Aliens? Colonists? The Cigarette Smoking Man? Krycek? The Syndicate? Black Oil? Roswell? The Project? Abductions? Mulder's Sister? Bees? Clones? Alien-Human Hybrids? Purity Control? Deep Throat? Mr. X? Marita Covarrubias? The Merchandise? Alien Bounty Hunters? Faceless Rebels? William? Super Soldiers? Magnetite? 2012? The Spartan Virus? Perihelion?

The X-Files famously has one of the densest and most confusing mythologies of almost any show ever written. Mostly because it just kind of kept on going and didn't ever really try to keep track of continuity. Or so I'm told. I watched the entire series to find out if and how The X-Files' mytharc makes sense.

Part recap, part review, part explainer, part retrospective, part video essay, here's a complete(ish) guide to the mysteries and lore of The X-Files.

00:00:00 Some Investigation

00:02:01 Intro

00:09:30 What is This Show? / Pilot Recap

00:18:28 Season 1

00:29:00 Season 2

00:43:32 Season 3

00:55:21 Season 4

01:05:36 Season 5

01:13:47 Fight the Future

01:18:53 Season 6

01:24:58 Season 7

01:28:02 Millennium

01:33:11 Season 7 continued

01:39:37 Season 8

01:49:59 Season 9

01:54:41 The Lone Gunmen

01:58:39 The Original Ending

02:06:06 I Want to Believe

02:09:07 The Revival (Seasons 10 + 11)

02:27:42 Books

02:33:45 Comics

02:38:15 The Mytharc Basics

02:45:43 The Beginnings of Colonization

02:52:01 Creation of The Syndicate

02:56:34 The Project / Every Different Type of Hybrid

03:10:46 Syndicate Members

03:17:57 The Syndicate's Collapse

03:21:13 The Revival Series Ruins Everything

03:35:57 Samantha

03:40:34 Scully and William

03:50:23 The Cigarette Smoking Man

04:07:57 Mystery Box Review

04:26:51 Final Thoughts

The X-Files is a science fiction/supernatural police procedural that premiered in 1993, created by Chris Carter, starring David Duchovny as Fox Mulder, Gillian Anderson as Dana Scully, Mitch Pileggi as Walter Skinner, and William B. Davis as the Cigarette Smoking Man.

#xfiles #thexfiles #mulderandscully #mytharc #mysteryboxstory #mysteryboxshow #explained

Interviewees:

Brendan Beiser: https://www.cameo.com/boosieb

Molly Hottle: https://www.polygon.com/pluto-tv-x-files-marathon/

Lauren Krattiger: https://www.xfanretrospective.com/

Kimon (Eat the Corn): https://www.eatthecorn.com/

Jim Thornton (X-Files Preservation Collection): https://xfilespreservationcollection.com/

@XFilesMuseum

Rick Worley's Video: https://youtu.be/LYQ0Um9VlhM?si=PNVJrwt1pSQyjdtG

Additional Resources:

Fight the Future Soundtrack Secret Bonus Track: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulYAmCg7tr4&t=1s

Audible Audio Dramas: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hl3KZD-ZV6g&list=PLjxZ88Wc5qjlvQDwkOL1c4agyVlyD9KO_

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NjrDpfxzOU&list=PLjxZ88Wc5qjkYub68IQS00oxVSHp5801o

Fan Wiki: https://x-files.fandom.com/wiki/Main_Page

What is a Mystery Box Show? https://youtu.be/ZXCb68LGk7M

My Mystery Box Show Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4AWj9ggrYpZ1r9JkelfVSKRfxnlA63Q2

My Other Channel: @ThreeActStructureExplained

My Video on All the President's Men: https://youtu.be/s5ISkTGbsUY

Twitter: @BackpackBigBlue

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bigbluebackpack.bsky.social

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bigbluebackpackyt/

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Patreon: http://patreon.com/bigbluebackpack

Become a channel member and see videos early: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBbTCGGUxcnmiwijwXRC2Jw/join

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Intro by Cooper Thomas

@PancakeVideoEssays

Music by Sam LaGrego:

@samlagregomusic

Art by JubaOwO

Royalty Free Music by Bensound