Ella Purnell on Lucy’s Tougher Edge in Fallout Season 2

Ella Purnell reckons stepping back into Lucy’s shoes for the second season was a much smoother ride. The character’s grown heaps since her first outing, making her far easier to connect with.

“It sort of felt like a more neutral starting point for me,”

Purnell shares.

“Season 1, I had to sort of really tap into an innocence, and a childishness, and a vulnerability that comes from inexperience, and being literally sheltered. She’s a newborn baby or an alien that’s just landed on Earth, and she’s never experienced anything. And there’s some big reaches to be had for that. It’s much harder to relate to that.”

Back in the first season, Lucy was all wide-eyed optimism, never having set foot outside her vault. Her world turned upside down when her new bloke turned out to be a raider, and she had to take him on in her wedding dress. That was just the start—she soon had to leave the safety of the vault to try and rescue her dad, Hank. The wasteland, though, didn’t waste any time showing her just how rough things could get. The post-apocalyptic landscape was a real shock to the system.

Lucy’s Grit and Growth

By the time the second season rolls around, Lucy’s no longer the sheltered type. She’s learnt to handle herself and doesn’t have much patience left for those who cross her. Purnell explains,

“This time around, I was going into, yes, she’s still optimistic, believes in the golden rule, believes in people’s inherent goodness, but she has been battered and bruised by this world and still chooses to believe in good. That feels much more similar to the human experience: just like being an adult who has to wake up every day and survive. So that was somewhat slightly easier.”

Now, Lucy’s teaming up with the Ghoul—this time by choice—to track down her father and see justice done. She’s not wallowing over Hank’s dark side; instead, she’s pushing forward, heading into New Vegas where fresh threats are waiting. Expect to see deathclaws, legions, some questionable cuisine, and a few history lessons that miss the mark. From the get-go, it’s clear the wasteland’s left its mark on Lucy, making her tougher and, frankly, a bit of a legend.

Staying True in a Harsh World

Purnell points out that while Lucy’s journey is more relatable now, it’s also more layered.

“But with that, because it’s more, I suppose, relatable, it then becomes more complex, because there’s all of these emotions underneath,”

she says.

“There’s so much to unpack underneath and so many choices that you have to make every single day. The choice to continue to believe in goodness when you’ve been shown again and again how evil people can be, that’s real strength. And that doesn’t come from nothing, you know? That has to be really sought and found.”

The new season lands on Prime Video on 17 December. Punters can expect a wild ride as Lucy faces new dangers and keeps fighting to see the good in a world that’s anything but kind.