In
Bethany, Vermont, a little girl visiting a park, Michelle Crittendon, is frightened by a
raven while a neighbor, Jenny Uphouse, watches. The raven is later found at her home. Michelle's mother, Martha, is then attacked and killed by a monster. Later, in
Washington, D.C.,
Fox Mulder (
David Duchovny) and
Dana Scully (
Gillian Anderson) are on a stakeout when Mulder is summoned to a meeting with
Walter Skinner (
Mitch Pileggi). Skinner explains to Mulder that Martha has disappeared and asks what he knows about ravens. Mulder believes that the bird is usually associated with evil. Skinner tells Mulder that this case is a top priority because Martha's father is a federal judge. In Vermont, Howard tells Mulder that his wife was cheating on him because he found birth control pills in her possession, despite Howard having had a
vasectomy. Meanwhile, another neighbor, Ellen Adderlythe wife of Sheriff Phil Adderlyis approached by Jenny and sees a raven before the window of a nearby car shatters. When Michelle sees the raven outside her window again, Howard investigates outside and discovers a hand sticking out above the flower bushes. Later the police dig up Martha's body, the face of which shows claw marks. Ellen tells Mulder that she saw a monstrous reflection in the
mirror earlier, believing that was what killed Martha. Mulder believes that glass acts as a doorway to a demonic dimension and that someone in Bethany is summoning a
demon to attack people. Ellen believes Jenny summoned the demon, but she denies it. Later, Ellen finds a
skeleton key in her house and a raven by her baby's crib. In a mirror, Ellen sees the reflection of a monster chasing after her, but it suddenly breaks. She hides in the closet until her husband Phil comes home. Mulder matches the skeleton key to one found in Martha's coat pocket, deducing that Phil is having an affair with Jenny. He later tells Phil that Martha was pregnant and that he was likely the father. Phil admits the affair and reveals that the key accessed the motel room he and Jenny used. At the motel, Jenny sees ravens outside and is promptly attacked by the monster. She manages to stab the creature with a piece of broken mirror, but is killed regardless. Phil explains to Mulder that he wanted a
divorce from Ellen two years previously, but she got pregnant and would not allow it. He also believes that his actions somehow summoned the monster. It is revealed, however, that Ellen is the monster, which is given away by a cut in her back given by Jenny during the attack. Ellen transforms into the monster, attacks Mulder and attempts to drown him in a bathtub, but stops when she sees her monstrous reflection in the water. She is placed in a psychiatric hospital, where the doctors diagnose her with
multiple personality disorder. The episode ends with Ellen smiling knowingly as she sees a raven outside the window of her cell. ==Production==