Warning! This article contains spoilers for Prime Video's Fallout season 1.

Summary

• The New California Republic in Fallout season 1 ties directly to the game series, creating a unique transmedia property with shared elements.
• Shady Sands, the NCR capital, plays a significant role in shaping the Republic's history and is central to Fallout season 1's narrative.
• The NCR's fate in Fallout season 1's finale involves power struggles with rival factions like the Brotherhood of Steel.

Fallout's Vault Boy mascot, making the franchise a transmedia property.

All episodes of Fallout season 1 are now streaming on Amazon Prime Video.

Fallout season 1 also features Walton Goggins' Ghoul, a common post-nuclear holocaust race from the video game series, further proving how the show will connect to the source material. However, arguably the primary way Prime Video's Fallout connects to the game series is via the inclusion of various factions, such as the Brotherhood of Steel. Another faction of Fallout season 1 is the New California Republic; this faction is vital to the overall story of Fallout season 1 and its characters, with an extensive timeline and history that connects the Prime Video show and video game series together.

Fallout's New California Republic Was Founded After The Apocalypse

The New California Republic was born out of the wasteland after nuclear warfare had eradicated modern society.

In the world of Prime Video's Fallout, the New California Republic is a faction based on the West Coast of the United States. As was common with the rest of post-nuclear apocalypse America, various factions were formed in the western parts of the country. One of these was the New California Republic, which formed after the initial nuclear apocalyptic event shown in Fallout episode 1. The New California Republic's creation was spearheaded by the denizens of Vault 15, who emerged from their Vault and founded Shady Sands.

Eventually, this group began a movement to create a national identity and became the official New California Republic.

From this point on, word was spread about a surface-dwelling community. New ed the group at Shady Sands and trade routes to other towns were even formed. Eventually, this group began a movement to create a national identity and became the official New California Republic. This official formation only caused the NCR to grow even further, eventually encoming five fictional States in the wasteland. These states were Shady, Los Angeles, Maxson, Hub, and Dayglow.

These other states will likely be further fleshed out in Prime Video's Fallout season 2, should it be confirmed.

New California Republic's Timeline Explained

The NCR's inclusion in various Fallout properties gives it a complex timeline.

As alluded to, the New California Republic is also a major faction in several of the Fallout video games. This, combined with the additions of Prime Video's Fallout TV show, means the NCR's timeline is fairly expansive. That said, Fallout episode 6 provides a mapped-out timeline of events of the New California Republic as spotted by Lucy in Vault 4's classroom. The first date shown in Fallout episode 6's timeline is 2162, with Lucy discovering that this year was when Shady Sands was founded.

47 years later, in 2189, the New California Republic was officially formed. After its formation, the NCR flourished due to more people ing its ranks and reforming a semblance of a pre-nuclear apocalypse civilization. This was reflected by the year 2241 in Fallout episode 6's timeline, in which the New California Republic became recognized as the largest economic and political power in California. However, this prosperity was brought to a halt in 2277 when Shady Sands was destroyed via another nuclear explosion.

Shady Sands Was Once The Capital Of The New California Republic

Fallout episode 6's timeline also confirms an important element of the New California Republic's infrastructure.

In Fallout episode 6, another year can be spotted on the timeline between 2189 and 2241, which is arguably the most important year in the NCR's history regarding the story of the TV show. In 2198, Shady Sands became the capital of the New California Republic. This certainly makes sense, as the founding of Shady Sands subsequently led to the formation of the NCR itself. Similarly, Shady Sands holds a big presence over the story of Fallout season 1, meaning its importance to the New California Republic is only heightened.

That said, the New California Republic endured after Shady Sands' destruction, tying into the ending of Fallout season 1.

Shady Sands being the capital of the New California Republic makes what happened to the settlement all the more tragic. A century's worth of history was wiped out when Shady Sands was destroyed, as was the hub of life in the NCR. This naturally left a dent in the heart of the New California Republic, all while affecting characters like Moldaver, Lucy, Maximus, and other core people in Fallout season 1. That said, the New California Republic endured after Shady Sands' destruction, tying into the ending of Fallout season 1.

The New California Republic's History In The Fallout Games Explained

The NCR plays a vital role in two Fallout video games.

In Fallout 2 and Fallout: New Vegas, the New California Republic plays a role. In Fallout 2, the player character discovers the New California Republic amid a conflict with two other factions, New Reno and Vault City. The three factions are shown to be in conflict for the control of the northern half of California. The Fallout games often have numerous endings depending on player choices, though Fallout season 1's seeming destruction of the NCR means it does not matter which way Fallout 2's NCR conflict went.

The same can be said for the New California Republic's involvement in Fallout: New Vegas. In this game, the NCR's role is similar to that of Fallout 2. The player character, also known as the Courier, is embroiled in a conflict between the NCR and a faction called Caeser's Legion over the fate of New Vegas and the Mojave Desert section of California.

What Happened To The New California Republic In Fallout Season 1's Finale

The New California Republic plays a big role in the climax of Fallout season 1.

In Fallout season 1's ending, it is revealed that Moldaver is the leader of the NCR in 2296. Set almost 20 years after Shady Sands' destruction, Fallout season 1 centers on Moldaver's attempts to secure cold fusion for the New California Republic. A dissenter from a rival group known as the Enclave has unlocked the key to cold fusion, which could provide the NCR with power. Eventually, Lucy brings the cold fusion capsule to Moldaver and the NCR, with the faction's leader successful in restoring power to the area around Los Angeles.

The Brotherhood succeeded in taking the NCR base located in the ruins of the Griffith Observatory, meaning they now have access to the power of cold fusion.

However, Moldaver is killed in Fallout season 1's ending due to an assault on the New California Republic base by the Brotherhood of Steel. The Brotherhood succeeded in taking the NCR base located in the ruins of the Griffith Observatory, meaning they now have access to the power of cold fusion. While it could be revealed that other bases across California allowed the New California Republic to endure, it seems logical that the Brotherhood's attack - combined with the devastating losses when Shady Sands was attacked - resulted in the NCR's extinction in Fallout season 1.