“Now is not a good time to be talking.”
Garza is a citizen of Rivet City and general laborer for Doctor Madison Li's science team in Fallout 3.
Background[]
Born around 2247, Garza is a physically imposing and very reserved man. His past is a mystery to others in Rivet City, and he refuses to talk about it with anyone. In fact, he would prefer not to talk at all, and tends to limit his speech to as few words as necessary.[Non-game 1]
Garza claims to have had little purpose in his life before Doctor Madison Li helped him through a difficult time in his life.[1] Since then, he has been working for Doctor Li as a general laborer in the Rivet City science lab, moving heavy equipment for her,[2][3] helping maintain the hydroponic gardens for Janice Kaplinski,[4][5] storing newly-received shipments,[6] and providing general assistance to Henry Young.[7][8] Working closely with Doctor Li and the science team has caused him to develop absolute faith in her. He even believes that without her, Rivet City would be no better off than Megaton.[9] Rivet City's working people often ask him about the doctor's work, though he has little to say about it, true to character.[10]
Garza spends his free time working out on the Rivet City flight deck.[Non-game 1] He takes great effort in maintaining his physique, which he attributes solely to "hard work and sweat," and is disgusted by the idea of using chems, especially muscle enhancers.[11] This may or may not be related to an underlying health issue: Garza has a serious heart condition which could be fatal if he does not take medicine regularly,[12][13] and is easily exacerbated under stressful and/or shocking circumstances.[14] In the absence of his heart medication, Stimpaks or other stimulants like Buffout can briefly keep him going, but they are not a perfect substitute (especially not the latter).[15]
Schedule[]
The following is Garza's intended daily schedule in Rivet City. His home room is on the ground floor of the Rivet City science lab, and he will try to stay there at any time that he does not have other activities in his schedule.
- 5 to 7 a.m.: Garza wakes up and idles in his room.
- 7 to 9 a.m.: Garza eats in his room.
- 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.: Garza sandboxes around the science lab, interacting with the other NPCs.
- 5 to 7 p.m.: Garza goes out to the flight deck and wanders around.
- 7 to 9 p.m.: Garza goes back to his room to eat.
- 9 to 11 p.m.: Garza goes back outside to the flight deck.
- 11 p.m. to 5 a.m.: Garza goes back to his room and goes to sleep.
Interactions with the player character[]
Interactions overview[]
| Interactions | ||
|---|---|---|
  |
This character is involved in quests. | |
  |
This character drops an ear upon death (Contract Killer). | |
Quests[]
- The Waters of Life: Provided Garza is alive when this quest begins, he will join the Project Purity team and head to the Jefferson Memorial to help Doctor Li restart the project. He does not necessarily believe in the project, but he believes Dr. Li will make it work and wishes to help her in any way possible.[16][17] He is somewhat unnerved by the super mutants infesting the memorial, cautioning that they previously overwhelmed the Brotherhood of Steel garrison there,[18] but is thankful to the Lone Wanderer for helping to ensure their safety. After the memorial is cleared, Garza will work inside it until the Enclave attacks, and will flee with Doctor Li, Alex Dargon, and Daniel Agincourt through the Taft Tunnel. He can be asked to help fight against the Enclave soldiers, but he will be unable to, saying that he is not feeling well.[19] As such, he will only follow the player character and will not fight back.
- Upon entering the second part of the tunnel, assuming he has survived up to that point, Garza's heart condition will flare up (having left his meds behind when fleeing),[20] forcing the group to stop. Doctor Li will tell the player character to provide medicine,[21][22] though Alex Dargon will say that they must leave Garza behind.[23] The Lone Wanderer has several options:
- Give five Stimpaks or three Buffout (with a Very Easy Speech Challenge)[24] to Dr. Li (Garza can be told about the Stimpaks but will simply say to give them to Dr. Li). This will allow Garza to recover and keep moving, though he is still too weak to help fight against the Enclave soldiers. Giving Stimpaks leads to a +100 Karma reward.[19]
- Pass a Very Easy Speech Challenge to either convince Garza to stay behind,[25] or convince Dr. Li to leave Garza behind.[26][27] Either option will cause him to stay in Taft Tunnel while the rest of the group leaves.
