Portal Storm/Bridge Collaps (possible spoilers)

[Mordekai5]

As we all know, in Episode 1 the citadel's core reactor deteriorated and lost stability, causing what we now know to be portal storms.

In the opening bridge collapse sequence, we see the portal storm surge through the area, and cause the train bridge to fall. Now, my theory is this. If portal storms were simply a surge or energy, which out of two options we will call option A. If option A were the case, it would be expected the huge wave of energy would not only send Alyx and Gordon flying, but also cause the bridges separate beams to explode in a large wave of energy, much like the first energy burst from the core did to the train in Ep. 1's ending. But keep in mind this is option A.

Option B is much more scientifically possible considering the circumstances. Lets look at this in depth. Alyx and Gordon remain unharmed, and the bridge fell slowly. This leads me to believe that the portal storms are not simply a burst of portal energy from Xen externally, but also internally. Internally meaning that it can not just teleport things to Earth, but also take them away. By the portal storm teleporting a beam away from the bridge, would cause it to fall slowly and in an organized manner, which it did, rather than Option A which would have caused every little piece of the bridge to go flying in an explosive manner as the storm passed by.

OR OPTION C, I'm just a crazy person who makes up sensible theories for fun. Its also possible B and C are both true. Heh. But what do you think, seems to be plausible enough.

 

[bbson john]

Probably just magnetized shock wave.

 

[Avoidist]

Putting enough energy into the bridge (which has not had maintenance for > 10 years) causes it to resonate at it's natural frequency, which damages the girders etc. and the bridge falls to bits.

At least that's my take on it. Look back on the first bridge which was held up by a thin lattice. While it may have been stable when built, rust would make it very weak. Second bridge wouldn't quite work by the same logic, it seemed a bit sturdier and the effect was strong enough to rip the concrete.

 

[Laivasse]

Let's not forget also that it hasn't been very long since the citadel explosion, the shockwave of which left the bridge half smashed to bits at the point Gordon wakes up in the train. A feather landing on it might have finished it off, who knows.

 

[DEATH eVADER]

The energy was resonating at an a particular frequency; this frequency was enough to vibrate the bridge apart

 

[Laivasse]

If you like.

 

[Full Life 1?]

Hey, have you seen any part of the half life series that requires proper scientific explanation? How about when the resonance cascade destroys most of Black Mesa, but leaves gordon and a number of others unharmed? Or when gordon and alyx take a massive shockwave which destroys an entire train and bridge without causing any broken limbs? Valve just cant be bothered to explain this, so thats the way it is.

 

[Avoidist]

- size matters
- quantum helmet
- video game

 

[DEATH eVADER]

Destiny and Higher Power

 

[FISHY CRACKERS]

Probably just magnetized shock wave.

It still would have affected Gordon because of his HEV suit, and probably Alyx's gun.

 

[Xevrex]

As we all know, in Episode 1 the citadel's core reactor deteriorated and lost stability, causing what we now know to be portal storms.

Resonance Cascade. True, the citadel's core reactor exploding also caused portal storms, but portal storms have been around for a long time. Marc Laidlaw said so himself, saying something along the lines that the portal storms still occured in the years following the RC up to now.

 

[G(ordon)-man]

It's the Combine technolocy! They can make waves like that!

 

[freakyflor]

- size matters
- quantum helmet
- video game

^this

 

[Satans_Offspring]

I'd never thought of that actually.

I'd go with option B

 

[Satans_Offspring]

Hey, have you seen any part of the half life series that requires proper scientific explanation? How about when the resonance cascade destroys most of Black Mesa, but leaves gordon and a number of others unharmed? Or when gordon and alyx take a massive shockwave which destroys an entire train and bridge without causing any broken limbs? Valve just cant be bothered to explain this, so thats the way it is.

I have an explanation for Gordon's survival of the RC - He was wearing a Hazard Suit

 

[stealth1525]

Hey, have you seen any part of the half life series that requires proper scientific explanation? How about when the resonance cascade destroys most of Black Mesa, but leaves gordon and a number of others unharmed? Or when gordon and alyx take a massive shockwave which destroys an entire train and bridge without causing any broken limbs? Valve just cant be bothered to explain this, so thats the way it is.

thats a good point, wait, the suit warns you of fractures and injuries due to falls or being attacked, does the suit say anything when you wake up
in the train?
Oh, and vorts.

 

[coheedswicked]

ya i kinda got the idea that option B was the case....bringing stuff in from xen like barnacles, headcrabs, ect. but also disrupted things on earth too... maybe not necessarily taking things away but when the portal storms do happen they kinda "feel" like an earthquake (or i guess what i would imagine an earthquake in a video game would "feel" like) whick would explain the lack of damage to alyx and gordon and the presence of visible damages in structures like bridges

 

[Operational]

The thinking about portal storms as something similar in effect to earthquakes makes sense to me.

 

[Tagaziel]

Yeah, the discharge caused a minor, localized earthquake.