“Foul, detestable beasts, they are like an infestation. We cut them down, and they return, again and again.”— Scribe Peabody
The Capital Wasteland super mutant conflict was a major military conflict that saw the super mutants of the Capital Wasteland clash with the region's inhabitants. This included civilian settlements and wastelanders, who had been targeted for over a century, in addition to prominent martial factions in the region. Following 2078, the mutants would begin infecting the Capital Wasteland from their source at Vault 87. This issue continued into the present day.
Over time, these experiments saw some success: Merrick observed that some of the test subjects eventually developed increased upper body strength and muscle mass, and thicker, more resilient skin.[1] They also lost all defining gender traits, transforming into an "asexual state."[3] However, all of the test subjects invariably began to show severe rage and anxiety after fourteen days, forcing the staff to terminate them due to the safety risk. Despite countless cycles of testing and progress in creating physical adaptations for combat, Merrick and his team were never able to solve the mental changes and were forced to terminate their test subjects every time.[4] Over time, this testing created a new strain of super mutants on the East Coast that were generally less intelligent and more aggressive than their West Coast counterparts. Due to the aforementioned changes, they also retained less of their humanity after their transformation.
The EEP continued even after Vault 87 sealed during the Great War, with the Vault dwellers becoming its test subjects.[5] By just a year later, in 2078, almost the entire Vault population had been exposed to the FEV and soon transformed into super mutants. Though the specific events are unclear, they managed to take control of the Vault, with any remaining human staff or dwellers presumably killed or also mutated.[Non-game 1][Non-game 2]
Events[]
Super mutant spread, 2078—2255[]
The interior of Vault 87
After taking control of Vault 87, the mutants have since spread across the entire Capital Wasteland. Whether because of the FEV or because or inherent human nature, the Vault 87 super mutants are obsessed with the preservation of their species. As a result, lacking the ability to procreate, their method of reproduction is through kidnapping wasteland humans and taking them back to Vault 87 to be transformed by exposing them to the FEV as well.[Non-game 1] This, plus their general aggression and their penchant for eating humans,[6] has made them a grave threat to the region's humans. Even some of their captives could end up being eaten instead.[7]
Despite their apparent lack of intelligence, the mutants have a moderate level of coordination, which adds to their threat. This coordination is structured through their age-based hierarchy, especially as the oldest mutants mutate into bigger and stronger forms like the behemoths and the younger mutants give way. They have also collected large amounts of weapons and ammunition over time, further making them a threat.[8] According to human observers, they also seem to display some awareness of tactics, displaying their human captives in the open to attract other humans to be captured or killed.[9]
While the extent of super mutant activities up to 2255 is unknown, it is clear that they had spread throughout the region and had overrun almost all of the D.C. ruins, with the people of the Capital Wasteland considering the city's "mutant problem" a simple fact of life and knowing not to enter the ruins if they had no reason to.[10][11] The super mutants were able to keep replenishing their population with kidnapped wastelanders even as the original mutants died off, and they were also willing to kill humans if they could not capture them.[12]
Super mutants and other wasteland threats, like the region's raider gangs, forced settlements to adapt.[12] For example, around 2241, attacks by these groups caused the settlement of Megaton to build defensive walls for protection.[12] The subterranean settlement of Underworld was founded as a refuge for ghouls, with many of its inhabitants having arrived around 2227 to flee super mutants, among other threats. The super mutants never bothered to attack Underworld, which the ghouls believed was because the mutants' FEV could not turn them into super mutants like it did for humans, but this evidently remained a problem for ghoul wastelanders above ground.[13][14][15][16] Another settlement, Rockopolis, was built underground prior to 2248 to isolate itself from outside threats, though circumstances later led to its demise.[17][18]
Brotherhood operations, 2255—2277[]
In early 2255, a Brotherhood expeditionary force from New California arrived on the East Coast. Their mission was to recover technology from sites on the East Coast and attempt to reestablish contact with previous "Eastern Brotherhood" groups.[19][20] After their arrival to the Capital Wasteland, they established their headquarters in the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., rechristening it as "the Citadel." With this step, the expedition soon became a new Brotherhood chapter, with the expedition leader, Star Paladin Owyn Lyons, becoming its elder.[Non-game 3]
In 2257, the super mutant presence in the D.C. ruins apparently started to increase dramatically, with attacks increasing in frequency and aggression.[10] By that year,[21] the Capital Wasteland chapter had noticed this and realized that the mutants were a new breed, not remnants of the defeated Master's Army who had fled east. Elder Lyons soon issued a new directive to his chapter, initially supported by the elders on the West Coast, to find and eliminate the super mutants' source.[Non-game 3] However, Elder Lyons went a step further than this: seeing how the people of the Capital Wasteland suffered from super mutant attacks, he dedicated the entire Brotherhood to combating the mutants, with their original mission becoming an afterthought.[19][20] The Brotherhood began combat operations against the mutants, starting a bitter, protracted conflict between the two groups that would go on for the next two decades.[22]
That same year, the Brotherhood provided martial support to the scientists of Project Purity, an initiative to create a large-scale water purifier at the Jefferson Memorial to cleanse the irradiated Tidal Basin. This stemmed from the scientists' need for protection from increasing super mutant attacks, and it was based on the scientists' guarantee that their work would show results benefiting the whole region. However, their alliance soon turned strained as progress slowed and mutant attacks increased, causing the Brotherhood to take casualties with little to show for it. The project failed completely after losing two of its leading scientists: Catherine died in childbirth, while James took their newborn child and left, with the Brotherhood's help.[23] With their departure, the Brotherhood no longer saw Project Purity as a worthy investment, especially as the mutant attacks had increased to several times a day. They retracted their forces from the Jefferson Memorial, causing the remaining scientists to leave for Rivet City as well.[10][24] The super mutants moved in soon afterwards and held the facility for the following nineteen years.[22][25]
Brotherhood tensions and withdrawal[]
The failure at Project Purity was emblematic of wider developments in the Brotherhood's two-decade conflict against the super mutants. Over the years, the Brotherhood's efforts stretched across the region, providing security for settlements such as Megaton and maintaining outposts as far north as the MDPL mass relay station. Their reconnaissance efforts even reached Vault 87, although they never identified it as the mutant source, as the lethal radiation around the vault dissuaded them from exploring further.[26][27] Without the ability to destroy the mutants at their source, the Brotherhood was limited to a containment operation, barely managing to keep the super mutants from overrunning all of the Capital Wasteland's settlements.[28][29]
