Who Is G-man?

KoulnisKoulnis Join Date: 2005-04-13 Member: 48337Members
<div class="IPBDescription">A real discussion</div> After getting through Half Life 2 recently, I began thinking of how the G-Man fits into the entire world written by Marc Laidlaw. His role, somehow key but hidden, is a very mysterious one once thought about. I cannot put to rest the thought of whether he is an instigator, tool, puppet or superbeing. Here I throw out some random thoughts on who he is.

We know that he mentions his employers, but with the way G-Man works, I do not know if this is a front to make you think he is under control by someone or something else. He does provide us with the image of a human, but I believe it possible that he is another alien contingent representative, working his own purposes. With the way G-Man works in these games, I feel like he is tweezers for a home-grown ant farm and is seeing what little insects do when tampered with. I also believe that Gordon Freeman is not the only of his type, whether on the human side or alien side. Is there an alien who survived the raids by the humans and is under the operation of G-Man as well, and is working as a direct counterbalance to Gordon Freeman?

The thought has bugged me recently after finishing HL2. The reason I have opened this topic in discussions is because I feel more intelligent observations and hypothesis can be made here. I feared that opening this topic in Off-Topic would have provoked many negative reactions.

I would like to hear your thoughts on G-Man. My mind is a jumble right now, later on I will straighten out these thoughts and post my own hypothesis on who G-Man is.


Discuss.

Comments

  • BaconTheoryBaconTheory Join Date: 2003-09-06 Member: 20615Members
    First, read this: <a href='http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G-Man_(Half-Life)' target='_blank'>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G-Man_(Half-Life)</a>

    If I had to make a prediction about the G-man's role, I would say that the entire HL2 saga is one large dream sequence. Gordon's epic adventure is really just a dream. He could actually have worked for Black Mesa at some point, and it could be possible that the G-man was an important figurehead at Black Mesa whom Gordon seems to remember due to a significant event that took place at Black Mesa and involved the G-man. The reason he's having these dreams is maybe because he's having premonitions about things to come from some horrid plan the G-man concocted.

    That's just me.
  • Cold_NiTeCold_NiTe Join Date: 2003-09-15 Member: 20875Members
    Yeah Wikipedia's info on him is probably the best.
  • Sub_zer0Sub_zer0 Join Date: 2004-05-09 Member: 28569Members
    A charcter who was made up by the the company - Valve
    nuff said done and done.
  • TommyVercettiTommyVercetti Join Date: 2003-02-10 Member: 13390Members, Constellation, Reinforced - Shadow
    Recruiter for a galactic mercenary service?
  • Owen1Owen1 Join Date: 2003-04-13 Member: 15457Members
    Government man... that's all i need know
  • CrotalusCrotalus Join Date: 2003-12-02 Member: 23871Members
    edited August 2005
    Well, you know, it seems the Gordon Freeman and Adrian Shepard were stored in stasis after the black mesa incident. Later, Gordon was extracted to do some more work for the G-Man. Also, he mentions that Adrian destroyed much of the Zen outlying worlds in 'Opposing Force.' This leads my to believe he is a Mercenary employer involved in some kind of alien war. That's Half-Life 1, I don't know too much about Half-Life 2, I have yet to beat it...

    About Barney Calhoun in 'Blue Shift', it seems he got out of there in time without interference from the G-man...

    EDIT: Oops, his name isn't Alan, it's Adrian
  • SentrySteveSentrySteve .txt Join Date: 2002-03-09 Member: 290Members, Constellation
    I think the G-Man is a recruiter for (or pretending to be someone working for someone higher when he infact is head boss guy) some kind of intergalatic army / mercenary group. I also think that he is training gordon for an ? up coming battle ? of some kind. He either is some god-like person (since he is able to keep people in stasis, transport people, stop time, whisper in your ear, etc) or gordon is being held hostage / captive and HL1 / HL2 were just computer simulations and the G-Man is the person running the simulation. I really have no idea though.
  • GlissGliss Join Date: 2003-03-23 Member: 14800Members, Constellation, NS2 Map Tester
    I don't know, but how does he keep his suit free of wrinkles like that?
  • BreakthroughBreakthrough Texture Artist (ns_prometheus) Join Date: 2005-03-27 Member: 46620Members, Constellation
    I don't think he's human - it sounds like he speaks an alien language, and that he isn't comfortable speaking English (listen to him talk FFS).
  • MetalcatMetalcat Join Date: 2004-08-11 Member: 30528Members
    <!--QuoteBegin-Breakthrough+Aug 7 2005, 02:40 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Breakthrough @ Aug 7 2005, 02:40 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> I don't think he's human - it sounds like he speaks an alien language, and that he isn't comfortable speaking English (listen to him talk FFS). <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    im not comfortable speaking english and im human <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile-fix.gif' /><!--endemo--> or at least as far as you guys know
  • AlcapwnAlcapwn &quot;War is the science of destruction&quot; - John Abbot Join Date: 2003-06-21 Member: 17590Members
    <!--QuoteBegin-BaconTheory+Jul 31 2005, 05:35 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (BaconTheory @ Jul 31 2005, 05:35 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->First, read this: <a href='http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G-Man_(Half-Life)' target='_blank'>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G-Man_(Half-Life)</a>

    If I had to make a prediction about the G-man's role, I would say that the entire HL2 saga is one large dream sequence. Gordon's epic adventure is really just a dream. He could actually have worked for Black Mesa at some point, and it could be possible that the G-man was an important figurehead at Black Mesa whom Gordon seems to remember due to a significant event that took place at Black Mesa and involved the G-man. The reason he's having these dreams is maybe because he's having premonitions about things to come from some horrid plan the G-man concocted.

    That's just me.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    God that would <b><i>suck</i></b> so much... i cant imagine at the end of HL3 the last scene is of gordon waking up in the middle of the night going "Wow, what a dream!" <!--emo&:(--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/sad-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
  • BreakthroughBreakthrough Texture Artist (ns_prometheus) Join Date: 2005-03-27 Member: 46620Members, Constellation
    <!--QuoteBegin-Metalcat+Aug 7 2005, 05:00 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Metalcat @ Aug 7 2005, 05:00 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> im not comfortable speaking english and im human <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile-fix.gif' /><!--endemo--> or at least as far as you guys know <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    He speaks very monotonus and slurrily.
  • UltimaGeckoUltimaGecko hates endnotes Join Date: 2003-05-14 Member: 16320Members
    <!--QuoteBegin-Breakthrough+Aug 7 2005, 06:20 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Breakthrough @ Aug 7 2005, 06:20 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin-Metalcat+Aug 7 2005, 05:00 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Metalcat @ Aug 7 2005, 05:00 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> im not comfortable speaking english and im human <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile-fix.gif' /><!--endemo--> or at least as far as you guys know <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    He speaks very monotonus and slurrily. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Maybe he's also a chronic drunkard?


    I think the "G-Man is Gordon" theme is a bit of a cop-out; plus it wouldn't make much sense for him to be keeping himself locked up.

    I'd like to think he's a bit like Q from StarTrek:NG. He's sort of all-powerful and can control time, but he still has masters. Plus he can keep tabs on his 'favorite' people and put them wherever he wants and do almost anything he wants - but he still has others that can control him if warranted.
  • BulletHeadBulletHead Join Date: 2004-07-22 Member: 30049Members
    edited August 2005
    It is my professional opinion, as professor of professionalishness on all things professional in Half Life, that the G-Man is Gordon Freeman's Down Syndrome son from the Future come to erase his mistakes of the past.
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