Season 6: Two Fathers (6X11)

Written by: Jeffrey Bell, Chris Carter and Frank Spotnitz
Directed by: Kim Manners

Inside a stockyard in Arlington, Virginia, a surgeon escorts Dr. Openshaw inside a train car containing a surgical bay. Openshaw approaches an operating table, on which lies a patient, her face unseen. The surgeon congratulates Openshaw on his work, some 25 years in the making, which is now a success. The surgeon exits the train car, only to be lit afire by a Faceless Man. The rest of the surgical team, waiting in a nearby van, are also incinerated. A Faceless Man enters the surgical bay and thrusts his weapon at Openshaw, burning him. The creature then looks upon the operating table... where an unconscious Cassandra Spender lies.

Skinner escorts Agent Spender to the stockyard. He explains that a group of people were burned alive, and that only his mother, and a critically injured man, survived. Spender sees his mother in a nearby paramedics vehicle and goes to her side. Cassandra asks to speak with Mulder. Moments later, Spender tells Skinner that he objects to the idea of Mulder's involvement in the case. But Spender changes his mind, and reluctantly informs Mulder of his mother's request to speak with him. Mulder tells Spender to find the truth himself.

Meanwhile, the Cigarette Smoking Man approaches Openshaw, who miraculously survived the fire and has been confined to a plastic tent inside a hospital. Openshaw tells him that Cassandra is a success, and must be terminated before the alien colonists find out that a human/alien hybrid exists. Shortly thereafter, the Cigarette Smoking Man kills Openshaw.

The Cigarette Smoking Man telephones Elder #1 to inform him about an emergency meeting of the Syndicate. Elder #1 promises he will make the meeting. He makes his way to the front door... only to find Openshaw standing on the other side. Elder #1 grabs at the impostor's face, exposing a faceless rebel beneath. A struggle ensues, and the Elder is killed.

Scully and Mulder decide to meet with Cassandra without informing Spender of their action. Miraculously, Cassandra pushes back the covers and lets her legs fall to the floor. Scully looks on, incredulous, as the previously wheelchair-bound Cassandra walks without assistance. Cassandra tells the agents that surgeons worked in conjunction with the aliens to cure her. She now believes that the aliens are plotting to take over the universe by infecting all life forms with a black virus. The surgeons were burned by another race of aliens-faceless rebels-who mutilated their faces so they wouldn't be infected. Cassandra now believes that her son's life is in danger, as he is in collusion with men who have worked with the aliens.

In flashback, some 35 years earlier, Openshaw, Bill Mulder, and the Cigarette Smoking Man enter a train car containing a Native American test subject. The Native American's face, arms and body are horribly disfigured. Repulsed, Bill Mulder exits the train car. As the disfigured man is their best effort, both the Cigarette Smoking Man and Openshaw believe they must ally with the aliens if they ever hope to create a human/alien hybrid. Back in the present day, the Syndicate members, including Krycek and the Cigarette Smoking Man, gather for the meeting. Elder #1 suggests an alliance with the alien rebels, something completely at odds with everything the group has strived for. After the meeting, Krycek informs the Cigarette Smoking Man that Mulder paid Cassandra a secret visit.

Scully and Mulder sneak into Mulder's old office, where they access computer files on Cassandra Spender, her son, and the Cigarette Smoking Man, who is identified by the name "C.G.B. Spender." But the computer has no additional information on the mysterious man. Moments later, Skinner warns the agents that they are about to get caught. Before Mulder and Scully have a chance to escape, they are confronted by Spender. Later, Spender informs his father that Mulder and Scully will be processed out of the FBI. He then asks for the truth about his mother. The Cigarette Smoking Man tells him that Cassandra has been involved in a very important experiment. But he does not elaborate further, as Spender must prove himself capable of the responsibility that comes with such knowledge. Meanwhile, Scully performs some research. She learns that Cassandra Spender was first abducted on the night of November 27th, 1973... the same night Mulder's sister was abducted.

The Cigarette Smoking Man tells Spender about Elder #1's death. He instructs Spender to kill the imposter using a gimlet weapon. Krycek drives Spender to Elder #1's home. Unfortunately, Spender cannot muster the nerve to carry out his assignment. The Elder #1 imposter sees the gimlet in Spender's hand and attacks him. Krycek comes to Spender's rescue, driving the gimlet into the imposter's neck. Afterward, a Iago-like Krycek informs Spender that his father directed the experiments forced on Cassandra. Spender realizes he is being asked to protect his mother so the experiments can continue.

Back at the hospital, Cassandra enters the bathroom to smoke a cigarette. As she looks in the mirror, her face suddenly loses its shape. Cassandra screams. The female FBI agent assigned to protect her races to her aid. She assures Cassandra that she will be all right, as she is "the one." Cassandra stares at her, not comprehending. The female FBI agent reaches up to her own face and pulls back her flesh... revealing a male Faceless Alien beneath. Cassandra recoils in fear. Clad in the FBI agent's clothing, she flees to Mulder's apartment. With time running out, she begs the agents to kill her, because if she lives, there will be no stopping what is about to happen. Mulder draws his gun and aims at Cassandra.

Notes:
Veronica Cartwright, playing Cassandra Spender, received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series for her work on "Two Fathers/One Son".

The idea that the Cigarette-Smoking Man would be telling the story was a very last minute addition as production had even wrapped on this episode.

This two-parter won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Makeup for a Series.

In this episode Cassandra wants to end her life because her existence as the first alien/human hybrid signals the beginning of alien colonization. In Greek the name Cassandra means "Prophet of Doom".

Recurring Special Guest Star Mimi Rogers (Agent Diana Fowley) is uncredited in this episode.

Krycek: Resistance was futile then, why would it be any less so now?
'Resistance is Futile' is a trademark saying of the Borg from ''Star Trek: The Next Generation''.

Quotes:
Mulder: (Dribbling basketball) Scully, you wanna go one-on-one? We got plenty of time now that we're on administrative leave.

Cassandra: (Happy) Oh! Agent Mulder. I think I'm going to pee the floor.
Mulder: Don't... Don't do that.

Mulder: You looking for work, Agent Spender? Cuz if you are, I got a whole pile in that middle drawer I'd love to shove down someone's throat.

Basketball player: Hey, milk. Let's play ball. Yo homestyle, cough up the rock.
Mulder: (Sinks a 3-pointer) Game.
Baller: Oh nah, it don't work like that.
Mulder: Hey homegirl, word up.
Scully: Mulder, it's my distinct impression that you just cheated and that you're not coming in again today.
Mulder: Oh Scully, I got game.
Scully: Yeah, you got so much game, I'm wondering if you have any work left in you.
Mulder: No, I'm ready to J-O-B, just not on some jagoff shoeshine tip.
Scully: No jagoff shoeshine tip?
Mulder: No background checkin' jagoff shoeshine tip.
Scully: Well about your J-O-B, Mulder, somebody's been trying very hard to reach you by phone. Somebody who wants you back at the FBI ASAP.
Mulder: (Sighs) About what?
Scully: About an X-File.

Highlights from ''Two Fathers''

Episode Number: 128

Season Number: 6
First Aired: Sunday, February 7, 1999
Production Code: 6X11