The Naive, The Fool, and The Salty.

The reason the Ghoul cut off her finger is because she was constantly saying “do unto others as you would have them do unto you (golden rule)” She took his finger so he did the same to her. Hence the “this is the most honest exchange we’ve had so far” I legitimately don’t think it was ment to be more. But hey, that’s the fun of examining it.

10:48 Ghoul: “scientists used to do studies before the war and they said torture don’t work, and I agree…” . Lucy: “why are you torturing me then?” Ghoul: “I’m not I’m using you as bait”

I've been talking about this with my wife, and I think the Ghoul really personifies one of my favorite George Carlin quotes: "If you scratch a pessimist you'll find there's a jaded optimist underneath." The cosmic alignment of him encountering the dog, Lucy, and finally getting a lead on finding his family is bringing more of the old Cooper Howard to the fore, even though he's built up this sort of protective caricature personality of the Ghoul in order to protect himself and survive the Wasteland for the last 200 years. I love this character so much.

I've heard people say that the ghoul saved dogmeat because it was a remnant of his pre-trauma good guy-ness. I've also heard it said he only revived the dog because he could use him to track the target. I think it was a combo. He used the practicality as a justification within his grey moral code to still be a "good person." Because he has no reason to be good within his current framework.

As a disenfranchised former conservative veteran Cooper Howard resonates with me and a bunch of my military buddies sooooo damn much. Not in the we want to be him sorta way, more in the we know that character development because we went through a version of it. We witnessed what we believe in evaporate because it was smoke and mirrors all along

Can you imagine the horror and pain he felt while he was transitioning? His insides and outsides mutating and/or sloughing off as part of his flashback would be harsh, but a lot of people don't seem to understand what the Ghouls have been through, and the stuff they're made of to remain functional.

What I love about the Ghoul is there's no question he's Bad Karma, but every act has a point and a purpose. He's not cruel for fun.

As a traumatized person with anxiety and CPTSD, I really appreciated the scene that showed Cooper's reaction to finding out about his wife. It felt like I was watching a real man going into that hell spiral of mind, the room spinning, fuzzy vision, can't focus or speak, dry mouth. Goggins is a master class in respectfully portraying trauma.

The Ghoul might also be truly the KINDEST character in the entire show. Good puppers. He's not the Nicest. But he has it in him to be kind and genuine.

With the finger scene, she was talking about the golden rule before that, "do unto others as you would have done to you", in my opinion, he was showing her the reality of what she had just said. She took away a finger and he did to another what was done to him

Another vibe I got from the scene where The Ghoul cut Lucy's finger off was that he was very intentionally juxtapositioning the way she bit his finger off like a savage (what she thinks he is at that point) vs him pulling out his knife and meticulously cutting off her finger to further rub in that the two of them are not so different.

This show nails the tone. I'm starting to realize that simply looking at tone separates a lot of the bad live-action adaptations from the good ones.

Prolly the thing i like most about cooper that no one talks about is how he plays a Hollywood cowboy in his prewar life, but is such a spaghetti western archetype post war. Its a really fun contrast that i never see talked about

I saw the Lucy/Cooper dynamic described as "Level 1 Lone Wanderer and Max Level Courier" and that really works for me. Such a good show!

That finger scene was the first time he had respect for her. Up until that point she was putting up a mask to him, then she got angry and fought back. She showed her real fighting self to him- and he can respect that. Its not much respect. but its better than before.

Ghoul: “It’s not my dog.”

I love that she came back from retirement for this show

I interpreted the cutting fingers scene as a confrontation of moral beliefs: Lucy is the naive optimist who views people as innately good (at this moment in the story anyway) and the Ghoul, after all the shit he has witnessed, believes people are truly wicked. It would make sense for him to call it an “honest exchange” as he believes that he triggered Lucy’s primal instincts. Come to think of it, Lucy’s arc is a lot like Ralph’s in Lord Of The Flies

Most of the reason the Ghoul works so well is the casting. Walton Goggins had always killed everything he's been in and has still been slept on somehow. I remember him most from The Shield and Justified.

I can't wait to see what you have in store for us. Also, yes please a video about Norm would be amazing! He ended up being my favorite character of the season. I loved that Coopers tipping point was Roosevelt not being allowed into the vault.

