Nihilanth, Advisors and Stalkers, Oh My! (another theory)

[sfc_hoot]

Going through the models, I found some interesting similarities between the Nihilanth, the Stalker, and the Advisor. Here they are:

The Face

Let's look at the faces of the three. The faces are pretty featureless, and empty. The face of the Stalker and the Nihilanth is strikingly similar. Neither have eyes, a proper nose, mouth or ears. Looks like they had their face hacked apart by the same thing. It actually looks like the Nihilanth has five eyes (notice the three dots above his bigger eyes). Anyway, The Advisor's face is different, but still kind of similar in a way. See, the Advisor doesn't have a proper face either - his face has now been taken over by technology. What his original face looks like, will probably remain a mystery.


The Stitching

The three creatures appear to have stitches all over their body. This is an obvious sign of surgery. In the Stalker's case, all the internal organs have been removed, and it's been stitched back together. As for the Nihilanth and the Advisor, it's not that certain. Though the Advisor, being an original Combine, has likely split open a few times, and was "sewn" back together by its technology. The Nihilanth also has his entire stomach stitched up. They look like large staples, actually. Of course, seeing the other two creatures, you might think that the Nihilanth was operated on by the Combine. Maybe he was, and maybe he wasn't. The Xen-Combine theory is a very common one that's going around right now. If the Nihilanth was altered by the Combine, then it looks like they might have "stuffed" him with their technology. The original Nihilanth might have been skinny (like a Vort, or Xen Master perhaps).


Amputation

Although none is found in the Combine Advisor, it can clearly be seen on the Nihilanth and the Stalker. Both creatues have their lower legs amputated. The Stalkers also have their forearms amputated. The amputations on both look like they've been performed in the same way (by the same people/thing?). The site of the amputation is very red, and swolen. This probably means that the limbs were amputated in a very barbaric manner, and probably fairly recently as well.


The Unnatural Body Parts

All three creatures appear to have body parts, appendages, or implants that are not natural (i.e. synthetic parts that have been implanted into the body by someone/something). The creatures were definitely not born/created with these parts.

Advisor: He is definitely the most modified, as he is from the Original Combine race.
1. Gasmask.
2. Perhaps its mechanic eyes?
3. A collar of letters resembling the heirogliphics.
4. The breathing device (it's connected to the gasmask via a hose).
5. It has two sets of glowing "things" on its back. Like to hear people's theories on those.
6. Artificial arms.

Stalker: They are the slaves, so they'd only need minimal parts.
1. The face shield. The face beneath probably looks disgusting.
2. A socket in the throat. Probably how it breathes.
3. A socket in the chest. This is probably where the Combine inject the saline solutions (which the Stalkers are run on).
4. A small device, worn on the belt. Perhaps it gives them electrical shocks or something if they disobey. Or perhaps it's an ECG or something.
5. The artificial lower legs. They practise walking while attached to ropes.

Nihilanth:
1. A huge "thing" with spikes hanging out of him, that resembles a jet. Let's just call it the "assjet" for the time being.
2. Ah, yes, the shackles. The source of all Combine-Xen theories. It makes sense in a way. Shackles usually represent slavery - and the Combine are the only race in the Half-Life story that are massive galactic conquerors. But, of course, there are some good theories that suggest against the Xen-Combine theory. Nonetheless, the Nihilanth (leader of Xen!) is in shackles, which kind of indicates that his entire race is enslaved in fact.
3. This is an interesting one. It appears to be some kind of shunt. It almost seems as if the Nihilanth suffers from hydrocephalus. Poor guy.


Additional notes:

1. The name "Nihilanth" comes from two words. "Nihil", as in nihilism, and "anth" as in a "flower", because of the way his head opens up. That's what it says in Raising the Bar. Now, the association with nihilism is interesting. Why is this? Just looking at his face (the empty eyes, mouth) - looks like something very terrible happened to him, and he now has "nihilistic" properties. Or maybe he is nihilism.

2. The Nihilanth has a huge crystal in his head. This is probably very similar to the Xenian crystals that are used in teleportation. It would explain the Nihilanth's natural teleportation abilities, and how he can control portals with the very power of his mind. I'm not actually sure whether to classify the crystal as a natural part of the Nihilanth, or an implant. The Xen Masters also have these crystals in their heads (and for that matter, it looks like the Nihilanth is a fully-grown, but heavily modified Xen Master).

