Amazon’s Fallout Season 2 – 10 Things It Needs

Amazon’s Fallout TV show has finally premiered, and to the surprise of many (except for perhaps the hardest of the hardcore), it’s good. Not only is it driving sales and player counts for older Fallout titles, but it’s renewed for another season. Here are ten things we would like to see in Season 2, though beware of slight spoilers for Season 1.

Deathclaws

Many things come to mind when fans think of Fallout and the Deathclaw is undoubtedly one. Though one doesn’t appear throughout the entire first season, the finale features the signature skull of one in its closing moments. Co-showrunner Graham Wagner confirmed that this is more than just a tease and that Deathclaws will be in Season 2.

Speaking to The Wrap, he said, “We wanted to get Deathclaws, but we didn’t want to just throw it away. It’s such a monumental piece, we want to save something for Season 2 to be able to do it properly, not just add to the massive world-building we had to do already in Season 1. So in Season 2, we’re very excited to finally tackle one of the most iconic elements of the games.”

Of course, how they’re utilized remains to be seen. Based on how important they seem to the showrunners, a Deathclaw (or two) could be seen throughout multiple episodes in season 2, maybe even a central part of the plot, potentially hunting our heroes.

Aliens

It may seem far fetched to see aliens in the Fallout TV series so soon. However, considering they’re a prominent part of the franchise, not seeing them may end up stranger, whether it’s a crashed ship and some skeletal remains a la the first Fallout or a full-fledged abduction and extended encounter like Fallout 3’s Mothership Zeta DLC. With how things pan out in the finale and everything happening in the rest of the United States, aliens could mix things up even further for our heroes, especially if the Zetans decide to take revenge for their fallen brethren.

More Factions

The TV show focuses on two key factions – the New California Republic army, a section which antagonist Lee Moldaver leads, and the Brotherhood of Steel, primarily Maximus. We also get a glimpse at some of the executives at VaultTec and how they’re connected to the current state of the world. However, the Fallout universe is rife with multiple factions, from the intriguing to the downright disturbing.

There’s the Desert Rangers, who were absorbed into the NCR but also gained renown for their actions in maintaining order (nevermind their adventures in the Wasteland series). The TV show takes place in 2296, and the events of Fallout 4 occur in 2287, so it wouldn’t be unreasonable to see factions like the Minutemen or The Railroad at least warrant a mention or two.

The NCR/Brotherhood of Steel War

Another direction that Season 2 could explore is the state of the NCR’s war with the Brotherhood of Steel. The two sides have been at odds since the early 2260s, and the show’s finale further illustrates how much they loathe each other. Though the NCR seemingly came out on top by 2281, with the Brotherhood having gone into hiding, various developments – including the nuking of Shady Sands – helped swing things back in the Brotherhood’s favor. Given how the show examines pre-war events and how they connect to the present, it would be interesting to flesh out the state of the NCR-Brotherhood conflict and how the former will react to the finale.

The Pitt

If there’s one setting worth venturing to, it’s Pittsburgh or The Pitt, as it were. From severe bombings during the Great War to extensive fights for control more than a century after its establishment, it’s a massive city known for its steel production and trade. Given the lack of information about it since Fallout 3’s titular DLC, one has to wonder how The Pitt has transformed over the years. Is it still a major thriving power, or has something happened? Maybe Season 2 of the show could tell us more (and use it to introduce the Deathclaws).

Dunwich Borers LLC

Another intriguing company that could use way more lore is Dunwich Borers LLC. The pre-war company specializes in rock drills, but its locations, namely the Dunwich Building in Fallout 3 and the Dunwich Borers in Fallout 4 are known for their supernatural occurrences. The former has an obelisk dedicated to the eldritch being Ug-Qualtoth, while the latter is a venerable mystery of raider disappearances that quickly devolves into hallucinations and flashbacks.

With how it’s presented the pre-war executives thus far, it wouldn’t be remiss for the TV show to at least shine some light on Richard Dunwich and his fanatical quest (though we wouldn’t mind some cosmic horror to go with everything else).

More Vaults

Vaults 31, 32, 33 and 4 are already central to the show’s plot, but the more, the merrier in Season 2. Depending on where the show goes next, we could hear about Vault 19 in the Mojave Desert, Nevada, whose residents were the victims of subliminal messages, resulting in psychosis, or Vault 22, with its inhabitants becoming spore carriers after contracting a fungal infection. I’d like to see some non-game Vaults appear, like Vault 27, which had double the number of inhabitants than could be sustained, and Vault 77, with various puppets and a single human (which understandably led to his mental breakdown).

Nuka Cola

While Nuka World doesn’t necessarily have to make an appearance, there has to be some Nuka Cola-related shenanigans next season. Maybe its creator, John-Caleb Bradberton, could appear, or the characters could stumble upon some Nukatrons somewhere. Whatever the case, add Nuka Cola to the list of things that would truly make the show feel more like Fallout.

Super Mutants

Like the Deathclaws, Super Mutants don’t have an active role in Season 1. However, while the former was teased and confirmed for Season 2, the latter makes a “blink and you miss it” cameo in the Enclave during Season 1. Super Mutants are also fairly synonymous with the franchise, so seeing them cause havoc – or serve as an unlikely companion, like Fawkes in Fallout 3 – would be pretty cool. Whether that means we’ll see other strains of the Forced Evolutionary Virus or FEV crop up remains to be seen, but given its impact in Fallout 3 and 4, it wouldn’t be impossible.

Familiar Characters

I’d like to see Three Dog, the charismatic DJ missing since the events of Fallout 3 and who had a brief callback in Fallout 4, or at least find out if he’s still alive. References to the protagonists of previous Fallouts from Bethesda would feel too obvious, especially if it’s the Sole Survivor. However, we wouldn’t mind seeing Nick Valentine again, especially since his Synth nature means he won’t age.