“This is the Kings' turf. Scram!”
The Kings are a gang operating in Freeside in Fallout: New Vegas.
Background[edit]
The group follows The King, the most powerful individual in Freeside.[1] The group copies the mannerisms and looks of the individual the King's School of Impersonation was founded to emulate.[2] The group defends Freeside, an area outside of the New Vegas Strip gates, and works alongside the Followers of the Apocalypse to keep the area peaceful and independent.
The King states that the gang is different from the others because they are not looking for conflict, but instead believe that every man is free to follow his own path, where "every man is a king in his own right."[3] The King, and by extension, the Kings, believe that no one has the right to trample on the freedoms of others.[4][5]
The Kings run the water pump installed by Bill Ronte of the Followers of the Apocalypse. They defend the entire Freeside area against Squatters and Thugs. New California Republic citizens are moving into the area and causing conflict with the locals, which in turn has caused increased tension for the group. Upon reaching Liked status in Freeside, every time a Freeside gate is entered, one of the Kings gang members will approach the Courier and give a gift on behalf of The King himself, such as Stimpaks, Bottle Caps, or consumables.
2296[edit]
By 2296, a number of Kings, including The King himself, have become feral ghouls, roaming the area around the new Strip South Gate. He is killed along with the other ghouls by Lucy MacLean as she attempts to enter The Strip.[6]
Publications[edit]
“After unearthing some strange paraphernalia belonging to a tribe who worshipped some kind of ancient, black-coiffed deity (and as it transpired, a deity with some considerable style and singing talent) a tribe dedicated to him was formed by the scavenger himself, who took on the persona and visage as if divinely inspired. Known as The King, he dresses in a special suit crafted to look like the originator of the look, while his subordinates scavenge denim and leather jackets for their attire. The King is charming, rebellious, and well-dressed. His forces are almost always found in small packs, and have a lot of attitude, bravery, and members. They typically carry small guns, brass knuckles, and melee weapons. The King, and his robotic dog Rex, are currently facing a challenge as the NCR appears to be threatening their territory. The King is hoping they aren’t the devil in disguise.”— Fallout: New Vegas Official Game Guide/Faction Profiles
Inventory[edit]
| Apparel | Weapon |
|---|---|
| Jailhouse Rocker Memphis Kid Outfit Kings Outfit | 10mm Pistol .357 Magnum Revolver 10mm Submachine Gun |
Members[edit]
| Image | Name |
|---|---|
|
King Groupie |
|
Kings Gang Member |
|
Pacer |
|
Rex |
|
Sergio |
|
Tapper |
|
The King |
Endings[edit]
Narrated by The King
| # | Slide | Voice-over narration | In-game condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  |
With The King dead and most of their gang slain by the Courier, the remaining Kings fled the area, never to be heard from again. |
The King dies. |
| 2 | |
After the NCR victory at Hoover Dam, the temporary truce between them and The Kings blossomed into a full-scale relief effort for the people. While the NCR made repeated entreaties that Freeside join the Republic, The Kings steadfastly maintained their independence. |
Convince the King to make peace with the NCR during Kings' Gambit, complete the endgame quest Eureka! for the NCR. |
| 3 | |
Accusing The Kings of lying with a foreign invader for their newfound ties to the NCR, Mr. House punished them by ordering their forced removal. The Kings, defiant to the end, were destroyed to the last man by House's Securitrons. |
Convince The King to make peace with the NCR during Kings' Gambit, complete the endgame quest All or Nothing for Mr. House. |
| 4 | |
Following the Second Battle of Hoover Dam, Freeside came to be known as one of the more stable areas in the region. Ironically, NCR refugees found Freeside safer than most of the rest of New Vegas, where resentment still lingers. |
Convince The King to make peace with the NCR during Kings' Gambit, complete the endgame quest No Gods, No Masters for an Independent New Vegas. |
| 5 |  |
After their victory at Hoover Dam, the Legion quickly set about destroying all remaining resistance, including any groups with ties to the NCR. Upon discovering The Kings' newfound relationship with the NCR, Legionaires flooded the streets of Freeside, and The Kings were quickly destroyed. |
Convince The King to make peace with the NCR during Kings' Gambit, complete the endgame quest Veni, Vidi, Vici for Caesar's Legion. |
| 6 | |