These efforts also took a heavy toll on the Brotherhood's manpower and resources, with little progress eradicating the mutants. Still, many in the Brotherhood considered their bloodshed a worthy price for the continued survival of the region's wastelanders, including Elder Lyons and any recruits who joined because the Brotherhood had saved them in the past.[30] However, others disagreed, either believing the people were not worth protecting or seeing the Brotherhood's original mission as more important -- and Elder Lyons as having betrayed the Brotherhood.[31] Others continued to support Elder Lyons but grew disillusioned over time, seeing their comrades die for what they viewed as an ungrateful public.[32]
The West Coast elders eventually found out about Lyons' disobedience, and when he proved unwilling to change, they cut off all communications, and with this all possibility of reinforcements.[33][34] In 2276, things came to a head when the Brotherhood's dissidents, refusing to support Lyons' war against the super mutants, split off to form the Brotherhood Outcasts. This schism caused a larger reduction of manpower for Lyons' Brotherhood than all of their fighting had for the past 23 years.[35][36]
Following these events, the Brotherhood's remaining forces stayed largely within the D.C. ruins, including their headquarters at the Citadel and outposts such as the GNR building plaza. The latter was based on an agreement made with Three Dog, the host of Galaxy News Radio, to help defend him from the super mutants in exchange for permission to use the building as their outpost.[37][38] The outpost's garrison included Lyons' Pride, an elite squad led by Elder Lyons' daughter, Sentinel Sarah Lyons, who fought to hold back the super mutants in the area.[39] Elsewhere, Brotherhood forces continued to do battle with the mutants in the city, sending patrols to neighborhoods with high mutant activity.[40] They also continued to send units and squads out into the wider region for various objectives.[9] However, their low manpower made it impossible to do much else, and even maintaining communications and tracking casualties became difficult.[41]
Despite their later reduction in force, the Brotherhood had managed to damage the super mutants' ranks over time. By 2277, although their numbers remained high, the super mutants recognized that the "bucketheads" had killed countless of their number and found it necessary to keep capturing humans to replace their ranks.[42] However, their supply of FEV in Vault 87 was running low, and though they actively searched the region for "green stuff," they were never able to find any more. The depletion of the Vault's FEV was compounded by the fact that many of the captives exposed to the FEV became failed FEV subjects and died rather than transforming into super mutants, just like during the original EEP. The super mutants simply assumed it was a problem with the people they were collecting and so never bothered to change their ways.[43]
Involvement of other parties[]
During this period, the mutants continued to attack individuals and settlements throughout the Capital Wasteland. Wastelanders adapted, seeking refuge in large, well-guarded settlements such as Megaton or Rivet City, which invested in physical defenses and guard forces to keep attackers at bay.[12][44][45][46] Rivet City, in particular, also benefited from the presence of mirelurks, which fought with the super mutants and gave the citizens time to repair any damage caused by either group.[47] Like before, others chose to inhabit relatively isolated locations for safety, such as Oasis or Arefu.
Murder Pass, a route from Little Lamplight to Vault 87
In one particular case, the child settlement of Little Lamplight had somehow survived ever since the Great War despite being located right outside Vault 87's back entrance. Decades prior to 2277, they had supposedly even raided Vault 87 several times, encountering all of the dangers within.[48] The children managed to find out that Vault 87 was the super mutants' source, which the Brotherhood had failed to do. They also managed to fight off multiple attacks by the super mutants and ended up blocking off the entrances to the vault. By the 2270s, the mutants no longer bothered to attack Little Lamplight.[49][50] However, they frequently attacked Big Town, the settlement for teenaged exiles of Little Lamplight. The residents of Big Town had little equipment and no knowledge of how to defend themselves, and could only run and hide when the mutants (or other groups like slavers) came. The mutants were aware of this, and they viewed Big Town as an easy target.[51][52][53]
By the 2270s, the super mutant infestation in the D.C. ruins was well-known to wastelanders,[54] with prominent voices such as Three Dog dissuading scavengers from entering at the risk of death or capture by the mutants. Many also recognized that downtown D.C. was effectively a warzone between the mutants and the Brotherhood, adding to the danger.[15][55][56] Other combatants also contributed to the conflict, including the raider gangs, who had also carved out their own territories over time. As a matter of ideology, the Brotherhood Outcasts were not concerned with the super mutants, though they would still engage the mutants if necessary for their tech recovery missions.
Mercenaries acted as third parties. Some, like Reilly's Rangers, were directly contracted to exterminate super mutants.[57] Others, including neutral mercs like Sydney or groups like Talon Company, fought with the mutants simply to accomplish their main goals. In Talon Company's case, they sought to control certain areas within the D.C. ruins,[58][59] and they remained hostile to outsiders, making them a threat to the public as well.[60]
Throughout this period, the Enclave also maintained surveillance over the region. Though they did not directly involve themselves in any conflict, their president John Henry Eden would use their radio network to denounce all other groups in the region, from the super mutants and raiders to Lyons' Brotherhood and the Outcasts, and even Underworld. Eden offered the Enclave as the solution, which would "remove" all of these other groups and restore order to the Capital Wasteland.[61] However, as these speeches were only delivered on repeat by Eyebots and there was never any physical sign of the Enclave's existence, most wastelanders simply disregarded them.[62][63]
The Lone Wanderer's involvement, 2277[]
Note:The following section is partially based on events during Fallout 3, many of which are optional (even ones that are related to the main story). This section will attempt to describe these events as neutrally as possible without assuming an outcome.
By August 2277, when the Lone Wanderer exited Vault 101 in search of their father, the super mutants continued to hold much territory in both the D.C. ruins and the surrounding region. Outside of D.C. proper, the super mutants occupied numerous locations as strongholds and prisoner camps, including the countryside around Vault 87, Germantown and its police headquarters, Roosevelt Academy, and the Hallowed Moors Cemetery. They were also common in the city outskirts, occupying the area around Farragut West, the Chryslus Building, and the Red Racer factory.
Much of D.C. itself continued to be heavily inhabited by super mutants.[64] According to observers, the highest concentrations of super mutants were around the National Mall and Vernon Square.[65][66]Georgetown, the Mason District, and L'Enfant were also occupied and practically uncontested. In some other neighborhoods, like Seward Square, and Takoma Park, the mutant presence remained high, but was beginning to be contested by other forces. In some areas, like Falls Church, the mutants had been previously wiped out, but were beginning to return.[67]
Near Anacostia Crossing, Rivet City remained safe, but the mutants continued to inhabit the Jefferson Memorial and other nearby camps. The situation was the same in the area outside the Citadel. In certain other neighborhoods, other factions had established positions; for example, Chevy Chase was mostly secure, according to the Brotherhood.[64] However, the mutants intended to move in and wipe them out.
