1993's ''
The Firm
The FIRM is a brand of exercise videos and equipment currently owned by Gaiam. First released in 1986, the video series is best known for popularizing a hybrid of aerobic exercise and weight training.
History
In 1979, Anna Benson founded th ...
''.
[Lovece, p. 27] Hardin's performance has been cited as "the spine of the series", and his portrayal of the character has been met with positive reviews from critics.
First Elder
The First Elder is portrayed by
Don S. Williams. He was a high-ranking member of the
Syndicate
A syndicate is a self-organizing group of individuals, companies, corporations or entities formed to transact some specific business, to pursue or promote a shared interest.
Etymology
The word ''syndicate'' comes from the French word ''syndic ...
. His exact position in the Syndicate was unclear, especially in regard to the
Well-Manicured Man
The Well-Manicured Man is a fictional character in the American science fiction television series ''The X-Files''. He serves as an antagonist to FBI special agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson), being a member of ...
, though at times he seemed higher-ranking than the Smoking Man. He contacted
Scully in person while
Mulder Mulder is a surname of two possible origins: Dutch and German.
It may be Dutch language occupational surname. It is an archaic Dutch word for "miller" (modern Dutch: '' molenaar''). With 38,207 people in the Netherlands named Mulder, it was the 12 ...
pursued evidence of an
alien autopsy
An autopsy (also referred to as post-mortem examination, obduction, necropsy, or autopsia cadaverum) is a surgical procedure that consists of a thorough examination of a corpse by dissection to determine the cause, mode, and manner of deat ...
on a train.
He also obtained photographs taken by
X of a meeting between
The Smoking Man
The Cigarette Smoking Man (abbreviated CSM or C-Man; sometimes referred to as Cancer Man or the Smoking Man) is a fictional character and one of the primary antagonists of the American science fiction drama television series ''The X-Files''. He s ...
and
Teena Mulder
''The X-Files'' is an American science fiction television series first broadcast in September 1993 and followed by two feature films: ''The X-Files'' and '' The X-Files: I Want to Believe.'' The characters defined the overarching mythology of ...
as proof that one of the Smoking Man's henchmen was a traitor. The First Elder set up a trap to reveal the identity of the traitor and dispatched an assassin to kill him.
X fell for the trap and was executed.
After Mulder shot
Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense (DoD, USDOD, or DOD) is an executive department of the U.S. federal government charged with coordinating and supervising the six U.S. armed services: the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, Space Force, ...
agent Scott Ostlehoff in his head to obscure his identity, Mulder and Scully used the situation to effectively fake Mulder's death. CSM spoke with the First Elder at a horse track about Mulder's death, which CSM saw as unfortunate and unhelpful. However, the fact that Mulder was alive soon became known to both men, upon which the First Elder ordered one of his operatives to carry out a specific task. The operative followed CSM as he tried to recruit Mulder to work with the
Syndicate
A syndicate is a self-organizing group of individuals, companies, corporations or entities formed to transact some specific business, to pursue or promote a shared interest.
Etymology
The word ''syndicate'' comes from the French word ''syndic ...
, watching their movements through the scope of a sniper rifle. Shortly after the discovery of
Scott Blevins' betrayal, the First Elder's operative shot CSM, who had been holding a photograph of Mulder and his
sister
A sister is a woman or a girl who shares parents or a parent with another individual; a female sibling. The male counterpart is a brother. Although the term typically refers to a familial relationship, it is sometimes used endearingly to ref ...
.
He was killed along with the rest of the Syndicate by a group of
Alien rebels
The Colonists are an extraterrestrial species and are also the primary group of antagonists in the science fiction television show ''The X-Files'' as well as the first ''X-Files'' feature film. The mystery revolving around their identity and pu ...
in 1999.
Alex Krycek
Alex Krycek is portrayed by
Nicholas Lea
Nicholas Lea (born Nicholas Christopher Herbert; June 22, 1962) is a Canadian actor known for his portrayal of Alex Krycek on ''The X-Files'' and of Tom Foss on ''Kyle XY''. Partner of actress Crystal Balint.
Life and career
Lea was born in New ...
. Krycek is a Russian-American who makes his first appearance in "
Sleepless", where Krycek, a young
FBI
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic Intelligence agency, intelligence and Security agency, security service of the United States and Federal law enforcement in the United States, its principal federal law enforcement ag ...
special agent
In the United States, a special agent is an official title used to refer to certain investigators or detectives of federal, military, tribal, or state agencies who primarily serve in criminal investigatory positions. Additionally, some special ...
, is assigned as a temporary investigation partner to
Fox Mulder
Fox William Mulder () is a fictional FBI Special Agent and one of the two protagonists of the Fox science fiction-supernatural television series ''The X-Files'', played by David Duchovny. Mulder's peers dismiss his many theories on extraterr ...
. Krycek proceeds to work with Mulder and attempts to gain his trust.
However, it later becomes evident that Krycek is actually an undercover agent working for the
Cigarette Smoking Man
The Cigarette Smoking Man (abbreviated CSM or C-Man; sometimes referred to as Cancer Man or the Smoking Man) is a fictional character and one of the primary antagonists of the American science fiction drama television series ''The X-Files''. He s ...
.
Krycek plays an important part in several events that are harmful to Mulder and
Dana Scully
Dana Katherine Scully, M.D., is a fictional character and one of the two protagonists in the Fox science-fiction, supernatural television series ''The X-Files'', played by Gillian Anderson. Scully is a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Spe ...
: he assists in Scully's abduction, and murders Mulder's father,
Bill Mulder
''The X-Files'' is an American science fiction television series first broadcast in September 1993 and followed by two feature films: ''The X-Files (film), The X-Files'' and ''The X-Files: I Want to Believe.'' The characters defined the overarc ...
.
Krycek also assaults
Assistant Director
The role of an assistant director (AD) on a film includes tracking daily progress against the filming production schedule, arranging logistics, preparing daily call sheets, checking cast and crew, and maintaining order on the set. They also have ...
Walter Skinner
FBI Assistant Director Walter Sergei Skinner is a fictional character portrayed by American actor Mitch Pileggi on ''The X-Files'' and its short-lived spin-off '' The Lone Gunmen'', both broadcast on Fox.
In the science fiction-supernatural s ...
and acquires a secret tape from him which reveals a
US government
The Federal Government of the United States of America (U.S. federal government or U.S. government) is the national government of the United States.
The U.S. federal government is composed of three distinct branches: legislative, execut ...
coverup
A cover-up is an attempt, whether successful or not, to conceal evidence of wrongdoing, error, incompetence, or other embarrassing information. Research has distinguished personal cover-ups (covering up one's own misdeeds) from relational co ...
regarding alien visits to
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun and the only astronomical object known to Planetary habitability, harbor life. This is enabled by Earth being an ocean world, the only one in the Solar System sustaining liquid surface water. Almost all ...
. After a botched murder attempt on Scully results in the death of her sister, the Cigarette Smoking Man attempts to kill Krycek with a car bomb, but Krycek escapes.
He lies low in Hong Kong for a short period, selling secrets acquired from the tape until he is found, beaten and apprehended by Mulder who takes him back to the US. Unbeknown to him, Krycek is under the control of an alien organism and he escapes Mulder before he is taken to a missile silo in North Dakota by the Cigarette Smoking Man. Having ejected the alien influence into an alien craft, he is left locked in a missile bay, screaming and banging on the door.
When escaping a
gulag
The Gulag was a system of Labor camp, forced labor camps in the Soviet Union. The word ''Gulag'' originally referred only to the division of the Chronology of Soviet secret police agencies, Soviet secret police that was in charge of runnin ...
in Russia, where Krycek pursues a mysterious rock, his left arm is amputated to prevent some experiments on him.
Later in the series, Krycek can be seen switching sides as it suits him, occasionally helping Mulder, Cigarette Smoking Man and other people. He attempted to blackmail Skinner by infecting him with lethal
nanotechnology
Nanotechnology is the manipulation of matter with at least one dimension sized from 1 to 100 nanometers (nm). At this scale, commonly known as the nanoscale, surface area and quantum mechanical effects become important in describing propertie ...
,
but ended up being thrown into a Tunisian prison when the Cigarette Smoking Man discovered that Krycek had stolen an alien artifact from him. In the last season 7 episode, "
Requiem
A Requiem (Latin: ''rest'') or Requiem Mass, also known as Mass for the dead () or Mass of the dead (), is a Mass of the Catholic Church offered for the repose of the souls of the deceased, using a particular form of the Roman Missal. It is ...
", Krycek apparently kills the Cigarette Smoking Man by pushing him down a flight of stairs.
Later, when Mulder was abducted by aliens and returned in a deathlike state, Krycek attempts to again blackmail Skinner, offering the means to save Mulder's life in exchange for Scully's baby. Skinner refuses, and Krycek has a violent confrontation with
John Doggett
FBI Special Agent John Jay Doggett is a fictional character in the Fox science fiction-supernatural television series ''The X-Files''. With his FBI partners Dana Scully (season 8) and Monica Reyes (season 9), he works on the X-Files which ar ...
before escaping.
In the last
season 8 episode, "
Existence
Existence is the state of having being or reality in contrast to nonexistence and nonbeing. Existence is often contrasted with essence: the essence of an entity is its essential features or qualities, which can be understood even if one does ...
", Krycek is shot between the eyes and killed by Skinner during an unsuccessful attempt to kill Mulder.
Krycek's ghost briefly showed up to help Mulder escape a military base in the series finale.
Knowle Rohrer

Knowle Rohrer is portrayed by
Adam Baldwin
Adam Baldwin (born February 27, 1962) is an American actor. He made his film debut in '' My Bodyguard'' (1980). He later appeared in ''Full Metal Jacket'' (1987) as Animal Mother, and in the television series ''Firefly'' and its continuation f ...
. He served alongside Sergeant
John Doggett
FBI Special Agent John Jay Doggett is a fictional character in the Fox science fiction-supernatural television series ''The X-Files''. With his FBI partners Dana Scully (season 8) and Monica Reyes (season 9), he works on the X-Files which ar ...
in the
U.S. Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines or simply the Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is responsible for conducting expeditionary ...
with the
24th Marine Amphibious Unit
The 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (24th MEU) is one of seven Marine Expeditionary Units currently in existence in the United States Marine Corps. The Marine Expeditionary Unit is a Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF) with a strength of about 2 ...
in
Beirut, Lebanon
Beirut ( ; ) is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Lebanon. , Greater Beirut has a population of 2.5 million, just under half of Lebanon's population, which makes it the List of largest cities in the Levant region by populatio ...
. Doggett and Rohrer were friends, but lost touch when Rohrer and Shannon McMahon were taken out of their company to be the first people transformed into
Super Soldiers
''Super Soldiers'' was a comic book published by the Marvel UK imprint of Marvel Comics in 1993. Part of the shared Marvel Universe setting, it centered on a team of superhuman British soldiers, with some plot aspects drawing on the background o ...
, a new type of alien-human hybrid intended by the alien Colonists as replacements for normal humans.
