Summary
Bethesda Studios is widely known for its expansive and ambitious RPGs, stretching back to the developer’s early years withThe Elder Scrollsseries, then with its acquisition of theFalloutIP, and most recently in its massive open-world space-faring adventure,Starfield. While by and large its stories and narrative beats are grounded and serious in nature, particularly given the setup and framework ofFallout, there are still elements and situations of humor that crop up, sometimes in surprising or hidden interactions.
InStarfield, fans could run into a couple of such interactions during the course of their journey. If players choosethe Hero Worshipped starting trait inStarfield, a recruitable companion called the ‘Adoring Fan’ will appear and offer to join their crew. In another random event not dependent on any specific character skills or traits, players can meet and board a craft inhabited by a kindly ‘Grandma.’ Both were wholesome and amusing, with the Adoring Fan actually a nod to his first appearance inThe Elder Scrolls: Oblivion.Now that Bethesda has shown it is willing to have characters like these in multiple titles, it might be fun for them, or similar ones, to be featured again inFallout 5.
Fallout 5is not officially confirmed as yet, as Bethesda is currently working oncontinuingStarfieldupdatesas well as development ofThe Elder Scrolls 6, which entered pre-production in 2018.
Bethesda Should Continue Including Characters Like Grandmother and the Adoring Fan in Fallout 5
Bethesda’s History of Comical and Charming Side Characters and Companions
First seen in 2006’s epic fantasy,The Elder Scrolls: Oblivion,if players completed the chain of quests to become the Grand Champion of the Arena, the Adoring Fan would show up and shower them with praise, and could act as a follower as well. Thus, it came as a (possibly pleasant) surprise to see a version of him appear inStarfield’sNASA-punk world. Although he could join players as a crew companion,some fans foundStarfield’s Adording Fan to be a bit too mucheventually. But the fact that he was there at all is a nice extra touch that provides flavor and connectivity between the two games.
Starfield’s Grandmother is perhaps more agreeable to fans, being a lovely (if a bit lonely) elderly lady who seems to cruise aroundStarfield’s stretches of space, appearing at random spots to provide players with some old-fashioned rest and relaxation, offering them a helping from her stores of food and other supplies as well as a chance to have a friendly chat. It’s a small but often welcome pit stop, adding additional charm toStarfield’s adventures.
Fallout 5 Should Continue Bethesda’s Tradition of Having Whimsical Side Character Encounters
Given that Bethesda has now included at least one reoccurring comical side figure in two separate titles unrelated in setting, it’s possible that some of them, or similar, characters/companions could come back in upcoming games.Bethesda’s nextFalloutendeavor might consider having new depictions of one, or both, of these characters wandering the wasteland, waiting to be met by fans, some of whom may be familiar with and remember them fondly (or not) from previous experiences.
It might even make them more viable gameplay-wise in some way, asFallout 5could shake up some of the series' standards, and one minor way to do so might be to have Grandmother return, this time in a full companion role, as the Adoring Fan was inStarfield.This would create a neat bit of circular continuity across the studio’s major brands, connecting all three IPs through these characters in a creative manner. In any case, there’s little stopping it from including and calling back to Grandmother, or the Adoring fan, in a futureFallout.
