Time for things to get a little more emotionally difficult for Mulder when the realization of Scully’s possible death hits Mulder while talking to her mum. We learn of Scully’s past, in which she shot a BB gun at some poor, defenceless snake – killing it. It’s possible this was the moment in her life when she decided to become someone who saves lives. We also discover she has a sister called Melissa. However all is not happy memories when some store guy reveals a headstone… labelled Dana Katherine Scully, 1964 – 1994. With a quote from John 5:07 - “The Spirit is the Truth”.

Things only get worse when Mulder gets a call from someone unknown to us, and he heads for the hospital, where Scully is laying unconscious, and more tubes attached to her then ever. Mulder looses it slightly and accuses the doctor of being ‘in on it’. When her condition doesn’t improve and the family need to decide weather to turn the machines off. Scully’s will already states they should. The episode takes a little bit of a spiritual turn when Melissa makes her first real on-screen appearance and tried to ‘heal’ Scully the hippy way.

Meanwhile, someone attempts to steal some of her blood, gets chased down by Mulder, but executed by Deep Throats associate. Skinner makes his first stand against smoking man with a ‘No Smoking’ sign, and fails. While we also learn of Mulder’s amateur love for basketball. This episode is also the first time Mulder acknowledges smoking man by calling him ‘Cancer man’. Mulder then begins a downward spiral of hatred and betrayal when he believes he is responsible for Scully’s vegetable state and hands in his resignation to Skinner. Skinner’s pep talk justify why Mulder’s resignation is ‘unacceptable’ teaches us he was a vet in the marine core, and was forced to shoot a 10 year old kid strapped with grenades… now that’s troubled.

Perhaps this is enough to make Mulder reconsider, but he still feels he’s lost Scully, that is… until she wakes up through the miracle of Mulder’s beliefs. Other points of interest in this episode include Mulder’s apartment being tossed over yet again. There are many references to the larger picture thanks to the help of the Lone Gunmen.