The Fallout Season 2 Finale: A Journey Through Hope and Loss
This review delves into the spoilers of the highly anticipated Fallout Season 2 finale, Episode 8, titled "The Strip." If you haven't watched it yet, buckle up, because we're about to dive into the radioactive depths of this post-apocalyptic tale.
"You gambled on hope, and it didn't pay off," a digital Robert House tells The Ghoul, leaving him heartbroken as he discovers his wife and daughter aren't where he thought they'd be. While this may be true for Cooper Howard, the real story is about our hopes for Season 2, and it delivered, mostly.
As the credits roll, we're left with a mix of emotions and a few loose ends. Was the entire Vault 31 storyline just a setup for more? What about the warring Brotherhood of Steel? Despite lacking the satisfying closure we crave, "The Strip" is an exceptional episode, tying together loose ends and providing answers to some of Fallout's eccentric New Vegas mysteries.
Kudos to showrunners Graham Wagner and Geneva Robertson-Dworet for navigating the season without confirming a canon ending to Fallout: New Vegas. A subtle nod to House's potential demise at the hands of the Courier hints at a cheeky twist, but the show wisely avoids invalidating individual playthroughs. However, House's return feels a bit rushed, leaving us with questions about his artificial form and its dependence on Cold Fusion.
But here's where it gets controversial... House's role in this finale is more of a guide for The Ghoul, who finally gains access to Vault-Tec's management vault. Some viewers might feel frustrated that The Ghoul's two-season-long journey to find his family ends with a vague postcard to Colorado. But that powerful line, "You bet on hope and you lost," underscores The Ghoul's progress towards reclaiming his true identity as Cooper Howard. Hope is a human trait, and even setbacks can't extinguish it.
Much of this episode explores The Ghoul's emotional journey, including flashbacks showcasing Cooper's sacrifice to protect his family from "un-American activities." It's a shame that his reunion with Lucy, the catalyst for his regained humanity, is given little screen time. Despite their shared history, the finale misses an opportunity for an emotionally charged reconciliation.
This finale is all about looking forward, setting the stage for future adventures while sacrificing some closure. Lucy gets her emotional moment, but it's with her biological father, not her surrogate one. After Hank triggers his own brainwashing to protect his secret mind-control project, he becomes the loving parent Lucy always wanted. It's a bittersweet moment, reminiscent of Black Mirror, made possible by sinister technology.
The arrival of Maximus provides an instant contrast to this sad moment. His embrace with Lucy is genuine, a healing antidote to Hank's synthetic love. This hug is equally important for Maximus, who, after being beaten by deathclaws, showcases his growth. He no longer needs steel plating to defend the needy; he's become the good man his father believed he would be. The NCR's Avengers-style arrival saves the day, but the real joy is in the recreation of the slow-motion sniper shot from Fallout: New Vegas's opening cinematic - pure fan service that had us gasping with delight.
Beyond the Strip, we catch up with Caesar's Legion, absent since the season's third episode. We witness the aftermath of The Ghoul's initiated battle between rival Legion groups. Macaulay Culkin's Lacerta Legate, now falsely crowned Caesar, delivers a brilliant joke about building Caesar's Palace atop Vegas. The NCR may have cleared the strip of deathclaws, but an even meaner beast seems to be approaching.
You might have noticed that several paragraphs of this review look ahead to Season 3. This finale is very forward-thinking, establishing future storylines at the expense of closure. After early season prominence, the NCR and Legion were pushed aside, leaving a key conflict on ice. Now, with our characters' missions in Vegas complete, that war is reigniting, potentially keeping us tied to the Strip or spilling its violence into the wider wasteland. I'd prefer to see New Vegas' story contained within its season.
The biggest frustration is the Vaults storyline, which has been a multi-episode tease for Season 3. There are no consequences for Reg's Inbreeding Support Group, no resolution for Norm's Forced Evolutionary Virus discovery, and no link to Steph's Canadian roots. The characters haven't grown, and their journeys lack excitement. While revelations like Hank's Enclave connections and Steph's triggering of Phase Two offer intrigue, this storyline has been the most frustrating to watch.
The Brotherhood of Steel's story also lacks closure, as the show abandoned their civil war just as it began. While their actions were complementary to Maximus' journey, the complete breakdown of Quintus' alliance feels more like an end to tensions than a new beginning. However, the season's post-credits scene promises Quintus' return with a bang, revealing his possession of Liberty Prime's blueprints, which will surely excite Fallout fans.
In conclusion, while the Fallout Season 2 finale leaves some storylines without significant closure, it successfully connects the dots and answers many pressing questions. Its greatest achievement is hitting emotional milestones for its characters, whether it's bittersweet goodbyes, renewed hopes, or a brave kid in a missile-firing suit of armor.
