Fallout Season 2, Episode 3, "The Profligate," introduced the term "prima noctis" to Lucy Maclean (Ella Purnell), and it sets up a horrifying nightmare that could've forever changed the character. Season 2, Episode 2 featured a shocking revelation for Lucy after she successfully helped an innocent woman first, before an injured Ghoul, only to receive a rude awakening upon meeting a mysterious new faction dressed in Roman Empire outfits.
As it turns out, this faction is the infamous Caesar's Legion from the hit video game, a group inspired by the ancient Romans, and they are engaged in a civil war with the New California Republic. Episode 3 pulled back the curtain on how sinister this faction really is, especially after mentioning "prima noctis" to Lucy.
What Is Prima Noctis In Fallout Season 2?
Following the unexpected ending of the previous installment, "The Profligate" continues Lucy's story by showing her being captured by Caesar's Legion and taken to Caesar, the self-proclaimed emperor who spearheads this imperialistic slave society, as he aims to take control of New Vegas.
Aside from ruling over settlements with a dictator-like leadership, Caesar is also known for enslaving tribes and lost individuals across the wasteland. While Lucy was trying to plead with Caesar (who can be seen talking to an advisor), Lacerta Legate, Macaulay Culkin's Fallout Season 2 character and one of the the show's villains, kept Lucy in check by telling her that they are negotiating the rights to her "prima noctis," which is deemed a legal right for lords or leaders to have intimate relations with a woman of their choosing, mainly during the female's wedding night in the Middle Ages.
This serves as an act of ownership or dominance over the lord's chosen subject. The Latin phrase actually translates to "first night," or in French, "droit du seigneur," meaning "right of the Lord."
Lucy wouldn't back down without a fight after being disrespected, mocking their use of the term by pointing out that it doesn't fit with their legion because it is not even a Roman tradition, and it is a line that shouldn't be crossed because she is not pure anymore due to her past copulation experience during her time in Vault 33:
Lacerta Legate: "Shh. We’re negotiating the rights to your prima noctis."
Lucy: "Prima noctis? Okay. First of all, shame on you. That is awful. And secondly, prima noctis isn’t even a Roman tradition. It’s from the Middle Ages. They were just nasty people borrowing a Latin phrase. And as much as I want to respect your traditions… there is a line to all that, which I think we have found. And you should know that I am not even a virgin. And that’s not including all of the cousin stuff I did, which is at least a page or two on my resume. So, looks like we’re out of options."
The Significance of Prima Noctis in Fallout Season 2
Given that members of Caesar's Legion tend to recontextualize concepts and traditions from the Romans by giving their own twisted spin, Lucy's crashout about the group's insistence on her "prima noctis" is valid, and the fact that she mentioned that she already had past intimate experiences basically undermined its relevance and exposes their ideological fraud.
Aside from the Legion's unruly nature, the group's inaccurate Roman customs further demonstrate how the post-apocalyptic situation of the characters has led to their twisted perspective on certain aspects, such as this Latin phrase and other rituals that allowed them to maintain their cultural superiority in the wasteland.
If anything, the group's delusion further cemented Caesar's Legion as lowly yet terrifying people who will push their outrageous agenda to gain advantage and reign supreme over their innocent targets. Lucy's willingness to fight back hurt their ego, which is why they decided to give her a brutal punishment of crucifixion instead of risking moving forward with their "prima noctis" efforts.
