A theory on the G-man

[Darkside55]

After some serious thinking, I believe that the G-man is really Gor--

*Darkside55 is shot*

Ahem.

I have a theory on the G-man, his motives, and who his employers are. I believe that the G-man is part of an inter-universal group opposed to the Combine. As known and feared throughout the rest of the universe as the Combine are, there must be an organization that was set up in order to stop them. I believe the G-man is a part of that, that they are his mysterious "employers."

I also think that, although this group is organized to fight against the Combine, it's possible that they don't mingle their resources. By that I mean that every species in this group defends its own, they don't divvy up their forces among the planets. They have their own forces dedicated to protecting THEIR homeworlds from the Combine, but not other worlds. They're simply organized for the sake of being organized, and to convene. What if the G-man is Earth's "representative?"

It makes sense in a couple of ways. It explains the G-man's advanced technology, it could possibly explain the trials against the odds that he's faced, and if you're inclined to believe that the G-man engineered the resonance cascade disaster, this could be the reason why. Not only to control the borderworld, but possibly thinking far ahead to drawing the Combine to Earth, only to weaken them with Freeman.

It also really explains Freeman. Why the G-man chose you, why he wanted to offer you a job, why he allied with the resistance (because I do not believe he did it only for some other, more personal gain from renting you out), and it also makes sense of the "interesting offers" he's received for your services. Perhaps you'll be rented out to other races, which goes against normal policy. But in light of how effective you are, he might be considering it.

 

[Rizzo]

yeah... Good theory.

 

[jerkasaur]

i just thought of this,
maybe the xenian factory was not actually made to create soldiers for invading earth, maybe the soldiers were to invade where G-man is originated from... that way, he needed to stop them from making an army. he sets up the resonance so that a portal opens to earth, that way, the xenians, would be attacking earth, this is where gordon comes in, defeating the nihilanth, G-man is both surprised and feels that he would need him later. after the nihilanth is killed, the combine empire, feels that earth is responsible, for that, it takes over earth, controling earth in 7 hours and making combine soldiers. g-man once again sees his "homeland" in danger,(think of it, if it could invade earth i 7 hours, the g-man is worried for his own "homeland"), for the combine is growing big and will soon attack... again, he sets up gordon for a battle. a battle in which he wins again. that way, again the combine will loose power a bit, and will be forced to delay the attack on G-man's "homeland".

 

[Asknoone]

Its a fairly well received theory by many, but personally I don't think that’s the case. It seems the most generic, and doesn't really go back to back with Gmans cryptic, often snide remarks.

Gman never shows concern, and he's always content with storing Gordon away. I stand by the theory that Gman couldn't care less about the Combine or anyone else for that matter, and simply uses Gordon as a mercenary to those in need. From the facts presented in Half-life 2, I personally think its clear the resistance has hired Gordon.

Deal was Gordon arrives, does his thing and ultimately severs the Combines connection with Earth. What does he get in return? Who knows?
And from his speech at the end of HL2, well, it seems a whole host of others are interested in Gordon’s services, and it solely depends on whether Gman chooses to follow them up. Clear he has done, as someone is having Gordon evacuate the city.

i just thought of this,
maybe the xenian factory was not actually made to create soldiers for invading earth, maybe the soldiers were to invade where G-man is originated from... that way, he needed to stop them from making an army. he sets up the resonance so that a portal opens to earth, that way, the xenians, would be attacking earth, this is where gordon comes in, defeating the nihilanth, G-man is both surprised and feels that he would need him later. after the nihilanth is killed, the combine empire, feels that earth is responsible, for that, it takes over earth, controling earth in 7 hours and making combine soldiers. g-man once again sees his "homeland" in danger,(think of it, if it could invade earth i 7 hours, the g-man is worried for his own "homeland"), for the combine is growing big and will soon attack... again, he sets up gordon for a battle. a battle in which he wins again. that way, again the combine will loose power a bit, and will be forced to delay the attack on G-man's "homeland".

The Xen factory was made for creating grunts in order to defend. Gman was against the resonance cascade in Half-life 1, judging from those unclear remarks to the scientist. Why would the Combine care about the death of Nihalinth? Especially if they weren't on Xen. The Combine only became aware of Earth through the resonance cascade, in which they were attracted to it by all the surrounding energies.
Besides the Combine is already big enough. I really don't think Gman is bothered about his own homeland, even if they have been enslaved, I just don't think that would be the case.

 

[jerkasaur]

samon, you edited, and so did i...

 

[Darkside55]

I don't think the G-man's cool attitude is for lack of concern. Maybe it isn't overt concern, but I still think he'd be loyal to his species (I stand by the belief that the G-man is 100% human) and would want to deliver them from harm. I think it's more like he can stand back and view things so calmly or with a sneer because it doesn't really affect his daily life. I don't think it's outright apathy.

He stored Gordon away for the same reason he gave Adrian Shephard the Adrian Shephard: so he could do no harm and no harm would come to him. Assuming it was the G-man's intention to draw the Combine to Earth, don't you think Gordon would've foiled his plans? Gordon could have possibly turned the tide of the 7-hour war. I still don't know what to think about that idea though (G-man puppeteering the whole series of events up until now).

And of Gordon evacuating the city, well...we're still not sure if this is another of the G-man's missions, or if Gordon's somehow escaped his stasis. We'll see about that in Aftermath.

 

[Asknoone]

I don't think Gman is human, really. I did, once upon a time...but that Marc Laidlaw written character bio...."As though not comfortable with human speech"...Hmm.

Besides, Adrian Shepard: Gearbox !

Yeah, I'm sure Aftermath will shed some light on the matter.

 

[Darkside55]

I don't think Gman is human, really. I did, once upon a time...but that Marc Laidlaw written character bio...."As though not comfortable with human speech"...Hmm.

Besides, Adrian Shepard: Gearbox !

Hehe, but Opposing Force IS canon. Rather unfortunate...

And you know how Laidlaw can be. He never really likes to say that something is one way or another; he's intentionally vague about almost everything. Any straight answers you get are usually from other people. And for that matter I've never found the G-man's speech pattern to be "uncomfortable"; eccentric, perhaps. He has speech quirks. The only time I've ever heard discomfort in his voice is when he speaks of his employers, and that's a completely different sort of uncomfortableness.

Until the end, if it's even revealed in the end, the G-man's origins are always going to be a mystery because Valve plays it like that. He looks human on the surface, but Laidlaw writes that bio, and Breen speaks of "host bodies"; all these things that get us thinking about what the G-man is. But I'll take him at face value and say that he's human.

 

[jerkasaur]

...."As though not comfortable with human speech"...

yeah well that doesn't mean he's not human, it's an adjective he's giving for the character.