The X-Files Episode Is A Dark Parody Of Forrest Gump And It's Very Good

Posted by Jonathan Klotz | Published 31 seconds ago

During its initial operation, X files he dared the unsuspecting public to believe in aliens, government conspiracies, and other monsters that walk in the night. Lurking behind it all, however, was the mysterious Smoking Man, who went from Season 1's aftermath to the show's villain. According to the Season 4 episode, “Songs of a Cigarette Smoker,” he is once again a twisted Forrest Gump, influencing world events not through naive hope but through his ideals of keeping the world safe.

The Secret History of a Cigarette Smoking Man

“Songs of a Smoker” gave fans their best look at the mysterious history of a shadowy mastermind, played expertly by William B. Davis, with Chris Owens appearing in the episode as a younger version of the key man behind the conspiracy. While meeting with Mulder and Scully, Melvin Frohike of The Lone Gunman reveals that he has discovered the real history of the Smoking Man, who, luckily, is listening in on the meeting behind a sniper rifle. In a long series of flashbacks, we see real history play out, or at least, the show makes us think it's real history.

In 1962, we learn that the Smoking Man is a friend of Mulder's father, Bill, and that he has been tasked by the US Army to assassinate President John F. Kennedy. “Musings of a Cigarette Smoking Man” gives us the origin of his smoking habit, taking its cue from a gift he received from Lee Harvey Oswald after framing him for murder. That was just the first scene in X-Files history that was shaped by his influence, and his worst deeds were yet to come.

From planning the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. to planning the “Miracle on Ice” of 1980, and worst of all, keeping the Bills from winning the Super Bowl, “Musings of a Cigarette Smoking Man” is a fun re-imagining of world history. . Yet it also makes one of the most ruthless, apparently evil characters in sci-fi history strangely sympathetic.

Frustrated Writer

In between shaping world events, “Musings of a Cigarette Smoking Man” shows him working on a novel, Take a Chance: The Jack Colquitt Adventureand in the present day of 1996, he is ready to quit his job and smoke to celebrate the release of his sci-fi novel. Until he finds out that the editor double-crossed him, and while sitting on a park bench, he gives his “life is like a box of chocolates” speech before resuming his life of bullying. Rare time X files the original run that makes him human, but it may not be true.

In the closing moments of “Songs of a Cigarette-Smoking Man,” Frohike admits that he did it all, and yet the Cigarette-Smoking Man closes the episode by quoting the last line of his novel, “I can kill you whenever I want to, but not today.” This has led fans to wonder how much of the plot is fiction and how much is real secret history X file a very mysterious character.

One of the Best Episodes of The X-Files

When the episode aired, the lack of a clear resolution divided critics and fans, but as time went on, “Songs of a Smoker” became a fan favorite. Written by Glen Morgan and directed by James Wong, the exemplary couple behind the best episodes of the show and the underrated sci-fi series Space: Above and Beyondin fact this was one of the first episodes they wrote after their other show was cancelled. Although they did not intend to say that this was a direct history of The Smoking Man, many fans assumed that it was, ignoring the fun of the episode, reimagining world events.

“The Smoking Man's Sing” may not answer any questions, including the most pressing question, namely, when did he go to buy “The Red and the Black” beautiful log cabin? Argument about the best episode of X files it may not last, and controversial decisions made in the revival series marred some of the early runs, but The Smoking Man's secret history has gotten better over time.