Grayditch's Biggest Mystery | Fallout Lore

In today’s video I’m going to talk about Dr Weston Lesko, the scientist in Grayditch, and how he came to possess a sample of the illustrious Forced Evolutionary Virus. Now, Dr Lesko can be found in The Capital Wasteland, living in the small, dilapidated town of Grayditch. Beneath the streets of which, is Marigold station, where the scientist can be seen working on his latest endeavour. That is to save The Wasteland from giant mutated ants. Lesko seeks to return the giant ants back to their original puny Pre-War size by genetically manipulating their egg broods. Although Lesko's experiments didn’t actually start until November 2276, when he arrived at Grayditch. After which he employed the townsfolk to help build a small shack and while a few of them did humour him, such as Fred and Bryan Wilks, who also allowed him to stay at their home while the shack was being built, others, like William Brandice, rejected his offer. Shortly after the shack was complete Lesko finally got to put his theories into practice when he discovered a colony of ants underneath Marigold station. As a result of this discovery Lesko moved below ground and set up a field lab from which he could easily access the ant eggs, inject them with various concoctions made with FEV and then monitor the results. And for a time things were fine, that was until the ants started to grow even larger, they became more aggressive, intelligent and developed pyrosis, the ability to spit fire.
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[@megatronjenkins2473]

MY DUDE!!! THANK YOU!!! You've earned yourself a place in my mighty Decepticon Army!!!! (hands you a phased-plasma cannon)

[@theghostfacekza4549]

Thanks for helping make a great video

[@megatronjenkins2473]

@@theghostfacekza4549 (bows in Decepticon)

[@operator8014]

In the 40 watt range?

[@megatronjenkins2473]

@operator8014 yeah, but can be tinkered with

[@killzoneisa]

You just want to get your hands on some F.E.V for yourself don't you?

[@klaykid117]

You know when you think about it. Realistically, the giant ants are probably the most dangerous creature in the wasteland, especially if they start breeding at the rate normal ants do. I can just imagine them swarming all over a deathclaw that's a threat to the hive. Honestly, eventually it'll be their world with everyone else, just living in it

[@drkalowski256]

i wish there were more fire ants in the wasteland. I'm tired of fighting rad scorpions and albino ones! Under Springvale elementary raiders are using wastelanders to dig under Megaton. but dug into a bunch of ants

[@Andrew-li6ie]

Grounded is a good ant fighting simulator

[@PhoenicopterusR]

Reminds me of Adrian Tchaikovsky's book, Children of Time.

[@Waylonpark13]

I was disappointed there weren’t no giant ants in Fo4

[@samuelmcaleer3945]

Not enough food to maintain a colony that could rival a deathclaw nest unless they start cultivating livestock live some ants do now

[@shawnadams1965]

Ahhh Grayditch's Fire Ants. The first serious rude awakening for a new player. Located close to the vault exit and Megaton, one of the first lessons in save often and in different slots.

[@____________838]

Between them and the Raiders in that school… Ugh.

[@Synonymous101]

Now I know what a TV dinner feels like.

[@DodgeWatt]

Bzzzt.

[@Slenderslayer351]

You know that one of the resident of Grayditch was a former Enclave soldier (Can't remember his name) Edit: Nevermind, you knew 😅

[@skullydoggo]

Do you take requests for topics? If so, I actually want to know what the pip-boy is and how it works. And the history of course

[@thegreatpapyrus2306]

@@skullydoggoI second this, that’d be a cool video

[@codymcgrath2.3bviews3secon7]

Third that

[@michaelsauls3674]

You know it's bad when GIANT ANTS are a minor annoyance.

[@cinnamonflavord]

I'm pretty sure even Fantastic would realize that FEV would make things bigger not smaller

[@NV..V]

Fantastic knows all... Lol

[@treswolves5512]

Fantastic is currently working on making sunlight permanent. He doesn’t have time to waste on something so trivial as FEV.

[@drkalowski256]

"oh you've startled me!" *Turns lesko into laser dust*

[@myoptik3x103]

Man, all of the play throughs I’ve done, and I never realized that Lesko was using FEV.

[@Wojtek_Ch]

I'll make sure the Overseer hears about this.

[@Roz4628]

Wouldn't the Institute be just as luckily as the Enclave? Lesko follows all the patterns we see of them in Fallout 4, anti social, large amount of resources out of nowhere, and experiments with no remorse for who gets hurt. We have even seen two Institute staff feel or be exiled while in possession of FEV in Fallout 4.

