ascension files ascension sixth episode second season american science fiction television series files premiered fox network october written directed featured guest appearances episode helped explore series overarching mythology centers fbi special agents fox_mulder david_duchovny dana_scully gillian_anderson work cases linked paranormal called files events ascension continuation plot preceding episode following kidnapping scully alien mulder races track decision character scully abducted driven necessity anderson pregnant required time production ascension earned nielsen household rating watched million households initial broadcast received positive reviews critics plot hearing showing dana_scully gillian_anderson kidnapping partner fox_mulder david_duchovny heads apartment surveys crime scene meets scully mother margaret claims dream taken away morning assistant director walter_skinner tells mulder close case involved orders fbi agent escort home barry speeds blue ridge parkway pulled highway patrol officer scully locked trunk tries officer attention barry kills mulder reviews video traffic stop sees scully alive mulder realizes barry heading ski resort location barry original abduction attempting follow original plan having aliens place informs smoking man findings departing mulder arrive mulder boards resort aerial hopes reaching peak barry tries delay mulder journey upward mulder manages complete journey witnesses strange light area finding barry car mulder sees trace scully necklace encounters barry claims taken mulder barry enraged nearly stop leaves room orders let inside finds talking barry returns skinner arrives minutes later barry breaks dies later mulder attempts question doctor performed barry autopsy refuses provide details performed military instead fbi claiming doctors available mulder ordered test barry death meets smoking man suggests kill mulder smoking man orders mulder left alive want risk turning man religion crusade desperate mulder tries visit senator patron work discouraged secretive informant car mulder finds spent cigarettes smoking man meeting role scully abduction mulder report skinner accusing investigation killing barry skinner summons office learn disappeared skinner announces mulder officially opening x-files mulder meets park tries scully necklace margaret returns necklace mulder asking scully finds margaret says dream losing daughter mulder takes hopeful sign scully alive mulder later returns field scully abducted seemingly looks stars production idea scully abducted originated gillian_anderson pregnant middle season initially upset charge considered dropping actress ideas having scully birth alien baby dismissed ultimately writers decided work pregnancy closing x-files separating mulder scully eventually having abducted permitted producers explanation scully absence appears scenes ascension episode series creator chris_carter commented producers reluctant showing scully trunk fought image considered conveyed sense danger character carter added scenes experiment meant ambiguous scully abducted aliens military ascension featured guest appearances david_duchovny provided stunts episode including aerial lift shot single day british_columbia backdrop barry drive neighbouring mountain tagline episode deny replacing usual phrase truth broadcast reception ascension premiered fox network october broadcast united_kingdom bbc october episode earned nielsen household rating share meaning roughly percent television equipped households percent households watching tuned episode total million households watched episode original airing retrospective second season entertainment_weekly episode rated described paced race time handling anderson pregnancy called creative opening files unit revelation villainous character noted highlights writing zack_handlen called ascension essential episode adding serves raise stakes losing core appeal solve technical problem creatively satisfying way possible handlen praised portrayal agent felt character role double agent revealed soon series critical myth gave episode stating convoluted plot thread stage game best episodes series date
Ascension (The X-Files)