Ulysses

"The day I set my flag down, it'll be over my body or over a nation I believe in."

Ulysses is a cut companion NPC present on the trading cards that came with the Fallout: New Vegas Collector's Edition, but not actually appearing in the final version of the game. According to his writer, Chris Avellone, he may appear in future DLC.

Background
Ulysses was once a successful Bighorner rancher at Wolfhorn Ranch, but he recently abandoned his Ranch and is now nowhere to be seen.

During Dead Money, Christine mentions that she was rescued from Father Elijah in the Big Empty by a courier "who wore the flag of the old world on his back". This courier seemed to imply he was seeking another, telling Christine to go after Elijah because he knew what it was like to search for someone who'd had a major impact on your life. Several of the epilogues also imply that Ulysses and the Courier will come to a major confrontation (likely in a future DLC) at "the Divide".


 * At the Mojave Express, it is implied that Johnson Nash almost hired him to transport the Platinum Chip for Mr. House. This can be found out by speaking to him about the job. Nash tells the PC that another courier declined the job offer when he saw his name on the list. Nash goes on to say it seemed as though this other courier had history/tension with the PC. This is not discussed again in game, but it appeared as though it was foreshadowing future conflict between the two.

Behind the scenes

 * According to Chris Avellone, "tearing him out of the game was almost as hard as putting him in because companion scripts touch almost everything", and "he also was a complicated character in terms of some of the hooks into the storyline".
 * A rod-sized "Eagle Flag Pole" can be found in the games weapon model folder. It is possible that this was intended to be his personal weapon, as it resembles the flagpole on his game card image.
 * He is referenced in the French and Italian version of the game, in which the Wolfhorn Ranch is called respectively "Camp d'Ulysses" or "Accampamento di Ulysses" (Ulysses' camp).

Appearances
Ulysses was planned to appear in Fallout: New Vegas, but was ultimately cut from the final game. He is referenced briefly in Dead Money, which makes his existence canon once again.