End Game is a chess term used to describe the later stages of a chess game when there are few pieces left on the board. The pawns become more important in the game. In reference to the x-files episode of the same name, who are the pawns? Are they the clones of Samantha who sacrifice themselves so that the original can survive? Or is it Mulder being used as a pawn by the alien bounty hunter (ABH) to expose the clones so that he can kill them? These are thought-provoking questions that can enhance your enjoyment of this episode. What I like about the ABH is that no only can he morph into whomever he wants, but he can also don the personality of the person whom he is impersonating. That makes him especially dangerous. This episode is just as exciting as Colony. It doesn't skip a beat. The elevator fight scene between X and Skinner is classic. It's great to see Skinner sticking up for Mulder and Scully. And, in the grand tradition of the x-files, it leaves lots of questions unanswered, making us ask for more.
12 Reviews
Endgame indeed.
Sleepin_Dragon2 October 2020
End Game indeed, you always wonder if a two part story that begins to incredibly well, will end on a flat tone, Colony was wonderful, this is equally as good.
This was an exhilarating episode, pulse racing from start to finish. The story was so good, so well written and complex. The alien bounty hunter was a terrific character, very chilling.
Some very nice special effects, the scenes of the corpse falling apart looked great.
Great to see Skinner thrown into the action, it's made that mystery man even more interesting.
I found myself in the previous episode having to check back to see if I'd missed an episode, Mulder's predicament seemed so odd, this episode surely does explain that dramatic opening.
Superb, 9/10.
This was an exhilarating episode, pulse racing from start to finish. The story was so good, so well written and complex. The alien bounty hunter was a terrific character, very chilling.
Some very nice special effects, the scenes of the corpse falling apart looked great.
Great to see Skinner thrown into the action, it's made that mystery man even more interesting.
I found myself in the previous episode having to check back to see if I'd missed an episode, Mulder's predicament seemed so odd, this episode surely does explain that dramatic opening.
Superb, 9/10.
We have the good... and the brilliant
SleepTight66630 July 2008
Warning: Spoilers
Although this episode is far from perfect, and has a couple of things that seriously bug me. It is still a huge improvement over the last episode. And for the most part... it's kind of epic.
What bugged me was the Samantha story. It's blagh once you already know what was going to happen. And like I have said before. I hate how she turned out to be a clone like that. It's what hurts this episode the most for me.
But then we have the good... and the brilliant. The good. I loved Skinner in this episode. He kicked some serious ass... literally. and Scully and Mulder shared one of the cutest scenes in the longest time. She saved his life, like he saved hers. She returned the favor.
the brilliant part of the episode? oh man, that was the thing with the submarine. Very, very cool. You could almost feel that thing decapitating you when it was going to kill Mulder. and the Terminator feeling of the bounty hunter... though he wasn't that great of a villain. I still felt it.
So besides some weakness, it's a very good episode. **** stars.
What bugged me was the Samantha story. It's blagh once you already know what was going to happen. And like I have said before. I hate how she turned out to be a clone like that. It's what hurts this episode the most for me.
But then we have the good... and the brilliant. The good. I loved Skinner in this episode. He kicked some serious ass... literally. and Scully and Mulder shared one of the cutest scenes in the longest time. She saved his life, like he saved hers. She returned the favor.
the brilliant part of the episode? oh man, that was the thing with the submarine. Very, very cool. You could almost feel that thing decapitating you when it was going to kill Mulder. and the Terminator feeling of the bounty hunter... though he wasn't that great of a villain. I still felt it.
So besides some weakness, it's a very good episode. **** stars.
"It was all a lie."
classicsoncall31 May 2017
Warning: Spoilers
The prior episode "Colony", the first half of this story, offered an interesting hint about the real character of Samantha (Megan Leitch) if one was perceptive enough to pick up on it. But you could only decipher it by watching this episode. It occurs when Samantha explains to her brother that he wouldn't be able to identify the Alien Bounty Hunter (Brian Thompson), but that she would. If you think back, in every encounter of one of the doctor clones with ABH, they knew immediately it was their enemy coming after them. Whether by instinct or some unknown manner of intuition, they knew who the bad guy was. I thought that was pretty clever, and it was never overtly revealed, so that made it even cooler.
So now The X-Files really spins it's wheels confusing the viewer with the myriad twists and turns of the cloned Samanthas, the cloned doctors, and the shape shifting Alien Bounty Hunter. Whenever you have a tense scene with a confrontation between the principal characters, you have to be on your guard wondering if what you're watching is really what you're seeing. Case in point, the confrontation between Skinner (Mitch Pileggi) and Mr. X (Steven Williams). For a minute there, I thought Skinner was the ABH, tracking him down for the whereabouts of Mulder. The next best thing then, I guess, had Skinner beating it out of X so Scully could try to make the save for her partner.
But at least now we know that the existence of extraterrestrials is the real thing in the X-Files universe. The clones may be a watered down version, or 'diluted' as faux Samantha explains, thereby triggering the release of the Bounty Hunter to exterminate the unsanctioned species created by the experimentation of the doctor clones. And it came to make sense why all the clones wound up working at abortion clinics; it provided easy access to all the fetal tissue they needed for their experiments combining human with alien DNA. The writers closed the loop on that story here, it was really very well done.
