A Fallout Season 2 Finale Twist Establishes A Major Villain For Season 3

This article contains spoilers for "Fallout" season 2, episode 8.

"Fallout" season 2 has gone to New Vegas, and it also makes sure that its action isn't going to leave the iconic location any time soon. In fact, the season finale all but states that Mr. House's (Justin Theroux) domain and associated areas will remain an important part of the show, courtesy of the "Fallout" franchise's most notorious factions and its new leader — Macaulay Culkin's Lacerta Legate.

Remember that scuffle between the Caesar's Legion factions from "Fallout" season 2, episode 3 ("The Profligate")? They've been fighting all this time, and the season finale finally shows the outcome. When the Lacerta Legate gains access to the dead Caesar's remains, he finds a paper slip that declares the dead leader's last wish.

The Caesar wanted no successors and fully intended the Legion to end with his death. Seeing an opportunity, the Legate promptly stabs the only other person to witness the dead Caesar's last message. He then eats the evidence, takes the crown, and declares himself the new Caesar with no opposition whatsoever. Since the new Caesar immediately sets his sights on taking New Vegas, it looks like we're going to see a lot of Evil Macaulay Culkin going forward.

We've known for a while that "Fallout" season 3 is coming, thanks to Prime Video announcing the renewal back in May 2025. Now, we have some idea of the season's major storylines and villains, too. The rise of Macaulay Culkin's new Caesar — and his intention to take over New Vegas implies that he'll be a major villain of the Lucy MacLean (Ella Purnell) storyline. This tracks, considering the fact that the pair have already met and don't particularly like each other. 

The season 2 finale sets up a few other villain developments, too. Maximus (Aaron Moten) ends the season with a heartwarming reunion with Lucy, and his new "Fallout" season 2 power armor antics might lead to a team-up with the New California Republic. Still, his old Brotherhood of Steel boss Quintus (Michael Cristofer) is now cooking up a giant robot threat in the form of Sentinel Prime Alpha, so it's more than likely that Maximus will find himself facing his old faction sooner or later. On the Vault side of things, the revelation that Overseer Steph Harper (Annabel O'Hagan) is Hank MacLean's (Kyle MacLachlan) wife and that both are in cahoots with the Enclave will no doubt throw a few wrenches in the machinery. 

Finally, you don't hire Clancy Brown to play the president if it's just a quick cameo. The finale's de facto confirmation that the character is associated with the Enclave makes it more than plausible that he could potentially be waiting for the Ghoul (Walton Goggins) in Colorado — perhaps as the leader of the Enclave, even. All in all, "Fallout" season 3 seems to have its villain game well and truly sorted out.

"Fallout" season 2 is streaming on Prime Video.