Offensives and clashes[]
By August 2277, multiple neighborhoods within D.C. were active combat zones between the super mutants and other factions. The Mall was a prominent battleground, and in their conflict for the Mall, its eastern half had been carved into a trench network leading up to the Capitol Building. The super mutants occupied the east, fighting against the Brotherhood forces at the Washington Monument and also against Talon Company mercs invading the Capitol from the similarly-contested Seward Square; this was a prolonged battle between the mutants and Talon Company, with both sides frequently bringing in reinforcements, causing additional fighting during transit.[68] In the fighting, the super mutants overran a trench bunker used by the Brotherhood, and they also damaged the Galaxy News Radio transmitter in the Washington Monument, limiting the station's braodcast range.[69] The other parts of the Mall all belonged to neutral forces in the conflict. Though Underworld's residents faced problems from all of the area's warring factions, they were mostly fine below ground.[14][15][70] The Lincoln Memorial wound up being occupied by slavers, even though rumors were that super mutants controlled the area.[71]
Brotherhood clashes against the super mutants also continued in several other sites. Defenders at the Citadel regularly fought against super mutants outside its walls.[72] In Falls Church, which the Brotherhood thought to be cleared after previous sweeps, super mutant ambushes caused several casualties and cut off Paladin Hoss from his trainee, Initiate Pek, during a recon training exercise.[73][67] On Pennsylvania Avenue, the Brotherhood occupied a hotel on White House Plaza as an outpost; the rest of the district was occupied by super mutants, who occasionally advanced on the outpost. Talon Company had also interfered in the district, with one merc following instructions to plant explosives along the main street; he did so, but was killed after he stayed behind to shoot at the mutants for fun.[74]
Talon Company sought to call artillery on the mutants at Takoma Park
Other forces in the city also warred with the mutants. In Bailey's Crossroads, they frequently attacked Protector McGraw's Outcasts, who had moved into the VSS facility in the neighborhood, causing casualties and loss of morale.[75] In Takoma Park, the super mutants had previously overran a Talon Company camp at Takoma Industrial, and Talon Company sought to reclaim their positions by laying siege with three mercenary squads backed by artillery.[59] In Vernon Square, Reilly's Rangers were attacked by the super mutants while mapping the district, losing their member Theo, and the survivors were cornered on the roof of the Statesman Hotel when trying to contact Brotherhood reinforcements.[76][77] With reinforcements failing to arrive, their leader Reilly snuck out to find help at Underworld, but was wounded by a mutant.[78] She survived, but was left heavily wounded and unable to deliver her message. The surviving rangers are still holding out, but their ammo is limited and they know they will perish without help.[79]
Similar conflicts occurred across the wider region. The super mutants and raiders clashed with each other in sites such as Everglow National Campground and Farragut West.[72] Brotherhood Outcast and Talon Company patrols would fight with the super mutants if they ever encountered each other in the wastes. The super mutants and their centaurs also continued to fight against wastelanders and terrorize settlements, including Big Town. In some cases, wasteland factions actually managed to take super mutants captive, including at Evergreen Mills, where raiders have encaged a behemoth, and at a outpost near Grayditch, where several ghouls have imprisoned a single super mutant.
After the Enclave revealed their presence around this time, they also joined the conflict in force, using vertibirds to drop off shock troops or bomb enemy targets. Their troops would enter mutant-occupied areas that other factions had not, such as L'Enfant Plaza in D.C. or even the outskirts of Vault 87, in addition to becoming another warring party in areas already being contested.[80]
The fight for Project Purity[]
Following their entry into the Capital Wasteland on August 17, 2277, the Lone Wanderer became involved in the region's super mutant conflict both as they searched for their missing father James and as they fought to reclaim Project Purity from the Enclave. Depending on their actions, they may have helped in multiple offensives against the super mutants during this adventure.
A super mutant behemoth attacking the GNR building
During the early stages of the Lone Wanderer's search, a super mutant force attacked the GNR building, and Lyons' Pride was dispatched to provide backup due to fears that a larger assault would follow (though they would later discover this force was simply trying to reinforce the mutant positions on the Mall).[68] The Lone Wanderer may have arrived in Chevy Chase during the battle at GNR; they may have then joined Lyons' Pride and participated in the defense of the outpost. However, they may have instead missed the battle entirely. If they ever visited GNR, the Lone Wanderer's arrival would coincide with a super mutant behemoth attack on the outpost; this may have occurred during the battle, but it is not confirmed to have.[81]
Separately, the GNR building's owner Three Dog sought assistance from an outsider in recovering a replacement transmitter dish from the Museum of Technology for his radio station.[82] The Lone Wanderer may have helped him, whether as part of their search for their father or not; if so, this would have brought them into further contact against the super mutants, who occupied both the museum and its surroundings on the Mall.[83]
However it happened, the Lone Wanderer ultimately managed to find and rescue their father from Vault 112. They proceeded to restart Project Purity by regaining Doctor Madison Li's support and returning to the Jefferson Memorial. The memorial had been taken over by the super mutants ever since the project first failed, and the Lone Wanderer cleared out all of the super mutants to help secure Project Purity, directly wiping out one of the mutants' outposts.[84]
The safety did not last, and the Lone Wanderer, Doctor Li, and any other survivors were forced to flee to the Citadel after the Enclave seized control of the memorial. After meeting the Brotherhood's leadership, they were then tasked by Reginald Rothchild with finding a G.E.C.K. to complete Project Purity. Rothchild helped them identify Vault 87 as a potential site and prepare for the exploration.[27] The Lone Wanderer then journied to Little Lamplight, discovering its situation and the mutant presence in the Vault. However they entered the Vault, they would also discover that Vault 87 was the mutant source, and possibly combat the super mutants in the Vault during their journey to reach its G.E.CK. Whether or not they did so, an Enclave strike team entered the Vault soon after, and they may also have engaged the mutants in the process.[85]
Following their escape from captivity by the Enclave at Raven Rock, the Lone Wanderer returned to the Citadel to plan for the next steps against the Enclave. At this point, they may have then revealed the truth about Vault 87 to Elder Lyons, solving the Brotherhood's decades-long question and enabling them to take more decisive action in the future, but this is unconfirmed. [26]
During their adventures throughout the wastes, the Lone Wanderer may have also participated in other fronts of the conflict. At Bailey's Crossroads, they assisted the Outcasts in repelling one of the mutant attacks on their position.[86] In Vernon Square, they may have helped Reilly's Rangers escape from a mutant ambush, allowing them to continue their fight against the mutants.[87] In Falls Church, they may have helped Paladin Hoss in clearing out the mutants and rescuing Initiate Pek.[88] They may have also accepted a contract to help recover the Declaration of Independence for Abraham Washington of Rivet City; if so, this would have required them to infiltrate the National Archives, a mutant outpost on the Mall.[89] Elsewhere in the wastes, the Wanderer may have also chosen to help Big Town, potentially helping them defend against super mutants and prepare for future attacks, as well as rescuing their kidnapped residents from the super mutant hive in Germantown.[90]
