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I'm a synth. Synthetic man. All the parts, minus a few red blood cells.— Nick Valentine, regarding his synthetic body

Nick Valentine is a synth residing in Diamond City as well as the owner and sole detective of Valentine Detective Agency in the Commonwealth in Fallout 4. He is a possible companion of the Sole Survivor.

Background[]

Long believed by himself to be a prototype that was created by the Institute in-between the second generation and third generation of synth development, possibly explaining why he exhibits sapient intelligence and is not innately hostile towards non-Institute humans.[1], Nick is generally well respected throughout Diamond City despite his mysterious origins.

Creation[]

In truth, the synth that became Nick Valentine was created over a century prior to 2287 within the Institute. He was one of two prototypes for the Gen 2 model, intended to test if and how synths could handle independent thinking and personalities. Nick himself was implanted with an artificial personality based on memory recordings of pre-war humans while the other, named DiMA, was allowed to develop his own personality based upon experiences.

For years Nick was experimented on, having various personalities and memories from former humans loaded into him. Despite this, he and DiMA grew a family-like bond to one another due to being the first and only synths of their kind. Gradually, however, DiMA grew to resent the experiments being performed on him and his "brother." At some point, the two synths managed to escape, but not before the Institute uploaded another new personality and memories into DiMA's brother.[2][3]

The synth, now identifying himself as a pre-War police officer named Nick Valentine, was left in a state of confusion due to suddenly "waking up" 200 years in the future. With the human Nick's memories taking priority, he attacked DiMA, who he did not recognize, forcing DiMA to knock Nick out and leave him behind.[4] After regaining consciousness in a pile of garbage an unknown amount of time later, Nick wandered the wasteland for several weeks.[5][6] Due to the limited capacity of his prototype brain, the memories of his "brother' DiMA were eventually forgotten entirely.

Wandering the Commonwealth[]

Due to an unfamiliarity with the Institute and its technology, most wastelanders regarded Nick with equal parts fear and awe. However, he was eventually accepted into a small local community where a mechanic helped repair the damage he had sustained in his travels. During this time Nick befriended a child named Jim who became the first instance of human contact Nick had since escaping the Institute. To him, the community was the first group to treat Nick as a human being rather than a mechanical monstrosity. Nick eventually left that settlement to continue wandering; when he tried to go back years later, he found that it had been destroyed by raiders.[7]

Sometime after, Nick eventually arrived at Diamond City. Although the people there held no small amount of hatred for the Institute and their synths, due to the combined events of the Massacre of the CPG and the Broken Mask incident, Nick gained their respect by unknowingly saving the daughter of Henry Roberts, the mayor at the time, after she ran away with a caravan trader. The trader and his companions were, unbeknownst to the girl, actually kidnappers who proceeded to take her hostage. Then Nick managed to stumble upon the kidnappers by pure accident. Finding himself being held at gunpoint, Nick scared the abductors away by claiming that he had a bomb inside him and making beeping sounds (literally by saying the word "beep" repeatedly).[8]

Diamond City's Detective[]

MTG Nick art crop

When the mayor's daughter told Nick what had happened, he brought her back to her father, who rewarded Nick with a house in Diamond City despite the objections of some citizens. Nick gradually eased the citizens' fears by offering to act as the city's handyman, along with continuing to help track down missing people. His formidable detective skills were revealed when he helped to find a wife who was presumed dead; Nick discovered that she had only run away with her lover. In time, people stopped asking Nick to fix things as it became clear that he had found his true calling as Diamond City's private investigator.[9] Eventually, Nick made it official and founded the Valentine Detective Agency, later hiring a secretary, Ellie Perkins to help him manage the influx of cases coming across his desk.

At some point, Nick had an association with Marty Bullfinch, though as he claims, theirs was a shaky partnership due to Marty's alcoholism, and eventually they parted ways on sour terms. Marty visited the agency again at a later time and left a holotape with details about his scheme to uncover the treasure of Shem Drowne by going to Faneuil Hall and recovering the gilded grasshopper, hoping Nick might be interested in helping him.[10] In a similar vein, Nick once worked on a case that led to him meeting Kenji Nakano and involved the use of the fisherman's boat to find a lost heirloom; however, when they returned it to the client, they were double-crossed and Kenji ended up getting shot in the hip and the lead left inside after he'd healed. Kenji was nevertheless happy to help Nick and still remembers him to the point that when his daughter goes missing, he immediately turns to Nick for help.[11]

Around a couple of weeks before the Sole Survivor woke up in Vault 111 on October 23, 2287, while on a case to find a missing woman named Darla, believed to have been kidnapped by gang boss Skinny Malone (an "old pal" of Nick),[12] when he cornered Skinny and his gang inside the Park Street station and Vault 114 beneath it, Nick discovered both that Darla wasn't kidnapped, but actually joined with Skinny of her own volition, and that Skinny's gang was in control of the Vault as their new hideout. The result was Valentine getting incapacitated and imprisoned in the Vault overseer's office until later being found and freed by the Sole Survivor in order to help them find their missing son, Shaun.[13]

Personality[]

Due to having the memories of a police officer from the time before the Great War, Nick has an established moral compass and always tries to act on the side of justice, though even he understands that, in the lawless wasteland, sometimes justice can only come from the barrel of a gun.[14] He has little to no love for those who selfishly exploit other people and have no qualms about stepping on the weak who get in their way, like raiders and super mutants. Even so, he's not above cracking wise and laying on a thick layer of snark at times, especially to those he dislikes.[15][16][17]

However, ever since realizing his true nature and his supposed origins, Nick has grappled with a severe existential crisis. Troubled by the knowledge that everything he knows, everything that makes him who he is, it all came from someone else, the original Nick Valentine, Nick carries a sense of extreme self-loathing, unable to reconcile that he could ever be anything other than the plastic-skinned ghost of a dead man from a bygone era.[18]

Interactions with the player character[]

Fallout 4[]

Interactions overview[]

Interactions
Perk nociception regulator color
This character is essential. Essential characters cannot be killed.
Paving the Way
This character is a permanent companion. They grant the Close to Metal perk.
25 Strictly Business
This character is a temporary companion.
Icon quest starter
This character starts quests.
FO76 ui icon quest
This character is involved in quests.

Effects of player's actions[]

  • Achieving maximum affinity with Nick Valentine grants the Close to Metal perk, which offers one extra attempt when hacking and a 50% reduced lockout time upon failing a hack. However, until Long Time Coming is completed, of which itself is not triggered until after completing Dangerous Minds, his affinity rating will remain at 999.
  • Nick Valentine will comment on the Sole Survivor's decisions after completing the main questline, responding negatively to choosing the Institute and completing Nuclear Family. He typically will act vaguely disappointed, as he believed the Institute to be the only way to figure out who he really was. Even if the player were to progress the Far Harbor quest line, his reaction will remain the same.

