The X-Files (1993–…): Season 1, Episode 8 - Ice - full transcript

Mulder and Scully are sent to investigate when a team of geophysicists stationed at a remote Alaskan outpost are killed by a parasitic alien life form.

The X-Files S01E08 Ice
Re-Sync & Edit
Tharindu_Lakmal_Jeewantha

We're not...

who...

we are.

We're not...

who we are.

It goes no further than this.

It stops right here...

right now.

(both grunting)

(panting)



♪ ♪

(gunshots)

Team captain John
Richter here.

It's been a couple of
frustrating months,

but after a great deal
of stick-with-it-ness

we're very proud
to report that,

as of a half
an hour ago,

we surpassed the
previous record

for drilling down
into an ice sheet.

ALL:
All right!

MULDER:
This team of scientists made up

the Arctic Ice Core Project.

They were sent to Alaska

by the government's Advanced
Research Project Agency



nearly a year ago
to drill into the Arctic ice.

The samples they removed

contained trapped gases,
dust, chemicals--

evidence that
could reveal

the structure of
the earth's climate

back to the dawn of man.

Their work was a success,
nearly completed.

No reports or indications
of problems of any kind

until only a week later

this next transmission
was received.

We're not...

who...

we are.

We're not...

who we are.

It goes no further than this.

It stops... right here...

right now.

(groans)

What happened up there?

So far nobody's been able
to reach the compound

because of bad weather.

Obviously they think

we're either brilliant
or expendable

because we've pulled
the assignment.

Is it severe
isolation distress?

These were top
geophysicists.

They were trained and
screened for this project

in every way imaginable,

including
psychological makeup.

We leave for Nome today.

We'll meet up with
three scientists

familiar with the
Ice Core Project

and then head north
up to the Icy Cape.

The National Weather Service

reports a three-day window

to get in and get out
before the next Arctic storm.

Bring your mittens.

(indistinct chatter)

SPORTSCASTER (over radio):
Here's the snap. Raiders blitz.

Fouts dumps it across the middle
to Winslow.

He's at the 15! The ten!
Touchdown-- San Diego!

(laughs)
Touchdown!

Fouts is God!

Sorry, my team scored.

There's no football
on Wednesday.

Fouts retired
in '87, didn't he?

No, this is
just some of my

all-time favorite plays on tape.

You two FBI?

Agent Mulder, Agent Scully.
And you?

Danny Murphy, professor
of geology, U.C. San Diego.

San Diego-- you get much of a
chance to study ice down there?

Just what's around the keg.

Dr. Dasilva, Dr. Hodge?

Yeah, sorry we're late.

Agent Scully,
Agent Mulder.

Mulder.
Nice to meet you.

How you doing, Mr. Mulder?
Dr. Murphy.

Hi.
Can I see some
identification?

What for?

Want to make sure
we are who we say we are.

It's me.

It's you.

It's me.

It's you.

It's me.
Thanks a lot.

Well, now that we know
who we are,

anybody care to take a guess
as to why we're going?

MURPHY:
Well,

two federal agents, a geologist,

a medical doctor,
and a toxicologist.

That should give us some
idea what they're thinking.

I assume you all took a look
at the tape.

Something wrong?

Come on, you're FBI.

You have to know
more than we do.

You folks the ones
going up to Icy Cape?

Yeah.

Then I'm the one flying you.

My name is Bear.

The plane's across the way.

Provisions are loaded.

Grab your gear.

Oh, could we see
some credentials?

(chuckles)

Credentials.

The only
credentials I have

is that I'm the only pilot
willing to fly you up there.

You don't like
those credentials,

walk.

Bear, see if you can get
the power started.

Anything to get out of here.

Where do we start?

Body bags are on the plane.

Before we touch
anything,

we have to thoroughly
document the scene.

SCULLY:
Flashing.

MULDER:
That's what they
were drilling for.

Quarter of a million years
melting away

in a couple of days.

I want to preserve
some samples.

