[Spoilers] Specuation Thread - Episode One and Two

[ktimekiller]

So is alex dead? or was she unconcious?(spelling)

 

[Black Op]

There was 1 part that kinda pissed me off. Near the ending, where Alyx tells Barney and the others to leave, and you and her will stay back and keep the Combine from following.

There was no Combine around except for the Strider scene. Gordon and Alyx could of defended the train and made the ending better like that.

Then when they get to their "destination", THEN the Citadel blows up.
That to be would of made a WAY better ending scene then seeing the destruction heading right towards you.

Apparently, Alyx didn't think the Citadel would blow 'till another hour, or send the "transmission". Gordon and Alyx could of easily defended the train from the Combine.

My guess is that they DID actually think of this, but they scrubbed it to have an "OMG!! NO!!" ending instead. Probally to make EP2 fit with EP1.


Bash my opinion all you want, but I'm standing behind it 100%.

One of the important storyline elements of Episode 1 was that the intercepted transmission was so important to the Overwatch that all other targets were unimportant. This was reinforced thoughout many scenes in E1, so storyline logic would have Freeman being seperated from Calhoun. Finally, all VALVe HL games end with some sort of cliffhanger, it's hard to believe E1 could have ended otherwise.

 

[Zephos]

That's the best part of Episode Two, we have no idea how it will end because Aftermath's purpose was so obvious...escape from City 17. Naturally it would end with you escaping. Now that I think about it, it was like Revenge of the Sith, we knew Anakin would turn into Vader...it was the details that we wanted.

 

[svet-am]

That's the best part of Episode Two, we have no idea how it will end because Aftermath's purpose was so obvious...escape from City 17. Naturally it would end with you escaping. Now that I think about it, it was like Revenge of the Sith, we knew Anakin would turn into Vader...it was the details that we wanted.

well said. at this point, we're back to where we were at the start of HL2. That is, we have a vague idea of where we'll be (the forest outside city 17) but have NO idea as to what is about to transpire. That should mean that the "reward" and catharsis after playing EP2 should be much higher than most of us felt after playing EP1.

 

[Cpl_Facehugger]

Time for some major speculation:

Combine Advisors
It's pretty clear that there were creatures that the community has dubbed 'Advisors' present in the Citadel. From the diaspora at the end of E1/AM, we have great reason to believe that a good number of advisors (I'd say more then twelve...) managed to escape the Citadel before it exploded.

However, I do not feel that the advisor that Breen talked to throughout HL2 was based on Earth. I base this almost entirely on the look of the critter. In HL2, the Advisor had a relatively plain head, and included a snazzy rebreather type device. While in E1/AM, the Advisors (note that I refer to them in the plural, as it is my belief that the advisors that you see on the ~8 or so screens immediately after Breen's 'host body' recording is played are all seperate,) had an added attachment, a sort of black box on the left side of their head, reminding me somewhat of a combine camera/turret. The way I see it, the Combine's leadership wouldn't need something like that, similar to how wealthy and influential patrician-type humans don't typically need to work for a living. (Or at least, they didn't need to before the invasion. )

I, like some others, agree that Breen isn't dead. My suspicion is that he was placed into the body of one of the advisors we saw. Whether we're talking about simply a copy of Breen, or his consciousness being transferred at the moment of death is unclear, but I feel that the emphasis on the host body conversation wasn't just thrown in there randomly. -I like to think that Laidlaw is a much better writer then that.

Also, there's something interesting I noticed on my most recent E1/AM session. In the room where you first 'meet' the advisor, one of the monitors on the left displays a red blob that kind of looks like a human shape, before Alyx starts mucking around and playing recordings.

Gman
It's clear that Gman, while extremely powerful, is not all knowing. He didn't expect the Vortigaunts to rescue Alyx or Gordon, nor to bar him from manipulating his favorite pawn.

My mostly unfounded speculation on this matter is thus:
Gman watches for major 'events' in a dimension. The death of the Nihilanth, the destruction of Breen's portal... things of that nature. Major events. My guess is that he would pay little attention to Gordon's day to day activities, save what he directly observed in the first and second games.