So now The X-Files really spins it's wheels confusing the viewer with the myriad twists and turns of the cloned Samanthas, the cloned doctors, and the shape shifting Alien Bounty Hunter. Whenever you have a tense scene with a confrontation between the principal characters, you have to be on your guard wondering if what you're watching is really what you're seeing. Case in point, the confrontation between Skinner (Mitch Pileggi) and Mr. X (Steven Williams). For a minute there, I thought Skinner was the ABH, tracking him down for the whereabouts of Mulder. The next best thing then, I guess, had Skinner beating it out of X so Scully could try to make the save for her partner.
But at least now we know that the existence of extraterrestrials is the real thing in the X-Files universe. The clones may be a watered down version, or 'diluted' as faux Samantha explains, thereby triggering the release of the Bounty Hunter to exterminate the unsanctioned species created by the experimentation of the doctor clones. And it came to make sense why all the clones wound up working at abortion clinics; it provided easy access to all the fetal tissue they needed for their experiments combining human with alien DNA. The writers closed the loop on that story here, it was really very well done.
She's alive. Can you die now?
Sanpaco1318 October 2008
Warning: Spoilers
End Game the Limerick:
Scully is taken away
By the bounty hunter to make a trade
Samantha he picks
But Mulder was tricked
And he goes on an ice capade.
"End Game" is the conclusion to the two parter that starts with "Colony". In the first half, Agent Mulder is first seen in a makeshift ER out in the middle of nowhere suffering from hypothermia and Scully rushes in demanding that his body temperature not be raised as it is the only thing keeping him alive. We are then shown the events leading up to this moment throughout the following episodes. Mulder's sister is returned but we find out that there are people after her. In the final scene of "Colony" we see Scully faced with Mulder in her hotel room while at the same time she is on the phone with him. This is where "End Game" begins. Scully plays it cool until she can get her gun ready and pulls it on Mulder, the act is very convincing as Mulder insists that it is him and keeps asking what's wrong. Soon we see that Scully made the right choice but unfortunately the Alien Bounty Hunter has some crazy strength and slams her into the wall. Scully is taken hostage in exchange for Samantha and Mulder agrees to make the trade. They post a sharp shooter whose orders are to shoot the bounty hunter through the base of the neck. The trade goes through but the sharp shooter can't get a clean shot and instead the bounty hunter and Samantha fall into the river below. The Bounty Hunter carries out his task under water, killing Samantha and escapes. There is a very touching scene where Mulder has to meet his dad and tell him that he has lost his sister again. Poor Mulder at this point does not realize that it was not his actual sister but an alien human hybrid clone of her that he was met with. He learns this by going to a women's clinic where he meets several other clones who beg him for his help in saving them. He fails in this attempt however as well. Frustrated and obsessed with finding his sister, Mulder arranges to meet with Mr. X and find out where the alien's ship is, out in the arctic ocean. He goes there and has another run in with the alien bounty hunter who beats him up, gives him some ambiguous information about his sister being alive (which is not true) and dumps Mulder over the side of the ship. Scully knows that Mulder is in danger of death and tries to find out where he has gone. This is one of the coolest scenes in all of the X-Files. Mr. X comes to Mulder's apartment after Scully summons him with the tape on the window and then finding it is not Mulder he leaves. He then runs into Skinner on the elevator and a fight ensues. Skinner vs. X is by far the coolest fight scene in the entire show although it doesn't last as long as I'd like. Skinner would have won but X pulls a gun. He gives Skinner the information anyway so that Scully can go save Mulder. Here we return to the beginning of the previous episode with Scully rushing in to save Mulder's life and he goes through some recovery processes. The exposure to the alien toxic blood congeals human blood and is only avoidable by keeping the blood cool. So Mulder undergoes transfusions, and recovery and wakes up to find Scully at his side as always. This is an entertaining mythology two parter and I don't have anything negative to say about it. 10 out of 10.
Scully is taken away
By the bounty hunter to make a trade
Samantha he picks
But Mulder was tricked
And he goes on an ice capade.
