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Ascension (The X-Files)
Encyclopedia
"Ascension" is the sixth episode of the second season of the science fiction
television series
The X-Files
. "Ascension" concerns Mulder's pursuit of Scully, who has been kidnapped by alien abductee Duane Barry.
's kidnapping by Duane Barry, Fox Mulder
heads to her apartment and surveys the crime scene. He meets with Scully's mother, Margaret, who claims to have previously had a dream about her being taken away. The next morning, Assistant Director Skinner
tells Mulder that he is "too close" to the case to be involved, and orders Alex Krycek
to escort him home. Meanwhile, Barry speeds down Virginia
's Blue Ridge Parkway
when he is pulled over by a highway patrol officer. When Scully—locked in the trunk—tries to get the officer's attention, Barry kills him. Mulder reviews a video of the traffic stop, and sees that Scully is still alive.
Mulder realizes that Barry is heading to a ski resort at Skyland Mountain, the location of his original abduction; he is attempting to follow through with his original plan of having the aliens abduct someone there in his place. Krycek informs the Smoking Man of these findings before departing with Mulder. When they arrive at the mountain, Mulder boards the resort's aerial tramway
in the hopes of reaching its peak before Barry. However, Krycek tries to kill Mulder by sabotaging the tramway's journey upward. When Mulder arrives, he witnesses a black helicopter
in the area. Upon finding Barry's car, Mulder finds no trace of Scully except her necklace
. He then encounters a jovial Barry, who claims that she was taken by "them".
When Mulder interrogates
Barry, he becomes so enraged that he nearly strangles
him, only to stop himself. When he leaves the room, he orders Krycek to not let anyone inside; however, he finds Krycek talking to Barry when he returns. When Skinner arrives minutes later, Barry breaks into convulsions and dies. Later, at Quantico
, Mulder attempts to question the doctor who performed Barry's autopsy
; she refuses to provide details since it was performed by the military instead of the FBI, claiming no other doctors were available. Mulder and Krycek are ordered to take a polygraph test about Barry's death.
Krycek meets with the Smoking Man, and suggests that they kill Mulder. However, the Smoking Man orders that Mulder be left alive, unless they want to risk "turning one man's religion into a crusade". A desperate Mulder tries to visit Senator Richard Matheson, only to be discouraged from doing so by X. In his car, Mulder finds spent cigarettes from the Smoking Man's meeting with Krycek. Realizing Krycek's role in Scully's abduction, Mulder submits a report to Skinner accusing Krycek of impeding his investigation and killing Barry. Skinner summons Krycek to his office, only to learn that he has disappeared. Skinner then announces to Mulder that he is officially re-opening the X-File
s.
Mulder meets with Margaret Scully in a park, and tries to give her Scully's necklace. Margaret returns the necklace to Mulder, asking that he give it to Scully when he finds her. Margaret also says that she had the dream again about losing her daughter; Mulder takes this as a hopeful sign that Scully may still be alive. A mournful Mulder later returns to Skyland Mountain, to the field where Scully was abducted. Seemingly alone without her, he looks up into the stars.
became pregnant in the middle of the first season
. While initially upset, those in charge of the show never considered dropping the actress from the show. Ideas such as having Scully give birth to an alien baby were dismissed and ultimately the writers decided to work around the pregnancy by closing the X-Files, separating Mulder and Scully, and eventually having her abducted. This permitted the producers to have an explanation for Scully's absence (she appears in only two scenes in "Ascension" and not at all in the next episode, "3
"). Chris Carter declared both the censors and the producers were reluctant on showing Scully in the trunk, but he "fought for that image" as he considered it conveyed the sense of danger to the character. Carter added the scenes of the experiment were meant to be ambiguous on whether Scully was abducted by aliens, the military, or both.
David Duchovny
provided his own stunts in this episode. The tagline for this episode is "Deny Everything", replacing the usual phrase "The Truth is Out There."
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
television series
Television program
A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...
