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Thought carrying that Chip would end you, no... you got lives in you, hard to kill. Storms, bullets... sand and wind, yet still you walk. For now.Ulysses to the Courier

The Courier is the player character and main protagonist in Fallout: New Vegas.

Background

Your face does the thinking - two to the skull, yet one gets up. Odds are against you... but they're just numbers after the two-to-one.

You're playing the hand you've been dealt, but you don't let it rest, you shuffle and stack, and a gamble... a gamble that may pay off? But how?

Forecast: Rapidly changing conditions.
The Forecaster

Sometime before the events of Fallout: New Vegas, the New California Republic sacked Navarro and recovered unfamiliar technology but with familiar symbols (such as the Old World flag) which they linked to similar ones in the Divide. Soon after, they sent the Courier to deliver a package to the Divide; a package which turned out to be a detonator containing missile launch codes. According to Ulysses, the package "woke up" and sent the detonation signal to missiles locked in the silos, resulting in massive earthquakes and powerful storms.[1]

Some time later, being one of six couriers hired by the Mojave Express to deliver strange packages to the New Vegas Strip, the Courier was carrying the parcel containing the platinum chip from Primm. The Courier got the job after Ulysses pulled out when he learned that the sixth Courier's name was next on the list. The Courier was intercepted by Benny, who then shot them in the head and left them for dead, buried alive in a shallow grave in Goodsprings Cemetery. The Courier was then dug out by Victor, a supposedly friendly Securitron under Mr. House's control sent to make sure the Chip was delivered. The Courier was then nursed back to health by Doc Mitchell, the resident doctor of Goodsprings.

Other background information

The player character can make several suggestions about his or her past through in-game dialogue options. Since these are, as the name suggests, optional, it can be assumed that these are down to player choice and as such, do not form part of the player's background until they have been selected.

Below is a non-exhaustive list of elements of the character's past which can be explicitly expressed by players during gameplay:

  • During a conversation with Bruce Isaac in Novac, the Courier can state that he/she has been to New Reno before.
  • It can be inferred during dialogue with Veronica Santangelo that the Courier does not know where he/she was born.
  • The Courier can tell Cass that he/she does not know what a fish is. Or, on the contrary: an intelligent Courier may test her knowledge about fish, clearly aware of their nature although they are practically non-existent in California or the Mojave Wasteland and may only be found in Lake Mead or Zion Canyon.
  • Before setting off to New Canaan, the Courier can tell Jed Masterson that he/she has not been to Utah in some time, suggesting that they have been there before. This also explains how the Courier knows the Dead Horses' and the Sorrows' languages, which is itself impled by a Dead Horse scout who remarks upon being spoken with, "You know our tongue - smart owslander."
  • Dialogue choices throughout Honest Hearts heavily imply that the Courier has never heard of Christianity.
  • One of the epilogues of Old World Blues states that the Courier knows very little about communism or high schools, though this is an inference from the X-8 computer system.
  • According to Ulysses, the Courier has been to Circle Junction, New Reno, Vault City, Fort Abandon, and on brahmin drives at the Big Circle.
  • When the ED-E from the Divide plays the log from when a child found it, asking it where that occurred will have ED-E respond with Illinois. The Courier knows about Illinois, but doesn't know about Chicago, responding with "What's a Chicago?"
  • An intelligent Courier has at least passing knowledge of snipers and spotters, as Craig Boone can be recruited by simply noting that snipers are supposed to work in pairs.
  • If the player has the Lady Killer perk he can ask if the Lonesome Drifter is 17, and then express relief after the Drifter says he is 28, implying the Courier impregnated (or believes he impregnated) a woman in Montana around 18 years ago.

After Hoover Dam

It is stated in the endings for Old World Blues, that in the years following the Second Battle of Hoover Dam that the Courier returned to Big MT and watched over it, keeping a close eye over the sciences and goings on of the facility while gradually reintroducing sciences both forgotten and new back into the Wasteland as needed.

Endings

This section is transcluded from Fallout: New Vegas endings. To change it, please edit the transcluded page.