3. The original Combine race now heavily depends on the very technology they created, and have thus become fat and grublike, since they have the technology do everything for them. That explains the appearance of the Combine Advisor. Anyway, despite the devolution of the physical body, the mind of the Combine has greatly evolved over the time (and probably still is evolving).


Well, that's all I have to say for now. I haven't actually developed any in-depth theories on the resemblances yet. I'd rather see what everyone else thinks about this first.

 

[Kouler]

Very nice points.

 

[f|uke]

Nice writeup! And interesting comparision. It does seem that there is some real continunity here,. and that the 'Combine' were in control of Nihilanth. The connection to Nihalism is interesting. I dont know if something "happened",. I'd be more prone to think he was made that way. But he is a pretty Nihalistic character... spooky and souless. "The truth you can never know the truth."

Nihilanth:
1. A huge "thing" with spikes hanging out of him, that resembles a jet. Let's just call it the "assjet" for the time being.

Yes. Lets call it that.

"Damn, did you see the fumes coming out of Nihilanth's assjet? Whew! Somebody needs a smog check!"

 

[CREMATOR666]

Assjet? That's the best name eva! Your theory is very interesting but, again, for the combine advisor, I think he (she, IT, etc.) probably isnt that weak seeing that he could attack with his arms (if your browse through his animations) Nice points, anyhoo

 

[Griever]

Well, the blue things strapped to the advisors back are obviously to help it move; anti-gravity devices of some sort. Hence it's lack of appendages; why have legs when you never use them?
Now, taking this into consideration, I don't think the Advisor's stitches are actually on it's body. I think it's wearing clothes.
Take a look at the attached pictures. Notice the sweat marks in the last two? And in the first picture, the way the fabric bunches up under the belts? Though the suit's probably more to prevent chafing than anything else; those belts could get irritating.
The collar is probably a status thing, promoting its rank/caste/whatever.

 

[Asknoone]

Well put together sfc_hoot

I agree with Griever, actually, it looks like the Advisor needs them to move.

My theory on Nihalnith is simply that he is the equivalant of the dark fusion reactor. As both Alyx, and Mossman state the Dark fusion reactor is used the power thier tunneling entanglement device.

Now, the scientist in Lambda also says, that the Nihalinth is the one keeping the portals open due to mass concentration. If you think about it, it makes sense with the fact that the combine absorb other races tech, and, because theyre so poor at creating suitable portal technology, they have to adapt and use that races to be able to use them.

They us Nihalnith as a reactor, and use breen to build a reactor. It keeps them connected to that world. When you killed Nihalnith, you cut thier connection with Xen. When you destroyed the reactor, you cut thier connection with Earth.

Is Gman going around and cutting the combine's connection to other worlds, and, simply isolating them? Its really quite possible.

 

[CREMATOR666]

I think the Gman's role to to 'suppress' the expansion of the combine empire, the Gman represents the universal (or inter-dimensional) resistance of the combine which I hoped to see more in the expansion pack or HL3

 

[happymushroom]

I like the idea about the nilithanth (or howeva u spell it) being under the ombine control and being modified by them, but he shackels are broken, so prehaps he managed to break away from their control???

Also if the combine advisor is wearing a suit, as it does appear in some images, does that mean we might get to see the true combine form in hl3???

 

[Danimal]

Nice theory :thumbs:

 

[ríomhaire]

I think Nihilath served 2 porposes:
1. To enslave the vortigaunts
2. To make portals.
I think Nihilath was the origanal ruler of Xen even before the Combine arrived. The Combine took advantage of this and instead of enslavind all the vortigaunts he just enslaved thier master.

 

[MrBongo]

First of all, let me commend you on an excellent summary/character analysis! Prior to reading this, I only knew what Stalkers looked like based on the poorly-lit sightings I had inside the Citadel.

