▁what ▁Mul der ▁and ▁Sk inner ▁do ▁comes ▁with ▁a ▁trem end ous ▁price . ▁Sk inner ' s ▁popular ity ▁among ▁fans ▁had ▁ris en ▁with ▁his ▁increased ▁role ▁in ▁the ▁episodes ▁" The ▁B less ing ▁Way " ▁and ▁" P aper ▁C lip " ▁and ▁these ▁episodes ▁helped ▁situ ate ▁Sk inner ' s ▁position ▁in ▁regards ▁to ▁Mul der ▁and ▁S cul ly . ▁According ▁to ▁writer ▁V ince ▁Gill igan , ▁Sk inner ▁was ▁originally ▁supposed ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁villa in , ▁but ▁because ▁Mitch ▁P ile ggi ▁was ▁such ▁a ▁good ▁actor , ▁the ▁writers ▁decided ▁to ▁make ▁his ▁character ▁an ▁al ly ▁to ▁Mul der ▁and ▁S cul ly . ▁ ▁A ▁scene ▁between ▁Sk inner ▁and ▁The ▁Sm oking ▁Man ▁was ▁removed ▁from ▁the ▁final ▁cut ▁due ▁to ▁time ▁consider ations . ▁This ▁reduced ▁the ▁latter ' s ▁role ▁in ▁the ▁episode ▁to ▁only ▁a ▁very ▁short , ▁dialog ue - less ▁appearance . ▁Another ▁scene ▁where ▁Mul der ▁confront s ▁Sk inner ▁about ▁where ▁his ▁lo y alt ies ▁lie ▁was ▁exc ised ▁when ▁the ▁produ cers ▁felt ▁it ▁was ▁too ▁ag gress ive . ▁The ▁episode ' s ▁title , ▁" A vat ar " ▁is ▁a ▁S ansk rit ▁word ▁referring ▁to ▁the ▁material ▁appearance ▁or ▁inc arn ation ▁of ▁a ▁de ity ▁on ▁earth . ▁ ▁Broadcast ▁and ▁reception ▁▁ ▁" A vat ar " ▁premier ed ▁on ▁the ▁Fox ▁network ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁on ▁April ▁ 2 6 ,