Human Vortiguant?

[WriterforHire]

I've been wondering about this for a while now, and I want to see what you guys think of it.

Is it possible that a Vortiguant could teach a human to do what it does? As in shoot electricity from its hands, recharge energy, turn purple or simply tap into the Vortiessence in general? Unlike with the Advisors, it seems that what the Vortigaunts do is not a race specific thing, because it seems, to me at least, that the Vortiessence is like the Force in Star Wars, which a whole variety of alien races could tap into. Didn't Gordon's hands turn purple when they were reviving Alyx, or am I imagining things?

Oh, and don't get this question confused with "Will Gordon get the Vortigaunt's Power?" Which is another question entirely that deals directly with the gameplay. I simply want to know if there's any evidence that humans can share the same qualites that Vortigaunts have. What sayest thou? Am I crazy or not?

 

[Darkside55]

The question is how much is biological and how much is, for lack of a better word, mystical. Manipulation of energy is a trait unique to their species. There will be no humans throwing
lightning around or recharging batteries.

The vortessence, however, can be tapped into by other beings. Gordon's done it three times already. The vortigaunts have even said that the tapestry of the vortessence is the same for him, although the wording they used might have extended to every human, or every being period.

 

[Adabiviak]

I think people could handle the turning purple part if they got creative with a magic marker or holding their breath, but it just wouldn't be the same. The rest I'm pretty sure is solely in the domain of the Vortikind.

 

[WriterforHire]

The vortessence, however, can be tapped into by other beings. Gordon's done it three times already. The vortigaunts have even said that the tapestry of the vortessence is the same for him, although the wording they used might have extended to every human, or every being period.

Ah! I thought that was the case, but I hadn't been entirely sure. Though, I am curious to why you think the vortessence is different then the vortiguants manipulating energy. As I said, the concept seems very reminensent of the Force to me, and, if human's can tap into the vortessence, then why can't they do what the Vortigaunts do with it? Also, I know one of the times that Gordon tapped into the vortessence was when they revived Alyx, but when was the other two times? Also, what exactly does tapping to the vortessence do to a human?

 

[Officer Combine]

In carrie, the townspeople were "told" that it was Carrie that was doing all of the things. Maybe it's similar in this case.

 

[WriterforHire]

In carrie, the townspeople were "told" that it was Carrie that was doing all of the things. Maybe it's similar in this case.

I'm a bit lost. Who or what is Carrie?

 

[Solver]

He's referring to the book "Carrie" by Stephen King

 

[swan_song1973]

id say its more of a vort only thing rather than something that can be taught. if thats not the case and we see humans shooting electricity, valves gonna lose a lotta points in my book.

 

[Adabiviak]

The vortessence, however, can be tapped into by other beings. Gordon's done it three times already. The vortigaunts have even said that the tapestry of the vortessence is the same for him, although the wording they used might have extended to every human, or every being period.

What did Gordon do three times?

 

[Officer Combine]

He's referring to the book "Carrie" by Stephen King

Yeah.

 

[WriterforHire]

I thought it was something like that. I haven't read much Steven King, even though he's supposedly the rockstar of the Horror genre. But if one of his books popped up during a Half Life thread then maybe his stuff isn't so outside my tastes after all. I'll have to check out this book, Carrie, see what it's about.

 

[Darkside55]

Ah! I thought that was the case, but I hadn't been entirely sure. Though, I am curious to why you think the vortessence is different then the vortiguants manipulating energy. As I said, the concept seems very reminensent of the Force to me, and, if human's can tap into the vortessence, then why can't they do what the Vortigaunts do with it?

The energy bit just seems to me something that is natural, not mystical. Like an eel or a jellyfish using electricity; there's nothing spiritual about that. It's the way they're built. Some of the vorts words in Episode Two throw this into question, but not enough to make me think that their lightning is in any way affected by the vortessence. If they did not have their "force," they would still be able to generate electricity.

The vortessence itself is a bit of a mystery. Originally as written in Half-Life 2 it was just a way for the vortigaunts to see through the eyes of their race across any distance, to commune with each other. In Episode One it was revealed that the vortessence gave them the ability to project themselves through that "false veil of time and space," enabling them to teleport into a hair's breadth of time and retrieve Alyx Vance, as well as create a barrier between the G-man and Gordon Freeman. And in Episode Two it's shown that by using the vortessence they can bind two (or more) beings' lifeforces together, in an "almost vortal" connection. So the powers of the vortessence aren't fully defined yet--it's almost a magical plot device that allows Valve to say "the vortessence did it."

