Fallout Season 2 allowed the Brotherhood of Steel to scheme its way across the wasteland. But now the show has dropped the mic and then handed it to Kumail Nanjiani! The latest episode ends with Nanjiani stepping into the power armor as Paladin Xander Harkness. This name sounds important even before he strolls to ask if everyone’s discussing a civil war without him.So who exactly is Paladin Harkness? And what does “The Commonwealth” actually mean in Fallout terms?Let’s break it all down.Who is Paladin Xander Harkness in Fallout Season 2?Harkness enters in Season 2 Episode 2, “The Golden Rule,” in a late-episode reveal.The Brotherhood of Steel has taken over Area 51. At the same time, Elder Quintus (Michael Cristofer) attempts to rally other elders against The Commonwealth, which is a more powerful Brotherhood-aligned force.Quintus thinks he’s holding all the cards because he’s got fusion tech, aka the MacGuffin that powered much of Season 1, so he’s celebrating with a death match. Maximus (Aaron Moten) is forced into combat with a massive opponent and thinks he's winning until he gets interrupted.Paladin Xander Harkness walks in and introduces himself as a liaison from The Commonwealth, and he notes that he seems to have missed his invitation to the civil war planning session. While Quintus laughs, Maximus gets a quiet nod of approval.In the Brotherhood hierarchy, Harkness outranks most people in the room below the Elder. And while Quintus holds the higher title, the Commonwealth’s version of the Brotherhood may hold the real power.What is the Commonwealth in Fallout?In Fallout lore, the Commonwealth refers to much of the former Eastern seaboard of the United States, around what used to be Boston. View this post on Instagram Instagram PostThe region is first mentioned in Fallout 3 and is the primary setting of Fallout 4. In the games, multiple factions fight for control, and players can shape the outcome. The TV series seems to have settled on a canon outcome, though, as we see the Brotherhood of Steel emerge on top.That makes The Commonwealth a statement. The East Coast is under the control of a stronger, more organized Brotherhood. Harkness is thus the face of a dominant faction that could redefine the power balance.Right now, we don't know if we'll actually visit The Commonwealth on-screen this season. The show is set in 2296 (nearly a decade after Fallout 4), so there’s going to be a lot of unseen history. Harkness may be the Commonwealth’s sharpest shot.RELATED: Season 2 might be going to a place where Westworld went wrongWho is Kumail Nanjiani?Kumail Nanjiani broke out as Dinesh on HBO’s Silicon Valley and earned an Oscar nomination for co-writing The Big Sick. View this post on Instagram Instagram PostHe then joined the MCU as Kingo in Eternals.More recently, he was on Poker Face, released the stand-up special Night Thoughts on Hulu, and continues to juggle comedy and drama. Casting him as Harkness suggests the character won’t be a clear-cut villain or ally.If anything, this Paladin is going to matter.New episodes of Season 2 stream Wednesdays on Prime Video, with the season finale set for February 4, 2026.NEXT UP: Season 2 Episode 2 recap | Season 2 Episode 3 release date news, time, streaming details and more | Who are the Caesar’s Legion?