G-man

Half-Life Series
#981

Also, on the G-man. There is no evidence what so ever that he is working for anyone else. Merely what he says, which is not to ever be trusted. His greatest asset is his mystery, a masquerade he creates around himself.

G-man is the controlling super being of Xen. An almost God like entity in control of Xen and thus interdimensional travel.

The combine, able to travel between dimensions regardless still need to be able to travel within dimensions effectively, something for which Xen is required.

They seem to be in luck when they find the Vortigaunts, a race intended for conquer and assimilation. The Vorts ability to manipulate the border world to teleport within their own dimension ( saving Alyx and Gordon HL:Ep1 ) seems to be the answer to their prayers. Using their own abilities with biological tampering/improvement they create a creature that will let them travel freely anywhere, both within and inbetween dimensions. This creature will also control the unruly and dangerous vorts through a Vortessence mind control.

The combine however drastically understimated their new creature, the Nihilanth, due mostly to their ignorance of the Vortessences true power. The creature rebels against the Combine, taking control of the Vorts for itself and waging war against it’s old masters. A war it cannot win as it simply does not have the numbers.

It uses it’s combine infused abilities to take it’s slave army into hiding, to the only place the Combine could not get, Xen. Bringing with it some of the wildlife of the Vort homeworld.

In doing so it comes into direct confrontation with the G-Man, and even manages to take control of at least part if not all of Xen from ‘him’, blocking his power over the borderworld and thus those who use it either directly or indirectly.

Thus the G-Man makes a deal in order to take back control of Xen with the Combine. He will lure the Nihilanth out of Xen, letting the Combine destroy their rogue creation whilst also giving them a new planet to conquer, Earth.

This however doesn’t go as planned thanks to one man, Gordon Freeman. In destroying the Nihilanth himself Freeman inadvertantly gives the Combine what they wanted in the first place, a direct link to Xen and perhaps the ability to control it. This due to the technology still being on Earth in Black Mesa, which would of surely been destroyed had the Nihilanth and his full armies come to Earth through portals, most secure at the dimensional rift at Black Mesa.

The combine now have what they want, the Nihilanth destroyed and the technology for teleportation through capturing the human resistance. (HL:2)

The G-man now has an even bigger problem, the ever looming threat of a Combine take over of Xen and thus an enemy able to travel anywhere any time throughout any dimension, a near unstoppable force, destined to destroy/assimilate all life.

Now he must use Freeman and his own almost god like abilities to see he is always at the ‘wrong’ place at the right time in order cripple the Combine threat and then wipe them out for good.

#982

Dear god
YOU’RE SO RIGHT

#983

Maybe not necessarily for… but what about with… others? In the HL1 closing monologue at 0:22:

This tells me that he at least works with others like him.

Same video at 7:54:

and at 8:52:

Although he may not be subordinate to these other associates, this certainly implies that his opinions and actions are not that of the consensus and he is being held in check by those with greater power.

However, with all those implications brought to bear that suggest his independence… he does indeed report to someone else:

0:40

The monologue is from the first game, so perhaps that particular bit has gone forgotten, it did happen over 12 years ago after all.

A bit of a nerco-quote but:

Indeed. Fringe however, was conceived and premiered after Half Life 2 was released so I think that is it possible that the G-Man inspired the writers of Fringe to a degree. The difference is that the Observers as a rule are not to intervene, whereas the G-Man obviously does.

One bit of a theory I have is that the Combine were going to eventually find Earth anyway, but the G-Man and his associates precipitated that event “early” with the Black Mesa incident to ensure that the arrival of the Combine occured on their “time table” and in a manner more to their liking.

#984

Well thats annoying. I responded to this ages ago but for some reason it simply hasn’t saved.

In response to Gman saying ‘our’. I wouldn’t consider it proof he works with others, or for others. He’s an entity beyond our understanding, he could be a group consciousness, he could be saying it to help his masquerade, he could just be screwing with you

As for the ‘quelling them’. I believe this is suppossed to be a nod to Dr Breen. Which in turn fits in with my theory on the storyline. My idea is that Breen knew of the conspiracy, at least to a certain extent, and helped instigate it.

The Gman, whos plans change once he realises Freeman might destroy the Nihilanth himself, was simply going to leave Breen to his fate under the Nihilanths forces. However because of Freeman he needs to destroy the facility with the nuke, and invest in future endevours, helping save those close to important projects and Freeman himself.

Breen, realising at least part of what is happening manages to survive, and through his knowledge contacts the combine during the war. Instigating the cease fire and giving them the possibility of teleportation technology.

‘I wish I could do more than keep an eye on you, but I have agreed to abide by certain… restrictions.’

I always saw this as reference to the Vorts and how they have, for now, freed Freeman from the Gmans grasp.

