Adapting existing stories into television shows and movies seems to be a tough task. Even when creators have a clear playbook from the source material, they still manage to mess it up, with HBO’s The Last of Us: Season 2 being a prime example of this style of misstep. So, when Amazon Video’s Fallout show hinted that New Vegas would be the home of its second season, fans were appropriately uneasy. With its many factions, possible endings, and signature tone, Fallout: New Vegas is arguably the hardest of the franchise to adapt. Thankfully, Fallout: Season 2 is an excellent follow-up to the first season, and though not a perfect representation of Fallout: New Vegas, it did justice to the 2010 RPG in more ways than one.
Catching Up With New Vegas' Factions
Fallout: Season 2 is set in 2296, exactly 15 years after the story of Fallout: New Vegas, letting us catch up with the game’s many factions over a decade later. Considering the various potential endings of the game, the factions within New Vegas could’ve gone several ways, but Fallout: Season 2 manages to weave several into its narrative, even if a few are lost in the mix. Of the key factions from the game, Mr. House, Caesar’s Legion, and the Brotherhood of Steel get the most screen time, though they have been modified in a few notable ways. Firstly, Mr. House’s army of robots is completely absent, but their concept has been resurrected in the form of mind-control chips, meant to control Wastelanders and keep Vegas clean. Similarly, Caesar’s Legion is now known simply as “The Legion”, following the canonical death of Caesar and the ensuing disagreement over his heir. As such, they mostly squabble among themselves for the majority of the season. Additionally, the New California Republic, arguably the most important faction in the game, still pops up, but they have a much reduced presence in the story at hand.
Some of the smaller factions appear on screen as well, but have very little impact on the overall narrative. For example, the Great Khans hold our show’s heroes hostage for a single scene at the hotel settlement of Novac, a clear reference to the game, but are absent for the rest of the season. The best faction in the Freeside Slums, the Elvis impersonators known as The Kings, also have a quick cameo. Unfortunately, it seems like The Kings were turned into ghouls at some point over the past decade, and they’re all but eliminated in one firefight.
With so many factions to consider, it’s unsurprising that a good chunk simply didn’t make the cut. While the Brotherhood of Steel plays a major role in the unfolding events, the Mojave Chapter that you encounter in the game is a complete mystery. Likewise, the Three Families of New Vegas, who lord over the three distinct casinos of the strip, are equally absent, as the Strip is now overrun with Deathclaws. Most surprisingly though, The Followers of the Apocalypse, who have major implications in the story of New Vegas, are also nowhere to be found in Fallout: Season 2. Likewise, the Enclave Remnants, though spoken about in hushed conversation, never make an on-screen appearance.
The Many Easter Eggs of Fallout: Season 2
If anything, Fallout: Season 2 keeps the New Vegas spirit alive through countless references and easter eggs, some more meaningful than others. In addition to the Novac scene, several other in-game locations pop up, including the NCR Ranger outpost, mysterious vaults of the Mojave, and more. When our heroes arrive in the Freeside Slums, right outside the Vegas strip, we get even more visual references, including the Kings’ School of Impersonation, Sonny’s Sundries, and Mick and Ralph’s weapon shop.
Speaking of weapons, Fallout: Season 2 expands the universe’s arsenal quite a bit, including some standout equipment from the game. In Freeside, Lucy obtains the heavy melee weapon, The Powerfist, while Paladin Xander Harkness of the Brotherhood wields the equally iconic Super Sledge. Most importantly though, laser weapons are finally introduced, as the Brotherhood member Maximus uses an energy pistol during a shootout, and later, Liberty Prime is teased. Still, my favorite cameo in the entire show has to be that of Fisto, the security robot whom you encounter in a particularly funny side quest in New Vegas. While Fisto doesn’t showcase the same “affection” as seen in the game, he’s hilariously paired with the odd snake oil salesman for a scene, confirming that Fisto’s unique use is still very much a thing.
Overall, Fallout: Season 2 succeeds yet again, and though debatable, might be the best video game adaptation ever put to the screen. It’s surprising that, even though the show tells an original story with new characters, it manages to fill that story with familiar locations, ideas, and characters, without feeling cheap. This second season of Fallout occasionally suffers from bloat and a significant amount of new characters and ideas, but thankfully, it clearly succeeds in adapting New Vegas. Perhaps one day, we’ll get a more direct retelling of The Courier’s trip across the Mojave, but for now, Fallout: Season 2 is enough to quench our thirst.
