Shaun (synth)

S9-23, also known as Shaun and as synth child is a prototype synth created by the real Shaun, and lives in The Institute until the Sole Survivor arrives.

Background
Shaun was created by the director of The Institute, Father, or the real Shaun, and is one of the human-like synths, built using the real Shaun's DNA as a base of the synth child's (and other human-like synths) organics. He was 'brought up' and programmed by Father.

When the Sole Survivor arrives to The Institute to locate their child, they are briefly led to believe that the synth Shaun is the real one in order to test the child's responses. Synth Shaun responds negatively and calls for help from Father before being deactivated. Father then acknowledges that "it is still a prototype".

Madison Li expressed discomfort and irritation according to her personal holotapes as Advanced Systems has been tasked with the creation of Synth Shaun - she was unable to understand the scientific need for the creation of a child synth, something that Father did not bother to digress. In actual fact, Shaun Synth was created not for any research or scientific advancement, but simply on the whim of Father.

Other interactions
If he is not left behind in the Institute, after the ending, Shaun will ask the player character to bring items (i.e. a hot plate) so he can 'take it apart' and in return will build useful items for the player character, such as weapon mods and the Wazer Wifle. Additionally, the player character can ask Shaun to live with them, and can send him to a number of locations, similar to a companion. Although he is not able to be assigned to beds, like many other NPCs. He cannot be commanded to move throughout the settlement. He will stay within the confines of a small area. (i.e. near the Minutemen Radio Operator in the Castle.)

If the player completes "Nuclear Family" option, Shaun will be found and interacted with in the Advanced Systems Lab. The player has the ability to choose where Shaun will live by talking to him, if you decide to move him to another settlement it must be done via the workshop UI. Shaun will sometimes ask for junk in order to build something.

Effect of player's actions
If Shaun is not left behind in the Institute after the Nuclear option is chosen, upon meeting with the player character again and being interacted with, he will give them a holodisk named Shaun's holotape as instructed by Father, saying "I didn't listen to it, so I dunno what it says, but I think it's important." The holotape, recorded by Father, reveals that he re-programmed Shaun to believe that he was the son of the player character, and pleads with the player character, saying "I would ask only that you give him a chance. A chance to be a part of whatever future awaits the Commonwealth."

However, if the player chooses the Nuclear Family option, they can still obtain the holodisk, but Father's speech will differ, still revealing that he reprogrammed Shaun and saying "Both he and you deserved a chance to... To be a family. Please, take care of him."

Should the Sole Survivor leave Shaun in the Institute following the sabotage of the reactor, he will go down with the facility and never appear in the game again.

Appearances
Shaun appears only in Fallout 4.

Bugs

 * The player character may be unable to give Shaun the first junk item he asks for after speaking to him following the Institute ending. When attempting to interact with him after retrieving the item, he will speak, but there will be no options to give it to him.  //true for PC, true for Xbox One
 * The player character may be unable to adopt Shaun if they choose the Nuclear Family ending. In addition if they are able to adopt him, they may not be able to move him to another location.
 * It seems synth Shaun's speech is bugged, as he may address male characters as mom, as well as female characters as dad.
 * Attempting to send Shaun to another settlement via the building menu can result in him shutting down as if someone had uttered his reset code. He will then remain standing there indefinitely, unable to be interacted with. The only way to fix it is reloading an older save.