I highly doubt we will see any human doing these sorts of things, if for no other reason than they aren't attuned to the vortessence as the vortigaunts are. The unique properties of their species allows them to perceive the vortessence and use it to save the day.

Also, I know one of the times that Gordon tapped into the vortessence was when they revived Alyx, but when was the other two times? Also, what exactly does tapping to the vortessence do to a human?

What did Gordon do three times?

If you consider what the vortigaunts did to Alyx and Gordon, that's actually FOUR times. The three times Gordon Freeman tapped the vortessence were:

1. Black Mesa, immediately after the resonance cascade. Remember that group of vortigaunts in the shadows looking at you? That was communion of the vortessence. That was not Xen.

2. After the defeat of Nihilanth. "You leap, you fall, we see you flash beyond the barriers...for a brief time you joined with us. You are one. Between the worlds. Communion of the vortessence."

3. The beginning of Episode One. It is interesting to note that according to Raising the Bar, Gordon never dreamed while in the G-man's 20-year stasis, but Episode One starts off with a dream, and then Gordon somehow "sees" Alyx Vance being rescued...AFTER he was already retrieved by the G-man. What he was seeing was the vortigaunt's rescue of Alyx Vance through the vortessence. Through the eyes of the vortigaunts themselves.

So he keeps tapping into the vortessence, and it's always by complete accident. He's not intentionally doing anything that would allow him to see the vortessence, it's just that he keeps getting knocked out and his consciousness goes for a ride on the tapestry between dimensions.

 

[Officer Combine]

Alyx is also part of the vortessence.

 

[LandStander]

If you consider what the vortigaunts did to Alyx and Gordon, that's actually FOUR times. The three times Gordon Freeman tapped the vortessence were:

1. Black Mesa, immediately after the resonance cascade. Remember that group of vortigaunts in the shadows looking at you? That was communion of the vortessence. That was not Xen.

2. After the defeat of Nihilanth. "You leap, you fall, we see you flash beyond the barriers...for a brief time you joined with us. You are one. Between the worlds. Communion of the vortessence."

3. The beginning of Episode One. It is interesting to note that according to Raising the Bar, Gordon never dreamed while in the G-man's 20-year stasis, but Episode One starts off with a dream, and then Gordon somehow "sees" Alyx Vance being rescued...AFTER he was already retrieved by the G-man. What he was seeing was the vortigaunt's rescue of Alyx Vance through the vortessence. Through the eyes of the vortigaunts themselves.

So he keeps tapping into the vortessence, and it's always by complete accident. He's not intentionally doing anything that would allow him to see the vortessence, it's just that he keeps getting knocked out and his consciousness goes for a ride on the tapestry between dimensions.

Don't forget the train wreck in Ep2. It's not a coincidence that Alyx heard vortigaunts(just like she remembered at the beginning of Ep1) right before their train crashed and miraculously Gordon and Alyx survived. Especially since Alyx wasn't even inside the passenger carts the way Gordon was.

 

[Darkside55]

I don't think that had anything to do with the vortigaunts. They survived because of Gordon's good luck.

 

[the cow says moo]

I thought it was something like that. I haven't read much Steven King, even though he's supposedly the rockstar of the Horror genre. But if one of his books popped up during a Half Life thread then maybe his stuff isn't so outside my tastes after all. I'll have to check out this book, Carrie, see what it's about.

One of his books actually helped to inspire the original HL. I forget which one though.

 

[Darkside55]

The Mist.

 

[WriterforHire]

The Mist.

I'll check out that one too. By the way, Darkside, you haven't answered my question: When were the other two times?

 

[kineaesth]

Also, I know one of the times that Gordon tapped into the vortessence was when they revived Alyx, but when was the other two times?

If you consider what the vortigaunts did to Alyx and Gordon, that's actually FOUR times. The three times Gordon Freeman tapped the vortessence were:

1. Black Mesa, immediately after the resonance cascade. Remember that group of vortigaunts in the shadows looking at you? That was communion of the vortessence. That was not Xen.

2. After the defeat of Nihilanth. "You leap, you fall, we see you flash beyond the barriers...for a brief time you joined with us. You are one. Between the worlds. Communion of the vortessence."