Knowle reached the rank of
Master Sergeant
A master sergeant is the military rank for a senior non-commissioned officer in the armed forces of some countries.
Israel Defense Forces
The (abbreviated "", master sergeant) is a non-commissioned officer () rank in the Israel Defense Force ...
and continued on with his military career by joining the
Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense (DoD, USDOD, or DOD) is an executive department of the U.S. federal government charged with coordinating and supervising the six U.S. armed services: the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, Space Force, ...
. The work he did there is unknown, but it is safe to assume that he was involved in classified operations. When Doggett became assigned to the X-Files, he re-established contact with Rohrer.
Doggett became suspicious of Rohrer when information was given to him from Rohrer that got a man killed, but it was not until Doggett saw Rohrer meet with
Alex Krycek
Alex Krycek is a fictional character in the Fox science fiction-supernatural television series ''The X-Files''. Alex Krycek is played by Nicholas Lea. He is initially introduced in the second season as a partner for FBI Special Agent Fox Mulder i ...
that he realized Rohrer was a member of the conspiracy.
In "Nothing Important Happened Today II", he is
decapitated
Decapitation is the total separation of the head from the body. Such an injury is invariably fatal to humans and all vertebrate animals, since it deprives the brain of oxygenated blood by way of severing through the jugular vein and common ...
by fellow
Super Soldier
A super soldier (or supersoldier) is a concept soldier capable of operating beyond normal human abilities through technological augmentation or (in fictional depictions) genetic modification or cybernetic augmentation. Soldiers that obtain greate ...
, Shannon McMahon, but owing to his hybrid abilities, manages to then
impale
Impalement, as a method of torture and execution, is the penetration of a human by an object such as a stake, pole, spear, or hook, often by the complete or partial perforation of the torso. It was particularly used in response to "crimes again ...
her with his arm, and they both fall into a water reservoir, presumably both now dead.
However, in the series finale, "
The Truth
The Truth may refer to:
Film
* ''The Truth'' (1920 film) starring Madge Kennedy
* ''The Truth'' (1960 film) or ''La Vérité'', a French film by Henri-Georges Clouzot starring Brigitte Bardot
* ''The Truth'' (1988 film), a Hong Kong trial cri ...
", it is revealed that he survived, when
Mulder Mulder is a surname of two possible origins: Dutch and German.
It may be Dutch language occupational surname. It is an archaic Dutch word for "miller" (modern Dutch: '' molenaar''). With 38,207 people in the Netherlands named Mulder, it was the 12 ...
breaks into
Mount Weather. Rohrer chases down Mulder and in the ensuing scuffle Rohrer is electrocuted. Mulder is then taken into military custody and put on trial for Rohrer's supposed death. Eventually, Mulder breaks out with the help of
Alvin Kersh, and with
Dana Scully
Dana Katherine Scully, M.D., is a fictional character and one of the two protagonists in the Fox science-fiction, supernatural television series ''The X-Files'', played by Gillian Anderson. Scully is a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Spe ...
, headed to
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state in the Southwestern United States, Southwestern region of the United States. It is one of the Mountain States of the southern Rocky Mountains, sharing the Four Corners region with Utah, Colorado, and Arizona. It also ...
for a final confrontation with the
Cigarette Smoking Man
The Cigarette Smoking Man (abbreviated CSM or C-Man; sometimes referred to as Cancer Man or the Smoking Man) is a fictional character and one of the primary antagonists of the American science fiction drama television series ''The X-Files''. He s ...
, whom he discovered was still alive. Doggett and
Monica Reyes
Monica Julieta Reyes is a fictional character in the Fox science fiction-supernatural television series ''The X-Files''. She is portrayed by Annabeth Gish. At first a Field Agent before becoming a Special Agent with the FBI, she works with her ...
went after Mulder and Scully to warn them that the
conspirators knew where they were. Rohrer, alive and well, followed, intending to kill them all (including the Cigarette Smoking Man, who had long since outlived his usefulness to the conspiracy). However, as he approached Doggett and Reyes in the New Mexican desert, Rohrer died from exposure to
magnetite
Magnetite is a mineral and one of the main iron ores, with the chemical formula . It is one of the iron oxide, oxides of iron, and is ferrimagnetism, ferrimagnetic; it is attracted to a magnet and can be magnetization, magnetized to become a ...
. It turned out that the Cigarette Smoking Man figured out that magnetite killed the Super Soldiers, and consequently chose to hide in a
pueblo
Pueblo refers to the settlements of the Pueblo peoples, Native American tribes in the Southwestern United States, currently in New Mexico, Arizona, and Texas. The permanent communities, including some of the oldest continually occupied settlement ...
saturated with it.
Cigarette Smoking Man

C.G.B. Spender, best known as the Cigarette Smoking Man, is portrayed by
William B. Davis, and serves as the main antagonist of the series. In Spender's first appearance, he oversaw
Dana Scully
Dana Katherine Scully, M.D., is a fictional character and one of the two protagonists in the Fox science-fiction, supernatural television series ''The X-Files'', played by Gillian Anderson. Scully is a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Spe ...
's debriefing and disposed of her evidence in the show's
pilot episode
A television pilot (also known as a pilot or a pilot episode and sometimes marketed as a tele-movie) in United Kingdom and United States television, is a standalone episode of a television series that is used to sell a show to a television netwo ...
, and eventually developed into the series' primary antagonist. The character is known initially only by this nickname because he is almost always seen chain-smoking
Morley Cigarettes, and is usually surrounded by clouds of smoke. In the
first seasons of the show, he was usually present in
Walter Skinner
FBI Assistant Director Walter Sergei Skinner is a fictional character portrayed by American actor Mitch Pileggi on ''The X-Files'' and its short-lived spin-off '' The Lone Gunmen'', both broadcast on Fox.
In the science fiction-supernatural s ...
's office, which was often a sign to discredit
Fox Mulder
Fox William Mulder () is a fictional FBI Special Agent and one of the two protagonists of the Fox science fiction-supernatural television series ''The X-Files'', played by David Duchovny. Mulder's peers dismiss his many theories on extraterr ...
's work on the
X-Files
''The X-Files'' is an American science fiction drama television series created by Chris Carter. The original series aired from September 10, 1993, to May 19, 2002, on Fox, spanning nine seasons, with 202 episodes. A tenth season of six e ...
.
He is involved in the
Syndicate
A syndicate is a self-organizing group of individuals, companies, corporations or entities formed to transact some specific business, to pursue or promote a shared interest.
Etymology
The word ''syndicate'' comes from the French word ''syndic ...
, a shadow organization within the
United States government
The Federal Government of the United States of America (U.S. federal government or U.S. government) is the Federation#Federal governments, national government of the United States.
The U.S. federal government is composed of three distinct ...
that exists to hide the fact that aliens are visiting Earth from the public. Spender is the leader of the
Men in Black
In popular culture and UFO conspiracy theories, men in black (MIB) are government agents dressed in dark suits, who question, interrogate, harass, and threaten unidentified flying object (UFO) witnesses to keep them silent about what they have ...
(MIB) in the series.
In the
season 6
A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's tilted orbit around the Sun. In temperate and polar ...
two-part episodes "
Two Fathers" and "
One Son" it is learned that his
birthname or alias is C.G.B. Spender and was formerly married to
Cassandra Spender
''The X-Files'' is an American science fiction television series first broadcast in September 1993 and followed by two feature films: ''The X-Files'' and '' The X-Files: I Want to Believe.'' The characters defined the overarching mythology of ...
, with whom he had a son,
Jeffrey Frank Spender.
Diana Fowley is revealed to be a subordinate of his; together, they escape the annihilation of the Syndicate. His confidence in Jeffrey falters after a failed assassination attempt and later on Jeffrey's betrayal, he confronts his son and apparently kills him.
The episodes also presented further evidence suggesting that he is Mulder's father. Eventually, Fowley also splits from him, which leads to her death. After the fall of the Syndicate, Smoking Man has no more fellow conspirators who can match his power, so he begins to operate as he wishes.
However, his cancer resurfaces and he requires the use of a
wheelchair
A wheelchair is a mobilized form of chair using two or more wheels, a footrest, and an armrest usually cushioned. It is used when walking is difficult or impossible to do due to illnesses, injury, disabilities, or age-related health conditio ...
. At the end of the
seventh season,
Alex Krycek
Alex Krycek is a fictional character in the Fox science fiction-supernatural television series ''The X-Files''. Alex Krycek is played by Nicholas Lea. He is initially introduced in the second season as a partner for FBI Special Agent Fox Mulder i ...
and
Marita Covarrubias
Marita Covarrubias is a fictional character on the American science fiction television series ''The X-Files''. She was initially introduced as an informant, leaking diplomatic information to Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI Special Agent Fox ...
betray him and throw him down a flight of stairs, where they presumed him dead.
Through the
eighth and
ninth
In music, a ninth is a compound interval consisting of an octave plus a second.
Like the second, the interval of a ninth is classified as a dissonance in common practice tonality. Since a ninth is an octave larger than a second, its ...
seasons, he was presumed dead until
Jeffrey Spender
FBI Special agent Jeffrey Frank Spender is a fictional character in the American Fox television series ''The X-Files'', a science fiction show about a government conspiracy to hide or deny the truth of alien existence. Spender (along with his ...
appeared in "
William
William is a masculine given name of Germanic languages, Germanic origin. It became popular in England after the Norman Conquest, Norman conquest in 1066,All Things William"Meaning & Origin of the Name"/ref> and remained so throughout the Middle ...
". It is learned that his attempted murder on his son failed which led him to subject his son to terrible experiments. In this very same episode it is revealed that he's supposedly Mulder's
biological father
A father is the male parent of a child. Besides the paternal bonds of a father to his children, the father may have a parental, legal, and social relationship with the child that carries with it certain rights and obligations. A biological fathe ...
.
In the
series finale
A series finale is the final installment of an episodic entertainment series, most often a television series. It may also refer to a final theatrical sequel, the last part of a television miniseries, the last installment of a literary series, ...
, Mulder and Scully travel through remote
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state in the Southwestern United States, Southwestern region of the United States. It is one of the Mountain States of the southern Rocky Mountains, sharing the Four Corners region with Utah, Colorado, and Arizona. It also ...
, and reach a
pueblo
Pueblo refers to the settlements of the Pueblo peoples, Native American tribes in the Southwestern United States, currently in New Mexico, Arizona, and Texas. The permanent communities, including some of the oldest continually occupied settlement ...
where a "wise man" reputedly lives. It is in fact the Smoking Man. He is shown to be in the same condition as when he disappeared, but has degenerated further and is now quite unkempt. He has a shock of long white hair, and is living a primitive life in hiding from the New Syndicate. He reveals to Mulder and Scully all he has left to tell, including the fact that the aliens are scheduled to invade in
2012
2012 was designated as:
*International Year of Cooperatives
*International Year of Sustainable Energy for All
Events January
*January 4 – The Cicada 3301 internet hunt begins.
* January 12 – Peaceful protests begin in the R ...
