Works: http://archiveofourown.org/users/Stoob/works
Despite my crossover starting there (as much as there is a start in such dimension hopping tales), wasn't sure what I had to say about this particular universe when I started, I just went with the flow of how I thought the characters might react to each other and their curious scenarios. It turns out that the HL/Portal scenes have been very enjoyable to write and I've been playing for laughs a lot. Well, where GLaDOS is, there's humour let's face it. In-jokes abound, friendships with Companion Cubes, mute protagonist gags, berating AIs, endearing gun turrets, Aperture vs Black Mesa, there's lots to play with.
Giving voice to Gordon and Chell (both mute protagonists in their franchises) provides almost endless free reign. I'm playing Gordon pretty much as 'straight man' to a facetious Chell. Well after all the incessant goading by GLaDOS and generally everything she went through at Aperture, she has to have become more cynical. How many quips has she stored up that she never said to GLaDOS, how much resentment has all that goading created? Chell has never said.
Initially, I'd intended that Chell joins Gordon in his fight against the Combine, but I didn't think there was much for my personal musings going down that route. Action is not one of my strong points, I don't mind admitting weaknesses. I'm not a narrative kind of a guy, I prefer writing the interaction of characters through dialogue. I suppose to some extent, my musings are more akin to a screenplay in that regard. So I thought, what if Gordon and Chell have to go down to Aperture instead? It gives me a chance to play with GLaDOS, widely regarded as one of the best 'villains' of any game, though I'd say it goes further afield than that. That obviously gives me the chance for some GLaDOS/Chell fun. She might not be tainted by Caroline any more but from Portal 2, GLaDOS' sarcasm and facetiousness seemed to be there long before they added the human element, still being present in her voice after Caroline is 'deleted'.
Quick note on Caroline, as I've obviously been deep in the tales recently. It has been said around the web that inside the Companion Cube might be a person, widely accepted as Doug Rattmann due to his obsession with the friendly weight. What if his obsession was because of what was already inside his personal Cube? To wit: Caroline. There must have been her corpse to dispose of after her consciousness was transferred to GLaDOS (or she survived the process and was killed afterwards anyway by neuro-toxin like the rest) and perhaps he was the one that did it, somehow in his delusions (diagnosed schizophrenic) choosing the heart adorned Companion Cube to house the unfortunate woman, like a respectful but curious coffin. The Cube is even tossed out at the end of Portal 2 by GLaDOS , possibly to say 'And take your mother with you!'
GLaDOS' voice is acted by Ellen McLain but there's a lot of 'auto-tune' added to give a computer emulated feel. At times even when giving threats or insults, she stays in 'facility announcement' mode, giving her tone a more sinister edge, at other times she berates but with all the warmth of a doting mother, It's a curious and fun mix to play with I will say.
Although I've said it above, that GLaDOS is a villain well done, SHODAN from the System Shock series is a far, far darker and more chilling affair. They're both condescending AIs but with very different motivations and character. As another character in my crossover, I'll go over thoughts on SHODAN in a future blog.
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