"End Game" is the conclusion to the two parter that starts with "Colony". In the first half, Agent Mulder is first seen in a makeshift ER out in the middle of nowhere suffering from hypothermia and Scully rushes in demanding that his body temperature not be raised as it is the only thing keeping him alive. We are then shown the events leading up to this moment throughout the following episodes. Mulder's sister is returned but we find out that there are people after her. In the final scene of "Colony" we see Scully faced with Mulder in her hotel room while at the same time she is on the phone with him. This is where "End Game" begins. Scully plays it cool until she can get her gun ready and pulls it on Mulder, the act is very convincing as Mulder insists that it is him and keeps asking what's wrong. Soon we see that Scully made the right choice but unfortunately the Alien Bounty Hunter has some crazy strength and slams her into the wall. Scully is taken hostage in exchange for Samantha and Mulder agrees to make the trade. They post a sharp shooter whose orders are to shoot the bounty hunter through the base of the neck. The trade goes through but the sharp shooter can't get a clean shot and instead the bounty hunter and Samantha fall into the river below. The Bounty Hunter carries out his task under water, killing Samantha and escapes. There is a very touching scene where Mulder has to meet his dad and tell him that he has lost his sister again. Poor Mulder at this point does not realize that it was not his actual sister but an alien human hybrid clone of her that he was met with. He learns this by going to a women's clinic where he meets several other clones who beg him for his help in saving them. He fails in this attempt however as well. Frustrated and obsessed with finding his sister, Mulder arranges to meet with Mr. X and find out where the alien's ship is, out in the arctic ocean. He goes there and has another run in with the alien bounty hunter who beats him up, gives him some ambiguous information about his sister being alive (which is not true) and dumps Mulder over the side of the ship. Scully knows that Mulder is in danger of death and tries to find out where he has gone. This is one of the coolest scenes in all of the X-Files. Mr. X comes to Mulder's apartment after Scully summons him with the tape on the window and then finding it is not Mulder he leaves. He then runs into Skinner on the elevator and a fight ensues. Skinner vs. X is by far the coolest fight scene in the entire show although it doesn't last as long as I'd like. Skinner would have won but X pulls a gun. He gives Skinner the information anyway so that Scully can go save Mulder. Here we return to the beginning of the previous episode with Scully rushing in to save Mulder's life and he goes through some recovery processes. The exposure to the alien toxic blood congeals human blood and is only avoidable by keeping the blood cool. So Mulder undergoes transfusions, and recovery and wakes up to find Scully at his side as always. This is an entertaining mythology two parter and I don't have anything negative to say about it. 10 out of 10.
I found something I thought I'd lost
faith to keep looking.
alexandercappelli12 February 2016
Warning: Spoilers
"I found something I thought I'd lost
faith to keep looking." – Fox Mulder.
Episode 17, 'End Game', original air date February 17th, 1995. Written by Frank Spotnitz, directed by Rob Bowman. Mythology episode count, 12. The conclusion to the two part mythology story line that began with 'Colony', which is arguably the superior of the two, thanks mainly to the competent direction from Rob Bowman. This is the first credited work of Frank Spotnitz who will go on to become a key collaborator in the series as a writer and executive producer, contributing to both feature films and creating the short lived spin-off series, 'The Lone Gunman'. Spotnitz also worked as a producer on 'Harsh Realm' and 'Millennium', two other Carter produced shows, and has returned for the 2016 mini-series event. Spotnitz worked closely with Carter over the years to develop the mythology of the show. A great deal of what will become the tangled web of secret government conspiracies, interwoven counter-plots and entangled backstories was intricately constructed by these two. 'End Game' heaps exposition at us by the bucket load at such an overwhelming pace that it's difficult to take it all in upon first viewing. Spotnitz attempts to answer the questions left by 'Colony' though in the process we're left scratching our heads, searching for the missing pieces while second guessing the information handed to us, is this the ever elusive 'truth', or yet another deception? Even so it's a hell of a ride.
Samantha provides Mulder with some valuable information about the Alien Bounty Hunter. There are secret genetic experiments being performed by alien clones in order to set up an extra terrestrial colony on earth. However another alien, the Bounty Hunter, has been sent to end these experiments which are seen to be tainting the alien race. What we also learn later in the episode is that Samantha is in fact a clone herself, one of many, who are working on this project and are in grave danger. This is why they sent one of their own to pose as Mulder's biological sister, in order to gain his trust and manipulate him in to aiding their cause.
Early on Mulder and Scully clash over the fatal ramifications of his single minded pursuit of the truth and this comes to a head with him distancing himself from her in order to protect her both physically and her career. While chasing down the Bounty Hunter, Mulder is exposed to the alien retrovirus and we come full circle to the opening of 'Colony' in which Scully is warning the doctors that the only thing keeping Mulder alive is the cold temperature that mutes the effect of the virus. Ultimately Mulder is saved by his partner, and while he lacks any hard evidence his spirit is reinvigorated with the will to keep searching for answers.
The pacing of this episode is tighter than it's predecessor and Bowman's direction shapes a more noticeably polished experience. The scenes in Alaska towards the end of the episode are a definite highlight, the submarine/spacecraft submerged in the ice provides a memorable visual spectacle that is a key element to the climactic finish of this two-parter. Once again the relationship between the agents is tested, only to be strengthened further by the events that take place. Scully is, somewhat disappointingly, placed in the damsel-in-distress role once again, relying on Mulder to save her. However, the tables turn and Scully plays the role of savior, returning the favor. If anything this episode shows us that Mulder and Scully are a team and when they're separated physically or at odds with one another, trouble will ensue.
