“Avatar” is episode twenty-one of season three of The X-Files.
AD Skinner is in a lawyer’s office. He’s got something to sign but seems reluctant to do so. The pen he has, Skinner she gave it him as an anniversary present. His lawyer says they are expecting the signed documents by end of business today. Which was 10 minutes ago. Skinner decides he isn’t going to sign; after 17 years they can wait another day. He will do it tomorrow, Skinner says as he leaves. The document is a petition for the dissolution of a marriage.
Later, Skinner is sitting the in Chesapeake Lounge of the Ambassador Hotel when a woman (Amanda Tapping in a very early role; she and Mitch Pileggi would later appear in Stargate: Atlantis together) asks if she can sit next to him. That’s the only free seat and some man is trying to give her his life story. They talk about being alone then end up in a room together. Skinner sees an old woman sitting on him, and jolts away. The woman is facing him in bed. Which is unfortunate, as her body isn’t; her head has been twisted fully around and she’s rather dead.
Mulder arrives as the body is being removed and speaks to the detective in charge, Waltos. Mulder explains who he is and that he’d like to speak to Skinner. The discussion is going to be completed at the station house, because Skinner has had a minor memory lapse. Scully calls – Skinner had called in a homicide – and Mulder explains what’s going on. Skinner, on the way out, tells Mulder he doesn’t need to be involved. Waltos, when asked, says Skinner met the dead woman in the bar and woke up next to her body. The victim has no ID, name or purse. Waltos appreciates that Skinner is Mulder’s colleague, but he’s also a suspect. Scully is still on the phone and Mulder says he will meet her at the coroners. He sees the victim’s body outlined on the bed.
Scully concurs with the coroner’s report that the murder was a sudden violent act at a vulnerable moment. Mulder arrives; she tells him that Skinner’s prints are the only ones on the body. Mulder tells her the victim is a Carina Sayles; a former legal secretary who got fired a few weeks ago for extracurricular work with one of the firm’s clients. Who runs an escort service. Scully will meet Mulder outside once she’s tidied up but, when she turns off the light, spots phosphorescence around the body’s nose and mouth.
Mulder and Scully head to see Sayles’s employer, Lorraine Kelleher, who says she is late for a meeting with Sayles. She’s told she’s dead. Murdered. Kelleher says she can’t say who Sayles was with and they would be surprised who some of her clients are. Mulder wouldn’t. Eventually, she says that the client was Walter Skinner.
Mulder doesn’t believe Skinner is responsible. Scully says that he was found in bed with a dead prostitute and no alibi. They don’t know much about him. Mulder says they know what Skinner has done for them. They owe it to him to find out what really happened. Waltos calls to let them know Skinner has been released.
They arrive as Skinner is leaving. He insists it doesn’t concern either of them. However, Skinner seems to be surprised that Sayles was a prostitute; that’s something he would know if he’d paid for her. Skinner then sees the old woman in a red coat. She disappears before he can get to her, then Skinner spots her again. When he grabs her, it isn’t the old woman, but it is someone Skinner knows. He leaves and Mulder and Scully ask who she is. Sharon Skinner (Jennifer Hetrick, who played Vash in Star Trek: TNG and DS9); Skinner’s wife.
Neither knew he was married. Sharon tells them that Skinner is good at keeping secrets. They haven’t been together for almost 8 months. Skinner has the misguided notion that silence is strength and built a wall keeping everyone out. Sharon realised that they were no longer married; simply roommates. Scully gets a call and, before they leave, Sharon asks Mulder if he thinks Skinner did it. He doesn’t.
Skinner’s office is being turned over by the Office of Professional Conduct for the hearing tomorrow. Even though Skinner hasn’t been charged with a crime. In Mulder’s office, Scully has a tape. It shows a man suffering from REM sleep behaviour disorder; he broke his wife’s arm during one of these incidents. He is also being treated at Bethesda Sleep Disorder Centre, as is Skinner, for the same disorder. A recurring dream of an old woman who straddles his chest, suffocating him. Perhaps Skinner was defending himself in his sleep. Mulder says it’s an ancient story; the succubus, a spirit who visits men at night. He shows her an old picture of such and Scully asks about something. A residual luminescent phenomenon attributed to the succubus. Scully takes Mulder to see Sayles’ body, but the luminescence has now gone. In fact, the sample Scully took has completely disappeared. Putting her in the unusual position of being the one on the defensive.
This is a very Skinner-centric episode, with the episode revolving around him. Whether or not the old woman is real is up for discussion, but there is definitely something else going on.