'have recommended your services to my, ehhhh, employers ’

See this is it again. Personally I think it could all be attributed to simple word play in order to mask his true identity and goals. This is of course before the combine were even thought of.

#985

uuh… you make it sound so simple Kamikal. G-Man comes to Earth and put’s Gordon through tests for his own enjoyment! xD

#986

Gman is only here for the babes.

#987

Mented has quite accurately described the plot-line with no orifices of doubt whatsoever.

What a champ – man after my own heart.

#988

Why do so many people insist the G-Man doesn’t work with others? Sure he could just be being a dick, but I hardly think the story is that shallow. It would just be a waste of time to add all the implications that there are others more powerful than him for it to just be a lie.

Re Mented: I don’t see how “abide by certain restrictions” would be a reference to the Vorts. There’s nothing to suggest he made a deal with them to let him go, which seems like the only reasonably scenario for that sentence to be relevant. In fact, he blatantly says he was waiting for them to be distracted (with healing Alyx) to be free of their hold. He’s blatantly been restricting his own involvement throughout the entire game and until then the Vorts had never displayed a threat to him. I can’t see the Vorts having any involvement whatsoever in that piece of monologue.

Until there’s actually some real suggestion within the game that he’s working alone, it’s superstition to say otherwise, as all the evidence in conversation and game play says that he isn’t. Unlike the majority of people who use internet forums, the G-Man doesn’t strike me as a troll.

#989

Why must so many people insist he DOES work for others? I personally think he worked with the Combine in HL1, but since then hasn’t worked with anyone. There are no suggestions he works with others, other than literaly two scentences he says which imo people have been looked far too much into, far too literally.

Why because I said that, would you think I meant he made a deal with the Vorts?

It may seem like the only reasonable scenario to you, but thats because you don’t read between the lines, or even take in the lines. You’ve simply jumped to a conclussion because I’ve referenced the Vorts.

Read again. I believe he says ‘Abide by certain restrictions’ because the Vorts have stopped his power over Freeman. He hasn’t agreed, he simply has no choice. A play on words on his part in order to add a bit of sarcastic humour, something he loves to do, even in HL1.

Sorry to burst your bubble but everything discussed about the G-man is superstition, as we know pretty much nothing about him. He uses a masquerade to mask his true intentions at every corner, more than likely isn’t even human and in all honesty says very little to make any sense of, yet your taking everything he does say at face value, literally.
I’m sorry, but what within anything I’ve said would consitute me as a troll?

I have a differing opinion?

See even if you didn’t mean that in regard to me then you’ve just completely proved my point on what people say and what other people see in it.

Personally, I find the funniest thing to be the clear belief of the vast majority of people that the G-man is a good trustworthy character who actually keeps Gordon in the loop. I woulda thought HL1 destroyed that conclussion well before HL2 was even thought up.

#990

am i the only one who thinks that when g-man had alyx relay the message of “prepare for unforseen consequences” he meant that by launching the rocket, the rebels angered the combine so much that the advisors did a reckless and stupid attack, causing the death of eli?

#991

“Prepare for unforseen consequences” was a message to Eli. Eli and the resistance purchased the Gman’s “services” (gordon) to destroy the citadel and cut off the combine from their homeworld. When the combine sought to purchase the same services “Ive received some interesting offers for your services. Ordinarily I wouldn’t contemplate them but these are extraordinary times” the vorts show up and take gordon from the Gman. After Gordon saves Alyx, the gman explains that breen wanted her left in black. then the Gman uses her to let Eli know the shit just hit the fan. Eli’s death is the price that must be paid for breaking the contract.

#992

I assumed that the phrase “Prepare for unforseen consequences” referred to the HL1 chapter. Meaning G-man told Eli before the resonance cascade even happened that some crazy shit was about to go down.

#993

People insist he does, because he says he does. As I already said, it would be a lot of intentional story placement for Valve to be like “haha, actually G-Man’s a troll and is self-employed”. There only evidence is to go by what he says, which is that he’s not working alone. There’s nothing solid at all to suggest the other way around. It’s fine to fantasise and discuss the possibility (and this is not directed personally at you), but it just seems so unfounded for so many people to continually insist he’s alone. It’s stupid to base a theory on the opposite of what the evidence suggests. That just doesn’t make any sense.

Hmm. Can you answer that question yourself now? I do actually know exactly what you’re trying to say, and yep, your interpretation could well be correct. But, again, as I already said, he’s only ever been just watching over you with restricted involvement anyway, since the beginning of HL1. The vortigaunts weren’t exactly self-thinkers at that time, given they were under Nihilanth’s ensalvement. Not to mention, even IF they had the ability to intercept the G-Man back then AND the G-Man knew about their powers at that point, he would have been stupid for getting caught by them at the start of Ep1.

