Half-Life - Story Explanation and Analysis (Part 2)

[@thebreadman]

Ohhhhhhh Ohhh ohh I'm the guy that wrote the article :D - Yes yes yessssss. It is indeed my opinion that the Gman is / was one of the sleeping philosophers. Thanks for these videos.

[@maxderrat]

AYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY Thanks for doing that man!!!

[@dr.whydoigiveafuck1443]

Why is Breadman Elite CMB Everywhere?

[@enderzilla747orleomiranda8]

@@dr.whydoigiveafuck1443 Why are you here

[@fizzywizzylemonsqueezy1774]

WhY‽¿

[@Ilikebirdsandsausages]

HOLY SHIT ITS BREADMAN

[@anza323]

I want part 3 for this

[@maxderrat]

Get in line.

[@scott_hanna]

Part three is confirmed.

[@insertnamehere6220]

It's Half Life, we probably never will get one

[@GamingInstincts]

Half Life Alyx. Part 3 incoming.

[@GamingInstincts]

@Dank Dose oh how would you know? You've played it ? You realize alyx is a sequel right

[@livingthedream0527]

Came for a pointless theory, left satisfied with a very fulfilling theory

[@CodySpoor]

Indeed I am impressssssed

[@Alex_Mercer_]

So it was half satisfaction while watching the video

[@MrChet407]

Low bar

[@vitalixy3578]

That actually makes A LOT more sense than any other theories ive seen. Thanks! Half Life is and always will be my all time favorite series.

[@mercop1472]

I love your videos on Half-Life. Intelligent and exceptionally well researched. I feel lonely, hardly know a person who plays Half-Life.

[@maxderrat]

Tell me about it. Hardly anybody is going to watch this video, but I did it anyway because I love the games so much. Thanks for your comment!

[@Matthew-di4lv]

you are not the only one with gifts

[@obiwaankenobi4460]

That's all his videos.

[@pokingotaku]

@@maxderrat Watching it now to catch up on Half-Life lore, as the new game is coming out!

[@macdaddy1234]

@@maxderrat With the recent announcement, I'm sure there will be a spike in interest. ;) Excited to see what you have to say about HL: Alex

[@RetrofIex]

Valve doesn’t even know. He is intentionally kept cryptic to make the story and progression infinitely more compelling. Any reveal of the Gman could never live up to the hype. It would probably ruin the mystique of the character

[@GeneralTantzu]

So true, which is why it is so fun to listen to people's theories about him.

[@KizaruB]

To be honest though, where could Half-Life possibly end that wouldn’t reveal who G-Man is? He won’t leave Gordon or the Vances alone, so we must eventually learn what his motive is if the franchise is to progress.

[@_kingfish_4158]

sem here itd be better if they kept gman's identity a mystery ,left for interpretation like them kubrick films or else its gonna be like the patriots reveal in MGS4 ,fans gonna be dissapointed anyway. keeping the patriots a mystery was way more cooler

[@KizaruB]

@@_kingfish_4158 Ew. There’s so much about MGS4 that didn’t age well imo.

[@_kingfish_4158]

yea cuz we wanted more and got more kojima went balls to the wall "heres yer fucking answer to all yer question" sometimes its better to leave some shit unanswered

[@kumo860]

This needs more views; I honestly think this is the best theory available.

[@LANLAMPAN]

yet he stole it from me, i wrote this before the lambda article and this video. In fact i wrote it in the comments of the Matpat Game theory video he referenced in this video so he has seen it.

[@shiroyasha7324]

I agree.

[@nothingissacrosanct]

@@LANLAMPAN he never claimed to create this theory lmao

[@KyllingThyme]

​@@LANLAMPANYou're far from the first one to come up with it, stop being a snowflake.

[@tomsnowden6201]

@@LANLAMPAN”stole it” jfc everyone wants a pat on the back huh?

[@birbohex]

We are Gordon and the G-Man's employers are Valve. Valve is actually ran by a single Philips CDI. We are being played by a Philips CDI. Help they are coming after me I know to much.

[@cygnusfloyd]

If that's the one with the two shitty Zelda games we're fucked.

[@xioracky]

not enough to say too* much

[@spaaaaace8952]

too*

[@jamesmonaghan5199]

Valve put us in stasis for 13 years.

[@davemaverick8438]

no gman is gaben, he puts stuff in stasis

[@gabrieltallent8080]

the question is, who assimilated the advisors. who's the origin point of the combine

[@Karbonic]

Following the theory put forth in this video, I'd say in all likelihood they were a very human like race, not one which particularly stood out, but one which was clever enough to pull off an ever expanding conquest. It would also be somewhat likely that this race was exterminated by the combine, since they may have ended up being not efficient enough for the war machine they created.

[@sntslilhlpr6601]

Could be AI. Would explain their lack of imagination and thus the need to scavenge and assimilate other races in order to progress.

[@-Zakhiel-]

Something so old that there is no real point to ask "who" is the origin point of the combine. Something that has been growing for millions of years, a tyrranical system wich can function with no real leaders. Something that may have started small and snowballed into a machine that can function by itself.

