We continue with the Fallout series summaries with episode 1×05; The Past. The following contains spoilers for the episode and the series.
Dialogue Between Thaddeus and Maximus The dialogue between Thaddeus and Maximus highlights the almost deified status of those who are knights. I remember that the hierarchy was not as exaggerated in the games. A similar attitude was seen in previous episodes. For example, in episode 3, during the fight scene with the gulper, Thaddeus said, “If you want to put me forward for the attack, I will accept.” When Thaddeus learns that Maximus has taken Titus’s place, I expected Maximus to kill Thaddeus and take a completely different path. However, they resolved the situation with a small change from the games. Normally, when you remove the fusion core from power armor, the armor automatically opens and you exit. Here, we see that the armor is designed to remain locked. Seeing my most hated radroaches (giant nuclear cockroaches) swarming around the armor was quite well done. Similarly, the use of radaway, which heals radiation, after Lucy faints, was nicely portrayed. Lucy’s proposal to Maximus seems logical from her perspective. But we all know that things on the surface don’t work the same as in the vaults.
Vault Choices From the vault choices, we understand that whenever there’s an issue, those from Vault 31 are chosen as saviors. This tries to convey that there was a vault established to govern the others. Even the candidates don’t vote for themselves. (“When things look glum, vote Vault 31.”)
Scene on the Train Tracks In the scene on the train tracks, we see that the Brotherhood of Steel has started to corrupt as a faction. In addition to becoming a fascist organization (where no non-human entity has any value to them), they use pre-war technology to find pre-war technologies so that no one else has them. Lucy tries to explain the absurdity of this to Maximus. The tension when they encounter two people here is well depicted. In the games, whenever someone appears, there’s always the tension of whether they will attack or not. While Lucy continues her naive demeanor, Maximus, who has already experienced the harshness of the wasteland, takes precautions. We later understand the inconsistency in their knowledge about the bomb dates at the beginning of this scene. While Lucy refers to the war known as the “Great War,” Maximus means the bombs that fell on Shady Sands.
Character Development We see that Norm, initially presented as the most cowardly character, becomes braver after witnessing things and starting to question the structures of the vaults. However, Chet, who was willing to go outside for Lucy’s sake, changes in the opposite way after his relationship with Stephanie. While Norm refuses to be a guinea pig, Chet, influenced by Stephanie, lets himself go.
Shady Sands Scenes The scenes in Shady Sands have a special place for me. It’s the first city we visit in the games. We do tasks for its leader, Aradesh, and even rescue his daughter Tandi from raiders, leading to the founding of the New California Republic (NCR). Therefore, I have a fondness for the NCR throughout the game series. (Unlike the Brotherhood of Steel, they even have laws protecting ghouls and mutants as citizens.) We see that someone has nuked this developing city over time. Lucy is disappointed when she learns this. She realizes that a civilization has already been established and people are living in large populations outside. The idea taught in the vault that “they will be the saviors and establish civilization” is a big lie. The only true thing is, “Everyone wants to save the world, but they don’t understand how it will happen.”
Rebellion in Vault 32 Betty tries to cover up the events immediately after she comes to power in Vault 32 so that no one questions why there was a rebellion. This, of course, triggers Norm even more. (Go fearless coward!)
Hawthorne Medical Hawthorne Medical, where Lucy and Maximus end up, is not a place from the games. I liked the idea of it being a secret entrance for the vault (as in the games).
Published with permission from take me under on Ekşi Sözlük. – https://eksisozluk.com/entry/163659299