It's hard to talk about Fallout without mentioning the characters that inhabit the universe. The way humanity copes with the destruction of nearly everything is what makes the RPG elements of Fallout so great.
Part of this is the interesting factions players can interact with. The largest and most iconic faction in the franchise is the Brotherhood of Steel, a group of technology fanatics that want to hoard the wasteland's technology for themselves to prevent less knowledgable people from nuking the planet again. With that said, the turmoil amongst faction members and the Brotherhood's origins make for a compelling faction that most fans can rally for or against. Here are 10 interesting facts about the Brotherhood of Steel in the Fallout franchise.
10 Western Vs Eastern Brotherhood
Those who have exclusively played Bethesda's Fallout titles might be surprised to know that the Brotherhood of Steel stretches out to the west and east coast of the remains of America. What is even more surprising is how different they are from each other.
Members from the west coast are solely focused on obtaining technology for the Brotherhood. Human lives are irrelevant, and recruiting outsiders is frowned upon in most circumstances. East coast Brotherhood members are much more accepting of outsiders and care more about human lives. This divide is so massive that the western branch has excommunicated the eastern division for losing sight of what the Brotherhood stands for.
9 The Outcasts
Not all Brotherhood members saw eye to eye with what Elder Lyons was focusing the faction's efforts towards. These members would later splinter off from Lyons' Brotherhood and make their own group named The Outcasts.
Outcasts follow the west coast's goals of preserving technology by any means necessary. They hope to reconnect with the west coast one day to prove their loyalty to the Brotherhood. Their absence in Fallout 4 is due to Arthur Maxson negotiating a truce between both factions to unify the Outcasts with the east coast division.
8 Scribes And Knights
Brotherhood members aren't all soldiers. Some members are known as Scribes, spending their time researching and creating technology for the Brotherhood of Steel to use. Those who wish to fight in the frontlines are known as Knights.
Scribes have subdivisions named Orders that distinguish their roles amongst the Brotherhood. Scribes under the Order of the Shield research armor, the Order of the Sword focuses their efforts on weapons development, and the Order of the Quill act more as historians that catalog pre-War information for the Brotherhood to reference. Knights work with a military rank structure, starting with the Knight rank and rising to Paladin.
7 Only Care About Technology
Fallout 4 painted the Brotherhood as an unstoppable military force that wanted to destroy all that opposed them. They certainly pose a force to be reckoned with, but much of that game forgets to emphasize what the Brotherhood truly cares about: technology.
Technology drives the Brotherhood of Steel to various locations to uncover its secrets and steal it for themselves, deeming outsiders too incompetent and twisted to morally use these devices. If the Brotherhood can't harness a form of technology for themselves, they are likely to destroy it as seen with the Institute in Fallout 4.
6 Roger Maxson Founded The Brotherhood
Like any faction in Fallout, there is an origin story to the founding of the Brotherhood of Steel. Roger Maxson was a captain of the United States Army before the bombs fell and is the founder of this now iconic faction.
Maxson stumbled upon the FEV project at a military site. After his superior mentally broke down, Maxson interrogated the scientists there. The government was asking for them to conduct these experiments. This discovery resulted in his superior committing suicide, leaving Roger Maxson to rebel against the Army and hunker down in the Mariposa Miltary Base. Nuclear armageddon struck, and now Maxson had to find a way to retain pre-War technology to keep refugees safe. That is when the Brotherhood of Steel was born.
5 HQ Is Lost Hills
Fans of the first Fallout will already know this, but the main HQ for the Brotherhood of Steel is in the Lost Hills bunker located in California. Players can visit this location in the first Fallout.
Roger Maxson sent the Brotherhood to this bunker when scouting parties discovered it after the bombs fell. This place was supposed to be a haven for outsiders and Brotherhood members alike. Many members disagreed with Roger Maxson's ideals, resulting in this base amongst many other bunkers on the west coast locking their doors to outsiders once he passed away.
4 Arthur Maxson Is In Fallout 3 And 4
Arthur Maxson is the lead Elder of the Brotherhood of Steel in Fallout 4. Many members praise Maxson for his accomplishments as a youth, but you don't have to take their word for it.
Players can find Arthur Maxson as a Squire in Fallout 3. Young Maxson stays in the Citadel and gives the player information on the Enclave's advanced technology. He seems particularly entranced with their Vertibirds, possibly foreshadowing the Brotherhood's strong air force in Fallout 4.
3 Arthur Maxson Is The Youngest Elder
Elders are the leaders of the Brotherhood of Steel. They oversee nearly everything the Brotherhood does and plans the next best course of action. Most Elders are rather old, but Arthur Maxson is a rare exception.
Becoming an Elder at 15, Arthur Maxson had massive shoes to fill with the death of Elder Lyons and Sarah Lyons. His skill with weapons and logistics was unmatched, resulting in his promotion being a rather easy choice. Thanks to his negotiation skills and courage, he was able to unify the Outcasts and east coast together as one while using the Enclave's powerful air force for their own gains.
2 Brotherhood Is A Country
Following in his ancestor's footsteps, Arthur Maxson was able to expand the Brotherhood's grip on the east coast exponentially, recruiting outsiders and creating a deadly military force. Their size is so large that the Brotherhood transcends being an organization.
Terminals in Fallout 4 reference the Brotherhood as a "country" that oversees the Capital Wasteland and the Commonwealth. They don't rule people's lives, but they act as peacekeepers to make sure devastating technology doesn't get into the wrong hands. Fallout 4 also hints at various leaders managing the vast land the Brotherhood now oversees, making them much more than a simple organization or faction.
1 West Coast Brotherhood Is Splintered
While Arthur Maxson has strengthened the east coast Brotherhood of Steel, the west coast Brotherhood of Steel has seen much better days.
After learning of the Enclave in Fallout 2, the Brotherhood effectively entered lockdown. Communication between groups has become exceedingly difficult thanks to this lockdown, and its negative effects on the faction are readily apparent. Fallout: New Vegas depicts a Brotherhood on its last legs after being decimated by the NCR at Helios One. By sticking with their unfriendly rules and harsh customs, they have effectively become irrelevant amongst the denizens of the west coast.