Fallout Recap: The War of the Two Caesars

by

The popular tagline for Fallout – “War never changes” – highlights a grim truth: humans have always fought, from ancient hand-to-hand combat to modern nuclear warfare. Both the game and the TV show center on this idea: even after a devastating nuclear apocalypse that should have taught us a lesson, conflict still dominates the world. Whether it’s groups fighting over resources or factions battling for control and beliefs, the planet remains a dangerous place. Two centuries after the bombs fell, things are actually worse than before. Civilization doesn’t learn from its mistakes, and attempts at heroism often end in tragedy. Essentially, conflict is just part of human nature, and peace is rare. War truly never changes.

This episode expertly brings together the two main groups from Fallout: New Vegas – groups who have been enemies for years – and also shows the Brotherhood of Steel starting to fall apart. The common thread throughout is humanity’s tendency towards conflict. Picking up where the last episode left off, Lucy is taken to the Legion’s main camp and meets Caesar, along with his second-in-command, Legate Lacerta, played by Macaulay Culkin. (It’s unclear what happened to Legate Lanius, but Culkin’s armor looks fantastic in live-action – great work by the costume designers!) The episode quickly establishes the Legion’s brutal nature when the woman Lucy saved is executed for letting her Legionary escape – a stark reminder of what happened in Nipton in New Vegas. The series faithfully recreates the Legion’s unique style, including repurposed American football gear as Roman armor, their use of Latin phrases, and their habit of calling Caesar “kai-sar.” And, unsurprisingly, they’re all a bit crazy.

The Legion, a faction always at war, is currently fighting itself. A major reveal for fans of New Vegas is that the original Caesar, voiced by John Doman in the game, has been dead for a while – his skeleton was found in No Man’s Land. Since his death, the Legion has fractured, with two groups now locked in a civil war over who should be the new leader. They’re literally divided into two camps, separated by barbed wire, fortifications, and the bodies of those who’ve fallen. There are now two people claiming to be Caesar, which is a bit absurd, but perfectly in line with the world of Fallout. Lucy, ever optimistic and willing to help, offers to mediate the conflict, but the Legate politely refuses – by crucifying her.

The conflict between the two leaders within the Brotherhood of Steel mirrors a past struggle, even as new player Xander Harkness (Kumail Nanjiani) arrives as an envoy. Elder Cleric Quintus is determined to take control, and he tries to gain support from another elder by invoking the memory of the Brotherhood’s founder, Robert Maxon, and the rebellious origins of the organization. Quintus shockingly claims the nuclear bombs were divine intervention, saving Maxon from consequences. He believes if their cause is just, they will succeed. However, the elder rejects his religious arguments, stating she doesn’t believe in such things. It’s questionable whether anyone in the Brotherhood is thinking clearly, given their obsession with technology. Maximus offers to eliminate Xander, but is quickly reprimanded. Xander then appeals to Maximus’s honor, pointing out that internal conflict isn’t new to the Brotherhood – referencing the earlier split that created the Brotherhood Outcasts, as seen in Fallout 3.

Perhaps this civil war could have been prevented if Xander hadn’t been so prejudiced against ghouls. As Three Dog from Fallout 3 famously said, ghouls are still people with human feelings. But Xander didn’t seem to care. Instead, he threatened to kill a group of ghoul children, and even Thaddeus, who was newly turned and visibly decaying. While Maximus may have been influenced by working for Quintus, he still understood that people shouldn’t be killed or called monsters just because of how they look. When Maximus killed Xander, it could lead to the downfall of Quintus’ Brotherhood, but honestly, Xander was asking for it with his behavior.

The Ghoul reconnects with Victor, the Securitron, in this episode, marking another appearance from New Vegas. Victor has been in standby mode at Camp Golf, the former base of the NCR Rangers – the most skilled soldiers in New Vegas. Although the camp is now abandoned, Victor directs the Ghoul to a small group of surviving NCR soldiers who believe another battalion may have made it east. Regardless, the situation for the New California Republic looks bleak. We also briefly see the Bison Steve Hotel and its rollercoaster in the background, another nod to New Vegas. The episode doesn’t reveal what happened after the Second Battle of Hoover Dam, but it’s clear the war continued and took a heavy toll. One ranger insists they’re winning, but the Ghoul dismisses this, stating, “Nobody’s coming… because there’s nobody left.”

The strongest part of these first three episodes, just like in season one, is how the show continues to delve into the complex nature of Cooper Howard and his Ghoul persona. In this episode, Cooper shows glimpses of the man he used to be, first by rescuing Lucy from the Legion, and then by launching an attack on the Legion’s base, causing disruption within the group. We see a flashback to a veterans’ event where Cooper remembers his friend, Corporal Charlie Whiteman, who saved his life during a battle in Alaska before the war. Charlie gives Cooper a lighter he won as a reward for his bravery, explaining it was given to him for saving a life, not for taking them. The episode highlights a simple truth, regardless of which side you fight for: everyone is still a person. But ultimately, war remains constant.

Bottle Caps

It’s a typical power play for someone like House to mock Cooper’s supposed communist beliefs, especially at a vulnerable moment like when he’s using the restroom.

I’m a big fan of Carol & the End of the World, and I especially enjoyed Martha Kelly’s guest appearance as a well-meaning but incredibly boring Congresswoman. Her delivery was perfect for the character – completely flat and defeated.

Currently, Victor claims House is “gone,” but it’s highly unlikely he’s truly dead. Evidence suggests otherwise – for example, a robotic version of House, similar to the one seen in New Vegas, appeared in a trailer for season two.

Okay, so right at the beginning of this episode, there’s this amazing exchange. One character asks, “What do we always say?” and the other just deadpans, “Most kids are dead by this age!” It’s dark, it’s funny, and honestly, it totally sets the tone for everything that follows. It immediately grabbed me and I knew I was in for a wild ride.

Read More

2025-12-31 14:55