Companion[]

  • Nick Valentine has the unique trait of being able to hack terminals, akin to having the Hacker perk. His chance of successfully hacking decrease in ascending order from Novice to Master. If he fails to hack the terminal in four attempts, then he will be locked out permanently from that terminal, unable to hack it again. It is therefore advised to save right before he begins hacking a high-difficulty terminal to prevent this.
    • He will refuse to hack terminals that are marked as "owned" by another person.
    • If they are not owned, he can be used to hack otherwise inaccessible terminals that do not become relevant until during specific quests.

Comments[]

Affinity reactions
Approvals Disapprovals
Likes
Loves
Dislikes
  • Agreeing to join the Brotherhood of Steel at the conclusion of Call to Arms
  • Giving Acadia a chance as a member of the Brotherhood of Steel when talking to DiMA
  • Saying that they happily would have blown Kellogg's head off again if they had the chance.
  • Telling Magnolia the player character doesn't like jazz.
  • Being sarcastic.
  • Giving chems to Mama Murphy.
  • Sarcastically responding to Sheffield when he asks for a Nuka-Cola.
  • Using threatening dialogue.
  • Stealing items.
  • Murder.
  • Corpse eating.
  • Acting greedy by asking for more caps for doing a job.
  • Picking an owned lock.
  • Inciting enemies to fight using the Intimidation perk.
  • Doing the SAFE test to enter Covenant.
  • Accepting the quest The Cleaner.
  • Telling Tony Savoldi to "look after himself" instead of helping the Railroad.
  • Bribing a Diamond City security officer to let Mel out of jail.
  • Betraying Bobbi.
  • Helping X6-88 during Synth Retention.
  • Telling Enrico Thompson that he screwed things up during Pinned.
  • Opening Lorenzo Cabot's cell in The Secret of Cabot House.
  • Going along with Deacon's lie to Desdemona at the end of Tradecraft.
  • Declining Glory's offer for assistance in Memory Interrupted.
  • Demanding answers from DiMA. Far Harbor (add-on)
  • Telling DiMA they will give Acadia a chance after revealing themselves as a member of the Brotherhood of Steel. Far Harbor (add-on)
  • Saying "keep what I find" to Kasumi Nakano. Far Harbor (add-on)
  • Telling Uncle Ken that he will be dragged to the docks. Far Harbor (add-on)
  • Agreeing to help Cog keep Jule's past a secret in The Price of Memory. Far Harbor (add-on)
  • Suggesting to destroy Far Harbor when asked by High Confessor Tektus. Far Harbor (add-on)
  • Accepting Witch Hunt quest. Far Harbor (add-on)
  • Accepting The Heretic quest. Far Harbor (add-on)
Hates
  • Telling Joe in Bunker Hill that "saving synths is noble."
  • Allowing Danny Sullivan to die at the start of In Sheep's Clothing.
  • Destroying the Railroad.
  • Killing Trish during Diamond City Blues.
  • Attacking the Diamond City guards.
  • Killing Shelly Tiller during The Silver Shroud.
  • Killing innocent, non-essential characters (such as traders, etc).
  • Killing the Railroad when speaking with Desdemona in End of the Line.
  • Destroying the sentry bot outside of Cabot House.
  • Threatening to shoot Madison Li during Liberty Reprimed.
  • Agreeing to assassinate Marowski for Malcom Latimer.
  • Attacking Irma.
  • Telling DiMA that the existence of synths is a threat to humanity. Far Harbor (add-on)
  • Telling DiMA "no deal" when he asks the Sole Survivor not to inform the Institute about Acadia. Far Harbor (add-on)
  • Telling the Brotherhood of Steel about Acadia. Far Harbor (add-on)
  • Joining Allen Lee to attack Acadia. Far Harbor (add-on)
  • Extorting caps from Captain Avery regarding her secret. Far Harbor (add-on)
Comments
Location/Requirement Comment
Diamond City, entrance "Even good people do crazy things when they're scared. Ought to be Diamond City's motto."
Goodneighbor, entrance "Goodneighbor. Lowest place in the Commonwealth. Everything not nailed down rolls through here at some point."
Combat Zone, exterior "What a waste of a venue."
Boston Airport, before the barricades "If you're looking to do some salvage, you've come to the right place."
Boston Airport, before the barricades after the Brotherhood of Steel arrive "The airport, huh? You sure you want to waltz through Brotherhood HQ with a Synth at your side?"
Cabot House, exterior by the shrubbery "It's like painting a huge sign on their front door. "Rob me.""
Parsons State Insane Asylum, entrance foyer on the rug just past the front door; during the quest The Secret of Cabot House. "Not sure they're taking new wards, but for us, they might make an exception."
Jamaica Plain, northwest road entrance, by the diner "Hey, this is Jamaica Plain. Stay sharp. Lot of Raiders end up here, looking for that lost treasure."
Vault 81, entrance walkway "Vault 81, friendliest Vault in all the Commonwealth. Because here, they don't shoot on sight."
"A two-hundred-year old submersible, huh? What could go wrong?"
"Unless you're looking to get a gut full of lead, I'd sample the sea air somewhere other than Libertalia."
Trinity Tower, base of the tower "Trinity Tower. Thirty stories of Super Mutants."
"Well, if they were going for ominous, they nailed it."
"When the Minutemen lost this place, the Commonwealth knew they were done."
"I never thought the Minutemen would be a force to be reckoned with again. I stand corrected."
Covenant, gate exterior "Covenant. Never did feel terribly welcome here."
Bunker Hill, base of stairs to the monument - before the gate "Bunker Hill. What it lacks in personality it makes up for in greed. No wonder it's such a success..."
Parking garage, after entering the parking garage "Something seem off about this place to you? Why no Ghouls in here?"
"This place must've been massive in its heyday."
Sentinel site, bomb storage room entrance "Just how many of these did they need?"
Sentinel site, gantry "I... I can't believe what I'm looking at."
Sentinel site, exterior entrance "The pharaohs set up a franchise way out here?"
"Goodness. Mind your fire down here. Couple stray bullets and this whole place could go up."
Ticonderoga, penthouse foyer "Seems awful risky hiding out on the top floor of a skyscraper. Only quick escape is a jump."
Old North Church, catacombs "People have been down here. Recently."
Old North Church, nave "Even after all these years, it still feels sacred."
Trinity Tower, on very top floor with the jail cell "Hell of a view."
"But you can bet the view will be killer."
Hubris Comics, shop floor "You know, the detective life is a lot less glamorous than the comics had led me to believe."
Hubris Comics, top floor studio "Huh. So this is where they filmed that god-awful TV show."
"Imagine having to hear this all day long."
"Almost makes Diamond City's reactor look quaint."
Yangtze-31, bridge "Well, it's certainly in better shape than I expected... thank god."
Starlight Drive-In, in the projection room "No blood. No sign of gunfire. Have you been up here since the bombs?"
Starlight Drive-In, at the screen "I think it's lost some of its romance over the past two centuries."
Wilson Atomatoys corporate HQ, Arlen Glass' office "What year is it in here?"
Wilson Atomatoys corporate HQ, foyer display "To think, such a valuable relic, nearly lost to the ages."
Wildwood Cemetery "It's a little disheartening that this is one of the nicest places we've been."
