Whether offering a philosophical commentary on the mysteries of the universe or a witty one-liner, David Duchovny’s Fox Mulder has some of the best quotes in The X-Files. The FBI agent investigates supernatural phenomena and uncovers government conspiracies alongside his skeptical sidekick, Donna Scully, dropping pearls of wisdom along the way. The agents made perfect fouls, and their dynamic will be sorely missed in the upcoming Ryan Coolger X-Files reboot.
Thanks to the brilliant writing team behind the series, The X-Files has remained a cultural touchstone, reflected by its 85% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The X-Files Success is naturally built on a number of factors, with Molder being one of them. In addition to boasting years of character development and a great arc that unfolded over several seasons of The X-FilesMulder delivered some of the best lines in the show’s history.
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“Sorry, nobody here but the FBI’s most wanted.”
Season 1, Episode 1: “Pilot”
In the very first episode of The X-FilesThe series protagonists are memorably introduced. The episode opens as strict rationalist Dr. Donna Scully is given her new assignment: to debunk the work of fanatical alien agent Fox Mulder. episode Strikes a visual contrast between Scully’s smart attire and the chaos of Mulder’s caveJust before David Duchovny delivers his first line on the series.
The following line is expertly written, and Tells the audience everything they need to know about Mulder’s character. His views made him an outcast. He is looked down upon by his peers, but the ridicule he faces only fuels his dogged pursuit of the truth. Behind Mulder’s self-deprecating humor is a sense of cavalier pride. The X-Files Pilot wastes no words in expressing the beliefs and flaws that drive its protagonists. Mulder and Scully’s opposition makes them a perfect pair, and the line is most memorable because it signals the beginning of a beautiful partnership.
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“Is there any way I can get it off my finger quickly without betraying my cool exterior?”
Season 1, Episode 3: “Squeeze”
“Squeeze” featured one of The X-Files Most repulsive monsters in Eugene Victor Tooms, the immortal who has prolonged his life by consuming the liver of human victims, whom he hunted by squeezing his body through air vents and chimneys. The episode is gruesome and undeniably dark, but one comedic moment helped provide some levity. When the agents come across Tom’s lair in the crawlspace of his apartment, they find a nest built of newspaper scraps held together by a crude, sticky substance. Mulder had already touched the goo when Scully identified it as human bile.
The X-Files Could have made Mulder just another iteration of the savvy secret agent archetype. Instead, the series went out of its way to poke fun at its male protagonist, and Mulder became all the more endearing as a result. This season one scene is one of the first laugh-out-loud lines in the show, and is typical of that x-files’ approach to comedy. Mulder’s funniest moments land Thanks to David Duchovny’s characteristically sardonic delivery.
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“Dear Diary, Today my heart skipped a beat when Agent Scully suggested spontaneous human combustion.”
Season 6, Episode 17: “Trevor”
The flirtatious dynamics of Duchovny and Anderson made Mulder and Scully’s will-they-will-they relationship a huge selling point for its viewers, despite the fact that the showrunners initially did not intend to become a couple. fans of The X-Files became so invested in the couple ending up together that in later seasons the writers started slipping in jokes about it. The interaction in the opening of the season 6 episode “Trevor” is clearly written with a wink and a nudge.
The agents’ back-and-forth butler is usually based on Mulder’s evasive theories and Scully’s frustrated disapproval of them. Here, that dynamic is inverted. Although Mulder is clearly teasing Scully for jumping to the kind of far-fetched conclusion he would usually make, the smile on his face displays genuine joy. There is a similar moment in the season 4 episode “Small Potatoes”, when he hears Scully’s theory about Van Blundht’s creation abilities, a delighted Mulder asks: “Scully, should we be picking out china patterns or what?”. Moments like these reveal what a powerful influence the agents have on one another.
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“You know, they say when you talk to God, it’s prayer, but when God talks to you, it’s schizophrenia.”
Season 5, Episode 17: “All Souls”
The X-Files Explores an inverted Mulder and Scully dynamic more seriously in the season 5 episode “All Souls”. The episode sees the agents investigate Christian phenomena for the first time, when the mysterious death of a child plunges them into a battle between heaven and hell for a young girl’s soul. Perhaps surprisingly, given her typical skepticism toward unexplained phenomena, Schooley is a devout Roman Catholic. Her faith makes her more willing to believe in the supernatural forces at work in this episode Mulder takes on the role of the cynic.
The memorable line comes as the agents capture and question the priest who was tangled up in the events. Mulder vents his frustration with the cutting barn when Father Gregory begins to pray. However, there is a good reason for his callousness. Mulder suspects that Father Gregory is responsible for the death of the young girls, and His remark reveals the contradiction that a man of faith could do such a terrible act.. In an episode that takes a usually theological tack for The X-FilesMulder’s skepticism provides the balance that keeps the supernatural series grounded and thought-provoking.
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“Please tell me you’re here with severe chest pains.”
Season 5, Episode 2: “Redux II”
The season five debut “Redux” is one of those x-files’ Best. The thrilling two-parter sets a whirlwind pace as Mulder races against the clock to find a cure for Scully’s cancer, all while facing interference from hostile parties. Several long-running subplots collide in the episode, including Mulder’s lifelong search for his sister, Samantha. It’s an episode that remains fun from start to finish, though Even in the midst of this climactic arc, the show finds a way to ease some of the tension with a singing Mulder quip.