[@rullestaden]

@@sntslilhlpr6601 i like the idea of the combine being an AI. It would be a very good thematic link between half life and portal

[@El_Descarriado]

@@sntslilhlpr6601 Building on that idea, it could be an AI that the Shu'ulathoi developed themselves. They were the architects of their own doom.

[@pedrofromrio645]

This is why he blew up Black Mesa. If Black Mesa still existed, all the local teleportation tech there remained. The combine could easily wipe out the universe.

[@anasshahid224]

That’s a good theory

[@pointcuration1278]

I think Freeman would pick chaotic madness over oppressive order. But that could just be coming from the entire games being a continual thrust into madness. I think Shepard desperately needs a return. Even a repeat "you're sent to kill Freeman and then do other stuff instead" would be great. Shepard fits the bill for what the larvae need; an agent who (mostly) follows orders.

[@MertensHelbelga]

or the combine

[@nfwrambo]

Are you suggesting valve bring him back so he can hunt down the freeman?

[@croma2068]

Hm. At the end of HL1, Freeman gets to choose between death and working for the G-Man's employers. As the sequels confirm, he chooses a life in oppression, probably as an act of self-preservation. Wouldn't you think he'd choose the option that would guarantee humanity's survival, even if it is under the control of a greater power?

[@gliderchucker9644]

@@croma2068 Well, the game has changed since HL1. He's not really in a situation of picking two choices in a tram, one right answer and one wrong answer anymore. He now has the opportunity to fight back at G-Man, Advisors, everyone. And, when he gets done what he has to, he may recognize, or will have already recognized, that the only freedom humanity will have is one without oppression. In other words, ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.

[@Unknown-hb3id]

@@croma2068 Freeman's reasoning may not be entirely selfish in HL1 (the world may never know - he's not exactly a monologuer). There is the possibility that Freeman chose to become a self-aware pawn in a game that somehow involves G-Man because he is the only one besides "the employers" that has a close connection with the G-Man. If Freeman were to choose death in HL1, he would be leaving an unknown entity with insane power to continue doing as he wishes with nobody ever having the possibility of knowing. Meaning that Freeman's employment could actually be to learn and monitor these greater beings.

[@Mrcrappyfuntastic]

Plot twist: when he says "employers", he means valve.

[@agoodz88]

This is actually what I think the devs would answer in the end. They leave it vague on purpose.

[@fredrickvontater5433]

G mans motivation is that the valve programmers told him to do it

[@fredrickvontater5433]

Meta

[@agoodz88]

@@fredrickvontater5433 It actually makes a lot of sense if you pay attention. G-man is pretty much omnipotent but has to abide by restrictions. These restrictions are set by valve.

[@davemaverick8438]

gman is gaben, he puts stuff in stasis

[@JamonDeMarNatural]

The punch line on the end.

[@dioclias]

Not really a punchline, more like an explanation of why the games might be called half life

[@tovopro]

The end of the video was a pun. That is all.

[@Gideon_the_Seraph]

@@tovopro did you watch the first video?

[@slapstickcomedy2.061]

I have that G-man line as my alarm for work.

[@linnealager6146]

slapstick comedy2.0 omg I want that too. Brilliant

[@dioclias]

Which line?

[@lieutenantdennis836]

Rise and shine

[@slapstickcomedy2.061]

@@dioclias rise, and, shine, Mr.freeman rise and......shine.

[@Preda.Y]

NGL when I first watched this vid I thought this was one theory I could actually believe. But then HL Alyx came and showed us two things: 1. The Gman is a being unmoored from time, existing in the past and future simultaneous and aware of both, and able to alter the past because of things that happened in the future: Freeman escaping him in Ep1 leads to Gman setting in motion the events that would imprison Alyx *five years prior*, and acting like Freeman's escape was in the past for him while it was still 5 years into the future. Take a moment to absorb that. G-man perceives time non-lineraly 2. The Employers' interests would be inconvenienced by the removal of the Combine from Earth (even though it's implied he could do it if he was allowed to) Furthermore, Vice's interview with Mike Shapiro brought in an interesting point. In the article, the Vice person compares Gman with Q from Star Trek. Shapiro notes the similarity but also points out one difference. Q was part of a species. The Gman is "singular". The Gman-as-a-mature-advisor was good while it lasted but I don't think it stands in the face of these new details

[@antondavidovic3996]

I like how G-man says he is "authorized" to nudge reality here and there, are his employers the creators of the universe i.e. some angelic or godly beings? I wonder if they're just bored and are playing some inter-universal game of chess to pass the time (or whatever exists outside of time) Time????...

[@sttate]

"The Employers' interests would be inconvenienced by the removal of the Combine from Earth" Because the war with humanity and the Borealis could be important to the destruction of The Combine. And your first point, that doesn't prove that he isn't an adult Advisor. It could be that a mixture of the maturing of their psychic abilities in adulthood and the trading of these 'ideas' the the Advisors do is what grants him those powers. The only problem I have with the theory is how the fuck would they enslave the children of a race of gods any way? The adult Advisors just don't have a problem with their children being taken and enslaved?

