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(The G-Man fanlisting)

 

The Sightings

The Raison d'etre of the G-Man is seemingly to simply appear. He brings a remarkable air of intrigue to the game by appearing unaffected by the catastrophes that surround him: he's there, but you'll be damned if you can work out why exactly...

(This list was compiled from a mix of experience and memory, cross-referenced with various walkthroughs. Though mostly my work, I still must adknowledge the brilliant Half-Life2 G-Man section at hlfallout)

An Extra Special Big Thank You to Polaris ( ), who is responsible for most of the HL, Opposing Force and Blue Shift G-Man Screenshots. Also, to Loke, responsible for the exceedingly rare Half-Life: Decay screenshot which completes the set of Black Mesa era G-Man sightings)

Half-Life

#1 Black Mesa Inbound
The first appearance of the mysterious suited man is on a train parallel to your own shortly before arriving at the Anomalous Materials lab.

#2 Anomalous Materials
Circumnavigate the central computer room on the first level and you'll find a room with two people behind the bullet-proof room where a Scientist later has a face-off with a headcrab. One of these is the Suited Man, and he appears to be having an argument with the scientist there...

#3 Unforeseen Consequences
After your first encounter with the Houndeyes, the suited man appears above you on a walkway heading towards... a zombie and a dead end!

#4 Office Complex
After meeting up with a group of Barneys imploring you to "get topside", the G-Man can be seen straightening his tie behind a red door.

#5 We've got Hostiles
In an L-Shaped corridor with a particularly nasty slippery floor and laser-trigger trap, you come across two scientists pinned down and unable to move. In the far distance beyond them, a suited man stands on a walkway...

#6 Power Up
Look left when entering the turntable chamber where the Gargantua is administering the smackdown to the Marines - the G-Man can be seen as a spectator in the Turntable control room.

#7 Apprehension
When you first enter the "Piston" room (infested with Bullsquids), the suited man can be seen on the far side on a walkway.

#8 Lambda Complex
The G-Man can be seen walking into a portal in a headcrab infested room in the Lambda complex.

#9 Nihlianth
With the Nihlianth slain, Gordon is teleported to an undefined location on Xen where he finally comes face to face with the Man he has been chasing for so long...

Half-Life: Opposing Force

#1 The Manual, "March 3rd"
The first G-Man sighting isn't actually in the game - there are a number of them in the manual! The first goes as follows: "There has been this really weird civie spotted at the base. Rumour has it he's from some government branch looking to recruit; others say he's with some secret research group. I would jump at the chance to join. It would be cool just for the change and the adventure."

#2 The Manual, "March 7th"
"I finally saw the government guy today. I'm not sure he is a g-man, but he was wearing a really uptight suit and carrying a briefcase. He looked more like a lawyer or insurance agent to me. I did notice him checking me out. Several times throughout the day I spotted him just watching me during training. I wonder what he's up to..."

#3 Boot Camp
Nope, still not in the game yet! When running across the courtyard with the soldier doing press-ups on the way to training, look up and to your right - the Suited Man can be seen in a window.

#4 Welcome to Black Mesa
The suited Man can be seen conversing with a Security Guard, through a door just after the Nasty Room of Laser Death(TM)

#5 Welcome to Black Mesa
The Suited Man can be seen operating a Panel to save you from the rising Toxic Sludge. It is impossible to catch him up and show him your gratitude...

#6 "We are pulling out"
Having done you a favour, the Suited Man has you repay it by locking you out of the Helipad. He peers through and walks off. No escape for you then...

#7 Pit Worm's Nest
When dropping into the Star Wars brand waste compactor at the beginning of the chapter, the Suited Man can be seen above, in the control room.

#8 Foxtrot Uniform
When emerging out onto the Dam, look left to see the Suited Man standing on the unreachable Dam control tower.

#9 The Package
After defusing the Black Op's bomb, go inside the Security Guard's hideout. Before descending down the lift to the warehouse, look left through the bullet-proof glass: the Suited Man is bent over the bomb, and there is no way to stop him...

#10 Worlds Collide
The G-Man delivers his final face to face speech with the player aboard an Osprey heading towards... somewhere, or nowhere....

Half-Life2

#1 Point Insertion
The first sighting is obviously the Suited Man's appearance in front of you at the beginning of the game, hinting at what is to come.

#2 Red Letter Day
The monitor in the corner by the HEV suit can be cycled through with the use key ('e'). One of the cameras shows the Suited Man passing through a combine checkpoint completely unharmed and unnoticed...

#3 Route Kanal
When dropping into the box-car with a Man and his Vortiguant pal, look carefully at the Television which the Vortiguant is powering - you can see the Suited Man on it!