As for the various parts of the Combine Advisor, I have some personal suggestions I thought I might share. For one, I don't believe what you identified as a "gasmask" in infact just that, as you already pointed out that hose/breathing device. Instead, I think that it may be some kind of machinery that allows the Advisor to communicate with and view the outside world. He has no eyes, mouth, ears, or nose, and so it would make sense that such a machine would replace such senses.

As for the strange blue "things", my guess is that they're some form of propulsion device that allows the Advisor to move and possibly even float (as I doubt an obsese blob is very mobile naturally ).

 

[Asknoone]

For one, I don't believe what you identified as a "gasmask" in infact just that, as you already pointed out that hose/breathing device. Instead, I think that it may be some kind of machinery that allows the Advisor to communicate with and view the outside world. He has no eyes, mouth, ears, or nose, and so it would make sense that such a machine would replace such senses.

It doesnt need either, its actually physcic and communicates telepathically.

 

[Angry Lawyer]

Intriguing points, but I really do think Griever is on to something. I never noticed it before, but it's actually wearing something akin to a pair of tights over its body.

And the Nihilanth looks stapled together, more than stitching. The Combine aren't instantly the rulers of everything in the Half-Life Universe, you know. There's the possibility that the true rulers of Xen were merely the Controllers, who, in a bid to suppress their less-intelligent cousins, created a big version of themselves, stuck collars around the Vortigaunts, and told them to worship Nihilanth/build them an army to protect them. Without further evidence, we won't really know. Notice how none of the Controllers (or as you call them, Xen Masters' have any form of manacles on them.

But I like the idea of the Advisor wearing a large stocking as some form of insulation/intergalactic fashion. Must get cold in other dimensions.

-Angry Lawyer

 

[f|uke]

And the Nihilanth looks stapled together, more than stitching. The Combine aren't instantly the rulers of everything in the Half-Life Universe, you know. There's the possibility that the true rulers of Xen were merely the Controllers, who, in a bid to suppress their less-intelligent cousins, created a big version of themselves, stuck collars around the Vortigaunts, and told them to worship Nihilanth/build them an army to protect them.

One of the things Nihilanth says is "Their slaves, we are their slaves we are.",. and Nihilanth does wear the shakels. So he was merely a tool, created to control teleportation and whatnot.

I guess the question is, what is the Xen Masters relationship to the Combine?

 

[Angry Lawyer]

You didn't read what I said, did you. I'll sum up, though.

There's no reason we shouldn't believe that the Nihilanth was the slave of the Xenian Controllers - the miniature versions of himself. He, being linked with the Vortigaunts, was likely speaking on their behalf too.

A tool, yes, but not neccesarily a tool of the Combine.

-Angry Lawyer

 

[f|uke]

You didn't read what I said, did you. I'll sum up, though.

There's no reason we shouldn't believe that the Nihilanth was the slave of the Xenian Controllers - the miniature versions of himself. He, being linked with the Vortigaunts, was likely speaking on their behalf too.

I didnt get anything about Nihilanth being their slave, but I follow. Yes, its unclear who was in charge of Nihilanth.

I've got to assume however that Nihilanth was including himself when he said "we".. and may have very well been including the Xen Masters, despite their lack of collars. It could be that because of their genetic similarity, the Nihilanth was controlling them.

That, however, is speculation.

 

[ktimekiller]

very intresting to read, thanks

 

[happymushroom]

I still think that he was once controlled by the combine and broke free , hense the broken shackles.

doesnt he say " i am the last at some point"?

 

[Planeforger]

If you look at stalker animation idle2, it looks like something is giving him an electric shock, maybe the device on his belt.

 

[FireCrack]

Nice points, but im preety sure the stitching on the advisor is in it's clothes. The texture there looks different from the rest of the skin and such, it seems to rest in a big bag suspended fropm the hover things up top.

 

[Lahire149]

Shouldn't this be in rumors and speculation?

anyways nice post

 

[sfc_hoot]

Very good replies here. Anyway, let's continue.

Advisor

A major suggestion that's come up is that the Advisor is actually wearing clothes. Now that I look at the model closer, it does indeed look so. The actual advisor is white/yellowish, and the clothes (with the stitching) are green (with stanes). You can see another bit of the actual Advisor sticking out from the "butt". I know it's just a tiny thing, but couldn't it fit in the rest of the stocking? Or perhaps it's growing a new "head". The glowing things on its back, as most suggest, are probably there to keep it suspended, or upright, or to aid its movement. The collar with the symbols probably indicates that the Advisor is high-ranked, and important. (Good suggestions, Griever.)

