G-Man

G-Man

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Updated Oct 09, 2020 at 04:39PM EDT by Philipp.

Added Nov 28, 2009 at 09:18AM EST by CubeJackal.

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About

G-Man is a recurring supporting character in the Half-Life video game series known for his peculiar behavior and mannerisms. A pale tall man dressed in a suit and carrying a briefcase, G-Man appears in the critical moments of the game and acts as a mysterious overseer who acts behind the curtains, nudging the main protagonist Gordon Freeman towards certain goals. Online, G-Man has been a popular subject of memes, fanart and fan theories.

Origin

On November 19th, 1998, first-person shooter video game Half-Life was released by Valve.[1] At certain points throughout the game, a mysterious man in a suit and carrying a briefcase can be seen walking through Black Mesa facilities and observing the actions of the main protagonist of the series Gordon Freeman. In the final scene of the game, the man approaches Freeman, claiming that he represents certain government employees, and offer Freeman a job.

G-Man (short for "governmant man") appears in all major future installations of the Half-Life series including Half-Life: Opposing Force, Half-Life 2, Half-Life 2: Episode One, Half-Life 2: Episode Two and Half-Life: Alyx, acting as an enigmatic person overseeing and controlling the game events from behind the scenes (compilation shown below).



Rise and shine, Mr. Freeman.

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.
The borderworld, Xen, is in our control for the time being, thanks to you. Quite a nasty piece of work you managed over there. I am impressed.
That’s why I’m here, Mr. Freeman. I have recommended your services to my employers, and they have authorized me to offer you a job. They agree with me that you have limitless potential.
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 anticlimax, after what you’ve just survived.
Time to choose.

So, Corporal Shephard, 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 Black Mesa facility, but I think that's finally taken care of itself…
Quite so.
But there is still the lingering matter of witnesses. I admit 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.
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 to somewhere where you can do no possible harm, and where no harm can come to you. I'm sure you can imagine there are worse alternatives.

Rise and shine, Mr. 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, Mr. Freeman. Wake up and smell the ashes.

…time, Dr. Freeman? Is it really that time again? It seems as if you only just arrived.
You've done a great deal in a small timespan. 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.
Rather than offer you the illusion of free choice, I will take the liberty of choosing for you…if and when your time comes around again.
I do apologize for what must seem to you an arbitrary imposition, Dr. Freeman. I trust it will all make sense to you in the course of…well… I'm really not at liberty to say.
In the meantime…This is where I get off.

Doctor Freeman. I realize this moment may not be the most convenient for a heart-to-heart, but I had to wait until your friends were otherwise occupied. Hm.
There was a time they cared nothing for Miss Vance… When their only experience of humanity was a crowbar coming at them down a steel corridor.
When I plucked her from Black Mesa, I acted in the face of objections that she was a mere child and of no practical use to anyone. I have learned to ignore such naysayers when quelling them was out of the question. [breathing]
Still, I am not one to squander my investments… and I remain confident she was worth far more than the initial…appraisal.
That's why I must now extract from you some small repayment owed for your own survival. See her safely to White Forest, Doctor Freeman. [breathing] I wish I could do more than keep an eye on you, but I have agreed to abide by certain… restrictions.
Mmm. Well… Now… Listen carefully, my dear. When you see your father, relay these words: "Prepare for unforeseen consequences."

Impressive work, Ms. Vance.
Gordon… Freeman? [Chuckles] Ms Vance. You wouldn't need all that to imprison Gordon Freeman.
Perhaps what I am is not as important as what I can offer you in exchange for coming all this way.
Some believe the fate of our worlds is inflexible. My employers disagree. They authorize me to… nudge things in a particular direction from time to time. What would YOU want nudged, Ms. Vance?
Ahhh. That would be a considerably large nudge. Too large, given the interests of my employers. What if I could offer you something you don't know you want?
We are in the future. This is the moment where you watch your father die. Unless…Unless you were to take matters into your own hands.
Release your father, Ms. Vance. Good. As a consequence of your action, this entity will continue. And this entity will not.
You ARE aware that you've proven yourself to be of extraordinary value. A previous hire has been unable -- or unwilling -- to perform the tasks laid before him. We have struggled to find a suitable replacement. Until now.
I'm afraid you misunderstand the situation, Ms. Vance.


G-Man is voiced by American voice actor Michael Shapiro.

Spread

The character gained particular popularity online following the release of the 2004 video game Half-Life 2 which opens and ends with G-Man's speeches. A number of lines said by G-Man, such as "Rise and shine, Mr. Freeman", "Wake up, Mr. Freeman. Wake up and smell the ashes" have often been quoted online in various contexts, including use as snowclones.


REBECCA DDO DLES RISE AND SHINE MR. SQUARE PANTS, RISE AND SHINE. Rise and shine, Mr. Hayto. Rise and shine.

G-Man's model gained particular popularity among the players of the physics sandbox game_Garry's Mod_, particularly due to his awkward faceposing.[2] On August 2nd, 2007, YouTube[3] user Alan Chung posted "Ways to Kill G-Man," one of the earliest viral Garry's Mod videos centered around the character. The video accumulated over 2.8 million views in 13 years (shown below, left). During the height of the game's popularity in early 2010s, G-Man made appearances in a large amount of Garry's Mod videos uploaded to YouTube (example shown below, right).



On August 15th, 2017, The Game Theorists released a fan theory about G-Man which received over 5.7 million views in three years.[4]

In late November 2019, a Nice Cock image macro based on a still image of G-Man in the Half-Life: Alyx trailer was widely circulated online (shown below).[5]


HEY BUDDY NICE C---

The trailer and the subsequent release of the game on March 23rd, 2020, prompted a moderate influx of memes based on the character, with animator CoreyLaddo being a major driving force behind the popularity of G-Man memes in 2020.

Various Examples



Rise and Shine, Mr Freeman, rise and shine

Search Interest

External References

[1] Wikipedia – G-Man

[2] Garry's Mod Wiki – G-Man

[3] YouTube – 101 Ways to Kill G-Man

[4] YouTube – Game Theory: Gaming's Biggest Mystery SOLVED! | Half Life G MAN Theory

[5] Reddit – thanks gordan freeman,

Recent Videos 17 total

Recent Images 62 total


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