SPOILERS for Fallout Season 2 Episode 1: The Man Who Knew to follow:
Fallout finally returns with Season 2, and with it comes an exciting new setting, taking the show from the sunny shores of Los Angeles to the sweltering heat of the Mojave Wasteland. While this setting hails from the beloved classic Fallout: New Vegas, it provides new opportunities to expand on the world of Fallout with an entirely fresh perspective.
Even though we’re only one episode in, there are plenty of easter eggs and references for eagle-eyed viewers and die hard fans to catch. Here’s a look at some of the nods we noticed in the show’s introduction to the Mojave Wasteland.
Dinky The Dinosaur
Fans of Fallout: New Vegas will recognize this iconic landmark from the town of Novac. Dinky The Dinosaur stands guard over the desolate town and proved to be a wonderful sniper perch for companion Boone, who players met through one of New Vegas’ most iconic quests. Lucy (Ella Purnell) uses Dinky in similar fashion as she picks off numerous Great Khans with a rifle of her own. Dinky The Dinosaur was inspired by the real life Cabazon Dinosaurs, a landmark in Southern California located just west of Palm Springs.
Big Iron On His Hip (And A Bloody Mess In His Wake)
When the plan to rob the Great Khans goes south, Lucy and The Ghoul (Walton Goggins) have to shoot their way out. When this happens, we’re treated to a needle drop of one of the most iconic songs from the soundtrack of Fallout: New Vegas. “Big Iron” by Marty Robbins is a country western song from 1959 that tells the story of an Arizona Ranger dueling with a ruthless outlaw, a fitting song for The Ghoul to dispatch his enemies to. While in combat, we also see numerous Khans explode in gory fashion, possibly referencing the “Bloody Mess” perk from the Fallout video games that would amp up the gore and viscera for players who used a big iron of their own.
No Water, No Vault
When we get a brief update into how Vault 33 is doing, we hear from the Overseer that their water purification chip is going out. This mirrors the plot set up of the original 1997 Fallout game. Players stepped into the shoes of a dweller from Vault 13, who was sent into the wasteland to find a replacement for the vault’s water purification chip before the water supply runs dry. It’s good to know that, despite mostly being based on the Bethesda-era of Fallout, the show isn’t afraid to reference the classic Interplay titles.
Another Settlement Needs Your Help
While Lucy and The Ghoul explore the Mojave Wasteland, they come across Vault 24, housed inside a derelict Starlight Drive-in. Fans of Fallout 4 will be quick to recognize this as the same theater chain as a potential settlement location in The Commonwealth in Fallout 4. At least Lucy doesn’t have someone bugging her about another settlement that needs her help.
Damn Fine Coffee
Hank MacLean is played by legendary actor Kyle MacLachlan, who has taken part in many high-profile projects, most notable from visionary director David Lynch. When Hank arrives at the Vault-Tec facility, we see him take time to enjoy a steaming hot cup of coffee. One of MacLachlan’s most notable roles is that of Agent Dale Cooper, the coffee-obsessive FBI agent from the television series Twin Peaks, co-created by David Lynch. MacLachlan and Lynch, who died earlier this year, were longtime friends, and it’s nice to see Fallout include a quiet nod to one of the world’s greatest directors.
Howdy From Primm
In the tradition of seeing the greater Fallout world during the closing credits, fans of Fallout: New Vegas will recognize the town of Primm by its iconic rollercoaster, inspired by the real life Buffalo Bill’s casino in Primm, Nevada. Primm was one of the early in-game locations and gave players a quest that provided the first major choice in the narrative, of helping the town pick out a sheriff. These end credits also show a Mojave Express location, an organization that The Courier, the protagonist of Fallout: New Vegas, worked for. Finally, we see a billboard for the Lucky 38 casino located on The Strip, where the house always wins.
