Firewalker (The X-Files)

Infobox Television episode | Title = Firewalker


Caption = "Firewalker"
Series = The X-Files
Season = 2
Episode = 2X09
Airdate = November 18, 1994 (Fox)
Production =
Writer = Howard Gordon
Director = David Nutter
Guests = None
-
Prev = One Breath
Next = Red Museum|

"Firewalker" was the ninth episode of the second season of "The X-Files" science-fiction television series created by Chris Carter, and deals with silicon-based life forms.

Plot

A malfunction in a robot designed for volcanic exploration yields evidence of a lifeform living in the caves. When this lifeform seemingly causes the death of a member of the research team, Mulder and a newly recovered Scully are flown out to the site in The Cascades to investigate before anyone else dies. They learn that the research team has discovered a silicon based life form, a spore equipped to subsist in a volcanic environment. The spore is a parasite which has infected several members of the team, causing fungus to grow inside their lungs and, eventually, spores to erupt from their necks as they die. The head scientist on the project, Daniel Trepkos, is the only one in the team not infected. He has hidden in the caves of the volcano, planning to quarantine the infection by executing all his fellow team members. Mulder and Scully stay on the site until the last infected member of the team dies, and they manage to avoid contagion. As they leave, they allow Daniel Trepkos to return to the volcano without questioning, despite the scientific value of his knowledge.

Trivia

*The theme of this episode was inspired by the real life NASA, NSF sponsored Carnegie Mellon Robotics Institute project Dante I (a six legged 'spider-like' robot designed and implemented by CMU robotics team in 1990 to explore an active volcano- Mt Erebus). There is a scene in this episode that shows an image of the 'Firewalker' robot. The (prop) robot in this scene is a close representation of the real machine down to the six legs, body, laser scanner and sensor mast.

*The organism in the episode is referred to as "silicon-based", yet it is capable of growing within a carbon-based human body.

*The parasitic fungus is similar to the real-life Cordyceps fungi.

Production Details

Guests

*Bradley Whitford as Daniel Trepkos
*Shawnee Smith as Jessie O'Neil
*Hiro Kanagawa as Peter Tanaka
*Leland Orser as Jason Ludwig
*David Lewis as Vosberg
*Tuck Milligan as Dr. Adam Pierce
*David Kaye as Reporter
*Torben Rolfsen as Technician

References and external links

*imdb title|0751125|Firewalker
* [http://www.tv.com/the-x-files/firewalker/episode/523/summary.html Firewalker] at TV.com