15. THE FIRST ELDER

The man known in the credits as The First Elder has been called by a number of other names: "The Fat Man," "The Gravel-Voiced Man." By whatever name he is known he is definitely the most senior member of the Majestic Consortium, and aparently an official with the U.S. Government, outranking both the Cigarrette Smoking Man and the Well Manicured Man.

The First Elder made his first appearance in THE BLESSING WAY and PAPERCLIP. He has since returned in 731, APOCRYPHA, and HERRENVOLK. His appearance in THE BLESSING WAY was brief, but his authority over the Cigarrette Smoking Man was instantly apparent. The First Elder directs the meeting and asks all the pertinent questions.

The First Elder also has considerable influence with the Intelligence community and the Military. In PAPERCLIP, upon hearing that Mulder is alive, the First Elder declares "I think its time that we call our friends who will handle this matter more satisfactorly." The next thing that happens is car-loads of machinegun weilding assassins show up at the DNA data vaults in West Virginia and very nearly grease both Mulder and Scully. Later in 731, The First Elder returns in command of the Special Forces team that's sanitizing Dr. Ishsimaru/Zama's secret laboratory at the Hansen's Disease Research Facility in West Virginia. This demonstrates that he has a position in the U.S. Government which gives him the authority to command American military forces.

The First Elder reveals much while trying very hard to convince Scully that he and his team of soldiers are closing down an illegal project and euthanizing the test subjects out of mercy since they could not be helped. His performance convinces Scully that the government project existed (and was responsible for her abduction experience), and that UFO abduction is a cover for the Ishimaru-Zama radiation experiments, but doesn't convince her that it was an illegal operation. As Scully said "And what they can't cover, they apologize for. Apology has become policy."

In HERRENVOLK, it is the First Elder who detects the "mole" inside CSM's organization. It is the First Elder who is the architect of Mr. X's demise. He devises the plan to smoke out Mr. X by planting false information that Mulder's mother was in danger and waiting for Mr. X to act on the information. The Grey Haired Man may have pulled the trigger, but the First Elder aimed him at the target.

In ZERO SUM, the First Elder is overseeing a new aspect of the "Project." Bees (apparently genetically altered to breed and mature faster) are used to deliver Small Pox (also apparently altered to act quicker) to schoolchildren on a playground. The First Elder is getting more impatient with CSM's assurances that everything is under control. It appears the First Elder may begin taking a more active role in overseeing project security.

One interesting question raised by this test: What was being tested? The Bees' ability to deliver the smallpox? If so, why did U.S. Military personnel show up at the hospital to assist in caring for the children? Were they there to observe the effects of the smallpox, or did the Military doctors show up to "field-test" an antidote? Was the Majestic Consortium testing a weapon, a counter-measure, or both?

Any man who could climb to the top of an organization staffed by men like CSM, WMM, Mr. X and Deep Throat has to be a cold-blooded master of Machiavellian manuevering. The First Elder should not be underestimated. I believe he could easily crush the CSM or the WMM should the need arise.

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