| 1 | [[center:[[WMG: ''VideoGame/HalfLife'' [[Characters/HalfLife Character Index]]\ |
| 2 | [- [[Characters/HalfLifePlayerCharacters Player Characters]] | '''Supporting Characters''' | [[Characters/HalfLifeXenAliens Xen Aliens]] | [[Characters/HalfLifeTheCombine The Combine]] | [[Characters/HalfLifeOtherAntagonists Other Antagonists]] -]]]]] |
| 3 | ---- |
| 4 | [[foldercontrol]] |
| 5 | |
| 6 | !!The Resistance |
| 7 | |
| 8 | [[folder:In General]] |
| 9 | |
| 10 | [[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/250px_lambdaspray_2a.png]] |
| 11 | %%[[caption-width-right:250:some caption text]] |
| 12 | |
| 13 | -> Voice Actors: John Patrick Lowrie and Mary Kae Irvin (English) [[note]]'''Other Languages''': Tony Beck and Cécile Hopkins (French), Silvio D'Alessandro and Alletta Lawson (German), Min Noh and Yeo Min-jeong (Korean), Boris Isarov and Katarina Burgess (''Half-Life 2''), Dmitry Polonsky and Olga Kuznetsova (Episodes ''One'' and ''Two'') (Russian), Javier Fernández and Pilar Ortí (Spanish)[[/note]]\ |
| 14 | ''"You smell that? It's freedom."'' |
| 15 | A loose group of humans and Vortigaunts working against the Combine that serve as the main heroic force of ''Half-Life 2'' and the episodes, aiding Gordon in his journey. Initially working as an underground force covertly sabotaging the Combine and smuggling citizens out of City 17, the arrival of Gordon Freeman and his subsequent actions leads to them engaging the Combine in a much more overt manner. |
| 16 | ---- |
| 17 | |
| 18 | * AllYourBaseAreBelongToUs: Prior to ''Half-Life 2'', the rebel base of Ravenholm is bombarded to hell with Headcrab Shells. This results in the utter destruction of the base, turning it into a [[ForbiddenZone largely zombie-infested area]]. Things only get worse when the Combine is alerted to Gordon's presence. The entire underground canal network that was designed to help smuggle refugees to Black Mesa East is quickly destroyed, the well-fortified main base of Black Mesa East is overrun shortly after Gordon's arrival and several outposts along the Coast are taken over by the Combine. Only the coastal New Little Odessa, Shorepoint Base and Lighthouse Point are left in Rebel hands. The Combine also try to attack the White Forest base in ''Episode Two'', but [[TheHero Gordon]] is there to repel their attack. |
| 19 | * AllThereInTheManual: Most rebels Gordon encounters go unnamed, but looking into the game files will reveal that they do have names. |
| 20 | * DecapitatedArmy: Thankfully subverted. Eli Vance's capture doesn't affect The Resistance at all thanks to the its nonexistent command structure. Not even Gordon Freeman and Alyx Vance going missing for a long amount of time. |
| 21 | * LaResistance: Obviously. They're a heroic group of rebels that desire to overthrow the Combine and end their dystopian rule over Earth. |
| 22 | * TheMedic: Rebel Medics are encountered during the Uprising in ''Half-Life 2''. They're able to heal Gordon and other rebels, but not themselves, making their protection a priority. |
| 23 | * PunnyName: The rebel in ''Sandtraps'' who warns you to stay off the sand, as stepping on it attracts Antlions? According to the game files, he's named ''Sandy''. |
| 24 | * UncertainDoom: There are a few instances in ''Half-Life 2'' where Gordon has to leave resistance fighters behind to uncertain fates. |
| 25 | * UndergroundRailroad: A loose network of Rebel-controlled stations and safehouses in the Canals of City 17 served as the only way refugees could safely escape to Black Mesa East prior to Kleiner setting up a teleporter system between his lab and Eli's. Gordon's arrival and Breen being alerted to his presence leads to said railroad being flooded with Manhacks and Civil Protection Officers, resulting in it being completely destroyed. |
| 26 | [[/folder]] |
| 27 | |
| 28 | !!!Leadership |
| 29 | |
| 30 | [[folder:Dr. Eli Vance]] |
| 31 | !!Dr. Eli Vance |
| 32 | |
| 33 | !!!'''Appearances:''' ''VideoGame/HalfLife'' | ''VideoGame/HalfLife2'' | ''Half-Life 2: Episode One'' | ''Half-Life 2: Episode Two'' | ''VideoGame/HalfLifeAlyx'' |
| 34 | |
| 35 | [[quoteright:206:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/eliv_6086.png]] |
| 36 | [[caption-width-right:206:''"I should've aborted that damned test, but... I didn't. The whole world went to hell that day."'']] |
| 37 | |
| 38 | -> Voice Actor: Creator/RobertGuillaume (''Half-Life 2'', Episodes ''One'' and ''Two''), Creator/JamesMosesBlack (''Half-Life: Alyx'') (English)[[note]]'''Other Languages''': Philippe Smolikovski (French), Werner Kastor (German), Kwon Hyuk-Soo (Korean), Diran Megreblyan (''Half-Life 2''), Alexander Gruzdev (Episodes ''One'' and ''Two'') (Russian), Luis Soto (Spanish)[[/note]]\ |
| 39 | ''"I knew if you both stayed together you could get through anything."'' |
| 40 | A major character in ''Half-Life 2'', Eli Vance is one of the survivors of the Resonance Cascade incident, a lead member of the Resistance, and Alyx's father. Also known to be a Harvard graduate. |
| 41 | ---- |
| 42 | * ArtificialLimbs: Eli apparently lost his left leg during an [[NoodleIncident incident involving a Bullsquid.]] He has a makeshift prosthetic now. |
| 43 | * AscendedExtra: Remember that scientist in the first ''Half-Life'' that sent you up for help after the Resonance Cascade and opened the door for you? That's Eli. Made more obvious in ''VideoGame/BlackMesa,'' the Source FanRemake that was [[invoked]][[OfficialFanSubmittedContent endorsed by Valve.]] |
| 44 | * BackFromTheDead: [[spoiler:In ''Alyx'', through a combination of a DealWithTheDevil and RealityWarping by the G-Man, Alyx saves his life from the Advisor that kills him at the end of ''Episode Two''.]] |
| 45 | * CassandraTruth: Was very uneasy about the Anti-Mass Spectrometer running at high levels in ''Half-Life'', and says as much in the immediate aftermath of the Resonance Cascade. |
| 46 | -->'''Eli:''' We tried to warn them! |
| 47 | * DistressedDude: One of the major goals driving the plot of ''Half-Life 2'' is Alyx's quest to rescue her father, twice. This isn't exactly a new thing, as ''Half-Life: Alyx'' shows. |
| 48 | * ISeeThemToo: So far, he has been one of the few characters who has acknowledged the G-Man, a.k.a. "our mutual friend's" existence to Gordon. |
| 49 | * ItsAllMyFault: Eli at least partially blames himself for the Resonance Cascade and the subsequent Combine invasion. |
| 50 | * IWantGrandkids: Not so subtly tells Gordon and Alyx to hook up and make some grandkids after the supression field is down. Hey, you can't blame him, considering the Combine's anti-reproduction suppression field in the past ''twenty'' years. |
| 51 | * LikeASonToMe: [[spoiler:Shortly before he's killed by an Advisor]], he tells Gordon that he couldn't be more proud of him if Gordon were his own son. |
| 52 | * MyGreatestFailure: The heart-to-heart between Gordon and him in ''Episode Two'' further affirms he was doing oversight for the test leading up to the Resonance Cascade, and that he deeply regrets not putting a stop to it. |
| 53 | -->''"When [the G-Man] brought in that crystal I knew I... I should have aborted that damned test, but... I didn't. The whole world went to hell that day."'' |
| 54 | * PreciousPhoto: He constantly keeps a framed photo of himself, his late wife Azian, and an infant Alyx close by. Examining the photo while in Black Mesa East prompts him to comment on how it's the only thing aside from Alyx he managed to bring out of Black Mesa. |
| 55 | * PropheticName: Eli seems to share some elements with [[Literature/BooksOfSamuel Prophet Eli]]. Like Prophet Eli, Eli Vance is haunted by knowledge of future events which he cannot change, and has great love for his daughter like Prophet Eli had for his sons. Also, [[spoiler:Prophet Eli snaps his neck after learning of his sons' death, while Eli dies of a neck injury after he tries to save his own daughter.]] |
| 56 | * RebelLeader: Is the de facto leader of the Resistance, seeing as Black Mesa's remnants became the foundation of the movement. |
| 57 | * RoaringRampageOfRevenge: [[spoiler:Swears such on the G-Man after the end of ''Alyx'' once brought back to life and realizes he abducted his daughter as the cost.]] |
| 58 | -->'''Eli:''' [[spoiler:She's gone, Gordon... she's gone... [[SuddenlyShouting SON OF A BITCH AND HIS UNFORESEEN CONSEQUENCES!]] I knew it! When I get my hands on him, I'm gonna... ''I'm gonna kill him''.]] |
| 59 | * SacrificialLion: [[spoiler:At the end of ''Episode Two'', right before Gordon and Alyx were to board the helicopter to find the Borealis, he gets killed by a Combine Advisor.]] |
| 60 | * ShipperOnDeck: He's obviously quite fond of the idea of Gordon and Alyx hooking up. |
| 61 | -->'''Eli:''' Can you blame an old man for [[IWantGrandkids wanting grandkids]]? |
| 62 | * SmallRoleBigImpact: He only appears two times in the original ''Half-Life'', but him sending Gordon to the surface to radio for help ends up putting Gordon on his arduous journey through the Black Mesa facility. |
| 63 | * SoProudOfYou: Says this to both Alyx and Gordon [[spoiler:mere minutes before he's gruesomely killed by an Advisor. It's heavily implied he knew his end was coming and took the chance to secretly say farewell.]] |
| 64 | [[/folder]] |
| 65 | |
| 66 | |
| 67 | [[folder:Dr. Isaac Kleiner]] |
| 68 | !!Dr. Isaac Kleiner |
| 69 | !!!'''Appearances:''' ''VideoGame/HalfLife2'' | ''Half-Life 2: Episode One'' | ''Half-Life 2: Episode Two'' | |
| 70 | |
| 71 | [[quoteright:191:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/isaac_kleiner_3882.png]] |
| 72 | [[caption-width-right:191:''"We place our firmest hope in the human spirit, even knowing how easily it may be shattered."'']] |
| 73 | ->Voice Actor: Harry S. Robins (English)[[note]]'''Other Languages''': Jérôme Berthoud (French), Walter Bohnacker (German), Kim Min-sung (Korean), Sam Yossman (Russian - SDL dub), Dmitry Polonsky (Russian - Buka dub), Carlos Cogul (Spanish)[[/note]]\ |
| 74 | ''"That's right, Barney. [[TitleDrop This is a red letter day]]. We'll inaugurate the new teleport with a double transmission!"'' |
| 75 | Gordon's theoretical physics professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and the one who recommended him to Black Mesa's Civilian Recruitment Division. He's also a survivor of the Resonance Cascade and a key member of the Resistance. |
| 76 | ---- |
| 77 | * AbsentMindedProfessor: Fits the stereotype perfectly, though he's not quite as absent-minded as some. In fact, more of the problems that come from interacting with him tend to be Lamarr's fault, rather than his. |
| 78 | * AdmiringTheAbomination: He's implied to be the scientist who finds headcrabs fascinating in the first game, leading to him ''keeping one as a pet'' in the second. |
| 79 | * AmbiguouslyJewish: Has a Hebrew given name (though admittedly, Hebrew given names are nothing of an oddity in Europe) and a German surname, and named his pet headcrab after a Jewish actress. |
