Original subtitles

THERE ARE CREATURES SCIENCE REFUSES TO RECOGNIZE.

BUT NEW TECHNOLOGY MAKES US QUESTION WHAT IS REAL.

COME ON!

ENTER A REALM WHERE FACT MEETS FICTION...

LEAVE ME ALONE!

...SCIENCE MEETS LEGEND.

HEY, DAD, LOOK OUT!

NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO.

DAD, DID WE HIT HER?

HEY, BABY.

ANDY MILLER WAS TWO YEARS INTO HIS POLITICAL-SCIENCE DEGREE

WHEN HE MADE HIS FIRST TRIP BACK HOME.

HE HAD INTENDED FOR HIS PARENTS

TO MEET HIS NEW GIRLFRIEND, JENNIFER, AND INTRODUCE HER

TO THE RANCHING LIFE IN WHICH HE WAS RAISED.

WHEN SHE COULDN'T MAKE THE JOURNEY,

HE DECIDED TO VIDEOTAPE IT FOR HER.

SO, YEAH, THIS IS HOME.

THIS IS A DRIVEWAY UP TO THE RANCH.

IT'S KIND OF WHERE I'VE SPENT MY WHOLE LIFE.

THERE'S, UH, HORSES BACK THERE.

ANDY!

HOUSE-- HEY, ANDY.

OH, THIS IS MY MOM.

WHAT DOES MOM DO HERE AT THE RANCH?

HEY, JEN.

I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO MEETING YOU.

I HOPE YOU'LL COME OUT AND JOIN US.

IT'S BEAUTIFUL OUT HERE. WHAT DO I DO?

I GET UP EVERY DAY AND I TAKE CARE OF THE LIVESTOCK--

FEEDING, WATERING.

I COOK.

SHE DEVERYTHING.MUCH YEAH.

OH, THERE'S POPS.

FOR ANDY, THIS RETURN HOME WAS ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY

TO RECONNECT WITH HIS FATHER, SAM--

A RELATIONSHIP STRAINED WHEN ANDY OPTED FOR COLLEGE

RATHER THAN CONTINUE IN THE FAMILY BUSINESS.

HEY, JEN, HOW ARE YA?

SO, WHAT'S UP? WHAT YOU DOING, DAD?

WELL, I'VE GOT A SHEEP

THAT'S PROBABLY GONNA BE HAVING A BABY HERE PRETTY SOON.

TO GO CHECK ON HER. OH, WOW.

THAT'S RIGHT.

HEY, I BET JEN WOULD ENJOY SEEING THAT, WOULDN'T YOU, JEN?

YEAH, THAT WOULD BE

REALLY INTERESTING, MR. MILLER.

WHAT DO YOU SAY, DAD?

MIND IF I TAG ALONG? SURE.

WHY NOT? GREAT.

THERE WE GO.

HAVE A GOOD TIME. THANKS.

IT WILL BE GOOD FOR YOU GUYS TO SPEND SOME TIME TOGETHER.

YEAH, I KNOW.

BYE, SWEETIE.

BYE, JEN.

SO...

SEE YOU, MOM. BYE.

I'M GONNA BE HUNGRY.

YOU BOYS HAVE FUN!

SAM! BE CAREFUL.

ALL RIGHT, HONEY.

BUT THE MYSTERIOUS EVENTS ENCOUNTERED

DURING THIS SEEMINGLY COMMONPLACE VISIT

WENT FAR BEYOND ANYTHING ANDY KNEW OR IMAGINED

ABOUT THE LAND HE CONSIDERED HOME.

AND IT WAS HE WHO WAS INTRODUCED

TO A WORLD HE NEVER KNEW EXISTED.

DAD, WHERE ARE WE OFF TO? WHAT PART OF THE RANCH?

WELL, WE GOT TO HEAD OUT TO THE NORTH PART.

THAT'S WHERE I'VE GOT THE SHEEP THAT I WAS TELLING YOU ABOUT.

