Why Does the Brotherhood of Steel Hate Ghouls?

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The Brotherhood of Steel (BoS), a prominent faction in the Fallout universe, harbors a deep-seated and multifaceted hatred for ghouls. This animosity stems from their core beliefs, mission, and a general fear of what ghouls represent. Fundamentally, the BoS sees ghouls as mutants, not as humans, and therefore views them as aberrations that must be contained or eliminated. Their perspective is rooted in several key factors:

• Threat to Technological Purity: The Brotherhood is obsessed with preserving and controlling pre-war technology. They view ghouls as a consequence of the nuclear devastation, a symptom of technology gone awry. This makes them a visual reminder of everything the Brotherhood aims to prevent—uncontrolled scientific advancement and its catastrophic results. They see ghouls as a corruption of the human form, a perversion that stands in direct opposition to the clean, technological order they wish to establish.
• Potential for Feralization: The BoS operates under the assumption that all ghouls, whether currently feral or not, will eventually succumb to feralization. This belief is a core tenet of their anti-ghoul sentiment. Feral ghouls are aggressive, mindless creatures, and the Brotherhood sees them as a direct threat to their personnel and the technology they protect. Even non-feral ghouls are viewed as potential ticking time bombs, not to be trusted and best avoided. This inherent distrust leads to a policy of exclusion and often outright hostility.
• Symbol of Degradation: Ghouls, with their decayed physical state, serve as a stark symbol of the wasteland’s harsh reality and the consequences of unchecked radiation. The Brotherhood, with its emphasis on technological prowess and order, finds this visual representation of decay and mutation deeply repulsive. Their quest for a pristine, controlled future clashes directly with the existence of ghouls, furthering their disdain.
• Exclusivity and Human Supremacy: The Brotherhood has a strong sense of human supremacy. They believe in the innate superiority of humans and therefore look down on those they classify as “mutants”. This ideology permeates their attitude towards ghouls. Ghouls are seen as being less than human, undeserving of respect or consideration. This belief system drives their discriminatory practices.
• Military Doctrine: The Brotherhood’s approach to threats is primarily military. When facing a potential enemy, they prefer to eliminate the threat rather than try to understand it. Ghouls are treated as a dangerous enemy by most BoS soldiers. They justify this by claiming they are being proactive in stopping a potential threat from turning feral and becoming dangerous to the brotherhood, its members, and its objectives.

In conclusion, the Brotherhood of Steel’s hatred for ghouls is a complex blend of ideological purity, fear, and military pragmatism. They are viewed not as individuals but as symbols of what the Brotherhood despises: the consequences of unrestrained technology, the degradation of humanity, and the chaotic nature of the wasteland. This belief system fuels their often violent and discriminatory actions towards ghouls across the various Fallout titles.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

General Questions about Ghouls

1. How do ghouls become ghouls?
   Ghouls are primarily created when humans are exposed to extreme levels of radiation. This exposure causes severe genetic mutations leading to their distinct appearance and extended lifespan. This doesn’t mean that everyone exposed to large amounts of radiation will become a ghoul, as some individuals will succumb to radiation poisoning or various forms of mutations.
2. Are all ghouls feral?
   No, not all ghouls are feral. While many ghouls succumb to feralization, becoming aggressive and mindless, a significant number retain their intellect and personality. This is a key misunderstanding held by the Brotherhood that fuels their hatred for all ghouls. The probability of feralization increases the closer a ghoul is to a major nuclear detonation site.
3. Can ghouls reproduce?
   No, ghouls are typically sterile due to the severe damage radiation causes to their reproductive systems. This means they cannot have biological children, and their numbers are maintained by new cases of radiation exposure creating more ghouls.
4. Are ghouls immortal?
   Ghouls are not immortal, but they do have greatly extended lifespans. Some ghouls have lived for centuries, making them seem functionally immortal to a standard human. However, they are still vulnerable to death by injury or severe illness and will eventually die.
5. Do ghouls eat each other?
   Ghouls generally don’t eat each other, as ghoul flesh is described as tasting very bad. Cannibalistic ghouls do exist, but this is often due to mental instability or a desperate measure for sustenance if no other food sources are available. This is an exception and not the general rule.

Brotherhood of Steel Specific Questions

6. Does the Brotherhood consider ghouls human?
   No, the Brotherhood does not consider ghouls to be human. They view them as mutants, a twisted and corrupted form of humanity. This dehumanization is crucial to understanding their treatment of ghouls.
7. Does the BoS kill non-feral ghouls?
   The Brotherhood’s policy varies across different chapters. Some are more likely to attack non-feral ghouls on sight, while others might simply treat them with contempt and avoid them. However, the general sentiment is that non-feral ghouls are potential threats who will eventually turn feral and are therefore best avoided. Some may even “miss” when firing on ghouls, an act of implied mercy.
8. Do all Brotherhood chapters hate ghouls equally?
   While animosity towards ghouls is generally consistent, some chapters may exhibit varying degrees of aggression based on their local circumstances and leadership. However, the underlying distrust and disdain remain largely the same.
9. Why does the Brotherhood believe all ghouls turn feral?
   This belief is a foundational aspect of their anti-ghoul policy. Their reasoning, though flawed, is rooted in the observation that many ghouls do turn feral. They often ignore that some ghouls have been sentient for centuries without a single sign of becoming feral, and they simply ignore these outliers and label all ghouls as potentially dangerous.
10. How does the Brotherhood’s stance on ghouls compare to their stance on Super Mutants?
    The Brotherhood views both ghouls and super mutants as dangerous mutants, but they hold a special hatred for super mutants. They despise super mutants for their sheer power and size, and their potential to destroy any structure they are close to and they see them as a technological experiment gone horribly wrong, further fueling their animosity. Both are treated as threats, but the level of hostility may vary.
11. Does the BoS have any allies who accept ghouls?
    The Brotherhood generally does not form alliances with factions or individuals that accept ghouls. The BoS’s rigid ideology and fear-based distrust make such alliances unlikely. They tend to ally with groups that are aligned with their overall goals for technology and order.

Related Fallout Lore

12. Are there any exceptions to the Brotherhood’s anti-ghoul stance?
    While rare, individual Brotherhood members might display a slightly more nuanced view, but this is not common and does not change the Brotherhood’s overall policy. The organization as a whole remains staunchly opposed to ghouls. They may occasionally offer mercy to a non-feral ghoul if they are not posing any threat.
13. How does this hatred contribute to the Brotherhood’s “good or bad” moral ambiguity?
    The Brotherhood’s hatred for ghouls, synths, and other mutants is a key aspect of their moral ambiguity. While they often protect humans and fight against hostile forces, their discriminatory practices against those they deem “lesser” undermine their claims to moral high ground. This creates a complex narrative about the true nature of the Brotherhood.
14. How does Nick Valentine’s synthetic nature affect his relationship with the Brotherhood?
    Nick Valentine, a synth, is often the target of derogatory remarks by Brotherhood members. His existence directly challenges their stance on mutants and synthetic beings, highlighting their prejudice. Nick is often subject to the Brotherhood’s disdain due to the combination of both his “mutant” nature and his “artificial” existence.
15. Is the Brotherhood’s belief about ghouls rooted in any historical event or incident in the Fallout universe?
    The Brotherhood’s beliefs are primarily rooted in their core ideology, a belief that humanity should not have played with technology that they did not fully understand. The creation of ghouls as a result of nuclear warfare reinforces their belief about the dangerous results of technology out of control. Their interactions with feral ghouls over their history further solidify these views.