- Kill Garza. The player character will receive -100 Karma and an angry response from Dr. Li.[28][29]
- Upon entering the second part of the tunnel, assuming he has survived up to that point, Garza's heart condition will flare up (having left his meds behind when fleeing),[20] forcing the group to stop. Doctor Li will tell the player character to provide medicine,[21][22] though Alex Dargon will say that they must leave Garza behind.[23] The Lone Wanderer has several options:
- Wasteland Survival Guide: Garza can be asked about Rivet City's history, but will simply refuse to answer, whether or not he actually knows anything on the subject.[30]
Effects of the player's actions[]
- If Garza survives The Waters of Life (by being given Stimpaks or Buffout) and then makes it to the Citadel, he will stay inside the Citadel laboratory for the rest of the main storyline, following Dr. Li around.
Other interactions[]
- With Broken Steel, if Garza is still alive when the add-on storyline begins, he will be disabled by the game; the same occurs to Nathan Vargas. This is in contrast to Alex Dargon and Daniel Agincourt, who will relocate to the Jefferson Memorial if they are still alive. Garza's absence is not commented on by anyone in-game.
Inventory[]
| Apparel | Weapon | Other items | On death |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brahmin-skin outfit | Hammer Wrench |
Notes[]
- At one point, a shipment of something he handled for the science team was stolen because the container wasn't locked. Because of this, he was asked to make sure the next one was,[6] which prompted him to go to Commander Lana Danvers, who would send someone down to change the locks.[31]
- Garza once accidentally shorted out the lab's electrical system by stacking crates on the cables. He occasionally still stacks crates on the cables, with Henry Young reminding him not to do so.[8]
- Garza has dialogue where he would go to eat at Gary's Galley and ask the Staleys for mirelurk cakes. However, this will never play since Garza will only eat in his room in the science lab.[32]
- Garza is self-admittedly not religious and has rejected Diego's offer to attend service at Saint Monica's Church.[33]
- Garza is one of a handful of characters in the series who is stated to suffer from a heart condition,[34][35] with another being John Cassidy from Fallout 2.
- Doctor Li would never suggest giving Garza Buffout for his heart condition. She would do so only if the Lone Wanderer can convince her that the situation is urgent enough to require it.[24][15]
- Garza is the only member of the team to make an accurate tactical observation when he arrives at the Jefferson Memorial, advising the Lone Wanderer to watch out for the super mutants who had already routed the Brotherhood at the memorial once.[18]
- Garza has a large number of "unfinished" conversations with missing prompts within Rivet City's dynamic conversation dialogue.[36]
Notable quotes[]
- "Now is not a good time to be talking."
- "Please excuse me. There is much work to be done."
- "I thank you for risking your life to make sure we are safe."
- "Now we must worry about mutants as well? Perhaps we should have stayed at Rivet City."
- "I am unsure how useful I will be at this Purity Project, but I am happy to do whatever I can to help Doctor Li."
Appearances[]
Garza appears only in Fallout 3.
Behind the scenes[]
Garza is the Spanish word for heron.
Bugs[]
- Garza can sometimes be found in the super mutant stronghold between Rivet City and the Jefferson Memorial. If he dies there, he will not appear as part of the group during The Waters of Life. [verified]
- If Garza is there at night and the super mutants are killed to prevent Garza from dying, he may go over to the makeshift beds at the rear of the camp and fall asleep there until morning, when he will walk back to Rivet City. He may also pick up any of the super mutants' weapons and will continue to hold them for the rest of the game (or until he finds a better one). [verified]
- Garza is not removed from the game if he is left behind in Taft Tunnel alive, despite his supposedly life-threatening condition. Because of this he will just stay there for the rest of the game, and can be reencountered if the tunnel is revisited, though he will only have default greeting dialogue. There is no way to get him out of this state. [verified]
References[]
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Non-game
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Fallout 3 Official Game Guide Game of the Year Edition p.74: "Garza
Garza, 30, is something of a mystery. He's physically imposing and very reserved. He won't speak of his past and prefers not to speak at all. Garza spends half his day doing heavy lifting for the scientists in the lab and the other half on the flight deck working out. If he survives the escape from Project Purity, he joins up with Brotherhood of Steel and becomes a significant ally."
(Fallout 3 Official Game Guide Game of the Year Edition Wasteland Census)
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