Closure

This is one of the poorest episodes, typical of what happened after the series left British Columbia. The province was integral to the look and feel of the series. Afterwards the show largely degenerated into hoary religious clichés, perfunctory dialogue, repetitious themes and emotionally manipulative music. The psychic subplot is so embarrassing and shallow that I'm amazed it was even considered. The same shtick was used in the second X-files movie, and not even Billy Connolly could save it,

Chris Carter seems to have lost control over his series in L.A. The dignified thing to do would have been to end the X-files after season 6.

"Closure," the eleventh episode of the seventh season of The X-Files, directed by Kim Manners and written by Chris Carter and Frank Spotnitz, serves as the conclusion to the two-part arc that began with "Sein und Zeit," finally resolving the long-standing mystery surrounding the fate of Fox Mulder's sister, Samantha. The episode explores themes of loss, acceptance, and the nature of belief, offering a poignant, though divisive, resolution to a storyline that had driven much of the series' earlier narratives. While many critics praised the episode's emotional impact and the performances of its lead actors, some found the resolution unsatisfying or illogical.

The episode picks up where "Sein und Zeit" left off, with Mulder (David Duchovny) and Scully (Gillian Anderson) continuing their investigation into the disappearance of young Amber Lynn LaPierre, while Mulder also seeks answers about his sister, Samantha. With the help of psychic Harold Piller, Mulder uncovers a disturbing truth: Samantha was saved from a terrible fate by "walk-ins," beings composed of starlight who rescue the souls of children. Scully, initially skeptical of Piller's influence, uncovers evidence linking Samantha's disappearance to The Smoking Man, who reveals that he called off the search for Samantha because he knew she was dead. Mulder eventually receives a vision of Samantha, along with the spirits of other children, leading him to accept that she is in a better place.

Visually, "Closure" employs stylistic similarities to "Sein und Zeit," continuing the grim and unsettling aesthetic that reflects the dark themes of the narrative. While much of the episode was filmed on a soundstage, scenes at the former Norton Air Force Base in San Bernardino, California, added to the episode's atmosphere. The sequences featuring the souls of dead children are particularly striking, employing elaborate filming techniques to create a sense of ethereal beauty.

The performances in "Closure" are particularly strong, with Duchovny delivering a powerful portrayal of Mulder's emotional journey as he comes to terms with Samantha's fate. Anderson provides essential support as Scully, offering a grounded perspective while also showing empathy for Mulder's pain. The guest cast, including Michael Massee as Harold Piller, also deliver compelling performances, adding depth to the episode's themes of loss and acceptance.

"Closure" explores the power of belief, the nature of sacrifice, and the search for peace. The episode suggests that even in the face of unimaginable loss, hope and acceptance can be found. Mulder questions his memories of what happened the night his sister was abducted. One wonders why some children are taken by Walk-ins and other are left to suffer. By episode's end, Mulder accepts his sister's death and finds a sense of freedom, stating "I'm fine. I'm free". This exploration invites viewers to reflect on their own beliefs about life, death, and the possibility of redemption.

"Closure" is a significant episode in The X-Files canon, providing a definitive, albeit controversial, resolution to the Samantha Mulder storyline. While some viewers may find the "walk-ins" concept to be far-fetched or unsatisfying, the episode's emotional impact and strong performances cannot be denied. As it reflects broader societal concerns regarding loss, belief, and the search for meaning, "Closure" leaves audiences contemplating the complexities of grief and the power of acceptance, reminding us that letting go can be a path to healing and personal liberation.

Some X-Files fans may not like this episode (or they may love it like I do) for being a bit less Sci-fi and a bit more spiritual, based on the widespread misconception that science has conquered metaphysics when in fact it is helplessly standing outside its gates having no clue how life is created. And this is the exact theme of this episode, the destination of life..

It is an absolutely fantastic episode that provides a (metaphysical) conclusion to one of the main plots of the series, after many years of searching for his disappeared/abducted sister into the mysteries of the unexplained and battling secret conspiracies Fox Mulder finally finds relief, peace and closure.

A beautiful script with beautiful metaphysical elements and depictions of souls transending death and finding peace in eternal existence. One must be pretty distracted and hardened by routine and religiously materialistic to dislike the message of peace, the transcendental tranquility, the otherworldly atmosphere and the amazing aethereal music. Which is what the psychic detective that helped Fox ends up doing (without revealing anything from the actual plot) and this antithesis adds to an already top notch episode.

Definitely one of the top episodes of the whole series and I'm kind of glad Hollywood is producing trash nowadays because I get to revisit the past of nostalgia and Hollywood greatness. This underrated episode is definitely one of those moments of greatness.

Although I think the answers given here about Samantha's disappearance is a big weird and random, I don't think its that bad. It still fits in with the mythology of the show.

And not just that but this is a well made episode in general. David Duchovny's never been the best actor but his performance in the last episode and this one are both pretty damn good. The final lines of his are really damn good, and the atmosphere and colouring of those shots of the kids, especially with the Moby music, work so so well. I seriously think this episode is significantly better than people give it credit for.

Just finish watching closure episode, i read some other reviews, a few i agreed with , that it was horrible. So throughout all the seasons/episodes where Samantha Mulder story-line was that she was taken by aliens( which made more sense anyway ), the bounty hunter alien knowing about her and trying to killed the clones of her, CSM showing Mulder many times his sister Samantha Mulder, for goodness sake we seen her in many episodes, alive and well. Even those taken by aliens told Mulder that his sister is still alive and was a clone from her. Watching the episode closure, made no sense at all. So basically the original story-line was all a waste of time, because it would have made more sense for Mulder to be reunited with her sister, then to say she was killed by some fat man and went into some stupid star light afterlife nonsense.

ugh, i have to remind myself to just never watch that episode ever again and erase it from my memory and just pretend she was taken by aliens and she's living somewhere in a nice home now. Oh wait, the CSM already proved that , remember when him and Samantha Mulder went to see Mulder at the restaurant?