| 80 | * AscendedExtra: Like Barney, he's a stock scientist from the original game turned into a main character in the sequel. |
| 81 | * CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass: The badass is hidden pretty deep down, but, he did manage to escape from Black Mesa alive and stay alive for years afterwards as a rebel. There are a few subtle demonstrations of this competence throughout ''Half-Life 2:'' |
| 82 | ** Despite struggling to keep Lamarr out of trouble, there's something to be said about how he managed to catch a headcrab alive and surgically remove its zombifying fangs without getting turned into a zombie himself. |
| 83 | ** When Gordon and Alyx teleport from Nova Prospekt right outside Kleiner's lab, Kleiner greets them with a ''[[ShotgunsAreJustBetter shotgun]],'' clearly not expecting them and very ready to blow away any Combine intruders. Thankfully, he instantly eases up when he realizes who has just returned. Additionally, inside the lab, Gordon can find the wreckage of a Manhack, most definitely destroyed by Kleiner himself. |
| 84 | * FluffyTamer: He keeps a "de-beaked" headcrab as a pet. Her name is [[Creator/HedyLamarr Lamarr]]. |
| 85 | * HonoraryUncle: On a corkboard in his lab, there's an arts-and-crafts collage of him made by a younger Alyx with "Uncle Kleiner" written beneath. |
| 86 | * NiceJobBreakingItHero: It really wouldn't be inaccurate to lay the entire mess of the second game and its expansion packs on him. It was Lamarr who disrupted the teleporter, causing Breen to become aware of Freeman's restoration, which resulted in the Transhuman Forces being rallied, which led to... well, all of the death and destruction the player sees sweep before them over the course of the game. All because he had to keep a frigging untameable brain-sucking alien monster as a pet. |
| 87 | * NoodleIncident: It has something to do with the cat and the teleporter in his lab. Barney mentions the cat twice. |
| 88 | * OmnidisciplinaryScientist: His expertise seems to be physics, but he is apparently responsible for the creation of the Mark V HEV suit, suggesting knowledge of mechanics as well. Somewhat [[JustifiedTrope justified]] as he did have 20 years to get aquainted with the field. |
| 89 | * PerformanceAnxiety: Downplayed, but present. In ''Episode One'', he's put in charge of delivering evacuation broadcasts and valuable exposition on the state of the war the Resistance is in, and is obviously nervous through his tone and breathing when he begins. He gradually begins to hit his stride to the point of delivering an inspiring speech to give hope to the rebels. |
| 90 | * PetsHomageName: His "de-beaked" headcrab is named after Creator/HedyLamarr.[[note]][[Film/BlazingSaddles That's Hedley!]][[/note]] It's both a bad StealthPun and a ShoutOut to a classic actress--one who helped pioneer early wi-fi and cordless technologies. |
| 91 | * RefugeInAudacity: Setting up a resistance research lab in the Combine's capitol city certainly took some ''chutzpah''. No less, a research lab located [[RightUnderTheirNoses right down the block from a major train station crawling with metrocops]]. |
| 92 | * RousingSpeech: Delivers one to the people of City 17 during ''Episode One''. Kleiner urges the remaining citizens to hold on to hope and fight back against the Combine, even when the odds seem stacked against them. |
| 93 | -->'''Dr. Kleiner:''' For what the Combine fear the most is not any tangible human weapon, but our will. Our intellect. Our ability to respond selectively and rationally to every terror they turn against us. |
| 94 | * TheSmartGuy: He creates a short-ranged teleportation system that allows for transportation on the same planet. Something that the Combine haven't figured out themselves yet. |
| 95 | * VoiceOfTheResistance: Becomes one temporarily in ''Episode One'' when the Resistance hijacks Breen's public broadcast system. It's mostly to give instructions on how to evacuate City 17, but he does take some time to give an inspirational speech about finally taking back the planet which is pretty impressive for someone who admits he's not very good at public speaking. He also notes that the [[SterilityPlague suppression field]] is down and now would be a good time contribute to "the revival of the species". |
| 96 | [[/folder]] |
| 97 | |
| 98 | [[folder:Dr. Judith Mossman]] |
| 99 | !!Dr. Judith Mossman |
| 100 | |
| 101 | !!!'''Appearances:''' ''VideoGame/HalfLife2'' | ''Half-Life 2: Episode One'' [[note]] Recording only [[/note]] | ''Half-Life 2: Episode Two'' [[note]] Recording only [[/note]] |
| 102 | |
| 103 | [[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/250px-judith_mossman_7678.jpg]] |
| 104 | [[caption-width-right:250:''"I do so envy you, working with Eli and Dr. Kleiner when they were at the top of their field."'']] |
| 105 | |
| 106 | -> Voice Actor: Creator/MichelleForbes (English)[[note]]'''Other Languages''': Framboise Gommendy (French), Gertrude Thoma (German), Nam Jeong (Korean), Rita Weisman (''Half-Life 2''), Larisa Grebenshchikova (''Episode One'') (Russian), Azucena Durán (Spanish)[[/note]]\ |
| 107 | ''"The Zero Point Energy Field Manipulator is not a toy, Alyx!"'' |
| 108 | A scientist who assists Eli Vance at Black Mesa East. She happened to apply for a position at the original Black Mesa facility that was ultimately given to Gordon. |
| 109 | ---- |
| 110 | * BitchInSheepsClothing: Comes off as friendly and professional in her initial appearance, even if she doesn't get along with Alyx, [[spoiler:but she's secretly working for the Combine.]] |
| 111 | * DoubleAgent: [[spoiler:Assists Eli in developing scientific advancements to help the Resistance, but is also a spy for the Combine.]] |
| 112 | * JerkWithAHeartOfGold: [[spoiler:Works for and against the Resistance so she can get close enough to Breen to kill him.]] |
| 113 | * MeaningfulName: Judith's is a cognate with [[Literature/BookOfGenesis Juda]]/[[Literature/TheFourGospels Judas]]. Consider that Gordon Freeman is hailed as a MessianicArchetype by the Vortigaunts, and it becomes clear that she cannot be trusted. |
| 114 | * SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute: Her hair and beige color scheme allude to Gina from ''Decay''. |
| 115 | * TheMole: [[spoiler:Initially, but pulls a HeelFaceTurn later on. It's not clear if she's an example of a FakeDefector or WelcomeBackTraitor.]] |
| 116 | * MyGodWhatHaveIDone: [[spoiler:When Breen attempts to send Eli off-world at the game's climax, betraying his promise to Judith that he wouldn't harm him, she instantly regrets having sold him out to the Combine and pulls a HeelFaceTurn to save him.]] |
| 117 | * TheResenter: According to Alyx, despite ostensibly not holding any grudges towards Gordon, Judith likes to talk about how "it should have been her in the test chamber that day" which implies that she's still jealous about being passed over for Gordon's job (and robbed of the opportunity to become TheHero in the process) all that time ago. [[spoiler:Given her later betrayal, it's possible that Judith still holds a grudge towards Gordon.]] |
| 118 | * TemporaryPartyMemberToVillain: [[spoiler:Subverted. During the assault on Nova Prospekt, it's revealed that [[LesCollaborateurs she's been in league with the Combine all along]], and she takes Eli straight to Dr. Breen. However, when Gordon finally meets Breen in person in the climax, Mossman is horrified at Breen's intention to essentially execute Eli and Alyx, so she changes allegiances and rescues Gordon, Eli, and Alyx all at once.]] |
| 119 | [[/folder]] |
| 120 | |
| 121 | [[folder:Dr. Arne Magnusson]] |
| 122 | !!Dr. Arne Magnusson |
| 123 | |
| 124 | !!!'''Appearances:''' ''Half-Life 2: Episode Two'' |
| 125 | [[quoteright:218:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/arne_magnusson_4769.png]] |
| 126 | [[caption-width-right:218:''"The last thing on my mind was submitting it for the Kleiner certificate of approval."'']] |
| 127 | |
| 128 | ->Voice Actor: John Aylward (English)[[note]]'''Other Languages''': Walter Bohnacker (German), Andrey Yaroslavtsev (Russian)[[/note]]\ |
| 129 | ''"Oh, and Freeman! If you pull this off, I might just forgive you for that [[BaitAndSwitch debacle at Black Mesa]]. You know the one I mean – [[BrickJoke involving a certain microwave casserole]]."'' |
| 130 | The manager of White Forest Base. Has a very distrustful relationship with Isaac Kleiner (well, they fought between each other for grant money). Later revealed to be the owner of a certain microwave casserole in the lounge of the Sector C Personnel Facilities in Black Mesa. |
| 131 | ---- |
| 132 | * BrickJoke: Remember the microwave casserole you had the option to blow up in the beginning of the first game? According to canon, that just so happened to be Arne's casserole, and Gordon did in fact blow it up, something Arne still hasn't forgiven. |
| 133 | * GoodIsNotNice: Well, he's definitely not nice. |
| 134 | * ItsAllAboutMe: Magnusson is an incredibly egocentric asshole. Listening to him alone, it's very easy to get the impression that he does ''everything'' there is to do while everyone else exists solely to annoy him or hinder his great accomplishments. During the final sequence of ''Episode Two'' he explicitly takes full credit for the success of the entire operation (including the brutal defence of White Forest against ''a dozen friggin' Striders plus their Hunter escorts''), completely ignoring the fact that he would've gotten nowhere without the invaluable support of scores of brave people, the player character among them, naturally. |
| 135 | * {{Jerkass}}: Specifically created to be this to contrast with Eli and Isaac. |
| 136 | * MilesGloriosus: For all his pompousness, he can't even be bothered to secure his own base, dismissing any alarms as "crows". And his anti-strider bombs don't even have any propelling or detonating mechanisms, forcing Gordon to launch and detonate them manually. |
| 137 | * {{Narcissist}}: To the point where he names anti-strider bombs after himself. Of course, he ''claims'' [[BlatantLies this wasn't his idea]], though "it seemed to please the base personnel". (However, a cut line of dialogue provides some context for this -- they think "Magnusson" is a good name for the bombs because [[HairTriggerTemper it doesn't take much to set them off]].) |
| 138 | * PetTheDog: He is grateful for Gordon's part in the rocket launch, although he really seems to have difficulty expressing it (and even then he manages to mostly praise himself). |
| 139 | * RememberTheNewGuy: He just appears during ''Episode Two''. Sure, it's implied he hadn't seen Gordon in a long time, but it still appears as though they know each other. |
| 140 | * SkewedPriorities: When he talks to Freeman about the debacle at Black Mesa, he's actually referring to his lunch that he ruined, not the resonance cascade that completely changed the face of Earth. |
| 141 | * SmallNameBigEgo: Given that his name is never even mentioned until the action shifts to White Forest, it is implied that he has no prominence outside of White Forest whatsoever. |
