[[WMG:[[center:[-'''RECAP:'''\\
[[Recap/TheXFiles Index]] | [[Recap/TheXFilesS08E01Within 1]] | [[Recap/TheXFilesS08E02Without 2]] | [[Recap/TheXFilesS08E03Patience 3]] | [[Recap/TheXFilesS08E04Roadrunners 4]] | [[Recap/TheXFilesS08E05Invocation 5]] | [[Recap/TheXFilesS08E06Redrum 6]] | [[Recap/TheXFilesS08E07ViaNegativa 7]] | [[Recap/TheXFilesS08E08Surekill 8]] | [[Recap/TheXFilesS08E09Salvage 9]] | [[Recap/TheXFilesS08E10Badlaa 10]] | [[Recap/TheXFilesS08E11TheGift 11]] | [[Recap/TheXFilesS08E12Medusa 12]] | [[Recap/TheXFilesS08E13PerManum 13]] | [[Recap/TheXFilesS08E14ThisIsNotHappening 14]] | [[Recap/TheXFilesS08E15Deadalive 15]] | [[Recap/TheXFilesS08E16ThreeWords 16]] | [[Recap/TheXFilesS08E17Empedocles 17]] | [[Recap/TheXFilesS08E18Vienen 18]] | [[Recap/TheXFilesS08E19Alone 19]] | [[Recap/TheXFilesS08E20Essence 20]] | '''21''']]-]]]
'''Season 8, Episode 21:'''
!Existence
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/thexfilesexistence_3.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"I've never delivered a baby."'']]
->Written by Creator/ChrisCarter\\
Directed by Kim Manners

->''"I'm sure that this looks untoward, but my life is in danger. And my baby's. There's a man who's pursuing us and it is very important that he not find us here."''
-->-- '''Dana Scully'''

Alien Super Soldiers continue to pursue Scully and Reyes as Scully prepares to give birth, while at the FBI building Mulder, Doggett and Skinner investigate how deep TheConspiracy goes.
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!!Tropes:
* ActorAllusion: [[Film/Terminator2JudgmentDay This time]] Doggett (Creator/RobertPatrick) is on the receiving end of a super strong and durable inhuman opponent determinedly chasing his car on foot in a parking garage while trying to flee.
* ApologeticAttacker: Krycek to a slight degree towards Mulder, seemingly regretful and hesitating with killing him long enough to be stopped.
* AwayInAManger: William's birth has multiple parallels to the Christ birth story. This includes the proverbial StarOfBethlehem (which leads Mulder to the abandoned town where Scully gave birth) and TheThreeWiseMen as portrayed by the Lone Gunmen. An interesting birth, given that Mulder is a agnostic and Scully a Catholic--the symbolism probably wasn't missed by either of them.
* BadBoss: Kersh as usual, though Doggett finally turns the tables on him and [[ShutUpHannibal informs him he is under investigation]] for his involvement with TheConspiracy.
* BigDamnHeroes: Skinner just in the nick of time to save Mulder from Krycek.
* BirthDeathJuxtaposition: Scenes of Scully's labor is juxtaposed with scenes of a chase scene in the FBI garage that ends with Alex Krycek's death.
* [[DeliveryGuy Delivery Gal]]: Monica delivers William, and is nervous about it at the beginning of the episode.
* DeadGuyJunior: William is named after both Scully and Mulder's fathers.
* GhostTown: Scully and Reyes escape to one of these to avoid the Super Soldiers while Scully gives birth. It doesn't work.
* ImperiledInPregnancy: Scully gives birth in the middle of nowhere because indestructible super-beings are out to take and/or kill her child. And just then they gather while she's in labor, just as Scully thought she was safe.
* KarmicDeath: After tormenting Skinner and manipulating him for seasons, Skinner breaks his hold over him and finally kills Krycek once and for all.
* KilledOffForReal: Krycek's backstabbing and scheming finally backfires and he is gunned down by Skinner in the FBI parking garage before he can murder Mulder. Later returns as a spirit.
* MythArc
* RewardedAsATraitorDeserves: Krycek's betrayal of the heroes in this episode proves to be his final one.
* ScreamingBirth: Scully, though at least half of her screams are directed at the Super Soldiers standing outside.
* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: Several characters are forced to do this throughout the episode, thanks to the invincible nature of the Super Soldiers.
* SealedWithAKiss: The very last scene of the episode, following an equally heartwarming scene of Mulder and Scully admiring William.
* ShutUpHannibal: Doggett delivers a righteous and long overdue one to [[BadBoss Kersh]] for his corruption. Informing Kersh he is now under investigation by him and Agent Reyes.
* ThreeMonthOldNewborn: Averted. Jerry Shiban (son of producer John Shiban) played baby William, and was only a couple weeks old at the time of filming. Kim Manners, in the DVD commentary for this episode, laughed at the situation of having to re-cast William for season 9. Apparently, all babies ''don't'' look alike and having to find one that looked like Jerry was not as easy as it sounded.
* WhyDontYouJustShootHim: Played with. It is very much implied Krycek does not want to kill Mulder, and hesitates for so long having him at gun point that Skinner is able to swoop in and save the day before he can.
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->'''Scully:''' From the moment I became pregnant, I feared the truth... about how... and why. And I know that you feared it, too.\\
'''Mulder:''' I think what we feared were the possibilities. The truth we both know.