current obsession

Now I'm not saying one of these Teddy bears (or both?) are Janeys. If one of them is then that would confirm Janey is at the Enclave with Barb, which would be insane... But we have no concrete evidence. Just bombastic side eye.

Teddy bears are a collectable that you can find throughout the map in the fallout games. So on a surface level they're probably just a game Easter egg, and in lore maybe a very popular toy brand?

However we only see a Teddy bear in season 1 twice (that I'm aware of) once in Wilzigs office - thereby giving it an association to Wilzig and the Enclaves Headquarters (and of course Dogmeat, best girl). The second is in Roosevelt's bed! Giving the teddy an association with dogs related to Cooper (those who are not supposed to go into the vaults/are controlled by the Enclave).

Its interesting that the only time we see a Teddy bear brought up in season 2 is in direct reference to Janey. Moreso, it's specifically associated with Coop comforting Janey, trying to get her out of harms way. As well as Barb trying to get Janey into a Vault/protect her daughter.

And now we have Barb being co-erced and associated with the Enclave (Vault-Tec as a cover) in order to protect Janey. Doing the Enclaves bidding so Janey can survive. The narrative even specifically using Wilzig as the bridge that connects them; the Enclaves mouthpiece for Barb.

There is a lot of subtextual symbolism tied to bears in the show that is pertinent to this; specifically Janey and Barb/Cooper being associated with bear symbolism as child and parent(s).

The two headed bear of the NCR logo is reminiscent of Ursa Major (the greater bear) and Ursa Minor (lesser bear). Just like there are two bears in Wilzigs office at the Enclave. Wilzig, who is rebelling for the NCR by getting them a cold fusion diode (an electronic component with two terminals). The NCR, that is everything the Enclave want to destroy and wipe away. Hope. To me it's the biggest and most important piece of visual symbolism that can be tied to a bear motif for these characters, and relates back to bears (adults/wisdom) and teddy bears (childhood/innocence).

The NCR is analagous with parents and children, about generational trauma and trying to do better. Max's family. Rose/Moldaver with Lucy and Norm. The NCR ranger and his children that Cooper seeks out. Even one of the original leaders of Shady Sands Aradesh and his daughter Tandi, with differing views on safety Vs freedom, but the same goal in their hearts. So on and so forth.

Ursa Major is usually associated with the feminine, and Ursa Minor usually associated with their smaller counterpart/child. If we think of mother's in the show, with potential entanglements (good/bad) with the NCR, then both Barb/Rose/Julia and their respective children Janey/Lucy/Max come to mind.

In season 1 we have Max shoot an irradiated "rad"bear in the head, him killing the animal that is a part of the symbology of his home/his parents because the radiation has turned it into something twisted and lethal (Trying to kill the good man in himself/the part of him that is his mother and father so he can better serve the doctrine of the brotherhood).

I always found it potentially acted as foreshadowing for Lucy shooting Rose in the head. A motherly symbol of home turned into a twisted irradiated version of herself.

The greek myth behind Ursa Major atleast refers to a nymph of Artemis called Callisto. Who - pursued by Zeus (bastard) - has a son called Arcas. Hera (Zeus's wife) upon learning of his adultery, grows jealous and turns her into a bear. Later Arcas would come across his mother in bear form, and try to kill her. Before he can deliver the lethal blow, Zeus would turn them into the constellations Ursa Major and Bootes (the herdsman who chases the bears around the pole star, both guardian and hunter); to supersede the tragedy (😮‍💨).

Loss of trust between a husband and a wife? Tragedy between a parent and a child? The parent transformed and unrecognisable? Interesting.

There are multiple interpretations to greek myths, and there is a version of this myth where instead of Arcas, Zeus would turn Callisto's faithful dog into a constellation in his place. And this dog/bear constellation would be Ursa Minor.

Ursa Minor is also a strange one in terms of it's greek mythos, however it is always paired with either Ursa Major ( as the two navigational bears) or Draco (the dragon that guards the little bear, the guardian and the guarded). If Janey is being guarded at the Enclave, that would make the Enclave the dragon (big bad) that needs to be slain to save her. Or the parent (Barb) guarding the child (Janey) at the Enclave.

Another name for Ursa Minor was thought to be Cynosura, which can mean "guiding figure." It originates from the greek kunosoura which, funnily enough, means "dogs tail".

(dogmeat from The Fallout TV show and Dogmeat from FO4 holding teddy bears).

Ursa Minor also contains Stellar Polaris, the north star. In stories a "north star" whether it be literal or figurative symbolises guidance, hope and purpose.

A guiding hope. As rightfully pointed out by Lucy, under all that swagger and nihilistic bull, Cooper still has hope, because he's still searching for her. I think if anyone is Coopers North star in this story, its Janey. His Ursa Minor.

To be a little bit of a caveman, these are the direct story threads and association's we know of, and the order they may play out in:

Teddy bear -> Wilzig -> Dogmeat

Enclave -> Wilzig -> Dogmeat

Enclave -> Wilzig -> Barb

Barb -> Enclave -> Janey's safety

Janey's safety -> Vault -> Cryo

Vault/Cryo -> Keepsake box -> Teddy bear

Janey -> Teddy bear

Teddy bear -> Dogmeat

Dogmeat -> Cooper

Cooper -> Janey

Dogmeat -> Wilzig -> Lucy

Lucy -> Vault-Tec/Hank -> Enclave

Cooper -> Dogmeat/Lucy -> Enclave -> Janey

Conclusions:

My first conclusion is that the visual parallels of the (X2) Teddy bear and their context is further evidence supporting that Barb and Janey are at the Enclave where Wilzig was in Season 1 Episode 2. If they're in those cryo pods I'm going to be so confused. I'll roll with it, but yeah, everything I can see is pointing towards the Enclave, and the teddy bears just further solidify that idea.

The NCR symbolism of bears relating to parents and their children parallels how Cooper is actively searching for his child Vs Barb actively protecting her child (at the Enclave).

Wilzig is pre-war, same as Moldaver, so either he's an immortal Synth (?? Didn't look like he was when he was headless lol, unless he's 3rd gen?). OR the Enclave has cryo pods/their own way of preserving their pre-war staff. And lots more room for teddy bears than a single keepsake vault box.

If Barb and Janey are at the Enclave - as is my hypothesis - it makes me wonder if they even made it to their Cryo pods in Vegas and if so were moved/awoken later. OR they never actually went to Vegas.

Instead perhaps they were taken and preserved the same way Wilzig was. At the Enclave.

The second conclusion hinges on the idea that via the Teddy bear, visually Dogmeat and Janey have been connected. The Ursa minor and the "dogs tail."

If bears in fallout symbolise the connection between a parent and a child, and Dogmeat is a guide who connects and leads people to those they're looking for - like some kind of willo the wisp or a personification of fate... Her leading Cooper to Lucy in season 1, her leading Max to Cooper in season 2... Then Dogmeat is the one who will lead Cooper to his "north star".

And because of the connection/parallels between Lucy and Dogmeat (I could make a whole other post about that) they will both play an important role in finding out Janey's at the Enclave, and will both be the ones to help Cooper find her. Perhaps even save her when Cooper can't? Dogmeat running after that teddy bear on the treadmill, Lucy running towards the Enclave/Janey.

The spiritual guide and the heroine/his other half. The ones that lead him to, and reunite him with, his little bear. Janey.