Fallout Season 2 hinted at the status of a major Fallout 4 character with its "Elder Maxson" reference in Episode 4. The Prime Video TV series is set in the same world as Bethesda's video game series, picking up in 2296, approximately nine years after the events of Fallout 4. While the TV show introduces its own distinct characters, familiar faces from the game series, such as Robert House, crossed over into Fallout's timeline.
Fallout Season 2 cemented another connection to the games in Episode 4, as the Brotherhood of Steel civil war heated up. Following the Brotherhood's possession of cold fusion in the Season 1 finale, Elder Cleric Quintus of the Knights of San Fernando chapter gathered his fellow West Coast chapters to discuss the potential of overthrowing the Commonwealth - the Brotherhood's more powerful East Coast chapter.
Fallout 4 players will be aware of the Commonwealth and its leader, Arthur Maxson, who was featured prominently in the game. Arthur was the descendant of the Brotherhood's founding father, Roger Maxson, and he became the leader of the Brotherhood's reformed East Coast division at a young age. Maxson was responsible for uniting the fractured chapters of the Brotherhood in the East and turning them into a militaristic force.
After appearing in several quests in Fallout 4, Maxson's fate is left unknown after the events of the game, although Fallout Season 2 seemingly confirmed Arthur survived and may be primed for an appearance in the show.
In Episode 4 of Fallout Season 2, "The Demon in the Snow," the Brotherhood's West Coast chapters descend into chaos following Quintus' suggestions of a civil war. Several of the West Coast chapter leaders appeal to Xander Harkness, the Brotherhood's Commonwealth liaison, unaware that he is dead and is actually Thaddeus (Johnny Pemberton) in disguise. During their appeals, Coronado Elder references Elder Maxson, saying, "All we hope is that Elder Maxson will remember us better in the future."
This reference to Elder Maxson suggests that Arthur is still alive and in power, implying he survived the events of Fallout 4, which last saw him leading the Brotherhood into war against the Institute. With that established, it also primes Maxson for an appearance in the Fallout TV show, which may also lead to a confirmation of what happened in the Fallout game's ending.
How Arthur Maxson Is Primed To Appear in Fallout Season 2
With Fallout Season 2's Brotherhood of Steel storyline steadily bringing in the Commonwealth, it seems only a matter of time before Arthur Maxson himself appears.
While the East and West Coast chapters of the Brotherhood of Steel are their own individual entities, the dominance of the Commonwealth has kept the other chapters in line. However, the discovery of cold fusion gives the West Coast chapters a chance to unite and use this new power against their more powerful East Coast division. Despite Quintus' suggestion, the other West Coast Elders proved they were unhappy with the idea of going against the Commonwealth, and its leader, Elder Maxson, eventually led to fighting erupting within the West Coast divisions.
With the West Coast chapters now in chaos, it seems like it won't be long until the Commonwealth learns of this, along with the Knights' discovery of cold fusion, which Maxson will no doubt want for his own division (potentially to fuel Liberty Prime).
Now that Maximus is on the run and in possession of the cold fusion, he is the target of any number of Brotherhood of Steel leaders who want this power for themselves, which could be the perfect opening for Arthur Maxson to make his live-action debut in Fallout, as the Commonwealth may make a play to retrieve cold fusion.
At this point in Fallout's timeline, Maxson would still be a young man in his late 30s, and his introduction into the TV show story would be an easy way to cement a huge connection to the Fallout games, particularly Fallout 4. As the TV show expands on the lore of Bethesda's franchise, it does so with new twists and turns, and introducing Maxson would be an exciting way to unravel more of Fallout's mythology in the TV show.
