What is the Commonwealth in Fallout? Game reference explained

After what felt like a very long week, the second episode of Fallout season 2 is here, and it might have you asking a very specific question: What is the Commonwealth?

In Maximus's storyline, in particular, people keep on mentioning the Commonwealth, with everyone wondering why the Commonwealth hasn't been invited to this meeting between all the different Brotherhood of Steel factions.

If you haven't played the Fallout games, where this term originates, this chatter in the episode might leave you scratching your head.

So, what exactly is the Commonwealth? Is it a person or a place or a thing? Something to do with the British Empire? Keep on reading and we'll explain as best we can!

What is the Commonwealth in the Fallout games?

In the world of Fallout, the Commonwealth is a region of America. It encompasses much of what we currently call Massachusetts, with Boston at its centre.

With Boston being on the East Coast of the USA, the Commonwealth is pretty much on the opposite side of the continent to Los Angeles and Las Vegas (the West Coast cities where the main action of Fallout season 2 takes place).

The Commonwealth is the setting for the game Fallout 4, which, in terms of the official timeline of the games, was the final storyline to happen before the events of the TV show began.

So, when people in Fallout season 2 are asking why the Commonwealth hasn't been invited to this Brotherhood of Steel meeting, what they really mean is, why is there no representative from that massive region here at the function?

In this week's episode, Elder Cleric Quintus (Michael Cristofer) explains his reasoning for not inviting anyone from the Commonwealth. He clearly doesn't want them anywhere near his Cold Fusion device.

And if you watch until the end of episode 2, you'll see that someone from that much-mentioned region does eventually show up, regardless of not being invited. Making this whole 'why aren't they here' conversation basically much ado about nothing.

From a real-world perspective, it's easy to start guessing why the Fallout writers haven't leaned into the Commonwealth that much as of yet.

For one thing, the Commonwealth is really far away from the show's LA setting. And for another, because Fallout 4 took place there, visiting the Commonwealth would mean that the writers would have to deal with a whole bunch of questions regarding which Fallout 4 endings are considered canon.

Indeed, that's exactly what's happening right now as the TV show heads towards New Vegas. Producer Jonathan Nolan said the team has a "delicious idea" to avoid confirming a canon ending for the New Vegas game while the show is in town, but surely it's easier to just avoid locations that have been massively important in the games?

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Read more on Fallout:

• How Fallout season 1 "emboldened" the Fallout 76 team
• The best Fallout: New Vegas mods, and how to use them
• Fallout games in order: What's the best way to play Fallout?
• Fallout season 2 review: A meandering return to the wasteland

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