: Flashbacks reveal a young Skinner (played by Cory Rempel) and his friend John "Kitten" James (Haley Joel Osment) being exposed to the experimental gas. The gas turned James into a "monster" who collected trophies from victims, and Skinner’s forced silence during James's trial has haunted him for decades.
: The investigation leads Mulder and Scully to Mud Lick, Kentucky, where people are being murdered in booby traps resembling Vietnam War punji pits. The X-Files 11x6
: He admits his stalled career is a result of his "blind loyalty" to Mulder and Scully's search for the truth. : Flashbacks reveal a young Skinner (played by
According to reviewers from IndieWire , this episode provides a "sweet and touching" moment for Skinner that feels earned after 20 years of backstory. : He admits his stalled career is a
: The episode ends with a crop duster spraying gas, and Skinner losing a tooth, suggesting he was recently exposed to the MK-NAOMI agent.