"Guess Mirelurks aren't picky tenants."
West Everett Estates, backyard bunker "Huh. Don't see any remains down here. Think this thing actually worked?"
"Super Mutants sure make it easy to forget they were ever human."
Walden Pond, just in front of said cabin. "Four of the most important walls in the Commonwealth."
Milton General Hospital, basement morgue "Guess all these folks just missed the bombs, didn't they? Lucky them."
Milton General Hospital, waiting foyer "Bet this place helped a lot of people in its day."
Vault 95, Overseer's office "Bet meetings like this sure made life down here easier."
"The heart of the beast."
Museum of Witchcraft "My god."
Museum of Witchcraft "Well, I don't think it's a Mole Rat."
Vault 75, combat training room "Now this feels like home."
Vault 75, entrance "What have we here."
Vault 114, entrance construction "You think these workers got to join the folks in the Vault?"
Vault 111, cryonic stasis room "Now that's not... oh. Oh, I'm so sorry."
Trinity Church, theatrical rigging "Bet they put on some wild shows with all this stuff up here."
Trinity Church, nursery "That's a damn shame."
Thicket Excavations, near the waters edge; before the conclusion of the quest Pull the Plug. "How far down you think it goes?"
"Never thought I'd get to affect the future of the Commonwealth so directly."
Gwinnett Brewery, brewing floor "Sure could make a lot of hooch back here."
"That's enough to get a Super Mutant hammered."
"The underbelly of the Combat Zone. Not sure it gets seedier than this."
Combat Zone, front row "Sure made a mess of this place, didn't they?"
"Well, that ought to keep the Mirelurks away for a while."
"And that was the day the Commonwealth knew, the Minutemen were back."
Thicket Excavations "Doesn't look like the Mirelurks made it down here. Now why do you think that is?"
"Gonna take a lotta elbow grease to clean this place up."
"Nasty way to go."
Boston Common, just in front of the APC "Lot of my cases dead end in Boston Common. I'd prefer not to join them."
"Let's hope they don't mistake us for Ghouls."
South Boston military checkpoint "This thing's been on a loop for as long as I can remember. No wonder folks in this neighborhood are irritable."
Skylanes Flight 1981 "No blast burns on the plane. Plenty of foreign rubble nearby. The nukes didn't take this down. That highway did."
"Looks like there's some choice salvage here."
"Didn't know my temperature sensors went this high."
"Hope you brought your can opener."
Sandy Coves Convalescent Home, captain's room "At least it looks like they died peacefully."
Rocky Narrows Park, at the playground "There really is no way to ride a seesaw with dignity."
"The park ranger. Master of all he surveys."
Robotics disposal ground, in front of the sentry bot "There's likely a damn good reason that bot's still intact."
"Raiders around here are awful sour for having such a pleasant view."
Revere Beach station, end tunnel raider encampment "Leave it to Raiders to ruin a lovely stroll."
"Looks like there was quite the scuffle in here."
"Dress looks prewar. Easy to forget folks didn't have it so good back then either."
"Watch your step."
Quincy ruins, southeast entrance "Quincy wasn't exactly a tourist hotspot before the Gunners moved in."
Boston Police rationing site, in front of the trailer kiosk "Makes ya wonder how some folks made it through at all."
"I think this place was lacking in charm before getting bombed."
Poseidon Energy, generator room - the part past the raider defenses. "Quite the setup they had in here."
HalluciGen, Inc., demonstration control room "Be my guest. Lord knows, I'm not pressing 'em."
HalluciGen, Inc., entrance "I wouldn't breathe any more of that than you have to."
Pickman's Gallery "What kind of monster could think this is art?"
"Someone was living down here. Emphasis on the was."
Fiddler's Green Trailer Estates, entrance "Must've been nice, bein' able to pick up and move at a whim."
Neponset Park, "No matter how lovely, no water is safe from Mirelurks."
Natick power station "If there were any justice in the world, this place would be nothing but fried Deathclaw."
"At least the Mirelurks won't be hurting for housing anymore."
Nahant Oceanological Society, second floor "Don't be afraid to dream big, buddy. This isn't all you have to be."
Nahant Oceanological Society, research laboratory "You think this'll affect ticket sales?"
"As if the Commonwealth didn't have enough monsters."
Gorski Cabin, root cellar workshop "Huh. If I didn't know any better, I'd think they were trying to build a nuke in he... Oh my god..."
"Had some funny ideas for entertainment back then, didn't they?"
"Roomy."
"Sometimes I think these Gunners are too smart for their own damn good."
University Point, just inside the gate "Mass State was a real nice settlement in its day. But once the Institute had its way with it..."
"You ain't planning to take up where our friend left off?"
"Well, this certainly explains a lot about the local fauna."
Mass Fusion disposal site "Probably safe to say that's not the place to take a dunk."
"Never in my life did I expect to stand this close to a sun."
"So I guess Mass Fusion did alright for themselves in their day."
"I think we may have missed the last train for a while."
Mahkra Fishpacking, basement store room "If you're looking for a fresh meal, I'd steer clear of this place."
"Well, this is a fine mess."
"I've witnessed some unspeakable things in my day, but this may take the cake."
Vault 81, observation room "A peepin' tom's paradise."
"I expect there's a damn good reason this place is abandoned."
"We heading to Libertalia? You in the mood for dodging gunfire?"
Libertalia, at the top of the main structure "I figured it might be prettier from up here."
"A dunk in here's a quick way to up your rad count."
Kingsport Lighthouse, at the top beacon "A Glowing One as a lighthouse beacon. I won't fault 'em their cleverness, that's for sure."
WRVR broadcast station, control room "The cultural center of the Commonwealth sits in that building. Heartbreaking, isn't it."
Jamaica Plain, treasure room "The former citizens of Jamaica Plain and I have very different definitions of "treasure.""
Jamaica Plain, security room "They don't usually build security like this to protect a broom closet."
Jalbert Brothers Disposal, at the barn with the barrels "Unless you're looking to suck down some sieverts, I recommend we move out."
Super-Duper Mart, front counters "I doubt they'd planned on this market being open-air."
Irish Pride Industries shipyard, at the corpse of Rory Rigwell "I expect he'd wished he'd kept birds about now."
"I don't think it was called the Hippocratic Suggestion."
Cambridge crater, edge "Sticking around here's a real quick way to earn, then lose, an extra limb."
"Don't even want to think about what these folks do with their sewage."
"Just imagine how nice this place would've been without all the cannibals."
Hub City Auto Wreckers, while on the crane "Going up."
Hester's Consumer Robotics, entrance: showroom floor "I'm not looking to get set up, if that's why we're here. Besides, these aren't my type."
"It's hard to believe anything that was once human could do something like that."
College Square, the square "College Square isn't exactly the intellectual hotbed it once was."
"Could build ourselves a friend with all the stuff in here."
