Amazon Prime Video’s video-game adaptation Fallout remains one of the breakout streaming successes of the year. Its grounded character arcs, faithful post-apocalyptic world-building, and sharp writing helped it avoid the pitfalls that often sink game-to-screen projects. At the center of the narrative are Lucy MacLean and the Ghoul (Cooper Howard), played by Ella Purnell and Walton Goggins.
Fans have praised the duo’s chemistry since Season 1. Their uneasy partnership, filled with mutual suspicion and reluctant cooperation, has fueled speculation that it could evolve into a romance in future seasons. Online fandoms even coined the portmanteau “Ghoulcy,” sparking debates across Reddit, X, and TikTok. However, Purnell has now firmly rejected that theory. Speaking to Geek Culture, she jokingly warned viewers hoping for romance that they “need therapy,” before seriously emphasizing that the character dynamic will stay platonic.
Purnell says romance does not fit the story’s emotional logic
Purnell argued that the Ghoul’s psychological trauma and radiation-induced deterioration make traditional romance implausible and ultimately unhealthy.
“You can’t fix him. You can’t save him. Let it go,” she said, pointing to the Ghoul’s violent past and hardened worldview.
According to the actress, forcing a love story between Lucy and Cooper would dilute the grounded emotional stakes of the narrative. Both characters remain motivated by deeply personal quests—Lucy searches for her missing father, while Cooper seeks the truth about his family’s past. The actor noted that the pair shares a connection rooted in necessity rather than desire. Their bond stems from circumstance, survival instincts, and temporary alignment of goals as they trek across the Wasteland.
A romance could undermine Fallout’s bleak tone
Although fans defend the possibility of intimacy emerging from trauma bonding, Purnell believes such a shift would distort the tone inherited from the game franchise. Fallout is known for its cynical humor, brutal consequences, and lack of romantic resolution. A potentially exploitative or implausible relationship between a centuries-old Ghoul and a sheltered Vault dweller would conflict with those themes.
There are also biological, ethical, and age-gap concerns. The Ghoul is more than 200 years old and scarred by nuclear exposure. Purnell stressed that both characters are already motivated by existing emotional ties: “They’re both looking for the people that they love; let’s leave it at that.”
What it means for Season 2
Purnell’s comments signal that Season 2 will likely continue exploring Lucy and the Ghoul as uneasy allies navigating morally ambiguous choices. Keeping the relationship platonic may allow the show to deepen themes of survival, trauma, and fragmented humanity without distraction. As the fan base waits for updates on Season 2 filming and release schedules, debates around the Ghoulcy theory may continue online. But Purnell’s emphatic rejection reframes expectations and clarifies that emotional intimacy will emerge from character growth—not romance.