(rumbling)

It's the generator.

Oh.

(growls)
Agent Mulder!

(screams)

(barking)

Hold on.

(groans)

Hold it down.

(dog whimpers)

That will keep him
out for a while.

You okay?

Yeah, he didn't break the skin.

Bear, you okay?

He got me.

Get that jacket off.

Give me the stuff.
I'll do it myself.

DASILVA:
Is it rabies?

I don't see any indication
of glottal spasm or tetany.

If it is rabies,

it's certainly not a strain
I'm familiar with.

SCULLY:
Look at this.

Black nodules.

Swollen lymph nodes.

Symptoms of bubonic plague.

HODGE:
I'll do a blood test.

We'll take it
from there.

This dog has got

a skin irritation
on its neck.

MURPHY:
It looks like
it's been scratching off

its own hair.

Look at this,
look at this.

What the hell was that?

(groans)

From the autopsies

it's clear these men
killed one another.

There are contusions

around the throat areas
of three men--

evidence of
strangulation.

Richter and Campbell
killed themselves.

I also found tissue
damage due to fever.

Did any of them have

the black spots the dog has?

No.

None of them had
the black nodules.

So, uh, those spots
didn't have anything to do

with those guys
killing each other, right?

I wouldn't rule it out.

I just reexamined the dog.

The nodules are gone.

What could
that mean?

It could mean that the spots
are a symptom of some disease

at an early stage.

Danny?

(sportscaster speaking
indistinctly over headphones)
Danny.

Danny.

Sorry.

The playoff game
against Miami, '82.

Helps to get my
mind off stuff.

My interpretation of satellite
remote sensing photos

is a little rusty.

MURPHY: All right,
this is the Icy Cape area.

It approximates the depth
of the ice sheet

to be about 3,000
meters thick.

I also found this data,

and if I'm reading it
correctly,

the team actually found
the ice sheet

to be twice that depth.

That's very good.

The numbers indicate

the topography
to be concave.

Looks like they
were drilling

inside a meteor crater.

HODGE: No, you're
wrong, it's impossible.

I analyzed two samples.

What did you find?

There seems to be a presence
of ammonium hydroxide

in Richter's blood sample.

It's not possible.

Ammonia would vaporize
at human body temperature.

I checked all the air
filtration systems.

I found no evidence
of any such toxins.

I have.

In the ice,

and that's not all there is.

I found a high ratio
of ammonia to water

in the ice core.

The earth's atmosphere

could never have produced
such levels,

not even a quarter
of a million years ago.

Look in the scope.

Unless a foreign object

was introduced into
that environment.

MURPHY:
Tell me that's not
a foreign object.

Whoa.

Scully.

That same thing
is in Richter's blood.

What if
that single-celled organism

is the larval stage
of a larger animal?

That's kind of a leap,
don't you think?

SCULLY:
The evidence is there.

Maybe the organism

in the ice core
somehow got into the men.

Come on, nothing can survive
in subzero temperatures

for a quarter of
a million years.

Unless that's how it lives.

Lookit, I don't see why
you're squabbling over some bug.

You said it yourself,
Scully, your autopsy found

those men killed
each other.

That's it, now I say, let's
just get the hell out of here.

I agree, we can have
the bodies sent

to a facility where they can
make a definitive diagnosis

in the event

that something was missed,
Agent Scully.

If those bodies are infected

with an unknown organism,

we can't take them back.

We can't go back

without proper
quarantine procedures.

We can't risk bringing
back the next plague.

Let's say you're right,
they came down with something.

We haven't, and I ain't
waiting around until we do.

I think it's safe to go back.

There's no reason
why we'd be infected.

We've taken all the necessary
biological safeguards.

The dog did bite Bear.

It jumped Mulder, too!
But it didn't
break the skin.

There's only one
way to proceed.

A doctor eliminates
every possibility.

We must determine
if any of us is infected.

All right.
Parasitic diagnostic procedure

requires that each of us provide
a blood and a stool sample.

