Redux II There are certain tropes that I am constantly afraid that this show is going to fall into as it starts to introduce us to the idea of certain storylines. However, I have to lean back sometimes, and remember that this show was made in the '90s, and a lot of the said tropes weren't really tropes back then, so this show probably had a hand in popularizing them. "The X-Files" has more than once done something that I felt was clichéd, only for me to realize that this was one of the first show's that actually tried to do it like that, and therefore, I have to give it more credit for how it tells its story. It's a show that is very high on its mythology, and that's clear, because it was one of the first shows that really dedicated itself to that form of storytelling. And these three episodes surely added to the mythology, with this being the clear standout and quite the episode to end this saga on. It's an emotional rollercoaster that brings our character face-to-face with death, only to give them a chance to fight another day, and while all of that was a given, the journey is still interesting.
There are a lot of stakes in this episode. Scully's cancer has really started to take its toll on her, and Mulder is at a race against the clock. This brings us very close to the emotional hook of the episode, and both characters are facing odds that don't seem like they are in their favor, which actually adds some real tension into the mix. It brings Mulder into the devil's den and forces him to make decisions that he probably wouldn't ever make, but that's the price he has to pay to save Scully, and it feels very earned.
This entire three-parter has been focused on Mulder's crisis of faith, and he has been brought to a real tough spot on his journey. He has been faced with certain facts that change everything he has ever believed to be true, and that takes its toll. The ending of the episode is a perfect capsulation of his feelings throughout, and what they do with Samantha in this episode leaves a lot of questions to be answered, but it also puts an entirely new spin on Mulder's seek for the truth, which may be darker than he wanted it to be.
The performances in this episode are incredible. Gillian Anderson is the fuel that the episode drives on and her emotional performance is what keeps the meter running and the tension rising. However, David Duchovny also pulls out all the tricks in his book, and he leaves the episode on a real high note, delivering some of his best work to date. Duchovny did pick this episode as his Emmy submission, and it's a good pick because he really shines through in all of his scenes, always showing us why he should never be underestimated as one of the show's standouts.
"Redux II" is the emotional ending to the three-part arc that we needed, and it leaves us with a lot of very interesting, unanswered questions. The development is great and the latter half of the episode is absolutely incredible, with some truly shocking moments and some great performances, especially from Duchovny who shows his skills.