Fallout Hub » Discussions


Game Theory: Mannequins = Synths?

Tags: #synths  #"fallout 4"  #fallout4  #mannequins  #Hawkward 
  • Member
    October 2, 2016

    I was watching a video by VinylicPumaGaming about the best chems in the game. In one small part of the video he walked past 2 mannequins. One of them was naked and the other was dressed up like a Revolutionary War soldier with his gun pointed at the naked mannequins. This scenario sparked my brain somehow.

    I started remembering how Bethesda seems completely obsessed with mannequins in this game. I noticed how that naked mannequin looked a bit like a synth. I remembered the place where a synth was literally hiding out in a group of mannequins, not moving or attacking.

    Could Bethesda's seemingly random fascination with manniquins in Fallout 4 actually not be a random fascination? Could the use of manniquins be a bigger artistic statement on the treatment of synths?

  • Member
    October 2, 2016

    Seems interesting, but what exactly do you mean by artistic statement?

  • October 2, 2016

    I honestly 100% believe this. There is a building in Concord with a bath full of water and a skeleton in it surrounded by mannequins carrying weapons. It's as if the mannequins forced the human into the bath to drown him.

  • Member
    October 2, 2016

    Noodles said:

    Seems interesting, but what exactly do you mean by artistic statement?

    Noodles said:

    Seems interesting, but what exactly do you mean by artistic statement?

    I do not believe all mannquins in the game are directly related to synths. Some are random, like regular manniquins in old department stores. Some are staged by long-dead NPC's, like that apartment in Concord where some guy set up a group of mannequins around a bathtub with his wife's bones in it, staging a kill scene (maybe that is synth-related too but I dont know).

    I have yet to look into my theory deep enough to make a strong stand on it. I am only now making the loose connections about synths and mannequins on a larger scale than "they are both in the game and Bethesda seems to make them the focus of the game". I believe Bethesda used all of the mannequins as a whole to make a statement about how the people in Fallout 4 treat synths. They treat synths even worse than modern people treat mannequins. They put them where they want. They treat them like slaves. But what if mannequins had free will and AI?

    I am at the very earliest of stages in my theory. I proposed it here with the hope that others can help me develop the theory into something more tangible.

  • October 2, 2016

    Welp....

  • Member
    October 2, 2016

    Hawkward said:

    I do not believe all mannquins in the game are directly related to synths. Some are random, like regular manniquins in old department stores. Some are staged by long-dead NPC's, like that apartment in Concord where some guy set up a group of mannequins around a bathtub with his wife's bones in it, staging a kill scene (maybe that is synth-related too but I dont know).

    I have yet to look into my theory deep enough to make a strong stand on it. I am only now making the loose connections about synths and mannequins on a larger scale than "they are both in the game and Bethesda seems to make them the focus of the game". I believe Bethesda used all of the mannequins as a whole to make a statement about how the people in Fallout 4 treat synths. They treat synths even worse than modern people treat mannequins. They put them where they want. They treat them like slaves. But what if mannequins had free will and AI?

    I am at the very earliest of stages in my theory. I proposed it here with the hope that others can help me develop the theory into something more tangible.

    You are definitely on the right track. Your idea made me think of Mannequin => Puppet => Slave. It's clear to me that this is how the Institiute sees Synths. I'm not sure about the common folk (excluding the Railroad and Brotherhood). I think it all comes down to people being afraid of what they do not understand. So there is bound to be distrust and in many cases the need to control.

  • Member
    October 2, 2016

    Makes me think of Skyrim mannequin

  • Member
    October 2, 2016

    Veloth the Vampire-Hunter said:

    I honestly 100% believe this. There is a building in Concord with a bath full of water and a skeleton in it surrounded by mannequins carrying weapons. It's as if the mannequins forced the human into the bath to drown him.

    Some people think the guy who lived there created the scene for some sadistic reason. That scene in particular is what I meant by "artistic". It is making a statement on what people think of synths, they are here to kill us all.

  • Member
    October 2, 2016

    Noodles said:

    Hawkward said:

    I do not believe all mannquins in the game are directly related to synths. Some are random, like regular manniquins in old department stores. Some are staged by long-dead NPC's, like that apartment in Concord where some guy set up a group of mannequins around a bathtub with his wife's bones in it, staging a kill scene (maybe that is synth-related too but I dont know).

    I have yet to look into my theory deep enough to make a strong stand on it. I am only now making the loose connections about synths and mannequins on a larger scale than "they are both in the game and Bethesda seems to make them the focus of the game". I believe Bethesda used all of the mannequins as a whole to make a statement about how the people in Fallout 4 treat synths. They treat synths even worse than modern people treat mannequins. They put them where they want. They treat them like slaves. But what if mannequins had free will and AI?

    I am at the very earliest of stages in my theory. I proposed it here with the hope that others can help me develop the theory into something more tangible.

    You are definitely on the right track. Your idea made me think of Mannequin => Puppet => Slave. It's clear to me that this is how the Institiute sees Synths. I'm not sure about the common folk (excluding the Railroad and Brotherhood). I think it all comes down to people being afraid of what they do not understand. So there is bound to be distrust and in many cases the need to control.

    There are many times in the game where mannequins are either in the way of combat, set up in creeeeeeepy scenes, used to disquise enemies and even used by some to make it appear like they have more people available to defend their fortress.

    Vault 95 is one example of using mannequins as extra defenders. My first time there I wasted ammo by taking a shot at one of these well dressed dummies. My stealth abilities were ruined and out rushes an angry assaultron to punish me for my idiocy.

    To the east of Sanctuary there is a person using a mannequin for target practice. Is she trying to prepare for the synth invasion or just practicing? She has bottles set up on fence posts. There is no actual need for a mannequin which stands out more and gives away her position to anyone who comes by.

    The very first place we are sent to has tons of mannequins. The Museum of Freedom has a room with 3 types of mannequins. There are the naked ones, the ones in regular clothing and the ones who are armed soldiers. There are 3 generations of synths in the game too.

  • October 3, 2016

    This is an awesome idea. Even if it doesn't turn out plausable, the idea of there being something more to manniquins in the game world than what there seems to be is a little unsettling. And you know what...it gives me an idea for a story. Would you mind if I made use of this? I'd link this discussion in the post.