Scully attempts to enlist Skinner's help when Mulder performs his disappearing act but she is met with hostility and a resistance to lend support. However as we've begun to expect from Skinner, he is all to aware of his superiors discovering where his allegiance lies and he turns out to, literally, fight for the information which helps save Mulder's life. Scully contacts X using Mulder's usual method though he is unwilling to help when he finds out it's her. Skinner however confronts X as he attempts to leave the building which results in a violent encounter. Proving conclusively that Skinner is in fact willing to risk a great deal for his subordinates on a personal and professional level, and has a personal stake in the X-Files unit. This is a turning point for the character of Skinner whom we now see as a true ally to the agents. In the position that he's in, Skinner is perhaps more aware of how deep the conspiracy goes than Mulder himself, who is really at this stage of the game still quite naive.
Introducing Samantha only to effectively kill her off in the next episode feels a little cheap. It might have been nice to keep her around a little longer before revealing the truth about her so that as an audience we could develop a relationship with the character which would in turn give the reveal more impact. On a positive note, the Bounty Hunter's shape-shifting ability is a great device at creating tension as we're never sure exactly who is who in this story. During the interaction between fake Mulder and Scully in her apartment there's really no way to tell whether it's him or not and this very effective. Even during the final encounter in the submarine you're just about to start trusting the disheveled and frightened crew member before he reveals his true nature. Overall, the 'Colony' and 'End Game' story-line establishes some rich mythology based plot that really helps to begin to flesh out the X-Files universe and show us what the series is capable of.
Episode 17, 'End Game', original air date February 17th, 1995. Written by Frank Spotnitz, directed by Rob Bowman. Mythology episode count, 12. The conclusion to the two part mythology story line that began with 'Colony', which is arguably the superior of the two, thanks mainly to the competent direction from Rob Bowman. This is the first credited work of Frank Spotnitz who will go on to become a key collaborator in the series as a writer and executive producer, contributing to both feature films and creating the short lived spin-off series, 'The Lone Gunman'. Spotnitz also worked as a producer on 'Harsh Realm' and 'Millennium', two other Carter produced shows, and has returned for the 2016 mini-series event. Spotnitz worked closely with Carter over the years to develop the mythology of the show. A great deal of what will become the tangled web of secret government conspiracies, interwoven counter-plots and entangled backstories was intricately constructed by these two. 'End Game' heaps exposition at us by the bucket load at such an overwhelming pace that it's difficult to take it all in upon first viewing. Spotnitz attempts to answer the questions left by 'Colony' though in the process we're left scratching our heads, searching for the missing pieces while second guessing the information handed to us, is this the ever elusive 'truth', or yet another deception? Even so it's a hell of a ride.
Samantha provides Mulder with some valuable information about the Alien Bounty Hunter. There are secret genetic experiments being performed by alien clones in order to set up an extra terrestrial colony on earth. However another alien, the Bounty Hunter, has been sent to end these experiments which are seen to be tainting the alien race. What we also learn later in the episode is that Samantha is in fact a clone herself, one of many, who are working on this project and are in grave danger. This is why they sent one of their own to pose as Mulder's biological sister, in order to gain his trust and manipulate him in to aiding their cause.
Early on Mulder and Scully clash over the fatal ramifications of his single minded pursuit of the truth and this comes to a head with him distancing himself from her in order to protect her both physically and her career. While chasing down the Bounty Hunter, Mulder is exposed to the alien retrovirus and we come full circle to the opening of 'Colony' in which Scully is warning the doctors that the only thing keeping Mulder alive is the cold temperature that mutes the effect of the virus. Ultimately Mulder is saved by his partner, and while he lacks any hard evidence his spirit is reinvigorated with the will to keep searching for answers.
The pacing of this episode is tighter than it's predecessor and Bowman's direction shapes a more noticeably polished experience. The scenes in Alaska towards the end of the episode are a definite highlight, the submarine/spacecraft submerged in the ice provides a memorable visual spectacle that is a key element to the climactic finish of this two-parter. Once again the relationship between the agents is tested, only to be strengthened further by the events that take place. Scully is, somewhat disappointingly, placed in the damsel-in-distress role once again, relying on Mulder to save her. However, the tables turn and Scully plays the role of savior, returning the favor. If anything this episode shows us that Mulder and Scully are a team and when they're separated physically or at odds with one another, trouble will ensue.
Scully attempts to enlist Skinner's help when Mulder performs his disappearing act but she is met with hostility and a resistance to lend support. However as we've begun to expect from Skinner, he is all to aware of his superiors discovering where his allegiance lies and he turns out to, literally, fight for the information which helps save Mulder's life. Scully contacts X using Mulder's usual method though he is unwilling to help when he finds out it's her. Skinner however confronts X as he attempts to leave the building which results in a violent encounter. Proving conclusively that Skinner is in fact willing to risk a great deal for his subordinates on a personal and professional level, and has a personal stake in the X-Files unit. This is a turning point for the character of Skinner whom we now see as a true ally to the agents. In the position that he's in, Skinner is perhaps more aware of how deep the conspiracy goes than Mulder himself, who is really at this stage of the game still quite naive.
