The Tragic Lore of Fallout’s New California Republic

The New California Republic is perhaps the Fallout Universe's most iconic faction. With its origins in Vault 15 and Shady Sands, the NCR's history begins in Fallout 1 and has continued throughout the franchise, even past the Amazon Prime TV Show.
Today, we explore its full story.

[@TheEpicNate315]

I’ve been up for like 30 hours haha. I’ll see ya gremlins tomorrow when I wake up to check the comments 👈👈😎

[@GuardianNamick]

Get some sleep man you deserve it!

[@coopernicus2001]

Sleep well pookie bear

[@malarkeysquad3845]

You are officially my most favorite KZbinr, bro you make the best videos

[@ScootsMcPoot]

Only 30 hours? Todd Howard stays up 45 hours a day every day. No wonder you're falling off.

[@camdenmaclaren]

I appreciate you ❤

[@loyalistmundicomedentisdux9538]

"If the legion breaks through our defenses, I've got one bullet I'm saving just for me" - Every other NCR Trooper

[@CallofFreaky]

We won’t go quietly. The legion can count on that

[@theelectro6812]

@@CallofFreaky i mean... the gunshot will make a noise lol

[@TheEpicNate315]

@@loyalistmundicomedentisdux9538 That’s such an ominous line 🥺

[@notjaisavage740]

Better dead than a slave to the red

[@XoxoKawaiiGirl]

New Vegas was the best fallout. I'd love to see a New Vegas 2.

[@lucienmoolman8017]

Considering how suicidal most of the NCR soldier were during the battle of Hoover dam, I'm surprised they survived that long

[@Masterhitman935]

The first battle or second?

[@jakespacepiratee3740]

Uh i think they just don’t want to be tortured

[@hengineer]

Or the battle of Helios 1. Apparently they had a lot of casualties there, too

[@CallofFreaky]

Well if they lost the dam there wouldn’t be an NCR anymore

[@hengineer]

@@CallofFreaky not necessarily. You do realize they still hold all of southern California at least

[@olesmokey3023]

Bro is makin movies now, the videos were long but the intro and whole animation style is absolutely amazing, props

[@xXBaphometXx666]

“There is no future in the Bear or Bull. The Bear is diseased, barely clings to life. And the Bull… when the Legion reaches the sea, it will turn on itself and die. Killing one will end both.”

[@johnecoapollo7]

It was so diseased...that they had to nuke it's capital to stop it. Why people take Ulysses seriously is beyond me. He's just a dude that deals with the hurt he was dealt with by trying to justify it somehow...and the way he chooses is bullshit.

[@James-thefogiscoming]

“Bear Bull Bear Bull Bear Bull Bear Bull” suck my Anti-Material Rifle Ulysses. I ain’t listening to all that

[@danlaskey6743]

@@James-thefogiscomingwait a second he’s definitely onto something don’t do that 😭

[@Robert_D_Mercer]

@@danlaskey6743 let em cook lmao

[@hengineer]

Ulysses is a self important narcissistic blowhard. I literally just finished NV, including Lonesome Road. Ulysses literally just saw us delivering a package and created a huge fanfic backstory in his head about us from just that one act. Then created a huge elaborate scheme to nuke the enemy of the clan that destroyed his own family. You think he would want to destroy the Legion, but nope. We're only given that option at the end once we deal with Ulysses.

[@asupremetab1617]

"Patrolling the Mojave almost makes you wish for a nuclear winter" -every NCR patrolman ever

[@av812bbbb]

even the desk workers be saying that

[@TheDoomSlayerButPettingaCat]

Well, they got their wish.

[@Spongebrain97]

I recently played Fallouts 1 and 2 for the first time and they really enhance New Vegas. It's one thing to know the lore of the NCR but it's another thing to be in Shady Sands and in the other settlements and see how the future nation grew little by little. It's pretty surreal that the NCR arose from an isolated farming community and settlements like Junktown, The Hub and the LA Boneyard which had all of these internal problems but were able to overcome them

[@redlight3932]

Uniting LA should be seen as a miracle

[@KiwiSpartan01]

Vault 15, home of the NCR

[@christophertownsend3820]

My man. I have played all numbered Fallout games as they came out. New Vegas enhances the entire series.