[@MillieBlackRose]

Wonder what he got exiled for. His annoying voice and mannerisms.

[@richardiv385]

Lesko could be a former institute scientist who was banished, but snuck away with newly discovered FEV he was working on for his own experiments. His lack of concern for the people of Grayditch certainly matches their attitude

[@mikoto7693]

But here’s my question… where did the Institute get FEV from?

[@Roz4628]

@@mikoto7693 Its been retconned that before the war, there were strains of imperfect FEV that the Master later perfected. The green mutants from Fallout 4 and Fallout 76 are examples of this imperfect prewar strain.

[@mikoto7693]

@@Roz4628 Right, where did the Institute get the samples? Prewar they studied robotics, not biology so they shouldn’t have been given any. I’ve thought of a solution of course. Fallout 76 takes place only 26 years after the Great War with super mutants coming from West Tek and the waters of Huntersville. Some mutants left Appalachia and travelled all the way to Boston over the next 100 years. Then the Institute agents or Gen1/2 synths came across a dead super mutant and took FEV from that. They then mix Shaun’s DNA with FEV to create Gen3 synths after further modifying FEV. It neatly explains why the super mutants are so similar. The scientist in Nukaworld extracted FEV from a dead super mutant to create Gatorclaws so it’s lore friendly. But I think I put in more thought into it than Bethesda.

[@seanromine3932]

Well, at shale bridge there are the two ant colonies, one large ants and violent, the other smaller and docile. I always wondered if maybe Lesko had something to do with them. As far as the source of the FEV, I thought it would be worth mentioning that there is a small office building just a short distance from Grey Ditch with some beds, and ammo cashes but also a super mutant behind a...Very Hard locked gate, I think, in a room with tables with test tubes and such. May have been a rigged computer too, not sure, but Lesko could have gone there for his blood samples. Not terribly far away from the town is a Talon Company outpost in another line of buildings too, so might be connected.

[@____________838]

Good catch

[@itsorcacraft9037]

Even though I have only played 2 fallout games I just can't get enough of the lore

[@Youtubz12]

The originals are super cheap on Steam.

[@DodgeWatt]

The Lore is some of the best you will find! Well worth the play if you have free time.

[@Masonrytodger]

If you have a PC and game pass you can play all of them

[@thelootinmagpie1901]

What if he is actually from the institute, that's why he has fev

[@flakeyboy7009]

great day when synonymous uploads

[@NemFX]

The apples come from Harold. The tree on his head (and other ghouls that have something similar) create fruit; specifically apples. Harold is Fallout's Johnny Appleseed. He wanders the wasteland, his tree creates apples that fall off and take root.

[@DodgeWatt]

Man I wish that was cannon lol "The Legend of Harold Apple Seed"

[@NemFX]

@@DodgeWatt I mean, it hasn't been said outright, but it's true. Oasis was created by Harold. In the descriptions of Harold, especially end slides, it is canonically said that his fruits do grow roots.

[@megatronjenkins2473]

And there's an answer to my OTHER question I never thought of!!!! My day keeps getting better and better!!!! (hands you a phased-plasma cannon) welcome to my mighty Decepticon Army!!!

[@DodgeWatt]

@@NemFX There is nothing about Oasis that implies anything more than radiation is either causing it or the lack of is causing it, Oasis is just where Harold got stuck.

[@NemFX]

@@DodgeWatt uh, you might notice all the trees, coming from harold

[@SenKurosaki4444]

now hear me out, what if Dr. Lesko worked with Virgil and the Institute?

[@____________838]

That’s one of the easiest answers. All in all, FO3 had way too many graduates of schools of higher learning.

[@mikoto7693]

But where did the Institute get FEV from?

[@____________838]

@@mikoto7693 any number of wild sources, up to and including Super Mutants like Erickson

[@mikoto7693]

@@____________838 Hmm. The Institute was very isolated for its entire existence and started the FEV program about a hundred years before the start of FO4 and I can’t really think of where they’d get a sample from. With only Institute humans or Gen 1/2 synths to rely on, the nearest sources are Vault 87 in the Capitol Wasteland or Appalachia. That’s a long way from the Commonwealth. Honestly given super mutants first appeared in Appalachia 25 years after the Great War my best guess is that at least one Mutie travelled the hundreds of miles to the Commonwealth over the next century and that’s how the Institute got a sample of FEV. It would explain why they are so similar though I suspect I put more thought into it than Bethesda did.

[@____________838]

@@mikoto7693 I suspect you’re right on all accounts.

