PLOT: Scully must make a very tough decision regarding her son, William, as the agents are involved with a familar stranger who may or may not be Mulder.

I must say that to have David Duchovny back on the show that made him famous is a welcome relief, whether he is behind or in front of the camera. If that weren't enough, he also help co-author the story on his character's son, William. The final outcome was already shown in the teaser, but how that outcome occurred is some cause for concern.

As the countdown to the series finale gets closer, I'm beginning to wonder what Ten-Thirteen really has planned (if at all) with the core characters for the upcoming feature film (hopefully a series of films) in the future. They've killed off Samantha, Mrs. Mulder, Melissa Scully, (possibly) Alex Krycek, Diana Fowley, Smoking Man and, just last week's episode, The Lone Gunmen. What characters are safe anymore? It would just be nice to know that a character's death is supposed to *help* the episode's plot rather than be a plot convenience or contrivance. Such is the case with this latest episode, "William," which, of course, refers to Scully's son. The teaser shows us that she gave him up for adoption, and the episode relates the events leading up to that undoubtedly heartbreaking decision.

Admittedly, the episode does continue the on-going mythology surrounding William's origins. The feeling of finality may also have ended it. For the most part, William is a normal human baby with "special abilities" that are not truly explained to any kind of satisfaction in this episode. There's wide-spread speculation that he was part of the experiments to produce the first truly organic "super soldier" if you followed the "Nothing Important Happened Today" plot-line. Or that he has some kind of alien DNA as suggested from the experiments shown in "Per Manum." Yet, I just don't buy it as represented here. For the most part, whatever it was that Spender injected in him appears to make him "normal".

As for good old Jeffrey Spender, I had no doubt that he was NOT Mulder. There were just so many inconsistencies with that part of the plot where the other characters, particularly Scully, were questioning the man's identity. I can understand Doggett and Reyes looking at the hard facts and having no qualms that the man was Mulder, but Scully?!? Besides the physical examination, she would be able to know from his confusion regarding the missing files or the fact that he acted so coldly around her that it would make no sense that she would have the slightest of doubts that he was NOT Mulder. She even said that there are things about a man that "go beyond any tests." In her heart, this man was not Mulder. In her head, this man was not Mulder, yet she hesitates? I found that rather unconvincing.

Another thing to remember is that Spender attacked Doggett at the beginning of the episode. There is absolutely NO way that Spender would stand a chance with Doggett in a fair fight. Also, Mulder would certainly not be stupid enough to expose himself if he had did not have to. As desperate as Mulder can be at times, he's also very calculating and would know his old office like the back of his hand. The very fact that he discussed taking some files with Scully should have been the BIGGEST clue to Scully that this man wasn't Mulder.

I thought it interesting that this illustrious trio had no idea what to do. In some respects, there was no apparent threat to themselves or William. At the very least, I certainly would not have someone who is looking for info on my child actually SPEND THE NIGHT in the same house! I found that rather silly and even more idiotic was not ensuring that Spender stayed put in the room. Instead, they are all befuddled on what the next plan of action should be instead of ensuring that William was safe.

Spender's appearance after all this time (almost TWO years) is rather strange. If his story about being experimented on is to be believed, then how did he escape? Why was there noone looking for him? Wouldn't have Scully been able to detect a toxin or some other chemical in his blood? How did Spender even know about William to begin with?

I'm not exactly sure if Doggett and Reyes were used wisely in this episode. Considering that they have no connection to Spender or his father, the Smoking Man, makes them rather useless. Scully is the one who figured out who Spender really was as well as his objective in seeking William. If injecting William with whatever it was made the baby normal, then Spender did a good thing. Yet, it is not convincing enough to ensure William's safety in the end.

Though I have no real emotional attachments to William, it did bother me in one respect that Scully decided to give him up. It has been her fondest wish to conceive a child and start a family ever since she discovered that her abduction in Season 2 made her barren. William finally comes along, and Scully is determined to protect her child to the best of her ability. Now, in this episode, she decides that her baby's best interests lie with adoptive parents who will probably never know how special William truly is. Yet, it also makes it convenient for Scully to be free from the burdens of motherhood and protector. I think too convenient. What will Mulder's reaction be when he returns and finds out what Scully did? I only hope that plot point is not ignored as easily as last season when he came back from the dead and discovered her pregnant. William was a significant part of both their lives. I hope Ten-Thirteen remembered that.

Three more to go...


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