Um, it’s not superstition if there’s actual suggestion of something being correct. Perhaps “conspiracy” would have been a better word for me to have used, but to the same effect.

I’m not taking him 100% literally, but I am taking what he’s saying as more than 10% truth. He would have been flat out lying if he was working alone. Whilst he’s devious, he’s not necessarily a liar. To assume that just seems crude.

Who said you were a troll? I believe you believe what you’re saying. I wouldn’t bother replying otherwise.

Point?

Again, I don’t think anyone thinks he’s trustworthy, but that doesn’t make his words lies.

Agreed. I think that’s exactly the impression the player was supposed to get.

#994

Whilst I agree on your reasoning I don’t agree with your end result.

Personally I don’t think there has been any intentional story placement beyond what people WISH to hear. In HL2 he makes literally one reference to being contracted to others at the end, but this isn’t any indication he works for others or with others like him.

We have literally no idea what the ‘interesting offers for your services’ are. It certainly doesn’t imply he works with others, just contracts his services out for others.

The only other thing the Gman says to even hint at working for others is ‘agreed to abide by certain restrictions’. Again though I think people take it far too literally and look far too into it, and I’m positive this is a reference to the Vorts.

You say it is stupid to base a theory on the opposite of what the evidence suggests, so I ask you where this evidence is? If it’s what he says, then I simply can’t agree. I’ve tried to come to my conclussion from what happens throughout the entire series, not what one deceptive super natural being says in order to humour itself. I’m not getting at you, just simply trying to see your point of view.

I’m unsure of your meaning behind this paragraph?

#995

Well I suppose the first thing to be clarified is, when you say you think “abide by certain restricitions” is a reference to the Vorts, do you think he’s saying he’s been abiding by those restrictions since the start of HL1 or just since he broke free from them during Ep2?

That last paragraph you’ve quoted was an attempt to respond to both cases (as I wasn’t sure which one was correct).

If you’re thinking he means since the start of HL1, then it seems strange that he let himself be vulnerable, such that the Vorts could put him under their hold, if he’s aware of what they’re capable of.
I was also pointing out that because the Vorts weren’t free in HL1 then there would have been more opportunity for direct involvement if he so desired it. But this doesn’t really hold much merit, as he was, it seems, testing Gordon in HL1, so he wouldn’t have wanted to interfere.

If you’re thinking it’s a reference since he escaped from them during Ep2, then, to me, it doesn’t feel consistent with his lack of involvement prior to that. I mean, that monologue he gives in Ep2 is the most involved thing he does directly with Gordon throughout the entire series.

If the G-Man doesn’t consistently work with others or work under someone, then he at least a mercenary (this seems more likely even, I’d say). Actually, let’s develop this idea… If he is a mercenary, so technically temporarily employed by many different people, it would fit if he were “employed” by Breen in HL1 to bring the sample from Xen that caused the Resonance Cascade. Not necessarily with the intent for the Cascade to occur, but perhaps merely for advances in science, likely due to competition with Aperture. After all, they were searching for a good sample of the rock or crystal, or whatever it was, on Xen already but didn’t have any luck finding anything pure. The G-Man may be a universal transporter of some kind. It’s possible he was still under Breen’s employment following the Cascade and thus helped him out and probably helped Alyx out due to emotion (where Breen would have been more concerned with his own safety, thus “objecting”). I imagine the G-Man would have been aware that the Cascade was going to occur, though. In which case, he may have simultaneously been employed by others, who wanted the Cascade to occur, the same people who “authorised” the G-Man to “offer Gordon a job” at the end of HL1 (but that’s pretty speculative). Pass on who that would be, but presumably they want rid of the Combine. Or perhaps they knew nothing of the Cascade and the whole thing was an accident and just acted the best they could once it occurred. I guess at the end of HL2 the Combine probably put in an offer for Gordon’s services, where the G-Man suggests he’s had “some interesting offers” that he would otherwise not consider. To be consistent with this then, the G-Man would have to be one of a kind, or at least one of a kind in the Milky Way.

Kind of just wrote thoughts there as they came to me, so feel free to rip that to shreads.

This sounds pretty potentially legit.

I agree with the analogy to Observers in Fringe. Sure they’re not supposed to intervene, but come on, the Observers do all the time. The existence of Peter is one big interference. The G-Man might not be supposed to intervene either (as suggested in his Ep2 monologue), but may do from time to time anyway.

Also sounds potentially legit.

#996

You say it doesn’t feel consistant with his lack of involvment before that, but you must realise the G-man is the reason we are where we need to be at all times. He puts us on the train that is at a station monitored by Barney himself, any other route in would be suicide. It’s been thought that he gave Cubbage the weapons and/or knowledge on Highway 17 in order for Gordon to take out the gunship pursuing him. Etc.