| 142 | * StockForeignName: Arne Magnusson is a typical Scandinavian name. |
| 143 | [[/folder]] |
| 144 | |
| 145 | [[folder:Colonel Odessa Cubbage]] |
| 146 | !!Colonel Odessa Cubbage |
| 147 | |
| 148 | !!!'''Appearances:''' ''VideoGame/HalfLife2'' |
| 149 | |
| 150 | [[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/250px-odessa_cubbage_bust_nlo_7629.jpg]] |
| 151 | [[caption-width-right:250:''"Colonel Odessa Cubbage, at your service."'']] |
| 152 | ->Voice Actor: John Patrick Lowrie (English)[[note]]'''Other Languages''': Vyacheslav Shumov (Russian)[[/note]]\ |
| 153 | ''"Ah yes! Gordon Freeman! I couldn't have asked for a finer volunteer!"'' |
| 154 | A somewhat suspicious and supposedly British Resistance colonel, leading the New Little Odessa base along the coast. He only appears briefly in the 7th chapter of ''Half-Life 2'', granting Gordon a rocket launcher. |
| 155 | ---- |
| 156 | * CallBack: After playing out his minor role in ''Half-Life 2'', he disappears from the plot, and there is no mention of him again. Then, late in ''Episode One'', three independent mentions suddenly turns up concerning him, first Alyx sarcastically claiming he is her father, then two rebels coming to the conclusion that he is an idiot, and finally a rebel who reveals that he had taken the credit for Gordon's work, and who turns out to be an admirer of him. |
| 157 | * CowerPower: When the base he has responsibility to lead comes under an attack threatening its very existence, no less, Cubbage sends Freeman to dispatch the gunship, while he safely hides to send a warning to another base, that mysteriously never reaches its destination despite taking so long. |
| 158 | * DirtyCoward: Once a gunship invades his base, he chooses to hide inside the basement throughout the whole fight, despite [[BlatantLies promising]] to "lend a hand". |
| 159 | * MilesGloriosus: While there is no explicit mentions of his great military exploits, he does by no means seem like someone deserving a colonel title. Better yet, a passing comment in ''Episode One'' reveals that he took the credit for shooting down the aforementioned gunship. |
| 160 | * MysteriousPast: The Prima Guide to ''Half-Life 2'' states that virtually nothing is known of Cubbage's past, his name may even be taken from the outpost, and the only thing known for certain about him is his cowardice. If Gordon uses the Combine binoculars overlooking New Little Odessa, he can be seen talking to the G-Man, making him that much more mysterious. |
| 161 | * RebelLeader: Although his significance as one is debatable. |
| 162 | * SmallNameBigEgo: It is staggeringly clear that he believes himself to be one of the great heroes of the LaResistance, although he appears to be the only one with this view, apart from one rebel in ''Episode One'' speaking somewhat highly of him. |
| 163 | [[/folder]] |
| 164 | !!! Non-human allies |
| 165 | |
| 166 | [[folder:[=D0G=]]] |
| 167 | |
| 168 | !!!'''Appearances:''' ''VideoGame/HalfLife2'' | ''Half-Life 2: Episode One'' | ''Half-Life 2: Episode Two'' | ''VideoGame/HalfLifeAlyx'' [[note]] Picture only [[/note]] |
| 169 | [[quoteright:299:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/hla_dog.png]] |
| 170 | |
| 171 | A walking junkpile that moves like a robotic gorilla, but has an effective mindset of a dog, hence his name. Fiercely loyal to and protective of Alyx, and her friends by extension. |
| 172 | ---- |
| 173 | * BadassAdorable: Has quite the endearing attitude when he's happy, but when he's on the warpath, he'll smash the utter shit out of anything that isn't a [[spoiler:Strider, where the ''only'' difference is that he'll take it apart with his bare hands instead.]] |
| 174 | * BigDamnHeroes: [[spoiler:Ambushes the Combine Advisors at the end of ''Episode Two'', saving Gordon and Alyx from their clutches while driving them off. Unfortunately, he was too late to save Eli.]] |
| 175 | * BigFriendlyDog: You play catch with him as part of Alyx's training regime for the gravity gun. |
| 176 | * TheBigGuy: He's the size and shape of a ''very'' big gorilla. |
| 177 | * CurbStompBattle: Him versus any Combine forces short of a Strider. His favored method is to pick up ground vehicles and throw them at the enemy. And when he stays behind to allow Gordon to go to the Citadel, he thrashes the pursuing Combine soldiers so badly that they are flung around like ragdolls before jumping onto a Dropship. |
| 178 | * DavidVersusGoliath: [[spoiler:Him versus a Strider.]] |
| 179 | * GentleGiant: Is this towards Alyx and her allies, acting like a giant pet dog for the Resistance. Is anything ''but'' this towards the Combine. |
| 180 | * LightningBruiser: He's more than capable of wrecking pretty much anything in his path, yet fast enough to keep up with a car going flat-out. When you race him to White Forest in ''Episode Two'' and don't make liberal use of your car's booster, chances are he'll be waiting for you at the gate when you finally get there. |
| 181 | * MyNaymeIs: [=D0G=] (with a zero) is written on his body shell. The in-game subtitles spell it "Dog" (with a letter o). |
| 182 | * NiceGuy: Just as loyal and friendly as his namesake. |
| 183 | * NoSell: Because he isn't organic, he is immune to the Advisors' psychic attacks. |
| 184 | * PersonOfMassDestruction: Any place [=D0G=] fights in tends to be left full of burning wreckage, as he pummels Combine troops with his bare hands and [[CarFu projectiles so thoughtfully provided by our benefactors]]. |
| 185 | * RobotBuddy: He's loyal just like a normal dog, but is made from scraps. |
| 186 | * RobotDog: Fits behavior-wise, if not in appearance. [[https://combineoverwiki.net/images/0/05/HLA_DogPictures04.jpg A photo]] in ''VideoGame/HalfLifeAlyx'' shows the original model built by Eli looked more dog-like before Alyx began upgrading him. |
| 187 | * WhatAPieceOfJunk: Consider him a junky old robot at your own peril if you're a Combine. He ''will'' thrash you. |
| 188 | [[/folder]] |
| 189 | |
| 190 | [[folder:Lamarr]] |
| 191 | !!Lamarr |
| 192 | |
| 193 | !!!'''Appearances:''' ''VideoGame/HalfLife2'' | ''Half-Life 2: Episode One'' | ''Half-Life 2: Episode Two'' | |
| 194 | |
| 195 | [[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/lamarr_2.jpg]] |
| 196 | |
| 197 | Dr. Kleiner's de-beaked pet headcrab. |
| 198 | ---- |
| 199 | * AllAnimalsAreDogs: Kleiner has managed to domesticate it to some extent, comparable to a feral cat. Lamarr still retains much of the predatory behavior of a typical Headcrab and Kleiner doesn't seem to have much control over the creature as it attacks Barney (harmlessly) and aggressively hisses to both him and Kleiner before escaping to the airducts during its first appearance. That being said, Kleiner can hold and pet it without it struggling. It even appears to pant like a dog when resting from hopping around. |
| 200 | * FluffyTheTerrible: A formerly dangerous PuppeteerParasite named for a famous Golden Age actress. |
| 201 | * NamedAfterSomebodyFamous: Named after Creator/HedyLamarr. |
| 202 | * PunnyName: A headcrab named after Creator/HedyLamarr. |
| 203 | * SmallRoleBigImpact: Basically a good portion of the game wouldn't happen without its interference in the teleport incident. |
| 204 | * TeamPet: For The Resistance, though most members don't seem to like it all that much. |
| 205 | -->''We're all starving, and Kleiner's Headcrab is probably eating grade-A head!'' |
| 206 | * TrademarkFavoriteFood: Watermelons, if a sticky note found in Kleiner's lab is any indication. Must be a good substitute for heads. |
| 207 | * UncertainDoom: [[spoiler:Last seen in the nosecone of a rocket launched into the Combine super-portal. If it's not dead it's in another universe.]] |
| 208 | * UnwittingInstigatorOfDoom: Unwitting because it's a dumb animal, but thanks to Lamarr climbing into the teleporter, Gordon gets teleported into Breen's office and alerts the Combine to his presence, leading to many resistance bases being destroyed and rebels getting killed. |
| 209 | [[/folder]] |
| 210 | |
| 211 | !!!Other Rebels |
| 212 | |
| 213 | [[folder:Father Grigori]] |
| 214 | !!Father Grigori |
| 215 | |
| 216 | !!!'''Appearances:''' ''VideoGame/HalfLife2'' |
| 217 | |
| 218 | [[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/250px-fathergrigori_1599.jpg]] |
| 219 | [[caption-width-right:250:''"A shepherd must tend to his flock, especially when they have grown... unruly."'']] |
| 220 | ->Voice Actor: Jim French (English)[[note]]'''Other Languages''': Emmanuel Bonami (French), Steffan Boje (German), Min Noh (Korean), Vyacheslav Shumov (Russian), Javier Fernández (Spanish)[[/note]]\ |
| 221 | ''"I am Father Grigori! [[DeadpanSnarker You have already met my congregation]]."'' |
| 222 | The only surviving resident of Ravenholm and a strange man that Gordon encounters on his journey. Very little is known about him other than that he's an [[AmbiguouslyChristian Eastern Orthodox-like]] preacher of questionable sanity who has taken it upon himself to clear his "[[ZombieApocalypse flock]]" from Ravenholm. |
| 223 | ---- |
| 224 | * AlternativeCharacterInterpretation: Whether he is truly insane or just devout is up to the player. It should be noted he does break down into seemingly random fits of laughter, but from his point of view, Headcrabs might as well be true demons who take over the minds of his flock. |
| 225 | * AmbiguouslyChristian: His denomination isn't fully addressed, but heavily implied to be Orthodox Christian in the Ravenholm chapter. |
| 226 | * ApologeticAttacker: His BondOneLiners to the zombies come off less as taunts and more as obituaries. |
| 227 | * BadassNormal: All he has is his old fashioned rifle and plenty of makeshift booby-traps to fend off the zombie hordes, and he's avoided getting caught by any Headcrabs and getting mauled by zombies ever since the initial Combine attack. |
| 228 | * BadassPreacher: While the preacher part may be questionable as his backstory is never expanded on, he is still a badass for being able to survive and remain in the zombie and headcrab-infested Ravenholm. According to writer Marc Laidlaw, Grigori was first envisioned as the "preacher with a shotgun" archetype. |
| 229 | * BattleAmongstTheFlames: The final time he's seen, [[HeroicSacrifice he bids farewell and safety to Gordon and rushes into an erupting fire to hold off the incoming zombie horde]], [[LaughingMad laughing maniacally all the while]]. |
| 230 | * ICallItVera: He's armed with a .357 caliber lever action rifle called "Annabelle". |
| 231 | * CrazySurvivalist: Grigori's the ''nice'' kind. He may be not be very sane and has set up traps throughout the town, but he helps Gordon through Ravenholm out of the kindness of his heart. |
| 232 | * CreepyGood: Living through [[ZombieApocalypse what happened in Ravenholm]] did a number on his mental health, but he's nothing but helpful to Gordon. It's implied he also tried his best to help others. |
| 233 | * EvilLaugh: His laugh is pretty evil sounding, even though he's helping you. |
