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Jacoren[1] is the Overseer of Vault 13 in Fallout.
Background[]
The Overseer of Vault 13 is a distinguished looking man with large eyebrows and deep blue eyes. He genuinely cares about the people under his care, especially the Vault Dweller, whom he sends out to find a replacement water chip. The burden of leading a Vault makes his methods seem unnecessarily paternalistic or even heavy handed. However, it is warranted, as Jacoren also asks the Vault Dweller to remove the mutant threat to the Vault, accurately predicting that they can find Vault 13 and attack it.[2]
Jacoren is vehemently opposed to opening the Vault and letting the dwellers out. He explains this stance as him unwilling to risk the best of a particular generation. However, the truth is a bit more complex. While some accuse him of cowardice,[3] Jacoren is motivated by the Vault Experiment. As Vault 13 is a control group meant to stay closed for two centuries,[4] Jacoren doesn't want to compromise his mission. He was forced to improvise with the Vault Dweller and the water chip breakage.
Fate[]
Of course, the focus on the experiment has backfired when the Overseer exiled the Vault Dweller from Vault 13. The rebellious dwellers deposed Jacoren and tried him. Jacoren was sentenced to death.[5] The result was that a portion of the Vault population left the Vault and followed the Dweller into the wastes.
Interactions with the player character[]
Interactions overview[]
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This character is essential. Essential characters cannot be killed. | |
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This character starts quests. | |
Quests[]
- Find the Water Chip.: The beginning quest, given at the beginning of the game.
- Destroy the source of the Mutants. and Destroy the Mutant leader.: Given by the Overseer, these play out in the second part of the game.
Other interactions[]
- Jacoren cannot be killed when he is in the control seat.
- The only instance when the Overseer can be killed is during the endgame, when he meets the player outside the Vault. If the Vault Dweller has the Bloody Mess trait, the Berserker reputation, or low karma, they will shoot the Overseer in the back, triggering an unique death animation. If neither Bloody Mess or Berserker have been acquired, the player can quickly initiate combat after the dialogue, and shoot Jacoren.
| Death animation |
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Tell me about[]
| Overseer's Tell-Me-Abouts | |
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| Query | Response |
| Chip, Water, Waterchip | "It is a critical part that allows us to purify the water. Without it, we'll run out of drinking water." |
| Healing, Library, Medic, Overseer | "We don't have time for this!" |
| Outside | "How would I know? I can barely keep up with what goes on in here! I suspect you're going to find out." |
| Vault, Vault13, Vault-13 | "This is our home. We'd all be dead without it. If we care for it properly, it should last us for a long time." |
| War | "It was terrible. I hope we learned our lesson and we never do it again." |
Inventory[]
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empty |
Quotes[]
"You're back! And in one piece! How goes the search?"
"Do your best. Remember, we're all counting on you."
"We've debated this before. You ought to know now, after being out there! You think the rest of us could survive that? Besides, I'd be out of a job! I'm management! It's not like I know how to do anything useful!"
"Great! Let me have it. We'll see if it works."
"Okey-dokey. One moment, the chip is initializing. Here - here - here - There it goes... Self-test is green... re-boot is good... Hah! It's working! And it looks like we have a winner! Haha! [The overseer sighs with relief.] You -- you've saved us. You've done it!"
"Nothing? No, oh no! It was something. Don't downplay what you've done. You've saved a lot of lives. All right, now we need a report on what's out there. Please go to the library."
Low intelligence[]
"Oh, that's great! Can I have the chip, please?"
"No, not that. I want the com-pu-ter chip."
"No. The chip."
"Just-give-me-the-chip!"
"Thank you. Now, go to the library and rest for a while, ok?"
"Yes, you can touch things."
Final speech[]
"You've done it! That's . . . wonderful. Amazing! I'm so proud of what you've accomplished, what you've endured. There's no way the people of the Vault can ever thank you enough for what you've done. You've saved all our lives. Who knows, maybe even saved the human race. That makes the rest of this even harder. Everyone will want to talk to you. Every youngster will look up to you. And want to emulate you. And then what? They'll want to leave. What happens to the Vault if we lose the best of a generation? What if we are the only safe place in the world? You just gave us back all these lives . . . I can't take the chance of losing them. I've made a lot of tough decisions since I took this position. But none of them harder than this one. You saved us, but you'll kill us. I'm sorry. You're a hero . . . and you have to leave."
Behind the scenes[]
I always thought of Fallout's story of drawing straws was something the Overseer thought of. "Look, someone has to go outside, and they may die out there, so let's draw straws". Someone, probably not the Overseer since he wouldn't have gone outside no matter what, demanded that EVERYONE draw a straw in order to be truly fair. But to be honest, the vault dwellers were simply terrified of going outside, and terrified people do not always make the wisest decisions.
Anyway, when big dumb Larry drew the straw, maybe the Overseer saw a way to rid their limited gene pool of some really bad alleles.
Gallery[]
Jacoren in the Vault 13 command center
Jacoren and the Vault Dweller near the entrance of Vault 13 at the end of Fallout
Jacoren concept art
Videos[]
Jacoren's Death[]
Appearances[]
Jacoren appears only in Fallout. His name is not stated in-game and comes from concept art. Jacoren would also appear in the canceled Fallout movie, where he was to be revealed as the founder of Vault-Tec Industries and the man who started the Great War.
References[]
- ↑ The name appears in Fallout concept art
- ↑ Fallout Official Survival Guide p.88-89: "The Overseer: Leader of Your Community"
"This distinguished looking gentleman is the ruler of Vault 13, the man who is sending you out into the world of Fallout to find a replacement for the Vault's water purifier chip. He genuinely cares about you and everyone in the community, though he can be a bit paternalistic, even condescending, at times." - ↑ Talius
- ↑ Fallout Bible 0
- ↑ Martin Frobisher
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