Butch (Fallout 3)

Butch DeLoria is a resident of Vault 101. He is older than the Lone Wanderer, and later becomes the self-appointed leader of his own gang called the Tunnel Snakes. Carrying with him his switchblade nicknamed "Butch's Toothpick", he’s usually found alongside his lackeys Wally Mack and Paul Hannon, harassing other students. Some of his peers, among them Amata Almodovar, view Butch as a loser destined to become a garbage burner.

On July 13, 2268, Butch is coerced by his mother to attend the tenth birthday party of the Lone Wanderer. Over Amata Almodovar’s protests, the Lone Wanderer’s father insisted that Butch should be invited for the birthday party. During the party, it is clear that the young bully has intentions of creating a gang in the future, as he holds a small meeting to toss around name ideas.

On August 3, 2274, Butch and his friends are harassing Amata. The Lone Wanderer can side with Amata, side with the Tunnel Snakes, or leave Amata with the Tunnel Snakes. Later, after the G.O.A.T. examination, the teacher informs Butch that he has a career as a hairdresser. He walks out of the room infuriated, and meets his friends outside the classroom.

Growing up, he is the thorn in the side of the Lone Wanderer, always teasing, humiliating, and sometimes resorting to physical violence. However, it doesn’t remain so. Snakes can repent, and the Lone Wanderer has the option to either help or hinder the relationship. Regardless of the outcome, Butch changes (most of) his ways and the Lone Wanderer can eventually jump on the opportunity to take on the wastes as a bona fide Tunnel Snake.

"The Tunnel Snakes could ride again! Or, y’know, slither again, whatever."

Youth
His first appearance in the game is during the Lone Wanderer's tenth birthday. Under the strong encouragement of his mother, Butch went to the party. He picks on the Lone Wanderer in attempt to get a Sweetroll, which can end with him starting a fight.

The second time you encounter Butch is on your way to the G.O.A.T. test. He and his Tunnel Snakes are harassing Amata. At this point you can make a choice to fight Butch and his gang, tell off Amata about her weight, talk down the gang, or choose to do nothing. Another option is to create a rift in the gang by speaking to Wally Mack, and tease him about always following Butch's orders, and about the fact that Butch is the leader of the gang, and not Wally. Wally will then stand up to Butch and go into the classroom, taking Paul Hannon. Butch, defeated, will follow.

Mr. Brotch informs Butch that his G.O.A.T. exam answers determined him to be a hairdresser, something that amuses the long-suffering teacher and outrages Butch, who proclaims angrily, "I'm a barber, not a hairdresser!"

Main Story
After James's escape, the Vault becomes infested by Radroaches, and Butch's mother, Ellen DeLoria, is attacked by the insects. Butch asks the Lone Wanderer to help save her. If the player helps him or if the player instills confidence for him to get rid of the bugs on his own, Butch admits he has always liked the Dweller despite the teasing, offering his Tunnel Snake Jacket. If his mother gets killed in the process, by either the roaches or the player, Butch tells the player how much he hates him/her and yells for the guards, giving away your location. A final option is given to have Butch run away from the Radroaches and leave his mother to die.

Much later, during Vault 101's factional crisis, Butch sides with Amata's rebels. In an about-face to his earlier behavior, he will be somewhat belligerent to your return due to all the problems you and your father's escape caused. Butch wishes to leave the Vault so he can make his own choices in life, and somewhat naively wants to start a new gang in the Wastelands. If asked about the events after your escape, he will mention Stanley's fears about the damage the Vault's systems sustained, and hints that permanent damage to the air filtration systems may force the Vault to be evacuated.

Butch can give you a haircut after you return to the vault. If you choose to recruit him, he can also give you a haircut anytime during your travels.

Butch can be killed during Escape!, and if he is, you can loot his Switchblade, a Jumpsuit, and 1-3 Purified Water. If he is killed, but you save his mother, she will run away screaming "Help! Someone's been murdered!."

If you don't grab your BB Gun to help Butch and his mother dies by either you or the Radroaches, he'll run to your room and start shooting you with it.