Therefore, he probably missed the reverance that the Vortigaunts held for 'The Freeman,' which caused him to underestimate the lengths they'd go to in order to retain Gordon's services. How would he know that they believe in him so much that they would risk crossing him?

So what happens from here? Well, I suspect that once he gets free of the Vortigaunts (let's face it, Gman is too cool to be constrained by those walking batteries,) he'll seek out Freeman. Then, he'll observe how much time Gordon spends with Alyx, and he'll realize that Gordon cares about her. Cue him 'accidentally' making her fall (see the Episode 2 preview at the end of E1), offering to save her at the last minute in exchange for renewed services.

Eli and the Vortigaunts

There's more to Eli then meets the eye. In the beginning of E1/AM, Eli was very sure that Alyx wouldn't find Gordon, and he sounded very surprised to hear that Gordon had been found, though he recovered from his shock quickly.

(As an aside, I suspect that Eli was visited by Gman as well, while he was escaping from Black Mesa. We know that Gman has a fetish for people who survive against all odds, unless OpFor is totally non-canon, and Eli's odds were probably longer then Freeman's.)

He obviously didn't expect Alyx to be in the Citadel when it was exploding. (The conversation she has with him implied to me that he expected her to be well away from the Citadel.) So what are the implications of this?

Well...

He could have simply assumed that Gordon destroyed Breen's portal on his own. This is perfectly plausible, but I feel that he would have told Alyx that Gordon was dead if he believed this. (Not 'you would never find him there!' or somesuch, though perhaps he meant that in terms of finding Gordon's body.)

So, we're left with something else. From HL2, it is fairly certain the Resistance expected Freeman to return. Remember Barney and Kleiner's exchange before fleeing the train station: 'Great Scott! Gordon Freeman! I... expected more warning!' The question is, how did they know? Why would Gordon simply show up on a Red Letter Day? The very day that the Resistance got their teleporter up and running? My guess is that the Vortigaunts told them. We know that they are very wise creatures, as the first free Vortigaunt you see is powering a TV with Gman on it in HL2. (Clearly, they know of Gman, and E1/AM's beginning only cements this notion.)

Now, Eli has close ties with the Vortigaunts. (They refer to him as 'The Eli Vance', indicating that he has their respect.) I find it likely that they informed Eli that Gordon was coming. This would (if he didn't know already), awaken Eli to the Vortigaunts' potiential. He'd realize that they're powerful, but he wouldn't know just how powerful.

Thusly, I find it likely that he asked the Vortigaunts to save Alyx. Either way, my guess is that Eli expected Freeman to be snatched by whatever entity controlled him [Gman] again, hence why he didn't expect to find Gordon anywhere in the ruins of the Citadel.

Now, moving away from that, I think it's possible that the Vortigaunts actually worked for Gman after a fashion. In HL2, if you click a Vortigaunt long enough (the one in the hidden tunnel immediately after destroying the hunter-chopper but before reaching the helipad will say this, as will the one who attaches your gun to the airboat), he will say something to the effect of 'We serve the same mystery.' Add in the vortigaunt powering a TV with Gman on it, and we can speculate that they have ties to Gman.

When he stepped through the portal in the beginning of E1/AM, his expression was one of surprise, but not just any surprise. He seemed to me as though he were very shocked, like he didn't expect the Vortigaunts to do this at all. Makes sense if they work for him, eh?

Also, listen to the way he speaks in E1/AM. His 'We'll see about that!' line is spoken with a healthy degree of contempt, I think. As if to say 'you gnats think you can stop ME!? Well, we'll see about that!' -Either way, he clearly isn't worried about the Vortigaunts, which would indicate that they do not possess the means to harm him besides taking away Freeman.

As another aside, Vortigaunts seem to have a very wide range of powers. From taking a huge chunk of armor and health in HL1 to recharging batteries and extracting ant lion myrmodon pheropods in HL2, to rescuing people from alternate dimensions and big honking explosions, they can do it all.

