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For other characters named Michael, see Michael. |
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Sheldon Weintraub, better known under the artistic name of Michael Angelo and informally as Mickey[1] or Mike,[2] is a former resident of Vault 21 and the sole proprietor of his self-named workshop on the New Vegas Strip in Fallout: New Vegas.
Background[]
Life in Vault 21[]
Born in Vault 21, Sheldon spent his adolescence inside the vault with his sister, Sarah Weintraub.[3] Within its tight and cramped confines, very little was secret among the various residents, who were all closely acquainted and shared something of a familial bond.[4] As a child, Sheldon and his sister were particularly well-acquainted with an older resident, Doc Mitchell, whom they nicknamed "Mole-Butt" due to a large mole on his rear bumper.[5][6]
In 2274, Robert House, self-proclaimed proprietor of the New Vegas Strip, contacted the vault residents with an offer: joining the resurgence of the once bustling pre-War city as he began its renovations from that year onwards. Having never previously opened to the outside world, many residents felt threatened by the gambit of an "unknown future teetering on a precarious balance," which was a stark contrast to the stable isolated society they had maintained happily for nearly two-hundred years.[7] Sheldon was no different, feeling the corridors and walls of his home radiated "a warmth that feels, safe, honest,"[3] a sympathy not too dissimilar to his sister's sentiments.[8]
Their fates, along with the other residents, were ultimately sealed in a high stakes game of Blackjack, a tradition of the vault's society. Those few hard-liners who sided with House challenged their opposition and, in an "extremely risky, and fateful, gambit," those same hard-liners proved victorious,[7] signaling the start of a new era for everyone as the warmth of their home was traded for the "thin air of the Wasteland."[5] House, requiring raw materials to aid in the city's reconstruction, stripped the vault of its complex machinery and began preparations of fill the entire Vault with concrete, a move done to prevent its now former residents from retaking it.[9][Non-game 1]
This process required pushing out the vault's residents, some of whom resettled in the soon to be thriving city,[9] while others went their separate ways.[10] Sheldon and Sarah held out, and together, managed to successfully convince House to fill only a portion of Vault's upper level with concrete.[11][12] While Sarah would remain as a caretaker of the Vault, fashioning it into a hotel where tourists appropriated what they once held dear, Sheldon would settle within the city walls and begin his career as a professional artist.[13]
Becoming Michael Angelo[]
Describing it as a "marvel to behold" initially, venturing out into this new world granted Sheldon a new purpose in life: using the newfound inspiration it provided to create works of art, a relative rarity in the post-War world.[13] Taking up the artistic name of Michael Angelo,[14] he began to realize his works in the safety of the New Vegas Strip, eventually capturing the eyes of Mr. House.[13] With the Strip's on-going renovations, House sensed an opportunity to capitalize on Angelo's skills to beautify the burgeoning district as it continued to grow.[15][16]
Billboards, signs and lights were sure to attract visitors to the gleaming jewel that would become New Vegas. Setting the artist up with his own sprawling workshop, his skills were put to use creating nearly every neon light show and eye catching billboard or sign present on the Strip by 2281.[2] Countless requests from messengers on behalf of House, a man seemingly everywhere and nowhere all at once, put a strain on the artist, still reeling from the loss of his home at House's hands and being stretched to the point of "artistic oblivion" from all of the projects under his belt.[16]
House's request would not be his only struggle, however, as the artist became stricken with a fear of the outside world and large open spaces, preventing him from leaving the Strip from the safety of his workshop.[17] This agoraphobia, brought on by having to adapt to this new world so different from the warm corridors of his original home, ebbed away what remaining inspiration he had.[17] As he describes to his sister, everything that once inspired his work "slowly drifts back into nothingness, into an unfathomable void where neither [he finds] light nor its radiance searches for the spring of [his] soul."[18]
Interactions with the player character[]
Interactions overview[]
| Interactions | ||
|---|---|---|
 |
This character starts quests. | |
 |
This character is involved in quests. | |
Quests[]
- Classic Inspiration: Michael asks the Courier to take pictures of famous signs across the Mojave to rejuvenate his artistic inspiration.
- ED-E My Love: Michael, during conversation, says a keyword that accesses ED-E's log databanks.
Other interactions[]
- Michael Angelo's sensitivity can exploited by blackmailing him, through a series of Speech/Repair checks upon the first meeting. The series consist of: Speech 40, Speech/Repair 45, Speech 55 will net you 300 caps and 140 XP. It is possible to threaten Michael to hand over the caps, and even provoke a fight by proceeding with violence. This will cause the artist and his staff to turn hostile, in which his money can be looted upon his death, at the cost of his personal quest Classic Inspiration. If one instead agrees with him, one will get the caps, but no longer be able to interact with Michael Angelo, who will fall into a depression, thus failing his quest. If one tells Michael that one is just joking, they will abort the blackmail and proceed to the quest dialogue tree. At any point prior to accepting the quest, one can choose to continue extorting him for caps.
