While Mulder is unconscious, Krycek irradiates the agents, retrieves the tape on his own, and strikes a deal with CSM: The alien will be told where its spacecraft is in return for the tape.
1997, James Hatfield & George "Doc" Burt, The Unauthorized X-cylopedia: The Definitive Reference Guide to The X-Files, page 57:
By 1968, CSM was in such a powerful position that he gave orders to FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, and “worked hard to keep any President from knowing” he even existed.
1998, Andy Mangels, Beyond Mulder and Scully: The Mysterious Characters of The X-Files, page 4:
Although Skinner has been controlled in the past by CSM, that control has slipped further as Skinner has seen direct threats to his own life from the overall conspiracy.
1998, Paul Cornell, Martin Day, & Keith Topping, X-treme Possibilities: A Comprehensively Expanded Rummage through Five years of the X-files, page 309:
Krycek claims that he loves his country, and wants revenge on the CSM (presumably for trying to have him killed).
2001, Ray Pratt, Projecting Paranoia: Conspiratorial Visions in American Film, page 232:
Although the CSM has few lines, metaphorically he represents all the secret U.S. operatives of the cold war and after.
2001, David Bell & Lee-Jane Bennion-Nixon, "The popular culture of conspiracy/The conspiracy of popular culture", in The Age of Anxiety: Conspiracy Theory and the Human Scienecs (eds. Jane Parish & Martin Parker), page 140:
There is also affirmation that the main conspirator is CSM, however the conspiracy itself finds no clear resolution and ‘the truth’ is not illuminated through this narrative: […]
2002, Tom Kessenich, EXaminations: An Unauthorized Look at Seasons 6-9 of The X-Files, page 11:
By the way, I realize the CSM is the show’s resident villain, but the WMM has always struck me as being more sinister.
2005, Charlton D. McIlwain, When Death Goes Pop: Death, Media & The Remaking Of Community, page 155:
A map of the Pentagon is visible as the CSM walks out of the building.