GLaDOS

"You know what my days used to be like? I just tested. Nobody murdered me, or put me in a potato, or fed me to birds. I had a pretty good life. But then you showed up. You dangerous, mute, lunatic. So you know what? You win. Just go."

- GLaDOS

GLaDOS (Genetic Lifeform and Disk Operating System) is the sentient computer system managing the Aperture Laboratories, the guide of the Aperture Science computer-aided Enrichment Center, and the main antagonist of Portal. She resumes her antagonistic status during the first half of the singleplayer campaign in Portal 2, but later becomes an ally when Wheatley takes over the laboratories. In the game;s cooperative campaign, she is the guide and instructor for ATLAS and P-body.

Background


The earliest known appearance of the name "GLaDOS" is in 1982, where version 1.07, and later 1.07a and 1.09, is operating Aperture Science's Enrichment Center Test Subject Application Process. The precise relation between this version of GLaDOS and the one appearing in Portal is unknown. Aperture also started using a bulletin board system in 1973, which was later managed by GLaDOS as late as 1997.

In 1986, while Aperture Science was working on the 'Portal' project, one of Cave Johnson's dying wishes, they learned of Black Mesa's work on a similar portal technology. In response to this, construction of the first Genetic Lifeform and Disk Operating System (GLaDOS) began in the Aperture Laboratories with the aim of accelerating the 'Portal' project, and beat their rival company. In 1996, after a decade spent bringing the Disk Operating System parts to a state of more or less basic functionality, work began on the Genetic Lifeform component. During that time, the Aperture Science Red Phone plan was implemented in case GLaDOS appeared to become sentient and godlike, requiring an employee to sit by a red phone on a desk in GLaDOS chamber's entrance hall. In 1997, GLaDOS's version was 3.11.

Prior to May 200-, GLaDOS was activated several times by the Aperture technicians, but was rapidly turned off again, due to attempting to kill them in a sixteenth of a picosecond after activation.

In May 200-, the untested AI of GLaDOS was finally completed and was activated for the first time as one of the planned activities on Aperture's first annual bring-your-daughter-to-work day. Within one picosecond of activation, GLaDOS became self-aware, and two picoseconds later, she locked down the entire facility, trapping all inside, and began a permanent testing cycle, aiming to beat Black Mesa in the race for the portal technology. She effectively loses this race however, as the Black Mesa Incident occurs mere days later, which in turn diverted all attention from rescuing the trapped Aperture employees.

In order to quell the rebelling scientists, GLaDOS flooded the Enrichment Center with a deadly neurotoxin. Survivors of this attack subsequently fitted GLaDOS with a Morality Core, which lessened her murderous intentions and prevented her from releasing more neurotoxins. GLaDOS's testing continued through the years, and the number of surviving employees dwindled.

Portal


Some time after her takeover of Aperture Laboratories and shortly after the Combine invasion of Earth, she awakens Chell from some sort of stasis pod in a Relaxation Vault, speaking to her as if she is just a mandatory Test Subject. Chell is released from the vault through a portal, and begins to progress through a series of Test Chambers, utilizing the completed Aperture Science Handheld Portal Device, with GLaDOS constantly monitoring her progress with security cameras. The chambers show signs of decay and neglect, and GLaDOS shows signs of instability. Throughout the tests, GLaDOS continues to act like everything is perfectly mandatory, giving apparently scripted responses. Despite this, she lets slip several phrases to suggest otherwise, and sometimes malfunctions in the middle of sentences (also showing that she is programmed to speak in other languages, such as Spanish, using machinery translation). She also continuously promises that cake and grief counseling will be available at the conclusion of the test.

When Chell eventually makes it to Test Chamber 16, GLaDOS informs her that the appropriate chamber has been replaced with a live fire course designed for Military Androids, simply wishing Chell the best of luck and letting her into the chamber, where she is met with Aperture Science Sentry Turrets for the first time. It is in this chamber that Chell discovers a hidden alcove in the wall, where desperate messages were scribbled on the walls by former Aperture employee Doug Rattmann, who seemed to have gone slightly mad while being trapped in the facility. The most prominent message, "the cake is a lie", is written several times. Chell then proceeds to the next chamber, where GLaDOS introduces her to the Companion Cube, which Chell must carry through the chamber. She once again finds messages from Rattmann, who seems to have become insanely attached to his Companion Cube, and grieved over its "death", and was outlandish towards GLaDOS's comments about it. At the end of the Chamber, Chell's Cube meets the same fate when she is forced to incinerate it in an Aperture Science Emergency Intelligence Incinerator in order to proceed. According to GLaDOS, Chell "euthanized" her Cube more quickly than any other Test Subject, something GLaDOS feels calls for congratulations.



