Fallout’s second season has wrapped, and while the emotional stakes and political intrigue of the Wasteland remain as sharp as ever, the numbers tell a different story. Behind the drama and betrayals, the characters’ progress can be measured in cold, hard XP—experience points that reveal who thrived, who struggled, and who might be due for a late-game power fantasy. The results? A mixed bag of underachievers, overachievers, and one character whose level might need a reset entirely.
The season’s journey through New Vegas and beyond saw Lucy barely budge from her starting line, while others like The Ghoul and Hank racked up impressive tallies. But not everyone climbed the ladder—some characters found themselves stuck, or worse, regressing in ways that might require a modded save file to fix.
How the Numbers Stack Up
The methodology here mirrors the game’s own mechanics, using Fallout 3’s progression system as a baseline. Survival mode grants extra XP, but even with its boosts, not every quest or kill translates to meaningful growth. Quests and major locations yield the most, while minor interactions—like bartering for flea soup—barely register. The results? A season where some characters leveled up just enough to feel like progress, while others barely moved the needle.
Here’s who made it—and who didn’t.
Lucy: Level 9 (Still Waiting for Her Breakthrough)
Lucy’s Season 2 was defined by frustration. She spent the entire season chasing her father, only to have him erase his own memories before she could extract useful information. Her speech checks failed spectacularly, leaving her crucified by the Legion—hardly a recipe for XP gains. Yet, she did manage a few key achievements
- Hacking: Successfully accessed a terminal, a rare skill for a character still mastering the basics.
- Combat: Killed radscorpions and even took down the ghoulified Kings gang in a drug-fueled rampage.
- Brainwashing: Implanted a chip, a small but critical step in her development.
Despite these moments, Lucy only gained 1,150 XP, leaving her at level 9 with 6,207 total XP. She’s just 993 XP away from level 10—a milestone that feels tantalizingly close but frustratingly out of reach. Her smallest achievement? Bartering with the flea soup vendor for intel on her father, a transaction that yielded more narrative than numerical value.
The question remains: Will Season 3 finally give her the breakthrough she needs, or will she remain stuck in the single digits while others surge ahead?
The Ghoul: Level 89 (Still One Short of Greatness)
The Ghoul had another strong season, though not quite as dominant as his 1,640 XP haul in Season 1. His quest to reunite with his family ended in disappointment when they weren’t in the expected vault, but he still racked up impressive feats
- Raider Slaughter: Took down waves of raiders and radroaches with ease.
- Deathclaw Hunt: Teaming up with Thaddeus and Maximus to fight a New Vegas Deathclaw.
- Cold Fusion: Awakened Mr. House using the very technology he sought.
His smallest achievement? Getting Lucy addicted to Buffout—a minor but crucial step in her character arc. With level 89 and 14,840 total XP, he’s just 1,160 XP shy of level 90. In the game, the cap is level 99, so he’s still climbing. But at this rate, it’ll take a few more seasons—or a well-timed level-up glitch.
Maximus: Level 10 (Finally, a Victory)
Maximus didn’t just reach level 10—he earned it. Starting Season 2 just 600 XP away from his goal, he closed the gap with 1,215 XP, securing his place among the higher-tier characters. His most notable contributions
- Power Armor Feat: Took out Xander Harkness in full armor, earning him a standing ovation.
- Securitron Destruction: A rare engineering win in an otherwise combat-heavy season.
- Deathclaw Slaughter: More of the same, but with style.
His smallest achievement? Winning a fistfight against a Brotherhood of Steel knight—a moment that, while dramatic, barely moved the XP needle. Now at 7,875 total XP, he’s just 875 XP from level 11. With the NCR-Legion war heating up, he’ll likely find plenty of opportunities to push forward.
Thaddeus: Level 50 (A Ghoul in Name Only?)
Thaddeus remains the season’s most unpredictable character, both in personality and progression. He gained 790 XP, a modest sum compared to his 186,700 XP from Season 1—but that earlier total was an anomaly, likely inflated by his ghoul transformation. This time, his gains were more grounded
- Sweatshop Operation: Ran a cap-processing business (ethics aside).
- Deathclaw Assistance: Helped take down another one of these beasts.
- Brotherhood Deception: Briefly convinced leadership he was an emissary.
His smallest achievement? A 5 XP consolation for losing an arm—a rare moment of sympathy in an otherwise chaotic season. But here’s the catch: Thaddeus doesn’t look or act like a typical ghoul. His nose isn’t dropping off, and his body is mutating in ways that suggest he might be evolving into something far stranger—a centaur, perhaps, thanks to the Forced Evolutionary Virus. If that’s the case, his level 50 might be revoked entirely, sending him back to level 7 with just 3,786 XP to show for his efforts.
Norm: Level 4 (A Wasted Potential)
Norm’s arc was one of the season’s most disappointing. After escaping the Vault, he lacked direction, stumbling through tasks like opening cryopods and hacking terminals. His 1,530 XP earned him level 4, but his smallest achievement—surviving a radroach attack (luckily)—highlights how little he contributed. His moment of (brief) competence? Convincing Vault-Tec’s scientists he was a superhuman, despite his obvious incompetence.
Norm’s story feels unfinished. A character who could have grown into a leader instead faded into irrelevance. Unless Season 3 gives him a purpose, he might remain stuck at level 4—a number that doesn’t even reflect his potential.
Hank: Level ??? (The Uncapped Wildcard)
Hank is the season’s biggest mystery. His 2,355 XP—the highest of any character—suggests he’s thriving, but his starting point is unknown. As an established figure in the Wasteland, he likely began at a much higher level than the others. His contributions
- Chip Procedures: Successfully implanted multiple chips.
- Assassinations: Eliminated obstacles with cold efficiency.
- Vault-Tec Infiltration: Accessed restricted facilities.
His smallest achievement? Logging into his work account to find 462,311 unread emails—a detail that, while amusing, says little about his actual progression. Hank’s memory wipe at the season’s end complicates things further. Did he lose XP in the process? Or is he now a blank slate, ready to start over? Until we see his next move, his level remains a question mark.
The Wasteland’s rules don’t apply to everyone equally. While Lucy and Norm struggle to gain traction, others like The Ghoul and Hank seem to operate on a different scale entirely. And Thaddeus? He might need a modded save file to explain his next evolution.
One thing’s certain: Season 3 will either balance the scales or leave these characters even further apart. The real question is whether Lucy will finally get her due—or if the Wasteland’s XP economy is rigged against her from the start.
