Story connection

[Van Kayne]

I am stating for the record that I don't think the G-man caused the Black Mesa Incident. All the dialogue at the start of HL1 points to the "Administrator" of the time ordering the test, who just so happened to be...Dr Breen.

We've got no clue what the G-man is doing there on the day of the test, other than that he's seen arguing with one of the scientists. Maybe he's trying to stop it? Maybe he was in league with Breen. Maybe he was having a good-natured debate with the scientist on whether Chocolate is better than Strawberry.

The whole "use survivors as mercenaries" seems odd to me, because if that's all Gordon (and, perhaps, Adrian Shepard) is, then surely the G-man would send him in a bit better armed, equipped and informed?

 

[fadi299]

I am stating for the record that I don't think the G-man caused the Black Mesa Incident. All the dialogue at the start of HL1 points to the "Administrator" of the time ordering the test, who just so happened to be...Dr Breen.

We've got no clue what the G-man is doing there on the day of the test, other than that he's seen arguing with one of the scientists. Maybe he's trying to stop it? Maybe he was in league with Breen. Maybe he was having a good-natured debate with the scientist on whether Chocolate is better than Strawberry.

The whole "use survivors as mercenaries" seems odd to me, because if that's all Gordon (and, perhaps, Adrian Shepard) is, then surely the G-man would send him in a bit better armed, equipped and informed?

No, the G-man was behind the incident in black mesa but i think breen was involved in some way as well, Eli told gordon in EP2 that it was the G-man who provided them with the test samble which triggered the resonance cascade. i believe there's some connection between breen and the G-man but it's hard to tell what it is!, all i can say is that breen is aware of the G-man and his plans and he knew very well that gordon is working for the G-man and that his services are reserved for the higher bidder, that was evident from the speech he gave gordon during the "our benefactors" level in HL2.

 

[Eagle555]

Well firstly, in relation to the first post, it is VERY likely that they had prior knowledge that Gordon Freeman would arrive, "I expected more warning!" In addition to this, the last time any scientist saw Gordon was when he teleported to Xen, a mission that would have been suicidal if not for the G-man. This would mean that unless Kleiner/Barney/Eli were previously told, they'd probably think him dead, especially if he never returned through the portal.

Now to another point, I believe that the reason the G-man is so interested in earth is because of humanity. It has been stated many times that the combine is based off humanity, that we will become like them if we continue to increase our need for technology. The G-man realises we are VERY like what the combine once were, and for this reason, wishes to use them for whatever purpose.

So far it doesn't seem like he wants to erradicate the entire combine army using humanity, as the combine haven't had a chance to pull their real army through, which means the humans have only destroyed a tiny fraction of the combine force. However, one could argue that this was not originally the G-man's plan. Remember, the G-man lost control at the start of episode 1, and he most likely did not want the portal that was opened in episode 2 to be destroyed, as if he would have taken Gordon back into stasis and left Alyx for dead, the rocket may not have been launched. Another argument could be that this is all part of the G-man's "master plan", one which will be revealed later on in the Half Life story.

 

[jet_porkins]

...And it infacts looks like they were waiting for you, getting your HEV suit ready.

You all want to talk about inconsistencies? How the hell did they grab Gordon's HEV suit in the first place! Kleiner confirms it's your old suit:

"Well, Gordon, it seems your HEV suit still fits you like a glove."

I bring this up because when you start talking to the Gman at the end of HL1, he says something along the lines of "I've taken the liberty of relieving you of all your weapons - after all, they were government property - but as for your HEV suit, well.... I think you've earned it." So he enters the portal with an HEV suit, then suddenly appears on the train in regular clothing, looking for a new HEV suit. In the words of Zero Wing, "What happen?"

This actually kinda does support the notion that Barney or other people were aware of Gordon's arrival and prepped up the suit. But I still wonder how they got a hold of it.

 

[Tenebrais]

You all want to talk about inconsistencies? How the hell did they grab Gordon's HEV suit in the first place! Kleiner confirms it's your old suit:

"Well, Gordon, it seems your HEV suit still fits you like a glove."

I bring this up because when you start talking to the Gman at the end of HL1, he says something along the lines of "I've taken the liberty of relieving you of all your weapons - after all, they were government property - but as for your HEV suit, well.... I think you've earned it." So he enters the portal with an HEV suit, then suddenly appears on the train in regular clothing, looking for a new HEV suit. In the words of Zero Wing, "What happen?"

This actually kinda does support the notion that Barney or other people were aware of Gordon's arrival and prepped up the suit. But I still wonder how they got a hold of it.

Probably the same way they knew Gordon was neither dead nor trapped on Xen. That is to say, most likely the G-man. Perhaps he prepared for Gordon's point insertion by handing his suit to the scientists to tinker with.

 

[Eagle555]

You all want to talk about inconsistencies? How the hell did they grab Gordon's HEV suit in the first place! Kleiner confirms it's your old suit:

"Well, Gordon, it seems your HEV suit still fits you like a glove."

I bring this up because when you start talking to the Gman at the end of HL1, he says something along the lines of "I've taken the liberty of relieving you of all your weapons - after all, they were government property - but as for your HEV suit, well.... I think you've earned it." So he enters the portal with an HEV suit, then suddenly appears on the train in regular clothing, looking for a new HEV suit. In the words of Zero Wing, "What happen?"

