The season 2 finale of Fallout packs a number of major revelations while also leaving the long-running storyline involving The Ghoul unresolved. After two centuries of living in the Wasteland as a Ghoul, from his life as a pre-war actor to his current status as a legendary Ghoul, Cooper Howard is closer than he has ever been to finding out the truth about his family. The season 2 finale of Fallout: New Vegas revolves around the events occurring in New Vegas.
While Lucy MacLean confronts her father, Hank, and finds out the extent of the mind control tests conducted by the nefarious Vault-Tec Corporation, The Ghoul allies himself with Maximus to save her from the clutches of her father inside the casino owned by Mr. House, the Lucky 38.
Fallout season 2 ending transforms The Ghoul from survivor to seeker
In a moment of great humanity and change from his usual single-minded pursuit of survival, The Ghoul defeats Hank and lets Lucy decide her father’s fate. While this moment is a major turning point in the life of The Ghoul, as he has moved from a character driven by survival to one driven by a sense of morality, the moment of significance for The Ghoul occurs elsewhere in the episode.
Robert House finally shows The Ghoul the executive cryogenic chambers where his loved ones, Barb and Janey, were frozen in the days preceding the Great War. After two centuries of living in the Wasteland, this moment represents the purpose for all the horrors he has endured. However, when the cryogenic chambers open, they are empty.
Instead of serving as a confirmation of the tragic ending, the show provides something more complex. The Ghoul discovers a postcard to Colorado, with a note that reads, “Colorado was a good idea.” The note, though seemingly trivial, represents a significant shift in The Ghoul’s overall storyline. No longer does The Ghoul have to search for his family; instead, he now knows that his wife and daughter are alive and that they made it to Colorado.
The discovery represents a significant shift in The Ghoul’s storyline. His meanness, his lack of emotion, and his reputation have all been based on a singular goal: finding his family. Now, that goal is no longer a lost cause, and The Ghoul leaves Robert House and begins his way to Colorado, no longer desperate but aware of his purpose.
The finale ends The Ghoul’s storyline not as a search for closure, but as a new chapter in his life. The third season of the show will likely address whether The Ghoul will ever see his family again or if survival in the Wasteland has forever changed the man once known as Cooper Howard.
