The X Files - Skinner Threatens to Shoot the Cigarette Smoking Man (4x21)

The first 11 minutes of this episode are almost pure visual storytelling. The X Files really succeeded at its aim of being ‘cinematic’.
Credit to Howard Gordon for (co-)writing the second Skinner focused episode, after having written the first (Avatar, 3x21).
Zero Sum is Season 4 Episode 21 of The X Files.
Directed by:
Kim Manners
Written by:
Frank Spotnitz
Howard Gordon

[@ericsmith6315]

If skinner earned a dollar for every badass moment he'd be a millionaire!

[@MrTVintro]

Maybe, but by all rights someone should have shot early season Skinner with his constant "is he in on it or not" bullshit.

[@greenghost5009]

Regular government vs Shadow government standoff

[@user-rl3iv2jk9q]

Good comment .

[@justinbechard7136]

Skinner went harder thqn Mulder in that "go ahead and shoot" moment. Smoking man was scared...

[@newtonshiggers]

Skinner is blatantly tougher than Mulder.

[@carlaloulou5329]

I never noticed it was in memory of mitch's father

[@DBarns7]

For somebody who claims they aren't afraid to die, CSM certainly looked shook up. 😂

[@foxtrot-gamesandwit4475]

I mean having the jitters after a stressful situation makes sense- he was very calm at gunpoint

[@t1m3fl0w]

Mark Snow's music is out this world !

[@juliewestwind]

Skinner has mama bear energy 🐻

[@diontaedaughtry974]

Cigarette man shat himself 😂🤣😂

[@norpriest521]

Lol 😂

[@Soundwave927]

"This isn't the first time I shat myself bc of a gun pointed at me", he would say

[@Latitz]

First impulse after being threatened light up cigarette. Every time. XD

[@benstevinson764]

Cancer Man is the Boss!!! 🚬☠️🚬☠️🚬☠️ The Truth is in the Ingredients!!!

[@hbryant1971]

Any sane person cannot work with a sociopath on a job, who knows what they might do!

[@Soundwave927]

Seeing this when it originally aired.... burning questions were about Marita Covarrubias' true motives and who the blurry figure is in the back-round -seemingly listening in on the line. Perhaps a clue and Smoking Man's questionable standing with the Syndicate?

[@michaelmacias8]

The seeds to FTF

[@lami7904]

2:20 I wonder who the blurry figure behind Marita is.

[@agentpendrell4493]

I don't know who exactly, but it must be another member of the Syndicate.
We later see that Martia attends some of their meetings (e.g. Season 5 Episode 13 - Patient X)

[@martinm.1967]

Krycek.

[@Calriec]

​@@martinm.1967 You could be right, given Marita and Krycek's later relationship.