Prime Video/BethesdaRing-a-ding-ding, Prime Video has just unveiled its first look at Fallout Season 2, which will take the video game adaptation to one of the franchise’s most iconic locations: New Vegas. Whatever happens, there’s one character we should see (even if it’s just a nod).
The first season of Fallout was a triumph. Unlike HBO’s The Last of Us (which is still brilliant), it had the verve and nerve to not only take place within the decades-spanning canon of the games, but also tell its own story that enriches what came before while forging its own place in the series’ legacy.
So, when the first season ended with a glimpse of Kyle MacLachlan’s Hank looking at the New Vegas’ twinkling, neon horizon, two things were true: it was fan service, but it was earned.
The question is, how much will New Vegas’ story bleed into Season 2? There will be flashbacks to its heyday before the bombs fell, but will we meet other characters… like Benny?
Why Fallout Season 2 needs to give a nod to Benny
BethesdaFor those who haven’t played the games, Benny sets the events of Fallout: New Vegas in motion. He’s the head of the Chairmen of New Vegas, as well as the owner of the Tops Casino – and, in short (and without too many other spoilers), he wants to control the city.
At the start of the game, the Courier (the player’s character) tries to deliver the Platinum Chip (a data storage device) to the city. However, Benny intercepts him, steals the chip, and shoots him in the head, leaving him for dead in the desert.
Two things worth pointing out. Firstly, Benny is one of the most memorable antagonists in the franchise; a power-hungry desert-dweller in a checkered coat who’s ultimately just a pawn, blinded by his own hubris. Secondly, he was voiced by Friends star Matthew Perry in the game, delivering one of his most underappreciated performances – not because players didn’t like him, but it came at a time when gaming wasn’t as widely platformed.
Considering the game’s continually rising popularity – seriously, when are we getting that remake? – and Perry’s untimely death in October 2023, Fallout Season 2 is the perfect opportunity to pay tribute to both the actor and the character.
Perhaps we’ll hear his voice in a video, or maybe somebody will borrow his best quote, “Truth is… the game was rigged from the start.”
“They can probably do a small nod to his character though. Maybe his photo shows up or his checkered suit is being worn by some rando character who finds it shortly after Benny’s death/disappearance. I doubt they’ll do it but it would be really cool if they did,” one Redditor speculated.
“It’s upsetting that Matthew Perry didn’t get a part in the show. Of course he probably wouldn’t have played Benny but even just a cameo would’ve been cool,” another wrote. “I hope if they do include the Benny in the future, they cast someone who understands the spirit of the character,” a third wrote.
If you’re in the Fallout mood, check out the show’s soundtrack, find out the meaning of Vault Boy’s thumbs-up, and our ranking of the Fallout games.
