Alyx's value to the g-man

[ríomhaire]

EP2 seems to imply that Alyx has some value to the g-man, yet he didn't seem to make any move to save her when the citadel's reactor blew. Or maybe he was on his way back to get her when the vortigaunts inverviened? Ugh. This post should probably be longer, but I can't think of much else to say.

 

[Aldenhelm]

Theres also the question of why eli says, in HL2, "that photo and alyx were all i could carry out of BM.", semmingly contridicting what he says in episode 2.

 

[Asknoone]

No, he left her to die in the reactor explosion. She was a child at Black Mesa, and I believe Gman, having already established a relationship with Eli Vance, would not have left her there; he saved her because he felt she'd have some use in the future, to see what would transpire. He gained nothing in leaving her to die.

What happened during Half-life 2 was different. The focus was Gordon, and finally putting him to use after so many years in stasis; he wanted to achieve something - a desired goal - and he subtly drives Gordon to it throughout the entire game. Whether you realize it or not he's responsible for the path Gordon takes; he ensures he winds up with resistance and is put on the inevitable course of confronting and defeating the collaborator, Breen. Notice the moment he extracts Gordon is the moment the Combine teleportation grid does down. At that point, he'd achieved whatever it is he wanted, and was about to put Gordon back into stasis, for what would be a very, very brief stay. And by that I don't mean the Vortigaunt's, I mean Gman returning to re-assign Gordon: he'd taken up one of those contract offers he alluded to. Much, we can assume, is now happening off-world, and it's doubtful the Gman had any interest in meddling with affairs on Earth post Combine collapse. He leaves Alyx to be disintegrated because his business was wrapped up there – it didn't matter anymore. She wasn't part of anything significant to him.

But Gordon is liberated and Alyx survives, and the Gman is temporarily kept at bay. He's pissed, because this isn't something he ever intended to involve himself in. When Episode 2 rolls around, Gman becomes aware of the existence of the Borealis through Dr. Mossman's transmission. We know this because he takes us there in the dream sequence. Gman has found a new angle from which he can manipulate events to suit his agenda, and he decides to set in motion a way of gaining the desired effect. Alyx, who has proved herself just as capable as Gordon, is used to deliver a message to Eli – a phrase that was used just as Black Mesa threw humanity into the 'cosmic war' – something the Gman intended from the moment he delivered the crystal.

I think we can see a pattern emerging, and by that I mean how Gman involves himself in the events of the storyline. He manipulates everything so that events will prove a favorable outcome for himself and his greater agenda. Alyx, who is just as capable as Gordon in the 'mercenary' role, has simply become another pawn through which he hopes to achieve his goals.

Theres also the question of why eli says, in HL2, "that photo and alyx were all i could carry out of BM.", semmingly contridicting what he says in episode 2.

Eli would have escaped to the Black Mesa Residential; that's where he'd have picked up the photo and that's where he'd most likely have met Gman for the second time that day.

 

[LandStander]

I think that he knew he could manipulate Eli if need be in the events following the resonance cascade. That is why he saved her. With Eli's knowledge of the events at Black Mesa it wouldn't be hard to assume that he would play some kind of important role in earth's fate later.

 

[Aldenhelm]

Thats essentialy what I was thinking. He only valued alyx has a tool to control gordon.

It's my theory that the vortigaunts took gordon from the gman because of the job offers he was gitting (perhaps from the combine?) and because they still needed him and alyx to fully liberate earth.

I'm sure the gman knew full well that the crystal would trigger a resonence cascade, but i'm not sure thats what he was specificly tring to do. perhaps gainig assistance from the gman is part of the "great lenghts" the adminisstrater went to too get the sample.

 

[rex mundi]

You guys seam to forget that alex gets the information for the combine homeworld and the vid of mossman in EP1 and clips it to her belt.

After she does that... maybee the g-man takes more of an interest in her... future.

 

[LandStander]

My post was in reference to why the G-man saved her as a child. Before even he knew about Gordon.

 

[SpotEnemyBoats]

Gman is just bad news as far as I am concerned, Eli knew it too. The so called "Our Mutual Friend" started the whole Resonance Cascade, nuked Black Mesa, captured Adrian Shephard because he knew too much, wanted Gordon to make things unstable in City 17 by sparking the war against the Combine rule. He wanted Gordon to stop Breen by blowing up the reactor, left Alyx for dead and the rest which resulted in the consequences of Episode 1 and 2.

Now he's using Alyx as a pawn like he did to Gordon:

Alyx doesn't have control of herself, Gman has control of her now:

Spoiler

Perfect example:

 

[B3nch]

Gman is just bad news as far as I am concerned, Eli knew it too. The so called "Our Mutual Friend" started the whole Resonance Cascade, nuked Black Mesa, captured Adrian Shephard because he knew too much, wanted Gordon to make things unstable in City 17 by sparking the war against the Combine rule. He wanted Gordon to stop Breen by blowing up the reactor, left Alyx for dead and the rest which resulted in the consequences of Episode 1 and 2.

