This started out as a top 10 list, but after Season Six and more than one hundred episodes, narrowing down shippy moments to ten was near to impossible.

I have, for the most part, chosen one specific moment from an episode to use as an example here, but an episode can and often does contain multiple Shipper moments, so what you read here is not conclusive! Remember, these are my personal favorite Shipper moments, and from time to time, this list may change (as I devour new episodes and rediscover old ones), but everything on here is and always will be, a heartbreaking, heart-wrenching, or heart-warming, shipper moment.

Click on a title link to view the "Breeze Summary" of the episode.

25. Unruhe Even though they are at odds almost the entire case, nothing can mask Mulder's panic and anguish when he sees Scully reaching out for help in that photograph. He takes off at full speed after the car that has taken her away from him.

24. Never Again In the last scene of this episode, Mulder comes very close to verbally expressing to Scully what she means to him. It is only the risk of being misunderstood that causes him to cut his statement short. But we all know what he means: she is his life.

23. Memento Mori Scully's journal entries to Mulder are a look into what's in her heart...not to mention the fact that he is the first person that she tells of her cancer. Scully naively thinks that he is "pursuing" his own path when he is in reality doing everything he can for her. He has no direction without her. The conversation at the end, combined with the kiss on the forehead completes a very revealing if a little painful, episode.

22. Terma After spending the night in jail because she refuses to disclose the whereabouts of her partner, Scully is again called before the Senate subcommittee. Information about Mulder is demanded of her and she is not responding as they'd like, when Mulder makes a dramatic entrance and "saves" her from having to answer. His eyes dart around, but they only focus on her, reassuring her. Soon after, they are enveloped in a hug for all the world to see. Or at least, the part of the world that was in that room.

21. Herrenvolk A worried Scully practically knocks down Skinner and a nurse as she spies Mulder entering the hospital where his mother is being treated. He cries on her shoulder as she comforts him...the nurses are probably tempted to ask if they want their own room.

20. Irresistible  When Mulder rescues Scully from the clutches of Donnie Pfaster, she tries to insist that she's fine. Mulder gently uses his finger to tip her head up to face him, to make her look at him directly, and that's when Scully breaks down and cries. I have never seen Mulder so incredibly gentle, so in tune with his partner's feelings, and as he puts his arms around her, the look on his face is as if he had never realized how fragile Sculy could be before, and now that he knows he'll never let anything happen to her again.

19. Folie A Deux  When Mulder sees a monster that no one else does, he turns to the one person who ever has implicit faith in him...his partner. "Scully, you have to believe me. Nobody else on this whole damn planet does or ever will. You're my one in...five billion." How much more romantic does it get?

18. Demons  In a deeply poignant moment, when all Mulder wants to do is remember all the past memories of his sister's abduction that has eluded him all these years, Scully wants to save him from himself. He draws his gun on her, but again chooses Scully above all other matters in his life. He empties his gun at a wall away from Scully, and lowers his head to the ground in his despair, trusting Scully more than he trusts himself. Scully then goes to her partner, resting her head against him, sharing his pain, loving him, hurting because he is hurting. She looks like she wants to absorb some of his agony into herself, to lessen his.

17. Rain King  When pressed by Sheila to explain why Sheila should care for Holman, Scully replies, "Well, it seems to me that the best relationships--the ones that last--are frequently the ones that are rooted in friendship. You know, one day you look at the person and you see something more than you did the night before. Like a switch has been flicked somewhere. And the person who was just a friend is... suddenly the only person you can ever imagine yourself with." Do I even need to explain the significance of this speech?

16. Detour  Awww, Scully sings at Mulder's request, even though she doesn't really want to. When he thinks that Scully might be in trouble, Mulder jumps into the nearest car to go "save" her and drives like a madman, in spite of having only one good arm to navigate the car. Meanwhile, Scully is packing up both of their belongings like friends and partners would normally do for one another. Yeah, right.

15. How The Ghosts Stole Christmas  Lots of need and love in this one. Two scenes particularly stand out: 1) When Mulder and Scully escape unscathed because even though each believes that s/he was shot by the other, s/he does not retaliate, and 2) Scully goes over to Mulder's place in the wee hours of the morning despite that what had happened was all his fault (as usual)...as he's sitting there alone, probably bemoaning his lack-of-Scully state. They exchange gifts, despite having told each other that they wouldn't be getting the other a gift.

14. Squeeze  Only the third episode of the series, and yet the UST abounds. Scully: "It seems like you were acting very territorial. I don't know...forget it." Mulder, playing with the necklace between Scully's breasts: "Of course I was." Needless to say, this exchange wasn't meant in exactly the way we'd like it to mean, but it's quite a good start, wouldn't you agree?

13. The Pine Bluff Variant  Mulder is sneaking around undercover and Scully confronts him in his apartment. He yells at her to protect her (yeah, like that doesn't give away the farm right there), but she rebuffs him easily and doctors his injured finger as he sulks and spills all his beans.

