The 23 Best Mulder and Scully Moments

The X-Files, episode: “Quagmire;” screengrab via Fox.

#11: Quagmire

You know you’re on track for a good episode when it starts in a car, on the way to scout out an alleged Loch Ness-esque Monster, with Scully’s recently inherited dog, Queequeg, in the backseat. And it doesn’t disappoint.

From the beginning, Mulder and Scully are in sync, serving us heaping spoonfuls of the dynamic we’ve come to adore. He’s convinced there’s a man-eating dinosaur in the lake. She’s certain there’s a natural, scientific explanation to be uncovered. The dog is happily trotting around at Scully’s side, presumably basking in the glory of being in the vicinity of X-File solving. It’s basically Scooby-Doo, with fewer sandwiches and just a little more romantic tension.

But it’s not a perfect X-File without a completely ridiculous and way-too-dangerous midnight expedition, this one taking the form of a boat ride straight into the middle of the dino-infested lake. With Scully at the helm, the duo is pretty much sitting pretty, until they encounter an unidentified swimming object that collides with their boat. They sink. They swim to a huge rock nearby. And thus births one of the greatest moments in the series.

The “conversation on the rock,” as it’s come to be known, is a lovely, deep, personal exploration of the motives behind Mulder’s sometimes seemingly insane crusading. The two are honest with each other. Their friendship and trust is almost palpable. It’s definitely a turning point in the series, for the characters and shippers alike. And it was all because of a giant, prehistoric alligator. Clever girl.

Next: #10: Bad Blood