Entertainment
How An X-Files Episode Created TV's Scariest Villain
By Chris Snellgrove
| Published
Everybody (even those who have never even seen the show) knows that the Big Bad of The X-Files is the Cigarette Smoking Man, the shady nicotine fiend played by William B. Davis. This character has been in the show since the pilot episode, so many assume that he was always meant to be Mulder and Scully’s archnemesis. But in a twist worthy of this conspiracy-obsessed show, Davis was originally hired to be an unspeaking menace, and he wasn’t firmly established as the show’s archvillain until the excellent Season 2 episode “One Breath.”
Let’s start from the beginning; in this case, the very first episode of The X-Files. William B. Davis appears in this episode but never says anything. In the scenes where Scully is meeting with her superiors at the FBI, the Cigarette Smoking Man just lurks in the background, forcing the audience to wonder what the heck this creepy guy’s deal is.
Evil Finds Its Voice
The character didn’t speak until the Season 1 episode “Tooms,” which effectively cemented his identity as the CSM. This is important because Davis previously appeared as a CIA agent in “Young At Heart,” making it appear like the actor was little more than a glorified extra!
Because of this, the director of the Season 2 episode “One Breath” (Robert Goodwin) was worried because the script gave William B. Davis more to do on The X-Files than he had ever done before. Others on the production team shared his concerns that the actor wouldn’t be up to the task, and episode cowriter Glen Morgan had to convince the director that Davis (then a drama teacher) knew how to deliver a good performance. This was enough to mollify Goodwin, who was ultimately impressed by the actor’s performance.
The Truth Is In Here
But why, specifically, was Goodwin so concerned about whether Davis had the acting chops for this episode? The short answer is that “One Breath” firmly established the Cigarette Smoking Man as the show’s ultimate villain, someone willing and able to toy with the lives of our favorite FBI agents whenever he wanted to. In this episode, Mulder deduces that the CSM was behind Scully’s recent abduction and is doubly angry at him because she is currently in a comatose state; after convincing Deputy Director Skinner to give him the man’s address, Mulder actually ambushes the Cigarette Smoking Man at his own home.
Despite being held at gunpoint, the Cigarette Smoking Man is quite relaxed, informing his would-be killer that he likes Mulder and Scully, which is the only reason that Scully was returned to Mulder after her previous abduction. Even as he admits that he’s starting to respect Mulder, the CSM claims the other man won’t pull the trigger because it would mean killing the one man who knows the truth. He claims this is why he will always win, and a defeated Mulder ends up leaving the house, no closer to saving Scully or learning anything about who took her.
Mulder’s Dark Reflection
This X-Files scene is relatively short, but it positions Cigarette Smoking Man as the ultimate villain: he knows the elusive truth Mulder is always seeking and can have him and Scully killed whenever the mood strikes him. Adding insult to injury, he also points out that the only reason these two pesky FBI agents aren’t already dead is that he likes them. Just like that, Mulder learned that his fate is in the hands of a ruthless murderer who is starting to become his number one fan!
As director Robert Goodwin later noted, William B. Davis does an amazing job in this scene, presenting the Cigarette Smoking Man as a mirror image of Mulder himself. He, too, “wants to believe” and has dedicated his life to a cause that he thinks is righteous, one that he’s willing to kill in order to protect. Davis’ performance gives the character both steely menace and even a brief glimpse of vulnerability, emphasizing him as a very human threat that is nonetheless more dangerous than all the aliens and monsters on the show combined.
From here on, the Cigarette Smoking Man would appear in more and more X-Files episodes, including the series finale, the first movie, and even the show’s controversial revival. This would never have happened if William B. Davis hadn’t demonstrated his ability to bring TV’s scariest villain to life. In this sense, he owes both his fame and his character’s popularity to “One Breath,” an overlooked tale that is secretly one of the most important episodes in X-Files history.
Entertainment
Moon phase today: What the Moon will look like on February 9
Tonight marks the Third Quarter Moon, halfway between full and new. We see exactly half of the Moon lit up, with illumination on the left-hand side. So, there’s around a 50% chance of spotting some features on the Moon’s surface, what can you see?
What is today’s Moon phase?
As of Monday, Feb. 9, the Moon phase is Third Quarter. According to NASA’s Daily Moon Guide, 652% of the Moon will be lit up tonight.
But what can you see? With no visual aids, you should be able to see the Mare Imbrium, Copernicus Crater, and the Aristarchus Plateau. With binoculars, you’ll also be able to see Clavius, and the Archimedes Craters, and the Grimaldi Basin. If you have a telescope, you’ll also be able to see the Apollo 14 landing spot, the Schiller Crater, and the Rima Ariadaeus.
When is the next Full Moon?
