Who Is 'John Fallout'? The Origin Of The Character And The 'John Fallout Scam' Meme Explained

Bethesda's games are always the subject of memes, parodies and fan-made lore expanding the iconic stories told on their franchises. Fallout 4, a game released almost a decade ago, is still inspiring new content on social media going into the 2020s, like the John Fallout and Nate the Rake memes.

Who is the mysterious character and why is he considered a war criminal according to Fallout's fans lore? Let's explain.

Who Is 'John Fallout'?

John Fallout, also known as Nate the Rake, refers to a nickname that references the main character of the Fallout 4 game as a war criminal for his purported actions during the annexation of Canada, an event in Fallout lore where the U.S. took Canada for its resources and incorporated it into the U.S., which involved the execution of protestors and resistance members.

The Nate The Rake nickname was given in April 2024, when Bethesda Game Studios' design director Emil Pagliarulo made a post on X / Twitter claiming that a soldier was shown next to another soldier executing a Canadian in the first Fallout game. _ (shown below)

Where Is The John Fallout Scam Meme From?

Prior to the war criminal claims, a rumor related to John Fallout was spread online, using a picture of the character in the Fake Celebrity Scam Messages meme. On January 10th, 2024, Instagram meme page @fallout.t51b posted a fake screenshot message featuring John in which he messages a person, "Hi it's me John Fallout I need 2000 bottle caps to get into New Vegas so I can save the Mojave Desert. War doesn't change."

How Did John Fallout Lore Content Become A Meme?

The fake DM screenshot featuring John Fallout inspired fans to create more lore about the character. For instance, on May 9th, 2024, TikTok user @chieftengaming posted an edit (seen below, left) from Fallout 4 titled "John Fallout Adventures." On April 26th, TikTok user @maidencrest uploaded a fan edit of John Fallout (seen below, right) paired with an audio of the character saying the line "War never changes."

@chieftengaming A late night edit: John Fallout Adventures (before John Vegas) #CapCut #gamer #gamers #gamingtiktok #videogames #gamingontiktok #gameplay #gamingcommunity #gamingvideos ♬ Jingle Jangle Jingle – Kay Kyser & His Orch., vocals Harry Babbit, Julie Conway & The Group

@maidencrest john fallout….💓 #fallout#fallout4#fo#fo4#fo4edit#falloutedit#foedit#fallout4edit#natesombra#natesombraedit#natefallout4#natefallout4edit ♬ i like the way you kiss me – Artemas

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For the full history of John Fallout, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.