Prime Video's adaptation of Fallout premiered a little over a week ago, and quickly earned a second season renewal. However, while fans are eagerly awaiting what is in store next for Lucy, Maxiumus and The Ghoul, the first season left fans with plenty of questions that still need answers.
The first season of Fallout introduced audiences to Lucy, a survivor who resides in Vault 33, and her family. After what is meant to be her wedding day, Lucy's world is turned upside down when people from the surface disguise themselves as Vault members and infiltrate her home. After murdering people in Vault 33 and taking her father away, Lucy seeks to rescue him, running into both Maximus and The Ghoul along the way. While she meets plenty of intriguing characters along the way, none are anywhere as important as a certain doctor.
Lucy encounters Dr. Siggi Wilzig shortly after making her way into the Wasteland. While he only briefly appears in the series, he proves to be important to the overall story for the first season. Who exactly is Dr. Wilzig?
Fallout Director Teases the Return of a Major Faction
Fallout developer and Bethesda head Todd Howard teases the eventual return of a popular faction in future projects.
Who is Dr. Siggi Wilzig in Prime Video's Fallout?
Although barely appearing in the series, Michael Emerson's presence as Dr. Siggi Wilzig is felt throughout the entire first season of Fallout. It's clear that during his scientific studies, he has created something that other powerful people are after. However, the audience doesn't learn what the doctor is hiding until the season finale.
When Lucy first meets Wilzig on the surface, she's awoken by the doctor and his dog, the beloved Dogmeat, as he warns her not to start a fire after nightfall. Lucy isn't sure what he wants, but it's clear he's on the run. He warns her that she isn't prepared for life on the surface. When she meets him again in Philadelphia, she learns there's a bounty out on him and that everyone, including The Ghoul, is after him for a reason he doesn't share.
When Lucy is tasked with protecting the injured doctor following a shootout, she learns it's really his head that everyone is after. Dying from his injuries, Wilzig explains this to Lucy, asking her to cut his head off. Despite her hesitation, Lucy proceeds to behead the good doctor as per his request. She attempts to make the journey to the mysterious Lee Moldaver with the head in tow, only to find herself up against countless others eager to capture the head.
When Lucy finally brings the head to Moldaver, the audience learns that Wilzig's head contains something important to help make life easier for those on the surface. Inside Wilzig's head is a small capsule that is capable of creating cold fusion when it's activated by a Vault-Tec employee. Moldaver, who has up to this point been acting as the villain for the show's first season, ends up proving she's actually one of the good guys. She wants to help those on the surface, and she's able to do so after retrieving the capsule from Wilzig's head. That capsule helps to restore power and make the New California Republic more welcoming to other survivors.
Who was the Real Siggi Wilzig?
Michael Emerson's character in Fallout shares a name with a real person. Siggi B. Wilzig, born Siegbert Wilzig, is a notable figure in history. He was born on March 11, 1926, in Germany. When he was ten years old, he and his family relocated to Berlin in hopes of escaping antisemitism. Unfortunately, his family was later deported back to Germany in 1943, where they were forced into the concentration camps under the Nazi regime. Wilzig survived, and was rescued in 1945.
Despite the horror he experienced, Wilzig went on to build an empire of his own. He purchased stock in Wilshire Oil Company of Texas and an interest in Trust Company of New Jersey. Along with his success, Wilzig was known for his philanthropic efforts, serving as the head of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council and receiving the Ellis Island Medal of Honor. Wilzig ended up passing away in 2003 after suffering from multiple myeloma.
It's unclear if the decision to use the name Siggi Wilzig was an intentional nod to the real person. Still, it's not what someone would call a generic name. While the two appear to be incredibly different from one another, Fallout's Dr. Wilzig seemed keen to help those he could, despite what it meant would happen to him. While not nearly as inspirational as the real life Wilzig, the show's character does share a determination to make the world better for those after him. If the creators of the series were inspired by the real life Wilzig, it's safe to say they sought to honor his legacy with care.
The first season of Fallout is now streaming on Prime Video. A second season has been announced and is currently in pre-production. As of now, it's not clear when the second season will debut, but fans can enjoy revisiting the games in the meantime.
Fallout: Cooper Howard's Story, Explained
The Fallout show depicts Cooper Howard's journey through the moral spectrum, but things can get a bit mixed up in the wasteland.