While the NCR was busy fighting the Legion at Hoover Dam, some Kings took it upon themselves to attack NCR citizens and soldiers around Freeside. When the NCR moved to secure the region, they cracked down the hardest on Freeside, sending a full platoon to sweep the neighborhood. Most of The Kings were killed, with the few survivors driven out into the wastes. |
Do not complete Kings' Gambit or complete it by assassinating Pacer, and incite full-scale war between the NCR and The Kings in G.I. Blues. Complete the endgame quest Eureka! for the NCR. |
| 7 | |
During the Second Battle of Hoover Dam, some Kings took it upon themselves to launch several attacks on NCR citizens and soldiers around Freeside. Mr. House looked on these actions favorably, seeing them as proof of The Kings' loyalty to New Vegas, and decided to leave them alone. |
Do not complete Kings' Gambit or complete it by assassinating Pacer, and incite full-scale war between the NCR and The Kings in G.I. Blues. Complete the endgame quest All or Nothing for Mr. House. |
| 8 | |
In the aftermath of the Second Battle of Hoover Dam, The Kings took the opportunity to viciously force all NCR citizens out of Freeside. Travelers from the Republic quickly learned to avoid Freeside if they valued their safety. |
Do not complete Kings' Gambit, or complete it by assassinating Pacer, and incite full-scale war between the NCR and The Kings in G.I. Blues. Complete the endgame quest No Gods, No Masters for an Independent New Vegas. |
| 9 | |
Impressed with The Kings' continued attacks upon NCR citizens and soldiers, the Legion offered them the option of being assimilated into the Legion. The Kings refused, and briefly became slaves in the Legion, but after a failed escape attempt, they were all put to death. |
Do not complete Kings' Gambit, or complete it by assassinating Pacer, and incite full-scale war between the NCR and The Kings in G.I. Blues. Complete the endgame quest Veni, Vidi, Vici for Caesar's Legion. |
| 10 | |
As the NCR moved to secure the region, the occupation of Freeside proved especially problematic. Things remained tense due to numerous incidents, though The Kings were still in nominal control of the area. |
Do not complete the quest Kings' Gambit, or complete it by killing Pacer. Do not incite war against the NCR in G.I Blues. Complete the endgame quest Eureka! for the NCR. |
| 11 | |
Flush with his victory, Mr. House sent Securitrons into Freeside, thinking to increase his control over the area. When fighting broke out, The Kings fought valiantly, but were no match for the armored killing machines, and were wiped out to the last man. |
Do not complete the quest Kings' Gambit. Do not incite war against the NCR in G.I. Blues. Complete the endgame quest All or Nothing for Mr. House. |
| 12 | |
The Kings retained their control of Freeside, and while they continued to favor the needs of locals, they tolerated the citizens of the defeated NCR. |
Do not complete the quest Kings' Gambit, do not incite war against the NCR in G.I. Blues. Complete the endgame quest No Gods, No Masters for an Independent New Vegas. |
| 13 | |
After their victory at Hoover Dam, Legion troops rolled through Freeside. The Kings tried to fight back, but most were killed, and the rest fled into the wasteland. |
Do not complete the quest Kings' Gambit, or complete it by assassinating Pacer. Do not complete G.I. Blues, or complete it diplomatically. Complete the endgame quest Veni, Vidi, Vici for Caesar's Legion. |
Notes[edit]
- Talking to a King after completing the quest Nothin' But a Hound Dog will cause the Kings to occasionally say "Hey, isn't that the King's dog?" even if Rex is not a current companion.
- The Kings will ask if the Courier is looking to join the Kings, even if they are already a member.
- During the ending slides, the NCR victory states that the group negotiated to annex Freeside,[7] but if tensions with the NCR were eased non-violently it states that the Kings maintained their independence.[8]
- Sergio is a special King wielding a unique Straight Razor named Figaro, who also offers members haircuts.
Bugs[edit]
The Kings are supposed to wait at least two days between gifts for high Freeside reputation, but due to the script forgetting how long it's been since the last gift, they instead try to give one every time you enter Freeside.
This is fixed in version 1 of YUP.
Quotes[edit]
Members of the Kings will remark on the Courier's companions, Karma, or Reputation:
- Craig Boone - "That friend of yours NCR? He looks like he's NCR."
- Veronica - "Your girl's kinda cute, but not my type at all. I don't go for smart chicks."
- Rex - "Hey, isn't that the King's dog?"
- ED-E - "Huh. Nice robot. You with the Followers or something?"