This actually kinda does support the notion that Barney or other people were aware of Gordon's arrival and prepped up the suit. But I still wonder how they got a hold of it.

It's a new suit, Kleiner himself when he starts reading the clipboard says, "the mark V has been redesigned for comfort", which leads me to believe it's a newer version of the HEV suit Gordon wears in the original Half Life.

 

[jet_porkins]

It's a new suit, Kleiner himself when he starts reading the clipboard says, "the mark V has been redesigned for comfort", which leads me to believe it's a newer version of the HEV suit Gordon wears in the original Half Life.

Aye, good point. That doesn't mean on the other hand they upgraded it after they procured Gordon's HEV suit, but now we're just treading even more hypothetic waters. Nevertheless, Gordon lost his old HEV suit somewhere in stasis.

 

[BlankPixels]

Gordon lost his old HEV suit somewhere in stasis

Like... he was naked in stasis? I doubt he was given the new clothes as soon as he got in, since those are a "product of the times" in HL2 so to speak... And I don't think the G-Man switched his suit right before putting him on the train because that makes no sense.

You probably don't have the suit at first because Valve doesn't want you having a health meter when you get bonked by Combine guards and shot at in the beginning. That way they don't have to worry about giving the player health crates.

I think the HEV isn't there in stasis because Gordon sleeps in the nude. "Wake up Mr. Freem - OH SWEET JEBUS!"

By the way, I'm new here. First post.

 

[jet_porkins]

Welcome! I lawl'd @ the Jebus.

I highly agree Valve didn't want players to start with the HEV. I wonder what B.S. they've cooked up to explain this physics-defying phenomenon. Perhaps I'll write someone an email...

 

[Van Kayne]

Send one right now, if not sooner! (Sorry, couldn't resist).

But I dare say that Freeman wasn't naked at the train station - I think Alyx, at the very least, would have said something. Probably was wearing blue overalls like the rest of the city's inhabitants.

 

[ChiliFan]

I think if he'd been wearing anything other than blue overalls then the Metropolice would have set upon him immediately.

 

[amaranth]

Like... he was naked in stasis?

That must be why the Vortigaunts took him away from Gman in Ep 1...

 

[SinBin]

I read some of the replies but didn't go through all of them so what im saying here might already be said in some other reply

This is what i think concerning the City 17 being the main place of events:

Breen says it's one of the few cities that survived the 7 hour war and portal storms without being destroyed too much. So that's why he chose to have his administration there. As to why he was chosen to be the human liasion of the Combine i think it's because he was one of the first humans that came in contact with the Combine and he knows so much about portal technology, making him valuable to the Combine. Also he offered him self to them willingly because of his thirst for knowledge. He want's to see other dimensions and worlds and will do anything to get the opportunity.
If this is the city where the Combine got their biggest Citadel, their most important human supporter and many of their Advisors its pretty obvious that this is where the Resistance will place their base of operations. The Citadel is connected to all the other citadels and disabling it will put the Combine in to dissaray, another reason for the Resistance to fight in City 17.

As for the whole Gordon/time issue i don't think theres an answer that's going to be completely correct but this is what i think about it:

During the portal storms small portals opened temporarily all over the face of earth and creatures from Xen poured out in large numbers everywhere. They could appear inside houses, out in the streets and in the countryside. Headcrabs, barnacles, antlions and what not was everywhere. Of course humanity went in to a panic, it was chaos. People evacuated the countryside and moved in to the cities where they were protected by the military and stuff. They probably even built protection around the cities. Alot of people probably dissapeared during this period and others thought them to be dead or missing in action. If Gordon dissappeared i dont think anyone would have put much thought in to it.

I then think that one possibility is that 20 years later G-man somehow contacted Eli, after all he had done so before. He told Eli that Gordon would be coming back and that he would mark the fall of the Combine. (something like that) So when Gordon actually came back people who knew Eli more closely wasnt that surprised. He could have told them that Gordon had contacted him and said that he was coming back.

Ordinary rebel fighters are still surprised by Gordon. If i remember correctly some even say "Hey, wasnt that Gordon Freeman?!" as you pass by.

Huge wall of text This is my thoughts about it, there's alot of details that probably are a bit different though.

 

[ríomhaire]

I think you're mostly right there SinBin. Breen was certainly one of the first persons to contanct the Combine; he was the one who declared Earth's surrender.

 

[nofreeman]

i REckon GLaDOS and Gman have alot in commen seeing as they both give u tasks to complete.......mabye Black mesa created Gamn as a side objective and has gotten far to powerfull for black mesa hands and created to resonance cascade to i guess free himself!!! as of Aperture Science has only so far created a A,I programe so far................well theres my idea

 

[SinBin]

i REckon GLaDOS and Gman have alot in commen seeing as they both give u tasks to complete.......mabye Black mesa created Gamn as a side objective and has gotten far to powerfull for black mesa hands and created to resonance cascade to i guess free himself!!! as of Aperture Science has only so far created a A,I programe so far................well theres my idea

Too far-fetched me thinks ^^