Amongst others, FBI agent Dana Scully from The X-Files seems to have had quite an effect on how viewers perceive strong women in general. The “Scully Effect” for example is said to have influenced hundreds if not thousands of medical school and law enforcement training applications. The six posts that made if on this, the sixth X-Files related cheat sheet meant to help both newcomers and rustier X-Philes, are meant to help shed light on the influence of the character of Scully on our culture.

8 Ways The X-Files’ Dana Scully Changed the Game

This list is short and sweet but really does a lot in underlining the main reasons why the character of Dana Scully was so inspiring to so many viewers of the show, especially the younger female audience.

How the Strong Female Character was Born: A Study of Dana Scully

This piece helps dig into some of the abovementioned way Scully changed the game. I also feel like Lizzie’s personal experience with the character of Dana Scully is one that will resonate with many a woman who started watching the show at a really young age. To have on screen a woman who, although beautiful, was characterised mostly for her intelligence and her strength was a big shift in the way women were for the most part developed in television at the time. For those of you who love Scully because she is a strong woman, you will resonate with this piece. For those of you who don’t understand why a young woman would find this character so inspiring, this is a piece well worth reading.

Why ‘The X-Files’ Dana Scully Still Stands Out As One Of TV’s Greatest Feminist Role Models

Some might question if Scully, a character created in the early 1990s, still has any relevance today. If you’re one of them—or if, like me, you would like to learn how to express ideas about this topic in an eloquent fashion—this is a piece for you.

Less “Big Bang Theory,” More Dana Scully: What it’s Going to Take to Lead More Girls into Science

If you want to dig even further, these piece really helps shed light on some of the forces currently acting on the media that shapes the characters that grace our television screens. It also digs a little more into the “Scully Effect” for those of you interested in finding out a little more about this phenomenon.

Why Today’s Woman need Dana Scully

While discussion the topic of positive role models in fiction, I often am faced with individuals who are convinced I am making a mountain out of a molehill. This article helps generate some reflection on the actual current state of fictional women in the media and how even today, while there are more women characters portrayed on television and on the big screen, there is still quite a dearth in strong female characters who are not influenced by the negative social forces acting on all of us.

Is Dana Scully the trust star of the X-Files?

And it’s not just theoretical; Sean over at Wristband Bros went a step ahead by looking into Google trends over the last 12 years. I won’t spoil it for you, but you can guess which character between Scully and Mulder trended the most.