. Shortly after he is supposedly killed by a missile shot from a helicopter ordered by
Knowle Rohrer,
but is shown alive in the 2016 episode "
My Struggle
(; ) is a 1925 autobiographical manifesto by Nazi Party leader Adolf Hitler. The book outlines many of Hitler's political beliefs, his political ideology and future plans for Germany and the world. Volume 1 of was published in 1925 and V ...
".
Well-Manicured Man
The Well-Manicured Man is a British member of the Syndicate. An Englishman, he is an important member, along with
The Smoking Man
The Cigarette Smoking Man (abbreviated CSM or C-Man; sometimes referred to as Cancer Man or the Smoking Man) is a fictional character and one of the primary antagonists of the American science fiction drama television series ''The X-Files''. He s ...
and
The Elder
''The Elder'' is an unreleased independent film adaptation of the 1981 Kiss concept album, '' Music from "The Elder"''. The film's plot derives from that concept, devised by Kiss co-founder Gene Simmons.
The film was being produced by British a ...
, and was a friend of
Bill Mulder
''The X-Files'' is an American science fiction television series first broadcast in September 1993 and followed by two feature films: ''The X-Files (film), The X-Files'' and ''The X-Files: I Want to Believe.'' The characters defined the overarc ...
earlier in his life.
The Well-Manicured Man is instrumental in the Syndicate's secondary agenda, to develop a vaccination against the
black oil used by the aliens as a means of mind control.
To this end, he works with Alex Krycek to develop a vaccine, eventually testing it—successfully—on Marita Covarrubias.
In the 1998 feature film ''
The X-Files
''The X-Files'' is an American science fiction on television, science fiction drama (film and television), drama television series created by Chris Carter (screenwriter), Chris Carter. The original series aired from September 10, 1993, to Ma ...
'', when Scully is infected with the black oil and taken to
Antarctica
Antarctica () is Earth's southernmost and least-populated continent. Situated almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle and surrounded by the Southern Ocean (also known as the Antarctic Ocean), it contains the geographic South Pole. ...
, it is the Well-Manicured Man who, having grown disillusioned with the Syndicate, gives Mulder the coordinates needed to find her and a sample of the vaccine needed to cure Scully. The colonists had kept secret a secondary characteristic of the black oil—that those infected with it for prolonged periods would gestate a new colonist lifeform, killing the host. Upon discovering this, the Syndicate vowed to work more closely with the colonists in the hope of being spared this fate, while only the Well-Manicured Man wished to continue working on a vaccination for resistance. This rejection led to his betrayal of the Syndicate, and to him committing suicide by
car bomb
A car bomb, bus bomb, van bomb, lorry bomb, or truck bomb, also known as a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED), is an improvised explosive device designed to be detonated in an automobile or other vehicles.
Car bombs can be roug ...
before his duplicity was discovered.
The Well-Manicured Man was portrayed by
John Neville in all his appearances. Conceived as the "voice of reason" within the Syndicate,
the character has been seen as representing an opposing viewpoint to that of The Smoking Man.
The character has been positively received by critics.
MTV
MTV (an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable television television channel, channel and the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group sub-division of the Paramount Media Networks division of Paramount Global. Launched on ...
's Tami Katzoff has called him a "legendary TV character", noting his "moral ambivalence about the work of his shadow organization" and his ability to show "empathy for Mulder and Scully".
''The
San Francisco Chronicle
The ''San Francisco Chronicle'' is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of Northern California. It was founded in 1865 as ''The Daily Dramatic Chronicle'' by teenage brothers Charles de Young and M. H. de Young, Michael H. ...
'' Bob Graham has praised Neville's portrayal of the character in the feature film, calling his expository monologue "a
Wagnerian
Wilhelm Richard Wagner ( ; ; 22 May 181313 February 1883) was a German composer, theatre director, essayist, and conductor who is chiefly known for his operas (or, as some of his mature works were later known, "music dramas"). Unlike most ...
demonstration of the art of declamation".
X
X, sometimes referred to as Mr. X, serves as an informant to
Mulder Mulder is a surname of two possible origins: Dutch and German.
It may be Dutch language occupational surname. It is an archaic Dutch word for "miller" (modern Dutch: '' molenaar''). With 38,207 people in the Netherlands named Mulder, it was the 12 ...
, replacing
Deep Throat in this capacity. While X's loyalties and his own agenda were often unclear, he has more than once proven that he at least does not want Mulder dead. In the episode "
End Game", he is approached by
Scully, who pleads that she needs to know where Mulder is, believing his life to be in danger. X reluctantly gives her the information after a fight with
Skinner.
In "
731", X's loyalty to Mulder is further confirmed. Trapped on a train car equipped with a
time bomb
A time bomb (or a timebomb, time-bomb) is a bomb whose detonation is triggered by a timer. The use or attempted use of time bombs has been for various purposes including insurance fraud, terrorism, assassination, sabotage and warfare. They are a ...
, Mulder is attacked by an assassin. X fatally shoots the assassin as he is about to step off the car, and boards with only enough time left to save either Mulder or the
alien-human hybrid the car was transporting, opting to save Mulder.
In the
season 4 Season 4 may refer to:
* "Season 4" (''30 Rock'' episode), an episode of ''30 Rock''
See also
*
* Season One (disambiguation)
* Season 2 (disambiguation) Season 2 may refer to:
* ''Season 2'' (Infinite album), 2014
* ''2econd Season'', an album ...
opener "
Herrenvolk", X's position as an informant is discovered by the Syndicate, and he is assassinated, but not before leading Mulder to his successor,
Marita Covarrubias
Marita Covarrubias is a fictional character on the American science fiction television series ''The X-Files''. She was initially introduced as an informant, leaking diplomatic information to Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI Special Agent Fox ...
.
[Meisler (1998), pp. 19–25.] After his death, X appears two more times—in
The Lone Gunmen
The Lone Gunmen are a trio of fictional characters, Richard "Ringo" Langly, Melvin Frohike and John Fitzgerald Byers, who appeared in recurring roles on the American television series ''The X-Files'', and who starred in the short-lived spin-off ...
origin story "
Unusual Suspects," set before his death, and as a ghost in the
series finale
A series finale is the final installment of an episodic entertainment series, most often a television series. It may also refer to a final theatrical sequel, the last part of a television miniseries, the last installment of a literary series, ...
, "
The Truth
The Truth may refer to:
Film
* ''The Truth'' (1920 film) starring Madge Kennedy
* ''The Truth'' (1960 film) or ''La Vérité'', a French film by Henri-Georges Clouzot starring Brigitte Bardot
* ''The Truth'' (1988 film), a Hong Kong trial cri ...
".
X is portrayed in the series by
Steven Williams
Steven Williams (born January 7, 1949) is an American actor in films and television. He is known for his roles as Captain Adam Fuller on ''21 Jump Street'', NYPD Detective Lt. Jefferson Burnett on '' The Equalizer'', Det. August Brooks on '' L.A ...
, and made his début in the
second season episode "
The Host",
although the character would not appear on-screen until "
Sleepless", two episodes later.
The role had originally been conceived as a female, with
Natalija Nogulich cast in the role, however her initial scenes were deemed unsatisfactory by the producers, leading to her replacement.
[
][Lovece, p.116] Williams' portrayal of X was intended to introduce a personality completely different from the character's predecessor, Deep Throat, and has been positively received by critics and fans.
Conrad Strughold
Conrad Strughold is a fictional character played by
Armin Mueller-Stahl
Armin Mueller-Stahl (born 17 December 1930) is a retired German actor who also appeared in numerous English-language films since the 1980s. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in ''Shine (1996 film), Sh ...
in the 1998 motion picture ''
The X-Files: Fight the Future''.
Strughold, a
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany, the country of the Germans and German things
**Germania (Roman era)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...
scientist
A scientist is a person who Scientific method, researches to advance knowledge in an Branches of science, area of the natural sciences.
In classical antiquity, there was no real ancient analog of a modern scientist. Instead, philosophers engag ...
and
entrepreneur
Entrepreneurship is the creation or extraction of economic value in ways that generally entail beyond the minimal amount of risk (assumed by a traditional business), and potentially involving values besides simply economic ones.
An entreprene ...
, is the leader of the
Syndicate
A syndicate is a self-organizing group of individuals, companies, corporations or entities formed to transact some specific business, to pursue or promote a shared interest.
Etymology
The word ''syndicate'' comes from the French word ''syndic ...
. The Strughold
mine in remote
West Virginia
West Virginia is a mountainous U.S. state, state in the Southern United States, Southern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States.The United States Census Bureau, Census Bureau and the Association of American ...
, where the Syndicate secretly kept files on and tissue samples of
abductees, is named after him. In the film, he authorizes
Dana Scully
Dana Katherine Scully, M.D., is a fictional character and one of the two protagonists in the Fox science-fiction, supernatural television series ''The X-Files'', played by Gillian Anderson. Scully is a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Spe ...
's abduction, seeing it as a way to effectively break
Fox Mulder
Fox William Mulder () is a fictional FBI Special Agent and one of the two protagonists of the Fox science fiction-supernatural television series ''The X-Files'', played by David Duchovny. Mulder's peers dismiss his many theories on extraterr ...
's spirit, and as a more profitable alternative to outright killing Mulder. He lives in
Tunisia
Tunisia, officially the Republic of Tunisia, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It is bordered by Algeria to the west and southwest, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Tunisia also shares m ...
. It is believed that he has
Nazi
Nazism (), formally named National Socialism (NS; , ), is the far-right politics, far-right Totalitarianism, totalitarian socio-political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in Germany. During H ...
ties and is unable to enter the
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
because it would draw too much attention to the Syndicate. Strughold survived the demise of the Syndicate in season 6, though as of the end of the series, he is probably either dead, in hiding, or working with the
New Syndicate (though the last option is unlikely).
He is possibly the only member of the Syndicate to like or trust the
Cigarette Smoking Man
The Cigarette Smoking Man (abbreviated CSM or C-Man; sometimes referred to as Cancer Man or the Smoking Man) is a fictional character and one of the primary antagonists of the American science fiction drama television series ''The X-Files''. He s ...
, as they are shown as having a slightly more cordial and far less adversarial relationship than with the other members.
The season 6 episode "One Son" features a scene where Scully recounts the activities of
Diana Fowley in the early 1990s, in which she monitored MUFON groups in Europe and took weekly trips to Tunisia, the implication being that she was reporting to Strughold during her time on this assignment.
He is almost certainly named after
Hubertus Strughold, a Nazi scientist who came to the US during
Operation Paperclip
The Operation Paperclip was a secret United States intelligence program in which more than 1,600 German scientists, engineers, and technicians were taken from former Nazi Germany to the US for government employment after the end of World War I ...
after the end of
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
. (The original episode to show the mine in West Virginia was season 3's "Paper Clip", although Strughold himself did not appear in this episode, or in any television episodes of the show).
Minor characters
Scott Blevins
Section Chief Scott Blevins is portrayed by
Charles Cioffi
Charles M. Cioffi (born October 31, 1935) is an American film and television actor best known as Lt. Matt Reardon in '' Get Christie Love!'' opposite co-star Teresa Graves.
Career
Born in New York City, he attended Michigan State University, ...