Companion
Butch is one of the two neutral followers in Fallout 3. Following the resolution of the crisis, Butch can be found in the Muddy Rudder in Rivet City.

If the player's karma is in the neutral range, Butch will offer to join up with you. Once you have recruited Butch, he will not leave if your karma goes above or below the neutral range, but if you are separated or if you fire Butch your karma must return to neutral in order to recruit him again.

Butch can be recruited, even if you already have Dogmeat and another follower. It seems that Butch can only be recruited with another companion on the first time of his recruitment. If you fire/get separated from him, you'll have to lose your current companion to re-recruit Butch.

There are about nine different solutions to Trouble on the Homefront (check Trouble on the Homefront page to see all 9 solutions). However, it is not known which of the solutions will lead to or preclude his appearance in Muddy Rudder. It has been reported that he would appear if:


 * The vault is evacuated.
 * Overseer is persuaded to step down.
 * The Overseer is killed.
 * Amata and the rebels are convinced to stay. (Confirmed, although he will not talk to you. You can obtain Butch's Toothpick this way by shooting it using VATS while it is sheathed, then quickly put away your weapon so he won't attack. Then, pickpocket the Toothpick off of him.)
 * The guards fulfill their secret plan located on the terminal in the security office, for a secret "death squad" to head down toward the rebel area and kill everyone down there. Unbeknownst to even the Overseer.

Combat
Butch's default equipment is a Tunnel Snake Outfit, a 10mm Pistol, and a Switchblade. His pistol does not use up ammo, but he needs to have at least 1 10mm round in his inventory in order to use it. When recruited, Butch also has a standard 10mm pistol and the unique switchblade Butch's Toothpick in his inventory; however, these are not considered follower equipment and may be removed from his inventory by the player. If Butch dies his Tunnel Snake Outfit will not be able to be looted from his body.

Butch has somewhat less health than the game's other NPC companions, although he is still tougher than a normal combatant. Butch is the only NPC companion skilled in Unarmed combat, but will only use unarmed weapons (i.e. the Power Fist or Deathclaw Gauntlet) if he does not have a melee weapon in his inventory. Although he can use grenades, he is unskilled in Explosives and thus ineffective with them.

Overall, he seems to be the weakest of the game's NPC companions, with a weak default weapon and lower than normal health. Still, he's a better fighter than a normal enemy human combatant, and stronger than temporary followers like Sticky and Red, and can do well in most combat situations if you give him decent weapons and armor including Power Armor. Since he's the only NPC companion skilled in Unarmed combat, he's a good choice to wield the armor-piercing Deathclaw Gauntlet.

Quotes

 * General


 * "Tunnel Snakes Rule!"
 * "What's up?"
 * "Do all the talking you want. Just don't expect me to, y'know, listen or anything."
 * "Oh, like you know better? What?" (Topic: Tactics)
 * "You can't fire me! I'm the boss of this gang! And I say you're fired! And that I'm going back to Rivet City for a drink! Suck on that!"(when fired)
 * "I'm gonna barber the hell outta that hair!"
 * "Man, I'm all itchy!"
 * "Fine, but what am I supposed to do here? Work on my needlepoint or somethin'? (Wait here.)
 * "Bo-ring."
 * "&lt;cough&gt; Man, how do people breathe out here?"
 * "Man, it stinks! The Vault never smelled like this."
 * "I heard there were dragons out here. You ever see one?"
 * "This do-gooder crap is for the birds."
 * "Man, this place gives me the creeps!"
 * "Do you even know where you're going?"
 * "Being sober really sucks."
 * "Can we rest or something?"
 * "Let's head to that place in Rivet City for a drink."
 * "Man, that creeps me out; that thing up there. You know, the sky?"
 * "If you wanna get closer to me, that's all you got to say, girl." (female characters)
 * "Oh I'm the best baby!" (female)
 * "What, don't you like my aftershave?"
 * "I need some shades, or something."
 * "What if someone is following us?"
 * "Do you hear that?"
 * Combat