The next Full Moon will be on March 3.
What are Moon phases?
NASA says that a complete lunar cycle takes around 29.5 days. This is the time the Moon needs to orbit Earth once. During this cycle, it goes through eight phases. While the same side of the Moon always faces Earth, the visible portion that is illuminated changes as the Moon travels along its orbit. The varying amount of sunlight reflected off the Moon is what causes it to appear fully lit, partially lit, or nearly dark at different stages. The eight phases of the Moon are:
New Moon – The Moon is between Earth and the sun, so the side we see is dark (in other words, it’s invisible to the eye).
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Waxing Crescent – A small sliver of light appears on the right side (Northern Hemisphere).
First Quarter – Half of the Moon is lit on the right side. It looks like a half-Moon.
Waxing Gibbous – More than half is lit up, but it’s not quite full yet.
Full Moon – The whole face of the Moon is illuminated and fully visible.
Waning Gibbous – The Moon starts losing light on the right side. (Northern Hemisphere)
Third Quarter (or Last Quarter) – Another half-Moon, but now the left side is lit.
Waning Crescent – A thin sliver of light remains on the left side before going dark again.
Entertainment
Microsoft Office 2024 for Mac and PC gets smarter with AI, now 60% off
TL;DR: Microsoft Office 2024 Home & Business for Mac or PC is on sale for $99.97 through March 1 at 11:59 p.m. PT, offering 60% off Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and more.
$99.97
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If your work revolves around documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and email, Microsoft Office 2024 Home & Business brings those core tools together with updated features designed to keep everyday tasks moving efficiently. The lifetime license for Mac or PC is priced at $99.97, representing a 60% discount off the regular price, and ends on March 1 at 11:59 p.m. PT.
Included are Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook — the familiar lineup, installed directly on your device for both online and offline use. Office 2024 brings performance improvements across the whole software. In Excel, for example, working with large datasets or handling multiple workbooks is quicker and more reliable. For anyone who routinely works with numbers or builds reports, this added speed can make daily tasks less tedious.
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Content creation tools have also been refreshed. PowerPoint now supports recording presentations with voice narration, video, and closed captions, which is a plus for remote meetings, online classes, or sharing presentations after the fact. Word adds Focus Mode to help reduce distractions as you write, alongside AI-powered suggestions to sharpen up your prose. Built-in research features keep citations and references at your fingertips, so you can stay in the zone without switching tabs.
Microsoft’s Fluent Design system brings Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook a cohesive look and feel. Touch and pen support is now smoother on tablets and convertibles, and customizable templates and themes make it easy to create polished work without a designer’s eye.
Collaboration tools are built in as well. Real-time co-authoring allows multiple people to work on the same file simultaneously, with chat, comments, and version history helping track changes and feedback. Deeper integration with Microsoft Teams centralizes file sharing and communication within the Office environment.
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Microsoft Office 2024 Home & Business is designed for users who already rely on Microsoft’s core apps and want updated features without changing how they work. For $99.97 through March 1 at 11:59 p.m. PT, the current deal makes it easier to step into the latest version at a lower cost, especially if those tools are already part of your daily routine.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
Entertainment
Super Bowl LX performers: Who is singing the anthems
The Super Bowl LX halftime show featuring Bad Bunny and the Super Bowl pre-show featuring Green Day may be taking up all the attention when it comes to Super Bowl performances — and rightfully so! Everyone is looking forward to what the internationally known artists will do or say regarding President Trump and ICE.
However, other musical artists are performing at this year’s Super Bowl as well.
Charlie Puth to sing national anthem
Kicking the show off with the U.S. national anthem “The Star-Spangled Banner” is the Grammy-nominated singer Charlie Puth. Puth’s debut single, “Marvin Gaye,” featuring Meghan Trainor, was a Billboard chart hit upon its 2015 release. Puth has since had other hits, including “We Don’t Talk Anymore (feat. Selena Gomez),” “Attention,” and “Nothing But Trouble.”
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Brandi Carlile to perform patriotic song
Next up, singing “America the Beautiful” is singer-songwriter Brandi Carlile. Carlile has a whopping 11 Grammys and two Emmy awards. Her biggest hit was 2007’s “The Story,” but she is also known for songs like “Broken Horses” and “The Joke.”
Coco Jones to sing Black national anthem
Grammy Award-winning R&B artist Coco Jones will sing “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” also known as the Black national anthem. “Lift Every Voice and Sing” has become a Super Bowl staple since 2021, when Alicia Keys performed it at the event. Singer and actress Ledisi performed the song at last year’s game.
Moon phase today: What the Moon will look like on February 9
Microsoft Office 2024 for Mac and PC gets smarter with AI, now 60% off
