And now… we reach an absolute pivotal moment in the X-Files history. In an episode that actually brought a tear to my eye, we must say goodbye to three men who have seen the X-Files throughout the last nine years, who’ve helped Mulder, Scully, Skinner, Reyes, and Doggett without falling under the pressure, and continued to remain alive despite making powerful enemies. That’s right… this is the episode where the Lone Gunmen die.

The episode starts with a fantastic tribute to the work the Lone Gunmen have put in over the years. With clips mostly from their own series (which I will watch once the X-Files is complete), it details a couple of extra characters that we won’t know about unless you’ve seen ‘The Lone Gunmen’ TV Series. Morris Fletcher also plays an important role by coming to Doggett and Reyes after an attempt on his life is made.

Now having left the government, he’s working for a foreign billionaire (and terrorist, though he doesn’t know it yet). He states he now wants to give them all the information they can handle in exchange for his protection. Doggett has a hard time believing it and goes to leave… when Morris lets out the word Super Soldiers. He points them in the direction of a woman named Louis Runtz (aka Yves Adele Harlow). Doggett and Reyes head to the Lone Gunmen for help in tracking her down, only to learn she is a fellow hacker who was snatched by the government a while ago. Since then, The Lone Gunmen have spent all their time and effort in searching for her - they’ve not published a paper in months, and have had to sell all their equipment in order to fund it.

Morris lets them know her real name and they track her to a hotel. After discovering that she’s murdering people they intervene and everyone questions her - where she lets out a rather large story.

Instead of the super solider story - Morris lead Doggett and Reyes to look for Louis, knowing they would find her, because Louis is his daughter! What he didn’t know is that she is attempting to stop a terrorist threat which the men she murdered were responsible for.

A deadly virus had been grafted into them and would be released later that day. After the Lone Gunmen prevented her from killing the second terrorist, they begin to question how long they can go on for - Byers states they will keep fighting till the end, but that maybe the world can only be saved by the newer generation (looking at Jimmy Bond, their apprentice from their own series). On tracking down the last terrorist guy, they have no time to stop the virus being released and killing everyone. Frohinkie notices the fire alarm, looks over at the other two and they all agree.

They pull the alarm which locks them in with the bad guy who starts to release the virus. Jimmy and Louis don’t make it in time and there is an emotional time between Jimmy and the guys through the small glass window.

We then cut to the funeral where we see three white coffins, and that Skinner has managed to get them into Arlington National Cemetery - a place for true patriotic heroes. Scully, Skinner, Doggett, Monica, Jimmy, Louis and Kimmy all attend the service, where Scully mentions that they were so important to her, and she wasn’t sure if they knew that (presumably thanks to the ties Mulder reminded her of).

Do from their very first appearance in season one, where they help Mulder uncover the truth in episode E.B.E, to their funeral service in season 9. It was a short but sweet service, and their memory will last for ever - after all, they did spend all their time defending the defenceless, and saving the world.

This is the moment when the Lone Gunmen finally retire from the X-Files legacy.