 In the episode , Mulder prepares to submit his application to be reassigned to X @-@ Files division . Meanwhile , Mulder 's boss , Deputy Director Kersh , informs Doggett that he intends to deny the request . As season eight was nearly over , the producers and writers decided to refuse Mulder re @-@ admittance into the FBI as a way to segue John Doggett and Monica Reyes into the series as the new main stars of season nine . David Duchovny agreed with this method , noting , " I completely thought it was correct that they should be trying to focus elsewhere , and that , since I was going to come back for the second half of season eight , if you were to refocus on whatever Mulder 's up to , you 'd be in the same lousy situation at the beginning of season nine . " 
