There are many paths in the Fallout universe that are ripe for exploration, and when Fallout 5 launches, it would be incredibly gratifying for fans and players to get a glimpse into some of these areas. While Ghouls are interesting, there are so many other great possibilities for a protagonist in Fallout 5, and one particular Fallout monstrosity that seems like an obvious choice is the Super Mutant. These abominations contain a rich backstory rooted in the series' lore, and following the experience of a single Super Mutant could simultaneously provide better context for the events leading up to previous games.
A Super Mutant main character would be a departure from previous formulas and make the next game more unique, while also giving fans a more complete backstory. By design, this would act as a prequel to the other installments in the franchise, but with that comes a wealth of opportunities to make meaningful connections to future events, and give both returning fans and new players a fresh and original Fallout story. As a Super Mutant, players would be able to see first-hand the events following the FEV project, and would experience the transition from human to Super Mutant for themselves.
Why Super Mutants Could Be A Good Protagonist For Fallout 5
The Super Mutant Is A Complex Creature With A Rich Backstory
Custom image by Sarah-Jane Simpson
A Super Mutant protagonist would potentially have access to a whole new set of possible abilities based on the effects of the specific strain of FEV they have, making them a great option for a Fallout 5 protagonist. For example, if the story focused around horrifying Fallout legend, the Master, during or immediately after those first twisted FEV experiments, the protagonist of Fallout 5 could even have access to psychic abilities. That could open endless possibilities, from practical applications while exploring the Commonwealth to unlocking doors or accessing hard-to-reach areas to combat encounters. Super Mutants would also have extremely high resistance to radiation that would allow them to explore otherwise inaccessible areas.
The success of Fallout's recent Amazon Prime Video live-action adaptation may have encouraged Xbox to speed up development on its sequel.
Regardless of when the next game is set in the Fallout timeline, a Super Mutant's perspective makes sense. As far back as the original Fallout game, Super Mutants have been at the core of each story, and with companions or NPCs such as Marcus from Fallout 2 and Strong & Dr. Virgil from Fallout 4,it's clear that these are complex beings who are affected by FEV to varying degrees. It also makes sense from a gameplay and role-playing perspective when considering the effects that FEV has on specific abilities, such as hyper-intelligence, extreme dexterity and endurance, as well as the obvious super-strength.
FEV & Super Mutant Creation Would Be An Interesting Story
The History Of FEV Dates Back To Before The End Of The World
While it isn't clear when exactly the next Fallout game will be set, the use of FEV to create Super Mutants is ubiquitous throughout the Wasteland, and there could very easily be an entirely new storyline generated around Super Mutant creation, similar to Vault 87's EEP variant of FEV that produced feral Super Mutants en masse or the Institute from Fallout 4 and their debauched byproducts from their generation 3 synth research. Whether the next installment is a prequel, sequel, or even set during the same time period as a previous game, there's room for a great Super Mutant story.
Fallout 4 gives players a lot of freedom and multiple endings to reflect this, but there is one outcome that will leave the Commonwealth in chaos.
A particularly ripe area for Super Mutant story development is the process of FEV turning the human specimen into a Super Mutant, and the different side effects this may have on a prospective main character. On the flip side of that, a Super Mutant story could expand on Dr. Virgil's attempts at curing the Super Mutant side effects by reintroducing his original DNA, overwriting the FEV inside him. Because he was able to successfully cure himself, it seems like a widespread cure for these bio-mutants would not only be possible, but could make the Commonwealth safer for all.
Fallout 5 is still far over the horizon, but the series has plenty of in-universe factions that are perfect for making a return in the upcoming title.
Beyond that, a Super Mutant protagonist would be an easy and natural way to fill longtime fans of the franchise in on more backstory surrounding The Master, the original antagonist from the first Fallout game, and potentially even fill in details from as far back as West Tek's pre-War development of the virus. FEV has been used by most major antagonists in the Fallout series for nefarious means, and it would be interesting to see a new perspective on the creation of this virus, which started as an attempt to cure an infectious plague long before the War began.
A Super Mutant Protagonist Would Feel Unique To Fallout
Players Want A Fresh Perspective Of The Wasteland
Aside from the many narrative possibilities that a Super Mutant protagonist opens up, it would also be a change of pace from what players have come to expect from a Fallout game. From strictly a gameplay point of view, a Super Mutant would simply have access to many more interesting abilities than another vault-dweller ghoul. The resistances that a Super Mutant has would add to the feeling of an open world because they could freely explore areas a regular human would not, and would physically be capable of new and exciting abilities related to their absurd strength and endurance.
While not all of the companions in Fallout 4 get personal quests, the ones on offer give insight as they ask for the Sole Survivor's help.
If there was ever a time to overhaul some of the gameplay mechanics in a Fallout game, it seems like the way to do so would be through a Super Mutant as the main character as opposed to another vault-dweller or even a ghoul. The choice would open up new possibilities for leveling-up systems, combat mechanics, V.A.T.S., inventory management, and more. The nature of FEV is unpredictable enough that pretty much any abilities a Super Mutant might have as a side effect (within reason) would be logical and make sense with the larger Fallout lore.
The bottom line is that a Super Mutant protagonist makes sense for Fallout 5 for many reasons related to lore, gameplay, and in terms of giving players something new and exciting in the franchise. Super Mutants are present in every major narrative of the Fallout series, and their deep connection to pre-War bio-weapons, The Master, the Institute, etc., would be a natural way to fill in backstory and add history to the existing lore, while their unique physical attributes would make them ideal for fresh gameplay. Fallout needs to do itself a favor and feature a Super Mutant as the protagonist in Fallout 5.
Custom image by Sarah-Jane Simpson
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