A stool sample?
MURPHY:
Wow.

This kind of travel always makes
that kind of tough... for me.

MULDER:
Okay, anybody got

the morning
sports section handy?

I ain't dropping my cargo
for no one.

What I'm doing
is getting

my gear, getting my plane,
and flying the hell out of here.

You can't go.

The dog bit you.

I got hired to fly you
up here and fly you back.

No one said this might
be part of the deal.

So the deal is over.

We can't let him leave
without him being checked.

Who's going
to stop him?

We have to.

We can't risk infecting
the population.

If he gets on that plane,
I'm gonna be on it with him.

Well, we don't have
time to argue about it.

Take a vote.

Whoever believes
we should confine Bear

until he agrees
to an examination...

(groans)

All right.

Bear, we just want
to check you out.

If we don't
find any trace

of the parasite
or the virus,

we'll all go.

All right.

Give me the damn jar.

(screams)

(both grunting)

Murphy, get a rope.

Right.

Here.

(groaning)

Oh, my God.

(groaning)

Oh.

Get my bag.

What are you
going to do?
Scalpel-- I'm cutting it out.

We don't know enough about it.
It's killing him.

Scully, help me
hold the skin.

Hold still, Bear.

(screaming)

Forceps.

(moaning)

Hold still, Bear.

Just another second.

You're going
to be okay.

(groaning)

(agonized moaning)

This is the AICP
investigative team

calling Doolittle Airfield.

Come in.

WOMAN:
DAF responding.

This is Agent Mulder.

We have
a serious biological hazard.

Request air pickup
and quarantine procedures.

Over.

Come in, Doolittle Airfield.

We copy, Agent Mulder.

This area is
under a heavy storm,

and no aircraft can get out
for the next day.

Maybe the military base
in Kotzebue

can set up a quarantine.

Advise immediate evacuation.

The Arctic storm is bearing
in your direction. Over.

We were told we'd have three
clear days of weather. Over.

Welcome to the top
of the world, sir. Over.

(chuckles)

Is Bear in any condition to fly?

If we don't get out of here
in an hour,

we don't get out for days.

He's dead.

HODGE:
Well, it's similar to a tapeworm

in that it has a scolex
with suckers and hooks.

MURPHY:
So, then, it's familiar,

something
you can deal with.

What?

No.

Very different
from any organism--

at least that I know of.

Have you figured out
how it's transmitted yet?

Exchange of fluids, touch,
air, all of the above?

I don't know.

All the other dead bodies
had the creature.

This is the only one
that's still alive.

All in the spine?

No, it appears they were
in the hypothalamus gland

deep in the brain.

MURPHY:
Hypothalamus.

What was that again?

It's a gland that
secretes hormones,

although I don't know why

a parasite would want
to attach to it.

Hypothalamus
releases acetylcholine,

which is what produces
violent, aggressive behavior,

so that might be
a connection.

Everybody that's been infected

certainly seems
to act aggressively.

Maybe the worm feeds
on acetylcholine,

which floods our capacity
to control violent behavior.

Well, a parasite shouldn't want
to kill its host.

No, it doesn't kill you
until it's extracted.

Then it releases
a poison.

So you're saying it's possible

that the worm makes you
want to kill other people,

which is maybe what happened
to the first team.

Or what could
happen to us.

It's just
a theory.

We don't have any
definite proof.

Except five
dead men.

If the worm makes people
violently aggressive,

then why did Richter
and Campbell kill themselves?

Maybe they did it to save us.

I'm just, uh...
double-checking.

Making sure I didn't
miss anything.

Just some sleep, right?

Sleep. I'm so tired,
I can't sleep.

Well, we're all wired
and hypersensitive.

It will be good to get a
fresh start in the morning.

Mulder, I don't want
to waste a second

trying to find a way
to kill this thing.

I don't know if
we should kill it.

This area of the ice sheet
is formed over a meteor crater.

The worm lives in ammonia, it
survives subzero temperatures.

