Joshua Graham

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Evil-doer

Full Name

Joshua Graham

Alias

Malpais Legate

The Burned Man
Kuna-Man

Origin

Fallout: New Vegas — Honest Hearts

Occupation

Missionary
(formerly)

Co-founder of Caesar's Legion
Legate for Caesar's Legion (formerly)
Acting war chief of the Dead Horses

Powers / Skills

Gifted Intellect (stat 7/10)

Expert Tactician
Leadership
Master Trainer
Master Gunsmith
Multilingual

Expert Scout
Expert Combatant

Master Marksman

Indomitable Will
Immense Resistance to Pain

Goals

Take Hoover Dam for Caesar's Legion (failed; formerly).

Wipe out the White Legs in Zion Canyon (ongoing; determinant).

Crimes

Mass murder

Mass torture
Mass slavery
Genocide
War crimes
Defilement
Assimilation
Arson
Warmongering
Terrorism
Crimes against humanity

Type of Villain

Sophisticated Warlord

“	I don't enjoy killing, but when done righteously, it's just a chore, like any other.	„
	~ Joshua Graham

Joshua Graham (also known in folks legend as the Burned Man) is the deuteragonist of the Fallout: New Vegas — Honest Hearts DLC.

He is a New Caananite missionary and co-founder of Caesar's Legion, who served as its first Legate. Formerly known as the ruthless Malpais Legate, Graham served as Caesar's right-hand man and top commander up until the First Battle of Hoover Dam when he led the Legion to a devastating loss. Caesar, to show that failure would not be accepted even in the highest ranks of the Legion, had Graham covered in pitch, set on fire, and tossed into the Grand Canyon. Graham survived this attempted execution, When Caesar retaliated by sending the White Legs raiders to raze New Canaan and chase the survivors into Zion Canyon in 2281, Graham rallied the Dead Horses tribe as their war-chief to protect Zion and make up for his past.

He is voiced by Keith Szarabajka, who also voiced Trigon in Season 1 of Teen Titans.

Biography[]

Origin[]

Graham was born in Ogden, Utah (known in the Fallout universe as New Canaan). He was raised under Mormon faith, and trained to be a Mormon missionary and linguist.

Caesar's Legion[]

Joshua Graham eventually met up with Followers members Edward Sallow and Bill Calhoun when he was doing missionary work in Arizona. When the trio attempted to make contact with a tribe known as the Blackfoot, all went well until they were kidnapped by them. Edward talked their way out by convincing them to have him teach them war tactics that he read in history textbooks of ancient Rome. Eventually, Edward would lead the Blackfoots and other tribes into numerous victories, and thus the confederation of Caesar's Legion was founded. Edward, now Caesar, commanded Bill Calhoun to return to the Followers in NCR territory to tell them what happened.

Joshua served as the first Legate for Caesar's Legion and became an infamous figure to tribals, NCR soldiers, and wastelanders alike for seemingly being unbeatable on the battlefield, as well as the numerous atrocities he committed. As a result, he was viewed to be one of the most evil people in the wasteland, and his old neighbors in New Canaan were ashamed and never spoke of his name. During his tenure as Legate, dozens of tribes were annexed by the Legion.

However the first battle of Hoover Dam would be where they were proven wrong, Graham lead the Legionaries into battle only to be outsmarted by the plan conceived by the joint efforts of Chief Hanlon and General Lee Oliver and the Legion suffered a humiliating defeat. Joshua returned to Caesar in shame, and Caesar chose to make an example of Graham by dousing him in pitch, setting it on fire, and tossing him into the Grand Canyon. Graham however survived and became an infamous figure among the wasteland known as "The Burned Man", while Legate Lanius succeeded Graham as the next Legate of the Legion. Word reached Caesar that Graham did indeed survive the fall, and forbade anyone from saying the Malpais Legate's name due to his insecurity over his unsuccessful execution.

