“I've seen soldiers come and go. Some were brave. Some were honest. Some were even heroic. But I've never called any of them a friend.”
Paladin Danse, unit designation M7-97, registration DN-407P, is a Brotherhood of Steel soldier living in the Commonwealth in 2287. He is a possible companion in Fallout 4.
Background
Before he joined the Brotherhood of Steel, Danse had memories of growing up as an orphan in the Capital Wasteland. As a child, he made a dangerous living by scavenging the D.C. ruins until he could afford to open his own junk stand in Rivet City. It was around that time he befriended a man named Cutler, and together the two scraped by as traders.
When the Brotherhood of Steel began recruiting, Danse and Cutler agreed it was "the best way out of [their] nowhere lives". They joined the order, under the training of Paladin Krieg, and were successful soldiers, but roughly a year after being posted to the Prydwen, Cutler disappeared on assignment. Danse personally spearheaded a three-week search for the missing squad. Ultimately the trail led to a super mutant hive where it was revealed that Cutler's team had been killed, and Cutler himself had been exposed to the Forced Evolutionary Virus. Danse, saddened to discover his friend had been mutated, killed Cutler. The experience incited an intense hatred in Danse of most non-humans, including super mutants, ghouls, and synths.
Danse achieved the rank of Paladin while the assault on Adams Air Force Base was happening, which resulted in the fatality of his first section leader. By the year 2287, he had risen to become one of Arthur Maxson's most respected officers. He was assigned a reconnaissance team and dispatched to the Commonwealth to investigate signs of the Institute's activities. However, misfortune quickly reduced the recon team to only three members. When the Sole Survivor first encounters Paladin Danse, he and what's left of his team are holed up in Cambridge Police Station, unable to proceed with their mission. Paladin Danse enlists the aid of the Sole Survivor to help him retrieve an item from the nearby ArcJet Systems complex. After their task is completed, Danse offers the Survivor the rank of Initiate in the Brotherhood of Steel, should they wish to join.
Provided the Sole Survivor enlists in the order, Danse will become a full companion following the completion of Shadow of Steel. On their journeys Danse makes it clear he believes the Institute and its synths are too dangerous to let live, and both must be eradicated for the safety of mankind. However, after the Survivor breaches The Institute's mainframe, it is revealed that Paladin Danse himself is actually an escaped synth. Danse, or unit designation M7-97, goes AWOL shortly thereafter. Elder Maxson orders the Sole Survivor to find and execute their former mentor, saying the existence of a such a creature cannot be allowed.
When found at Listening Post Bravo Danse will swear that he did not know he was a synth. The disgraced paladin then encourages the Survivor to carry out their orders to kill him, insisting that he "must be the example, not the exception." The Survivor must then choose to either execute Danse or convince him to flee the Commonwealth. If Danse survives the events of Blind Betrayal he will thank the Survivor and, with Maxson's promise not to have him hunted down, remains in the Commonwealth to aid the Survivor in their mission.
Due to his revelation, it is unknown if any of the memories that Danse had mentioned were actually real memories, or at which point Danse begun living as a human.
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. They grant the * Know Your Enemy perk. | |
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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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Quests
- Paladin Danse will become a full companion upon receiving the quest Tour of Duty.
- Call to Arms: The Sole Survivor explores ArcJet Systems with Paladin Danse, which is overrun with Institute synths.
- Semper Invicta: The Sole Survivor has to help Scribe Haylen and Knight Rhys.
- Shadow of Steel: The Sole Survivor and Paladin Danse board the Prydwen. Danse becomes available as a companion after the completion of the quest.
- The Lost Patrol: The Sole Survivor is asked to find what happened to the last Brotherhood recon team.
- Liberty Reprimed: If Danse is taken as a companion while finding the bombs, he will stay at the storage room to watch over it.
- Blind Betrayal: Danse is revealed to be an Institute synth. Elder Maxson orders the Sole Survivor to find and execute him. The Sole Survivor is given the choice to either execute him or keep him alive and in exile.
- Airship Down: If Blind Betrayal has not been completed, and Paladin Danse is still alive, he will make the last stand with the Brotherhood of Steel. He can be killed by the player character, the synths or by the crashing airship.
