Ghouli

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Ghouli is the fifth episode of The X-Files’ 11th season. It was written and directed by James Wong. The tagline is “You see what I want you to see.” The episode links to the series’ ongoing mystery and is the second of three mythology episodes this season, with Mulder and Scully again chasing clues about their long-lost son, William.

Plot:
Two teenage girls, Sarah Turner and Brianna Stapleton, meet on an abandoned ship called Chimera. Each one sees the other as a monster called “Ghouli,” and they stab each other. Mulder and Scully start investigating and realize the case ties to William. At Brianna’s home, they meet her boyfriend, Jackson Van De Kamp. Scully finds a snow globe and a book by Peter Wong, a writer who appears later in the story. Scully also experiences a disturbing sleep-paralysis dream that repeats scenes from the ship.

At the hospital, Jackson’s body is found to be alive and hiding from people who want him. A chase with Defense Department operatives follows, and Jackson learns to turn the fear around by making others think someone else is the monster. The agents eventually discover a surveillance tape showing Scully talking to a man who could be William. In the end, Mulder and Scully see a scene that suggests their son may be alive.

Production:
Filming took place in Vancouver, starting in August 2017. Wong drew inspiration from his own sleep-paralysis experience in Mexico when writing and directing the episode. The team wanted to connect a strong monster story with the series’ bigger mythology, especially around William.

Reception:
Ghouli received positive reviews, including a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes from a small number of critics. When it first aired on January 31, 2018, it drew about 3.64 million viewers in the U.S., a bit lower than the previous week.