"I get the feeling we're being watched."
Fort Hagen, command center – outside the gated main room, next to the door "Some folks never lose their fondness for living in the basement."
Greater Mass blood clinic, basement storage "Bloodbug paradise."
The Slog, next to the swimming pool of tarberries "They're going to have a hell of a time swimming in there with all that foliage."
Bugged Atom Cats garage, unable to determine due to bugged content. Bugged "Those are some real flashy killing machines."
Gunners plaza, cafeteria – before the staircase "Was probably real nice before it was covered in glass shards."
Gunners plaza, main entrance of the atrium writer's room "Nice set up for a bunch of mudslingers."
When walking on a mirelurk infested beach, between Reeb Marina and Gibson Point Pier. "This isn't exactly the kind of stroll on the beach I was hoping for."
General Atomics factory, quality assurance test chamber "And this is where they taught the puppets to dance."
Back Alley Bowling, at the lanes "I'd offer a game, but you probably can't calibrate your arm sensitivity, now can you?"
General Atomics Galleria, at the gate "My name is Mister Handy, tidier of things. Look upon this room I said I'd cleaned, and despair."
"These boys must've had some pretty strict bylaws to need all this."
Fort Strong, sublevel in the room before the main mini nuke storage room. "I hate to say it, but they're probably safer in our hands than out there in the wild."
West Roxbury station, platform "That train's getting juice."
"I don't expect this is what the former residents had in mind when it came to owning waterfront property."
Federal Surveillance Center K-21B, gantry overlook "Well, could've fooled me."
Faneuil Hall, the hall "Certainly gives new meaning to the phrase "tourist trap.""
Concord Civic Access, main pipe room "Must be directly under the city by now."
Concord Civic Access, the tunnel near the deathclaw "Sweet dreams, you monster."
Fairline Hill Estates, at the fortified house "Looks like someone's not interested in uninvited guests."
Fairline Hill Estates, at the entrance to the cul-de-sac "Seem a little too quiet to you out here?"
"Huh. Looks like a pretty seaworthy craft hanging up there. Wonder why no one's taken it down..."
"Feels like we're walking into the back room of a butcher's."
Easy City Downs, northern corner fence hole to the racetrack, next to the stands "At least someone's taking care of those bots."
East Boston Preparatory School, third floor torture chamber "What kind of monsters..."
Dunwich Borers, at the entrance of the submerged tunnel with Kremvh's Tooth "We going for a dunk?"
Dunwich Borers, the vertical chamber where Bedlam is at "It's alright. I'm sure the rocks at the bottom would break your fall."
"If the patients needed any more reminder what they were missing."
"I doubt all this was for rehabilitation."
"I question the therapeutic value of a place like this."
"Well it looks like this fishing trip didn't go according to plan."
USS Constitution, after quest the completion of the quest Last Voyage of the U.S.S. Constitution "You know from this angle it doesn't look half bad."
Weatherby Savings & Loan, before the completion of the quest Last Voyage of the U.S.S. Constitution "I don't know what I find more disturbing - the fact that there's a ship lodged in that building or that there's still a ship lodged in that building."
D.B. Technical High School, basement – after killing Bosco or at the throne "Not what I'd pick for combat attire, but then who am I to talk?"
"Hopefully that's all the ceiling that decides to crumble."
Croup Manor, basement "Goodness. What happened down here?"
Crater House, edge of crater "I guess folks'll live anywhere."
"I always figured trolls preferred bridges to tunnels."
Corvega assembly plant, entrance of the assembly line room "They may have been coffins on wheels, but they sure knew how to build something with style in those days."
Bugged Coast Guard Pier, either at the corner of the pier by the tower, or the center of the building. The super mutants were supposed to be wearing Coast Guard hats. Bugged "Now at least these boys have some fashion sense."
"Don't even want to fathom how much alcohol was involved making this monstrosity."
Chestnut Hillock Reservoir "Wonder how long that dinghy's been out there..."
Shaw High School, library "What a waste of good knowledge."
Shaw High School, cafeteria "Say what you will about the ambience, but you can bet the Mutants improved the freshness of the meals in here."
Charles View Amphitheater "Not sure we wanna see whatever kinda performances go on here now."
"Probably was a real nice set-up in its day."
Cabot House, laboratory "Seem like an awful advanced set up for a civilian, don't you think?"
Cabot House, living room "This place is more museum than home."
Bunker Hill, base of the monument - by the scaffolding "Hell of a view from this thing."
Breakheart Banks, at the building "Makes ya wonder who would choose this sort of a life."
Boston Public Library, hall where defenses are "How many masterworks, lost forever."
Boston Public Library, outside near the lion statue? and inside at the main entrance "Stay. Good kitty."
Boston mayoral shelter, at the basketball court "No luxury too great for those at the top."
"It's a lovely place to catch a bullet in the brain."
"Guess he thought this was the only way out. Shame."
Beantown Brewery, bottling room floor "Always a market for folks who want to forget the world."
Fallon's Department Store (West Roxbury township), by the fountain "I expect all the blood in here's a recent addition."
Fallon's Department Store (West Roxbury township), by the escalators "They really would do anything to avoid walking back then, wouldn't they?"
Joe's Spuckies sandwich shop, speakeasy stairway "Lose the gun-toting psychopaths and this'd be my kinda joint."
The Switchboard, the foyer of the agency "Nothing but a tomb for old spooks."
BADTFL regional office, evidence lockup "Could have a hell of a weekend with all this."
Vault 118, entrance "Well, well. This place just got a little more interesting."
Vault 118, artificial beach room "You think anyone actually felt like they were at the beach in here? Yeah, me neither."
Vault 118, atrium "I guess someone wasn't a fan of robobrains. At least not this one."
"I remember this picture. Not half bad."
"Wouldn't look too close in that pool, unless you're trying to lost your appetite."
"Well, that's subtle."
"This story pretty much tells itself. How much do you want to bet money was involved?"
"Well that looks like fun."
Quest comments
Location/Quest Comment
Fort Hagen: Reunions, on the roof while The Prydwen passes overhead, into the Commonwealth. "Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there, wondering, fearing."
The first line is spoken after gaining Nick Valentine's affinity to admiration, the next two during Long Time Coming describing Eddie Winter's machination after their confrontation. "It's all pretty hazy from back then, but now and then I get glimpses. Life inside the Institute... they keep you isolated. A single test chamber was my whole world for years. And someone was always watching. Then one day you wake up on the other side. And that's it. They've cut you loose. Welcome to the Brave New World... with such people in it."