3. The beginning of Episode One. It is interesting to note that according to Raising the Bar, Gordon never dreamed while in the G-man's 20-year stasis, but Episode One starts off with a dream, and then Gordon somehow "sees" Alyx Vance being rescued...AFTER he was already retrieved by the G-man. What he was seeing was the vortigaunt's rescue of Alyx Vance through the vortessence. Through the eyes of the vortigaunts themselves.

I think he did.

 

[WriterforHire]

I think he did.

Dang! He did. I must have been blind. Anyway, all very good points. Though I am a bit confused on the first two though. How does him seeing a couple of Vortiguants in the shadows shows that Gordon tapped into the vortessence? Also, I understand the Nihlianth's quote, but I don't know when exactly Gordon "became one" with the Vortiguants: during the actual fight against the Nihlianth or some time earlier? Also, I think we have to agree to disagree on the electircity issue. I see that the Vortigaunts tap into this mysterious force called the vortessence and it allows them to do all those sort of things you've described, yet, their common ability of being able to shoot out electricity is simply a biological thing? While it's true other animals we know, like eels, admit electicity, it's not to the extent the Vortiguants use it. In fact, I'm rather sure what the Vortigaunts do is frankly impossible with all we know about modern physciology and anatomy. If Valve has established something as the vortessence, established that it enables those who use it to do supernatural things, and the race that uses it primarily can manipulate energy, I tend to want to link it all together so that there's no loose ends.

Though, I am a bit curious. Did you say that during one of the instances where Gordon tapped into the vortessence he actually saw into the future? Actually, now that I'm thinking of it, that opening scene with the G-man also had a good deal of foreshadowing in it: I remember particularly seeing the pods from the Citadel. While this isn't a case of the vortessence, it still shows that Gordon saw the future. So, I think we can say with a bit of assurance that it's established that when human's tap into the vortessence they have visions, but when Vortiguants do it, they can do all the previous mentioned things.

 

[kineaesth]

Though I am a bit confused on the first two though. How does him seeing a couple of Vortiguants in the shadows shows that Gordon tapped into the vortessence?

He is referring to Gordon being 'teleported' into the dark ['space'] with a ring of Vortigaunts. Teleported into the vortessence, as it were, probably by accident.

Also, I understand the Nihlianth's quote, but I don't know when exactly Gordon "became one" with the Vortiguants: during the actual fight against the Nihlianth or some time earlier?

I'm not exactly sure about this one, but it might be a quote from HL2 that leads one to belive that after defeating the Nihilanth, Gordon temporarily joins the Vortessence, as (perhaps) he has just 'freed' the Vorts.

Though, I am a bit curious. Did you say that during one of the instances where Gordon tapped into the vortessence he actually saw into the future?

Episode One starts off with a dream, and then Gordon somehow "sees" Alyx Vance being rescued...AFTER he was already retrieved by the G-man. What he was seeing was the vortigaunt's rescue of Alyx Vance through the vortessence. Through the eyes of the vortigaunts themselves.

I like to think of this not as Gordon seeing the future, but the Vortigaunts turning back time in order to save Gordon. This is just personal preference, as there's no way of knowing either way.

 

[Darkside55]

He saw the event either as it was happening, or in the past. G-man grabs Gordon THEN the vortigaunts save Alyx.

There's no way to know how much time passed between those two events, but Gordon was already gone by the time the vortigaunts arrived, so he could not have been seeing the future.

 

[Officer Combine]

Who has more power, the Gman or the vortigaunts? Were the vortigaunts able to use their essence while under the Ninlanth?

 

[Shoes_Buttback03]

Who has more power, the Gman or the vortigaunts? Were the vortigaunts able to use their essence while under the Ninlanth?

In number's I think the Vortigaunts have more power. But in the end Gman is the dominate one.

 

[Officer Combine]

But he doesn't have supreme power. The Vorts cannot harm him, but they can stop him.

 

[coheedswicked]

I'm pretty sure its been implied that their slave collars blocked the flow of vortessence each vortigaunt was cut off from one another making a slave revolt more difficult. That, if it is in fact true, would prove that their electrical abilities do not stem from the vortessence but from specialized electrical organs like electric eels. (jellyfish do not use electricity they use specialized stinging cells called nematocytes, essentially like tiny harpoons)

 

[Xevrex]

I'm pretty sure its been implied that their slave collars blocked the flow of vortessence each vortigaunt was cut off from one another making a slave revolt more difficult.

OBJECTION!

If the slave collars blocked the flow of the Vortessence, then Gordon Freeman shouldn't have been able to tap into the Vortessence with the other vortigaunts! Therefore, the slave collars didn't block the flow!