. Blevins was a top official in the
Federal Bureau of Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic Intelligence agency, intelligence and Security agency, security service of the United States and Federal law enforcement in the United States, its principal federal law enforcement ag ...
who was bankrolled by Roush Pharmaceuticals, the same group that bankrolled Michael Kritschgau.
In 1992, then
Division Chief Blevins assigned
Dana Scully
Dana Katherine Scully, M.D., is a fictional character and one of the two protagonists in the Fox science-fiction, supernatural television series ''The X-Files'', played by Gillian Anderson. Scully is a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Spe ...
to work with
Fox Mulder
Fox William Mulder () is a fictional FBI Special Agent and one of the two protagonists of the Fox science fiction-supernatural television series ''The X-Files'', played by David Duchovny. Mulder's peers dismiss his many theories on extraterr ...
on the
X-files
''The X-Files'' is an American science fiction drama television series created by Chris Carter. The original series aired from September 10, 1993, to May 19, 2002, on Fox, spanning nine seasons, with 202 episodes. A tenth season of six e ...
, cases that involved
paranormal
Paranormal events are purported phenomena described in popular culture, folk, and other non-scientific bodies of knowledge, whose existence within these contexts is described as being beyond the scope of normal scientific understanding. Not ...
or
unexplained phenomena. Blevins believed that Scully would help provide a more scientific analysis of the X-files cases.
The following year, Blevins recommended that Mulder be removed from the X-files due to Mulder's personal agenda regarding the cases.
Later that year, Section Chief
Joseph McGrath went over Blevins's head in an attempt to order a shut down of the X-files.
Mulder and Scully would be later placed under the supervision of Assistant Director
Walter Skinner
FBI Assistant Director Walter Sergei Skinner is a fictional character portrayed by American actor Mitch Pileggi on ''The X-Files'' and its short-lived spin-off '' The Lone Gunmen'', both broadcast on Fox.
In the science fiction-supernatural s ...
,
and Blevins would be placed in the position of Section Chief.
In 1997, Blevins led a joint FBI committee that was investigating the legitimacy of Mulder's work on the X-files and his apparent
suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death.
Risk factors for suicide include mental disorders, physical disorders, and substance abuse. Some suicides are impulsive acts driven by stress (such as from financial or ac ...
.
After Mulder was discovered alive, he testified before the committee naming Blevins as the FBI mole responsible for giving Special Agent Scully
cancer
Cancer is a group of diseases involving Cell growth#Disorders, abnormal cell growth with the potential to Invasion (cancer), invade or Metastasis, spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Po ...
and working with the
government conspiracy. Blevins was subsequently killed by another member of the committee who made his death appear to be a suicide.
Dr. Charles (Chuck) Burks
Dr. Charles Burks is portrayed by
Bill Dow
Bill Dow is an actor, director and writer in theatre, film, and television. He is best known for playing Bill Lee in the ''Stargate'' franchise.
Career
He also had a recurring roles as Russ Hathaway in the Canadian drama series ''Da Vinci's I ...
, and appeared in a total of six episodes between 1995 and 2001. First appearing in "The Calusari"
as a digital photo expert and using the nickname Chuck, Dr. Burks was occasionally returned to as an open-minded expert more in line with Mulder's belief in the paranormal than Scully's skepticism. His contributions to X-Files investigations include aura photography
and sonic analysis,
however he also delved into languages
and mysticism
(in the episode "Badlaa", in which he is introduced to
John Doggett
FBI Special Agent John Jay Doggett is a fictional character in the Fox science fiction-supernatural television series ''The X-Files''. With his FBI partners Dana Scully (season 8) and Monica Reyes (season 9), he works on the X-Files which ar ...
as an old friend of
Fox Mulder
Fox William Mulder () is a fictional FBI Special Agent and one of the two protagonists of the Fox science fiction-supernatural television series ''The X-Files'', played by David Duchovny. Mulder's peers dismiss his many theories on extraterr ...
's).
Luis Cardinal
Luis Cardinal is portrayed by Lenno Britos who appeared in a total of four episodes. Cardinal was a
Nicaraguan
Nicaragua, officially the Republic of Nicaragua, is the geographically largest country in Central America, comprising . With a population of 7,142,529 as of 2024, it is the third-most populous country in Central America after Guatemala and ...
mercenary working for the
Cigarette Smoking Man
The Cigarette Smoking Man (abbreviated CSM or C-Man; sometimes referred to as Cancer Man or the Smoking Man) is a fictional character and one of the primary antagonists of the American science fiction drama television series ''The X-Files''. He s ...
, briefly partnered with
Alex Krycek
Alex Krycek is a fictional character in the Fox science fiction-supernatural television series ''The X-Files''. Alex Krycek is played by Nicholas Lea. He is initially introduced in the second season as a partner for FBI Special Agent Fox Mulder i ...
, at which time he killed
Dana Scully
Dana Katherine Scully, M.D., is a fictional character and one of the two protagonists in the Fox science-fiction, supernatural television series ''The X-Files'', played by Gillian Anderson. Scully is a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Spe ...
's sister,
Melissa Scully, in a case of mistaken identity.
He also shot Assistant Director
Walter Skinner
FBI Assistant Director Walter Sergei Skinner is a fictional character portrayed by American actor Mitch Pileggi on ''The X-Files'' and its short-lived spin-off '' The Lone Gunmen'', both broadcast on Fox.
In the science fiction-supernatural s ...
, who had survived.
He was later taken into custody by the
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...
Police Department
The police are a constituted body of people empowered by a state with the aim of enforcing the law and protecting the public order as well as the public itself. This commonly includes ensuring the safety, health, and possessions of citize ...
, and was then eliminated in prison to be silenced.
Arthur Dales
Arthur Dales, portrayed by
Darren McGavin
Darren McGavin (born William Lyle Richardson; May 7, 1922 – February 25, 2006) was an American actor.
McGavin began his career working as a set painter for Columbia Pictures. In 1954, he originated roles in Broadway productions of '' My Three ...
in present-day scenes and
Fredric Lehne
Fredric Lehne (born February 3, 1959) (sometimes credited as Fredric Lane) is an American actor of film, stage, voice and television.
Acting since 1978, he has appeared in more than 200 films, miniseries, and television episodes, as well as st ...
in flashbacks, is a retired FBI agent. In 1952, while Dales investigated suspected communist spies for the
House Un-American Activities Committee
The House Committee on Un-American Activities (HCUA), popularly the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC), was an investigative United States Congressional committee, committee of the United States House of Representatives, created in 19 ...
, he dealt with Edward Skur, a suspected Communist who had an alien spider living
symbiotically inside him. He later discovered two more people with the same affliction, and the case became the first
X-File
In the fictional universe of the television series ''The X-Files'', an "X-File" is a case that has been deemed unsolvable or given minimal-priority status by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. These files are transferred to the X-Files unit. Th ...
.
Dales spent the rest of his career investigating X-Files before an early retirement.
He lived in Washington, D.C. before moving in 1999 to Florida,
where he recruited Mulder and Scully to investigate disappearances caused by a tentacled creature in the midst of a hurricane.
His brother, also called Arthur Dales (
M. Emmet Walsh
Michael Emmet Walsh (March 22, 1935 – March 19, 2024) was an American actor who appeared in over 200 films and television series, including supporting roles as Earl Frank in '' Straight Time'' (1978), the Madman in ''The Jerk'' (1979), Captai ...
, and also played by Lehne in flashbacks), was a police officer in
Roswell, New Mexico
Roswell () is a city in and the county seat of Chaves County, New Mexico, Chaves County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 48,422 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of municipalities in New Mexico, fi ...
, where he met in 1947 Josh Exley, a baseball player who was actually a disguised alien.
Max Fenig
Max Fenig, portrayed by
Scott Bellis
Scott Bellis is a Vancouver-based Canadian actor, director and theatre instructor. He has been working out of Vancouver since 1987. He was appointed as President of Canadian Actors' Equity Association in November 2017, having served as Councillor ...
, was a member of
NICAP
The National Investigations Committee On Aerial Phenomena (NICAP) is an unidentified flying object (UFO) research organization active in the United States from 1956 to 1980. Though NICAP no longer operates in its original form, it remains active ...
who met
Fox Mulder
Fox William Mulder () is a fictional FBI Special Agent and one of the two protagonists of the Fox science fiction-supernatural television series ''The X-Files'', played by David Duchovny. Mulder's peers dismiss his many theories on extraterr ...
in a military detention, after being captured while investigating a possible
UFO
An unidentified flying object (UFO) is an object or phenomenon seen in the sky but not yet identified or explained. The term was coined when United States Air Force (USAF) investigations into flying saucers found too broad a range of shapes ...
crash site. Mulder eventually discovered that Fenig was more than a UFO fanatic, despite
Dana Scully
Dana Katherine Scully, M.D., is a fictional character and one of the two protagonists in the Fox science-fiction, supernatural television series ''The X-Files'', played by Gillian Anderson. Scully is a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Spe ...
's suspicion that his abduction experiences were the result of hallucinations or epilepsy – an illness that was revealed after Fenig suffered a seizure during the episode. Max Fenig lived in a trailer, which was parked at Townsend, Wisconsin, full of UFO material.
Besides being an epileptic, he was constantly in fear of being abducted again and had a red scar in the shape of a triangle behind his ear. Fenig had already heard about Mulder and the X-Files. After being captured in his trailer, Fenig was seen for the last time by Mulder in a waterfront dock floating in the air encased in blue light – he vanished seconds later. He reappeared much later, in a two-part episode during the
fourth season, where he died in a plane crash.
Theresa Hoese
Theresa Hoese (
née
The birth name is the name of the person given upon their birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name or to the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a births registe ...
Nemman) is portrayed by Sarah Koskoff. Hoese was the daughter of Jay Nemman. Her first appearance was when she travelled to a cemetery with her father in her hometown of Bellefleur,
Oregon
Oregon ( , ) is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is a part of the Western U.S., with the Columbia River delineating much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while t ...
. Her father was infuriated with
Fox Mulder
Fox William Mulder () is a fictional FBI Special Agent and one of the two protagonists of the Fox science fiction-supernatural television series ''The X-Files'', played by David Duchovny. Mulder's peers dismiss his many theories on extraterr ...
and
Dana Scully
Dana Katherine Scully, M.D., is a fictional character and one of the two protagonists in the Fox science-fiction, supernatural television series ''The X-Files'', played by Gillian Anderson. Scully is a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Spe ...
, who were preparing to exhume the body of Ray Soames, which he had autopsied earlier. Hoese tried to speak to the FBI agents at the cemetery, but her father forced her to stay in the car in which they had arrived. Eventually, she persuaded her father to leave with her in the car and accompany her home. Later in the same month, Teresa Nemman made an anonymous phone call to Mulder's motel room and informed him that Peggy O'Dell was dead. While Mulder and Scully stood outside one night, Teresa Nemman came to the agents and pleaded for their help. She was later
kidnapped by
Billy Miles and nearly
abducted by aliens, but was saved by Mulder and Scully.
