“Deadalive” is episode fifteen of season eight of The X-Files.
In the previous episode, “This Is Not Happening”, Mulder was found, but found dead. This episode opens at his funeral, and Skinner and Scully remain at the grave after all the other mourners are left.
Three months later and Doggett enters Kersh’s office, where Skinner already is. Kersh asked Doggett here to commend him. He’s written a letter to the director, praising Doggett’s efforts in the recovery of Mulder and recommended Doggett be considered for advancement. Doggett starts saying that Skinner deserves more credit when Skinner interrupts. Kersh has already spoken to him at length, thanked him and asked Skinner to write a letter too. Kersh tells Doggett he will be transferred off the X-Files to a division more suited to his talents. Doggett wants to think about it.
Scully is in the office when Mulder arrives. Skinner has called her. Doggett is going to stay; Scully says this is a huge career opportunity and he would be crazy to stay. It isn’t his career Doggett is thinking of. In six weeks, Scully goes on maternity leave and if Doggett isn’t there, the door will be locked for good. He was placed there to find Mulder. Though Mulder has been found, the case is still open and there are questions Doggett wants answering. Scully warns him she said the same seven years ago. If he doesn’t get out now, he may never get out at all.
In the Atlantic off Cape Fear, a trawler spots a body floating in the water. The body is brought to the county morgue in Wilmington; the doctor complains about the DA getting them up in the middle of the night to examine a dead body. He thinks the body is unremarkable and, short of it sitting up and telling them what happened, they will not discover more. His assistant notices the body start to move. The doctor thinks he’s joking. He isn’t.
Doggett is woken by Skinner who wants Doggett to meet him at the bureau. Doggett gets in Skinner’s car and Skinner explains about the dead body. And that it’s Billy Miles, the kid abducted at the same time as Mulder. Doggett asks what the hurry is. Well, now he’s alive. Doggett doesn’t want Skinner to tell Scully. Skinner wouldn’t have anyway, especially where they’re going. Which is to the cemetery to exhume Mulder’s casket. Doggett thinks there’s no way Mulder could be alive. Skinner needs to make sure.
The body is taken in and the same doctor and his assistant open the casket; the doctor doesn’t expect to find anything but a dead man. Mulder still looks dead. Though not any more dead than he did.
Scully arrives at the U.S. Naval Hospital in Annapolis. Skinner stops her from going further. She wants to know if it’s true; that Mulder isn’t dead. Doggett is with a doctor examining Mulder. Mulder isn’t dead, but he shouldn’t be alive. In fact, he’s dead but still alive at the same time. Doggett comes out. Scully needs to see Mulder. Doggett understands but wishes she wouldn’t.
Doggett arrives at Kersh’s office. Kersh wants to talk about the job offer and to drop the Mulder thing. If it looks bad, the FBI looks bad.
Scully is with Billy Miles, who starts having some sort of seizure whilst she’s there and the instruments display odd reading. When a nurse comes in, Scully explains the seizure, who she is and why she’s there, and mentions that the instruments may need checking.
At the FBI, Skinner suddenly collapses. He’s helped and then he starts suffering again, his veins becoming more pronounced. In fact, this is rather reminiscent of some events from “S.R. 819”. So, it’s no surprise that when Skinner opens the lift, Krycek is there. He caused this. Skinner doesn’t want to talk. Krycek isn’t giving him that option. Krycek claims he wants to save Mulder’s life. An unlikely piece of altruism. Skinner, whilst he would like to help Mulder, does not trust Krycek.