[@cruvensilverwing7948]

Man good time. When the show had it nuked I was sad. I helped the town grow into the ncr. Made it longer than most apocalypse civilizations.

[@MrAshCarr]

Always an impressive achievement given how miserable the first 2 games were to actually play, even by the standards of their time.

[@liamwaddleton]

using phrases like " records on the subject are murky, all we know is that there's a second Battle of Hoover dam" etc. It's just really great because it keeps the immersion going and makes it feel like you're watching a documentary while still keeping the ambiguous player chosen stuff about the lore up to the viewer of the video / player. It's a really creative and stylish way of writing that I always look forward two for these videos. Keep up the great work, looking forward to more :)

[@Maxthekillbot]

There's another fallout lore youtuber called Synonymous who does this too it leaves it open to the viewer, while still explaining everything.

[@rougeofda21stcentury]

or, and here me out now, its because the next season of the fallout show, according to the hollywood pansy ass big wigs, is directly dealing with New Vegas in "film" after the events of the game. They've already adamantly maintained that the show is canon to the entirety of fallout ruling like 75% of the Sole Survivor's and Courier's endings nonexistent. By the Prydwen being in tact it means that either the Sole Survivor went with the Brotherhood or Minutemen, and from just the brief that we've seen of New Vegas it seems that either House's ending or NCR's ending are canon. My bet is going to be on a variation of House's ending for FNV because then the libshit producers can say "muh capitalism bad and everything needs to be a 1:1 vote" and somehow Lucy is gonna kill/disable House and the courier is gonna fuck off back to the divide or conveniently be in the Big Empty while this is all going on.

[@MistyCullen]

​@@rougeofda21stcenturybreathe dude

[@marvelerful1]

Learning more about President Kimball makes me feel not so bad for murdering him in so many playthroughs tbh lmao

[@NarwhaI95]

One head may be struck down, but the other will bite and fight until the end. The NCR shall not fade quietly into the night.

[@Ranger_Brutus]

The NCR is quite literally just like the United States, too big to fall even if a single city is destroyed, if DC is destroyed for example there is still government and command structure elsewhere. The sign also says the FIRST capital of the NCR implying after New Vegas it was moved, possibly to a bigger city

[@monkeymoment6478]

@@Ranger_Brutus This is some NeoCon level coping ngl. The whole point of the NCR is that they are a corrupt state repeating the mistakes of the former US. Too big to fall? Nothing is too big to fall.

[@levisearls360]

hell yeah, we will not fall quietly. NCR for life.

[@lumisussy]

We'll always have something the Legion doesn't. Super cool ranger armor

[@shiningamaterasu2579]

@@Ranger_Brutus Not really in how the wasteland is, the reason why most of the massive empires before travel got faster collapsed was due to lack of the ability to effectively enforce the capitals rule. The US has the benefit on not existing in that era and not getting massive till about the invention of the telegraph.

[@covenantfreak]

Fantastically done. The allegory of American politics, is laid out as simply as anyone could ask, and a modestly excellent primer for the Fallout show season 2. Excellent. I'm proud of your work here, and thankful for the many hours of free Skyrim and Fallout lore content that preceded it. Keeping myself and other's thinking of our favourite fantasy on lonely nights, and revealing secrets otherwise not connected. It may be a bit much, but truly a magnum so far.

[@ThisIsMyYouTubeAccount1]

Fallout show 🤢🤮

[@MattnessLP]

Kimball showing us once again what is so prevalent through history and fiction: Great military leaders don't necessarily make for good statesmen.

[@justanotheraccounthere2014]

Not sure NCR education will cover how much of the pre-war history. If not, let's just say that much of its voter base could be easily manipulated by political campaigns.

[@EnemyAtom65]

Skyrim Legion:

[@Brother_O4TS]

Then there's Karl Franz, Prince and Emperor. We ignore End Times

[@Brother_O4TS]

Also Napoleon, but he had help from other people

[@EnemyAtom65]

@@Brother_O4TS Yes but that's why we remember them. They were exceptions, not the norm.

