Inside a sports arena, two chess masters, a Russian man and an odd-looking 12-year-old
boy named Gibson Praise, engage in a battle of the minds as an audience sits in reverential
silence. High above the crowd, on a catwalk overhanging the arena, a sniper aims his rifle
towards the back of the child’s head. As the gunman slowly squeezes the trigger, the little
boy announces “checkmate,” and slides back in his chair. A gunshot rings out… and the
Russian falls to the floor, dead. Meanwhile, two armed, masked figures close in on the cabin
where the Cigarette-Smoking Man has holed up. A sensor alerts the Cigarette-Smoking Man
to their presence, and he manages to kill one of them before making his escape into the
woods. The second masked gunman gets the drop on his prey… and reveals himself as Alex
Krycek.
Skinner briefs Mulder on the death of the Russian chess player. It turns out that the
sniper is a former member of the National Security Agency. The case was assigned to Agent
Spender, who specified that Mulder be excluded from the investigation. Despite this, Mulder
and Skinner crash Spender’s briefing. While viewing videotape of the assassination, Mulder
reaches the conclusion that the shooter’s target was Gibson–not the Russian–as the boy
reacted in an almost precognitive fashion moments before the shot rang out. Spender
disagrees with the theory. Agent Diana Fowley, an attractive woman in her thirties, opines
that Mulder is correct. Spender rewinds the tape… and forms the same conclusion.
The Cigarette-Smoking Man meets with the Syndicate Elders. Labeling Gibson a threat,
they ask for the Cigarette-Smoking Man’s help in orchestrating his elimination.
Mulder, Scully and Diana Fowley visit Gibson inside a psychiatric hospital. The boy
declines Mulder’s invitation to match wits against a cheap chess computer… giving
credence to Mulder’s suspicion that the boy is not a chess master, but a mind reader. Tests
on the child’s brain reveal that Gibson is, indeed, clairvoyant. Later, Mulder visits the
shooter in his cell. He offers him immunity from prosecution in exchange for his
cooperation.
Scully cannot help but notice chemistry between Mulder and Fowley. She pays the Lone
Gunman an unexpected visit. She gives them data from the tests performed on Gibson, and
asks that it be analyzed. Scully also asks for information on Diana Fowley. The three men
confirm that she and Mulder were an item back when Mulder graduated from the Academy
and first discovered the existence of the X-Files. Scully returns to the psychiatric hospital
intending to show Mulder the data she has accumulated. But when she approaches the
observation room, she notices Mulder and Diana inside… and Diana holding Mulder’s hand.
Scully, a confusion of emotions, both personal and professional, leaves the hospital. When
Mulder enters the hospital’s parking garage to retrieve his car, he notices Spender talking to
the Cigarette-Smoking Man. Mulder pushes Spender hard in the chest, demanding to know
his business. Spender explains that he does not know the identity of the mysterious man. He
then reveals that the shooter wishes to speak with Mulder.
Scully meets with Skinner and Mulder to reveal the results of the psychiatric tests on
Gibson. It turns out that an area of the child’s brain, dubbed the “God Module” by
neurophysicists, exhibits extraordinary activity. Mulder believes the child’s life is in danger
because of his gift, as it might be the key to solving the unexplained phenomena contained
within the X-Files. He also suspects that the assassin holds the key to the vast conspiracy
working against him. Skinner points out that the very existence of the X-Files would be put at
risk if he asks the Attorney General to grant immunity to the assassin. Later, Mulder
approaches the shooter and asks him for information he can corroborate. He reveals that
Gibson is a missing link–genetic proof of man’s relationship to an alien race .
The Cigarette-Smoking Man puts his plan in motion. The assassin is murdered inside his
cell. Shortly thereafter, a bullet strikes Fowley as she stands watch over Gibson. The
Cigarette-Smoking Man delivers the child to the Well-Manicured Man and Krycek.
When Mulder sees Spender at the Bureau, he pushes him into a wall. He angrily accuses
him of orchestrating Gibson’s disappearance in conjunction with the Cigarette Smoking Man.
Other agents restrain Mulder, dragging him away. Spender responds by stating that Mulder’s
days are numbered. Later, Scully informs her partner there is talk of shutting down the
X-Files. That night, the Cigarette-Smoking Man sneaks into Mulder’s office and steals a file
on Samantha Mulder. He then addresses Spender face-to-face. He informs him that he is his
father. Suddenly, a fire alarm sounds and agents make their way into the hallway. The
Cigarette-Smoking Man disappears into the crowd. Later, Mulder inspects the damage to his
office, where the cabinet containing the X-Files is a melted skeleton. Scully places her arms
around her partner, offering support.
THE X-FILES “THE END” #5X20
Original Air Date: 05/17/98
CAST:
DAVID DUCHOVNY as Special Agent Fox Mulder
GILLIAN ANDERSON as Special Agent Dana Scully
GUEST CAST:
Mitch Pileggi as Assitant Director Walter Skinner
Mimi Rogers as Agent Diana Fowley
William B. Davis as the Cigarette-Smoking Man
Chris Owens as Agent Spender
John Neville as the Well-Manicured Man
Bruce Harwood as Byers
Tom Braidwood as Frohike
Dean Haglund as Langly
Nick Lea as Agent Krycek
Jeff Gulka as Gibson
Martin Ferraro as Shooter
Don S. Williams as 1st Elder
George Murdock as 2nd Elder
John Moore as 3rd Elder
WRITTEN BY:
CHRIS CARTER
DIRECTED BY:
R.W. GOODWIN
