Venturing through the Commonwealth in <em>Fallout 4</em> can present numerous challenges; however, the Sole Survivor is fortunate to have a variety of companions to accompany them on this perilous journey. One of the earliest companions players can meet is Paladin Danse, who serves as a key introduction to the legendary Brotherhood of Steel. Danse embodies loyalty and courage, willing to follow the Sole Survivor into the most perilous of situations. Yet, beneath his soldier exterior lies a complex narrative waiting to be uncovered.
Alongside the other 16 companions available in Fallout 4, Danse can be recruited after completing a brief quest where he explains the Brotherhood’s presence in the area. As players journey with Danse and build their affinity, this stoic paladin gradually reveals more about his backstory and thoughts. Additionally, hidden elements throughout the game provide deeper insights into Danse’s character, each piece hinting at significant events in the wider Fallout universe.
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Danse’s Interesting Past as a Trader Before Joining the Brotherhood
Discovering Danse’s Early Life in Rivet City
While it may be difficult for players to envision Paladin Danse as anything other than a highly skilled soldier in Fallout 4, his life prior to joining the Brotherhood of Steel was drastically different. As players develop a trusting relationship with the Sole Survivor, Danse begins to share insights into his past, revealing that he once operated a junk stand as a trader in Rivet City. He reminisces about his childhood in the unforgiving Capital Wasteland, where he was forced to scavenge the ruins to survive before he finally managed to accumulate enough caps to relocate to the derelict aircraft carrier.
Rivet City serves a pivotal role in the main storyline of Fallout 3 and is where players can encounter SRB Director Dr. Zimmer.
Players familiar with Fallout 3 understand the dangers lurking in the ruins surrounding the former capital, making it hard to picture a child thriving in such a harsh environment. Although the inhabitants of Rivet City faced respiratory issues due to rust and decay, it was arguably the safest refuge in the region, especially prior to the events of Project Purity. During his time managing the junk stand, Danse formed a friendship with Cutler, and both would later join the Brotherhood during a recruitment mission, seeking to escape the limitations of their “nowhere” lives in Rivet City.
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Danse’s Deep-Seated Hatred for Super Mutants
How the Loss of a Friend Transformed Danse
While many members of the Fallout universe’s Brotherhood of Steel hold strong opinions about non-humans, often using derogatory terms, Paladin Danse exhibits an especially intense disdain for Super Mutants. Although he may make snide remarks about companions like Nick Valentine or Hancock, Danse reserves his harshest words for the towering mutants. This animosity is deeply rooted in personal tragedy, as Super Mutants in the Capital Wasteland played a direct role in the death of his friend Cutler. Danse recounts how, a year after he was assigned to the Prydwen, Cutler disappeared while on patrol.
In a poignant moment during his second affinity dialogue, Danse reveals that he had to persuade his commanding officer to allow him to search for his friend. After three agonizing weeks of searching, he eventually found Cutler, but tragically, the other man and his squad had been captured by Super Mutants. While the others were killed, Cutler was infected with FEV. Heartbreakingly, Danse was left with no choice but to end his best friend’s life rather than let him live on as a Super Mutant. This harrowing experience profoundly shaped Danse’s view of Super Mutants, leaving him conflicted about whether he truly made the right decision.
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Understanding Danse’s Struggles with PTSD
Examining the Medical Files Reveals Danse’s Pain
When the Sole Survivor first encounters Paladin Danse at the Cambridge Police Station, he and his team are actively defending against a feral ghoul onslaught. However, one striking aspect of this Brotherhood of Steel squad is its notably small size. Through conversations with Danse, Scribe Haylen, and Knight Rhys, as well as by examining terminal entries throughout the police station, players can discover that Recon Squad Gladius has sustained significant losses since their arrival in the Commonwealth. Initially a team of seven, only three members remain.
Once it is revealed that Danse is a Synth, Cade’s medical notes shift from referring to him as the patient to mentioning him as “subject,” and he requests that Danse be returned for examination intact.
Just like the trauma surrounding Cutler’s death, this series of events has taken a significant toll on Danse. If the Sole Survivor reads the medical files on Knight-Captain Cade‘s terminal, they will discover an entry related to Danse. Under the file labeled Medical File DN-407P, Cade documents that Danse has reported experiencing a “dull throbbing pain” in his head along with insomnia; however, he also notes that all his medical tests returned negative results. Given Danse’s persistent insomnia and the emotional toll of losing his squad, Cade concludes that Danse is likely suffering from PTSD and recommends that he take a break to recuperate.
