Fawkes

Fawkes is a Super Mutant and potential follower with the distinction of having retained his civility and intellectual capacity through the rigors of mutation living in the year 2277.

Background
When the Lone Wanderer first encounters Fawkes, he is confined to Isolation Room 05, a cell in Vault 87 in which he has resided for as long as memory permits. Fawkes claims that he was able to attain literacy and a civilized personality (things most super mutants sorely lack) by gleaning as much information as possible from the vault's immense online database (or at least until recently as he says). Fawkes credits his intimate knowledge of Vault 87 to possibly being a resident there before being transformed into a super mutant, further indicated by the fact that he wears a Vault 87 Jumpsuit that has torn from him outgrowing it while mutating.

Daily schedule
Fawkes lives in Isolation Room 05, a cell in Vault 87. Should he find a way out of there, he will be at the Museum of History inside the lobby.

Interactions with the player character
Fawkes pleads with the you to be released from his cell.

In exchange for release, Fawkes retrieves the Garden of Eden Creation Kit device from a radioactive section of the vault, and then bids the Lone Wanderer farewell. After the player is incapacitated and taken to Raven Rock, home of the Enclave, Fawkes appears as the Lone Wanderer emerges from the base. He repels any Enclave soldiers with an acquired Gatling Laser to aid the player's escape. Any items given to Fawkes before the trip to Raven Rock will be gone when he is encountered yet again, presumably discarded in favor of his new weapon.

Depending on the player's karma, Fawkes may agree to accompany the player on future travels as a companion. If the player's karma is too low, or if the player fires him at any time, Fawkes can be later found wandering around the entrance to Underworld, located in the Museum of History. Fawkes may also return if left on his own for a significant length of time. If you maintain positive karma, you have the option of recruiting him again.

When the player is faced with the climactic decision at the conclusion of the game, Fawkes politely declines to enter the radioactive room in lieu of the player (even though he is immune to radioactivity), stating that the decision is the player's destiny and not his. However, if the player has the Broken Steel add-on installed, the option to send Fawkes in will appear, allowing the player to opt out of entering themselves or Sentinel Sarah Lyons. When this option is used, he states that although he was going to tell the player that the player's destiny lies in that chamber, he has already altered his own.

Equipment

 * Fawkes is clad in a tattered Vault Jumpsuit, and wields either a Super Sledge (while in Vault 87) or a unique Gatling Laser (after the Lone Wanderer escapes Raven Rock) with infinite ammo.


 * The player cannot equip Fawkes with different clothing, though his staggeringly large health bar and damage rate are more than enough for almost any situation. He can carry a total of 229 pounds of equipment.

Combat

 * Fawkes is extremely resilient thanks to the inherent thick skin natural to super mutants (or 'Meta-Humans' in Fawkes's own words). Coupled with the awesome Gatling Laser, Fawkes is able to withstand several direct missile hits or even a mini-nuke before dying. He can also be instructed as to which weapon to equip (Super Sledge, Gatling laser, non-default gun, energy weapons, explosive and even unarmed weapons that he has ammunition for), and on which tactics to utilize in battle (stay close or hang back).


 * Fawkes is unable to wear armor, but this is balanced out by him having significantly more health than most other NPC Companions. Only Star Paladin Cross is more durable, and only if you equip her with the T-51b Power Armor or 100% Hellfire Armor if you have Broken Steel.


 * Fawkes is also highly skilled in all weapon categories (small guns, big guns, energy weapons, explosives, melee weapons, and unarmed). In contrast, most other NPC companions are only skilled in two weapon categories, i.e. small guns and melee weapons for Jericho and Clover, or small guns and explosives for Charon.


 * Unlike other humanoid companions, Fawkes does not appear to be able to sneak, but all enemy attention is directed at Fawkes when the player is sneaking, and it is still possible to get sneak attack critical hits.


 * Upon reaching the roof during the quest "Reilly's Rangers", if the Rangers spot you with Fawkes you will receive a message "Reilly's Rangers are now hostile to you" and the quest will fail. This happens because Fawkes is a super mutant. If you tell him to wait immediately outside the door to the roof and then talk to the rangers, you can then collect Fawkes and the rangers remain friendly. The same situation occurs if Charon is accompanying the player. Note: This won't happen to players with extremely high (good) karma. This can also be avoided by running directly to the rangers and talking to them without standing around.


 * As noted above, not all humans are receptive to Fawkes, even in the player's company. Another location where Fawkes may encounter unexpected hostility is in the Republic of Dave Capitol Building, where Dave's wives may take a shot at Fawkes.


 * Do not take Fawkes to Sierra Petrovita during the quest The Nuka-Cola Challenge, because he will kill her.

Quotes
Fawkes shares many sentences with the regular Super Mutants, but also features many unique quotes of his own, often referring to his and Uncle Leo's possible Zen philosophy.


 * "If you insist but do be careful. I can hardly repay your kindness by waiting back here."
 * "Something... troubling you, my friend?"
 * "Nothing but echoes from the past."
 * "It's amazing people trust you enough not to attack me..."
 * "In all things, a calm heart must prevail."
 * "There are times... I feel... the primal part of me...pulling me away."
 * "There is safety in mindfulness."
 * "Be aware of the present moment"
 * "Though we may seem safe for the moment...it is fleeting!"
 * "Wake up... Time to die!"
 * "Now I release you."
 * "Truly...free."

Appearances
only appears in Fallout 3.

Bugs

 * If you have a vault or science theme active at your Megaton house and you sleep with Fawkes following, it is possible that you will become trapped, because your robotic butler will be standing in the bedroom doorway behind Fawkes, and it is not possible to push both of them out of the way at the same time, as you can with just one character. (PS3)
 * Sometimes when Fawkes fires his Gatling Laser, the noise that is made does not go away, even after Fawkes puts away his Laser, and you need to go to a new area to stop the noise. (PC,PS3)

Behind the Scenes

 * Contrary to a comment about Fawkes' gender made by his voice actor, lead designer Emil Pagliarulo has confirmed "No, Fawkes was absolutely a male. This was a mistake. Wes gave an interview and he was mistaken. Trust me, Fawkes is and was male."


 * Much of the random dialogue heard from Fawkes as one wanders around can be heard as simple wasteland survival advice, but also references Zen philosophy. Examples include "Be aware of the present moment" and "There is safety in mindfulness".


 * Fawkes' name is derived from the famous Guy Fawkes, a 16th century English Catholic restorationist famed for his involvement in an assassination attempt known as the Gunpowder Plot.


 * Fawkes' battle cry of "Wake up... Time to die!" mirrors a quote from Leon to Deckard in Blade Runner.