At the conclusion of the test, Chell travels on an Aperture Science Unstationary Scaffold away from the final Test Chamber. But instead of the constantly promised cake, the young woman is met with an incinerator, which GLaDOS calmly states will not damage the ASHPD. Using the weapon, she narrowly escapes certain death. It is here that GLaDOS reveals her true nature, stuttering on the word "I", before trying to convince Chell that this was all part of the test. Chell ignores her, and journeys through the maintenance areas. Throughout the decaying and neglected maintenance areas, Chell is constantly trying to be convinced by GLaDOS to return to the testing area, through the use of the Aperture Science Speaker System. With hints and scribblings by Rattmann guiding her along the right path, after constant admonishment from GLaDOS, as well as a massive Sentry Gun ambush, Chell finally finds herself in GLaDOS's main control room, where the A.I. has been sitting alone for months. GLaDOS then attempts to deploy a "surprise" to eliminate Chell, but ends up accidentally detaching her Morality Core, which Chell promptly incinerates.



GLaDOS, now free of her morality, begins to flood the Enrichment Center with neurotoxins as she did before. She notes that the Morality Core must have had some ancillary responsibilities, and that she cannot shut off the Rocket Sentry in her control room. Chell uses this to her advantage, and uses portals to redirect the rockets back at GLaDOS, detaching and incinerating her Personality Cores one by one. As the battle continues, GLaDOS mocks Chell and tries to make her feel bad about herself. She also makes a comment apparently regarding the Combine invasion, stating that she was "the only one standing between us and them", which implies that she was keeping the Combine from entering the facility. Before the neurotoxins can kill her, Chell destroys GLaDOS who is apparently sucked through a portal to the outside with parts of her generator. Chell is also dragged with her, and she ends up among GLaDOS's remains on the parking lot in front of the Aperture labs entrance, only to be taken back inside into stasis by the Party Escort Bot.

Despite GLaDOS's apparent destruction however, only a part of her is destroyed. She reactivates a room full of Personality Cores and re-captures Aperture Laboratories, filing a letter to Chell, telling her that she is still alive and "not even angry" at her, but not before extinguishing a candle on the cake, which was not a lie after all.

Portal 2


During the centuries after Chell is put back into stasis by the Party Associate, GLaDOS and her Personality Cores take control of the Enrichment Center once more, which is heavily damaged after the explosion created by GLaDOS's partial destruction.

When Chell is finally awakened by Wheatley, the two make their way across the facility in an attempt to escape. GLaDOS does not reveal herself at first however, and waits until the two are on an elevator, before overriding the controls, causing them to descend. Chell and Wheatley are forced into the remains of GLaDOS's control room, where they come across the A.I. once more. GLaDOS is extremely bitter towards Chell for "murdering" her, but wants to repair their "relationship" for the good of science. GLaDOS then forces Chell to complete more tests through the Enrichment Center, but is also trying to keep the damaged building stable at the same time, often reluctantly allowing Chell to navigate through the maintenance areas to proceed.

However, Chell and Wheatley managed to escape and sabotage her turret production, as well as destroying the neurotoxin filter. Once they got to her new chamber, they conducted a core transfer, with Wheatley as the replacement core. Unfortunately for GLaDOS, the transfer was a success and her own processor was instead transferred to a low-power potato battery. The process didn't take long, but also did not guarantee that Wheatley would be corruption-free. Wheatley got corrupted and threw Chell and GLaDOS out to forgotten areas of the facility. While Chell traversed underground, GLaDOS had a bit of an ordeal with a crow that kidnapped her for food. Once Chell got to her, she installed (stabbed) GLaDOS to a claw on her Portal Gun. This allowed GLaDOS to accompany Chell through a testing area made by Cave Johnson, as well as gaining an additional half-volt to think rationally. It is here where GLaDOS is surprisingly seen not as an antagonist. Through pre-recorded messages by Johnson, GLaDOS had an episode of nostalgia, trying to remember her former self.