[@davids.8509]

@@sttate Or the adult Advisors just dont care

[@nuphhrffe875]

"but only a half life" damn. You just made the best theory about the Gman and also made a really good explanation for the name of the series so effortlessly.

[@siddsen95]

Perhaps the reason we don't have a Half Life 3 is because this chaotic freedom was chosen and by it's very nature, it imploded the universes leading to a state of non existence. Leaving a vacuum that can only be filled with the efforts of other creators who have been immensely influenced by the original builders of The Half Life multiverse.

[@Mini-wd7qz]

They is a half life 3 it’s called half life alyx

[@tropicarls]

My mind has imploded and exploded several times over the course of this video. I feel I have reached super-consciousness, and I pity those who lack the knowledge to withstand this higher state of being.

[@SwirlyTwirl]

In this moment I am wubba lubba dub dubbed

[@ModrunOfficial]

I have reached super-consciousness too, for i am you

[@riseabovehate9476]

lul even I am greatly moved by this video.

[@nfwrambo]

So this is what it feels like to be grub

[@zecaoalfredo4242]

The Carlos Sierra excells at all tasks

[@MrControll]

Let's take it one step further. What if the Nialith was the last surviving example of an advisor in their natural "adult" form. That would explain how it knew something was up with Gman.

[@vinnisvidya]

eat your heart out, game theory edit: i think matpat is a cool guy I just do not like his content very much, i don't think it's terrible content just not my taste personally. mostly leaving this edit because I felt like this comment was a tad bit rude

[@LtSprinkulz]

GT just reaches for the most surface level theory he can scrable into a video before the newest fnaf game becomes irrelevant.

[@AxisChurchDevotee]

He tried at least.

[@AxisChurchDevotee]

Max said that Matpat and other theorist are on the right track so he wasn't that far off.

[@fruitylerlups530]

game theory sucks dick and is annoying

[@plaugeninja1229]

@@fruitylerlups530That's just a theory.. A GAME theory.

[@alextilson9741]

Obviously theres the question of breen saying "Did you know your contract is open to the highest bidder" 2 issues arise from this which is that the combine are aware of the GMan's mission, and that he's also offering services to the combine for a price. I guess the first part of this makes sense, since it was revealed that the GMan was held captive in Half Life Alyx. The Combine are obviously well aware of the GMan and his mission, and are clearly opposed to it. Would also make sense for GMan to be held hostage instead of killed to interrogate him for the location of the hibernating shu'ulathoi and/or scientific advancements in local teleportation. This theory also explains why GMan doesn't want the combine off of Earth. The latter is harder to explain. Perhaps GMan is offering Freeman's services to set up a sort of trap, where the whole reason GMan came to be imprisoned in the first place was by approaching the combine as an expendable diplomat, with it all being a part of his temporally prescient master plan. Hypothetically speaking: make freeman a pain in the ass for the combine to demonstrate his capabilities, offer freeman's services like a trojan horse that they cant refuse (considering Earth is perceptually important for advancements in teleportation technology, they would do anything to win, including accepting GMan's offer). IDK

[@bemlok]

Man, this theory is waaay better than the other ones, because it's has consistency. And even if this isn't the official explanation, IT SHOULD BE.

[@magicoddball1452]

also wanna say that during half life alyx, the advisor actually moves to look at Alyx during the moment G-man freezes time.

[@fish_in_chocolate]

Okay, I came back to this video again and... You may not read this, but this is the peak. Really a PEAK. Your series of videos about Half Life and its plot is absolutely underestimated. Unlike many theories, your incredibly true-like guess is based on real things and details in lore (which many veterans of the series do not even know), which many see incorrectly/misunderstand or do not see at all. Take for example Breengrub tweets: they strongly hint at aspects of lore and clarify, complement many points, and with the release of Half-Life Alyx, many of these things were indirectly confirmed, but people in the fandom miss this important information, even from a former writer. In my opinion, you are "digging" in these videos in the right direction and you formulate exactly what the creators intended. I would like to say "bravo" for your excellent understanding of these games and your well-done reasearch, your videos are a masterpiece

[@christiangottsacker6932]

Since middle school I've been the biggest HL guy I know. Researching it in great detail any moment I could, playing all of them religiously however I could. You and marphitimusblackimus are the two other biggest HL information vessels I know of besides myself, and I am so proud to have watched both of your story videos. Thank you for taking the time to upload this. It might not be cannon, but the mysteries of this game are like real life, larger and more impossible to grasp than water in a lake.

[@ShakeWelBe4Opening]

_This theory is breathtaking_ -Wow! ＴＲＡＮＳＧＲＵＢＩＳＭ

[@Lukas-hb5be]

Who would win: • Entire interdimensional army Or • One science boi with metal stick

[@snatcher2592]

correction: • One science boi and his strange employer

[@KizaruB]

Correction: science boi who not only has G-Man but also plot armor since he’s the protagonist

[@Pitchaxistheorem]

@@KizaruB science armor

[@michamichalski7907]

A right man in the wrong place can make all the difference in the world.

