Walter Barta
The Fallout series depicts many characters that are human, but also many characters that are trans human. Many characters are either biologically or mechanically altered to achieve super-powerful characteristics in order to survive the difficult conditions of the post-apocalyptic wasteland. These characters are exemplars and practitioners of the philosophy of transhumanism, which is a modern strand of thinking that suggests that human beings are not the final stage of evolutionary development, but just one step in the development toward some future kind of being. Biological transhumanists in Fallout include the ghouls, radiation victims who live forever, and Super Mutants, humans infected with the Forced Evolutionary Virus, who think of themselves as biologically superior to natural humans. Mechanical transhumanists include the Brotherhood of Steel, zealots who don power armor and preach that “flesh is weak,” brains in jars, sentient humanoid robots, and other miscellaneous contraptions and monstrosities. Arguably, the biggest transhumans in Fallout are the player characters themselves, as they embody the transhumanist ethos through equipment, upgrades, and other transhumanizing gameplay mechanics. By depicting these diverse transhumanist factions and actions, the Fallout games acknowledge the promise of transhumanism; however, at the same time, they point out the perils as well, showing how the human impulse to transcend our human limitations may ultimately undermine our humanity and destroy the world. Indeed, if the transhuman ethos leads toward uncontrollably powerful technologies, we may find ourselves suffering the fallout.