Fallout 5 is a giant question mark at the moment, as the next chapter in Bethesda’s long-running post-apocalyptic series is likely a long time away from a reveal. After the success of the live-action adaptation for Amazon Prime, hope for Fallout 5 has been reignited, leaving many with questions about what to expect from the upcoming installment. As of now, every discussion involving Fallout 5 is pure speculation, but it’s exciting to imagine what could be in store for fans once another game sees the light of day.
Bethesda’s latest release, Starfield, brought a grounded sci-fi adventure to players. Despite being a game centered around space exploration, Starfield lacks any humanoid aliens. Any “alien” life found throughout the various planets are the respective fauna native to a region. A more realistic approach to alien life is an intriguing idea, but it can also leave a lot to be desired when facing extraterrestrial beings. The Fallout franchise is no stranger to humanoid aliens. Zetans have been an ongoing presence in the series, and Fallout 5 may benefit from including them in its story.
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Bethesda May Want to Make Zetans a Prominent Faction in Fallout 5
Every Fallout Game That Has Featured Zetans
- Fallout 3
- Fallout: New Vegas
- Fallout 4
- Fallout 76
Considering that Bethesda took over the Fallout franchise with Fallout 3, it seems clear that the increased presence of humanoid aliens was implemented by the studio. Since then, the Zetans have been featured in every following entry in one way or another. The most recent installment in the franchise, Fallout 76, even has an annual event called Invaders From Beyond that completely focuses around a Zetan invasion in Appalachia.
In the first Fallout game, players can find a crashed UFO surrounded by what appear to be alien skeletons. However, these skeletons have larger heads and smaller bodies than Zetans.
Zetans Playing a Larger Role in Fallout 5
The wastelands of Fallout are known for their many factions, and making Zetans an official enemy group in Fallout 5 could bring some fun, heavy-handed sci-fi to the mix. Zetans aren’t just fun cameos. This group of humanoid aliens has played a big role in the overall Fallout lore, even if their involvement with the world hasn’t been the main focus of the franchise.
Fallout 3‘s add-on Mothership Zeta even reveals that Zetans have been meddling in human affairs far before The Great War, showcased by players being able to come across Toshiro Kago, an abducted samurai from feudal Japan who is now living on the Mothership. Zetans also play a significant role in some of Fallout 76‘s lore. Pre-war Appalachia dealt with abductions, too, but Zetan sightings also served as the source for the creation of the Flatwoods Monster urban legend. Fallout‘s history with Zetans will likely continue in Fallout 5, but it would be interesting to see them experience their biggest role since Mothership Zeta.
The Flatwoods Monster is a real-life cryptid sighting that was reported by citizens of Braxton County, Virginia in 1952.
Bringing a Full-Blown Invasion to Fallout 5
Fallout 76‘s Invaders From Beyond has already experimented with bringing alien invasions to the franchise, but Fallout 5 could take this concept a step further. A bold path forward would be for Fallout 5 to be mostly centered around an alien threat instead of keeping Zetans on the sidelines as extra content. Instead, they could potentially serve as the main villains. However, another interesting route would be to craft a mission centered around saving a settlement from a Zetan invasion.
The direction of Fallout 5 remains uncertain, but in order to make up for Starfield‘s lack of aliens, bringing Zetans back in a bigger role could be exciting. It could be years before Fallout fans get a glimpse at the next game, so only time will tell what Bethesda has planned.
