At long last, Fallout fans can rejoice, for the Amazon show has returned in December 2025. The first season was full of easter eggs and little tidbits of lore that gave us some hints on what was going on regarding Hank, Cooper's family, the three Vaults, and the end of the world. That said, after its end, most of these still persist, with the final shot showing Hank headed towards New Vegas. It was a promise that made fans go absolutely wild.
As the second season progresses, some of the questions, mysteries, and plot holes listed here will be updated and added to. For now, based on the first episodes of season 2, here are some of the greatest mysteries and most pressing questions I personally want answered throughout the course of season 2. Check back in later after each episode as we (potentially) get more answers and questions.
Updated on December 26, 2025, by Anastasia Maillot: Season 2, episode 2 for Fallout is out, and a few new mysteries and unanswered questions have been added to the mix. Episode 2 saw a lot of great references from New Vegas, from a familiar faction making its return to an iconic line integrated into the story in an unexpected way. The biggest questions, however, center around the Brotherhood of Steel, as of episode 2.
WARNING! Major spoilers ahead for season 1 and season 2 of Fallout!
What Will Maximus Choose?
He's Clearly Growing Disillusioned With The Brotherhood's Barbarism
The first episode didn't show the Brotherhood of Steel at all, as it focused mostly on setting up the Ghoul's (or Cooper's) and Lucy's plotline as the two wander the Mojave wasteland, tracking down Hank. However, in episode 2, we dive straight into Maximus' past, where we get a glimpse of his parents' moments before Shady Sands gets obliterated. It seems Maximus is taking his job very seriously and is committed to making the wasteland a better place, but there are moments and hints in the episode that show he's also growing disillusioned with the barbaric methods and atmosphere of the Brotherhood.
This is even further reflected in his moment with Dane, who also seems to question how things are panning out for the Brotherhood now that they have cold fusion and can make infinite fusion cores. Is this really the future Maximus wants? I highly doubt it. My theory is that he will either leave the Brotherhood and fight against them later on, or he'll take control of it by introducing some great changes. We already see he can be a great source of inspiration and leadership to other members, like when he explains why he washes up to one of his younger squires.
What Will Be The Ultimate Fate Of The Brotherhood?
The Arrival Of The Commonwealth Chapter Is An Interesting Twist
The end of episode 2 has a bit of a surprise for all Fallout 4 fans, as it shows the arrival of the missing fourth Brotherhood chapter. Paladin Xander Harkness, who looks a lot like our dear Elder Maxson from the game, makes a belated entry from a meeting he wasn't invited to by the other chapter leaders, who were ready to wage civil war in the name of Brotherhood unity.
This arrival and his brief interaction with Maximus, who stands by the corpse of a man he defeated in a fight, would suggest that he could have the potential to put order back into a faction that, rather than using the cold fusion for something constructive that could benefit everyone, chooses to go to war for control and unity. Or, it could mean more in-fighting. However, knowing what we know about Elder Maxson's personality from Fallout 4 and the difference between the East Coast and West Coast Brotherhoods, I think it's highly likely that the arrival of Xander Harkness will mean that a more diplomatic unity will be reached, one way or another.
Where Is Cooper's Family?
The Survival Of Janey And Barb
A question that was already thrown around in the first episode of season 2 is the whereabouts of Cooper's wife Barb and daughter Janey, when Lucy and he step into Vault 24 (a nice reference to a cancelled in-game vault from New Vegas). From the flashbacks, we can deduce that Cooper and his daughter separated from his wife when the bombs dropped, but does that mean he got his daughter to safety and succumbed to radiation himself?
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And what exactly happened to Barb? My previous theory was that we would see her get thawed out by Norm, but it turns out that wasn't the case. However, we did get hints of even more exclusive dwellers in stasis during some of Hank's scientific experimentation, so it's clear that she's likely still out there, effectively on ice. Given that she does mention "one of the better Vaults" in season 1, it's totally plausible that wherever she is, it's highly secure. It would certainly be ironic if she ended up being one of Hank's experiments...
Who Is Hank Really Working For?
Vault-Tec Spy Or RobCo Spy?
