History Awesome / HalfLife

** Perhaps the single most mind-blowing thing is that, after over a decade of the most extreme MemeticMutation, fans losing their minds to desperation just waiting for the day it would finally come, many losing hope in the series at large after so much time has passed...it has finally come true. Say it with us: '''''Half-Life 3 CONFIRMED!'''''

[[caption-width-right:300: Pictured: [[BadassNormal Gordon Freeman isn't a supersoldier]]. [[ActionSurvivor He's just an ordinary man]] who took on a giant tentacle monster... ''and won''.]]

[[caption-width-right:350: Pictured: [[BadassNormal Gordon Freeman isn't a supersoldier]]. [[ActionSurvivor He's just an ordinary man]] who took on a giant tentacle monster... ''and won''.]]

* [[TheEndingChangesEverything And the ending]]. Jesus Christ. It completely upends the cliffhanger the fandom had been left on for more than a decade, with the G-Man undoing Eli's death at the end of ''Episode Two'' but taking Alyx along as a new "employee" of his to replace Gordon, leaving us with a confused messiah and a vengeful father. No one, not even the most die-hard of fans, could have seen this one coming, and it's a testament to how expectations can be exceeded and twisted.

** It may only be a shadowy glimpse of an illusion created by the G-Man, but players finally get to see a modelled Gordon Freeman with their own eyes.
** What makes [[TheStinger the post-credits stinger]] hit even harder is Eli's [[PapaWolf reaction]], '''''[[DidYouJustFlipOffCthulhu cussing out the G-Man in earshot of the latter]]'''''. Given his sentiments regarding the ''Borealis'' in ''Episode Two'', and his daughter's life suddenly hanging in the balance, one must wonder [[GodzillaThreshold how willing Eli is]] ''[[GodzillaThreshold now]]'' [[GodzillaThreshold to]] "start another Black Mesa incident" just to get her back.

** This is all capped off by the fact that--in this final scene--you play as ''[[TheHero Gordon Freeman]]'' again for the first time in more than a decade. As the credits end, [[FiveSecondForeshadowing you hear]] [[MostWonderfulSound/VideoGames the HEV suit's critical-status message]], then Eli urging Gordon to wake up... And the camera fades to you looking at Eli urging you to wake up and that Alyx is gone--[[DoubleTake yes, Eli urging]] '''''Gordon Freeman''''', a.k.a. '''''you'''''. It may be only a few seconds, but it's [[HellYesMoment a moment of dawning realization]] that means '''everything''' to the fans. Bonus points for having [=D0G=] show up to hand Gordon [[WeaponOfChoice his iconic crowbar]].

** Perhaps the single most mind-blowing thing is that, after over a decade of the most extreme MemeticMutation, fans losing their minds to desperation just waiting for the day it would finally come, many losing hope in the series at large after so much time has passed...it had finally become true. Say it with us: '''''Half-Life 3 CONFIRMED!'''''

[[folder:Half-Life: Alyx]]
* At the end of the first trailer for Half Life: Alyx, there's several seconds of silence, and then you hear footsteps coming closer... two bright eyes emerge from the shadows, and for the first time in 12 years, G-Man is staring holes into your soul once again. He smirks as the screen cuts to black with the release date; stealing the show all without saying a word. Admit it, you got goosebumps thinking about it again just now.
* The final chapter in the Vault includes a sequence echoing the supercharged Gravity Gun sequence from ''Half-Life 2'': Alyx uses her gravity gloves to grab and hurl bolts of green energy to ''[[OneHitKill mow down]]'' the Combine forces that stand between her and the cell. Even better, that energy was stolen and harnessed from captive Vortigaunts, and each release is like a lightning blast - you're literally channeling the power of the Vorts and ripping the Combine a new one!

** What makes [[TheStinger the post-credits stinger]] hit even harder is Eli's [[PapaWolf reaction]], '''''[[DidYouJustFlipOffCthulhu cussing out the G-Man in earshot of the latter]]'''''.

* And the ending. Jesus Christ. It completely upends the cliffhanger the fandom had been left on for more than a decade, with the G-Man undoing Eli's death at the end of ''Episode Two'' but taking Alyx along as a new "employee" of his to replace Gordon, leaving us with a confused messiah and a vengeful father. No one, not even the most die-hard of fans, could have seen this one coming, and it's a testament to how expectations can be exceeded and twisted.

* And the ending. Jesus Christ. It completely upends the cliffhanger the fandom had been left on for more than a decade, with the G-man undoing Eli's death at the end of ''Episode 2'' but taking Alyx along as a new "employee" of his to replace Gordon, leaving us with a confused messiah and a vengeful father. No one, not even the most die-hard of fans, could have seen this one coming, and it's a testament to how expectations can be exceeded and twisted.

** What makes the scene hit even harder is Eli's [[PapaWolf reaction]], '''''[[DidYouJustFlipOffCthulhu cussing out the G-Man in earshot of the latter]]'''''.

** This is all capped off by the fact that -- in this final scene -- you play as ''[[TheHero Gordon Freeman]]'' again for the first time in more than a decade. As the credits end, [[FiveSecondForeshadowing you hear]] [[MostWonderfulSound/VideoGames the HEV suit's critical-status message]], when Eli urging Gordon to wake up... And the camera fades to you looking at Eli urging you to wake up and that Alyx is gone--[[DoubleTake yes, Eli urging]] '''''Gordon Freeman''''', a.k.a. '''''you'''''. It may be only a few seconds, but it's [[HellYesMoment a moment of dawning realization]] that means '''everything''' to the fans. Bonus points for having [=D0G=] show up to hand Gordon [[WeaponOfChoice his iconic crowbar]].

** There's also the fact that despite his seeming imprisonment, the G-Man just calmly stands there. It begs the question of whether he already knew he was going to be recovered, or if he specifically got himself caught just so that he could "employ" Alyx to alter the timeline, [[TheChessmaster knowing exactly what she would want and do]].

** This is all capped off by the fact that -- in this final scene -- you play as ''[[TheHero Gordon Freeman]]'' again for the first time in more than a decade. As the credits end, [[FiveSecondForeshadowing you hear]] [[MostWonderfulSound/VideoGames the HEV suit's critical-status message]], when Eli urging Gordon to wake up... And the camera fades to you looking at Eli urging you to wake up and that Alyx is gone--Eli urging '''''Gordon Freeman'''''. It may be only a few seconds, but it's [[HellYesMoment a moment of dawning realization]] that means '''everything''' to the fans. Bonus points for having [=D0G=] show up to hand Gordon [[WeaponOfChoice his iconic crowbar]].

* The fact that the Combine managed to capture and imprison the G-Man for a substantial amount of time right until Alyx frees him. Given that the G-Man can ''[[TimeMaster stop time on a whim]]'', one has to wonder how the Combine managed this incredible feat.

** This is all capped off by the fact that -- in this final scene -- you play as ''[[TheHero Gordon Freeman]]'' again for the first time in more than a decade. It may be only a few seconds, but it's a moment that means '''everything''' to the fans. Bonus points for having [=D0G=] show up to hand Gordon [[WeaponOfChoice his iconic crowbar]].
--->'''Eli:''' [[LetsGetDangerous We've got]] [[SequelHook work to do.]]

** On top of this, for the first time in over a decade, not only does [[spoiler:the story advance in the Half Life universe]]... [[spoiler:''you get to play as Gordon again.'' Granted, it's only for a few seconds,]] but still.

* The final chapter in the Vault includes a sequence echoing the supercharged Gravity Gun sequence from ''Half-Life 2'': Alyx uses her gravity gloves to grab and hurl bolts of green energy to ''[[OneHitKill mow down]]'' the Combine forces that stand between her and the cell.

* And the ending. Jesus Christ. It completely upends the cliffhanger the fandom had been left on for more than a decade, with the G-man undoing Eli's death at the end of Episode 2 but taking Alyx along as a new "employee" of his to replace Gordon, leaving us with a confused messiah and a vengeful father. No one, not even the most die-hard of fans, could have seen this one coming, and it's a testament to how expectations can be exceeded and twisted.
** The power of either G-Man's cell or G-Man himself is so powerful it's able to ''[[OneHitKill outright kill an Advisor in one hit]]''. In ''Episode 2'', Advisors are [[TheJuggernaut extremely resilient to most weaponry]] that Gordon can use. And yet, whatever power Alyx handled is enough to ''kill it''.

** Add onto that, this takes place around five years before Half-Life 2, so we know he's running about after the events of ''Alyx''. It's entirely possible he allowed the Combine to imprison him so he can take advantage of his "investment", knowing that she'd play a valuable role in the future. He may had been "imprisoned", but he's certainly playing both sides to his advantage.

* When Gordon and Alyx are completely immobilized by the Advisor ambush at the end of the game, Eli is the one to rush in and promptly begin attacking the creatures personally, [[HeroicSacrifice knowing damn well it was pointless to try but not letting that stop him.]] Although they're too late to prevent his death, [[BigDamnHeroes D0G keeps things from getting worse]] and even sends an Advisor ''fleeing in pain and terror.''

* And the ending. Jesus Christ. It completely upends the cliffhanger the fandom had been left on for more than a decade, with the G-man outright preventing Eli's death at the end of Episode 2 but taking Alyx along as a new 'employee' of his to replace Gordon, leaving us with a confused messiah and a vengeful father. No one, not even the most die-hard of fans, could have seen this one coming, and it's a testament to how expectations can be exceeded and twisted.
** What makes the scene hit even harder is Eli's [[PapaBear reaction]], '''''[[DidYouJustFlipOffCthulhu cussing out the G-Man in earshot of the latter]]'''''.
--->'''Eli:''' ''[[SuddenlyShouting Son of a bitch and his "unforeseen consequences"!!]]'' I knew it! When I get my hands on him, I'm gonna... ''[[TranquilFury I'm gonna kill him...!]]''
** This is all capped off by the fact that- in this final scene- you play as ''Gordon Freeman'' again for the first time in more than a decade. It may be only a few seconds, but it's a moment that means '''everything''' to the fans. Bonus points for having [=D0G=] show up to hand Gordon [[WeaponOfChoice his iconic crowbar]].
--->'''Eli:''' [[LetsGetDangerous You've got]] [[SequelHook work to do.]]

** There's also the fact that despite his seeming imprisonment, the G-Man just calmly stands there. It begs the question of whether he already knew he was going to be recovered, or if he specifically got himself caught just so that he could "employ" Alyx to alter the timeline, [[TheChessmaster knowing exactly what she would want and do.]]

** This is all capped off by the fact that- in this final scene- you play as ''Gordon Freeman'' again for the first time in more than a decade. It may be only a few seconds, but it's a moment that means '''everything''' to the fans. Bonus points for having D0G show up to hand Gordon [[IconicWeapon his iconic crowbar]].

* The fact that the Combine [[spoiler:managed to capture and imprison the G-Man for a substantial amount of time right until Alyx frees him. Given that the G-Man can stop time on a whim]], one has to wonder how the Combine managed this incredible feat.

* And the ending. Jesus Christ. [[spoiler: It completely upends the cliffhanger the fandom had been left on for more than a decade, with the G-man outright preventing Eli's death at the end of Episode 2 but taking Alyx along as a new 'employee' of his to replace Gordon, leaving us with a confused messiah and a vengeful father.]] No one, not even the most die-hard of fans, could have seen this one coming, and it's a testament to how expectations can be exceeded and twisted.
** What makes the scene hit even harder is [[spoiler:Eli's]] [[PapaBear reaction]], '''''[[DidYouJustFlipOffCthulhu cussing out the G-Man in earshot of the latter]]'''''.
--->'''[[spoiler:Eli]]:''' ''[[SuddenlyShouting Son of a bitch and his "unforeseen consequences"!!]]'' I knew it! When I get my hands on him, I'm gonna... ''[[TranquilFury I'm gonna kill him...!]]''

** On top of this, for the first time in over a decade, not only does the story advance in the Half Life universe... ''you get to play as Gordon again.'' Granted, it's only for a few seconds, but still.

[[folder: Meta]]

[[/folder]]

%%[[folder:Half-Life: Alyx]]
%%[[/folder]]

* At the end of the first trailer for Half Life: Alyx, there's several seconds of silence, and then you hear footsteps coming closer... two bright eyes emerge from the shadows, and for the first time in 12 years, G-Man is staring holes into your soul once again. He smirks as the screen cuts to black with the release date; stealing the show all without saying a word. Admit it, you got goosebumps thinking about it again just now.

* The Battle of White Forest. Accompanied by [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHaVdRk3Gtg some of the most Badass music of the entire franchise]], Gordon Freeman nigh-single-handedly goes against an ''army'' of Combine, including several Striders and Hunters, in a last-ditch effort to defend the Rebel headquarters. [[OneManArmy '''He kills them all and wins''']]... until a pissed off [[GreaterScopeVillain Advisor]] arrives.