Seven years later she met Mulder and Scully again, married at the time to Ray Hoese, and living with her husband and baby. By this time she had changed her name from Nemman to Hoese. She was later kidnapped by an
Alien Bounty Hunter
The Colonists are an extraterrestrial species and are also the primary group of antagonists in the science fiction television show ''The X-Files'' as well as the first ''X-Files'' feature film. The mystery revolving around their identity and pu ...
She was returned to
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun and the only astronomical object known to Planetary habitability, harbor life. This is enabled by Earth being an ocean world, the only one in the Solar System sustaining liquid surface water. Almost all ...
in "
This Is Not Happening
"This Is Not Happening" is the fourteenth episode of the eighth season and the 175th episode overall of the science fiction television series ''The X-Files''. The episode first aired in the United States on February 25, 2001, on the Fox Netwo ...
", which led to an investigation by
John Doggett
FBI Special Agent John Jay Doggett is a fictional character in the Fox science fiction-supernatural television series ''The X-Files''. With his FBI partners Dana Scully (season 8) and Monica Reyes (season 9), he works on the X-Files which ar ...
and Scully.
Theresa nearly died but was saved by
Jeremiah Smith. She later appeared in a
slide show
A slide show, or slideshow, is a presentation of a series of still images ( slides) on a projection screen or electronic display device, typically in a prearranged sequence. The changes may be automatic and at regular intervals or they may b ...
in "
Three Words".
Albert Hosteen
Albert Hosteen is portrayed by
Floyd Red Crow Westerman
Floyd Westerman (August 17, 1936 – December 13, 2007) was a Sisseton Dakota musician, political activist, and actor. After establishing a career as a country music singer, later in his life he became an actor, usually depicting Native America ...
. Hosteen was a
Navajo
The Navajo or Diné are an Indigenous people of the Southwestern United States. Their traditional language is Diné bizaad, a Southern Athabascan language.
The states with the largest Diné populations are Arizona (140,263) and New Mexico (1 ...
code talker whom
Dana Scully
Dana Katherine Scully, M.D., is a fictional character and one of the two protagonists in the Fox science-fiction, supernatural television series ''The X-Files'', played by Gillian Anderson. Scully is a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Spe ...
sought out for help to translate the encrypted files on a digital disc obtained by
Fox Mulder
Fox William Mulder () is a fictional FBI Special Agent and one of the two protagonists of the Fox science fiction-supernatural television series ''The X-Files'', played by David Duchovny. Mulder's peers dismiss his many theories on extraterr ...
. The word "Hosteen" means "old man" in the Navaho language. He led Mulder to a buried boxcar filled with the corpses of human-
alien hybrid
Hybrid may refer to:
Science
* Hybrid (biology), an offspring resulting from cross-breeding
** Hybrid grape, grape varieties produced by cross-breeding two ''Vitis'' species
** Hybridity, the property of a hybrid plant which is a union of two diff ...
s.
Hosteen saved Mulder's life after he nearly died in the boxcar after an attack by the
Men in Black
In popular culture and UFO conspiracy theories, men in black (MIB) are government agents dressed in dark suits, who question, interrogate, harass, and threaten unidentified flying object (UFO) witnesses to keep them silent about what they have ...
. Soon after, he traveled to
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...
where he prayed over
Melissa Scully in the hospital.
Years later, Hosteen returned when he once again was called to translate alien writing from an artifact found in
Côte d'Ivoire
Ivory Coast, also known as Côte d'Ivoire and officially the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, is a country on the southern coast of West Africa. Its capital city of Yamoussoukro is located in the centre of the country, while its largest city and ...
.
Hosteen was later taken to a New Mexico hospital due to an unexplained illness, with his doctors fearing the worst. Hosteen died after spending two weeks in a coma. Before dying, Hosteen's spirit appeared to Scully several times in her apartment, imploring her to find and save her missing partner before
Syndicate
A syndicate is a self-organizing group of individuals, companies, corporations or entities formed to transact some specific business, to pursue or promote a shared interest.
Etymology
The word ''syndicate'' comes from the French word ''syndic ...
scientists could remove and study the immunity he had to the
alien virus inside him and use it in their plans for surviving
Colonization
475px, Map of the year each country achieved List of sovereign states by date of formation, independence.
Colonization (British English: colonisation) is a process of establishing occupation of or control over foreign territories or peoples f ...
. Hosteen subtly guided her to Mulder's location encouraging a more spiritual route; Hosteen and Scully prayed for Mulder. The next morning, he vanished, having died the night before.
Michael Kritschgau
Michael Kritschgau is portrayed by
John Finn
John Joseph Finn (born September 30, 1952) is an American character actor known as one of the leads of the television programs ''Cold Case'' and '' EZ Streets''. Finn has also had supporting roles in the films '' The Hunted'' (2003), ''Analyze ...
. Kritschgau was an employee of the
Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense (DoD, USDOD, or DOD) is an executive department of the U.S. federal government charged with coordinating and supervising the six U.S. armed services: the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, Space Force, ...
who claimed to know the entire truth behind the insidious government
conspiracy
A conspiracy, also known as a plot, ploy, or scheme, is a secret plan or agreement between people (called conspirers or conspirators) for an unlawful or harmful purpose, such as murder, treason, or corruption, especially with a political motivat ...
. He encountered
Scully in a university laboratory, where he pushed her down stairs while attempting to escape. After Scully tracked him down, he met with her and
Mulder Mulder is a surname of two possible origins: Dutch and German.
It may be Dutch language occupational surname. It is an archaic Dutch word for "miller" (modern Dutch: '' molenaar''). With 38,207 people in the Netherlands named Mulder, it was the 12 ...
to tell them the truth as he understood it. He explained that the entire
alien and
UFO
An unidentified flying object (UFO) is an object or phenomenon seen in the sky but not yet identified or explained. The term was coined when United States Air Force (USAF) investigations into flying saucers found too broad a range of shapes ...
conspiracy was nothing more than an elaborate series of lies to draw attention away from sinister
military
A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. Militaries are typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with their members identifiable by a d ...
experiments on an unsuspecting public.
So-called "
abductions" were actually careful military tests involving chemical and biological warfare, among other things. Kritschgau's son died as a result of
Gulf War Syndrome, which he fell party to because of his work at the
Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is a research and development agency of the United States Department of Defense responsible for the development of emerging technologies for use by the military. Originally known as the Adva ...
and connections to a pharmaceutical company called
Roush. Following the incidents, Kritschgau was fired.
In 1999, the discovery of an
alien spacecraft off the coast of Africa caused Mulder to begin experiencing intense mental trauma. While in the hospital, Mulder requested that
Skinner bring in Kritschgau, who would know what to do. Kritschgau recognized Mulder's symptoms from his work in the
CIA
The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA; ) is a civilian foreign intelligence service of the federal government of the United States tasked with advancing national security through collecting and analyzing intelligence from around the world and ...
and was able to identify the correct drug to slow down Mulder's brain activity to a normal level. He then became involved in the investigation of the spacecraft symbols, having hacked into Scully's computer and downloading the images she took. Kritschgau's involvement was soon noticed.
Alex Krycek
Alex Krycek is a fictional character in the Fox science fiction-supernatural television series ''The X-Files''. Alex Krycek is played by Nicholas Lea. He is initially introduced in the second season as a partner for FBI Special Agent Fox Mulder i ...
was sent to steal his files and burn his apartment, but only after he shot Kritschgau dead.
The name for this character came from Gillian Anderson's real-life friend from growing up in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Richard Matheson
Senator
A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or Legislative chamber, chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the Ancient Rome, ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior ...
Richard Matheson, portrayed by
Raymond J. Barry
Raymond John Barry (born March 14, 1939) is an American film, television, and stage actor. He was nominated for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male for his performance in the film '' Steel City''.
Personal life
Raymond John Ba ...
, was a politician that took a liking to
Fox Mulder
Fox William Mulder () is a fictional FBI Special Agent and one of the two protagonists of the Fox science fiction-supernatural television series ''The X-Files'', played by David Duchovny. Mulder's peers dismiss his many theories on extraterr ...
and was interested in his work at the
FBI
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic Intelligence agency, intelligence and Security agency, security service of the United States and Federal law enforcement in the United States, its principal federal law enforcement ag ...
. After the
X-Files
''The X-Files'' is an American science fiction drama television series created by Chris Carter. The original series aired from September 10, 1993, to May 19, 2002, on Fox, spanning nine seasons, with 202 episodes. A tenth season of six e ...
were shut down in 1994, Matheson prompted Mulder to visit the
Arecibo Observatory
The Arecibo Observatory, also known as the National Astronomy and Ionosphere Center (NAIC) and formerly known as the Arecibo Ionosphere Observatory, is an observatory in Barrio Esperanza, Arecibo, Puerto Rico owned by the US National Science F ...
in
Puerto Rico
; abbreviated PR), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, is a Government of Puerto Rico, self-governing Caribbean Geography of Puerto Rico, archipelago and island organized as an Territories of the United States, unincorporated territo ...
to continue his search for the truth. Eventually, Matheson distanced himself from Mulder because he felt his political career might be in jeopardy.
Later that year, Mulder went to Matheson's office in an attempt to contact him to gain information about Scully's abduction, but he was intercepted by
X, who told him that Matheson could not give him the information he wanted without risking himself.
He later gave Mulder a lead that led him to government program to import Japanese scientists to the US after
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
. Mulder ran into Matheson years later while investigating a mysterious illness contracted by
Walter Skinner
FBI Assistant Director Walter Sergei Skinner is a fictional character portrayed by American actor Mitch Pileggi on ''The X-Files'' and its short-lived spin-off '' The Lone Gunmen'', both broadcast on Fox.
In the science fiction-supernatural s ...
. Matheson was directly involved in an illicit deal concerning
nanotechnology
Nanotechnology is the manipulation of matter with at least one dimension sized from 1 to 100 nanometers (nm). At this scale, commonly known as the nanoscale, surface area and quantum mechanical effects become important in describing propertie ...
. The incident further soured relations between Mulder and Matheson.
Billy Miles
Billy Miles, portrayed by
Zachary Ansley, appeared in five episodes of the series. First seen as the apparently comatose son of a detective from the town Bellefleur,
Oregon
Oregon ( , ) is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is a part of the Western U.S., with the Columbia River delineating much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while t ...
, Billy was later revealed to be unwittingly assisting in the abductions and deaths of several of his former high school classmates whilst controlled by another presence.
Eight years later, having recovered from these events, and now a sheriff's deputy, Miles contacted Mulder and Scully to seek their aid investigating a possible UFO crash. During the course of this investigation, Miles, and Mulder, were abducted.
Miles' body was later recovered, in an advanced state of decay, from which was he not only revived, but recreated as a "
super soldier
A super soldier (or supersoldier) is a concept soldier capable of operating beyond normal human abilities through technological augmentation or (in fictional depictions) genetic modification or cybernetic augmentation. Soldiers that obtain greate ...
", an advanced form of alien-human hybrid.
In this new form, Miles set his sights on killing all of those involved in monitoring Scully's abnormal pregnancy, eventually targeting Scully herself.
