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For other characters named Orlando, see Orlando (disambiguation). |
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Orlando is the mysterious manager of the Whitespring Resort in Appalachia. Orlando claims to be a liaison for the similarly enigmatic Management of the Whitespring and assists the Responders in their efforts to establish a refuge in the resort.
They are the second non-binary character in the series, following Burke. All of the Whitespring Responders and refugees reflect this when referring to Orlando in their dialogue.[1]
Background
Appearing suddenly at the Whitespring Resort around 2104, coinciding with the rebirth of the Responders, Orlando is a secretive, mysterious person tasked by the mysterious Management with supporting Responder operations and distributing ultracells to the leaders of the new community. They oversee the robotic staff and ensure the Whitspring remains habitable, distribute resources granted by their employers (food, medicine, materials, the aforementioned ultracells), and other necessary arrangements.[2] They believe the Refuge can be a beacon of hope for the unfortunate people of Appalachia.[3][4][5]
Orlando is the first human caretaker of the Whitespring in over a quarter of a century, personally representing the interests of the Management.[6] Previously, only robotic staff sufficed to deal with any threats or scavengers on the property.[7] The reasons behind this appointment are, if Orlando is to be believed, pure, unspoiled altruism in order to rebuild civilization.[8] They claim that they and the Management simply believe in the American Dream and its restoration,[9] reestablishing America as a land of opportunity where anyone will be able to find the freedom to build a life worth living.[10] As such, they permitted the Responders to settle into the Whitespring (that and the plummeting demand for luxury golf resorts).[11]
One of their crucial roles is providing the ultracells. Orlando suggested using the experimental battery technology for powering Lennox's Vertibird, and once the Responders agreed, Orlando started distributing them to selected individuals. Rather than provide them in bulk, they get a portion of cells in order to encourage collective decision making instead of stockpiling: Otherwise, the Vertibird will not get charged and the Responders will be unable to embark on any expeditions.[12]
Personal life
They are very private: Orlando will only speak of their past in the vaguest possible terms, describing themselves as someone who traveled wide before coming to work for the Management,[13][14] and claiming they have unremarkable origins, coming from nowhere interesting. They deliberately let people imagine where they come from, to keep them interested, although they do not really mean it in an intimate or romantic way, as their line of work consumes them entirely.[15][16] They similarly sidestep questions related to the Management, and explain that they came to work for it after "others" working for the Management saved Orlando from certain death, and that they loyally serve the Management ever since.[17]
Their relationship with the Management predates the Whitespring posting. Orlando traveled widely to maintain their interests, collect information, perform unspecified tasks, and meet new people. While they enjoyed the travels and meeting new people, settling down at the Whitespring was a relief, interrupting Orlando's endless travels with nowhere to call home. Orlando particularly enjoys the soft bed and clean clothes, something that was not available on the trail.[18] In keeping with their secrecy, Orlando admits to living at the Whitespring, but will not divulge specifically where.[19]
Orlando is evasive on the topic of their past or their employers. Orlando refuses to divulge anything but the most vague facts, citing privacy concerns. Orlando believes all that matters is their support for the Responders.[20] The Management, they explain, prevents them from traveling and Orlando acts as their representative, and concierge to those found worthy.[21] They refuse to divulge even a hint of where all the resources supplied by the Management come from.[22]
If sufficiently pressed, they might mention a "Mr. Otis" as their employer, the chairman of the Management.[23] Orlando explains that they simply owe their life to "Mr. Otis" and refuse to betray his trust.[24] Orlando will feign ignorance if pressed on the similarity of the name Mr. Otis (MOtis) to MODUS, vehemently denying ever hearing of such a thing.[25] Any ties to Enclave technologies, such as the ultracell design and function, are played off as merely having similar contacts with "The Management."[26]
Relationships
Orlando dislikes being called a "lackey" or having their role disparaged in any way. In their opinion, they are doing something helpful, necessary, and have a clear purpose in life and place, something that many people lack.[27]
Orlando thinks very highly of Skippy Roerich, in particular due to his personality, refreshing attitude and willingness to chat.[28] They have a cordial working relationship with Rucker, though Orlando admits the Responders' leader does not fully trust them.[29] The same is not true of either Sophie Wagoner or Esme Rousseau, both of who are inspiring and among Orlando's favorites (although they dislike even using the term, as it is improper to play favorites among guests).[30][31] Of all the Responders, Orlando does not have much rapport with Lennox, as they rarely visit the roof.[32]
Outsiders get a fair shake. Orlando only knows the Brotherhood by reputation, though Initiate Ellison is viewed by them quite positively due to his good nature and curiosity.[33] Giuseppe Della Ripa is also one of their favorites, thanks to his charms and aptitude for finding strange trinkets.[34]
Interactions with the player character
Interactions overview
Interactions | ||
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This character cannot be killed. | |
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This character starts quests. | |
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This character is involved in quests. |
Quests
- Responders Reborn: Orlando is the hub character for the quest, introducing the new Refuge mechanics (such as Refuge dailies), the lore behind ultracells, and helping players settle into the new update.
- All the World's a Stage: Evelyn Russo meets with Orlando for a flight to Atlantic City.
Inventory
Apparel | Weapon | Other items |
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Black and white tuxedo |
Appearances
Orlando appears in Fallout 76, introduced in the Expeditions: The Pitt update and was expanded upon in the America's Playground update.
Behind the scenes
- Every character in the Whitespring Refuge consistently refers to Orlando with they/them pronouns, although Orlando's non-binary identity is never explicitly mentioned in-game.
- Voice director Phillip Reich confirmed that Orlando is non-binary, and stated that Orlando's voice took inspiration from the mannerisms of Katharine Hepburn.[Non-game 1]
- Orlando is voiced by Carolina Hoyos, a queer two spirit actor who uses she/they pronouns.[Non-game 2] In an interview with Glowmade, Hoyos mentioned an appreciation for the humor of Fallout 76 and its writing. Hoyos was not expecting to perform a transatlantic accent, as it had not been requested in the audition process, but was able to deliver one anyway. Hoyos did a "round robin" of accents to refresh her mind and return to the transatlantic voice whenever she found herself slipping out of it.[Non-game 3]
- Orlando shares their name with the main character of the novel Orlando: A Biography (1928) by Virginia Woolf. The story is focused on an English nobleman who transitions from the male to female sex, then goes on to live for centuries, meeting various figures in history. It has been acknowledged as a feminist classic and analyzed for its transgender themes.
References
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Non-game
- ↑ Phillip Reich Plays Fallout 76: The Pitt (Union Dues, Part 2 - Stream Archive) (0:14:36)
Phillip Reich: "Orlando is non-binary, so they - we call they - and yeah, they're the liaison. So the Management is the secret organization behind the Whitespring Resort here. And they are their liaison that we'll talk to us for them on their behalf. [...] It's definitely inspired by... I remember when we were recording this character, we were like 'Yeah, we want a bit of a Katharine Hepburn-y kind of feel to Orlando.' So you can hear that in the way they talk that you get some of that old-timey 1950s Mid-Atlantic speech patterns. [...] And the actress we had in to voice Orlando... I can't remember her name, but she was a joy to work with, as well. Very, very lovely woman. I'll have to look up her name that voiced Orlando." - ↑ Carolina Hoyos on LinkedIn
- ↑ Voicing Queerness: Carolina Hoyos
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