Super Mutants don't eat people....that is a major MISTAKE made by Bethesda.

Perhaps Fawkes was the Overseer?

Perhaps they eat some of the ones they deem unworthy of FEV mutation, for whatever reason. Little things like this are easy to explain... same with Fawkes. If Fawkes is 200 years old and isn't a Behemoth, it can be explained in very simple terms: FEV mutation is not an exact science.

these ones do. these ones were created with different fev without the guiding hand of the master. they are a less sophisticated and less intelligent breed of supermutant. there really is no reason why they would not consume those they do not consider like them. people eat monkeys.

There's nothing to indicate that he's 200 years old aside from the vault suit, and he might have simply put it on between his capture and mutation.

Alright, here's a mystery. How are super-mutants made? As simple as it sounds, think about. The only place (that I know of) in the Capital Wasteland that has the abillity to make new Supers (FEV vats basically) is Vault 87. There are two entrances to Vault 87. The first is through Litte Lamp Light, and I'm sure the Mutants can't sneak through there, unless they're good at pretending to be little children (I doubt that). The second entrance is not only inaccessiable, but the radiation there peaks at around 3,000 Rads. For the Muties, I assume that's not a problem, but for the Humans, I'm certain they'd die. So, can anyone explain?

Maybe there's another, hidden entrance that is not seen in-game.

Oh come on. That's lame and you know it, Ausir. D:

It sure is.

Kids are not "Prime" Humans.

Kids hate mungo's.

Maybe the mutants use little lamplight as their entrance, and leave the kids alone because they keep out any unwantend visitors.
A mutual benefitting agreement.

The kids live, the muties remain undiscovered.

If I remember rightly, the kids are afraid of 'Murder Pass' and dont' know what's down there. So, I'm pretty sure if that was the case, they wouldn't A ) Be afraid of it B ) Not know exactly what's down there

Despite gameplay mechanics, does radiation really instalty kill someone, even at high levels? If the people could even survive for 10 minutes they would make it to the vats of FEV.

FEV is an unpredictable agent, otherwise the scientists would have gotten what they wanted the first time, and it wouldn't have been the mutants (though it would have been close). The last batch seems to have settled on the wasteland mutant as the median target. Fawkes could have been an original occupant, as noted by others he is different, so his lifespan and development would be different.

Getting the humans into the vault, that's a toughy. I actually have that location, I went in by sneaking, which slowed me down, but by the time I hit the outer door I was taking so many rads I was only able to take a couple steps at a time. Once I got there, I wasn't able to open the door and had to back track.

This is likely to stop someone from avoiding little lamp light and breaking the main quest, but it does raise that question. Maybe the mutants have radsuits handy, or lead lined barrels. Heck, you'd probably get fewer rads if you were stuffed into one of those disposal barrels, even if it was still dirty.

Tips for those who wish to try:
1) take a lot of radx and rad away, if you think you have enough, go get more. When you start wondering if there is any more rad away anywhere else in the game, get some more and you should have enough. Remember, if you don't have enough to get in and out again, it'll all be a waste.
2) get rid of non-essentials, go down to one or two weapons, the stealth armor and any helmets to give you max rad resistance
3) Use the pipboy for taking meds, it give you a chance to check your status before proceding (it also allows you to check the world map)
4) there is a glitch with the stealth armor, you can equip as many types of head wear as you wish; so wear the stealth armor, and as many different types of armored helmets, since most give you a +3 to rad resistance. I opted for stealth because there were 3 overlords there, plu3 another 3 or 4 mutants; if you go early enough (before level 15?) it may be possible to engage the mutants, drawing them out of the irradiated area and into your range.
5) Save, save, save: save at the barricades, save when you can see the door (or the bottom of the path), at the bottom of the path, near the top of the path, outside the barricade. You will likely be popping so much rad away, it'll take a moment for the alerts to catch up and tell you that you have discovered vault 87; but, if you check the world map when taking meds, the vault icon will appear before the alert tells you. Alternately, you can allow the alerts from the med popping (actually, your changing rad count) to finish before exiting the pipboy, then you will be alerted as soon as the site is discovered. Also, make the first save unique from the second, which can be overwritten as you progress. That way, if you didn't bring enough rad away, your character woun't be stuck near vault 87, you just reload and get some more rad away.

