History Fridge / PROTOTYPE

* Alex's FaceHeelTurn in ''Prototype 2'' makes a lot more sense when you realize what he's trying to do. He is, at the most basic level, trying to propagate himself into receptive tissue, just like Redlight was in Greene. In other words, he's ''acting like a virus.'' A sentient, reasoning, intelligent one that can rip tanks apart and eat people whole, but he's still just a ''virus'' and he acts like one. No matter how he pretties it up, in the end, all Blacklight really desires is to spread, expand, convert, and consume, like any other infection.

** Well, this explains where the Goliaths and Juggernauts in Prototype 2 came from.

* Why do Alex's clothes shapeshift along with him? In a nutshell, they ''too'' are organic. Seriously; cotton sweatshirt, denim jeans, leather jacket. [[spoiler: It makes even more sense once you find out 'Alex' is an experimental sentient strain of the Blacklight Virus.]]

*** Also maybe to address the issue as to why the other disguises don't have as much, if at all, attire reaction to movement, you may have to remember that [[spoiler:the corpse of]] Alex is the [[spoiler:first]] thing that some of the substance in the smashed test-tube came into contact with. Likely [[WildMassGuessing wild guessing]] at this point, but perhaps [[spoiler:[[TheVirus the virus]] only feels most "at home" with it's first and original possession, therefore subsequent disguises could be merely "actual clothing" the virus "wears"]]. This could also be remotely supported by the fact that the game allows you to use only your latest human disguise, but the default Alex appearance is always available.

* The title doesn't make too much sense when you find out that the military ''never'' intended to create anything like Alex -- [[spoiler:he's not some kind of experiment to create a supersoldier or anything like that]]. But then it's revealed that [[spoiler:"Alex" is actually the engineered sentient Blacklight Virus riding a reanimated human body]]. Suddenly the title ''does'' fit.

* Throughout the game Blackwatch refers to the protagonist as "Zeus" (as well as "it"), supposedly a case of them dehumanizing you as a science experiment; however, when you realize that [[spoiler:Alex is the Blacklight virus and was never truly human]] it seems rather appropriate.
* Mercer starts off as a largely immoral creature with no redeeming features, so his gradual development into a more heroic figure seems off... until you realize that at the beginning of the game, [[spoiler:the only baseline ZEUS even had was ''the original, sociopathic and monstrous Alex Mercer''.]] Then it becomes apparent, as the game progresses, that Mercer has been consuming Marines, who in turn would give Mercer more redeeming qualities such as duty and morality, when compared with [[PsychoForHire the psychos in Blackwatch]].
** Consider that even the WellIntentionedExtremist[=s=] of Blackwatch are still better people than [[spoiler:the sociopath Mercer]].

* [[spoiler:When Cross tells Mercer to go to infiltrate the Blackwatch meeting when they're first introducing Bloodtox, it seemed like a fairly typical mission. But when Mercer blew his cover when they gassed him with the stuff, you hear someone on the radio say, "Bloodtox effectiveness confirmed". ]]
* A very subtle one to accompany the end, but it probably wasn't intentional. [[spoiler:You have to admit, Blacklight would make an awesome superhero name...]]
* It also takes a while to realize just how clever the new bulletin [[spoiler:blaming Alex Mercer for the virus outbreak]] overheard in an early cut scene really is. At the time, it makes perfect sense to the player -- why wouldn't Blackwatch blame the biggest thorn in their side for the disaster, tying everything up neatly? [[spoiler:Then you learn that's the actual truth.]]
* You know the message that pops up when your character bites it, saying "Alex is dead"? [[spoiler:It's an accurate statement, but it has nothing to do at all with what just happened on-screen.]]