The advisor model is made up of seven textures. They are:

arm (it's artificial arms).
body (the "clothing").
camera (backing up my theory about device#2 being it's mehcanic eyes).
face (the actual Advisor skin, with the collar).
hose (also includes the breathing device, backing up my theory on that).
lens (this texture seems stuffed. It's the black/pink checkers).
mask (same as the hose, backing up my theory about the advisor not being able to breathe on its own).

The thing that I find very interesting is that Valve went into the trouble of modelling the entire Advisor, yet you only ever see its face. Why all the extra polygons? I'd say he/it's ready for an expansion. Anyway, I won't go through all the trouble of posting the actual textures here. You can browse through them yourself.

Nihilanth

Most of us will agree that the Nihilanth was enslaved by something, and he was being used to control the Vorts, and the teleportation. Perhaps he was enslaved by his own race? Looking at Angry Lawyer's theory, it might be possible that the Xen Masters/(Alien) Controllers, created a "ruler" in their own image (with major implants and modifications though), to master and control the Vortigaunts, which would in turn work as slave labourers in Xenian factories. It's really an industrial thing.

On the other hand, what if it was the Combine? The major problem with the Combine-Xen theory is that there are no Combine structures, signs, or anything Combine-related on Xen. But if you think about it, there doesn't have to be, since Xen is a hierarchy. If you enslave the leader of the hierarchy (Nihilanth in our case), then you will enslave the entire race. No need for propaganda or anything. But this brings up another problem. If the Combine had control over Xen for a time, then wouldn't they have been masters of teleportation, since they would've absorbed all of Xen's teleportation knowledge, plus their crystals and so on. According to Mossman, the Combine haven't even discovered Xen.

------- ------- -------

@ happymushroom - The shackles aren't broken, they're still intact. And yes, the Nihilanth does say: "The last, I am the last" just before you fight it.

@ Planeforger - The Stalkers indeed look like they're being shocked. Especially the one at Nova Prospekt you see on the surveillance TV.

@ Angry Lawyer - excellent theories, as usual.

@ CREMATOR666 - Yeah, the "G-Man is representing a government that are fighting against the Combine" theory, in my opinion, is the most plausible G-Man theory right now.

@ Lahire149 - Maybe it should. I wasn't sure. This forum gets a lot more hits anyway.

 

[Planeforger]

According to Mossman, the Combine haven't even discovered Xen.

When did Mossman say that?

I think the Combine must know how to teleport (in large invasion forces, not just each person having their own teleporter) otherwise they wouldn't be able to take control of the universe and other dimensions and so on. They wouldn't have needed to know how to teleport around Earth using entanglement because they had Nihilanth, who did it for them.Then, after Nihilanth's demise, they realised they would need the technology and got Mossman to steal Eli's research.

 

[sfc_hoot]

When did Mossman say that?

She kind of hints it in her first speech. She says something along the lines of: "We've figured out how to use Xen as an unexpressed axis" then she says: "If only the Combine knew what we were doing". Kind of tells you that the Combine don't know about Xen. I am under the impression that the Combine is a lot smarter than man, so, if three ex-Black Mesa scientists can create a portal using Xen - then what's the Combine's excuse? 1. They don't know about Xen.

I think the Combine must know how to teleport (in large invasion forces, not just each person having their own teleporter) otherwise they wouldn't be able to take control of the universe and other dimensions and so on. They wouldn't have needed to know how to teleport around Earth using entanglement because they had Nihilanth, who did it for them.Then, after Nihilanth's demise, they realised they would need the technology and got Mossman to steal Eli's research.

I never said that the Combine didn't know how to teleport. I was just saying that they didn't know how to teleport in the Xen way, (i.e. using crystals, and so on), and that's why they want Mossman and Eli, to have them teach them how. The Combine couldn't have attacked Earth through a portal that the Nihilanth created (if he was the master behind Combine teleportation, though), because by the 7 Hours War, I beleive that the Nihilanth was already dead.