I feel he says ‘abide by certain restrictions’ because of the events at the start of Episode 2. He loses control of Freeman, and will, for now, abide by their (the vorts) restrictions. It’s a play on words, as he doesn’t really have much choice.

I completely agree the Gman is in sorts a mercenary. Although I think his end goals are always self serving. I feel he merely works with others in order to get what he wants. Playing them against each other when one group becomes a possible threat to him.

Personally I think his original contract was with the Combine, in order to get rid of the Nihilanth for him take back control of Xen. In order to do this he duped Breen into helping instigate the resonance cascade ( I love your idea of making him think it’l help against Aperture, fitting in with his self serving vs ethics mentality ). My entire theory is the second post of this page if you’d like to read it. I don’t think I could word it any better than I already have.

EDIT: 3rd post

#997

Just read through it thoroughly a few times. I like most of it. I’m keen to play with this idea of there being another party though. I wonder if there were a band of Vorts that managed to flee their home planet (not to Xen) when it was invaded and Vorts enslaved by the Combine. It’s clear the Vorts have some form of link to Xen, with their teleportation abilities (as you’ve mentioned), so if there were free ones still out there, they’d be wanting it to be rid of the Nihilanth. Similarly, they’d want rid of the Combine for fucking up their planet and race. I imagine this band of Vorts is probably an elite band, old wise ones, much like the All-Knowing Vortigaunt (perhaps he was a member of their clan but was separated during the invasion and was enslaved). I agree that the G-Man is likely an overseer or lord, if you will, of Xen, so naturally this band of Vorts would go to him, or “hire” him, with the long term goal of vanquishing the Nihilanth and the Combine, or possibly just the Combine and it’s the G-Man’s intent to get rid of the Nihilanth to reclaim ownership. In any case, once Gordon kills the Nihilanth, those Vorts would of course want him in the movement to kill the Combine. I imagine up until that point they probably didn’t like Gordon very much, given the number of Vorts he killed. So in that regard, they’d want Gordon on their side, but under the condition that no more Vorts were hurt. Here would be your restriction by which the G-Man says he’s abiding by and also why he reminds Gordon “there was a time when all they knew of humanity was a crowbar coming at them down a steel corridor” (that’s from memory, not a direct quote); the reason he’s under said restriction. I imagine there’s been no contact with the Vorts that have been freed from Nihilanth, which is why they try to stop the G-Man in Ep1. He probably has the power to get rid of them, but that would break his contract with the other Vorts, so he bides his time until they’re distracted with Alyx. I maintain he would’ve been made an offer by the Combine for Gordon’s services at the end of HL2, and when he says “this is where I get off”, he’s probably heading back to those other Vorts to say that his price is going up, due to the competition for his services. Presumably those Vorts meet his fee when he returns at the start of Ep1, as he doesn’t seem maliciously trying to get rid of Gordon in Ep2, and does give the impression he’s trying to help. Somewhere along the way I guess someone wanted rid of Gordon, so a compromise of Eli’s life had to be given instead (so perhaps there was still some form of deal with the Combine), which the G-Man probably bargained for.

In any case, it seems pretty clear that Breen had a deal with the G-Man in HL1 to get the crystal, so the death of the Nihilanth may have been non-intentional for all involved parties. The Combine take-over of Earth probably wasn’t the intention of the G-Man or other Vorts, if this theory held, and thus they bode their time 'til things had settled down before sending Gordon in.

This would all fit in with the G-Man saying “The borderworld, Xen, is under our control for now” at the of HL1 as well. This sentence really suggests to me that’s working cooperatively with someone, as I’ve suggested with these other Vorts.

Any holes I’ve not considered?

#998

I like it. Not that I agree with it all, or even that there is another group of Vorts. A highly interesting idea though. Infact I’ve talked to people before who think that the Gman himself is a Vort, which might just tie in with the way you see it?

I like your idea of why the Gman says ‘I’ve had some interesting offers for your services’.

Personally I always thought it as either a reference to him taking Gordon out of play by wish of the Combine. ‘Paying’ him to keep him the hell away.

Or perhaps he is indeed talking about the Vorts, but when they realise they have nothing to offer the Gman, take things into their own hands with the rescue.

#999

Arguably from the design of the Striders, this is War or the Worlds lol. I’m joking, of course, but the design is so blatanty that of the tripods in War of the Worlds. The antlions are blatantly from Starship Troopers as well.

#1000

It’s possible that the striders were based off of War of the Worlds, but they weren’t buried under our cities for a long time preparing for the invasion. As far as we know, The 7 Hour War was the first time the Combine stepped foot on Earth.

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