Is Dr. Breen alive?

[VortigauntLover]

I've been pondering this since the end of HL2...did Dr. Breen survive? Personally I doubt it.

Things that indicate he died

1. That explosion took off the entire tip of the Citadel. There is no way Breen could have gotten out in time unless the Combine has local teleportation technology, which they don't.

2. It seems that Breen was going to enter his host body when he reached the Combine Homeworld.

3. I highly doubt the Combine could instantly pull Breen's mind from the teleporter and put it in a host body with practically no warning the reactor would explode.

4. It's just that the idea of a 'Breenslug' seems really corny as well.

Things that indicate he survived

1. He is indeed an excellent character and it seems like such a waste to kill him.

2. Why else would Valve replay that 'host body' conversation if he died?

Here are basically the possibilites of what happened:

1. He survived the explosion and stayed in his intact human body.
I highly doubt this, I don't see how any human could have escaped that explosion.

2. He survived the explosion but he had to be transported into the body of a slug.
Probably the second most likely theory, because of the Advisor scene in EP1.

3. He sucessfully teleported through to the Combine Homeworld.
HIGHLY unlikely. Infact I might as well just get rid of this theory, as there is no possibility it is right.

4. The G-Man stole Breen and took him somewhere.
Also highly unlikely. It just seems very weird.

5. The vorts stole Breen and now he is the captive of the resistance.
It makes sense logically that they might do this, but considering Eli or Kleiner don't mention anything of the sort, it's also highly unlikely.

6. Dr. Breen was sent to a bizarre, different plane of existance where he will stay for all eternity.
Funny, but I highly doubt it.

7. Dr. Breen died. He didn't escape in time, the explosion killed him.
The most likely theory in my opinion.

So what do you think, did Dr. Wallace Breen survive?
In my opinion the answer is No.

 

[Asknoone]

My thoughts: http://www.halflife2.net/forums/showthread.php?t=110287

 

[Atomic_Piggy]

So what do you think, did Dr. Wallace Breen survive?
In my opinion the answer is No.

I'm inclined to agree, but I hope I'm wrong...

 

[Absinthe]

Actually, you just made me place my money betting he's alive.

The video playback in Episode 1 you just mentioned is something I entirely overlooked. Generally, everything in a story serves a thematic or plot-oriented purpose. Dialogue and events that you wouldn't think twice about otherwise become far more meaningful when placed in the context of a story.

Why show the video if Breen is no longer significant? If he's dead, he's dead, right? Trusting that Valve is good at developing their stories, I'm sure that Valve would have made it explicitly clear if Breen was dead. Their vague "You'll have to wait and see" responses in interviews pretty much confirm that Breen at least has future significance IMO. If he didn't, there'd be no point in jerking around the fans any longer. You'd get a definitive "He's dead" statement and we'd be off on our way.

That they decided to show that video in particular makes me think that they intended to draw the player's attention to the host body idea. As of yet, we still know very little about the whole deal and I wouldn't be surprised if it played a bigger role in future episodes.
I'll admit though, I find the idea of Breen being in a host body to be very lame. If that means he's been relegated to making unintelligible gurgles and mind blasts and no more long, thoughtful, eloquent speeches, I will be very sore indeed.

So the only question that remains for me is wether he's in a host body or not. Chances are he is, but you never know.

 

[Shift]

Scanned through that previous topic, interesting thoughts but didn't have a chance to reply so ill do it here.

I think there is a more darker plot to this question. I was certain that Breen was dead up until that scene in Episode 1, it seems it sole purpose was to re-introduce that fact that Breen wanted a host body, and it also wanted us to be aware of an unknown Combine advisor that shifts under Gordon and Alyx. Alyx's words, "What was that thing?" really began to make me question his survival, its almost i knew that Gordon was thinking, something along the lines of, "I take a guess, I just hope Im wrong".

