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“
No-one with power should be comfortable for long.
”— John Hancock, Fallout 4John Hancock (born John McDonough)[1] is the mayor of Goodneighbor and a potential companion of the Sole Survivor in 2287.
Background[]
John Hancock is an unusual ghoul that resides in the town of Goodneighbor, serving as its self-appointed mayor. He was born John McDonough, son of Patrick and Martha. He grew up on the Boston waterfront, living in a little shack with his parents and only brother. The relations between them were the usual brotherly fare, with Hancock at the receiving end of his brother's pranks and scuffles.[2]
As he grew older, Hancock started sneaking off to Goodneighbor to purchase drugs, a habit that would come in handy in subsequent years.[3] Unaware of his brother's abduction and death at the hands of the Institute, the siblings drifted apart as the elder McDonough ran for mayor in Diamond City in the 2282 election, on a firmly anti-ghoul platform. Having lived on the Field for most of his life and knowing many of the ghoul families that would be affected, he tried to intervene and stop the pogrom after his brother's victory and subsequent proclamation of the anti-ghoul decree during his inaugural speech. However, as the mob threw the ghouls out of the city, Hancock was treated to a hideous, mile-long smile and a declaration that it was merely the will of the people.[4]
Furious at the injustice, Hancock left Diamond City behind and headed for Goodneighbor. He managed to track down a couple of the families and lead them there, but most couldn't get used to the life in its brutal reality. He did what he could to help them, bringing them food and other aid, but after a few weeks, most of them just disappeared. The realization that Diamond City signed their death warrants further radicalized Hancock, who felt like he was the only one who saw how screwed up things truly were, who couldn't just pretend things were fine.[5] It was made worse by the fact that Goodneighbor fell under the shadow of Vic and his crew. He treated the homeless drifters like prey, robbing and killing them whenever he or his crew needed to blow off some steam.[6]
Hancock tried to escape from this bleak existence through drugs. However, the resulting binge proved to be a revelation: After blacking out, he woke up on the floor of the Old State House, before John Hancock's clothes. The first American hoodlum and defender of the People, in his own words. He took the clothes for his own, abandoned his old name, and started a new life as just Hancock. He cleaned up, organized a crew of his own, procured hardware from KL-E-0, and started preparing for the inevitable confrontation with Vic.[7] They waited for him and his crew to pass out during one of their binges and gunned them down without mercy, then hanged Vic from the Old State House balcony. Hancock uttered his own inaugural speech over the warlord's twitching body, quoting from Abraham Lincoln: "Of the people, for the people!"[8]
His rule as a mayor focused on making Goodneighbor a town where all would be welcome and wouldn't have to fear for their lives. He tolerated the Triggermen, as long as they gave his people a wide berth, and ruthlessly cracked down on any who would exploit the people of his town. To maintain order, he carefully cultivated his Hancock persona as a revolutionary hoodlum with a devil may care attitude. He even turned himself into a ghoul, using an experimental radiation-based chem that only had one dose left. Hancock informs the curious that he did it for the legendary high he achieved, with the near-immortality of ghoulification merely an added benefit.[9] In truth, Hancock knew full well what the drug was going to do to him, and chose to take it on purpose because he had grown sick of the person he'd become: The man who let the Diamond City ghouls die, and did nothing as Vic's men gunned down wayward drifters. Once he took the drugs, that person he was would be gone forever, forgotten; in his own words, "[It] didn't seem like a choice at all.".[10]
Citizens of Goodneighbor look to Hancock for guidance and reassurance in the face of the looming threat of Synths and The Institute. After catching wind of Bobbi's plans to rob his stock-house, Hancock reasoned he had gotten too 'comfortable' with his position of Mayor, and, after delivering a speech to his citizens to inform them of his extended leave of absence, offers to travel with the Sole Survivor, remarking that they might be 'the right kind of trouble' he needs.
Interactions with the player character[]
Interactions overview[]
 |
This character is essential. Essential characters cannot be killed. | |
 |
This character is a permanent party member. They grant the Isodoped perk. | |
 |
This character starts quests. | |
 |
This character is involved in quests. | |
Quests[]
- Pickman's Gift: Hancock asks the player to investigate rumors of a serial killer (well, more serial than Goodneighbor is used to) on the loose in North End.
- The Big Dig: Hancock's property is involved in the heist.
