Fallout Episode 1: Fantastic First
"The End" gives viewers all they need to start binging season 1
Fallout episode 1 is delightfully chaotic as a brand-new world is introduced (to me). Having no semblance of connection to the popular video game series, Fallout presents a dystopian nightmare wrestled with fairytale ideology. The world is vast, the characters are interesting, and the highlighted main characters have vastly different paths through their post-apocalyptic landscapes.
If I were to make a decision on whether to continue watching a series based on the first episode, Fallout would get a resounding click of the remote control to start episode 2. There are so many underlying questions surrounding the series, such as: Who dropped the many nuclear bombs? How many people had fallout shelters and why didn’t they let some of their friends go inside with them?
On top of that, Fallout episode 1 presents many more questions as we learn about Lucy, Maximus, and “The Ghoul,” who are played by Ella Purnell, Aaron Moten, and Walton Goggins. Lucy MacLean’s world is an isolated underground existence in a secured vault, known as Vault 33. With other vaults clearly in existence, her joining in marriage to someone from Vault 32 presents an ancient exchange; Lucy gets a spouse and future children, while her soon-to-be’s former life in 32 gets a much-needed bump in supplies.
Not the Wedding Night You Would Hope for
Lucy’s new beau is actually an outsider, and after they consummate the marriage, sounds of gunfire can be heard through the metal walls. Oh, and her new lover also tries to kill her despite his claims of it being “the best day ever.” I wonder if that line is in reference to Kyle MacLachlan’s role in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. with a similar line. MacLachlan plays Lucy’s father Hank and serves as “Overseer” of Vault 33. Right, back to Lucy being stabbed by her new husband – and, no, not a euphemism.
It's safe to say Lucy was caught off guard by this ambush of outsiders, she’s able to fend off her former lover and then heal her injury enough to help against the other attackers. It’s safe to say a lot of grim and gory sequences take place before getting to a point where the invaders’ leader has her button on the trigger of a large explosive and forces Hank to choose between his daughter and the remaining individuals. He forces Lucy into a safe room, he’s knocked unconscious and taken with the invaders, and the remaining members run for their lives before the bomb explodes.
This leads to Lucy requesting and being denied a search party for her father. Everyone is afraid to open any of the vault doors, including the one leading to the outside wastelands. Her brother, although afraid of most things, helps her reach the massive metal exit, along with the help of her cousin. Her first steps capture a scene that must’ve taken place over 200 years prior when the bombs dropped. Skeletons, dilapidated buildings, and the sound of waves from a nearby beach.
Nothing Seems to be What It Seems in Fallout Episode 1
Viewers get momentary flashbacks to Maximus as a child and being saved by a steel giant of a man. Although not Iron Man’s original suit, this hulking size of protective armor gives us an immediate insight into what Maximus wants: To be one within the suit. Unfortunately, it’s clear he’s bullied and beaten from those around him and his one closest friend Dane (played by Xelia Mendes-Jones) gets picked to join these elite forces and he does not.
It’s equally unfortunate that his friend painfully discovers a large razor in her boot, but after it’s done catastrophic damage. She must delay her joining of the “brotherhood,” but this opens the door for Maximus. Did he do this to her? Was it one of the bullies? Is there a world where she did it to herself to bump up her friend’s status? It’s left in a way where it is not clear at all – and that could lead to a very fascinating and troubling storyline. Despite the suffering he’s endured, Maximus admits how he wants to hurt those who hurt him, but he’s willing to sacrifice his life if it’s for the betterment of the brotherhood.
Although it’s unclear what his new role will be, we see him carrying a large pack which assumedly will help his armored leader in battle. All of the metallic knights and their aides board planes as they go off in search of someone who has something very powerful in their possession. What could be so powerful it could destroy or save the brotherhood? More questions and more reasons to continue watching.
Fallout: From Cowboy to Ghoul
Fallout episode 1 started with Cooper doing cowboy tricks at a boy’s birthday party. His daughter is his wonderful helper and it would seem they’ve done many shows together. After stepping away to get her a piece of cake, his daughter appears to be the only one at the party who notices the blinding light of the nuclear blast. After Cooper recognizes it, along with everyone else, he grabs his daughter, gets on their horse, and ride as fast as they can.
Running towards the top of a hill, several more blasts take place – and one of them even closer than the last. Fast forward to a couple of grave robbers in the dystopian future, the Ghoul has apparently been captured for quite a number of years, only brought up to have a piece of his body carved off by the person who buried him. This would seem to be the reason he has no nose, but we can assume the initial bomb blasts are the reasons he’s called a “mutant.”
Unfortunately, these grave robbers assumed they could wake Cooper from his drug-induced underground sleep and have him help them with a “huge score,” but he quickly puts them in their place, which happens to be their resting place as he kills all three rather quickly. Fallout looks to ask a lot more questions as the series continues, but the ones introduced in the first episode are intriguing and lead to wanting to know more about the characters, the dystopian world, and all of the wild things that are clearly about to take place.
This is a winning first episode in my book.