Season 2: Anasazi (2X25)

Story by: David Duchovny and Chris Carter
Teleplay by: Chris Carter
Director: R. W. Goodwin

When the newest member of the The Lone Gunman, the Thinker, hacks into the Defense Department's secret files on extraterrestrial life and he gives the Dat tape to Mulder to expose the truth. Mulder who has been suffering from sleeping problems is at first disappointed to find that the information is encrypted, but Scully recognises it as Navajo code used during World War II. Mulder is called to Assistant Director Skinner's office and questioned about the Dat tape, but Mulder punches Skinner.

Mulder can not explain why he hit Skinner and Scully is alarmed at his behaviour. The Cigarette Smoking Man is also working to recover the Dat tape and visits Bill Mulder, they used to work together at the State Department and information on the tape implicates Bill Mulder. He contacts Mulder to come and see him, ready to tell his son the truth about his work. However Krycek kills him before he can tell Mulder anything.

Mulder finds Krycek sneaking around his apartment building and they fight. Scully has to shoot Mulder in the shoulder to stop him from killing Krycek. Mulder wakes up in New Mexico and Scully explains that the water in his building was contaminated with LSD, which caused his psychosis. She introduces Navajo code talker Albert Hosteen who is decoding the files. Mulder is taken to a boxcar buried in the desert and discovers alien bodies inside. However the Cigarette Smoking Man's men arrive and destroy the boxcar with Mulder in it.

Notes:
Renae Morriseau previously appeared in Season 1 ''Shapes'' as Gwen.

In order to recreate the distinct New Mexico landscape, a rock quarry was painted with over 1,600 gallons of red paint.

Albert Hosteen's statements about the "Anasazi" are inaccurate. The name "Anasazi" is Navajo for "ancient enemies" -- it could loosely be interpreted as "aliens", in the sense of "not-like-us", but not in the X-Files sense. As to his assertion that "No evidence of their fate exists", the Hopis, who are Pueblo Indians, have a different name for the Anasazi. They call them "ancestral Puebloans".

A scene in which The Thinker is kidnapped by men-in-black was cut from the final version of the episode.

Chris Carter makes his first acting appearance as the FBI Agent who asks Scully if she would lie to protect Mulder.

Director and Executive Producer R.W. Goodwin also had a cameo in this episode, as a gardener. Unfortunately his scene ended up on the cutting-room floor.

Quotes:
CSM: What is this?
Skinner: This is where you pucker up and kiss my ass... This man's name is Albert Hosteen - you should remember that, because if Agents Mulder or Scully come down with so much as a case of the flu, Albert is prepared to recite chapter and verse, file for file, everything that is on your precious tape. I'm sure you're thinking that Albert's an old man and there are plenty of ways you might kill him too. Which is why in the ancient oral tradition of his people, he's told twenty other men the information in those files. So unless you kill every Navajo living in four states, that information is available with a simple phone call. Welcome to the wonderful world of high technology.

Scully: They called me in today.
Mulder: What did you tell them?
Scully: That nothing was wrong.
Mulder: Well, you told them the truth then.
Scully: Mulder, you opened the door for them, they're just looking for a good reason now.
Mulder: Okay, I'll say I'm sorry.
Scully: Mulder, these files. Who knows you have them?
Mulder: Why?
Scully: Because I had to lie today. And I put my job in jeopardy in order to do so. If they find out about those files...
Mulder: How would they find out?
Scully: Maybe they already know. The question is, is it worth it? Is this cassette worth risking everything?
Mulder: I'll tell you when I find out what's on it. Now just tell me who I can talk to about breaking that code!
Scully: I'm meeting with someone in an hour. I might know something later tonight... I just need some kind of assurance that they're not going to let us hang ourselves with this! That I'm doing the right thing.
Mulder: I'll try to find out. (He tapes an 'X' to the window)
Scully: I need to know one more thing Mulder. Why did you attack Skinner?
Mulder: I've thought about that Scully. I honestly can't say.

Bill Mulder: You're going to learn of things, Fox. You're going to hear the words and they'll come to make sense to you.

(Mulder's cell phone rings, and he answers it. It's CSM.)
CSM: You're a hard man to reach.
Mulder: Obviously, not hard enough apparently.
CSM: Where are you?
Mulder: I'm at the Betty Ford center, where are you?

Mulder: Are you familiar with the ten commandments, Scully?
Scully: You want me to recite them?
Mulder: No. Just number 4, the one about obeying the sabbath, the part about where God made Heaven and Earth but didn't bother to tell anybody about his side projects.
Scully: What are you talking about?
Mulder: The biggest lie of all.

Episode Number: 49
Season Number: 2
First Aired: Friday May 19, 1995
Production Code: 2X25