- The Silver Shroud: Hancock has unique reactions to the player if they talk to him while wearing the Shroud costume.
Effects of player actions[]
| Hancock's loyalty actions | |
|---|---|
| Hancock likes... |
|
| Hancock loves... |
|
| Hancock dislikes... |
|
| Hancock hates... |
|
Other interactions[]
- Hancock will offer one dose of Jet at regular intervals, which he will provide automatically when the player talks with him.
- Upon arriving in Goodneighbor for the first time, Hancock will shiv Finn for trying to shake down the Sole Survivor. If Nick is with them at the time, Hancock will further remark on 'mistreating old friends', referring to Nick.
- Bar Room Buddy
Comments[]
| Hancock's location comments | |
|---|---|
| Location/Requirement | Comment |
| Diamond City, entrance | "Diamond City, huh? You know they ain't real fond of Ghouls in this town." |
| Goodneighbor, entrance | "Home sweet home." |
| Combat Zone, exterior | "Raiders always go hogging all the nice places for themselves." |
| Boston Airport, before the barricades | "The airport, huh? Really seein' the sights, aren't we." |
| Boston Airport, before the barricades after the Brotherhood of Steel arrive | "Brotherhood of Steel thinks Ghouls are all monsters. Let's see 'em make a move. I'll show 'em who the monster is." |
| Cabot House, exterior by the shrubbery | "Place looks like it opted out of the war entirely." |
| Parsons State Insane Asylum, entrance foyer on the rug just past the front door; during the quest The Secret of Cabot House. | "They always said I'd end up in the looney bin." |
| Jamaica Plain, northwest road entrance, by the diner | "Ain't this Jamaica Plain? Supposed to be some ancient treasure buried around here. Up for a dig?" |
| Vault 81, entrance walkway | "Heh. Pretty sure the Vaults were built to keep riff-raff like us out." |
| [[]], | "This certainly counts among the stranger places I've ever been." |
| [[]], | "Libertalia. The only place in the Commonwealth that could benefit from an outbreak of Mirelurks." |
| [[]], | "Sure you don't just want to explore the lobby?" |
| [[]], | "Doesn't look like they were expecting visitors, that's for damn sure." |
| [[]], | "This place is the closest thing the Minutemen ever got to a memorial. Shame." |
| [[]], | "Always wanted my own fortress." |
| Covenant, gate exterior | "What kinda place you gotta take a test to enter?" |
| [[]], | "Heard Bunker Hill pays off the Raiders instead of just shootin' them. Where's the sport in that?" |
| [[]], | "Ground zero." |
| Cave (Super Duper Mart), after entering the parking garage | "Something ain't right in here. Where'd all the Ghouls go?" |
| [[]], | "Aren't they gonna be surprised to see us." |
| Sentinel site Prescott, bomb storage room entrance | "A stray shot in here and we'll all be going out with a bang." |
| Sentinel site Prescott, gantry just inside the main entrance | "Christ. Those things ain't still armed, right?" |
| Sentinel site Prescott, exterior entrance | "Well, ain't that ominous." |
| [[]], | "Hey. Check your fire. Lot of fission engines down here." |
| Ticonderoga, penthouse foyer | "Impressive hunk of sky the Railroad's carved out for themselves up here." |
| Old North Church, catacombs | "Fanciest crypt in Boston." |
| Old North Church, nave | "Old girl's seen better days." |
| [[]], | "You could just drop a bullet from up here and kill someone." |
| [[]], | "Sure hope the elevator works." |
| Hubris Comics, shop floor | "Probably still good reading in here." |
| Hubris Comics, top floor studio | "This is the most half-assed gun range I've ever seen." |
| [[]], | "Damn. And folks lived down here listening to that?" |
| [[]], | "That is some serious hardware." |
| Yangtze-31, bridge | "I'd love to not have to swim out of here, so maybe don't touch anything." |
| Starlight Drive-In, in the projection room | "Be able to see anything coming for miles from up here... you know, so long as they came from that way." |
| Starlight Drive-In, at the screen | "Think we missed the last show." |
| Wilson Atomatoys corporate HQ, Arlen Glass' office | "Jeez. Looks like these folks got to skip the war." |
