Poll: Half-life 2: Episode 3: The Escapist's reader theories

[L4Y Duke]

Well, I'm sure we all have our theories about what will happen in Episode 3 of the Half-life 2 series, so let's hear them.

I've also put a poll asking you who you think will be the ending boss.

Alyx Vance - Perhaps Valve will take a page out of the Bioshock book and make the final boss someone you know and trust. Plus, it'd be a great plot twist to make Alyx the boss, unless it's just something as simple as a Headcrabbed Alyx.

GLaDOS - Well, Valve said that there would be a Portal character in Episode 3, so why not have GLaDOS as the final boss, huh?

Some big squidgy Combine thing - Pretty self-explanitory. One of the more likely options, and a safe option story-wise.

G-Man - This guy has had a butt-whooping coming his way for a while now. If you bump him off, perhaps Gordon can finally have his freedom.

Ben "Yahtzee" Crosshaw (?) - There has to be some reason Valve invited him over several weeks ago...

That new guy from Episode 2 - As Yahtzee pointed out, introducing a new character at this stage is rather suspicious...

Barney Calhoun - Same reason as Alyx, really.

Someone else/No ending boss - Well, they might have a different character as the final boss. Perhaps Eli, Dr. Breen or even Dr. Mossman? Or, perhaps, they might forego the final boss altogether?

 

[LordOmnit]

Bull squids. They will finally make their return, I just know it.
(Ha ha, yeah right...)

 

[I3ucky]

i don't doubt there will be an end boss to episode 3, however i really hope there won't be.

 

[blackadvent]

In a nice little twist- You fight Adrian Shepard and Chell at first, only to realize that you're on the same side. The final boss ends up being GLaDOS!

 

[Ros Lai]

NO! God they just need to go over to the next Half-Life. Like seriously, all they do with each installment of Halflife, is grab a piece of string, cut it into a few parts, and walk away telling you to figure the magic trick out. Jackasses...

It's better than waiting 23 million years until Half-life 3 comes out. Anyone remember how long we had to wait for 2? Almost achieved Prey status there.

 

[shadow skill]

I dunno frankly I think the whole episodic thing is just a scam. I just get the feeling that Episodes 1-3 were parts of HL2 that they cut out for whatever reason. At worst they should simply be a part of HL3.

 

[PurpleRain]

GLaDOS - Well, Valve said that there would be a Portal character in Episode 3, so why not have GLaDOS as the final boss, huh?

I think she will be in the game but as the ships AI computer or something. Nothing too special, she delivers a few lines and everyone goes apeshit over how good it was (me included)

That new guy from Episode 2 - As Yahtzee pointed out, introducing a new character at this stage is rather suspicious...

Nah, he was in HL1. I think he's the guy that tells you to go down into the test chamber. Will he may be new and all improved, I think he was supposed to be your friend in the 1st one.

And I would hate it if either Alyx or barney turned out to be the bad guy. I would shoot myself in the hand so I may never play another game again.

 

[Knight Templar]

yesh that alyx choise, nobodys going to take it. and call me a nerd but that headcrab thig is literaly too hard to think about

 

[The Irrelevant Gamer]

The only choice that makes sense is some big, squidgy combine thing.

Alyx a headcrab zombie? Don't say things like that! Having to turn on her, or Barney would really suck.

 

[jaisimar_chelsea]

i think gman will put gordon in another statis

 

[DrmChsr0]

You're all wrong.

The final boss is Yahtzee, and his allegiance-forming boiled water robots.

Oh, and the only way to defeat him is via the use of the Portal Gun. You have to Portal into his head. And throw cakes and kitties in his imagination for no good reason.

 

[Frybird]

Headcrabbed Alyx? Now that would be a plottwist to remember!

But i think it's gonna be the overlord of the flying Combine thingies IF EP3 will be the End of the HL2 Story cycle.

The G-Man will remain for future Games, and i just hope they do not add GLaDoS into the Game.
She (?) is awesome, but i want to have Half Life as serious as it is, adding a more..."funny" character could destroy the atmosphere.

 

[Lance Icarus]

It's gotta be Yahtzee. Also, you don't beat him. He just kills you. The End. Alyx goes on to star in HL3.

