Advisors and babies

[Atomic_Piggy]

I'm ill today, so no school or exercise or any other stressful activities (yay!) so I've had a lot of time to think. The recent revelations in the Laidlaw Vault have made me think about Half-Life more...so I found myself asking, how do Advisors produce offspring, if at all? There has been no information in game so far; the only time we have ever interacted with the Advisors was during the "mind rape" scene in Epi One.

Studying them in the SDK has revealed well, no genitals at all (which makes sence when we look at the rest of their body). I have come up with a couple of theories as too how advisors reproduce (if at all).

1) They are immortal. Whether through evolutions doing or their own heavy hands, these beasties could well live forever. Maybe this liquid in those pods that they dwell in sustain them, like cryogenics? Maybe some machinery manages to sustain them? Maybe they have just reached "perfection"(*snorts*)?

2) Cloning. I personally don't like the idea of this theory; one too many sci-fi movies have used this as an excuse. It wouldn't necessarily work either; the cloned cells will die of old age just as the actual original creature does too. If they managed this, each clone would be more and more retarded until it would be inoperable (logically).

It is far too easy to just say, "they are further ahead than us", because this is obvious and still doesn?t provide a solution.

So, how do Advisors reproduce (unless their immortal). Becuase I can't think of any other way than the aforementioned. I'd better stop now, I'm feeling woozy again *goes and lies down*

 

[Link]

Well the theory that they don't die of old age is interesting, but not practical. They may be able to prevent death by old age, but they are statistically guaranteed to die to some accident at some point, so some form of reproduction would still be required.

Cloning could be possible, but thats a long winded process. Assuming they age in a similar way to us, you would have to train them yourself, meaning you would need to make sure you clone them ~20 years before you died.

Saying that, assuming they had perfected cloning (Perfect copys could keep being copyed forever), and also had the tech to implant memory and knowledge from the previous clone, you would end up with super intelligent advisors in very short order.

 

[Tagaziel]

The Combine Advisors are a head that is entirely different from us in terms of physiology, psychology and mentality. As such, they may reproduce completely asexually (the means of which remain a myster) or lay eggs.

Furthermore, AP, notice that the Advisors wear green jumpsuits, obstructing any body features they would have.

 

[Atomic_Piggy]

I stand by claim that they have no penus' or butts. They're completetly sewed up! D:
Perhaps they are omnipotent and that sustains they're lives.

 

[Asknoone]

Advisors are immortal; it’s the key benefit of the Combines technology.

 

[Rapstah]

Suddently i understand how Breen's thinking.

 

[Atomic_Piggy]

Suddently i understand how Breen's thinking.

Yeah...to live forever...:bounce:
I want in.

 

[ríomhaire]

Almost their entire body is covered in a sock, any genitals would be covered. Besides, they're aliens, their reproduction system doesn't have to match ours. For all we know they don't have sexes and squeeze a kid out every few months. Also, their technology probably alows them to live a very long time, possibly even to practicle imortallity as Samon pointed out.

 

[Ophiguris]

Hmmm, I wonder if they have a farm of sorts, then when an offspring is developed enough, they add synth technology and possibly some 'chemicals' which grant the offspring a full (and possibly endless) life time.

 

[el Chi]

Suddently i understand how Breen's thinking.

Yes, he actually says in one of the casts that "immortality is within our reach" (or something like that) due to the Combine.

That's what I love about Breen. He does feel that he's doing the best by humanity in terms of eventual gain. He doesn't like what he has to do per se, but is very willing to comply.

 

[Gordon-Shepherd]

when I saw this threads title it made me wonder... did advisors eat any of the remaining babies? they look like baby-eaters.

 

[CookieCuttah]

Good thought if not for the fact that people have quit reproducing for the past 15 years.

Course maybe they did it 15 years ago...

 

[Gordon-Shepherd]

I knew how stupid that sounded, I just thought the image of an advisor eating a baby was funny and wanted an excuse to share it.

 

[Atomic_Piggy]

I knew how stupid that sounded, I just thought the image of an advisor eating a baby was funny and wanted an excuse to share it.

Agreed. Someone should 'shop it.

