One of the things I love the most aboutFallout 4is that there is always something new to discover. As you venture out into the Commonwealth, there is no shortage of cool locations to find or fascinating little details to spot. One place not too far from Diamond City can be very easily overlooked, but if explored, it reveals a dark and terrible secret.
There are plenty ofawesome hidden locations inFallout 4, some of which link to quests and some that excel in environmental storytelling. Through clever use of skeletons, holotapes, terminals, and other clues,there are so many stories to discover all over post-apocalyptic Bostonand beyond. A fantastic example of this can be found in the sewers under the Fens neighborhood of Boston, but you might not like what you find if you do investigate, as it turns outFallout 4has a secret serial killer.
Fen Street Sewers Hold A Grim Secret
The Fens Phantom May Be Pickman’s Inspiration
Most people who have playedFallout 4will know about Pickman, the creepily charming serial killer preying on raiders in the Commonwealth. Pickman can be found in his gallery, close to the Old North Church, where he likes to display his victims as pieces of art. However, what many people might have missed is that Pickman is far from the first Boston resident to do this, withanother serial killer lurking under the ruined streets.
Just slightly north of Diamond City, you’ll be able to spot a manhole cover with safety barriers and a skeleton next to it. This is the entrance to the Fen Street Sewer, home to the serial killer, the Fens Phantom. Entering this dark lair,you will immediately be greeted with a macabre display, as a skeleton hangs from the wall next to some toys, a piece of chalk, and a message labeled Dear Detective 1, which begins to tell thesad story through holotape.
Each display has chalk Xs next to it, showing how many victims were used to create that particular piece of art. Based on the number of Xs, intact skeletons, skulls, and rib cages, it is estimated that the Fens Phantom had at least 24 victims.
Traveling through the area is grim, aseach of the Phantom’s victims is displayed in grotesque pieces of art, each accompanied by chalk Xs on the wall. There are four holotapes to find, in which the Phantom speaks to the detective who has been chasing them, monologuing their reasons for the murders. Clearly obsessed with the detective hunting him, the Phantom appears to have set up a trap for them in a twisted attempt to help the investigator understand him.
Theories About What Really Happened To The Fens Phantom
The Fanbase Has Two Good Theories About The Killer’s Fate
There are a fewFalloutfan theoriesabout the Phantom, with most agreeing that he was active before the bombs fell. In his tapes,he speaks of social norms that feel more in keeping with pre-war Americaand how exhausting he found smiling at people he knew didn’t really care. What is more interesting to me is what could have happened to the Phantom, as there doesn’t seem to be any indication that he was ever caught.
After doing some investigating, I found that there are two main theories within the fanbase about what happened to the terrifying killer.One theory is that he is among his collection, as a couple of skeletons can be found on a mattress at the end of the ‘tour’, with a machete next to them. Many believe this is the Phantom with the dead detective in his arms, finally together forever, as his final holotape hints.
The second idea is that the detective never came down to the sewer, with the skeleton at the manhole cover suggesting they were too late before the bombs dropped. This brilliant theory points out thatthe glowing one inside the caged area is likely the Phantom. This makes sense, as the holotapes he carefully left out for the detective have remained undisturbed for over 200 years, suggesting that this twisted game of cat and mouse came to an abrupt end long before the events ofFallout 4.