"The story gets even more twisted. The arrogant bastard wanted to cheat death. Live forever... So he could come out of that shelter someday, into this brave new world. Sound familiar? Only Eddie didn't want to be a frozen banana. No cryo sleep for him. No, he invested his money in some sick, crazy radiation experiment."

"Well, there were a lot of questions I was hoping the Institute could answer, but I've already made it this far without 'em. I think I'll manage. This is a brave new world you've ushered in. But I suppose it'll do."

The Nucleus: Cleansing the Land, outside the blast radius of the intercontinental ballistic missile. "I am become death, the destroyer of worlds..."

Other interactions[]

  • Valentine cannot be romanced.

Fallout: The Board Game[]

Nick Valentine can be acquired at the shop by any player character that has Charisma. When the player character has him as the active companion and there is an enemy within two spaces, the player character can exhaust him to move the target enemy one space in any direction. When the player character performs the camp action, he will become unexhausted. However, if there are any active level 3 enemies on the map at that time, he must be discarded.

Inventory[]

Notes[]

  • Meeting Nick Valentine in Vault 114 before visiting Diamond City will automatically start Unlikely Valentine. After leaving Vault 114, he will have unique dialogue asking about how they found him.
  • Nick Valentine becomes available as a companion after completing Getting a Clue by finding the San Francisco Sunlights inside Kellogg's house in Diamond City.
  • After Dangerous Minds, conversing with Nick in the Memory Den and choosing an option where Nick does not accompany the player character, Nick may say, "I'll return to Diamond City..." However, if one has had Nick as a companion prior to Dangerous Minds, and at some point dismissed him and sent him to a settlement, he will actually go to the last settlement he was assigned to. This may account for some of the reports of Nick disappearing - the player character has previously assigned him to a settlement, forgotten and the game dialogue hasn't accounted for that.
  • While normally essential and therefore unkillable, Nick Valentine has a death quote, "Not like this..."
  • Nick cannot change clothing, as he is restricted to his detective outfit. He may, however, enter power armor, thus the only way to increase Nick's carrying capacity is with power armor. Unlike other characters, Nick will exit the power armor after he is dismissed.
    • Nick can, however, be upgraded in terms of defense. If the faded trench coat given by Ellie is customized with ballistic weave after completing Jackpot for PAM in the Railroad HQ, it can then be equipped to Nick. This will restore his right hand, although it appears to be slightly shorter than his left hand.
      • One can restore his original metal hand at any point by re-equipping his unique coat via selecting him in console commands and typing equipItem 0010c3ca to execute.
  • Nick has about 30-40 more hit points than most other companions, with the exceptions of Strong and Curie in her Ms. Nanny body. This is balanced out by his inability to wear armor. However, as a prototype synth, he has an innate damage resistance of 25 (about equal to a full set of girded leather armor) and an energy resistance of 5, offering him some modest protection in combat. This is the same innate damage/energy resistance that Codsworth has. Like Codsworth, this innate resistance receives a moderate increase at very high levels but is less than what would be provided by a good suit of armor.
  • Despite being an early model synth and therefore made of "gears & sprockets" as he puts it, when injured as a companion, Nick can be revived with a stimpak as if he were flesh and blood.
  • Nick Valentine will comment whenever the Mysterious Stranger appears in V.A.T.S. with the Mysterious Stranger perk. If one finds the case file under Valentine's bed, it will detail the notes for the Mysterious Stranger case that dates back to at least the original Fallout's timeline (the file will note the "really old rumors" about the Mysterious Stranger appearing in Shady Sands, where the Vault Dweller assisted the residents in Fallout). The only exception is New Vegas, which is not mentioned.
  • Like with Preston Garvey, random townspeople may occasionally offer Nick a gift for his help in the past. However, he will not accept, and nothing will be found in his inventory afterward.
  • Nick will comment if taken to Nate/Nora's corpse in Vault 111.
  • During the ending half of Reunions, Nick may be waiting only in his or Piper's office, even if sent to a settlement.
  • After exiting the lounger in the Memory Den, going to talk to Nick per the misc. quest objective results in him speaking to the player character in Kellogg's voice, "I should have killed you when I had the chance" or "Did you find what you were looking for in my head?" in an amused and resigned tone, suggesting that part of Kellogg has survived in some way through Nick. This has no effect later in the game and Nick does not say anything else as Kellogg. Nick seems to not notice speaking as Kellogg, stating that Doctor Amari mentioned that some mnemonic impressions may have remained when asked about it. He will seem a little upset when the Sole Survivor says there might be something wrong with him and is thus unsure about bringing him along further.
  • During The Glowing Sea, Valentine recommends that the Sole Survivor take him with them as he is immune to radiation. In-game, any companion can be brought into irradiated areas including the Glowing Sea, as all companions are completely immune to radiation, regardless of race.
  • During Lone Time Coming, it's adviable to ask Nick to leave his power armor before collecting the last tape, otherwise he will remain in it until the quest is finished since the "Talk" option will trigger quest-relevant dialogue instead of the usual options which include the prompt to exit power armor. However, it may be still possible to get him out by trying to "Talk" again right after answering his question.
  • There is a random event where a group of raiders waits until the Sole Survivor gets very close before attacking. They may recognize Nick and stop attacking. One will then say if they recognized Nick they would not have attacked, as Nick helped him in the past. Nick replies awkwardly with something like, "er... well, I'm glad you have made something of yourself... we are just going to walk away now..."
  • Nick appears briefly in the Fallout 4 official trailer walking under a streetlamp outside the Memory Den in Goodneighbor.
  • If sent back to a settlement, before visiting the Memory Den during Dangerous Minds, he will instead go to the Memory Den and his movement will be locked to the quest progression.
  • Vault dwellers, settlers, and the Brotherhood of Steel will insult Nick on random occasions, who will respond in kind. Some Brotherhood members will question if the player character isn't worried that Nick is "a spy." In addition, Elder Maxson will question the Sole Survivor's judgment for traveling with "that thing." Despite this, the Brotherhood will not become hostile to the Sole Survivor or Nick at any point, unlike with Danse if the Sole Survivor convinces Maxson to let him live and in exile during Blind Betrayal.
  • Far Harbor (add-on) If taken to Acadia after the Sole Survivor has suggested Nick not accept DiMA as family, DiMA may say, "Good to see you again, Brother." to which Nick replies "I'd prefer to keep it 'Nick And DiMA' for now." If Nick has chosen to accept DiMA, Nick will say "It's good to see you too, DiMA" instead.
  • Far Harbor (add-on) If sent to Old Longfellow's cabin, he may spend his time wandering around the outskirts of Far Harbor instead.

