Who really are the good guys?

[scottym23]

One of the many great aspects of this game is the karma system and the factions. All of your actions have an impact on the world and you are rated as either being "good" or "bad" through the karma system. The game doesn't hide the fact that it thinks of the brotherhood of steel as the "good" guys, and the enclave as the "bad" guys. However, I disagree with the game in that regard. First off, let's discuss the differences between the brotherhood and enclave. The enclave have a little better technology, better resources, and are willing to go the extra mile in taking over and restoring peace. The brotherhood's long term goal is to eventually be the official government and law in the wasteland, and then expand across the entire country. That's the goal of the enclave as well. Like I previously said however, what's different is the extreme measures that the enclave are willing to go that the brotherhood aren't. The enclave will kill all radiated creatures and life, even the ghouls that aren't ferrell. The ending purifier choice that President Eden gives you is to put in the modified mirv into the water supply, killing off all life besides the pure stranded humans. This effectively reverses the negative effects of the nuclear war in terms of life. The brotherhood wants you to just put the regular mirv in to get fresh water for everyone. In my honest opinion, I believe the enclave's choice is better for humanity in the long run. What the world needs now is a strong and stern group of enforcers to take control and allow the rebuilding process to occur. The enclave have better resources, are better organized, and are willing to make the tough decisions that will get the job done effectively. I understand how some people would consider that "bad" but someone's got to do it. I just don't think the brotherhood could or even would. Thanks for reading this, and take the time to comment and leave your own thoughts please!

[Talwyn224]

The Enclave are only interested in one thing: power. They see themselves as the rightful rulers of America and as such care nothing about its people, only that they accept the Enclave unconditionally as their lords and masters. This is the pathology of fascists, dictators and megalomaniacs and is the antithesis of the rule of democracy, due process and life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. They wrap themselves in the American flag yet they are everything that the symbol of the flag is against.

 

The Enclave apparently knew that the war was coming yet did nothing to warn the American public. They only looked out for themselves. They also want to wipe out all mutant life in the wastes, anyone effected by FEV would die if the Enclaves plan worked in FO3.

 

And finally the Enclave are just plain incompetent. As a supposed elite force who have access to all the neat toys, they manage to do nothing for over 150 years when they could have come out of hiding and established themselves in the ruins of America.

[HAMPOLLO]

I think they made The Enclave the bad guys merely to acknowledge Politically Correct ideas about embracing diversity and all that. Think about it. If Bethesda had made the "happy ending" all about killing off all the mutants and restoring pure humanity to their place on top, someone would have been bound to draw parallels with the Nazis and genocide. Bethesda would have taken all kinds of heat from the media for making a "Nazi game". They had no choice but to present wiping out mutants as a "bad" outcome... Even though throughout the entire game the mutants have been trying their darndest to wipe out you and the rest of humanity... :wink: Edited July 22, 2012 by HAMPOLLO

[arnomias]

I'd say there are no goodies or baddies in the Wasteland, just factions vying for power, the Brotherhood looks all good in Fo3 but in Fo4 we see they're reverted to how they were, good people cant survive in the post war world, the Minutemen won't prosper for long, nor will the NCr (despite how much i love them) people say they are the opposite of what America is supposed to represent but before the war the USA was essentially like the Enclave.

[LXD9]

In this day and age it might be easy to be seduced into thinking that the Enclave's plan is "good". If you have been raised in a culture where your government controls far too many aspects of your life then this would seem only natural. In fact, my first character I played exactly this way. As a young man, growing up in a sheltered controlled environment, fed on the propaganda of pre-war America, I decided that his sudden expulsion into the wasteland would be a horrifying and traumatic experience and he would be inclined to latch onto any sense of order he could find. That would ultimately be the Enclave for him. He would then go along with their plan, and consider it "good" because it would be a step towards returning to the status quo he was used to.

 

However, it would be a mistake to believe that he, or the Enclave, had any right to do this. It's not "political correctness" to believe that people have a right to live how they choose to and that they have a right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That isn't just a slogan, it's means exactly what it says. Just because people aren't like you, even if you consider them "savages", they have a right to choose their own destiny. You, as the Lone Wanderer, are walking into other peoples lives and interfering and at the end of your story, you are given a choice of murdering thousands of people that did no harm to you, or making life better for everyone.

 

You'll also note that this is a recurring theme with Vault-Tec. A group of people deciding that they have a right to use and victimize other people for their own ends.

 

As far as considering the BoS the "good guys" well, you will note that their actions in Fo3 are fairly atypical and rest on the good will of one man that was convinced by other people to help them. The Outcasts broke away for exactly this reason.

 

I will reiterate though that there is nothing wrong with playing a character that considers the Enclave to be "good". This is fantasy and it is a place where we can safely explore ideas that we might not in the real world. The goal of presenting you with these kinds of choices is to learn. I will say from my point of view, my character believes he is helping people and is blinded by his belief to the motivations of his superiors in the Enclave. As a player, I recognize my character is a self-centered, petulant child being manipulated into furthering their goals at the expense of everyone else.