Mulder/Scully

Mulder/Scully is the main pairing in X-Files fandom. It is a het pairing between FBI agent partners Fox Mulder and Dana Scully. The pairing is commonly denoted as MSR - Mulder Scully Relationship - in fanfiction headers. This is where the term shipper comes from, a shortening of "relationshippers". The anti-fraction are called NoRoMos.
From “You’re My 1 in 5 Billion”: 18 Times The X-Files’s Mulder/Scully Ruined Us for All Other TV Romances:
Even after almost 25 years, it's still the most popular het pairing in The X-Files.
==Pairing Name==
Since the ship was created years before name-combining/name-shmashing (for example Brangelina or Bennifer) became popular in the late 1990s/early 2000s, the ship is referred to as either MSR, Mulder/Scully or The Mothership. The term Sculder is not used by the fandom at allsab @JoyfulSab 9 Nov 2017: STOP CALLING MULDER AND SCULLY “SCULDER” or only ironically, at least by fans of the first and second wave. Third wave fans, that joined the after ca 2012 may use the term occasionally to refer to the pairing.
===The Term "Shipping"===
X-Files, and its time place in history as one of the first big internet fandoms, is often regarded as the fandom that started formal shipping.
The term originated in the X-Files fandom, probably on alt.tv.x-files.creative, where viewers who wanted to see a romantic relationship between Fox Mulder and Dana Scully were dubbed "relationshippers," or "shippers." 
One early use of the term was in April 1996; a fan describes her story as something "I think that everyone, both R'shipper's and Non R'shipper's alike, can enjoy this story. :D." NEW: TITLE 17 [1/1, post by Amy Schatz, April 20, 1996 
Another fan in 1996 posted: "It comes to my attention that there is a great deal of misunderstanding as to what exactly it is that we "relationshippers" want in the show. To say that we want Mulder and Scully to simply fall into bed together like would happen on any other show on TV is unfair, and patently untrue...One of the reasons we 'shippers have kept to ourselves for so long is because every time we dare to bring our opinions forth, we get words that we never spoke shoved into our mouths and then we get flamed for them..." Clarification (was Re: My problem with 'anti-relationshippers'....), Eric Johns, May 17, 1996 
From a fan in 2006: 
From a fan in 2008: 
From How Horny X-Files Lovers Created a New Type of Online Fandom:
==The Pairing in Non-Fannish Media==
Mulder/Scully are often cited by mainstream media as comparison when ever a female and a male law enforcement officers are teamed up, especially of they have opposite characters/view and have sexual chemistry, for example Booth/Temperance Brennan and Castle/Beckett. The couple has also been called the "ultimate OTP".14 Times Mulder & Scully From 'The X-Files' Were the Ultimate OTP Posted August 6, 2015 by Rachel Horner
They're also often called a perfect example for The Greatest TV Couple of all time:
Syfy.com's Alyse Was noted in her article Why Mulder And Scully Are Sci-fi's Perfect Couple:
Joshua Rothman noted in his article for the New Yorker on January 23, 2016:
The Rolling Stone ranked the pairing number one in their 50 Best TV Duos of All Time ranking in 2016:
Allwomenstalk.com ranked them third and noted:
*Love is out there Netflix Trailer from 2016 that focuses on MSR which was posten exclusively on the platform's official Twitter account
==Fan Reactions==
==Fanworks==
===Fanfiction===
====Notable Fanfiction====
:To see all the MSR fanfiction listed on Fanlore see Category:X-Files MSR Fanfiction
*Recs
**X-Files Fanfic Recommendations (mostly MSR) by boushh2187.tumblr.com
*Works tagged with MSR at :/r/xfilesfanfic
*"Viewers Choice" from Gertie's Shippers
*Recs by Brandon Ray
*Looking for MSR Recs, posted by TattooedSiren in xfiles.livejournal.com
*Mobius by LA Ward
*With a Vengeance (1997)
*The Other Side of Eden by Char Chaffin
*Another Night in Roswell by Elizabeth Rowandale The winner of the 2003 Spooky Award for "Best Standalone".
*Meanwhile, Back at the Sam Houston Motor Lodge by elapses crack
*Not Dumb Animals by Alelou The Primal Screamers Fic of the Week: January - June 2001
*Silence Waiting by Jesemie’s Evil Twin
*Au Cafe Pequod by sunflowerseedsandscience
====Archives====
*works tagged as Fox Mulder/Dana Scully at Archive of Our Own
*works tagged as MSR at AO3
*stories listed as MSR-Stories at Fanfiction.net
*Gertie's X-Files MSR FanFic Archive
*The Greasy Spoon
*the Hiraeth Archive
*Idealists Haven
*MSR Fanfiction at Key of X
*This site was originally created by Birgit Mueller for recommendations of MSR "first-time" stories
*MSR Library
*msrfanfic -- Mulder and Scully Shipper Fanfic
*Under the Covers Archive- a collection of MSR stories in which our favorite FBI agents go undercover... and find each other in the process. 
*The Salvation Archive
*Whispers of X
**Mulder Scully Romance (#-B)
**Mulder Scully Romance (C-G)
**Mulder Scully Romance (C-M)
**Mulder Scully Romance (N-S)
**Mulder Scully Romance (T-Z)
*The Ten Greatest X-F Fanfics You've Ever Read post in X-Files Book Club
===Fanart===
*msr fan art tag on tumblr
*work tagged as msr-fanart on DeviantArt
*NSFW fan art by MSRAfterDark on tumblr
*Xfiles Fanart Roundup A Place where I can selfishly keep track of all the amazing X-Files Fanart that exists on Tumblr Currated by HoldmyFandom
*MSR POLAROID PROJECT Illustrated Polaroid adventures of the work, life, and love of our two favorite FBI agents, because Mulder and Scully deserve happy moments.