My take on the finger scene was that she finally showed a spark of the ruthlessness that he believes is needed to survive on the surface, and taking her finger was just to drive the lesson home that yeah, you have to hit, but you also have to be able to take a hit. The honesty angle is that he is basically stripped to the bone of all artifice, image, expectations, trust, etc. Everythings gone except will. Lucy was the poster child of all those things. It was a kind of "now your getting it" moment, he was actually proud of her. You could even say it was the first time they both spoke the language of violence to each other.

Don’t think I ever came across a video that described to me exactly why I’ve loved this franchise so much via psychology. Great content, please give us more

14:21 he also needed a new trigger finger after she bit his off he sews her finger onto his hand later while talking to the president of the governmint and then immediately uses it to shoot his way out of the situation.

He is a very well written character. I honestly like him a lot, and I don't think I'm a bad person for feeling that way. He started out as a wonderful man. Kind and loving husband and father, charismatic actor. But through the flashbacks you see what he went through and lost. There are 200+ years after that that we don't even see. All that trauma and he's still alive and only mortally grey?! That's probably better then I would end up being. So parts of the Fandom telling me that I'm some kind of psycho for understanding his character, and empathizing with him are just outright wrong. Anyway that's my take on the whole thing. Thanks for another excellent video!

Maximus is "Idiot Savant", Brotherhood edition :) Nice video - "Norm" video please!!! (The irony of his name is just too perfect...)

I am a FNV fan and I love the TV show, especially during the Norm, Coop / The Ghoul scenes + Lucy's last episode scenes. I think it's because I like stories about people discovering and realizing that the things they think are alright are not actually alright. The deliveries by the actors are top notch!

I video on Norm would be great. The great transition for Cooper Howard occurred when he was listening to his wife at the meeting, imho. When he left her he left his old naïveté.

Bummed to realize you didn’t have more videos, stoked to watch your channel grow. Glad the series brought you back to making them. 🎉

For me he totally carried the show. He and watching his story unfold were just the most interesting for me.

This is my first introduction to your channel. It sounds like we have some things in common. The interchange between the ghoul snd Lucy in my mind, was a demonstration that the ghoul was gaining respect for Lucy. He could have killed her, at any point up to now. Instead, he cut off her finger as a teaching moment. He was letting her know that he'd return to her, anything she gave to him. That came across to me as a show of respect. And an invitation to be a proper wastelander.

i thought it was interesting, that when cooper was caught in the super duper mart and blamed for lucy laying waste to it, he immediately claimed guilt. i don't know if it was to protect lucy. or he knows its useless. or if it because he was high. or if he just flat out doesn't care, and knows he'll take it as it comes. but i thought it was interesting.

I always smile when I find a channel that reminds me that there are others in this world as hopelessly addicted to Fallout as I am. Great video!

Hes is also just great because his story is so compelling, Like that last Episode Was amazing.

Just randomly stumbled on the channel.... awesome breakdown of the franchise and did appreciate the comparison and detailed analysis of the fallout universe to reality.... liked and subscribed 👍👍👍👍😁

For me, the finger scene was then getting even at each other. I never thought it was sexist. Just showing its a dog eat dog world out on the wastelands

One thing I haven't seen many talking about is Ma's words to Lucy about how she has nice hair, teeth, and all ten fingers. Lucy loses a finger, Maximus sells one of his teeth, and Cooler lost his hair in his Ghoulification. Also interestingly, the Ghoul keeps Lucy's finger and sews it onto his hand in the scene where he is inadvertently protecting Lucy by not telling th Govermint that she destroyed the lab instead of him.

this is genuinely the best interpretation Ive heard of the show so far. Its nice to hear actual in-depth opinions for once.

Wow! I really wondered why I resonated with the Ghoul so much and you explained it perfectly. Thank you

The ghoul is a fantastic character, but it helps a lot that they cast Walt Goggins.

Norman and Chet vid wpuld go hard

Less than a minute into the video and I’m already vibin with your content, immediately subscribed lol Great video! I love all the show commentary up on YT now but this character breakdown especially was really insightful and interesting

everyone is fucked up in the wastes, you have to be to survive in the wasteland.

