One of Fallout‘s most iconic characters is sorely missed in the recent TV adaptation. Like any adaptation of such a dense and complicated piece of source material, Amazon Prime’s Fallout series shares a lot in common with the games. Characters in the series frequently make use of perks and abilities from the Fallout games, and the series addresses the final fate of New Vegas while staying canon-neutral. There’s even some evidence to suggest that one character could return in the second season as one of the Fallout series’ signature monsters, who have been missing from the show to date.

But there’s plenty of Fallout lore left for the TV series to touch upon. That includes one of its most beloved figures, who also happens to be the only character to appear in every canon Fallout game (and most of the spinoffs) to date. He’s immediately recognizable, widely renowned, and subtly influential on the wider Fallout universe in an infinite number of ways. However, he remains shrouded in mystery, and even a TV appearance wouldn’t change that. Here’s everything to know about Fallout‘s most enigmatic figure.

Fallout’s Mysterious Stranger Still Hasn’t Appeared In The TV Series

Who Fallout’s Mysterious Stranger Is & Why He Matters

Despite having appeared in every canon Fallout game to date, the Mysterious Stranger still hasn’t made an appearance in the Fallout TV series. Despite his uniquely recurring role, neither hide nor hat of the trench-coated assassin can be seen in the streaming series, which is especially odd for a series packed with so many references to its source material. While there’s certainly potential for a Mysterious Stranger cameo in future episodes, it seems a missed opportunity to hold him back from season one.

The Mysterious Stranger appears in the original Fallout , Fallout 2 , 3 , 4 , New Vegas , and 76 , as well as Fallout Shelter . The only games he doesn’t appear in are Fallout Tactics: Brotherhood of Steel , and Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel (yes, it’s different from Tactics ).

The Mysterious Stranger is related to a perk of the same name in all of the above games. Once the player takes it, the Mysterious Stranger appears randomly to help them. He’s closely tied with the VATS targeting system: he usually pops up when the player is lining up their aim, pulls off a devastating shot on the closest enemy, and then disappears just as suddenly as he came. The one exception to the rule is Fallout Shelter, which, as a management sim, doesn’t count direct combat as much of a factor. Instead, Fallout Shelter‘s Mysterious Stranger deposits a random number of caps in a random room of the player’s vault.

The Mysterious Stranger is so popular for a variety of reasons. First, there’s the fact that he often gets players out of a tight spot. Since his shots are usually deadly, a single appearance by the Mysterious Stranger can be enough to completely turn the tide of a difficult fight. Second is his iconic, twangy jingle, which was first introduced in Fallout 3. The musical sting is slightly adapted to fit each game’s setting, but it’s immediately recognizable, and always lends the whole affair a twinge of film noir intrigue.

And finally, there’s the mystery of it all: despite appearing in every game, it’s impossible to say exactly who he is. His appearance is slightly different every time, and there seem to be more than a few variations on him – a family of Mysterious Strangers, perhaps. If he is just one person, his lifespan greatly exceeds that of the average human, especially in the Wasteland. NPCs rarely, if at all, acknowledge his presence. He’s half-joke, half-Fallout‘s-greatest-mystery, which would’ve made perfect sense with the rest of the Fallout TV series’ tone. However, he’s completely missing from the first season.

Fallout 4’s Nick Valentine Acknowledges The Mysterious Stranger’s Existence

Although few NPCs seem to be aware of the Mysterious Stranger, at least one companion regularly acknowledges him: Nick Valentine from Fallout 4. There’s a case file in his Diamond City office that references the Mysterious Stranger, referencing his out-of-time existence and wide-ranging appearances. Ultimately, Nick doesn’t come to any kind of conclusion about the Mysterious Stranger’s identity. He can’t tell whether the Stranger is one man, multiple men, a well-disguised Ghoul, or what. He does, however, conclude that he’s a serial killer with advanced training, and needs to be brought to justice.

So, whenever Nick is traveling with the Sole Survivor as one of Fallout 4‘s companions, if the Mysterious Stranger should appear, he’ll react with surprise. But the Stranger always gets away, leading only to Nick’s frustration. It’s hard to say why Nick can see the Mysterious Stranger, but no other companions or NPCs can. His heightened perception as a talented detective may be a contributing factor. Also, his longer lifespan as a Synth would make it easier for him to track the Mysterious Stranger’s appearances over the decades. However, this is one mystery even Nick Valentine can’t solve.

One Fallout: New Vegas NPC Hints At A Mysterious Stranger Connection

Who The Lonesome Drifter Is & How He Relates To The Mysterious Stranger

An NPC who appears in Fallout: New Vegas, the Lonesome Drifter, appears to be the Mysterious Stranger’s son. Most players meet him as part of the quest “Talent Pool,” in which Courier Six is asked to help find some entertainment for The Tops Casino. They eventually find the Lonesome Drifter, a singer, camped out not too far from El Dorado Gas & Service. If asked for his life story, the Lonesome Drifter explains that his father was a “mysterious feller,” even before he up and left his wife and young son behind.

The Drifter supported his mother, first as a guitar player, then as a coal miner, until the day she died. Shortly thereafter, he packed up his guitar and the magnum revolver his father had left behind, initially setting out to find some answers. But eventually, he found an audience, and decided to live for himself instead of chasing his father’s ghost. He happily accepts the residency at The Tops, and from then on, can occasionally be seen performing on its stage.

Now, that’s a story worthy of a Johnny Cash ballad, but it’s probably not all that uncommon in the Wasteland. What really connects the Lonesome Drifter directly to the Mysterious Stranger, though, is the Mysterious Magnum he carries. Not only does it look exactly like the Mysterious Stranger’s revolver – it plays the jingle whenever it’s unholstered, too. If the Courier has a Barter skill of 50, they can convince the Lonesome Drifter to hand the gun over.

Several Variant Mysterious Strangers Exist Throughout The Fallout Series

How Miss Fortune & The Mysterious Savior Are Connected

Beyond his apparent immortality and omnipresence, there’s reason to believe that more than one Mysterious Stranger exists. The Mysterious Stranger looks different in every Fallout game. He wears standard armor and uses a bigger gun in the first Fallout and its direct sequel. He appears younger in Fallout 3 and New Vegas than he does in Fallout 4 and 76. In Fallout 2, the Mysterious Stranger’s gender actually matches the player character’s.

But even besides the Mysterious Stranger himself, there are several other figures who serve a similar role in the Fallout series, and hint at a wider conspiracy. For one thing, Fallout: New Vegas has Miss Fortune. This anonymous showgirl appears under the same circumstances as the Mysterious Stranger, but instead of killing enemies, she deals a random status effect. And Fallout 76 features a complete inversion, the Mysterious Savior, who, instead of attacking enemies, revives the player character when they’re downed.

So, who is the Mysterious Stranger (or Mysterious Strangers) really? It’s impossible to say. Maybe they’re an enigmatic faction of their own design, maybe they’re a godlike representation of the player character’s luck, or maybe they’re an extension of the player themselves. The latter does make the most sense, as if there’s one person who’s always aligned with every Fallout protagonist, it’s the player. Even so, it’s one mystery the series is unlikely ever to solve.

One thing’s for certain: the Mysterious Stranger deserves a cameo in the TV series. It seems to be saving a lot of popular references to the games – Super Mutants, live Deathclaws, and indeed the Mysterious Stranger himself, for season two. Hopefully, everyone’s favorite fedora-sporting Fallout figure makes a brief, but impactful reference in an upcoming episode.