So, if Alyx is really dead in E2 as the trailer implies, isn't it very likely that they could save her, somehow? (...In HL2, the Vortigaunts imply that they can re-experience the past somehow, as seen when they say 'We see you still in Black Mesa. Clearly we see you in the Nihilanth's chamber...'), so even if they can't bring her back through your typical ressurection, they might be able to get her back from the past in some way. I'll address this later.

Mossman

How the hell did she manage to escape from the Citadel? The best explanation I can come up with is that Eli and Judith managed to escape in a pod similar to the one that the Combine Advisors use, or perhaps the bubble that Breen used at the end of HL2. Either way, we know how cramped those pods are, so I can easily see Eli and Mossman... ahem, 'getting busy,' now that the reproductive suppression field is down.

I for one don't think she's in the artic. When the mini-strider broke into the facility, I saw trees in the background. I don't think of too many trees when I think of the Artic. (Though maybe we're talking about some strange Eastern European artic that I'm not familiar with. )

Kleiner

In this installment, we learn quite a bit about Kleiner. He almost takes on a Breenlike role in this game, becoming a 'good' administrator for the Rebellion, as seen on all his TV broadcasts. His heart is in the right place, but his oratory skills are clearly inferior to Breen's.

We do learn something interesting about his personality however, he doesn't seem to have much respect for weapons. He refers to 'new advances,' and deliberately seems to avoid using the word weapon, when it's fairly certain that the only real way to repel the Combine is through force of arms. (See also when he says that the Combine fears humanity's spirit, rather then any actual tangible weapon.) -He seems to be an idealist in that regard, thinking the human spirit can compensate for vastly inferior resources, both human and otherwise.

Stalkers

Annoying creatures. They didn't seem hostile in E1, and looking at what we saw in the Citadel rides in HL2, they are clearly the maintenence arm of the combine transhuman army, the technicians and engineers who keep everything running.

However, it seems as though much of their personalities were destroyed in the Stalker-conversion process. (Alyx explicitly notes that Stalkers were once resistors, or simply people captured in one of the Combine's various raids, so we no longer have to rely on off-the-cuff statements from resistance members in HL2.) They seem unable to communicate verbally [except through screaming], and from the Stalker Train Scene, they sound as though they were driven mad somehow, probably from having their body hacked up by the Combine. No doubt with minimal anaesthesia, since the Combine is evil like that.

By all indications, the process is irreversable.

Citadels

We know they're powerful. They carry full invasion forces and appear right in the middle of cities. Plus, they can likely manufacture new weapons and synths/vehicles. However, it's also implied that they're linked together in some sort of network, unless we're to believe that the destruction of Breen's portal affected the entire planet at once. (As Kleiner notes that all Combine portals and interdimensional comms tech is disabled.)

The question is, can the Combine send any more through to Earth, laden with fresh troops? The answer is most likely 'yes.' We can clearly see the spires of several other Citadels through the portal at the end of HL2.

Alyx's apparent 'Death' in the E2 trailer

I personally don't think Alyx dies. I think that's just Valve screwing with us to build suspense. After all, the Vortigaunt's 'this is more then anyone can bear, but...' line is lifted directly from Vortigaunt dialog from HL2.

However, if she is dead, she isn't necessarily permanently dead. The Vortigaunts might bring her back somehow.

But what possible explanation could there be, if Alyx isn't dead? Well, someone earlier proposed that it was an attempt at psychological warfare by the Combine Advisors, and I must say that I do enjoy that theory very much. We already know that the Advisors are telepathic. (See: Breen's conversations with one at the end of HL2, and the red splotch that happens whenever you get near one,) and I feel it would be very neat if the Advisors showed Gordon an alternate future, appealing to his heart (or failing that, his wang), if he doesn't give up. It's really too early to know at this stage.

Or, it could be a similar attempt by the Gman, thinking to hold her hostage to ensure Gordon's cooperation.