Amazing video! I immediately subscribed. I have been watching a lot of videos analyzing the series and the characters and this one is one of the best I've seen! I would love to hear your thoughts on the resolution of episode 4. Nearly the whole episode we watch the Ghoul take every opportunity to show Lucy no mercy, to show her what the wasteland is about and why he is who he is. I think of the exchange: Lucy: "What are you?" The Ghoul: "I'm you, you just give it a little time." There it seems like he's trying to say that he is the way he is because he has to be, that the wasteland makes people like this or they die. And he wants to prove that to himself by giving Lucy the same harshness and cruelty he received she also succumbs to the cruelty of the wasteland because if she does, then it proves him right. That it's not his fault he has become this way, that he's not a monster, that it would happen to anyone, that it was reality. But when Lucy comes up to him and gives him the drugs he needs since he's have intense withdrawals, she tells him "I will never be like you," and that proves him wrong. How can she suffer the evils of the wasteland and retain her morality, her humanity and he not? Perhaps he's the problem? I don't think it's an accident we then see at the end of the episode, what Cooper Howard ended up deciding to do with that movie (kill he outlaw or show mercy). Cooper wanted to show mercy but he was berated by the director and told he HAD to kill the outlaw. Cooper was obviously not okay with it. So when The Ghoul sits down and watches his old self succumb to the powers around him, fall in line, and abandon his morals and convictions. Sorry for the long comment, but I'd love to hear your thoughts on that decision in the tape and The Ghoul sitting there watching it, seeing that on some level he's always been this way (able to be controlled by society/authority) because in some weird way, by being who he is now (a reflection of the cruelty and lawlessness of the wasteland), he's still that while Lucy refuses to be.

Great 👍 conversation! It's incredibly refreshing to hear truth vs versions of reality. You present these ideas well. Thank you.

Wow I'm so happy I found your channel today. Great video ❤

Pursuit of happiness literally just means owning property IE owning a house and owning property but exactly that is being taken from us by corporations who work with the corrupt government

While I haven’t finished the fallout series yet, my favorite scene so far of the Ghouls is the scene where he meets and then kills the other Ghoul, the one whose lying on the floor, slowly going feral. Because on the one hand it’s a scene that shows us that The Ghoul values his own life first and foremost and will do whatever it takes to preserve it, even if he has to watch those he might have cared about hurt, but also shows us that he is not heartless. He goes out of his way to try and bring the other ghoul a sense of peace and comfort before he kills him, even though he doesn’t have to, and does his best to make sure the half feral ghoul’s death is a quick as possible, both to insure that he doesn’t go fully feral and potentially hurt or kill others, and so he doesn’t have to suffer any longer then he has. It’s a really good scene to show that while the Ghoul is not necessarily a good person, he is not heartless, and he will help where and when he can.

I would love to hear your thoughts on Maximus and Dane and the brotherhood as a stand in for the expectations of maculinity

This was an awesome video. Learned a little bit about myself lmao Thank you. _Subbed._

I'd personally love a video about Norm! :D

The actor is just that great 🤣he plays the same character in “the hateful 8” basically and its amazing

Agree. It was a good scene (the honest exchange). I didn't consider it misogynistic at all. It was more of tit for tat to me, then when he says the honest exchange line, I was like WOW. It was so well-directed and written, and even acted. The Ghoul is my fav character. I didn't think trauma-bonding with the Ghoul (not in traditional sense, but vibing with him because of traumatic past) is why I really enjoy this character. When you talked about your mom, I felt that down to my toes. Relating that to the Ghoul, you do see yourself and how you are now in relation to where he is (especially as the show goes on and you see his back story). I'll have to check out your other channel.

Really enjoyed your breakdown of the Ghoul! Earned my sub. Loving this show and can’t wait for more!

This is the very first of your videos that I have ever seen, and you have my attention for the fact that you acknowledge one crucial thought that so many others seem to refuse to see or admit. That is, what if the shoe was on the other foot. Thank you.

So as someone who is very attracted and down bad for the ghoul, I honestly saw the finger scene as very weirdly intimate and made me actually root for the Ghoul and Lucy to end up together. Unfortunately she’s ending up with Maximus u_u

i like how you framed that scene with the finger biting thing. i was so focused with lucy reacting so much to it that i kind of didn't register as much that the ghoul must've that thought that hurt as much and the thing being not a sexist problem but a trauma problem especially how discussion around it is being said

Just brilliant, thank you for an excellent, well-spoken perspective. Keep on keepin on!

