Sergeant RL-3

 is a robotic soldier created before the Great War and a possible companion in 2277.

Background
Sergeant RL-3 has an experimental soldier personality making him "unstable," meaning that the player character can only buy Sergeant RL-3 if their karma is neutral. Otherwise Tinker Joe will just say Sergeant RL-3 "...doesn't like the look of you." Sergeant RL-3 won't leave if the player's karma later moves away from neutral, but if separated from the player either through firing or through story events, he cannot be re-hired until karma is again neutral. In these circumstances, Sergeant RL-3 will wait in Canterbury Commons after a few days, where he can be re-hired for free.

Recruiting
This companion must be purchased from Tinker Joe between the RobCo Facility and Tenpenny Tower for 1000 caps. If the player's barter skill is high enough, the player may purchase him for only 500 caps.

Effects of player actions

 * If Tinker Joe is dead and you did not get the robot already there is no way of getting this character.
 * RL-3 will return to Canterbury Commons if the player leaves for The Pitt, Point Lookout, or Mothership Zeta Note that for Mothership Zeta RL-3 might wait next to where you are abducted from.
 * RL-3 will remain essential before you hire him until you hire him or damage him yourself.

Stats
* Robots are considered creatures rather than NPCs and thus has an additional list of stats present for creatures.

Notable quotes

 * "You're making me angry, you won't like me when I'm angry!"
 * "Do that again and I'll put my boot so far up your ass you'll cough up boot polish!"
 * "Old war-bots never die; they just rust away."
 * "There's nothing I love more than making some other poor bastard die for his country."
 * "When I find you, I'm going to kill you as a personal favor to Uncle Sam."
 * "Another glorious day in this man's army!"
 * "Well, since you don't seem to be willing to do the world a favor and kill yourself, I guess I'm going to have to do it for you!"
 * "Kill them all, God will understand."

Appearances
Sergeant RL-3 only appears in Fallout 3.

Behind the scenes

 * Reading the 3 as an 'E', the robot's name would be 'Sergeant R L-E' - most likely a reference to actor and former Marine R. Lee Ermey, best known as Gunnery Sergeant Hartman from the movie Full Metal Jacket. R. Lee Ermey also was the voice of General Simon Barnaky in Fallout: Tactics.
 * The line, "You're making me angry, you won't like me when I'm angry!" is a line from the 1970s TV show The Incredible Hulk.
 * The line, "Old war-bots never die; they just rust away." is a reference to an old Army ballad line, "Old soldiers never die, they just fade away," made famous by General Douglas MacArthur's farewell speech.
 * The line, "There's nothing I love more than making some other poor bastard die for his country," is based on the quote from American General Patton, "The object of war is not to die for your country but to make the other bastard die for his."
 * The line "Kill them all, God will understand" may be based on what Papal Legate Arnaud Amalric said at the siege of Beziers in 1209 when asked by a Crusader how to distinguish the Cathars from the Catholics, Arnaul Amalric supposedly answered: "Caedite eos. Novit enim Dominus qui sunt eius" ("Kill them all. For the Lord knoweth them that are His".)
 * Sergeant R L-3 shares a few lines with famous robots such as Optimus Prime's famous quote "Roll out" and the original Cylons' "By your command"

Bugs
He appears in the second tunnel part from the quest The Waters of Life if he is told to wait somewhere outside the memorial.
 * With Broken Steel installed, RL-3 possesses a staggering amount of health at higher levels. At level 20 he has fully several thousand HP, more so than even a Super Mutant Behemoth.  This is due to a badly adjusted setting concerning RL-3's leveling, which grants him 350 HP per level gained.  Dogmeat and Fawkes are similarly affected. This only occurs if Broken Steel is installed prior to meeting RL-3, otherwise RL-3's level does not scale and his health is fixed at 350.
 * If in sneak mode, having the Robotics Expert perk produces the usual dialogue box with RL-3. However, selecting "Talk" does nothing.
 * RL-3's plasma projector may use the laser rifle's firing sound, not the usual Mister Gutsy sound effect.
 * When traversing over mountains, RL-3 may get stuck on, or in, a rock.
 * The triggering of some unknown event (most likely the death of any member of Tinker Joe's party, whether caused by the player or wandering Wasteland fauna) causes RL-3 to become hostile towards the player, causing him to immediately attack the player if he is ever dismissed from the party. If his Combat Inhibitor is crippled it will not restore after combat and is confirmed to be one of the causes of this.
 * RL-3 can be waiting in the commons even if you did not purchase him and he can be hired for free. This can be used to the players advantage.
 * One of the problems with RL-3 being your companion is that he openly attacks anything that could pose a threat- regardless of whether you wish you to sneak or not. Also, when traveling the wasteland, Sergeant RL-3 will sometimes just speed off to intercept an enemy such as a radscorpion or a Raider that is too far away to even see, regardless of whether they have noticed you or not. Due to this, you are abandoned sometimes for large periods of time without RL-3; sometimes he returns, sometimes he doesn't.
 * Once Sergeant RL-3 has disappeared, he usually returns at Canterbury Commons. However, sometimes he simply floats past you and back into the wasteland for no explained reason. On occasion, once this has happened, Sergeant RL-3 will not return back to Canterbury Commons and will appear in random places throughout the wasteland.

Gallery
Сержант РЛ-3