Fallout Canonocity

I'm back!

Based on my blog stats, it looks like all my faithful readers are either nonexistent or disillusioned with me. Either way, I have an update... and it's a Fallout one.

I am now about 90 hours into my second playthrough in New Vegas. This is probably about 110 hours if you include research hours. In my many studies, I feel as if I have gotten myself acclimated with the ins and outs of the Fallout canon (with the exception of the titles done by Interplay. Haven't gotten through those ones yet... Although I did just download the original Fallout, so don't judge).

Pandering aside, the canon is fairly self explanatory with the primary exception being the actions of the player character. Bethesda, the lovable bastards, has not released an official canon. Therefore, I have taken it upon myself to go through some of the major plights weighing on the Lone Wanderer and the Courier and inform you what the actually did.

Note: Conventional wisdom would dictate that the good option in all of the quests (morality wise) is canon. This is how it is for Bioware games anyways. I don't believe this to be true for Fallout as some of the good options are incredibly boring and wouldn't serve the purposes of the "fallout universe" well. Plus, I wouldn't have much to write about if I chose all the good options and called it a day. 


FALLOUT 3:
-The Lone Wanderer killed both Overseers in Vault 101

evidence: Amata always seemed to have a stick up her butt when it came to TLW, which didn't make sense because the were practically love interests. Is this because TLW was destined to kill her father? There are two opportunities to kill the guy, plus the new Overseer is creepy enough to necessitate the death of the original. "Trouble on the Homefront" seems rather unlikely without a regime change to inspire it... even with TLW's departure.

-The Lone Wanderer is Male
evidence: A girl in the tunnel snakes? I mean really...

-Megaton was blown up.

evidence: Did you see that explosion? Mr. Burke was right when saying that it was true beauty that was being witnessed on the top of Tenpenny Tower. While the exact timing of the destruction of Megaton is debatable (maybe after the Wasteland Survival Guide was wrapped up), there is no doubt in my mind that it happened, and it is a shadow that plagues TLW. Plus the quest is super boring if you just "repair the bomb".

-Paradise Falls got some new slaves.

evidence: Yes, TLW enslaved some people... particularly that douche in minefield. Another quest that would be particularly boring if you pick the good option, TLW needed to get into to the slaver camp somehow. The ends justify the means right? Plus, maybe it was worth it given the next one...

-Return to Little Lamplight
evidence: The quest is always canon over a speech check... every time. Those kids wouldn't be in Paradise Falls if TLW didn't break them out, so deal with it.

-Harkness was only found out once.
evidence: The android lived on in Rivet City. Getting sent back to the Commonwealth seems unlikely with TLW backing you up. Zimmerman was also kind of a tool...

-The fail-safe in Tranquility Lane was activated.

evidence: The ability to summon the chinese army to do your bidding wouldn't be there if TLW didn't activate it. Plus, eternal torture by Dr. Braun seems a little to similar to I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream for my taste.

-TLW killed Autumn, destroyed the FEV, and activated the purifier himself.
evidence: Debateable before Broken Steel came out. Now that there aren't really consequences for doing things yourself, that was clearly what happened.

-TLW married Sarah Lions.

evidence: They have feelings for each other. It's too ironic (given his name) not to happen!