[@dynestis2875]

Shut the fuck up virgin.

[@manafro2714]

this is the best theory I've heard of! Thanks man, your theory makes all pieces fall into place :)

[@maxderrat]

Thanks so much, mate!!! :D

[@unknownowoptimista9856]

In the Spanish version of Half Life Nihiland says “Eres humano ¡Él no lo es!”. It means “You are human, he is not” That makes things even clearer.

[@Splintmat]

Damn that was good. I've first played Half Life 1 at 9 yrs old, and been fascinated by this universe ever since, almost obsessed. What you bring on the table here is great! Explains a lot and i didnt even know Marc Laidlaw had that BreenGrub account with those breadcrumbs. Remember what GMan tells Gordon at the beginning of HL2: "The right man at the wrong place can make all the difference in the world"

[@torque9889]

That was a fantastic summary and I got chills at the closing statement. Well done max!

[@sorlag110]

I really like this theory but I don't think it's quite right. Please considering reading this comment because I spent an uncomfortably long time on the toilet writing this: There is some quotes that to me hints G-man is a contractor of much higher caliber than both the Combine and the Shu'ulathoi. And much more cold blooded. He is not playing for sides at all but rather for profits and what he calls Alyx: "investments". He makes sure things happen and is probably paid both by the combine and their worst enemies; for his services rather than his loyalty. This is why Gordon, after signed to G-man, is only activated when needed, for what G-man likes to call "offers". The main quote that makes me think this is Breen saying to Gordon "did you realize your contract was open to the highest bidder", implying Gordon and by extention G-man works for bidders rather than sides, and that Gordon is working for some very powerful high bidding spieces at the time. Then there is the part in Episode 2 where Gordon has let G-man use Alyx as a messenger to tell her father about "unforseen consequences". A threat to Eli being humanity's closest ally with the Vortigaunts who has at that point been hindering G-man's communication with his employee Gordon. Eli as you will remember, is ambushed and killed shortly after getting the message from Alyx (RIP...), hinting that G-man sold out Eli to the Combine. The location of the Borealis and Mossman too probably. "Unforseen consequences" referring to the Black Mesa incident probably means something bad will happen once the Combine gets hold of the Borealis. I think something in the lines of that G-man signed a deal to make it happen, and Gordon helping to launch the nuke was a distraction while the Combine was busy closing in on the Borealis. So to conclude I don't think G-man takes any sides or is personally involved in any alien wars, or belongs to any spieces we've gotten to know about. He is in contact with the highest bidders and offers them the right people in the wrong places who can do their and his dirty work, whatever the consequences.

[@sunilrajwar3975]

Mind=blown

[@carlosmatos13]

this is it boys, holy fuck

[@innsj6369]

Perhaps that's the reason why the GMan doesn't seem quite 100% normal. Perhaps the hatching process was not perfect, and there were small errors with the human body that the GMan Shu-Ulathoi chose. In other words, the human body is incredibly complex and it's understandable that a Shu-Ulathoi would not be able to replicate one exactly.

[@ClaudiuB]

Alexandre Fyne you mean as our universe was created by imperfectly fusing matter with antimatter? We’re only remains of that imperfectly fusion/knocking after all...

[@immacat515]

I know this was published two years ago, but seriously this is insanely well put together and makes me love the Half-Life series even more. Thank you for these videos. They are awesome!

[@jooperino]

Now that I've finished HL Alyx, I have to say your analysis/theories are the most sensible out there, and seem to be closest to what the writers intended! And to think you made these before the game came out. However, the ending of that game might give another meaning to "the right man in the wrong place" quote.

[@timmitytom]

There was never a second where this video lost my attention or comprehension. I look forward to watching the rest of your content!

[@sneezewax3567]

10:22 This is a very interesting point which brings the theme of every faction being controlled by something else full circle. The combine were likely humanlike but did not have the individuality of humans, which gave them great potential. The All Knowing Vortigaunt seems to believe it's possible for humans to achieve a human version of vortessense which would allow them to possibly be as strong as the Combine yet they do not achieve this because the combine control them.

[@TheBestWanderbug]

I love how much you can tell about G-Man just from hearing him He staggers in his speech, you can't tell what tone he's trying to get across, and that doesn't seem intentional. To me it tells you that he must not speak much outside of his job, he keeps to himself, but when he needs to speak it can be difficult.

[@realspacegiraffe]

I'm so confused about why this does not have millions of views yet. It is so interesting.

