The Erlenmeyer Flask
The first-season finale, in which Deep Throat is killed and the X-Files are shut down.
'The Erlenmeyer Flask' is the finale of the first season of The X-Files, first aired on May 13, 1994. In it Mulder is taken hostage by Men in Black operatives after investigating an alien-human hybrid program, and Deep Throat is killed. Written by Chris Carter, it further solidified the show's emerging mythology and was nominated for an Edgar Award.
Quick Facts
- Key characters
- Fox Mulder
- Dana Scully
- The Cigarette Smoking Man
- Mythology status
- Core Mytharc
Lore & Background
It was written before it was known whether the series would be renewed. It ends with the closure of the X-Files unit and the reassignment of Mulder and Scully to new jobs within the FBI.
Reader's Guide
Mulder's investigation into an alien-human hybrid program ends with him taken hostage by a group of Men in Black. Deep Throat is killed in the episode, and in the second season X replaces him as Mulder's informant. It shifts the series from simple paranormal investigations to a deep dive into government cover-ups and ethical nightmares.
Did You Know?
- Biology professor Anne Simon first consulted on this episode and stayed as science advisor for the rest of the original run.
- It was watched by 8.3 million households, the season's peak.
- The Cigarette Smoking Man appears in this episode, solidifying his role as the primary antagonist within the government conspiracy.
More in Episodes & Arcs
Elsewhere in The X-Files
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