Another theory to support his survival could be when the G-Man was blocked off when trying to get Gordon away. Now as it has been said in other topics, there is a strong theory going around that the Vortigaunts hired Freeman for certain goals, and one of them obviously must have been to kill Breen. I think the G-Man thinks that Breen is dead, and thinks that Gordon has acomplished his ultimate task, but the Vortigaunts somehow know that he is still alive, and take him back. If this was to be true, then the only way Breen would have escaped is by the same means of Alyx and Gordon, and that could mean that there is some other very strange mystery to be solved, whp saved Breen, and how does he have those powers. Also, if this theory was to be true, I think the Vortigaunts can forsee that Breen becomes a much larger threat than when he was in human form, or else they wouldn't have wanted Gordon back so badly.

Also, I think he only needs a host body when on the Combine planet, if he wasto return to earth he could return to human form somehow.

Thats just my theory anyway

 

[Mesz]

The way in which he died it's too.......easy, he would have to have died properly by something completely unexpected, plus don't you think Valve would have released information about his fate by now especially on the eve of the release of EP2? I find it highly suspicious how Valve has refused to mention anything about Dr.Breen's fate since the reactor at the Citadel exploded. Then again they may just be contemplating Dr.Breen's fate which is highly likely...that would make him alive until decided dead or vice versa

 

[Shift]

It isn't really the eve of its release, i think we got about 2 months or something

 

[Costin]

Breen is alive is on a host body,the advisor.The serial number of the pod where is placed:
314 UBR-LOC 0017.0017-that comes from City 17.And if you see the file in the game directory is "AI_Advisor_Breen"-is alive and laughing at us.Period.That my theory.

 

[Asknoone]

I'll admit though, I find the idea of Breen being in a host body to be very lame. If that means he's been relegated to making unintelligible gurgles and mind blasts and no more long, thoughtful, eloquent speeches, I will be very sore indeed..

I agree. I'm really not sure about the whole thing, but hey, I'll reserve judgement. The unintelligible gurgles would force me to stab my eyes out. Argueably the best thing about Breen was Robert Culps performance, and it'd be shame to throw that away at this stage.

I remember Walker being asked about Episode, and he said that one of he questions answered would be "What happened to Breen, is he dead?". Now that makes it sound as though he isn't dead. He also said we'll be taking on feedback to which plot points were more clearer than others. Breens fate is obviously going to be resolved in EP2.

 

[Langolier]

1. He is indeed an excellent character and it seems like such a waste to kill him.

I disagree. He is indeed a great character, but the more we see of him the higher chance he has of getting cliched... of losing his effectiveness as a villian. I would rather remember him as something unique to the released version of Half-Life2. It's been done too often:

2. Why else would Valve replay that 'host body' conversation if he died?

Perhaps it was done just to mislead us? I admit it is a good argument, a bit of foreshadowing. Who knows though...

 

[Absinthe]

Wouldn't misleading your players over something like Breen's death just serve to piss people off? I know I would be.

"Hey guys! I know we've drawn this out for a real long time and have planted a lot of hope in your heads, but he's dead. Haha, yep! All a ruse! Why? I dunno, but yeah. He's dead. You can stop e-mailing us now. Seriously."

 

[Shift]

That scene also served the purpose of showing more human qualities in alyx, to say that she is affected by the mind waves, not just you.

 

[Costin]

Every body is affected by the mind waves of the Advisors-they're telepatics.

 

[Shift]

Yeah i know but in the commentry they said they also wanted to give Alyx more human like qualities, showing that she is affected my the mind waves, if you get me

 

[Cpl_Facehugger]

And if you see the file in the game directory is "AI_Advisor_Breen"-is alive and laughing at us.Period.That my theory.

While I would love to believe Breen is alive, that particular bit of evidence is hardly conclusive. By "AI_Advisor_Breen" they can easily be referring to "Breen's advisor," ie the one he communicated with throughout HL2... (Though, I don't buy this theory, as that particular advisor's head was devoid of cybernetic implants save the rebreather thing, while the ones in E1 had a funny boxlike device on their side, like some sort of camera/scanner. This to me indicates that the E1 advisors are different then Breen's particular advisor.)

 

[Tagaziel]

While most of my points have already been covered, I would like to add another. The portal was open, and Breen was almost teleporting away, and we do not know how the Combine perform their consciousness porting operations - they might've intended to teleport him as a whole, and also may have intended to port 'just' his consciousness.

Also, just a precaution, they might've kept a 'backup' of his consciousness, just in case, but I believe that is a bit far fetched.

