I do often think about Cooper Howard and that day the bombs fell.
*These are my thoughts only. They bounce around in my head and I needed to write them down!*
What was going through his head when he realised what was happening? Obviously given what we find out by the end of the season, he must have felt shocked, panicked, scared. But also angry, disappointed and a little vengeful.
Who are these people, wiping out millions just to stay relevant, to stay in control?
He must have questioned who it was who gave the go-ahead - surely it wouldn't have been Barb, because of Janey being with him. Did this mean Barb was in trouble? She had a lot of power and influence within Vault-Tec...or did she? Was she just another puppet that they played to get what they wanted? I think they would have played on Barbs 'weakness' - her daughter. Regardless of how twisted her morality became, she was a mother and I believe she did love her daughter and wanted to protect her no matter what.
Cooper would have known this regardless of how they left things after their divorce. So I think he would have aimed to get her to Barb - perhaps at Vault-Tec headquarters. It's unlikely he took her to a vault because A) I don't think that post divorce he was privy to such information and B) well, he asks Hank "Where's my fuckin' family?", therefore he mustn't know what vault they went to.
I can only assume that what happened is that Cooper tried to stay with his daughter but was more than likely stopped with force when he arrived wherever he went to and was prevented from being provided shelter. I can just imagine that someone punched him as Janey cries for her father and he yells with all his might to get to her.
I can't help but think of Steph doing this. We know she came from 31 and would have likely only been 'defrosted' within the last few years, possibly less. Therefore what she did was still fresh in her mind....why do I think this? Whilst she's helping Lucy get ready for her wedding, she boops the Vault Boy bobble head. And we know Cooper is THE original Vault Boy. Yes...it's a reach, I'm aware. But Steph certainly has a mean streak in her, so if she had been friends with Barb, or just didn't like Cooper, I can absolutely see her armed with a gun and ramming it into poor Cooper's head. The 'boop' is her enjoying that fond memory.
And so, they shut him out. Laying on the ground, injured and broken.
Walton brings us such an emotional performance in season one. And we haven't even gotten to the most heartbreaking flashbacks yet. I cannot imagine the grief, the pain, how lost he would have felt in that first day. I will be a sobbing mess when those scenes are finally shown.
Where did he sleep that night? Did he sleep at all? Where did he go after losing Janey? Like Walton asked in a recent interview; who was the first person he tried to kill? Who was the first person who tried to kill him? What was it over? Food? Weapons? Shelter? How long did it take before that happened?
And when was the pivotal moment where Cooper Howard was pushed into his subconscious mind for the Ghoul to take over? Was it when he started ghoulification? Or was it before then?
The man he was is still there though. I do believe that. We see elements of it when he's interacting with Dogmeat and having Lucy enter his life triggers his flashbacks. Cooper Howard isn't an evil man. He goes on to do evil things, but he isn't innately evil. I've seen comments on socials saying he is an evil man, a cruel man. But, he isn't. Not really. If he WAS evil & cruel, he wouldn't have shown any mercy to Lucy. He wouldn't have shown any mercy to Dogmeat. And remember, dogs know people. If he was that evil, that dog would not have willingly followed him.
Also remember that Walton does not think the Ghoul is cruel.
Does that excuse what he did to Lucy in season one? No. She has every right to be pissed at him and bite off another finger or make ass jerky outta HIM. There's a lot to his behaviour, but I'll go into that another time.
Going forward into season 2, it depends on where they pick up from season 1. Will it be right after? A few days after? A couple of weeks maybe? First scene could be Lucy and Cooper in a fight with some creature, reluctantly working together, screaming frustrations at each other but ultimately coming together as a team and winning. Or it could be her glaring at his back as he strolls on ahead like the grumpy shit he is. Either way, I think he will eventually apologise and she will continue giving him shit about it until one of them gets hurt or kidnapped and they'll realise how important they are to each other.
This is regardless of how their relationship dynamic will develop. Either platonic or romantic (NOT dad/daughter as Walton has already said that isn't what it is in their Variety interview) they will be essential to each other. The show runners didn't spend the entire season building parallel after parallel between Lucy and Cooper for their relationship not to be the main focal point (or one of the main focal points) of season 2.
The way season 1 ended showed that Cooper has respect for Lucy. That started when she gave him his vials; he smiled after she left him laying there. "Golden rule, Motherfucker" must have tickled him. She's learned, she's hardened - but she's still doing the right thing.
And then when he sees her again it's just after she's discovered those awful truths and experiencing that same betrayal he felt when he realised Barb was not the woman he thought she was. Yes, he knows it's not the same level of grief he would have felt, but he recognises that Lucy is grieving - he sees himself in her. In that moment, they become equals. Again, if he was evil or cruel he would not have asked her to come with him. And he has no hidden agenda at this point. He has never once lied to Lucy and he has no reason to. The parallels tie up in this final episode and I'm certain we will see Lucy learning more about him and will begin to understand why he is the way he is. The respect will then be mutual.
'The Ghoul' is a product of Vault-Tec as much as Lucy is. Neither of them would be where they are now if it hadn't been for Vault-Tec.
Lucy's grief is new and Cooper's grief has been renewed. He can help her control it as well as teach her survival skills. Lucy can help Cooper regain more of his humanity and provide him with something he hasn't likely had in over 200 years: compassion. Together, they will guide each other through this next turbulent time in their lives.
