Fallout Season 2 Episode 3: The Mojave Wasteland Faces Irreparable Damage
Spoilers ahead for this week’s episode of Fallout. This latest installment dives into the current dynamics among the factions vying for dominance in the Mojave Wasteland. While players of Fallout: New Vegas may have a sense of the factions’ trajectories, the landscape has shifted significantly over the past 15 years. Although individual narratives didn’t progress much, it was exciting to catch up with some fan-favorite factions.
The episode kicks off in a bottling plant for the iconic Sunset Sarsaparilla, the Mojave’s beloved beverage. Here, we find former Brotherhood of Steel Squire Thaddeus, now sporting a more ghastly appearance than before. After comforting a bullied girl, he sternly reminds the children to return to work, ominously noting that they’d “be dead by now” under different circumstances.
Next, we check in on Lucy, who last faced off against the Legion. It turns out the woman she was trying to help was one of their slaves, and as punishment for losing her legionary, she’s swiftly executed, her head displayed on a spike. Lucy is then brought before the current Caesar and his second-in-command, Legate. They declare that America’s ways have failed, and it’s their duty to impose order in the Mojave. Before they can imprison her, Lucy observes a split within the Legion, with factions arguing over who the true successor to the original Caesar is. The Legate reveals that the name of the rightful heir is written on a note with the corpse in the rival camp, leaving the truth shrouded in mystery. Lucy offers to mediate their conflict, but her proposal is quickly dismissed, and she finds herself bound to a cross.
Meanwhile, at an abandoned hospital, Cooper awakens and struggles to free himself from paralysis caused by a radscorpion stinger lodged in his leg, with the help of his companion CX-404. Flashing back to the Pre-War era, we see Cooper and his wife at odds as she prepares for the Vault, tears in her eyes. He attends a local VFW ceremony, using the opportunity to gather intel on Robert House before planning to assassinate him. In the restroom, he encounters The Mysterious Stranger, who cryptically warns him of impending dangers and the forces at play.
At Area 51, the Brotherhood of Steel factions begin to distance themselves from Maximus’ chapter, fearing that Paladin Xander’s arrival signals a retaliation from The Commonwealth. With no viable options, they suggest handing over the cold fusion relic to appease The Commonwealth. Maximus proposes eliminating Xander to prevent conflict, but this is rejected due to the risk of igniting a full-scale war. Without alliances, the Brotherhood risks falling to The Commonwealth.
As Maximus departs the compound, he runs into Xander, who explains how his chapter operates under actual soldiers rather than zealots. Xander warns that the Elder Cleric’s decisions could lead the Brotherhood into chaos and darkness.
Cooper tracks Lucy’s path to the Legion camps, realizing they are embroiled in their own civil war. He plans to rescue her, knowing she’s crucial for confronting Hank Maclean in his search for family. Seeking backup, he heads to a nearby NCR outpost, only to find it abandoned. There, he reconnects with Victor, the sheriff securitron from Fallout: New Vegas, who informs him that the NCR has deserted the outpost and that Robert House is dead. Cooper is skeptical, believing House would have a contingency plan in place.
Maximus and Xander take a vertibird for a spin over the Mojave, discussing the Brotherhood’s situation back home and the potential benefits of the cold fusion relic in their ongoing war. Near Primm, Cooper encounters two NCR members who recognize him. After a brief altercation, they reveal they are the last NCR remnants in the area, cut off from supplies. Cooper realizes the NCR has lost its grip on the Mojave since the fall of Shady Sands. They request help to reconnect with an NCR base, but he refuses and storms off.
Meanwhile, Xander and Maximus detect robot activity in an abandoned facility. They land the vertibird and don their power armor. Inside, they face a rogue securitron, which they destroy with a super sledge, celebrating their victory.
Cooper infiltrates the Legion camp holding Lucy and demands her release. The Legate asks for a trade: information on the NCR remnants in exchange for her freedom. Cooper offers the intel, and they free Lucy, who notices a stash of dynamite. Once outside, the stash detonates, revealing Cooper rigged it to explode. He ponders whether his actions were wise or reckless.
Maximus and Xander continue exploring the facility, discovering a ghoul child hiding within. They realize they’re back at the bottling plant. Xander insists on bringing all the children out of hiding, separating them into groups. He attempts to execute the ghoul children, but Thaddeus intervenes, pleading for their lives. Ignoring the protests, Xander prepares to fire, but Maximus intervenes, killing him with a super sledge and saving the ghoul children. Thaddeus and Maximus reconnect, realizing the potential consequences of their actions.
This week’s Fallout episode prioritized world-building over personal narratives, showcasing the intricate faction systems and vibrant characters that define the Mojave Wasteland. As the stage is set for escalating conflict, it will be intriguing to see how alliances and rivalries unfold in the episodes to come.