Effects of player's actions
- Maximum approval with Danse awards the Know Your Enemy perk, which grants +20% more damage against ghouls, super mutants and synths. It is impossible to max out the relationship with Danse before completing Blind Betrayal.
- Siding against the Brotherhood faction before Blind Betrayal makes him permanently hostile, removing him as a companion.
- If he is alive after Blind Betrayal and the Survivor becomes an enemy of the Brotherhood of Steel, then a bug may occur rendering him unable to react to the player character.
- If Blind Betrayal has been completed, he may instead ignore the Sole Survivor and will only turn hostile if attacked. This appears to be a bug since the player character can still open the trade menu with him. The issue effectively removes him as a companion, but will not remove his perk.
- Danse will stop talking and functioning as a companion if the player becomes hostile with the Brotherhood, even after Blind Betrayal's completion. This is evident by the fact that he is killable and functions more like a normal settler than a companion.
- Danse is a potential candidate for romance, an option that unlocks after reaching the highest level of affinity.
Range of interests
| Approvals | Disapprovals |
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Other interactions
- Danse has the authority to grant the Sole Survivor membership into the Brotherhood of Steel.
Inventory
| Apparel | Weapon | Other items | On death |
|---|---|---|---|
| T-60 power armor (pre-Brotherhood) BOS uniform BOS hood X-01 power armor (post-Brotherhood) |
Laser rifle | - | Synth component |
Notes
- It is impossible to max out approval or complete a romantic relationship with Danse before completing Blind Betrayal.
- By going through with the Minutemen ending without completing Blind Betrayal first, it becomes impossible to max out approval on that playthrough due to the preceding quest Liberty Reprimed being failed. He can still be recruited as a companion, however.
- Blind Betrayal can be started and completed normally via the console on the PC to regain the possibility of being idolized by Danse. While it does not appear that one needs to dismiss him he will need to leave and may behave unexpectedly if he is not. Completing this quest will automatically start Tactical Thinking. Tested after completing the peaceful/unified commonwealth ending that stops the BoS questline before completing Show No Mercy.
- While traveling with the Sole Survivor after Blind Betrayal, he will use dialogue lines that imply he is still in the Brotherhood despite being exiled.
- Following Blind Betrayal, having him accompany the Survivor as a companion turns the Brotherhood of Steel faction hostile. Dismissing Danse returns the Brotherhood to its normal disposition towards the player character. However, they will continue to attack Danse on sight.
- Dismissing Danse to the Boston Airport after the Brotherhood of Steel ending could end up having Danse and Liberty Prime have an endless battle. Because Prime cannot be harmed and Danse cannot be killed, it only results in the deaths of the unnamed Brotherhood soldiers guarding the tarmac, who either get killed by Danse or Prime's nukes.
- Having Danse and any other companion at the Boston Airport will result in all your companions fighting the Brotherhood alongside Danse, since Danse is technically considered a part of the Minutemen faction when he is dismissed and at a settlement.
- The Sole Survivor can kill any unnamed Brotherhood soldiers whilst Danse is following (including those on the Prydwen and at the Airport) without losing reputation with them.
- If spared and convinced to stay in the quest Blind Betrayal, he will be wearing a suit of X-01 power armor next time player character meets him.
- An entry on Knight-Captain Cade's terminal suggests that Danse is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder or a similar issue.
- If taken to Nate/Nora's corpse in Vault 111, he will show patience for the Sole Survivor's mourning.
- After the completion of Blind Betrayal, Danse will show approval for several comments that support synths. For example, when the player character agrees with Tony Savoldi's comments on synths' rights.
- Possibly unintended, Danse still hates/dislikes saving Amelia Stockton during Human Error after Blind Betrayal.
- Possibly unintended, Danse will continue to show animosity towards Nick Valentine after Blind Betrayal.
- Danse generally hates saving ghouls, but will like many of the kind comments made to them, like telling Kent Connolly not to sell himself short at the start of the Silver Shroud quest.
- If one takes his BoS uniform before Blind Betrayal (or he somehow removes it), he will show up in just his underpants for the quest.
