Cooper Howard, better known as the Ghoul, is a fictional character from the sci-fi Western television series Fallout, itself based on the franchise of role-playing games of the same name.

The character is a member of a race of post-human beings called "ghouls", humans whose appearances were greatly disfigured by radiation following an apocalyptic nuclear exchange.

The Ghoul has received acclaim from both critics and audiences, with praise directed towards his characterization, visual design, and Goggins' performance.

In 2024, Goggins was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for his performance in Fallout.

[1] In February 2022, Variety reported that Walton Goggins had been cast in a leading role as a ghoul in Prime Video's then-upcoming TV adaptation of the Fallout game series.

Showrunner Geneva Robertson-Dworet told IGN, "I think in our earliest conversations back in 2020, Graham [Wagner] and I were like, oh, if Walton Goggins played a ghoul in a Fallout show, I would totally watch that.

"[4] In an interview with IGN, showrunner Graham Wagner spoke of the advantages of having a character who's lived through two separate eras of history.

[14] Filming took place in hot temperatures, which resulted in discomfort for Goggins as he could not sweat properly while wearing the Ghoul's prosthetics.

After parting ways with Lucy, the Ghoul adopts Dr. Wilzig's dog CX404 and renames her "Dogmeat" while hunting for a former Pre-War acquaintance.

The first season also depicts the Ghoul's pre-war life as Cooper Howard, a Hollywood actor and Marine veteran with a wife and daughter in 2077.

With his career fading, Cooper is reduced to making personal appearances to support himself and his daughter; this results in the both of them witnessing the nuclear bombing of Los Angeles.

Among other characters from the TV series, the Ghoul was added to Fallout Shelter in a free update releasing alongside the show.

[19] Reviewing Fallout Season 1, Paul Tassi of Forbes said that the character's casting was "spot-on" and praised his dual nature within the narrative structure.

"[21] Nicholas Quah of Vulture drew comparisons between the Ghoul and the Man in Black from Westworld, Nolan's previous series.

[22] Following the reveal that Cooper Howard was the inspiration for Vault Boy, Polygon's Michael McWhertor praised the twist as a device showing the character's eventual decline in 2077 before his transformation into the Ghoul.