Or it could simply be that she's knocked unconscious (we don't even know if it's by the fall or not, since these trailers aren't necessarily representative of the full product. Heck, we don't even know if she *does* fall yet.)

Alyx

Not much to say about her, really. She really seems to love Gordon, and is noted in the commentary to have a huge amount of faith in him.

I'll distance myself from the speculation to say something about this: I feel that Alyx in E1/AM is the most genuine character I've seen in a video game, period. Her facial expressions, the jokes (even the cheesy Zombine ones,) and the fact that she isn't some emotionless robot (The hugging scene in the beginning, the Stalker train scene and the scene after meeting the Combine Advisor come to mind, especially) make her seem more real to me, and I just want to say that I was really impressed by how the whole HL2 : E1/AM team handles her.

...And yes, if I was Gordon, my number one priority wouldn't be liberating Earth from the foul alien oppressors, it would be getting into her pants.

Mossman's 'project?' Kleiner's 'projects?' Kraken base?

I figured that the new developments that Kleiner mentions are related to what Mossman is doing. This is almost entirely based on my gut instinct, and may easily be wrong. But it does make some sense, or so I think.

My suspicion is that the Resistance is a very large organization that isn't just confined to City 17 and its surrounding environs. Large enough to have multiple labs and research projects at once, at the very least.

If Mossman was really at Kraken base in her communique, I hope it wasn't built by the Rebels. If they can have multiple advanced research labs, I can't imagine why they couldn't afford doors for their dune buggy, or perhaps an armored canopy for the airboat.

A new combine sniper rifle? Or simply a new sound for the old gun?

The Combine sniper rifle sounds different when loading a round, more like it's been electrically assisted, ala a tank's autoloader or something, as opposed to it's original bullet chambering noise. It also seems to have a higher rate of fire, though it must still retarget after each shot due to recoil. The question is whether this is due to simple engine enhancement or if there is an in-universe explanation (like this is a new combine rifle that was just entering service as Freeman arrived.)

HEV suit

The HEV suit is a handy tool. And, when it goes through a combine confiscation field, it apparently becomes 'supercharged,' able to regenerate its wearer's health as well as double his maximum potiential armor when using combine energy dispensers. The problem is that said effect wears off (or not... It's 'wearing off,' like that of the gravgun, seemed triggered by stabilizing the reactor, rather indicating to me that the stabilizing wave that came off the reactor in E1/AM made the suit and gravgun back to normal, sadly.)

What is known is that in E1/AM, the HEV suit can absorb radiation without harming the wearer, unlike in the original HL. Though whether this is related to the upgrades which turned it into the Mark V, or simply an effect of being under the influence of the confiscation field is unknown at this time.

Headcrabs. Ant-Lions and Barnacles oh my!

In E1/AM, we're treated to something new. Normal Headcrabs can apparently headhump Combine soldiers. Their armor and cybernetics does not give them any protection. What's more, Zombines are apparently capable of using simple tools, like grenades. And, they can talk. (As opposed to simply scream, like normal zombies.)

This indicates to me several things. One, headcrabs have very strong beaks, at least powerful enough to get through Combine helmets. Two: while the Headcrab takes over motor control of the host (and in normal zombies, control over everything else), the Zombine's mechanical implants maintain some semblance of control over the Zombine's actions. The use of grenades, and the fact that Zombines can speak imply this quite heavily, in my opinion.

That's all for now, I'm afraid. I'll post wild ramblings and unsupported speculation as I think of it.

 

[Zephos]

Incredible post Facehugger

Anyway, I want to know a lot about the antlions in Episode Two and judging by the trailer with the guard running through a "hive" of sorts it seems we might actually see this. What amazes me is, how big is their tunnel system and how many antlions are their really? Judging by the "ant" in it () there must be billions. In Episode One, it seems in a space of around 24 hours they have tunneled their way quite a fair way into the city, meaning they capable of making a massive underground system that could could stretch on for hundreds of miles. The coastline only justifies this, as it seems they have burrowed into the sand there as well.

