Why Can’t We Be Friends? Side Quest Walkthrough

This is a walkthrough of the Why Can’t We Be Friends? side quest in Fallout New Vegas (FNV). Read on to learn how to unlock Why Can’t We Be Friends?, where to find Philip Lem or Samuel Cooke, the quest rewards, and the best dialogue choices for completing the Why Can’t We Be Friends? side quest.

How to Unlock Why Can’t We Be Friends?

Talk to Philip Lem or Samuel Cooke at Vault 19

To unlock the Why Can't We Be Friends? Side Quest, you need to talk to either Philip Lem or Samuel Cooke in Vault 19 to trigger the quest.

Interactive Map

Where to Find the Overseer Offices

Both of these NPCs can be found in Vault 19, each in their respective Overseer Offices. Philip Lem's office is located on the South side, while Samuel Cooke's office is on the North.

Why Can’t We Be Friends? (Philip Lem) Walkthrough

	Objectives
1	Talk to Philip Lem in the Left Overseer Office
2	Find a Way to Cut Off Access to the Sulfur
3	Enter the Sulfur Caves
4	Setup the Explosives ┣ Destroy the Cave ┗ Destroy the Cave and Vault 19 (Everyone dies and the quest fails)
5	Go back to Philip Lem ┣ Let Philip Lem Turn Themselves In Reward: 250 XP ┗ Convince Philip Lem to Join the Khans
6	Talk to Papa Khan
7	Return to Philip Lem Reward: 300 XP

Talk to Philip Lem in the Left Overseer Office

Look for the Left Overseer Office at Vault 19 and talk to Philip Lem to learn about the Sulfur Caves. Upon accepting the quest from Philip Lem, you will receive a Blue Sector Key Card, which you will use to access the elevators leading to the lower floors of Vault 19.

Find a Way to Cut Off Access to the Sulfur

Using the Blue Sector Key Card, take the elevator to explore Vault 19 and locate the entrance to the Sulfur Cave.

Enter the Sulfur Caves

Upon entering the Sulfur Caves, you will encounter a couple of Fire Geckos in the area. Eliminate them as you progress to avoid getting overwhelmed.

Setup the Explosives

As soon as you reach the Microcline Rock, with enough Skill Points in Explosives, you have to set up a couple of C4s depending on the choice you make.

Destroy the Cave

Choosing to destroy the Cave requires 3 C4s and 60 Skill Points in Explosives, sealing off the Sulfur Cave and forcing Cooke to have nothing to offer to the gang.

Destroy the Cave and Vault 19

Choosing to destroy both the Cave and Vault requires 5 C4s and 55 Skill Points in Explosives, resulting in the death of everyone in Vault 19, and the quest will automatically fail.

Go back to Philip Lem

After setting up the explosives, you can return to Philip Lem to report that you have sealed up the Sulfur Caves. Here, you will decide if you are going to convince Philip Lem to join the Khans or if you're going to let them turn themselves in to the NCR.

Let Philip Turn Themselves In

Upon returning to Philip after setting up the explosives, he will mention that he is planning to turn the gang in to the NCR. Allowing Philip to continue with his plans will result in completing the quest, and you will receive 250 XP.

Convince Philip to Join the Khans

However, if you decide to convince Philip to join the Khans, the quest will continue, requiring you to talk to Papa Khan to ask if he will allow the gang to join the Khans. This dialogue option requires at least 50 Skill Points in Speech.

Talk to Papa Khan

If you choose to convince Philip Lem to join the Khans, you'll need to talk to Papa Khan at Red Rock Canyon to ask for his approval before allowing the gang to join the faction.

Return to Philip Lem

After talking to Papa Khan, you can inform Philip Lem that they can join the Khans as long as they participate in the initiation, which completes the Side Quest.