* Alex repeatedly states that revenge is the only thought he considers his own. That's because literally the final thought of Alex Mercer before [[spoiler:he was shot and killed, releasing the Blacklight Virus, was something along the lines of "If I'm going down, I'm taking you all with me."]] The same goes for Elizabeth Greene. She was [[spoiler:pregnant when her body was taken over by the virus, so it not only copied her form down to the genetic level but also replicated her maternal instincts and thoughts. Thus, the state of their previous selves at the moment of infection make Copy!Alex a revenge-driven sociopath and Copy!Elizabeth a brood mother]].
* Alex immediately going after Dana as soon as he remembers her in order to save her from Blackwatch, not only because he needs her, but because she's his sister -- naturally, he loves her. From the very beginning, whatever other faults Alex has, it's clear that he cares about her safety. [[spoiler:Which seems totally normal, until you realize that ''the real Alex is dead'', and he ''never'' cared about Dana beyond [[ItsAllAboutMe what she could do for him]]. In other words, this is the first sign that the [[TheVirus Blacklight Virus]] is already developing beyond the monster that the original Alex was. Granted, it takes a chunk of time for anything resembling a conscience to develop beyond that, but considering that Blacklight-Alex isn't even ''human'', even though he doesn't know it yet, that's a pretty big plot point]].
** On a second playthough that decision becomes foreshadowing [[spoiler:of the nature of ZEUS' abilities. The real Alex obviously didn't do loyalty to his family, and that's the baseline from which Blacklight formed its views on the world. Thus either or both of the first two people consumed (the Blackwatch soldiers in the alley) ''did'' have the understanding that sisters are people you care about and protect. Cue one moment of horrified epiphany in Blacklight: "I have a sister. They know where she is. ''I'' know where she is." ...and the rest is history.]]
** Building on that is a moment of Heartwarming: At least one those two first Blackwatch soldiers must've had a sister they loved so much that it [[spoiler: reprogrammed Blacklight's brain with a protective instinct.]]
* If you listen carefully, you'll notice that Alex's voice has a slight whispering echo to it [[spoiler: indicating he's something inhuman]]. During one of the later cutscenes [[spoiler: Cross exhibits this as well, highlighting that he's really the Supreme Hunter in disguise]]. Sneaky.
* Massive, ''massive'' one here: You keep hearing people saying that [[spoiler: ZEUS/]]Alex is something ''else''. He's not under the HiveMind influence of Elizabeth Greene, and he's not a "Runner" (an infected carrier that is independent of the hive and highly intelligent) either, because all Runners are female. You then hear a WOI node explaining that the Redlight virus and both its derivatives and first form all have such a high mortality rate (99.999%, with Greene being the only known exception) because it introduces radical mutations in the body which are incompatible with life. ''Then'' you find out that Alex Mercer improved the virus' effectiveness tenfold during his work at [=GenTek=]. ''Finally'' you find out that Alex [[spoiler: died and fell over the shattered Blacklight vial he was carrying, and the virus found its way into his dying body]]. Then it ''hits'' you: [[spoiler: Mercer was already dead or dying when he hit the ground, but not completely, and since the virus was 10 times as effective, it had ''just'' enough time to infect his body and reanimate/clone it with his final memories and thoughts intact, just before it died completely]]. Similarly, [[spoiler: Greene was a one-in-a-million case of compatibility with the virus, her biology allowing the virus to achieve it's full potential, the effects of which manifest in the next generation (the "Hope children" manifested mutations, while the parents were unaffected at first). Thus, ''her'' child, PARIAH, was a manifestation of the virus' true potential, established in a new generation, and that is why he's so powerful]].
* You know those "War" segments, where you join one side for the sake of thrashing the other? [[spoiler: It's for keeping the conflict in balance. If either side wins, they'll be able to concentrate on you.]]
* We're used to [[SuperDrowningSkills games restricting areas with water]], sometimes with SuperDrowningSkills, sometimes by adding some threat to the water so the player doesn't reach any areas where the developers stopped shaping the world. No surprise Prototype does something similar right? Then you realize [[spoiler: it's due to him being the virus and the virus can't cross bodies of water - which also keeps the setting in one place]].

* Now, why is that guy Alex is talking to refer to the parasite as being sentient? I mean, there's no sign of it being anything beyond it being kinda blobby, and...oh. Okay, so it's [[spoiler:more than blob now, but how would he know it might be sentient...oh. But wait, I thought he wasn't even briefed on...oh.]] Oh, thrice-damn me with a ''spork''.