| Wilson Atomatoys corporate HQ, foyer display | "You know, someone, somewhere would play real good money for that ugly thing." |
| Wildwood Cemetery, | "Guess just throwing 'em in the nearest ditch wasn't good enough back then." |
| [[]], | "Oh, I am way too sober for this." |
| West Everett Estates, backyard bunker | "Nice little place they got down here." |
| [[]], | "Well, there goes the neighborhood." |
| Walden Pond, just in front of said cabin. | "Guess this Thoreau guy found claustrophobia inspiring." |
| Milton General Hospital, basement morgue | "Phew. One of these is past its sell-by date." |
| Milton General Hospital, waiting foyer | "This is just the waiting room? Guess there was real money in the suffering of others." |
| Vault 95, Overseer's office | "Looks like someone interrupted their meeting." |
| [[]], | "Place sure used a lot of juice." |
| Museum of Witchcraft, | "...well at least we know whatever's up there's probably full." |
| Museum of Witchcraft, | "The hell was that?" |
| Vault 75, combat training room | "This really what they thought the world would look like? Not bad, actually." |
| Vault 75, entrance | "Hello." |
| Vault 114, entrance construction | "Looks like they were still working when the bombs hit." |
| Vault 111, cryonic stasis room | "Damn. Hey, look, if you wanna get outta here..." |
| Vault 114, exterior tunnel construction | "Well, well. Vault 114. You'd be surprised how much scum from the Commonwealth trickles in here." |
| Trinity Church, theatrical rigging | "Huh. Not a bad setup. Guess the pastor had a sense of showmanship." |
| Trinity Church, nursery | "Let's make this a quick one, huh?" |
| Thicket Excavations, near the waters edge; before the conclusion of the quest Pull the Plug. | "How long you think it took to fill this thing? Decades?" |
| [[]], | "Don't worry, bud. We'll look after ya." |
| Gwinnett Brewery, brewing floor | "You know, I like a drink as much as the next Ghoul, but looking around, I'm thinking I might just stick to chems." |
| [[]], | "Now that is a lot of beer." |
| [[]], | "Always figured the life of a cage fighter would be more glamorous than this..." |
| Combat Zone, front row | "Ain't this a hell of a sight." |
| [[]], | "Ours to scour." |
| [[]], | "Damn. This the same place?" |
| [[]], | "Couple tons of earth and brick resting on a centuries old foundation... sounds like fun." |
| [[]], | "Careful. Might be Mirelurks around here." |
| [[]], | "Having trouble imagining a worse way to go... wait. Got one." |
| Boston Common, just in front of the infantry fighting vehicle | "Hey. This is the Common. You sure you don't just wanna go around?" |
| [[]], | "Hey. Hold up. We got company." |
| South Boston military checkpoint | "There has to be a way to turn that off." |
| Skylanes Flight 1981, | "How the hell did something this big stay in the airborne?" |
| [[]], | "They sure did a number on this place." |
| [[]], | "Uh, watch your step." |
| [[]], | "Looks like someone heard we were coming." |
| Sandy Coves Convalescent Home, captain's room | "Dying in your bed. That's no way to go." |
| [[]], | "These are some lame torture devices." |
| [[[]], | "Hey. I think I woke up here once..." |
| Robotics disposal ground, in front of the sentry bot | "Hey. Free ordnance." |
| [[]], | "How long you think before the sea takes all this back?" |
| Revere Beach Station, end tunnel raider encampment | "Those Raiders blocking the exit? And here I thought this trip was gonna be dull." |
| "Looks like these folks thought they'd outrun the bombs." | |
| "Looks like she was running from something." | |
| Quincy ruins, Freeway stronghold bridge to roof catwalks | "Gonna be a hell of a show when this thing finally goes." |
| [[]], | "Quincy's Gunner territory. At least, for now." |
| Boston Police rationing site, in front of the trailer kiosk | "Think this used to be a rationing site. Folks turned on the Boston PD, accused them of hoarding food. God, I would've like to see that." |
| [[]], | "This thing's powered down, right? Like permanently?" |
| Poseidon Energy, generator room - the part past the raider defenses. | "Could cook a lot of chems with this much juice." |
| [[]], | "You wanna find out what all these buttons do?" |
| [[]], | "What the hell is this stuff?" |