The Brotherhood-Enclave War[]
Following the reactivation of Project Purity, the super mutants took advantage of the newly-formed Water Distribution Network as a new target, attacking water caravans and stealing their shipments.[91] While these attacks were disorganized, simply resulting from opportune encounters between the mutants and the caravans,[92] the mutants evidently still chose to exploit and guard captured water shipments, possibly using them as bait for wastelanders.[93] The Brotherhood's recovery of Project Purity marked the beginning of active combat with the Enclave in the Brotherhood-Enclave War,[94] which became the Brotherhood's top priority and caused them to divert resources away from their standard mutant and raider operations.[95]
The Brotherhood would not reprioritize the super mutants until after their assault on Adams Air Force Base and the Enclave's subsequent retreat from the Capital Wasteland. Afterwards, the Brotherhood resumed its operations in thinning the mutant hordes and clearing the D.C. ruins, which Elder Lyons called the chapter's "next great obstacle." Lyons' Pride was also sent back into the ruins as part of this mission.[96][97][98] Even if they had been told about Vault 87 being the mutant source, they did not seem to be planning an operation to wipe it out in the near future. Whatever the case, the Lone Wanderer may have continued to aid the Brotherhood by killing super mutants and collecting their blood samples for Paladin Tristan.[99][100]
Continued conflicts, 2278 and beyond[]
By August 2279, Elder Lyons died, leaving leadership to his daughter Sarah; however, she would also die in battle soon after.[101] The Brotherhood's war against the Capital Wasteland super mutants would continue even after its subsequent changes in leadership. By around 2282, the super mutants' forces had seemingly became fragmented. However, they began to reorganize that year under a new leader, a super mutant named Shepherd. This was ended by a young Arthur Maxson, who killed Shepherd; his efforts would elevate him to a hero status within the Brotherhood.[101]
Around that time, the super mutants also launched a major offensive against the Brotherhood's main base of operations, including several behemoths. The Brotherhood's Ingram was there at a ridgetop power armor staging area during the battle and was heavily wounded when the ridge was struck by a mini nuke, causing the entire platform she was on to fall off the cliff. Ingram survived due to being inside a power armor suit at the time, but lost the use of her legs afterwards.[102][103]
By 2283, Arthur Maxson would reunite Lyons' Brotherhood with the Outcasts and be declared elder of the reformed East Coast Brotherhood. Under Maxson, the Brotherhood's goals changed, turning from Lyons' humanitarianism back towards a more orthodox goal of preserving humanity from the dangers of advanced science and technology. However, perhaps informed by the chapter's previous conflicts with super mutants, Maxson would continue to make their extermination a priority of the Brotherhood, and he would extend these campaigns to other non-human hostiles as a matter of ideology.[101][104][105][106] These ideological changes would influence the Brotherhood's future campaigns, such as a similar super mutant conflict and the war with the Institute in the Commonwealth, as well as long-range investigations and "cleansing" missions in farther regions.[107]
Through the 2280s, the super mutants of the Capital Wasteland still had access to FEV, and continued to abduct wastelanders to try and create more super mutants. Cutler, a member of the Brotherhood and a friend of Paladin Danse, suffered this fate.[108]
In Fallout 3, any encounters where the player character fights with super mutants can technically be considered part of this conflict. This includes emergent/random encounters, like any encounters with mutants' wasteland captives, as well as some scripted encounters that only progress with the player's presence, like the super mutants' fights with Talon Company in Takoma Park and with the Brotherhood on Pennsylvania Avenue. Since these encounters are only gameplay-determinant, they are not listed above.
Between its earliest known starting point in 2078 and latest reported activity in 2282, an approximate duration of 204 years, this event stands as the longest-lasting military conflict in the Fallout series to date.
↑Super mutants: "I'll eat your brain and drink your blood!" "I'm going to eat your arms when you're dead, human! {growling} "Hurry up and die! I'm hungry! Ha ha ha ha ha! {angry battle taunt}" (Super mutants' dialogue in Fallout 3)
↑ 10.010.110.2The Lone Wanderer: "So what happened to Project Purity?" James: "In the year before you were born, things became difficult. There had always been something of a 'mutant problem' in the city, but it became worse. They attacked more frequently, and more aggressively. Support for the project eroded as time went on, when we couldn't produce any significant results. Progress came to a halt. And then you were born. Your mother and I had talked about what to do when that time came, but then I... We lost her, and I had to make a decision. I chose to leave. From what I understand, things happened quickly after that. It became too dangerous for the others to stay, and so the project was abandoned. Doctor Li and her team left for what became Rivet City, and Project Purity has sat waiting ever since." (James' dialogue)
↑The Lone Wanderer: "Anything about the Super Mutants I should know?" Paladin Bael: "Yeah, the city ruins are crawling with them. They've pretty much overrun all of old D.C. Do yourself, and us, a favor and stay as far away from there as humanly possible. Definitely no place for civilians." (Paladin Bael's dialogue)
↑ 12.012.112.212.3The Lone Wanderer: "Why did they build the walls?" Manya Vargas: "Well, the Raiders, for one. Once the town got big enough, they'd wait until the traders and their guards were away, then come in and clean us out! Now the Super Mutants... They were a whole other breed of problem. They'd kill us if they had to, but mostly they tried to drag people away! Alive! So, eventually, my father did something about it. Him and a few others organized the traders and the citizens and built the walls. So we're pretty safe now. Still, I wish those Brotherhood of Steel fellers hadn't hit on such hard times. They really helped keep the wolves at bay." (Manya Vargas' dialogue)
↑The Lone Wanderer: "What can you tell me about Underworld?" Winthrop: "We were driven underground... hrm... almost fifty years ago now. Between the Super Mutants, the beasts, and you crazy humans, it's not safe up there. So we stay down here, out of sight and out of trouble. We get a few smoothskins every so often, but most of us don't trust 'em. You're not gonna give us more reasons not to be trusting, are you?" (Winthrop's dialogue)
↑ 14.014.1The Lone Wanderer: "Isn't it dangerous being this deep into the city?" Tulip: "Not really. The Super Mutants leave us alone. I guess whatever they do that turns people like them doesn't work on us. The Brotherhood of Steel will fire on us if we're out in the open, but they don't bother us down here. We've had some Raiders and Slavers poke their heads in, but we've got Charon and Cerberus and everyone else to take care of them. I guess when it comes down to it, being this far out of everyone's way is a good deal for us." (Tulip's dialogue)
↑ 15.015.115.2Fallout 3 loading screen: "The Ghouls of Underworld generally aren't bothered by D.C.'s Super Mutants, but resent the Brotherhood of Steel for turning their back yard into a warzone."
↑The Lone Wanderer: "What are you doing wandering around out here?" Wastelander: "We were on our way to Underworld, but we couldn't make it past the Super Mutants. So now we're just going to find our own place in the Wasteland." Note: This is dialogue with ghoul wastelanders in a random encounter.