Bill Mulder
William "Bill" Mulder is portrayed by
Peter Donat
Peter Donat (born Pierre Collingwood Donat; January 20, 1928 – September 10, 2018) was a Canadian-American actor.
Early life
Pierre Collingwood Donat was born in Kentville, Nova Scotia, Canada, the son of Marie (née Bardet) and Philip Ernst ...
. William was the father of
Fox
Foxes are small-to-medium-sized omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull; upright, triangular ears; a pointed, slightly upturned snout; and a long, bushy tail ("brush").
Twelve species ...
and
Samantha Mulder
Samantha Ann Mulder is a fictional character in the television series ''The X-Files''. She is the younger sister of FBI Special Agent Fox Mulder and the daughter of Teena and Bill Mulder. As a child, Samantha was abducted, ostensibly by aliens, ...
and husband of
Teena Mulder
''The X-Files'' is an American science fiction television series first broadcast in September 1993 and followed by two feature films: ''The X-Files'' and '' The X-Files: I Want to Believe.'' The characters defined the overarching mythology of ...
. He was born in
California
California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...
in 1936. As a young man, he began working for the government and eventually the
State Department
The United States Department of State (DOS), or simply the State Department, is an executive department of the U.S. federal government responsible for the country's foreign policy and relations. Equivalent to the ministry of foreign affairs o ...
. Among his colleagues were
Deep Throat,
Alvin Kurtzweil, and the
Cigarette Smoking Man
The Cigarette Smoking Man (abbreviated CSM or C-Man; sometimes referred to as Cancer Man or the Smoking Man) is a fictional character and one of the primary antagonists of the American science fiction drama television series ''The X-Files''. He s ...
.
In 1973, the group of men became organized as the
Syndicate
A syndicate is a self-organizing group of individuals, companies, corporations or entities formed to transact some specific business, to pursue or promote a shared interest.
Etymology
The word ''syndicate'' comes from the French word ''syndic ...
. As part of the
colonization
475px, Map of the year each country achieved List of sovereign states by date of formation, independence.
Colonization (British English: colonisation) is a process of establishing occupation of or control over foreign territories or peoples f ...
plot, the members of the Syndicate were to exchange a loved one each for an alien fetus. Possession of the fetus would allow the Syndicate to begin development of an
alien-
human
Humans (''Homo sapiens'') or modern humans are the most common and widespread species of primate, and the last surviving species of the genus ''Homo''. They are Hominidae, great apes characterized by their Prehistory of nakedness and clothing ...
hybrid
Hybrid may refer to:
Science
* Hybrid (biology), an offspring resulting from cross-breeding
** Hybrid grape, grape varieties produced by cross-breeding two ''Vitis'' species
** Hybridity, the property of a hybrid plant which is a union of two diff ...
. Mulder was against this exchange and did not appear at El Rico Air Force Base with a loved one as planned. In order to secure the exchange, an alien
spacecraft
A spacecraft is a vehicle that is designed spaceflight, to fly and operate in outer space. Spacecraft are used for a variety of purposes, including Telecommunications, communications, Earth observation satellite, Earth observation, Weather s ...
was sent to retrieve his daughter, Samantha, who had been selected by Mulder instead of his son, Fox. Horrified at his own involvement, Mulder came up with the plan to create a
vaccine
A vaccine is a biological Dosage form, preparation that provides active acquired immunity to a particular infectious disease, infectious or cancer, malignant disease. The safety and effectiveness of vaccines has been widely studied and verifi ...
against the alien
virus
A virus is a submicroscopic infectious agent that replicates only inside the living Cell (biology), cells of an organism. Viruses infect all life forms, from animals and plants to microorganisms, including bacteria and archaea. Viruses are ...
that would be used during colonization. Even though he got his way and development of the vaccine began,
Mulder suffered further personal trauma when he and his wife divorced. He moved from their home in
Chilmark to another in
West Tisbury, Massachusetts
West Tisbury is a New England town, town located on Martha's Vineyard in Dukes County, Massachusetts, Dukes County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 3,555 at the 2020 census. Along with Chilmark, Massachusetts, Chilmark and Aquin ...
.
In 1995, William planned to divulge all his secrets to his son after encountering a cloning, clone of Samantha fleeing an alien bounty hunter. However, the Syndicate learned of his intention to reveal the truth to Mulder, and
Alex Krycek
Alex Krycek is a fictional character in the Fox science fiction-supernatural television series ''The X-Files''. Alex Krycek is played by Nicholas Lea. He is initially introduced in the second season as a partner for FBI Special Agent Fox Mulder i ...
was sent to prevent it. Krycek murdered William in his vacation home on Martha's Vineyard.
Teena Mulder
Elizabeth "Teena" Mulder (née Kuipers) was portrayed by Rebecca Toolan. She was the wife of
State Department
The United States Department of State (DOS), or simply the State Department, is an executive department of the U.S. federal government responsible for the country's foreign policy and relations. Equivalent to the ministry of foreign affairs o ...
official #Bill Mulder, Bill Mulder and mother to
Fox
Foxes are small-to-medium-sized omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull; upright, triangular ears; a pointed, slightly upturned snout; and a long, bushy tail ("brush").
Twelve species ...
and
Samantha Mulder
Samantha Ann Mulder is a fictional character in the television series ''The X-Files''. She is the younger sister of FBI Special Agent Fox Mulder and the daughter of Teena and Bill Mulder. As a child, Samantha was abducted, ostensibly by aliens, ...
. Teena was born in Ohio in 1941.
Around 1961, Teena had a brief extramarital affair with the
Cigarette Smoking Man
The Cigarette Smoking Man (abbreviated CSM or C-Man; sometimes referred to as Cancer Man or the Smoking Man) is a fictional character and one of the primary antagonists of the American science fiction drama television series ''The X-Files''. He s ...
, a friend of Bill's.
Fox Mulder
Fox William Mulder () is a fictional FBI Special Agent and one of the two protagonists of the Fox science fiction-supernatural television series ''The X-Files'', played by David Duchovny. Mulder's peers dismiss his many theories on extraterr ...
was born later that year. In 1965, she gave birth to
Samantha Mulder
Samantha Ann Mulder is a fictional character in the television series ''The X-Files''. She is the younger sister of FBI Special Agent Fox Mulder and the daughter of Teena and Bill Mulder. As a child, Samantha was abducted, ostensibly by aliens, ...
. In November 1973, Samantha was Kidnapping, abducted from the family home in Chilmark, Massachusetts, ultimately leading to Teena and Bill's divorce. Teena likely knew more about Samantha's abduction and the Syndicate than she ever let on, but kept this information to herself, either to protect her son, or because it was too painful for her to bring up.
In 1996, she suffered a stroke at the Mulder family's former summerhouse in Quonochontaug, Rhode Island. She survived thanks to a quick emergency call from
X, paramedics were able to save her life, but she remained in a coma.
The Cigarette Smoking Man later convinced a bounty hunter to heal her.
Years later in 2000, Teena committed
suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death.
Risk factors for suicide include mental disorders, physical disorders, and substance abuse. Some suicides are impulsive acts driven by stress (such as from financial or ac ...
after learning that she was terminally ill with a disfiguring disease called Paget's Carcinoma. Before her death, she subtly requested that Fox accept that Samantha was gone and move on with his life.
Sean Pendrell
Special Agent Sean Pendrell is portrayed by actor Brendan Beiser. Agent Pendrell first appeared as an employee of the FBI's Sci-Crime Lab who assisted Dana Scully, Agent Scully in her investigations in the The X-Files season 3, third season.
Pendrell shows a helpful demeanor, a self-deprecating nature and nurses an obvious crush on Agent
Dana Scully
Dana Katherine Scully, M.D., is a fictional character and one of the two protagonists in the Fox science-fiction, supernatural television series ''The X-Files'', played by Gillian Anderson. Scully is a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Spe ...
. He provides analytical assistance to
Mulder Mulder is a surname of two possible origins: Dutch and German.
It may be Dutch language occupational surname. It is an archaic Dutch word for "miller" (modern Dutch: '' molenaar''). With 38,207 people in the Netherlands named Mulder, it was the 12 ...
and Scully over the course of several episodes, showing a particular aptitude for working with computers and biological materials.
His feelings for Scully, however, remain unrequited love, unrequited; in the fourth-season episode "Tempus Fugit (The X-Files), Tempus Fugit", Pendrell runs into Scully in a bar. He seizes the opportunity to buy her a birthday drink. On his way back to Scully's table, Pendrell is caught in the crossfire of a shootout with a
Syndicate
A syndicate is a self-organizing group of individuals, companies, corporations or entities formed to transact some specific business, to pursue or promote a shared interest.
Etymology
The word ''syndicate'' comes from the French word ''syndic ...
assassin, taking a bullet. He subsequently dies of his wound, leaving Scully to mourn that she had never even learned his first name.
Gibson Praise
Gibson Andrew Praise is a character portrayed by Jeff Gulka. Gibson is introduced as a young chess prodigy who thwarted the assassination attempt on his life by stepping back out of the path of a sniper bullet.
Jeffrey Spender
FBI Special agent Jeffrey Frank Spender is a fictional character in the American Fox television series ''The X-Files'', a science fiction show about a government conspiracy to hide or deny the truth of alien existence. Spender (along with his ...
was assigned to investigate the case, but
Fox Mulder
Fox William Mulder () is a fictional FBI Special Agent and one of the two protagonists of the Fox science fiction-supernatural television series ''The X-Files'', played by David Duchovny. Mulder's peers dismiss his many theories on extraterr ...
intruded on the briefing and immediately came to the conclusion that Gibson sensed the shot pre-cognitively. The investigation led
Dana Scully
Dana Katherine Scully, M.D., is a fictional character and one of the two protagonists in the Fox science-fiction, supernatural television series ''The X-Files'', played by Gillian Anderson. Scully is a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Spe ...
to find that Gibson had an unusual level of development in one brain lobe not yet fully understood by neuroscience. Mulder thought Gibson might be the key to understanding human potential and to everything in the
X-File
In the fictional universe of the television series ''The X-Files'', an "X-File" is a case that has been deemed unsolvable or given minimal-priority status by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. These files are transferred to the X-Files unit. Th ...
s. He interrogated the would-be assassin in prison, who said the boy was a "missing link", and Mulder jumped to the conclusion that Gibson had alien genetic structure and was proof of ancient astronauts.
Mulder, Scully, and
Diana Fowley attempted to keep Gibson safe and under guard, suspecting that Syndicate (The X-Files), the alien conspirators were the ones behind the attempted assassination, but Fowley was shot while at her post, and Gibson was subsequently kidnapped by the
Syndicate
A syndicate is a self-organizing group of individuals, companies, corporations or entities formed to transact some specific business, to pursue or promote a shared interest.
Etymology
The word ''syndicate'' comes from the French word ''syndic ...
.