- He is the only companion who will not accompany during Mass Fusion. When relaying to the Mass Fusion building, a message pops up saying Danse has left to go to one of the settlements. This might be due to the fact that if the Sole Survivor become enemies with the Brotherhood (which will happen if proceeding with Mass Fusion), the Sole Survivor will immediately lose the option of having Danse as a companion. One can still access his inventory. Attacking him will cause him to be hostile permanently; he can be killed in such a case.
- If having completed Blind Betrayal, have gotten Max Affinity, and are still on good terms with the Brotherhood of Steel, before asking Danse to come with the Sole Survivor he'll sometimes say comments as if the Sole Survivor is in a committed relationship even if they are not.
- Danse seems to be at least somewhat aware of experiments conducted by Vault-Tec, as he comments on the immorality of the Vault program and the dishonesty used to lure unsuspecting civilians into a system that would use them as guinea pigs, if he is taken along for the quest Hole in the Wall.
- While he seems to have some respect for the Minutemen, he compares them to the Brotherhood when Owyn Lyons was Elder; too charitable, too unorganized, and too unfocused to the point that they started doing more harm than good. However, he does say that their cause is honorable, and has no problems if the Institute is destroyed with the Minutemen as opposed to the Brotherhood.
- Paladin Danse can be supplied with upgraded power armor by transferring it to his inventory and equipping it. With a fully upgraded set of X-01 power armor, this makes him an extremely powerful companion.
- Equipping Danse with Calibrated power armor legs, if having all three levels of Inspirational, can yield a carry weight of over 800 LBs in addition to his power armor. However, his base power armor (the T-60 unit) is companion specific and listed as unplayable, therefore it will always count towards his total inventory weight.
- Paladin Danse wears a full set of BOS T-60 power armor minus the helmet. Unlike other companions, he cannot be commanded to leave his power armor and parts do not appear in his inventory.
- Danse is the only companion, who, if equipped with different power armor than his own, the armor will not deteriorate.
Notable quotes
- "It's a good feeling, but it frightens me all the same. Having a bond with someone then losing them...it changes you."
- "Don't you understand? Everything I had, everything I knew is gone. In the span of a few hours, my identity was ripped from me and my world turned upside-down." (Said in the final private conversation with him, after discovering he is a synth.)
- "I started out as nothing, and I've ended up as nothing...and I don't know what the hell to do about it."
- "Are you saying you're...in love with me? This doesn't make any sense. After everything the Brotherhood taught you, how could you be in love with...well, a machine?" (Said when the Sole Survivor chooses the "romance" option with him and succeeds.)
- "You stood up to Elder Maxson for me. I'll never forget that for as long as I live."
- "If it ever comes down to it, I'd gladly spill my own blood if it means keeping you by my side."
- When traveling naked:
- "Put your uniform on!"
- "Get some clothes on, you're embarrassing us."
- When picking up junk items:
- "Why are you bothering with that junk?"
- "If you keep hoarding that garbage, you're going to slow us down."
- "To you that doesn't seem old, to me it's an archaeological relic."
- "That's a rare find, and in pristine condition, too. Good work soldier." (Note: will only say this when picking up "valuable" junks, like microscopes, biometric scanners, military targeting cards, etc.)
- "Our scribes wouldn't mind taking a look at that." (Same as above)
- When succeeding at hacking terminal:
- Comments on locations:
- When first entering Diamond City: "It's a shame these people have to live in fear, sheltering in this old stadium when all those perfectly good buildings are still standing outside."
- When traveling to the Castle before it's been cleared of Mirelurks during Taking Independence: "The disorganization and lack of a command structure led to the Minutemen losing control of this fortification."
- When traveling to the Castle for the first time: "The Minutemen remind me of the Brotherhood when Elder Lyons was in charge... unfocused and far too charitable for their own good."
- When clearing out the the Castle of Mirelurks: "These mirelurks obviously have no regard for the historical importance of this location."
- When traveling to the Wreck of the USS Riptide: "It appears the vessel's navigator made a grievous miscalculation."
- When taken to Nate/Nora's corpse in Vault 111.
- "Take as long as you need, soldier."
- When traveling to or walking around Bunker Hill:
- "The putrid stink of dishonesty hangs heavy in the air here... or maybe it's just the brahmin."
- "A battle memorial to the fallen. We should observe a moment of silence."
- "There must be something significant in this area to merit these fortifications."