I choose to go against the Combine-Xen theory, because right now there's just not enough evidence that the Combine have controlled Xen. It still remains a speculation.

 

[FireCrack]

She kind of hints it in her first speech. She says something along the lines of: "We've figured out how to use Xen as an unexpressed axis" then she says: "If only the Combine knew what we were doing". Kind of tells you that the Combine don't know about Xen. I am under the impression that the Combine is a lot smarter than man, so, if three ex-Black Mesa scientists can create a portal using Xen - then what's the Combine's excuse? 1. They don't know about Xen.

Actualy, I think, and I am fairly sure that what she is referring to is local teleportation without having to go to xen then teleport back. There's also talk about a xen relay, could that be the thing barney set up in the end of blueshift?

 

[Asknoone]

Originally posted by sfc_hoot
She kind of hints it in her first speech. She says something along the lines of: "We've figured out how to use Xen as an unexpressed axis" then she says: "If only the Combine knew what we were doing". Kind of tells you that the Combine don't know about Xen. I am under the impression that the Combine is a lot smarter than man, so, if three ex-Black Mesa scientists can create a portal using Xen - then what's the Combine's excuse? 1. They don't know about Xen.

As fireCrack said, she is refering to how they teleport. All she is saying as they don't know how to develop small teleporters, nothing else.

Originally posted by FireCrack
There's also talk about a xen relay, could that be the thing barney set up in the end of blueshift?

No, because alot of Blue shift/opposing force is just cannon fodder (doesn't fit into actual story). But it might be possible,or it could be something the vorts set up *Shrugs*

 

[CREMATOR666]

Actually Valve already said that they will not be incorporating any materials that are Gearbox-made into the storyline

 

[Angry Lawyer]

Just for you people who like to have pictures to explain things, I've come up with a really pants Photophop of how I consider the Xenian heirachy to go.

As you can see - a large 'democracy' of Controllers sit at the top. They've created Nihilanth as a mouthpiece, so to speak, as to better control the Vortigaunts. Nihilanth sort of acts like a shunt into their 'Vortessence', allowing the Controllers to numb the intelligent parts of the Vortigaunts, and control them easier.

So, the chain of command is Controllers->Nihilanth->Vortigaunts & Grunts.

Oh, and a quote from the game said something about the Combine unsing a tunneling technology to go straight from their universe to ours. Our teleportation uses Xen as a stop-gap, which uses much less energy, and makes it efficient to hop to Xen and back to Earth at different locations, so we have local teleportation.

Although, I theorise that after Mossman built a teleporter for the Combine, they started knowing what Xen was. It's possible that, after City 17 exploded, they decided to blow Earth up and move on to Xen, or something.

-Angry Lawyer

 

[happymushroom]

I choose to go against the Combine-Xen theory, because right now there's just not enough evidence that the Combine have controlled Xen. It still remains a speculation.

but if you look at the nilithanth ( still cant spell it), he is the only thing on xen with advanced parts, part from the vorts and their collars, so i still think that he was enslaved by the combine to contol xen, and somehow give them the xen portal thingy they want.

soz for being vague but im v v v tired

 

[sfc_hoot]

Ugh, I seem to have the whole Mossman thing upside-down. Someone now has to do the unpleasant task of telling me in detail what she was really talking about.

As far as I know, for the Combine it's Point A > Point B, while for Kleiner/Eli it's Point A > through Xen > Point B. Going straight from one dimention to another requires a massive amount of energy, and the Combine want to find a better way (i.e. Eli's method). Plus with the Combine-method, Point A and Point B can't be in the same world/universe, right, so they can only do trans-universal teleportation. Is that about right? And Xen teleportation too - how did Xenian creatures teleport? We saw Vortigaunts, Houndeyes and so on teleport from one location to another within the BMRF, or on Xen. They appear to have some kind of self-teleportation abilities (or was the Nihilanth teleporting them)?