[@Matt-md5yt]

hey glad your talking about the Ant Guy. love the perk you get from him

[@JanoschNr1]

Ant vision or ant Strength?

[@Wojtek_Ch]

Ant penis

[@meandmeself]

​@@JanoschNr1Always go with Ant Sight over Ant Might perk myself

[@user-nx2ph2fy4q]

interesting story about willia. brandis. he could've played a major role in the story, sad that he was just killed by some ants...or dr lesko

[@____________838]

Brandis could’ve made an excellent companion, but sadly the companions in FO3 were all rather lackluster.

[@FreakiFreakenton]

​@@____________838 you take that back about Charon. He's a great guy.

[@____________838]

@@FreakiFreakenton I’m certain that Charon and Star both have great stories to tell. It’s just that they’re hardly told at all.

[@FreakiFreakenton]

@@____________838 That's fair, it would be pretty sweet if we learnt more about them. Like how did Charon end up there?

[@whimsy0451]

KZbin's most diligent Fallout loremaster returns. Thank you for your immense efforts mate. Cheers

[@BigBoyz33]

My favorite fallout channel to date. I appreciate the effort you put into these vids man

[@DodgeWatt]

His delivery is just on point!

[@Wojtek_Ch]

Thank you so much!

[@MillieBlackRose]

I was playing FNV while listening to this and was fighting the Deathclaws in the Gypsum Train Yard. And a lot of them are blind. And some are blind and small. It doesn't say young blind Deathclaws. It just says blind Deathclaws. Which makes me wonder if there is something in the area causing blindness and stunted growth.

[@ChartreuseDan]

Inhaling gypsum dust is bad for one's health. They're rolling around in a big pile of it all day every day

[@MillieBlackRose]

@@ChartreuseDan I just thought Gypsum was the name. Didn't realize it was a mineral. That makes a lot of sense.

[@oscars4608]

Keep up the great work Synonymous. The quality and attention to detail in your videos are unmatched and I love watching them ❤

[@Smartmouthgamer23rd]

Suggestion for next video, the guy who gaurds Moira Brown's shop in Megaton.

[@ItsCl1ps]

I appreciate you doing Grayditch Syn probably my favorite early game Fallout 3 quest

[@DodgeWatt]

Id have to agree that William Brandis deserted and took it with him with no real knowledge. That means we can hope for a story about who really used it in a future game. Well that's my hope.

[@AmathouC]

ITS THAT TIME

[@F.D.O.T.S.]

Long time Fan - once told you to do more lore vids when you started lol i love the lore videos you put out so glad to see your channel grow over the years Keep it up Bud -F.D.O.T.S.

[@FleyDragon]

First time I played this game Dr. Lesko opened the door right as I approached and he scared the shit out of me. There was even a dialog choice to say that. It was hilarious.

[@duanekc]

There's another angle to consider Doctor Lesko from: where did he get his training? FEV is a dangerous and complex virus to handle, and can cause rapid mutation in anything with which it comes in contact. How did Lesko know the procedures to keep himself safe and uninfected? How did he know how to build the equipment he used? I submit to you that Dr. Zimmer may not have been the only visitor to the Capital Wasteland from the Institute. We know they had an FEV program that had been ongoing for decades prior to the events of Fallout 3, and had not been getting significant results for some time, even before one Brian Virgil came to head up the project on April 10, 2286 (per the FEV lab reports). They are highly trained specialists, who know full well how to utilize existing tech and create new technologies when needed. I think it entirely possible that Dr. Zimmer and Armitage may have been after more than an escaped courser; they may have been tracking an Institute deserter.

[@katiebreeze2705]

I could see him being an enclave deserter from the west coast. Lots of Enclave could have gone MIA when the western Enclave fell, far too many to keep track of. And some of them did work on FEV projects, like studying Frank Horrigan or creating the strain they planned to cull all the wastelanders with

[@IllemDaFunk]

I recently played through this quest line! Your information's made it more interesting.

[@misteranderbro2328]

I think it would be funny if you did a video about lore in Fallout Shelter, and try to find where it fits in during F4

[@nooneinparticular5273]

There is something just absolutely hilarious about: "Okay, I went to Megaton, traded everything I have for this gun. Gonna handle these ants now. I got this." *Looks outside, sees ants light a building on fire* "... Dammit!"

[@codymcgrath2.3bviews3secon7]

Something I always wondered and I would love to see you explore is what were the super mutants looking for in DC? It’s mentioned a lot of times in game they are in DC looking for something but to the best of my knowledge it’s never confirmed. I’m assuming FEV but it would be cool to deep dive into it.