Now he's using Alyx as a pawn like he did to Gordon:

Alyx doesn't have control of herself, Gman has control of her now:

Spoiler

Perfect example:

I don't see how that picture is an example of Gman controlling Alyx, it's just Alyx giving Magnusson a bad look because of his "tea time" comment.

 

[Oppressor]

No, he left her to die in the reactor explosion. She was a child at Black Mesa, and I believe Gman, having already established a relationship with Eli Vance, would not have left her there; he saved her because he felt she'd have some use in the future, to see what would transpire. He gained nothing in leaving her to die.

What happened during Half-life 2 was different. The focus was Gordon, and finally putting him to use after so many years in stasis; he wanted to achieve something - a desired goal - and he subtly drives Gordon to it throughout the entire game. Whether you realize it or not he's responsible for the path Gordon takes; he ensures he winds up with resistance and is put on the inevitable course of confronting and defeating the collaborator, Breen. Notice the moment he extracts Gordon is the moment the Combine teleportation grid does down. At that point, he'd achieved whatever it is he wanted, and was about to put Gordon back into stasis, for what would be a very, very brief stay. And by that I don't mean the Vortigaunt's, I mean Gman returning to re-assign Gordon: he'd taken up one of those contract offers he alluded to. Much, we can assume, is now happening off-world, and it's doubtful the Gman had any interest in meddling with affairs on Earth post Combine collapse. He leaves Alyx to be disintegrated because his business was wrapped up there ? it didn't matter anymore. She wasn't part of anything significant to him.

But Gordon is liberated and Alyx survives, and the Gman is temporarily kept at bay. He's pissed, because this isn't something he ever intended to involve himself in. When Episode 2 rolls around, Gman becomes aware of the existence of the Borealis through Dr. Mossman's transmission. We know this because he takes us there in the dream sequence. Gman has found a new angle from which he can manipulate events to suit his agenda, and he decides to set in motion a way of gaining the desired effect. Alyx, who has proved herself just as capable as Gordon, is used to deliver a message to Eli ? a phrase that was used just as Black Mesa threw humanity into the 'cosmic war' ? something the Gman intended from the moment he delivered the crystal.

I think we can see a pattern emerging, and by that I mean how Gman involves himself in the events of the storyline. He manipulates everything so that events will prove a favorable outcome for himself and his greater agenda. Alyx, who is just as capable as Gordon in the 'mercenary' role, has simply become another pawn through which he hopes to achieve his goals.



Eli would have escaped to the Black Mesa Residential; that's where he'd have picked up the photo and that's where he'd most likely have met Gman for the second time that day.

Great thoughts! :thumbs:

 

[SpotEnemyBoats]

I don't see how that picture is an example of Gman controlling Alyx, it's just Alyx giving Magnusson a bad look because of his "tea time" comment.

Arggh, I posted this at SPUF but I will copy pasta -

Look at Alyx's eye direction in the 2 screenshots:

Spoiler

1st screenshot, looking at Gordon:

Spoiler

2nd screenshot, looking at Magnusson:

 

[Doombringer]

Eli's mention of only being able to take his picture and Alyx out of Black Mesa may have been a lie. When he revealed this to us, the G-Man was not as involved in his life as he became in Episode 2. Had Episode 2 not transpired, Eli may have gone on telling people - even Gordon - that he saved Alyx from BM, and "who the heck is a G-Man?"

Alyx may have been a destined pawn all along, until Gordon came along. He left her to die, which changed quickly. Her additional time 'under the microscope' may have finally revealed Alyx's potential to him. You'll note, however, that the G-Man seems to be using her more as a means of suggestion and subtle manipulation whereas Gordon is more a direct instrument, a fighter, a do-er.

 

[rex mundi]

Samon you said that it was the g-man who got the crystal to be tested... i just replayed thru half-life... and theres various parts where scientists say that it was the administrator of BM (breen) who was adement to use the crystal.

And i read somwhere that it could have been breen who got hold of the crystal. Even the Nil in HL1 calls you a "thief" when you go to xen. And couldent the combine have had a hand in it? Maybee breen was in contact with them while he was at black mesa, before the cascade.

So is there a reason why every1 is so 100% sure it was the G-man who actually got the crystal in the first place? It would make sence of the g-man and breen arguing at the start of HL1. TBH i think it makes more sence...

Or am i going wrong somwhere... thoughts?

 

[B3nch]

Samon you said that it was the g-man who got the crystal to be tested... i just replayed thru half-life... and theres various parts where scientists say that it was the administrator of BM (breen) who was adement to use the crystal.

And i read somwhere that it could have been breen who got hold of the crystal. Even the Nil in HL1 calls you a "thief" when you go to xen. And couldent the combine have had a hand in it? Maybee breen was in contact with them while he was at black mesa, before the cascade.

So is there a reason why every1 is so 100% sure it was the G-man who actually got the crystal in the first place? It would make sence of the g-man and breen arguing at the start of HL1. TBH i think it makes more sence...

