x-files seventeenth episode eighth season american science fiction television series files premiered fox network april episode written directed monster week story unconnected series wider mythology episode received nielsen rating viewed million households million viewers overall episode received mixed reviews critics centers fbi special agents fox_mulder david_duchovny dana_scully gillian_anderson work cases linked paranormal called files episode help investigating killer connection murder son mulder soon finds named famed greek pre philosopher episode marked return special agent introduced earlier season episode happening reyes later partner ninth season episode included elaborate special effects sequence actor face reveal fire underneath skin created green screen technology plot new_orleans fired job leaves office witnesses car chase ends fiery crash burning figure emerges wreck merge possessed returns office fatally shoot boss workers arrives crime scene meets detective called belief murders related reyes merely answers detective devil worship killer probably stress leaving witnesses bodies corpse revert normal fox_mulder david_duchovny takes pregnant dana_scully gillian_anderson hospital doubles pain reyes phones ask case mulder authority formally running files reyes says hotel room georgia trying shoot head suddenly notices wrong face claws face away skin reveal burning beneath skin mulder reyes meet fbi records room story death son luke years ago son disappeared fbi called investigate reyes agents case found killer discovered luke body reyes saw transform ashes instantly reyes says spent years convincing reyes believes psychic clue crime scene seen soon attacks mulder looking son case reyes explains investigating reveals suspect luke murder died car crash new_orleans reyes stresses vision importance dismisses reyes goes visit sister learns know reyes receives tells later leaves phone booth kills female learns scully suffered asks start believe paranormal says realized afraid believe scully later tells mulder trying help approaches body latest victim flashback found luke body storms reyes refuses let finally revealing theory believes boy murder thread evil series terrible events returns home daughter finds insists wasn committed murder pleads sister help calls agents tries separate daughter realizes planning uses niece hostage shoot reyes round throat finally memory vision mulder tells worked violent crimes saw horrible things people began think evil like disease infected people lack immunity disease evil tragedy lives dies reyes room doctors leave eyes glow like hits reyes head oxygen tank takes gun execute reyes killing brother appears ground production writing episode written directed marking debut episode takes title famed greek pre philosopher believed classic elements earth wind fire water fire superior according legend order god threw volcano associated fire episode marked return special agent introduced earlier season episode happening reyes later partner series attempted differentiate reyes relationship relationship later noted going try duplicate mulder scully relationship going try magic chemistry special effects order create lava face effect actor face painted green mask pre cut slits placed skin tore mask face revealing streaks green coloring scene cut fire effects placed face green screen technology order cracks appear digital technology created smooth skin slowly reveal pre cut slits producer later joked fire brains reception aired fox april episode earned nielsen household rating meaning seen nation estimated households episode viewed million households million viewers episode ranked 40th watched episode week ending april episode subsequently aired united_kingdom bbc july fox promoted episode tagline murder son file critical reception episode mixed robert_shearman lars_pearson book wanting believe critical guide lone gunmen rated episode half stars noted file interesting concept left vague shearman pearson positively write episode character study gives new leads background depth better new develop vanderwerff later awarded episode wrote lot things like central stupid episode work enjoyed way episode features fbi agents episode critical plot mulder scully dynamic noting fell flat paula_vitaris cinefantastique gave episode negative review awarded half stars criticized plot points episode notably big city new_orleans detective mistake cds signs blatant imagery vitaris criticized sidelined behavior scully characterization reyes book examinations wrote largely negative review episode criticized sized role mulder scully played episode noting reduced mere furthermore reasoned trying prep future reyes connect past mulder scully episode ultimately served remind reyes pale comparison magic mulder scully reviews negative television pity writer rated episode awarded episode stars noted dead wonders fox_mulder concluded episode best episodes new era mulder scully chance remind miss reyes chance earn stripes season torch gets passed good got
Empedocles (The X-Files)