Official NOLGTA G-Man Theory

[Maestro]

You might be saying things like, I thought you hated G-Man theories, or this is pure hypocrisy!

But bear with me.

We all acknowledge that G-Man is creepy.

The suppression field makes people not horny.

The combine restrict people's computer/magazine use.

The combine have killed or removed any attractive women.

There has been an embargo on almost all creature comforts by the Combine to boost sales.

By this we must conclude:

G-Man works for the porn industry, he's losing money hand-over-fist, and he wants you to kill the Combine.

"But Maestro!" you might say, "He started all this!"

Yes! But what if the original tampering with Black Mesa didn't produce this whole problem set intentionally? You must admit that teleportation would be the ultimate solution when it comes to pornographic sales and G-Man wanted to speed the process along!

It all makes sense! This is the end-all be-all of G-Man theories.

 

[barbarbarbarbar]

Epic post

 

[Druckles]

It might have worked better 6 and a half days ago. Or worked if it didn't stink of trying to hard.

For a brief moment I allowed myself to steal an instantaneous hope that someone might have come forth with a plausable, useful theroy. How I set myself up for disappointment.

 

[Maturin]

I don't think the G-Man is every going to be explained. We will simply receive some bare insight as to his original motives, and go our merry way. The vague image of an intergalactic power broker is quite understandable, and benefits from remaining unexplored.

He's a Government Man. Anyone remember how the spook in San Andreas sent you on all those crackpot missions and we never learned who he was or who he worked for? He was just a deus ex machina that got your brother out of prison and got you to steal a fighter jet.

 

[Druckles]

This is no ordinary "Government Man". In fact, that's exactly what he's not. Most likely, there's absolutely no government above him.

 

[Maturin]

This is no ordinary "Government Man". In fact, that's exactly what he's not. Most likely, there's absolutely no government above him.

My point is, he's an anonymous spook, international man of mystery, and you're not supposed to ever know what he is.

 

[Druckles]

You're forgetting that your "Government Man" of San Andreas was an extra. An addition to the story.

Our Gman is nothing of the sort. He is integral. He is entwined within the Half-Life universe. Not revealing information at all and completely shrouding him in mystery for all time will keep the story in mystery. What's the point in a story if it's a secret?

 

[Maturin]

You're forgetting that your "Government Man" of San Andreas was an extra. An addition to the story.

Our Gman is nothing of the sort. He is integral. He is entwined within the Half-Life universe. Not revealing information at all and completely shrouding him in mystery for all time will keep the story in mystery. What's the point in a story if it's a secret?

Because that's how Half-Life's story works and that's how it was written.

IIRC, Marc Laidlaw was brought in after the original game to tie the different threads of the universe together. (Story creation in video game startups often take this path. I'm an Elder Scrolls fan, so I'm steeped in the results.) And what he sculpted was a setting that relies on being understated and left to the player to piece together and speculate on. It's all they can easily do with the narrative style they have chosen, but it also works, because it saves Half-Life from being just another exhaustively detailed sci-fi world that the player doesn't really care about. Telling the whole story is, in my opinion, doomed to be a copout in this sort of situation, unless Valve's writers turn out to be geniuses.

We'll get a resolution, of course. But the information we get will simply frame the mystery in a logical way. We won't be satisfied, but we will have the important answers that minimize the importance of what we will never know and Valve will never write. Do you really want a document detailing all the extraterrestrial factions, their weapons, characteristics, spheres of influence, and a timeline of their interventions on Earth and Xen? I don't.

 

[Maestro]

And now you have all ruined my parody with serious discussion.

Great job guys.

 

[Druckles]

unless Valve's writers turn out to be geniuses.

I believe you underestimate Valve.

We'll get a resolution, of course. But the information we get will simply frame the mystery in a logical way. We won't be satisfied, but we will have the important answers that minimize the importance of what we will never know and Valve will never write. Do you really want a document detailing all the extraterrestrial factions, their weapons, characteristics, spheres of influence, and a timeline of their interventions on Earth and Xen? I don't.

Ah. You see there's a difference between revealing a mystery and being another role playing game. I don't expect, nor want anything you described. You can have answers without boring the users. Things have been hinted as we've been going along already. Subtle hints that are hard to pick up and barely tell us anything. But they're teasing nonetheless. To tease us for so long and then to leave us with no orgasm is simply... disappointing.

I don't expect to be disappointed by Valve. Certainly not when it comes to Half-Life, anyway.

 

[coheedswicked]

This is no ordinary "Government Man". In fact, that's exactly what he's not. Most likely, there's absolutely no government above him.

I would have to disagree. He's always "not at liberty to say things" or "abiding by restrictions" theres is definitely some sort of influence over him

IIRC, Marc Laidlaw was brought in after the original game to tie the different threads of the universe together. (

Mark Laidlaw was part of the original team (his name is in the credits and there are books written by him in Gordons locker as an easter egg). When he wrote the story to the original he had a vague idea of the presence of a "larger threat" as he called it which later became the combine. I would think right now he has a pretty good idea of how the HL2 story arc will end (albeit maybe not how to present it as valve does have a strict "tell the story only through in-game experiences" rule)

And now you have all ruined my parody with serious discussion.

Great job guys.

I found it amusing

 

[gFrohman]

G-Man seems creepy enough to be a porn guy - maybe he's got a secret gay crush on Gordon...*shudders*

 

[Druckles]

I would have to disagree. He's always "not at liberty to say things" or "abiding by restrictions" theres is definitely some sort of influence over him.

