Summary

• Fallout 4 introduces hidden synths, artificial people designed to look and act like humans, creating paranoia in the Commonwealth.
• The Institute creates synths to replace real people and act as spies, with some unaware of their artificial nature in Fallout 4.
• The presence of synths offers new storytelling possibilities for future Fallout games, with potential ties to factions like the Brotherhood.

The Fallout universe is full of mysteries and strange occurrences, and Fallout 4 added to this by fully introducing a hidden threat that could potentially be lurking anywhere. While strange new foe was set up in Fallout 3, it wasn't until the next installment that it was expanded on and fully implemented. But what could be a secret so important that it could impact Fallout for years to come?

Set in Boston and the surrounding area, Fallout 4 follows the Sole Survivor, a pre-war resident of the Commonwealth, as they search for their missing child. Having the action take just 10 years after Fallout 3 allowed for many returning characters as well as some themes and plot hooks to be picked up. And there was one in particular from a side quest in Rivet City that has the potential to have far-reaching consequences for both Fallout 5 and Amazon's Fallout series.

Fallout 4's Secret Synths Could Be Anywhere

The Idea Of Hidden Synths Shouldn't Be Ignored

One of the key plot points of Fallout 4 is the Institute and its third-generation synths. These artificially created people look and act just like regular humans, causing waves of paranoia throughout the Commonwealth. While some have been created as a labor force for the Institute, there are also a shocking number who were designed to replace real people and act as spies. Even with the Institute destroyed, there are still a lot of human-like synths uned for, something future Fallout games and the series may have to address.

There Are Many Synth Characters Throughout Fallout 4

Some Are Hidden & Others Are Overt, Thanks To Two Key Factions

During the course of the main questline of Fallout 4, the Sole Survivor will cross paths with many characters and factions. While some characters are clearly synths or are upfront about their nature, such as Nick Valentine, Railroad agent Glory, and the many Coursers encounters, others either hide what they are or honestly don’t know. As the Sole Survivor explores and completes quests, it becomes clear just how many synths are hiding in the Commonwealth and beyond, thanks to both the Institute and Railroad.

For years, the Institute has been replacing Commonwealth citizens with synths by kidnapping people, torturing them for details of their lives, and then killing them. The best examples of this seen in Fallout 4 are Roger Warwick and Mayor McDonough, both of whom are aware they are Institute spies. While one was meant to oversee a farm for the BioScience division, McDonough was placed to control Diamond City and feed information back to his handlers.

But there are also synths who are unaware of their past or who never bring it up during the course of the game. Both Sturges and Goodneighbor’s nightclub singer Magnolia are synths, but it is never revealed in dialogue or during a quest. In fact, as both are set to essentially, the only way to confirm their status is to use console command which will reveal that they drop a synth component when dead.

Some of Magnolia’s songs hint at her past, in particular, “I’m the One You’re Looking For,” which has lines about memories being erased and her struggle to find a new identity.

There are even synths who appear in Fallout 4 who have no idea that they are synths and truly believe they are fully human. Paladin Danse and Far Harbor’s Captain Avery are revealed to be Gen 3 synths during the course of the Brotherhood of Steel ending and the Far Harbor DLC main questline. Both react with shock at the revelation, causing each of them to question their personal identities and place in the world.

However, while DiMA was responsible for Avery’s death and replacement, it is much more likely that Danse was a product of the Railroad’s efforts to free synths. Along with Dr. Amari and facial surgeons all across the East Coast, the Railroad is able to take runaway synths and give them new identities. Although their intentions are good, the Railroad’s actions have far-reaching consequences, with some of their relocated synths showing up in Fallout 3’s Rivet City in the Capital Wasteland and probably further afield.

What Do Fallout 4's Secret Synths Mean For Fallout's Future

The Implication Of Their Existence Cannot Be Ignored

With the arrival of the Prydwen in the Fallout series, it is clear that either a Minutemen or Brotherhood ending for Fallout 4 is considered canon, but what does that mean for the many synths that are still out there? Their existence isn’t something that the franchise can put back in the box, and it needs to be addressed in some capacity. However, far from being a negative, the synths out in the world offer interesting new story possibilities separate from the Institute and the Commonwealth.

There are still an untold number of synths uned for that could be used to tell stories and offer usual points of view in both Fallout 5 and the Fallout series. Perhaps they could be loyal to the Institute still, working for the faction’s holdouts who have fled the Commonwealth and East Coast. This would certainly work well for Elder Maxson’s reasons for bringing the Prydwen and his chapter of the Brotherhood to California if they were chasing Institute remnants.

This would not be out of character for the Brotherhood, and past Fallout lore has seen the militaristic faction hunting down super mutants who left California after the fall of the Master. Given Maxson’s reaction to Danse’s true identity, it isn’t a stretch to assume he would apply the same ferocity to the many Institute informants, Coursers, and holdouts. Maxson was also adamant that the Railroad also needed to be destroyed, which could also influence his actions if he also sought to find any of their agents, synths, or sympathizers.

Synths Could Impact The Fallout TV Series

Anyone Could Be A Robot

With the Fallout TV series taking place only nine years after Fallout 4, there are plenty of opportunities to use elements from the game’s plot in seasons. Even if it comes in the form of a reference or small remark, acknowledgment of the synth and the Institute makes a lot of sense, given the importance to Maxson and his mission in the Commonwealth. After all, his success there is what has placed him in a position to challenge the West Coast Brotherhood leaders, something many long-time Fallout fans expect to see in season two of the series.

Given the complexity of the Fallout timeline and the problems the TV show could create for continuity when it comes to Fallout 5, a large time jump might be a neat way to sidestep these issues. Little is known about Fallout 5; with its setting and place on the timeline uncertain, it may be too distant for the synths of Fallout 4 to make an impact directly. Although, it feels right that the synths and their role in that universe shouldn’t be forgotten quite so quickly.