Warning: Spoilers for Fallout season 1

A theory stemming from Fallout season 1’s events offers a possible explanation for how a nuke was launched at Shady Sands. In one of the Fallout season 1 finale’s biggest moments, it was discovered through Moldaver that the person responsible for the destruction of Shady Sands was none other than Lucy’s father, Hank MacLean. Apparently, Hank blew up Shady Sands after his family fled to the town and joined up with Moldaver.

While the show fully explained the reasoning behind Hank’s sinister actions, it did leave some questions as to how this could have happened. The exchange at the Vault-Tec meeting in Fallout indicated that the company could have access to nuclear weapons, but exactly how Hank could have pulled off the bombing of Shady Sands remains unclear nonetheless. After all, there’s no evidence that Vault 33 had the means to launch such a weapon. Of course, this may never be elaborated on, but the “how” of it all could turn out to be crucial to Fallout season 2.

The Bomb That Destroyed Shady Sands May Have Come From The Divide

It’s possible that Vault 33 had nothing to do with what happened to Shady Sands in Fallout. Rather, it could be that a Fallout: New Vegas location was what actually facilitated its destruction. In New Vegas’ “Lonesome Road” DLC, the player character – known in-game as The Courier – can visit a place called the Divide. It’s established in New Vegas that the Divide, found near the border between California and Nevada, was a region home to the city of Hopeville, which housed silos filled with nuclear missiles. The Divide’s nuclear weapons were once perfectly positioned for an attack on the New California Republic.

In the game, it’s revealed that Ulysses – the villain of “Lonesome Road” – wanted to destroy the NCR and planned to carry out his plan via the Divide’s nuclear arsenal. How Hank could have gained access to the nuclear codes for the Divide’s missiles, though, is another matter, and would require further exploration if this avenue is taken. Even so, the fact that there’s pre-existing setup for the Divide’s missiles to potentially strike the NCR makes this the most natural explanation the show could offer for the source of the nuke that hit Shady Sands.

The Bomb Being From The Divide Could Explain Hank’s Season 2 Location

Supporting the idea that the nuke originated from the Divide is Hank’s destination at the end of the finale. The episode signals that Hank will be in New Vegas in Fallout season 2. Hank’s presence there is a sign that he has a connection to something in the New Vegas region, which may or may not include the Divide or the Hopeville silo. If he used the nuclear codes to blow up Shady Sands – or arranged for someone else to execute this task – it could be that he’s heading back there to make use of their weapons a second time.

However, anything that he may have in mind when it comes to the Divide could be upended by events that took place in the Fallout timeline between the destruction of Shady Sands and the timeframe of the series. New Vegas took place in 2281, four years after Hank blew up Shady Sands and retreated back into Vault 33. He may not be aware that the Courier unintentionally destroyed the Divide when they delivered a package that activated the region’s missiles underground, which could be a major plot point in Fallout season 2.