A Familiar Glow in the Wasteland: Fallout Season 2 Revisits a Beloved Landmark
The highly anticipated second season of the Fallout television series has arrived, and with it, a journey back to the iconic landscapes of New Vegas. Fans are buzzing with anticipation for glimpses of familiar locales such as Novac, the Lucky 38 casino, and potentially even Hoover Dam, Nellis Air Force Base, and Jacobstown. Like any devoted Fallout enthusiast, I’ve been meticulously scanning each scene for those cherished sights and legendary landmarks that define the series.
However, even before we fully immerse ourselves in the New Vegas adventure, Fallout Season 2, Episode 1, surprised me with a location that holds a particularly special place in my gaming memories. What’s even more unexpected is that this particular landmark has absolutely no direct connection to the New Vegas era of the games.
Reflecting on my extensive Fallout playthroughs, this location is arguably where I’ve logged the most cumulative hours across all the titles. Its appearance in the season premiere evoked a powerful wave of nostalgia, a feeling so potent it felt like a direct injection of Buffout. To borrow a phrase that might still resonate, it truly hit me “right in the feels.”
The Starlight Drive-In: A Blast from the Past
In the opening episode, viewers follow Lucy and the Ghoul as they track Hank’s bloody footprints across the arid expanse, a trail leading from California toward Nevada. During their pursuit, they stumble upon a location that players of Fallout 4 will undoubtedly recognize: the Starlight Drive-In Theatre.
Naturally, this cannot be the exact same Starlight Drive-In from Fallout 4, which is situated on the opposite side of the country in the Commonwealth. However, the Fallout universe is vast and interconnected, and it’s entirely plausible that the Starlight Drive-In exists as a franchise, with theaters scattered across the United States. The visual representation in the show is remarkably faithful to its Fallout 4 counterpart, from the imposing, dilapidated screen to the skeletal remains of moviegoers still slumped in their rusting vehicles, a testament to the enduring power of the franchise.
More Than Just a Settlement: A Virtual Home
Witnessing the Starlight Drive-In on screen brought a profound realization of its significance to my personal Fallout 4 experience. It wasn’t just another settlement; it evolved into my primary base of operations, the place where I invested the most time and effort, and in my opinion, the most rewarding settlement to develop in the entire game. While its expansive, flat terrain, essentially a large parking lot, might not inspire immense creativity for all builders, it was perfect for my less imaginative approach to construction. Its accessibility early in the game and the straightforward objective of clearing out a few mole rats made it an easy and immediate acquisition.
Of course, I established other settlements in Fallout 4 – Preston Garvey’s persistent pleas for assistance were a constant reminder of that. Yet, from the moment I placed my first recruitment beacon to the intricate process of constructing my main base, establishing vendor stalls, and housing my growing population, the Starlight Drive-In became my true sanctuary in the Commonwealth. It was where I would rest to pass the time and gain the beneficial “Well Rested” buff. It served as my primary hub for all crafting and modification endeavors. It was the secure repository for my diverse collection of Power Armor suits. It was the designated “chill-out zone” for my companions when I needed to rotate them out for strategic reasons.
Furthermore, it was the location I defended with the utmost ferocity whenever raiders dared to launch an assault. The thought of any of my virtual settlers suffering harm was simply unbearable. With nearly 200 hours invested in Fallout 4, it’s difficult to quantify precisely how many of those were spent at the Starlight Drive-In, but the number is undoubtedly substantial.
The mere sight of the Starlight Drive-In in the new Fallout series instantly transported me back to those countless hours spent within its digital confines in Fallout 4. It wasn’t about grand quests or saving the Commonwealth; it was about the simple act of living, working, and existing alongside my virtual inhabitants. While the new season of Fallout has predictably reignited my desire to play the games, the surprising outcome is not a craving for New Vegas. Instead, it has sparked an overwhelming urge to dive back into Fallout 4 and revisit the place that felt like home.
Sidenote: In an attempt to recreate the iconic Leo Pointing meme using Fallout 4 models and props in Garry’s Mod, this was the closest approximation I could achieve:
