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For other characters named Ken, see Ken. |
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"Uncle" Ken is a denizen of Mount Desert Island and technically the last harborman to hold out away from Far Harbor in 2287 in the Fallout 4 add-on Far Harbor.
Background[]
Ken and his family have lived on Mount Desert Island for seven generations.[1] The family homestead is the National Park visitor's center, and as of 2287, Ken is its sole occupant. In fact, he is the last harborman who continues to hold out on the island instead of retreating to Far Harbor. This is possible only because his nephew Mitch sent him Acadian Fog condensers acquired from Captain Avery, which protects him from the Fog around the vistor's center.[2][3]
Ken's decision to hold out stems from stubbornness and pride in his old age. He believes it would dishonor his family's memory if he left their homestead,[1] and he intends to spend his final days on his land even if this means never seeing Mitch again.[4] The other reason is that he is reluctant to change a routine that has worked so far: Ken has managed to keep the island's dangers away with a range of traps and defenses, plus his own rifle; the victims' corpses serve as another deterrent. As Ken sees it, he's managed to balance a delicate position in the island's ecosystem, and any disturbance to his lifestyle will upset this.[5] To keep these "disturbances" away, he habitually tells off visitors (the ones friendly enough not to be shot on sight, at least) with blustery threats of violence.[6][7] Ken is so accustomed to living alone that he will shoo away even people who help him and messengers with news from his family;[8] he is also so confident in his survival ability that he will brush off any and all concerns, even from his family.[9][10] Even threats of force may not change his attitude.[7]
Ken is proud of and loves his nephew Mitch, and considers him a "smart one" in the family.[2] Although he is dead set on holding out, he is a little saddened by not being able to see Mitch again, and wishes his nephew would visit or write more often.[11] For his part, Mitch is also worried about his aging uncle, since he also never visits or writes to Mitch. While Mitch is too prideful to make it clear, he is looking for someone to check up on Uncle Ken and, if possible, convince Ken to live with him in Far Harbor.[12] That being said, Mitch knows his uncle is a little "crazy" and may not agree even though his beloved nephew is the one expressing concern.[3][13]
Personality[]
Like his nephew Mitch, Ken has an abrasive and irritable attitude; the harbormen's culture of independence has made Ken fiercely stubborn and prideful.[6][1] He is defiant and skeptical towards others and refuses to let anyone else interfere with his lifestyle.[14] Even if he (grudgingly) accepts outside help or change,[15] he will still pointedly and exaggeratedly complain about anything he can find a reason for in comparison to his old lifestyle.[16][17][18] He can be appeased by appealing on his family (specifically his soft spot, his nephew Mitch),[11] but even this cannot stop all his complaints.
Ken's age also plays into his ego. Ken views his age as commensurate with experience and as a sign that he has survived everything that the island can throw at him.[7][19] This is such a point of pride for him that he refuses to believe anyone on the island is older than him, claiming Cassie Dalton is lying about her age, calling Old Longfellow a "small child" in comparison, and announcing he will live forever.[20][21] This also influences Ken's wish to hold out, as he accepts his age and wishes to spend his twilight on his property.[4]
All of this means that Ken can come off as a crazy and ornery old man on first impression. Mitch is keenly aware of his uncle's tendencies and will try to warn others of them beforehand;[22] Uncle Ken also knows how others might see him, but he is fine with it and doesn't mind trading insults.[23]
Interactions with the player character[]
Interactions overview[]
Interactions | ||
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This character is involved in quests. |
Quests[]
- The Hold Out: Mitch asks the Sole Survivor to check in on Uncle Ken at the National Park visitor's center; Ken will only appear after starting the quest. The Sole Survivor will arrive just as Ken's defenses have been triggered by recent attackers, with more trappers quickly arriving after the Sole Survivor does. Although Ken will blame the attack on the Sole Survivor "tromping around" and upsetting the "ecosystem," he will begrudgingly accept that he needs their help to stave off the danger.[5] After the attack, Ken will be impressed by the Sole Survivor, but will still brush off Mitch's concern and attempt to shoo them away.[8][24]
- After defending the visitor's center, the player character can either leave or try to convince Uncle Ken to leave. Ken will only leave if two successive speech challenges are passed. The first is a medium difficulty challenge titled "Convince him to come."[25] This is followed by either a medium difficulty challenge to threaten him into leaving[15] or a hard difficulty challenge to "consider it a vacation" and come back later.[26] Otherwise, Ken will stay at the visitor's center.
- For this quest, there is no difference in the outcome between choosing to threaten Uncle Ken or convincing him to take a "vacation" when trying to persuade him to leave. However, this can affect The Way Life Should Be (see below).
- If Ken agreed to come to Far Harbor, he will be with Mitch during the ending of the quest, and will complain exaggeratedly about the player character being a violent thug[27] who forced him to live as a "capless beggar" in Far Harbor.[28] However, he will be genuinely happy to see Mitch again[29] and will grudgingly admit this if an easy speech challenge is passed.[11] After the quest, Ken will stay inside the Last Plank for the rest of the game and will have new ambient dialogue complaining about Far Harbor.[16]
- Passing the easy speech challenge will appease Uncle Ken and set the dialogue variable bUncleKenMollified_var to 1; this can affect The Way Life Should Be (see below).
- If Uncle Ken does not leave, he will remain at the visitor's center. Once the quest ends and the visitor's center becomes available as a settlement, he will become part of the settler population. However, he cannot be commanded and will only farm, while he will have new ambient dialogue complaining about the new settlers who Mitch sent to help out.[30][31][17] The two new settlers sent there by Mitch will be commandable, unlike Uncle Ken.