Someone really has to explain this teleportation stuff to me, because it's one of the only things in the game that I'm very unfamiliar with. :x

---- ----

@ Angry Lawyer - about your theory.
1. When Gordon kills the Nihilanth, and thus liberating the Vorts, would the Controllers still be in power (i.e. rule Xen), and would they attempt to create another Nihilanth, to enslave the Vorts on Xen again (as we only know what happens to the Vorts on Earth.)
2. Do you beleive that the Controllers are hive-minded?
3. If the Controllers created the Nihilanth in their own image, then why does he have mechanic objects, a stalker-face and all those things that normal Controllers don't have. Wouldn't it make sense if they created him as a replica of theirself (only jumbo-sized). And why is he "imprisoned" in that cavern, rather than freely roaming Xen.
4. Couldn't the Controllers control the Vortigaunts without the Nihilanth? I'd say that the Nihilanth created the Controllers, through which he controls the Vorts, rather than the other way round.

 

[Asknoone]

(or was the Nihilanth teleporting them)?

Yes it was, thats why they sent you to kill it.

 

[Griever]

As far as I know, for the Combine it's Point A > Point B, while for Kleiner/Eli it's Point A > through Xen > Point B.

The Combine part is correct; they can only tunnel their way through space-time in a direct line to reach their destination. Once there, they are relient on normal transportation to get anywhere.
The Xen method you described is the old Black Mesa teleportation. The newer one that Eli & co have been creating negates the need to actually pass through a part of Xen. Instead it uses Xen as a dimensional slingshot.
A similar method was used with the Voyager space probes. Instead of using fuel to travel from planet to planet, which would have been inefficient and expensive, the probes were pulled into the gravitational field of the planets they passed, and then essentially thrown out at their destination.
Much easier, less energy used. It's easy to see why the Combine would want it.

 

[CREMATOR666]

Controllers controls Nihilanth? :O I dont think that's the case, it's more like the reverse. Correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[Angry Lawyer]

@ Angry Lawyer - about your theory.
1. When Gordon kills the Nihilanth, and thus liberating the Vorts, would the Controllers still be in power (i.e. rule Xen), and would they attempt to create another Nihilanth, to enslave the Vorts on Xen again (as we only know what happens to the Vorts on Earth.)
2. Do you beleive that the Controllers are hive-minded?
3. If the Controllers created the Nihilanth in their own image, then why does he have mechanic objects, a stalker-face and all those things that normal Controllers don't have. Wouldn't it make sense if they created him as a replica of theirself (only jumbo-sized). And why is he "imprisoned" in that cavern, rather than freely roaming Xen.
4. Couldn't the Controllers control the Vortigaunts without the Nihilanth? I'd say that the Nihilanth created the Controllers, through which he controls the Vorts, rather than the other way round.

I'd say that the Vortigaunts, being more populous, would have butchered the Controllers. Besides, building another Nihilanth would have taken a long time.
Controllers are hive-minded, to an extent, but without the Nihilanth, cannot control the Vorts.
The Nihilanth has created objects embedded because a) there's not quite enough crystal in it's brain to hover it properly, b) being an imperfect creation, needs life support, c) they're not very good at making one off giant Controllers, and d) because Valve wanted us to know it was created.

The Controllers show none of the marks of being controlled, or being manufactured, that the Nihilanth has.

Cremator, it's only a theory, but I think it holds just as much weight as the idea of Combine creating him.

And yes, that's how Combine teleport.

-Angry Lawyer

 

[FireCrack]

Well, valve did incorpeate barney sescaping.

 

[sfc_hoot]

I'd say that the Vortigaunts, being more populous, would have butchered the Controllers. Besides, building another Nihilanth would have taken a long time.
Controllers are hive-minded, to an extent, but without the Nihilanth, cannot control the Vorts.
The Nihilanth has created objects embedded because a) there's not quite enough crystal in it's brain to hover it properly, b) being an imperfect creation, needs life support, c) they're not very good at making one off giant Controllers, and d) because Valve wanted us to know it was created.

The Controllers show none of the marks of being controlled, or being manufactured, that the Nihilanth has.

Yeah, it would only make sense that the Vorts would massacre the Controllers after their liberation. So does this mean that the new rulers of Xen would be... the Vorts?

Where are you getting the whole thing about the Controllers not being able to controll the Vorts from? If they're the leaders of Xen, then why would they need the very-imperfect-Nihilanth to control? Can't they do it theirself?