Months later, after the events of The X-Files (film), the movie, Mulder and Scully found Gibson hiding in their car. Gibson's skull had been cut open and stitched back shut, signs that the Syndicate scientists had conducted experiments or investigations on his brain. They took him to the hospital, where he was soon kidnapped again by an operative of the
Cigarette Smoking Man
The Cigarette Smoking Man (abbreviated CSM or C-Man; sometimes referred to as Cancer Man or the Smoking Man) is a fictional character and one of the primary antagonists of the American science fiction drama television series ''The X-Files''. He s ...
.
In 2000, Scully found Gibson living in Arizona in a school for the deaf, where he was apparently in hiding from alien bounty hunters or a New Syndicate like organization, who wanted him because he was "part alien".
At the end of the episode,
John Doggett
FBI Special Agent John Jay Doggett is a fictional character in the Fox science fiction-supernatural television series ''The X-Files''. With his FBI partners Dana Scully (season 8) and Monica Reyes (season 9), he works on the X-Files which ar ...
said Gibson had become a ward of the state, and had been put under special protection.
His final appearance was in the series finale, where it was revealed that Mulder had been hiding with Gibson in New Mexico for the duration of his ninth season absence. Gibson volunteered to be a witness at Mulder's trial, despite Mulder's objection that he should stay hidden. After Mulder and Scully leave to make their final escape, Agents Doggett and
Monica Reyes
Monica Julieta Reyes is a fictional character in the Fox science fiction-supernatural television series ''The X-Files''. She is portrayed by Annabeth Gish. At first a Field Agent before becoming a Special Agent with the FBI, she works with her ...
vowed that they would try to keep him safe – a promise that Gibson took with a grain of salt, knowing the capabilities of his past captors.
William Scully Jr.
William "Bill" Scully, Jr. was portrayed by Pat Skipper and Ryan DeBoer, and Joshua Murray during childhood flashbacks. He was the eldest son of Bill and #Margaret Scully, Margaret Scully and brother to Dana Scully, Dana, #Melissa Scully, Melissa, and Charles Scully. Bill, Jr. had followed in his father's footsteps and joined the U.S. Navy. Bill, Jr. was never impressed with
Fox Mulder
Fox William Mulder () is a fictional FBI Special Agent and one of the two protagonists of the Fox science fiction-supernatural television series ''The X-Files'', played by David Duchovny. Mulder's peers dismiss his many theories on extraterr ...
and got angry with Dana when she did not tell him about her
cancer
Cancer is a group of diseases involving Cell growth#Disorders, abnormal cell growth with the potential to Invasion (cancer), invade or Metastasis, spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Po ...
. He did not understand why she had not told anyone or why she was still at work. Dana told him she still had responsibility to the people in her life, even though she had not told them about it. Bill angrily asked Dana if her responsibility was to Mulder, and if so, why was he not with her after she was pushed down the stairs by #Michael Kritschgau, Michael Kritschgau. She ignored his question.
Dana Scully ended up in the hospital after she collapsed at the hearing into Mulder's death. Mulder first met Bill Jr. when he and his mother came to visit Scully. Bill asked Mulder to leave the work out of Scully's illness, to "let her die with dignity". Later, when Mulder brought the chip to Scully as a possible cure, Bill again attacked him. He accused Mulder of being the reason why he lost one sister and now it seemed like he was losing Dana too.
Bill became increasingly worried about his sister when she stayed with him and his wife Tara one Christmas. Dana received a strange phone call that lead to the house of a woman who had apparently committed suicide. Scully believed that the voice on the phone was Melissa's. She disappeared from the house, physically and emotionally, quite a bit over the Christmas Holiday, Christmas holidays, and Bill became worried when she told him she believed Melissa rang from beyond the grave to get her to help Christmas Carol (The X-Files), Emily Sim, and that she believed Emily was Melissa's daughter. He sympathized with Scully's desire to have a child, because he and Tara had not been able to become parents for years until the time of the episode. He tried to convince her Melissa was not Emily's mother and showed her a photograph of Melissa obviously not pregnant about four weeks before Emily was born, to which Dana replied that there may have been surrogate motherhood and that the family did not know much about Melissa's whereabouts at that time. Bill and Mrs. Scully are shocked to learn that Dana Scully is in fact Emily's mother.
They all attended Emily's funeral and were distraught for Scully.
Margaret Scully
Margaret "Maggie" Scully was portrayed by actor Sheila Larken. Margaret, or "Maggie" as she was called by her husband, Bill Scully, is the mother of
Dana Scully
Dana Katherine Scully, M.D., is a fictional character and one of the two protagonists in the Fox science-fiction, supernatural television series ''The X-Files'', played by Gillian Anderson. Scully is a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Spe ...
and her three siblings: #Bill Scully, William "Bill" Scully, Jr.,
Melissa Scully and Charles Scully.
Margaret was widowed early in the series, since her husband died of a massive Myocardial infarction, heart attack.
She may have a bit of psychic intuition – when Dana is kidnapped, Margaret confessed to Mulder that she had had a premonition about Dana, but was afraid to tell her skeptical daughter.
In 2016, Margaret suffered a heart attack and went into a coma. Dana revealed that Margaret's advance healthcare directive allowed life support to be applied, however she was unaware that Margaret had revoked it and replaced it with a Do not resuscitate, DNR a year earlier. After hearing Charles Scully's voice on the phone, Margaret briefly awoke from her coma before passing away, with Mulder and Dana by her side. Her last words to Mulder were "My son is named William, too".
Melissa Scully
Melissa "Missy" Scully was portrayed by Melinda McGraw as an adult and Rebecca Codling and Lauren Diewold during childhood flashbacks. Melissa was the sister of Dana Scully, Dana, Bill and Charles, and the daughter of Beyond the Sea (The X-Files), William and #Margaret Scully, Margaret. Melissa believed in new age mysticism, whereas Dana was a firm believer in hard science. Melissa came to see Dana when she had returned to the hospital after her abduction and claimed she could feel Dana's spirit was still inside her body.
After Scully discovered the implant placed in her neck, Melissa suggested her to undertake regression therapy in an attempt to uncover the truth about her abduction. Melissa was shot in the head by mistake by Men in Black (The X-Files)#Luis Cardinal/Hispanic Man, Luis Cardinal and
Alex Krycek
Alex Krycek is a fictional character in the Fox science fiction-supernatural television series ''The X-Files''. Alex Krycek is played by Nicholas Lea. He is initially introduced in the second season as a partner for FBI Special Agent Fox Mulder i ...
, who were trying to kill her sister Dana, as she entered Scully's apartment ("The Blessing Way (The X-Files), The Blessing Way").
As Melissa lay dying in hospital, Dana asked for List of minor The X-Files characters#Albert Hosteen, Albert Hosteen to go and pray for her ailing sister,
as he had done for
Fox Mulder
Fox William Mulder () is a fictional FBI Special Agent and one of the two protagonists of the Fox science fiction-supernatural television series ''The X-Files'', played by David Duchovny. Mulder's peers dismiss his many theories on extraterr ...
shortly before.
However, Hosteen was not confident of the outcome and Melissa soon died.
Dana eventually detained and arrested Cardinal during his assassination attempt on
Walter Skinner
FBI Assistant Director Walter Sergei Skinner is a fictional character portrayed by American actor Mitch Pileggi on ''The X-Files'' and its short-lived spin-off '' The Lone Gunmen'', both broadcast on Fox.
In the science fiction-supernatural s ...
while Skinner was being transported in an ambulance. Upon being questioned by Dana, Cardinal denied involvement in Melissa's death, implicating Krycek as her killer.
However, Cardinal was in fact the trigger man.
Cardinal later died in his cell, his death made to look like a suicide.
Some time after her death, Scully began to receive mysterious phone calls from someone sounding mysteriously like Melissa. After discovering Emily Sim, Scully is at first under the impression that the young girl is in fact Melissa's daughter, before discovering that she is in fact the child's mother.
Second Elder
The Second Elder is portrayed by George Murdock (actor), George Murdock. He is a member of the
Syndicate
A syndicate is a self-organizing group of individuals, companies, corporations or entities formed to transact some specific business, to pursue or promote a shared interest.
Etymology
The word ''syndicate'' comes from the French word ''syndic ...
. While it was never made clear what power the Second Elder held in the Syndicate, it is clear that he did not have the same power as the #First Elder, First Elder or Conrad Strughold. He seemed to be a
skeptic
Skepticism ( US) or scepticism ( UK) is a questioning attitude or doubt toward knowledge claims that are seen as mere belief or dogma. For example, if a person is skeptical about claims made by their government about an ongoing war then the p ...
and wanted to collaborate with the Colonist (The X-Files), Colonists since he did not believe in the
Alien rebels
The Colonists are an extraterrestrial species and are also the primary group of antagonists in the science fiction television show ''The X-Files'' as well as the first ''X-Files'' feature film. The mystery revolving around their identity and pu ...
. The Second Elder made his first appearance in "The Red and the Black (The X-Files), The Red and the Black" in The X-Files season 5, season 5.
The #Well-Manicured Man, Well-Manicured Man showed photos of the Faceless Rebel to the Syndicate Elders at the hospital. The First Elder and Second Elder discussed what appeared to be self-mutilation, but deduced it was some sort of protection against the Black oil (The X-Files), black oil. The rebel was the lone survivor of a crashed spacecraft at a military base in
West Virginia
West Virginia is a mountainous U.S. state, state in the Southern United States, Southern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States.The United States Census Bureau, Census Bureau and the Association of American ...
. Already possessing the Russian vaccine obtained by
Alex Krycek
Alex Krycek is a fictional character in the Fox science fiction-supernatural television series ''The X-Files''. Alex Krycek is played by Nicholas Lea. He is initially introduced in the second season as a partner for FBI Special Agent Fox Mulder i ...
, the Well-Manicured Man and the Elders realize that their ultimate goal of stopping the alien invasion (whilst maintaining the facade of assisting it), may be achieved by creating an alliance with the alien resistance. To test the effectiveness of the vaccine,
Marita Covarrubias
Marita Covarrubias is a fictional character on the American science fiction television series ''The X-Files''. She was initially introduced as an informant, leaking diplomatic information to Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI Special Agent Fox ...
was injected with it.
The Second Elder's final appearance was in "Two Fathers". The The Smoking Man, Cigarette Smoking Man called the Second Elder at his home to inform of the Rebel attack. He had called an emergency meeting of the Syndicate and encouraged the Second Elder to attend. The Second Elder indicated that he would catch the next plane, then hung up the phone. Shortly afterward, he was killed by a Rebel, which then infiltrates the Syndicate's meeting disguised as the Second Elder. The rebel in disguise is later killed by
Alex Krycek
Alex Krycek is a fictional character in the Fox science fiction-supernatural television series ''The X-Files''. Alex Krycek is played by Nicholas Lea. He is initially introduced in the second season as a partner for FBI Special Agent Fox Mulder i ...
after a failed attempt by
Jeffrey Spender
FBI Special agent Jeffrey Frank Spender is a fictional character in the American Fox television series ''The X-Files'', a science fiction show about a government conspiracy to hide or deny the truth of alien existence. Spender (along with his ...
.
Jeremiah Smith
Jeremiah Smith is portrayed by Roy Thinnes. Smith was an
alien member of the resistance against the
Syndicate
A syndicate is a self-organizing group of individuals, companies, corporations or entities formed to transact some specific business, to pursue or promote a shared interest.
