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Shadows

From X-Files Wiki

Series: The X-Files
Original Airdate: October 22, 1993
Production Number: 1x05
Date(s): Unknown
Written by: Glen Morgan and James Wong
Directed by: Michael Katleman

When two extremely odd corpses appear in Philadelphia, Mulder and Scully investigate the deaths and meet a female secretary who seems to be protected by a strange invisible force.

Contents

[edit] Summary

Two terrorists are found dead in a back alley of Philadelphia after robbing a woman, Lauren Kyte, at an ATM machine. Mulder and Scully investigate the case when called in by a pair of agents from an unknown agency. The bodies of the terrorists are found to have an electrical charge and their throats have been crushed from the inside. Lauren sees her boss, Robert Dorlan, resigning due to her grief over the suicide of Dorlan's partner, Howard Graves, who committed suicide weeks before.

Mulder and Scully determine that one of the bodies is an individual who belongs to a terrorist group, the Isfahan, and using the ATM video are able to track down Lauren. A screenshot of the video reveals a blurry figure who appears like Howard Graves. The agents meet with Lauren at her home and after initially denying it, she admits to the incident but knows nothing about the murders. Upon leaving, the agents find their car going out of control on its own. The car is found to have no evidence of tampering, but an electrical charge is detected within it.

Visiting Grave's grave, Mulder and Scully learn of his suicide and the death of his daughter at a young age, a daughter that would be Lauren's age should she be alive. Scully suspects that Graves faked his death, but through a conversation with the medical examiner who examined his body and testing the organs he donated to others it is proved that he indeed died. Lauren meanwhile witnesses a vision at night including blood appearing in the bathtub, causing her to believe that Graves was murdered. At her going away party, Lauren is threatened by Dorlan, who believes she has knowledge of confidential information that could implicate him. Lauren calls Mulder and Scully to her home, but before the agents arrive two assassins hired by Dorlan arrive to kill her. An invisible force kills both of them.

Lauren is interogated by Mulder and Scully, and the two unknown agents that called them in, who say they're involved because they belive Graves and Dorlan's company sold technology to the Isfahan. Lauren admits to Mulder and Scully that the sales did indeed take place and that she believes Dorlan had Graves killed. The agents search the company's premesis, but are unable to find any evidence. When Dorlan attacks Lauren with a letter opener Graves's spirit takes it and cuts open the wallpaper, revealing a disc with evidence. Weeks later Lauren starts her new job, but it appears that Graves's spirit may have followed her there.

[edit] Background Information

  • According to writer Glen Morgan, 20th Century Fox requested more episodes where Mulder and Scully help people while investigating the paranormal. He and writing partner, James Wong, therefore wrote this episode with the intention of complying with that request.
  • Morgan and Wong were fond of ghost stories and executives at Fox had suggested an episode that would involve poltergeists.
  • In this episode's original script, Mulder tells Scully that he would like the words "no regrets" engraved on his tombstone.
  • In one scene, Mulder jokes that Elvis was the only man ever to have successfully faked his own death. The joke would eventually become the first of many similar Elvis jokes littered throughout most of the series.

[edit] Guest Cast

[edit] Guest Starring

[edit] Co-Starring

[edit] Uncredited

[edit] References

SEMICOLON-SEPARATED LIST OF ITEMS/LOCATIONS REFERENCED IN EPISODE (BUT NOT LINKED TO IF ALREADY LINKED IN SUMMARY OR GUEST STARS SECTIONS)

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