One of the most popular aspects of Bethesda games is the diversity of personalities in its characters, withFalloutbeing home to some of the best companions players can have accompany them on their journey. Although most companions inFallouttend to be humanoid, the game has featured everything from robots to the loveable pup Dogmeat in the past, so there is room for the franchise to get experimental with its followers. Out of all the potential companions that could be featured inFallout 5, one underutilized species could be perfect for this type of character.
Companions in theFalloutseries usually represent the different factions players can side with during the course of a game’s story. Players can usually expect a Brotherhood of Steel companion like Veronica Santangelo inFallout: New VegasandPaladin Danse inFallout 4, a Super Mutant companion likeFallout 3’s Fawkes orFallout 4’s Strong, and some type of Mr. Gutsy robot like Sergeant RL-3 inFallout 3and Codsworth inFallout 4. However, a Deathclaw companion has only appeared once in the series—inFallout 2, specifically—which seems like a waste given how iconic these creatures are to the franchise.
Fallout 5 Needs a Deathclaw Companion Like Fallout 2
Fallout 2’s Goris Remains One-of-a-kind
Currently, the only canon game to feature a Deathclaw companion isFallout 2, where players can recruit Goris from Vault 13. Goris is a Deathclaw with high intelligence resulting from hisFEV mutations, though he hides his true identity beneath a robe since humans have a tendency to attack Deathclaws on sight. In a break from the traditional stereotype of the brutish, savage Deathclaw, Goris is a scholar who merely wishes to study humans and compare their socialization patterns to the Deathclaws' own.
It’s not clear that Goris is a Deathclaw at first glance, as he is wearing a robe that he claims is used to cover a severe deformity. However, initiating a battle with him as a companion for the first time reveals that he is actually a Deathclaw, which can come as a shock to unknowing players. As unique as Goris is within theFalloutuniverse, he doesn’t fit the bill of a typical Deathclaw, leaving the door open for a moretraditional Deathclaw companionto appear in a future entry.
Deathclaw companions can be recruited inFallout Tactics: Brotherhood of Steel. However, the game is considered non-canon, making Goris the only Deathclaw companion available in the mainline series.
Why a Deathclaw Companion Would Make Sense for Fallout 5
Some ofFallout’s most beloved companions are the non-humanoid ones, particularly the loyal dog Dogmeat who appears in various incarnations across the franchise. Having aDeathclaw that isn’t highly intelligent like Goris, but is still domesticated and friendly to the player could be a great way for the series to craft a new fan-favorite companion without having to go all-in on a complex personality. The novelty of having a trained Deathclaw that will attack foes on command, yet also ask for pets from the player would make these fearsome brutes more endearing to fans after being a terrifying presence in the games for so long.
A hyper-intelligent Deathclaw companion like Goris isn’t off the table forFallout 5either, especially if rumors are true about the game being set on the West Coast of the United States again.Fallout 2states that the gene that makes Deathclaws highly intelligent can be passed on from an intelligent male to a non-intelligent female, so if Goris were to reproduce, his offspring could potentially create a new population of intelligent Deathclaws in the Northern California area the game is set in. IfFallout 5is set somewhere like San Francisco, it’s possible players could encounter one of these offspring as a nice nod toFallout 2and Goris.