| 234 | * FriendlySniper: He does all he can to help his flock, and you; the former he does from a long distance with Annabelle. |
| 235 | * GoodSamaritan: Grigori is the only NPC in the entire game to help Gordon Freeman without recognizing who he is. He just thinks it's the right thing to do. |
| 236 | * GoodShepherd: |
| 237 | ** While there are few people left in Ravenholm for him to help, he gives Gordon a shotgun, some supplies, and has built several traps that Gordon uses on the zombies. It is implied that Grigori has done the same for other rebels. |
| 238 | ** It's implied that, with [[ZombieApocalypse the state that the Combine has left his flock in]], he sees his role as the one responsible for their "salvation" as having morphed into a duty to give every last one of them a MercyKill. For what it's worth, he can still be heard giving conventional sermons to the zombies even while he blasts them to pieces. |
| 239 | * HeroicSacrifice: He willingly stays behind to slow the zombie hordes down and allow Gordon to escape. |
| 240 | * InsaneEqualsViolent: He went mad after what happened to Ravenholm (though to be fair everyone would have gone insane) and he's ''technically'' violent since he lives in a CrapsackWorld surrounded by zombies (if there were no zombies, he wouldn't be violent, so it's not a result of his insanity), but he's 100% benevolent and helpful towards Gordon. |
| 241 | * LargeHam: He is a mad priest who recites all his psalms on rooftops in a very theatrical manner, often followed by a [[LaughingMad mad laughter]]. |
| 242 | * MeaningfulAppearance: Just about every NPC in the game is wearing black or brown boots. This guy is wearing red sneakers. |
| 243 | * MeaningfulName: "Grigori" is a term in Biblical apocrypha for a group of angels tasked with watching over humanity as well as the name of [[UsefulNotes/GrigoriRasputin a famous Russian preacher]] who was supposedly [[RasputinianDeath very hard to kill]]. |
| 244 | * MercyKill: What he does to the Headcrab Zombies, and is more than likely why he hasn't left town yet. He's [[AndIMustScream perfectly]] [[FateWorseThanDeath justified]]. |
| 245 | * NiceGuy: Extremely helpful to Gordon Freeman, he's ready to risk his life for him. |
| 246 | * SanitySlippage: He's obviously insane, although it's implied that he was driven insane by the whole headcrab infestation in Ravenholm. That being said his insanity doesn't make him dangerous to others, in fact he's actually an extremely brave and decent fellow. |
| 247 | * ShotgunsAreJustBetter: Briefly wields one before tossing it over to Freeman. |
| 248 | -->'''Grigori:''' Here, I have a more suitable gun for you. You'll need it. |
| 249 | * SoleSurvivor: The only individual known to still be alive and well after the population of Ravenholm was utterly wiped out in the headcrab infestation. |
| 250 | * TrapMaster: He's laid down a ton of traps all over Ravenholm, and they all end up being of great use to Gordon as he navigates the zombie-ridden town. |
| 251 | * UncertainDoom: Whether or not he's still alive after staying behind to hold off the zombie horde is a mystery. |
| 252 | [[/folder]] |
| 253 | |
| 254 | [[folder:The Fisherman]] |
| 255 | !!The Fisherman |
| 256 | |
| 257 | !!!'''Appearances''': ''Half Life 2: Lost Coast'' |
| 258 | |
| 259 | [[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/the_fisherman.jpg]] |
| 260 | [[caption-width-right:250:''"You're that scientist chap-Friedman, Fishman-am I right?"'' ]] |
| 261 | ->Voice Actor: Jim French (English)[[note]]'''Other Languages:''' Vyacheslav Shumov (Russian)[[/note]]\ |
| 262 | ''"Not sure what one man can do, but...no other reason to visit St. Olga at a time like this."'' |
| 263 | A friendly old fisherman who appears in the dubiously canon ''Lost Coast''. He asks for Gordon's help in destroying a nearby Headcrab Shell Launcher that is attacking the town of St. Olga. |
| 264 | ---- |
| 265 | * AccidentalMisnaming: Doesn't seem to remember Gordon's name, referring to him as "Fishman" or "Friedman". |
| 266 | * BeneathNotice: Presumably the reason why Combine troops do not seem to notice him, since he looks just like a normal fisherman. It's unknown if he's a Resistance member, but he's certainly not afraid to criticize the Combine and hates them as much as everybody else. |
| 267 | * MrExposition: Apart from telling Gordon about the nearby Headcrab Shell Launcher, he also tells him information related to the effects of the Xenian fauna on Earth. |
| 268 | * NoNameGiven: We never learn his real name. |
| 269 | * UnusuallyUninterestingSight: Downplayed. The fisherman is initially shocked by Gordon becoming "fuzzy around the edges", but reasons that he has other places to go and lets it slide. |
| 270 | * WhatTheHellHero: He'll call out Gordon if he tries to shoot the seagulls of St. Olga, reasoning that they help keep down the Leech population. |
| 271 | [[/folder]] |
| 272 | |
| 273 | [[folder:Griggs and Sheckley]] |
| 274 | !!Griggs and Sheckley |
| 275 | |
| 276 | !!!'''Appearances:''' ''Half-Life 2: Episode Two'' |
| 277 | |
| 278 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/griggs_sheckley.jpg]] |
| 279 | [[caption-width-right:350:Griggs (left) and Sheckley (right)]] |
| 280 | -> Voice Actors: John Patrick Lowrie (Griggs); Creator/AdamBaldwin (Sheckley) (English)[[note]]'''Other Languages''': Andrey Yaroslavtsev (Griggs); Maxim Pinsker (Sheckley) (Russian)[[/note]] |
| 281 | A pair of resistance members in an underground base in the Outlands. They help Freeman defend the base against an army of Antlions to protect the Vortigaunts while they heal Alyx. |
| 282 | ---- |
| 283 | * CombatMedic: Griggs has the unique ability to toss medkits to Freeman, unlike other resistance medics who need to get up close to heal him. |
| 284 | * DeadpanSnarker: Sheckley doesn't even try to humor Griggs at all. |
| 285 | -->'''Sheckley:''' Hey, you see a bug on me, how about you try to get it off next time?\ |
| 286 | '''Griggs:''' I didn't see it!\ |
| 287 | '''Sheckley:''' Yeah, they're only like [[BigCreepyCrawlies five feet tall!]]\ |
| 288 | \ |
| 289 | '''Griggs (After an Antlion attack):''' I got... ten!\ |
| 290 | '''Sheckley:''' Yeah well we all got ten, there's hundreds of them! |
| 291 | * ProperlyParanoid: When Freeman arrives, Griggs thinks it's a bunch of Antlions. Turns out they're not that far behind. |
| 292 | * RedOniBlueOni: Griggs is the red, Sheckley is the blue, with Griggs being a jittery, paranoid mess who loses his cool while Sheckley is a no-nonsense and reasonable fighter who remains calm even when being swarmed from all angles. |
| 293 | * HoldTheLine: Gordon has to help them hold off incoming Antlion swarms until their Vortigaunt reinforcements can arrive, with the help of jury rigged sentry guns, landmines and motion sensors. |
| 294 | * TemptingFate: After Gordon has spent a ''long'' time running around the Antlion nests, shooting workers, disrupting the hive and likely stomping on grubs all the way through, Griggs has this to say when he arrives to their safe haven within that very same nest. |
| 295 | -->'''Griggs:''' [[OhCrap The Vort says as long as we don't step on their Grubs, they shouldn't hear us this far from the nest.]]\ |
| 296 | '''Sheckley:''' Yeah well, that's a theory I'd rather not test. |
| 297 | * ThoseTwoGuys: [[invoked]][[WhatCouldHaveBeen They were originally meant to serve as]] [[ExpositionFairy Exposition]] RedShirts, but they were developed into actual characters who survive the battle. |
| 298 | [[/folder]] |
| 299 | |
| 300 | [[folder:Russell]] |
| 301 | !!Russell |
| 302 | |
| 303 | !!!'''Appearances:''' ''VideoGame/HalfLifeAlyx'' |
| 304 | |
| 305 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/russell_2.jpg]] |
| 306 | ->Voice Actor: Rhys Darby (''Half-Life: Alyx'')\ |
| 307 | ''"I'm with you every step of the way."'' |
| 308 | An old gadgeteer and one of Alyx's allies in ''Half-Life: Alyx''. He has a secret lab inside of his apartment, where he invented the "Russells", a pair of gravity-manipulating gloves as well as a pistol which serves as Alyx's main tools throughout the game. |
| 309 | ---- |
| 310 | * BookcasePassage: The entry to his lab is hidden behind a set of lockers. |
| 311 | * BrutalHonesty: [[InnocentlyInsensitive Not on purpose mind you]], but he has a habit of being a bit blunt. |
| 312 | -->'''Russell:''' Now, pretty soon they're going to realize that your dad is not going to talk, and when that happens he's off to have his brain sucked out.\ |
| 313 | '''Alyx:''' Russell.\ |
| 314 | '''Russell:''' Potentially. Maybe not, though. I mean he could- they could just drill into his--\ |
| 315 | '''Alyx:''' Stop. |
| 316 | * CoolOldGuy: Russell may be on the older side, but he still managed to hide a laboratory inside his own apartment ''and'' create a pair of gravity-manipulating gloves. |
| 317 | * DitzyGenius: He's smart enough to have been considered for a position at Black Mesa, but at the same time has an eccentric side that adds some levity to his conversations with Alyx. When Alyx asks him about what's inside the Quarantine Zone, he instead lectures her about the etymology of the word "quarantine", and he's apparently planning ahead to start a business venture to sell the gravity gloves, stock options and all, once the Combine is gone -- something he believes will happen in a year tops. He also has a tendency to be LiteralMinded and unknowingly insensitive. |
| 318 | * HomemadeInventions: He invented the gravity gloves inside his apartment. |
| 319 | * ItBeganWithATwistOfFate: He knew Eli from when he interviewed at a job for Black Mesa. They liked him, but declined to hire him, encouraging him to reapply next year. Since the Resonance Cascade happened less than a year after that, he considers himself to have gotten out lucky. |
| 320 | * MissionControl: He serves as one for the duration of ''Alyx''. |
| 321 | * RecklessGunUsage: He tosses a gun to Alyx from a second-story window while assuring her it's unloaded, but doesn't account for the round still chambered inside of it, which discharges on impact. |
| 322 | -->'''Russell:''' It's unloaded ''now''! |
| 323 | * SkewedPriorities: After Alyx, with some help from the Lone Vortigaunt, saves Eli from falling to his death, Russell is more concerned that the sensors in the Gravity Gloves would have been destroyed by Alyx grabbing hold of her father while he fell than the fact that he almost died. He clarifies that it would have been understandable to sacrifice the gloves in that case, but less so in any other situation. |
| 324 | * UnwittingInstigatorOfDoom: Russell hacks the Combine's construction cameras mostly to be cheeky at the beginning of the game, only to shortly begin to wonder just what he's seeing; something he later notes to have merely been blurry pictures of a strange structure that turns out to be the Vault. This alone triggers the Combine to react ''violently'', capturing Eli and setting ''Half-Life: Alyx'' into motion. |
