Two men are fighting in a warehouse. One has a gun and they both struggle for it. During the struggle they mention various connections to earlier struggles between them. One of the men is finally able to get the gun, declaring himself the winner and then promptly shoots himself. While dying, a blue energy being comes out of his chest. Before the surviving man can escape, the police show up and arrest him.
Opening narration
| "Is violence born in the heart, or in the mind? If we must kill to protect ourselves, what will that do to our souls?" |
Plot
Partner Detectives Terri Russo and Frank Daniels investigate an incident at a warehouse. When attempting to interrogate the man they arrested, he insists on speaking only to Terri, in private. He then reveals that he is an alien life form, capable of inhabiting human bodies, hunting another life form similar to himself, but a criminal.
To prove this rather outlandish claim, he mesmerizes Terri by looking into her eyes, showing her vivid scenes that he claims are past crimes committed by his target. Soon, however, a security guard from the warehouse shows up, claiming to be an alien, arguing that 'Girard' is the real criminal. Girard tries to convince Terri, while the security guard tries to convince Daniels. The two aliens prod Terri and Daniels to return to the warehouse. Worried and tense over the bizarre circumstances, Daniels and Terri panic; Daniels pulls a gun and fires on Girard, and Terri, worrying that the other alien has taken him over (as Girard insists) shoots him.
Both Daniels and Girard are fatally wounded — but this is not a concern for Girard, as he can take over another body. And he has one in mind. Only now do the two aliens, ignoring the humans, reveal the truth in an argument among themselves over who 'won' — which one was more successful in convincing 'their' detective they were telling the truth.
It was all a game to them, even to the point of manipulating Terri into fatally wounding her partner. The two aliens are both criminals; they are not enemies, but engage in a sort of friendly rivalry. Bored with immortality, they engage in elaborate deceptions such as the one they perpetrated on Daniels and Terri, as 'games', casually snuffing out human lives in their pursuit of entertainment. Now they intend to continue their 'fun', with 'Girard' taking over Terri's body and using her position as a police officer to further their agenda. But, in their arrogance, the aliens, while trying to convince each detective that the other alien was evil, revealed that they cannot remain in a dying or dead host and cannot survive very long without taking another host.
Daniels, dying, mortally wounds the body of the security guard the second alien is inhabiting just before dying, meaning that both aliens' hosts are dying, and they are stuck in a large, empty warehouse with only one potential host. Neither gets the chance to survive by taking over Terri, who kills herself rather than let them continue hurting people, and both aliens expire before they can reach another host.
Closing narration
| "In the struggle between life and death, sometimes survival is not the only way to win." |
Notes
- This episode continues the "Ripper" story arc and is a direct sequel to it. It also features the time machine originally shown in "A Stitch in Time".
- This episode is also a clip show. The excerpts are taken from the episodes "Ripper", "Heart's Desire", "A Stitch in Time" and "Living Hell".
- The characters of Kimble and Gerard and the premise of never ending flight and relentless pursuit are obvious homages to The Fugitive.
- The possession of humans for the purpose of a game or self-satisfaction, involving murders, is also very like the spirit entities in Twin Peaks.
- The 1987 film The Hidden features an alien policeman chasing an alien criminal, both of whom are actually insectoid or arthropodic aliens possessing the bodies of humans.
- As well as directing this episode, Martin Cummins plays Esterhaus. This is the only episode that he directed.
- This is the 11th and final episode written by Naren Shankar.
Cast
- Megan Gallagher as Detective Terri Russo
- Nicholas Campbell as Detective Frank Daniels
- Michael Riley as Gerard
- William McNamara as Kimble
- Gillian Barber as Lt. Bateson
- Martin Cummins as Esterhaus
- Benz Antoine as Larue
- Kate Twa as Mrs. Rydell
- Kevin Conway as the Control Voice (voice)
Appearing in archive footage
- Cary Elwes as Dr. John York
- Deni DeLory as Annie Chapman
- Candice Connelly as Woman in Cream Dress
- Bonnie Catterson as Blonde Woman
- David Warner as Inspector Harold Langford
- Jed Rees as J.D. Kelton
- John 'Bear' Curtis as Blacksmith
- Esai Morales as Frank Kelton
- Amanda Plummer as Dr. Theresa Givens
- Adrian G. Griffiths as Warren (as Adrian Hughes)
- Michelle Forbes as FBI Agent Jamie Pratt
- Sam Robards as Ben Kohler
- Elizabeth Peña as Dr. Jennifer Martinez
- Kymberly Sheppard as Woman in Bath
- Michelle Grana as Woman in Woods
| Innobotics Corporation | "Valerie 23" • "Resurrection" • "The Hunt" • "Mary 25" • "In Our Own Image" | |
| Major John Skokes | "Quality of Mercy" • "The Light Brigade" | |
| Alien Infiltration | "Birthright" • "The Voice of Reason" | |
| Strong Brothers Investigate Conspiracies | "The Voice of Reason" • "A Special Edition" | |
| Dr. Theresa Givens' Time Machine | "A Stitch in Time" • "Better Luck Next Time" • "Final Appeal" | |
| Genetic Rejection Syndrome | "Unnatural Selection" • "Criminal Nature" | |
| The New Masters | "The Camp" • "Promised Land" | |
| Dr. Martin Nodel | "Double Helix" • "The Origin of Species" | |
| USAS | "The Joining" • "The Vessel" • "In the Blood" | |
| Earth Coalition-Free Alliance Conflict | "Phobos Rising" • "The Human Factor" • "Human Trials" | |
| Jack the Ripper | "Ripper" • "Better Luck Next Time" | |
| Nicholas Prentice | "Tribunal" • "Gettysburg" • "Time to Time" | |