"
The Sixth Extinction II: Amor Fati" is the second episode of the
seventh season of the American science fiction television series
The X-Files. It was directed by
Michael Watkins and written by lead actor
David Duchovny and series creator
Chris Carter. The installment explores the series' overarching
mythology and concludes a trilogy of episodes revolving around
Fox Mulder's (Duchovny) severe reaction to an alien artifact. Originally aired by the
Fox network on November 14, 1999, "The Sixth Extinction II: Amor Fati" received a
Nielsen rating of 10.1 and was seen by 16.15 million viewers. Initial reviews were mixed and the plot and dialogue attracted criticism. Later critics viewed the episode in a more positive light and several writers named it among the best in the series.