Joshua Graham eventually made it to New Caanan after three months, but eventually was forced to leave after the Legion raided New Canaan in 2281. The White Legs, on behalf of the Legion, poisoned the area and crucified survivors, and presumably left the Legion to annex New Canaan.

Zion Canyon[]

Joshua Graham some time before the events of the game went to the Dead Horses, a former Legion prospective tribe that he knew of, and became their acting war chief. When the player visits Zion, it is very apparent that Graham singlehandedly helped the Dead Horses become powerful due to the massive graffiti on the rocks symbolizing victories achieved by the tribe, many more having happened since Graham's tenure. Graham and his old New Canaanite friend Daniel are at odds due to Graham's warrior personality contrasting with Daniel's pacifism, which is one of the main plots of Honest Hearts.

Graham offers to help the Courier escape from Zion if they help the war effort against the White Legs, a pro-Legion tribe at war with the allied Dead Horses and Sorrows. The Courier may choose to side with Daniel, which results in the Sorrows leaving Zion and the Dead Horses remaining, with no further comments on Graham's whereabouts.

Helping Graham crush the White Legs has multiple possible endings. If the player convinces Graham to execute their warchief, Salt-Upon-Wounds, he essentially transforms the Dead Horses, Sorrows, and New Canaanites into a Legion-like confederation, and as a result becomes even more infamous as the Burned Man. If he kills Salt-Upon-Wounds in a fair fight, he still remains ruthless albeit more tempered. If he spares Salt-Upon-Wounds, the Dead Horses become a more peaceful tribe than before, and Graham ultimately betters himself at the cost of the legends of the Burned Man fading away.

Personality[]

Once a devoted follower of the Mormon faith, he gradually betrayed everything he once held sacred in the service of Caesar, aiding the warlord in his conquest of the wasteland’s tribes. Immersed in the maintenance of a ruthless, nomadic army composed of reconditioned tribals, and the long string of conquests east of the Colorado River, Graham slowly transformed into a monster in mind, body, and soul.

Small compromises gave way to increasingly more brutal acts, each justified by the belief that he was simply doing what was necessary. Ultimately, he and Caesar built a society rooted in fear and violence, with Graham’s conscience dulled by decades of warfare and atrocities. Over time, he came to believe his own lies and rationalizations. However, after the Legion’s defeat at Hoover Dam and his subsequent fall into the Grand Canyon, his drive was shattered.

Forsaken by Caesar and the Legion, the fallen Legate was left to reflect on his life and face the unrecognizable monster that he became. Unlike many, Joshua chose not to blame the influence of Caesar, instead, he accepted responsibility for his own corruption and set out to seek forgiveness from the people he had forsaken three decades prior.

Notable Quotes[]

“

I have been baptized twice, once in water, once in flame. I will carry the fire of the holy spirit inside until I stand before my Lord for judgement.

„

“	Caesar would never admit this openly, but he knows I'm alive. I've killed enough of his frumentarii and assassins that have come looking.	„
	~ Joshua Graham on Caesar.

“	We have made and kept covenants with our Lord, God, to honor his laws. In exchange, we are promised eternal salvation after this life.	„
	~ Joshua Graham on the New Canaanite Religion.

“	We can't expect God to do all the work.	„
	~ Joshua Graham

Trivia[]

Joshua Graham's primary weapon is a .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol. He is introduced cleaning several for the Dead Horses to use should they go to war with the White Legs. Dialogue with him reveals that he is descended from the creator of the .45 pistol, John Browning.
Joshua is immune to the effects of Chems, but can still be administered Stimpaks which will still heal him.
Joshua Graham has a slightly different in-game appearance when compared to the Honest Hearts cover art. In the game, he has pale blue eyes instead of bright blue, and his burned skin is grayer around his eyes.

Gallery[]

External Link[]

Joshua Graham on the Heroes Wiki
Joshua Graham on the Fallout Wiki

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