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The X-Files
S9.E19
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IMDbPro

The Truth

  • Episode aired May 19, 2002
  • TV-14TV-14
  • 1h 26m
IMDb RATING
8.3/10
3.6K
YOUR RATING
David Duchovny in The X-Files (1993)
CrimeDramaMystery
Mulder's return leads to him being tried for murder before a military tribunal where he seeks to prove the very existence of an alien conspiracy and justify the maintenance of the X-Files.Mulder's return leads to him being tried for murder before a military tribunal where he seeks to prove the very existence of an alien conspiracy and justify the maintenance of the X-Files.Mulder's return leads to him being tried for murder before a military tribunal where he seeks to prove the very existence of an alien conspiracy and justify the maintenance of the X-Files.
IMDb RATING
8.3/10
3.6K
YOUR RATING
    • Kim Manners
    • Chris Carter
    • Steven Maeda(executive story editor)
    • Thomas Schnauz(story editor)
  • Stars
    • David Duchovny
    • Gillian Anderson
    • Robert Patrick
    • Kim Manners
    • Chris Carter
    • Steven Maeda(executive story editor)
    • Thomas Schnauz(story editor)
  • Stars
    • David Duchovny
    • Gillian Anderson
    • Robert Patrick
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 30User reviews
    • 6Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Photos50

    Chris Owens in The X-Files (1993)
    Gillian Anderson, David Duchovny, Annabeth Gish, and Robert Patrick in The X-Files (1993)
    The Truth (2002)
    The Truth (2002)
    Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny in The Truth (2002)
    David Duchovny in The Truth (2002)
    Robert Patrick in The Truth (2002)
    Gillian Anderson in The Truth (2002)
    The Truth (2002)
    Annabeth Gish in The Truth (2002)
    Brian Thompson in The Truth (2002)
    Laurie Holden in The Truth (2002)

    Top cast

    Edit
    David Duchovny
    David Duchovny
    • Fox Mulder
    Gillian Anderson
    Gillian Anderson
    • Dana Scully
    Robert Patrick
    Robert Patrick
    • John Doggett
    Annabeth Gish
    Annabeth Gish
    • Monica Reyes
    Mitch Pileggi
    Mitch Pileggi
    • Walter Skinner
    William B. Davis
    William B. Davis
    • Smoking Man
    Nicholas Lea
    Nicholas Lea
    • Alex Krycek
    James Pickens Jr.
    James Pickens Jr.
    • Alvin Kersh
    Laurie Holden
    Laurie Holden
    • Marita Covarrubias
    Matthew Glave
    Matthew Glave
    • Special Agent Kallenbrunner
    Jeff Gulka
    Jeff Gulka
    • Gibson Praise
    Chris Owens
    Chris Owens
    • Jeffrey Spender
    • (as Chris Bradley Owens)
    Steven Williams
    Steven Williams
    • Mr. X
    Tom Braidwood
    Tom Braidwood
    • Melvin Frohike
    Dean Haglund
    Dean Haglund
    • Richard 'Ringo' Langly
    Bruce Harwood
    Bruce Harwood
    • John Fitzgerald Byers
    Adam Baldwin
    Adam Baldwin
    • Knowle Rohrer
    Alan Dale
    Alan Dale
    • Toothpick Man
      • Kim Manners
      • Chris Carter
      • Steven Maeda(executive story editor)
      • Thomas Schnauz(story editor)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      (at around 1h 11 mins) Mulder mentions Mr. X. It is the only (known) time Mr. X's name is mentioned on screen.
    • Goofs
      Mulder is being tried by a military tribunal, however, since he is a civilian, he would not be subject to one since the military cannot try civilians.
    • Quotes

      [last lines]

      Dana Scully: [Scully is lying on a motel bed, Mulder sits on the floor leaning against the bed, staring at the ceiling] What are you thinking?

      [he doesn't answer]

      Dana Scully: Mulder?

      Fox Mulder: [speaks while continuing to look at the ceiling] I'm thinking... I'm a guilty man. I've failed in every respect. I deserve the harshest punishment for my crimes.

      Dana Scully: You don't believe that.

