The Only Two Fallout Characters Who Appear In Every Game

The "Fallout" series has been taking players to a darkly humorous, post-apocalyptic wasteland since 1997. During that time, it produced several sequels and numerous spinoffs. While the games have varied in quality and popularity, the franchise, as a whole, continues to be one of the most successful in modern gaming with fans eagerly awaiting the release of the next entry.

Across all these games, players have been introduced to lots of interesting locations and even more interesting characters. From delusional super mutants to android private investigators and would-be Roman emperors, there's no shortage of colorful companions and antagonists to interact with.

Given that games in the series take place in different places and can be separated by decades, characters don't tend to appear in multiple games and each title brings a new story with a new cast. There are, however, some characters that make multiple appearances. Indeed, there are two characters that have appeared in every mainline game in the "Fallout" series to date.

The first character to appear in every game isn't the most developed. In fact, he never speaks a single line across all of his appearances. Despite this fact, he's become a mainstay of the series, and "Fallout" games would probably feel strange without him. Despite this, many users may play through every game in the series without ever encountering him.

Turning up in "Fallout" through "Fallout 4" as well as "New Vegas" and "Fallout 76," the Mysterious Stranger will only appear to players that have taken the related perk. Players that do opt for the perk, and they really should if they've never tried it before, will have the Mysterious Stranger occasionally appear while they're in combat. True to his name, the stranger will appear out of nowhere, wielding a revolver and helping the player dispatch their foes, only to disappear just as quickly.

While the character may seem to just be a silly addition to the setting, offering a gameplay benefit but nothing in the way of narrative, that may not be the case. Over time, lore has been added to the character and there's no shortage of theorizing and clue-hunting among fans. For example, "Fallout: New Vegas" appears to reveal that the Mysterious Stranger has a son, and his pistol can even be acquired and used by players.

Whoever or whatever he is, the Mysterious Stranger continues to be an unsolved mystery of the "Fallout" series.

This lovable dog may not be the canine in every game (although, who knows with this series) but he still deserves a place on this list. The adorable pup known as Dogmeat has made an appearance in all four main "Fallout" games and can always be recruited as a companion. While this required some effort in the first two entries, with the player needing to have a certain item to win him over, his loyalty became more or less automatic in the later games.

Being such a good boy, fans have come to love Dogmeat to the point where they notice when he's not included in a spinoff "Fallout" game (though some claim Rex is actually Dogmeat), and even the real-life dog that inspired the latest iteration of Dogmeat has gotten some praise and attention.

As with the Mysterious Stranger, the backstory of Dogmeat is unknown and, according to "Fallout 4" level designer Joel Burgess, this is intentional. It seems that the developers left contradictory evidence to keep Dogmeat a mystery and left it to players to decide for themselves what they want to believe.

Whatever the truth behind Dogmeat is, he remains a fan favorite and will, hopefully, remain a part of the series for years to come.