-- Mikael Grizzly

 

[bigburpco]

5. The vorts stole Breen and now he is the captive of the resistance.
It makes sense logically that they might do this, but considering Eli or Kleiner don't mention anything of the sort, it's also highly unlikely.

Eli and Kleiner do not mention about the vortigaunts saving Gordon and Alyx as well. I think it's possible that the vortigaunts are operating independently, without the head honchos of the rebellion giving orders.

 

[Asknoone]

Somehow I doubt it. They are very fond of Eli.

 

[kacation_man]

here is my random, completely overlooked if not even closely relavent theroy... Breen was simply a clone or a fabricated Icon for the Combine to use as the human face of there leadership, in my opinon Breen was simply a puppet, with thoughts and feelings and such... once he dies, they make a new one... this has been my completely random theory.

 

[Atomic_Piggy]

here is my random, completely overlooked if not even closely relavent theroy... Breen was simply a clone or a fabricated Icon for the Combine to use as the human face of there leadership, in my opinon Breen was simply a puppet, with thoughts and feelings and such... once he dies, they make a new one... this has been my completely random theory.

Thats a nice idea, but the Combine don't care about oppresion anymore. Humanity has become too much trouble (local teleportation just isn't worth it).

 

[Nihilanth]

here is my random, completely overlooked if not even closely relavent theroy... Breen was simply a clone or a fabricated Icon for the Combine to use as the human face of there leadership, in my opinon Breen was simply a puppet, with thoughts and feelings and such... once he dies, they make a new one... this has been my completely random theory.

I like this idea for some reason as well.

But I do think Breen is still alive in some form (what would replaying that conversation in the Pod Room serve as if it wasn't to make you believe he's in a host body?) Him being in a Combine Advisor host body sounds pretty lame to me (I'd rather him be some mangled human than a giant slug)...but if he's still himself in some form, whether he be Slugman or not, then I'm happy. I don't want him dead.

 

[ríomhaire]

here is my random, completely overlooked if not even closely relavent theroy... Breen was simply a clone or a fabricated Icon for the Combine to use as the human face of there leadership, in my opinon Breen was simply a puppet, with thoughts and feelings and such... once he dies, they make a new one... this has been my completely random theory.

Breen was admin of Black Mesa, he was friends with Eli. The Combine hardly implanted face memories in Bareny, Kleiner, Eli, Alyx and Gordon (well, OK, Gordon doesn't know who he is untill Alyx says to :cheese

 

[Mesz]

here is my random, completely overlooked if not even closely relavent theroy... Breen was simply a clone or a fabricated Icon for the Combine to use as the human face of there leadership, in my opinon Breen was simply a puppet, with thoughts and feelings and such... once he dies, they make a new one... this has been my completely random theory.

That could be right, he could have just been a non-organic lifeform created by the Combine to pacify the Humans and make them think, "Well at least we're not being completely controlled by aliens" Obviously this backfired with the rebellion. He may have been a robot, and Mossman may have known this because Breen put his hands up when Mossman aimed the EMP device at him, that wouldn't have caused any damage to an organic lifeform. Plus I always thought he was a little too friendly, maybe the Combine programmed him this way so the humans wouldn't think worse of him. Again it backfired.......=D Maybe the REAL Dr.Breen is in hiding somwhere and we may meet him in EP3. The Combine probably chucked him out into the countryside after they used his image who knows? Maybe the combine chose his profile because he was an extremely intelligent man and the Humans would have trusted him because they thought he knew what he was doing.....need I say it? BACKFIRED! This theory is highly unlikely to be true but with the storyline and suspense of Half Life 2, you never know........DUM DUM DUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUM

 

[VortigauntLover]

Seems like we are leaning towards Breen dying, but I just don't know.

I agree with Samon, some of the best things about Breen were his human qualities (emotions, expressions, great voice acting by Mr. Culp), I don't think I'd like the character at all as an emotionless slug.

 

[Shift]

Valve know his character would be pointless if he was a slug, so therefore it will not happen, Valve are smarter than that, i think they have something up their sleeves, something noone would have thought of

 

[bigburpco]

Hmm.

BREEN DIES NOT. hopefully.