What i never get, is about FEV and the supermutants.
Fo1.: each of the mutants were uniquely looking, they were all males, and there were only 1 female (in the cathedral) who survived the virus, as it tended to kill female subjects (just as you if you were a female and you got the evil ending)
Fo2.: after you complete the game and you have marcus in your team, you can visit the cats paw in Reno, and pay each of your companions a hmm... "good time" with Kitty (i believe thats what her name was). If i remember well, Goris was the only one who didnt have his "Stanley" the size to fit for an occasion like this. Marcus still had his genitalia, but had no reproductives.
FoT.: There were female and male mutants as well, and they were highly intelligent, which i really dont get. Also there were a robot invasion starting coming from another vault if i remember well. (I cant even connect tactics to the fallout timeline, was it before FO1 and 2? becouse that would make some sense)
Fo3.: They say the best FEV subjects are females, and all mutants lose their genders and genitals anyways.

So whats the real thing? or does FEV differs this much in regions?

oh now i see an answer:
"FEV is an unpredictable agent, otherwise the scientists would have gotten what they wanted the first time, and it wouldn't have been the mutants (though it would have been close)."

I still have doubts of the development of the FEV. As the Mutant Master in fo1 says a lot of different things about it, than the research notes from whatever vault (from which you get Fawkes out)

Actually, there were female super mutants alright. You can tell the Master to ask his female mutants about sterility - they just don't appear in-game, but they do exist.



Yes, West Coast (Mariposa) mutants are sterile, but they still have their sixual organs.



The leaders were highly intelligent, yes, just like the Lieutenant or Marcus. This doesn't mean all of them were - you don't really have an opportunity to talk to any super mutants aside from the leaders in FOT. Tactics takes place between FO1 and FO2.



There are two major strains of FEV used to create super mutants - the Mariposa one (FO1, FO2 and FOT) and the Vault 87 one (FO3). Their effects vary to an extent.

The fact that Ghost Farm survived and prospered in FO2 sorta shows that there could have been nearly limitless amount of hide outs where people could have survived. Also, considering how abundant radaway is it would seem that anyone that was close to a hospital or a well stocked store could have had a spectacular chance of survival simply by in taking radaway and radX every day.

Also, there were a lot of events that led up to the war so I am sure that many were in some way prepared.

So, FoT is taking place between the original two? Well, now that i think of it, it makes a better sense, getting all clear.
I just donno one more thing: why the hell they needed to change the supercool tesla armor to a crappy copy of enclave power-armor in fo3 :/
It also doesnt seem to resist energy weapons, its just a tank with high DR..while tesla was always vulnerable to firearms except for energy weapons, but its offtopic i guess.

Influenza is a virus. There are many types of Influenza. Some work a little differently to others.

Mutation/evolution is quite rapid in Virus, or so I am lead to believe. Therefore not only are two strains possible, but even more could be likely - Especially when we remember FEV was under intensive research - they were trying to mutate the thing to create a better strain that didn't have so many negative effects.

Cat's are extinct by FO2 in the US.

And these Centaurs are different from the west-coast one's.

Where do the Super Mutant Behemoths come from?
Acording to bethesda they are created by the 'PURE' FEV and once exposed the mutant eventually turns into the behemoth. But whatever Bethesda wanted to do.
Did everyone on the other vaults die?
almost ALL did yes.
Why are bottle caps the current money in the game?
Normal money would be useless and also mostly burnt. Bottlecaps are easier. But in reality metal would be irradiated. That's why chernobyl is still irradiated.