- Arcade Gannon - "I see you've hired a Follower doctor. Smart move, Freeside being what it is."
- Cass - "Hellooo, cowgirl! You mind if talk to your lady friend a bit instead of you?"
- Raul Tejada - "Nice to see a human palling around with a ghoul. I see a lot of people around here avoid them."
- Lily - "Whoa. That's a whole lotta mutant you got with you there. Still, long as it doesn't cause trouble it's all good."
Appearances[edit]
The Kings appear in Fallout: New Vegas and Season 2 of the Fallout Television Series.
Behind the Scenes[edit]
- The Kings are a reference to the phenomenon of Elvis impersonation. Elvis Presley's extended concert residency, movies and songs such as Viva Las Vegas, impacted the culture of Las Vegas significantly, resulting in individuals who professionally copy his look and sound.
- The NCR Faction Profile says that the average NCR citizen believes the following about the Kings: "You mean those leather-wearing roughts lording it up over Freeside. Ha! Kings of Freeside? Kings of garbage is more like it."[Doc 1]
- Some of their outfits are also references to Elvis, such as the Jailhouse Rocker, which is a replica of what Elvis wore in the Jailhouse Rock video and Memphis Kid Outfit, which references Elvis Presley's childhood home of Memphis, Tennesee.
Gallery[edit]
Members
Collector's Edition playing card
Faction image
A Kings gang member
Logo Art shared by Brian Menze
Concept for the Kings Outfit shared by Menze
References[edit]
- ↑ Fallout: New Vegas Official Game Guide: "The most powerful individual in Freeside, the King is the leader and undisputed ruler of The Kings Gang, a group of tough guys that dominate the center of the community. The King models himself on a singer from ancient times, after discovering some old recordings, and is charming, rebellious, and well-dressed. He sits and vets newcomers to the gang, and those that wish to impersonate the King himself, who in turn, is an impersonation. He’s accompanied by his dog Rex, a cybernetic hound around since Pre-War times, who’s a little worse for wear."
- ↑ Fallout: New Vegas Official Game Guide/Faction Profiles: "After unearthing some strange paraphernalia belonging to a tribe who worshipped some kind of ancient, black-coiffed deity (and as it transpired, a deity with some considerable style and singing talent) a tribe dedicated to him was formed by the scavenger himself, who took on the persona and visage as if divinely inspired. Known as The King, he dresses in a special suit crafted to look like the originator of the look, while his subordinates scavenge denim and leather jackets for their attire. The King is charming, rebellious, and well-dressed. His forces are almost always found in small packs, and have a lot of attitude, bravery, and members. They typically carry small guns, brass knuckles, and melee weapons. The King, and his robotic dog Rex, are currently facing a challenge as the NCR appears to be threatening their territory. The King is hoping they aren’t the devil in disguise."
- ↑ Courier: "Tell me about the Kings."
The King: "We're different than other gangs, and not just because we dress better. We're not just a group of thugs looking for our next fight. The Kings are about an idea, you see? Where every man is free to follow his own path, do his own thing. Where every man is a king in his own right."
(The King's dialogue) - ↑ Courier: "The violence needs to stop."
The Kings: "And whose job is it to stop it? Yours? Mine? Who are we to tell people what to do? No man has that right."
(The King's dialogue) - ↑ Courier: "And when you're dead? What will happen to their freedom then?"
The King: "[SUCCEEDED] Honestly, I hadn't thought it through that far. I'd guess someone would come and take over this place. And you can be damn sure they won't run it like the King, baby. They might run everyone out, or enslave them, or worse. I guess I have no choice. Tell your NCR masters that I accept their terms. I'll see that violence against their people is dealt with. Now take these fools and get out of here before they start a riot."
(The King's dialogue) - ↑ S2E4 - The Demon in the Snow
- ↑ Fallout: New Vegas endings: "The New California Republic celebrated its second victory at Hoover Dam, establishing definitive control over the entire Mojave Wasteland. Soon after, they negotiated terms to annex The Strip, Freeside, and many surrounding communities. The Mojave Wasteland, at long last, had entirely fallen under the NCR's banner."
- ↑ Fallout: New Vegas endings: "After the NCR victory at Hoover Dam, the temporary truce between them and The Kings blossomed into a full-scale relief effort for the people. While the NCR made repeated entreaties that Freeside join the Republic, The Kings steadfastly maintained their independence."
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