Welcome back to the irradiated Wasteland as Fallout Season 2 officially premieres, bringing forth more ghouls, vaults, and intense action in the beloved post-apocalyptic landscape. Season 2 picks up after a significant time jump following the thrilling finale of Season 1. Viewers last saw Hank MacLean, portrayed by Kyle MacLachlan, donning a power suit and heading towards New Vegas, with the formidable Ghoul (Walton Goggins) and the resolute Lucy (Ella Purnell) in hot pursuit.

Upon returning to the Ghoul and Lucy in Season 2, Episode 1, titled "The Innovator," their journey from California to Nevada has profoundly altered both characters. Lucy, though still refusing to take a life, has no qualms about maiming the violent individuals they encounter. The initial naiveté that defined her early days in the Wasteland has clearly vanished. Similarly, the Ghoul's once cold and lone wolf demeanor has softened during his time spent with the vault dweller.

In an exclusive interview, Ella Purnell offered deep insights into Lucy's transformation this season and the repercussions of these changes on her character's trajectory. After uncovering the heinous crimes committed by her father, Lucy's entire worldview has been irrevocably shattered. Purnell emphasized how this devastating revelation will ripple throughout Lucy's storyline. The actress also detailed her experience filming alongside Walton Goggins, highlighting how their characters mutually interpret and transform each other as Lucy confronts the harsh realities of her family's past and her father's monstrous nature.

Purnell elaborated on the profound loss of innocence Lucy experiences, noting how different her character is compared to Season 1. "When we left Lucy at the end of Season 1, her entire world had collapsed," Purnell stated. While questioning whether Lucy would completely shed her core identity to become a "crazed Wasteland killer" or lead a revolution, Purnell clarified that her transformation exists within a nuanced gray area. She explained that a human in such a situation would naturally try to revert to what is familiar, to who they once were and what they believed. However, a part of Lucy is now "irreversibly, irreconcilably broken, or at least changed forever."

As Season 2 progresses, it becomes evident that Lucy's time in the Wasteland and her proximity to the Ghoul are beginning to bring out a darker side. "Being around the Ghoul and being in the Wasteland, it's starting to bring out the worst in her," Purnell revealed. Lucy exhibits growing impatience, intolerance, snappiness, and stubbornness, often lecturing the Ghoul from a perceived moral high ground, despite him being, as Purnell acknowledges, "a challenging road trip buddy." The first half of the season explores their mutual influence and how Lucy's accumulated experiences from Season 1 manifest as a "simmering pot" of resentment, inevitably bound to explode.

The dynamic between Lucy and the Ghoul becomes a central focus in Season 2, with many scenes predominantly featuring Purnell and Goggins. Purnell found this simpler in some ways, despite the logistical challenges of making numerous "walking and talking" scenes distinct. She underscored the powerful, multi-layered dialogue, with shifts in meaning even in seemingly simple interactions. Purnell mused on the unspoken similarities between the two characters, suggesting that "the things that they hate the most about each other are probably things that they resent about themselves." She views relationships as a mirror, reflecting one's own disliked traits. This perspective applies to Lucy and the Ghoul, navigating a life-or-death, post-apocalyptic scenario where stress and pressure are constant.

A critical source of internal conflict for Lucy is the Ghoul's ominous Season 1 declaration: "I'm you, sweetie, just give it time." Purnell confirmed that this, coupled with the profound realization about her father, haunts Lucy. The doubt she faces is immense: "If I was so wrong about my father and everything I was raised on, the beliefs, the ideals of who I am, my core values, everything I thought I knew, the man that I loved and looked up to, if I was that wrong about this person and he is a monster... what else am I wrong about? Can I trust myself? Can I trust my judgment? What is real and what isn't real?" This deep uncertainty undermines every decision she makes. Despite her attempts to double down and carry on, this simmering internal turmoil, as Purnell reiterated, is a pot on boil, destined to erupt at some point within the season.

New episodes of Fallout Season 2 are released every Wednesday on Prime Video, inviting viewers to continue Lucy and the Ghoul's perilous journey through the Wasteland.