An easy-to-miss detail supports the theory that Fallout 4’s Brotherhood of Steel are the bad guys

With their iconic Power Armor, the Brotherhood of Steel is the most recognized faction in Precipitationand appears in Fallout 4 Effect is no different. Although the Brotherhood conveys a message of peace during its grand entry into the Commonwealth, the faction’s actions sometimes do not reflect this, giving them a mixed and somewhat problematic reputation. However, there is evidence hidden in Prydwen that paints this divisive group in an entirely negative light.

The Brotherhood of Steel in Fallout 4 Effect is no stranger to controversy, with his views on Gen 3 synths and ghouls angering many who play the game the wrong way. This can often lead to the highly militaristic, technology-focused faction being seen as fascists instead of the benevolent force they claim to be. Indeed, within the Precipitation fan base, the Brotherhood’s opinion may fluctuate between them being the good guys, very misguided and villains, but there is one particular detail in Fallout 4 Effect which firmly swings the needle in the direction of the bad guys.

Terminal suggests that the Brotherhood destroyed the city of Rivet

The Brotherhood appears to have placed itself above the lives of civilians

Scattered throughout the Prydwen, the enormous airship that serves as the Brotherhood’s flying base, are terminals that provide background information on the personnel on board. However, there is one entry, found in Elder Maxson’s terminal, that strongly suggests that the Brotherhood took the reactor for Prydwen from Rivet Citythe largest settlement in the Capital Wasteland. Given the wording of the entry, the implication seems to be that the Brotherhood stole from a civilian settlement to get the Prydwen into the Commonwealth as quickly as possible, likely to the detriment of Rivet City.

Evidence supporting the theory that the Brotherhood overstepped its bounds

Brotherhood Of Steel Opinions In Fallout 4 Aren’t High

The evidence can be found in a message from Proctor Ingram to Maxson called Ingram IG-444PR – Prydwen Concerns. In it, she describes his concerns about the Prydwen’s main engines and the ship’s coolantsomething she will also talk about Fallout 4 Effect‘s Sole Survivor on if prompted, and will begin a radiant quest. In the message, Ingram says: “As you know, to get the Prydwen to the Commonwealth quickly, I asked my engineering team to remove its older power plant and replace it with an updated fusion plant that we removed from the wreckage of the carrier.”

Many have speculated that this means the Brotherhood of Steel likely destroyed Rivet City by taking over its reactor. Although the aircraft carrier in the message is not called Rivet City, the theory is based on the assumption that there is no way for the settlement to simply hand over its fusion reactor. Therefore, it is more likely that the Brotherhood took it by force. This theory is supported by the Brotherhood’s actions within the Commonwealth, as well as other members of the Brotherhood such as Scribe Haylen.

In her personal records, found in a terminal at Cambridge Police Station, Haylen writes about the Brotherhood: “The leadership seems especially misguided. Instead of diplomacy, they engage in violent confrontation to exert control.” Proctor Quinlan, in turn, observes: “Elder Maxson reigns supreme in the Capital Wasteland” in a book he is writing about Elder Maxson’s rise. In fact, the option of others outside the Brotherhood seems to be that they will take what they want, just like the invadersan opinion expressed by Porter Gage if the Sole Survivor is a member of the faction in Fallout 4 Effect.

The last piece of evidence is Proctor Teagan’s behavior. Teagan will approach the Sole Survivor and ask them to buy food from the settlements. “by any means necessary”leaving it up to the player how far he will go. Teagan’s attitude can best be seen in an entry from Teagan to Kells, where he states that he wants to send Vertibird to parallel trade caravans and ‘help’ if they have trouble getting better prices. Although this may seem benevolent, it is a clear intimidation tactic designed to show that the Brotherhood is everywhere and powerful.

Other options for how the Prydwen got its reactor

There are realistic alternatives that are not so negative

There are, of course, other ways to explain how the Prydwen got its reactor that don’t amount to the destruction of Rivet City, but still make sense given Ingram’s words in his entry. The most obvious answer is that the Brotherhood found another aircraft carriersomething that is not seen in Precipitation 3. Given that the United States was at war in Precipitation universe just before the bombs were dropped, it makes sense that more than one was stationed near the capital, and once the Enclave was resolved, the Brotherhood was able to explore the area further.

There is also the small possibility that people did not live in Rivet City more thanks to the Purity Project. Rivet City was already a terrible place to live, with the blight in the air causing terrible health problems, but people were there out of necessity as it was the safest place to live in the Capital Wasteland. Therefore, there is a possibility that residents took the first opportunity to abandon it, perhaps with more recent settlements being established in the area.

However, the strongest alternative theory comes from real life, as aircraft carriers have more than one reactor. So even if Rivet City is the aircraft carrier mentioned by Ingram, there is a possibility that the Brotherhood traded for one of them. After Project Purity, raider activity in the Capital Wasteland got much worse, so the settlement may have traded a reactor for something more useful, like extra weapons or defenses.

Furthermore, with aircraft carriers having multiple reactors and Rivet City split into two parts, with one half flooded and home to mirelurks, it is very likely that the reactor could have come from the unoccupied wreckage of that section. This would fit better with Ingram’s use of the word wreckage and the fact that she didn’t name Rivet City directly. Although much has been said about the difference in the leadership styles of Elder Lyons and Elder Maxson in Fallout 4 EffectRemoving a settlement’s power supply may have been a step too far, even for the ruthless young Elder.