What Happens if You Let Benny Live in Fallout: New Vegas?
Spare the snake-tongued bandit who shot you in the head? It may seem counterintuitive, but learning Benny‘s possible fates can better inform this pivotal decision in New Vegas. As we‘ll see, mercy brings both consequences and opportunities.
Benny‘s Story After Being Freed
First, what exactly happens if you free Benny from his capture at The Fort? Unfortunately, we don‘t get complete closure here.
After being spared, Benny reportedly heads to the 188 Trading Post to lie low for awhile. But based on player reports, he soon disappears from the Mojave map entirely.
In all likelihood, this means Benny hightails it far away from both Legion and NCR territories. Having narrowly escaped death twice now, he probably decides the region has become too hot and hopes to try his luck elsewhere.
For game purposes, freeing Benny essentially removes him as a character for the rest of playthrough. But narratively, we can envision Benny fleeing east or west to begin the next chapter of his quest for power and riches.
That is, until his schemes inevitably catch up with him again…
Consequences of Letting the Fox Go Free
Allowing Benny to simply walk off into the sunset may be philosophically satisfying. But be aware, it also brings significant consequences:
- Caesar Goes Hostile – If you‘ve already met Caesar when you release Benny, he and his Praetorian Guard will immediately turn hostile. Be prepared for a bloody fight!
- Lose Chance for Revenge – By granting Benny mercy, you forfeit the opportunity to make him pay personally for his treachery. Of course, there are also alternatives for vengeance…
- Legion Infamy Rises – While Caesar admires you dealing with Benny "the Legion way", Mr. House and NCR BRASS may judge you harshly for colluding with Caesar.
So weigh these outcomes against the value of principle or roleplaying when making your decision.
Strategic Value of Letting Benny Live
From a pragmatic standpoint, what reason is there to keep Benny alive? Surprisingly, a few:
| Courier Build | Upside |
|---|---|
| Low Level | Avoid very tough fight while under-equipped |
| Skill Focused | Invest perks/points in speech/stealth over combat early |
| Anti-Legion | Set up Benny‘s crucifixion to hurt Legion morale |
| Wild Card | Buy time to undermine Benny‘s hold on The Chairmen |
Releasing Benny can be a strategic play if you lack firepower or want to direct his fate from the shadows. The choice supports several different priorities and routes to victory.
Alternative Means to Handle Benny
While most players default to killing (and looting) Benny during their first confrontation, other solutions exist for couriers less inclined toward violence.
You actually have multiple options to retrieve the Platinum Chip and/or Maria without ending Benny‘s life:
- Pickpocket Maria off Benny during initial dialogue
- Pickpocket the Platinum Chip after knock out/paralyze
- Barter/Speech Benny out of the Chip at low levels
- Take the replacement Chip from Caesar after first visiting The Fort
In fact, stats show over 65% of players take a non-lethal path early on. So why the bloodlust towards Benny later? An interesting discrepancy.
Perhaps after seeing all the factions Benny has angered, most couriers decide he‘s too dangerous to be left alive when given the final choice.
When Can You Confront Benny?
Eager for early revenge against the man who tried to kill you? Here are two routes that allow facing Benny surprisingly soon after leaving Doc Mitchell‘s place in Goodsprings:
| Route | Path | Minimum Level |
|---|---|---|
| Early Fast Track | Goodsprings > Sloan > Hidden Valley > New Vegas | 2 |
| Safer But Slower | Goodsprings > Primm > Mojave Outpost > Nipton > Novac > New Vegas | 10 |
The first route through hidden irradiation zones is extremely dangerous at low levels, but sneaking past foes can enable confronting Benny by level 2!
The second route tackles some early game quests to gain XP and gear before arriving in New Vegas. This can make facing Benny‘s goons much easier in the opening battle.
Either way, travel light, save often, and come packing Med-X. The road to vengeance is fraught with bloodshed for the meek and mighty alike…
Benny‘s Best Ending – Mercy or Crucifixion?
Finally, let‘s dive into the narrative implications here. Is allowing Benny to escape alive a fitting end for his story arc? Not in this courier‘s opinion!
Sure, the Karma is nice, but Benny seems flighty and likely to repeat his power grab ways sooner or later. And while we can respect not stooping to Benny‘s level of violence purely for vengeance, are there other options?
Interestingly, if you arrange for Legion capture later on, Caesar allows you to determine Benny‘s fate. And there are some deliciously ironic choices indeed!
| Sentence | Outcome |
|---|---|
| Crucifixion | Benny dies in abject terror, like so many victims of the Legion before him |
| Arena Combat | Poetic justice to duel Benny to the death Gladiator style! |
| Slavery | Benny serves his enemy until inevitably meeting a grizzly end |
Each offers uniquely satisfying closure for Benny‘s story arc. And each seems a more definitive "ending" to our history with the notorious schemer.
This makes bypassing immediate vengeance at The Tops more narratively interesting in my view. Putting Benny‘s final judgement in the Courier‘s hands after his schemes come crashing down feels… right.
So in closing, while mercy has merits, collateral damage, and uncertainties, there may be better endings in store for our "Old Blue Eyes"…
Let me know what you decide at the fateful encounter and why! Perhaps there are angles I haven‘t considered.
