“This is where you pucker up and kiss my ass.” – Assistant Director Skinner.
PAPER CLIP [Mythology] Aired September 29, 1995
Episode: 3×02 / 51 Overall
Director: Rob Bowman • Writer: Chris Carter
As a government hit squad closes in on the agents, Mulder searches for clues about his father’s involvement in a top secret project.
The conclusion to the three part story arc that began with Anasazi is possibly the most significant mythology episode to date, in that it reveals key information that lays the groundwork for the stories that will span across several seasons. The more noteworthy components of this story are the revelation that Mulder’s father not only played a role in the abduction of his sister but also worked alongside Nazi scientists in the 1970’s who were performing secret genetic experiments in an attempt to create human-alien hybrids. This is in preparation for a post apocalyptic landscape following some unknown world changing event. Skinner’s allegiance is firmly settled once and for all and we learn that Cancer Man has superiors that he must answer to who have concerns about his capacity to carry out the responsibilities of his position. He himself appears to exaggerate his own importance within the group, flaunting his power over people like A.D. Skinner yet seemingly unable to handle the situation effectively in regards to the retrieval of the DAT tape.
Mulder’s discovery of Scully’s file, originally meant for him, is a significant plot point that is explored further in later episodes. In retrospect we can see that this episode infers much of what is later confirmed throughout the series. At this point it’s a good idea to try and clarify what is being set up in this story. As we know, it will be revealed in subsequent episodes that when the Syndicate was formed in 1973 each of them offered a family member in exchange for an alien fetus, seen in The Erlenmeyer Flask, whose genetic material would be used in the hybrid experiments. Bill Mulder chose his son first and that decision was then changed to Samantha. It is revealed later that Cancer Man offered up his wife, Cassandra Spender, whom we have yet to meet. These family members were eventually returned, some of which were abducted many more times. Samantha went to live under the care of Cancer Man with his son Jeffrey Spender and was subject to cloning experiments. It is one of these clones that Mulder met in the season 2 episode, Colony. In the previous episode, Scully discovered a computer chip that had been embedded in to her neck. We find out that this is a tracking chip that is inserted in to abductees, the removal of which can have fatal effects, like causing terminal cancer, which we will later learn over a story arc involving Scully and other female abductees.
Cancer Man is being pressured by the Syndicate to produce results. He claims to have retrieved the DAT tape, though this in in fact a lie since Skinner is shown to have it at the beginning of the episode. It’s interesting to see Cancer Man having to answer to someone, he’s not quite the all powerful figure we believed him to be. His methods and approach to handling situations is evidently at odds with the other group members who are beginning to distrust him and lose confidence in his abilities. He is desperate to get the tape back from Skinner as he screams at him, almost pleading, while at the same making sure that it’s known that he does not bargain with anyone. He is really a rogue figure, despite belonging to this group he appears to act on his own, without their authorization and with no loyalty to anyone. We know this because he attempts to have Krycek killed and blatantly lies to the Syndicate. This can also be seen as the catalyst for Krycek venturing out on his own. The character will become very much a lone wolf, simultaneously forging new alliances while cutting ties with others, basically aligning himself with whomever or whatever will benefit him the most. We could argue that this occurrence has caused him to trust no one and look out only for himself.
The conclusion of this story arc has achieved a number of things. It’s laid the groundwork for the continuing mythology that will be expanded upon in coming episodes and seasons. It’s also shown Mulder and Scully that their work is important, certainly important enough to kill for and therefore providing them with even more motivation to continue with their investigations. Both of them have now sacrificed too much to give up and have witnessed the global implications of this alien conspiracy. For Scully in particular whether she ‘believes’ or not, she can certainly see that there are a group of people, governmental or otherwise, who are depriving citizens of their civil liberties and they must be held accountable. For Mulder it’s the most information he’s ever had regarding his sisters disappearance and conformation that the X-Files investigations will provide him with the answers he seeks.
★★★☆☆
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