Warning: The following article contains major spoilers for Fallout Season 1.
Prime Video’s Fallout drops some pretty big revelations in its Season 1 finale, Episode 8 “The Beginning.” So, to help you keep track of it all, we’ve broken down Fallout Season 1’s ending below.
Related: Is Prime Video’s Fallout TV Show Canon?
What Is the Artifact?
The Artifact remains a mystery for most of Fallout Season 1; it’s simply a McGuffin for the show’s characters to chase after. However, we finally find out what it is in Episode 8: a cold fusion power source. Lee Moldaver developed cold fusion technology before the Great War, intending it to end the energy crisis. Instead, Vault-Tec bought cold fusion and made it proprietary. This is why Moldaver kidnapped Hank in Episode 1, “The End”: she needed a “trusted Vault-Tec minion” to access cold fusion once she got her hands on it again.
Did Vault-Tec Start the Great War?
While America and China were both to blame for the Great War, established Fallout canon is pretty clear that the latter launched the first nuke. Or did they? Fallout Season 1’s ending casts doubt on the video games’ version of events, revealing that Vault-Tec may have dropped the first bomb, instead. As Barb Howard states during Episode 8’s shadowy board meeting, doing so is the only way Vault-Tec can guarantee its Vaults get used.
Ostensibly, this plot twist contradicts existing Fallout continuity, however, we don’t yet know the specifics of Vault-Tec’s plan. It’s possible they sneakily induced China to shoot first, rather than directly firing a nuclear warhead themselves. Vault-Tec certainly wouldn’t balk at espionage or hacking. Alternatively, we are indeed looking at a major retcon to Fallout lore. Hopefully, Fallout Season 2 will clear this up!
What’s the True Purpose of Vault 33?
Vault 33 – home of Fallout Season 1 protagonist Lucy MacLean – initially seems like one of the franchise’s more idyllic shelters, however, we soon realize that’s not the case. But we don’t learn just how messed up Vault 33 is until Episode 8. Here, the disembodied brain of Vault-Tec executive Bud Askins explains that he designed Vault 33 as a “breeding pool” to mate with the junior executives kept cryogenically frozen in neighboring Vault 31. According to Bud, this will create a race of “super managers” capable of leading the world following the Great War. Ewww, Bud.
Related: Prime Video’s Fallout Completely Re-Writes One Key Part of the Franchise
Why Did Hank Destroy Shady Sands?
Midway through Fallout Season 1, we discover that the New California Republic’s capital city, Shady Sands, was nuked back in 2277. Fast forward to Episode 8 and Moldaver reveals that Hank gave the order to bomb the NCR’s crown jewel. So, why did he do it? Simple: like all Vault-Tec employees, he can’t stand competition. It turns out Hank’s wife, Rose, fled to Shady Sands with Lucy and her brother, Norm, after figuring out that civilization had restarted on the surface. Hank eventually tracked Rose down, but she refused to return to life in Vault 33. In response, Hank took the kids and ordered a nuclear strike on Shady Sands. Rose survived – but as a hideously mutated ghoul.
Where Are Lucy and the Ghoul Going?
Despite spending most of Fallout Season 1 at odds, Lucy and the Ghoul form an uneasy alliance during Episode 8’s denouement. So, where is this unlikely duo headed next? Wherever the at-large Hank ultimately winds up – as that’s their best shot at hunting down his post-Great War bosses. Presumably, whoever these unidentified individuals are, they’re also connected to Vault-Tec. They could even be members of the shadowy Enclave prominently featured in the Fallout games. We’ll just have to wait until Season 2 to find out!
What’s Next for Maximus?
Fallout Season 1’s ending sees Maximus officially recognized as a Brotherhood of Steel knight. He scores this promotion after a squad of Brotherhood members – including his buddy Dane – mistakenly concludes that Maximus killed Moldaver and secured the Artifact. As a result, Maximus’ stature within the Brotherhood of Steel should be much higher when Season 2 rolls around. But it’s a hollow victory for the former squire, who now dreams of a life outside the Brotherhood with Lucy.
Related: Fallout Season 1: Where the Prime Video Series Fits Within the Fallout Timeline, Explained
Where Is Hank Headed in the Final Scene?
Fallout Season 1 ends with a shot of Hank schlepping through the desert toward a distant city: New Vegas. While the city’s name isn’t explicitly stated, it’s easily identifiable thanks to its distinctive skyline. Plus, Episode 8’s animated credits sequence depicts New Vegas (complete with clearly legible signage), erasing any doubt that the iconic Fallout locale is Hank’s intended destination.
Fallout Season 1 is streaming now on Prime Video.