[@gabrielburgosrodrigues7156]

I started watching your videos back on the Metal Gear 2 simulation theory video and loved almost all your videos! (on a side note: the Asperger's Syndrome ones are really good too!) keep up the good work and greetings from Brazil! (on another side note: apologies for the bad gramar, english is clearly not my main language)

[@maxderrat]

I love when people from other countries apologize for their English yet their English is pretty much perfect. :P

[@yondertf2]

This is the most concise and well developed theory I've come across to date, and I've been a HL fan for half my life (pun very much intended but perhaps not very well executed lmfao), and I got goosebumps. Your brain is operating on some sort of new level my dude.

[@KaCeTheProducer]

This was a fantastic analysis! Great job man. I just played through HL 1 for the first time since a kid and had so many questions. This brought up a ton of stuff I never even thought about with this series

[@tihy9s168]

Very fascinating! Good video man!

[@ballyk4065]

This is simply one of the most amazing analysis videos on half life I've ever seen.

[@maew150]

Honestly this is the most amazing and seemingly accurate theory I can see and fits so well with all the in and out of game lore. Bravo sir for this fine piece of work. Here's to Valve continuing the series so we can gain grater insight.

[@dextergrif1052]

Fantastic videos. Well researched, well spoken, and gets to the heart of why I love Half-Life. Great work.

[@Fanunic]

Oh my god, this is the best bit of Half-Life theory I have ever seen. Ever since I saw Game Theory's "who is G-Man" video, I felt like it was such a cop out, and I never really believed that theory was correct. After watching this, however -- wow. This is the kind of theory video I've been looking for for literally years. I can't wait to see what Half-Life: Alyx has in store for us, especially concerning the G-Man. Fantastic job.

[@mitchl6896]

Great video, but I have a few issues. If G Man is a hatched Shu’ulothoi, how does he have the ability to teleport? You already said that the Combine don’t have this ability or knowledge, hence their wish to pursue the Borealis and so on. In fact, how does he have the ability to stop time as well? These are not traits that the Combine Advisors are known for. Is he able to do this because he is hatched and “free” from control of the Combine? Or because he knows some esoteric knowledge from Black Mesa? Also why would he deliver the crystal to Black Mesa that causes the Resonance Cascade? To make the Combine vulnerable?

[@grahamiest]

Mitch L the combine did not get all of Shu’ulothois since some are in cryosleep locked away somewhere safe. Because of this the Combine weren’t able to obtain that info that some of the Shu’ulothois may have. That’s most likely why Gman nuked Black Mesa so the Combine wouldn’t learn teleportation from there, and why Eli is afraid of the Combine finding the Borealis. The Combine has pretty much been cock blocked at every opportunity to learn teleportation

[@DonkeyWork420]

I think what's going on is that there are pretty my too major factions, the Combine and the shulu'thoi. The combine having the greater military might but the shulu'thoi being far more intelligent obviously, which would mean advisors are just captured shulu'thoi and converted to the combine forces, the shulu'thoi are in hiding because even tho a hatched one might be super over powered and all mighty, if the combine even get ahold of one that is hatched then the combine win flat out, so gman is the only one that is not in cryosleep just to be discreet. What the g-man is probably doing throughout the games is probably just orchestrating rebellions withing combine controlled worlds, and also spreading them thin which is why he lead them to earth's dimension. The g-man is ensuring a decisive victory in this way, once the combine are weak enough by having deal with constant rebellion the rest of the shulu'thoi will most likely come out of hiding and deliver the killing blow, that's just my theory anyway

[@soldierforchrist631]

Good theory. Thanks for sharing.

[@key-reel]

We should be more gentle to tardigrades. I wonder if the were the inspiration behind the Shu'ulathoi.

[@stevonico]

G-Man is Robert Lutece from Bioshock

[@beuman0]

Best Half Life video I've ever seen. But being free doesn't imply chaos. May the Freeman breaks the chains that enslave us and prevents us from living a Full-Life

[@enterbalak]

Man will never be 'Full Life'... we are only capable of Half life. We can't stop time, teleport or change appearance when we birth..

[@oki1823]

My theory was always that Gman was an advisor due to the very similar abilities they both possess but that was about it. But yea, you explained it far better than me.

[@catm4403]

What an amazing presentation. I agree with almost everything here except the idea that freedom has to be chaotic. It seems it is engraved inside of us after decades of ideological subversion that freedom means violence and chaos while it is the Order that perpetuate act of violence when you look around. The greatest acts of chaos are made by the biggest governments, not by a free individual. Free individuals help each others out "Don't do unto others what you don't want done unto you" being the most accurate mantra. It's order-followers, drown into a statism state, that blindly obey orders which often leads to violence and control over others. Even in the world of HL2, the Civil Protection units are human, not alien. I find it so sad that a series like Call of Duty gets sequels every year while the Half-Life series has been shredded into the abyss by Valve. I hope I am wrong and they are still, somehow, trying to make it happen.

