FBI agent Fox Mulder dedicated his life to uncovering the truth on The X-Files, but his own family often held its own mysteries to solve. Mulder was, of course, one of the FBI’s most promising young agents, specializing in solving violent crimes, sometimes even hunting down serial killers. That was until Mulder discovered the titular X-Files, cases concerning paranormal and supernatural events that had once been investigated by a dedicated office within the bureau. Inspired, Mulder shifted his focus to these X-Files, making investigating them his one-man mission.
Mulder’s pursuit of the unexplained wasn’t entirely selfless, though, as his memories of younger sister Samantha being abducted by aliens when they were both children helped spur on his interest in that type of unsolved case. Mulder hoped that one day he would be able to uncover his own personal truth, finding out exactly what happened to his sister. Along the way, though, Mulder discovered many things he never expected to, such as fraudulent fathers, unknown siblings, and children that weren’t really his.
Mulder’s family tree had many tangled, oddly hanging branches on it, and his bloodline was a bit hard to follow after 11 seasons of X-Files revelations. With that in mind, here’s a handy look at which Mulder family members were biological, which weren’t, and what exactly led to all this lying. For Mulder, the truth was not only out there, but sometimes running through his own veins.
Fox Mulder’s Confusing Parentage Explained
Fox Mulder spent the bulk of his life believing his father to be a man named William Mulder and his mother to be a woman named Teena Mulder. That belief would eventually turn out to be half right. It was revealed partway through The X-Files‘ run that Mulder was actually the product of an affair between his mother and the Cigarette-Smoking Man, aka Carl Gerhard Busch Spender. CSM had worked with William Mulder as part of a massive conspiracy involving aliens and the government, so it made sense that he had gotten to know Teena. Naturally, the idea that his greatest nemesis was, in fact, his biological father didn’t please Fox. That said, the revelation of Mulder’s true parentage explained so much about his relationship with the Cigarette-Smoking Man up to that point.
So often, CSM seemed to allow Mulder to escape what should’ve been deadly predicaments, and at certain times appeared to be actively protecting him from the Syndicate’s wrath. He didn’t want Mulder to reveal the truth to the public and would do just about anything to stop him from doing that but drew the line at straight-up executing him or having him assassinated, which he could’ve easily done during one of their many encounters in person. Paternal affection for Mulder or not though, CSM was a villain through and through, and there was no realistic chance the two could ever develop a true familial relationship. By the season 11 finale, CSM finally chose to shoot Mulder, seemingly deciding to sever their connection for good. Thankfully, it was really Scully’s super-powered son William in disguise.
Fox Mulder’s Multiple Siblings Explained
As mentioned previously, one of the major driving forces behind Fox Mulder’s long-term obsession with the X-Files department was his own experience from childhood, more specifically, watching his younger sister Samantha get abducted by aliens. Of course, that memory turned out to be only partially accurate, as season 7 revealed that Samantha had actually been offered up to the aliens as part of a deal for test subjects made with the Syndicate, including her own parents, Bill and Teena Mulder. Samantha was experimented on for years before finally being “saved” by spirits known as “Walk-ins,” who rescued children from horrible fates. Her death was painless, and Fox would get a brief reunion with her in spirit form, finally giving him closure.
However, it would turn out Samantha wasn’t Fox’s only sibling. He had a half-brother in the form of fellow FBI agent Jeffrey Spender, another of CSM’s sons. Jeffrey also had a contentious relationship with his father, and while he and Mulder began on opposite sides, both would eventually work together more than once. A DNA test during The X-Files season 9 confirmed once and for all that Jeffrey and Fox were related, also completely confirming that Fox was CSM’s son. Jeffrey had a tough life, being shot and seemingly killed by his father during season 6, then reemerging, later on, having been disfigured by horrific experiments. Thankfully, he was doing better by season 11, having somehow had his original appearance reconstructed.
Fox Mulder’s Children Explained
While there was clearly a romantic attraction forming between Fox Mulder and Dana Scully from almost the moment they became FBI partners, it wasn’t until the later seasons of The X-Files that they finally consummated their relationship. That led to the birth of William Scully in the season 8 finale, which Mulder and Scully both believed to be their biological child. It became apparent that William had been altered somehow, displaying supernatural powers and possessing alien DNA. Considering all the alien experiments Scully had been subjected to by then, it wasn’t too surprising, really.
Scully eventually decided to give William up, feeling he would be safer living in anonymity somewhere far away from her and Mulder. In season 11, Mulder and Scully finally encountered William, now a teenager, and his powers had grown exponentially. However, a disgusting twist revealed that the Cigarette-Smoking Man was actually William’s biological father and that Scully had been secretly impregnated during season 7. Given The X-Files season 11’s unresolved ending, it remains to be seen if William will choose to still see Mulder as his father and reunite with his mother. There was some hope on the way, though, as Scully ended season 11 by revealing that she was pregnant with Mulder’s child after they had been shown to be romantically involved once again a few episodes prior. One wonders if this baby will end up with alien powers too, or be lucky enough to live a normal life, or as normal as one’s life can possibly be when their parents are Fox Mulder and Dana Scully.
