Not the Social Function We Were Expecting
Lucy definitely did not get the memo on Vault 4 code of conduct
What can be said about “The Trap,” Fallout episode 6? There are a lot of weird things happening in the world of vault life – past and present – and “The Trap” gives fans much more than a look back on Cooper Howard’s life with his wife Barb. Pieces fall into place as the bigger picture of what it means to work for Vault-Tec and whether or not the company responsible for making these life-saving structures are actually more concerned with their bottom line.
On top of these flashbacks, Lucy and Maximus get a taste of Vault 4 – and it’s definitely a bag of mixed nuts when it comes to their responses to these “vault dwellers.” Whether watching vault commercials where Cooper is using his Hollywood charm to upsell these high-ticket items, or seeing Lucy on her illegal excursion to floor 12, things are not always what they seem in Fallout.
Speaking of floor 12, “We don’t talk about that! Geez, what’s the matter with you?”
We Totally Get It, Maximus
If one were to be bullied and beaten by their “Brotherhood,” it might be quite easy to understand their desire to find comfort in a new place. Despite his desire to rise the ranks as a Knight, Vault 4 has offered him a new perspective on a lot of things.
First, he has a bullet (with a tooth attached) dug out of his arm. Then, Lucy asks him to do what they’re not supposed to do in the Brotherhood: “You want to have sex.” Everything is new for Maximus in the vault, much like everything being new for Lucy above ground. It’s overwhelming and not everything is what it seems.
His first instincts were to grab his suit and leave the vault as soon as possible. Lucy was more inclined to listen to the doctor, so Maximus could heal from his injury. There was an inherit trust that she had, while he felt the need to escape. After some time, those roles became reversed and many shocking things were revealed.
First, Vault 4 provides its “Test Subjects” with a gift basket of food upon arrival. They also give them a robe and slippers. We’re talking about luxury items, and watching what Lucy and Maximus have had to endure so far, that’s not a bad selling point for wanting to stay. Next, Vault 4 accepts refugees from the outside world. Lucy even praises that aspect of this vault compared to her home.
Then, let’s talk about the candlelight vigil to those who died in Shady Sands and how they honor the dead…by rubbing their ashes all over their naked bodies and drinking blood! What?! And, I know we’re not supposed to talk about – *looks over my shoulder (and whispers)* - the 12th floor, but what the fresh hell was that video of a woman having a water birth to a dozen or so carnivorous fish that then preceded to eat her!
I mean, that’s perfectly shocking, right?!
Where Do We Go After Fallout Episode 6?
Fans also learn that the woman who abducted Lucy’s father was somehow involved in The Ghoul’s world, back when he was still Cooper Howard. What is her role in any of this Fallout world? Back in Cooper’s time in Hollywood, it is clear people did not trust Vault-Tec. Even Barb seemed a little hush-hush on the methods in which these vaults are being created, but she’s doing whatever she can to ensure her family gets a spot in “one of the good vaults.”
This one line in Fallout episode 6 identifies the problems associated with a company who is making sure they fulfill their financial successes rather than the welfare of the American people. Barb is doing whatever she can to ensure a valuable vault spot, but viewers don’t get the big picture on what other vault spots might look like, especially if they’re not in a “good vault.”
By the end of “The Trap,” there seems to be a better understanding of the failings of “vault life,” while beginning to dig into the beginnings of the end before the bombs dropped. Fallout continues to lean into being a great series without a single iota of disappointment. Okay, maybe we didn’t need to see naked bodies covered in the ashes and blood of dead people, but the effect of seeing that was perfectly astounding.