#4 Water Hazard
When approaching the first resistance outpost downstream from the shanty town (the Red-Barn), use your Zoom function ('z') and you can see a familiar figure...

#5 Water Hazard
On your way downstream, you come across a Block of Flats in the distance with a large but defective "Breenscreen" on the side. One of the montage of fuzzy images on this screen is the G-Man

#6 Water Hazard
When entering the industrial section downstream from where you get the Airboat upgrade, keep an eye out for the suited man on a walkway above you (this is shortly upstream from the spooky outpost with the windchimes.)

#7 Water Hazard
After taking down the helicopter, get on the hill with the Helipad and use your zoom in the direction of the Dam controls to see the suited Man observing you from afar...

#8 We don't go to Ravenholm
After exiting the mines, follow the traintracks as far as they will go. Find a gap in the train carriages and you'll be able to see the suited man walking beyond, towards a tunnel.

#9 Highway 17
At the first Combine outpost on the coastal road, a soldier can be found looking into a pair of binoculars mounted on the window sill, looking out over the bay. Have a look through them yourself ('e'), and see Resistance leader Cubbage chatting with someone familiar...

#10 Nova Prospekt
On the first of the square monitors you find, one of the camera angles available shows the G-Man walking around completely undisturbed by the Antlion invasion going on around him...

#11 Anti-Citizen One
After Dog completely pwns a squad of combines, an APC and a Dropship, enter the tenement and hear some strange music. Follow the sound and find an unplugged TV transmitting an image of the Suited Man on a boat with a crow on his shoulder. After a few seconds, it turns itself off.

#12 Anti-Citizen One
In the trainstation square, the G-Man can be glimpsed in a similar fashion to sighting #5 - on a malfunctioning screen being pulled down by the resistance fighters.

#13 Dark Energy
Just as the Citadel's core erupts it all stops: time freezes and the G-Man delivers his closing speech.

Other Canonical Sightings

Blue Shift
In the chapter "Insecurity", the G-Man passes you as you wait for a bridge over a body of water, shortly before the disaster

Decay
 The G-Man can be seen in a parallel lift to your own at the beginning of the game.

Half-Life2 Episode One

The G-Man appears from the White Door, is interrupted by the chanting of Vortiguants, and trapped behind their Aura whilst Gordon is allowed to escape.

Non-Canonical Sightings

Uplink
The player crawls into a lab where a Gargantua is on a rampage. The Suited Man can be seen on the other side of the room before walking away.

Team Fortress 2

No kidding. It's in a leaflet bundled with Sierra's 1999-2000 UK releases, though there are two versions, one of which lacks a TF2 preview (I found mine in a box for superb 3D RTS Homeworld). Team Fortress 2: Brotherhood of Arms appears on the fifth page sporting a now hilariously optimisitic "coming 2000" release date and a handful of ye-olde shots.

In the top right is a screenshot featuring the G-Man, flanked by two cronies, standing in front of a Half-Life Apache. Whilst clearly the credibility of this promotional screenshot is minimal, it's interesting to speculate whether TF2 was once intended to tie in with the Half-Life universe (unlikely now that the game has re-emerged as something quite different)

 

See also the Media links in the far right column of this page for Promo material featuring the G-Man

Speculative Sightings

Ghostly G-Man?

James speculates that at the end of We don't go to Ravenholm (HL2), a very faint G-Man can be seen as Alyx speaks on a small TV. However, due to the nature of this extremely faint image, on an already disturbed screen, it is impossible to determine whether this is the G-Man or simply Alyx's outline. As a texture based sighting (like #5 and #12), this cannot be verified by finding the "set" from which the image is "broadcast" (which can be found by no-clipping around the map). As such this sighting will not be an official sighting, just a merely "speculative sighting". At least until I see compelling evidence from Valve itself.

 

The Quotes

After his habit of randomly appearing, the G-Man's speeches are the most memorable element of the character. They feel strangely rewarding to hear, despite often answering little and being quite abstract. They are further enhanced by some great voice work that gives him some very strange speech features, as if English isn't his first language...

Half-Life

With the Nihlianth in its death throes, Gordon loses consciousness. He comes to somewhere on Xen on what almost appears like an elevator of some sort. The Suited Man is opposite him. He Speaks:

"Gordon Freeman, in the flesh - or rather, in the Hazard Suit - I took the liberty of relieving you of your weapons: most of them were government property... as for the suit; I think you've earned it."

A flash and they are both transported to what appears to be a battlefield on Xen. The wrecks of a Tank and Fighter place litter the oddly sandy landscape - it's almost as if Earth has come to Xen...

