The Host

This episode (S2E2) introduces us to the “Flukeman.” Mulder is assigned to investigate a case where a half-eaten body was found in the sewers. Mulder is annoyed that the X-Files have been shut down, and brings that attitude to the current case. He convinces Scully–now working at Quantico–to perform an autopsy on the body. Scully discovers a fluke worm in the man’s liver.  

A city worker is attacked in the sewer system and goes to the doctor, complaining about a bad taste in his mouth. He has a very large wound on his back from where he was attacked. Scully informs Mulder about the fluke worm she found and tells him that the bite on the city worker’s back matches the mouth of the parasite, only it’s much, much larger.  Scully believes that the fluke worm is a larva that is trying to reproduce.

Mulder visits a sewage processing plant and one of the employees has found–and trapped–the Flukeman, a large humanoid with a fluke mouth.  Skinner wants to prosecute the creature, but Mulder thinks it would be futile to do so. Flukeman is put into a U.S. Marshal's vehicle to be transported to a secure location, but it manages to kill the driver and escape the vehicle before hiding in a portable toilet.  Eventually, Flukeman makes its way back to a sewage plant where it is eventually accidentally killed by Mulder.  However, the episode ends with Flukeman opening its eyes.

This episode is disgusting…and I LOVE IT!  I don’t like worms of any kind and when the city worker is trying to rid himself of the bad taste in his mouth and incidentally vomits up a fluke worm…ugh, I couldn’t sleep that night and was afraid to brush my teeth. When Flukeman hides in a portable toilet…let’s just say that I never used a porty again. I did find it amusing when Skinner wanted to prosecute a creature that clearly wasn’t human…I mean, what did he think was going to happen? That it would actually speak and attempt to defend or explain itself? One of the rare instances where I gave sexy-ass Walter Skinner some serious side eye. 

Oh man, I love The Host!! Great ep!