This article contains spoilers for Fallout episode 1. If you've not tuned in already, stop reading and find out how to watch the Fallout TV show instead.
The hotly-anticipated Prime Video video game adaptation has finally arrived. Based on one of the most well-known video game franchises around, the sci-fi series transports us into the future, hundreds of years after nuclear war has scarred the planet.
Each entry into the franchise is based somewhere in post-apocalyptic North America, and the series is exploring an as-yet-uncharted corner of that world: Los Angeles. Fallout's debut episode is over an hour long and packs in tons of info about this alternative history universe. Chiefly, the episode is concerned with introducing our three core characters and their place in the story.
For ease, we have split the season premiere up into three sections, detailing what happens to The Ghoul (Walton Goggins), Lucy (Ella Purnell) and Maximus (Aaron Moten). Here's a full recap of everything that happened in Fallout episode 1.
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What happened in Fallout episode 1? Meeting The Ghoul
The episode opens before the bombs fell. Dressed as a cowboy, Cooper Howard (Walton Goggins) is working at a kids' birthday party, and being mocked by some of the fathers present. Rumors of impending nuclear war can be heard on TV or the radio, but those present are more focused on keeping the party vibe going. That is, until Howard's young daughter looks at the horizon, terrified by a growing mushroom cloud.
The shockwave from the blast shatters the windows of the home, and the party descends into chaos as families scramble to leave. Cooper scoops up his daughter and they flee the scene on his horse. A view of the city then shows more mushroom clouds spouting up across a cityscape as the bombs keep falling.
We're reunited with Cooper at the end of the episode... 219 years later. Due to prolonged radiation exposure, he's been turned into a ghoul, a humanoid with a zombie-like, decayed appearance, and continued wandering the irradiated surface world. Three bounty hunters arrive at a graveyard in search of "The Ghoul", as they want to recruit him for a particularly lucrative gig: hunting a fugitive from a mystery organization called The Enclave.
Fearfully, the lead bounty hunter's lackeys dig up Howard's casket. The Ghoul's not all that interested in the task. The leader explains the target is headed for California, and that's why he presumed The Ghoul would want to be involved, as that's where he's originally from. At that, Howard's demeanor takes a turn. When the bounty hunter threatens to put him back in the ground, The Ghoul easily overcomes all three bounty hunters and leaves his would-be employer in the grave, before heading off to hunt down the target solo.
Leaving Vault 33
Lucy's (Ella Purnell) story takes up the bulk of episode 1's runtime. We're introduced to her and the subterranean lifestyle of Vault 33 after the apocalyptic introduction, wherein she's pitching to a panel of Vault Dwellers to participate in the facility's "Triennial Trade" with Vault 32, wherein she will be betrothed to a suitable marriage partner from the other neighboring facility.
During her pitch, we get snapshots of what life's been like for those people underground; she's the daughter of Vault 33 Overseer, Hank MacLean, and has learned everything from science to teaching, making plenty of time for the gun range and martial arts in between.
Lucy's pitch is successful. She's dressed in a communal wedding gown and a large room in the Vault is prepared up for the reception. Then, the denizens of Vault 33 gather at the door. After a brief stumble, lovestruck Gatekeeper Chet opens the door and a crew of people — including Lucy's new beau, Monty — are welcomed in. There's clearly something off about the other Vault Dwellers, but the two groups sit down for their wedding dinner, politely enduring the Vault 32 crew's quirks.
During the meal, Hank gives a big speech, revealing that they believe the radiation on the surface has dropped to the point that the next generation may well be able to return above ground, to show the survivors eking out existence in that dangerous, strange world a "better way" of leading their lives. The party continues; partway through, Monty asks Lucy to show him their new home.
Lucy wanders off to their corner of the Vault. The minute the door closes, he disrobes, and they have sex. Meanwhile, Norman (Lucy's brother) slips away from the party to explore Vault 32. Norman finds the place in disarray, and citizens have been killed.
Lucy observes Monty making his way around the room and has the bright idea to slip on her Pip-Boy, which detects radiation from him. A scream can be heard, and she realizes the new arrivals are actually Raiders. She and Monty have a violent brawl in the room, whilst the other Raiders begin to savagely attack the rest of Vault 33.
