: A man named Howard Salt is shot on the White House lawn while attempting to hand over a disk containing information about a pending alien invasion.
: Fans frequently cite the "black ops" mission with the Lone Gunmen and their "adorable" reunion with Mulder as a highlight of the episode. The X-Files 8x16
: The "Three Words" of the title refer to "Fight the Future," which serves as the password to the census bureau database. This phrase was also the tagline for the 1998 X-Files feature film. : A man named Howard Salt is shot
: After being denied reinstatement to the X-Files by Deputy Director Alvin Kersh, Mulder conducts his own investigation into the shooting. He is deeply suspicious of Agent Doggett, believing he is part of a government cover-up. This phrase was also the tagline for the
: Doggett realizes the information he gave Mulder was a trap set by his contact, Knowle Rohrer. He rushes to the statistics center to save Mulder from approaching black ops mercenaries, though Mulder remains distrustful of his intentions. Critical Analysis and Themes
: The episode introduces the "Super Soldier" mythology. The final scene reveals strange protrusions on the back of Knowle Rohrer's neck, signaling that the conspiracy has evolved beyond the original Syndicate.