"Mission Critical Personnel"

[pomegranate]

Okay, so most people know that if Barney or Alyx are killed in the game, you get the message which is something like

"Subject: Freeman. Mission Failed. Subject Failed To Preserve Mission Critical Personnel".

Today this made me think:
If Barney and Alyx have to survive for Gordon to achieve his mission, doesn't this suggest that the G-Man (as it is he who assigns Gordon's mission) would not allow them to die in the Citadel explosion? Or am I reading into it in the wrong way - perhaps it would have been okay for them to die at a later point, e.g. Barney after the Shield Generators had been taken down.

Perhaps the G-Man's priorities (and Gordons mission objectives) changed either after
1) Gordon defeated (?) Breen, or
2) the G-Man agreed to supply Gordon to another contractor, as he mentioned at the end

any thoughts?
oh, I realise that the whole Mission Critical Personnel thing is ultimately just a fix so that the story can carry on the way it is meant to, but all the same...

[Blakeb155]

It probably doesn't have anything to do with much of the mythology. Its just so Barney and Alyx can open doors for you. They might not be "Mission critical personnel" anymore after the citadal explosion so the G-man lets them die.

[The Monkey]

I doubt that Barney died. He had lots of time to get out of the way.

[MarcoPollo]

alyx died though...caz she doesn't have her magical vest!

[Hazar]

I think they'll be back, whether or not the gman helped

[Angry Lawyer]

Nahh. Laidlaw's writing style is aimed at older folks. Heroes die. There's nothing you can do about it.

-Angry Lawyer

[pomegranate]

Nahh. Laidlaw's writing style is aimed at older folks. Heroes die. There's nothing you can do about it.

??? I'm not talking about the narrative style or dramatic effects, or looking for get-outs for Alyx surviving.
What I'm trying to talk about is the significance of the 'Critical Personnel' messages in understanding the G-Man and the importance of Alyx and Barney to him.

[Jintor]

It's funny though, because even though Alyx is about 20ft away from the explosion, she goes in to look at it closer, then says "maybe we can -"

Funny how life wants to survive, you think?

[Sieg]

I just hope Alyx surives,she will add some extra spice to HL3.

[Samon]

They left themselves open, Marc Laidlaw confirmed this when replying to my email. They left it open so they could decide to bring them back, or just kill them off.

I'm hoping they will bring Breen back. Amazing character.

[Blakeb155]

I hope Breen returns as well. You never physically see him die, he just sits at the bottom of the portal. Maybe he was added to G-man's "To Save" list.

[MarcoPollo]

naw ^^^ hes a coward and a liar, there would be no need for him in G mans Half life menagerie.

[ríomhaire]

They made it so you don't know if Alyx, Barney and Breen are dead. They may not have decided yet even!

Damn you They!!!

[half lunatic]

I don't want Alyx to die.I have come up with an idea of how Alyx will survive here it is: DOG appears out of nowhere and saves Alyx some how.

[Samon]

I hope Breen returns as well. You never physically see him die, he just sits at the bottom of the portal. Maybe he was added to G-man's "To Save" list.

Something tells me, he'd be the last on the list ;)

[ShadowX]

Theres someone else in the citidel you guys never talk about. Eli, he is very critical to the game, who knows what may happen to him.

[pomegranate]

Theres someone else in the citidel you guys never talk about. Eli, he is very critical to the game, who knows what may happen to him.

Good point. I'd guess Mossman would've had some way of getting him out of there quickly, maybe she had enough influence to command some Combine soldiers to pilot one of those wierd helicopters out of there...

[Black Ops4]

I agree that Eli is very important because, along with Kleiner, he was working on teleportation technologies that the Combine wanted. The Combine may be able to conquer worlds, but their teleporters suck!

*ahem*

Breen may have escaped, perhaps teleporting away just as the thingy exploded. I somehow get the feeling that we might see him again, perhaps he did get wounded or didn't end up where he intended on going. Mossman may have lived too, though she isn't as popular as the rest her role in HL2 is quite important.

Anyway, I think the only real reason for the 'Mission Critical Personnel' message is to prevent players from getting trapped when characters crucial to progression through the levels or the storyline get killed.

[bboymatty]

the game cant run specially if barney or alyx is needed to open a door like the water machine to kleiners lab.

who cares if mossman dies! i dont!