Summary
Fallout 4has many interesting characters to meet across the Commonwealth, but one villain may be the key to immortality in the post-apocalyptic universe.Fallout 4introduced many firsts for the franchise, the biggest being a change to more modern gameplay. These changes mainly included sprinting and improved gun mechanics. This allowed the franchise to appeal to a wider range of players who typically enjoy faster-paced games andimproved over aspects ofFallout 3andNew Vegas.
Fallout 4was also only the second time the franchise ventured to the East Coast of America, this time going back to where the United States was born. The Commonwealth perfectly combines colonial history andFallout’s futuristic society. Though it may not have the franchise’s best story, it arguably has the best, realistic setting, including a villain who could make a serious breakthrough.
A Cybernetic Path To The Future
Conrad Kellogg, the secondary antagonist ofFallout 4,mayhold the key for non-ghoul humans to find something close to immortality. Kellogg originally came from the West Coast but ended up a Diamond City mercenary who would get in the Institute’s way. After deciding it would pay more, Kellogg chose to work for the Institute, which paved the way for him to eventually steal the player’s son at the beginning of the game.
After joining the Institute, Kellogg was given cybernetic enhancements by the scientists there. These did not make him fully immortal, but made it so he would age extremely slowly. This is shown by how, when the player meets him in the game,Kellogg is already over 100 but looks in his early 40s.
These enhancements would likely not make a person immortal, because they would still die of wounds or possibly very old age. However,cybernetics couldgreatly extend human life to the point of being near immortal. This would likely depend on a lot of factors from person to person. Many in theFalloutuniverse hate ghouls, so this would be a better alternative, but some would likely also be hesitant to exchange their organic bodies for mechanical ones. Especially if these parts came from the much-hated Institute.
Other Methods Of Immortality In Fallout
Post-Apocalyptic Trial & Error
Though not as friendly as cybernetic enhancements would be,Falloutalso has other ways for people to achieve immortality. The most obvious way is Ghouls, many of which have survived since the bombs dropped, sincetheir high levels of radiation cause them to stop aging. However, there are the downsides of ghoul prejudice, the eventual fate ofFallout’s Ghoul stages, and the fact they can still die of wounds.
Another method of immortality, though it blurs the lines a bit, is the Synths. Synths are not exactly people becoming immortal, but since they do not die of age and seemingly gain their own personality, it is immortality in a sense. However, humans would have to abandon their body, asonly memories can be transferred or implanted into a Synth. Also, since the Synths would have to listen to Institute orders, they would likely not have as free of a life, since they would be forced tochoose the bad faction ofFallout 4.
Another route to immortality inFalloutinvolvescryo sleep or robotic brains, which have already been seen in the series. The prime example of this is Mr. House fromFallout: New Vegas. However, this is another method that seems lacking compared to Kellogg’s. Their freedom is minimal, as the only thing they can do is think. Without the power to move forces, like Mr. House does with his Securitrons, they would simply be husks left to waste.
Overall,Fallout’s sci-fi universe has yet to introduce a perfect way for its inhabitants to gain immortality. The cybernetic path is the best option, but even that is not true immortality. It is also a method many likely wouldn’t be able to feasibly achieve. This method also raises the moral question of whether these people could still be considered human after going through all these changes. Regardless,Fallout 4’s Conrad Kellogg is currently the closest key the universe has come to non-Ghoul immortality.
Fallout 4
Bethesda’s action RPG Fallout 4 puts players into the vault suit of the Lone Survivor, a pre-war soldier from an alternate future cryogenically frozen inside Vault 111. After their infant son is kidnapped, they venture out into the irradiated wasteland of the Commonwealth to scour the ruins of Boston for any sign of him. In doing so, they encounter various factions and companions and use an array of skills and abilities to navigate the apocalyptic remnants of society.
