Summary
Spoilers for the Fallout series.
The newFalloutTV show reveals thatVault-Tec nuked New California Republic capital Shady Sandsafter the events ofNew Vegas. That left a lot of fans wondering what happened to the NCR themselves, as the most we see of them in the show are scavengers wearing their ranger gear. Are they still around, or did the capital’s untimely demise spell the end of an already collapsing government?
“We’re careful about saying what’s going on in other parts of the world. And we always take this view of, communication is difficult,” Todd Howard said in an interview withIGN. “If you look at the background, the NCR is a wide-ranging sort of organisation and group across not just California, but other places. So the show focuses on this period of time and this group here, and that’s what we can say right now. But I don’t think you’ve heard the last of the NCR.”
What Do We Know About The NCR?
The Fallout series takes place 15 years after New Vegas, which is when we last saw the NCR. A lot could’ve changed in that time, but let’s dig a little into the most recent information we have.
By New Vegas, the NCR had expanded so much that it had spread itself thin. To make matters worse, it had just come out of a war with the Brotherhood of Steel into another withCaesar’s Legionand the Great Khans. We find them fighting in the Mojave for control of the entire region, Hoover Dam,andthe Strip itself despite struggling to keep a hold of the territories it already has.
Depending on the Courier’s actions, they may have even lost the second battle over Hoover Dam, plunging them into further disarray. It’s unclear what ending is canon right now, but during the Fallout TV series,NCR vertibirds are littered along the Stripwith destroyed Mr House securitrons and even deaddeathclaws. A battle erupted in New Vegas that appears to have left it in ruin, which would no doubt take a toll on an already weakened NCR.
One of the big reasons the Brotherhood of Steel goes into hiding in New Vegas and remains so secretive is due to the war with the NCR leaving them so weakened. By the time of the show, they’re confident enough to fly an airship over the West Coast. Clearly, the NCR isn’t the threat it once was.
Then there’s, of course, Shady Sands. Not only did it begin to collapse in 2277, but a significant chunk of the NCR population was wiped out and scattered. We see the impacts of this as self-proclaimed governors have started to stake a claim on parts of the Wasteland that would previously have been under NCR occupation. Luckily, the welcome sign reveals that it’s the “first capital”, meaning that the centre of the republic had moved before Shady Sands was wiped out. Perhaps we’ll find out where to in the second season.
As it stands, the NCR is a shadow of its former self, reeling from several wars along the West Coast and surprise attacks from pre-war organisations. But it doesn’t sound like it has been completely eradicated, so there’s hope yet. Of course, that still leaves the question of how the Legion is fairing 15 years later, especially now thatCaesar is almost certainly dead.
Fallout: New Vegas
WHERE TO PLAY
Welcome to Vegas. New Vegas.It’s the kind of town where you dig your own grave prior to being shot in the head and left for dead…and that’s before things really get ugly. It’s a town of dreamers and desperados being torn apart by warring factions vying for complete control of this desert oasis. It’s a place where the right kind of person with the right kind of weaponry can really make a name for themselves, and make more than an enemy or two along the way.As you battle your way across the heat-blasted Mojave Wasteland, the colossal Hoover Dam, and the neon drenched Vegas Strip, you’ll be introduced to a colorful cast of characters, power-hungry factions, special weapons, mutated creatures and much more. Choose sides in the upcoming war or declare “winner takes all” and crown yourself the King of New Vegas in this follow-up to the 2008 videogame of the year, Fallout 3.Enjoy your stay.
