Summary
The events ofFalloutseason 1 laid the groundwork for a massive faction war when the show returns. In both the show and the games, the existence of factions is one of the most important concepts inthe world ofFallout. Who the protagonist sides with in various conflicts, whether it’s the New California Republic, the Brotherhood of Steel, or someone else entirely, these decisions can create all sorts of consequences.
True to that idea,Falloutseason 1 made a handful of recognizable factions from the games vital to the characters' stories. Easily the two most important were theNew California Republicand the Brotherhood of Steel, whose epic clash in theFalloutseason 1 finaleseemed to act as a key turning point for the region. The NCR suffered a crushing loss as the Brotherhood overwhelmed their forces. But despite this result,the Brotherhood is unlikely to be the only faction with a major presence in California. Rather, their actions could open the door for an all-out faction war.
Fallout Season 1’s Ending Set Up A Faction War In California
The Brotherhood Of Steel Has Inadvertently Invited More Attacks From Other Factions
On the surface, it may be easy to see Moldaver’s defeat as setup for a storyline where the Brotherhood of Steel reigns supreme inFalloutseason 2. However, the benefits they’ll reap from beating the NCR is unlikely to be that simple. While there’s been understandable confusion regarding the state of the New California Republic in theFallouttimeline, Moldaver’s downfall doesn’t prove they’ve been removed from the board.There may be other NCR remnants elsewhere in Californiawho can continue their fight.
Even if the NCR doesn’t directly respond to the Brotherhood of Steel’s victory, it’s hard to imagine the organization going unopposed after what happened in the finale. They took over the region Moldaver’s forces controlled, plus they gained control over Dr. Wilzig’s cold fusion discovery. In doing so,the Brotherhood of Steel has changed the balance of power in the area, which is sure to put targets on their backs. None of the other factions in California should be expected to just accept the Brotherhood of Steel as the dominant power in the land.
New Factions That Could Appear In Fallout Season 2
Fallout Season 2 Could Introduce The Followers Of The Apocalypse, Caesar’s Legion, And The Khans
AsFalloutlore reveals, the apocalypse is ripe with factions that could strike out at the Brotherhood of Steel inFalloutseason 2. Other than the NCR, the most obvious opponent that the series has yet to show is the Followers of the Apocalypse. Once allies of the NCR, the Followers are a benevolent group who spend much of their time and resources providing help to others. They typically abhor violence, but will stand up for themselves if the situation calls for it. And if the villainous depiction of the Brotherhood in the series is any indication, the Followers may deem action against them necessary.
Adding credence to the notion that the Followers could make a stand against the Brotherhood is their proximity to the story. As evidenced by the firstFalloutgame, they live in the very same region ofFallout’sapocalypsewhere the show is set. So unless they’ve moved all their people out of the area, it could be that even though none of the characters inFalloutseason 1 were confirmed members of the group,some of the people in Filly and could be secret Followers of the Apocalypse.
Another group whose nearby presence could make them a possible enemy to the Brotherhood of Steel in the coming struggles is the Khans. Introduced in the first game,the Khans are one of the raider factions based in California. It’s plausible that they might see the recent battle between the NCR and the Brotherhood as an opportunity for expansion.Fallout’sNCR has been weakened again, and the Brotherhood - as new arrivals - won’t have a strong hold on the Boneyard yet.Falloutseason 2 could be the time for the Khans to make a move.
There’s also the possibility that Caesar’s Legion officially gets involved in the action. As it stands, there are unconfirmed theories that theLegion was actually absorbed by the Brotherhood. If that’s not the case and the Legion remains a separate faction, the Roman Empire-inspiredFalloutvillains could set their sights on the Brotherhood and the NCR remnants (if they still exist) in Fallout season 2. After all,a big part of the Legion’s endgame is to conquer the NCR.They could see season 1’s events as a chance to finish them off or the rise of a new rival in the Brotherhood.
The Brotherhood Of Steel’s Biggest Threat Is The Enclave
The Enclave Could Make A Possible Multipronged War Even Bigger
Of all the potential enemies the Brotherhood of Steel could face in season 2, none pose a greater threat than the Enclave. The Enclave isn’t currently at odds with the Brotherhood, nor have they been a significant factor in the plot, but the acquisition of cold fusion could prove pivotal to their place in the story.Fallouthasn’t been explicit about the Enclave’s reaction to Dr. Wilzig’s escape with the cold fusion, but seeing that it’s a major development for them,they aren’t just going to stand on the sidelines forever.
Through the cold fusion, Brotherhood now has something that therevived version of the Enclavehas a reasonable claim to ahead ofFalloutseason 2. Due to heavy losses in previousFalloutinstallments, the Enclave may not be as strong as they once were, but their brief appearances in the series demonstrate that they still have a functioning base and armed forces. And even if they are lacking in the manpower needed to defeat the Brotherhood of Steel, they have other ways of carrying out their goals.
Falloutseason 1 offered an ominous hint regarding one way the Enclave could make waves in the series. As the appearance of a monster hand proved, the Enclave is developing super mutants. Depending on their progress, they could have a force of super mutants ready for a fight with the Brotherhood of Steel. In the games, they often rely on robots, which they may or not have on hand in the show as well. Either avenue - or both - could be key weapons for them going forward. And when taking their ambitions of power from the games into consideration, the likelihood of the Enclave making preparations to unseat the Brotherhood is all the higher.
