 " Per Manum " featured the appearance of David Duchovny as Fox Mulder in various flashbacks . After settling his contract dispute with Fox , Duchovny quit full @-@ time participation in the show after the seventh season . In order to explain Mulder 's absence , Duchovny 's character was abducted by aliens in the seventh season finale , " Requiem " . After several rounds of contractual discussions , Duchovny agreed to return for a total of 11 season eight episodes . " Per Manum " marked the fourth appearance of Duchovny in the eighth season ; he had previously appeared in opening episodes of the season , " Within " and " Without " as well as the eleventh episode " The Gift " . Series creator Chris Carter later argued that Mulder 's absences from the series did not affect the characterization , noting that " there are characters who can be powerful as absent centers , as Mulder was through the eighth and ninth seasons . " 