Notable quotes[]

  • "I'm gonna run some diagnostics while you're tinkering. Take your time."
  • "You really want this to be the last mug you see?"
  • "We survive this, I owe you a stiff drink."
  • "There's always another case to close."
  • "The Commonwealth can take a real toll on you if you let it. Seen this place make monsters out of men."
  • "It's synth detective, jackass." – When choosing the Sarcastic option upon finding San Francisco Sunlights.
  • "I told them I was rigged to explode and started going 'beep, beep, beep'. Hardest part of that rescue was trying not to laugh as they ran over each other trying to get away."
  • "You good to keep going? I don't sleep or eat or anything like that. But if ya need to, you do it."
  • "And that's how they put Nick back together again." – When stimpaked. A clear reference to Humpty Dumpty, the nursery rhyme.
  • "If you find any pieces of my legs, could you pick them up for me?" – When caught in an explosion.
  • "I can't tell if your aim is spectacular or horrendous. Either way, knock it off." – When the player is shooting at nothing.
  • "More stairs? Who built this damn Vault, a fitness instructor?" – During Unlikely Valentine.
  • "So much for Skinny Malone. Think he's lighter or heavier with all those holes in him? Bullets probably add a few ounces..." – After killing Skinny Malone during Unlikely Valentine.
  • "Every scumbag in the Commonwealth is going to know our names."
  • "So, you gonna spill the beans?" – After agreeing to help Paladin Danse.
  • "Good God. You catch the plates on that one? No way anyone survived that. Though I guess we ought to make sure..." – After seeing a UFO fall out of the sky.
  • "There really is no way to ride a seesaw with dignity." – After passing children's play equipment.
  • "It's not easy to do the right thing for something that seems so evil, but everyone deserves their fair chance." – After returning the pristine deathclaw egg to its nest during The Devil's Due.
  • "Deep into that darkness peering. Long I stood there, wondering, fearing." – A quote by Edgar Allan Poe, after witnessing the Prydwen enter the Commonwealth.
  • "Flying that ship into the heart of the Commonwealth. Mark my words, the Brotherhood's here to start a war." – After the Brotherhood of Steel announces their arrival in the Commonwealth.
  • "Well, good afternoon to you, too." – When a Brotherhood of Steel Knight calls Nick an abomination.
  • "Now that's not... oh. Oh, I'm so sorry." – If taken to Nate/Nora's corpse in Vault 111.
  • "I am become death, the destroyer of worlds..." – A quote from the Bhagavad Gita, famously referenced by Robert Oppenheimer, if the Sole Survivor completes Cleansing the Land with Nick as a companion.
  • "My name is Mister Handy, tidier of things. Look upon this room I said I'd cleaned, and despair." – A reference to Percy Shelly's Ozymandias, heard upon entering the General Atomics Galleria with Nick.
  • "I've been wanting to say that since we first met that guy." – When telling Allen Lee to shut up.
  • "Time to make our exit." – After triggering Division in the Nucleus.
  • Picking up junk:
    • "You building a collection or somethin'?"
    • "No accounting for taste."
    • "As long as you're carrying it."
  • After a Mysterious Stranger visit:
    • "That was him! The Stranger! He was right here! Where'd he go?"
    • "He was just here. You saw him, right?"
    • "You! Sto...damn. Vanished."
    • "What the-- the Stranger... slipped right through our fingers."
  • Comments on locations:
    • "So, pharaohs set up franchise way out here?" – When arriving at the sentinel site.
    • "What kind of monster could think this is art?" – When inside Pickman Gallery.
    • "Flying around in 200 year old aircraft? What could go wrong?" – When inside a Vertibird.
    • "I don't know what I find more disturbing...the fact that there's a ship lodged in that building, or that there's still a ship lodged in that building." –  When on board the USS Constitution.
    • "Vault 81, friendliest Vault in all the Commonwealth. Because here, they don't shoot on sight." – Upon entering Vault 81.
    • "Even good people do crazy things when they're scared. Ought to be Diamond City's motto." – When entering Diamond City.
    • "This is one grim locale." – When approaching Croup Manor.
  • When swapping Valentine with:
    • Danse: "Danse.", to which Danse replies: "Valentine."
    • Hancock: "You two stay out of trouble.", to which Hancock replies: "Come on, Nick. You know I don't make promises I won't keep."
    • Codsworth: "Don't let this one boss ya around, too much, Codsworth.", to which Codsworth replies: "There's nothing I'd like more, Mr. Valentine."
    • Preston Garvey: "You two go do the Commonwealth proud.", to which Preston replies: "We'll try, Nick."
    • Curie: "You two watch yourselves out there.", to which Curie replies: "Oh, monsieur. We do not watch. We observe." (A reference to a Sherlock Holmes quote from "A Scandal in Bohemia.")
    • Cait: "Heading out with Cait, huh? Hope you know what you're getting into.", to which Cait replies: "Hey Valentine... I think you've got somethin' on your face. Oh, it's skin. Yeah, you might want to get that looked at."
    • Deacon: "Hmm. Deacon. You two taking care of some... official business?", to which Deacon replies: "Mr. Valentine. You flatter me." (Deacon's dialogue does not match the subtitles, which say "Nick. I haven't the faintest what you're talking about.")
    • Strong: "Hey. Big guy. Don't eat this one, alright?", to which Strong replies: "Roboman not tell Strong what to do."
    • Piper: "Traveling with Piper's not for the faint of heart. I'd know", to which Piper replies: "Nick. You always know just what to say."
    • MacCready: " So, this is the sort you're taking up with now?", to which MacCready replies: "Yeah. And who could blame him/her?"

Appearances[]

Nick Valentine appears in Fallout 4, Fallout: The Board Game, Fallout: Wasteland Warfare, and Fallout Shelter Online.

Behind the scenes[]

Voiceover[]

  • Talking about his performance as Nick Valentine, voice actor Stephen Russell stated he took inspiration from the style of noir detective that Nick is based upon, in particular the actor Humphrey Bogart, whom Russell said he has seen just about every film he starred in. Russell stated that Nick is one of the "most soulful" characters he has played, owing to his moral compass and being "intentionally ironic" in a way, given his status as a synth with the memories of a human. When recording for Nick, Russell did not yet even know what the character looked like, as he only had a script to work with. After seeing the in-game model, he thought that Nick's final appearance ultimately fit the character very well.[Non-game 1]
  • Nick's voiceover in Far Harbor is somewhat different from the tone and pitch of his voice in the base game, being slightly deeper and slower in delivery. Although Russell returned for Far Harbor, Nick sounds moderately different in the two appearances due to taking place in different recording sessions happening at different times.
    • Although Nick and DiMA are both voiced by Russell and share many scenes with each other, their lines were recorded by him in different sessions.[Non-game 2][Non-game 3] One challenge that Russell encountered while voicing DiMA was balancing the need to differentiate him from Nick with a different voice range to show that while they are brothers, they are two different entities with differing personalities.[Non-game 4]
  • In localized versions of the game, Nick's voice is dubbed by Jorge García Insúa (Spanish), Shigeru Ushiyama (Japanese) and Renzo Ferrini (Italian).