- After defending the visitor's center, the player character can either leave or try to convince Uncle Ken to leave. Ken will only leave if two successive speech challenges are passed. The first is a medium difficulty challenge titled "Convince him to come."[25] This is followed by either a medium difficulty challenge to threaten him into leaving[15] or a hard difficulty challenge to "consider it a vacation" and come back later.[26] Otherwise, Ken will stay at the visitor's center.
- The Way Life Should Be: If Ken was convinced to come to Far Harbor during The Hold Out, he will be part of the crowd that observes when either DiMA is put on trial or Allen Lee reveals Captain Avery is a synth. In these situations, Allen will try to convince the harbormen to either destroy Acadia in the former case or let him execute Avery in the latter case.
- If the player character fails to talk Allen down or leaves it to the people to decide what happens, Ken's presence in Far Harbor can negatively influence the public opinion counter that determines the outcome (see the quest page for an explanation of the counter), and will not only offset Mitch's support for the player character but also worsen public opinion against them. However, this will only happen if he was not appeased with the final easy speech challenge in The Hold Out (bUncleKenMollified_var != 1); if appeased, he will be a silent observer.
- If Ken was not appeased, and was threatened into leaving using the second medium speech challenge, he will say as much and support Allen, which will lower the public opinion counter by 3 points.[32]
- If Ken was not appeased, and was convinced to leave using the hard speech challenge instead, he will still support Allen, but the public opinion counter will only be lowered by 2 points.[33]
- If the player character fails to talk Allen down or leaves it to the people to decide what happens, Ken's presence in Far Harbor can negatively influence the public opinion counter that determines the outcome (see the quest page for an explanation of the counter), and will not only offset Mitch's support for the player character but also worsen public opinion against them. However, this will only happen if he was not appeased with the final easy speech challenge in The Hold Out (bUncleKenMollified_var != 1); if appeased, he will be a silent observer.
Effects of player's actions[]
- After Rite of Passage is completed, Uncle Ken will have an additional comment brushing off the Sole Survivor's accomplishment, claiming that in his youth, everyone took the Captain's Dance several times a year.[34]
- Apart from his involvement in the outcome of the quest The Way Life Should Be, Uncle Ken will also have additional ambient dialogue available once a day based on events that may occur in the quest.
- If DiMA is convinced to stand trial for murdering the human Avery, Ken will comment approvingly about how DiMA faced death with dignity.[35]
- If Captain Avery is exposed to Allen Lee as a synth, but he is talked down from executing her, Uncle Ken will comment disapprovingly, calling the harbormen weak for sparing Avery.[36]
- If Captain Avery is exposed to Allen Lee as a synth, and he is allowed to execute her, Uncle Ken will mock the other harbormen for being disheartened by Avery's death, claiming that in his youth, "Captains [got] killed all the time."[37]
- If Acadia is destroyed by the harbormen, Uncle Ken will express mild approval for the player character's involvement, believing the synths "had no business" staying on Mount Desert Island.[38]
- If Cleansing the Land is completed by destroying the Nucleus, Uncle Ken will have an additional comment gloating about outliving the Children of Atom, who "always said" the Fog would kill him first.[39]
- If Reformation is completed, with High Confessor Tektus replaced by a synth duplicate calling for peace, Uncle Ken will have a comment expressing displeasure, refusing to let them on his land.[40]
Inventory[]
Apparel | Weapon | Other items |
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Dirty army fatigues | Combat rifle (semi-auto mods) | 0-18 bottlecaps 1x basic food item, 75% chance 1x pre-War food item, 25% chance |
Notes[]
- While many residents of Far Harbor state that Ken is the last of the harbormen living outside town, this is technically inaccurate, as Old Longfellow lives in his cabin outside the town walls.
- Uncle Ken appears to like vodka. There are several bottles of vodka and a bottle of Bobrov's Best moonshine at Uncle Ken's mattress in his home at the National Park visitor's center. His nephew Mitch similarly views vodka as a "top shelf" drink.[41]
- Ken mentions that Mitch is the "smart one" of the family.[2]
- Ken claims that the Fog was much worse when he was young, although his purpose for doing so is to complain about the other harbormen and their "moaning" about the current Fog.[19]
Notable quotes[]
- "Oh thank you sooo much for putting me on this rickety dock."
- "Tell them this is my farm. Stop fiddling with everything!"
- "Mitch sent men to help. They won't let me do anything any more. Bah!"
- "Old Longfellow. Bah! He is a small child next to me."
- "Everyone moaning about the Fog. This Fog is nothing. Much worse when I was young."
- "You took me away from my home. Bah!"
- "Mainlanders think the island's easy. We'll see. Haha."
- "Yes, yes. I am doing well. Goodbye, goodbye."
- "Cassie Dalton says she's the oldest on the island? Bah! It's me. I will live forever."
- "Haha! Those Children of Atom always saying the Fog would get me. Look who is still alive!"
- "The Children of Atom can have their "peace." As long as its not on my land."
- "If you gonna die, DiMA did it right. Head tall. Face your crimes. Good."
- "In my day, Captains get killed all the time. And now everyone moans - poor Avery, so sad. Bah!"
- "Oh, everyone in Far Harbor is sooo merciful. Spare the poor little machine. Weak!"
- "In my day, everyone does the Captain Dance. Maybe two, three times a year. So don't get no ideas."
- "You chased off those people at Acadia? Hmph. Had no business on this island, I say."
- "Far Harbor is just terrible. It's noisy and crowded."
- "Yes, you've been very helpful. Now leave me alone."
- "They'll be here any time now!"
- "Tromping around my home. Hmm."
- "You're getting beaten by an old man. Ha!"
- "This is my home! Go away!"
- "Hello? You there? Hello?"
Appearances[]
Uncle Ken appears only in the Fallout 4 add-on Far Harbor.
Gallery[]
References[]
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