Fallout 4's Far Harbor DLC introduces a number of mysterious factions across the foggy island map. There's the sour harbor folk, the secretive synths of Acadia, and the radiation-worshiping cultists of the Children of Atom. The faction has appeared in other games previously, and even shows up in the Glowing Sea of Fallout 4, but they are present in Far Harbor with greater strength than ever, based in an old nuclear submarine.

The Children are currently led by Confessor Tektus, an aggressive zealot who wants nothing but death for the other folk on the island. But before him, another confessor led this group: Martin, a man only ever mentioned in the game when the player arrives. The mystery around Martin's disappearance, and the implications it has for the tensions on Far Harbor, are quite consequential when it comes to the DLC's core story.

Who Confessor Martin Is In The Far Harbor DLC

An Atom Worshiper With A Heart Of Gold

While the Sole Survivor never meets Martin, he was, by all s, a kind and peaceful man. He is spoken of fondly by the Children of Atom and by the synths of Acadia, and even some harborfolk seem to think better of him than of his flock. He was the leader of the Children when they first came to the island, ing through the town of Far Harbor and picking up some new before being kicked out. He met with DiMA, the head synth at Acadia, who gave Martin the old submarine to make his own.

The timeline concerning Far Harbor's history is never quite made clear, but it can be assumed that Martin's arrival took place over a decade ago, and his disappearance was within the past year or so.

While the Children accepted and befriended the synths, a schism would eventually form over the synth's building of Fog Condensers that dispelled the island's radiation. In addition, DiMa was hiding the location of the sub's nuclear launch key from Martin, though Martin himself seemed to be unsure about whether triggering the atomic payload would truly be the best way to help his followers. Tensions eventually reached a boiling point when a certain Child of Atom was killed while preaching in Far Harbor.

After that, it seems Martin had a crisis of faith. Dialogue with Sister Gwyneth, one of the last people to see Martin before his disappearance, implies that she brought up her questions about the true nature of Atom with the confessor, and it might have been a turning point for Martin. He completely disappeared shortly after, with Tektus stepping in as the new leader of the cult and blaming Martin's disappearance on a loss of faith.

Confessor Martin May Be A Ghoul Now

A Tragic End For Atom's Servant

The game never provides any concrete answers, but the simplest theory is that Confessor Martin died, potentially becoming a feral ghoul. Many of the Children are immune to the nastier effects of radiation, but some are not, and it's never stated whether Martin had this gift; even if he did, enough radiation might still bring about ghoulification. And the island of Far Harbor is hardly safe for an old man traveling alone. Any number of things could have killed the Confessor, or left him in a state where his body eventually turned feral from exposure.

There are a number of holotapes and notes left scattered about the island referencing Martin or recorded by him, and one in particular is found near a feral ghoul. Some fans believe that Martin, having deserted his belief in Atom, was struck down by radiation and turned into this ghoul, to wander mindlessly until the Sole Survivor puts him down. It would be a sad end for this conflicted character, but at least it would mean he reached Division, in a way.

Martin May Be Using Stealth Boys To Hide From His Followers

Key Items Found Across The Island Hint At A Hidden Observer

Then again, Martin was a seasoned traveler of the wasteland, and it's possible he had the tools and know-how to survive on his own. He may have employed Stealth-Boy technology in order to avoid the island's nastier critters, as well as the harbor folk who no longer tolerate Atom worship. One of the aforementioned notes mentioning Martin can be found near a stash of Stealth Boys, possibly one of the Confessor's caches.

Then again, this particular note is written in a style that seems indicative of another character: the Mother of the Fog, a legendary figure the Children believe to be a prophet of Atom. If this is the case, the Stealth Boys might imply that this "mother" is simply an Atom devotee using invisibility to pose as a spiritual guide, and that she has been keeping up with Martin's travels. Or, this may hint at another theory entirely, one that seems somewhat likely given Martin's devotion to his flock.

Is Martin The Mystery Figure In This Children Of Atom Quest?

The Mother Of The Fog May Be A Mortal Man

Players can actually see this Mother of the Fog themselves, during the quest "Visions in the Fog" to the Children of Atom. She appears as a foggy silhouette after the player ingests hazardous nuclear waste, and guides them to a totem that will allow them to up. The Mother may be a hallucination, or some prophet of Atom; or, she might actually be a follower of Atom, helping to lure more into the cult. The Stealth Boys and cryptic notes hint that this is the truth, but could this figure be Confessor Martin?

The Confessor was an avid recruiter of new of the Children, and things like the gender swap could be explained by the effects of the radiated waste or hallucinations. As for why the Confessor would do this, it might be that he no longer feels like a member of his flock, yet still wants to keep an eye on them. Or, since it's implied that seeing the Mother is rare and makes the Sole Survivor special, it could be that Martin did this specifically to help get the player into the cult, believing that they would be of assistance.

It's worth noting that Far Harbor already dabbles in conspiracies around replacing people and leaders with hidden agendas, so thematically, a twist like this could fit.

Unfortunately, there's not much else to prove that Martin and the Mother are one and the same. It's equally likely that Martin left Far Harbor entirely to live a life without Atom, as one letter he left hints at. Still, it's interesting to imagine how an invisible Martin might still be trying to influence politics on the island, and adds another level of mystery to this Fallout 4 DLC.