[@someguy1865]

I just shouted outside my building window in NYC "TheEpicNate dropped another video!", and someone responded with "Fallout or Skyrim?!"

[@successindarkness]

Lol

[@8loodyrain]

I need to make this clear, this is by far the best fallout lore video ever made. I truly believe this, you really outdone yourself Nate. Telling it like it’s actual history is perfect and the editing is perfect. I hope to see more videos like this. Keep up the great work.

[@OwenHolt-lo9nc]

Let’s all give Nate a huge round of applause for the amazing performance over these great couple of years! Thanks so much for all of the great content and entertainment! 🎉

[@Nikaiss]

ITS NATE HES FUCKEN BACK LETS GOOOO

[@Billyboi76]

Patrolling the Mojave almost makes you wish a new TheEpicNate video. This is not meant to be a hate comment this is meant to be a parody of the meme "patrolling the Mojave almost makes you wish for a nuclear winter".

[@justsomeperson8806]

I can't tell if this is a hate comment or not

[@donovanfaust3227]

This comment needs further editing to be read more clearly.

[@gagewarner6502]

I liked/appreciated it.

[@Enward834]

What's up guys! It's your boy! Here to day to talk to you about how this is a historic comment! Ready to tell you FUTURE historians that THIS comment and comment responses is a TOTALLY.. ABSOLUTE PRODUCT OF ITS TIME.....

[@TheEpicNate315]

@@Billyboi76 haha it was a funny comment no offense taken!

[@1Samsonyte]

All the jet in fallout couldn’t keep me up for 30 hours. You’re a dedicated artist.

[@about37kids42]

Thanks for giving me something to listen to at work!!!! Love the videos!!!

[@Topher990]

Wow I’ve been looking everyday for a new video and it’s finally here! And a banger as always🙏🏼

[@johnliii3145]

Been waiting for a video like this after the show ! Great job Nate thanks for staying up bro !

[@danbauer3669]

Oh, man! Nate put up something new so now I have to watch this... thanks a bunch!!!

[@agent47666]

Well done Nate. This is awesome. I love deep lore dives like this. Great work by everyone 👍👍

[@Artycular]

Dude this video quality is insanely good, keep up the work nate, cannot wait to see what you come up with in the future!

[@saltyy_cinnabunne]

so glad you made a vid like this i’ve been needing a full ncr docuvid to show my friends who’ve never played fallout why the show had me genuinely tweaking

[@blackpiranaha525]

damn man you been putting in work on these recent videos. loving the hustle but dont burn yourself out bro!

[@amampathak]

This was so interesting to watch! Loved how you explored fallout lore.

[@Slab_city_ghost_702]

Thank you for all your hard work Nate .

[@chrisrose_krii_lun_aus]

Great to see you upload again Nate. Hope all is well.

[@SGM260190]

Your videos are usually great but this one felt like you turned things up to 11! The intro in particular was very cool and felt well polished ❤

[@Fozzyvid]

Nate! This is one of the best Fallout video I have ever watched. You can see the love and care you put into your research and video making. Keep up the amazing work.

[@Jacoren_v13]

It is always a good day when a new video comes out on nates channel

[@ColtonKooymans]

Very high quality, good job!

[@cheylikespie]

YEAHH BOI damn dude your production quality has gone crazy great job

[@halobrood]

Perfect to listen to while I work away, thanks again Nate.

[@ancientgamer3645]

Always a pleasure to watch your videos. Thanks for sharing. Great work.💯👍👍

[@theslayergameplayer6242]

New fallout lore video to fall asleep to on a Friday? Is it Christmas already🤩

[@florenceallison8159]

Long time fan of your Elder Scrolls work ☺and just barely got into Fallout 😊I love listening to your videos, because you can tell how much work you put into them!

[@MasterDamien616]

It's a good day any day Epic Nate drops a vid. Much love and appreciation my guy.

[@Gleepo]

Another day another banger fallout video from Nate!