| 325 | * WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Russell is never seen or mentioned again after Alyx enters the Vault. |
| 326 | [[/folder]] |
| 327 | |
| 328 | !!Black Mesa Research Facility |
| 329 | |
| 330 | [[folder:In General]] |
| 331 | !!Black Mesa |
| 332 | |
| 333 | [[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/360px_black_mesa_logo_documentssvg.png]] |
| 334 | %%[[caption-width-right:250:some caption text]] |
| 335 | |
| 336 | ->''"A reminder to all Black Mesa Personnel: Regular radiation and biohazard screenings are a requirement of continued employment in the Black Mesa Research Facility. Missing a scheduled urinalysis or radiation check-up is grounds for immediate termination. If you feel you have been exposed to radioactive or other hazardous materials in the course of your duties, contact your Radiation Safety Officer immediately. Work safe, work smart. Your future depends on it."'' |
| 337 | -->-- '''Black Mesa Announcement System''' |
| 338 | |
| 339 | An American research corporation residing within the desert of New Mexico. It is the main setting of ''Half-Life'' and its expansions. |
| 340 | ---- |
| 341 | * AcidPool: Leaks of radioactive and toxic waste are shockingly common. Worse yet, parts of the facility are entirely flooded with ''[[WebVideo/ShephardsMind electrified]]'' [[WebVideo/ShephardsMind toxic waste]]. |
| 342 | * Area51: Minus the planes and with less secrecy. |
| 343 | * CovertGroupWithMundaneFront: {{Downplayed|Trope}}, since the company does conduct legitimate research. However, even among its own ranks, the nature and purpose of the research is intentionally obfuscated and classified. Gordon had no idea that the crystal he was handling was from another dimension or used for teleportation research. |
| 344 | * ElaborateUndergroundBase: The facility is a ''gigantic'' maze of labs, shafts and corridors stretching vertically and horizontally. |
| 345 | * LethalNegligence: Overcharging the Anti-Mass Spectrometer causes the resonance cascade which leads to the Combine invasion. |
| 346 | * MeaningfulName: The Black Mesa Research Facility is built into an actual mesa. |
| 347 | * NoOSHACompliance: Just about every single area of the facility has some sort of way to kill you. Between BottomlessPits, vats of [[AcidPool electrified toxic waste]], the high amount of improperly stored ordinance, unsecured electrical outlets, the list goes on. Amazingly, [[DamnedByFaintPraise the facility is wheelchair-accessible]]. |
| 348 | * TheRival: To [[VideoGame/{{Portal}} Aperture Science]]. The two have engaged in all sorts of sabotage and corporate espionage over the years as they competed for government contracts. Writers Faliszek and Wolpaw have described the feud as "snobs versus slobs", with Black Mesa being the snobs. |
| 349 | * SafelySecludedScienceCenter: A secret research facility built largely below ground in the desert. |
| 350 | * YeOldeNuclearSilo: The facility was originally a nuclear base built in the 50s before being purchased by the Black Mesa corporation. Silos seem to be the corporation's preferred base, as they have also purchased one in Eastern Europe. |
| 351 | [[/folder]] |
| 352 | |
| 353 | [[folder:Dr. Rosenberg]] |
| 354 | !!Dr. Rosenberg |
| 355 | |
| 356 | !!!'''Appearances:''' ''VideoGame/HalfLifeBlueShift'' | ''VideoGame/HalfLifeDecay'' |
| 357 | |
| 358 | [[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/rosenberg_bust_bs.jpg]] |
| 359 | [[caption-width-right:250:''"The administrator is a bureaucrat, not a scientist! I did not design this equipment to be run at such intensity!"'']] |
| 360 | |
| 361 | ->''"Let those fools try and fight a battle they can't win! I just want to [[ScrewThisImOuttaHere get out of here!]]"'' |
| 362 | |
| 363 | ->'''Voice Actor:''' Creator/JonStJohn |
| 364 | A scientist partly responsible for the Black Mesa incident and the military storming the facility, he attempts to flee the facility unlike his colleagues [[ActionGirl Gina and Colette]]. While hatching an escape plan, he gets [[DudeInDistress captured]] by HECU soldiers and is subsequently rescued by Barney Calhoun, who helps him and a few other scientists escape from the facility. |
| 365 | ---- |
| 366 | * AmbiguouslyJewish: Rosenberg is a Jewish name of German origin. [[JustifiedTrope Justified]] as his name and likeness are likely inspired by the electrical engineer Julius Rosenberg. |
| 367 | * CassandraTruth: He's a bit concerned with the Anti-Mass Spectrometer being ran at dangerous levels, especially after his colleague Harold warns him of the risks. Dr. Richard Keller dismisses these concerns and states that the administrator (Breen)'s instructions are clear. When the Resonance Cascade happens, he suffers a bit of HeroicBSOD and holds himself the most responsible. |
| 368 | * DirtyCoward: Downplayed. He hatches a plan to escape Black Mesa along with his fellow scientists. He is however willing to involve other Black Mesa personnel such as [[PlayerCharacter Barney Calhoun]] in the plan, thus saving their lives. |
| 369 | * EarlyBirdCameo: He is one of the many scientists overseeing Barney Calhoun during his training. This however, may be an error, given he is known to replace the "Slick" model. |
| 370 | * LastNameBasis: His colleagues only ever call him "Rosenberg" or "Doctor Rosenberg". |
| 371 | * PlotArmor: While most [=NPCs=] can be killed without reproach once they're no longer useful to you, he remains plot-critical at all times and killing him at any point leads to a game over. |
| 372 | * ScrewThisImOuttaHere: Pulls this during the incident, thinking that [[SilentProtagonist Gordon Freeman]] and the Lambda Team can handle it. |
| 373 | * SmallRoleBigImpact: He designed the Anti-Mass Spectrometer, but only appears in ''Blue Shift'' then ''Decay'' and is never seen again. Because of him however, Barney Calhoun managed to escape Black Mesa and return for the sequel. |
| 374 | * SurvivorGuilt: He holds himself the most responsible for the incident and the military storming the facility. He attempts to redeem himself by saving other Black Mesa staff. |
| 375 | * WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Just like Gina and Colette, he is nowhere to be seen in ''Half-Life 2'' despite Barney Calhoun appearing alive and well. The other survivors of the Black Mesa incident (including Barney) don't even mention him. |
| 376 | [[/folder]] |
| 377 | |
| 378 | [[folder:Dr. Keller]] |
| 379 | !!Dr. Richard Keller |
| 380 | |
| 381 | !!!'''Appearances:''' ''VideoGame/HalfLifeDecay'' |
| 382 | |
| 383 | ->''"My chair is powered, [[IgnoreTheDisability I did not need a push.]]"'' |
| 384 | |
| 385 | ->'''Voice Actor:''' Creator/BriceArmstrong |
| 386 | A colleague of Drs Eli and Rosenberg who is partially responsible for the resonance cascade. With much of the science team dead and scattered, he, Dr. Cross and Dr. Green take it upon themselves to deal with the consequences. |
| 387 | ---- |
| 388 | * ChekhovsGun: Remember that wheelchair space on the Black Mesa trams? Yeah, here's someone that uses them. |
| 389 | * DecompositeCharacter: His textures bear the name 'Kleiner', indicating he and Kleiner were originally going to be the same character. |
| 390 | * {{Foil}}: To Rosenberg. Keller is boisterous and quite stubborn in spite of his physical disability, whereas Rosenberg is a bit of a coward in spite of being very much qualified to deal with the resonance cascade. |
| 391 | * IgnoreTheDisability: He seems to take this approach to the situation regarding his legs. Despite (or maybe because of) the fact that his condition is so dire as to require an electric wheelchair, he hates being pushed and reminded of his disability. |
| 392 | * MissionControl: Acts as this for Gina and Colette for the duration of Decay. |
| 393 | * PlotArmor: Like Rosenberg, he's essential to the plot and you absolutely cannot let him die. |
| 394 | * SuperWheelchair: Heavily [[DownplayedTrope downplayed]]. It's an ordinary electric wheelchair, but it seems to have a built-in connection to Black Mesa systems, allowing him to pass through without a retinal scan and access some of the equipment. |
| 395 | * ThrowingOffTheDisability: PlayedForLaughs in files left by the developers. An unused animation and sound file has Keller get up from his wheelchair, rub his legs and walk in a circle while shouting [[Film/DrStrangeLove "Mein Führer!... I can walk!"]] |
| 396 | * UncertainDoom: He is not seen after the events of Decay. Given that Gina is apparently dead and Colette locked away, it's unlikely he survived. |
| 397 | * UniformityException: He is the only scientist not to wear the labcoat and blue shirt, and instead sports a comfy sweater. Possibly perks of his disability, since he is not going to be handling any material with his own hands. |
| 398 | |
| 399 | [[/folder]] |
| 400 | |
| 401 | [[folder:Otis Laurey]] |
| 402 | !!Otis Laurey |
| 403 | |
| 404 | !!!'''Appearances:''' ''VideoGame/HalfLifeOpposingForce'' | ''VideoGame/HalfLifeBlueShift'' |
| 405 | |
| 406 | ->"So, do you guys train for alien combat, or is this just a special occasion?" |
| 407 | |
| 408 | ->Voice Actor: Mike Shapiro |
| 409 | An overweight security guard that landed a job at the Black Mesa Research Facility. |
| 410 | ---- |
| 411 | * AllThereInTheManual: His name is not mentioned in-game, instead being written in game files and in supplementary material for Decay. |
| 412 | * BasementDweller: Lives with his mom. |
| 413 | -->'''Otis:''' "My mom is gonna worry when I don't make it home tonight!" |
| 414 | * BigEater: Fond of donuts specifically. |
| 415 | * BigFun: In a facility where death is almost certain, Otis manages to keep in high spirits even as he's gunning down headcrabs. |
| 416 | * ComicRelief: Added by Gearbox to ease the tension a little early on in the game. |
| 417 | * CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass: He's a FatSlob with a neurotic, childish personality and he's also armed with [[HandCannon a Desert Eagle]]. |
| 418 | * DonutMessWithACop: Security guard variant. Humorously, an Otis in the first chapter of Blue Shift can be seen fruitlessly reaching for his gun while holding a donut in his right hand. |
| 419 | * {{Flanderization}}: He is this to Barney/generic security guard. A handful of quotes are even parodies of the usual guard ones. |
| 420 | -->'''Barney:''' "Heh, that'll look nice in my trophy room."\ |
| 421 | '''Otis:''' "Hmm, I'd love to hang that over my fireplace! Y'know, if I had one." |
| 422 | * HandCannon: In comparison to the Glock most security guards have equipped, Otis keeps a Desert Eagle on his hip. This high-caliber handgun can make quick work of any alien critters that cross his path. |
| 423 | * IAmBigBoned: It might be SelfDeprecatingHumor, but he says it nonetheless. |
| 424 | -->'''Otis:''' "Oh no, I'm not fat! I'm just what you call "big boned."" |
| 425 | * InexplicablyIdenticalIndividuals: Like Barney and Walter, there are multiple security guards bearing his appearance and personality. Unlike Barney and Walter however, neither the game nor outside sources give a 'definitive' Otis, meaning it's unclear who the 'real' one is. |
