The X-files 11x6 -

: Skinner goes AWOL after receiving a package containing a human ear and a note that says "Kitten". Mulder and Scully are ordered by Alvin Kersh to track him down.

According to reviewers from IndieWire , this episode provides a "sweet and touching" moment for Skinner that feels earned after 20 years of backstory. The X-Files 11x6

: The investigation leads Mulder and Scully to Mud Lick, Kentucky, where people are being murdered in booby traps resembling Vietnam War punji pits. : Skinner goes AWOL after receiving a package

In the X-Files episode (Season 11, Episode 6), Walter Skinner's mysterious past in the Vietnam War finally takes center stage. The episode explores themes of guilt and accountability, revealing how a secret military project called MK-NAOMI —a gas designed to induce extreme fear and hallucinations—shattered Skinner's faith in the government. Plot Summary : The investigation leads Mulder and Scully to

: Flashbacks reveal a young Skinner (played by Cory Rempel) and his friend John "Kitten" James (Haley Joel Osment) being exposed to the experimental gas. The gas turned James into a "monster" who collected trophies from victims, and Skinner’s forced silence during James's trial has haunted him for decades.

: Skinner’s middle name is revealed to be Sergei .

: The episode ends with a crop duster spraying gas, and Skinner losing a tooth, suggesting he was recently exposed to the MK-NAOMI agent.