Warning: Spoilers for The X-Files Seasons 9 Premiere
Prepare, I have thoughts…
Maybe it’s the fic writer in me, but I often imagine little changes that may improve the flow of the story— seasons 8 and 9 especially.
What astounds me is that the time difference between the end of season 8 and beginning of 9 is literally a weekend. Here’s why I would have made it a month.
The saving grace of season 8 is the beautiful finale.
It implies a certain finality, the idea that Scully and Mulder’s lives are changed by the arrival of their son. That doesn’t mean they aren’t the same people with the same motives; in fact, it’s validation that they are still truth seekers, and the truth here is them and William.
The second half of season 8 is in part about allowing transformation. Mulder is no longer the driving force behind the X-files, and I personally believe they are in great hands with Doggett (luv u Robert Patrick). But that doesn’t mean complete detachment.
I am an unapologetic Scully lover and defender, so I’ll look at it through her eyes. She gets her partner/best friend/lover back from the dead and endures his unsettled and detached nature (part PTSD, part poor writing). After the birth, Mulder fully accepts that William is his son, and the two finally reconnect.
And then he leaves his new family after 48 hours.
Now, let’s be honest, we know why Mulder flat out disappears. Our guy Duchovny was on the outs and Gillian signed on for another season, necessitating a break up between our two main characters. So, let’s say we have to keep those perimeters.
Raise the stakes with more time…
Agent Doggett has lodged a formal investigation against Deputy Director Kersh. He’s been collecting evidence and got Skinner to agree to testify to what happened with the super soldiers in Essence/Existence. The case is ready to go to trial. Over the course of the last month, he’s steadily been losing support from his former friends in the FBI.
Scully is still on maternity leave and isn’t sure whether she’ll return to the FBI without Mulder. He encourages her to continue her work, but it’s clear he’s harboring a secret. They’re happy… for now.
Then the shit hits the fan. The evidence Doggett had has been scrubbed and replaced. Skinner now refuses to testify because if he does, he has to come clean about Mulder’s involvement and he doesn’t want to endanger Mulder or Scully, who have finally gained a sense of normalcy. Doggett thinks surely Mulder would back him up on this but when he goes to consult him…
Scully is clearly heartbroken, but staying strong. She won’t provide any information to Doggett, making him feel truly alone, which draws a parallel between the two. The concept of abandonment, whether for the purposes of protection of others or self-preservation, is established.
There’s so many ways it could go from here, but tweaking how long Scully has been in her mostly happy family unit and how long Doggett’s been building his case could bring the stakes for the rest of the season up a notch.
Of course, let me know what you think! Have you ever come up with a small tweak that you think would have changed the series for the better?
P.S. My partner and I agree that if Mulder and Scully went on the run together from the get, most problems would be fixed, but Gillian deserved the check from season 9 so it’s gucci.
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