closure files closure eleventh episode seventh season science fiction television series files episode overall directed kim_manners written series creator chris_carter frank_spotnitz installment explores series overarching mythology conclusion episode revolving final revelation happened fox_mulder david_duchovny sister samantha originally aired fox network february closure received nielsen rating seen million viewers episode received positive reviews critics felt final reveal emotional powerful unhappy resolution centers fbi special agents fox_mulder duchovny dana_scully gillian_anderson work cases linked paranormal called files mulder believer paranormal skeptical scully assigned debunk work developed deep friendship episode mulder forced accept mother death hand led man son disappeared years earlier truth sister samantha souls taken walk ins saving souls children doomed live unhappy lives closure story milestone series finally revealing samantha fate story arc driven large series earlier episodes episode written continuation previous episode und branched different territory majority episode filmed scenes shot location scenes california sequences specifically featuring souls dead children required elaborate filming techniques episode analyzed themes belief hope plot background seasons series fbi federal agents fox_mulder david_duchovny dana_scully gillian_anderson sought gain understanding disappearance mulder sister samantha abducted mulder years old previous episode und mulder scully tracked serial killer targeted children investigating case mulder began emotionally involved similarities sister disappearance events mulder scully aid investigation brutal murder committed owner remains children discovered admits killing children denies murdering amber disappeared home previous episode mulder approached psychic tells mulder helped law enforcement world proved cases children taken walk ins beings composed believes walk ins save children suffer terrible scully worried influence mulder agents return washington mulder keeps searching evidence case gets vision samantha leading mulder scully finds evidence samantha disappearance linked smoking man returns apartment finds waiting tells called search mulder sister vanished knew dead mulder returns proof samantha lived smoking man son forced undergo painful tests scully finds police report girl matching samantha description learns taken hospital emergency room mulder find nurse treated nurse describes samantha disappeared way amber trace mulder later walks forest receives vision samantha spirits children telling scully badly hearing son dead vision mulder accepts sister dead better place scully mulder asks right responds fine free production writing closure written series creator chris_carter executive producer frank_spotnitz brought end mulder quest sister samantha abducted child idea close story arc received mixed reactions production crew members producers realized time come answer biggest questions explained think series star david_duchovny grew tired playing man missing sister told going time going play noted seven years don think going miss device motivation strong early years years gone speculation kind melted away closure continued story previous episode und branched different territory carter later explained emotionally heavy stuff everybody necessarily episodes involved personal cases search serial killer und search mulder sister closure book things official guide x-files vol noted addition bringing end samantha story arc episode smoking man episode explored involvement samantha abduction revealed audience seriously ill episode tagline changed usual truth believe understand filming manners noted closure episodes production staff able shoot los_angeles sun according manners struggling fact weren vancouver anymore suddenly bright amend director photography tree branches stands block sunlight scene walk ins rising grave shot park playground tricky according director kim_manners manners felt uncomfortable telling children rise graves feeling psychologically hurt instead crew called holes ground forts scenes taking place april air force base shot california closed airfield large abandoned house complex buildings constructed united_states military according manners entire area eerie houses furniture originally producers wanted fictitious air force march air force base presence actual air force base necessitated change shots april air force base filmed sound stage los_angeles scene restaurant shot location boulevard hotel standing years filming david_duchovny decided act reunion scene manner contrary script called manners later noted script called sister run mulder start crying david didn want cry said david finally realizing sister fact dead said watch trust held little girl actress smile face absolutely manners happy change included final cut episode create scene featuring ghosts dead children interacting characters layers film passes shot taken took hours complete shots secured film ghosts transparent scenes mulder interacting walk ins actually shot daylight specialized day night photography finished scene look filmed night achieve subjects illuminated bright lights sky completely avoided entire scene shot frames second twice normal speed flown vancouver specifically episode und create production staff shoot multiple frames footage duchovny manners played video scully watches mulder manners later noted act actually face manners critical duchovny wig added footage older noted episodes director won emmy described score possessing sense biblical feeling poignant touching weakness song album play episode scene fbi discover mass grave near end mulder encounters sister spirit carter told snow decision use music snow said reaction use song positive song perfect fit scenes heard song sky broken play featured late seventh season episode things themes according book want believe faith gospel files mulder opening monologue example mulder receptive possibility god intervention series mulder shown disdain religion closure points mulder belief god revolves beliefs sister fate mulder expresses hope die cruel fashion live way furthermore argues closure opens tagline believe understand mulder leap faith order find enlightenment ultimately truth sister half episode plays according tagline mulder believes desire stated opening finds closure parallels elements episode plots episodes fourth season entry paper hearts suggested serial killer murdered samantha paper hearts father victim notes uncertainty daughter murder allowed involved consider possibilities best worst revealed daughter murdered hope removed conversely mulder holds possibility samantha alive series realizes dead closure hope removed place found peace parallel mulder acceptance refuses believe son dead possibility allows hope reception ratings closure aired united_states february episode earned nielsen household rating share nielsen ratings audience measurement systems determine audience size composition television programming means roughly percent television equipped households percent households watching television watching episode viewed million viewers united_states episode debuted sky united_kingdom gathered million viewers making eighth watched program shown sky week episode later included volume colonization dvd collection contains episodes involved alien plans earth initial reviews initial reviews mixed critics story conclusion book examinations unauthorized look seasons files opined episode worked best previous samantha related clues forgotten alien bounty hunter told mulder alive end game despite wrote right samantha dead mulder life defined lost found episode perfect greatly way complimentary ethereal quality final moments writing lifted episode season memorable pleased episode wrote closure satisfying episode puts bed search mulder sister samantha ign referred episode excellent noted large portion x-files mythology ended resolution samantha abduction saying closure final concrete answer single thing driving mulder entire run series ways got answer major x-files story ended reviews positive paula_vitaris gave episode negative review awarded half stars wrote instead grand breath taking heart breaking finale climax mulder search samantha story nonsense samantha children tracy state named episode worst conspiracy episode noted x-files mulder sister samantha kidnapped aliens kidnapped government conspirators fact actually turned spirit offers supernatural explanation science fiction mystery later reviews later reviews seen closure positive light critics praising ending zack_handlen awarded episode argued episode worked scenes sequence mulder reads aloud samantha diary final shot mulder reunited sister wrote stark simplicity emotionally powerful bit bit surreal bit lovely nonetheless beautiful moment felt story silly paired idea samantha truly innocent victim successfully comfort called mulder order shut storyline good robert_shearman lars_pearson book wanting believe critical guide lone gunmen rated episode stars called brave noted pushed far mulder finds sister diary speaking mulder talks lost souls stars critical moment featuring mulder reuniting sister spirit moving
Closure (The X-Files)