The agents travel to Pennsylvania to investigate the mysterious
death of Reverend Finley, a self-proclaimed Stigmatic whose palms
suddenly bled as his rapt congregation looked on in awe. Mulder
recalls a series of international, religiously-motivated murders in
which the victims were all false Stigmatics like Reverend Finley.
Scully notes ligature marks on Finley's neck, suggesting
strangulation.
Meanwhile, in Loveland, Ohio, fifth grade student Kevin Kryder
begins bleeding at the palms. His teacher, Mrs. Tynes, and fellow
classmates look on in horror. The agents are informed by Carina
Maywald, a Social Services worker, that Kevin's father, Michael, was
institutionalized after he proclaimed the boy was the son of God.
Mulder theorizes that Kevin may have inflicted the wounds on himself
in protest over his father's incarceration. Now, Mulder fears the
boy may become a target for the Stigmata killer.
At the mental institution, Michael Kryder professes his belief
that "Forces of Darkness" are out to eliminate his son and thereby
trigger Armageddon. He also believes that God will chose someone to
protect Kevin and avert catastrophe. Surprisingly, Scully places
more faith in the story than does Mulder.
Kevin is kidnapped from a social services dormitory by a bald,
frightening-looking man. Based on a description from children at the
dormitory, Mrs. Kryder identifies the man as Owen Jarvis, a
gardener. The agents storm Jarvis' home and take him into custody.
Kevin has run off. Owen claims God told him to protect the boy.
Using great strength, Owen breaks his handcuffs and runs to the
Kryder home. He finds the Millennium Man (the same man who murdered
Reverend Finley) preparing to murder Kevin. A fight ensues, and the
Millennium Man kills Owen. The agents arrive at the scene and rescue
Kevin, but the Millennium Man escapes.
The agents trace finger prints burned into Owen's neck to Simon
Gates (the Millennium Man), the owner of a recycling plant. Records
indicate Gates visited Israel, and Mulder speculates that Gates may
be suffering from the Jerusalem Syndrome, a condition that causes
people to suffer religious delusions induced by the journey.
Susan Kryder and her son become stranded on a remote road after
their car breaks down. Gates appears at the scene and chases after
Kevin. Susan climbs into Gates' car and attempts to run him down.
She loses control of the vehicle and dies in a crash.
The agents take Kevin to a nearby motel and place him under
surveillance. As Kevin is taking a bath, Scully tells Mulder how his
disbelief towards religious miracles is difficult to fathom given
his open-mindedness towards the paranormal. Suddenly, a loud noise
erupts from the bathroom. When the agents enter, they find Kevin has
been abducted.
Scully notices a circular recycling logo on a trash bin.
Suspecting she might be the person chosen by God to protect Kevin,
she drives to Gates' recycling plant. Mulder, however, believes
Gates will try to get out of town as quickly as possible, and heads
for the airport. Scully's hunch proves correct; Gates throws himself
into the blades of a gigantic recycling vat, taking Kevin with him.
The boy, however, manages to cling to a safety platform and Scully
pulls him to safety. The wounds on Kevin's hands miraculously heal.
