What Happens When You Call The Vault-Tec Number On Fallout?
Contains spoilers for "Fallout"
There's a lot to enjoy with Amazon Prime Video's "Fallout" series, from the gratuitous violence to the dark humor. One recurring aspect of the show that helps flesh out the world is the flashes to the past, often centered on movie star Cooper Howard, who becomes the irradiated Ghoul and is played in both instances by the incomparable Walton Goggins. Episode 6 contains one such scene, depicting Cooper in a Vault-Tec ad encouraging folks to sign up for Vault residences. The bottom of the screen eventually shows the phone number 213-25-VAULT (or 213-258-2858), and something is waiting for anyone who calls it.
Upon dialing the number in real life, the caller will be greeted by screaming and hollering. It's unclear who it's supposed to be, but one could surmise it's intended to be Goggins' character. If nothing else, it's a chilling juxtaposition between the kind-hearted, old-timey commercial seen on the series and the more off-putting screaming one's greeted by over the phone. After all, Cooper may have advertised for the Vaults to stay safe in the event of nuclear annihilation, but he couldn't prevent himself from succumbing to the effects of radiation.
A foreboding dread of what's to come on Fallout
Most movies and TV shows have a 555 phone number that doesn't go anywhere, but many projects provide real numbers with little Easter eggs awaiting anyone passionate (or bored) enough to call. At least the "Fallout" phone number actually goes somewhere it's intended to go, as opposed to the number shown on "Squid Game" that went to a random South Korean man who got thousands of calls daily after the show came out.
Calling the phone number is a nice touch, and overall, the sequence hints at several things that will play out in the world of "Fallout." Of course, Cooper Howard shows off the Vault-Tec technology that becomes crucial to the Vault Dwellers like Lucy (Ella Purnell) far off in the future. However, once filming wraps on the ad, Cooper encounters Bud Askins (Michael Esper), who references his former employer West Tek, a defense contractor setting out to create power armor. In one scene, there are nods to the three main characters of the series, with the future Ghoul inside of the type of dwelling Lucy was raised in, discussing power armor that sets the stage for the Brotherhood of Steel, of which Maximus (Aaron Moten) is a member.
The "Fallout" showrunners spoke exclusively with Looper to discuss why those three characters were perfect for exploring this world. The Vault advertisement featuring Cooper Howard is just one example of the kind of impressive world-building that went into making the video games and show so good.
All eight episodes of "Fallout" are available now on Prime Video.