That doesn't imply a government. You're inferring things.

 

[G(ordon)-man]

G-Man seems creepy enough to be a porn guy - maybe he's got a secret gay crush on Gordon...*shudders*

Stasis porn. nuff said

 

[Apocalypse89]

If G-man has a government above him(which is as likely as any other theory about his "employers"), it definitely isn't an Earth government.

 

[Maturin]

That doesn't imply a government. You're inferring things.

It implies some authority.

Anyways, the original term G-Man was usually applied to FBI agents, I think. So it doesn't have the usual connotation of government (a senator is NOT a G-Man, neither is a federal judge). It's more like J Edgar Hoover's middle name.

 

[Polaris]

Marc Laidlaw said that G-man may or may not represent a rogue government.

 

[Druckles]

It implies some authority.

Anyways, the original term G-Man was usually applied to FBI agents, I think. So it doesn't have the usual connotation of government (a senator is NOT a G-Man, neither is a federal judge). It's more like J Edgar Hoover's middle name.

It implies nothing about governments.

It has been stated already that nothing should be read into the name "Gman". It was simply the model name used by Valve in the original Half-Life.

 

[Maturin]

It implies nothing about governments.

It has been stated already that nothing should be read into the name "Gman". It was simply the model name used by Valve in the original Half-Life.

I never made any point about a government, and I'm not reading into the name but fitting its meaning to his portrayal in the game. After all, the way these sorts of stories develop is through expanding on small details that were originally unimportant and meant to facilitate gameplay or design. Retroactive exposition.

If Mark Laidlaw really said "may or may not," then coheed's view of him is as likely as any other. Lacking any solid information, it's a good guess, what with his secret agent lingo.

 

[gFrohman]

G-Man is mysterious and shall be for a long time. Nuff said.

End of discussion.

 

[milkteacake]

G-Man seems creepy enough to be a porn guy - maybe he's got a secret gay crush on Gordon...*shudders*

You know, there's some Gordon/Barney slash out there. I have to wonder if Gordon/G-Man slash exists.

 

[gFrohman]

What do you think G-Man does when he's spying on Gordon then walks off (or more importantly, what do you think he's got in that suitcase)?

Probably gets all flustered, dreaming of the time he can get Gordon in his next film...

Doesn't matter. G-Man is creepy.

 

[Hurricane]

Dear god, at first I thought you were trying to say he was a serial molester. The world's most powerful serial molester.





also:

He's the Government Man.

fixed

 

[Reflex]

This has got to be right.

 

[V-Man339]

This was meant to be a funny thread...

 

[Sledgehammer]

The secret of what is in his suitcase has finally been uncovered.

 

[coheedswicked]

It implies nothing about governments.

It has been stated already that nothing should be read into the name "Gman". It was simply the model name used by Valve in the original Half-Life.

if you want to get technical any sort of authority is government by definition. From Merriam-Webster dictionary: 1: the act or process of governing ; specifically : authoritative direction or control.

I realize that Gman is just his model name and there may very well be no form of traditional government as his employer but if not a government, then what? I suppose a company would be another logical conclusion but at the moment I can't seem to think of any other sort of employer.

 

[PJ]

+

well done for ruining a perfectly...alright....joke.

someone go make a gman discussion thread. now. its poisoning the forum.

anyway maestro, you must have guessed that some serious talk would seep into this thread, like any other gman theory thread.

thats why i say one thread for gman discussion. stickied for all to see. not having to be opened if you don't wish to see. sorted

 

[Omnomnick]

It might have worked better 6 and a half days ago. Or worked if it didn't stink of trying to hard.

For a brief moment I allowed myself to steal an instantaneous hope that someone might have come forth with a plausable, useful theroy. How I set myself up for disappointment.

You had hope for a G-man theory? God save you.

 

[G(ordon)-man]

The secret of what is in his suitcase has finally been uncovered.

 

[ManWithGlasses]

Well, I bet this is a bit late, and I really shouldn't be posting a theory, but I've always thought that Gman is really a symbol, rather than something that really exists. Gman, I believe, is the symbol of following something, or doing what you're told. For example, though I haven't played the Half Life series in a while, I know that throughout 1 -Episode 2, Gordon gradually became dependent on the Gman, and not only Gordon. Gman commanded Alyx to say "Prepare for unforseen consiquences" while she was being revived.

I also see him as the symbol of choice and destiny...and how, though Gordon follows what he says most of the time, it's not as if the Gman is fully directing Gordon's course. For example, we hardly see any Gman action in Half Life 1. This works the same with the concept of choice: We can stay on one path, but we can always stray to another direction.

And also...take this into consideration: G-man has always been a key character beside Gordon. He isn't an enemy, he isn't a good guy. He's always there, and cannot be broken or caught by Gordon. Maybe he acts as Gordon's conscience, or maybe he acts as some sort of angel if you will. Because a question rings in my mind when I think of this: Is it Gordon who's shaping the future of Earth...or is it really G-Man? G-Man is the upper authority in the awesome mess that is Half-Life...he is above everyone...and perhaps he is the puppeteer.

"You can't catch me, I'm the Gingerbread-Man"...:naughty:

 

[gFrohman]

One problem with this is that Eli did interact personally with G-Man at Black Mesa ("He whispered those words into my ear [...], you know who I'm talking about; our mutual friend...").