Fallout fans are convinced the Courier appeared in season two's finale, but one detail undermines this theory

Reactions to the final episode of Fallout season two have been mixed. Some fans were satisfied, others disappointed, and a third group appreciated the episode but regretted that it sets up season three more than it resolves season two's storylines.

Spoiler warning!

Most viewers agreed on several points – the new location shown in the episode and the post-credits revelation promise interesting developments in season three. But one particular scene stood out – when an NCR sniper blew off a deathclaw's head, saving the day. The slow-motion shot was a direct callback to the opening cinematic of Fallout: New Vegas.

This moment sparked discussions about who this anonymous sniper really is. Some fans believe it's an extremely important character – Courier 6, the protagonist of Fallout: New Vegas.

The theory seems convincing. Killing a deathclaw with a single shot appears too powerful an ability for a random NPC. Anyone who's watched soldiers fight dragons in Skyrim knows that nameless characters are useless against the game's main monsters. The most dangerous creatures are designed for the player, not background characters – which fits perfectly with the Courier theory.

The NCR helmet remains the coolest headgear in the Fallout franchise (possibly only the Enclave power armor helmet is cooler), so it makes sense the character would still wear it years later or put it on for special occasions – like saving New Vegas.

The sniper from the game's opening cinematic has the number 08 on their chest, as does the soldier on the Fallout: New Vegas cover. The sniper in the series has no number.

Why hide the identity?

Why? There's no particular reason to hide this sniper's identity. A known NCR member appears moments later in the episode – Captain Rodriguez played by Barbara Eve Harris, who appeared earlier in the series. Why not make her the hero who took that amazing shot? Then she could remove her helmet while talking to Max, and viewers would see her face. Unless the show's creators wanted to conceal the sniper's identity for some reason...

How you perceive this theory depends on how you played Fallout: New Vegas. Did you support the NCR? Did you even like this faction? Did you fight deathclaws in melee or shoot them from maximum range? And in your personal canon, would your Courier still be running missions for the New California Republic a couple decades after the game's events?

Undeniable proof

However, there's one undeniable piece of evidence that the sniper isn't Courier 6: this NCR soldier isn't wearing a Pip-Boy.

The Courier from the game would definitely wear a Pip-Boy. How else would this sniper select their weapon? How would they see the "Save Max's ass" quest marker and fast travel to Vegas in time for that shot without a Pip-Boy map? And that slow-motion shot is clearly VATS. Without a trusty Pip-Boy, that's impossible! The gadget is visibly absent from both wrists, so this sniper isn't the Courier. At least not that Courier. Though maybe it's one of their alternate versions?

Either way, the very idea that it could be the New Vegas protagonist sounds magnificent. Until then, they can be called "Schrödinger's sniper".