Liberty Prime is a unique U.S. Army robot found at the Citadel. Liberty Prime was found and brought to working order by the Brotherhood of Steel. Its total restoration was due to the assistance of Dr. Madison Li, who solved Prime's power issues, in the year 2277.
Background
Liberty Prime's original purpose was to aid American troops in the liberation of Anchorage, Alaska from Chinese occupation in the year 2077.
The computer terminal in the Citadel Laboratory, to the right front of Liberty Prime's feet, reveals the project was commissioned by General Constantine Chase as a joint effort between the U.S. Army, General Atomics International, and RobCo Industries. However, problems with the power system caused major delays. These delays consumed so much time that Anchorage was ultimately liberated in a much longer, as well as more costly battle using the US Army's other secret weapon: the T-51b power armor.
Roughly two centuries later, Liberty Prime was finally salvaged and brought into service by the Brotherhood of Steel after they discovered it in the basement of the destroyed Pentagon. The Brotherhood were able to modify Prime's targeting system to perceive Enclave forces and super mutants, to be Chinese communists.
Liberty Prime required a massive amount of energy to operate. Subsequently the Brotherhood was unable to provide the necessary amount of power, even with the advanced technology salvaged from inside the Pentagon. Eventually, with the aid of Dr. Li, the Brotherhood of Steel solved the problem.
Liberty Prime was the Brotherhood's trump card against the Enclave, and was revealed when it marched on Project Purity where it was used to effortlessly destroy the Enclave defenders entrenched there. For two weeks afterward, Liberty Prime fought battles against the Enclave, but was eventually destroyed by an orbital warhead bombardment at the Enclave-held Satellite Relay Station. Liberty Prime's remains were recovered by the Brotherhood and, though it would take months, or years to do so, the Brotherhood set about rebuilding and upgrading it.
Gameplay attributes
Liberty Prime fires dual, head-mounted energy beams, which are similar to shots fired from a Tesla cannon. The beams can kill multiple Enclave soldiers in a single shot. Its backpack holds a seemingly inexhaustible supply of explosive "footballs" that it hurls at enemies with unerring accuracy. These munitions detonate on contact, in a manner very similar to a mini nuke, apart from having several times the explosive power. Liberty Prime's massive size and strength count as weapons too, as it can crush or rip to shreds anything in its path if it doesn't step on them first. It can sustain large amounts of damage, and defeat energy barriers by walking into them, although it will sometimes grab them and rip them down. Finally, to inspire its allies and demoralize foes, it constantly spouts anti-communist phrases as well as declaring that American democracy cannot be defeated. Like most of the robots in the game, it seems unaware any time has passed between 2077 and the present, or more accurately, that any cataclysmic, or world-changing events have transpired.
Interactions with the player character
Interactions overview
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This character is essential. Essential characters cannot be killed. | |
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This character is a permanent companion. | |
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This character is a temporary companion. | |
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This character starts quests. |
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This character is involved in quests. | |
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This character is a doctor. |
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This character is a merchant. |  -Sells: - |
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This character can repair items. | Max Repair condition: - |
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This character rents beds. | -.
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This character drops an ear upon death (Contract Killer). | |
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This character drops a finger upon death (Lawbringer). | |
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This character can be enslaved with the Mesmetron. | |
Statistics
| Name (Form ID) | Statistics | Behavior | Abilities | Items | ||||
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| Liberty Prime 0005FD26 |
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| Liberty Prime 00001FCC  |
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Quests
- Take it Back!: The Brotherhood of Steel, with the help of Dr. Li, manages to fix the power issues with the robot. With the pressing need to reclaim Project Purity, Elder Lyons orders Prime deployed without proper testing. The giant robot makes its way to the Jefferson Memorial, while destroying Enclave energy barriers, vertibirds and troops while en route to the Memorial. Once there, Liberty Prime assists the Brotherhood in guarding the Memorial's entrance. Liberty Prime will then remain there for the duration of the quest.
- Death From Above: Liberty Prime joins the Lone Wanderer in the assault on the Satellite Relay Station, an Enclave base located beyond the Rockland Car Tunnel. After the Enclave hits Prime with an orbital strike, Prime crawls from the wreckage and initiates its self-destruct sequence to prevent being captured by the "communists". Its head, feet, and what appears to be a forearm are taken back to the Citadel. Similar to Deputy Weld, its head can be activated, which will cause it to play back some of its anti-communist phrases, although they sound much more garbled than they are during Take it Back!.