[@-MacabreDystopia-]

Nate, I've been watching your content for some time now but holy hekkin atom dude, you nailed it this time. Far better than I expected and any of your past videos.

[@DBlairMusic]

Holy crap, man. This video is on another level. Well done.

[@catimakittycat3849]

my man. thanks for uploading me and my friends were just talking about your vids a while ago

[@tinynichols3933]

Loved that so very much great work Nate

[@n2da9]

Thank you so much! Been waiting all week

[@ProdTylerHerrera]

love this video. Would love more videos like this

[@Amizare1]

Great vid Nate. Amazing work.

[@noderoad]

Absolutely brilliant work Nate. Insane how the views aren’t at least 4x higher

[@raisedmilehigh6342]

That was fantastic, Nate! The later portions could use some editing- I know you probably can't show stuff from the Amazon show, but during the portions explaining the events of the show, having some B-roll footage instead of just the Caesar throne would probably help a little- I honestly thought the video on my tablet was fouled up for some reason. But the research here, the enormous amount of detail and the obvious love for the material... edits aside, this is probably the best video you've done yet. Loved every minute, thank you!

[@theeutecticpoint]

An excellent video, well done!

[@cossakrose]

...and when humanity needed him most, Nate returned.

[@thomasbrantley5667]

Doing this in the context of a historical documentary is just perfect.

[@ethancowles6061]

Nate, Nate never changes. Always top tier content!

[@dizzyrebel4584]

I needed this right now ! Thank you

[@ilanamoon5249]

I love your videos, so calming

[@martinpargiello9214]

Hey Nate it’s guys here. Love receiving new videos from you 👍

[@Listening_Books12345]

This really helped clear up a few things for me, specifically why the NCR cared so desperately about gold mining in Redding in Fallout 2. I know there's a whole campaign in Redding, and that the NCR wanted access to the mines but I didn't internalize that NCR had moved to the gold standard.

[@amampathak]

Brilliant work!

[@Echolon]

THE NCR FLAG WILL NEVER FALL ‼️‼️‼️

[@Imperial.Soldier]

Internal corruption will eventually cause it to fall

[@LewisB3217]

@@Imperial.Soldier what corruption? The Brahmin barons??

[@guerillagorilla4423]

​@@LewisB3217Bruh

[@deloreandmc88]

Aaand the cucks are going wild with the terrible TV series hype!

[@benunder50]

The Brahmin barons Regaining power is due to people, losing faith in the NCR due to the corruption and its failing currency system. Go play through new Vegas and listen to the political discussions

[@adrianmiller4020]

Videos like this. This is why you are the best. Hands down!

[@JVax6485]

Thank you, I like the way you explain stuff and idk anything about the ncr. Have a good day

[@elblah9721]

Thank you for what you do, Nate. 🖖

[@LadyJaneOut]

Hello I'm a long time subscriber just wanted to let you know how much I have loved your content over the years

[@javelin_if]

This has been a fantastic year for Nate vids

[@Dbanks700]

Great job

[@linkmaster555]

I always love seeing a new nate video!

[@kritizismmusics9737]

I appreciate this one nate

[@minty7297]

yay new video this day just got a whole lot better

[@johnathantiemann619]

That felt like the longest 6 days ever😂 Love the content

[@teresauplinger1601]

Thank you for this cohesive history lesson...now it all makes sense 😉☺️👍!

[@Quaila]

As a Californian, this level of painstaking devoted attention to my glorious people will get you everywhere

[@Kainlarsen]

This new lore is, frankly, bullshit. Just sounds like a bad DM's "rocks fall, everybody dies" asspull.

[@BenWillock]

I love how this video is exactly 1:13:23 and not a second longer. That was the perfect time to stop the video, good call Nate. 👏

[@iangingras4428]

Great video!

[@Chris.Barbosa]

Man this video is great!!

[@ER78A]

Somehow, this video seems particularly timely considering the state of things in a certain location.

[@everettw.9610]

Honestly, just considering the state of things in general

[@yurizacharov9236]

Is something going on in California?

[@dorugoramon0518]

@@yurizacharov9236 Sadly, there always is.