Inventory[]
| Apparel | Weapon | Other items | On death |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vault 21 jumpsuit | Bottle cap x420 |
Notes[]
- Despite being born and raised in a Vault, Sheldon does not wear a Pip-Boy.
- Michael Angelo has unique greeting dialogue if Sarah Weintraub is killed.
- Though the dialog is set up to fail Classic Inspiration if the quest is active, it does not work properly and will prevent the quest from being completed.[19]
- Kate and Sarah have unique dialogue if Michael Angelo is killed, though this never plays in-game due to the MADead quest variable never being set to 1, as well as bugged dialogue conditions.[20] Sarah additionally has another line of dialogue if the player was to threaten and later kill Angelo.[21]
Notable quotes[]
- "Yeah, I imagine that it takes a lot to fill the void of such a bottomless soul. Take the caps and leave me to my sorrows."
- "It's this place - my inspiration ebbs and I don't know how to stop it! I can't feel the warmth anymore..."
- "I always wanted to see the Dinosaur and its Thermometer sign at Novac. Then, there's the famous Bison Steve sign. The McCarran Airfield and the Helios One power station signs are of much interest to my work - like the Sunset Sarsaparrilla Headquarter's bottle."
Appearances[]
Michael Angelo appears only in Fallout: New Vegas.
Behind the scenes[]
- Michael Angelo was written by Jorge Salgado.
- Sheldon's artistic name is a reference to the Renaissance artist Michelangelo.
Bugs[]
Upon passing the agoraphobia medicine check, you can restart the conversation, and pass the check again. Since you get experience for each successful check, you can gain infinite experience by completing the conversation item repeatedly. [verified]
Gallery[]
References[]
- ↑ The Courier: "Mickey, photography is a risky business. This is going to cost you. A lot."
Michael Angelo: "There's an opportunity for profit anywhere, uh? Even if it means preying on the helpless. Okay, you... shuckster - 150 caps each if they are good."
(Michael Angelo's dialogue) - ↑ 2.0 2.1 The Courier: "Who is Michael Angelo?"
Kate: "He's the reason the Strip shines like a star at night. Mike's imagined and built every sign, billboard and light you'll see around here."
(Kate's dialogue) - ↑ 3.0 3.1 The Courier: "You lived in Vault 21? Tell me about that."
Michael Angelo: "Most people don't, uh, understand what it means to grow up in a vault. Its corridors, its walls, radiate a warmth that feels, safe, honest. But here everything is huge and threatening - so empty that I think one of these days I'll just... snap."
(Michael Angelo's dialogue) - ↑ The Courier: "Do you miss the old days in the vault?"
Sarah Weintraub: "It was bustling with activity! We all knew each other so well - you see, the vault kept us all even. It's all symmetry and windows down there. We solved any quarrels through gambling! Lady luck casts no eyeballs, you know? So, nobody shafted anyone else!"
(Sarah Weintraub's dialogue) - ↑ 5.0 5.1 The Courier: "Do you know Doc Mitchell?"
Michael Angelo: "You mean, Mitch? It's been ages since I've heard the name. My sister and I used to call him 'Mole-butt.' Don't ask. That was a long time ago, before we exchanged the warmth of our home for the thin air of the Wasteland."
(Michael Angelo's dialogue) - ↑ The Courier: "You know Doc Mitchell?"
Sarah Weintraub: "Mitch!? You know 'mole-butt?' I hadn't thought about that name in a long time. I was just a child, and he had a big mole in his rear bumper. You understand, kids and all that. Everyone knows about each other in a Vault, there's no other way. I hope mol... I mean Mitch, is doing well!"
(Sarah Weintraub's dialogue) - ↑ 7.0 7.1 Vault 21 terminal entries; Opening to a New World
- ↑ The Courier: "Sheldon also likes the indoors... a lot. Are you agoraphobic too?"
Sarah Weintraub: "Okay - you're right. I hate going outside. It's almost impossible for me to step out of here. Still, I love my vault. It's my pad!"
(Sarah Weintraub's dialogue) - ↑ 9.0 9.1 Vault 21 terminal entries; A Tribute to Mr. House
- ↑ The Courier: "I saw your old vault on the Strip. Vault 21, right? Mr. House filled it with concrete?"