- Getting Ready for Prime Time: At the conclusion of Broken Steel's main quest line, Scribe Rothchild vows the Brotherhood will rebuild Prime, although it may take months, or even years. He then asks for the player's help in scavenging sensor modules and cameras to assist in the rebuilding process.
Other interactions
- Liberty Prime is first seen in the lab beneath the Citadel in its inactive state. The player can gain information about the robot, as well as hear some of its dialogue by using a nearby computer terminal to initiate a dialogue test.
Notes
- It is the "technological marvel" mentioned in the Brotherhood's faction profile, and the unknown "super weapon" referenced in the "Development of Super Weapon Confirmed" Capitol Post article that appears in terminals at the Capitol Post building and the Citadel.
- A picture of the Statue of Liberty is carved into the soles of both of its feet.
- There is a heart painted on one side of its head.
- Liberty Prime may attack the caravan traders that cross the platform. This usually happens if the player waits too long during the siege to reclaim the water purifier.
- Three Dog will make a news report as a eulogy for it on Galaxy News Radio when it is destroyed.
- In an e-mail from RobCo Industries to the US Army, it is revealed that although there are power management issues, it may still be possible to send Liberty Prime to Anchorage in time for the attack. Although it is only possible if the Army were to disable all of Prime's weapon systems. Later in the e-mail, it is proposed that "Maybe he could just step on them?" instead.
- If you watch Liberty Prime as it is being lifted out of the Citadel lab, Liberty Prime will hit the wall of the Citadel, subsequently causing a loud 'thud' sound.
- Although the Lone Wanderer can't kill Liberty Prime, it's possible to cause it to turn hostile towards the lone wanderer, in which case it may eliminate the lone wanderer in a matter of seconds.
- Although you may hear it make comments about the liberation of Anchorage, Liberty Prime never actually appears in, or is mentioned in the Operation: Anchorage add-on as it was not completed in time.
- Following Liberty Prime's destruction during the attack on the Enclave-held Satellite Relay Station, it reappears after the quest "Death From Above" within the Citadel, although it is in pieces. Despite the player being able to scour the wasteland for cameras and other equipment such as sensor modules in order to rebuild it, Liberty Prime is never repaired during Fallout 3.
- Liberty Prime's death animation bears a striking similarity to Frank Horrigan's from Fallout 2.
- After Broken steel is completed, you can find Liberty Prime's head on the table in the Citadel lab, however, returning to the Satellite Relay Station where he was destroyed, you can still find his head despite it being in two locations.
Notable quotes
Many of its quotes give reference to '50s and '60s anti-communist slogans, made to be more specific to China. Appearing below is a list of five quotes, randomly selected by the wiki:
- "Chairman Cheng will fail: China will fall! "
- "Communist engaged!"
- "Democracy is non-negotiable."
- "Engaging red Chinese aggressors."
- "Initiating directive 7395: destroy all communists!"
Appearances
Liberty Prime appears in Fallout 3, as well as its add-on Broken Steel.
Behind the scenes
- According to an interview in 1UP, Emil Pagliarulo denied any intentional relation between Liberty Prime and Optimus Prime. Pagliarulo admitted he could have made the reference subconsciously.
- The GECK lists a cut quest called "Infiltration" which was situated between The American Dream and Take it Back! and had the player stealing a power source from Rivet City to power Liberty.
- Liberty Prime throws football-shaped mini-nukes as if it were a quarterback. "The Nuclear Football" is a term used to refer to the briefcase containing the launch codes for America's nuclear arsenal, with the president as the football's "quarterback".
Bugs
Liberty Prime often gets stuck. Although the most common places for this glitch is on the left side of the highway when heading to retake the Purifier at the Jefferson Memorial, and on the first large bridge you cross.- Liberty Prime may launch into the air and remain there. The best way to solve this is to wait (real time). If this fails, the player may need to reload the previous auto save.
- Once you complete the Broken Steel add-on, Liberty Prime's severed head can be found in the Citadel, while at the same time it can also be found on the ground in front of the Satellite Relay Station.
- If you manage to get far enough ahead of Prime when it is attacking Enclave forces, it is possible for the player to be killed by its attacks.
- If you manage to get to far ahead of Liberty Prime before he disables the first "force field" he may stop walking across the first bridge after shutting down the first "force field."
Gallery
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