Warning: Spoilers for the Fallout Season 2 finale!
While the inaugural season of the Fallout TV series guided us through the irradiated ruins of California and the second season explored the neon-lit hazards of Nevada, the narrative trajectory has shifted. The Season 2 conclusion has officially set the stage for a journey into a digital frontier the franchise has rarely touched. While many fans speculated on a return to the Capital Wasteland or the Commonwealth, the production is charting a bold new course for Season 3: Colorado.
A Postcard to the Centennial State
In the final moments of the second season, Cooper Howard—better known as The Ghoul—reaches a pivotal milestone in his two-century-long search. Although his family wasn’t found within the expected cryotubes of New Vegas, he discovered a definitive lead. Tucked inside his wife Barbara’s empty chamber was a postcard from Colorado. As the credits roll, we see The Ghoul beginning his trek toward the Rocky Mountains, signaling a massive geographical and thematic shift for the series.
This move is significant for the broader Fallout lore. While the Centennial State has been frequently cited in technical manuals and terminal entries, it has never served as the primary setting for a mainline Bethesda entry. For seasoned wastelanders, this location carries the weight of “lost” history, as it was originally intended to be the centerpiece of a cancelled masterpiece.
The Technical Legacy of “Van Buren”
Colorado was slated to be the primary map for Van Buren, the internal codename for the original version of Fallout 3 developed by Black Isle Studios before its cancellation in 2003. Much of the region’s established history comes from these leaked design documents and subsequent references integrated into Fallout: New Vegas.
In this iteration of the post-nuclear world, Colorado is a brutal environment shaped by the remnants of the Great War. Notable factions include the “Hangdogs,” a tribe of dog-trainers who controlled the ruins of Denver, now known as “Dog Town.” This group was eventually absorbed into Caesar’s Legion, the expansionist empire led by Edward Sallow, who made a brief appearance during the Season 2 flashbacks.
Vault 0 and the Cheyenne Mountain Complex
The most intriguing technological prospect of the Colorado setting is Vault 0. Situated deep within Cheyenne Mountain—a real-world high-security site for NORAD—Vault 0 was first introduced in Fallout Tactics. Diverging from the standard Vault-Tec social experiments, this facility was engineered to house the “greatest minds” of pre-war America. These individuals were biometrically integrated into a massive supercomputer known as “The Calculator.”
The television series has already laid the groundwork for this reveal. In promotional material released prior to the show’s debut, a Vault-Tec “Live Report” suggested that while the general public required standard shelters, the President had a “mountain in Colorado” from which to “direct the events of the world.”
Key Colorado Locations Expected in Season 3
| Location | Historical Context | Potential Series Role |
|---|---|---|
| Dog Town (Denver) | Home to the Hangdogs tribe. | A look into the Legion’s origins and brutal expansion. |
| Vault 0 | Command center for pre-war geniuses and “The Calculator.” | The central hub for Enclave and Vault-Tec high-level operations. |
| Boulder Dome | A high-tech scientific research facility. | Could explain more about the evolution of the FEV or cold fusion tech. |
| Cheyenne Mountain | The real-world NORAD site. | The likely hiding spot for the Enclave’s top leadership. |
What This Means for the Future of Fallout
By shifting the focus to the Rockies, the showrunners are providing themselves with a blank canvas that honors deep-rooted lore while allowing for fresh storytelling. This transition enables the series to explore the technical origins of the Enclave and the ultimate fate of the Vault-Tec executives without being strictly confined by existing game maps.
As The Ghoul navigates the ascent into the mountains, viewers should prepare for a snowy, high-altitude wasteland. This environment promises a mix of dog-training tribes, advanced Enclave bunkers, and the chilling secrets buried within Vault 0. Season 3 is shaping up to be the most ambitious chapter yet, taking the narrative to a digital frontier that fans have spent decades waiting to see fully realized.
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