Fallout Fans Are Convinced a Brotherhood of Steel Airship Confirms One of Two Canon Endings From Fallout 4

While the showrunners behind the Fallout TV show have insisted none of the endings of previous games are considered canon, at least in terms of a jumping off point for the show itself, eagle-eyed fans reckon the Brotherhood of Steel airship seen in the series suggests one of two endings from Fallout 4 is now canon.

Warning: spoilers for the Fallout TV show and Fallout 4 follow.

Let’s start with the basic timeline: the Fallout TV show is set in 2296, nine years after the events of Fallout 4. In the first episode of the Fallout TV show, we see an enormous Brotherhood of Steel airship. Some believe this to be the Prydwen from Fallout 4. According to Fallout lore expert TKs-Mantis, if this is true, that rules out two of the four main endings in Fallout 4 as being canon (Railroad and Institute). TKs-Mantis suggests it may in fact confirm the Brotherhood of Steel ending is canon, given other endings involve destroying the Prydwen. But it could equally confirm the Minutemen ending as canon, given there is a path to that ending that sees the Prydwen survive.

I am seeing reports that the airship in the Fallout show is indeed the Prydwen. This would mean that some endings in Fallout 4 are for sure not canon. In fact, it may confirm the BoS ending entirely. As the others have you destroy the airship during their quests. pic.twitter.com/jinbyYIDfA

— TKs-Mantis (@TKsMantis) April 16, 2024

So why do fans think the Fallout TV show airship is the Prydwen? There’s an element of ‘zoom and enhance’ to this, but it looks like the name is scrawled on the side of the ship. At least, that’s what some are seeing.

I’ve been trying to get this across to the internet since my press embargo lifted, but got flak and was called a liar. But yeah, it’s the Prydwen, operating under its codename. So, it looks like Fallout 4’s Minutemen ending can be considered canon now. Feels good. pic.twitter.com/OFZQNpxG3f

— Timo Schmidt (@TDeckverse) April 17, 2024

Well this changes things don’t it. The airship we see in Fallout is in fact the Prydwen from FO4 and not the Cassewyn as originally told… @Fallout @BethesdaStudios #Fallout #Fallout76 #FO76 pic.twitter.com/pHnlTcBRgf

— Nick (@Doomguy_74) April 17, 2024

So the ship in fallout TV show is in fact the Prydwen meaning BOS is the canon ending to she show i guess. pic.twitter.com/u5TwOmDtSF

— omegavalwinz (@omegavalwinz) April 16, 2024

If this airship is in fact the Prydwen, that would contradict information revealed by Vanity Fair in a first look at the show published in November. In that article, a caption tagged to a shot of the airship claims it’s called the ‘Caswennan’. Here’s the text: “Brotherhood of Steel recruits gaze upon the Vertibirds hovering around an airship called the Caswennan, marveling at the rare pieces of high-functioning hardware.”

The Fallout TV show’s place within and implications for the wider lore is a key talking point for fans, given it’s confirmed canon and moves the Fallout story on by being set after all the games. Some are wondering about how the on-screen fate of Shady Sands fits in with the timeline, too. But overall, the Fallout TV show is a big success, and it seems likely we’ll see a second season.

IGN has plenty of Fallout TV show coverage to keep you going, including a report on Fallout’s Vault-Tec phone number, which may point to an Easter egg, how fans are debating Lucy’s XP level, and more. IGN has also rounded up 111 details in the Fallout show that have been pulled straight from the games, leading to a season finale that sets up a new adventure in a beloved setting.

Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at [email protected] or confidentially at [email protected].