Do ALL the videos!!! All the goul moments! OMG Im so happy I found this channel

You're doing good work. Loving the content. And yeah, there is just so, so much to analyze in that season. I watched it 3 times in the first 5 days it was out and I still can't stop thinking about it. The more I think about it, the more pieces I put together. I was thinking about Lucy's dad and a specific shot in the first episode, and the masterful multilayered foreshadowing. Her dad standing there during the vault raid, the shot with the film-burn effect spreading across the "sky" behind him and later the reveal of his complicity in the nukes. So in a way, he was complicit in the original nukes and the "nuking" of the vault and its way of life which doubles back to the "things have to burn to build anew" point which is being applied as well. You should talk about this if you're interested, as I suspect you may build on it in even more ways that I, personally, would enjoy. I really get the ghoul. I'm in a weird midway space between community and lonerdom. I see the value of community, I advocate for its importance, but I want little to do with it. It's not a hypocrisy thing. I joined the marines at 20 years old 2 years into the Iraq war and ended up staging an escape from Paris Island and once caught I lied about the reasons (claimed self-harm and gayness) and was treated as a gay person which is to say VERY not well, and then got senators involved which contributed to ending DADT. Was homeless after that, did a lot of hitchhiking across the country, lived on a commune in which I did plenty of banging and threesomes, was independent to a fault despite that, got into boxing, went to Portland and joined an anarchist punk band... and now I've realized I'm asexual and was forcing it the whole time, was only out and about in public because I didn't have a choice, have difficulty trusting anyone, lean toward a more brutal mindset than I ever had before, despise social media, am kneecapped by MS and completely dependant as a result, don't care about anyone's opinion of me no matter how negative and mostly want to live as if I don't exist. And yet, I advocate all the time for leftist community-based values. So I really don't know how to exist in the world anymore or belong to anything. I am where The Ghoul is in life. But you know, it's as they say... we take it as it comes.

12:50 I absolutely agree with you… Guy prisoner bites off female ghoul’s finger, she cuts off his finger… Really does have the same feel to it…

I just wanted to say that I came in here and saw this video had 69 likes and you had 69 subscribers and it hurt me a little to ruin that and be the 70th for both. I am deeply immature. Anyway, this video was fantastic! And I would LOVE a Norm video! He's such an interesting character. :D

Loved this breakdown! So glad I found your channel. Just subscribed and I'm excited to watch more of your content!

Found out about your channel with this video, I love it!

I actually thought Maximus' story was really interesting regarding the fact his education was primarily through the lense of brotherhood zealots. So when he is confused when lucy asked about sex and his lack of understanding on the topic it kinda related with my experiences of having a giant gap in my understanding of sex and relationships as a young man. Definitely one of those "if I had known then what I know now" situations.

Wow this was a fantastic video. Points were well expressed and really really entertaining. Subbed :D

Just found you on here yesterday. Kick ass videos.

Lovw this dissection and correlation with everything, instant fan!

I thought he meant that she’s been acting as if she was perfect and wouldn’t hurt anyone and she showed she’s a human with capabilities of hurting others when she bit of the finger

Just found your channel and holy cow, this stuff is good!! Keep it up, it's nice to hear someone smart speaking for a change

I just started watching this channel and it is fireeeee. I love your perspectives. Please keep up the great work!

Brilliant work, well done.

I absolutely love this character. Cooper Howard being the actor that becomes the Vault Boy, who is the face of Vault Tec and Fallout in general, but also being a ghoul after the bombs fell is genius. You see the world from two completely different perspectives but still through his eyes. He acts as the narrative bridge between past and present. He perfectly represents pre war America and post war America. As Cooper, he was a renowned actor living the American Dream, he mingled in high society. As The Ghoul, he’s a ruthless bounty hunter who is forced to do horrible things to survive like eat people. The dichotomy of this character is that he encapsulates the false promises that Vault Tec sold people and the terrible outcome of their schemes to play God with people’s lives. Cooper was deceived just like the rest of the world, and unknowingly became the official spokesperson for a secretly corrupt organization in the eyes of the public. And now, over 200 years later, he’s on a path of vengeance. Brilliantly written character and amazing performance as always by Walton Goggins. This might be my favorite role of his, it’s a toss up between The Ghoul and Boyd Crowder from Justified. Definitely looking forward to seeing more of him in Season 2.

