Fallout Recap: The House Always Wins

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This episode was incredibly exciting and packed with major events, arguably one of the most important in the series so far. It strongly suggests the reintroduction of the Enclave as the main villain, shifting focus away from Vault-Tec, which now appears to be just a smaller part of a much bigger plan. The Enclave was originally formed by powerful American politicians and elites before the nuclear war, essentially acting as a secret, authoritarian government. After the bombs fell, they emerged, claiming to be the rightful successors to the United States. However, they believe in eliminating anyone they deem “impure” – meaning anyone not born within the Enclave. We’ve already met a former member, the scientist Wilzig, confirming their continued existence. Now, it seems the show is preparing for a full-scale return of the Enclave, something we haven’t seen since the game Fallout 3.

I could be wrong, but it seems clear that the Enclave is most concerned with a conversation House had before the war with Cooper. In it, House talks about the algorithms and prediction models he used to accurately predict when the bombs would fall. Cooper is skeptical, asking if House is claiming to be a fortune teller. House insists he and Vault-Tec weren’t responsible for starting the apocalypse, despite Moldaver’s suspicions. He states, “I won’t be dropping those bombs, nor anyone at that meeting,” but believes another party was involved – the same one responsible for the creature in the snow. This mysterious entity was possibly seen lurking in the shadows during the meeting, and is long suspected to be connected to the Enclave. While it would be a major change to the story to say the Enclave created deathclaws, it’s plausible they were involved through agents within the military and government. We know from Fallout 2 and 3 that the Enclave extensively experimented with deathclaws after the war.

Later in the episode, while exploring the ruins of Vault-Tec HQ, the Vault 31 crew uncovers another clue. After a memorable encounter with the elderly lesbian couple from Filly – complete with the fantastic line, “Baby, shut the fuck up, I’m trying to be a better person” – they reach the executive offices. There, Bud’s assistant, Ronnie, attempts to use a comms radio, but it’s been damaged by nearly two centuries of neglect. He was trying to reach “the investors,” which raises some interesting questions. Norm then discovers a reference to the Forced Evolutionary Virus (FEV) – the man-made virus responsible for the wasteland’s ghoulish creatures – on Barb’s terminal, hidden under the name Future Enterprise Ventures, which we’ve seen before. Many fans have already connected the dots. The Enclave, a group known for its genocidal plans in previous Fallout games, has used FEV before. So, putting it all together, it seems highly likely that the Enclave is involved!

This episode delves deeper into the complex dynamic between Cooper and House, largely through a flashback scene in House’s penthouse at the Lucky 38. The show’s creators cleverly transformed House’s post-war robotic appearance into his pre-war, incredibly advanced workstation. House believes Barb, and possibly even Cooper, are connected to the coming nuclear disaster, stating their fates are “mathematically intertwined.” While much of the numerical analysis was confusing – I’m not sure why a prediction model would output someone’s birthday, and I’m no expert in math, robots, or casinos – it felt intentional that we, the audience, feel intellectually outmatched by the smartest person in the Fallout universe. Maybe I’m just not that bright, though. Cooper bluntly calls House a “lunatic,” and House accuses Cooper of being a “killer” who will ultimately cause the end of the world.

Even after 219 years, the Ghoul is still troubled by what happened at the Lucky 38. It’s a little strange it’s not more faded, considering how heavily he drank afterward. (He really enjoyed riding that A-bomb-powered mechanical bull!) He continues to drink heavily at the Atomic Wrangler in Freeside, where he and Lucy went after fighting deathclaws on the Strip. Interestingly, the deathclaws now roaming the Strip originally came from a place called Quarry Junction, as the Wrangler’s bartender reveals. We also learn he figured out where Janey and Barb are, thanks to the mind-controlled Snake Oil Salesman – who’s back from season one. The Snake Oil Salesman appears in the Ghoul’s room at the Wrangler to tell them that Hank plans to kill Barb and Janey unless the Ghoul brings Lucy back to the safety of the Tri-Vault. Lucy returns, having overcome her Buffout addiction with a stolen vial of Addictol – though a raider did kill the owner first, raising the question of whether it was truly stealing.

In strong, expressive work for a man under a prosthetic mask, Goggins does something he has never really done as the Ghoul: shows regret, sadness, and tragedy. Tears form in his hollow eyes. He is about to betray the one person in however many years who has become his friend, but he’ll do anything to save his wife and child. Anyone would. “Lucy, I brought you here to bargain with,” he says. His voice cracks, even just a little. “This is the bargain.” For his part, the Snake Oil Salesman is elated. “Wonderful! I’ll inform management that you’ve made an agreeable decision,” he says. In the meantime, over at Vault-Tec HQ, Norm is attacked by Ronnie when he discovers the truth about FEV on Barb’s terminal; as the latter chokes him out on the floor, the scene cuts to black. Alas, things do notlook great for the wasteland’s favorite short king. And yet it’s arguably worse for he Ghoul, who is power-punched through the window of the Wrangler by Lucy and finds himself impaled in the middle of the street. Soon thereafter, Hank arrives to personally greet his drug-weary daughter. “Hello, my little buttercup,” he says.

Bottle Caps

Okay, so I was really chuckling at this bartender’s line – “Don’t charge me taxes, lizard!” – but it got me thinking. It sounds like things really didn’t settle down after the battle for Hoover Dam in New Vegas. Apparently, the NCR and Caesar’s Legion just kept fighting, even after everything went down. The bartender just casually says, “Another change in management, that’s all it is,” which is a funny way of saying the war just kept dragging on, and we still don’t officially know who even won that final battle!

• On the subject of deathclaws, Lucy: “They’re called deathclaws?”

A newsreel explaining a major summit happening in Vegas with four big corporations from Fallout shows a picture of the Fake Mr. House standing in front of huge robot legs. Interestingly, this image is taken from a photograph players can find in Fallout: New Vegas, but it’s been altered to include Rafi Silver in the picture.

The attention to detail in this series is consistently impressive. The depiction of pre-war Las Vegas perfectly captures its glamorous and corrupt side, and Freeside feels incredibly authentic – almost exactly like the town from the original game, a lively and busy western settlement.

The latest cameo is arguably the most memorable yet: FISTO, the Fully Integrated Security Technotronic Officer – or, as some know him, the robot with whom players can engage in intimate encounters in Fallout: New Vegas. It seems the Snake Oil Salesman was in for quite an experience.

The player character, a Vault dweller, declares they need to make a weapon and picks up a desk fan. In Fallout 4, fans are valuable because they can be broken down for screws, which are a crucial crafting component.

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2026-01-14 14:55