WE'RE HAVING KIND OF A COYOTE PROBLEM,

SO HOPEFULLY SHE'S GONNA BE A LITTLE BIT SAFER.

OH. MAKES SENSE.

YEAH.

LISTEN, CAN YOU DO ME A FAVOR?

WHILE I'M DRIVING HERE,

CAN YOU KIND OF PUT THE CAMERA DOWN?

'CAUSE IT'S A LITTLE DISTRACTING.

YEAH, NO PROBLEM.

ACCORDING TO NATIVE AMERICAN LEGEND,

A SKINWALKER IS A PERSON THAT TRANSFORMED INTO AN ANIMAL.

THE SKINWALKER IS PARTICULARLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE NAVAJO.

THE BROAD CONCEPT OF THE SKINWALKER

IS OF A SHAPESHIFTER--

A WITCHLIKE OR SORCERERLIKE BEING

THAT'S ABLE TO CHANGE ITS SHAPE.

LIKE A WEREWOLF,

THE SKINWALKER CAN TRANSFORM FROM A HUMAN TO AN ANIMAL,

ANY ANIMAL, BUT MOSTLY A COYOTE OR A WOLF.

WHEN YOU HEAR THE NAME "SKINWALKER,"

FEAR COMES INTO YOUR SPIRIT AND INTO YOUR SOUL.

YOU'RE AFRAID TO EVEN USE HIS NAME.

SO...

I MEAN, HOW ARE THINGS IN GENERAL, YOU KNOW, GOOD?

YEAH, THEY'RE FINE.

ABOUT THE SAME, SON.

HOW'S SCHOOL?

IT'S GOOD.

I MEAN...YOU KNOW, I REALLY LIKE MY MAJOR.

WELL, THAT'S GOOD.

WHAT THE HELL?

DID YOU SEE THAT?

YOU SAW THAT, RIGHT?

YEAH.

MAN, THAT WAS WEIRD.

I MEAN, THAT WAS-- THAT WAS A WOMAN, YEAH?

I DON'T KNOW, SON.

THERE'S A LOT OF RESERVATIONS OUT HERE.

IT COULD HAVE BEEN ANYBODY.

NATIVE AMERICAN PEOPLE, IN GENERAL,

WERE NOT ONLY LIVING IN A NATURAL WORLD,

BUT FOR THEM, IT WAS A WORLD ALSO OF THE SUPERNATURAL,

AND THESE WORLDS WERE INTERCONNECTED.

AND IT'S IN THAT CONTEXT THAT WE HAVE TO SEE THE SKINWALKER.

FOR NATIVE PEOPLE,

THE SKINWALKER IS CONSIDERED A WITCH.

THE NAVAJO NAME IS YENALDLOOSHI.

"YENALDLOOSHI" MEANS "HE WHO WALKS ON ALL FOUR LEGS."

ACCORDING TO NATIVE AMERICAN MYTHOLOGY,

ONE BECAME A SKINWALKER

BY KILLING A MEMBER OF ONE'S OWN FAMILY.

THIS WAS THE INITIATION

INTO THE REALM OF BEING A SKINWALKER

AND ACQUIRES A SPECIAL SUPERNATURAL POWER

OF BEING ABLE TO TAKE ON THE APPEARANCE

OF ANY ANIMAL THAT IT MAY WISH.

THEY'LL KILL LIVESTOCK, EVEN KILL HUMANS,

JUST TO GET THEIR SOULS OR THEIR SPIRITS.

PHEW.

SO, UM...

THIS IS THE NORTH END OF THE RANCH.

JEN, THIS IS MY BACKYARD.

I FORGET HOW BEAUTIFUL IT IS BACK HERE.

SO, YOU GOT TO GO AWAY TO COLLEGE SO YOU CAN REALIZE

JUST HOW MUCH YOU'RE GONNA MISS HERE IN YOUR OWN BACKYARD?

NO, DAD.

I-I'M GOING TO COLLEGE SO I CAN, UH,

YOU KNOW, GET AN EDUCATION AND A GOOD JOB.

THIS IS A GOOD JOB.