↑ 19.019.1The Lone Wanderer: "Why are you here in the Capital Wasteland?" Elder Lyons: "Ah, now that's the real question, isn't it? Our orders were, and are, to acquire any and all advanced technology. And we have, to the best of our abilities. But when I realized the extent of the Super Mutant threat, I felt it was my responsibility to aid the people in their struggle against them. Unfortunately, my superiors back west disagree with my assessment of the situation. They feel I've grown too 'attached' to the local populace. And they're right. In any event, the Enclave's arrival changes everything..." (Owyn Lyons' dialogue)
↑ 20.020.1The Lone Wanderer: "What kind of changes?" Reginald Rothchild: "We were dispatched with a specific mission. We were sent to locate and secure any technology remaining from before the war. Like our robotic monstrosity. That was our greatest find. Damn thing still doesn't work, but at least it's ours. But those damned Super Mutants... They changed things. Lyons changed. He decided they were a threat. Not just to us, but to everyone. And so he altered the mission. Finding the source of the mutants and putting a stop to them was his goal. Our original mission became an afterthought. We've failed both." (Reginald Rothchild's dialogue)
↑The Lone Wanderer: "Anything more you can tell me about the Super Mutants?" Elder Lyons: "My child, you seem to have learned more in your brief time than I have in twenty years!" (Elder Owyn Lyons' dialogue)
↑ 22.022.1The Lone Wanderer: "What about the Brotherhood's history in this area?" Elizabeth Jameson: "We first arrived in the Capital Wasteland in 2255. In those first couple of years, we discovered the Citadel, Super Mutants, and Project Purity! Ah, the purifier. What an undertaking. The work your father and his team did was... amazing. The Brotherhood helped protect them, you know. At least for a little while. But we were stretched thin as it was, even back then. We had to pull our forces out. When we did, the place was overrun. I imagine that's when your father left. I... I'm sorry, I wish things had turned out differently." (Elizabeth Jameson's dialogue)
↑The Lone Wanderer: "You knew my father?" Star Paladin Cross: "I did. And you as well! Long ago, I helped guard the water purifier against the Super Mutant horde. When your father left, I escorted the two of you to Megaton. He was... a noble man. I was saddened to hear of his passing. But from what I've heard, he died with honor. He died for you. I only pray that my own death has such meaning." (Star Paladin Cross' dialogue)
↑The Lone Wanderer: "Why did you stop working on it? What happened?" Madison Li: "You happened. It wasn't just you; we had more problems than we could handle already, but your birth is what finally pushed it over the edge. Your father decided that you were more important than everything we'd been working for, and he left. He left all of us. Once he was gone, the Brotherhood decided we weren't worth their time anymore. Without their protection, we had to abandon the purifier." (Madison Li's dialogue)
↑ 26.026.1The Lone Wanderer: "The Super Mutants are coming from Vault 87. It's their breeding ground." Elder Lyons: "Vault 87? Where you found the G.E.C.K.? We've never been able to penetrate the radiation surrounding that area... This information is invaluable! Well done!" (Elder Owyn Lyons' dialogue) Note: This is an optional dialogue available after The American Dream.
↑ 27.027.1Scribe Rothchild: "Vault 87 is located very close to the site of Lamplight Caverns. It is entirely probable that the Vault may be entered from within the caves." The Lone Wanderer: "Don't you know?" Senior Scribe Rothchild: "No, I'm afraid not. After initial attempts to cross the radiation failed, it was decided to focus our efforts elsewhere. You, however, are free to do as you choose. More exploration may be useful. And I'll certainly be interested in anything you might find." The Lone Wanderer: "So there's a Vault down there, and you've never bothered investigating it?" Senior Scribe Rothchild: "Attempts were made, but our resources are stretched thin. The radiation proved fatal, and so our efforts were focused elsewhere. Perhaps you will have more success." (Scribe Reginald Rothchild's dialogue)
↑The Lone Wanderer: "How long have you been here?" Owyn Lyons: "It's been over twenty years since we arrived. And we've been struggling to contain and eradicate the Super Mutants for nearly as long. With the arrival of the Enclave, I have a terrible feeling the Super Mutants are the least of our worries." (Owyn Lyons' dialogue)
↑The Lone Wanderer: "Anything you can tell me about the Super Mutants?" Elder Lyons: "Would you believe... 'no'? It's pathetic, really, considering we've been fighting those abominations for nearly twenty years. In all that time, all we've managed to do is contain the threat. Hold them back, so they don't overrun every blasted settlement out here. But we don't really 'know' anything. Where they're from, why they've infested the D.C. ruins. And now here we are, holed up in our Citadel. Low on resources, low on troops. It's enough to make an old man so very... tired." (Owyn Lyons' dialogue)
↑The Lone Wanderer: "Has your decision been worth it?" Elder Lyons: "Has it been worth the cost in lives and resources to protect people like you from the Super Mutants? You tell me. I suspect my daughter's squad helped save your life. And most of our recent recruits have come from those we've saved over the years. It's cost us, but we've saved many lives and made the Capital Wasteland a place where people can live. Yes, I'd say that's been worth it." (Owyn Lyons' dialogue)
↑The Lone Wanderer: "What have you got against the Brotherhood?" Defender Morgan: "You mean, apart from the fact that they ditched their mission and went native? Sure, I bet you don't mind them being cuddly with the locals, but when we came out here, we had a mission to do, damnit. But now they're wasting their time protecting yahoos like you, while Ahab Lyons is off chasing his Super Mutant white whale." The Lone Wanderer: "But they're heroes! They defend the Capital Wasteland!" Defender Morgan: "And all at the cost of throwing away the lives of soldiers for a mission they didn't sign on for. They're not supposed to be saving a bunch of backwards locals from raiders, they're supposed to be saving mankind from a new dark age. Well, some of mankind, anyway. The important parts, at least." (Anne Marie Morgan's dialogue)
↑The Lone Wanderer: "You must see a lot of things. What's been going on?" Knight Artemis: "What's been going on? Well, let's see. For years, we've been draining our resources defending the ungrateful residents of this no man's land. Most of my best friends have either been ripped apart by Super Mutants or left to join the Outcasts. And now an enemy we faced more than thirty years ago has resurfaced, and their tech is still better than ours. What's been going on with you?" (Knight Artemis' dialogue)
↑The Lone Wanderer: "You make saving people sound like a bad thing." Reginald Rothchild: "It wasn't why we were sent here. Good or bad has nothing to do with it. Lyons knew that, but ignored it. He decided it was more important to save the people here than to obey orders from his superiors. For years he'd try and persuade them to send reinforcements and supplies, all the while stringing them along, saying he was sticking to the mission. Finally, things came to a head. Lyons directly refused orders, and so the West Coast cut us off. No communications, no reinforcements." The Lone Wanderer: "Why, what happened?" Reginald Rothchild: "Lines of communication were severed years ago. The Western Elders have washed their hands of us." (Reginald Rothchild's dialogue)
↑The Lone Wanderer: "Who were the exiles?" Scribe Bowditch: "The soldiers rallied behind Paladin Casdin, who was one of Elder Lyons' original squad. They served together for over twenty years. Casdin was well-respected, and every bit as loyal to the Brotherhood as Elder Lyons. He just disagreed with the interpretations of our oaths. But when disagreements turned into fistfights, he left with the Outcasts. We lost more allies that day than we ever have to any battle." (Bowditch's dialogue)
↑The Lone Wanderer: "What sort of disagreements did they have?" Scribe Bowditch: "Where Elder Lyons has fought to protect the people of the Capital Wasteland, the Outcasts demanded we move on and leave them to their fates. They insisted there was more important technology to be recovered in a scientific base in the ruins of Fort Independence, to the West. As callous as their decision may be, it's more in line with our original mission. Elder Lyons is an inspiration to us, but to them he's a traitor." (Bowditch's dialogue)
↑The Lone Wanderer: "What's the Brotherhood doing here?" Knight Sergeant Wilks: "We have a relationship with the station here. We stay in this reinforced structure, and protect it from the Super Mutants. This is the only real safe spot in the ruins of D.C. The rest of the place is crawling with those walking abominations. It's nice to have a port in the storm, you know?" (Knight Sergeant Wilks' dialogue)
↑The Lone Wanderer: "I'm amazed you're still alive." Three Dog: "Oh I have plenty of enemies that would love nothing more than to put a bullet between my eyes. The only thing keeping that from happening is Sarah Lyons and the Brotherhood of Steel. We've brokered a sweet deal. They keep me from taking a dirt nap, and I keep a strong roof over their head." (Three Dog's dialogue)
↑The Lone Wanderer: "Who did you say you were again?" Sentinel Lyons: "The name's Sarah Lyons, Sentinel and squad commander of the Lyons' Pride. We're with the Brotherhood of Steel. We do our best to hold back the Super Mutants in this area. But when civilians stumble into our sights, that gets a bit difficult. Doesn't it?" (Sarah Lyons' dialogue)
↑Galaxy News Radio: "The boys and girls of the Brotherhood of Steel continue to fight the good fight, folks. They've recently stepped up patrols in the downtown D.C. ruins in response to increasing sightings of everybody's favorite freaks, the Super Mutants. Without our buddies from the Brotherhood, I'm guessing the entire Capital Wasteland would have been overrun a long time ago. So if you see a Knight or Paladin out there fighting your battles for you, give him a big thanks. Or even better some ammo."