| 426 | * LethalJokeCharacter: The one Otis companion in Opposing Force. While he might be ComicRelief, he is armed with a Magnum and scarily precise. Should the player bring him on the short walk to the elevator, they may not even need to shoot, as Otis simply guns down every alien the moment he sees them. |
| 427 | * MustNotDieAVirgin: |
| 428 | -->'''Otis:''' "I don't wanna die a virgin."'' |
| 429 | * NotWhatISignedOnFor: |
| 430 | -->'''Otis:''' "Fighting aliens is not in my job description!" |
| 431 | * TooDumbToLive: The second Otis you encounter decides to put his hands on an electrified fence, with [[ShockAndAwe predictable results]]. |
| 432 | [[/folder]] |
| 433 | |
| 434 | [[folder:Dr. Bennet]] |
| 435 | !!Dr. Walter Bennet |
| 436 | |
| 437 | !!!'''Appearances:''' ''VideoGame/HalfLifeBlueShift'' |
| 438 | -> Voice Actor: Harry S. Robins |
| 439 | |
| 440 | ->"Dr. Rosenberg! Thank God you made it!" |
| 441 | A scientist working at the Black Mesa Research Facility, conducting secret research into Xenobiology. |
| 442 | ---- |
| 443 | * AscendedExtra: Joined the ranks of other generic scientists who got their own name and identity. |
| 444 | * AscendedFanon: Walter was originally the protagonist of a Half-Life fanfiction called 'Walter's World', which was incredibly popular in the late 90s. Come Opposing Force and Blue Shift, Gearbox added him as a character, canonizing him in Half-Life lore. |
| 445 | * DecompositeCharacter: The character of Kleiner is partly based on him, and some of his textures are still named 'Walter'. |
| 446 | * MoreThanMeetsTheEye: As Opposing Force reveals, he is ''very'' familiar with aliens from Xen, and seemingly worked at the Sector E Biodome Complex, where he and other scientists studied Xen's flora and fauna. |
| 447 | * OmnidisciplinaryScientist: It's not quite clear what his expertise is. [[AllThereInTheManual The manual]] mentions him being briefed by Gina on workings of the Anti-Mass Spectromerer, suggesting that, like Kleiner, his main field is physics. However, he is also apparently studying Xenian fauna in the Sector E Biodome complex, which means he is also a biologist to some extent. |
| 448 | * StrongerThanTheyLook: Despite appearing quite old, he's strong enough to pry open the gate at the Black Mesa parking lot. |
| 449 | * WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Like Rosenberg and Simmons, their whereabouts are unknown despite escaping the facility with Barney. |
| 450 | [[/folder]] |
| 451 | |
| 452 | !!Other |
| 453 | |
| 454 | [[folder:The G-Man]] |
| 455 | !!??? / "The G-Man" |
| 456 | !!!'''Appearances:''' ''VideoGame/HalfLife'' | ''VideoGame/HalfLifeOpposingForce'' | ''VideoGame/HalfLifeBlueShift'' | ''VideoGame/HalfLifeDecay'' | ''VideoGame/HalfLife2'' | ''Half-Life 2: Episode One'' | ''Half-Life 2: Episode Two'' | [[spoiler:''VideoGame/HalfLifeAlyx'']] |
| 457 | -> Voice Actor: Mike Shapiro (English)[[note]]'''Other Languages''': Stéphane Cornicard (French), Fernando Tiberini (German and Italian), Hobi Jang (Korean), Oleg Fedorov (''Half-Life 2''), Nikita Prozorovsky (''Half-Life 2: Episode One'', ''Half-Life 2: Episode Two'') (Russian), Carlos Pando (Spanish)[[/note]] |
| 458 | [[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/gman_3.png]] |
| 459 | ''[[caption-width-right:300:"Some believe the fate of our worlds is - inflexible. My... employers... '''disagree'''."]]'' |
| 460 | ->''"The right man in the wrong place can make all the difference in the world. So, wake up, Mr. Freeman. Wake up and... smell the ashes."'' |
| 461 | An eldritch and enigmatic being, looking like a blend between a government worker and a businessman, who possesses a degree of control over space and time. Who or what he is as well as what are his motives are entirely unknown, aside from the fact that he's been observing the events of the entire ''Half-Life'' series. And that he is possibly not entirely human. He apparently answers to some higher authority which he simply refers to as his "employers". He has, however, on a couple of occasions hinted that he does not necessarily obey these "employers". |
| 462 | ---- |
| 463 | * AccentUponTheWrongSyllable: Although sometimes he accents the right syllable just with ''far'' too much emphasis. |
| 464 | * ActionSurvivor: Implied to be the case in one of the few allusions to his history: |
| 465 | -->'''G-Man:''' I admit I have a fascination with those who adapt and survive against all odds. They rather remind me of myself. |
| 466 | * AffablyEvil: We actually don't know how much "evil" he is. But if he is, he's pretty damn proper about it. |
| 467 | * AllPowerfulBystander: {{Downplayed}} because of his occasional interference, but it's implied that he's capable of doing ''a lot'' more than popping in randomly and giving cryptic speeches. Notably, when he refuses to [[spoiler:remove the Combine from Earth at the end of ''Alyx'']] he doesn't say that such a drastic move would be outside of his capabilities, he simply implies that it would be an act that goes beyond the current interests of his Employers. Could he? Could he not? We may never know. |
| 468 | -->'''G-Man:''' I wish I could do more than keep an eye on you, but I have agreed to abide by certain... restrictions. |
| 469 | * AmbiguouslyEvil: On one hand, his chessmaster antics, creepy dialogue, and mysterious powers make him easy to see as a villain of some sort. Plus, the Vortigaunts seem to oppose him and Eli suggests [[spoiler:he's the one who gave Black Mesa the crystal that caused the resonance cascade in the first ''Half-Life'']]. On the other hand, we know absolutely nothing about who he actually is and what his motivations are, and he ''seems'' to oppose the Combine, who definitely ''are'' villains, and he has saved Freeman and Shephard's lives on several occasions. |
| 470 | * AmbiguouslyHuman: He obviously isn't, but we don't know ''what'' he actually is. Even he doesn't consider himself human, [[spoiler:referring to himself as "what" when talking to Alyx]]. Presumably he just took AFormYouAreComfortableWith. |
| 471 | * AnimalMotifs: Sort of. ''Half-Life: Alyx'' seems to give him a virus motif, likely playing into his modus operandi of subverting worlds from the inside. Crows also frequently appear in his vicinity. |
| 472 | * BadassInDistress: [[spoiler:At some point prior to ''Half-Life: Alyx'', the Combine actually managed to capture and ''imprison'' him. How they managed to do so is never explained. Though one should consider the possibility that [[PlayAlongPrisoner he allowed himself to be captured]], in order to trick Alyx into making the deal which effectively replaces Gordon with her.]] |
| 473 | * BigBad: He's definitely the big... something. However, there's just as much to suggest that he's this (his employers are unknown; the Vortigaunts don't support him; and as noted above, Eli suggests that [[spoiler:he's the one from whom Black Mesa got the crystal that caused the Resonance cascade, and by extension, the events of the entire series]]; and [[spoiler:claiming Alyx as his new agent, stealing her away from her father and friends while throwing Freeman aside]]) as there is to suggest he's the BigGood. |
| 474 | * BigGood: He's definitely the big... something. However, there's just as much to suggest that he's this (saving Freeman and Shephard from their doom; ''seems'' to oppose the definite villains, the Combine; saving [[spoiler:Alyx Vance]] despite his employers objecting; and [[spoiler:letting Alyx Vance save her father from the Combine]]) as there is to suggest he's the BigBad. |
| 475 | * BitchInSheepsClothing: |
| 476 | ** While he remains a source of ambiguity and it's hard to tell his loyalties, [[spoiler:at the end of ''Alyx'', he does at least show a malicious shade of his true colors by cruelly abducting Alyx and abandoning Gordon to fend for himself after the end of ''Episode Two'']]. |
| 477 | ** He always appears to be supportive (albeit with no small amount of dry wit) when talking to Gordon, but [[spoiler:his conversation with Alyx reveals that he's extremely dismissive of his performance. As soon as he finds a suitable replacement, he lets go of Gordon without a word.]] |
| 478 | * BlueAndOrangeMorality: For whom does he play? No one knows but him. [[spoiler:Given his actions in ''Alyx'', it's very likely that he's playing both sides of the war for his and his employers' benefit.]] |
| 479 | * TheChessmaster: He's either this, or the reigning world champion of XanatosSpeedChess. Best exemplified by [[spoiler:the ending of ''Alyx'']]. |
| 480 | * ChildrenAreAWaste: [[DefiedTrope The G-Man seems to disagree]], as he saved [[spoiler:Alyx Vance]] despite objections from his employers, presumably because he anticipated [[spoiler:the role she'd play in the future]]. They didn't want him to, because "she was a mere child, and of no practical use to anyone." Well... how about now? |
| 481 | -->'''G-Man:''' When I ''-plucked-'' her from Black Mesa... I acted in the face of objections that she was a mere child and of no practical use to anyone. I have learned to ignore such ''-naysayers-'' when... ''quelling''... them, hm, was out of the question. |
| 482 | * ConsummateLiar: If the Nihilanth is to be trusted (which is a dubious condition, to be sure), he's far from your true ally. |
| 483 | -->'''Nihilanth:''' '''''Deceive you... he will deceive you...''''' |
| 484 | * CreepyBlueEyes: In Half Life 1. [[DependingOnTheArtist In Half Life 2, his eyes have a more greenish color.]] |
| 485 | * CreepyMonotone: He rarely ever emotes verbally, preferring to talk in the same low tone with unnatural stresses on certain syllables. |
| 486 | * CreepyShadowedUndereyes: Which only serve to highlight how ''odd'' the man looks. |
| 487 | * DeadpanSnarker: He has some moments displaying a very dry sense of humor. |
| 488 | -->'''G-Man:''' The biggest embarrassment has been Black Mesa facility, but I think that's finally taken care of itself...''[Black Mesa explodes in a [[NukeEm nuclear blast]] in the background.]'' Quite so. |
| 489 | * DealWithTheDevil: [[spoiler:Invokes this on Alyx at the end of her game after she rescues him from the Combine prison, allowing her to save her father's life at the end of ''Episode Two''—at the cost of being hired herself like Gordon before her, [[RetGone removing her from the timeline]].]] |
| 490 | * DissonantSerenity: Always remains cool and businesslike no matter what chaos is occurring around him. He does periodically express irritation, such as if Gordon refuses to work with him in ''Half-Life'', and even anger, such as when Vortigaunts disrupt his influence in ''Episode One''. |
| 491 | * TheDreaded: [[spoiler:While a bane to them on Earth, the Combine see Gordon as little more than a nuisance in the grand scope of things, but the G-Man apparently '''terrifies''' them so much - or at least poses enough of a threat to them - that they built a vault ship designed to specifically contain him and only him in a position outside space-time and would go to ''any'' lengths to prevent anyone of knowing about him and his containment, [[HeKnowsTooMuch even executing passerbys and any unauthorized personnel for even passing a glance at the ship's exterior]].]] |