| Pickman's Gallery, | "See, this is why I got no taste for art." |
| [[]], | "Something nasty went down in here." |
| Fiddler's Green Trailer Estates, entrance | "If I wanted to live on top of my neighbors, I'd at least do it someplace with a wall." |
| Neponset Park, | "Lose the bloodthirsty crabs, and this place'd be real nice." |
| Natick power station | "Looks like this place used to turn out some serious volts." |
| [[]], | "Well, if it wasn't waterfront before..." |
| Nahant Oceanological Society, second floor | "The Old State House in Goodneighbor used to have something like this. Best practice dummy we ever had." |
| Nahant Oceanological Society, research laboratory | "See, this is why you don't play ball inside." |
| [[]], | "Savage bastards." |
| Gorski Cabin, root cellar workshop | "That what I think it is? I guess our days of losing arguments are over." |
| [[]], | "Christ. What kinda massacre took place in here?" |
| [[]], | "Let's see what you were hiding." |
| [[]], | "Decent setup up they've got here. Shame it didn't help." |
| University Point, just inside the gate | "All this? This is how the Institute deals with folks in the Commonwealth." |
| [[]], | "You'd think with a perch like this he would've put up more of a fight." |
| [[]], | "Hope you brought your Rad-X." |
| Mass Fusion disposal site, | "Is water supposed to do that?" |
| [[]], | "Here's hoping this thing doesn't decide now's the time to melt down." |
| [[]], | "Can you imagine being the guy hired to paint this place? He's probably still at it." |
| [[]], | "Little cramped down here. Mind your fire." |
| Mahkra Fishpacking, basement store room | "Yeah, antique fish ain't a meal I'm exactly interested in." |
| [[]], | "That bastard better hope we die down here." |
| [[]], | "Can of Longnecks would hit the spot right about now." |
| Vault 81, observation room | "No cost too great to control the common folk." |
| [[]], | "Place just keeps going, doesn't it?" |
| [[]], | "Libertalia, huh? You looking to put down some Raiders?" |
| Libertalia, at the top of the main structure | "Surveyin' the kingdom." |
| [[]], | "You spend too long in here, you're gonna come out looking like me. Though you would make a hell of a Ghoul." |
| Kingsport Lighthouse, at the top beacon | "Putting a giant beacon in the middle of your settlement ain't the best way to keep a low profile." |
| WRVR broadcast station, control room | "Huh. Ain't this where the "Charles River Trio" broadcasts? Not enough Jet in the world to fix what comes outta there." |
| Jamaica Plain, treasure room | "You gotta be kidding me..." |
| Jamaica Plain, security room | "Someone went through a lot of damn effort to protect whatever's down here." |
| Jalbert Brothers Disposal, at the barn with the barrels | "The Children of Atom and rads. Like Bloatflies to corpses." |
| Super-Duper Mart, front counters | "Let's hope the rest of the roof doesn't get the same idea." |
| Irish Pride Industries shipyard, at the corpse of Rory Rigwell | "You need more selective about your friend group, pal." |
| [[]], | "This is some sick shit." |
| Cambridge crater, edge | "You looking to join the brotherhood of Ghouls? I ain't sure this is how it works." |
| [[]], | "Not a big fan of the neighborhood, but it's one fine view." |
| [[]], | "How'd anybody get any sleep in here with all that damned light?" |
| Hub City Auto Wreckers, while on the crane | "Gotta hand it to 'em. This is damn clever." |
| Hester's Consumer Robotics, entrance: showroom floor | "People do anything for themselves back then?" |
| [[]], | "This is where they decided hide? If the Ferals were looking for brains, it must've been a light meal." |
| Collage Square, the square | "College Square, huh? You looking to become someone's dinner?" |
| [[]], | "Gearhead heaven." |
| [[]], | "Hey. Something's not right." |
| Fort Hagen, command center – outside the gated main room, next to the door | "Fancy room for a bunch of soldiers." |
| Greater Mass Blood Clinic, basement storage | "So this was either a blood bank or home to the laziest bunch of vampires..." |
| [[]], | "Well, ain't that clever." |
 Atom Cats' garage, unable to determine due to bugged content.
