The History of FALLOUT’s New California Republic

Players first heard about the NCR and its capital city Shady Sands at the end of the original Fallout video game. The New California Republic then appeared in Fallout 2, which takes place on the West Coast. The powerful government was also mentioned in the franchise’s third and fourth installments, but it played a major role in Fallout: New Vegas.

At the start of Fallout: New Vegas the NCR controlled the Hoover Dam and had an alliance with Mr. House, the ruler of New Vegas. The status of the powerful imperialistic government by the end of the game depends on the player’s choices. You can read more about Fallout: New Vegas, Mr. House, and the game’s alternate endings with our deep dives into each.

Fallout’s New Vegas, Explained—from The Games To The Series
Who Is Mr. Robert House in FALLOUT? The History of New Vegas, Explained

Why The Fallout Series Won’t Have To Choose Between New Vegas’ Four Endings

How Did the NCR Begin? Who Founded the New California Republic?

The NCR, whose official flag is a version of the original California state flag that features a two-headed bear, can trace its origins back overcrowding in Vault-15. Most members of the highly diverse underground bunker left the vault behind in 2097 to live on the surface. There they used Vault-Tec technology to build flourishing, self-sustaining communities, one of which was Shady Sands (established in 2142). The town was led by former Vault dweller Aradesh, who ensured the community’s safety by defeating local tribes of raiders (some of which came consisted of his old Vault 15 cohorts).

With the aid of his daughter Tandi, Aradesh oversaw Shady Sands’ growing prosperity. Then, in 2186, Shady Sands and other nearby communities formed a trial council government with the aim of ultimately forming a functioning republic. Three years later, five “states” signed a formal constitution creating the New California Republic. Aradesh would serve as the first President for a nation that would go on to become the biggest, most powerful government in North America since The Great War.

Aradesh was the first President of the NCR, but he mysteriously vanished seven years into his presidency. His disappearance is especially notable because he was a) interested in the abandoned Vault-13 and b) this is a world where people can show up later/live for centuries as a ghoul, a brain plugged into a computer, in life-support pods, or be woken up from stasis.

After he was declared dead his daughter Tandi served as his successor for 52 years. Three other presidents (at least) served after Tandi, who had been a truly transformational leader.

What Was the NCR’s Form of Government in Fallout?

The New California Republic was just that, a federal democratic republic based on the former United States. A President of the executive branch (called the Council) served as its head of state. The NCR also had a senate elected directly by citizens. Members of Congress then elected the President, Vice President, and the executive cabinet to five-year terms with no term limits. Despite being a democracy that included a judiciary that enforced the government’s laws, NCR Presidents often met little pushback in implementing their policies.

The NCR had easy and direct immigration laws and processes (for non-violent people), which helped grow its number of official citizens. It also had a a formal process for tribes and communities to join, which expanded its borders. The New California Republic also had a powerful, advanced, standing military consisting of both volunteers and conscripted members.

And the diverse and welcoming nation protected non-citizens and non-humans alike. It welcomed mutants and ghouls into the country, where NCR laws and courts protected them even before they became formal citizens. The republic, which passed equality laws banning nearly all forms of discrimination, also strictly enforced the separation of church and state, but non-violent religions were freely permitted to practice.

The government even had a Department of State to establish formal ties and communications with other governments and groups. And it also built roads, trains, forts, and other forms of infrastructure, all of which it supported with a formal currency.

What Was Life Like for Citizens of the NCR?

After only a century, which saw it defeat the Brotherhood of Steel in direct combat, the NCR firmly established itself as a beacon of the wasteland. Its more than 700,000 citizens (a massive population) enjoyed a high quality of life. The NCR came closest to recreating life of pre-war America. It established a working society of laws that offered people both healthcare and an economy that provided a variety of careers and lifestyles for people to pursue. The technologically advanced NCR gave people the chance not just to survive like others in a post-war world, but to thrive.

The NCR’s growth and prosperity brought new problems with it, however. It changed from a communal society where people worked for free to one where some citizens became driven by greed and self-interest. That was also true of the government itself, which sought to expand its borders without consent.

What Areas Did the NCR Control?

At its apex, the drug-free, slavery-free, sex-work-free NCR expanded its borders from southern California all the way north into Oregon. It also expanded into Nevada and the Mojave desert, only not all of its eastward movement was given freely by people asking to join. The NCR adopted an imperialistic expansionist policy. That led it to take control of the Hoover Dam, though it did not try to conquer New Vegas. Instead it entered into an alliance with the city, which it also aimed to protect.

The Hoover Dam was a source of clean water and energy, both of which greatly enhanced the quality of life for NCR citizens. But the damn also exemplified the New California Republic’s new militaristic approach to achieving its otherwise benevolent goals. And the Second Battle of Hoover Dam (the conclusion of Fallout: New Vegas) showed not everyone was willing to accept NCR rule without a fight.

That included one group that had spent years secretly planning to rule the surface itself.

What Did Fallout Season 1 Reveal about Shady Sands?

Fallout: New Vegas—set 15 years prior to Prime Video’s canonical show—said Shady Sands was still standing strong during the events of the game. Yet Fallout season one revealed the town had been destroyed four years prior to the Second Battle of Hoover Dam. (The series’ creators have said that apparent discrepancy has an official explanation we’ll learn about eventually.)

Hank MacLane and his cohorts at Vault-Tec dropped a nuclear bomb on the city to stop it from reestablishing civilization on the surface before Vault-Tec could. The destruction of Shady Sands also suggests its government also died in the blast, as it was the location for both the NCR President and the Hall of Congress.

That blast might have destroyed the NCR forever. But there’s just as much reason to be hopeful about its survival as there is to despair over its fate.

What Happened to Moldaver and the NCR in Fallout Season 1?

We don’t know exactly how many government officials died in the Shady Sands blast. We don’t even actually know if the NCR’s borders have greatly shrunk since Fallout: New Vegas. However, things don’t exactly look good for the New California Republic. Moldaver (who might have been its newest President) was leading a much smaller NCR out of the old Griffith Observatory in the former Los Angeles. Was that tiny retinue all that remained of the once powerful NCR? If so it’s now gone. Moldaver and all her forces died when the Brotherhood of Steel attacked and took control of her cold fusion technology. (A source of unlimited power that makes the Hoover Dam seem inconsequential.)

But not all hope is lost for the NCR, even if Hank’s vile monster leader who helped him destroy Shady Sands now controls New Vegas. The New California Republic had established outposts throughout its borders. It had a military, resources, technology, and many citizens who’d built quality lives for themselves thanks to the NCR. Even without Shady Sands the nation had the infrastructure it needed to withstand an attack and quickly rebuild.

Is the New California Republic Gone Forever on Fallout?

The NCR might not exist anymore. Or there might be more than just remnants of the NCR still operating. It might have just moved its politicians and military somewhere else. At the very least it has at allies out there. (Someone helped Moldaver.) If it still exists in anyway it could be the one group powerful enough to save the world. It could stand against both the Brotherhood and Vault-Tec.

More importantly, it might be the only group that can do something revolutionary. It could help mankind establish a truly free and just society for everyone. Hopefully this time, it will only do that with people that want to join.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist who wonders if the NCR had good fish tacos. You can follow him on Twitter and Bluesky at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.