 As The X @-@ Files entered into its eighth season , " human resurrection and salvation " as well as " disease , suffering , and healing " became an increasingly central focus of the show . " Within " , along with various other episodes during the eighth season of the show , would be the first to explore themes of birth , death and resurrection . The sub @-@ theme of birth first emerged in this episode during Scully 's opening dream of an abducted Mulder , which " <unk> [ es ] strong birth imagery of the amniotic sack [ sic ] and fluid . " Then later in the episode , the themes of death and resurrection are touched upon when Scully is shown Mulder 's tombstone . This arc would continue in " The Gift " , where Mulder 's inoperable brain tumor and the resurrection of John Doggett is explored . In " Deadalive " , the theme reappears in full @-@ force : Billy Miles is found dead but resurrects , Mulder is buried for three months , and later , is brought back to life . This sub @-@ theme would continue well into the ninth season , in entries such as " Audrey Pauley " . 