12. Wetwired  At the climax of this episode, when a disturbed (exposed to something that heightens one's greatest fear) Scully claims to her mother about Mulder, "He's never trusted me!" And Mulder responds in the quietest voice, and there is no doubting his sincerity, "Scully, you are the only one I trust."

11. Triangle  After a harrowing time-travel experience, Mulder returns from 1939 and finds himself in a hospital. The only person he seems to see in the hospital, though the Lone Gunmen and Skinner is there too, is Scully. He remembers how 1939 Scully believed him and saved the world, much as modern-day Scully believes him, and is filled with nothing but... dare I say it, hell yes, why not, love for her.

10. Arcadia  If just the fact that Mulder and Scully are posing as a married couple isn't enough to give you sweet dreams for at least a week, then Mulder's touchy-feely behavior throughout this episode should do it. But my favorite scene has to be when Mulder and Scully are on Gogolak's couch, and Scully catches herself subconsciously "consoling" her "husband" because their neighborhood won't let him have a basketball hoop--and self-consciously stops herself. Sorry, Agent Scully, we all know you have the hots for your partner!

9. Dreamland II  The scene Mulder and Scully have in a heartbreaking moment when they believe that they will never see each other again has got to be named one of the scenes "most likely to make you cry." There is nothing really outstanding about their lines, but Anderson and Duchovny are so in tune with their characters that it is the way the scene is acted that makes the most impact. Morris Fletcher yelling, "Take a picture! It'll last longer," helps too.

8. Monday  Scully has to watch Mulder get shot, then runs to him and quickly strips off his shirt and tie in order to put direct pressure on his wound. She caresses his face with the most heartbreaking look on her face, tears in her eyes, voice breaking as she pleads with Bernard, "I have to get my partner out of here." It's even more glaring when at the end of the episode Pam gets shot in a similar manner and all Scully does is check for a pulse.

7. Post-Modern Prometheus  The entire dance scene at the end. They make the best looking couple, there's just no getting around it.

6. Ascension  The entire scene with Mulder questioning Duane Barry about Scully's disappearance is simply gut-wrenching. Duchovny does a spectacular job, coming across as angry, achingly helpless, and desperate to find the one person he cares for most in the world. And this was only the second season!

5. Milagro  I love it when Mulder is at the point of violence while questioning Padgett (no doubt he's even more aggravated than usual, considering that Padgett has been putting moves on Scully), and Scully places a light hand on his arm, effectively restraining and calming him. Even better is the look of sad realization on Padgett's face. And who can forget Padgett's conclusion that "Agent Scully is already in love"? Or the way Scully was trying to mold herself into Mulder at the end of the episode?

4. Pusher  Two wonderful scenes spring to mind in particular. First, in the surveillance van when Mulder is about to go in to face Modell, and the intimate moment that he and Scully share. He hands her his gun, while she has the most pained look on her face, and they clasp hands. Second, during the Russian Roulette scene, Mulder finds it easier to pull the trigger of the gun on himself than on Scully. Scully tearfully pleads with the Mulder she knows and loves to be stronger, to fight Modell like she knows he can. Scully goes ballistic when Modell has Mulder pull the trigger on himself.

3. One Breath  Mulder gives up the chance to learn everything he's ever wanted to know regarding his sister's abduction to be by Scully's side as she dies. His words, "I don't know if my being here...will help bring you back. But I'm here," are some of the most gut-wrenching and heartbreaking words ever spoken by one person to another. Then, when Scully regains consciousness, she asserts, "I had the strength of your beliefs," and the mystical bond between them is forged forever.

2. The Unnatural  A scuffle over nonfat tofutti rice dreamsicle. Playing baseball under the stars. Mulder holding Scully, whispering sweet nothings in her ear. Scully laughing. Shipper hearts afloat...

1. Redux II  I challenge you to find a scene that is not implicitly shippy in this episode. I can't even point out one scene to you because the whole thing is so great. Suffice it to say that the significance lies not so much with what is said, but the way in which Mulder and Scully interact with each other. Lots of hand holding, kissing, and crying by bedsides is done. Mulder considers working for the Cigarette-Smoking Man to save Scully! It's a Shipper's dream come true.

Some of you may be wondering how in the world I could have left certain episodes out. I can only respond that I am but one person! I think I considered all the episodes out there, but in any case, this is a purely subjective and nonconclusive list.

Remember that this is just the tip of the iceberg! There are so many more great scenes in other episodes that would have made it to anyone's top-whatever list; this just happens to be mine. The best scene is always the one that you place significance on, where you can find some meaning--a subtle hand gesture, a certain tenderness in a look. Those are the ones to watch for in every episode, and I for one find new ones all the time.

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Please feel free to me at jenu1bruin@centropolis.org