In the new Prime Video adaptation of the popular video game series Fallout, stars Walton Goggins and Ella Purnell discuss the brutal first meeting between their characters, The Ghoul and Lucy MacLean. Lucy is a vault dweller who ventures into the dangerous wasteland above for a personal mission, where she encounters The Ghoul, a nuclear-irradiated gunslinger who has been wandering the wasteland for over 200 years. Despite his gruesome appearance, The Ghoul was once a famous 1950s movie star known for playing cowboys in Westerns.
The encounter between Lucy and The Ghoul takes a particularly brutal turn in Episode 4, as The Ghoul, devoid of emotion after centuries of isolation and exposure to radiation, does not even see Lucy as human. Goggins explained in a Zoom interview that The Ghoul’s survival instincts kick in when he realizes he needs Lucy to stay alive, leading him to see her naivete and optimism as a privilege due to her sheltered upbringing in the vault, contrasting with the horrors he has witnessed on the surface.
Purnell revealed in a Zoom interview her physically challenging experience filming scenes with Goggins, but found solace in knowing that he was a kind person off-screen. She emphasized that although their characters, Lucy and The Ghoul, are vastly different, their contrasting experiences serve as a catalyst for character development and narrative progression. Purnell expressed curiosity about how their characters will influence each other as the season unfolds, as Lucy learns to adapt to survive while The Ghoul embodies the harsh realities of the wasteland.
The first four episodes of Fallout focus on the intense and pivotal encounter between Lucy and The Ghoul, setting the stage for their evolving dynamic as the series progresses. Purnell suggested that the initial meeting serves as a crucial springboard for their characters to grow and learn from each other, as they navigate the harsh post-apocalyptic landscape together. With all eight episodes available for streaming on Prime Video, viewers can witness the transformation of Lucy and The Ghoul’s relationship as they face the challenges of the wasteland.
Fallout explores themes of survival, adaptation, and resilience through the compelling interactions between Lucy and The Ghoul, played by Goggins and Purnell, as they navigate the harsh post-apocalyptic world. The series delves into the psychological and emotional impact of two centuries of isolation and exposure to radiation on The Ghoul, contrasting with Lucy’s sheltered upbringing in the vault. As their characters evolve and influence each other, viewers can expect a deep and complex exploration of humanity’s capacity to endure and overcome adversity in a world ravaged by nuclear devastation.