| 492 | * EarlyInstallmentCharacterDesignDifference: His general character design, specifically his face, changes from game to game. |
| 493 | ** ''Half-Life'' and its expansions didn't give him any official character art, so all players could go off of was his primitive, low-poly model. Gearbox would later give him a higher-poly model with the expansions. Here, his eyebrows are noticeably thicker than in later iterations, his eyes are blue, and his briefcase bears a Black Mesa emblem unlike in subsequent titles. |
| 494 | ** ''Half-Life 2'' gave him a proper high-poly design (for 2004), complete with bright-green eyes and a streamlined sunken-in face. Here, he is perpetually wall-eyed and doesn't appear to emote very often, if at all. |
| 495 | ** ''Half-Life 2: Episode One'' made his green eyes slightly darker, his eyes properly in-line, and made him emote more often. ''Episode Two'' added more detail to his face and changed his eyes to be glowing white. |
| 496 | ** ''Alyx'' is his most detailed iteration to-date. Wrinkles and aged skin were added to make him look more like a skinny middle-aged businessman and he emotes at almost-LargeHam levels, though this may be due to having a different audience. His eyes returned to being green again, but much darker, and he now has a noticeable lazy eye. |
| 497 | * EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: The first game strongly implies that he's affiliated with the U.S. government (he confiscates Gordon's weapons because they are "government property"). Subsequent games, however, make it very clear that he's actually working for [[MysteriousBacker something else]]. |
| 498 | * EstablishingCharacterMoment: The very first G-Man sighting happens when Gordon's tram stops right next to his, and he's looking right at Gordon. The next you see of him, he's having a conversation in a locked, soundproof office in the Anomalous Materials lab, having gotten there ahead of Gordon despite his tram heading in the opposite direction. This is the first sign that something is off about him, and that he's calling the shots in the complex. |
| 499 | * {{Expy}}: |
| 500 | ** Marc Laidlaw, one of the series' main writers, admitted in an [[https://www.combineoverwiki.net/wiki/References:Marc_Laidlaw_emails#On_connections_between_Half-Life_and_his_books email]] that that the G-Man was "weirdly/interdimensionally related" to the character Theodore Slowslop from the ''[[VideoGame/GadgetPastAsFuture Gadget]]'' game series, the tie-in novel for which Laidlaw wrote before joining Valve. Both characters are cold, AmbiguouslyHuman suited characters who act as the handler of their respective games' protagonists at the behest of their employers, while at the same time having their own ambiguous motives for doing certain things, such as G-Man saving Alyx Vance from Black Mesa at his own initiative, and Slowslop possibly working with the very scientists he was supposed to be hunting down. |
| 501 | ** Both his characterization and role in the plot resemble that of the Cigarette-Smoking Man from ''Series/TheXFiles'', being the embodiment of a vast conspiracy who shows up seemingly at random to speak cryptically about larger plans. According to WordOfGod, studio head Gabe Newell [[https://www.pcgamesn.com/half-life/characters-oppenheimer specifically asked]] for a character similar to the CSM to be included in the game. |
| 502 | * GlowingEyes: From ''Half-Life 2'' onwards, though in ''Alyx'' his eyes only glow when he's being particularly emotive. |
| 503 | * GracefulLoser: Not ''necessarily'' a villain, but when the Vortigaunts foil some plan he has for Gordon, he is annoyed but doesn't retaliate; he simply waits for another opportunity to make contact, and does not seem to hold any kind of grudge against them for their interference. |
| 504 | * GreaterScopeVillain: While we're not sure if he's actually a villain or not (see the entries for BigBad and BigGood above), if he is he falls under this. |
| 505 | * TheHandler: After the end of the first game, he becomes this to Freeman, apparently keeping him as a kind of private mercenary to drop into conflicts in different periods of Earth's future for some unknown ends. He [[SchrodingersCanon may]] also still have Adrian Shephard on lock and [[spoiler:takes Alyx into his 'employment' as a result of the [[ForWantOfANail events of]] ''[[RetGone Alyx]]'' as a sort of payment for his meddling with her father's original death in ''Episode Two.'']] |
| 506 | * HiddenDisdainReveal: He maintains a professional if somewhat snarky relationship with Gordon, even expressing regrets for not being able to help him more, but his conversation with [[spoiler: Alyx]] reveals that he's very dissatisfied with the man and wants to replace him as quickly as possible. |
| 507 | * HumanAlien: It's made quite clear he is from a different world, since he possesses reality-altering powers and speaks in a way that is described by the developers as "something trying and failing to act human". |
| 508 | * HumanoidAbomination: ''Maybe''. Standing still and not talking, he looks human. When he talks and moves — and where he appears — it becomes disconcertingly obvious that he cannot possibly be human. |
| 509 | * InexplicablyAwesome: One of the most intriguing parts of the G-Man is how little we know about ''anything'' about him, including how he does what he does, what he is, who he works for, and what he wants. |
| 510 | * InvisibleToNormals: He can apparently choose which persons are able to see him, and it is hinted that he also has some power over if they remember him or not afterwards. |
| 511 | * ISeeThemToo: The G-Man appears to be invisible to everyone but Freeman and Shephard at times (excluding cameos in ''Blue Shift'' and ''Decay''). However, the Nihilanth, Eli Vance, and the Vortigaunts are all also aware of his existence. Dr. Breen has also implied that he's aware of his employers, what the G-Man did to Gordon in the interim between the first and second games, and that Breen and/or the Combine may have also been involved in a bidding war for Gordon's 'services'. Breen was also implied to be among the "naysayers" who objected to the G-Man saving [[spoiler:Alyx Vance's]] life. |
| 512 | * KickTheDog: [[spoiler:It's very subtle, but he seems to take an inordinate amount of pleasure in both "firing" Freeman and putting Alyx Vance in stasis after the events of ''Alyx'']]. |
| 513 | * KubrickStare: Has a particularly nasty one in ''Alyx'' aside from a PsychoticSmirk as seen in the trailer (pictured above). |
| 514 | * LackOfEmpathy: Debatable. He saves Gordon's life quite a few times and later [[spoiler:he admits he saved Alyx during the Black Mesa disaster]] suggesting that maybe he's capable of mercy. He also mentions to Shephard that he saved his life specifically because he sees him as a kindred spirit. Considering that he only seems to save people that he sees potential for exploitation in, it's debatable how much emotion is involved. [[spoiler:His sequence in ''Alyx'' also sees him refer to Eli and an Advisor as "This entity", implying he sees ''both'' as being equally beneath him.]] |
| 515 | * LeaningOnTheFourthWall: [[invoked]] In ''Alyx'', [[spoiler:he comments on Gordon's unreliability, specifically commenting on his lack of progress as of late as a deciding factor to seek a replacement, in an almost tongue-in-cheek nod to the long DevelopmentHell that Half-Life has experienced between ''Episode Two'' and ''Alyx'']], implying that he actually has a measure of MediumAwareness as part of his RealityWarper nature. |
| 516 | * MaliciousMisnaming: Always addresses Gordon as ''Mr.'' Freeman, putting extra emphasis on the "Mr." just to rub it in that he doesn't respect Gordon enough to use his proper title. [[spoiler:This changes once Gordon defeats Dr. Breen.]] |
| 517 | * ManipulativeBastard: From locking out Gordon and Adrian from certain doors, to shoving them in deep-freeze, yeah. |
| 518 | * TheMenInBlack: Doesn't quite fit the trope, but sure as hell evokes the basic concept, probably deliberately. |
| 519 | * MysteriousEmployer: Claims he works for someone, or something, else. Given he seems to have the power to teleport at will and even stop time itself, the fact he is employed by a being presumably of greater power than himself is either [[BigGood reassuring]] or [[BigBad disturbing]], depending on his [[AmbiguouslyEvil real allegiances]]. |
| 520 | * MysteriousPast: In the ending of Opposing Force, the G-Man admits to Adrian that he has a "fascination to those who adapt and survive against all odds" (referring to Adrian) and also states that it reminds him of himself. This could imply that the G-Man himself had experienced what Gordon and Adrian had gone through and took the mantles of the G-Man later on. |
| 521 | * NobleDemon: If we believe what he says, then he saved [[spoiler:both Alyx and Shephard]] when it would have been easier to let them die, and against the direct orders of his employers. [[spoiler:Given that Alyx winds up playing an integral role in his long-term plans, however, it's arguable whether this counts as PetTheDog or not.]] |
| 522 | * NoNameGiven: While he is called "G-Man" in terms of both the credits and his associated character models, he is never actually referred to as this in-story. The only direct reference to him in-game is Eli's label of "our mutual friend." As such, the G-Man is not his actual name or even an InSeriesNickname. In the manual for ''Opposing Force'', Adrian Shephard does call him "'''a''' G-man" in his diary, but this seems to be a reference to how he looks like a stereotypical "government man". |
| 523 | * NotSoOmniscientAfterAll: All of the player characters are at the G-Man's mercy throughout the ''Half-Life'' games, but at the beginning of ''Episode One'' it's made clear that while powerful, he's not omnipotent, as the Vortigaunts demonstrate the ability to somehow suppress his influence, something that surprises him. |
| 524 | * OffscreenTeleportation: Though there are ''two'' scenes where you get to see him disappear into a portal: Once in ''Half-Life'' ("Lambda Core"), and once in ''Opposing Force'' ("Foxtrot Uniform"). Played straight several times in ''Half-Life 2'' and its episodes where he can occasionally be spotted in the distance, only to calmly walk away and disappear without a trace when approached. Even more glaring is his habit of appearing to Gordon literally out of thin air ''without'' using a visible portal, so... |
