This has been bothering me for a few days now, but I cant figure out what the Institute is trying to achieve. I know they make synths and all, but why?

Are they just building them cause they can, or are they planning on replacing everyone with synths?

Sorry if they mentioned any of this in the game, but I got bored once I found the Institute and killed everyone.

They are furthering humanity through SCIENCE!

Gen 1 and 2 synths were built to perform lower level jobs around the Institute and to perform scavenging missions to the surface. Gen 3s, I'm guessing they were invented to meld into towns undetected and then kill and replace a target so they can serve as spies (like we see with Art) or kidnap a target and bring them back to the Institute for experiment purposes (the whole super mutant project).

I assume by humanity they mean themselves. right?

Synths are used in The Institute for manual labor and to fill their military. Gen-3's in particular are used for the Synth Watcher program that is to say: spies.

They are not planning on replacing humanity with Synths, and see them as nothing but tools.

The Institute doesn't really have an end-goal like "Kill off everyone" ala Enclave or "send humans to the stars" ala House. They are a research University, CIT (really MIT) that simply continued its work.

In-game, they want to become energy self-suficient, via Phase 3: a cold fusion initiative. And largely they just plan to continue building up their underground utopia while disregarding the surface, which most of them think is just full of monsters and madmen. This, in the belief, that the surface world is doomed to die out. They originally tried to help the surface-dwellers by starting the Commonwealth Provisional Government, but were betrayed and began to resent them. Leading to their current strategy of looking out for their own.

Although you, as Director of The Institute, can change their course to either help The Commonwealth, continue to ignore it, or rule it like technological gods.

Ahh. Thank you. Appreciate the explanation

I think of myself as the benevolent Hegemon of the Commonwealth. First there was 'Father' and now there is 'GRAND Father'.

They aren't entirely wrong on that, at least.

correction by playing GOD

they do not care about the commenwealth or its people , everything they did , the kidnappings , the supermutants and massacres they destruction og the minuteman all shows that they only care for themselves

and yes i think the original minuteman were indirectly destroyed by manupulations of the institute alot of indirect evidence shows that the institute is one of the main employers of the gunners

do not forget that even your own son plotted your death who else ordered kellog to lure you to diamond city a few months before you lefdt the vault

Like some of the other factions, such as the Railroad. They ultimately have no end goal and serve no viable purpose to the commonwealth as a whole. Father brings you in, goes on about the institute being mankind's salvation, then achieves his energy goal and basically says screw the commonwealth. The institute continues doing what it was doing before you arrived, being useless and digging into the ground like molerats.

I don't think that the Institute wants to replace everyone with Synths. I think that the reason they replace people with Synth copies is to have eyes and ears in the Commonwealth, as well as agents who can get them things that they need. They probably figure it's easier to replace someone who is in a position (political or geographical) they need or want an agent in than it is to try to have the Synth assume that position through normal means. Especially since the Synth's attempt to assume that position might fail. Replacement is far more efficient. And if you're replacing the person, you might as well get some use out of them while you have them locked up, so why not use them in your experiments?


Of course, I don't particularly agree with any of this, but I figure that's where the Institute is coming from.

No, they didn't do this. This is a stupid talking point that I see from time to time that is not grounded in any sound evidence and really needs to die.

Like... what?


The Institute is hostile to the Gunners. Their synths shoot them on sight. Their coursers kill them like they were nothing when they capture a runaway synth. Pegged has Gunners (if you don't refound the Minutemen) that are hostile on sight. Even as an Institute Director the Gunners are still hostile to you.

There's plenty of wrongdoing to accuse the Institute of, no need to make stuff up.

It's stated quite clearly that it's the other way around.

I don't think the Institute as a whole really has a coherent motive. It seems to vary from researcher to researcher. Some of them seem interested in helping the surface at least a little (improving melon seeds) while some of them seem to do stuff just to see if they can (synthetic gorillas).

Nothing indicates that at all.

I think their motives are kind of ambiguous. You definitely get "red flags" though (creating and then covering up FEV, synth spies, etc.). Also, consider that when Father/Shaun speaks to you on the roof of the CIT ruins, that's the first time he's gone outside of The Institute. And that's if you progress The Institute's storyline. Not only is it weird, but it explains why they have synth spies instead of human spies. They have no real contact with the Commonwealth, and there's no mutual trust.

Despite this, there are still compelling reasons to side with The Institute. Once Father dies, you're the Director, and you may be able to change things. I also think it's the ending that gives you the most direct/centralized power.

They think the surface is a lost cause and the future is underground, I however think hiding and waiting for a better tomorrow will not make it happen.

The Institute kidnaps citizens in the Commonwealth, takes them as prisoners, forces FEV upon them creating Super Mutants..

Releases said Mutants for murder and mayhem..

Replacing said kidnapped citizens with Synths.

Edit

And Our son has done this.. He is an abomination that must die..

It is truly amazing how people can take so many different views of the Institute. I think it is brilliant how Bethesda has created that.


?Lt. Andronicus, just wanted you to know that I enjoy reading your posts, and in general normally agree with your opinions.

Their motivation is to plod along being humanity's best hope by not actually helping anyone.

actually if you pay attention there are 3 different synths that are being used as test subjects. In the pasted they were taking people for experiments, but as of late (since virgil accident) they have been using the gen 3 synths. If you think about it it would be easier just to use the synths as test subjects.

Even though they took people in the past. is there any report with proof that they have taken anyone recently. Supermutants take people all the time for food. I even saw 4 supermutants escorting a human. I tried to save him, but 2 mutants were legendary with skulls. so I just shot a rocket and ran

If you read the terminals most Institute scientists are kept ignorant of other departments. Other than the retention bureau and father they are good people. Just look at how virgil reacted to being forced to work on fev or whats his nuts helping synths escape.

Objection. Assumes facts not in evidence.

They create Synth to work for human, so human don't need to work anymore.

One of the scientists said his disagreement to this and he thinks that human should work instead.

In their minds there are no humans on the surface worth saving. All have been tainted my radiation which would affect future generations.

Pure bloods (you the backup and your son the primary) are very important genetically to the Institute.

I believe they make synths in hopes of rebuild the world faster, with an army of Gen 2 workers, this makes much more sense to them than trying to organize the people living on the surface right now.

Let's face it 80% of the people and 99% of the animals we meet as the SS are not worth saving. In fact we kill them on site. The Institute has to love us whether we join or not, haha.

FEV and supermutants was the Institutes first attempt to purge the surface and that failed. FEV experiments have been abandoned but many super mutants still live on.

Now Gen 1 and 2s are sent to the surface to collect, by any means, supplies, tech, raw materials, etc.

Gen 3's were sent to spy and disrupt any group trying to organize.

Coursers are their soldiers.

FEV predates the institute and their goal was to perfect it to create superhuman s. Swann is evidence of the program.