|
"Now these boys know how to have some fun." |
| Gunners Plaza, cafeteria – before the staircase | "Dome's seen better days." |
| Gunners Plaza, main entrance of the atrium writer's room | "So this is a "writer's pit?" How the hell could anyone fight with all these desks in here?" |
| When walking on a mirelurk infested beach, between Reeb Marina and Gibson Point Pier. | "This is one lousy shortcut." |
| General Atomics factory, quality assurance test chamber | "The finest robot slaves money could buy." |
| Back Alley Bowling, at the lanes | "Bowling. Sport of kings." |
| General Atomics galleria, at the gate | "Guess they'd build a statute to anything back then." |
| [[]], | "Stock's in decent shape. Seems these boys knew how to pick their arms." |
| Fort Strong, sublevel in the room before the main mini nuke storage room. | "You telling me I've been using small arms for all these years while these have been just sitting here?" |
| West Roxbury station, platform | "Looks like those things are getting power." |
| [[]], | "A lifetime of wet boots? No wonder folks abandoned this place." |
| Federal surveillance center K-21B, gantry overlook | "Roomier than it looks." |
| Faneuil Hall, the hall | "The hell are those nets for anyway? I don't think the meat's going to escape." |
| Concord civic access, main pipe room | "Enjoy lovely downtown Concord. Honestly, I might prefer this view." |
| [[]], | "Wanna find out if Deathclaws are light sleepers?" |
| Fairline Hill Estates, at the fortified house | "Well, well. What do you think they're hiding in here?" |
| Fairline Hill Estates, at the entrance to the cul-de-sac | "Awful quiet." |
| [[]], | "They built the Mirelurks a damn ramp. Great." |
| [[]], | "So this is where all the magic happens." |
| Easy City Downs, northern corner fence hole to the racetrack, next to the stands | "Ah, the Downs. Hope we're not going anywhere for a while." |
| East Boston Preparatory School, third floor torture chamber | "You think these were part of the original building design?" |
| [[]], | "I don't throw the phrase "watery grave" around a whole hell of a lot. But in this case..." |
| [[]], | "Don't slip." |
| [[]], | "Even the gardens are depressing." |
| [[]], | "What the hell was all this for?" |
| [[]], | "Well, if they weren't nuts when they got here..." |
| [[]], | "You'd think after the fourth boat, folks might get the hint." |
| USS Constitution, after quest the completion of the quest Last Voyage of the U.S.S. Constitution | "You gotta be kidding me." |
| Weatherby Savings and Loan, before the completion of the quest Last Voyage of the U.S.S. Constitution | "Huh. Always just figured I hallucinated this thing." |
| D.B. Technical High School, basement – after killing Bosco or at the throne | "That's about the weirdest thing I've seen all day." |
| [[]], | "Not a bad way to make an entrance." |
| Croup Manor, basement | "So I guess we missed dinner, then..." |
| Crater House, edge of crater | "Huh. Wouldn't expect this to be popular real estate." |
| [[]], | "You think they accept their tolls in lead?" |
| Corvega assembly plant, entrance of the assembly line room | "Lookin' round, the word "deathtrap" comes to mind." |
| Coast Guard Pier, either at the corner of the pier by the tower, or the center of the building. The super mutants were supposed to be wearing Coast Guard hats.
|
"And here I thought they couldn't look more ridiculous." |
| [[]], | "This kind of idiocy takes real dedication." |
| Chestnut Hillock Reservoir, | "Huh. There's a boat out there." |
| [[]], | "Oh god. Were they using this place as their bathroom?" |
| Shaw High School, cafeteria | "You can bet your ass no one would've skipped if they'd had these meat bags before the bombs." |
| Charles View Amphitheater, | "What? You got the theater bug? I think caught that once." |
| [[]] | "Whatever space-age shit they made here, it sure wasn't blast-proof." |
| Cabot House, laboratory | "Wanderin' into places like this is how people end up lab experiments. Trust me." |
| Cabot House, living room | "People can't actually live here, right?" |
| Bunker Hill, base of the monument | "Don't know how that obelisk is still standing, but I don't want to be around when it finally quits." |
| Breakheart Banks, at the building | "Can't fault 'em for wanting to carve out a life of their own. Though that life probably should've involved a bigger wall." |
| Boston Public Library, hall where defenses are | "Rotten books and dead bodies. Pungent." |
| Boston Public Library, main entrance | "You mind explaining to me what lions have to do with lending books?" |
| Boston mayoral shelter, at the basketball court | "Oh yeah. This seems like a real good use of public funds." |
| [[]], | "Sniper heaven..." |
| [[]], | "Damn. Things got messy in here." |
| Beantown Brewery, bottling room floor | "Never could bring myself to drink this stuff sober." |
| Fallon's Department Store (West Roxbury township), by the fountain | "Now this is my kinda art." |
| Fallon's Department Store (West Roxbury township), by the escalators | "This some sort of "moving target" thing?" |
| Joe's Spuckies (Southie speakeasy), speakeasy stairway | "Huh, place is like the Third Rail... with less gunfire." |
| The Switchboard, the foyer of the agency | "Defense Intelligence Agency, huh? Think they might've dropped the ball." |
| BADTFL regional office, evidence lockup | "Jackpot." |
Inventory[]
 |
 |
Tricorn hat Red frock coat |
|---|---|---|
 |
Short double-barrel shotgun | |
 |
None | |
 |
empty |
Notes[]
- Despite alluding to it as his symbol of office as Mayor of Goodneighbor, Hancock will not react to the player removing the Tricorn Hat from his inventory.