Almost their entire body is covered in a sock, any genitals would be covered. Besides, they're aliens, their reproduction system doesn't have to match ours. For all we know they don't have sexes and squeeze a kid out every few months. Also, their technology probably alows them to live a very long time, possibly even to practicle imortallity as Samon pointed out.

Well, the genital thing makes sence if you look at their arms and legs( or lack thereof)it would fit that they had none. Also, even with the sock on it is easy to see that there is nothing underthere (except skin obviously).
But your right, they might never have even had genitals becuase of their genetics. Just in RtB it said they evovled from a human-like spieceis (don't have it on me but it was summat like that).



On a side note: Breen was always right.

 

[Piers89]

when I saw this threads title it made me wonder... did advisors eat any of the remaining babies? they look like baby-eaters.

haha, that made me chuckle


On a more serious note, i wouldnt want to be a huge slug just for immortality, id feel totally vulnerable and trapped, only capable of thinking and nothing else.

 

[ríomhaire]

But your right, they might never have even had genitals becuase of their genetics. Just in RtB it said they evovled from a human-like spieceis (don't have it on me but it was summat like that).

I think the exact words were "not unlike humans" but I'm not sure. I took it to mean a sentient species who developed greatly in the area of technology and science rather than being physicly similar to humans.

Whenever I try to think of what the Combine once looked like, this image pops into my head:

Sorry for the bad image quality, it's the best I could find in my quick search.

 

[Citadel]

Now this may sound stupid to you all but perhaps they don't reproduce as such. We have never seen the combines original homeworld so there are many possibilities that time and forces that work differently than here on earth. Perhaps they do not breed at all, but grow, on their homeworld. A bit like a plant. The thought of a gigantic space slug using photosynthesis is amusing. There is no reason as to why they shouldn't grow. If you have watched "The Matrix," then you will perhaps remember the giant human-nurturing towers which technically, "grew humans," to use for power. The life cycle could perhaps resemble that.

Or maybe they do have genitals and the ones simply sent to earth are neutered so they can't do anything else when they are mind raping.

 

[Rapstah]

Headcrabs grow, so it's not impossible.

 

[ríomhaire]

Now this may sound stupid to you all but perhaps they don't reproduce as such. We have never seen the combines original homeworld so there are many possibilities that time and forces that work differently than here on earth. Perhaps they do not breed at all, but grow, on their homeworld. A bit like a plant. The thought of a gigantic space slug using photosynthesis is amusing. There is no reason as to why they shouldn't grow. If you have watched "The Matrix," then you will perhaps remember the giant human-nurturing towers which technically, "grew humans," to use for power. The life cycle could perhaps resemble that.

Or maybe they do have genitals and the ones simply sent to earth are neutered so they can't do anything else when they are mind raping.

Even if they do grow, that's still reproduction.

Headcrabs grow, so it's not impossible.

Headcrabs are born from gonarchs.

 

[Rapstah]

Headcrabs are born from gonarchs.

Then what's this? A headcrab that infested a tree?



Oh, and yeah, headcrabs are born from gonarchs.

 

[Citadel]

Even if they do grow, that's still reproduction.


Headcrabs are born from gonarchs.

Yes but it does explain the absence of genitals.

 

[Piers89]

Mayhaps the combine havent mastered genitalia science, thus they want to hide their small todgers from the human race for fear of mocking.

 

[Atomic_Piggy]

haha, that made me chuckle


On a more serious note, i wouldnt want to be a huge slug just for immortality, id feel totally vulnerable and trapped, only capable of thinking and nothing else.

But your physcic and have an interdementionol empire at your disposal.

 

[Rapstah]

And think of the power! Driveable striders! Mind controllable overwatch transhuman soldiers!

Wow. Where do you sign up?

 

[Narvi]

Why are we discussing this? We might as well wonder what Xen Controllers eat. It's irrevelant.

...Perhaps the advisors keep a roster, and replace those who die of external causes? I want to know what Advisor society is like.

 

[Rapstah]

Why are we discussing this? We might as well wonder what Xen Controllers eat. It's irrevelant.

