Is the Enclave Completely Destroyed in Fallout? A Deep Dive into the Post-War Remnants
The Enclave, that bastion of pre-War America obsessed with “purity” and vehemently opposed to the mutated denizens of the wasteland, is arguably one of the most compelling and consistently menacing factions in the Fallout universe. But have they truly been eradicated? The short answer is no, but they are severely crippled and exist only as scattered remnants. While their major power bases on both the West and East Coasts have been annihilated, individual members and small groups persist, clinging to their ideals or attempting to integrate into the new world order.
The West Coast Debacle: Fallout 2 and New Vegas
The destruction of the Enclave’s primary base, the Poseidon Oil Rig in Fallout 2, was a devastating blow. Orchestrated by the Chosen One, with the help of companions like Marcus, the reactor overload crippled their operations and scattered survivors across the wasteland. This event, however, didn’t completely eliminate them. The New California Republic (NCR) actively hunted down Enclave members, but some managed to evade capture and went into hiding.
Fallout: New Vegas provides a crucial glimpse into the West Coast Enclave’s fragmented state. We encounter a group of aged veterans led by Orrin, desperately clinging to their past and contemplating their future. They represent a dying breed, struggling with technological obsolescence and the realization that their ideology may be outdated. While they possess some advanced technology, their numbers are too few and their resources too limited to pose a significant threat. Their story arc allows the player to either help them find a measure of peace or completely wipe them out.
The East Coast’s Fall: Fallout 3
The East Coast Enclave, featured prominently in Fallout 3, initially appeared to be a more formidable force. Led by President John Henry Eden (a ZAX supercomputer in disguise) and wielding advanced weaponry like Tesla armor and vertibirds, they controlled significant territory. Their headquarters at Raven Rock was a technological marvel, and their intentions, while still genocidal, were presented with a veneer of patriotic fervor.
However, their East Coast presence was also ultimately destroyed. The Lone Wanderer, with the aid of the Capital Wasteland Brotherhood of Steel, dismantled their operations at both Raven Rock and Adams Air Force Base. The destruction of the modified Liberty Prime further cemented the Brotherhood’s victory and crippled the Enclave’s military might. While some members likely escaped the widespread destruction, they would have faced intense pressure from both the Brotherhood of Steel and the wasteland inhabitants.
The Scattered Remnants and Lingering Ideals
Despite the destruction of their main power bases, the spirit of the Enclave, warped and misguided as it is, seems to linger. The existence of former members in Fallout: New Vegas and even as far north as Far Harbor (in Fallout 4‘s DLC) demonstrates their enduring presence. These individuals, often disillusioned or hiding their past, suggest that the Enclave’s influence hasn’t entirely vanished. Their technology, even if fragmented, remains a potent force. It also highlights the ability of people from evil institutions and ways of life to abandon them.
While the Enclave as a unified, organized faction is effectively extinct, their legacy continues to haunt the wasteland. Their advanced technology occasionally resurfaces in the hands of others, and their ideals, however repugnant, might still resonate with some individuals seeking order and control in the chaotic post-apocalyptic world. Understanding the Enclave’s history and their ultimate downfall is crucial to grasping the complex political landscape of the Fallout universe, and the challenges faced by those trying to rebuild civilization. The lasting impacts of the Enclave are well suited for educational exploration. You can learn more about the applications of games and learning through organizations like the Games Learning Society at https://www.gameslearningsociety.org/.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About the Enclave
Here are some frequently asked questions about the Enclave, further exploring their history, ideology, and ultimate fate:
1. Was the Enclave destroyed in Fallout 2?
While the destruction of the Enclave oil rig in Fallout 2 was a massive blow, it didn’t completely wipe them out. Survivors scattered, leading to the formation of remnant groups.
2. Are the Enclave all gone in Fallout?
No, individual members and small groups of Enclave remnants persist throughout the Fallout universe, even after the destruction of their major bases on both coasts.
3. Is the Enclave a dead faction?
As a cohesive, unified faction with significant power, yes, the Enclave is effectively dead. However, their legacy, technology, and ideology continue to linger.
4. Who destroyed the Enclave oil rig?
The Chosen One, the protagonist of Fallout 2, destroyed the Enclave oil rig by overloading its primary reactor.
5. Why didn’t the Enclave nuke the Citadel?
The Enclave in Fallout 3 considered the Citadel (the Pentagon) their property, a US government building. They also wanted any nuclear strike to be decisive and not a waste of resources.
6. Why is there no Enclave in Fallout 4’s main storyline?
The Enclave was heavily weakened after the events of Fallout 2 and Fallout 3. Any remaining members were likely in hiding or assimilated into other communities.
7. Is it possible to join the Enclave in Fallout 76?
Yes, in Fallout 76, you can join the Enclave by finding the Whitespring Access Card in the Abandoned Waste Dump and interacting with MODUS, the AI that runs the Enclave facility.
8. Is the Enclave evil in New Vegas?
The Enclave remnants in Fallout: New Vegas are not necessarily portrayed as actively evil, but they still adhere to their original, problematic ideology of “purity” and their belief in the superiority of pre-War Americans.
9. What vault did the Enclave shoot up?
The Enclave raided Vault 13 in Fallout 2, kidnapping its inhabitants to use them in experiments and to restore the Enclave ranks.
10. Did the Enclave create Deathclaws?
While the pre-War US government created Deathclaws, the Enclave continued research on them and even developed intelligent Deathclaws for combat purposes in Fallout 2. Some of these Deathclaws escaped and formed their own cultures.
11. Is the Institute more advanced than the Enclave?
The Institute is generally considered more advanced in robotics, cybernetics, and AI, while the Enclave historically held the edge in weapons, armor, and vehicles.
12. What is the scariest Fallout game?
Scariest is subjective. However, many players find quests like Pickman’s Gift and Devil’s Due in Fallout 4, or even Our Little Secret in Fallout 3, to be the most unsettling.
13. Who is the villain in the original Fallout?
The Master, the leader of the Unity cult, is the primary antagonist in the original Fallout.
14. Who is the strongest Fallout protagonist?
The Chosen One from Fallout 2 is often considered the most powerful protagonist, canonically defeating Frank Horrigan, a cybernetically-enhanced Enclave super mutant.
15. What is the most advanced faction in Fallout?
The Think Tank from Fallout: New Vegas‘s Old World Blues DLC is arguably the most technologically advanced, surpassing even the Institute in certain fields of research like neurosurgery. Their pre-War hubris resulted in many unethical and disturbing experiments.