The X-Files
The X-Files
The X-Files is an American science fiction television series and a part of The X-Files franchise, created by screenwriter Chris Carter. The program originally aired from to . The show was a hit for the Fox network, and its characters and slogans became popular culture touchstones in the 1990s...
. "Ascension" concerns Mulder's pursuit of Scully, who has been kidnapped by alien abductee Duane Barry.
Plot
Upon hearing the voicemail showing Dana ScullyDana Scully
FBI Special Agent Dana Katherine Scully, M.D. is a fictional character and protagonist on the Fox television series The X-Files , played by Gillian Anderson. She also appeared in two theatrical films based on the series...
's kidnapping by Duane Barry, Fox Mulder
Fox Mulder
FBI Special Agent Fox William Mulder is a fictional character and protagonist in the American Fox television shows The X-Files and The Lone Gunmen, two science fiction shows about a government conspiracy to hide or deny the truth of Alien existence. Mulder's peers consider his theories on...
heads to her apartment and surveys the crime scene. He meets with Scully's mother, Margaret, who claims to have previously had a dream about her being taken away. The next morning, Assistant Director Skinner
Walter Skinner
FBI Assistant Director Walter Sergei Skinner is a fictional character in the American FOX television shows The X-Files and The Lone Gunmen, two science fiction shows about a government conspiracy to hide or deny the truth of Alien existence...
tells Mulder that he is "too close" to the case to be involved, and orders Alex Krycek
Alex Krycek
Alex Krycek is a fictional character in the long-running American science fiction show, The X-Files portrayed by Nicholas Lea. Initially introduced in the second season as a partner for main character Fox Mulder in the absence of his previous partner, Dana Scully, Krycek grew to become one of the...
to escort him home. Meanwhile, Barry speeds down Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
's Blue Ridge Parkway
Blue Ridge Parkway
The Blue Ridge Parkway is a National Parkway and All-American Road in the United States, noted for its scenic beauty. It runs for 469 miles , mostly along the famous Blue Ridge, a major mountain chain that is part of the Appalachian Mountains...
when he is pulled over by a highway patrol officer. When Scully—locked in the trunk—tries to get the officer's attention, Barry kills him. Mulder reviews a video of the traffic stop, and sees that Scully is still alive.
Mulder realizes that Barry is heading to a ski resort at Skyland Mountain, the location of his original abduction; he is attempting to follow through with his original plan of having the aliens abduct someone there in his place. Krycek informs the Smoking Man of these findings before departing with Mulder. When they arrive at the mountain, Mulder boards the resort's aerial tramway
Aerial tramway
An aerial tramway , cable car , ropeway or aerial tram is a type of aerial lift which uses one or two stationary ropes for support while a third moving rope provides propulsion...
in the hopes of reaching its peak before Barry. However, Krycek tries to kill Mulder by sabotaging the tramway's journey upward. When Mulder arrives, he witnesses a black helicopter
Black Helicopter
Black Helicopter is a United States Boston, Massachusetts based hard rock band on Thurston Moore's Ecstatic Peace! independent record label. The band performed at North East Sticks Together in 2005 and 2006....
in the area. Upon finding Barry's car, Mulder finds no trace of Scully except her necklace
Necklace
A necklace is an article of jewellery which is worn around the neck. Necklaces are frequently formed from a metal jewellery chain. Others are woven or manufactured from cloth using string or twine....
. He then encounters a jovial Barry, who claims that she was taken by "them".
When Mulder interrogates
Interrogation
Interrogation is interviewing as commonly employed by officers of the police, military, and Intelligence agencies with the goal of extracting a confession or obtaining information. Subjects of interrogation are often the suspects, victims, or witnesses of a crime...