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Clues in Danse’s Speech Reveal His True Identity
Unpacking the Subtle Hints in Danse’s Dialogue
One of the most shocking revelations in Danse’s narrative is the discovery that he is, in fact, a Synth. This twist is confirmed when files located within the Institute reveal his DNA, prompting Elder Maxson to order his termination in Fallout 4. However, this intriguing secret is cleverly foreshadowed throughout the game, with aspects of Danse’s personality and his articulate vocabulary suggesting an underlying truth. When conversing with Danse or listening to his commentary during quests, players will notice his extremely formal manner of speaking.
Throughout his interactions, Danse employs a style of speech that is notably pedantic, characterized by a formal tone and a tendency to over-explain, even when discussing personal matters. Danse often admits that discussing personal topics is challenging for him, which can create an impression of seriousness; as Deacon humorously notes, he seems to have “a stick up his backside.” A prime example illustrating how Danse’s speech hints at his Synth nature can be found in a comment from Piper, who remarks after being instructed to find Danse by Maxson: “I can’t believe Danse was a synth… I mean, I can, because, you know, I’ve heard him speak.”
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Danse’s Identity as an Early Generation 3 Synth
Tracing Danse’s Brotherhood History Back to Fallout 3
Additional clues in Fallout 4 suggest the duration of Danse’s membership in the Brotherhood, which also indicates when the Institute created him. In Danse’s first affinity dialogue, he shares a story about his sponsor and initial commander, Paladin Krieg. Danse reflects on how losing Krieg impacted him, noting that Krieg was killed during the assault on Adams Air Force Base. This event is depicted in Fallout 3, indicating that Danse had already held the rank of paladin for 10 years before encountering the Sole Survivor.
As a previous member of the Brotherhood during Fallout 3, Danse would have been acquainted with Arthur Maxson since his childhood.
The narrative surrounding Synths in the Fallout universe includes the story of the first Synth to convincingly pass as human, a tale the Sole Survivor can learn from characters like Nick Valentine, Dr. Chambers in Covenant, or through Piper‘s articles. The Broken Mask incident, where an early model human-like Synth became violent, occurred in Diamond City in 2229, which is 48 years before Fallout 3, where players can meet Harkness and discover his Synth identity. Given this timeline, as well as the Institute’s early use of human-like Synths, it is highly plausible that Danse is among the first Generation 3 Synths created.
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Danse’s Journey Through the Railroad
Discovering Danse’s Status as a Missing Synth
During the Brotherhood of Steel questline in Fallout 4, a pivotal moment occurs when it is revealed that Danse is a Synth. After activating Liberty Prime, the Sole Survivor uncovers data from the Institute’s computers, which includes a list of missing Synths featuring Danse’s image, labeled M7-97. Some fans speculate whether Danse could be a sleeper agent; however, others note two significant points: the Institute is precise in its wording, and Synths intended for surface operations are aware of their Synth identity.
Danse likely departed from the Institute and would have had a new identity and memories created for him by the Railroad.
With Danse explicitly identified as missing, it suggests that he most likely escaped the Institute and had new memories and an identity crafted for him by the Railroad. The Sole Survivor can communicate with members of the Railroad and investigate terminals in the faction’s headquarters, discovering that they frequently assist escaped Synths in reaching the Capital Wasteland, which aligns with Danse’s earliest memories. This implies that Danse’s choice to join the Brotherhood was influenced by the false memories of a harsh childhood that the Railroad implanted in him.
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Danse’s Role in the Fallout Play “Death Shroud”
Peter Jessop Returns to Voice Danse in a Non-Canon Production
In his final affinity dialogue following the quest “Blind Betrayal,” Danse articulates his frustration regarding his position in the world. With his entire reality shaken and his identity called into question, Danse understandably feels anxious about what this means for him moving forward. He expresses that, for the first time, he lacks a sense of purpose or direction, leading him to question the authenticity of his memories. This may foreshadow a rather grim future for Danse; however, the CHAD A Fallout 76 Podcast production titled “Death Shroud: A Nick Valentine Mystery” provides a glimpse into a potential life beyond Fallout 4.
With Peter Jessop reprising his iconic role in the play, Death Shroud offers a glimpse into a potential future for Danse’s personal life. The narrative hints that Danse and the default female Sole Survivor, Nora, may have had a romantic relationship, as Codsworth suggests that Danse should resume his duties as the “man of the house.” While the numerous outcomes of Fallout 4 and the reality-bending events of Death Shroud are not officially canon, it paints a hopeful picture of Danse reclaiming his life after the betrayal by Maxson.
Source: CHAD A Fallout 76 Podcast/YouTube