Lucy gets stabbed in the fight but manages to subdue her husband, heals herself and heads back to the party. En route to the large room, she stops by the armory, finding only a tranquilizer pistol and some darts. Amid the chaos of the Raider attack, Lucy saves and hides her brother, Norman, before returning to search for their father.
Monty somehow survives his injuries and emerges, ready to attack Lucy. Luckily, Hank steps in to save his daughter with a shovel. After drowning Monty in a barrel of pickles, he gets an alert on his Pip-Boy about an Inter-Vault Door Breach. The duo rush to find out what's gone on, and are confronted by a horrifying scene.
The Raiders have gathered the survivors from Vault 33 as hostages, and have rigged up a bomb. Their leader has come for Hank and offers him a choice: save his fellow Dwellers or save his daughter. Hank stashes Lucy in a nearby store cupboard and, after he's drugged, is taken away to the surface. The Raiders leave the vault and prime the bomb, telling the hostages to run as it explodes.
When we're reunited with her later in the episode, the remaining few people are cleaning up the Vault. At an assembly, Lucy asks to send a search party after her father. The new leaders refuse her request, and Norm suspects they don't want to find Hank, as that'll mean they won't get to stay in charge of the Vault.
Lucy packs a bag and prepares to leave the security of the Vault behind to go after her father. Chet and Norm help her leave, but she's forced to tranquilize Chet as the lovestruck fella is dead-set on following her into the Wilds. After saying goodbye to Norman, she takes her first steps into the Wasteland, and the door is closed behind her.
Maximus' new mission
Our other core character is Maximus, an Aspirant with the Brotherhood of Steel. He's unpopular with the other members at the base, somewhere on the planet's surface. One of his lectures is interrupted by the arrival of a colossal airship. Several Brotherhood Knights (decked in Power Armor) descend and head off for a meeting. They're hunting some rogue target.
Maximus is seen away from his fellow Aspirants, working on latrine duty. His sole friend, Aspirant Dane, pulls him away from his job to go look at the Knights' suits, which have been stashed elsewhere in the base. Superior Officers come by, and Dane rushes to Maximus' defense, but they only ask to take Aspirant Dane away.
As we learn, a number of the Aspirants (including Dane) were due to be "Anointed", meaning they could become Squires to some of the Brotherhood's Knights and head out on missions under their new leaders. Away from the celebrations, Maximus rages.
The following morning, Maximus awakes in the barracks to Dane's cries of pain. He rushes to their side, only to find someone has stitched razor blades inside Dane's boots. Senior Brotherhood members arrive on the scene and take Maximus away for interrogation.
When we return to him, we learn that Maximus joined up with the Brotherhood of Steel 'to hurt the people who hurt him'. He insists that he didn't hurt Dane (despite his fellow men laying blame at his feet), but admits he wanted something to happen to Dane, perhaps out of jealousy.
Maximus is told that violence is only a tool to be used to bring order to the Wasteland. With nothing else to add to his defense, Maximus gives his thanks to the Brotherhood for giving him a home and place in the world, and pledges to do everything to serve the faction, including giving his life, if he must.
Following this chat, we learn that Maximus is taking Dane's place as Squire to Knight Titus. He visits Dane in the base's sick bay; Maximus' friend doesn't believe he is responsible and apparently will recover from their wounds. Afterward, Maximus is sworn in as a new Squire in a ceremony where his new Knight brands him.
Afterwards, the Knights (and their Squires) prepare to leave the base. Each pairing will search a different part of the region for their target, who is a fugitive of "The Enclave". The Squires are given approximations of their target and his canine companion —and they bear a striking resemblance to the drawing The Ghoul has for his bounty hunt. Maximus shoulders his Knight's gear and scrambles after him, as the pair leave the airfield behind and begin the hunt for the fugitive.
With all three characters' quests now established, we look forward to seeing how their paths cross out in the ruins of what was once Los Angeles.
All eight episodes of the Fallout TV show are now streaming on Prime Video.
