Why Does Your Dad Leave in Fallout 3?

In Fallout 3, the main quest centers around the player searching for their own father. The player’s father, James, is a scientist who abruptly disappears from Vault 101, the player’s home and place of safety, early in the game’s story. This leaves players wondering: why does your dad leave in Fallout 3?

Your Dad chooses to leave in Fallout 3 to complete Project Purity. He worked on the water-purification machine before your birth, but gave it up to protect you inside Vault 101.

Once the character reaches 19 years old, your Dad feels confident to continue his work and leave you to your own devices. The main reason why James leaves in Fallout 3 is his sense of duty to the greater good.

Why Your Dad Leaves in Fallout 3

The goal of Project Purity is to purify the radiated water supply in the Capital Wasteland. A scientist on the project, James is passionate and considers it his own life’s work. The ramifications are huge, as purified water could be the first stepping stone towards rebuilding the local society. Looking to continue it, James leaves the vault to continue his work.

Another reason why James leaves in Fallout 3 is his desire to protect his son, the player character.

Working on Project Purity is not necessarily a safe endeavor. There’s plenty of dangers in the wasteland, and James could not ignore that harsh reality once he learned he was having a kid.

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To keep his son safe, James leaves Vault 101 without telling anyone, including his son, where he is going or why he has left. James hopes that by doing so, his child won’t feel compelled to follow him outside.

Finally, James’ departure in Fallout 3 is also tied to his relationship with the player character. However, his departure puts a strain on their relationship, as the player character is left feeling abandoned and alone.

Throughout the game’s quest, the player search for their father and asks many different individuals for help. Throughout the quests, the player learns about their father’s different reasons for leaving.

All in all, your dad chooses to leave in Fallout 3 to continue his work on Project Purity. He abandons the project once the player is born so they can safely live in Vault 101. However, once the player grows up, James feels compelled to finish his life’s work.

So that’s the answer. Your Dad chooses to leave in Fallout 3 to complete Project Purity.