Warning! Spoilers ahead for Fallout season 2, episode 2.
Fallout season 2 has paired up Lucy and the Ghoul as they embark on the road to New Vegas, and I’m worried that Lucy will pick up some bad habits from the Ghoul. So far, the main storyline of Fallout’s second season feels a lot like 48 Hrs. or Midnight Run, with a mismatched duo reluctantly teaming up on a high-stakes adventure.
Since they’re both headed to New Vegas, Lucy and the Ghoul are watching each other’s backs. They have some fundamental ideological differences, but they seem to be warming up to each other’s point of view. But I’m worried that Lucy will learn some terrible lessons from the Ghoul and end up more like him.
Lucy Is More Likely To Learn From The Ghoul Than The Other Way Around
The biggest ideological clash between Lucy and the Ghoul is that Lucy wants to stop and help people, and the Ghoul is only looking out for himself. Lucy is still young and naive enough to believe that human beings are innately good, but the Ghoul has been around for long enough to know better.
The Ghoul knows from first-hand experience that, in this lawless world, being a good Samaritan will just get you into trouble. It’s not necessarily because he’s a bad person, or he doesn’t care about others; he’s just been burned a few too many times. If you look out for others, you’re less likely to survive yourself.
Lucy’s philosophy would be ideal — it would be great if everyone could help their fellow human and thrive together — but we know the world isn’t like that, especially the post-apocalyptic world of Fallout. The Ghoul’s worldview, as horrible as it is, makes a lot more sense than Lucy’s.
It seems less likely that the Ghoul will learn to be more like Lucy, and more likely that Lucy will find her inner Ghoul. I predict that, at some point, Lucy will run into danger while trying to help someone (it may have already happened when she was captured by Caesar’s Legion) and learn why the Ghoul became so selfish and jaded, and go down that path herself.
The Ghoul’s Mentorship Might Make Lucy A Much Darker, Less Optimistic Character In Fallout Season 2
Right now, Lucy has an optimistic outlook that feels refreshing in the bleak, brutal world of Fallout. But I have a feeling that, under the Ghoul’s mentorship, she’ll become a much darker, more cynical character. As they explore this harsh wasteland together, the Ghoul’s relentless pessimism will surely beat all the remaining optimism out of Lucy’s view of the world.
