War. War never changes. This one begs to differ. We meet Marcus for the first time in Broken Hills. He is a sheriff of a mining town in Fallout 2. Broken Hills is a diverse community, being home of tolerant humans, ghouls and mutants. Meeting super mutant who is not hostile in Fallout world is a miracle already. After doing quests for him, finding some missing people, fixing the air purifier in mines and stopping conspiracy from happening, we gain his trust, and get to know his story. He also agrees to be our NPC if Chosen One (Fallout 2 protagonist) has positive karma.
Just a quick guide for people who didn't play fallout games, super mutants are genetically altered humans. The "Master" , antagonist in Fallout 1, used FEV, forced evolutionary virus to conduct experiments on living creatures, in attempt to create race capable of living in post-apocalyptic world. Super mutants are big, strong, resistant to radiation, sterile and stupid. Sterility was a big problem, and they had to dip pure humans into big green goo vats, to produce more. Unsettling.
Lets get back to Marcus. During Fallout 1 timeline, was a part of Master's army, and was fighting blindly for him. We could say Marcus is extremely intelligent for a mutant. During transformation, subjects lose significant portion of their intellect, but Marcus didn't. He got into a fight with Jacob, Brotherhood of Steel paladin. Brotherhood of Steel was high technology military group. We can't call them altruistic, because they were arrogant, taking care of themselves, surviving apocalypse, trading their tech for supplies. However brotherhood did recognize a serious threat in Master's madman mission, fighting his armies.
Jacob and Marcus had a long fight, and after few days of stalemate, they just dropped it, seeing it as a pointless endeavour. They became best friends, and continued traveling the wasteland, attracting like-minded humans, ghouls and mutants. Super mutant, and guy in power armor going together, were sounding like a solid protection, and great new idea of coexistiance. They were first settlers of Broken Hills, uranium mining community. Jacob left the town, and Marcus remained as sheriff.
He is companion in Fallout 2. As every super mutant, he is capable of using big guns and energy weapons. Miniguns, rocket launchers, plasma rifles, even grenades and fists. He couldn't wear any armor, but had some native resistances. Generally, not great for fighting in final stage of game, as he could die fast. That's right. Unlike in some of the later games, in classic Fallout games, NPCs were mortal.
He had a special relations and taunts with some other Fallout 2 NPCs . If you had Myron, skinny adolescent acne teenager with you, he would mock him with "Myron, wanna wrestle". Lenny (ghoul) would elicit " Nice to have another evolved human in the group " . It kinda made us feel they aren't just servant bodyguards, but also well developed characters. Details and great lore are providing great gaming experience.
After helping the Chosen One ( Fallout 2 protagonist) in his quest, he returned to Broken Hills. When mine depleted, town lost economic advantage, and was abandoned. Marcus traveled on his own. He was part of two communities since then.
First he came to Black Mountain. All events from now on are taking place in Fallout: New Vegas, to be specific Mojave Wasteland, 100 years after his fight with Jacob (Fallout 1 narrative), and 40 years after his adventure in Fallout 2.
Black Mountain is a place hit by a nuclear strike during Great War. It had all kinds of radio equipment, satellite dishes and radars. Radiation kept it uninhabited for long time. It was a perfect rally point for super mutants and ghouls as they are immune. Marcus was a leader of community, until nightkin Tabitha, managed to turn other nightkins against him. Nightkins used to be elite members of Masters army, made with more advanced FEV. They used stealth-boys in combat, which gives invisibility. Every nightkin ended up mentally ill 100 years later as a side effect. Marcus was forced to leave.
Taking few ill mutants with him, he founded a Jacobstown, named after his old paladin friend. He takes care of his schizo friends. Another character from Fallout 2 is with him, doctor Henry, well known for his crazy genetics and robotics experiments. Doctor Henry lived in NCR during Fallout 2, and had that green syringe experiment in Fallout 2, which was killing mutant subjects instantly. They are trying to provide medical care for nightkins.
Courier ( Fallout: New Vegas protagonist) can meet Marcus and help him with troubles around Jacobstown, and hear fragments of wonderful Fallout lore.
Marcus wasn't NPC in Fallout: New Vegas, and making mods so he can travel with us again show how much Fallout gaming community loves Marcus. Link : http://www.nexusmods.com/newvegas/mods/37376/?
This is why Fallout is so great. It is just vast detailed world, with many instances of characters outliving one sequel. If you would love to read a story of another Fallout character, let me know by showing support. Thanks for reading and have a great day.