While visiting Scully in the hospital, Mulder comes across the series antagonist. The Cigarette Smoking Man is often a harbinger of doom, and after facing a string of orders, his appearance is the last thing Mulder needs. His witty greeting refers to the character’s unhealthy habits, but also expresses Mulder’s fatigue. There’s even more trouble to come, as Mulder is reunited with his sister, and the audience gets a bombshell revelation about Mulder’s confusing family tree. Without its lighter moments, “Redux II” would be an exhausting watch.
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“Do you think I’m spooky?”
Season 1, Episode 3: “Squeeze”
To “squeeze” one must return, because it includes This Mulder line has become a firm fan favorite. The agents only become involved in Tom’s case because Scully is approached by careerist FBI agent, Tom Colton, who was assigned to the case. Colton and Scully are already acquaintances, and the agent goes out of his way to leave a disparaging comment about Scully’s new partner. “Squeeze” effectively describes the disdain Mulder’s colleagues hold for him. In the quoted moment, an amused Mulder challenges Scully to see if she views him with the same low regard.
“Mulder is so consumed by the mysteries of the cosmos that he often loses his way. Scully is the anchor that keeps him grounded.”
Scully can’t answer his question, but by the end of the episode, her answer is clear. This episode is a critical turning point in the relationship of the agents. Presented with the choice to leave Mulder in favor of continuing her career, Scully remains loyaland for the first time, “Spooky Mulder” There is a friend in the office. There should be an honorable mention of the following scene, where Mulder snarks back at the condescending Colton. His response was definitely a little jealous: “Do you have any idea what liver and onions go for on reticulum?”
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“If we abandon the unforeseen or expect the unexpected in a universe of infinite possibilities, we may find ourselves at the mercy of anyone or anything that cannot be programmed, categorized or easily referenced.”
The X-Files: Fight the Future
The first X-Files This movie is so full of excellent quotes that it could fill the list. The film literally opens with a bang, as the agents are sent to investigate a bomb plot that destroys criminal evidence. They continue to uncover a larger government cover-up as key players plot to hide plans for the impending alien colonization of Earth. Fight the future is one of the largest installments in the whole X-Files Franchise And contains all the hallmarks of the series: alien conspiracies, red-herrings and plenty of Mulder and Scully interactions to run over.
This prosaic Mulder quote feels like it should come in a moment of philosophical reflection. Instead, it is delivered quite casually as he surprises Scully on the rooftop of the building they are trying to find the bomb in. He walks the line by popping a sunflower seed in his mouth and complaining that the rooftop is “hotter than hell.” Fight the future is filled with this kind of zippy dialogue, and Duchovny’s straight-faced, naturalistic delivery hides just how meaningful it is. After all, keeping his mind open to these “Universe of Infinite Possibilities” is the rule Mulder lives by.
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“As difficult and as frustrating as it was at times, your damn strict rationalism and science saved me a thousand times over! You kept me honest… You made me a whole person.”
The X-Files: Fight the Future
Fight the future Also dropped in X-Files story to finally confirm the anticipated romance between the main characters. The film’s emotional turning point comes when Scully is about to leave The X-Files and be transferred to Salt Lake City. She goes to Mulder’s apartment to deliver the news, and Mulder, understandably devastated, gives the line as he asks her to stay. An unpleasant bee sting may have thwarted their first onscreen kiss, however This scene makes it even more clear that the feelings the agents have for one another are more than platonic.
The touching Mulder quote reveals the perfect duality in his and Scully’s relationship. Scully has spent a lifetime looking down at medical journals and autopsy tables, and when she meets Mulder he is able to lift her gaze to the stars. Immediately, Mulder is so consumed by the mysteries of the cosmos that he often loses his way. Scully is the tether that keeps him grounded. Together, they are two parts of a perfect whole.
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“You are my one in five billion.”
Season 5, Episode 19: “Folie À Deux”
Chris Carter may be famously opposed to his main characters becoming a couple, but the agents have shared many undeniably romantic moments throughout the series. Mulder’s line from season 5 wouldn’t look out of place on a Valentine’s Day card. There is a stronger sentiment behind the line in contextAlthough. “Folie à Deux” is a strange episode centered on a man who believes his boss is a monstrous bug-like creature masquerading as a human. When Mulder inherits his ability to see the monster, everyone believes he is delusional.
Mulder especially feels betrayed by Scully’s skepticism. He asks for her trust by invoking their five-year partnership: “Scully, you have to believe me. No one else on the whole damn planet does or ever will. You’re my one in five billion.” one more time, The X-Files Gets to the heart of the agents’ relationship. Since the first season, Scully was the only person Mulder could rely on. Without her support, he faces his quest alone. It is typical The X-Files That sad moment is hidden in an episode with a wacky premise.
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“I’m not going to give up. I can’t give up. Not as long as the truth is out there.”
Season 1, Episode 24: “The Erlenmeyer Flask”
The line from the season 1 finale tops the list as the quintessential Mulder quote. It may even be called the quintessential X-Files Quote, because so many associates the line with the series. It appears in almost every episode in the form of a title card that appears at the end of the opening credits, but the first time it’s spoken out loud is in the season 1 finale, “The Erlenmeyer Flask.” Fittingly enough, it’s Mulder who says the iconic phrase.
“The Erlenmeyer Flask” is an important episode that started the myth that will support the entire series. It ups the ante significantly in anticipation for the second series: Deep Throat, the first Mulder informant to uncover government secrets, meets his end. A shocking cliffhanger sees the X-Files shut down for the first time, which is when Mulder expresses his determination to keep fighting “As long as the truth is there.” The X-Files‘ famous catchphrase is more applicable to him than anyone else on the show. The relentless pursuit of the truth is obviously the heart of Mulder’s character.