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For the historical person, see Button Gwinnett. |
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“This is no mere scrap of paper, sir. This is the doctrine laid down by my fellow members of the Second Continental Congress. It absolves us of the tyranny of King George the Third of Great Britain. It is perhaps the greatest symbol of this free nation.”
Button Gwinnett is a protectron who runs the National Archives in 2277.
Background
Due to a memory malfunction, he believes himself to be the real Button Gwinnett, second governor of Georgia and signatory of the Declaration of Independence. He is currently leading the security robots in the basement of the National Archives.
Interactions with the player character
Interactions overview
| Interactions | ||
|---|---|---|
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This character is essential. Essential characters cannot be killed. | |
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This character is a permanent companion. | |
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This character is a temporary companion. | |
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This character starts quests. |
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This character is involved in quests. | |
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This character is a doctor. |
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This character is a merchant. |  -Sells: - |
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This character can repair items. | Max Repair condition: - |
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This character rents beds. | -.
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This character drops an ear upon death (Contract Killer). | |
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This character drops a finger upon death (Lawbringer). | |
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This character can be enslaved with the Mesmetron. | |
Quests
- Stealing Independence: Button Gwinnett has verbal control over all the robots in the National Archives and addresses them with motivational messages as the Lone Wanderer progresses through the basement levels and gets closer to his quarters. When initiating dialogue with the Lone Wanderer, Button will call them a "redcoat", and claim that they are surrounded by redcoats.
Inventory
| Apparel | Weapon | Other items | On death |
|---|---|---|---|
| Button's wig | - | Scrap metal | Archives security terminal |
Notes
- The Robotics Expert perk will open up an extensive additional dialog sequence but prevents the Lone Wanderer from later accessing his tour guide information that will help answer the lobby terminal quiz. This perk will give the Wanderer the option to reset him to factory defaults but his backup code is corrupt and thus it fails, leaving the option of shutdown or returning to the previous state. He can not be ordered back to his maintenance bay.
- He can be snuck past to pick the hard lock and enter the robot maintenance chamber where his private maintenance receptacle and control terminal can be found. However, his wireless control link is down so there is no way to recall him into the receptacle for deactivation, reprogramming, or transfer to the BACKUP001 protectron.
- Unlike the other protectrons, Button Gwinnett's voice sounds human. He speaks with a colonial accent.
- Button Gwinnett actually mispronounces his own name. There should be emphasis on the second syllable, rather than the first (Gwin-NET).
- The Lone Wanderer can also find his wig in the corner of the room Button Gwinnett is guarding. Strangely, the wig he is currently wearing cannot be looted, even if the robot is destroyed.
- If he is convinced the Lone Wanderer is Thomas Jefferson, he says at the end of the dialogue to give his regards to "Sally". Sally Hemings was a slave owned by Jefferson with whom he had a sexual relationship.
- He will even consider female characters as Thomas Jefferson.
- Helping Button Gwinnett by telling him the war is over will make him salute.
- Destroying him will cost Karma, while disabling him does not.
- Following the entire false Thomas Jefferson dialogue to where he shuts himself down, he can then be destroyed without penalty.
- The maintenance terminal near Button's pod mentions previous problems with memory malfunctions, referred to as memory leaks. This causes his tour guide and reenactment subroutines to meld together and caused him to believe he is the real, human, Button Gwinnett who lives in the late 1700s. Telling him it is 2277 and that he is a robot will have Button adamantly deny it and get somewhat frustrated with the Lone Wanderer.
- When asked for directions to Arlington Library to retrieve ink, he will give directions obviously out-of-date by many centuries, citing long-gone landmarks such as a bell-tower and a fish market.
- Due to Button's memory faults he will continually refer to the Lone Wanderer as a "redcoat spy" until convinced otherwise.
Notable quotes
- "The Declaration must remain here! It is our symbol of hope, the one thing that cries out "We are a free nation"!"
- "Saints alive! It is both an honor and a privilege, madam. I knew the day would arrive that Jefferson would send someone to help! I hope these fortifications are up to your high standards, madam. All of my men await your command to push and retake the Capital!"
- "No! It can't be! Then the Stars and Stripes have indeed fallen. This is a sad day, a day that every man, woman and child will remember as they toil in the English salt mines as slaves. Although my brow is heavy, I am honored that you've come to tell me this in person like a true gentleman. What are your final orders?"
- "This is no mere scrap of paper, sir. This is the doctrine laid down by my fellow members of the Second Continental Congress. It absolves us of the tyranny of King George the Third of Great Britain. It is perhaps the greatest symbol of this free nation."
- "Please explain, but I warn you, I am well versed on the tactics of the underhanded Redcoat spy. You'd do well to remember that."
Appearances
Button Gwinnett appears only in Fallout 3.
Behind the scenes
When he dies, the phrase "I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country" is a reference to the Revolutionary War hero Nathan Hale, who said the same thing before he was hanged by the British.
Gallery
The real Button Gwinnett
Robotic Button's wig
