|
The highly anticipated television series based on the video game franchise Fallout was released this week. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, then I guess you haven’t been playing its many offerings over 26 years as I have. And if you do, then you probably also know that “highly anticipated” speaks not only to excitement, but the anxiety that it wouldn’t live up to the stories it’s told via its well-crafted world: a divergent, dystopic, retrofuturistic but post-apocalyptic America. As one episode’s credits began to roll, a song featured in the games began to play, Jack Shaindlin’s “I’m Tickled Pink”. I couldn’t think of a better expression for how excited I am that the show is good. So good. It’s corny and smart, bold and gross and awkward and full of nods to those who have loved the decades of world building the games have provided. I’m not a reviewer, and you didn’t sign up for the blog to read me having a go at it, but in my excitement I began to think about the lyrics of that song. I'm tickled pink
That things are rosy
And skies are blue once again Let the bygones go bye-bye
No more will I sigh or cry
Leave it to me to pick apart a jolly little song about a fella being in love, but it works in Fallout because of its exaggerated assurance; not just that “we’ll be married in the month of May”, but “no more will I sigh or cry”. It’s a franchise that considers our confidence, the risk of blinders or blind optimism. At its heart, Fallout explores – often satirically – the ethics and beliefs of humanity, and in particular our relationship with violence. The way this typically plays out in game – pardon the pun – is through the various factions that interact and clash in the world. The Brotherhood of Steel’s founding ideals were to protect humanity from powerful technology they believed would lead to another destructive war, but have devolved to violent gatekeepers. The New California Republic strove to maintain the ideals of the American dream and government, while the villainous Enclave hides to practice experimentation, unleashing some of the great horrors of the wasteland. And the mysterious Vault-Tec may be gone from the world, but centuries of psychological experimentation on vault dwellers was far from their advertised purpose, and drives much of Fallout’s world. In the show, a character Maximus quips, “Everyone wants to save the world, they just disagree on how.” While it’s hard to characterize some factions as anything but villains, many hold grand ambitions but are hindered by tribalism and improvidence. And the people we meet are those who have been formed by the breadth of those ambitions, the good, bad, and ugly. And that feels familiar… though thankfully without the dangerous mutations of various flora and fauna from radiation and biochemical agents. And with air conditioning. But it’s part of why we are called to practice our faith. To worship, gather, see discipleship as something we live out, and the kingdom of God as a life-changing allegiance. It’s not just an idea, or a weekend habit; there is a unique hope that we profess and hold and practice in resurrection. Because that hope, our faith, can shape not only us, but the world we are making. Rev. Ben Richards
|
