The X-Files season 11 has had an interesting journey, but as it begins to come to a close it appears to be ending on a strong note. The past few episodes have all been impressive, with many of evoking that vintage X-Files feeling that many viewers felt was absent from season 10. The show’s current season makes the wise decision to not burden its second to last episode with its cumbersome mythology. Instead, it is a delicate episode that plays into cults and obsession in disturbing ways.

“Nothing Lasts Forever” highlights some highly deranged individuals, but the decisions and belief systems that bring them to this point are more upsetting than any monster or senseless killer. The problems that get addressed are very real and even though this episode pushes it all to the extreme, its relevance make it all the eerier. We got the opportunity to talk to Karen Nielsen, the writer of “Nothing Lasts Forever,” about penning her first X-Files episode, the powerful themes it explores, and where she’d like to take Mulder and Scully next.

DEN OF GEEK: To begin with, what is it about these topics of artificial beauty and cult mentalities that interests you?

KAREN NIELSEN: I think being alone in society you just feel the pressures of appearance. We live in such a consumerist society and everything is just about how we look because that’s how we can prey on people’s insecurities and sell things. I’m susceptible to it just like the majority of people—not just women, but people—are in the world. And if you’re a woman and an actress it’s like quadruple all of that. If you’re over thirty you almost become a write-off, which is horrible. So I can definitely relate to what the episode says about being judged and not feeling good enough to be worthy of love. Of course none of that stuff has any merit towards your ability to be loved. In the episode, Olivia has a family and she’s loved, but for some reason it just wasn’t enough. A lot of people feel that way and no matter how much love you have, you’re still going to feel like it’s not enough. All the hate will get through and that’s a major problem in society, so why not play around with that?