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Doctor Edgar Blackburn is an independent scientist and researcher operating in Appalachia.
Blackburn first appears visiting Fort Atlas to request technology and equipment from the Brotherhood First Expeditionary Force. However, the events of the Steel Reign questline gradually reveal that Blackburn was an employee of West Tek before the Great War, and is the culprit behind several disappearances in Appalachia, capturing wastelanders for human test subjects in a revival of his scientific work. Blackburn hopes to undo West Tek's creation of the super mutants and reinvent humanity using FEV, no matter the cost.[2]
Background[]
Blackburn worked as a research scientist before the Great War, and was trained in multiple specialties. He was a colleague of Farha and Jain. He clashed with Farha on the ethical boundaries of research, and he and Jain only became familiar with each other after they both went on to work at West Tek.
As he was fortunate enough to survive the bombs dropping, he decided to continue his research, despite the conditions, and instead focus his efforts on the health of the people of Appalachia.[3] He is mostly interested in the diseases and viruses present in the region, as many of its residents have been over-reliant on "folk remedies and makeshift medicines." He is especially concerned by the long-term effects of radiation in the area, stating that just because it is survivable, does not mean that it is safe.[4] He prefers to work in solitude, and although he has more appreciation for the hygiene standards of Foundation than the Crater, he remains independent in his scientific pursuits.[5] Doctor Blackburn freely admits that his social skills are not the best, and although he attempts to remain professional, he recognizes that he can be "rather unthinkingly brusque."[6]
At some point, Blackburn began working with Jain, Farha and Nellie Wright to see if they could improve the FEV virus as a means to help humanity thrive in the wasteland. In doing so, they conducted harsh and fatal experiments in Vault 96 on non-consenting abducted people such as Cassie Halloway. Blackburn also once subjected a mole rat to several thousand volts. In order to acquire human test subjects, Blackburn contracted with a group of mercenaries called the Hellcat Company who did not question the ethics of his work.
As the Brotherhood returned to Appalachia, led by the First Expeditionary Force, Doctor Blackburn heard that they possessed advanced technology. Interested, he traveled to Fort Atlas to see if an arrangement could be made with the group, as his research occasionally requires items that are hard to obtain through normal scavenging and bartering. However, upon arrival, Blackburn saw that the Brotherhood was less organized than he expected, and theorized that their technological needs likely outweighed his own.[7]
Quite a while later, while Knight Shin leads an assault on the super mutants, Paladin Rahmani takes it upon herself to investigate their cause. Investigating the disappearance of wastelanders amongst the Blue Ridge Caravan convoys, Rahmani and the Vault Dweller discover Blackburn is responsible. Blackburn is tracked to Vault 96, where he is apprehended by Odessa Valdez. He is brought to Fort Atlas and questioned, but Blackburn only threatens the Brotherhood that he is a step ahead of them, and he has allies working to test FEV out in the wild. He willingly cooperates, seeing no point in resistance. While he acknowledges the moral failings of his experiments, he is entirely unrepentant believing it all to be in humanity's ultimate interests.[citation needed]
Desperate to stop the FEV spread, Rahmani and Shin escort Blackburn to West Tek. Blackburn manages to regroup with his allies Jain, Farha and Nellie. There he reveals to all parties that he had already set the FEV strain they had been working on to release into Appalachia's air and groundwater on an automated timer, and that only he has the codes that could possibly shut them off. He points out that unless he is released to his colleagues, no-one will have any means of preventing the spread of the FEV. Frustrated, the Brotherhood complies. However insistent to the very end that all issues with the FEV have finally been resolved after such an enormous length of human casualties he descends to the lower chamber to use himself as a test subject for their FEV strain to prove its validity. However his analysis was in error- Dr. Blackburn was instead transformed into a super mutant behemoth and went on a rampage where he was ultimately put down and killed by the Brotherhood.
Seeing how their FEV strain was just as flawed as before, Dr. Blackburn's colleagues used his codes to prevent the automated release of the FEV to Appalachia, and awaited their judgement by the Brotherhood.
