Now, I’m not saying you should be shooting your way through the wasteland, but you have to admit there’s something captivating about this morally gray character.
Whether you’re a seasoned veteran of the post-apocalyptic video games series or you just like stellar television, Amazon’s Fallout is peak television. Combining humor and gory action with human-driven stories you can care about, there’s no question why it’s a huge hit. Though I could have easily written this article about Ella Purnell’s Lucy MacLean, we all know how to be a morally good character (even if we don’t almost embody those values 24/7). Instead, it’s everyone’s favorite Hollywood cowboy actor-turned wasteland bounty-hunting ghoul that deserves the attention. Why would you want to channel The Ghoul’s main character energy? After watching Walton Goggins’ performance, how could you not?
Warning: SPOILERS AHEAD. Finish the show on Prime Video before reading the rest the article. I’ll wait.
1. Dress the part.
The Ghoul doesn’t just wear anything. Even in the wasteland, he’s managed to curate a look, thanks to that matching duster and cowboy hat combo. One glance and you know exactly who you’re talking to. Even his pre-Ghoul days as Hollywood star Cooper Howard, he killed it with his immaculate suits. The Ghoul is proof that you can make any look work if you care about how you come across.
2. Do anything you can to achieve your dreams.
The Ghoul is nothing if not a go-getter. As soon as he had the goal of finding The Head, he was making it work. Not even a drug-fueled binge at the Super Duper Mart or getting nabbed by the local “government” could stop him. Did he reach his goal in the end? Not quite, but that’s just because the goal posts changed. A main character does what they think is right or works for them, so why aren’t you channeling that energy?
3. Go with your gut.
The Ghoul’s smooth-skinned former self was so sure that his wife was a good person. After all, she was a great wife and mother. But as soon as his friend mentioned that Vault-Tec may not be the paragons of health and human safety he thought they were, he was willing to challenge what he thought. Deep down, you know what’s right and wrong. A main character listens to their instincts, so never stop following your intuition.
4. Don’t let others’ expectations get the better of you.
It’s rough in the wasteland when you’re a ghoul. People incorrectly assume that you’re a zombie or that they can catch it by being around you. That hasn’t stopped The Ghoul from being an all-around badass. It comes as no surprise when you see how self-assured he was in his Hollywood days, too. Channel some of The Ghoul’s confidence and you’ll be all right.
5. Don’t be afraid to change your mind.
Even though The Ghoul is notoriously hard-headed, both in his wasteland incarnation and his former Hollywood self, that doesn’t mean he won’t change his mind. In his past, he clearly began to see Vault-Tec as the danger they were. In the wasteland, he moves with the tides, shifting his focus in the end from working alone to recruiting Lucy. If you stay so rigidly inside your ideals, you’ll get nowhere.
6. Be the badass you know you are.
There’s no question that Cooper Howard/The Ghoul is a total badass. You know it the moment he enters the screen. But why? He doesn’t care what other people think, he has confidence, and he isn’t afraid of change. We could all use this kind of main character badassery.
If you haven’t watched Fallout yet, you can catch it on Prime Video. Or, if you want to live the story, check out the games on your favorite platform. (I recommend Fallout 4 or Fallout 76 for newer players, though Fallout 3 is my all-time favorite..)
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