"The Border World, Xen, is in our control - for the time being - thanks to you. Quite a nasty piece of work you've managed over there, I am impressed."

Another Flash. They now stand in another Xen landscape which arches above them. In the distance, some kind of Xen flocking bird can be seen.

"That's why I'm here, Mister Freeman: I have recommended your services to my... employers. And they have authorised me to offer you a job. They agree with me that you have limitless... potential."

Another Flash; They're now both in what appears to be the Tram from the beginning of the game, though it is seemingly flying through space...

"You've proved yourself a decisive man, so I don't expect you'll have any trouble deciding what to do. If you're interested, just step into the portal and I will take that as a 'yes'. Otherwise... well... I can offer you a battle you have no chance of winning; rather an anti-climax after what you've just survived."

The door of the tram opens and the Suited Man urges Gordon inside. Rather than refusing the offer ("Well, it looks like we won't be working together"), Gordon enters the Portal:

"Wisely done Mister Freeman! I Will see you up ahead..."

Hear it!

Half-Life Opposing Force

After a violent battle with the gene-worm, Shepherd is knocked unconscious. He comes to onboard a Military Osprey, flying near Black Mesa. The Suited Man is with him.

"So, Corporal Sheppard, we meet at last. Please don't think that I've been avoiding you - a great many matters require my attention in these... troubled times; I do hope you understand. And now I require a further indulgence on your part. I cannot close my report until every loose end has been tied up. The biggest embarrassment has been the Black Mesa facility but I think that's finally taken care of itself."

 The Screen whites out. The Black Op's "package" has exploded, wiping the Facility off the map.

"Quite so."

A Flash - all of a sudden, the Osprey is no longer flying over New Mexico. Pieces of land float outside the helicopter. This is Xen.

"But there is still the lingering matter of witnesses. I admit that I have a fascination with those who adapt and survive against all odds: they rather remind me of myself. If for no other reason, I have argued to preserve you, for a time."

Another flash, and this time the Osprey is seemingly in space.

"While I believe a civil servant like yourself understands the importance of... discretion, my employers are not quite so trusting, and rather than continually subject you to the irresistible human temptation of telling all, we have decided to... convey you somewhere you can do no possible harm, and where no harm can come to you. I'm sure you can imagine there are worse alternatives."

The Cockpit cabin opens: there is a portal within. The Suited Man disappears into it and Shepherd is left alone, floating in the void...

Hear it!

Half-Life2

Gordon has been suspended in the void for an indeterminate time. Half-Life2 opens with the G-Man's amazingly rendered face filling the screen. He speaks abstractly of what is to come whilst images of locations familiar and alien appear in the background.

Rise and Shine Mister Freeman... Rise and... Shine. 

Not that I wish to imply you have been sleeping on the job... No-one is more deserving of a rest. And all the effort in the world would have gone to waste until... Well, Let's just say: your hour has come again. 

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

So... Wake up, Mister Freeman... Wake up and smell the ashes."

The Suited Man zooms off into the distance as a Train materialises around Gordon. The blast of the Engine's horn is heard as the train pulls into an unknown station...

Hear it!

*The events of Half-Life2 happen*

After launching singularities into the Dark Energy reactor atop the Citadel, Alyx rushes out to Gordon. As the reactor grows visibly unstable, Alyx implores Gordon to get moving. Maybe they still have T...

"Time, Doctor Freeman? Is it really that time again? 

The Reactor has exploded, but Time has seemingly stopped completely. The G-Man materialises, walking an invisible path from the direction of the massive but static explosion.

It seems as though you only just arrived. You've done a great deal in a small time... span. You've done so well, in fact, that I've received some interesting offers for your services. Ordinarily, I wouldn't contemplate them, but these are extraordinary times, Hmm?

Rather than offer you the illusion of free choice, I will take the liberty of choosing for you... if and when your time comes round again.

I do apologise for what must seem to you an arbitrary imposition, Doctor Freeman; I trust it will make sense in the course of...

...well, I'm really not at liberty to say.

In the meantime, this is where I get off."

Gordon, now back in void-like storage sees the G-Man walk out through a pure-white door. He disappears and the rectangle of light closes.

Hear it!

Half-Life2 Episode One

As Episode One opens, the Vortiguants use their mysterious powers to recover Alyx from the top of the Citadel. Then we see the G-Man walk out of the pure-white door and appears to be about to address Gordon. He is distracted and visibly worried by some bizarre alien chanting; The camera pans out and we see a ring of Vortiguants casting some kind of field upon the G-Man. He violently adjusts his tie and scowls:

"We'll see... about that!"