Introducing Samantha only to effectively kill her off in the next episode feels a little cheap. It might have been nice to keep her around a little longer before revealing the truth about her so that as an audience we could develop a relationship with the character which would in turn give the reveal more impact. On a positive note, the Bounty Hunter's shape-shifting ability is a great device at creating tension as we're never sure exactly who is who in this story. During the interaction between fake Mulder and Scully in her apartment there's really no way to tell whether it's him or not and this very effective. Even during the final encounter in the submarine you're just about to start trusting the disheveled and frightened crew member before he reveals his true nature. Overall, the 'Colony' and 'End Game' story-line establishes some rich mythology based plot that really helps to begin to flesh out the X-Files universe and show us what the series is capable of.
A great episode in this 2 part-er
derangedxzombie17 June 2021
Science saves lifes but it is not god!
CursedChico26 October 2020
Warning: Spoilers
This time scully saved mulder's life. With the help of another doctor. He said cold deactivated the virus.
Mulder was very brave to go to face to that alien and in the end, he was almost dead. Again the alien did not kill him.
And in the end, scully wrote to report that "still could not be found where virus came from". But from previous episode, they know about alien blood does it?
The bounty hunter went through deep of ocean instead of sky :) it was interesting.
Mulder was very brave to go to face to that alien and in the end, he was almost dead. Again the alien did not kill him.
And in the end, scully wrote to report that "still could not be found where virus came from". But from previous episode, they know about alien blood does it?
The bounty hunter went through deep of ocean instead of sky :) it was interesting.
End Game
lassegalsgaard9 January 2024
Warning: Spoilers
A lot has been said over the years about the direction that this show eventually took its mythology episodes in. There has been a lot of frustrating thoughts from fans that the show became too convoluted for its own good and that the mythology episodes started to lose a lot of steam and value in the grand scheme of the show. While watching these episodes, I was a little taken aback by the knowledge of these frustrations as I was watching an episode that I felt knew exactly where they wanted to go and it felt like the storyline was on a track that would eventually be revealed and make a lot of sense. However, there's clearly a lot of webs being tangled, so it would make sense for the writers to eventually forget about some of them, which is my fear with most every show that I watch. But with these two episodes, the show has taken a very personal and devastating direction that clearly was built off of things that we had been invested in for a long time, and this second part served only to take those things away and further fuel the mystery behind Samantha Mulder and her strange return. This episode is not afraid to go into weird territory to up its own writing, and the way that it goes is very fascinating, plus it offers up some of the show's best action to date and a very scary and effective ending that was brilliantly teased in the previous episode.
These episodes are heavily focused on Mulder and his personal ties to the case at hand. He has been faced with several paradoxes throughout the show, and these last two may have put him in dangerous territory with his own ideals. It feels like he's losing his step a little bit and decides to trust too many people who claim that he is close to finding the answers he's been looking for. It's a great arc for Mulder, but it makes me worried that the show may be falting a little bit on his motivations to the point of no return.
However, it works really well here, and this episode especially proved how far he has come and how he has opened himself up to Scully. He was willing to sacrifice the thing that he had been looking for since before the show to save his partner, and that is not only a win for their stans, but a win for Mulder, who needed one at this point to repair his failing relationship with Scully. It's the trust between them that will always be there, and we, as well as they, have to accept that, and they do in this.
It's fun to see the other parts of the FBI come to play a little bit. We've only ever seen Skinner in the confines of his office, but to see him in the field and actually get a really cool fight scene between him and Mr. X wasn't something I knew that I wanted, but really did. I hope that he'll get a bit more to do in later episodes and will be a little friendlier with our leads, but knowing the kind of people that he has to deal with above him, I doubt that's actually going to happen.
I feel like I've been commenting on David Duchovny's acting a lot, but it has to be said that he is really doing great work in this season. His confrontation with his dad was a season highlight for me, and as was his many scenes with Samantha throughout the last two episodes. As with Gillian Anderson, her character is not getting the big spotlights this season, but she continues to really feel the character and bring the best out of her, especially in the final scene of the episode where she really lets her emotions show in the best way.
"End Game" was another very fun episode that delved into the mythology and added some interesting pieces to the puzzle, although not too many to handle. It serves us some great "X-Files" moments, but also finally delivers a threat that feels like it could be the final straw for the FBI duo in their search for the truth.
These episodes are heavily focused on Mulder and his personal ties to the case at hand. He has been faced with several paradoxes throughout the show, and these last two may have put him in dangerous territory with his own ideals. It feels like he's losing his step a little bit and decides to trust too many people who claim that he is close to finding the answers he's been looking for. It's a great arc for Mulder, but it makes me worried that the show may be falting a little bit on his motivations to the point of no return.
However, it works really well here, and this episode especially proved how far he has come and how he has opened himself up to Scully. He was willing to sacrifice the thing that he had been looking for since before the show to save his partner, and that is not only a win for their stans, but a win for Mulder, who needed one at this point to repair his failing relationship with Scully. It's the trust between them that will always be there, and we, as well as they, have to accept that, and they do in this.
