Few TV series have left a legacy as big as that of The X-Files, which has attracted a large, devoted fan base ever since it first aired in 1993. The show followed FBI agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) as they investigated cases involving the paranormal, government conspiracies, and extraterrestrial life. The chemistry between the show’s leads is one of its greatest aspects – Mulder’s eagerness to believe in the otherworldly and the supernatural was a perfect counterpoint to Scully’s skepticism, which prompted her to always stick to the most logical, realistic explanations. The contrast of their personalities was the ideal backdrop for the cases they were assigned.
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The X-Files featured numerous plotlines and narrative threads that wove in between the “monster-of-the-week” episodes, spanning across 11 seasons and two feature-length films. However, despite the show’s dedication to unraveling long-running mysteries, fans have been left with numerous mysteries that still remain unanswered. Let’s take a look at seven of them here.
Why Wasn’t Fox Mulder Affected by the Black Oil?
The Black Oil, also referred to as “Purity,” was a living alien virus that infected humans and took control of their minds. It played a major part in a planned alien colonization of Earth, as any human who was exposed to it became a host for the extraterrestrials.
However, while the humans who were exposed to the Black Oil experienced lasting effects, Mulder never did, somehow being immune to its effects. Some have speculated that the alien DNA he was injected with while he was abducted may have prevented the Black Oil’s impact, but we’ve never been given a definitive answer.
Was Dana Scully Really Immortal?
In a Season 3 episode, a supposed psychic tells Scully that she will never die. Of course, she doesn’t believe this, but there’ve been multiple times throughout the series when Scully just barely managed to escape what should have been a surefire death.
It’s a fun little throughline, but the show’s creators never gave us any confirmation that she is immortal or why she is blessed (or cursed) with immortality. Instead, it’s treated more like a running gag than a narrative thread that was meant to turn into something bigger.
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What Happened to John Doggett?
When Duchovny took a step back from the show towards the end of its initial run, Robert Patrick was brought in to play FBI agent John Daggett to serve as a sort of replacement. He did a fine job, but his arrival in the series is generally regarded as a point when the quality began to dip.
Despite the major role he played in the first run of The X-Files, he never returned for any of the movies or the revival seasons. But not only that, he’s never even mentioned. It’s almost as if the show’s creators want audiences to completely forget that Dagget even existed.
Is the Cigarette Smoking Man Really Dead?
The Cigarette Smoking Man was first introduced in the series as a mysterious figure in the FBI, mostly seen in the background at the bureau smoking cigarettes, hence his nickname. However, he is gradually revealed to be the main antagonist, having manipulated multiple key events throughout the series, with an influence felt across many secret organizations.
He is finally killed off in the final episode of the series, but is his death final? He’s been seemingly killed in several previous episodes, leading many to speculate that he may have survived being shot by Mulder. Is there something inhuman about him that has allowed him to dodge death so many times?
What Happened to Mulder and Scully’s Son?
From the very beginning, Mulder and Scully’s son William was bathed in mystery. Because of his unusual birth and supernatural abilities, he’s put up for adoption to protect him from numerous forces that want him for their own shadowy purposes, though he would show up fully grown in later seasons.
In addition to having a bizarre origin (more on that later), his ultimate fate is never revealed. He goes into hiding to distance himself from his parents, and that’s all we know about him. Was this intended so that he could be brought back in a potential X-Files reboot?
What Really Happened to Mulder’s Sister, Samantha?
When Mulder was a young man, he saw his sister abducted by aliens, which prompted him to join the FBI. It’s a powerful emotional driver that adds another dimension to his eagerness to believe; he’s on a mission to uncover the secret behind his sister’s disappearance, no matter what.
However, it was later revealed that she was taken by a secret government organization as part of a bizarre experiment. But wait, there’s also an episode that suggests a more supernatural, even spiritual, fate for her. Either way, at some point in the series, Mulder just accepts that she’s dead and moves on without closure.
How Was Scully Really Impregnated?
To accommodate Gillian Anderson’s pregnancy during filming, her character became pregnant as well. At first, it was a tantalizing mystery, as she was previously diagnosed with infertility. Her child would even grow up to become a pretty important part of the series.
However, the mystery eventually grew from tantalizing to frustrating. Some episodes explored the possibility of alien involvement, while others pointed to secret government experiments as the culprit, and even the Cigarette Smoking Man was hinted at being behind her pregnancy. And still, we have no idea how Scully became pregnant.
Are there any other unanswered X-Files mysteries? Let us know in the comments below!
