A convict who disappears during a hurricane acquires the ability to pass through solid objects, and goes off in search of something he wants back.
It's a corking idea, and it hasn't been done before, although this episode is similar to Soft Light from the end of the second season. There's quite a bit going on here, with the motives of Pinker, the escapee criminal, remaining hidden for most of the story, which provides a good element of mystery. The methods of death are wholly unpleasant throughout, and all the characters are given realistic roles in the story, roles which are played very well by the guest cast.
On top of this, there are some wonderful Mulder and Scullyisms, with the best being over a corpse that's been cut in half. "Do you think we should arrest David Copperfield?" asks Scully. "Yes," replies Mulder, "but not for this." Although the final twist is pretty obvious, it still leads to an unexpected and gruesome ending, with no one really getting what they deserve. There's much more of a grey area within the various characters in this episode, and these kind of shadings bring added depth to the show.
Apart from never finding out exactly where Pinker gets his ability from (although we assume it's the hurricane), this is a strong episode for The X-Files, featuring a slightly less obvious criminal than is usually the case.
****
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