by Jonathan Klotz
| Published
During its original operation, X-Files It dared the unsuspecting public to believe in aliens, government conspiracies, and other monsters that go bump in the night. However, lurking behind it all was the mysterious Cigarette Smoking Man, who went from the background of the first season to the show's main villain. According to the season 4 episode, “Musications of a Cigarette-Smoking Man,” he is also a twisted Forrest Gump, influencing world events not through naive optimism but through his own ideas about keeping the world safe.
The Secret History of the Cigarette Smoking Man
“Musings of a Cigarette Smoking Man” gave fans their best look into the mysterious history of the mysterious mastermind, expertly played by William B. Davis, with Chris Owens appearing in the episode as a younger version of the main man behind the conspiracy. During his meeting with Mulder and Scully, The Lone Gunman's Melvin Froheke reveals that he has found out the true history of the Cigarette Smoking Man, who, by the way, is listening to the meeting from behind a sniper rifle. In a long series of flashbacks, we see the real history happening, or at least, the show makes us believe it is the real history.
In 1962, we learn that the Cigarette Smoking Man is a friend of Mulder's father, Bill, and that he has been assigned by the US military to assassinate President John F. Kennedy. “Reflections of a Cigarette Smoking Man” gives us the origin of his smoking habit, inspired by a gift he received from Lee Harvey Oswald after he was framed for murder. This is just the first time the history of The X-Files has been shaped by his influence, and the worst of his work is yet to come.
From plotting the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. to staging the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” and, worst of all, preventing the Bills from winning the Super Bowl, “Reflections of a Cigarette Smoking Man” has fun reimagining world history. . However, it also makes for one of the most clearly cruel and evil characters Science fiction History to be strangely sympathetic.
Frustrated novelist
In between shaping world events, “Reflections of a Cigarette-Smoking Man” shows him working on a novel, Seize the Chance: A Jack Colquitt AdventureNow in 1996, he's ready to quit his job and smoke to celebrate the release of his science fiction novel. Until he finds that the editor has betrayed him twice, and while sitting on a park bench, he gives his own speech about how “life is like a box of chocolates” before resuming his evil life. It's a rare moment in… X-Files The original playback humanizes him, but it may not be true.
In the closing moments of “Reflections of a Cigarette Smoking Man,” Frohike admits that he made it all up, but the Cigarette Smoking Man concludes the episode by quoting the last line of his novel, “I can kill you whenever I want.” But not today.” This has led fans to wonder exactly how much of the episode is fictional and what its real secret history is X file The most mysterious character.
One of the best X-Files episodes
At the time of the episode's airing, the lack of a clear resolution divided critics and fans, but over time, “Reflections of a Cigarette Smoking Man” has become a fan favorite. It was written by Glen Morgan and directed by James Wong, the quintessential duo behind most of the series' best episodes and also an underrated sci-fi series. Space: above and beyondIn fact, this was one of the first episodes they wrote after their other show was cancelled. Although they never meant to say that this was the definitive history of the Cigarette Smoking Man, many fans thought it was, ignoring the fun the episode had, a reimagining of world events.
“Reflections of a Cigarette Smoking Man” may not answer any questions, including the most pressing one: When did he go shopping for the wonderful log cabin from “The Red and the Black”? Controversy over the best episode of X-Files It may never end, and the controversial decisions made in the revival series ruined some of the original series, but The Secret History of the Cigarette Smoking Man has gotten better with time.