      Fox Mulder: [sighs] I believe... that I sat in a motel room like this with you when we first met... and I tried to convince you of the truth. And in that respect, I succeeded, but...

      [he turns to face her]

      Fox Mulder: in every other way... I've failed.

      Dana Scully: You don't believe that, either.

      Fox Mulder: Mm. I've been chasing after monsters with a butterfly net. You heard the man - the date's set. I can't change that.

      Dana Scully: You wouldn't tell me. Not because you were afraid or broken... but because you didn't want to accept defeat.

      Fox Mulder: Well... I was afraid of what knowing would do to you. I was afraid that it would crush... your spirit.

      Dana Scully: Why would I accept defeat? Why would I accept it if you won't? Mulder, you say that you've failed, but you only fail if you give up. And I know you - you can't give up. It's what I saw in you when we first met. It's what made me follow you... why I'd do it all over again.

      Fox Mulder: And look what it's gotten you.

      Dana Scully: And what has it gotten you? Not your sister. Nothing that you've set out for. But you won't give up, even now.

      [she reaches out and holds his hand]

      Dana Scully: You've always said that you want to believe. But believe in what, Mulder? If this is the truth that you've been looking for, then what is left to believe in?

      Fox Mulder: I want to believe that... the dead are not lost to us. That they speak to us... as part of something greater than us... greater than any alien force. And if you and I are powerless now, I want to believe that if we listen, to what's speaking, it can give us the power to save ourselves.

      Dana Scully: Then we believe the same thing.

      Fox Mulder: [he reaches out and holds her cross necklace pendant between his fingers, she kisses his thumb, he gets into bed and they embrace] Maybe there's hope.

    • Crazy credits
      This episode marks the return of David Duchovny to the main cast, and also credits Mitch Pileggi in the opening titles. Five people are credited in the main credits: David Duchovny (Fox Mulder), Gillian Anderson (Dana Scully), Robert Patrick (John Doggett), Annabeth Gish (Monica Reyes), and Mitch Pileggi (Walter Skinner).
    • Alternate versions
      In the alternate series ending, "Toothpick Man" (Alan Dale) hands George W. Bush (Unknown actor) a note. Bush reads it and asks "What do you want me to do? I thought this was being handled. The truth is out there now." TM replies "The truth has always been out there Mr. President. The people just don't want to believe." TM leaves and W stares out at the Washington Monument quietly. This ending can be found on the Region 1 DVD in the special features section. And it is also included (only in English) on the Region 2 (German) DVD complete series edition.
    • Connections
      Featured in The X Files: The Making of 'The Truth' (2004)
    • Soundtracks
      Maybe There is Hope
      Written and Performed by Mark Snow

    User reviews30

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    7/10
    Heavy going, but ties up lots of loose ends.
    Mulder is back, and stands accused of killing a member of The Military.

    It would be thirteen years before the show would return, I remember the distain felt by many fans when the show ended here, this did feel like a natural end of The X Files.

    Personally, this final installment, was not as good as I had hoped for, but still a watchable, interesting episode, which does tie up several loose ends.

    It's like a role call of past episodes, there are so many faces from the past, so many flashbacks, and that's perhaps some of the problem. It's like as if too much time was spent slotting in so many faces, that the actual plot seemed to be sacrificed at times.

    I wasn't particularly crazy about The Super Soldier storyline, it did go on and on, I was glad to see some sort of resolution.

    On the plus side, the acting was great, and it was nice to see Skinner having such a big part, and it was of course nice to see Mulder and Scully.

    On the downside, the story was maybe a little too heavy, and I felt that Doggett and Reyes were just sidelined, both having put in some cracking performances in Series 9, they just seemed to be shoved to one side here.

    Interesting, just a little too heavy, 7/10.
    helpful•2
    0
    • Sleepin_Dragon
    • Dec 1, 2022

    Details

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    • Release date
      • May 19, 2002 (United States)
      • United States
    • Official sites
      • Hulu
      • Instagram
      • English
    • Filming locations
      • Anza-Borrego Desert State Park - 200 Palm Canyon Drive, Borrego Springs, California, USA
    • Production companies
      • Ten Thirteen Productions
      • 20th Century Fox Television
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • 1 hour 26 minutes
      • Color
      • Dolby

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