[@disparuetderetour5230]

Freedom means you can do whatever you want. "Don't do unto others what you don't want done unto you" ?? *Are you imposing this rule on me ?* See, that's why freedom is chaotic. Go back to the very definitions of Chaos and Order. Order means that things happen according to one will. Chaos means confusion. So several different wills clashing with each others. This is why freedom always resolves in violence. Freedom is the possibility for a will to be applied. Chaos is the result if different wills clash. Freedom of different wills, somewhere, somehow, sometime, results in the clash of these wills. So chaos. That's where violence happens. Freedom always ends up in chaos and violence. It may not be soon, it may not be next to you but it will, at one point in time. That's why Freedom is a constant battle, a balance. Order, on its part, is one will applied. It's like the freedom of one will only. If you had your only will applied in a specific area, there would be Order. Get it, now ? Being a hippie doesn't change anything. Your utopy cannot be as it is driven by emotion, your desire to feel good and not guilty of imposing anything on anyone. It is not driven by reason. That's why ancient generations didn't let women gain power : only a very few of them actually can make decision in a mature and reasoned way. It can be seen as sad but that's how it is. As sad as seeing your very cute little cat torturing an even smaller mouse. Your feelings don't rule reality and never will.

[@beuman0]

Cat M couldn't agree more. You nailed it perfectly, as you said, only organized authoritarian Empire/Governments could lead to the worst catastrophe/wars we ever had. Some people, like DisparuEtdeRetour in the comment section, lives a Half Life (that's the definition of a slave) as he refutes the truth told by our own history many times before. Some others believes in freedom, and will do anything to "follow Freeman".

[@disparuetderetour5230]

@@beuman0 You have no idea what lack of order triggers ? You have no idea how painful our existence would be ? Thank the governments you insult for your drinking water and electricity. In France, we only rebuilt the country fast enough after WWII because the State was operationnal and willing to grant a decent house and civilisation to everyone. Be grateful, bitter spoiled child.

[@EccentricSingularityMergs]

DisparuEtDeRetour I think there exists a pejorative association with order, as the imposed one will is so often abrasive with the outskirts of society and is thus labeled as oppressive (I understand this is a gross oversimplification of the diversity of government, but brevity in mind of the platform seems appropriate). There hasn’t been ‘perfect’ order in the history of our race, and neither has there been a peaceful freedom. Any organizational system (which would include a laisez-fair approach, “freedom”) will always succumb to the enormous forces generated of free will. In my opinion, of course.

[@beuman0]

@@disparuetderetour5230 1) Freedom and order are both compatible : This happened in Spain between 1936 and 1939 for example, and many other time in the past before some governments came and fucked everything up. Those organized governments were : USA, Soviet, and Nazis. They helped dictator Franco and attacked all together the free anarchist of Spain. What happened in 1939 when they defeated the anarchist ? They started WW2, attacking each other like sick enraged dogs. And that what most big governments are : enraged dogs 2) I don't care about how France was rebuilt, I care about how European government fucked themselves first during WW2 3) I don't need a government to get clean water and electricity (and those companies dealing with that tends more and more to be privately owned). In fact governments, through corruption, mess everything up. Just look at how France underground water reserves got fucked up due to government doing EVERYTHING to impose farmers practicing low quality highly intensive farm, so they have to buy a huge supply of toxic fertilizer making Monsanto pretty happy. Those farmer were on strike around Paris few days ago 4) WW1, WW2, Napoleonic wars, the USSR, etc... all this shit is the only responsibility of big governments, not the people. I you don't understand that, there's no need for me to continue this conversation

[@senilodemenzi5739]

Well done, Sir! This is the most intriguing theory about G-man. I honestly felt the urge to give you standing ovations after watching this. I had very similiar thoughts about him. I also prefer to call him a cosmic bureaucrat. I didn't know about Breencrub so your conclusion never came to my mind, but now it makes perfectly sense. I imagined him as combine agent who went rogue after the events of HL1, because he is holding some kind of grudge against them. He used Earth as bait for Nihilanth, and after conquering Xen and fullfilling his assignment he realized that humanity hold potential to fight the combine, so he used humanity as a bait for an even bigger fish. Something the combine would choke on.

[@dantegoat8568]

it'd be ironic if a guy named freeman chose oppressive order, i think he's the representation of not only humanity's strength, intelligence and will, but also an individual's desire for complete freedom

[@KizaruB]

If we ever got an explanation for G-Man, having G-Man being directly related to the Combine like this is the only explanation I’d accept.

[@DoctorPotassium]

Hopefully Half Life: Alyx can elaborate for us.

[@-Zakhiel-]

I hope not, because I will never play it :/

[@lukelcs8934]

@@-Zakhiel- You know, you could always watch a video if your can't play the game, due to hardware, or motion sickness.

[@-Zakhiel-]

@@lukelcs8934 I prefer to play video games ...

[@SuperFranzs]

@@-Zakhiel- It is a video game.

[@-Zakhiel-]

@@SuperFranzs Yes. And I prefer to play them instead of watch them.

[@CrustaceanJames1]

you sir, have opened my mother fucking eyes. I love this series 10x more than I ever have now that you have put so many puzzle pieces together

[@TobeasJ]

Very interesting videos. This runs deeper than I realized.

