My Struggle II
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"My Struggle II" is the sixth episode and season finale of the tenth season of The X-Files. Written and directed by Chris Carter, it aired on February 22, 2016, on Fox. The tagline for this episode is "This Is the End".[1]
Plot
Six weeks after the events of "My Struggle", Scully arrives at FBI headquarters to find that Mulder has disappeared after watching an excerpt from Tad O'Malley's online news broadcast (which had been revived after being shut down prior). As Scully informs Skinner and Einstein of Mulder's absence, Mulder attempts to leave Washington—visibly unwell, and badly bruised.
Back in Washington, D.C., Scully receives a phone-call from O'Malley, who has arrived at Mulder's house for a pre-arranged meeting to discover that there are signs of a struggle. O'Malley explains that he suspects alien DNA has been injected into every American citizen in order to facilitate the widespread outbreak of a contagion, the Spartan Virus. Designed to strip humans of their immune systems, this contagion quickly begins to manifest itself nationwide, with Scully and Einstein noting a sharp increase in patients admitted to hospitals and triage centers.
Miller, finding a phone-tracking app on Mulder's computer, notes his position at Spartanburg, South Carolina, and leaves Washington in order to track him down, while Einstein questions Scully's medical theories. Scully, accepting that Einstein's doubts may be correct, receives a phone-call from former X-Files agent Monica Reyes (Annabeth Gish), who asks to meet, claiming to know how to develop a vaccine.
During their meeting, Reyes reveals that, shortly after the closure of the X-Files, she was contacted by the badly injured Cigarette Smoking Man, who had survived the confrontation in New Mexico. Cigarette Smoking Man offers to secure both Scully and Reyes a place among the designated survivors of end-times, in exchange for Reyes' assistance in the colonization effort. Reyes departs the FBI shortly thereafter, and is absent when Scully "looks her up" in 2015. Reyes also reveals that she has spent the last twelve years assisting Cigarette Smoking Man, but with the intent to halt the invasion from within the Syndicate.
Scully and Einstein attempt to develop a vaccine using Scully's DNA, as Scully realizes that it is a combination of the alien genomes that remained after she was abducted and tested on, and the DNA anomalies instilled within her at the request of Reyes, that are protecting her from the contagion. It is the absence of alien DNA that is making everybody else susceptible. Mulder, meanwhile, approaches Cigarette Smoking Man, who offers him a chance to survive the outbreak. He declines, and is found by Miller, who returns him to Washington with the hope of finding a cure.
O'Malley tells the nation that his friend, a doctor, has informed him of the existence of a vaccine.
Scully, administering a vaccine to Einstein, travels to Mulder and Miller's location. After finding them at the 14th Street Bridge, she discovers that Mulder is too badly ill to survive without a stem cell transplant. Miller inquires as to how this will be possible, Scully states that it is William, their son, who will have to donate. As Scully and Miller discuss Mulder's prognosis, Mulder begins to succumb to the virus he has contracted. Suddenly, a beam of light shines down onto Miller, Scully, and Mulder, and a triangle-shaped UFO slowly descends and hovers above them.
The episode ends with Scully looking at the lights of the spacecraft, shining down directly onto her and her partners.
Production
The episode was directed by series creator Chris Carter who wrote the teleplay. Dr. Anne Simon and Dr. Margaret Fearon receive story credit along with Carter. Simon is the science adviser for the series and has worked on the series since the first season.[2] The episode features the return of Annabeth Gish as Monica Reyes, whose casting was announced in August 2015.[3] The episode also guest stars Joel McHale, Lauren Ambrose, and Robbie Amell, all reprising their roles from previous episodes as new characters that were introduced in this season. William B. Davis appears as Cigarette Smoking Man in a significant role, after previously appearing in small cameo roles in two previous season ten episodes.
During the halftime period of Super Bowl 50, Fox briefly posted preview footage of the episode on its website and social media channels.[4]
The episode's ending scene set on the 14th Street Bridge was filmed on a Canadian bridge in British Columbia on September 2, 2015, near the Rogers Arena. The producers had to close the bridge to the public in order to film and shoot the scene.[5]
Reception
"My Struggle II" received generally negative reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the episode received a 32% approval rating and an average score of 4.7/10. The consensus reads: "Arguably noble intentions notwithstanding, 'My Struggle II' serves as a disappointingly sloppy conclusion to The X-Files' long-awaited revival — and a painfully persuasive argument that the show was better left 'out there'.[6]
In its initial broadcast in the United States on February 22, 2016, it received 7.60 million viewers,[7] an increase in viewership from the previous week's 7.07 million viewers.[8]
References
- ^ Miller, Liz Shannon (February 23, 2016). "Review: 'The X-Files' Season 10 Episode 6, 'My Struggle II' Brings Us a Bitter End". Indiewire. Retrieved March 10, 2016.
- ^ O'Connell, Michael (February 23, 2016). "'X-Files' Creator Chris Carter Says Fox Wants More Episodes — It's Just a Matter of When". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved February 23, 2016.
- ^ Roots, Kimberly (August 11, 2015). "The X-Files: Annabeth Gish to Reprise Reyes in Fox's Revival". TVLine. Retrieved August 12, 2015.
- ^ Maglio, Tony (February 4, 2016). "Fox Banks on 'X-Files' to Upstage Coldplay, Beyonce During Super Bowl 50 Halftime Show". TheWrap. Retrieved February 8, 2016.
- ^ "My Struggle II". The X-Files: Filmmaker Files. YouTube. March 1, 2016. Retrieved March 3, 2016.
- ^ "My Struggle II". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved February 23, 2016.
- ^ Porter, Rick (February 23, 2016). "Monday final ratings: 'Bachelor' adjusts up, 'Crazy Ex-Girlfriend' adjusts down". TV by the Numbers. Tribune Digital Ventures. Retrieved February 23, 2016.
- ^ Porter, Rick (February 17, 2016). "Monday final ratings: Grammys and all other shows hold". TV by the Numbers. Tribune Digital Ventures. Retrieved February 17, 2016.
