Cannibalism

Cannibalism is the practice of eating members of one's own species as food. Cannibals appear in every Fallout game in some form.

Background

Cannibalism is considered a crime against nature in most major Wasteland societies. Conversations with members of The Family indicate that cannibals are ostracized and often beaten by other members of society, although by implication this suggests that cannibalism alone (when not also combined with murder) is not considered a sufficient crime to warrant execution/extermination. Vance, the leader of The Family, implies that cannibals are a species mutation like ghouls or psykers; they are born with an innate craving for human flesh, as well as the ability to consume it without ill effects (Old Ben in Freeside remarks that eating human flesh causes debilitating shakes in normal humans, which can eventually lead to death).

Cannibals often form groups in order to obtain mutual social acceptance while engaging in this taboo activity. Some, like the residents of Andale in the Capital Wasteland or the underground-dwelling tribe that would eventually become the White Glove Society in the Mojave Wasteland, are descended from a long line of individuals who have practiced the killing and consumption of fellow humans. Other groups, like The Family, consist of individuals who have banded together after being shunned or exiled from their home communities for their practice of cannibalism. Cannibals may also be members of larger groups, like the Gun Runners; Aurelius of Phoenix, a Centurion in Caesar's Legion, appears to be a practicing cannibal.

Normal wastelanders may unwittingly engage in cannibalism, as some vendors sell human flesh under the guise of regular meat, either because they are practicing cannibals themselves, or because they can obtain human flesh cheaply and engage in unethical business practices by selling it as food. Iguana Bob, a highly successful food vendor in Junktown, would obtain human flesh for cheap from the local morgue, and sell it at a premium price as "iguana-on-a-stick". Certain groups of hunters in the Capital Wasteland hunt Wastelanders for their meat, and then sell it to unsuspecting travelers. Old Ben in Freeside remarks that his father's butcher shop went out of business after a local merchant began selling "strange meat" at very low cost; after the merchant died from the debilitating shakes associated with prolonged consumption of human flesh, human remains were found inside his house.

Known cannibals

Fallout

• Jackals (cut)

Fallout 2

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Fallout 3

• Bill Wilson
• Martha Wilson
• Jenny Wilson
• Jack Smith
• Linda Smith
• Junior Smith
• Old Man Harris (formerly)
• Swampfolk
• Several groups of hunters appear to be cannibals

Fallout Tactics

• Beastlords

Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel

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Fallout: New Vegas

• Andy Scabb
• Mortimer
• Philippe
• White Glove Society (formerly, with exceptions)
• Aurelius of Phoenix
• Vault 22 evacuees.
• Mick (Fallout: New Vegas) and/or Ralph (New Vegas)

Notes

• Cannibal Johnson isn't actually a cannibal, its just a nickname "bestowed" upon him by some raiders he managed to scare way by literally biting off a bit of a raiders heart he cut out.