Major spoilers for Fallout Season 2’s second episode, “The Golden Rule,” lie ahead, so read on if you feel so bold.
Only two episodes in amid the 2026 TV schedule, the second season of Fallout has already been eventful, with characters – those in the Vaults and across the Wasteland – making big moves. That includes Norm MacLean, who was trapped in Vault 31 at the end of Season 1, with the disembodied brain of Vault-Tec Junior VP Bud Askins. Yet Norm took action during the season premiere, which carried over in a big way into this week’s episode, and the star who plays him, Moisés Arias, spoke to CinemaBlend about MacLean’s major decision.
Norm decided to indulge in a bit of “chaos” during the premiere by not only refusing Bud’s offer to enter a cryogenic pod but also thawing out the execs being preserved in the vault. This week’s episode sees Norm lying to the execs, telling them that “Reclamation Day” has arrived and that Bud – who Norm incapacitated – died. Norm eventually establishes himself as the de facto leader of the execs and, in time, the group discover a vent that leads them out of the locked Vault 31 and onto the surface.
It’s possible that some fans may see Norm’s actions as being a bit reckless, though Moisés Arias can seemingly understand why his character acted as he did. While chatting with CB, Arias didn’t judge Norm for choosing to unfreeze the execs in the first place, and he chalked it up to some (understandable) basic human needs:
Look, he is starved. He is dehydrated. There [are] two options that make sense. And again, plenty that are irrational. He decides to defrost everyone in Vault 31. He knows [there will]l be many, hopefully intelligent people coming together to figure out a way to get out of this vault. But from there, I don't think he has a plan, no.
I mean, Bud was starving Norm by not allowing him to leave the vault, and he was surely looking desperate. So the logic of there being more people to bounce ideas off in order to brainstorm a way out does make sense theoretically. However, as the King of Staten Island alum also pointed out, Norm doesn’t exactly seem to have a long-term plan. So how does he move forward from here? Well, the actor shared the following take:
He's rolling with the punches and taking a leadership role that maybe he's pulling from his dad's sort of experience. Maybe his blood. Who knows? And, you know, being an introvert throughout his life, [Norm is] finally thrust into this position where you got to convince them that you are the leader that you say you are.
This certainly is a fine kettle of fish that Norm has gotten himself into but, as a viewer, I love that the writers are thrusting him into an interesting and fresh situation. At the same time, Moisés Arias is now in a position to really flex his acting chops, and that should be welcome news for fans of the Hannah Montana veteran. Even cast member Ella Purnell – who plays Norm’s older sister, Lucy – hyped up Norm’s arc for the season and teased that he would get to meet one of her “favorite characters.”
So, all in all, it seems there could be a lot in store for Norm as he takes on this new leadership role. Let’s just hope he doesn’t end up regretting his decision as time goes on. Track Norm’s journey by tuning into new episodes of Fallout, which drop on Wednesdays at 3 a.m. ET/12 a.m. PT and are streamable with a Prime Video subscription.
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