‘Fallout’ Season 2 Episode 3 Review - Weird Romans

The third episode of Fallout Season 2 is titled The Profligate, a name bestowed upon Lucy by—wait for it—the Romans. Yes, Lucy finds herself negotiating with a Caesar (there are two of them), and his men hang her on a cross, Jesus-style, though without nails or spikes. According to the Google dictionary, a licentious, dissolute person is referred to as a profligate, and sure enough, Lucy points out that she's no virgin—especially after all the "cousin stuff" she so uninhibitedly enjoyed.

I was amused by this version of the Roman Empire. Why are there two Caesars? Because whenever one faction tries to retrieve a piece of paper from the original ruler's pocket—on which he has named his successor—the other side attacks. The result is two rival groups, each with its own Caesar, locked in a stalemate.

I admit this is the first episode of the new season that I somewhat liked. The credit goes to these weird Romans and to whatever bonding session unfolds between Maximus and Xander. When Xander entices Maximus with his power suit, aircraft, and firearms, he resembles a cool kid showing off his toys to a new friend. Add to that Kumail Nanjiani's constant winking-at-the-audience performance, and we're watching a childish adult trying to prove he has the longest dick in the room. Maximus, meanwhile, is just happy to be along for the ride—fascinated by the toys and by his new companion.

But when forced to choose between morality and friendship, Maximus opts for the former. He sacrifices Xander to save the ghoul children. His goodness may spark a civil war, but at least Thaddeus's little employees survive. I chuckled when this former squire of the Brotherhood of Steel politely asked one of his workers, "Why are you not making money for me?" Thaddeus is blunt in a strangely sweet way: he explains that the children have already worked for 12 hours and still have 10 more to go. He delivers this information so casually that it sounds like a widely accepted norm. Thaddeus is an evil corporate boss incarnate—just with a sugary voice and a genteel demeanor.

Final Score- [6/10]