[@user-vl7nu5pr2e]

As much as I like lore videos, I find it difficult not to think that all of these empty spaces in the lore of Fallout 3/4 are more a consequence of the negligence and indifference from Bethesda themselves, particularly from the main writer Emil Pagliarulo. It really feels like he stopped giving a damn about narratives after (and during) Skyrim. I love your videos, though. ❤

[@thefabviking]

Fantastic video as always!

[@profunner4715]

Bro would have a grate life working for West tek in the per war days

[@westleyrichmond6302]

Keep up the great content

[@SlimothyNate3218]

Lesko soundin more like the predecessor of the Ant-Agonizer 😅😅 kinda unrelated but there’s 2 main strains of FEV. West coast and East coast. The pre war east coast strain’s details were shared among other HV scientists, so one could assume it wouldn’t be impossible for a smart guy to come across some notes and go insane, similar to how the west coast strain was “perfected” by The Master

[@mikoto7693]

Super mutant blood. Good enough explanation for me.

[@gunargundarson1626]

Always a good day when Synonymous uploads.

[@davidr1037]

Love your videos:)

[@Wojtek_Ch]

Thank you!

[@necrocat9514]

I think it's so interesting how they gave Dr Lesko such a unique voice

[@Rodclutcher]

Another great one!

[@VaciliNikoMavich]

“Doctor Lesko! What are we gonna do tonight?” *The Same Thing We Do Every Night! Accidentally Make Mutant Fire Ants, Thus Making Everyone’s Life Worse!*

[@nfrost1986]

Great video

[@dieselbreakfast]

President of your heart.

[@mcpossum]

Anything fantastic video *chef's kiss*

[@alexrennison8070]

Quest is just a movie reference.

[@TimW0918]

Them! 1954

[@kaidorade1317]

Anyone seen Grey? Yeah he’s dead in a ditch near Goodsprings. Damn Powder Gangers

[@Dealerofdeath1998]

Once again synonymous doesn't miss💯🤟🏽

[@vonfaustien3957]

He could have been ex enclave. Edan got an FEV sample from somewhere for his Curing 2.0 weapon so if Lesko was an ex enclave scientist maybe he smuggled it out. Other than that youve also got the west tek facility in Virginia or the insitute but seeing as he has no combat skill the idea he fought past an army of mutants to nab it from West tek or vault 87 seems a bit implausible.

[@johnnyyuma5747]

i love how you put more thought into these crackpot concepts than Bethesda did when they made the dungeons. this is the same level of tin foil hat thinking as Oxhorn the only difference is you havent attributed something to a mod you installed the way he did. as for Dr Lasko using FEV from a dead super mutant that means it wouldnt be pure FEV so prob wouldnt work its more likely Bethesda just thought it would be another wacky dungeon to explore

[@SmearyBridges]

Ox also asserts his opinions and generalizations as facts a lot of the time.

[@PunkRaider]

Dr. Lesko being spared should NOT be the good option. Letting him live to continue his experiments unabated is dangerous and he shows no remorse for the deaths his experiments caused.

[@raincalibur5591]

At long last the lord provides

[@dukefanshawe6815]

I still think Lesko is an Enclave scientist trying to weaponize the ants like they did the death claws.

[@wesleygolden1000]

Brian actually hid in the blue bomb shelter next to the diner. he literally tells you my man

[@Synonymous101]

He hides inside the pulowski shelter after, he tells you if you ask what happened.

[@alpharius365]

Yay good video time!!!

[@Rabid-Polyphia-Fan]

Good video. Gave me a lot to chew on. Never gave it much thought about where Lesko came from. I don't think that Brandies gave Lesko the virus. Actually FEV is present in all Life Forms on the surface. Not in large concentrations but it is there. This is the main reason The Enclave consider most of the Human race to be Muties. Not because of Radiation. I Like This quest. I rescue Bryan Wilkes and then I do all of Lesko's bidding. When the Ants are neutralized I kill Lesko and the Ant Queen.

[@XSilver_WaterX]

Even if Lesko wasn't an airhead scientist and explained more clearly what he was trying to study, four likely realities would pop up: a; more annoying work to try to make the ants into a farmable species for human to survive longer and probably get on the trader map. b; the residents of Greyditch would be more cautious of Lesko BECASUE of his lack of awareness and go to Rivet City for better training, mostly to get the unawareness out of his head. c; Wilks other neighbor for the sexy sleepwear quest did the stupid of inviting the raider buyer to Greyditch without tunnel access and Greyditch is force into siege mode towards a raider warband. d; Lesko is kicked out of Greyditch due to his overcomplicated and under-hostile themes that can prove to be a problem for the wasteland in the future, like what we do in f3 canon of squashing all the fire bugs on the surface. What else am I missing?