It's fun to see the other parts of the FBI come to play a little bit. We've only ever seen Skinner in the confines of his office, but to see him in the field and actually get a really cool fight scene between him and Mr. X wasn't something I knew that I wanted, but really did. I hope that he'll get a bit more to do in later episodes and will be a little friendlier with our leads, but knowing the kind of people that he has to deal with above him, I doubt that's actually going to happen.
I feel like I've been commenting on David Duchovny's acting a lot, but it has to be said that he is really doing great work in this season. His confrontation with his dad was a season highlight for me, and as was his many scenes with Samantha throughout the last two episodes. As with Gillian Anderson, her character is not getting the big spotlights this season, but she continues to really feel the character and bring the best out of her, especially in the final scene of the episode where she really lets her emotions show in the best way.
"End Game" was another very fun episode that delved into the mythology and added some interesting pieces to the puzzle, although not too many to handle. It serves us some great "X-Files" moments, but also finally delivers a threat that feels like it could be the final straw for the FBI duo in their search for the truth.
You'll only win the war if you pick the right battles
devonbrown-9064919 April 2023
Warning: Spoilers
Brilliant episode to wrap up the two part story.
It really seems mulder is hell bent to put himself in next level danger for small clues regarding his sister. At least he can deduce she's alive. It must have been hard for him to find out she was alive but alive through clones.
Atleast we know one thing about the alien experiments. They're mixing alien dna with human dna and using aborted foetuses as catalysts.
Mulder is ironically saved by the science scully holds dear after his inevitable failure in confronting & apprehending the alien bounty hunter.
I really hope mulder gets more truth around where his sister is.
And scully well done you've helped mulder at his most vulnerable.
It really seems mulder is hell bent to put himself in next level danger for small clues regarding his sister. At least he can deduce she's alive. It must have been hard for him to find out she was alive but alive through clones.
Atleast we know one thing about the alien experiments. They're mixing alien dna with human dna and using aborted foetuses as catalysts.
Mulder is ironically saved by the science scully holds dear after his inevitable failure in confronting & apprehending the alien bounty hunter.
I really hope mulder gets more truth around where his sister is.
And scully well done you've helped mulder at his most vulnerable.
Who are the real aliens in this episode? I think, Mulders are
redponick12 July 2019
Warning: Spoilers
This episode summoned such mixed feelings in me, that I write a review for the first time here.
Maybe it's just because I'm writing from 2019, 15 years later than the episode was aired, when TV-shows lived through some kind of a boom and the quality is significantly higher in general, I dunno. But I really can't give a credit to the drama side of the plot.
I mean, I LOVE the IDEA. Mulder, who found his most desirable thing (which is not a thing) in the world at last, after all these traumatic years, - has to give it back again - this is huge! This is the most powerful evidence in what a decent man he is, and how important Scully is to him, so far in the show (and what a great ground for a character disclosure: a new portion of pain, sorrow and guilt).
Another brilliant move is, from my point of view, that the clones are manipulating the agents to get protection, they are not pure villains or pure victims, they are clever. All other things are great too: all those identical people; shape-shifter (timeless classic monsters, works each time); thoughtful sci-fi element as a lethal gas/virus; wonderful camera-directing work; good expansion of the main mythology of the show...
But returning to the main plot device, all this drama around Samantha. As I said, it supposed to be splendid. But in reality... it just doesn't work! And there is a simple reason for this. From the previous episode, where the story of Samantha's homecoming started, all of the family reaction was given in a weird way, required dialogues were missed. I fully understand that it would not be simple to perform them realistically. But without them story just falls apart!
Mulder's family members look totally alien for this planet, don't they? Some woman came to their house and said, that she is their lost daughter/sister, lost 22 years ago, said, that she lost her memory and recalled them only after regression psychotherapy (ironically, method which was proved to make false memory), and everybody... just believed in it? No suspicions? Even from the FBI agent? Ok, ok, she convinced them behind the scene. But how should I believe, that they immediately became a family again? You didn't give me any evidence of their feelings to each other (which should be very complicated anyway: awkwardness, happiness, guilt, pain from new knowledge, fear of own insanity after all) despite actors' work and one tiny joke about childhood game. I expected to see it written dialogues, interaction scenes in this episode, since nothing was in previous (it was more or less okay there), but it was avoided again.
As a result, this woman remains a complete stranger, only nominally called 'sister' and 'daughter'. Where from should I take empathy to Mulders family in their new loss? How should I feel her any close to be as valuable as Scully at least to Fox, let the viewer alone? Mulder's parents remain extras, stats, no close-ups, and it's very strange for such a story, seriously. The weirdest scene is when Fox tells father about Samantha's fate. Even David Duchovny shows weak performance there. I think that is because the scene just designed a strange way too. Mulder's father's emotions look mysterious. He isn't shocked, I don't see he is in pain. Fox just mumbles apologetically in front of him, and this man doesn't even ask questions about how everything happened (again). What kind of relationship do those two have? Ok, maybe it would be revealed later in the show, but for now the elder Mulder just looks like a real alien for me, an extraterrestrial form of life.
Maybe it's just because I'm writing from 2019, 15 years later than the episode was aired, when TV-shows lived through some kind of a boom and the quality is significantly higher in general, I dunno. But I really can't give a credit to the drama side of the plot.
