AN: I do not own the Fallout series.
The Institute Ending, Bad Karma
Introduction, narrated by Ron Perlman
The Sole Survivor, the man who cheated time in Vault 111, who had faced the Wasteland to find his son, had instead changed the Commonwealth forever.
The Sole Survivor, narrated by Ron Perlman (Institute Ending, Bad Karma)
Assuming command of the enigmatic Institute as its Director, the Sole Survivor had brought the boogeyman of the Commonwealth out of the shadows and into the light. The Sole Survivor chose to aid his son in his ambitions over destroying the fears of the people of the Commonwealth. After centuries of operating behind the scenes, the Institute had risen to be the dominant power in the Commonwealth.
The Sole Survivor, a ruthless pragmatist by nature, paved the way for the Institute's domination of the Commonwealth. He shattered the Brotherhood of Steel and decimated the terrorists of the Railroad, allowing the Institute to take its place as the power of the Commonwealth. The loss of his family, his home, and his nation had left the Sole Survivor cold to the suffering of the people.
The Institute, narrated by Father (Institute Ending, Bad Karma)
When faced with the son he had lost, the Sole Survivor did not find a child stolen from him by the Institute, but a grown man who had spent a lifetime under its guidance. Jaded by the loss of his son, the Sole Survivor instead focused all his attention of the ascension of the Institute, the last familial tie to his past withering away. By his son's deathbed, the Sole Survivor had no words of comfort to offer and merely observed Father's death with benign interest.
At first perceived as nothing more than a replacement for Kellogg, the Sole Survivor proved himself to be more than some common mercenary and dominated the Institute's directorate with sheer force of will. Under his rule, the Institute would thrive, but at the cost of the freedom of the citizens of the Commonwealth, each right trampled, each life stolen and replaced, each death was a mere stepping stone for the Best Hope for Humanity.
The Brotherhood of Steel, narrated by Arthur Maxson (Institute Ending, Bad Karma)
The Brotherhood had fallen. They had proven themselves to be a dangerous threat to the Institute and were obliterated as consequence. It was their own champion, Liberty Prime, that was their executioner. Deceived by an Institute illusion, the robotic titan brought down the mighty Prydwen and all aboard. With their leadership incinerated and their headquarters in ruins, the Brotherhood was no longer a threat. Despite this, the ever-cautious Director ordered all remnant forces hunted down and exterminated so that the Brotherhood of Steel may never rise to power in the Commonwealth again.
The destruction of the Prydwen was a ringing death knell back at the Citadel in the Capital Wastes. Elder Arthur Maxson, the last scion of an ancient ruling dynasty, had been killed. A bloodline that had persisted since before the Great War had finally ended. It was the end of an era for the Brotherhood, and nothing would ever be the same.
The Railroad, narrated by Desdemona (Institute Ending, Bad Karma)
Agent Whisper proved to be a liar and a traitor. Weeks after the disastrous Battle of Bunker Hill, the Survivor led an attack on the Old North Church, wiping out the Railroad leaders and finally removing a long-persisting annoyance on the Institute's radar. This time however, there would be no mistakes. Every rumor that popped up about Railroad agents on the run was relentlessly hunted down and extinguished. It was the end of the line.
The Synths that the Institute enslaved were no better off. Production of Gen3 Synths grinded to a halt on order of the Director, until any and all 'software glitches' were found and removed. The Gen3 Synths already produced and not in the courser program were 'reprogrammed' and effectively lobotomized.
The Commonwealth Minutemen, narrated by Preston Garvey (Institute Ending, Bad Karma, Do not complete When Freedom Calls)
The Commonwealth Minutemen were no more. The Sole Survivor ignored the pleas of Preston Garvey and left the Quincy Survivors to perish within the Museum of Freedom. They had put up the good fight for as long as they could, but in the end, it wasn't enough. The last Minutemen fell in the line of duty and all was quiet.
The Institute, now unrivaled, became the unofficial warden of the Commonwealth. They enforced a cold, sterile order on the Boston ruins. Raiders, Gunners, Super Mutants, anyone or anything that interfered with their operations were exterminated with extreme prejudice. Eventually, the sunken streets and felled skyscrapers were silent once more. Peace had come to the Commonwealth, but no one was safe.