Theorists in alternative
life designs believe

in ammonia-supported
life systems

on planets
with freezing temperatures.

No.

The meteor
that crashed here

a quarter of a million years ago
may have carried

that type of life to Earth.

Mulder, that pilot
developed surface symptoms

within a few minutes.

Within a few hours

that parasite had
total control.

What would happen if this
got into the population?

A city the size
of New York

could be infected
within a few days.

Exactly, but what
do we know about it?

This organism might be
lying dormant in another crater.

Mulder, if we don't kill it now,
we run the risk

of becoming Richter and Campbell
with guns to our heads.

But if we do kill it now,
we may never know

how to stop it or anything
like it in the future.

SCULLY:
Future?

Mulder, how can you talk
about the future?

(Scully continues indistinctly)

(Mulder speaking indistinctly)

Tell me it's hot in here.

Don't worry, you
don't have a fever.

The heating system
is malfunctioning.

Outside it's 40 below,
and in here it's sweltering.

Can you hear what
they're arguing about?

Oh, they're
probably discussing

their little
government secrets.

You think they knew it was
up here before we arrived?

I'm sure of it.

You know, Bear's infected blood
did get on Scully.

It also got on you.

(Scully speaking indistinctly)

How do you know
it can't be contained?

It can, by
extermination.

We should take
those bodies--

worms and all-- outside
and incinerate them.

Something going on
we should know about?

Agent Scully,
you all right?

Yes, I'm fine.

It's nothing.

You seem a little
bit stressed out.

What the hell
are you trying to say?

Let's all just settle down.

It's been a long, hard day.

We're all tired and scared.

Let's not turn on one another.

At least not without
a good reason.

MULDER:
Maybe we should all
get some sleep.

You kidding?

You think any of us
could sleep right now?

Guys, let's face it-- we
got to check for spots.

Any person or
persons who has them

should be confined.

Are we agreed
on that?

Are you going
to do the exams?

No.

We do them in front
of each other.

No secrets.

Before anyone passes judgment,

may I remind you
we are in the Arctic?

Yeah?
(sighs)

HODGE:
Sleep tight.

Don't let
the bedbugs bite.

DASILVA:
Yeah, good night.

Good night, Mulder.

Good night, Scully.

At least everyone's okay.

Don't forget,

the spots on the dog went away.

♪ ♪

(sportscaster speaking
indistinctly over headphones)

♪ ♪

(gasps)

(door closes)

♪ ♪

(dog barking)

(growling)

(grunts)

Mulder, what are you doing?

Murphy's dead.

You killed him.

I found him like this.

I heard one of the doors close.

I came out to
check it out.

It was one of you.

He's lying.
You could have done it
and not even known.

No, he said he didn't do it.

I don't have
any of the symptoms.

You checked him yourself, Hodge.

Yeah, six hours ago.

It was one of you.
Stop it!

Stop it! Shut up!

Mulder, just

put the gun down
and let Hodge

give you a blood test.

So he can doctor the results?
I'm not gonna

let him stick a needle in me.

He could be infected.

He has to be
confined now.

Then just turn around

and let us take
a look at your neck.

I'm not turning
my back on anyone!

As far as I'm
concerned,

you're all infected!

Hodge is right--
we ought to lock him up.

Mulder.

Scully, get
that gun off me.

Mulder,

you have to understand.

Put it down!

You put it down first!

Scully!

For God's sakes, it's me.

Mulder, you may not be
who you are.

In here I'll be safer than you.

(wind whistling)

♪ ♪

(Scully and Dasilva gasp)

What were you doing?

You know what I was doing.

You know,

I can't help thinking,
Agent Scully,

you're the only one with a gun.

If you get infected,
we don't stand a chance, do we?

Good.

Was there
something there?

HODGE:
You're okay, Nancy.

We're all okay.

Now is not the time
for the three of us

to break down
and turn on each other.

There's four of us.

Mulder isn't one
of us anymore.

