Maximus Takes Center Stage in Fallout Season 2

As we dive into Fallout season 2, anticipation builds for Amazon’s adaptation of New Vegas, and one character stands out — Knight Maximus of the Brotherhood of Steel. He’s not just notable for his power armor; he’s the most pivotal of Fallout’s three main characters, and it’s exciting to see the new season explore his significance.

Each character embodies one of the factions vying for dominance in the Mojave Desert. We have the optimistic vault dweller Lucy, the wasteland’s Ghoul, and the Brotherhood’s “order at any cost” representative, Maximus. While Lucy and the Ghoul clearly align with their respective ideologies, it’s Maximus who truly encapsulates the essence of Fallout’s narrative: when society collapses, do you choose good or evil?

Lucy is steadfast in her quest to be a beacon of hope, despite the heartache it brings her. In contrast, the Ghoul operates on a self-serving philosophy where the ends justify the means, often leading to violence. Throughout the first season and into the second, both characters remain firmly entrenched in their beliefs. Maximus, however, is still grappling with his choices, caught in the middle of their moral dichotomy.

“I would put him right in the middle of the two of them,” Aaron Moten shared in an interview. He describes Maximus as embodying both the strengths and flaws of Lucy and the Ghoul. “[Maximus] can share in [Lucy’s] naivete, but [he] also has lived a life above ground in the wasteland,” he explained.

Maximus navigates the spectrum of good and evil. In season one, he allows Titus, the knight he’s assigned to, to succumb to his injuries before taking his power armor and identity. When he acquires a squire, he bullies him, mirroring the treatment he received as a Brotherhood initiate. Season 2’s flashbacks reveal that his family taught him to aspire to better values. So, when Maximus saves Lucy or mediates a conflict between wastelanders, it hints at those lessons finally taking root.

At the beginning of season 2, Maximus appears to be leaning back toward the Ghoul’s side of the moral spectrum. Now a full-fledged Brotherhood knight, he enjoys the respect of his peers and wields authority without hesitation. Yet, despite his achievements, he feels he’s falling short of the ideals instilled in him by his family, creating a unique internal conflict. While Lucy searches for her father and the Ghoul seeks his family, their struggles are external and often directed at each other.

Maximus, having achieved his goals by the end of season 1, stands as the show’s most conflicted character. He mirrors the classic Fallout protagonist, even if he’s overshadowed by his more charismatic companions. With seemingly nowhere left to go, his battle becomes an internal one. And as Fallout often reminds us, war never changes.