But no one made a thread about that, so we don't discuss it.

 

[ríomhaire]

Then what's this? A headcrab that infested a tree?

It's a fungus (which is its model's name amazingly) with four stalks and vaguely similar colouring to a headcrab. I'll admit that they seem to almost exclusivly grow in areas of heavy headcrab-infestation but they may not be growing headcrabs, they could just be a damn fungus.

 

[Rapstah]

When Marc Laidlaw sais that isn't a Headcrab, i'll listen.

 

[Citadel]

Well I think if the models name is fungus then we can safely assume it's a... well... fungus. H0owever it does look remarkably like a headcrab. To the Laidlaw mobile.

 

[Piers89]

If i drew a headcrab coloured car would you believe that to be a headcrab on wheels?

 

[Rapstah]

If you made it round, gave it legs, removed the wheels and placed it in headcrab infested areas, then yeah.

 

[Narvi]

Bad sarcasm, Rabarber.

 

[Rapstah]

What sarcasm?

 

[Atomic_Piggy]

What sarcasm?

Lol.

 

[Glenn the Great]

Here's a thought.....

What if the Combine are not born as slugs, but are rather some other creature, perhaps humanoid, that eventually has its mind transferred to an artificially bio-engineered slug body? The slug body was designed to enhance the mental abilities of the being inhabiting it. Many of these bodies are produced and kept in storage. When the body starts to deteriorate, the inhabitant's mind is transferred to a new one. This process could be considered "immortality." If this were true, it could help explain Breen's mind being transferred to a slug. The body that Breen now occupies could have been an empty shell in storage. This is a much cleaner idea than the notion that Breen is sharing a body with an alien consciousness, considering we are right about Breen's fate in the first place.

 

[Rapstah]

You nailed it. That's most likely how it is.

 

[Atomic_Piggy]

Here's a thought.....

What if the Combine are not born as slugs, but are rather some other creature, perhaps humanoid, that eventually has its mind transferred to an artificially bio-engineered slug body? The slug body was designed to enhance the mental abilities of the being inhabiting it. Many of these bodies are produced and kept in storage. When the body starts to deteriorate, the inhabitant's mind is transferred to a new one. This process could be considered "immortality." If this were true, it could help explain Breen's mind being transferred to a slug. The body that Breen now occupies could have been an empty shell in storage. This is a much cleaner idea than the notion that Breen is sharing a body with an alien consciousness, considering we are right about Breen's fate in the first place.

It's a possibility. This theory makes a lot more sence than the cloning one at least . We may never know the truth D:

 

[ríomhaire]

When Marc Laidlaw sais that isn't a Headcrab, i'll listen.

Until then will you at least not assert your theories as fact please?

Here's a thought.....

What if the Combine are not born as slugs, but are rather some other creature, perhaps humanoid, that eventually has its mind transferred to an artificially bio-engineered slug body? The slug body was designed to enhance the mental abilities of the being inhabiting it. Many of these bodies are produced and kept in storage. When the body starts to deteriorate, the inhabitant's mind is transferred to a new one. This process could be considered "immortality." If this were true, it could help explain Breen's mind being transferred to a slug. The body that Breen now occupies could have been an empty shell in storage. This is a much cleaner idea than the notion that Breen is sharing a body with an alien consciousness, considering we are right about Breen's fate in the first place.

You speak as if it was proven fact that Breen's mind has been transfered to a slug. Also, I really doubt this. I'd say that the slugs are just what the Combine have (d)evolved into due too a lack of natural selection.

 

[Glenn the Great]

You speak as if it was proven fact that Breen's mind has been transfered to a slug. Also, I really doubt this. I'd say that the slugs are just what the Combine have (d)evolved into due too a lack of natural selection.

Re-read my post and you will see that I made sure to say at the end that my suggestion is in consideration that the Breen->Slug theory turns out to be true.

In the future, please try to carefully read the entire post before leaping to disagree with someone.

 

[ríomhaire]

You actually "considering we are right", which would mean that you are right and that you are using this information to deduce the aformentioned point. Please try to write less-confusing sentences in future and make sure that they meen what you intend them to meen.