Vault 24 from Fallout: New Vegas makes a surprise return in Fallout Season 2.

Prime Video’s Fallout series has always embraced its gaming roots, but the season 2 premiere takes that connection to a whole new level.

Spoilers for Fallout season 2 follow.

During The Ghoul and Lucy’s journey to New Vegas, they stumble upon a mysterious Vault – specifically, Vault 24.

Inside, they find that the inhabitants have been brainwashed and transformed into communists.

Mind control isn’t a new concept in the Fallout universe; for instance, Justin Theroux’s character uses a brain chip in the opening scene of season 2. However, Vault 24 brings something unique to the table.

This is largely due to the existence of unused files from 2010’s Fallout: New Vegas, which included a jumpsuit for Vault 24. The Vault itself has become somewhat of an urban legend within the Fallout community, with data miners eager to uncover its intended role in Obsidian’s RPG.

The inclusion of Vault 24 reflects a philosophy shared by Todd Howard in a recent discussion. He emphasized the need to balance the experience for both die-hard fans who know every detail of the Mojave wasteland and newcomers discovering it through the Prime Video series.

“We sort of approach it like we do a new game. Like, hey, we’re starting fresh,” Howard explained. “Okay, we’re going back to Vegas: number one, we’ve got to honor the journey that every player had there. Maneuvering that is tricky.”

On the topic of incorporating game references into the show, Howard stated, “It’s going back to authenticity. What would we want to see as a fan? Make it as authentic as possible and come at it with a lot of thought, a lot of love, but also take some swings.”

For more on Fallout, be sure to dive into the Fallout season 2 review. Then, for a more in-depth look at the Prime Video series, we have Fallout season 2 Easter eggs and an overview of the Fallout season 2 timeline.