- If the Sole Survivor kills Finn before Hancock does, he won't turn hostile; instead, he responds calmly, applauding them for their actions.
- It's possible the chem that turned Hancock into a ghoul may be part of the same treatment that preserved Eddie Winter.
Quotes[]
“
Someone needs helping, we help 'em; someone needs hurting, we hurt 'em. It's not hard.
”“
Goodneighbor's of the people, for the people, you feel me? Everyone's welcome.
”“
Plenty of folks wanna make life hard for people just tryin' to survive. I'm not willing to stand for that kinda shit.
”“
Moments like this, I know all that karma stuff is bull, because no one like me should be this lucky."
”“
I'm gonna be real mad if this turns out to be one big Jet flashback.
”“
So a ghoul walks into a bar. Bartenders says 'We don't serve ghouls here.' Ghoul says 'That's fine; is the Human fresh?'
”“
Not sure how much of this fresh air and sunshine I can handle. Gotta be a bar around here somewhere...
”Gallery[]
Concept art[]
Appearances[]
John Hancock appears only in Fallout 4.
References
- ↑ The Sole Survivor: "Why did McDonough campaign against the Ghouls?"
Hancock: "Because he thought he could win. There'd always been a pretty clear divide between the folks living in the stands and those down on the field. I'm not convinced they didn't do it just to improve their view. I remember storming into his office above the stands after the inauguration speech. He was just standing there, staring out the window, watching as the city turned on the Ghouls. He didn't even look at me, just said: "I did it, John. It's finally mine." Should have killed him right there, but I don't think it would have changed anything. Instead I pleaded with him, begged him to call it off. He said he couldn't. He had nothing against the Ghouls. He was just carrying out the will of the people. And he couldn't betray the voters. And then he smiled. That hideous, fucking mile-long smile. He never smiled like that when we were kids. I didn't even recognize him."
(Hancock's dialogue) - ↑ The Sole Survivor: "You and McDonough knew each other as kids?"
Hancock: "Oh yeah. Guy's my brother. Grew up together in a little shack on the waterfront. Guy was the standard big brother - entitled, punchy, liked to shove rotten tatoes down my shirt and slap my back. But I never thought he'd be capable of something like what they did to those Ghouls."
(Hancock's dialogue) - ↑ Hancock: "I still wasn't a Ghoul at this point, so I didn't have to leave, but I couldn't bring myself to stay in that cesspool after that. But at the time, I just needed to get the hell away from him. Him and that whole damned city. I'd been sneakin' off to Goodneighbor for years to get decent chems, so I knew the safe routes. I managed to track down a couple of the families, lead 'em there, but most couldn't get used to the Goodneighbor lifestyle. Folks in Diamond City signed their death warrants and all the good people were willing to just sit by and watch. I brought them food for a couple of weeks, but after a while, they just disappeared. I felt like I was the only one who saw how screwed up things truly were, who couldn't just pretend things were fine."
- ↑ The Sole Survivor: "How could they do something like that?"
Hancock: "There'd always been a pretty big gulf between the folks living in the stands and folks down on the field. McDonough ran on it because he thought enough of those Upper Stands assholes would vote for him. Guess he was right."
The Sole Survivor: "It could have gone worse. At least they left with their lives."
Hancock: "And how long do you think those folks lasted in the ruins? The city condemned those Ghouls to die. Cowards just got someone else to pull the trigger. I remember storming into his office above the stands after the inauguration speech. He was just standing there, staring out the window, watching as the city turned on the Ghouls. He didn't even look at me, just said: "I did it, John. It's finally mine." Should have killed him right there, but I don't think it would have changed anything. Instead I pleaded with him, begged him to call it off. He said he couldn't. He had nothing against the Ghouls. He was just carrying out the will of the people. And he couldn't betray the voters. And then he smiled. That hideous, fucking mile-long smile. He never smiled like that when we were kids. I didn't even recognize him."