Their system seems pretty easy to understand...we have the workers/soldiers (normal antlions), the soldiers (guards) and so we SHOULD see the queen (which I'm guessing would look like a big slug creature) in Episode Two.

 

[enthused]

Wow, facehugger, that was so good and clear that I saved it as a Word document, just so I can access it later. Hope you don't mind. You should seriously add alot of that to wikipedia. Good job there.

 

[Victor2]

Facehugger you the man now!!!!! Great post.

 

[99.vikram]

That was brilliant and insightful. Thanks for posting that!

 

[Neko!]

I like how you compiled this. Very organized. Unlike me. In which I’ll often just start ranting…

I however have my own theories about the Vortigaunts and Alyx.

They do seem all knowing. Which I guess comes hand in hand with their hive like behavior. (Alyx mentioned before how they would send Vortigaunts to Nova Prospect to map out the place. So obviously they all share a telepathic communication… As if then being able to reach into G-mans stases pod for Gordon wasn’t proof enough.) So when one finds something out, they all find it out. Perhaps they know something about Alyx’s future in which requires her to remain with Gordon. Or simply on earth for that matter. I don’t think they can bring people back to life. When they said ‘'We see you still in Black Mesa. Clearly we see you in the Nihilanth's chamber…” I believe they where speaking more on their hive linked minds. One Vortigaunt saw it, therefore they all saw it.

But I do like your ideals on Alyx. How they’re trying to keep Alyx with Gordon so G-man won’t have anything to hold over his head. As obviously Valve is attempting to have it so Alyx bonds with you and you bond with Alyx, Nonetheless…

I do believe she’s not ‘dead’ per say. ( Or I do at lest hope so. I don’t think I could forgive Valve when they make me love her so, only to have her die…) as I’m a firm believer in the fact that, Yes, Vortigaunts are exceedingly powerful, they still just don’t posses the ability to bring people back to life.

Personally? I think the Administrators had something to do with it… After all, if their mere thoughts alone can harm a humans mind. (In the first few chapters of Aftermath. The Administrators appear to have the ability to defend themselves with psychic powers) They may have simply ‘mind-zapped’ Alyx into unconsciousness.

Or better yet, in an attempted to get back at you/get you under is control again took Alyxs’ mind and as such the Vortigaunts chanting (This is relying heavily on the hopes that the chanting is applying to Alyx.) is them trying to reach back into wherever G-man keeps his things and retrieve her mind. Kind of like how Breen was attempting be put in an Administrators mind. Only Alyxs’ mind wont be put in anything. G-man will just keep it to try and insure Gordon does what he tells him to do.

Anyways.. Just crackpot theories… But it’s all in good humor I hope.

 

[Maenos]

I for one don't think she's in the artic. When the mini-strider broke into the facility, I saw trees in the background. I don't think of too many trees when I think of the Artic. (Though maybe we're talking about some strange Eastern European artic that I'm not familiar with. )

Liked all of what you said, though I didn't recall any trees. Went back, took a few screenshots, and still didn't see any, heh.

 

[Asknoone]

.
Mossman

How the hell did she manage to escape from the Citadel? The best explanation I can come up with is that Eli and Judith managed to escape in a pod similar to the one that the Combine Advisors use, or perhaps the bubble that Breen used at the end of HL2. Either way, we know how cramped those pods are, so I can easily see Eli and Mossman... ahem, 'getting busy,' now that the reproductive suppression field is down.

I for one don't think she's in the artic. When the mini-strider broke into the facility, I saw trees in the background. I don't think of too many trees when I think of the Artic. (Though maybe we're talking about some strange Eastern European artic that I'm not familiar with. )

Alyx says Eli and Judith escaped the Citadel via one of Dr. Breens escape pods.

Mossman is definately in the arctic. It says so itself on the commentry.

There was 1 part that kinda pissed me off. Near the ending, where Alyx tells Barney and the others to leave, and you and her will stay back and keep the Combine from following.

There was no Combine around except for the Strider scene. Gordon and Alyx could of defended the train and made the ending better like that.

