"Hellbound" is the eighth episode of the ninth season of the American science fiction television series The X-Files.

The show centers on FBI special agents who work on cases linked to the paranormal, called X-Files; this season focuses on the investigations of John Doggett (Robert Patrick), Monica Reyes (Annabeth Gish), and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson).

In this episode, Reyes takes the lead while investigating an X-File case surrounding a man found skinned alive.

In Novi, Virginia, a group of ex-convicts, led by Dr. Lisa Holland (Katy Boyer), meet and discuss atoning for their sins.

Ed's friend, Victor Potts (David Figlioli), tells Holland that he's been having nightmares involving people being skinned alive.

Monica Reyes (Annabeth Gish) asks John Doggett (Robert Patrick) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) to examine Potts' body.

Reyes and Doggett arrive in Novi and talk to Detective Van Allen (James McDonnell), who seems apathetic about the case.

At the same time, Scully contacts Dr. Bertram Mueller (George D. Wallace), a former medical examiner who autopsied several bodies in the 1960s that were skinned in a manner similar to Potts.

Mueller tells Scully that the sheriff at the time did not pay much attention to the cases, emphasizing that there was more than one victim, and that he later killed himself.

Reyes and Doggett receive news of Terry's attack and arrive at the local butchery to find him strung up among the pigs.

Reyes believes Van Allen takes his own life each time in order to restart the series of murders.

[4] With this episode, executive producer Frank Spotnitz was interested in taking Annabeth Gish's character into a darker area.

"[5][6] It has been noted that the episode's plot is similar to mythology surrounding the Aztec agriculture god Xipe Totec.

[12] Robert Shearman and Lars Pearson, in their book Wanting to Believe: A Critical Guide to The X-Files, Millennium & The Lone Gunmen, rated the episode four stars out of five.

Shearman and Pearson also praised the episode's effects, calling the skinless bodies "the high point of the series' trading in gore".

Crang, in his book Denying the Truth: Revisiting The X-Files after 9/11, called the episode "unexpectedly entertaining" and praised the script's attempts to shed more light on Reyes' character.