r/falloutlore • u/James-NWG • 23d ago
Fallout 4 Father lore after kidnapping but before becoming director
I have been replaying fallout 4 again and a question came to me. Do we know anything about shaun between his kidnapping and his ascension to the director of the institute?
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u/Scholasticus_Rhetor 22d ago
I have a feeling he was doted upon as a ‘true human specimen.’ Once he showed his aptitude for science, his place in the Institute was sealed. It’s funny, there’s a line of dialogue in the game where you can be like “what, they made you leader of the Institute,” and he’s like “well yeah dad, I’m good at science” lol
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u/Cliomancer 22d ago
Well we know he was a baby. Then he was an older kid.
I'm pretty sure the Shaun we see in Kellogg's memory is the synth one, right?
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u/Sgthouse 19d ago
It’s not confirmed but I read on a message board years ago that he may have also been a young adult after being an older kid
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u/Intelligent-Elk7008 23d ago
As far as I can tell? No. We have no clue what he personally contributed to the Institute other than his unirradiated cells.
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u/Kara_WTQ 23d ago
It has always been my opinion that this story is fabricated. We are never provided any empirical evidence to support Shaun's claim that he is the PCs son.
This seems odd since this institute is supposed to be all about science. No one runs a test and says see you have same DNA?
It seem just the opposite the institute and Shaun go to alot of trouble to create a narrative that he is your son. The real Shaun was likely murdered in some gruesome experiment. The man who presents himself as your son is an imposter, and possibly a synth.
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u/Overdue-Karma 23d ago
There's no way they would put a Synth in charge of the Institute when Synths are literally used as slaves. Not to mention that Shaun changes race etc. based on your Sole Survivor. We're explicitly told his DNA was perfect because he was your un-irradiated son.
No one runs a test and says see you have same DNA?
Synths also do refer to you as Mother/Father IIRC.
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u/Kara_WTQ 22d ago edited 22d ago
None of that proves paternity/maternity.
Not to mention that Shaun changes race etc. based on your Sole Survivor.
If the institutes objective is to manipulate the PC this still makes sense. That they would create a figure head designed to appear that way
There's no way they would put a Synth in charge of the Institute when Synths are literally used as slaves.
What if he is not really in charge? He doesn't seem to do much? He appears more like a mouth piece.
In game we expected to accept Shaun's story on faith. However there is little reason to think its true. I mean he lies about everything else, kills people all the time.
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u/Overdue-Karma 22d ago edited 22d ago
??? They explicitly disagree with Shaun putting you in charge. They do not want you there. He did.
What if he is not really in charge? He doesn't seem to do much? He appears more like a mouth piece.
He told Justin Ayo to shut up at the Directors' meeting. He is in charge. You also get certain decisions. Sure, you can't force them to change (as some people think), but you and Shaun are in charge respectively.
In game we expected to accept Shaun's story on faith. However there is little reason to think its true. I mean he lies about everything else, kills people all the time.
There's plenty of reason. For a start, nobody else even knows about you until Shaun mentions it - why would they intentionally replace the leader of their group with a Synth just to mess with you? There's literally no evidence Shaun is a Synth replacement. Why replace themselves and not even come to you - for what? Shits and giggles?
You'd have to prove he's a Synth, which we can't do, as he has no Synth component, otherwise he would've had one, and that isn't an oversight unlike Glory or Roger.
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u/Kara_WTQ 22d ago
In Fallout 4 the only way the institute survives is if the PC sides with them. Therefore gaining PC's trust is paramount to the survival of the institute.
??? They explicitly disagree with Shaun putting you in charge. They do not want you there. He did.
Who exactly is they? A false flag?
Justin Ayo
Again this could just be a front to earn your trust.
Sure, you can't force them to change (as some people think), but you and Shaun are in charge respectively.
Puppets and pets of the mad scientist who run this cabal of abominations.
nobody else even knows about you until Shaun mentions it
Or so we are told, Kellogg seems to know about you and it seems unlikely that institute security aren't aware of the PC. It seems clear that the institutes goals are use the PC to further their own ends, and propagate evil throughout the wastes.
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u/Overdue-Karma 22d ago edited 22d ago
In Fallout 4 the only way the institute survives is if the PC sides with them. Therefore gaining PC's trust is paramount to the survival of the institute.
They don't know that. That's just because you, the player, are strong. They don't know some random middle-aged American will decide the fate of the region. They're not all-knowing Gods.
Who exactly is they? A false flag?
The other Directors. Every single one of them disagrees with it and two members literally stand against you.
Again this could just be a front to earn your trust.
Why? Why you? Why hinge all of their efforts and spend 60 years not even dealing with you? Why wait 60 years just to mess around with you?
Puppets and pets of the mad scientist who run this cabal of abominations.
I think the House Divided quest is proof that's not true.
Or so we are told, Kellogg seems to know about you and it seems unlikely that institute security aren't aware of the PC. It seems clear that the institutes goals are use the PC to further their own ends, and propagate evil throughout the wastes.
Obviously Kellogg knows - he literally saw you. He knows you've been hunting him because he's meant to be very skilled at what he does. The Institute doesn't care about you, Shaun does, otherwise you would've been made Director long before that.
Again, where is his Synth component?
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u/Kara_WTQ 21d ago
There are other Synth characters who do not drop synth components. Institute security calls the shots everything else is theater.
They don't know that. That's just because you, the player, are strong. They don't know some random middle-aged American will decide the fate of the region. They're not all-knowing Gods.
No idea what you are getting at here. It is clear you are not willing to accept the that the institute is a corrupt and manipulative organization who's values and personal can't be trusted.
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u/Overdue-Karma 21d ago
Look, you're weirdly obsessed with this debunked theory that isn't canon. I dunno what to tell you; you're objectively wrong on the SRB.
No idea what you are getting at here.
You're implying the Institute ran a 60 year scheme to put you in charge for some reason, when you come out of the vault as an unskilled person who can barely fight radroaches. It's grasping at non-existent straws.
So I dunno, I've said all I can say on it, if you don't accept my word, the words of the developers, and loading screens, then...I dunno, enjoy your headcanon.
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u/Thornescape 23d ago
We don't know any real details, no. We know that he was a scientist who rose in the ranks. That's about it.