| 525 | * TheOmnipotent: Subverted. While he appears as such in ''Half-Life'', it is later shown that the G-Man cannot exert full control over everything everywhere at once. The Combine are able to capture and contain him in ''Alyx'', and particularly powerful Vortigaunts can repel him and disrupt his influence when grouped together. The nature of his power and ''what'' exactly he does is unclear, but he appears to have his limitations, as do his "employers" (if they even exist at all). Some speculate that he ''allowed'' himself to be captured, but this is also unclear. |
| 526 | * OOCIsSeriousBusiness: |
| 527 | ** When he shows even a ''hint'' of anger in ''Episode One'', it's bone-chilling. |
| 528 | ** In ''Alyx'', [[spoiler:he shows ''actual'' [[DealWithTheDevil maliciousness]] for the first time in the ending. Not only cruelly leaving Alyx in confusion and fear as he leaves her in stasis, [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness but tosses Gordon to the wayside]] once freed from his imprisonment.]] |
| 529 | * PaintingTheMedium: [[spoiler:In his appearance in ''Alyx'', the G-Man makes a habit of walking around the player, vanishing from sight, making spectral doubles of himself, and often appearing next to Alyx from an angle that he did not previously walk off from. Given that ''Alyx'' is a VR game, all of this confusing movement serves to disorient the player as much as it would Alyx, considering that the player would have to quickly turn their head or body to face where G-Man is currently and wouldn't know where to look when he splits off into his dopplegangers.]] |
| 530 | * PetTheDog: |
| 531 | ** A debatable example. [[spoiler:He allowed Alyx the use of [[RealityWarping his powers]] to save her father from his death during the events of ''Episode Two'' at the end of ''Alyx'', something he didn't really have to do. He also saved Alyx from the Black Mesa Incident in the first place, and even helped her and Eli escape the facility.]] However, [[spoiler:the ending of ''Alyx'']] leaves it in question whether he did this out of mercy, or whether it was simply a calculated long-term investment. |
| 532 | ** Shows a few times to Adrian. He has shown interest in Adrian's safety as early as his initial arrival in Black Mesa when he saved him from the "electrified toxic waste" room. There is also an on-going speculation that the Osprey evacuating the soldiers would not have made it to safety, explaining why he prevented Adrian from boarding it. That said, it is implied the G-Man had an interest in Adrian far before Black Mesa and was responsible for accelerating his training program. While it is plausible that he views Adrian as an "investment" like Alyx, expressing kinship with Adrian over their mutual ability to "adapt and survive" is a praise he afforded nobody else. |
| 533 | * PrecisionFStrike: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Uq3kLL3SCA An infamous example]]. In one of the unused ''Episode One'' lines, he literally says "Well, shit." |
| 534 | * ProgressivelyPrettier: Downplayed. G-Man's design has gradually become more "normal" as the games have gone on; he looks almost [[TheGreys grey-like]] in ''Half-Life'' (though this was likely more due to graphics limitations of the time), with expansions and the later HD textures making him look more human, ''2'' and its episodes normalizing his appearance but settling on otherwise odd touches such as his sunken in, skull-like face and almost glowing eyes, with ''Alyx'' trading out the skull-like look in favor of looking even more like a mundane businessman. |
| 535 | * RealityWarper: Can casually stop time and plant subliminal orders into people. |
| 536 | * {{Retcon}}: He was originally imagined as the administrator of Black Mesa and a literal government agent, but in ''Half-Life 2'' the administrator role was given to Breen. |
| 537 | * ScrewDestiny: His employers (and perhaps, by extension, he himself) seem to believe this, judging by what he says about them in ''Alyx.'' Of course, this being [[AmbiguouslyEvil the]] [[TheSpook G-Man,]] just what ''kind'' of fate they want to fight is unclear. |
| 538 | -->'''G-Man''': Some believe the fate of our worlds is... [[YouCantFightFate inflexible]]. [[ScrewDestiny My employers disagree]]. They authorize me to... ''[[TheChessmaster nudge]]''[[TheChessmaster ... things, hm.... In a particular direction from time to time.]] |
| 539 | * SealedEvilInACan: [[spoiler:Is revealed to be such at the end of ''Alyx'' rather than Gordon by the Combine, somehow. The end of the game sees him set free by Alyx.]] |
| 540 | * TheSpook: All we know is that he's not human. His goals, true allegiances and the extent of his powers remain a mystery throughout the series. |
| 541 | * SssssnakeTalk: In the first game. Averted in the second game and its expansions, although his speech patterns [[AccentUponTheWrongSyllable remain quite erratic]]. |
| 542 | * TheStoic: Has a very emotionless demeanor, though he occasionally expresses slight amusement, and on one occasion the merest hint of anger. |
| 543 | * SufficientlyAdvancedAliens: As far as we can tell, he's some sort of alien and has a plethora of psychic abilities rivaled only by the Vortigaunts. |
| 544 | * TimeMaster: He seems to be able to stop time for his "employees" at the very least. And as shown in ''Alyx'', he can even [[spoiler:rewrite entire timelines, such as him allowing Alyx Vance to save her father from a Combine Advisor at the end of ''Episode Two'']]. |
| 545 | * UncannyValley: [[invoked]] Invoked intentionally. WordOfGod states that he's meant to hint at something only ''[[AFormYouAreComfortableWith trying]]'' to look human, but [[HughMann not bothering to try very hard]]. It's especially apparent in ''Alyx'', [[spoiler:where his eyes glow unnaturally at several points, and his face is the most visually emotive in all his appearances, cycling through a variety of emotions throughout his speech...while ''still'' keeping his cold, never-changing monotone, causing a ''massive'', uncomfortable disconnect between the emotion of his voice and the emotion of his face. His prominent lazy eye in this incarnation as well also means he's ''always'' feels like [[TheFourthWallWillNotProtectYou he's staring right through Alyx to instead glare at the player]].]] |
| 546 | * UnusuallyUninterestingSight: Whenever he appears he just goes about his business even if there's a huge battle raging around him. Possibly justified as he seems to be invincible. |
| 547 | * VaderBreath: Downplayed. While/before he speaks, the G-Man occasionally inhales dramatically in a way that sounds like someone gasping for air. |
| 548 | * VocalEvolution: Starting with ''Half-Life 2'' he drops his tendency towards [[SssssnakeTalk drawing out syllables]] in favor of a [[AccentUponTheWrongSyllable different form of erratic pronunciation]], and in the Episodes and ''Alyx'' his speech is noticeably slower and more mellow. |
| 549 | * TheWorfEffect: He manages to play ''both'' sides of this trope straight [[spoiler:at the end of ''Alyx'',]] depending on your interpretation of events. |
| 550 | ** On one hand, the mere fact that [[spoiler:the Combine managed to temporarily imprison ''him'' can serve as a terrifying reminder that the Lambda Resistance is only fighting a token force of the Combine, and the full might of the Combine is far stronger than anyone could possibly imagine]]. Even ''he'' can be beaten by them. |
| 551 | ** On the other hand, there are many signs that [[spoiler:the Combine were ''pants-shittingly terrified'' of him.]] They went to the trouble of [[spoiler:building an enormous, space-bending ship that was larger than a city block, and ''executing anyone who even glimpsed it'' - all for the sole purpose of containing the G-man. It still wasn't enough. When Alyx frees him, he's merely... waiting, with the aura of someone who knows he won't be locked up for long. He then proceeds to lend some ability to Alyx that allows her to OneHitKill an ''Advisor,'' one of the absolute top dogs of the Combine Empire.]] In summary, he casually demonstrates that he can potentially completely dismantle the strongest efforts the Combine could possibly make, at least on Earth, without even having to dirty his hands personally. [[spoiler:When Alyx asks for ‘the Combine off Earth’, he seems merely bemused, but he does describe the notion as a ‘particularly large nudge’. Whether this means it would be a big effort for him, or simply go against the wishes of his Employers, is not clear. In any case, he does not seem to fear the Combine in the slightest.]] |
| 552 | * YouBastard: In ''Episode Two'', he brings up that Freeman killed a lot of Vortigaunts during the Black Mesa incident, the same aliens who at that moment are trying to save Alyx's life. Granted, he doesn't care about Vortigaunt lives, and [[KickTheDog mostly brought it up to be a jerk]]. |
| 553 | -->'''G-Man:''' There was a time they cared nothing for Miss Vance... When their only experience of humanity was a crowbar coming at them down a steel corridor. |
| 554 | * YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness: [[spoiler:Does this in a nonlethal fashion to '''[[TheHero Gordon Freeman]]''' at the end of ''Alyx'', disappointed with his lack of progress - or lack of willingness to obey him - and deciding to replace him with Alyx instead once she makes a DealWithTheDevil to save her father. This leaves Gordon free from his control but isolated from his help and at odds with his goals.]] |
| 555 | [[/folder]] |
| 556 | |
| 557 | [[folder:Larry]] |
| 558 | !!Larry |
| 559 | !!!'''Appearances:''' ''VideoGame/HalfLifeAlyx'' |
| 560 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/larry_hla.jpg]] |
| 561 | ->Voice Actor: Rich Sommer (''Half-Life: Alyx'') |
| 562 | ->''"Whoa whoa whoa what! [[OhCrap Jeff is bulletproof]]!"'' |
| 563 | An eccentric man Alyx encounters at the distillery. Alyx saves him from a barnacle and in return Larry teaches her how to avoid Jeff. |
| 564 | ---- |
| 565 | * TheAlcoholic: Implied, by the way he slightly stumbles while standing. Also who in their right mind would ever wander into the quarantine zone, let alone the spore filled distillery on a such a frequent basis to start naming the monsters in there? It's quite clear that he is very fond of the "good stuff" that he gathers. |
| 566 | * CasualDangerDialogue: When he thinks he's about to die from being eaten by a Barnacle, he sounds more annoyed over his dumb mistake than anything as the Barnacle tries to pull him away, and asks Alyx for help without much urgency in his voice. |
| 567 | * DistressedDude: He seems fully capable of taking care of himself considering his equipment and expertise in navigating the quarantine zone while avoiding Jeff, but he made one mistake and got his leg caught by a Barnacle, forcing him to hold on to a railing for dear life. Alyx happened to be nearby to save him when they first meet. |
| 568 | * ExpositionFairy: He exists mainly to teach Alyx about Jeff's behavior and how she can avoid coughing from spores by covering her mouth. |
| 569 | [[/folder]] |
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/context.php
FollowingContext Characters / HalfLifeSupportingCharacters
Go To
- Show Spoilers
- Night Vision
- Sticky Header
- Wide Load
