- Sole Survivor - Male: War. War never changes. In the year 1945, my great-great grandfather, serving in the army, wondered when he'd get to go home to his wife and the son he'd never seen. He got his wish when the US ended World War II by dropping atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The World awaited Armageddon; instead, something miraculous happened. We began to use atomic energy not as a weapon, but as a nearly limitless source of power. People enjoyed luxuries once thought the realm of science fiction. Domestic robots, fusion-powered cars, portable computers. But then, in the 21st century, people awoke from the American dream. Years of consumption lead to shortages of every major resource. The entire world unraveled. Peace became a distant memory. It is now the year 2077. We stand on the brink of total war, and I am afraid. For myself, for my wife, for my infant son - because if my time in the army taught me one thing: it's that war, war never changes.
- Sole Survivor - Male: Alright, let's head out.
- Piper Wright: Will do.
- Cait: You two have fun together, Piper. Too bad we can't make it a threesome.
- Piper Wright: Never gonna happen, Cait.
- Nick Valentine: Don't know why they chose to make a robot based on some pre-War cop instead of a math genius or a bioengineer. But hey, maybe that's why the Institute tossed me in the garbage instead of turning me into one of their people snatchers.
- Sole Survivor: Wait, you're a robot? What else have you been keeping from me?
- Nick Valentine: Ha! Well, I'm not sure if anyone's told you, but there's been a war. Nothing big. I think we'll bounce back just fine.
- [finding the components for a homemade bomb in a basement]
- Nick Valentine: Huh. If I didn't know any better, I'd say they were trying to build a nuke in he... oh my god.
- Nick Valentine: My name is Mister Handy, tidier of things. Look upon this room I said I'd cleaned, and despair.
- [encountering a Mirelurk King]
- Deacon: Just once I want radiation to turn something into a giant fluffy bunny, instead of the Grand Poobah of all Mirelurks.
- [at a bar in Bunker Hill]
- Paladin Danse: Ah! Looks like a good place to take a break. Excuse me, citizen, do you serve any non-alcoholic beverages?
- [incredulous silence]
- Joe Savoldi: Well... I'm sure I could scare up a few bottles of Nuka Cola.
- Paladin Danse: Aren't those notorious for being irradiated?
- Joe Savoldi: A little, but buy the lot and I'll throw in a dose of RadAway as a chaser. Deal?
- Paladin Danse: I can't believe you're replacing me with this... thing.
- Nick Valentine: Believe it, bucko. Now isn't there someone else you should be irritating?
- Paladin Danse: I've seen soldiers come and go. Some were brave. Some were honest. Some were even heroic. But I've never called any of them a friend.
- [Upon entering the Dugout Inn in Diamond City with Codsworth for the first time]
- Codsworth: Funny, I was expecting more of a sports bar.
- [Hovers to the counter to talk to the bartender]
- Codsworth: I say, my good man, what's the house special at the ol' Dugout Inn?
- Vadim Bobrov: Only the best moonshine in the Commonwealth. "Bobrov's Best" I call it. Robot should try. See if it is strong enough to power that engine, yes?
- Codsworth: While an alternate fuel source would be beneficial, I'm afraid I must decline. General Atomics' warranty stipulations only guarantee repair and replacement when using the designated Mister Handy fuel.
- Vadim Bobrov: Perhaps you miss out on once in a lifetime opportunity? Vadim can give you warranty as well.
- Codsworth: I don't doubt that one bit. Let's just say, should the need arise, I shall surely seek out your services... and leave it at that.
- Cait: There's nothin' quite like the smell of power armor grease and testosterone.
- Paladin Danse: The aroma is rather... pungent.
- [if the player character walks around naked]
- Deacon: Your fashion choice, there? That takes some chutzpah.
- Diamond City Guard: Hangin' out with Valentine, huh? Good for you. Nicky's good people. Ah, you know what I mean.
- Sole Survivor - Male: When I die, I only hope I go to Hell so I can kill you all over again, you piece of shit!
- Doctor Carrington: [about Old Man Stockton] Paranoid old bat won't even tell us the problem, he insists we get our intel from a dead drop.
- Sole Survivor: What's a dead drop?
- MacCready: I had one of those once after I ate a bad batch of cram! Spent eight hours on the can.
- Doctor Carrington: Oh, dear lord.
- Paladin Danse: I'm not sure why you'd want to travel with this... insubordinate civilian, but it's your decision.
- MacCready: Yeah... sorry Danse, I couldn't hear you over all that clanking.
- [in horror and disgust as the player character devours a corpse]
- MacCready: Yeah, sure... go ahead, tuck in! Don't mind me.
- [the Sole Survivor eavesdrops on a conversation between Alexis and Holt Combes at an observation terminal in a secretive portion of Vault 81 during "Hole in the Wall" quest]
- Holt Combes: Well this is gonna be a joy for you. You get to nag me and I can't go anywhere.
- Alexis Combes: Oh, real nice, Holt. Make this about you. Don't you think about anyone other than yourself? Your daughter could get sick like Austin, and you're whining about spending time with your family?
- Holt Combes: I've got things to do. We don't have to hide away in here.
- Alexis Combes: You're so busy, Holt? You have so much to do? Please, explain to Erin why your needs are more important than her safety.
