The long history of the Fallout franchise has complicated its canon, so will the upcoming TV show have a place within the Fallout canon?

Prime Video’s Fallout TV show is hoping to be a faithful adaptation of the games. The show, which will follow a cast of new characters, stars Ella Purnell, Walton Goggins, and Aaron Moten, alongside a large ensemble. Legendary Bethesda producer Todd Howard is also playing a major part in the show’s development. In all ways, it is being set up to serve as a genuine part of the Fallout world.

Yet, while the show is set up to fit the universe’s lore, its status in the canon is important to consider. With so many games, it can be difficult to appropriately translate the world to the small screen, while also introducing new elements. HBO’s The Last of Us, for instance, deviates from the plot of the games. While beloved, that show is not canon. If Prime Video’s Fallout is not canon, that could easily change its place in the lore.

The Complicated History of Fallout

Fallout has become a remarkably expansive universe with multiple games including console and mobile games all adding to the rich history of the Wasteland.

There are four mainline Fallout games and a fifth is currently in development. Yet the franchise does not revolve around just five games. There are seven spin-off games, including the mobile Fallout Shelter and the aptly named Fallout Pinball. Pinball may not necessarily be canon, but the critically acclaimed Fallout: New Vegas has its own enshrined place in the official lore. Its alternate endings present a problem with determining their status in the canon, but they have a place nonetheless. Fallout Shelter is more questionable, as the events of the multiplayer game are less controllable by Bethesda, and thus less easily tied into the world.

The world of Fallout has grown so complicated that even its developers have come and gone. The studios involved in creating Fallout games include Interplay Entertainment, Black Isle Studios, Bethesda, Obsidian, and more. The series is largely known as Bethesda Productions, though Black Isle Studios was the studio that produced the first game. After Bethesda acquired the rights to Fallout in 2007, it earned its reputation as a Bethesda series.

The Fallout TV Show is Canon To the Games

Fallout’s canon isn’t always straightforward, but it has been confirmed by Todd Howard that the show will be canon to the games.

It may not be a mainline game, but Prime Video’s Fallout show will be canon to the universe’s lore. Todd Howard confirmed that the show is canon. He went so far as to state that “We view what’s happening in the show as canon.” It will also not be an adaptation of an existing story, as Howard argued that doing so would simply mean retreading old ground. He specifically chose to embrace the pitch that offered a new story that had not already been told in the games. After all, a direct adaptation can risk losing the interest of its core audience by failing to communicate every small aspect of a beloved and acclaimed game. A new story provides room for growth in the universe, rather than a simple retelling.

The new story will feature a new Vault Dweller in Ella Purnell’s Lucy MacLean. She will star alongside Maximus (Aaron Moten) and Walton Goggins’s Ghoul. Maximus is a Brotherhood of Steel squire with a suit of armor to protect him from the horrors of the Wasteland. The Ghoul, meanwhile, is a mutated bounty hunter who has been a survivor since before the bombs fell and the Great War began. The story will revolve around Lucy’s journey into the Wasteland and the decaying of her naive perspective of the world outside of her Vault. With nothing contradicting previous lore, the show is set to embrace the themes of Fallout.

When and Where is the Fallout Show Set?

The Fallout show’s main setting will be Los Angeles in the year 2296. The story is set 219 years after the Great War, meaning that the world has been bathed in radiation for centuries. The latest chronological Fallout game, Fallout 4 takes place in 2287 and is set in Boston. The earliest, meanwhile, is Fallout 76, which begins in 2103. The games are generally scattered across a period of 200 years and every story is set in a different part of the United States, ranging from California to Boston.

The Fallout show will be the third major piece of Fallout media to take place in California. Fallout and Fallout 2 were the original California-based stories. Unfortunately, those games are between 50 and 100 years before the events of the show, which means that most characters will not be able to return for roles in the show. The show’s place on the timeline does mean that it can feature truly monstrous creatures, as the radiation will have been mutating creatures for a much longer period. That will explain some of the differences that will be necessary for a live-action adaptation — especially since the show is canon.

Does Fallout Need To Be Canon?

Fallout may be handicapped by being canon to the games.
Fallout will have to ensure that the story falls in line with the other games instead of being able to blaze its own trail.

While it is a nice touch that the Fallout show is included in the universe’s existing lore, its status as a canon show is not completely necessary. The Last of Us adaptation proved that removing the pressures of perfectly matching with game canon can actually create a better viewing experience. It surprised audiences by telling a new story with the standout episode 3 reveal of Bill and Frank’s relationship. The show completely changed Bill’s ending, which ruined any chance of the show becoming official canon. All the same, it made for a better story that included a fresh and touching perspective for its side characters.

There are some negatives about the Fallout show being canon, but the show’s inclusion in the canon certainly has benefits. Anyone hoping to follow the existing lore of the universe will need to watch the show to be fully caught up on the overall plot. Additionally, being canon means that future games can allude to the events of the show and potentially even set up the show’s characters. That can create fun Easter eggs in Fallout 5 and any other future follow-ups. Fallout has always built on the storylines that have come before it, so introducing new elements to the canon allows for more spinoffs, more detailed settings, and more lovable characters. As a part of Fallout‘s lore, the Prime Video adaptation will have the perfect opportunity to expand a beloved universe, while introducing it to a new audience.