One of the main charms of Bethesda games is that you never know what story awaits you around the corner. In Fallout 4, every corner of the devastated wasteland can hide a narrative capable of surprising you, moving you, or inviting you to reflect. Sometimes, what seems like a simple encounter with a super mutant can end up touching your sensitive side. A good example of this is the case of Swan, a tragic character whose sad story begins with something as simple as stealing a pack of cigarettes.
The super mutant named Swan is one of the most imposing and terrifying figures in Fallout 4. His monstrous appearance and colossal size make him a memorable enemy, but what few players expect is to discover that his story has a rather dramatic origin. This super mutant, whom many face without a second thought, actually has a past that connects him to one of the most emotional plots of the game. And it all starts with a small slip that condemned him to his tragic fate.
Swan’s Story: A Bitter Fate Due to a Trivial Theft
Before becoming the behemoth that ravages the Commonwealth, Swan was a man named Edgar Swann, an ordinary human who made the mistake of stealing a pack of cigarettes. This minor offense, although insignificant to many, had enormous repercussions in Swann’s life. In an attempt to commute his sentence, Swann was arrested and subjected to cruel experiments by The Institute, which sought to turn humans into super mutants.
The Institute, a secret scientific organization, used him as a guinea pig in their Forced Evolutionary Virus (FEV) experiments. These experiments drastically altered his body and mind, transforming him into the fearsome giant we know as Swan. The result was not only a radical physical change, but also a complete deformation of his psyche, leading him to a life of isolation and loneliness in the middle of a pond in Boston.
A Nod to Flowers for Algernon and The Ugly Duckling
Swan’s story bears certain similarities to the classic tale Flowers for Algernon, a touching work written by Daniel Keyes in 1959. This story tells the tale of Charlie Gordon, a man with intellectual disabilities who undergoes a scientific experiment that dramatically increases his intelligence. Initially, Charlie experiences a remarkable improvement and begins to enjoy a new life, full of discoveries and understanding. However, over time, he realizes that the process is temporary, and his intelligence starts to decline, bringing him back to his original condition, but now fully aware of what he has lost.
Of course, the character’s aesthetics also nod to the story of The Ugly Duckling, as his relationship with the rest of mutants also parallel this classic tale by Hans Christian Andersen that unveils the swan attacked by his deformed body. Bethesda doesn’t “leave a stone unturned.”
Flowers for Algernon: 86 (Alamut Serie Fantástica)
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Bethesda is a developer with a masterful talent for creating open worlds full of unexpected stories and complex characters. Swan’s narrative is just an example of how the developer uses seemingly simple elements, like a pack of cigarettes, to build subplots full of meaning whose trigger can be as random as an encounter with a strange creature.
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