- When getting wounded:
- "Patch yourself up, your arm looks like Swiss cheese."
- "Get some first aid on that arm, ASAP."
- "Your arm's looking pretty bad."
- "Don't try and run on that leg until you've patched it up."
- "Better break out the stimpacks. Your leg looks pretty bad."
- "You're going to slow us down with that leg."
- "Can you even see straight?"
- "Hang in there soldier, you're gonna be OK."
- When he is seriously wounded:
- "Aid me brother/sister!"
- "MEDIC!"
- "Dammit, I'm hit bad"
- Dying words:
- " Ad victoriam brother/sister"
- When exceeding maximum capacity:
- "Carrying too much gear is tactically dangerous, soldier."
- "If you can't carry all that equipment, give some of it to me."
- "You're exceeding the maximum recommended payload for a ground unit, soldier."
- "I suggest sorting through your gear and drop anything you don't need."
- When using chems:
- "Those chems are gonna ruin you soldier."
- "A good soldier doesn't need crap like that to keep him going."
- "That stuff's poison. The sooner you realise it the better."
- "How could you fight when your brain's clouded with those drugs?"
- "Quit now! That's all I have to say to you about those drugs you're taking."
- Comments on deathclaws:
- "Don't underestimate the deathclaw, I've seen one tear open power armor like it was a tin can."
- "Aim for the deathclaws' legs to slow them down. It might give you chance to survive."
- "Did you know Elder Maxson took a deathclaw out with nothing but a combat knife? And he has the scars to prove it."
- "My advice for hunting a deathclaw: return to base and forget about it-you will live longer."
- When radroaches, bloatflies, bloodbugs, or stingwings are in the vicinity:
- "Proctor Quinlan told me that this thing called bug spray existed before the war. I sure wish we had some of that now."
- "Disgusting insect!"
- When Lover's Embrace is activated:
- "I'm more tired now than when we went to sleep."
- "Better than a training exercise."
- "That was exhilarating."
- "Ad Victoriam."
- "Did you know you talked in your sleep?"
- After romancing him:
- "I never thought there was room for anything in my life besides the Brotherhood. I'm glad I was wrong."
- "Things couldn't be better between us...and for the first time in my life, I'm truly happy."
- "If a machine and a human can learn to live in harmony, then anything's possible."
- "Whatever caused our fate to intertwine would never let them unravel."
- "Being with you has made me realize that I never want to be alone again."
- "Being in love doesn't mean we have to stop fighting for what we believe in."
- "You taught me what being close to someone really means. I'll cherish that forever."
- "This is the happiest I've ever been since I've joined the Brotherhood. Thank you."
- "If I lost you, I don't know what I'd do."
- "It's strange. I've been alone for so long, I don't even know how to act around you."
- "Decorum prohibits it, but I feel like being close to you right now."
- "I like it when you're this close."
- "If you want something, just say it, I'll make it happen."
- "I always knew there was something missing from my life. Now I've found it."
- "With you standing by me, I feel like I can take on the world."
- When killing innocents:
- "The Brotherhood does not kill innocents. It doesn't matter what kind of tech they're sitting on. If they aren't shooting at you, leave them alone."
- When dismissing Danse:
- "I'll head back to the bunker and wait for you there. Just be careful, i-...if anything happens to you...I honestly don't know what I'd do."
- When swapping Danse with:
- Nick Valentine: "I can't believe you're replacing me with this... thing", to which Nick replies: "Believe it, bucko. Now isn't there someone else you should be irritating?"
- Hancock: "Keep away from me, you filthy ghoul", to which Hancock replies: "Don't flatter yourself, crew cut. You ain't my type."
- Curie: "Be replaced by a machine... embarrassing."
- Cait: "Just make sure you keep our mutual friend safe.", to which Cait replies: "Yeah, take a hike, Danse. This calls for a lady's touch."
- Deacon: "There's something you're keeping from me, Deacon. If I find out what it is and I don't like it, there will be hell to pay.", to which Deacon replies: "Well, good thing I have nothing to hide then."
- Strong: "Why you choose to travel with that mutant is beyond me. It should be destroyed.", to which Strong replies: "Metal man make Strong mad!"