(Hancock's dialogue) - ↑ The Sole Survivor: "McDonough was right. He only gave the people what they wanted."
Hancock: "Ghouls had been living just fine in Diamond City until he showed up. You really think he's not to blame? I still wasn't a Ghoul at this point, so I didn't have to leave, but I couldn't bring myself to stay in that cesspool after that. I'd been sneakin' off to Goodneighbor for years to get decent chems, so I knew the safe routes. I managed to track down a couple of the families, lead 'em there, but most couldn't get used to the Goodneighbor lifestyle. I brought them food for a couple of weeks, but after a while, they just disappeared. Folks in Diamond City signed their death warrants and all the good people were willing to just sit by and watch. I felt like I was the only one who saw how screwed up things truly were, who couldn't just pretend things were fine. Still feel that way... or I did. Until I met you. I know I run my mouth, but having someone who sees the world for what it is and is willing to do something about it. It's meant a lot to me. I feel damn lucky to have you as a friend."
(Hancock's dialogue) - ↑ Hancock: "Hell, that sorta bull's the whole reason I became mayor in the first place. Some ass named Vic ran the town for I don't know how long before that. Guy was scum. Used us drifters like his own personal piggy bank. He had this goon squad he'd use to keep people in line. Every so often he'd let them off the leash, go blow off some steam on the populace at large. Folks with homes could lock their doors, but us drifters, we got it bad. There was one night, some drifter said something to them. They cracked him open like a can of Cram on the pavement. And we all just stood there. Did nothing."
- ↑ Hancock: "I felt like less than nothing. Afterwards, I got so high, I blacked out completely. When I finally came to, I was on the floor of the Old State House. Right in front of the clothes of John Hancock. John Hancock, first American hoodlum and defender of the People. I might've still been high, but those clothes spoke to me, told me what I needed to do. I smashed the case, put them on, and started a new life. As Hancock. After that, I went clean for a bit, got organized, convinced Kleo to loan me some hardware. Got a crew of drifters together and headed out into the ruins, started training. Next time Vic's boys went on their tear, we'd be ready for 'em."
- ↑ Hancock: "So the night of, we all got loaded, let Vic's boys get good and hammered, and burst from the windows and rooftops where we'd been hiding. They never even saw it coming. We didn't have to fire a shot. We didn't have to. But we sure fucking did. It was a massacre. Once we'd mopped up, we strolled right into Vic's quarters in the State House, wrapped a rope around his neck, and threw him off the balcony. And there I am, gun in hand, draped in Hancock's duds, looking at all the people of Goodneighbor assembled below. I had to say something. That first time I said 'em, they didn't even feel like my words: "Of the people, for the people!" Was my inaugural address. Became Mayor Hancock of Goodneighbor that day. And from then on, I vowed I'd never stand by and watch. Ever again."
- ↑ The Sole Survivor: "What's your story, Hancock?"
Hancock: "My favorite subject. I came into this town about... a decade ago? Had a smooth set of skin back then. While I was busy making myself a pillar of this community, I would go on these... like ... wild tears... I was young... Any chems I could find, the more exotic, the better. Finally found this experimental radiation drug. Only one of its kind left, and only one hit. Oh man, the high was so worth it. Yeah, I'm living with the side effects, but hey, what's not to love about immortality?"
The Sole Survivor: "You're immortal?"
Hancock: "Well... not exactly. Ghouls just age really, really slow. Something about the rads, maybe? Who knows..."
(Hancock's dialogue) - ↑ The Sole Survivor: "Running from yourself? What do you mean?"
Hancock: "Well, I mean, I didn't always look this good. The drug that did this to me, that made me a Ghoul, I knew what it was going to do. I just couldn't stand looking at the bastard I saw in the mirror anymore. The coward who'd let all those Ghouls from Diamond City die. Who was too scared to protect his fellow drifters from Vic and his boys. If I took it, I'd never have to look at him again. I could put that all behind me. I'd be free. Didn't seem like a choice at all. Turns out it was just me running from somethin' else in my life."
(Hancock's dialogue)
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