Vortiguants close in upon Gordon and free him from the G-Man's influence.

Hear it!

Speculation - additional speeches(?)

The second Half-Life G-Man sighting is accompanied by muffled conversation. Technically, these words are attributed to the G-Man, but the fact that they were never really meant to be heard and that the Half-Life story is in constant flux mean that the words may not technically be cannon anymore. Also, these are interpretations as to what is said - the sound files aren't very clear!

"We should not let the system commence." 

"My employers don't agree!" 

"You're a scientist, and a fraud." 

"If I had wondered why I'd chosen him, I would certainly..." (The end of this sentence fades into inaudibility).

Hear it!

The Scientist in this conversation responds with "I have told you a hundred times, I am opposed to pushing the equipment beyond safe levels"

Also of interest, though not actually the G-Man's words are phrases said by the Nihlianth that are thought to refer to the G-Man:

"You are man...he is not man...for you he waits...for you..."

"Deceive you... he'll deceive you"

(Thank you Doubtitself! [ ])

Alternatively, Ríomhaire suggests that this last line should is in fact 

"Deceive you... will deceive you"

Hear it!

(thanks Loke!)

The Links

Official

First Stop: the official Half-Life sites.

http://www.half-life.com/

The official Half-Life website. Like most official games websites, it's rarely updated and filled with minimal content. Worth a look nonetheless.

http://www.steampowered.com/

Website for Steam, Valve's Software delivery system. All of Valve's software catalogue can be purchased and downloaded via steam. Steam is required in order to play any valve game online.

http://www.valvesoftware.com/

Website of Valve Software, developers of the Half-Life series and its associated assets.

http://www.gearboxsoftware.com/

Website of Gearbox Software, developers of the Half-Life expansion packs and the Playstation 2 version of Half-Life. Seemingly no longer involved in Half-Life development, they pursue their own projects.

Fansites

The Half-Life series is all about community. In addition to the modification community, there is a great wealth of Fan-Made websites, often with excellent community forums.

http://www.halflife2.net/

A brilliant Half-Life news site. Excellent news coverage (especially for Mods) and forums. Quite weak on information about the games.

http://www.hlfallout.net/

Another great Half-Life source. News and Forums are good, but the brilliant stuff is found in the extensive walkthrough / guide sections.

http://www.planethalflife.com/

One of the longer-established Half-Life Fansites. Perhaps not as on the ball as it once was, but still well worth a look.

Media

Below are some links to great G-Man related movies.

link

A music video for Breaking Benjamin's "So Cold", made entirely within the Source engine. Featuring the G-Man singing the lyrics.

link

A Rather less serious video compilation of g-man gifs from the "wonderful time" fad over at ytmnd.com . See G-Man completely out of context spinning on his office chair, attempting suicide and chair racing Dr Breen among over weirdness!

link

This is the Introduction Movie to Half-Life2, shown at E3 2004. Primarily, it showcases the Facial technologies in the Source Engine, but you get most of the G-Man's opening speech into the bargain.

link

This is the first movie shown of Half-Life2 at E3 2003. It opens by contrasting the old G-Man with the New one, and goes on to demonstrate lip-synching (See/Hear the G-Man speak Chinese!) and all the other things that make HL2 characters special.

link

This extremely short movie played after the "Striders" video in the E3 2003 Half-Life2 presentation and has a teeny extra bit of G-Man dialogue.

the kupoartistry

http://www.kupoartist.eclipse.co.uk/

kupoartist's website, including various thingies.

http://www.kupoartist.eclipse.co.uk/illustrated/

Fanlist for Final Fantasy VI's illustrated girl, Relm Arrowny

http://www.kupoartist.eclipse.co.uk/puppeteer/

Fanlist for System Shock's AI Puppeteer, SHODAN

http://www.kupoartist.eclipse.co.uk/foreverloyal/

Fanlist for the Red Elk, Yakkuru from the Anime movie, Mononoke Hime

http://www.kupoartist.eclipse.co.uk/turna/

Fanlist for the Anime series, "Turn-A" Gundam

http://www.kupoartist.eclipse.co.uk/emma/

Fanlist for the Anime character Emma Sheen, from the Anime series / movie series, Zeta Gundam.

 

 

arbitrary imposition is part of the kupoartistry network and is approved by thefanlistings.org.  The layout was created by , but I claim no ownership over the images used to construct it: please bare in mind that this site took many hours for me to construct, so please do not use anything from this site without my prior permission! I do not own the G-Man or Half-Life in any way or form; these are the intellectual properties of  Valve Software.