Then when they get to their "destination", THEN the Citadel blows up.
That to be would of made a WAY better ending scene then seeing the destruction heading right towards you.

Apparently, Alyx didn't think the Citadel would blow 'till another hour, or send the "transmission". Gordon and Alyx could of easily defended the train from the Combine.

My guess is that they DID actually think of this, but they scrubbed it to have an "OMG!! NO!!" ending instead. Probally to make EP2 fit with EP1.

Bash my opinion all you want, but I'm standing behind it 100%.

When Barney is about to depart the train station shakes, as though the Combine are bearing down on them. It was reinforced throughout the game that the Combine were chasing Gordon and Alyx no matter the cost to retrieve that transmission. No matter how well they could have defended the train the Combine would have caught up, and they'd have risked the lives of the citizens they helped save for nothing.

There was no alternate ending. Alyx was just acting on pure logic.

 

[Black Mesa corp]

Anyone think that now the reproductive suppression field is down, we may see some pregnant women and/or pregnant major characters in HL, in future episodes or games of HL?

Surely, it takes 9 months until baby's are born... there must be some plan of implementing pregnancy or babies in the future of the half-life series? Unless the reproductive field is switched back on somehow.

 

[Zephos]

I doubt major characters, but maybe some minor refugees *POSSIBLY*. Anyway, remember that couple sitting in the chair in the apartment block who then turned into the rebels sitting on some chair? Well I'm wondering if the couple in the rebel hideout (the one with Kleinercast on the TV) is the same one ...or just a coincidence .

 

[Cpl_Facehugger]

Liked all of what you said, though I didn't recall any trees. Went back, took a few screenshots, and still didn't see any, heh.

Thank you. Guess I was wrong. Damn faulty memory and five hours of sleep!

Okay, looks like Kraken is indeed in the Artic.

Alyx says Eli and Judith escaped the Citadel via one of Dr. Breens escape pods.

She does? I guess I never noticed that. At least I was mostly right. They didn't teleport out or anything like that.

Mossman is definately in the arctic. It says so itself on the commentry.

Ahh, that would make sense. I haven't played very far with commentary on yet.

Also, here's another round of mostly unfounded speculation.

The Data

We know that data that Alyx and Gordon recover in the citadel is very important. The Combine seems willing to drop everything to hunt them down to get it. It is probably not a simple request for reinforcements. Otherwise, why spend all the effort hunting down Gordon and Alyx to recover it? It's not like a request for reinforcements is particularly sensitive information, or at least, not sensitive enough to waste so many transhuman and synth resources trying to get it back.

So the question is... what is it? Honestly, it could be a lot of things. But I feel that it is related to Gordon and Gman in some way. My suspicion is that it is a message that informs the Combine leadership that Gordon is no longer under Gman's control, and is in fact operating past his contract for the resistance.

Recall in HL2 how concerned the Combine was implied to be about Gordon. During the teleport scene, where you appear in Breen's office the second time, he's speaking with an advisor and he sounds very dejected when he says 'I'm almost positive it was... Gordon Freeman.'

Breen is obviously informed about Gordon's condition as Gman's employee, since in Nova Prospekt he says something to the effect of 'I have it on very good authority that he hasn't had opportunity to practice his skills!' And later, in the citadel he tries to 'buy off' Gordon, saying his contract is open to the higher bidder. Now the only explanation I can think of for how he'd know is that the Combine told him.

Remember his conversations at the very end? Specifically the 'It's me you should be worried about! I can still deliver Earth, but...' -Sounds to me like the Combine was worried about Freeman.

Now, if the Combine is that worried about Freeman (as they well should be...), the news that he is now operating independently from Gman, with their enemies, would be very important to them. Important enough to destroy one of their citadels to send that message, I think.

Now, the flaws in this reasoning are fairly simple: Why hunt Gordon down for this information, if he would naturally already know it? (Seeing as how he isn't working for Gman at the moment.) Well, there are a few options:

1. The Combine doesn't want to let on how terrified they are of Gordon. This would raise the humans' morale quite a bit if it were to get out.

