Fallout Season 2 Episode 6 Review: The Other Player

It would be somewhat hard for Fallout Season 2 to pick up where “The Wrangler” left off, given how impactful it was to show Cooper and House together. While Fallout Season 2 Episode 6, “The Other Player,” tries to continue building that anticipation, it feels more like a bridge to the big finale.

However, that doesn’t mean there’s still a lot to appreciate. Notably, the focus on Lucy and Hank’s messy father-daughter reunion presents another unique perspective on House’s idea of “unity,” and the Ghoul’s encounter with a familiar face makes this episode entertaining.

While both storylines mesh well together, there is the question of how Maximus’s return here ties into the larger picture. Although it takes some time to get that answer, the journey there is somewhat satisfying.

Throughout Fallout Season 2, we’ve been trying to figure out why Hank is particularly interested in House’s tech and who he might be working with. The latter question isn’t really answered here, but the former is given much more exploration.

Through a flashback where Barb is meeting with marketers and engineers about Vault-Tec’s future, Hank is the one who watches House explain his black box chip despite Barb’s hesitancy. It’s clear that Hank is trying to mesh the Vault-Tec doctrine with what he believes from House: a more manageable world through forced control.

It’s interesting to see Hank and House’s ideologies present themselves in different ways. While Hank believes in a large-scale effort, what we already know, from Fallout: New Vegas and Season 2, is that House is more focused on protecting Vegas. Although things can change, perhaps House’s intentions for this chip would be focused on rebuilding Vegas.

However, what we see from Hank here is a complex test of philosophy for Lucy. Now that he’s got Lucy back, Hank wants to show her that only forced change can pave the way, rather than having any emotional connection.

The exploration that we get here between father and daughter really serves the narrative nicely while carefully testing that dynamic. Watching Lucy trying to nail her newfound understanding into Hank makes you really hope that he’ll see through.

Of course, given his past and present actions, with him showing the people he’s captured being unified (albeit under slave labor), that’s unlikely. Still, there’s a balance of cynicism and empathy from both Lucy and Hank that really influences you to believe that.

However, the one sequence that completely changes this is when Hank brings in two soldiers from the NCR and Caesar’s Legion that Lucy recognizes. It provides some quality mayhem, even though it has some pessimistic humor to it.

Meanwhile, Maximus and Thaddeus are still on the road together, but it’s a much different experience than Fallout Season 1. Now that they’re truly friends, watching them bond and actually have a real brotherhood is just a bright light amidst this sea of chaos.

Sure, most of the scenes they share on this episode are kept brief, but it really cements their friendship. Hearing them talk about what they have in common, particularly their former lives in the NCR, not only gives them something to build off of, but also truly makes them feel connected.

Of course, the opportunistic humor is still there in Thaddeus when Maximus brings up giving the cold fusion to Lucy. I just wish that these moments were extended by a minute or two since they’re mostly there to further the plot.

Fortunately, the Ghoul’s story on this episode is able to balance the weight between plot and emotion. Through a blend of flashbacks and narratively-driven present-day scenes, the Ghoul continues to be all the more compelling.

Last episode, the Ghoul was impaled by Lucy into a pole. Call it what you will, but it does feel like the Ghoul is facing his own “odyssey” as he tries to resist the urge to go fully feral. What comes from this is a life-and-death situation between the Ghoul’s two states of mind.

The one state of mind that drives him forward is retaining his pre-War spirit as Cooper Howard. We know he’s given up too much to get back to Barb and their daughter, Janey, and by holding onto the memories of them, it’s what grounds him in staying normal.

These memories are harrowing to watch as Cooper confronts Barb about what he heard during their meeting from Season 1’s finale. Not only do we get the reveal of the Enclave being behind Barb’s word, but it also made me think otherwise of Barb. She’s not the bad person that Season 1 made her out to be: she’s got no choice in the matter.

They both want to do what’s right for their daughter, but as House puts it, they’ve got opposing solutions. Cooper wants to dig deeper to help their family survive, while Barb wants to stick to the system she’s used to because it’s guaranteed them safety. Both of them have sympathetic beliefs, making you want to root for both of them.

Still, it’s not until the very end when that feeling really starts to show itself. When Barb decides to help Cooper attain cold fusion, it’s both a heartfelt yet terrifying moment, as the implications of both of their choices show a much deeper conflict to be explored.

Most elements of this episode work. However, the only aspect of this episode that feels like it needs more time to flesh out is the Vault-network storyline. Betty and Reg’s conflict about resources is an all-too-familiar sight for Fallout fans who know about the infighting resulting from the lack of sharing and management.

Although it does feel like it’s starting to tie into Norm’s side of Season 2, there’s still much to be done regarding Betty and Steph as well. The reveal that Steph is Canadian and her closeness to Hank suggests a much bigger web involving pre-War Vault-Tec. 

Fallout Season 2 Episode 6 continues to show much-needed progress in Lucy, the Ghoul, and Hank, but has this need to make way for the grand finale. With only two episodes left, I do hope these storylines will conclude in a satisfying way.

Additional Thoughts:

• I didn’t expect Ron Perlman to actually cameo, let alone as a Super Mutant. It does feel just right, though!
• I like how Hank connected All Quiet on the Western Front to his own explanation, but I do wish that scene had been just a little extended.
• I definitely knew that Fallout Season 2 was hinting at the Enclave’s involvement, but it was fun to see Wilzig make a small return.
• Who doesn’t love to hear “Uranium Fever” make a comeback?

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New episodes of Fallout Season 2 release Wednesdays on Prime Video.

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