I mean, I LOVE the IDEA. Mulder, who found his most desirable thing (which is not a thing) in the world at last, after all these traumatic years, - has to give it back again - this is huge! This is the most powerful evidence in what a decent man he is, and how important Scully is to him, so far in the show (and what a great ground for a character disclosure: a new portion of pain, sorrow and guilt).
Another brilliant move is, from my point of view, that the clones are manipulating the agents to get protection, they are not pure villains or pure victims, they are clever. All other things are great too: all those identical people; shape-shifter (timeless classic monsters, works each time); thoughtful sci-fi element as a lethal gas/virus; wonderful camera-directing work; good expansion of the main mythology of the show...
But returning to the main plot device, all this drama around Samantha. As I said, it supposed to be splendid. But in reality... it just doesn't work! And there is a simple reason for this. From the previous episode, where the story of Samantha's homecoming started, all of the family reaction was given in a weird way, required dialogues were missed. I fully understand that it would not be simple to perform them realistically. But without them story just falls apart!
Mulder's family members look totally alien for this planet, don't they? Some woman came to their house and said, that she is their lost daughter/sister, lost 22 years ago, said, that she lost her memory and recalled them only after regression psychotherapy (ironically, method which was proved to make false memory), and everybody... just believed in it? No suspicions? Even from the FBI agent? Ok, ok, she convinced them behind the scene. But how should I believe, that they immediately became a family again? You didn't give me any evidence of their feelings to each other (which should be very complicated anyway: awkwardness, happiness, guilt, pain from new knowledge, fear of own insanity after all) despite actors' work and one tiny joke about childhood game. I expected to see it written dialogues, interaction scenes in this episode, since nothing was in previous (it was more or less okay there), but it was avoided again.
As a result, this woman remains a complete stranger, only nominally called 'sister' and 'daughter'. Where from should I take empathy to Mulders family in their new loss? How should I feel her any close to be as valuable as Scully at least to Fox, let the viewer alone? Mulder's parents remain extras, stats, no close-ups, and it's very strange for such a story, seriously. The weirdest scene is when Fox tells father about Samantha's fate. Even David Duchovny shows weak performance there. I think that is because the scene just designed a strange way too. Mulder's father's emotions look mysterious. He isn't shocked, I don't see he is in pain. Fox just mumbles apologetically in front of him, and this man doesn't even ask questions about how everything happened (again). What kind of relationship do those two have? Ok, maybe it would be revealed later in the show, but for now the elder Mulder just looks like a real alien for me, an extraterrestrial form of life.
We're in the end game now... Scully
frankelee12 July 2023
Warning: Spoilers
The conclusion episode to Colony, Mulder must rescue Scully from an alien bounty hunter, and when that goes so-so, find the alien bounty hunter.
This episode just feels too on the rails. The idea that ANYTHING could happen as the action rises dissipates quickly in the mind of the viewer as it becomes increasingly clear just one thing is going to happen and the actions of our main characters are simply pointless.
The scene with the sniper was too cartoonish to keep in, they'd have been better off cutting it and just having Mulder tell us what happened later, because watching it was terrible. The FBI goes with Mulder to make the prisoner exchange for Scully, they put teams on either end of the bridge, they have a sniper with a high powered rifle... and they don't do anything until the scene is over and everybody is about to leave. Come on Chris Kyle, squeeze that freaking trigger already, the sniper has a clear shot for a solid minute and doesn't shoot. And NO ONE acts like this is strange afterwards. Then when he does shoot, listen, that rifle featured in the show is not a dainty or polite weapon, it would have erased that alien's head, instead it gives him a slight pinprick and he falls off the bridge with Mulder's fake alien sister.
That scene represented in miniature this whole episode, nothing matters, and everything is stupid. Mulder then heads to a lab after being tipped off by a letter left behind for him by his fake alien sister, where he meets more fake alien sisters. They say they need his help to escape the evil alien bounty hunter. Literally ten seconds after this the evil alien bounty hunter karate chops Mulder in the face, knocking him unconscious and allowing him to murder all the fake alien sisters once and for all. Nothing Mulder did or heard mattered and it was stupid.
I will also say, when it comes to sci-fi biology I'm harder to please than the average viewer. This alien bounty hunter who can only be killed by a precise strike to the back of the neck, and has airborne virus spreading interstitial fluid, that's not an alien, it's a super hero. I mean the virus that spreads through the air, effects you within seconds, causes you to make so many red blood cells over the course of a few more seconds that you die (?????) is not really even a super power, it's just dumb. And as far as the neck thing, that's really not that much of a challenge even if it is ridiculous, just take out a shotgun and shoot him in the neck. His neck would liquify, you'd for sure kill him. Do the aliens he's killing not know about human weaponry? They've been on Earth a long time according to them, long enough to see an action movie.
But then again, probably it wouldn't work because the sniper round that would have likely removed his whole head only caused him to reach up and hold his neck real quick so they wouldn't have to bother using a squib. Again, my point is the plot is on rails and the writers seem dead set on highlighting that it is.