2. The Combine's message also includes something else Gman and Gordon related, perhaps a way that Gordon can be permanently free of Gman's meddling. They definitely don't want that, as a leashed Gordon is infinitely less dangerous then one who is free to eliminate them.

3. The Combine's message includes something else entirely. Weapons schematics, or some crucial flaw that'll let the resistance defeat them once and for all? -Rather cliched, so I hope it isn't this.

4. Similar to one, except that Combine is terrified of Humanity in general, and the human spirit to fight against oppression. Recall that the Vortigaunts were slaves up until they met humanity, and after that, further servitude seems intolerable to them. They could be very easily concerned about such subversive ideas spreading to their other slave species and sparking a general rebellion, like the destruction of City Seventeen writ large. If anything, this would go with Kleiner's 'they don't fear any tangible human weapon, but the human spirit' lines.

I imagine it's a combination, a combine if you will, of one and four.

 

[DevgruSeal]

Anyone think that now the reproductive suppression field is down, we may see some pregnant women and/or pregnant major characters in HL, in future episodes or games of HL?

Baby Gordon!!! And his favorite toy is a plastic crowbar.

 

[sam_justice]

cross vortiguant humans

 

[Saketi]

Huh? I thought it made Gordon flash red because of the Combine slug on screen...if it were really escape pods it would actually make sense since you can catch one of the slugs monitering you throughout the game. This means, that perhaps several of the true combine might've been in the Citadel after all. Remember, the Citadel had no contact to the outer space combine forces, yet they were ordered to explode the reactor so the help message would get through...who gave that order?

Look its the slugs..

 

[Black Op]

@Cpl_Facehugger: Nice theory you have there about the data. However I think that transmission would have major strategic importance to the Universial Union to justify the Overwatch hunting you down while ignoring other rebels. Even if the Resistance finds how much the Combine fear Freeman, in reality that would be of little help in knowing how to defeat the Combine armies. So I feel the transmission deals with much more.

I rather think that the Final Transmission is a standard contingency plan throughout the Universial Union's dominion. In the rare event that a Citadel gets knocked out of commission, it's quite evident that repacification of resistance would be almost impossible. Nothing short of the ultimate annihilation of the human race would be required in order to make Earth useful again. That transmission therefore likely contains plans on how the Combine will carry out their grand retaliation along with plans on ravaging Earth to their specifications. Such plans would contain infomation on what the Overwatch knows about the Resistance, and thus there's room for any special intelliegence about Freeman's status.

Thus it would be a major intelligence coup if the Earth Resistance knows exactly what the armies of the Universial Union will throw at them upon their inevitable return. Any opportunities the Resistance has to prepare for their comeback will be viewed as fatal, given the presence of individuals like Freeman. Thus, the Overwatch sent what they still had in City 17 after Freeman. The Combine should have great reason to fear the One Free Man and his race and allies, as it's doubtful any insurgency movement aganist the Universal Union has achieved this level of success before. I don't think Options 2 and 3 would be likely info that would make it in the Transmission, but the Vortigaunts and the Project are likely to be the solutions of getting rid of Government Man and taking the fight to the Combine Home Dimension respectively.

 

[Cpl_Facehugger]

I rather think that the Final Transmission is a standard contingency plan throughout the Universial Union's dominion. *snip*

Excellent theory. Most excellent. That is just as, if not more, plausible then my theory. I salute you.

 

[Asknoone]

I still believe the transmission has something to do with Gordon.

 

[okidoki]

You guys caught a lot of things I missed. Good work.

I still believe the transmission has something to do with Gordon.

"omg yuo haev 2 kill gordon hes ruining everthig!!1"

Do we know how exactly they are sending the signal? It appears some kind of portal opens above the citadel. Is this how the signal is going through to the combine's universe? I thought the teleporter was destroyed.

 

[Asknoone]

I don't know, but I don't think it's through teleportation. Whatever it is, it's certainly not practical.

