In Fallout 4, the lead writer, Emil Pagliarulo, revealed that the male player character is connected to the soldier from the first Fallout game’s intro, who is seen laughing as a Canadian citizen is executed. This revelation sparked controversy as it implies that the player character is a war criminal. Pagliarulo later clarified that this was his personal headcanon and not part of the character’s canon backstory, but this hasn’t stopped fans from exploring the concept through mods and discussions. Fallout 4 also makes it challenging to customize the player character, as playing as a woman sets the character as a lawyer before the bombs dropped, while playing as a man sets the character as part of the US military, fighting in the war against China.
Regardless of the gender chosen, the character is married and has a son before the events of the game. The fallout from this revelation has led to fan discussions and the creation of mods such as the “Lore Friendly Annexation of Canada PTSD overhaul,” which adds elements to the game to align with the apparent worldview of the male player character. Despite Pagliarulo’s attempt to walk back his initial statement, fans are intrigued by the implications of the character being a potential war criminal and are finding ways to incorporate this concept into the Fallout lore.
