Fallout: Season 1 Episode 5 – Review/ Recap

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Plot Recap

Gotta Be Careful Who You Trust – Thaddeus, Maximus

With having the head and bonding with Thaddeus, Maximus thinks it is time to come clean. But, he soon learns that trust is a dangerous commodity, and no sooner than he reveals who he is, Thaddeus speaks of him getting killed, and Maximus knows what he has to do. However, unlike Knight Titus, Maximus would have to kill Thaddeus, and while Maximus is capable, his T60 suit doesn’t move fast enough.

Thus, knowing how the T60 works, Thaddeus takes its power core and leaves Maximus stuck inside, with no power, which means he was left to die between overheating, starvation, people, and abominations.

It’s Usually Better To Be Naive – Norman, Chester, Betty

Norman and Chester learning the truth about Vault 32 does them no favors. Nor does it help Norman to learn nearly every Overseer has come from Vault 31, from his father to Betty, who was an Overseer previously. But the real kicker is that Betty, and who knows who else, had Vault 32 cleaned up after Norman and Chester went and now plan to start a reclaim project of the vault. Thus, there is no evidence for Norman to point to, as everything looks as if the raiders were never there or tragedy never struck.

Who Do You Prefer To Be Lied To? – Lucy, Maximus

Luckily for Maximus, after being left to die, Lucy comes across him, and while still a bit unsteady after Cooper sold her, she wants to trust Maximus. The Wasteland is dangerous to traverse alone, and while she is bettering her street smarts by the day, she doesn’t want to completely let go of the idea that good people exist and she can trust them.

Unfortunately for her, Maximus has trust issues, too, so from lying about his name to overselling the idea that the Brotherhood of Steel would help Lucy in exchange for Dr. Wilzig’s head, she ends up falling for his trap. But, at the very least, while Maximus is a liar, he isn’t a terrible protector, as seen by him protecting her from fiends. Also, he is able to help her understand what happened between the Great War and the present day, including the fall of the New California Republic, where Maximus was from before that was destroyed by war.

In return, when Maximus gets shot, Lucy takes the lead in trying to find medical supplies, but this just leads them both to accidentally discovering a vault. One that both can only hope is nothing like Vault 32 before the killing spree began.

Question(s) Left Unanswered

1. Why did Betty step down as Overseer? Are there term or year limits, or was she simply voted out?

Cast Guide

Character’s Name	Actor’s Name
Thaddeus	Johnny Pemberton
Maximus	Aaron Moten
Norman	Moises Arias
Chester	Dave Register
Betty	Leslie Uggams
Lucy	Ella Purnell

Review

Highlights

Lucy and Maximus As Travel Companions

In episode 2, it seemed like there could be something special between Lucy and Maximus. After all, Lucy may not have been focusing on love before her father was kidnapped, but she was preparing for it via her arranged marriage. Also, because of the cousin situation or just not being anyone’s first choice, there could have been some sort of longing.

So when you combine that with Maximus’ story? They seemed like they could have been a good match. Him losing his family tragically and the Brotherhood more so being peers than anything else, could mean Lucy being one of the first people he can open up to without being punished for it. Never mind, as much as the vault dwellers are naïve, getting just an escape from the Wasteland’s methods of hardening you could be good for him.

Though, even without seeing future episodes as of writing this, I worry this will not last.

The Mystery of Vault 31

You would think that the vault storyline would become a frustrating piece of the show, as nothing really happens down there, and the characters left behind don’t necessarily pop. But, in a showing that all you sometimes need is a good story or mystery, seeing Norman and Chester doesn’t lead to groans and eye rolls. Rather, you find yourself wanting to know more about the vault and the secrets they hold.

Heck, as someone familiar with Fallout lore, I’m hoping that eventually, whether it is Cooper or Norman, someone discovers the experiments Vault-Tec did, and that gets explored. For with how secretive things are about Vault 31, it has to make you wonder what goes on there since Steph didn’t present anything to push the idea that members of that Vault should likely rule over Vault 32, and assumingly Vault 33.

Background Information

Episode Title	The Past
Release Date	April 10, 2024
Network	Prime Video,
Director(s)	Clare Kilner
Writer(s)	Carson Mell
Previous Episode	Season 1/ Episode 4
Series Page	Fallout
Character Guide	Fallout (TV Series): Character Guide and Noteworthy Information