The Master of the Super Mutants or simply the Master, referred to by the Children of the Cathedral as the Holy Flame, Dark God and Father Hope, was the founder and leader of the Unity, a mutant-led organization dedicated to the post-humanist transformation of mankind in the post-nuclear world. By the time he was encountered by the Vault Dweller, the Master was a hybridized amalgamation of several dozens of humans and other mutants, as well as the Cathedral‘s computer network, speaking in multiple voices and switching between them on the fly.
The Master’s end goal was to create a new race from humanity using FEV, one that could thrive in the post-apocalyptic conditions of the world and to rid humanity of its differences and reasons for waging war. The Master’s race of mutants would be dubbed super mutants colloquially by most and would become a permanent presence throughout California and neighboring areas and a long-lasting reminder of the Master’s attempt to reform humanity.
Born Richard Moreau,[Non-game 1][1] he would later change his name to Richard Grey while still human. A variety of names used to refer to him by his followers, including Holy Flame, Dark God,[3] Father Hope and others.[Non-game 3] The Master is the antagonist of Fallout, encountered at the Cathedral. Destroying him is required to eliminate the mutant threat, although meeting the Master in person is entirely optional.
Richard Moreau was born before the Great War, but little is known about his past except for the fact that he was one of the lucky few who found shelter in Vault 8 when the bombs fell. When the Vaultopened in 2092, he was exiled for murder shortly after; traveling to the newly-founded Hub more than four hundred miles to the south and established himself as a doctor there, adopting the last name Grey.[Non-game 1][1] Doctor Grey became popular, especially with one of the caravan masters by the name of Harold, who considered him a brilliant doctor and philosopher.[6] His story could have ended there, were it not for his decision to investigate the mutant attacks that plagued caravans. Along with gangers and scavengers, mutants were the primary problem for caravans, and their attacks were increasing. Caravan masters were forced to hire large numbers of guards, but even with their firepower they kept losing men. Harold, a noted local merchant at the time, organized an expedition to try and find the source of the mutations and shut it down, if possible. Richard Grey joined it, assuming leadership.[2]
The expedition launched in mid-2102. Grey led the small group (consisting of Harold, Francine, Markand several others) to investigate in a northwestern direction, where most of the attacks came from. On June 23, the expedition discovered Mariposa Military Base and hordes of mutants within, alongside vicious security bots. The group sustained significant casualties while fighting their way into the base. He and Harold were the only ones to locate and enter the Vats, only for the robot crane to crash into them. Harold was knocked out, awakening later in the wasteland. His last memory from the base was the sight of Grey being thrown into what appeared to be an acid bath: a vat full of FEV.[2]Grey floated in the slime for days, nearly drowning, with the extreme level of exposure starting him on the path to becoming the Master.[Non-game 4] After he regained consciousness and dragged himself from the vats, he continued to mutate after the week-long immersion.[Non-game 5][7] The mutation eventually stabilized enough for him to notice his greatly increased mental capacity, capable of resolving the most complex of philosophical questions. He began experimenting on animals infesting the military base by exposing them to the virus. When he dipped a rat and a dog into the virus at the same time, the resulting fusion inspired him to begin formulating a philosophy of unification, laying the groundwork for the Unity.[Non-game 6][7] However, experiments were disrupted by the lack of subjects and his own limited understanding of the virus.[Non-game 7][7]
In December 2102, following a series of directed mutations by injecting doses of the virus into various areas of his mutated body, Grey gained the ability to neurologically link with computers, allowing him to access the base’s databanks. Aided by the data, he began experiments on humans who strayed into the facilities, at first, without much luck.[Non-game 8][7] Finally, in January 2103, he isolated radiationexposure as the crucial factor affecting transformation success. The first intelligent super mutant was assimilated by Grey as a fellow mind, creating the fledgling Master hive mind: the Unity began in earnest[7][Non-game 9] as the Master began to gather test subjects from local human communities. The process was slow, hampered by their scarcity, but over the next thirty years he built up a small force of super mutants, until the Great Winter of 2130 caused a shortage of specimens.[7]
In 2131, the Master decided to focus on acquiring subjects (ironically given his original mission) from the increasing number of caravans crossing the wasteland. The human settlements were oblivious to the true nature of the raids, blaming them on wasteland “monsters.” Their ignorance allowed the army to grow exponentially.[Non-game 10] By 2137, there were enough super mutants to sustain mass production. While the success rate was between 15-20%, with half going on to join the Master’s army, it grew rapidly into a potent military force. The resulting army was named the Unity by the Master, becoming the foundation of his vision for humanity and the world.[Non-game 11] For the next fifteen years, the Unity would expand over New California, adding to its ranks and preparing to make their presence known.