Or am i going wrong somwhere... thoughts?

Episode 2 spoiler:

Spoiler

Eli tells you the Gman gave him the sample.

 

[dead-memory]

Episode 2 spoiler:

Spoiler

Eli tells you the Gman gave him the sample.

yes becuase they had no idea they were going to continue half life at the time they made HL1

 

[rex mundi]

Episode 2 spoiler:

Spoiler

Eli tells you the Gman gave him the sample.

LOL WHAT, where the hell is that and how did i miss it : /

 

[B3nch]

LOL WHAT, where the hell is that and how did i miss it : /

When Alyx goes to make tea after you watch the transmission from Mossman.

 

[Absinthe]

Doesn't matter. It still fits. We have a spoken, direct, in-game confirmation from Eli that the G-Man is the one who supplied the crystal. There's no reason to think he's lying.

It's pretty clear that the great lengths Breen went through in order to get it involved the G-Man. Breen was not in contact with the Combine (how the **** could he have been?) and was unaware that it would cause a resonance cascade. He's a very science-driven individual and probably saw great potential and benefit in further exploring the border world and possibly the expanded universe, but blowing up the facility and enslaving Earth was not foreseen on his end. Naturally, the G-Man had his own ulterior motives in the transaction.

Yes, Half-Life was not made with the sequel's plot in mind. But all plot info since has fit with the previously established story.

 

[Asknoone]

There's a lot more to Eli, Breen, Gman and what happened at Black Mesa that's yet to be said, I think; I think a lot of it was definitely in mind around the time of HL2. The Gman and Eli relationship was implied heavily, and Breen hints at his knowledge of what happened to Gordon throughout. In fact at the end when Breen questions Gordon about his mercenary-like contract, Eli responds pretty sharply.

 

[Operational]

In fact at the end when Breen questions Gordon about his mercenary-like contract, Eli responds pretty sharply.

He does?

 

[Naph]

I always thought that G-man had sympathy for children "...that she was only a mere child..."
But Eli does say "Alyx and that picture was all I managed to smuggle out of Black Mesa" . Defining that Gman did have a relationship between them, otherwise he wouldn't have known they were related. Perhaps

 

[Absinthe]

I think he was describing the protestations of others with the "mere child" comment. As in "Why save her? What use could she possibly be?".

 

[rex mundi]

How could breen have been in contact with the combine? Well considering breen was the top man in black mesa and the fact they had been exploring xen for quite a while before the time of half life... it could have been hapening.

As for my idea of the g-man not puting the crystal in gordons hands... sory i failed there : / need to play thru EP2 again.

 

[Absinthe]

How could breen have been in contact with the combine? Well considering breen was the top man in black mesa and the fact they had been exploring xen for quite a while before the time of half life... it could have been hapening.

But the Combine were never on Xen. The first time any contact was made between humanity and the Combine was when they invaded through the portal storms.

 

[rex mundi]

But the Combine were never on Xen. The first time any contact was made between humanity and the Combine was when they invaded through the portal storms.

But... the portal storms teleported things from xen to earth... and i thought the combine had to go thrugh xen every time they teleported...

 

[B3nch]

But... the portal storms teleported things from xen to earth... and i thought the combine had to go thrugh xen every time they teleported...

Laidlaw said in an email that the Combine have never been to Xen. We don't know how the Combine found earth or how they invaded other than that the Citadels suddenly appeared inside the cities. The rest is only speculation.

 

[Chug a Bug]

But Gordon is liberated and Alyx survives, and the Gman is temporarily kept at bay. He's pissed, because this isn't something he ever intended to involve himself in... Alyx, who is just as capable as Gordon in the 'mercenary' role, has simply become another pawn through which he hopes to achieve his goals.

Exactly, and presumably it's just because Gordon is no longer under his control that Alyx suddenly becomes much more interesting to him as she's proved herself almost as useful as Gordon in a fight. He's simply keeping his options open. He left her to die at the end of HL2 because he had Gordon then. Now all thats changed.

All this assumes that the Vorts will continue to keep Gordon under their uh, protection of course. I think they have plans for him too, as the all-knowing-vort says in HL2: "once the lesser master lay defeated, we knew the greater must also fall in time." Since the ones on Earth are presumably from Xen and hence refugees from the Combine, perhaps they have plans for the expulsion of the Combine from their homeworld too, if not the fall of the entire "empire".

Breen hints at his knowledge of what happened to Gordon throughout. In fact at the end when Breen questions Gordon about his mercenary-like contract, Eli responds pretty sharply.

Just so, and he says in his speech to the Overwatch forces: "Gordon Freeman is a theoretical physicist who had hardly earned the distinction of his Ph.D. at the time of the Black Mesa Incident. I have good reason to believe that in the intervening years, he was in a state that precluded further development of covert skills." So, he's hinting pretty heavily that he has a pretty good idea where he's been in the intervening years.