Why Can’t We Be Friends? (Samuel Cooke) Walkthrough

	Objectives
1	Talk to Samuel Cooke
2	Enter the Sulfur Caves
3	Go Back to Samuel Cooke
4	Talk to Papa Khan
5	Return to Samuel Cooke Reward: 300 XP

Talk to Samuel Cooke

Look for the Right Overseer Office at Vault 19 and talk to Samuel Cooke to learn about the Fire Geckos under the Vault. Upon accepting the quest from Samuel Cooke, you will receive a Red Sector Key Card, which you will use to access the elevators leading to the lower floors of Vault 19.

Enter the Sulfur Caves

Using the Red Sector Key Card, take the elevator to explore beneath Vault 19. Here, you will encounter Fire Geckos that you need to eliminate for Samuel Cooke. Finish them all off as you proceed to complete the objective.

Go Back to Samuel Cooke

After you eliminate all of the Fire Geckos, return to Samuel Cooke. He will ask you to talk to Papa Khan at Red Rock Canyon and inquire if the gang can join the Khans.

Talk to Papa Khan

After talking to Samuel Cooke about joining the Khans, you need to talk to Papa Khan at the Red Rock Canyon to ask for his approval before allowing the gang to join the faction.

Return to Samuel Cooke

You can now inform Samuel Cooke that they can join the Khans as long as they participate in the initiation, which completes the Side Quest.

Best Choice for Why Can’t We Be Friends?

Take the Samuel Cooke Path to Avoid Skill Point Checks

It is recommended that you take the Samuel Cooke path, as it does not require any Explosive Skill Points to finish the Sulfur Caves section, and Speech Skill Points can convince Samuel Cooke to join the Khans. This path allows you to complete the side quest without any prerequisites, and you will receive 300 XP upon finishing the quest.

Why Can’t We Be Friends? Rewards

List of Rewards

Rewards for Completing Why Can’t We Be Friends?
・0-300 XP

Why Can’t We Be Friends? Information

Basic Information and Overview

Basic Information
Location	Quest Giver	Coordinates
Vault 19	Philip Lem or Samuel Cooke	1.21
Difficulty	Follower	Reputation
★★★☆☆	-	Fame: Powder Ganger

Fallout New Vegas Related Guides

List of All Side Quests

List of Side Quests

NCR Side Quests

Anywhere I Wander	Back in Your Own Backyard	Bitter Springs Infirmary Blues
Boulder City Showdown	Can You Find It in Your Heart?	Climb Ev’ry Mountain
Eye for an Eye	Flags of Our Foul-Ups	Hard Luck Blues
I Don’t Hurt Anymore	I Put a Spell on You	Keep Your Eyes on the Prize
Left My Heart	Medical Mystery	No, Not Much
Pressing Matters	Restoring Hope	Return to Sender
That Lucky Old Sun	There Stands the Grass	Three-Card Bounty
You Can Depend on Me

Legion Side Quests

Cold, Cold Heart	I Hear You Knocking	The Finger of Suspicion
We Are Legion

Freeside and The Strip Side Quests

Beyond the Beef	Birds of a Feather	Bye Bye Love
Classic Inspiration	Debt Collector	G.I. Blues
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Other Faction-Related Side Quests

Ant Misbehavin’ (Boomers)	Sunshine Boogie (Boomers)	Volare! (Boomers)
Young Hearts (Boomers)	Eyesight to the Blind (Brotherhood of Steel)	Still in the Dark (Brotherhood of Steel)
Tend to Your Business (Brotherhood of Steel)	Ghost Town Gunfight (Goodsprings)	Run Goodsprings Run (Goodsprings)
Aba Daba Honeymoon (Great Khans)	Don’t Make a Beggar of Me (Great Khans)	Oh My Papa (Great Khans)
Come Fly With Me (Novac)	Booted (Powder Ganger)	I Fought the Law (Powder Ganger)
Why Can’t We Be Friends? (Powder Ganger)

Companion Unlock Side Quests

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One For My Baby (Boone)

Neutral Side Quests

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Wheel of Fortune