Griffith Observatory is a post-War settlement and former observatory in Los Angeles, appearing in the Fallout TV series.
Background[]
Before the Great War, Griffith Observatory was sponsored by the Vault-Tec Corporation and was designated as a "Science & Friendship Center." The observatory survived the Great War, albeit damaged. By 2296, it has become a major stronghold under the control of surviving forces of the New California Republic led by Lee Moldaver. Several civilian NCR citizens inhabit the settlement around the observatory.
Fallout TV series[]
In 2296, after the Vault 32 raiders attacked Vault 33. Moldaver kidnapped the Overseer Hank MacLean and took him to the Griffith Observatory, where the New California Republic had a headquarters and kept him inside a cage. When the time was right, she would force him to use the activate code to start up the power system once the cold fusion technology sample arrived.
Lucy eventually arrived at the observatory with the head of Siggi Wilzig containing the fusion tech sample, which was then handed over to Moldaver in exchange for her father's freedom. Moldaver subsequently explained the whole purpose of her actions and revealed Hank's true identity. At Lucy's request, the latter grudgingly gave Moldaver his Vault-Tec credentials to activate the fusion reactor within the observatory.
Later the same day, the Brotherhood of Steel attacked the settlement under Maximus' guidance to retrieve the cold fusion technology. In the subsequent battle, Moldaver and the NCR forces defended the observatory for several hours. The Brotherhood also took casualties, but the NCR forces were still overpowered and overwhelmed by nightfall. Most of the NCR forces, including Moldaver herself, were killed in battle, leaving the observatory and the cold fusion technology in Brotherhood hands.[1]
Layout[]
The outer area has been fortified with junk walls and old car wrecks manned by armed guards. The courtyard is a thriving settlement with families and crop fields with symbols of the NCR adorning the area. The towers of the observatory include anti-air missile launchers that were used during the Brotherhood assault, while some of the guards also wield man-portable rocket-launchers.
The interior includes a cold fusion reactor connected to the power infrastructure of the Los Angeles Boneyard, missing only a single component that was to be provided by Enclave defector Siggi Wilzig. The reactor was also locked, and the system could only be unlocked with a code from a Vault-Tec employee (as provided by Hank MacLean). Moldaver kept a kitchen table in the same room, where she took meals, and an exposed ruined wall gave a commanding view of the Los Angeles ruins. Hank MacLean was kept there in a cage, as well as the ghoulified feral remains of his wife tied to a chair.
Appearances[]
Griffith Observatory appears in the Fallout TV series episodes "The End" and "The Beginning."
Behind the scenes[]
- This location is based on the real-world Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles, California, which opened in 1935.
- The practical set of the Griffith Observatory exterior was filmed at the Woolworth Estate in Long Island, New York, while digital editing was used to create the actual observatory. Some earlier scenes were filmed at the actual Griffith Observatory using second-unit drone footage; these are the only images in the show that were actually filmed in Southern California. The observatory interior was built at Gold Coast Studios in Long Island, on a StageCraft soundstage that was specially built for the Fallout series.[2]
Gallery[]