===Fanvids===
Youtube currently finds 5000+ videos for the search term msr mulder scully as of April 16th 2018 https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=msr+mulder+scully
* Need To Be Next To You by Steffi
*a playlist on youtube with 440+ video
*The legendary looks between Mulder and Scully by Paperhearts1121 (200K + views)
*hungry eyes by RebeccaScully (700K+ views)
*Mulder/Scully : The Scientist by FerryboatProductions
*The Mulder & Scully Relationship | Season 11 | THE X-FILES - YouTube by The X-Files (Official Youtube channel)
===Filk===
*"Endlich küssen" by German Fun-Punk band - an ode to Mulder and Scully relationship that feature samples from the German dubbing version
*"Want to Believe: X-Files Love Song" by Rhett and Link
*Mulder & Scully (Original X-Files Song) by Bandrew Scott
===Fanmixes===
*109 Free Mulder & Scully music playlists] | 8tracks radio
*77 Free Mulder/Scully music playlists | 8tracks radio
*The Ultimate Mulder & Scully-Playlist That Will Break Your Heart ...
*Fanmix: Mulder/Scully (The X Files) - The World, As It Could Be (EP)
*into the d a r k » a MULDER&SCULLY fanmix: by forbiddenxspark
*Rookie » Friday Playlist: Hanging Out With Mulder and Scully
*29 Mulder and Scully playlists on Spotify
*He is the master of his fate, She is the captain of her soul Playlists based on the Fan fiction of the same name by ScullyLikesScience
===Zines===
*Special Agents
*Touchstone Fanzine, (Vol. 1 has been released March 2019), run by spookydarlablack
*Mulder it's me - a 10 page fanzine by SophiePaasLang
*Taming the Unicorn
===Links===
*The Mulder Scully Romantics Webring
*#MulderandScullyForever hashtag on Twitter
*MulderandScully tag on Twitter
*MSR tag on tumblr
*mulder x scully tag on tumblr
*Mulder-Scully-Gifs on tumblr
*Mulder and Scully gifs on giphy
*otp: mulder x scully tag on tumblr
*Mulder & Scully The Moments That Made Mulder/Scully Become My OTP , Which Is Your Favourite??? on Fanpop
*My Top 10 “Smulder” Moments Posted on April 15, 2015 by Lois
*Fuck Yeah Mulder and Scully on tumblr
*MSR-Smut Mailing List, Yahoo Group
*MSR Preservation Society, Yahoo Group
===Memes===
*THE GREATEST LOVE STORY EVER HORRIBLY TOLD by startwreck.tumblr.com/
*when people ask you when mulder and scully get together so they can skip episodes by missezramay.tumblr.com
*I know The X-Files is science fiction/drama/thriller. but it is also the best love story I've ever seen. by confessionsxf.tumblr.co
==Meta/Further Reading==
*The Top 11 Mulder And Scully Shipper Moments In The X-Files By Erin Vail ,June 19, 2018, Nerdist
*The X-Files: 10 biggest Mulder and Scully will they/won’t they moments, express.co.uk by NEELA DEBNATH Wed, Jan 3, 2018
*An X-files Episode Ship Guide For Fox Mulder And Dana Scully,syfy.com by Heather Mason and Carly Lane by Dec 1, 2017
*Relationship Analysis: The X-Files, Mulder & Scully (MSR) July 27, 2015 By MSCASSIOPEIA
*A Brief History of Mulder and Scully’s Once-Controversial Romance vulture.com, by Kat Rosenfield January 21, 2016
*The X-Files: Mulder and Scully's Best Moments ew.com by Kelly Connolly January 22, 2016
*The 23 Best Mulder and Scully Moments by Tina Wargo, 2017
*15 Out Of This World Classic Mulder And Scully Moments by Catherine | May 10, 2017
*15 Times Mulder And Scully Were Relationship Goals by Ellisha Mannering
*7 Beautiful Mulder & Scully Moments We’ve Been Obsessing Over Since 2002 Posted By Heather Mason On February 7, 2016, Geek & Sundry
*Top 42: The Definitive Top Shipper Moments by truemyth posted on 2008-05-26 (Livejournal)
*Creating a Pocket Universe: "Shippers," Fan Fiction, and "The X-Files" Online (2000)
* A Caution About Public Criticism (1998)
* (1999)
* (1999?) 
*, "The Mothership" (2015)
*The X-Files Theory That Makes Mulder and Scully's Relationship Make Sense
* Coming To Terms by Cathy Glinski (2019): "I’m a shipper. Die hard, true blue, to the core shipper. I have been since I saw my very first episode of The X-Files in 1994 (The Host). I have always found the Mulder/Scully Relationship to be the most compelling part of the show, the thing that makes everything else about the show more interesting."
==See Also==
*ATTHS
*Bill Williamson
*Fencesitters
*the green Sweater of Sex
*the Season of secret Sex
*The Magic Circle
*the ugly comforter of intimacy
*Unresolved Sexual Tension
*Resolved Sexual Tension
*Unremarkable House
*Wifegate
==References==
Category:Het Pairings
Category:X-Files Relationships
Category:Social Media Feature-Ship Sunday