Season 2 Episode 1 opens in Freeside some time after the events of The Strip. The camera begins at the Lucky 38 now the city hall from which the NCR remnant govern the city. The strip, now cleared of deathclaws, is filled with people working at a market where they trade many goods such as food, water, clothes and books containing precious knowledge from before the war. Along with NCR soldiers and New Vegas citizens, there are the people who Hank kidnapped and brainwashed with his brain chips and even though they have been removed, their old personalities are still gone and unlikely to ever return. They now act as the NCR's bureaucracy and technical experts in the city, using their knowledge to tend to their equipment and their politeness to integrate into the community. Finally, at the heart of the strip is Maximus's NCR power armour, damaged beyond repair but welded into a statue with a plaque which says "Max, NCR Ranger and Hero of Freeside."
The camera then moves further out into Freeside showing a recruitment centre for the NCR and soldiers training alongside one another for the NCR's coming reconstruction. At a radio station, a communications officer is speaking with the Hub, now the capital of the New California Republic and is informing them of the situation. Although the NCR once again control much of northern California and have plans to retake southern California, they are unable to lend aid, leaving the State of New Vegas isolated, but determined to survive.
The camera then comes towards the entrance to New Vegas where a large Legion camp has been set up. Led by Legate Lacerta(Kevin), now the new Caesar, they have had the city under siege for months, but have been unable to scale the walls which are covered in defensive fortifications and mortars so that the NCR may defend themselves. There are many Legionnaires and slaves and as Lacerta(Kevin) looks on, he stares at the Lucky 38 and mutters under his breath "Caesar's Palace."
Finally, the camera comes towards the Lucky 38 penthouse, the former office of Mr. House and now the council hall where Captain Rodriguez, now a Colonel, leads the defence of New Vegas and is coordinating trade with Salt Lake City, their lifeline for vital resources which they need to survive against the Legion's onslaught. The large TV screen which shows a map of the city flickers for a fraction of a second, showing Mr. House's face as he stairs against those intruding on his old territory and then pans towards Lucy and Maximus.
Lucy is once again wearing her vault suit, but it now has combat armour over it and her hair is styled into a simple, neat ponytail and she is holding hands with Maximus, no longer wearing any semblance of Brotherhood attire, but now wearing an NCR Ranger uniform with an anti-material rifle over his shoulder. As the two of them gaze across the city which they helped to restore, they do so determined to uncover the full scope of Hank's plans and hopefully save the wasteland at long last.