[@dontworryhouston]

This is the best Half Life video I've ever seen

[@the_real_Kurt_Yarish]

To add fuel to this theory, note the form of the Advisor "grubs" before they are modified by Combine technology. Bi-symmetrical body plan. Large cranium. Four stubby, vestigial limbs that display the beginnings of digits. The distended torso. It all looks rather... fetal, doesn't it? Like an ultrasound imagine of a developing child. The use of the word "grub" to describe these is a loaded one. It brings to mind bloated, squishy insectoids. But the Advisor "grubs" aren't called that because that's what they necessarily are, but because that's what they come to resemble. They are "grubs" only in so much that they are developing creatures. Their ultimate form could very well be something far from what resembles a "grub".

[@Dertres]

Who can invent teleportation first? A Scientific alien race with a culture surrounding science and philosophy or a mad man rambling about lemons with moon rocks and a small team

[@simmansu]

Это не телепорация. Снаряд поратльной пушки летит с дозвуковой скоростью. Это очень медленно в масштабах вселенной.

[@splitzerx570]

I’ve never played the game or watched gameplay, but just by hearing what you have to say has got me interested in this game

[@glassjaw2007]

This are masterful insights, thank you!

[@thebutchernassa8384]

The end was mind blowing.

[@ryadramirez4948]

my god everything makes sense now You, sir, deserve a badge.

[@darkySp]

When you know that Shu'ulathoi can shape their own bodies when hatching, makes this theory really make sense. And i mean, the pieces just fit. The only thing i didn't manage to understand is: Why would the Shu'ulathoi want to overthrow The Combine, when they're in control ? I missed something.

[@grandwizardautismo]

The Advisors (shu’ulathoi co-opted by combine) are members of the species corrupted or lured into joining the combine. The breengrub says that some shu’ulathoi went into hibernation to avoid being used for combine information. G-Man works with shu’ulathoi that are opposite of the combine

[@alexanderjakubowski5673]

That would makes sense. Narratively, It mirrors the conflict on earth. It would be pretty interesting if that's the case.

[@TheDakine911]

@@grandwizardautismo I’m pretty sure he said they’re used as host bodies. Assimilated and then taken control of

[@SilvyReacts]

Another great video. This actually brought up some information I didn't know about. Specifically that twitter account.

[@TurUwU]

I love this so much. The other theories/analysis videos kinda feel the same. But you dig deep. Really enjoyable.

[@rikingg5629]

honestly what sells this theory so much for me is the "the right man in the wrong place can make the world of difference" line. at least to me, it legit made no sense until now, thank you so much

[@drk90009]

actually i now realise why valve refused to make hl3. they accidentally created a very complicated universe (ppl are still speculating over it today) and not just a game but a philosophical field. at the point where hl2 ep2 finished there is not much left to add to the universe of hl by a small group of people. it became something that every other human can complete by thinking over it.

[@grandwizardautismo]

God i love the deep lore of half life. The combine and all the weird unearthly shit is so fucking cool. After alyx, i hope the next game is a DEEP dive into more of this.

[@bluey4605]

I fucking love it that you challenged Game Theory's theory haha.. up until now I was onboard with the game theory theory.. this is the best channel on KZbin for me right now haha

[@damonnugent1993]

Interesting points. I think Gman is a hatched Shu,ulathoi too. Though something extra to think about. Did the Shu,ulathoi meddle with affairs related to Aperture Science? i can't help but see uncanny similarities between the host bodies and GLaDOS, entrapped personalities, consciousness repository, etc.

[@RedSighted]

This is the most believable theory about the G Man I have seen and will be accepting it as my new head cannon until further notice. Thank you for all your great content!

[@DementedView]

Hey thank you for putting together a straight to the point theory and doing it in a manner that felt intellectually stimulating.

[@steverico3090]

Remember GMan said he "learned to ignore naysayers" (employers) when talking about saving Alyx as a baby from Black Mesa. His employers sound like baby cacoons to me.

[@thomaslaw7813]

An excellent theory. Freeman and the G man both have Green eyes that means something maybe a clue I don't know what significance this has but I feel it means something

[@liligloo]

You got it! That’s what it is. He is a awaken advisor.

[@cjcodes]

this makes way more sense than the nihilanth theory

[@krisstasko]

Hope you do a follow up to this given the events in HLA.

[@MannFace51]

Dude, I know what Alyx is gonna be about Her dad knew some crazy shit, probably about teleportation, or some other information that would bring about the demise of the hatchlings, humanity, or possibly the eventual end of the universe. The shahulathoi AND combine both know this, and so, knew they must kill Eli. This is also why we must once again protect Eli. We will most likely find out what he knows, and it’ll describe the prophecy that will eventually be HL3

[@enterbalak]

Sir, grab yourself another drink because you're on the money!

[@Skycoder13]

Cool theory, too bad it didn't hold up in Half life Alyx. o7

[@ryanesqq]

it’s sad that the game theory has way more views but this one clearly goes way more in depth and makes more sense . keep up the good work , loved the video.