In the end Mulder, who hasn't done a single bit of competent investigative work or action heroics this whole two part episode, somehow quickly and simply manages to walk across the Bering Strait in a parka, locating a navy submarine that had been sent to destroy the alien bounty hunter's vessel, and then captures the alien bounty hunter. Oh, but don't worry, the alien still kicks the crap out of him, because he's a main character on this show so what else could possibly happen, and then Mulder gets infected with the super virus thingy thing.
Scully just happens to get to the military base as Mulder arrives, and saves his life because she understands how the alien virus thinks. As usual military personnel tell her no she can't be there, and she's like, yes, I must be there, and they immediately relent, none of them interested in specific facts, what's going on, or how the situation may be improved or worsened, they just yell at each other and then one side relents to the hero. I dunno, maybe that's how it works in real life between governmental agencies, but wouldn't it make more sense, in real life terms, if a private went to the operating room before she even got there and informed them a medical doctor with knowledge about how to treat a new, exotic virally induced condition that the patient likely is suffering from will be arriving shortly? I guess that's not as dramatic as Scully yelling, though that in turn is not as dramatic as Scully pistol whipping the ER doctor and taking his place as a right of combat.
Anyway, all of the two main characters survive, and Mulder now knows an alien bounty hunter told him his sister is alive, though he volunteered no additional information which it feels like he could have done. The end (game).
This episode just feels too on the rails. The idea that ANYTHING could happen as the action rises dissipates quickly in the mind of the viewer as it becomes increasingly clear just one thing is going to happen and the actions of our main characters are simply pointless.
The scene with the sniper was too cartoonish to keep in, they'd have been better off cutting it and just having Mulder tell us what happened later, because watching it was terrible. The FBI goes with Mulder to make the prisoner exchange for Scully, they put teams on either end of the bridge, they have a sniper with a high powered rifle... and they don't do anything until the scene is over and everybody is about to leave. Come on Chris Kyle, squeeze that freaking trigger already, the sniper has a clear shot for a solid minute and doesn't shoot. And NO ONE acts like this is strange afterwards. Then when he does shoot, listen, that rifle featured in the show is not a dainty or polite weapon, it would have erased that alien's head, instead it gives him a slight pinprick and he falls off the bridge with Mulder's fake alien sister.
That scene represented in miniature this whole episode, nothing matters, and everything is stupid. Mulder then heads to a lab after being tipped off by a letter left behind for him by his fake alien sister, where he meets more fake alien sisters. They say they need his help to escape the evil alien bounty hunter. Literally ten seconds after this the evil alien bounty hunter karate chops Mulder in the face, knocking him unconscious and allowing him to murder all the fake alien sisters once and for all. Nothing Mulder did or heard mattered and it was stupid.
I will also say, when it comes to sci-fi biology I'm harder to please than the average viewer. This alien bounty hunter who can only be killed by a precise strike to the back of the neck, and has airborne virus spreading interstitial fluid, that's not an alien, it's a super hero. I mean the virus that spreads through the air, effects you within seconds, causes you to make so many red blood cells over the course of a few more seconds that you die (?????) is not really even a super power, it's just dumb. And as far as the neck thing, that's really not that much of a challenge even if it is ridiculous, just take out a shotgun and shoot him in the neck. His neck would liquify, you'd for sure kill him. Do the aliens he's killing not know about human weaponry? They've been on Earth a long time according to them, long enough to see an action movie.
But then again, probably it wouldn't work because the sniper round that would have likely removed his whole head only caused him to reach up and hold his neck real quick so they wouldn't have to bother using a squib. Again, my point is the plot is on rails and the writers seem dead set on highlighting that it is.
In the end Mulder, who hasn't done a single bit of competent investigative work or action heroics this whole two part episode, somehow quickly and simply manages to walk across the Bering Strait in a parka, locating a navy submarine that had been sent to destroy the alien bounty hunter's vessel, and then captures the alien bounty hunter. Oh, but don't worry, the alien still kicks the crap out of him, because he's a main character on this show so what else could possibly happen, and then Mulder gets infected with the super virus thingy thing.
Scully just happens to get to the military base as Mulder arrives, and saves his life because she understands how the alien virus thinks. As usual military personnel tell her no she can't be there, and she's like, yes, I must be there, and they immediately relent, none of them interested in specific facts, what's going on, or how the situation may be improved or worsened, they just yell at each other and then one side relents to the hero. I dunno, maybe that's how it works in real life between governmental agencies, but wouldn't it make more sense, in real life terms, if a private went to the operating room before she even got there and informed them a medical doctor with knowledge about how to treat a new, exotic virally induced condition that the patient likely is suffering from will be arriving shortly? I guess that's not as dramatic as Scully yelling, though that in turn is not as dramatic as Scully pistol whipping the ER doctor and taking his place as a right of combat.
Anyway, all of the two main characters survive, and Mulder now knows an alien bounty hunter told him his sister is alive, though he volunteered no additional information which it feels like he could have done. The end (game).
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