↑The Lone Wanderer: "Why can't you send your own people to find the Holotags?" Scribe Jameson: "As I told you, with the increase in Super Mutant activity and Elder Lyons' edicts regarding our goals, we are critically short on manpower. Any soldier that I would ask to do this task is one less soldier fighting in the field or defending the Citadel. As much as I hate to involve outsiders, it is necessary if I am to properly maintain the scrolls to honor the dead." (Scribe Jameson's dialogue)
↑Super mutant: "This is boring. We should be collecting more humans. We need more of us! The bucketheads have killed too many..." (Super mutant's dialogue)
↑The Lone Wanderer: "What's it like living on a giant ship?" Angela Staley: "It's noisy, dark, and smelly. But we're safe here. No Super Mutants or Raiders. And maybe Doctor Li will find a way to get clean water for us." (Angela Staley's dialogue)
↑The Lone Wanderer: "Why are you guys living on this boat?" Bannon: "It's a place to live, safe from Raiders and Super Mutants. With Doctor Li on our side, maybe we can even begin to rebuild the world." (Bannon's dialogue)
↑The Lone Wanderer: "Well, what can you tell me about the reconstruction?" Seagrave Holmes: "Oh, well, the old girl had seen a lot of damage, especially where the Mirelurks used to nest, and where the Super Mutants kept trying to get in. I guess the Mutants and the Mires got so busy fighting each other, it gave us the time we needed to make this place ship shape. Does that tell you what you need to know? Anyway, we're here in Rivet City, and she's in good hands, now." (Seagrave Holmes' dialogue)
↑The Lone Wanderer: "Where did you get most of this junk?" Knick Knack: "Well, some of it's been around for a long time, back when we used to raid the old Vault. But that got too dangerous long before my time. Nowadays, it's just whatever the scavenging teams find and bring in." The Lone Wanderer: "You used to go into Vault 87?" Knick Knack: "Well, it was long before my time, and nowadays the really useful stuff from it is all used by people in town. But I've heard stories about what was in there. Crazy technology and weird gas and all sorts of monsters." (Knick Knack's dialogue)
↑The Lone Wanderer: "Monsters? What do you mean?" Knick Knack: "The big green mutants, of course. Don't you know? They breed down there! That's why we don't go in anymore! Long ago, they used to try to come up and take us away to eat, or whatever they do, but they learned it's not worth trying. We fight back hard, and now that we've got the back door barricaded, they haven't tried to come out for as long as I've been around." (Knick Knack's dialogue)
↑The Lone Wanderer: "I guess I'll have to go to the Vault itself to find out more." Knick Knack: "Probably. I don't think any of us have been in it for generations. Nowadays, we just keep it locked up tight." (Knick Knack's dialogue)
↑Fallout 3 loading screens: "Although it has some crude fortifications, Big Town is the subject of constant attack from Slavers and Super Mutants, who view it as an easy target."
↑Galaxy News Radio: "For all you guys and gals tempted by the thought of scavving in the downtown D.C. ruins, here's a tip... You see, children, the Frankensteins might violently and horrifically rip you to shreds but only if you're lucky. According to most of our reports on the Super Mutants, they actually prefer capturing their victims and hauling them off to God-knows-where. Consider yourself officially warned."
↑Galaxy News Radio: "You think all that shit between the Super Mutants and Brotherhood is bad? Here's the latest on the Harbinger of War himself/herself, that kid from Vault 101."
↑Galaxy News Radio: "I've been getting more and more reports of these mercenary maniacs from Talon Company, especially in the downtown D.C. area. If you see these hombres, steer clear. Whatever you have, they want, and they're not really into asking politely. Word is, these guys take all the contracts the other mercs won't. In short there's nothing they won't do. So be careful out there."
↑Wastelander A: "Creepy, if you ask me. What's it doing out here?" Wastelander B: "Hell if I know. Spying on us probably. Nice reception, though. Wish I had speakers like that on my radio." Wastelander A: "Yeah. Something kind of soothing about it though. Kind of nice to hear something more cheerful than what those hippies on GNR always play." Wastelander B: "Do you think they're watching us through it? 'Hi President Eden!' Maybe he'll come down for a visit sometime, ha ha ha." (Wastelander's dialogue)
↑Megaton settler: "I swear to God, if Nathan starts babbling about the Enclave to me one more time... everyone knows that the Enclave is just a story for kids." "Nathan and his damn Enclave, I tell you... What, does he think, that George Washington is going to ride out of the Wasteland to save everyone?" "Did you hear about the Enclave? Nathan said they're really the U.S. government. He says that they're coming to help us." (Excerpt from Megaton conversations; Megaton settlers' dialogue)
↑The Lone Wanderer: "What can you tell me about Vernon Square?" Butcher: "There's something about this area. I can't put my finger on it, but just like the Mall, there is an unusually high concentration of super mutants." (Butcher's dialogue)
↑The Lone Wanderer: "What can you tell me about Vernon Square?" Reilly: "If I wasn't asking for your help, I'd tell you to stay away. It's thick with super mutants. I don't know why. Butcher, our team medic, has always suspected something is in the area they are looking for or being attracted to. The only place worse I can think of is the Mall." (Reilly's dialogue)
↑ 67.067.1The Lone Wanderer: "What sort of exercise were you doing out here?" Paladin Hoss: "Long range recon. We typically do them in areas that have already been swept and are thought to be clear. Knight Church fell in the initial strike, the Initiate was cut off, and we were forced to retreat." (Paladin Hoss' dialogue)
↑The Lone Wanderer: "I'm ready for anything." Three Dog: "Good, 'cause this isn't going to be easy. Galaxy News Radio is my baby. I love it, I feed it, I keep it changed. But there's one problem, no one outside D.C. can hear her cry. You see, some brainless Super Mutant thought it would be funny to shoot at the shiny round thing on the Washington Monument." The Lone Wanderer: "I see where this is going." Three Dog: "Yep. That shiny thing was our broadcast relay. Now it's swiss cheese. Without it, our broadcast range is quite limited. Of course the factory that made the relay dishes is long gone. Leveled. As in, we're never gonna' scavenge that part again." (Three Dog's dialogue)
↑The Lone Wanderer: "Other assholes?" Willow: "Yeah, you know. Those humans, like you. Well, maybe not like you, I dunno, but humans all the same. The Brotherhood of Steel guys with their testosterone and Power Armor... Those psycho Talon Company mercs..." (Willow's dialogue)
↑The Lone Wanderer: "Sounds dangerous. Where is this place?" Hannibal Hamlin: "I want to move all my people to the Memorial site for the great Abraham Lincoln, but I need to know if it's safe. I've heard rumors of Super Mutants infesting that area though. We need to send someone to check that out first." (Hannibal Hamlin's dialogue)