/PhoenixWright

 

[WriterforHire]

Wow. This has gotten a bit off topic. There's also a bit of speculation going around now that I don't like. Seems too unstable to me. But anyway, I'm glad to see there's such a interest.

He saw the event either as it was happening, or in the past. G-man grabs Gordon THEN the vortigaunts save Alyx.

There's no way to know how much time passed between those two events, but Gordon was already gone by the time the vortigaunts arrived, so he could not have been seeing the future.

I guess there was a misunderstanding on my part then. I misinterpreted the wording. But my original question still stands. What happens to a human when they tap into the vortessence? Can they do similiar things that the Vortiguants do or is it race specific?

 

[Officer Combine]

I think the Vorts were mind controlled, not just scared.

 

[the cow says moo]

Like an eel or a jellyfish using electricity

Jellyfish don't use electricity. They actually have microscopic spikes that protrude when they are touched that eject poison.

 

[LandStander]

I don't think that had anything to do with the vortigaunts. They survived because of Gordon's good luck.

Even for a video game surviving that crash(especially with Alyx's lack of a HEV) and the nuclear fallout is impossible.

 

[coheedswicked]

oh...ya good point xevrex... guess we're back to square one
and what nuclear fallout?

 

[the cow says moo]

Nuclear fallout is when the radioactive dust high in the atmosphere falls to the ground after an atomic bomb. The area with the fallout can still be dangerous for decades after.

 

[Officer Combine]

Nuclear fallout is when the radioactive dust high in the atmosphere falls to the ground after an atomic bomb. The area with the fallout can still be dangerous for decades after.

And its suspected that Alyx and Kleiner and Eli escaped sort of like barney did. High tailin it into the desert.

 

[Maturin]

lol
I made an account just to reply to this thread, and I'm surprised no one has noticed the answer.

Didn't anyone listen to what the All-Knowing Vortigaunt in Water Hazard had to say? It was, in effect, a big poetic easter egg.

It was a series of platitudes about how neither you nor the Vortigaunts, a sort of hive mind species, possess true individuality.

The Vortigaunts are all so connected and similar (because of their powers) as to be almost identical.

You, Gordon Freeman, are not magical, but you are a special person because you are a Player Character whose true persona is the millions who have stepped into the HEV suit. Every one of us here has played as Gordon Freeman and imprinted our experience and identity on his otherwise empty persona.

The Vortessence is the force that connects all living things (or something like that- I'm not an expert), and we are all joined in playing Half Life to form a multifaceted protagonist, just as the Vortigaunts exist as one mind with many different parts connected to each other through the Vortessence. This is what the interconnected Vortigaunts realize, and these are the "traits thought innate to Vortikind."

 

[coheedswicked]

Nuclear fallout is when the radioactive dust high in the atmosphere falls to the ground after an atomic bomb. The area with the fallout can still be dangerous for decades after.

i know what nuclear fallout is... what i meant was when did this happen?

 

[the cow says moo]

When the Citadel was destroyed and the giant wave blew the trains off the tracks, radioactive particles were spread through the atmosphere much like an atomic bomb. Fallout is the final stage of the explosion and can take weeks to reach the ground. So really it probably hasn't happened yet in the game.

 

[coheedswicked]

oh... i guess i just wasnt aware that the citidel's explosion produced radiation. Kliener as a "dark energy flare" but i guess the citadels core chamber was bathed in radiation.

 

[WriterforHire]

When the Citadel was destroyed and the giant wave blew the trains off the tracks, radioactive particles were spread through the atmosphere much like an atomic bomb. Fallout is the final stage of the explosion and can take weeks to reach the ground. So really it probably hasn't happened yet in the game.

I am also skeptical. When was it stated in the game that the Citadel's explosion was radioactive? I know I don't remember that.

 

[Commander Xillian]

I agree with Writer. That Radiation bit is crap. Only evidence is when the Gregor meter in the H.E.V. goes bat-shit crazy when you are directly next to the core. If there are Rads, they are rather low.

As for the Vortessane...Well..

[Zzzzap!!]

I think that the Lightning attack is a combination. They are able to sap away the health of their opponents when they attack, that's how you stay alive in that on level in Decay, but I don't think VALVe is gay enough to say that it is 100% Vortessance. BUT, it must be said, they couldn't sap the health of their enemies with specific organs. But, then again, why electricity? I think Vorts utilize both natural organs to fire, but due the Vortessance to boos their attacks, thus, the "Charge".