 

[Black Op]

As for how the Final Transmission works, it obviously has to be able to reach the Old Folks Home back in the Home Dimension. My guess is that the Transmission itself is nothing more than a super-high concentration of energy that can be detected via Home Dimension senors. The energy signature picked up by these theoritical sensors by some exotic means contain infomation that can be deciphered into something intelligible. In order to provide the massive amounts of energy required for the Home Dimension to pick up the Transmission, the City 17 Citadel had to be destroyed.

 

[DevgruSeal]

If that above the Citadel is a portal, is it possible Breen was in his host body, as well as his escape pod, and went up with the transmission? Or better yet, he's carrying the transmission and will hand it to the Combine himself...

Edit:

As for how the Final Transmission works, it obviously has to be able to reach the Old Folks Home back in the Home Dimension. My guess is that the Transmission itself is nothing more than a super-high concentration of energy that can be detected via Home Dimension senors. The energy signature picked up by these theoritical sensors by some exotic means contain infomation that can be deciphered into something intelligible. In order to provide the massive amounts of energy required for the Home Dimension to pick up the Transmission, the City 17 Citadel had to be destroyed.

Although, this theory sounds pretty good..

 

[Asknoone]

It is not a portal.

 

[Canadian Gunner]

About Alyx being dead, remember that in HL1 (at least I think, happened a lot in Sven Coop) the Vortigaunts could revive their fallen comrades with their crazy electrical arcs. So it's possible that even if she died (though I'd imagine that a drop off a rather high cliff would do some serious damage), the Vortigaunts could revive her. I donno. Just putting it out there.

 

[bigburpco]

ME: Will be playing Ep2 when it comes out/is leaked.

BANBANBANBANBANBANBANBANBANBANBANBANBANBANBANBAN

...sorry.

 

[Cpl_Facehugger]

My simple speculation.

After seeing the scripts for ep2 in the gcf (Only 2 little things referring to 2 vocal files Alyx uses, nothing else) , I'd say that:
*snip*

Interesting. I wasn't aware that the scripts were so... explicit in what'll happen in the beginning of E2.

 

[Rossell]

Please note the trailer of Episode 2 is the beginning of Episode 2.


Theres train wreckage in the valley.

 

[DevgruSeal]

Please note the trailer of Episode 2 is the beginning of Episode 2.


Theres train wreckage in the valley.

It isn't literally the beginning of the Episode. It is a compilation teaser trailer of the content they have built already.

Same way the Ep1 trailer was. It wasn't completely the "beginning"...

 

[xirow]

Maybe Alyx dies in one of the Episodes. But if she does, Valve will néver show it in a teaser. By showing it in a teaser or trailer the impact of Alyx dieing will decrease. I don’t think that’s what Valve wants.

 

[okidoki]

Other observation - before you reach the lift going down to the reactor, you can see Overwatch soldiers hanging in open pods in the distance. A closer inspection showed they're like the one seen in Nova Prospekt, only ... graphically superior. And plain disturbing, as usual.

Alyx says Eli and Judith escaped the Citadel via one of Dr. Breens escape pods.

Okay, I give up. I can't find either of these events in the game. Can anyone be more specific about when/where to find them?

 

[The Axis]

Sorry to go off topic a little but I didn't want to start a new thread just for this. Has anyone seen anything ingame in regards to a Museum or Historical Human Artifacts being collected by someone becase Alyx mentions these things in the sound files and I have no idea where or when they were said by her ingame.

Anything?

 

[99.vikram]

Sorry, I got nothing.

Did you hear these sound files yourself? Can you post in which GCF thay are?

 

[The Axis]

The two of them are in "episode 1 shared.gcf", under Sound, Vo, Episode_1, then c17.

Don't remember how far down they are but those are the names below.

al_museum01.wav
al_museum02.wav

I don't remember hearing either anywhere ingame.

EDIT: I really must've missed a lot. She also talks about seeing Eli on what must be a Combine most wanted list when you're in the Citadel somewhere.

Also, okidoki, if you can't find out where she says it in game the sound file is called al_judithgotaway.wav and can be found in the same GCF.