I'd like to hear more on your theory about why the Nihilanth is so imperfect, if he was designed to be this great-ruler-of-Vorts, and why have they only built one? The more Nihilanths they create, the easier it would be to control the Vorts. And do you think they created the Nihilanth just to control the Vorts, or to teleport Xenian creatures as well?

And you've made an interesting observation there, about the Controllers not being controlled or created. That's very true. Xen, excluding the wildlife (e.g. bullsquids, headcrabs, houndeyes etc), is made up of four types of "people". Vorts (controlled), Nihilanth (created, controlled), Grunts (created) and the Controllers, which appear to be neither, so that would make them very significant in the hierarchy.

 

[Planeforger]

If the Combine didn't control Xen, then what was up with the grunt factory? Or do the Controllers also take other species and augment strange machinery into their bodies to make them stronger? If you look at the alien grunts, they appear to have pipes entering their chest from their armour, which is the kind of thing that the Combine does (you can see it clearly on p27 of RtB, and you can also see it ingame).

 

[Angry Lawyer]

The armour on the Grunts is, apparently, a form of natural carapace, grown from their mineral rich diet.

From the looks of it, the Xenians are 'growing' their troops - literally - the pods look quite a bit like eggs or cocoons of some kind. The Combine are creating troops from already existing creatures (us, and whatever the Synth once were). And of course, we manufacture our 'troops' - Tanks, aeroplanes, ships, in a production line quite similar to what the Combine and the Xenians are doing.

The Nihilanth is physically imperfect - I don't think the Controllers are very good at creating things of that scale. But, with that much Crystal in its brain, it must have some massive psychic powers. As for why there is only one of them - perhaps the others were destroyed? Nihilanth stated that he was 'the last' - perhaps Vortigaunts in other areas managed to somehow break free, and rebel? Still, we have no idea how long it would take to create a Nihilanth - probably a long time - so maybe his birth was rather recent, and they hadn't gotten around to making another one? Or perhaps due to budget cuts in Xen? With all those resources going into growing them an army to use in defence, there might not have been enough to spend on another Nihilanth, which seemed to control all the Vortigaunts quite easily. And the final possibility: Maybe they never expected someone to break into it's sealed chambers and blow it up?

-Angry Lawyer

 

[Jandor]

I think that the Combine controlled Xen using the Nihilanth, the Nihilanth controls the Controllers, the Controllers controlled the Vortigaunts through the collars, originally there was probably only Vortigaunts but the Combine altered them to get Grunt, Controllers, Nihilanth etc.
Xen is the borderworld to I assume alot of Dimensions/Universes, Including the Combine homeworld, the Combine eventually discovered Xen and invaded because it would give them easy access to lots more Universes. Combine teleportation is notably inneficient, requiring huge dark energy teleporters that tunnel through to the other dimension, or indeed another location in the same dimension.
Upon conquering Xen they set about creating Nihilanth who would become a teleporter into all the Borderworlds to Xen.

Soon after Nihilanths creation Earth makes itself known by teleporting through into Xen and experimenting, the Combine begin to amass an invasion army to go to Earth and command the Nihilanth to hold the gateway to Earth open. However one Mr. Freeman comes through and severs to connection to Earth. The Combine decide that Earth is a threat to the Combine Empire and use an enormous amount of energy to invade Earth, The 7 Hour war happens and Earth is conquered.
Wallace Breen explains to the Combine they dont need to create a new Nihilanth or rely on there old Teleporters as the Humans have a method of teleportation that allows you to swing 'around' Xen and either back to Earth or into another Universe.
The Combine are interested and decided to make Earth part of the Empire rather than simply eradicting it.

 

[Angry Lawyer]

Yeah, that's what most people theorise, but I just don't buy it - for the most notable reason, the lack of 'Combine Metal' on Xen. That, and the fact they use crap teleportation - if they'd found Xen, and made Nihilanth, they'd at least have the plans for making another one, and wouldn't need a human to conjure up some teleportation.

I'm thinking that the Combine are simply attracted to the amount of energy released in the portal storm, somehow, and then decided it's probably a good place to invade.

-Angry Lawyer