Development[]

  • According to Emil Pagliarulo, Nick was one of the first characters created for Fallout 4. An original design document contained concepts for Nick even before the setting of the game was finalized.[Non-game 5] His origins lie in a sketch by Adam Adamowicz during the early pre-production of Fallout 4, which describes an idea for a "scraped up metallic ken doll detective" inspired by The X-Files.[Non-game 6] Pagliarulo then created a deeper concept for Nick based on his love for film noir detectives.[Non-game 7]
  • Emil Pagliarulo and Jeff Gardiner, lead designer and lead producer respectively, have both stated that Nick is their favorite character in the entire Fallout series. Pagliarulo enjoyed seeing designers Liam Collins and William Shen[Non-game 8] take the concept of Nick and flesh it out into a well-developed character.[Non-game 9]

Cultural references[]

  • Nick displays an awareness of human culture and literature throughout the game. He quotes Edgar Allan Poe's The Raven if he is present when the Prydwen arrives in the Commonwealth. He also quotes Percy Bysshe Shelley's sonnet "Ozymandias" if he is brought to General Atomics Galleria and Aldous Huxley's Brave New World during his second approval talk if one chooses to ask him what he remembers about the Institute. In addition, he quotes William Shakespeare's The Tempest and paraphrases Polonius from Hamlet at different points.
  • Far Harbor (add-on) If he is present during the explosion of the Nucleus, he quotes the Bhagavad Gita, "Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds." This exact sentence was quoted by J. Robert Oppenheimer after witnessing the first nuclear test detonation.

Bugs[]

  • PCPC Playstation 4Playstation 4 Xbox OneXbox One Nick may vanish sometimes to an unknown location. Check Piper's office in Diamond City or Mass Fusion executive suite after the completion of his companion mission.[verified]
  • PCPC Playstation 4Playstation 4 Nick may become invisible after freeing him from his cell, and choosing to attack instead of stealth. The player character is unable to converse with him while he's invisible, although his quest marker remains above his head, as well as still being able to attack.[verified]
  • PCPC Playstation 4Playstation 4 Xbox OneXbox One If Nick is given power armor before entering the Memory Den during Dangerous Minds the armor will count as stolen if the player character tries to enter it. Nick can still be told to enter it himself.[verified]
  • PCPC If Nick is in power armor and one trades items with him, "Take All" will remove his hat. It does not show up in the player character's inventory, but returns upon telling Nick to exit his power armor suit.[verified]
  • PCPC Playstation 4Playstation 4 Xbox OneXbox One Nick can be given the quest reward faded trench coat and it can be equipped, but doing so makes both of his hands synthetic, rather than one synthetic, one metal.[verified]
  • PCPC Xbox OneXbox One During the quest Dangerous Minds after talking to Doctor Amari and discussing Kellogg's brain, Nick will just stand there and if the Sole Survivor interacts with him it will just say this individual is busy.[verified]
  • PCPC After breaking into the room in which Nick is held during the Unlikely Valentine quest and telling him one will follow him out of the vault, Nick may walk to the door of the room and stop, and/or walk face first into the edges of the doorway and not be able to turn around.[verified]
    • This can be fixed by physically pushing him out of the way, or running several feet away from him and then running back to him.
  • Playstation 4Playstation 4 Xbox OneXbox One Nick may vanish after Dangerous Minds, if he is not taken as a companion.[verified]
  • PCPC Playstation 4Playstation 4 Xbox OneXbox One If Nick is severely wounded during a fight, he may remain in the "sitting" position indefinitely.[verified]
    • Possible fixes include shooting him with a hand gun or rifle, giving him a stimpak, fast traveling away from the area, or loading an earlier save.
    • PCPC Open the console and click on Nick, then use the console command recycleactor. This will cause him to respawn without clothing and most (or all) of his inventory will be missing, it's a good idea to remove all his inventory before doing this.
  • Xbox OneXbox One When he is a companion, Nick may start emitting the sounds of a machine gun turret. The sound is louder when he is closer. Dismissing him eliminates the noise. Requesting him to follow will restore the noise. The noise is evident both indoors and in the Commonwealth.[verified]
  • PCPC Giving Nick the faded trench coat and telling him to equip it will make it disappear and be impossible to get back without the use of console commands.[verified]

Gallery[]

Fallout 4[]

Fallout: Wasteland Warfare[]

Fallout Shelter Online[]

Magic: The Gathering[]

External links[]

References[]