In all seriousness, I think it will be the person who escaped Apeture Labs before the person from Portal. Come on, someone had to scribble all those handy notes for you to follow.

The coolest thing I think can happen though would be that G-Man once again tries to stop time and send you to another Godforsaken universe, but you use the Portal gun to find a way out and escape the G-Man the same way you escaped GLaDoS before you met her in the last battle. It would be a unique experience, jumping through the flimsy reality that is Halflife.

 

[L4Y Duke]

You're right. If I had to fight an Alyx Zombie or Barney Zombie, it'd just be too painful.

Though, if the new guy got headcrabbed...

 

[misterk]

Alyx an enemy? I severly doubt it, and it would be hugely bad taste to make her a final boss. Put it this way- I'm not entirely sure I'd be willing to kill Alyx at this point......

As for a concluding fight? Hmm, well episode one had a strider, and two had a horde of striders with hunters, so.... even more striders? Heh, I suspect a combine adviser might be making an appearance. Perhaps the portal gun could be used to kill the bastards.

 

[Scypemonk]

Somehow i think that the advisors (the wormy combine brain-things), would be a final boss, you think because when you kill it, more of them come, like prey.

And then you find G-man, comig towards you. He takes his head off, and shows to have been barney all the time, with a headcrab on top.

You kill him, Alyx is happy, and tries to make mad passionate love with you, when she realises you still have the suit on, and the game ends.

Really though, i think its Mossman. DOUBLE BETRAYL.

 

[Melaisis]

Another Strider?

But nah. I think its most likely to be an Advisor (Breen's comeback) or G-man. The former for interlinking all of the episodes together (Breen and the Advisors make an appearance in all three. And Valve set this up with Breen's ambiguous talks of a host body. Besides, if Alyx, Dog and Gordon all survived the Citadel exploding, he probably did). The latter for, as someone else has previously said, so Gordon can finally claim his independence and lead a 'normal' life.

I think Mossman may end up in double-betrayal; but only for her own purposes. Especially if the Borealis holds an infinite amount of secrets which she may be tempted by (after all, the good doctor is still a scientist. Think Kleiner's enthusiasm to get out there, times by a million). She has a habit of avoiding death (from 'betraying' the Resistance, to then going against the Combine), but who says she did survive the Hunter attack?

I don't think Alyx will turn into an enemy of any kind (even zombie), unless Valve head down the really tragic ending route. But what would be the point of developing the character over three episodes just to kill her off at the very end? Sure, they did this with [Spoiler, here, although you've probably all played Ep.2 anyway] Eli [End spoiler] to show the might of the Advisors and provide a bit of plot advancement (Kleiner/Magnasson now head of the Resistance?). But would they continue the theme with his daughter? I doubt it. Wouldn't be surprised if Gordon was killed to save her, though. Prevents a direct sequel, at least.

GLaD? Nah. I think Portal is too small of a tie-in to make her the ultimate foe. If anything, I believe she will be more of an indirect ally. Notice how, in "Still Alive", her tone and lyrics are hardly malicious? Especially considering you and her have been toe-to-toe for the past one and a half hours of playtime. She tried to protect Chell from the Combine influence (Or so she hints). If so, then our favourite AI and the devourers of the planet may not exactly see eye to eye. Do I think she'll try and defend the Borealis? No. Personally I think GLaD cares nothing for Aperture property, but rather their subjects (i.e, Chell) instead. In fact, I don't even think we will see GlaDOS fully incarnate ever again. She may be 'still alive'; but what has she got? The remaining 'eyes' in storage, watching over the cake, at the end of Portal? If anything, we'll encounter one of these aboard the ship and it'll serve as some sort of comic relief/utter spoilergram for Aperture. The end.

As for Barney? I've never seen him on the front lines since his actions in Episode One. If he resumes command of the Resistance, then he certainly won't be in any vulnerable position (although the same could be said of his predecessor at White Forest) to be killed off. However, he may end up being one of the losses in the 'final battle' (if one even takes place).

 

[L4Y Duke]

Yeah, perhaps I should have added Dr. Breen as one of the poll options. It does seem likely after what Melaisis has pointed out that Valve would bring him 'back'.