"Redux" is the two-part fifth season premiere of the science fiction television series The X-Files. "Redux" first aired on November 2, 1997, on Fox in the United States, with "Redux II" airing on November 9. Both episodes subsequently aired in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Both episodes were written by series creator Chris Carter, with "Redux" directed by R. W. Goodwin and "Redux II" helmed by Kim Manners. "Redux" became the second-most-watched episode ever broadcast, earning more than 27 million viewers in the United States alone. The first part of the episode received mixed to negative reviews, whereas the second part received mixed to positive reviews from critics.
The show centers on FBI special agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) who work on cases linked to the paranormal, called X-files. The episodes' story continues on from the fourth season finale "Gethsemane". "Redux" follows Scully, who helps Mulder to fake his own death in an effort to discover which members of the FBI they can trust before the agents individually search for an answer to Scully's cancer. "Redux II" continues immediately afterwards with Scully hospitalized, and Mulder is offered a deal to ally with the Cigarette Smoking Man (William B. Davis).
"Redux", being a part of a three-part episode arc, became a storyline milestone for the series. It marked the first episode in which Fox Mulder loses his belief in extraterrestrial life and the revelation that someone inside the FBI has tried to discredit Mulder and Scully's work on the X-files. When writing the episode, Carter wanted to tie up loose ends from the previous seasons. Despite being the first two episodes of the season that aired, they were the second and third episodes produced, the first being "Unusual Suspects", which explained the origins of The Lone Gunmen.
Plot
Background
In Canada's Saint Elias Mountains, a frozen extraterrestrial body is discovered by an expedition team. Professor Arlinsky, the team's leader, sends ice core samples containing presumably alien DNA to Fox Mulder (David Duchovny). Both Mulder and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) eventually meet Michael Kritschgau (John Finn), a Defense Department employee who claims that everything Mulder thinks he knows about aliens is a lie. Kritschgau tells Mulder that his sister Samantha's abduction was fabricated, that all evidence of alien biology are merely scientific anomalies, and that the alien body discovered in Canada was fake. He also claims that the entire alien mythos is a hoax perpetrated by the U.S. government as a cover for the military–industrial complex. Distraught by these claims, Mulder loses his faith. Later, the FBI investigates Mulder's apparent suicide. Scully confirms the unseen body's identity.
Redux
As a distraught Mulder sits in his apartment, he receives a phone call from Kritschgau, who tells him that "they" may be listening. Mulder, spotting a small hole in his ceiling, rushes upstairs, bursts into the apartment above his, and kills government employee Scott Ostelhoff. He tells Scully about the incident, telling her that Ostelhoff had made numerous calls to the FBI. The Bureau looks into the situation and finds Ostelhoff's body; however, they believe it is the body of a suicidal Mulder. Scully falsely identifies the body and is met by Assistant Director Walter Skinner (Mitch Pileggi), who tells her that Section Chief Scott Blevins (Charles Cioffi) is looking for her. She meets with Blevins and his panel, and tells them about the previous incidents leading to Mulder's apparent suicide.
As Mulder breaks into the Department of Defense, the Smoking Man (William B. Davis) searches his apartment, believing he is not dead. Scully does some research into Ostelhoff's records, coming to the conclusion that he was calling Skinner. Meanwhile, Mulder finds a room containing fake alien bodies and follows a tunnel to the Pentagon, where he finds a vast evidence room. Mulder ultimately tracks down a small metal vial that he believes may contain a cure to Scully's cancer. Scully explains to the FBI panel that Mulder was a victim of an elaborate conspiracy and that she was given a fatal disease by someone in the room. As she is about to present her evidence, her nose bleeds and she collapses. Mulder takes the vial to the Lone Gunmen, who tell him it is not a cure, only deionized water.