Who Is Hawk’s Son, Jackson? The Quiet & Mysterious Teen In Fellow Travelers Explained

WARNING: SPOILERS ahead for Fellow Travelers episode 6.

Fellow Travelers episode 6 jumps ahead to 1968 and introduces a great new character in Jackson Fuller (Etienne Kellici). While most of the celebrated Showtime series has taken place during the early 1950s during the Lavender Scare in Washington D.C., episode 6 is almost entirely set in rural Pennsylvania as Tim escapes the law and Hawk, now a family man, tries to protect him. With only two episodes left of Fellow Travelers, Tim and Hawk are set to have one more escapade during the late 1970s before their lifelong hidden romance comes to an end.

While two of Hawk and Lucy’s kids appear in Fellow Travelers episode 6, the series is acutely focused on Jackson and his unwillingness to engage with his family. He is first seen arguing with his sister as Hawk is on the phone with Marcus discussing Tim’s legal situation after he stole draft cards with a religious radical group as a way to protest the Vietnam War. Jackson looks to his father for support, but a disinterested Hawk reprimands Jackson over his daughter Kimberly. This is the earliest sign of Jackson’s feelings of disappointment and even hatred for Hawk in Fellow Travelers episode 6.

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Jackson Fuller Is The Sensitive & Rebellious Son Of Hawk Fuller & Lucy Smith

Jackson writes poetry, commits petty crimes, and experiments with drugs

Jackson Fuller is played by Etienne Kellici, who made his feature film debut in 2019’s Ready or Not. On the surface, Jackson is unlike Hawk in many ways, choosing to spend his time alone in his room and at his dad’s cabin, constantly challenging his parents’ rules. Jackson is naturally anti-authoritarian and is also discovered to be a thief after the police show up at Hawk’s house spreading the word about reports in the neighborhood. Jackson doesn’t seem to fit into his traditional family and is clearly the black sheep of the Fullers, especially compared to his cookie-cutter sister.

Rather than following a straight and narrow path, Jackson seeks out fulfillment in experimentation and writing poetry. An apparent introvert, Jackson is incredibly sensitive and believes that his dad is too rigid and structured, making it very difficult for the two of them to connect honestly. Jackson is a true individual, which is fundamentally true of the real Hawk Fuller underneath his family man, straight-edged facade. If Jackson only knew the truth about who Hawk actually is, especially through the loving eyes of Tim, then he would be able to trust and depend on his father more sturdily.

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How Jackson’s Hatred For Hawk & Friendship With Tim Reveals His True Character

Jackson Only Knows Hawk’s Projected Image As A Rigid & Conservative Father

If there is anyone who could convince Jackson about the inherent good inside Hawk in Fellow Travelers, it’s Tim Laughlin. The two get the chance to meet as Tim hides out in Hawk’s cabin down the road from his main house. Tim returns to find Jackson pointing a gun at him, nervously explaining that he’s a friend of Hawk’s. Jackson, who despite his criminal behavior is quite good-natured, senses that Tim is telling the truth and lays the weapon down. Tim and Jackson begin to connect on a real level, revealing how badly Jackson needed someone to talk to about his struggles and his dad.

Hawk’s true character is so hidden from his family that Jackson is forced to view him as a negligent and unsympathetic father. Tim, who knows the quality of love that Hawk is capable of, doesn’t give away too much information as he explains to Jackson that Hawk does truly love him in the best way he knows how. Jackson’s hatred of his dad is fueled by the lies he knows he tells him and his family. Tim sticks up for Hawk, telling Jackson that everybody lies. This shows a complete change in character in Tim from when he was an idealistic college grad before he met Hawk.

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What Jackson Means When He Tells Hawk He Thinks Something’s Wrong With Him

Jackson Could Ironically Be Fighting His Own Battle With His Identity Formation

After opening up to Tim and gaining perspective about his father’s attempts at loving him, Jackson tries to talk to Hawk about some of the ways he’s been feeling. Hawk is excited to learn that Jackson is a promising poet and agrees to keep the secret about taking LSD between the two of them. After this display of trust, Jackson tells his dad that he believes there is something wrong with him. These sentiments would explain some of Jackson’s rebellious behaviors as signs he is struggling with his identity formation. The last two episodes of Fellow Travelers could expand Jackson’s inner turmoil and reveal that he and Hawk are much more similar than they may seem.