↑The Lone Wanderer: "What's happening here?" Paladin Hoss: "We were performing a training exercise with one of the Initiates when we were cut off by the Super Mutants. We saw him flee into a building up ahead during the attack, but before we could link up with him, we were pushed back. Now that we've cleared this area, we can press forward and attempt to recover the initiate. I only pray that he is unharmed." (Paladin Hoss' dialogue)
↑The Lone Wanderer: "How did this all happen, Reilly?" Reilly: "We were mapping the Vernon Square part of the downtown ruins and got jumped by a Super Mutant ambush party. Usually it isn't a problem, but this group was bigger than usual. We fought our way into Our Lady of Hope Hospital, hoping to find cover. Eventually the fight spilled into the Statesman Hotel and we ran all the way to the roof. I left my guys up there and tried to stealth out but got caught by a Mutie ambush patrol. That was the last thing I remember." (Reilly's dialogue)
↑The Lone Wanderer: "Last stand?" Reilly: "Last stand? Well, we hoped not. We figured we'd get up there and get a better signal to radio the Brotherhood of Steel for help. Problem is, help never arrived. Vernon Square is so thick with the Super Mutants, I don't think they could slip through." (Reilly's dialogue)
↑The Lone Wanderer: "So that leaves them up there. How come you're here?" Reilly: "My bad idea I'm afraid. I had a Stealth Boy which allowed me to slip off the roof unnoticed. The plan was to get back to get some help. I was almost at the street when a Super Mutant jumped me. Damn near ripped my arm off in the process. Last thing I remember was falling into a culvert. Now I'm here. Some rescue attempt, huh?" (Reilly's dialogue)
↑Events of main quest Following in His Footsteps Note: While this is a main quest in Fallout 3, the events at the GNR building can be fully skipped during the quest and so are still optional. The behemoth's presence is tied to the player's arrival, so it can happen after the battle instead of during the battle.
↑Three Dog: "One of the Brotherhood guys that passed through here mentioned seeing a dish in one of D.C.'s old museums. It's the dish off of the old Virgo II Lunar Lander in the Museum of Technology. I want you to get it and bring it to the Washington Monument to replace the bad one. That's it." (Three Dog's dialogue)
↑The Lone Wanderer: "You're not the only one with problems." Scribe Bigsley: "Right. I heard about your dad. Sorry kid. I don't mean to sound unsympathetic, really. But, if you understood the pressure...You know the Wasteland. Imagine trying to get fresh water to every known settlement, without getting it stolen by Raiders or Mutants.Now imagine doing that without any trained soldiers or military resources because they've all been exhausted fighting a little war with the Enclave.Yeah. That's MY job. Not to mention the mountain of crap I get from all the lab coats running around underfoot." (Scribe Bigsley's dialogue)
↑The Lone Wanderer: "That's why I'm here, actually. Bigsley sent me." Officer Lepelletier: "Oh, he did? I was beginning to think he forgot about us.You know the Wasteland. Imagine trying to get fresh water to every known settlement, without getting it stolen by Raiders or Mutants.Not sure how much you know: There's been an increase in attacks on the caravans. Seems organized and not just the random Raider or Mutant encounter.I'm running out of resources and I'm down to my greenest men. I want to get to the bottom of these coordinated attacks. The sooner the better." (Officer Lepelletier's dialogue)
↑The Lone Wanderer: "What else can you tell me about the fight against the Enclave?" Elder Lyons: "As you know, I had my reservations about engaging the Enclave. They did not directly attack us, and I believed we had time. Time to be cautious. Their assault on the purifier forced our hand. We had no choice but to engage them directly. And, once that engagement had begun, we could do nothing but see it through to the end. If they had not considered us a threat before, they do now. So we have spent the time since you and I last spoke systematically locating and destroying every bastion of Enclave force we can. Liberty Prime has proven far more successful than any of us could have hoped for." (Elder Owyn Lyons' dialogue)
↑Galaxy News Radio: "It's been some time since those plucky paladins in Power Armor first stormed the Jefferson Memorial and gave the Enclave their walking papers. But the fight, dear children, did not end there. The Brotherhood has been pursuing 'President' Eden's little minions throughout the Wasteland. You know, some laser beams here, a few exploded corpses there. Let's just hope this mop up operation ends ASAP. The Enclave's been responsible for enough death and destruction. We need to get back to normal. You know, like fighting Raiders and Super Mutants."
↑The Lone Wanderer: "So, what happens to the Brotherhood now?" Sentinel Lyons: "If you think this means the Pride has nothing to do anymore, you're crazy. We've still got the damn Frankensteins crawling all over D.C. and Rothchild's got us picking up every blinking gizmo from here to Virginia. Quite a bit of work cut out for us, eh?" (Sentinel Sarah Lyons' dialogue)
↑The Lone Wanderer: "What's next for the Pride?" Sentinel Lyons: "Father is sending us into D.C. to scour the ruins and try and cleanse it of Super Mutants. He's calling it 'our next great obstacle.' Sometimes I wish we could just take a rest. But I have to keep a stiff upper lip and help the machine run smoothly, so that's what I'm going to do." (Sentinel Sarah Lyons' dialogue)
↑The Lone Wanderer: "So, what happens to the Brotherhood now?" Paladin Tristan: "Well, the Enclave might not be a threat anymore, but we're not done by a long shot. We've still got Muties crawling all over the ruins like rats and they're multiplying every day. It's no picnic keeping their numbers down, but that's our job." (Paladin Tristan's dialogue)
↑The Lone Wanderer: "Is there anything else I can do to help the Brotherhood?" Paladin Tristan: "Well, yes actually. If you're still up for it, I could always use a hand with my next assignment. The Super Mutants are still a major problem in the Capital Wasteland and one of our primary missions is to cleanse this place of their stink. All I need you to do is to thin their numbers. You see one, you put a bullet into its head. I'm outfitting your Pip-Boy with the same blood sampling device we usually give our Scouts. After you kill a Mutant, grab a sample from its corpse and bring it here. I'll see you're properly compensated for your ammo expenditure." (Paladin Tristan's dialogue)
↑ 101.0101.1101.2The Prydwen terminal entries; Proctor Quinlan's terminal, The Rise of Elder Maxson Note: There is no explicit date given for Elder Lyons' death. However, the order of the entries "Enter Maxson" and "Accomplishments" suggests that both Owyn and Sarah Lyons died before or while Arthur Maxson was age 12, which would correspond to August 2279 at the latest (based on the Fallout 3 game guide, he is age 10 when the game takes place in 2277).