Etymology
The word ''syndicate'' comes from the French word ''syndic ...
who exhibited healing and shape shifting abilities. He gained public attention after saving the lives of several people following a shooting in a fast food restaurant. It is likely that Smith was an alias, because at least five employees around the country used the name while working at the Social Security Administration. One Smith was captured by the Syndicate and held for execution by the
Alien Bounty Hunter
The Colonists are an extraterrestrial species and are also the primary group of antagonists in the science fiction television show ''The X-Files'' as well as the first ''X-Files'' feature film. The mystery revolving around their identity and pu ...
but was able to escape and contact
Fox Mulder
Fox William Mulder () is a fictional FBI Special Agent and one of the two protagonists of the Fox science fiction-supernatural television series ''The X-Files'', played by David Duchovny. Mulder's peers dismiss his many theories on extraterr ...
.
Mulder and
Dana Scully
Dana Katherine Scully, M.D., is a fictional character and one of the two protagonists in the Fox science-fiction, supernatural television series ''The X-Files'', played by Gillian Anderson. Scully is a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Spe ...
saved Smith from the bounty hunter in hope that he would save the life of Mulder's #Teena Mulder, mother, who had just suffered a stroke. However, Smith brought Mulder to Canada and revealed a Syndicate-run program involving bees. Confronted with the bounty hunter yet again, Smith fled, leaving Mulder on his own.
Smith resurfaced in 2001 after being discovered by
Monica Reyes
Monica Julieta Reyes is a fictional character in the Fox science fiction-supernatural television series ''The X-Files''. She is portrayed by Annabeth Gish. At first a Field Agent before becoming a Special Agent with the FBI, she works with her ...
. In Montana, he was found amongst a cult based on the belief that the apocalypse was near and would be brought about by aliens. He helped the cult's leader, Absalom, heal returned Kidnapping, abductees. Scully realized he was involved after observing the remarkable healing of the abductees and the fact that someone appeared to change their appearance on a security video. Upon the mysterious return of Mulder, Scully sought out Smith to heal him, but Smith was abducted by the UFO that appeared over the camp.
Cassandra Spender
Cassandra Anne Spender is portrayed by Veronica Cartwright. Cassandra was a multiple Kidnapping, abductee, critical to the plans of the
Syndicate
A syndicate is a self-organizing group of individuals, companies, corporations or entities formed to transact some specific business, to pursue or promote a shared interest.
Etymology
The word ''syndicate'' comes from the French word ''syndic ...
. She was the ex-wife of
The Smoking Man
The Cigarette Smoking Man (abbreviated CSM or C-Man; sometimes referred to as Cancer Man or the Smoking Man) is a fictional character and one of the primary antagonists of the American science fiction drama television series ''The X-Files''. He s ...
and mother of Special Agent
Jeffrey Spender
FBI Special agent Jeffrey Frank Spender is a fictional character in the American Fox television series ''The X-Files'', a science fiction show about a government conspiracy to hide or deny the truth of alien existence. Spender (along with his ...
, as well as "Patient X (The X-Files), Patient X", the primary test subject in the project to develop an
alien-
human
Humans (''Homo sapiens'') or modern humans are the most common and widespread species of primate, and the last surviving species of the genus ''Homo''. They are Hominidae, great apes characterized by their Prehistory of nakedness and clothing ...
hybrid
Hybrid may refer to:
Science
* Hybrid (biology), an offspring resulting from cross-breeding
** Hybrid grape, grape varieties produced by cross-breeding two ''Vitis'' species
** Hybridity, the property of a hybrid plant which is a union of two diff ...
.
Cassandra first came to the attention of Special Agent
Fox Mulder
Fox William Mulder () is a fictional FBI Special Agent and one of the two protagonists of the Fox science fiction-supernatural television series ''The X-Files'', played by David Duchovny. Mulder's peers dismiss his many theories on extraterr ...
while proclaiming her belief that the aliens were coming to promote peace. At the time, Mulder was disillusioned by the revelations of #Michael Kritschgau, Michael Kritschgau. He did not believe Cassandra's insisting that the aliens were calling her and other abductees to "lighthouses", where
colonization
475px, Map of the year each country achieved List of sovereign states by date of formation, independence.
Colonization (British English: colonisation) is a process of establishing occupation of or control over foreign territories or peoples f ...
would begin, despite a mass incineration of abductees at Skyland Mountain, where
Dana Scully
Dana Katherine Scully, M.D., is a fictional character and one of the two protagonists in the Fox science-fiction, supernatural television series ''The X-Files'', played by Gillian Anderson. Scully is a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Spe ...
had been abducted three years earlier.
A rebel group of aliens who mutilated themselves to avoid infection by the Black oil (The X-Files), black oil were attempting to destroy the work the Syndicate had done, finally summoning both Scully and Cassandra to the same site in Pennsylvania. Before the rebels could manage to destroy the group, however, an alien UFO, craft appeared overhead and abducted Cassandra.
Cassandra later reappeared in a train car in Virginia, where Physician, doctors who had been operating on her were burned alive by the same faceless rebel aliens. She had been cured of her former disabilities, but now believed the aliens had far more sinister motives than she had originally thought, having learned of their plans for colonization. Demanding to see Agent Mulder, she explained her newfound concerns, then insisted that she be killed before everyone else died.
She was then taken by a decontamination team led by
Diana Fowley for her presentation to the alien colonists. Before she could be presented, however, the site was overrun by alien rebels, who killed many of the key players of the syndicate, as well as Cassandra herself.
Cassandra appeared in a flashback in the The X-Files season 11, eleventh season premiere "My Struggle III", portrayed by actress Fiona Vroom.
Toothpick Man
Toothpick Man is portrayed by New Zealand actor Alan Dale.
His role in the series was the leader of the Syndicate (The X-Files), New Syndicate. During the ninth season he worked within the FBI.
He is noted for consistently fiddling a toothpick. Although he appeared human, he was exposed to be an alien by #Gibson Praise, Gibson Praise in the final episode (albeit the viewing audience was earlier shown the characteristic alien 'super-soldier' bumps on the back of his neck at the end of the The X-Files season 9, season nine episode "Providence (The X-Files), Providence").
Toothpick Man was created to replace
The Smoking Man
The Cigarette Smoking Man (abbreviated CSM or C-Man; sometimes referred to as Cancer Man or the Smoking Man) is a fictional character and one of the primary antagonists of the American science fiction drama television series ''The X-Files''. He s ...
(portrayed by
William B. Davis), who had been written out at the end of The X-Files season 7, season 7. He had access to the President of the United States, as can be seen in a deleted scene of the final episode.
Jackson Van De Kamp
Jackson Van De Kamp (born William Scully III) is the son of FBI Special Agent
Dana Scully
Dana Katherine Scully, M.D., is a fictional character and one of the two protagonists in the Fox science-fiction, supernatural television series ''The X-Files'', played by Gillian Anderson. Scully is a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Spe ...
and
Fox Mulder
Fox William Mulder () is a fictional FBI Special Agent and one of the two protagonists of the Fox science fiction-supernatural television series ''The X-Files'', played by David Duchovny. Mulder's peers dismiss his many theories on extraterr ...
as well the adopted son of Mr. and Mrs. Van De Kamp. He was born in the The X-Files season 8, eighth-season finale, "
Existence
Existence is the state of having being or reality in contrast to nonexistence and nonbeing. Existence is often contrasted with essence: the essence of an entity is its essential features or qualities, which can be understood even if one does ...
". Throughout the last two seasons of the series William was encompassed by an aura of mystique, ranging from his origin to the apparent supernatural abilities he possessed.
At some point, Scully made the decision to have a child through in vitro fertilization, and asked Mulder to be the sperm donor, to which he agreed, as revealed via Flashback (narrative), flashback.
It was said in this same episode that the ''in vitro'' attempt failed. There were apparently no repeat attempts, and it is unclear exactly when in the series timeline this took place. It is heavily implied throughout the
seventh season that Scully and Mulder's relationship was developing into the romantic sphere. In The X-Files season 9, season nine, it was confirmed that sexual encounters had occurred between the agents prior to Requiem (The X-Files), Mulder's abduction.
In "Essence (The X-Files), Essence", Mulder's inner monologue reflects: "How did this child come to be? What set its heart beating? Is it the product of a union or the work of a divine hand?" suggesting William may have been conceived naturally through intercourse, by some
paranormal
Paranormal events are purported phenomena described in popular culture, folk, and other non-scientific bodies of knowledge, whose existence within these contexts is described as being beyond the scope of normal scientific understanding. Not ...
intervention, or perhaps some measure of both.
In ''
The X-Files: I Want to Believe'', and the The X-Files season 10, tenth season, both Mulder and Scully referred to William as ''their'' son. However, in season 11 it is revealed that William is in fact the son of C.G.B Spender,
The Smoking Man
The Cigarette Smoking Man (abbreviated CSM or C-Man; sometimes referred to as Cancer Man or the Smoking Man) is a fictional character and one of the primary antagonists of the American science fiction drama television series ''The X-Files''. He s ...
. He was medically conceived in season 7 while Scully was unconscious. He is played by Miles Robbins while Jerry Shiban (the son of John Shiban) and several other children play him as an infant, Bentley Hixsons plays him as a young child, Chase Nicholson plays him as a preteen, Austin Dunn plays him as a young teen, Keith Arbuthnot plays him as Ghouli, François Chau plays him as Peter Wong and
David Duchovny
David William Duchovny ( ; born ) is an American actor, writer, and musician. He received his breakthrough with the role of Fox Mulder in The X-Files franchise, earning Golden Globe Award as well as nominations for two Primetime Emmy Awards a ...
plays him as Mulder. The version seen in Scully's dream is played by siblings Hannah Longworth, Aiden Longworth and Rowan Longworth as a child, preteen and teen respectively.
Eugene Victor Tooms
Eugene Victor Tooms is portrayed by Doug Hutchison. Tooms is an immortal genetic mutant who subsists entirely off of human livers and able to elongate and contort his body to inhuman degrees, hibernating for 30 years between his feeding periods. Tooms frequently steals personal items from his victims, keeping them as trophies.
During his latest feeding period in 1993, Tooms is pursued by Mulder and Scully. Tooms decides on Scully as his final victim and breaks into her home in an attempt to murder her, only for Mulder to arrive. The two are able to incapacitate Tooms and he is subsequently incarcerated in a sanitarium.
Tooms is later released and resumes his job as a dog catcher while staying at a halfway house. Tooms's efforts to feed on another victim are hampered by Mulder's vigilance. After framing Mulder for assaulting him and filing a restraining order against him, Tooms murders and feeds on his psychologist. Mulder and Scully track Tooms down to beneath a mall built over his apartment complex and previous lair. After a confrontation with Mulder in his newfound home, Tooms is trapped beneath an escalator and crushed to death when it is activated.
Notes
Footnotes
References
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{{DEFAULTSORT:X-Files the Characters, List Of
Lists of X-Files characters, Characters