Fallout season 1, episode 6 recap "The Trap"

When we last left Lucy and Maximus in Fallout season 1 episode 5, they coincidentally found themselves in a vault. Although this vault appears like Lucy's, they'll quickly learn it's vastly different.

Meanwhile, audiences learn more about the Ghoul's past as actor Cooper Howard as well as his wife's involvement in Vault-Tec. Trust us when we say, it's not good.

Vault 4

Lucy and Maximus are first greeted by Vault 4's Birdie, a kind and soft-spoken woman. Due to Lucy and Max's exposure to the outside world, they need to wait in quarantine where we witness a very awkward yet natural conversation between the two.

Lucy, simply outright, asks Max if he wants to have sex and his reaction is one of utter confusion and cluelessness. It's obvious the sexual education he received at The Brotherhood of Steel was practically nonexistent.

He declines which hardly bothers Lucy while they wait outside a room that may be implying, they will be test subjects... But at least they help Max with his wound.

Vault 4 is full of lively and content survivors, reminding Lucy of her home. However, Max is very cautious as he tends to be from his experiences on the surface.

It takes a moment for Lucy to realize, however, Vault 4 is a little strange. Firstly, the vault openly accepts survivors from the outside world.

Second and more obvious, some of the survivors do not look entirely human. Case in point, Vault 4's Overseer Benjamin who has one eye in the center of his face.

Ben is friendly, almost goofy but warns Lucy and Max never to go to Floor 12. I wonder how long it will take for either Lucy or Max to break that rule?

Although this is a vault, with a lifestyle similar to Lucy's, it seems heavily focused on science and scientific study. As Max is introduced to all of the benefits of living in a vault, Lucy decides to join the survivors but later learns to regret her decision.

The survivors gather around, humming and chanting. They begin to undress half of their bodies while passing around the ashes of their fallen before revealing a large banner of Moldaver.

What is going on?

Cooper's dilemma

Let's take a break from that whirlwind to enter another whirlwind which is Cooper Howard's life pre-apocalypse. By this point he is successfully advertising Vault-Tec, introducing Vault 4, where, you guessed it, will be home to scientists.

Some will even begin living there beforehand in a test run. Although Cooper is a famous and talented actor, he isn't fond of the parties and the plethora of business moguls.

Unfortunately for him, he can't avoid the lifestyle as his wife, who happens to work at Vault-Tec, hosts at party at their home. Cooper converses with some but manages to escape outside to talk with Matt Berry, a fellow actor.

Matt confides in how Hollywood and the world is changing with practically everyone getting accused of being a communist or Red and how the future is shifting from films to products. If his voice sounds familiar, you are not crazy.

Matt sold his voice to be used for robots, just like the one from episode 4 who tried to harvest Lucy's organs. If that weren't enough, Cooper begins to grow increasingly curious about Vault-Tec and what his wife does at the company.

After an argument about why dogs are not allowed in the vaults, which upsets his daughter, we come to learn that not all the vaults are good. Cooper's wife has been actively trying to get her family in a good vault for when the world comes to an end.

Although we learn from the first episode the world does come to an end, at this point it's all theories and preventive measures. But Cooper's mind might change when he's invited by another fellow actor friend to attend a secret meeting where they discuss what is really going on at Vault-Tec.

Cooper isn't convinced but attends anyway where it is revealed that the meeting is lead by Moldaver. In the present, the Ghoul awakens from a rather drunken and drugged stupor where several men capture him, accusing him of destroying their operation.

He is brought to their boss who does not deny he was at fault for the destruction at their facility with the released Ghouls, dead employees and possibly destroyed robot. Wait, so is he covering for Lucy?

The Ghoul easily kills the two men who brought him in but we don't know what awaits the mercenary.

Floor 12

Back at Vault 4, Lucy escapes the rather disturbing display by the vault dwellers to warn Max. However, much to her surprise, Max loves living in the vault as he enjoys bathrobes, slippers, popcorn, and television.

Hoping to convince Max that Vault 4 is dangerous she goes to Floor 12, where she finds people in medical tanks/chambers. She witnesses a horrific video recording before a scientist enters the lab.

Although she attempts to hide, Lucy gets caught and the alarm sounds. As she attacks the scientist, Vault 4 dwellers arrive.

Lucy fails to fight them all off with the episode ending on a dramatic cliffhanger.

Fallout season 1 episode 6 review

What I find so interesting and incredible at the same time is the way our three main characters are equally matched in regards to their development and screen time. Yes, you can argue the Ghoul steals the show every time he's on screen, but he's just as fascinating to watch as Lucy and Max.

Although we haven't seen Lucy or Max's childhood, we know enough about their pasts to understand them as their present selves. The Ghoul is really the only one of the three that has had the biggest change from past to present.

Perhaps that's because Lucy and Max will be changing from the present onward. But the setup seems to be that their experiences outside their comfort zones will determine how they change, if they change.

What's equally interesting about the Ghoul compared to Lucy and Max is that he technically knows the full story of what happened. He was there advertising for Vault-Tec.

His wife worked for the company, he also knew about the inner political turmoil and how it was affecting Hollywood. He was there when the bombs dropped.

Heck, he apparently knew Moldaver! As we draw closer to the season 1 finale, I feel the story is just beginning and there will be so much more to dive into when season 2 airs hopefully in the near future.

What did you think of Fallout season 1, episode 6? Let us know in the comments below!

Watch Fallout season 1 on Amazon Prime Video.