Highlights

  • Fallout 4's Zao, a Ghoul, lived through the Great War and has deep regret over the destruction he caused.
  • Bethesda could explore a similar storyline for Fallout 5's protagonist, possibly using a veteran ghoul or cryosleep survivor.
  • Fallout 5 featuring a character with inside info on the nuclear apocalypse could add a great new perspective.

One of the best traits of Bethesda's franchise RPGs like Fallout 4 is that every protagonist has a highly distinct backstory and mission. This makes each game feel unique, despite being set in the same world. Avid followers of the mainline titles have played all kinds of archetypes, from the chosen one to a desperate parent. Another great character type to explore in Fallout 5 and other future sequels would be a person who had inside information about how the nuclear apocalypse came to be. There’s one Fallout 4 character that could stand as a great inspiration to model this kind of protagonist after.

All Fallout protagonists have one event linking all their lives: The Great War. This broke out on October 23, 2077, with the United States of America and China being the major players. The Great War ended the decades-long conflict between the two countries in moments:

  • Pre-War: Resource conflicts within the United States and other countries occurred as early as 2052. The U.S. invaded Mexico to seize control over its oil refineries and supplies. Meanwhile, the European Commonwealth did the same to various Middle Eastern countries due to huge price hikes in oil importation.
  • The Sino-American War: The U.S. and China started to argue over who gets to control the Earth's resources, particularly fuel and food. Amid the tension, Chinese troops put boots on American ground in Alaska just as the year 2066 was ending. This started the Sino-American War, which went through various escalations and even a stalemate. However, the U.S. broke through using T-51 Power Armor-equipped soldiers.
  • The Great War: With its back against the wall, the Chinese government launched its nuclear arsenal at the U.S., kicking off The Great War. This only lasted a day, since the nukes caused massive destruction across the country and the rest of the American continent.
How Fallout 5 could recreate the Great War using a sci-fi trope
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Fallout 5 Could Bring the Great War to Life With One Sci-Fi Trope

Fallout 5 has the opportunity to explore The Great War and other events that led to the apocalypse using this well-known science fiction trope.

Why Fallout 4’s Zao is the Perfect Template for Fallout 5’s Protagonist

There are only a handful of characters that one can meet in the Fallout universe who lived through the Great War. This is because the Great War happened over two centuries before the events of the games. This is why Zao, a Ghoul who was once a Chinese Navy officer, is such an interesting character. He lived through the Great War and was even responsible for the nuclear launches that targeted Boston. It’s implied that the nukes launched from his submarine, the Yangtze-31, were responsible for the most irradiated area in the city: The Glowing Sea. This submarine hit a sea mine, which damaged its nuclear reactor, causing the crew inside to turn into Ghouls.

Zao spent over 200 years of his life as a Ghoul trying to get back to his home country. He wants to help rebuild what’s left of it and eventually die there. Despite his steadfast loyalty, Zao has developed intense regret and guilt over the loss of life that his crew caused. The effects of their actions resonate 200 years later, with radiation causing widespread disease and death in Fallout 4's Boston. It would be interesting to see a similar perspective in a Fallout 5 protagonist.

How Fallout 5’s Protagonist Could Be a Great War Veteran

There are a couple of ways that the Fallout 5 protagonist could be a Great War vet and still be around 200 years later. Bethesda could go the Ghoul route as it did with Zao. Seeing the world through a Ghoul’s perspective would be a bit refreshing, as all the Fallout protagonists have been regular humans. It could also take a page from Fallout 4’s book and put the hero in cryosleep for two centuries.

The protagonist could be a soldier, nuclear scientist, or even a politician who lobbied for the invasions that led to The Great War. It would make sense that the game would have an Oppenheimer-like story, in which the protagonist reckons with the death and destruction they directly caused. The writers could also create a more sympathetic character who lived through the start of the apocalypse without contributing to it, coping with the immense grief of losing and outliving their loved ones to a senseless war.