The Fallout series acts as a parody of the real world. Aside from satirizing classic Americana, old Cold War fears, and nationalistic fervor, the series is also known for including plenty of popular culture references. Some of these references exist because Fallout draws inspiration from these works, while others exist as a form of tribute. A few might act as both.

RELATED: Every Fallout Game In Chronological Order

One way or another, they're a franchise constant. While some games in the series are more reference-heavy than others, they all contain at least a few nods to famous works that paved the way. The darkly humorous tone that Fallout fans love partly comes from the pop culture references that players can find throughout the series.

8 Mad Max

Mad-Max-The-Road-Warrior

Mad Max is a popular film series set in post apocalyptic Australia. The series was a world wide hit in the 80s and 90s, and resurged with the hit release of Mad Max: Fury Road in 2014. Fallout first released in 1997, and virtually every game in the series since then has contained references to the original films from the 80s.

For example, the Leather Jacket in the first two games bears a striking resemblance to Max's jacket in The Road Warrior. The Chryslus Highwayman in Fallout 2 is also a clear reference to Max's V8 Interceptor, while the series' aesthetic is inspired by the film's bleak, desert wasteland. Additionally, Dogmeat in Fallout 3 is a blue heeler, the same breed as Max's dog in the second film.

7 H.P Lovecraft

Obelisk-Dunwich

With Fallout 3 came a whole host of references to infamous horror writer, H.P Lovecraft. Lovecraft was many things, but one thing for certain is that he was massively influential well beyond his time. When Bethesda took over the franchise, Lovecraft started to appear more and more. One example is the Dunwich building in Fallout 3.

RELATED: Fallout: Locations Most Players Missed

Named after Lovecraft's Dunwich Horror, this location is one giant tribute to the author's work. The name of the building, the holodisk story, and the whispering obelisk in the caves below the building are all references to his writings. Fallout 4 also contains Lovecraft references. Among these is the Pickman's Gallery, which is based on the short story The Pickman Model.

6 Monty Python's Flying Circus

BridgeOfDeath

The beloved English comedy group is referenced numerous times throughout the Fallout series. Specifically, Fallout 1, 2 and New Vegas all contain references to the skit show and its movies. One example is a bridge keeper Easter egg in Fallout 2. The player comes across a robed figure who asks the player questions that they must answer correctly, referencing a scene in Monty Python and the Holy Grail that finds the characters in a similar circumstance.

Just like the film, the player can ask the bridge keeper a question in return, which will cause the NPC to die upon not knowing the answer. The Holy Hand Grenade from the same film also appears in both Fallout 2 and New Vegas, and can be used as a weapon.

5 Terminator

Terminator Resistance PS5 free upgrade delay

Terminator is already an easy franchise to reference, but Fallout takes it a step further. In the first game, one of the possible identities for the player to choose is Arnold Black, a Dutch man who always bumping into and breaking things due to his size. He is also stated as constantly muttering the phrase "I'll be back."

RELATED: Fallout: Things From The Original Game The Series Should Bring Back

Clearly, this is a reference to Arnold Schwarzenegger and his roll as the T-800 in the Terminator franchise. Fallout 2 makes another reference with the inclusion of Skynet, an A.I found in the Sierra Army Depot. The Dermal Impact Armor and Assault Enhancement implant perks also resemble Arnold from Terminator 2.

4 Scientology

Fallout-Hubology

Scientology-related jokes appear in more than one Fallout title. In Fallout 2, there are a group of religious nuts in San Francisco who call themselves Hubologists. They base their religion on the writings of a man named Dick Hubbell, much like how scientologists follow the writings of L. Ron Hubbard. Their beliefs are very similar, with only the names of certain things changed.

The Hubologist's belief in space and aliens was lifted directly from scientology, as is their ranking system and usage of celebrities to promote their doctrine. In the real world, Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman were scientologists at the time of the game's release. The game parodies them in the form of New Reno porn actors, Juan Cruz and Vikki Goldman. Fallout 4 sees the return of the Hubologists in the Nuka World DLC.

3 Star Wars

star-wars-mandalore-hyperspace-planet

Many games in the series include references to Star Wars. In Fallout 2, plenty of characters quote lines from the movie, or even refer to the player as if they were a character from the films. In Fallout New Vegas, if the player has the Wild Wasteland trait, they can see two skeletons outside a burning house in Nipton. These skeletons bear the names Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru, Luke's aunt and uncle from Episode IV.

RELATED: Fallout New Vegas: Everything You Need To Know About Wild Wasteland

Certain lines of conversation come directly from the movies as well. Han Solo's humorous exchange with the imperial officers over the radio in the detention level is one such conversation.

2 Star Trek

Khan-and-Kirk-in-Star-Trek-II-The-Wrath-of-Khan

References to Star Trek are a dime a dozen in the Fallout series. Almost every game has a Trek related Easter egg, but the most obvious ones appear in Fallouts 2 and 3. In 2, there is a random encounter in which the player stumbles across a crashed federation shuttle with dead Red Shirts littering the surrounding area.

Fallout 3 goes a step further, creating an entire DLC experience inspired by Star Trek in the form of Mothership Zeta. This DLC features a ship-to-ship combat sequence not unlike Star Trek. The player takes the role of the captain leading his diverse crew against the onslaught by another alien mothership.

1 Wasteland

Wasteland 3 cover art

Wasteland has made a comeback with two excellent sequels recently, but many people might not be aware of the original. It was the spiritual predecessor to Fallout developed by the same company, Interplay Productions. As such, it has seen numerous references throughout the Fallout series.

Tycho in Fallout is said to have been a part of the Desert Rangers faction, a faction in the original Wasteland. Furthermore, the Robo-Scorpions in New Vegas bear a strong resemblance to Wasteland's Scorpitrons. Additionally, Fallout 76 also references Wasteland in the form of the Wastlad game and magazine that the player can find.

NEXT: Fallout: Differences Between East And West Coast Super Mutants