Fallout fans have a problem with the show’s ‘glaring’ plot hole
Although Amazon's live-action Fallout series has had rave reviews from fans and critics, viewers can't help but point out a 'glaring' pothole with Kyle MacLachlan's Hank MacLean.
17th Apr 2024 12:38
Images via Amazon
Fallout fans have a problem with the show’s ‘glaring’ plot hole
Although Amazon's live-action Fallout series has had rave reviews from fans and critics, viewers can't help but point out a 'glaring' pothole with Kyle MacLachlan's Hank MacLean.
17th Apr 2024 12:38
Images via Amazon
The bombs have dropped and the dust has settled on Amazon's Fallout series, and up there with HBO's The Last of Us, it's rightly being dubbed one of the best video game adaptations of all time. With Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy at the helm, it was no surprise that the Westworld showrunners gave us plenty of twists along the way.
Bringing the apocalyptic adventure of Bethesda's four mainline games and various spin-offs wasn't easy, but with Fallout pitching itself as 'almost' Fallout 5, one of its biggest wins is that it wasn't afraid to tell its own story. Unfortunately, a tale as winding as Westworld might've shot Fallout in the foot with a seemingly 'glaring' plot hole.
Spoiler warning: Major Fallout series spoilers ahead
Fallout's complicated ending explained
While Fallout started as a simple story of three protagonists trying to find their way in the Wasteland, it soon became a much more complicated affair. In particular, Episode 6 hit us with a massive curveball when it revealed the antagonistic Lee Moldaver (Sarita Choudhury) had met with Cooper Howard (Walton Goggins) pre-war.
Things got even more complicated in the finale, when it turned out the nuking of America was the brainchild of Vault-Tec, while its executives would be tucked away safely in Vault 31 to repopulate the Earth. This came with the jaw-dropping reveal that Hank MacLean (Kyle MacLachlan) was a pre-war Vault-Tec executive.
It turned out thart Lucy's (Ella Purnell) father wasn't the wholesome Vault Dweller he'd originally been pitched as, and actually, was the series' big bad. The problem is, Fallout opened with Hank welcoming the residents of Vault 32, it actually being Moldaver and her raiders, and then getting himself kidnapped.
Fallout fans point to 'glaring' plot hole
Over on Reddit, viewers were rightly questioning why Hank would've allowed Moldaver and her crew into Vault 33. Even if he didn't know she was a pre-war enemy of Vault-Tec, the fact that the residents of Vault 32 had died two years before Vault 33 opened its doors raises some questions.
Hank tells Moldaver he's sorry to hear about the passing of Vault 32's overseer, implying that he'd been in contact with someone recently. Also, if 32 had gone dark, why didn't he try and communicate with the pickled brain of Bud Askins (Michael Esper) in Vault 31?
As Hank was also responsible for the nuking of Shady Sands and has a history with Moldaver, it seemingly doesn't make sense that he'd allow her in Vault 32. It implies either a nuke-sized plot hole or that Hank isn't that bright - which we know isn't true.
In a show as airtight as Fallout, even the smallest plot hole becomes more problematic. Ultimately, it's only a minor gripe with an otherwise fantastic freshman series. The end of Fallout Season 1 suggests that the potential Season 2 will put even more emphasis on Hank, so let's see if he has the answers next time around.
About The Author
Tom Chapman
Tom is Trending News Editor at GGRecon, with an NCTJ qualification in Broadcast Journalism and over seven years of experience writing about film, gaming, and television. With bylines at IGN, Digital Spy, Den of Geek, and more, Tom’s love of horror means he's well-versed in all things Resident Evil, with aspirations to be the next Chris Redfield.
