William's Secret Birth

The birth of William, son of Dana Scully and Fox Mulder, in the eighth-season finale.

William, born William Scully III and later adopted as Jackson Van De Kamp, is the son of Dana Scully and Fox Mulder. He is born in the eighth-season finale, 'Existence', and named after Scully's father as well as Mulder's father.

Quick Facts

Primary antagonists: The Syndicate; The Smoking Man

Lore & Background

Scully had earlier decided to have a child by in vitro fertilization with Mulder as the donor, but the attempt was said to have failed. Season nine confirms that the agents had been intimate before Mulder's abduction, and in 'Essence' Mulder wonders whether the child is 'the product of a union or the work of a divine hand'. Through the last two seasons William is surrounded by mystery, from his origin to the supernatural abilities he appears to have.

Reader's Guide

Posing as Mulder, Jeffrey Spender later injects the baby with a magnetite substance to seemingly 'cure' him of his telekinetic powers. In The X-Files: I Want to Believe and the tenth season, Mulder and Scully both call William their son, and in 'My Struggle III' Spender warns them that government agents are seeking him.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who are the biological parents in William's Secret Birth?

The child is the offspring of Special Agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully, making his lineage central to the show’s mythology. Through the last two seasons he is surrounded by mystery, including the supernatural abilities he appears to have.

How does this event influence the series narrative?

The mystery of William serves as the emotional anchor for the final seasons and drives Mulder’s search during the revival era. It represents the ultimate cost paid by the agents in their fight against truth.

When was William's Secret Birth first introduced to fans?

Scully's pregnancy begins in the seventh-season finale, 'Requiem', and William is born in the eighth-season finale, 'Existence'. This revelation set up the core mystery that propelled the storyline through the series finale and beyond.