In the first season, Hank definitely plays the role of an evil Vault-Tec executive who's ready to do absolutely anything in his power to see that the company's vision is seen through. He goes as far as destroying Shady Sands and damning his wife Rose to the existence of a ghoul to ensure this, which is the ultimate plot twist of season 1 and the main driving motive for Lucy to find him and bring him to justice, in her own words.
However, in episode 1 of season 2, Hank is speaking to someone inside the preserved Vault-Tec office encased in a Vault. This is probably Mr. House, given the introductory scene of the episode, but there's still a lot in the air, and it puts into question what Hank's true allegiances really are, if they don't lie with Vault-Tec. What if he's been a spy all along for House?
What Will Happen To The Three Vaults?
The Secret Is Out With Norm's Great Escape
Another major revelation from season 1 was the true nature of the three Vaults, which are essentially an experiment meant to create the ultimate managerial survivor race by electing Vault-Tec reps from cryosleep, from Vault 31, with disasters and chaos. Now, two problems are ongoing: Norm has disappeared, and Chet is the only one who shows the slightest concern over this, and the water chip is broken, which puts into question the Vaults' survival again.
With episode 2, we see Norm finally thawing out the Vault-Tec managers and successfully using his own managerial skills to make everyone work together and escape the Vault. The next big question is this: what will Norm and the newly thawed-out Vault dwellers that are following his lead do? Will they head into the wasteland in search of Lucy, or will Norm look to shake things up between the three vaults?
How Did Moldaver Survive The Bombs?
This Mystery Might Be More Important Than We Think
Though Moldaver is dead as of the end of season 1, there are still questions floating about as to how exactly she survived the bombs without turning into a ghoul like Cooper. There are some hints that eagle-eyed fans were able to pick up on that would point towards her having been in cryogenic sleep, but there's no exact confirmation of that just yet.
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Even if her character is gone in the present time, she's still an essential figure in the pre-war flashbacks, so hopefully, we'll get some answers regarding her fate before the bombs fell. Something tells me this information could be more important than we think.
Who Dropped The Bombs First?
The Show Seems To Imply A Different Culprit From The Games
Barb Howard, Cooper's wife, presents the idea of Vault-Tec dropping the bombs first in the pre-war flashbacks in order to solidify the company's superiority and necessity in a post-nuclear world. This is a pretty major blow to Cooper, who's in disbelief of his wife's speech as he secretly listens in on her during work.
However, when it comes to the Fallout games, it is quite heavily implied and even confirmed that the Chinese forces were actually the first to strike. Of course, the show might stray from in-game lore at times to deliver a more compelling story, but as long as there is no direct confirmation that it was indeed Vault-Tec who started the war, this question will linger in the air.
Who And Where Is Robert House?
With Two Actors Cast As House, Wild Theories Are Surging
One of the most anticipated characters of season 2 is Mr. House, a major character from Fallout: New Vegas. He's not only seen in the first introductory scene of the series (supposedly!), but also in the high-ranking exec meeting alongside Barb and other major players. However, there has been some speculation that we have not yet seen the real Mr. House, and that he might actually be the shadowy figure that Barb looks up to during the meeting, and that he's using body doubles as a precautionary measure.
This is an especially compelling theory considering that Robert House is played by two different actors, according to the casting information available online, both Rafi Silver and Justin Theroux. So, who is the "real" Robert House? Is one of them his brother, Anthony? Are they a body double? Who exactly is the man at the beginning of episode 1?
Moreover, given the events of New Vegas that took place about fifteen years before the show, where is Mr. House now, and in what condition? The mystery of Mr. House and the control chips is the one I'm most excited to get an answer for soon, but something tells me we'll have to wait a few weeks before the show reveals its cards.
- Release Date
- April 10, 2024
- Network
- Amazon Prime Video
- Showrunner
- Lisa Joy, Jonathan Nolan
- Directors
- Frederick E. O. Toye, Wayne Che Yip, Stephen Williams, Liz Friedlander, Jonathan Nolan, Daniel Gray Longino, Clare Kilner
- Writers
- Lisa Joy, Jonathan Nolan
Cast
-
Ella PurnellLucy MacLean -
Aaron MotenMaximus
- Franchise(s)
- Fallout
- Creator(s)
- Geneva Robertson-Dworet, Graham Wagner
- Streaming Service(s)
- Prime Video