Personality[]
Dr. Blackburn is unfailingly polite and even-tempered, being eloquent and soft-spoken in his interactions. He dismisses the FEV experiments in Huntersville by West-Tek as 'play science,' as it was an experiment done merely to see if they could do so, rather than to gain data. He considers what happened to Huntersville a moral tragedy, and accepts much of the blame for facilitating it.[citation needed]
However. Dr. Blackburn believes that these inhumane experiments must be turned toward the good of humanity in order to justify the suffering. This belief cemented itself in Dr. Blackburn and his surviving colleagues after the Great War as the standards of medicine had dropped precipitously, background radiation was an everpresent danger, and diseases like the Scorched Plague threatened to end the last survivors of humanity. With this in mind, Dr. Blackburn convinced himself that if FEV could be tamed, it would prove to be humanity's salvation.
However, this belief led him to even more inhumane actions, kidnapping wastelanders, keeping them in conditions just shy of torture, and finally subjecting them to horrific mutations and often abandoning the resultant super mutants to the surface of Appalachia for his own convenience. Though he wishes to be recognized as a savior, he accepts that many will view him as a monster.[citation needed]
Despite his contrition, he's not above the use of deception. He lied to his colleagues about the nature of his experiments, claiming the human test-subjects were volunteers (though many of them ignored their own suspicions on the subject), and when asked about his work, he refers to it as simply the study of diseases. His skill in deception was useful to him when he was captured by the Brotherhood: despite being completely out gunned, he was able to maneuver his way straight to the test chambers of West-Tek where the Brotherhood could not halt his plans.[citation needed]
In addition, his lack of concern or empathy for human suffering is consistent: while he experimented on innocent wastelanders, he was remarkably unconcerned for the fate of the Hellcat Mercenaries he had hired when they were killed fighting his battles, and even toward his scientific colleagues he couched appeals for mercy primarily through their value as scientists.
Ultimately Dr. Blackburn's denial was his own undoing. He kept insisting to himself and his colleagues that every dead-end in their FEV research MUST be reaching towards some completed stage that would eliminate FEV's harmful side-effects, and there was no argument that could dissuade him of this belief as he saw himself as being the only one to see the complete picture. So convinced of this belief he was willing to subject himself to what he thought was the 'completed' strain to prove to the Brotherhood that they did not have to fear the FEV's release, only to become horrifically transformed and mutated, lashing out in blind rage as a super mutant behemoth.
Interactions with the player character[]
Interactions overview[]
| Interactions | ||
|---|---|---|
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This character cannot be killed. Status expires when The Catalyst boss fight begins. | |
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This character is involved in quests. | |
Quests[]
- Forging Trust: Dr. Blackburn is one of four civilians inside Fort Atlas, each with their own problems and requests for the Brotherhood of Steel. Knight Shin asks that the player character interview these civilians, though ultimately Shin discards Blackburn's request. Unless Blackburn is willing to fully work for the Brotherhood, conducting his research for and under the supervision of the Brotherhood, Shin cannot give resources to a civilian scientist, especially if this research proves dangerous.[8]
- A Satisfied Conscience: Blackburn is confronted in Vault 96 by the Vault Dweller and Valdez at the end of the quest.
- The Catalyst: Blackburn is being apprehended in Fort Atlas. He later appears in the FEV production facility beneath West Tek. After reuniting with his associates, he injects himself and is fought as a large mutant.
Inventory[]
| Apparel | Weapon | Other items |
|---|---|---|
| Lab coat Eyeglasses |
Notable quotes[]
- "Their hygiene standards are better than the lot at Crater, but no. I prefer to work in solitude. One day, perhaps, my research will be of benefit to them and all the other people of Appalachia."
- "I imagine the Brotherhood would object to a collection of blood samples from all its members. Shame."
- "I record this log not to seek forgiveness. I neither deserve nor require it. I ask only that you, my hypothetical listener, know that the things to come are not the product of ill-intent or a sadistic mania. One day, good will come of the evil I am set to do. I hope that you are there to see it, and understand."
- "The FEV was never meant to create abominations. At its core is something wondrous and hopeful. I will free it from what they made of it. Humanity will have the future it should have had, and a better human will build that world, free from fear."
