- Created by the pre-war United States government, the Enclave is among the most powerful factions in the Fallout universe.
- The Enclave's primary objective is to cleanse the wasteland of all living beings since it considers them impure.
- Fallout Season 2 teases that the Enclave had a role to play in dropping bombs, and that it could also resume its genocidal campaign against mutants and ghouls.
The Enclave is one of the few unequivocally evil factions in the Fallout universe, and the latest episode of Fallout Season 2 confirms that it’s poised to play a major role in the TV series. The faction first appeared in the original CRPG, immediately turning heads with its techno-elite, deep-state aesthetic. It later became the primary antagonist of Fallout 3, cementing its status as one of post-war America’s most powerful and dangerous factions.
While the TV show hasn’t yet shown the Enclave’s unmistakable insectoid helmets, the first season did offer glimpses of what it has been up to on the West Coast. With the recently-aired episode 6, it’s clear that the faction is shaping up to be the ultimate villains of Season 2. So, if you need a lore refresh, here’s everything to know about the Enclave in Fallout.
What Is the Enclave in Fallout?
You can think of the Enclave as basically the Fallout equivalent of the American “deep-state.” As we learn in the games, the faction was created by the pre-war United States government, with the nation’s President serving as the leader. Washington and military higher-ups who were a part of the faction retreated into underground facilities before the bombs dropped, with the intention of re-emerging decades later to reclaim the wasteland. In the process, they largely abandoned the American populace, choosing not to protect them from the looming danger of a nuclear apocalypse.
The Enclave wasn’t publicly discovered until just days before the bombs dropped, though it had long been the subject of conspiracy theories, much like the real-world concept of a “deep state.” While retreating into its underground slumber, the Enclave secured a significant amount of resources, often by funding corporate projects. This included Vault-Tec’s underground shelters, or ‘Vaults,’ many of which were fitted with monitoring tools, allowing the Enclave to surveil them.
Initially, the faction sought to restore pre-war ideals across the desolate wasteland. But it soon evolved into a fascist paramilitary organization, determined to eliminate all beings on the surface. Humans, mutants, ghouls, and others were all considered “impure” due to radiation exposure, making them targets for the Enclave’s genocidal agenda.
The Enclave served as the primary antagonist in both Fallout 2 and Fallout 3, with players ultimately thwarting their evil schemes. Even so, the Enclave’s military might and fanatical ideology continue to cast a long shadow over the wasteland, earning them the fear and caution of every other major Fallout faction.
What Role Does the Enclave Play in Fallout Season 2?
Fallout Season 2 episode 6 strongly suggests that the Enclave is the “other player” that Mr. House is anxiously worried about. Barbara’s chilling exchange with Dr. Wilzig (who runs away from the Enclave in Season 1) seems to confirm that Vault-Tec had no intention of dropping the bombs and that this notion was forced upon her by the Enclave. While the question of who dropped the bombs is still ambiguous, the show is starting to point the finger towards the mysterious faction
Then there’s the Super Mutant’s conversation with the Ghoul, where he warns the former of an upcoming war against the Enclave. As mentioned earlier, the paramilitary group detests mutated beings such as mutants and ghouls, and if it’s still around in numbers, it would undoubtedly look to eradicate these “abominations.” Given that, it’s safe to assume that the Enclave is bound to make an appearance in the final two episodes, or even become the central villains of Season 3.
Keep in mind that some of these assumptions are speculative in nature, and the Enclave’s role might just be reduced to a ‘shadowy figure’ by the end.
And that wraps up everything you need to know about the Enclave in Fallout Season. What role do you think the faction will play in the final two episodes? Let us know in the comments.
The Enclave is a mysterious paramilitary faction created by the remnants of the pre-war United States government. Its primary objective is to seize control of the wasteland by eliminating nearly every living being on the surface.
The question of “who dropped the bombs” is yet to receive a concrete answer, although Fallout Season 2 strongly suggests that the Enclave dropped the nuclear warheads to secure its own personal interests.