*** [[spoiler:It's a hint that at that time "Cross" was really the Supreme Hunter disguised as Cross; "Cross" knew more about the parasite, and especially its thought processes, than he should have]].

* The city slowly changed as you approach a certain finale. The most prominent development is [[spoiler: special hives building up that will only become destructible with the thermobaric tank.]] But there's also red stuff coming out of the sewers. At first you think it's just another oddity, but then [[spoiler: you flush out Greene from underground and realize the red smoke has been foreshadowing]]. Damn this game has a lot of rounding details if you can look past the gore!

* Why was there a butcher's knife in the hospital room where [[spoiler:Greene gave birth?]]

VideoGame/{{Prototype}} practically runs on FridgeBrilliance. Considering its storyline is primarily conspiracy-driven, maybe this was intentional.

*** Alex actually has to actively try to infect people, so I doubt that's much of a point. However, it does explain why the infected can evolve so fast: There are bits and pieces of Alex's biomass, infected with the superior virus, that they could very well use to build their hives... -IAmNotCreativeEnough

[[AC:FridgeBrilliance]]

[[AC:FridgeHorror]]

*** [[spoiler:It's a hint that at that time "Cross" was really the Supreme Hunter disguised as Cross; "Cross" new more about the parasite, and especially its thought processes, than he should have.]]

* Wait a second, why would [[spoiler:Cross]] arrange for Mercer to destroy [[spoiler:the Bloodtox blowers]]? And then turn around and tell Mercer to [[spoiler:protect the Bloodtox pump]]? And why aren't the Blackwatch shooting at Mercer while he's being manipulated into protecting the... oh. ''[[MagnificentBastard Oh.]]'' Clever, ''clever'' bastards.

* In ''VideoGame/{{Prototype}}'', this troper was left confused as to why [[spoiler: Cross]] of all people would want Mercer to destroy the Bloodtox blowers, and then turn around and have him ''protect'' the Bloodtox pump. Then I noticed that while protecting the Bloodtox pump, the Blackwatch didn't shoot at Mercer unless he was the only person there, and they immediately broke off the second Mercer broke contact. Then, that and everything else, like the comm chatter in the previous missions about how important it was to protect the Bloodtox blowers, came crashing together. [[spoiler: The mission to destroy the Bloodtox blowers was only to convince Mercer to trust Cross, who would then manipulate Mercer into protecting the Bloodtox pump to expose and kill Greene, which was the Blackwatch's primary objective all along.]] Talk about one ''hell'' of a BatmanGambit. --UnknownTroper

** On a second playthough that decision becomes foreshadowing [[spoiler:of the nature of ZEUS' abilities. The real Alex obviously didn't do loyalty to his family, and that's the baseline from which Blacklight formed its views on the world. Thus either or both of the first two people consumed (the Blacklight soldiers in the alley) ''did'' have the understanding that sisters are people you care about and protect. Cue one moment of horrified epiphany in Blacklight: "I have a sister. They know where she is. ''I'' know where she is." ...and the rest is history.]]

** It wasn't a hospital, it was "in military custody". Possibly a surgical instrument of some sort.

* Mercer starts off as a largely immoral creature with no redeeming features, so his gradual development into a more heroic figure seems off... until you realize that at the beginning of the game, [[spoiler:the only baseline ZEUS even had was ''the original, sociopathic and monstrous Alex Mercer''.]] Then it becomes apparent, as the game progresses, that Mercer has been consuming ordinary people and Marines, who in turn would give Mercer more redeeming qualities such as duty and morality, when compared with [[PsychoForHire the psychos in Blackwatch]].

* In ''{{VideoGame/Prototype}}'', the infected strongholds are said to be made by incorporating biomass into the buildings' structure. Okay, yeah. [[ItGotWorse Then]] you stop to think about where said biomass came from. In the game, just about the only constant source of biomass is the citizens of New York City itself. Let's put it this way... that giant zit growing out of the side of the warehouse? It's made of ''people''.