[@chase_h.01]

If Gman is a shu'ulathoi, why do the Vortigaunts reject him? Wherever the Combine initially came from is still unknown, but the Vortigaunts were enslaved by the Nihlanth, and then both enslaved by Combine once they came to Xen, as were the shu'ulathoi when the Combine came to take their scientific knowledge. Surely not all of them agreed to join the Combine (possibly the Gman and his employers). But then the contradiction is you would think the Vorts and freed shu'ulathoi would have a mutual goal in taking back the freedom of their respective species'... My second question is how did the Advisors become the master race of the Combine, if the shu'ulathoi were not the originators, but were in fact a species invaded BY the Combine?

[@somerandombub]

I see the combine as a force of nature that simply does everything it can to keep expanding and getting better, just because it can. The shu'ulathoi were chosen as the "master race" of the combine because their intelligence made the combine more effective.

[@raaaaaaaaaam496]

I think the shu’ulathoi are trying to take over the Combine. We don’t know if they actually are the master race of the combine. We have them on a computer screen talking to Breen but 1.its a larvae 2. Why would they let breen become one of the master race 3. It could be possible breen is working with them to free themselves from the combine. It’s also possible that whatever the combine is consumed them at a primitive state so even though they are incredibly advanced now. they are still forced to do the bidding of the combine but are able to rebel through G-Man.

[@pocketpick3984]

U know your theory makes perfect sense Even when you look at how the G man looks he looks like a corporal guy You know with the suit and the case Because this is how a typical human being in an office looks like

[@TheDivineCallingofJesusChrist]

Agreed, kinda reminds me of Men in Black.

[@SalamiMommie]

I think gman's employer's always being unknown is what really makes the experience special. We know in half-life that its not just a universe, but a multiverse. So the idea that all of the conflict between humanity, vortigaunts, combines, etc... are just an "asset" to greater employers on an ever-grander scale is really what gives the series its mystique. Like maybe the combine are just treated as a nuisance by a larger multidimensional organization still, and the gman is only on earth to preserve it as an asset.

[@tjeskoba6302]

10:46 This says everything , you'll never know the truth because half life 3 will never be finished

[@eldafint]

Sure about that?

[@zorrunamenteinefables5702]

you were never so glad to be wrong lmao

[@eldafint]

@Weyland Punani Yes but it's no longer set in stone

[@Sigurther]

I'm pretty sure you've hit the nail on the head with this one. It all makes sense, it all falls into place.

[@ArtificialVik]

Christ did not escape death, he conquered it.

[@anasshahid224]

The G-Man is my all time favorite video game antagonist, Valve truly created a unique character, his appearance, the way he addresses Gordon Freeman, all done in a sinister way, his charisma, mystery, everything about the character is truly unlike anything else in gaming. The fact that the original Half-Life is 25 years old now and we still don’t know who exactly the G-Man is, so many countless theories yet still a mystery, simply remarkable writing by Valve. 👏👏👏

[@ncar-ul6wd]

I like this theory. I still have some nagging questions though. If Gordon Freeman's services were up for tender ("to the highest bidder"), then how does G-Man as a hatched Shualothoi fit into that picture? Who were the potential bidders?

[@vwhyv6462]

Extraordinary quality in this video. Lovely

[@mvnkycheez]

This is an extremely fascinating theory - I love it. However, after reading all the Breengrub tweets, I can't help but notice that Breen gives specific mention to the fact that hatched Shu'ulathoi are supposedly pretty much mindless drones with only the purpose to mate. Now this may also not contradict your theory, since the "cell shaping" process could theoretically include giving the hatched Shu'ulathoi a functional brain and the ability to follow orders? For all we know, the G-Man could be a Shu'ulathoi with an incredibly stunted intelligence, despite coming across as vastly intelligent to us humans.

[@MrMekishiko]

Literally in the last 5 days I've been OBSESSED with Half Life lore and such after beating Black Mesa. This video blew my fucking cheeks off. Off to the next video thanks man. This was awesome.

[@michaelfixedsys7463]

"Builders of unseen worlds" This phrase reminds me of your fourth wall interpretation of the vortigaunt's monolouge. But this would expand upon it. This would break the fifth wall, the barrier between creator and creation. And possibly the sixth, between creator and audience... Adrien being sealed away may have been lightly tapping on the sixth wall, sealing a character away is marginally less dissatisfying than an unavoidable defeat after all.

[@advanced2780]

Earth was always a battleground in every form humans will fight

[@peterkohl1321]

Thanks for this, I just realized I am still in love with Alyx, I just made her my computer wallpaper so I can see her everyday, best game ever made!

[@leviconley1886]

Love the video and i have to agree your theory defiantly holds water or substance so it could be the truth about Gman or maybe not thats the fun thing about gman you just never know. anyhow i hope you are doing well and remember its always a good idea to prepare for unforeseen consequences .

[@MrAdam802]

This is brilliant, thank you.

[@shiwamsingroul1367]

Ah, yes, the hello friends messages from the breen grub , providing crucial information about the friendly nature of the species.