I love this video! Thank u for making it :3

My dad’s only complaint about The Ghoul when we were watching was that he seemed so overpowered compared to everyone else, but honestly that’s something I really loved for him. Like, he’s been alive 200+ years. I’d be more mad if he *didn’t* have the skills to show for it. Meanwhile my only issue was I thought he looked a lil too moisturized for 200 years as a ghoul…

Holy shit I'm so subscribing this channel. Really great analysis

This is some great analysis and commentary, and I'm certainly interested in future projects along this line. I am curious about that video about norms you mentioned.

He's the bright glowing spot of the show for sure.

The ghoul is basically the player character after you finished every main and side quest and youre just looking for something to do

Amazing video!!

I really appreciated how we get maximus talking about how everyone wants to save the world we just disagree with how, juxtaposed with the Ghoul "somewhere behind the chaos is someone leading this charge". Maximus is hopeful that people want to save the world, the Ghoul knows there are people in charge and this chaos is what they wanted, a cynical realism.

I really enjoy this. I mean I'm watching many videos on the fallout show but the way you're explaining not only the story, the game, and the ghoul... kinda I think I enjoy your Passion on this. Thank you for this ❤

the scene of the ghoul finding the tape of him acting as a "heroic cowboy" is so good

Due to stuff like the halo show and rings of power i was super skeptical but im 4 episodes in and fallout is a great ahow so far!

Great video I'm excited for more! Fallout is my favorite games/show hands down!

KZfaq just recommended this video to me, and you've got a new subscriber! Great job! 🎉❤

"One question, young Henry! Where's my fucking systemic entanglements?"

Awesome! Subscribed!

So glad i found this channel

Great video, I hope to see your Channel grow :)

What a great topic, thank you for exploring with us! I think given what feels like an absence of some trad gender roles (eg Lucys open sexuality, women in executive roles) I don’t interpret this scene or the ghoul as misogynistic. I don’t want to say the world lacks the influences of the patriarchy because i believe it’s so engrained I probably don’t recognize it (and just showing woman in leadership positions doesn’t mean equality exists) but I love your take that what’s being shown is a very different dynamic. Sometimes the greatest gift can be those that take the time to educate you and while this is an extreme example the wasteland is an extreme time. It seemed like almost an act of humanity trying to get Lucy to see what survival actually takes outside the vault

I think it is also like the Scene where she tries to trank him. It is a small drop of ether drugs or pain in a long bucket of drugs or pain.

Tbh, the only complaint I have about this show is the way they handled the NCR lore, and how despite being a functional nation with law and order and ostensibly the Fallout world's largest factional superpower with pretty good territorial control over most of the East Coast, the NCR seems to have nearly totally collapsed in the span of only 15 years. Even if they lost the 2nd Battle of Hoover Dam, and Shady Sands was destroyed, the nation is big enough and advanced enough that it should have been able to retake their territory and reestablish law and order, or at least fight back more evenly against the Brotherhood. However, I think the quality of the story is good enough for me to be willing to bear with the showrunners and see where they take this story.

When my partner saw the de-fingering scene she turned and asked, “is this gunna be an enemies to lovers?” Everyone can take that scene very differently.

Such a profound analysis and perfect breakdown for simpleminded folk like me. Thanks for the vid shows insanely good

You got a new sub. I love your inspection of these topics combined with introspection. One love!

I don't think they needed to imply gender rolls outside the vault, there is definitely sexism in the games, but it comes from the chaotic anarchy that is the wastes, you're gunna run into raiders talking calling you sugar while saying they're gunna gut you, you got people like Benny who, when confronted, tries to display his charm to get out of his trouble with you, and some people do react differently with different gendered characters, you can get perks for a male character to have an upper hand on females, and vice versa, they have one for ladies having an upper hand on other ladies, but that's appart of the land and the lore, everyone is in this chaos (outside the vault dwellers in good vaults) and they are living chaotically

"Thou shall get sidetracked by bullishit."

Hi, first Video I see from you. I love the ghoul and Im happy for lucy and ghoul teamup for the second season. and yes more videos about the ghoul! And for Norm

Great video-more ghoul!