X6-88, narrated by X6-88 (Institute Ending, Bad Karma)
X6-88 stood witness to the Institute's inevitable victory at the side of the Sole Survivor. Any doubts the Courser had about the Director had burned alongside the Prydwen as it crashed into the earth. With the destruction of the Railroad, the X6 had a new prime directive as the Director's personal agent and enforcer. The synth continued to stand by the Vault Dweller's side for years to come as the Institute ushered a new age into the Commonwealth.
The new Director was a welcome change from the standard. He tempered ruthlessness with pragmatism and used action over subterfuge. To the Courser, this new, more dynamic approach to overseeing operations was a breath of fresh air. By the Director's side, X6-88 was a sharpened tool, ready to enforce the Institute's will on the Commonwealth.
Codsworth, narrated by Codsworth (Institute Ending, Bad Karma)
Codsworth tried to serve his master faithfully, tried to warm a heart left cold by the events of Vault 111, but it was of no use. The Sole Survivor, now Director of the Institute, continued to enforce its will on the Commonwealth and Codsworth could stomach it no longer. After one last heartfelt plea, the ancient Mr. Handy was shut down and his remains used as spare parts for the Institute.
Piper Wright, narrated by Piper Wright (Institute Ending, Bad Karma)
Piper Wright was horrified to see the Sole Survivor help the Institute succeed. In time, her worst fears were realized. Synth soldiers began appearing throughout Diamond City, people were taken for 'questioning', caravans were policed and searched, and worse. Piper tried to continue fighting with the paper, but the Institute finally grew tired of her noise. One morning, Diamond City woke to find Publick Occurrences ransacked, the printer scrapped and the Wright Sisters missing. No one complained much after that.
Nick Valentine, narrated by Nick Valentine (Institute Ending, Bad Karma, Do not complete Long Time Coming)
Nick Valentine tried to sever ties with the Sole Survivor following the Institute's success, but it wasn't long before the Director came calling. With his pet courser in tow, the Sole Survivor forcibly returned their 'stolen property' back to the Institute. Nick Valentine wasn't heard from again.
Paladin Danse, narrated by Paladin Danse (Institute Ending, Bad Karma, Do not complete Blind Betrayal)
Paladin Danse was one of the few Brotherhood personnel to survive the Battle of Boston Airport and the fall of the Prydwen. In the aftermath of the battle, he attempted to return to the Cambridge Police Department to contact the Citadel for reinforcements, but along the way he was spotted by a Courser, who recognized the Paladin for what he was. M7-97 was returned to the Institute at long last.
Deacon, narrated by Deacon (Institute Ending, Bad Karma)
When Bunker Hill was lost, Deacon knew it was the begging of the end. Sure enough, a few weeks later, the Sole Survivor returned to the Old North Church with a team of Coursers at his back. Desdemona didn't even get a word in before they opened fire. Deacon died alongside the rest of the Railroad, his last thought? You can't trust everyone.
Preston Garvey, narrated by Preston Garvey (Institute Ending, Bad Karma, Do not complete When Freedom Calls)
What little of Preston Garvey's hope remained after Quincy died when the Sole Survivor left him and the Settlers to their fate. After that, the fight in him burnt out. He stood there, is broken acceptance, as the raiders broke through the door and killed them to the last.
Cait, narrated by Cait (Institute Ending, Bad Karma, Kill Cait)
Cait died on the bloody stage of the Combat Zone, killed in the crossfire during the Sole Survivor's shootout with the former theatre's raider patrons. Her body was left to rot in the ruined fighting ring, just another nameless raider corpse to the Director.
Curie, narrated by Curie (Institute Ending, Bad Karma, Robotics Expert Perk)
When first discovered by the Sole Survivor in the bowels of Vault 81, Curie at first thought her luck had turned around. Her hopes were soon dashed however, as her vast data stores of medical knowledge was harvested by the Director, a hearty boon to the Institute's Bioscience Division.
Hancock, narrated by John Hancock (Institute Ending, Bad Karma)
It went without saying that Hancock didn't care much for the Institute throwing its wait around. When it was clear Diamond City wasn't gonna do shit, he tried getting the ol' Neighborhood to start up a resistance. That got shut down fast. One night, Goodneighbor awoke to see that the Old State House had burned to the ground. No evidence of what started the fire, but everyone knew who was responsible.
