This issue is supposedly where the final piece of the puzzle falls into place. Unfortunately, I have no idea what the hell the puzzle is supposed to be. Let’s read on and see if we can figure it out together.
First Read Reactions
- War tensions with North Korea. Too real, man. Too real.
- Nothing stops a brutal argument with your spouse like a alien-possessed fireman coming toward you. Lucky break, Mulder.
- Is Skinner about to have a meeting with the Blues Brothers?
- Ah, it’s just shadowy high level government operatives. Carry on…
- Gotta love when even fictional characters can recognize that our current president is a joke.
- So wait–the dude just disappeared? And a giant spaceship appeared? And everyone realizes that the big bad conspiracy goes all the way to the highest levels of government? Where have I heard all of that before?
The Verdict
I hate…HATE that the series had to end on a story like this. I much prefer Joe Harris’ X-Files work when he’s telling self-contained stories. The ones tying into the series’ mythology (like this one) vacillate wildly between careening on the edge of incoherence and remixing the same old things we’ve seen before.
At least Harris’ interactions between Scully and Mulder are great as usual–and of course Matthew Dow Smith’s art is good. I’d love it if these two got together sometime in the future and did another continuation of an X-Files creature classic (like the brilliant Flukeman arc) or maybe even a monster of their own creation.
Unfortunately, the final issue for this excellent creative team leaves a giant burning hole in my heart.
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