 * "Oh, it's on! It's SO on!"
 * "You are in SO much trouble now!"
 * "Mess with the Tunnel Snake, and ya get the fangs! Yeah!"
 * "That's how we do it! Woo!"
 * "You don't even know how screwed you are!"
 * "Don't you know who you're dealin' with? I'm Butch, punk!"
 * "Give up now, if you know what's good for ya!"
 * "Sure beats living in the vault, huh?"
 * "You're asking for it pal."
 * "RUMBLE!"
 * "Go run home to mommy!"
 * "Least I'm not stuck being a barber anymore."
 * "You're pathetic."
 * "Hope you weren't planning on being a model, pal."
 * "Rock and Roll!"
 * "Tough luck, pal"
 * "Tunnel...sn... (When killed)

When Butch is hit in combat
 * "That's it! No more Mr.-Nice-Butch!"
 * "Hey, Asshole! No fair fighting back!"
 * "Oh, crap! Oh, crap! Oooh, crap-crap-crap!"
 * "You think that'll stop a Tunnel Snake?"
 * "What the hell, man?"
 * "Oh shit, that hurts."

Searching for the enemy
 * "Come out, come out, wherever you are..."


 * End of fight


 * "Yeah, how you like it?"
 * "How do ya like me now?"
 * "You think that'll stop a Tunnel Snake?"
 * "That's how we do it! Woo!"
 * "Mess with the Tunnel Snake, and ya get the fangs! Yeah!"
 * "Who's your Daddy?"
 * "Sucker didn't know who he was messin' with, ha!"
 * "Did we really have to kill all those people back there? They didn't seem so bad." (when player kills non-hostile NPC's)
 * "Sit on it" (Happy Days reference)

Bugs

 * Even if the player has killed Butch in Vault 101 following Trouble on the Homefront he will still end up at the Muddy Rudder in Rivet City.
 * Occasionally, both his right and left hands becomes grossly distended, with fingers over a foot long.
 * If you end the quest Trouble on the Homefront by making the rebels stay in the Vault, Butch will appear in the Muddy Rudder, but when you talk to him, he will not respond.
 * Also, If you help the vault and Amata becomes the new Overseer in the quest Trouble on the Homefront then kill the original Overseer afterwards, Butch will appear in the Muddy Rudder but again, he will not respond when spoken to.
 * If you give Butch a Shishkebab, he wil sometimes use it, but he can also drop it in a fight or switch to his 10mm pistol. This happens even when you told him to use close combat. (Confirmed on Xbox360)

Sometimes, after talking to Butch, he will turn hostile to your companion and attacks them (worked with Fawkes) which lead to his death. This is a way to get Butch's toothpick as it is shot out of his hands.

Sometimes Butch stays in The Muddy Rudder but you can talk to him like he's your follower, this works if you have 1 or more companions (confirmed on PC). You can set him as an essential and then knock him unconscious and he will follow you.

Trivia

 * Not only is Butch and his crew inspired by Greasers from then 1950's, it looks as though Butch himself was slightly influenced by Fonzie, also called "The Fonz", one of the main characters in "Happy Days" and undoubtedly the most popular. Like Fonzie, Butch is Italian-American, has a smooth face, and sports the classic pompadour and Duck's Tail. The main difference between them is that Fonzie is kind and sweet, and Butch is cold-hearted and rebellious. (up until you hire him that is)
 * Snowflake of the Underworld insists that he is a stylist rather than a barber, seemingly the opposite of what Butch claims to be after taking the G.O.A.T.
 * While it's speculative, judging by the comments made by Butch while traveling, it's pretty obvious he's actually following in his mother's footsteps; an alcoholic in the making.
 * "Being sober really sucks."
 * "Let's head to that place in Rivet City for a drink!"
 * "There better be some action soon, or I'm heading back to the bar!"
 * Butch's last name DeLoria sounds similar to the Delorean, the time travelling car from Back to the Future.

Related quests

 * Growing Up Fast
 * Future Imperfect
 * Escape!
 * Trouble on the Homefront

Appearances
Butch appears in Fallout 3.