Barry, he becomes so enraged that he nearly strangles
Strangles
Strangles is a contagious upper respiratory tract infection of horses and other equines caused by a bacterium, Streptococcus equi var equi...
him, only to stop himself. When he leaves the room, he orders Krycek to not let anyone inside; however, he finds Krycek talking to Barry when he returns. When Skinner arrives minutes later, Barry breaks into convulsions and dies. Later, at Quantico
FBI Academy
The FBI Academy, located in Quantico, Virginia, is the training site for new Special Agents of the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was first opened for use in 1972 on 385 acres of woodland. It is a relatively small government academy, housing three dormitory buildings and...
, Mulder attempts to question the doctor who performed Barry's autopsy
Autopsy
An autopsy—also known as a post-mortem examination, necropsy , autopsia cadaverum, or obduction—is a highly specialized surgical procedure that consists of a thorough examination of a corpse to determine the cause and manner of death and to evaluate any disease or injury that may be present...
; she refuses to provide details since it was performed by the military instead of the FBI, claiming no other doctors were available. Mulder and Krycek are ordered to take a polygraph test about Barry's death.
Krycek meets with the Smoking Man, and suggests that they kill Mulder. However, the Smoking Man orders that Mulder be left alive, unless they want to risk "turning one man's religion into a crusade". A desperate Mulder tries to visit Senator Richard Matheson, only to be discouraged from doing so by X. In his car, Mulder finds spent cigarettes from the Smoking Man's meeting with Krycek. Realizing Krycek's role in Scully's abduction, Mulder submits a report to Skinner accusing Krycek of impeding his investigation and killing Barry. Skinner summons Krycek to his office, only to learn that he has disappeared. Skinner then announces to Mulder that he is officially re-opening the X-File
X-file
On the television series The X-Files, an X-File is a fictional case that has been deemed unsolvable by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The files constitute an unassigned project outside the Bureau mainstream that is more or less concerned with unexplained phenomena. -First X-Files:The very...
s.
Mulder meets with Margaret Scully in a park, and tries to give her Scully's necklace. Margaret returns the necklace to Mulder, asking that he give it to Scully when he finds her. Margaret also says that she had the dream again about losing her daughter; Mulder takes this as a hopeful sign that Scully may still be alive. A mournful Mulder later returns to Skyland Mountain, to the field where Scully was abducted. Seemingly alone without her, he looks up into the stars.
Production
The idea to have Scully abducted originated when Gillian AndersonGillian Anderson
Gillian Leigh Anderson is an American actress.After beginning her career in theatre, Anderson achieved international recognition for her role as Special Agent Dana Scully on the American television series The X-Files. During the show's nine seasons, Anderson won Emmy, Golden Globe, and Screen...
became pregnant in the middle of the first season
The X-Files (season 1)
The first season of the science fiction television series The X-Files commenced airing on the Fox network in the United States on September 10, 1993 and concluded on the same channel on May 13, 1994 after airing all 24 episodes....
. While initially upset, those in charge of the show never considered dropping the actress from the show. Ideas such as having Scully give birth to an alien baby were dismissed and ultimately the writers decided to work around the pregnancy by closing the X-Files, separating Mulder and Scully, and eventually having her abducted. This permitted the producers to have an explanation for Scully's absence (she appears in only two scenes in "Ascension" and not at all in the next episode, "3
3 (The X-Files)
"3" is the seventh episode of the second season of the American science fiction television series The X-Files. It premiered on the Fox network on . It was written by Glen Morgan, James Wong and Chris Ruppenthal, directed by David Nutter, and featured guest appearances by Perrey Reeves and Malcolm...
"). Chris Carter declared both the censors and the producers were reluctant on showing Scully in the trunk, but he "fought for that image" as he considered it conveyed the sense of danger to the character. Carter added the scenes of the experiment were meant to be ambiguous on whether Scully was abducted by aliens, the military, or both.
David Duchovny
David Duchovny
David William Duchovny is an American actor, writer and director. He has won Golden Globe awards for his work as FBI Special Agent Fox Mulder on The X-Files and as Hank Moody on Californication.-Early life:...
provided his own stunts in this episode. The tagline for this episode is "Deny Everything", replacing the usual phrase "The Truth is Out There."