If Mulder is infected,
it's not his fault.

We can't turn our backs
on him now.

He needs us to help him.

She's right.

Who knows

what prolonged exposure
to the parasite could do to him?

It could damage him to the point
of permanent psychosis.

But if he is infected,
he doesn't go back.

I won't risk
the possibilities.

This is AICP
calling Doolittle Airfield.

Please come in.

(static)

This is
the Arctic Ice Core Project

sending a general distress call.

Please respond.

(static)

Nancy, want to put a drop
of the uninfected blood

on the slide of the blood
drawn from the pilot?

Run that by me again.

Put the uninfected blood
on the infected blood.

No! Damn it!

What did I just get
through telling you?

You just infected
already infected blood.

Now I have to start
all over again.

I made a mistake.
You don't have to yell at me.

Wasted hours of work...
Okay, well, then

maybe you should just
do it by yourself!

Damn it!
God, I'm not your assistant!

All you do is...
HODGE:
Oh, just get out of here.

Go take a shower
or something.

Hodge.

What?

Come take a look at this.

The larvae from
two different worms

killed each other.

An individual worm
will not tolerate another

invading its host.

It does to the invader
what it did to humans.

It makes them kill.

HODGE:
Doesn't make any sense for
a species to kill its own.

It needs another
to procreate.

Worms are hermaphroditic.

It can reproduce itself.

Look at the evidence
in the microscope.

This thing does
not like company.

So, what are
you saying?

The way to kill it

is to introduce
another worm

into an already
infected body?

♪ ♪

(whimpering)

(whines)

It sounds okay.

It passed the worms
in its stool.

They're dead.

I want to talk
to him first.

Try and make this voluntary.

What?

You can't go in alone.

If anything happens,
you come inside.

I can't do this to him
until I'm sure.

It's just you?

Yes.

It's one of them.

No one's been killed
since you've been in here.

So?

We found a way to kill it.

Two worms in one host
will kill each other.

You give me one worm,
you'll infect me.

If that's true,

then why didn't you
let us inspect you?

I would have,
but you pulled a gun on me.

Now I don't trust them.

I want to trust you.

Okay.

But now they're not here.

(gasps)

DASILVA:
This is the last one.

She's not going to let us
give it to him.

Well, she'll have to
if he's infected.

He'll convince her
somehow.

I just examined him.

He's uninfected.

So is she.

Which means that it
must be one of you.

All right.

Let's go over
to the main building.

I'd like to check him myself.

Then he can examine
both of us.

Want to lead the way?

No!

(Mulder screams)

(all grunting)

(clanging)

Get the worm.

Don't!

(clanging continues)

(grunting)

No!

Oh, my God.

(screaming)

Mulder,

it's her!

No!

No!

Scully!

It's Dasilva.

(screaming hysterically)

No!

(screaming)

Hodge! Now!

Mulder.

After this,
there won't be any left.

They're all going
to be dead!

Do it!

(Dasilva screaming)

No!

Shh, shh.

No!

(shushing)

(moaning)

It's all right.

It's all over.

It all stops right here,

right now.

MAN:
Okay, I got it.

(indistinct radio transmission)

Okay, lock her down.

She's being put in quarantine
along with the dog.

We'll keep her there
until we're sure

that she won't infect
the rest of the population.

Meanwhile our tests
came back normal,

so we've been released.

Plane ready.

It'll take you
as far from the ice

as you want to go.

I'm going back to the site.

This time
I'm going fully prepared

with proper equipment.

There's still a lot
of research to be done

on the genetic structure,
on its origins...

Wait, Mulder, don't you know?

Know what?

45 minutes
after they evacuated us,

they torched the place.

There's nothing left.

Who did that?

The military,

Centers for Disease Control.

You ought to know.

They're your people.

It's still there, Scully.

200,000 years down.

In the ice.

Leave it there.

The X-Files S01E08 Ice
Re-Sync & Edit
Tharindu_Lakmal_Jeewantha