  1. Nick Valentine: "Worst of all, no one knows why they do it, what their plan is, or where they are. Not even me, and I'm a synth myself. A discarded prototype, anyway."
    Sole Survivor: "You're a prototype?"
    Nick Valentine: "As far as I know. Never seen any other synth like myself. There's the older ones that are dumb as rocks and all metal, then there's the newer ones that are almost human. I'm somewhere in between."
    (Nick Valentine's dialogue)
  2. DiMA: "This all started over a century ago, when we were first created... We were prototypes, Nick. The first synths capable of independent thinking and judgment. I couldn't let them do it to you anymore. We were the only two prototypes they made. I literally saw myself in you... You were my brother, Nick. I helped you escape the Institute. We left together."
    (DiMA's dialogue)
  3. DiMA: "One of the Institute's experiments had to do with how our brains could process personality. If we could handle individualized feelings and behaviors. I was allowed to develop mine based on experience. But with you, they wanted to try transferring an entire personality into you. It took several attempts before the personality imprint worked. I saw you wake up not knowing who or what you were so many times..."
    (DiMA's dialogue)
  4. DiMA's Memory #4
  5. Nick Valentine: "I woke up in a junk pile ages ago. Just another discarded prototype."
    (CompanionNickValentine.txt)
  6. Nick Valentine: "I'm still mechanical, not bioengineered like the fancy synths giving everyone the willies these days. I get tune-ups now instead of check-ups. But my memories, my personality, they're all lifted from some cop who volunteered for an experiment back before the war. They scanned his brain and copied it onto the hardware that runs between my ears."
    (Nick Valentine's affinity dialogue)
  7. Nick Valentine: "Folks didn't really know much about synths back then, so when I finally ran into people, they mostly treated me with caution rather than hostility. But the kids, they weren't afraid. I think his name was Jim. The first person to actually speak to me after I got the boot from the Institute. My first human contact in this world. Grilled me for an hour. Once they'd seen I wasn't going to hurt anyone, the other folks in the neighborhood came out to ogle the mechanical man. It eventually turned into a pretty swell soiree. Local mechanic even gave me a once over, free of charge. Those people, they treated me like a human being. I've been trying to return the favor ever since. It's a surprisingly rare trait out here sometimes. Something I've noticed you got a fondness for. Part of the reason I've stuck around this long."
    Sole Survivor: "Where's that town? We should go visit."
    Nick Valentine: "I tried to go back and say thanks, once I'd gotten myself established, but the place was wiped off the map. Raiders. Don't know what happened to the people."
    (Nick Valentine's affinity dialogue)
  8. Nick Valentine: "Thank goodness I found Diamond City. It's got its flaws, sure, but it beats the hell out of anywhere else in the Commonwealth. Course, when I took up there back when, people were just as scared of the Institute as they are now, maybe more. The massacre of the CPG was still pretty fresh in people's minds at that point, and folks were still losing sleep over the Broken Mask. Plenty of people assumed I was just a saboteur, moving in to melt down the reactor or poison the drinking water. But, at the time, they couldn't exactly turn me away."
    Sole Survivor: "Why'd they let you in?"
    Nick Valentine: "Because I'd rescued the mayor's daughter. Gal of about fifteen, pride and joy of the mayor back then, man by the name of Henry Roberts. The young miss Roberts decided she'd run off with some caravan hand she'd known for an evening. Turns out the guy was part of a gang of kidnappers. I didn't even know who I was rescuing, just stumbled on a crying girl and four toughs. I took her home and the Mayor dubbed me a hero, offered me a place in town. Lots of folks protested, said I was a spy, but he wouldn't have it. Taking up in the city was tricky at first, but I never tried to hide what I was and people seemed to warm to that."
    Sole Survivor: "You took down four guys by yourself?"
    Nick Valentine: "Didn't have to. Back then synths were even more of an unknown quantity than they are today. I told them I was rigged to explode and started going 'beep, beep, beep.' Hardest part of that rescue was keeping from laughing as they climbed over each other to get away."
    (Nick Valentine's affinity dialogue)
  9. Nick Valentine: "I started off doing the jobs no one else wanted. I got more banged up being Diamond City's handyman than I ever did living out in the ruins. But I guess folks never forgot I rescued the Mayor's daughter, so they started coming to me when people went missing. Wife runs off with a new paramour and takes the rent money with her? Talk to the Synth. An upset father decides moving him and the kids to Goodneighbor in the dead of night's not the worst damn idea since the bomb? Go get Nick. After a while, the jobs got so backed up, they didn't even ask me to do the handyman stuff anymore. Hell, I was so happy to do it, it was months before I started charging anyone. I never stopped being Nick the Synth, but it was Nick the detective folks came to see. It was about then that things, things finally started feeling normal."
    (Nick Valentine's affinity dialogue)
  10. Ellie Perkins: "The Marty Bullfinch case. Marty was Nick's partner. Emphasis on the "was.""
    Nick Valentine: "Marty and I never exactly saw eye to eye. Mostly because he was usually passed out on the barroom floor."
    (Nick Valentine's companion dialogue and Ellie's dialogue)
  11. The Sole Survivor: "So what's the story with you and Nick?"
    Kenji Nakano: "Nick didn't tell you? Ran with him on one of his cases a few years back. Searching for some sort of lost heirloom. He needed a boat. Things... didn't end well. We were double-crossed by the client once we had what he was looking for. Still have some lead lodged into my hip."
    Nick Valentine: "Uh... right. Yeah, it's starting to come back to me... Sorry things ended sour."
    Kenji Nakano: "We got out, that's all that mattered. And now you can return the favor by finding my daughter..."
    (Kenji Nakano's and Nick Valentine's dialogue)
  12. Nick Valentine: "Darla's a runaway. Her father wanted me to bring her back home. Turns out she skipped town to be with my old pal, Skinny Malone. Mob boss."
    (Nick Valentine's dialogue)
  13. Events of Unlikely Valentine
  14. The Sole Survivor: "I don't get it Nick. Why kill Eddie Winter, even if he is still alive? This sounds like some kind of vendetta."
    Nick Valentine: "It's... it's nothing. Just some old business of Nick's that needs to taking care of. Justice has to be served. Now, are you in or not?"
    (Nick Valentine's companion dialogue)
  15. Finn: "Well, well, it's the detective. Tracking down another wayward husband to his mistress?"
    Nick Valentine: "Why, someone stand you up?"
    (Nick Valentine's companion dialogue)
  16. Nick Valentine: "More stairs? Who built this damn Vault, a fitness instructor?"
    (Nick Valentine's companion dialogue)
  17. X6-88: "This is the future of the Institute that you're protecting, unit. Remember that."
    Nick Valentine: "And we wouldn't want to do anything to upset the Institute, would we?"
    (Nick Valentine's companion dialogue and X6-88's companion dialogue)
  18. The Sole Survivor: "You think. You feel. You're more than pretending, Nick."
    Nick Valentine: "Nice of you to say, but your kind don't usually have to deal with someone else's whole life trapped inside their skulls. Don't get me wrong. I know I'm in Nick's debt. These memories, they've kept me alive. Nick was a hell of a cop, a guy with good instincts, and a good heart. I always counted myself lucky they didn't load me up with some ex-con or whatever type might volunteer to let folks tinker with their gray matter. But it's thanks to Nick that I pass for human. Why I get to live cushy in Diamond City and every other synth is shot on sight. I know I got it good, but... my entire life I owe to Nick. Everything that makes me who I am - my judgment, my speech, hell, even my name - they're his. And I can't do a damn thing about it because without them... without them I'm nothing. A shell. All I want is a life where I have something I can call my own."
    (Nick Valentine's affinity dialogue)

Non-game

  1. LIVE Interview with the voice of CODSWORTH and NICK VALENTINE, Stephen Russell! (37:03)
  2. Stephen Russell Answers Fans (Part 1)
  3. Stephen Russell Answers Fans (Part 2)
  4. LIVE Interview with the voice of CODSWORTH and NICK VALENTINE, Stephen Russell! (44:22)
  5. The History of Bethesda Game Studios: "It was set somewhere else, and I still have the design doc in my desk, the original design doc. And in that design doc, the one thing, the one holdover is the character of Nick Valentine. He was conceived even way back then, he was like the first character they came up with."
  6. The Art of Fallout 4, p. 45: "scraped up metallic ken doll detective - john patrick In-game spelling, punctuation and/or grammar x files - agate blue eye set in pink plastic"
  7. Pixel.tv interview with Emil Pagliarulo (reference starts at 4:00):
    Emil Pagliarulo: "It's always like a film noir detective character, and sort of the companion to Nick Valentine. That's why Nick Valentine came about, that's why I cretaed him, because I'm so into that stuff."
  8. Emil Pagliarulo on Twitter: "Thank you, Mitch! :) I created Nick, his background etc., and he was fleshed out by designers Will Shen and Liam Collins."
  9. Fallout 76 Gamescom 2020 DEV Interview Highlights:
    Alina Ullrich: "Who is your favorite NPC ever in every Fallout ever?"
    Emil Pagliarulo: "Wow. Favorite NPC ever? That's actually hard for me to answer because I've created a lot of the NPCs, and therefore..."
    Alina Ullrich: "[laughter] But there is always a favorite one, isn't there?"
    Emil Pagliarulo: "What's really fun for me is creating a character and then having other designers take that character and flesh them out and do them justice. And so... Nick Valentine is probably..."
    Jeff Gardiner: "That's mine, yeah."
    Emil Pagliarulo: "I love Nick Valentine. When... I had this idea in my head when I created him, and Liam Collins, one of our designers, took that character and really fleshed him out and gave him life. I've always loved the Master, too. Back in the old games. There's something about...yeah."
    Note: This video is an excerpt from a longer interview at Gamescom 2020.
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