[@networkgamesadventures]

Great video 😊 pro

[@codymcgrath2.3bviews3secon7]

I didn’t even realise it was FEV wow

[@DmcFan1214]

Can you do a video if it's possible that courier could be the lone wanderer because theirs a picture of his or her parents in vault 21

[@jboy1181]

I’m of the idea he’s an ex enclave scientist as I swear there’s a terminal stating one of the residents in Greyditch was a former enclave soldier who left Nevaro I’m sure this is Brandice seeing his mistrust of Lesco it’s probably because if they were to recognise each other the Bos may come after them I could be wrong but feel the enclave rout is probably the best explanation for how Lesco obtained fev.

[@mortimerreed]

Started new game recently, gonna have to ignore this place until after I learn about FEV in game, see if that shakes anything up 🤔

[@Zerberrus1]

Hm, I assume that it is a researcher from the institute.

[@Annainculta]

pllleeeaaassseee make a discord server!!! been wishing for this since 2 years back 🙏

[@jakeschantz9081]

Dank!

[@warboss346]

I always liked the theory of him being an exile from the institute. His grasp and knowledge of science is way too advanced to be from the wasteland so he's definitely from a controlled environment(also explains his socially awkward demeanor), and the institute has a wing dedicated to fev research. So I'm guessing he presented his idea to the institute, they rejected it, and he decided to go off on his own while stealing some

[@JanoschNr1]

Where did it come from, where did it go? FEV's codename was Cotten Eye Joe!

[@kingjamesii404]

Where does the intro music to the channel come from?

[@anthonyanderson2108]

I like your videos

[@therankmaster9279]

Do cassino lore

[@The-three-eyed-Prophet]

#Respect for listening to all fallout fans !!! ...

[@saintjerome3298]

Damn, your cadence and voice are extremely similar to another youtube channel, Bedtime Stories.

[@twistedmetal04]

Aren't there fire ants in the mojave desert north of Helios 1? They also must be a product of FEV mutation, most likely done by the enclave. So my bet is that Lesko was a low ranking enclave scientist who deserted and stole a probe of the FEV from the enclave. Without knowing the full potential of the FEV he started experimenting with the virus in Grayditch and boom fire ants.

[@lo370]

Actually I have encountered one enclave soldier before doing the three dog quest. Ps 3 version

[@beebo236]

I'm not sure if you've ever thought of it, or are even interested in, but would you ever do a beginner's guide to Warhammer 40k?

[@joshmason2007]

I love synonymous 🎉🎉

[@ryelor123]

13:25 I'd like to see how to actually get rich quick morally.

[@ryelor123]

Why is Bryan Wilks wearing eye shadow?

[@funrun07haan50]

I heard a rumor of a friend once he siad new vegas was made tonalso be able tondrive a car but developers didnt had the time to inplement itnis that treu?

[@____________838]

Is FEV self replicating? Can it reproduce in any way?

[@theglitch_713]

"Kill those ants with fire!".... "Yo they spit fire!!!!".... "AH FACK! RETREAT!!!!!"

[@operator8014]

No more challenge runs? 😢

[@beesmokes8772]

You’re the best fallout lore content creator, that Epic Nate talks so annoying I can’t watch a full video of his

[@williamcurtis4686]

What if he got it from the institute he is a very scientific guy

[@RayAkuma]

I love how people in the fallout universe just keep trying to use FEV as a cure over and over and failing over and over. The definition of insanity.

[@fearlessretaliator4997]

Hi synonymous 😊

[@JoshuaKevinPerry]

I like selling Brian Wilks. He gets sooo triggered by it.

[@redbeast5839]

12:55

[@finnmckeown3267]

LETS GO

[@site7engineer]

can you make a video about fallout 76

[@shamusl.9132]

bababooey

[@Turtles21]

Yuo*

[@justinjg99]

Yippie

[@site7engineer]

Hi

[@beepboop9712]

Hewwo

[@ChrisHansen69]

I wanna be pinned 😢

[@megatronjenkins2473]

(pins you to the ground, my phased-plasma cannon at your head) Be careful what you wish for MUWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!

[@Wojtek_Ch]

I can pin you to the cross if you come closer