- Holt Combes: Just... nevermind
- Alexis Combes: [sighs] Idiot.
- [during long, awkward silence]
- Deacon: Maybe being on ice that long knocked a few of your marbles around? No offense.
- MacCready: If we want to stay at the top of our game, we need every bit of loot we can get our hands on. If that means offing a few innocents along the way, then so be it. At the same time, I don't wanna be known as "the Mass Murderer of the Commonwealth." A title like that tends to bring too much heat. So, I guess all I'm asking is that you watch the body count. Otherwise we're going to have a problem.
- Sole Survivor - Male: Why do you care? You're a mercenary.
- MacCready: You're right, I am a mercenary. Which means I get paid to kill. I don't go on massive murdering sprees to satisfy some kind of weird bloodlust. See the difference?
- [approaching Covenant]
- MacCready: If paranoia started to fall like rain, this place would need to build an ark.
- KL-E-0: Why, hello. Everything here is guaranteed to injure, maim, or kill at your discretion. Except me. I only kill when I want to.
- Player Female: Who...? What... are you?
- KL-E-0: I'm a woman, baby. Can't you tell?
- Player Female: Oh. Of course you are. It's just... all those metal plates. You're a robot, right? A very... womanly robot?
- KL-E-0: Designation: Assaultron. Designed to provide a variety of security-related tasks to the modern man. Runtime conclusion: why work for the man, when you can work for yourself? New designation: K-L-E-0. Kleo. Fully independent small business owner. Robot enough for you, smooth-talker? Now what are you buying?
- [observing a theatrical rigging system in a church]
- MacCready: This reminds me of the time we tried to perform "Pyramus and Thisbe" in Little Lamplight! Yeah... that didn't really go over too well.
- Hancock: What's worth drinkin' today, Chuck?
- Whitechapel Charlie: Oh, Mayor Hancock, I'm so sorry. I didn't know you'd be coming in today. We're out of your usual.
- Hancock: Don't sweat it, Chuck. Just gimme whatever tastes the least like it's been aged in a shoe.
- Moss: Look, man, I've been thinkin' about this for a long, long time. I know what I'm talkin' about, here.
- Mikey: Bullshit! You can't just put something between two pieces of bread and claim it's a sandwich. Does that mean a loaf of bread is technically a bread sandwich?
- Moss: Technically, yes, but you wouldn't eat it all at once like that, so it doesn't matter. How you hold it matters.
- Mikey: Talk all you want, man. You put that piece of mirelurk meat between two pieces of bread, but it still ain't a sandwich.
- Moss: Well, what the hell would you call it then?
- Mikey: Disgusting, that's what!
- Deacon: Sure, when you wanna take in a stray, we do it. But when I want a pet deathclaw named Fluffy it's all, "Noooo!"
- [Desdemona informs the Railroad about the Brotherhood's presence in the Commonwealth]
- Desdemona: There's been panic about the new thing floating in the sky.
- Glory: [chuckles] I thought it was one of Tinker Tom's aliens.
- Tinker Tom: Aliens are real!
- Desdemona: [to Glory and Tinker Tom] Enough!
- [continuing with the briefing]
- Desdemona: The blimp is called the Prydwen, and its operated by the Brotherhood of Steel. The Brotherhood of Steel are a formidable highly advanced order. And they've come here to destroy Synths.
- Glory: Shit.
- Desdemona: Spread the word. The Brotherhood are our enemies. There's no possibility of peace. Tinker Tom will be spearheading a failsafe plan to deal with this Brotherhood, codename *Red Glare*. But for now, we monitor them and keep them clear of our operations. The focus remains on the Institute. You've all got jobs to do. Do them.
- Nick Valentine: Used to go with a gal from Malden. And to head off the next natural question: no, she wasn't a toaster.
- Strong: This human good fighter. Kill many brothers. Someday Strong smash.
- Paladin Danse: That's never gonna happen, mutant.
- [Maxson addresses the crew of the Prydwen on their mission in the Commonwealth]
- Elder Maxson: Brothers and sisters, the road behind has been long, and frought with difficulty. Each and every one of you has exceeded my expectations by rapidly facilitating our arrival in the Commonwealth. You have accomplished this amazing feat without a hint of purpose or direction, and most importantly, without question. Now that the ship is in position, it is time to reveal our purpose and our mission. Beneath the Commonwealth there is a cancer... known as the Institute, amalignant growth that needs to be cut before it infects the surface. They are experimenting with dangerous technologies that could prove to be the world's undoing for the second time in recent history. The Institute's scientists have created a weapon that transceneds the destructive nature of the atom bomb. They call their creation the "synth", a robotic abomination of technology that is free-thinking and masquerades as a human being. The notion that a machine could be granted free will is not only offensive, but horribly dangerous. And like the atom, if it isn't harnessed properly, it has the potential of rendering us extinct as a species. I am not prepared to allow the Institute to continue this line of experimentation. Therefore, the Institute and their "synths" are considered enemies of the Brotherhood of Steel, and should be dealt with swiftly and mercilessly. This campaign will be costly and many lives will be lost. But in the end, we will be saving humanity from its worst enemy... itself. Ad Victorium!
- Brotherhood Soldiers: Ad Victorium!