How Prime Video Should Show Us More of The Ghoul's Past
It's not a secret that we all want more of The Ghoul.
Most reviews for Prime Video's live-action addition to Fallout canon include high praise for the three central characters the series follows – Lucy, Maximus, and the Ghoul – and this is an overwhelmingly positive sentiment echoed back by audiences. We already know a season 2 is on the way with more of each of these characters stories to be told yet, and that has naturally brought about questions regarding what the future could mean for these characters. And while that's absolutely something most everyone who has seen the series wants, I'd argue there's something else that would be just as nice to see:
The past. And in particular for one character, The Ghoul.
It's not a secret that Walton Goggins' character has a lot of buzz about him right now – while all of the characters in this series are complex, as he's amongst the roster of the older characters present and we have seen parts of his life pre-war, and there's a whole lot there to unpack – all of it of which there's an audience for, I think. While the Fallout series will undoubtedly show us more moments from his past to help us to continue to paint as full a picture as is possible, I think there's one way in particular they could show is exactly what he's been up to since 2077.
Bethesda and Prime Video should team up to license an official comic book series showcasing some moments from Cooper Howard's life after the initial bombs were dropped and he became a Ghoul. While I'm sure we'll get some moments in the upcoming season of the series, I believe a series of comic books would be the perfect opportunity to fill in some of the gaps that people undoubtedly want to see but won't get to due to the time constraints of a series. I personally believe a comic book series would fantastic addition to the Fallout franchise canon, and utilizing one of the most complex characters we've seen to date would ensure readers would flock to it.
We know enough to know that by the time we've met him, the Ghoul has made a name for himself as a bounty hunter, and in my mind it's only natural to show some of the bounties the Ghoul has collected on over the years. They don't have to be major moments, as I'm sure we'd all agree it's preferred we see those moments in live-action flashbacks. But using a comic book to show some of the "mundane" (can anything in the Wasteland be called mundane?), day-to-day experiences that have shaped the Ghoul into who he is, why he chooses to use the gear he does and where he got it, a day that he saw a deathclaw for the first time...in this universe and with a character like him there are truly endless opportunities for additional storytelling.
Not only would this allow for his story and character to be fleshed out more, a comic book format would also be the perfect chance to let an artist embrace the stylized nature of the Fallout franchise, forgetting the limits of live-action and showcasing the more bizarre things the Wasteland has to offer.