MacCready, narrated by Robert MacCready (Institute Ending, Bad Karma, Do not complete Long Road Ahead)
While the Sole Survivor was busy pallin' around with the Institute, MacCready was left on the side lines. After a while, he got tired of waiting and tried one more time to steal Prevent from Med-Tek. He wasn't heard from again.
Strong, narrated by Strong (Institute Ending, Bad Karma, Kill Strong)
Strong was killed atop Trinity Tower by the Sole Survivor, another failed ex-pair-mant destroyed by the Insta-tut.
Diamond City, narrated by Piper Wright (Institute Ending, Bad Karma)
After the Institute destroyed the Brotherhood, the worst fears of the residents of Diamond City were confirmed. Institute synths began patrolling the city en masse and homes were raided in search of any potential Railroad sympathizers or Brotherhood survivors. Despite this, a cold and sterile peace came over the Great Green Jewel, spurred on by 'Mayor McDonough' and his 'peaceful cooperation' campaign. They weren't free, but they were safe and that was enough for most.
Goodneighbor, narrated by John Hancock (Institute Ending, Bad Karma)
After the Institute took charge, Goodneighbor got tucked in for the long haul. Mayor Hancock did what he could to try and scrounge up a resistance, but in the end, it wasn't much. The Old State House got burnt down and the Memory Den was ransacked. In the end, most of the drifters left for greener pasters, only the old and the stubborn remained. Those that left, though, carried on a phrase with them: 'Of the People, For the People'.
Bunker Hill, narrated by Bunker Hill (Institute Ending, Bad Karma)
Following the battle, Institute forces occupied the Hill for months to come, lying in wait for any Railroad agents or escaped Synths who didn't know of the raid on the Old North Church. The occupation was a blessing and a curse as the Synth forces wiped out any prospective raider bands, but happily took more than their share of salvage that passed through.
Vault 81, narrated by Overseer McNamara (Institute Ending, Bad Karma)
The Sole Survivor stole the cure, intending to give it to Bioscience for mass manufacturing. Austin perished hours after the Director left, but the Vault had little time to mourn him. Almost two weeks later, Institute forces invaded the vault, intent on cannibalizing what parts they could for their own facility. Those that resisted were killed and those that survived were scattered to the winds, wastelanders at last.
Covenant, narrated by Amelia Stockton (Institute Ending, Bad Karma, Save Amelia Stockton)
For obvious reasons, the Sole Survivor could not allow Dr. Chambers to continue her work and killed her. Later, he would have the settlement of Covenant purged for 'destruction of stolen property'. Amelia and her father attempted to flee the Commonwealth, but to no avail. Old Man Stockton was killed on the road from Bunker Hill and Amelia Stockton was not heard from again.
Sanctuary, narrated by Codsworth (Institute Ending, Bad Karma, Do not complete Sanctuary)
Sanctuary was left to wither and fade by the Sole Survivor; his former home held no place in his frozen heart. Only the vault atop the hill held his attention and even that fell silent once more in the years to come.
The Raiders, narrated by 'Bosco' (Institute Ending, Bad Karma, Do not kill Bosco)
It was not long after the Institute's ascension, did things start changing for Bosco's raider empire. Their boss, who had long seemed to have gone mad, began a new more aggressive campaign, but not on the Institute. Instead, he harassed and attacked every other gang in the Commonwealth at once, until all of the raider tribes were at a destructive, resource draining war that benefited no one. No one except the Institute.
The Gunners, narrated by 'Captain Wes' (Institute Ending, Bad Karma, Do not kill Captain Wes)
The rise of the Institute sent waves across the Gunner forces occupying the Commonwealth. For a brief time there was talk about fighting back, but before anything concrete could be planned, civil war broke out, seemingly out of nowhere. All across the wasteland, Gunner holdouts began making bids for independence and any thoughts of the Institute were forgotten as mercenary forces devoted resources and manpower to extinguishing each other.
Quincy, narrated by 'Clint' (Institute Ending, Bad Karma, Do not kill Clint)
Quincy, like all the other Gunner camps across the Commonwealth, fell to discord and strife and was eventually abandoned as the mercenary group wiped themselves out. The city would eventually be repopulated, another fiefdom of the Institute.