THAT'S NOT WHAT I MEANT.

HOW FAR UP HERE DID YOU PLACE THEM?

NOT TOO FAR.

OH, MAN.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN SEE UP THERE.

WE GOT-- THERE'S LIKE AN EAGLE'S NEST, I THINK.

USED TO BE, ANYWAYS.

CAN'T REALLY-- AH, RIGHT THERE.

DAMN IT!

WHAT?

TRACKS.

THAT LITTLE COYOTE PROBLEM I TOLD YOU ABOUT,

WE STILL HAVE IT.

DAMN IT!

WELL, IT ONLY LOOKS LIKE THEY'RE GOING ONE WAY.

WAIT A MINUTE.

THAT LOOKS LIKE FOOTPRINTS.

SAM!

YOU HEAR THAT?

SAM!

WHAT THE HELL'S THAT?

ACCORDING TO NATIVE AMERICAN LORE,

WHEN A SKINWALKER PUTS ON HIS SKIN,

HE ACQUIRES THE SPIRIT AND THE POWER OF THAT ANIMAL.

BY BEING SUPERNATURAL CREATURES,

THE SKINWALKER HAS AMAZING POWERS

AND CAN ESCAPE PURSUIT

AND THWART MAN'S EFFORTS TO TRACK HIM DOWN.

THE SKINWALKER MIMICS FAMILY-MEMBER VOICES.

IT CAN SOUND LIKE YOUR WIFE, YOUR NEIGHBOR, YOUR CHILD,

ANYBODY HE WANTS TO.

HE'S A SORT OF MAN BEAST.

HE'S A CREATURE OF OUR MAKING.

HE'S IN OUR IMAGE.

SAM!

SOUNDS LIKE MOM.

SHE MIGHT BE TRYING TO CALL ME ON THE RADIO.

MIGHT BE SOMETHING GOING ON.

LET'S GO.

WEIRD, IT SOUNDED LIKE IT WAS COMING FROM OVER THERE.

WAS THAT HER?

THE RADIO'S NOT ON.

WHAT?

DAMN IT!

SON, LISTEN TO ME. WE GOT TO CHECK ON THAT SHEEP.

I WANT YOU TO STAY BEHIND ME.

HOW MANY, UH-- HOW MANY SHEEP HAVE WE LOST THIS YEAR?

YOU GONNA HAVE THAT THING ON ALL DAY?

NO.

I'VE LOST TOO MANY.

WHAT?

THE MYTHOLOGY OF DONNING ANIMAL PELTS

TO ACHIEVE EXTRAORDINARY POWERS

IS NOT LIMITED TO THE NATIVE AMERICAN SKINWALKER.

DISCOVER ANOTHER LEGEND THAT WILL GET UNDER YOUR SKIN NEXT.

THE BERSERKERS WERE NORSE WARRIORS

WHO WORE THE SKINS OF WOLVES, BEARS,

AND OTHER ANIMALS AS THEY ENTERED INTO BATTLE.

ACCORDING TO LEGEND,

THIS PRACTICE GAVE THEM EXTRAORDINARY STRENGTH

AND ALLOWED THEM TO FIGHT IN A TRANCE OF UNCONTROLLABLE RAGE.

DESCRIBED AS ODIN'S OWN SPECIAL WARRIORS,

THEIR FURIOUS EXPLOITS

ARE THE ORIGIN OF THE MODERN TERM "BERSERK."

ANDY AND HIS FATHER DISCOVERED WHAT WERE CLEARLY COYOTE PRINTS

LEADING TOWARD THE AREA WHERE SAM'S SHEEP WAS PENNED.

BUT AS THEY TRACK THE ANIMAL,

THE PRINTS SEEM TO, DISTURBINGLY, TAKE ON

MORE HUMAN CHARACTERISTICS.

SAM.

THE DISCOVERY THAT THE CB RADIO WAS NOT, IN FACT, ON

MEANT THE FAMILIAR VOICE ANDY AND HIS FATHER WERE HEARING

WAS COMING FROM SOMEWHERE OR SOMETHING ELSE.