Doc Mitchell: "Yep. He sure did. Wanted himself a hotel, and to make sure once he made the change there'd never be any going back. We didn't get a say. Don't know how you'd argue with a fella like that anyways, everywhere and nowhere all at once. So just like that, we was all homeless. Went our separate ways, and that was all she wrote."
(Doc Mitchell's dialogue) - ↑ The Courier: "What does Mr. House have to do with Vault 21?"
Sarah Weintraub: "Mr. House has everything to do with Vault 21. He tried to get us out before he filled it with concrete. I almost went ape! So, we convinced him - okay, Sheldon and I, right? We convinced him to leave the top level mostly intact!"
(Sarah Weintraub's dialogue) - ↑ The Courier: "Why don't you pack up and return to Vault 21?"
Michael Angelo: "Wouldn't that be great... No - Mr. House filled it with concrete. Only a few rooms and halls remain. My sister was able to turn them into a hotel."
(Michael Angelo's dialogue) - ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 The Courier: "An artist - rare thing to see. What's your story?"
Michael Angelo: "Well, I, uh, not much, really. Vault 21 was my home, my dear home. I left it to explore the outside world. At first it was a marvel to behold. My inspiration flowed true and its works caught Mr. House's attention. That's how I ended up in this... place."
(Michael Angelo's dialogue) - ↑ The Courier: "Tell me about you again."
Michael Angelo: "I am Sheldon, from Vault 21, although here I go by my artistic name, 'Michael Angelo.'"
(Michael Angelo's dialogue) - ↑ Fallout: New Vegas loading screens: "Though New Vegas is littered with debris of the Pre-War world, Michael Angelo continues to create new art and signs for Mr. House in his workshop on The Strip."
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 The Courier: "Why are you so jittery about Mr. House?"
Michael Angelo: "Because spending myself to the edge of artistic oblivion for Mr. House sums up my existence since I had to leave Vault 21, that's why."
(Michael Angelo's dialogue) - ↑ 17.0 17.1 Michael Angelo: "Oh... Hello. I am Michael Angelo. How can I- Uh... wait. Are you here to deliver more billboard requests? Please tell me you're not a messenger on behalf of Mr. House."
The Courier: "No, I'm not here for anything like that. Who are you?"
Michael Angelo: "That's great to hear, really great. I am Sheldon, from Vault 21, although here I go by my artistic name, 'Michael Angelo.' So, what brings you here?"
The Courier: "I guess you're having trouble with Mr. House requests. What's the problem?"
Michael Angelo: "It's this place - my inspiration ebbs and I don't know how to stop it! I can't feel the warmth anymore..."
The Courier: "It sounds as if you don't like this place. What is wrong with it?"
Michael Angelo: "I feel haunted by something terrible. Working in such a huge workshop often makes me shiver... I can't even leave the Strip!"
The Courier: "So, is this fear of the outside world draining your inspiration?"
Michael Angelo: "Yes, I think so... But, please, uh, keep quiet about it. Without inspiration I am as good as a tumbleweed drifting in the barren wasteland."
The Courier: "[Medicine < 55] Oh, that's, uh, I have it at the tip of my tongue... Agomorrahphobia! I'll help."
Michael Angelo: "Maybe you are thinking of Agoraphobia? Yes, you are right. I need something to bring back my inspiration. Any ideas?"(Michael Angelo's dialogue) - ↑ Michael Angelo's workshop terminal entries; Sis, missing you like never before.
- ↑ The dialog checks if the quest stage is between 11 and 89. Because the quest allows you to complete any of the objectives in any order, they are marked as completed using the SetObjectiveCompleted command, which does not actually increment the stage value as SetStage would. When all objectives are completed, SetStage is used to increment the stage to 90, which falls over the required conditions.
- ↑ The dialog checks to see if MADead is set to 1, which is meant to track whether Michael Angelo has been killed. Though Michael Angelo has a script that fails his quest if he is killed, the MADead variable was not added to the script. If the variable were incremented through console commands, their dialog will never play, as their normal greeting lines fail to check for an MADead value of 0.
- ↑ The dialog checks to see if MADead and MAThreatened are set to 1. Though the game does increment the latter quest variable, the former is never incremented, as detailed above.
Non-game
- ↑ Formspring January 2, 2012:Why in the world would House cement in that Vault? It makes no sense.
Joshua Sawyer: He doesn't want it to be able to return to a fully-functional vault because he doesn't want its former residents to attempt to retake it. I.e. he wants to motivate the Vault 21 dwellers to leave the area. If he had simply sealed off areas or electronically locked portions of it, enterprising smarties like ex-vaulters might attempt to work against him and eventually restore it. With the majority of the vault filled with cement, it can only function as a tourist attraction and small-scale residence.
(Josh Sawyer Formspring answers)
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