Narrated by Ron Perlman

# Slide Voice-over narration In-game condition
1
Courier end slide 01
The Courier, fair and even-handed in his/her dealings throughout the Wasteland, was honored by the NCR for his/her support of the military at Hoover Dam. He/she was presented with the Golden Branch, the highest civilian decoration given by the Republic. Good Karma, NCR Victory
2
Courier end slide 01
Though the Courier's agenda was debated by many, he/she was honored by NCR for his/her support of the military at Hoover Dam. He/she was presented with the Golden Branch, the highest civilian decoration given by the Republic. Neutral Karma, NCR Victory
3
Courier end slide 01
With brutal methods that few in NCR would approve of, it was the Courier who secured NCR's victory at Hoover Dam. Despite his/her extreme actions, he/she was awarded with the Golden Branch, the highest civilian decoration given by the Republic. Bad Karma, NCR Victory
4 Though the Courier himself/herself was just and forthright in his/her dealings throughout the Wasteland, he/she helped the Legion achieve victory. Caesar honored him/her with a golden coin, minted in celebration of his/her contributions and distributed throughout the wasteland. Good Karma, Caesar's Legion Victory, do not allow Caesar to die in Et Tumor, Brute?
5 The Courier, a mercenary at heart, helped the Legion achieve victory at Hoover Dam. Caesar honored him/her with a golden coin, minted in celebration of his/her contributions and distributed throughout the wasteland. Neutral Karma, Caesar's Legion Victory, do not allow Caesar to die in Et Tumor, Brute?
6 The Legion marched over the Hoover Dam with the help of one who was as brutal and merciless as the worst of them: The Courier. Caesar honored him/her with a golden coin, minted in celebration of his/her contributions and distributed throughout the wasteland. Bad Karma, Caesar's Legion Victory, do not allow Caesar to die in Et Tumor, Brute?
7 Though the Courier himself/herself was just and forthright in his/her dealings throughout the Wasteland, he/she helped the Legion achieve victory. Caesar honored him/her with a golden coin, minted in celebration of his/her contributions and distributed throughout the wasteland. Good Karma, Caesar's Legion Victory, allow Caesar to die in Et Tumor, Brute?
8 The Courier, a mercenary at heart, helped the Legion achieve victory at Hoover Dam. Caesar honored him/her with a golden coin, minted in celebration of his/her contributions and distributed throughout the wasteland. Neutral Karma, Caesar's Legion Victory, allow Caesar to die in Et Tumor, Brute?
9 The Legion marched over the Hoover Dam with the help of one who was as brutal and merciless as the worst of them: The Courier. Caesar honored him/her with a golden coin, minted in celebration of his/her contributions and distributed throughout the wasteland. Bad Karma, Caesar's Legion Victory, allow Caesar to die in Et Tumor, Brute?
10
Courier end slide 04
The Courier, fair and kind-hearted to those in the Wasteland, ensured that Mr. House would keep New Vegas stable and secure for future generations. Mr. House afforded him/her every luxury at his disposal in the Lucky 38, out of gratitude - and a quiet sense of pride for his choice in lieutenants. Good Karma, Mr. House Victory
11
Courier end slide 04
The Courier, who had a mixed history in the Wasteland, kept the status quo at Hoover Dam. Mr. House would keep New Vegas stable, if not free, for generations. Mr. House afforded the Courier every luxury at his disposal in the Lucky 38. Neutral Karma, Mr. House Victory
12
Courier end slide 04
The Courier, cruel and merciless, had ensured that Mr. House would maintain complete control over New Vegas and everyone in it. Mr. House afforded him/her every luxury at his disposal in the Lucky 38, partly out of gratitude, and partly out of fear. Bad Karma, Mr. House Victory
13 Supporting the ideals of independence, the Courier was recognized as the man/woman responsible for a truly free New Vegas. He/she ensured Mr. House's tyranny was broken and neither Caesar's Legion nor NCR would ever gain control over New Vegas. Good Karma, Independent New Vegas
14 Preferring neither the best of the NCR nor the worst of the Legion, the Courier was the man/woman responsible for a truly independent New Vegas. He/she had removed Mr. House from power over the Strip and broken the influence of the NCR and Caesar's Legion in the Mojave Wasteland. Neutral Karma, Independent New Vegas
15 Supporting all the chaos that comes with independence, the Courier was the man/woman responsible for a truly free New Vegas. He/she ensured the fall of Mr. House and the end of the Legion's and NCR's influence over New Vegas. Bad Karma, Independent New Vegas

Notes

  • In the opening cutscene, the Courier can be briefly seen wearing a recolored male version of the caravaneer outfit with a light colored cowboy hat, along with some tan work gloves.
  • The Courier in promotional images is shown as being a Caucasian male with blonde hair.
  • The Courier is slightly more physically customizable than the Lone Wanderer from Fallout 3, with the option to edit the Courier's age.
  • Like the Vault Dweller, the Courier's age is customizable. Even though the Chosen One's age is customizable, his canon age is 20. The Lone Wanderer's age is 19, during the events of Fallout 3.
  • In one of the endings of Dead Money, the Courier can become trapped within the Sierra Madre Casino Vault and eventually die there. However, since the events of Dead Money must take place before the Second Battle of Hoover Dam, this ending is non-canon as the Courier's true fate sees them taking part in the Battle.
  • In Dead Money, it is implied that the Courier does not know what FEV is through their interaction with Elijah.
  • The Courier was shown wearing an armored Vault 21 jumpsuit during Fallout: New Vegas previews and in the ending. However, this item does not appear in-game, and can only be obtained using console commands.
  • In Old World Blues, the Courier is revealed to have a special brain condition due to being shot in the head in just the right spot and surviving.
  • After Old World Blues, the Courier becomes a cybernetically augmented human ("cyborg"). Even if they get their brain, heart, and spine back, there will still be some advanced technologies that remain in place.
  • In one of the Fallout: New Vegas teaser trailers, it appears that the Courier is being buried in a random cemetery somewhere in the Mojave Wasteland instead of the Goodsprings Cemetery, because of the water tower not being visible.
  • The Courier is labeled as the "Joker" on the Collector's Edition card deck.
  • One of the ending slides in Lonesome Road shows the Courier wearing the "Yes Man" variant of the Courier Duster. This will happen no matter if you choose to side with either the NCR, the Legion, neither, or if you even choose to stop the nukes. This unofficially suggests that the Independent "Yes Man" path in the main game is the more "canon" ending, but it is of course still up to the player what side they choose in the main game, so it is still considered a speculation.
  • Likewise if you speak to the Forecaster and ask for his thoughts about "You", the forecast he tells you is both your attempted murder by Benny, your efforts to find Benny in the quest They Went That-a-Way, and the first couple of the Wild Card quests. This too may unofficially suggest that the "Yes Man" path may be the canon ending.

Appearances

The Courier appears in Fallout: New Vegas and all of its add-ons, and is mentioned in the graphic novel, All Roads.

Gallery

References

Template:Navbox Cyborgs

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