GOT IT.

YOU GOT IT. COME ON.

OH, WE GOT HIM.

WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU HIT HIM?

I DON'T KNOW, SON.

CAREFUL, SON.

YOU SEE HIM?

I SWEAR I SAW HIM GO DOWN.

FUR, DAD-- FUR. WE GOT TO BE CLOSE.

I SWEAR WE HAD HIM RIGHT HERE.

I THOUGHT I GOT HIM.

ANOTHER STORY IS THEY VANISH INTO THIN AIR,

BUT THEY REALLY DON'T.

WHAT THEY'RE DOING IS SHAPESHIFTING

AND GOING INTO ANOTHER FORM.

IF YOU SEE A COYOTE OR A WOLF,

YOU WOULDN'T KNOW HE WAS A SKINWALKER.

YOU HAVE TO CATCH IT IN ITS ANIMAL FORM

SO YOU'D KNOW IT IS ONE,

CAGE IT, AND IF IT SHAPESHIFTS BACK TO A HUMAN,

THEN YOU CAN KILL IT.

Y-YOU EVER SEE ANYTHING LIKE THIS?

NO, SON, I HAVE NOT.

DAMN IT!

GO, GO, GO.

I'LL CATCH UP. GO!

AAH!

AH.

OHH.

OH.

PUT THAT DOWN!

WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?

WHAT ANDY'S FATHER FOUND INSIDE THE SHEEP'S PEN

WAS A GRISLY SIGHT.

THE MOTHER HAD BEEN SLAUGHTERED

AND ITS NEWBORN LAMB APPARENTLY STOLEN.

WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?

SAM!

SAM!

SON, WE GOT TO GET HOME RIGHT NOW.

RIGHT NOW. LET'S GO.

SENSING THAT HIS WIFE MAY BE IN DANGER,

SAM AND HIS SON MADE A QUICK BREAK TOWARDS HOME.

LET'S GO.

LISTEN, TAKE THE GUN!

WHAT?!

GO, GO, GO! I'LL BE RIGHT BEHIND YOU. GO!

CAREFUL.

GET IN THE TRUCK!

COME ON!

HERE.

GOT IT.

THE GUN.

GIVE ME THE GUN.

DAD, DAD, LOOK UP THERE!

WHAT IS ALL THIS?

L20, WE HAVE A GUNNED-DOWN P.D. DOWN STILL INSIDE.

SUSPECT INSIDE.

COME ON.

YOU HEAR THEM BACK THERE?

YEAH. YEAH.

HEY, DAD, LOOK OUT!

NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO.

DAD, DID WE HIT HER?

WHAT?

OH, MY... OH, MY GOD.

WHOA, WHOA, WHOA. HEY, SWEETIE.

HOLD ON, HOLD ON, HOLD ON.

IS IT OKAY?

SHE'S FINE.

D--

ANDY MILLER RETURNED TO SCHOOL

WITH FAR MORE QUESTIONS THAN ANSWERS.

IMPACTED BY THE MYSTERIOUS EVENTS BACK HOME,

HE EVENTUALLY SWITCHED HIS MAJOR FIELD OF STUDY

TO NATIVE AMERICAN MYTHOLOGY.

SAM AND CAROLINE MILLER'S COYOTE PROBLEM

CEASED SHORTLY AFTER ANDY'S VISIT.

BUT THEY STILL REPORT EERIE ANIMAL CRIES

THAT ECHO ACROSS THE NIGHT HORIZON.

THE MEANING BEHIND THEIR EXPERIENCES

WILL BE VIEWED DIFFERENTLY FROM CULTURE TO CULTURE,

BASED ON DIFFERING BELIEF SYSTEMS.

BUT THE QUESTION FOR ANDY'S FAMILY

IS THE SAME MANY OF US SHARE--

ARE THESE CREATURES CONFINED STRICTLY

TO REALMS OF LEGEND AND SUPERSTITION,

OR DO THEY LIVE AMONG US?

- Captions by VITAC-- www.vitac.com

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS