History Characters / HalfLife

* 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, but he's 100% benevolent and helpful towards Gordon.

--> '''Barney:''' Good job, Gordon. Throwing that switch and all? I can see your MIT education really pays for itself.

** By the second game, his fame has grown to such proportions that the mere sighting of him by Breen via accidental [[TeleporterAccident teleport hopping]] is enough justify mobilizing the entire Combine Overwatch and yet they still underestimate him and get slaughtered in droves as a result.

* SayMyName: The very first thing he says to Gordon in person is a chilling, angry bellow: "'''FREEEEEEEEEEEMAAAAAAAN!'''"

** By the second game, his fame has grown to such proportions that mere sighting of him by Breen is enough justify mobilizing the entire Combine Overwatch and yet they still underestimate him and get slaughtered in droves as a result.

--->'''Nihilanth''': '''''FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEMAAAAAAAAAAN!'''''

* ZeroPercentApprovalRating: Given that he's TheQuisling for [[AliensAreBastards The Combine]] and it's heavily implied that he's really in this just for the power, pretty much ''no one'' outside of the Combine's own forces like him.

-> Voice Actor: Merle Dandridge (English), Zhanna Nikonov (Russian) (''Half-Life 2'', Episodes ''One'' and ''Two'')

-> Voice Actor: Creator/MichelleForbes (''Half-Life 2'', ''Episode One'') (English), Rita Weisman (''Half-Life 2''), Larisa Grebenshchikov (''Episode One'') (Russian)

-> Voice Actress: Creator/EllenMcLain (''Half-Life 2'', ''Episode One'', ''Episode Two'', ''Alyx'') (English), Natalia Radski (''Half-Life 2''), Olga Kuznetsov (''Episode One''), Zhanna Nikonov (''Episode Two'') (Russian)

* NormalFishInATinyPond: With a side of OutsideOfContextProblem. As described under FascistButInefficient the Combine are quite capeable of staging interdimensional invasions but are actually quite poor at mooving troops and resources around within a dimension itself. While the exact mechanics of determining and controlling the relationship between interdimensional teleportation locations with relevance to physical dimension locations[[labelnote:Note]] i.e. How easy is it for the Combine to open portals to other parts of the same universe? Could they open a portal on Mars for example? Could they open a portal on the other side of our universe?[[/labelnote]] goes unexplained, it's possible that the Combine have only amassed the overwhelming resource and technological dominance that they have by invading individual resource-rich planets accross dimensions. For all we know given thier difficulty moving resources and troops over long distances within dimensions they may not even dominate their home universe.

* BodyHorror: In addition to his general creepy anatomy, he also has what appears to be amputation scars on his chest, slave bracelets, and mutilated legs that have been burned to vestigial stubs. But Marc Laidlaw denies that this is the result of being captured by the Combine, which is a common fan theory.

* HeroOfAnotherStory: After we got his own experience of the direct aftermath of the resonance cascade in ''VideoGame/BlueShift'', he became one of the most active members of the Resistance against the Combine, working for years as a [[TheMole mole]] within the Civil Protection to exfiltrate citizens of City 17 to the outskirts and protecting Kleiner's lab. After Freeman reemerged and destroyed [[TheAlcatraz Nova Prospekt]], he led the Resistance troops in the battlegrounds of City 17 for over a week, and in ''Episode One'', helped organizing the evacuation of the remaining residents of the City before its annihilation by the Citadel's destabilized core.

* LateToTheTragedy: Unlike Gordon or Barney, who witness the Resonance Cascade and its immediate aftermath, Shephard is sent to Black Mesa a few hours later, only to be knocked unconscious when his transport is shot down by Xen Manta Rays. Worse still, he only awakens just as the HECU is giving out orders to pull out of Black Mesa, essentially leaving him clueless and wandering almost aimlessly about in search of an exit.

* HeroOfAnotherStory: After we got his own experience of the direct aftermath of the resonance cascade in ''VideoGame/BlueShift'', he became one of the most active members of the Resistance against the Combine, working for years as a [[TheMole mole]] within the Civil Protection to exfiltrate citizens of City 17 to the outskirts and protecting Kleiner's lab. After Freeman reemerged and destroyed [[TheAlcatraz Nova Prospekt]], he led the Resistance troops in the battlegrounds of City 17 for over a week, and in ''Episode One'', helped organizing the evacuation of the remaining residents of the City before its annihilation by the Citadel's exposed cor.

** JerkWithAHeartOfGold: 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).

* TakingYourWithMe: Unintentional on the Houndeye's part, but due to the indiscriminate nature of their sonic boom attacks they're incredibly dangerous to fight in close quarters whenever explosives are involved. If a Houndeye is howling next to an explosive crate in front of you, you'd better have a quick aim or dive out the way, because it's going to splatter both itself and whatever's near it in a few seconds.

* GodzillaThreshold: Gordon Freeman's mere arrival forces Breen to cross this. While he knew of the rebel cells and was waiting for the opportunity to clean them up once and for all, Freeman's appearance in his office (which also gives away that the rebel's have teleporation working) forces Breen's hand because he ''knows'' that the OneManArmy theoretical physicist being allowed to gallivant around freely could undermine everything he's worked for. Going all-out with the Combine Overwatch captures Eli and strikes the rebels before they were ready - [[SelfFulfillingProphecy but drives Freeman into the perfect circumstances to incite a world-wide rebellion and come for Breen.]]

* {{GodzillaTheshold}}: Gordon Freeman's mere arrival forces Breen to cross this. While he knew of the rebel cells and was waiting for the opportunity to clean them up once and for all, Freeman's appearance in his office (which also gives away that the rebel's have teleporation working) forces Breen's hand because he ''knows'' that the OneManArmy theoretical physicist being allowed to gallivant around freely could undermine everything he's worked for. Going all-out with the Combine Overwatch captures Eli and strikes the rebels before they were ready - [[SelfFulfillingProphecy but drives Freeman into the perfect circumstances to incite a world-wide rebellion and come for Breen.]]

* GodzillaTheshold: Gordon Freeman's mere arrival forces Breen to cross this. While he knew of the rebel cells and was waiting for the opportunity to clean them up once and for all, Freeman's appearance in his office (which also gives away that the rebel's have teleporation working) forces Breen's hand because he ''knows'' that the OneManArmy theoretical physicist being allowed to gallivant around freely could undermine everything he's worked for. Going all-out with the Combine Overwatch captures Eli and strikes the rebels before they were ready - [[SelfFulfillingProphecy but drives Freeman into the perfect circumstances to incite a world-wide rebellion and come for Breen.]]

* OverarchingVillain: [[SubvertedTrope Subverted]], though he has appeared in most installments, his true intentions are completely unknown.

* OverarchingVillain: they are the BigBad of the 2nd game and the GreaterScopeVillain of the first game.

* OverarchingVillain: He is possibly counts as this, though his true intentions remain a mystery, so it’s possible that it’s [[SubvertedTrope Subverted]].

* DummiedOut: Files found in ''Half-Life 2'' indicate that Houndeyes were supposed to appear as enemies in the sequels, sporting a noticeably leaner and starved appearance, signifying that they've become desperately aggressive in a resource-starved Combine controlled Earth.

* DummiedOut: [[invoked]] Like the Houndeye, cut files, models and textures indicate that Bullsquids were to return in the sequels as enemies once again, but were cut. WordOfGod states that they still exist in the continuity, but they've yet to be encountered.

->'''Voiced by:''' [[HeroicMime Nobody]]. (No, neither [[Machinima/FreemansMind Ross Scott]] or [[Machinima/HalfLifeVrbutTheAIisSelfAware [=WayneRadioTV=]]] count.)