Fallout. Season 1 Episode 3 (s1e3): The Head

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Echoes of the Past, Shadows of the Future

Pre-War Hollywood: Cooper Howard’s Discontent

Before the Great War, Hollywood was still a thriving center of film and entertainment. Cooper Howard, a prominent actor in Western films, was involved in the production of a major Western movie. During filming, Cooper expressed dissatisfaction with a crucial plot point: his character was scripted to kill the villain in the climax. Cooper felt that this resolution was too simplistic and voiced his concerns to the director, Frank Stanton. Cooper believed that the hero’s act of killing the villain didn’t fully capture the complexity of the story and the moral ambiguities of real life. Despite his protests, the director argued that audiences expected a clear and decisive ending where the hero triumphs over evil, reinforcing the traditional narrative arc of such films.

Post-War: The Ghoul’s Pursuit of Lucy

In the present day, the world has been devastated by nuclear war, leaving behind a harsh and dangerous wasteland. A mutated human known as “the Ghoul” stumbles upon the headless corpse of a man named Wilzig. The Ghoul uses Wilzig’s scent, transmitting it to his dog, CX404, a battle-hardened companion, to track down a woman named Lucy.

Lucy, meanwhile, has made her way to the underwater ruins of Hollywood Boulevard, a submerged relic of the old world. While navigating this treacherous environment, she encounters a mutated Axolotl, referred to as a “gulper.” The gulper swallows Wilzig’s severed head, which had been lost in the chaotic chase. As Lucy tries to escape the dangerous creature, she suddenly finds herself at gunpoint, captured by the Ghoul who has been relentlessly pursuing her.

Filly: Maximus’s Struggles and Deceptions

Elsewhere in the post-apocalyptic world, in the city of Filly, a character named Maximus faces his own challenges. To repair the radio module in his Power Armor, he is forced to sell some of his teeth—a valuable commodity in this harsh new reality. While attempting to make the necessary repairs, Maximus is ambushed by a group of scavengers who try to steal his Power Armor. Despite an initial struggle, Maximus manages to regain control of the situation, killing the scavengers’ leader and driving the others away.

In a bid to deceive potential enemies and allies alike, Maximus uses a camcorder to record a message in which he pretends to be another person, Titus, claiming that Maximus has died in battle. The Brotherhood of Steel, an organization dedicated to preserving technology in the wasteland, responds by sending a new squire, Thaddeus, to assist “Titus.” Thaddeus had bullied Maximus in the past, and Maximus initially takes the opportunity to make Thaddeus’s life difficult. However, as the two work together, Maximus learns that Thaddeus’s behavior was driven by peer pressure, leading him to reconsider his approach.

The Ghoul and Lucy: A Dangerous Encounter

The Ghoul continues his pursuit of Lucy, eventually capturing her and using her as bait to lure the gulper, a creature that thrives in the irradiated wasteland. The Ghoul’s plan is disrupted when Lucy, in her struggle, accidentally breaks several vials in the Ghoul’s jacket, containing chemicals that keep him from succumbing to his feral tendencies. Furious at the loss of his vital chems, the Ghoul sets CX404 loose and drags Lucy along as his prisoner.

Vault 33: The Debate Over Raider Prisoners

Inside Vault 33, a community of survivors living in a fortified underground bunker, tensions rise as the co-overseers—leaders of the Vault—debate the fate of raiders they have captured. Norm, one of the overseers, argues that rehabilitating the raiders is a futile effort and suggests they should be executed to ensure the safety of the Vault. However, his harsh stance is challenged by others who believe in offering a second chance. Complicating matters further, the Vault is experiencing a critical water shortage due to a failure in the purification chip, adding urgency to the decision-making process.

Maximus and Thaddeus: Confronting the Gulper

Sensing a high level of radiation, Maximus and Thaddeus make their way to Hollywood Boulevard, where they encounter the gulper that had previously threatened Lucy. During the confrontation, Thaddeus is nearly killed by the creature, but Maximus intervenes just in time, slicing open the gulper’s stomach with his knife and recovering Wilzig’s head. Afterward, the two come across CX404, the Ghoul’s dog, which is now starving. Recognizing the potential value of the dog, they decide to take it with them.

Cooper Howard and Vault-Tec: A Fateful Partnership

In the past, Cooper Howard, concerned about the declining trajectory of his acting career, seeks advice from his wife, Barb. She connects him with Vault-Tec, a corporation responsible for the creation of underground Vaults designed to protect humanity in the event of a nuclear war. Cooper agrees to work as a spokesman and ambassador for Vault-Tec, a decision that marks a significant shift in his life. During a photoshoot for the company, Cooper wears a Vault-Tec jumpsuit and gives an impromptu thumbs-up gesture for a promotional photo. This image later becomes iconic, as it is implied that Cooper’s likeness serves as the inspiration for Vault Boy, Vault-Tec’s now-famous mascot.