↑The Sole Survivor: "Your Power Armor helped you survive the fall?" Ingram: "Yeah, it took the brunt of the impact... but I don't know if I'd call it "surviving."The suit was trashed after it landed, and I lost both of my legs.Haven't walked since." (Nate's/Nora's and Proctor Ingram's dialogue)
↑The Sole Survivor: "Would it help if I promised not to tell anyone else?" Ingram: "Okay, okay... if it'll get you off my back about it.I was fighting with the Brotherhood in the Capital Wasteland. Worked at a staging area for the Power Armor troops.Our position was along a ridgeline overlooking the battlefield. I'd say it was a hundred foot drop, give or take." The Sole Survivor: "Who were you fighting?" Ingram: "Super Mutants.The damn things had wrangled a couple of behemoths and were marching on our main base of operations.To make a long story short, the ridge I was standing on took a hit from a nuke.Sheered most of the cliff right off and caused the platform I was standing on to tumble over the side.If I hadn't have been test-piloting one of the Power Armor suits at the time, I would have died." The Sole Survivor: "You weren't aboard the Prydwen?" Ingram: "The Prydwen wasn't under Maxson's command at the time. It wasn't even in the Capital Wasteland.If she'd have been there, the battle wouldn't have been such a challenge.To make a long story short, the ridge I was standing on took a hit from a nuke.Sheered most of the cliff right off and caused the platform I was standing on to tumble over the side.If I hadn't have been test-piloting one of the Power Armor suits at the time, I would have died." (Nate's/Nora's and Proctor Ingram's dialogue) Note: Ingram does not give a date, but her mention of the Prydwen suggests it was already completed at the time and not under Maxson's command. This would date the reference to around 2282 at the earliest, given the other references dating the Prydwen's earliest known airborne year (see the Prydwen's page).
↑The Sole Survivor: "What are my responsibilities as a Sentinel?" Arthur Maxson: "I need you to set an example for the troops. Collect technology, exterminate abominations of nature and bring a message of stability to the people of Commonwealth. Our ideals are what define us, Sentinel. If we can hold onto that, then we will always be victorious." (Elder Maxson's dialogue)
↑The Sole Survivor: "Super Mutants? I thought the enemy was the Institute." Elder Maxson: "Super Mutants are no better than synths. They're a reminder of man's folly when it comes to harnessing technology.Whether it's using biochemistry to manipulate genes or trying to create life from a bunch of circuits, it's the wrong path for science. As members of the Brotherhood, it's our sworn duty to exterminate these abominations in every form.So, can I count on you to get the job done?" (Elder Arthur Maxson's dialogue)
↑Danse: " I've... never been very good at these things. Let me start at the beginning. I grew up alone in the Capital Wasteland. Spent most of my childhood picking through the ruins and selling scrap. When I was a bit older, and had a few caps to my name, I moved into Rivet City and opened a junk stand. While I was there, I met a guy named Cutler. We got along pretty well, watched each other's backs and kept each other out of trouble. When the Brotherhood came through on a recruiting run, we felt like it was the best way out of our nowhere lives, so we joined up." Sole Survivor: "I'm glad you had greater ambitions than just selling junk." Danse: "Once I saw what the Brotherhood had to offer, there was no comparison. Anyway, about a year after we were posted to the Prydwen, Cutler vanished on a scouting op. It took some convincing, but I was able to persuade my CO to let me assemble a squad and search for him. It took almost three weeks, but we tracked his team down to a Super Mutant hive. Those wretched abominations had slaughtered everyone but Cutler. He should have been so lucky. The mutant bastards used their FEV to change him into one of their own kind. He wasn't Cutler anymore. I had to... it was my duty to... put him down." Sole Survivor: "I can't believe you'd do that to him." Danse: "I didn't have a choice. Ever since Cutler died, I've seen other soldiers come and go. Some were brave, some were honest... hell, some were even downright heroic. But I'd never consider any of them to be a good friend, a friend like Cutler was... until now. It's a good feeling, but it frightens me all the same. Having a bond with someone then losing them... it changes you. I don't want to go through that again." (Danse's dialogue)
Non-game
↑ 1.01.1Fallout 3 Official Game Guide Game of the Year Edition p.42: "Super Mutants The Super Mutants that infest the urban ruin of Washington D.C. originated in Vault 87. Those unlucky enough to have reserved space in Vault 87 soon found themselves forcefully taken to a secure part of the Vault, where they were locked in airtight chambers and exposed to a concentrated form of the F.E.V. The Overseer and his security force had no real idea what to expect; they were simply following the "plan." When the exposed Vault dwellers started transforming into Super Mutants, nearly the entire Vault population had been exposed. Those who hadn't yet metamorphosed knew what was coming, and, well...it didn't end well for humanity. The dwellers of Vault 87 were turned into Super Mutants in 2078, and have been a presence in the Capital Wasteland ever since. Most of those original Super Mutants have long since been killed. But whether it's because of the nature of the F.E.V. they were exposed to, or a simple underlying human instinct, the Super Mutants of the Capital Wasteland are obsessed with the preservation of their own species. Super Mutants are asexual and incapable of procreation, so their only way of reproducing is to kidnap other humans, drag them back to the Vault 87 chambers, and infect them with F.E.V. And so they have done, for nearly 200 years. Super Mutant society is loosely hierarchical, with the weaker (most recently transformed) Super Mutants generally giving way to the stronger. The Super Mutant hierarchy, as defined by the Capital Wasteland contingent of the Brotherhood of Steel, is as follows: Grunt, Brute, Master, and Behemoth. Generally speaking, the Super Mutants of the Capital Wasteland get bigger, stronger, and dumber as they age. The Behemoths are so strong and savage that they’re the only thing feared by the other Super Mutants." (Fallout 3 Official Game Guide faction profiles)
↑Fallout 3 Official Game Guide Game of the Year Edition p. 337: "DEAD MONSTROSITIES" "This is a place where F.E.V. experiments have led to unspeakable breeding programs and the creation of new Super Mutants. Humans began experimenting on one another in order to gain a jump forward in evolution. What they achieved was a plummet into a realm of monstrosities. Seen as the Eastern "birthing" place of the Super Mutants, this is the closest the Muties have to holy ground. The central hot spot of the radiation has been measured at up to +2910 RAD/SEC. this means instant death, and the exterior entrance is inaccessible. There's a .32 Pistol and a dead scientist with a radiation suit, but you'll never live long enough to reach them. The only way to enter is via Little Lamplight."
↑ 3.03.1Fallout 3 Official Game Guide Game of the Year Edition p.71: "Elder Owyn Lyons Lyons, 75, was already highly decorated when he set out from the order's West Coast headquarters, leading a party of soldiers on a mission to reestablish contact with the 'Eastern Brotherhood.' He discovered this abandoned Pentagon military complex. The presence of Super Mutants sent a chill up the collective spine of the Brotherhood; these weren't the children of the dreaded Master, nor were they the remnants of the band that fled east and were ultimately destroyed (or assimilated into the Brotherhood of Steel) in the Chicago area. No, this was a new breed of Super Mutant, one with a local origin. But where did they come from? What did they want? How were they reproducing? Elder Lyons was ordered to discover the source of this new Super Mutant infestation and wipe it from the face of the earth. Recent weeks have seen him galvanize his "Pride" to thwart the remnants of the Enclave forces, and to provide drinking water to all." (Fallout 3 Official Game Guide Game of the Year Edition Wasteland Census)
