Fallout’s Darkest Season 2 Detail Is Uncomfortably Perfect & Way, Way Too Real

Fallout season 2, episode 7, "The Handoff," begins with Vault 32 Overseer, Steph Harper (Annabel O'Hagan), and her mother, Joan (Natasha Henstridge), fleeing American forces that have annexed Canada. A visual that eagle-eyed Fallout fans were likely expecting after the series teased the annexation of Canada earlier in season 2, episode 4, "The Demon in the Snow".

This lore dates back to the original Fallout game, released back in 1997. Back then, the idea of the United States invading Canada and making it "The Big 51" was a grim bit of satire. Today, though, the idea definitely has a different tone.

Fallout Universe's Annexation of Canada

What would have normally been a fun Easter Egg for longtime Fallout fans is now a grim reminder of President Donald Trump's threats to annex the nation. While these threats have cooled after multiple talks with the current Prime Minister, Mark Carney, the road to annexation in the Fallout universe was a much bloodier one.

In the post-apocalyptic universe of Fallout, the rising tensions between nuclear powers, China and the United States, led to conflict over resources in Alaska.

"That was the last straw. You know what's been stopping the Reds from pouring into downtown Juneau? American soldiers, that's what. And now we've got to worry about someone - Chinese, Alaskan, or otherwise - taking out the pipeline? I don't think so. Effectively immediately, United States troops are beginning a complete takeover of all Canadian assets and resources. Little America is ours. But let's face it - it always has been.”

— Buzz Babcock regarding the annexation of Canada, as quoted by the Capitol Post (Fallout 3)

In the Fallout universe, Canada was seen as an obstacle to the front line in the eyes of American generals like Buzz Babcock, who made note of the strategic importance of Canada's resources. Anyone who opposed this was labeled a terrorist and executed (as seen in the opening of the first Fallout).

Citizens like Steph Harper and her mother were put into Internment Camps. She and her mother are escaping one such camp and heading for the border in the opening of Fallout season 2, episode 7, "The Handoff".

Stephanie Harper's Experiences as a Canadian

The effects of the Internment Camps and of the occupation weigh heavily on Harper throughout the episode. Her dying mother warns her before she leaves: "Don't think of them as human beings, think of them as Americans."

Through flashbacks of her journey to VaultTec, marrying Hank McLean, and the ruthlessness she shows fellow overseer, Betty (Leslie Uggams) over water, Harper had clearly taken those words to heart. With no nation to swear loyalty to, she becomes an island, looking only to protect herself and her baby.

What Does Canada's Annexation Mean For Fallout Season 3?

Fans of the series have speculated about what role the annexation of Canada would take in the TV series. Fans were interested to see if showrunners Geneva Robertson-Dworet and Graham Wagner would address Canada's state in the Fallout universe, given the current political climate. Fallout has never been afraid to thumb its nose at those in power or to speak truth to it.

With this, Fallout season 3 opens the door to more episodes set in the north, or with Steph Harper as a key player, reckoning with the nation that invaded her own. For those looking to study up on what exciting world-building might be showing up in season 3, Fallout Bible 0 is a great resource!

Fallout's timely warning may date all the way back to 1997, but the very real warning rings true today. This grim satire is a reminder of the importance of peace and of protecting it. After all, war may never change, but humanity's appetite for it can.