- "Too far? Does that term even apply when the goal is the permanent protection of humanity from the horrors of the Wasteland? I told you my work focused on the health of Appalachia's people. You must see that my research was towards that aim."
- "In time, you will realize the gift I have given you."
- "Rage! Uncontrollable rage!"
- "I must kill you... for science!"
- "Death! Death to the Brotherhood!"
Notes[]
If Cassie Halloway is informed of Blackburn's death, she mentions that she is almost sorry for him, saying regarding the experimentation and killings that, "it seemed like he hated what he was doing." However, the harm that he caused and deaths that occurred at his hands outweigh any sympathy she has for him, hoping that he "died badly."[9]
Related holotapes[]
Appearances[]
Edgar Blackburn appears only in Fallout 76, introduced in the Steel Dawn update and expanded upon in the Steel Reign update.
Behind the scenes[]
Quest designer Joshua Moretto worked on content relating to Edgar Blackburn, including writing for the character[Non-game 1] and working on the boss fight against him during The Catalyst.[Non-game 2]
Gallery[]
Human[]
Super mutant behemoth[]
.png "FO76SR The Catalyst (Mutant Blackburn).png (194 KB)")
.png "Super Mutant Blackburn (2).png (2.13 MB)")
References[]
- ↑ Events of The Catalyst
- ↑ FEV research logs
- ↑ Vault Dweller: "Tell me more about yourself."
Doctor Blackburn: "I am sure you have more interesting things to do than listen to a poorly-socialized Wasteland doctor talk about himself. In short, I trained in multiple specialties before the war, and had a brief career as a research scientist prior to the bombs dropping. Finding myself fortunate enough to survive, I have continued my research, such as it is. Now I focus on the health of the people of Appalachia. Please do not ask me to examine any strange growths. I am not that kind of doctor."
(Doctor Blackburn's dialogue) - ↑ Vault Dweller: "Can you tell me about your research?"
Doctor Blackburn: "It would be difficult to express it in layman's terms. No offense intended. In essence, I have been studying the illnesses of Appalachia. For too long, people have relied on folk remedies and makeshift medicines. The long term effects of this environment are concerning. Just because the radiation is survivable does not mean it is safe."
(Doctor Blackburn's dialogue) - ↑ Vault Dweller: "Are you working with Foundation?"
Doctor Blackburn: "Their hygiene standards are beter than the lot at Crater, but no. I prefer to work in solitude. One day, perhaps, my research will be of benefit to them and all the other people of Appalachia."
(Doctor Blackburn's dialogue) - ↑ Doctor Blackburn: "I am waiting to speak with a Brotherhood representative. I have no interest in small talk with strangers."
Vault Dweller: "I was going to speak to Knight Shin for you, but if you want to be like that..."
Doctor Blackburn: "Perhaps I spoke too hastily. I can be rather unthinkingly brusque. Doctor Edgar Blackburn, at your service. Are you working with this Knight Shin? What has he said to you?"
(Doctor Blackburn's dialogue) - ↑ Vault Dweller: "He asked me to find out what you wanted from the Brotherhood."
Doctor Blackburn: "I had heard that the Brotherhood possessed advanced technology. As a doctor and a scientist, this was of great interest. My research is always in need of equipment and materials rather difficult to obtain by scavenging and bartering. I came to see if an arrangement could be made, but from what I can see of their operations, they are as yet still in too much disarray. Given the state of my fellow supplicants, I would hypothesize that their needs likely outweigh my own."
(Doctor Blackburn's dialogue) - ↑ Vault Dweller: "It could be good for everyone if you helped him."
Knight Shin: "Our job is to procure and protect technology, not fund civilian scientists in developing it. If the Doctor's research proves dangerous, then the Brotherhood will take a very pointed interest. Until then, it is his problem."
(Knight Shin's dialogue) - ↑ Cassie Halloway: "Good. It's weird...I almost felt sorry for him, sometimes. It seemed like he hated what he was doing. Not that sorry, though. He still did it anyway, and lots of folks died at his hands. I hope he died badly."
(Cassie Halloway's dialogue)
Non-game
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