Fallout season two is taking the “Fog of War” approach when it comes to Fallout: New Vegas‘ multiple endings. That means that no one New Vegas ending becomes canon in the Fallout series, just as no one ending is canon in the game. Instead, each faction involved in New Vegas has its own set of beliefs about what happened during the events of the game when we meet them in the show… All of which could be true from a certain perspective. Given that the show takes place 15 years after the events of New Vegas, it seems reasonable that some degree of playing telephone with the truth has occurred. This timeline also gives the show another significant advantage. It allows Fallout season two to reveal the fates of certain New Vegas characters, “now” nearly two decades later, without having to specify what happened to them at the exact time of New Vegas. In Fallout season two, episode three, we learn the fate of the founder of Caesar’s Legion and original Caesar in Fallout: New Vegas, Edward Sallow.
Fallout: New Vegas‘ Original Caesar, Edward Sallow, Is Dead on Fallout Season 2
In Fallout season two, episode three, the series reveals what became of the original Caesar and Caesar’s Legion founder, Edward Sallow, after the events of Fallout: New Vegas. Macaulay Culkin’s Fallout season two character Lacerate Legate explains to Lucy what has become of the original Caesar in the last fifteen years. Edward Sallow is dead in the world of Fallout season two, Culkin’s character reveals. He shares of Edward Sallow’s fate in the Fallout world, “The great founder of this empire, he died. We’ve been at war ever since over who should be his heir. He wrote down the name of his successor and placed it into his divine pocket, but every time we try to retrieve it, False Caesar and his followers, they shoot at us. We are at a stalemate.”
Culkin’s character reveals that sometime after Edward Sallow’s death, Caesar’s Legion split into two factions that both call themselves Caesar’s Legion. On Fallout season two, each group has its own Caesar, who believes himself to be the rightful heir to Caesar’s Legion and the legacy of Edward Sallow. But ultimately, what Fallout: New Vegas players will want to take away is that, 15 years after Fallout: New Vegas, Edward Sallow is definitely dead. So don’t expect the original Caesar and founder of Caesar’s Legion to appear in the series. If you, uhm, are an Edward Sallow fan and hoping to see him on Fallout season two… Our condolences?
What Happened to Edward Sallow in Fallout: New Vegas‘ Endings?
So, in the world of Fallout season two, Edward Sallow is dead. But what does Fallout game canon say happens to the founder of Caesar’s Legion? Well, as established, Fallout: New Vegas has four possible canon endings, and that means multiple fates for Edward Sallow…
Helpfully to Fallout season two’s project, in three of the four possible Fallout: New Vegas endings leave Caser Edward Sallow’s fate unspecified. In the New Vegas endings where players side with the NCR, join with Mr. House, or The Courier (with Yes Man’s Help) frees New Vegas, we simply do not know what becomes of Edward Sallow.
However, there are still multiple options for Edward Sallow’s fate if the player allows Caesar’s Legion to take over New Vegas and the Mojave Desert. In the Legion ending, the player can either find a way to cure the brain tumor that is plaguing Edward Sallow and allow him to live and become the new ruler of New Vegas. In this outcome, Edward Sallow inflicts his dictatorial rule on New Vegas, making the population his slaves and imposing harsh order. If the player does not cure Caesar of his brain tumor, then Edward Sallow dies in Fallout: New Vegas, and his second-in-command, Legate Lanius, becomes the new Caesar. But we’re pretty sure the outcome for those under either Caesar’s rule is much the same.
All of Edward Sallow’s New Vegas Endings Work with His Fallout Season 2 Death
As we mentioned up top, when it comes to who “won” New Vegas, every faction, including Caesar’s Legion, believes it was them. And that’s why every Fallout: New Vegas ending technically remains canon. Happily, this new addition to the Legion’s lore also works with every possible outcome for Edward Sallow.
Edward Sallow’s Death in Fallout Season 2 Works with the Non-Caesar’s Legion New Vegas Endings
If one wants to assume that Caesar’s Legion did not really win in Fallout: New Vegas‘ ending, then the fate of the original Caesar was unknown anyway, and the confirmation of Edward Sallow’s death in Fallout season two, episode three makes total sense.
Edward Sallow’s Death in Fallout Season 2 Works with Both the Caesar’s Legion New Vegas Endings
If, in your mind, Caesar’s Legion did triumph in Fallout: New Vegas, and you went with the ending where Edward Sallow was cured—then, well, the 15 years account perfectly for what we learn about his fate in Fallout season two. Edward Sallow did live to be “victorious,” but somewhere in the 15 years between New Vegas and Fallout season two, he died. The life of a Caesar is very bloody, you know.
And, finally, even if you go with Caesar’s Legion’s ending in Fallout: New Vegas where the original Caesar Edward Sallow died and Legate Lanius took over, Fallout season two still fits into the narrative. Cleverly, there are not one but two Caesars to choose from that could be Legate Lanius in Fallout season two. The Caesar we see on-screen, played by Kaleti Williams, is merely credited as “Caesar.” And there’s a whole second Caesar, whom we do not even really meet—either one could secretly be Legate Lanius.
It’s possible that sometime after Edward Sallow dies and Legate Lanius is crowned as Caesar in New Vegas, either one of the opposing Legions introduced the narrative about Edward Sallow writing down the name of his successor and putting it in his pocket in an effort to maintain their claim to rule of Caesar’s Legion or refute the claim of the opposition.
We Love That Fallout Season 2 Decided Edward Sallow’s Fate for the Franchise
And now we know that the original Caesar Edward Sallow is officially dead in 2296. And we like that the show confidently made this decision and evolved the canon. The Fallout series cleverly never breaks any established canon, but it also never shies away from establishing parts of the lore itself. Every time it does that, we cheer.
All this to say, good luck in the underworld, Edward Sallow.
New episodes of Fallout season two drop Wednesdays on Prime Video.
Rotem Rusak is the Editor-in-Chief of Nerdist. She would not join Caesar’s Legion on Fallout if you paid her.