[@cristobalcuervoyrigoyen5196]

You should do a Brotherhood of Steel video like this one! Love it!

[@Nvowti]

Awesome work man. Appreciate the work you put into these videos.

[@dundalkbullzboy]

Got a 12 hour shift at work and i find this gem to pass the first hour 20 of the shift.

[@kingofthedumb1935]

Whenever he post a vid you know it's a good day

[@CommunistHydra]

The fact that they combined the boneyard and shady sands into one city is a crime.

[@markricheard1870]

The fact that Fallout 1 put LA in the completely wrong place than where it is IRL is a crime.

[@CommunistHydra]

@@markricheard1870 huh

[@CommunistHydra]

@@markricheard1870 Shady Sands isn't a real place IRL lol? I'm talking about how the boneyard and shady sands are two completely different cities in the lore.

[@LewisB3217]

Shady sands isn’t at the boneyard in the show?? We haven’t even seen the boneyard itself?

[@CommunistHydra]

@@LewisB3217 the boneyard is los angeles you dunce. The whole show takes place in LA hence the final battle.

[@colonagray2454]

The Brotherhood has been on the path to becoming the antagonists of the series for a while now. It's only a matter of time before they go beyond the point of no return

[@aaronlaughter6471]

From the game FNV itself tells us about the NCR, it was not doing good back home, to the point the NCR losing at Hoover Dam would in my opinion do the NCR more good in the long run then a victory.

[@covenantfreak]

EpicNate dropped a feature length NCR video. Didn't know I was getting wrecked tonight.

[@garryuyahoo]

Okay, that intro was badass

[@nathanlynch9634]

I love your videos so much.

[@Techstriker1]

Love this lore videos!

[@scotty5789]

Great video man. The NCR had a lot of problems like corruption,being spread to thin, crop problems and a growing legion they seemed to been doomed at some point.

[@CommunistHydra]

Then where is the legion?

[@scotty5789]

@@CommunistHydraI’m going to go ahead and say the legion did lose but get pushed back. Because the legion is based off of the Roman republic a new person claiming to be an emperor will step up. Im actually hoping we see them next season

[@CommunistHydra]

@@scotty5789 I'm going to paraphrase Marcus and Joshua Graham. Only Ceasar can lead the legion, the legion is doomed once he dies. Chief Hanlon agrees when you tell him that Caesar is dead, thats why he agrees to stop sabotaging the NCR in the return to sender quest. But hey, I'm just using established lore. Feel free to theorize.

[@LewisB3217]

The NCR is better off than the legion, that’s why the legion is dead and the ncr isn’t

[@LewisB3217]

@@scotty5789 the legion is based on Caesar, it’s a cult of personality. It’s not based the rest of Rome, when Caesar dies, the tribes will tear each other apart without their leader, and that’s likely what happened since no one helped Caesar with his tumor

[@flyinhighgaming5756]

Great video

[@spencerprieur7951]

“I’ve got one bullet I’m saving just for me”

[@nicoslvt6768]

WOOHOO new nate video to fall asleep too 🙏🙏 AND it's on my favorite fallout faction let's goooo

[@perihelion1225]

New video, LET’S GOOO!

[@DanteWTF]

I AM EXCITE! How is it that like 10 years later I am still learning and loving these?

[@Therighteagle]

Nate your awesome truly one of the best Bethesda/fallout KZbinrs

[@CodexisInkwind]

Great video as always Nate! Just makes me so sad to listen to this amazing build up, only to have the show basically kill the entire NCR as a faction off screen 😓

[@csb78nm]

Truly epic, Nate!

[@kylestonelake414]

You’re a legend Nate I would go to the movie theatre to see your newest vids they belong in the MoMA

[@Jerga27]

Thanks for taking the time to break down such a lengthy subject! I wish this video existed back when the show came out for the new fans 😅 but it's here now, and you all did a great job

[@taitos12]

This is the GOAT 🐐 of Fallout Channels and Nate is Epic 🤘🏻😂

[@1m_everywhere]

i didnt know u left but lets goooo