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聽Viewers hoping for a resolution to the story on the newest and final episode of 鈥淭he X-Files鈥� were most likely disappointed.聽

The sixth episode of 鈥淴-Files,鈥� which aired on Feb. 22, concluded with what appeared to be a UFO hovering over Washington, D.C. 鈥淴-Files鈥� main characters Mulder (David Duchovny) and Scully (Gillian Anderson) were illuminated in light and the episode was over.聽

So 鈥淴-Files鈥� fans most likely want to know, will this story be wrapped up anytime soon?聽

Yes, says 鈥淴-Files鈥� creator Chris Carter 鈥� he鈥檚 just not sure of when.聽

鈥淭hey're going to ask for more,鈥� Carter said of 鈥淴-Files鈥� network Fox in . 鈥淭he ratings were very good. They were happy with the show. I talked to [Fox Television Group co-chairman] Dana Walden today. She said they'd very much like more, but nothing's being negotiated yet鈥� The last negotiations took about five months, so it could be a while before we figure out how to do this.鈥�

As for his stars, Carter said, 鈥淚 have been speaking with David pretty regularly. I think he's game. I have spoken to Gillian less frequently, but I believe she would be game.鈥�

鈥淭he X-Files鈥� originally aired from 1993 to 2002 and included two movies, including a 2008 film that was released in between the original TV series and these new episodes.

Ending on a suspenseful note is nothing new for 鈥淴-Files鈥� 鈥� as Carter noted in , 鈥溾�橳he X-Files鈥� has traditionally ended with a cliffhanger, and people who know us well would expect nothing less.鈥�

And cliffhangers are of course about as old as TV itself. There are famous instances like the 鈥淲ho shot J.R.?鈥� plotline that occurred on 鈥淒allas鈥� and a reveal of a 鈥渇lash-forward鈥� device on the more recent TV show 鈥淟ost.鈥澛�

writes that with acclaimed dramas using the cliffhanger, the device isn鈥檛 always regarded as a cheap way to tell a story.聽

鈥淭he current glut of good scripted television has made us less snobby about the cliffhanger,鈥� Anderson wrote. 鈥淪urrendering to shows like 鈥楤reaking Bad鈥� and 鈥楬omeland,鈥� we鈥檙e reminded that it can be about something more haunting, not just egregious audience manipulation.鈥澛�

also points to 鈥淏ad鈥� as a show that did cliffhangers well.

鈥淲hile not every show embraced cliffhangers (David Simon鈥檚 鈥楾he Wire鈥� resisted them), many series, like 鈥�24,鈥� made a fetish of them or used them selectively, as elements of a primal cinematic universe, like 鈥楤reaking Bad,鈥� a deep meditation on morality that was also a throwback to movie serials,鈥� Nussbaum wrote. Season three of 鈥淏ad鈥� ended on a cliffhanger, but 鈥淰ince Gilligan, the show鈥檚 creator, had built his story skillfully enough that those thirteen months welled up with meaning. The show鈥檚 heart-in-throat suspense had become inseparable from its resonant themes, from the cruel calculus of modern capitalism to the American fantasy of masculine autonomy.鈥澛�

More recently, TV has also seen a boom of plot devices beyond the cliffhanger: a surprising twist that may not end a season finale or even an episode but which showrunners no doubt hope will get viewers talking and turning to social media to express their surprise.

points to, for example, the recent popularity of main characters being killed on a show 鈥� protagonists that are normally regarded as safe from any plot development.聽

鈥淜illing off a main character 鈥� and a mega-star 鈥� almost seemed less weird than bringing him back the next week,鈥� Agard wrote of a recent fake-out on HBO's "True Detective." 鈥淭hat's because we've been conditioned by the major purveyors of high-end TV to expect main characters will die, pretty much any time.鈥� Some of Agard鈥檚 examples included the HBO show 鈥淕ame of Thrones,鈥� the ABC program 鈥淕rey鈥檚 Anatomy,鈥� Netflix鈥檚 鈥淗ouse of Cards,鈥� and many more.

鈥淣ow there are more scripted shows on the air than ever before, so it's even harder to find ways to cut through the clutter, especially for broadcast network shows,鈥� Agard wrote. 鈥淭he death of a major character, then, becomes a can鈥檛-miss event that鈥檚 meant to shock the audience and re-energize them.鈥