La vault 33, also known as Vault 33, is one of the many creations of the Vault-Tec company in the Fallout universe. It appears in the Amazon Prime Video series and hides secrets and mysteries that continue to expand the vast post-apocalyptic universe of the saga.
This shelter is located in what was once Santa Monica, in the city of Los Angeles, California. Next to it is the Santa Monica Pier and from the plot of the series we know that Lucy McLean, one of the protagonists, comes from there. Additionally, in the year 2296, Lucy's father, Hank, is in charge of running the shelter. But there are some mysteries behind its operation.
The Vault Network and the Secret of Vault 33
Unlike other shelters, Vault 33 is part of a network of vaults. In this case, it has two sister vaults known as Vault 31 and Vault 32. While all three vaults have a connection system, most of the time they are isolated to prevent the spread of disease or other threats. Every three years, a meeting was held where representatives of the shelters came into contact with each other, being able to learn about the status of the other communities.
The three shelters operate under a democratic election system of their leader. The foreman or manager is elected by the people, with a term of 4 years and with a group of advisors. In the case of shelter 33, it has survived several crises throughout its history.
Hank McLean, manager for more than 15 years, is considered one of the refuge's best wardens. To the point that he helped survive the Great Plague crisis in 2277 where a strict quarantine prevented the entire population from dying.
The Vault 33 experiment
Understanding the background of the Fallout television series involves delving into the real mysteries and objectives of the Refuge o Vault 33. This is a shelter created to carry out a social experiment. Unlike other nuclear shelters created by Vault-Tec, this one did have a connection to two other vaults. And although the interaction only happened every 3 years, it allows some aspects of pre-Great War society to be kept intact. Or that seems to be the goal.
An interesting and disturbing aspect of Vault 33 is that all the inhabitants are related in some way to the leaders of Vault 31. And there were the top brass of Vault-Tec, who after sleeping in cryogenic sleep for several years, woke up to lead the shelter and used the Vaults 32 and 33 as repositories of genetic material. A secret as disturbing as it is decisive in understanding the unscrupulous plans of the company responsible for building Fallout's nuclear shelters.
The Future of Humanity and Vault 33
The hierarchical structure established in both Vault 33 and its two sister vaults serves to demonstrate the type of world they sought to rebuild. This is a population that aims to reproduce the species with the leaders of each vault. Thus, behind this genetic plan there was an intention to repopulate the Wasteland and conquer it with inhabitants faithful to the company's ideology.
The fate of Vault 32
Upon discovering the truth behind Vaults 31, 32 and 33, some inhabitants ended up going crazy. This is decisive for the development of the plot since it is the seed of the invasion of Moldaver and his bandits, as well as the kidnapping of Hank.
The answers in Fallout are never simple, and neither is what happens with Vault 33. But for lovers of science fiction and post-apocalyptic environments, the series captures the atmosphere perfectly.
Season 1 and the importance of Vault 33
Looking at the series objectively, Vault 33 is the most important in all of Fallout Season 1. That is where the main events of the story take place. It is where we meet the MacLean family home, and also the local farmers. Corn is grown in Vault 33, which is then traded with the other two refuges on a triannual basis. In appearance, the shelter's setting is reminiscent of rural Nebraska. With a history that spans more than 200 years of almost trouble-free operation, the famine that wiped out Lucy's mother and much of the population is one of the tragic events alluded to in the series.
And what happens in shelters 32 and 31?
Rumors say that a group of bandits destroyed the place. But in reality, long before opening to the outside, internal problems ended up Devastate Vault 32. The half-eaten corpses, the suicides, show a much more tragic situation. The Overseers have their own version of what happens in Vault 32, but it's important to understand the relationship with Vault 33 because the future of the series will likely explore these elements further.
In Vault 31, however, are the darkest revelations about the extent of the genetic experiment of the three sister vaults. Vault-Tec's plan had Vault 31 as its base of operations. Here the senior officers are thawed from a convenient cryogenic sleep from time to time and become Supervisors of Vault 33.
The future of the series and Vault 4
In addition to the secrets that link the story of Vault 31, 32 and 33, the famous Vault 4 is also mentioned. That is where the most important scientists of the Vault-Tec company reside. All kinds of genetic experiments were carried out there, and the outcome of playing with the lives of human beings can be much more destructive than many think. But it is an important place for the franchise because the survivors of Shady Sands, a location from the first game, are also found there.
Possibly, once there is more information about season 2, we will know what is in store for the Fallout characters. The stories that have not yet been closed and the possibilities within the vast fictional world are many and it seems that the scriptwriters are already exploring new plots.