- Piper: "Exercise extreme caution out there, Piper. The Commonwealth is hazardous for civilians", to which Piper replies: "I can handle myself, soldier boy."
- MacCready: " I’m not sure why you’d want to travel with this... insubordinate civilian, but it’s your decision", to which MacCready replies: "Yeah... sorry Danse, I couldn’t hear you over all that clanking."
Appearances
Danse appears only in Fallout 4.
Behind the scenes
 | The following is based on Fallout 4 cut content. |
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- Unused dialogue suggests that Paladin Danse and the Sole Survivor were originally able to challenge Maxson's authority as Elder through combat according to "the Litany". Through his defeat, it would have allowed Danse to regain his status as Paladin and grant the Sole Survivor the rank of Elder within the Brotherhood.
| End of information based on Fallout 4 cut content |
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Bugs
Sometimes when sending Danse to Boston Airport, he will spawn in the Warehouse room that is inaccessible until further down the Brotherhood of Steel story-line. If this happens, on PC one can use the moveto console command to move Danse next to the player character. He can also be brought back by building and using a bell, then using a bed, he will be right next to the bell when you wake up. He will reappear after completing the quest The Nuclear Option (Minutemen).[verified]- If completing the main quest line, Danse can become bugged to where the Sole Survivor can no longer initiate dialog with him (thus unable to do his quests) despite being friendly with the BOS.[verified]
- When stationed at Listening Post Bravo, the player character may find Danse with all X-01 power armor despite a T-60 Helmet. When looking into his inventory he clearly does not have X-01 armor. This can be fixed by re-equipping the T-60 power armor that is listed equipped in his inventory.[verified]
- If the player character has assigned Danse in Boston Airport and completed the quest Blind Betrayal, he will go back to the airport, sometimes spawning in the middle of the warehouse. Since the Brotherhood of Steel members will attack him on sight, the settlers might join the firefight as well, triggering a massive firefight. Being essential characters, the settlers will overpower most of the BoS members stationed in the airport, save for the essential NPCs like Madison Li, Ingram, Gavil, and Lucia. The only way of "fixing" this is letting Danse and settlers clean the place up and when the essential BoS NPCs are down, talk to Danse immediately and ask him to join. Now leave the airport and fast-travel to another location so one can safely re-assign him to another settlement.[verified]
- When in a fight with a Brotherhood Knight (or any variant) with a fusion core and a gatling laser in the inventory and the Knight is killed, Danse may take the gatling laser and the fusion core and gain unlimited ammo. The fusion core never runs out of power. (This is likely due to him picking up both the fusion core and the gatling laser at the same time.)[verified]
- When other power armor parts are equipped for Danse, they will count upon his carry weight, and lessen how much he is able to carry. Additionally if any of those power armor parts are unequipped, Danse won't get get back his old armor, but rather the power armor frame will be visible. It seems this has also in some way decreased his total carry weight drastically, to the point where he can only carry a bit over 10 pounds, even after emptying out his entire inventory. It is advised to let Danse keep his power armor on. (This is likely due to his own power armor pieces still being in his inventory, and taking up carrying capacity, albeit still being invisible, much like follower weapons.)[verified]
- One way to fix this is with console commands. Use the console command 0005de4d.showinventory to get the IDs of his power armor pieces, then use 0005de4d.equipitem "ID of armor piece" to get Danse to put his armor back on. After doing so, 0005de4d.showinventory should show that all of his power armor is now equipped.
- Put his gear in a container and command Danse then have him inspect the container as many times as there are items in container. Key being to stand back far enough from container when in companion command mode, otherwise the Sole Survivor can see contents of the container. Command and Trade to equip the gear.
- Danse may bug where one can no longer talk to him, even if the Sole Survivor hasn't completed the main storyline. If he does, one will no longer be able to finish any quest where the player character have to talk to him. The only thing that seems to solve this problem is to reload a save from before ever having any contact with him.[verification overdue]
- Danse's affinity may reset after the quest Blind Betrayal.[verification overdue]
- Sometimes when reaching the "admires" stage in Danse's affinity, he will become unresponsive to the player's choice, locking the player from getting his perk.[verification overdue]
- If any piece of power armor is equipped on him and removed, his original T-60 power armor will disappear and cause him to remain at 100% health.[verification overdue]
Gallery
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