Fans still couldn’t get over the terrible climax episode, My Struggle IV, of the eleventh and final season of The X-Files. While the show was a pop culture phenomenon, the show’s quality descended throughout the final seasons. However, the nail in the coffin was the controversial final episode where Dana Scully and Fox Mulder realized that William was not their child but an experiment. Further to make matters worse, Scully reveals that she is pregnant.
Fans have debated over this climax since the show ended its second run in 2018. Many concluded that the current child couldn’t have been Dana and Scully’s child but the creator continued to defend the scene. However, he has finally confirmed the fan theories during the 30th anniversary celebrations of the show.
The X-Files Creator Confirms The Truth Behind The Controversial Storyline
The X-Files creator Chris Carter has publicly confirmed the fan suspicion that Scully’s pregnancy at the end of the show may not be her and Mulder’s child. Carter opened up about the controversial climax, revealing that he thought the controversy was a good thing for the series. It was not just the viewers who hated the finale, but Carter revealed that Gillian Anderson, who portrayed Scully, was angry at him for including such an arc for her character.
Carter tried defending his climax, sharing that after Scully’s maternity with Emily and William, it appeared obvious that the pregnancy in the series was pure science fiction. He concluded that the child may not necessarily be Mulder and Scully’s. Carter shared at an event at SVA Theatre (via Variety):
“As I’m sure most people know, Scully admits or tells Mulder about her pregnancy in the final episode. And that became very controversial. Gillian got very angry at me. And it’s like, I wasn’t sure why that was. But I actually welcomed the controversy, I thought that it was a good thing.”
Carter continued:
“But it follows Scully’s maternity, if you will, with Emily [Scully’s daughter], and with William, and why does anyone think that this pregnancy is anything other than science fiction? So I just want to go on record to say, it’s not necessarily Mulder and Scully’s child.”
It is the first time Carter admitted to the X-philes the truth behind the pregnancy. When the climax episode dropped in 2018, Carter addressed the controversy surrounding the scene and shared with The Hollywood Reporter, “I will confirm it is their child. But I will also confirm Scully has alien DNA.” It appears that Carter may have had a little realization over the years.
What Happened In The X-Files Climax Episode?
For the larger part of the final season, David Duchovny’s Mulder and Anderson’s Scully are looking for their long-lost child William, who’s now a government fugitive. In the final episode, Cigarette Smoking Man accidentally shoots William in the head, thinking that he is Mulder. The real Mulder arrives and kills the Cigarette Smoking Man. Scully, who has been looking for her son, suddenly comes to the realization that William was “an idea born in a laboratory.”
When Scully reveals the truth to Mulder, he says, “What am I now if I’m not a father?”, to which Scully replies, “You are a father.” She then places his hands on her stomach. Mulder’s reaction sums up what the audience felt while watching the episode, “That’s impossible,” but Scully replies, “I know, it’s more than impossible.” It proved to be too much for the viewers.
The X-Files is now available for streaming on Hulu.