The Forged, narrated by 'Slag' (Institute Ending, Bad Karma, Do not kill Slag)
The Forged swiftly joined the already rampant Raider wars spreading across the Commonwealth. It wasn't long before their small, but capable operation was wiped out by the overwhelming numbers of their foes. Saugus Ironworks was abandoned only briefly, as soon the smokestacks began bellowing once more, as synth workers manned the crucibles for unknown purposes.
The U.S.S Constitution, narrated by Captain Ironsides (Institute Ending, Bad Karma, Side with Ironsides)
At first it seemed the Constitution was safe at last from honorless scavengers, but soon the trap was sprung. The Sole Survivor, ice-blooded serpent that he was, had his soldiers of steel and plastic raid the ship, cannibalizing ship and crew alike for the Institute's insidious purposes.
The Cabot House, narrated by Lorenzo Cabot (Institute Ending, Bad Karma, Side with Lorenzo)
After delivering his long delayed retribution on his traitorous family, Lorenzo Cabot returned to his own studies, eager to prod and dissect this brave new world available to him. Horror stories began spreading, warning any who listen to keep away from the Cabot House and the terrible old man who resided there.
The Yangtze-31, narrated by Captain Zhao (Institute Ending, Bad Karma, Kill Zhao)
Captain Zhao died at the hands of the man whose life he had destroyed 200 years prior. The Sole Survivor took great pleasure in killing the ghoul and claimed the submarine as property of the Institute. After 200 years of penance, retribution had finally claimed Zhao.
Dr. Li, narrated by Madison Li (Institute Ending, Bad Karma)
Dr. Li's reservations about Father's choice of successor were proven true, but not in the way she suspected. Instead of a simple brute mercenary, the Sole Survivor proved to be a ruthless and pragmatic despot, to whom no price was too high for the 'best hope for humanity'. Madison Li dared not to address her concerns, fearing the Director's terrible retribution
Kent Connolly, narrated by Kent Connolly (Institute Ending, Bad Karma, Do not complete The Silver Shroud)
Kent Connolly continued to host the Silver Shroud Radio show from his apartment in Goodneighbor. When the Institute took over, he tried to use the radio station to encourage people to fight back and not to lose hope. In the end, though, it was useless. Kent was killed alongside the rest of those residing at the Memory Den when the Institute came to Goodneighbor.
Pickman, narrated by Pickman (Institute Ending, Bad Karma, Spare Pickman)
Pickman was spared by the Sole Survivor, who did not consider the madman to be worth the bullet. As the raider wars grew into a frenzy, the serial killer reveled in the discord and his gallery was soon overwhelmed with fresh new masterpieces.
Dr. Virgil, narrated by Brian Virgil (Institute Ending, Bad Karma)
After curing himself, Dr. Virgil was retrieved from the Glowing Sea by the Sole Survivor. The new Director gave Dr. Virgil an ultimatum. He could either begin developing anti-FEV weaponry and other toxins for the Institute, or be killed by firing squad. The scientist took the former.
Scribe Haylen, narrated by Scribe Haylen (Institute Ending, Bad Karma)
Scribe Haylen was devastated by the destruction of the Prydwen and Danse's disappearance. She, like the other personnel stationed in Cambridge was killed when the police station was raided by the Institute.
Shaun, narrated by Shaun (Institute Ending, Bad Karma)
When presented with a synthetic copy of the son he had lost, the Sole Survivor did not see a second chance at fatherhood. All he saw was another failed Gen3 synth. Like all Gen3s, S9-23 was disabled until a better solution to the 'software glitches' could be found and left abandoned in Advanced Systems.
Kellogg, narrated by Conrad Kellogg (Institute Ending, Bad Karma)
Kellogg died in the depths of Fort Hagen, his body left to rot by the man whose life he had destroyed. He was wrong, in the end. The Institute didn't get what was coming to it, it got something much, much worse.
Ending narration, narrated by Ron Perlman
So ends the story of the Sole Survivor, another chapter in the annals of the history of humanity. But the tale of humanity will never come to a close, it is the eternal struggle, a conflict with no prize, a war without end. And war…war never changes.
AN: Possibly the most evil of the Bad Karma endings, with the possible exception of Nuka-World ending, whenever I get around to those. After I finish up on Chapter 4 of Hazbin Hollow, I'll start working on the Railroad, Good Karma ending. Until then, take care. -Bones