Essence (1)

Season 8, Episode 20, Aired
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Episode Summary

Mulder and Doggett join forces to investigate the arson attack on a genetics lab where one of the doctors suspected of experimenting with alien impregnation is killed. They encounter Billy Miles, who has been changed into an alien replicant after his recent abduction and is attempting to erase evidence of the tests; part of the Syndicate's conspiracy with an alien race. ''When a woman helping Scully out at home is found to be a part of the conspiracy, the agents, along with Monica Reyes and Alex Krycek, know they must protect Scully and her baby from Billy Miles and get her out of the city.moreless
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Fan Episode Reviews (4)

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  • Baby Chase

    8.3
    "Great"
    By Anon67683, Mar 07, 2011 Report Abuse
    But for a rather ridiculous ending, this is a pretty solid effort, especially for Season Eight.

    There is a good amount of action and the episode flows with a confident ease. The soundtrack is particularly good. The plot is a bit thin but I really like the savage energy put into protecting Scully and her baby by the three lead male actors, as though they are protecting the herd from the jackals and the wolves circling just outside the door. Speaking of which, how is it that Krycek can be alone in the same room with the three men he has tried to kill throughout the series without one of them so much as taking a slap at him? Just wondering...

    Now about that ending, what is it that Agent Crane is doing exactly? From the closing shot of his implanted neck, he would appear to be one of "them" (i.e. a Super Soldier) and so we would expect that he would try to stop Scully, which it appears he is doing with the garbage truck pulling out to block the car carying Scully. But then Mulder makes a miraculous tackle of Billy Miles up on the rooftop and Billy plummets into said garbage truck (a spectacularly done stunt, by the way). Crane suddenly motions the garbage truck onward and directs Scully to "go, go, go!" It doesn't make any sense, either Crane was trying to block Scully or he was setting up the garbage truck to catch Billy's fall (which he would have had no way to predict). It's a disappointing ending to what until then has been a solid episode.

    One more nag, when Mulder and Scully leave her apartment with Billy on their trail, Mulder rather curtly tells Scully to walk around and get into his car. I know they are pressed for time, but wouldn't you have liked to have seen Mulder at least open the door for his nine-month pregnant partner?moreless

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  • hmmmm the william conspiracy begins!

    9.5
    "Superb"
    By maverick13007, May 25, 2010 Report Abuse
    this is were the whole william conspiracy really comes in to play. scully is trying to have william as any moth would right? not only is she having problems she is not having problems like the normal mothers would, no, here she is fighting against super soldiers and stuff and i ahve to say wow! this episode is kinda like oh my god what is going to happen next type of episode and it being a double parter doesnt help either! well doggett and mulder have to join forces in order for scully to have william in some what peace. billy miles is playing the bad guy as always and rat boy (krycek) is actually being a good guy in this episode which i like but yet again you love to hate him right? so this episode is a exactly why i watch this show type of episode in my honest opinionmoreless

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  • An interesting episode.

    8.0
    "Great"
    By whiteraven2005, Sep 13, 2009 Report Abuse
    Finally some answers about the baby even if they're exceptionally vague. Always love when Alex shows up, good or bad.

    As a FBI agent, and given the concerns with the baby, how can Scully allow a complete stranger into her home without running a full background check?! The good news is that the baby is human but apparently perfect. No explanation. Apparently engineered to be a weapon against the invasion.

    Alex, as usual, is a mystery wrapped in an enigma apparently working alone since the death of the Smoking Man, for whatever reason he is trying to help stop the invasion, even if this means killing Scully's baby or now, protecting it. I love him to pieces but he can't be trusted at the best of times, without knowing his motives, who knows what his endgame is.

    An interesting episode.moreless

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  • After lots of hints and glimpses, we finally get to see some super-soldiers.

    8.8
    "Great"
    By grifter78, Nov 12, 2005 Report Abuse
    Hey, Krychek's back, and looks like maybe he actually wants to make himself useful for once. Let's see if it lasts.
    Lots of breakneck action, with a well-done chase through the FBI building and even Mulder's Wyle E. Coyote style plan to defeat the new and improved Billy Miles. Highly improbable, but fun to watch.

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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  • Trivia

    ADD TRIVIA
    • Mulder: (to Scully) Now I see why you gave up a career in medicine to join the FBI, Scully, you have Manos de Piedra.
      'Manos de Piedra' means 'hands of stone' in Spanish. Edit

  • Notes

    ADD NOTES
    • Doggett and Mulder refer to Billy Miles as a 'kid' when really he would be about 29 or 30 years old, definitely not a kid. Edit
    • Arlene Pileggi briefly appears as one of the guests at Scully's baby shower. She had previously appeared as Skinner's secretary in several episodes. Perhaps it is the same character and Scully has formed a friendship with the woman; given the amount of time that Scully spends in Skinner's office. Edit

  • Quotes

    ADD QUOTES
    • Doggett: I'd say this man's well and truly pissed off. Edit
    • Mulder: (to Scully, after she applies the bandage on him) Now I see why you gave up a career in medicine to join the FBI, Scully, you have Manos de Piedra. Edit
    • Mulder: (entering the clinic) Knock Knock Doggett: Yeah, right. What if we get caught, what are we gonna tell them then? Mulder: I'll just say I'm with you Agent Doggett Edit

  • Allusions

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