After witnessing what Wheatley had done to the facility, GLaDOS made attempts to make plans to return her potato body to her original body. Knowing that Wheatley's inexperienced system would soon bring them to their doom, GLaDOS formulated plans while Chell traversed through new testing chambers made by Wheatley, as GLaDOS stockpiled some old testing areas as "mementos". As GLaDOS and Chell perform more torturous tests, Wheatley finally brings it upon himself to kill the two himself, destroying parts of the building in the process. Finally, they got to Wheatley's chamber, where Chell and Wheatley take on it for a head-on battle while GLaDOS delivers corrupt cores in order to force another core transfer. After placing three corrupt cores, a core transfer sequence was ready to take place, but Chell cannot do so as Wheatley rigged the Substitute Stalemate button, placing a bomb in the room. As the chamber gets destroyed, the ceiling opens to reveal the moon. With no other choice, Chell fires at the moon. Space decompression sucks them in as GLaDOS completes a transfer. Chell and Wheatley hang on to each other, prompting GLaDOS to throw Wheatley out, and take Chell in.

GLaDOS returns to her original body and wakes Chell up, accompanied with ATLAS and P-body. GLaDOS deletes her former self's brain data and made a choice not to kill Chell, but instead to throw her out of the facility, making sure to remind Chell to never return. GLaDOS guides ATLAS and P-Body through the new testing areas, too. She's not killed in the singleplayer campaign, as evidenced by the fact that the co-op campaign takes place after the singleplayer campaign.

Appearance



 * GLaDOS is stored in a large octagonal chamber set within Aperture Laboratories, reminiscent of Half-Life's Test Lab C-33/a in Black Mesa's Sector C, where the Anti-Mass Spectrometer is found. In the small lobby area of the chamber connected to the rest of the facility with a door and a Material Emancipation Grid, the Aperture Science Red Phone is located next to four "pillars" (according to the model name). Under a concealed door, a Rocket Sentry is kept, seemingly for security, and numerous monitor screens line the walls and encircle GLaDOS. An Emergency Intelligence Incinerator is also present, for unknown use, and can be opened from a switch located in a small "bunker" (as said in its model name).


 * GLaDOS's components themselves are suspended from the ceiling in the center of the chamber, and make up all of the chamber's height:


 * The topmost component is a large, dark disc attached to the bright ceiling. It is the start of GLaDOS's generator running until her "body" (according to the model name).


 * Right underneath is a cylinder with grooves connected to the metal walls with large pipes. The walls are filled with bright rectangular holes. All the cables starting below arrive there.


 * Under is a smaller barrel-like device covered with panels, and also connected to the walls with large pipes. A few panels are missing and show the circuits underneath.


 * Then the walls are in concrete from there to the ground, and GLaDOS's four discs are found. The The Orange Box Prima Guide states that the discs "represent each aspect" of her Personality Cores, which may mean that one disk is connected to one core, the same going for all the others. Right below the discs is a transparent maintenance platform where the Intelligence Core is sent during GLaDOS's partial destruction. How it is accessed is unknown. The two discs from the edges are covered with the Aperture Laboratories logo, the two discs from the middle with GLaDOS's name. The four "pillars" found in the chamber's lobby may also be related to the discs and the Personality Cores.


 * Under the platform, all the wires seen above start. Four large screens and GLaDOS's "body" are found, attached to a cuboid-like structure, which makes up the end of the generator; on it is found a small sign with on it the words "model: GLaDOS", "code # 081-354-56", and "Aperture Science", as well as a red struck circle, and a red triangle. Under her is another transparent platform, accessed with stairs, then the tiled ground. GLaDOS's "body" is a piece of delicate hardware constantly swinging (whose swinging speed increases each time a core is destroyed), attached to which are her four Personality Cores that make up the bulk of GLaDOS's character; the Morality Core, a purple core with a rather diluted pupil and two dots installed into GLaDOS to stop her from flooding the Enrichment Center with a deadly neurotoxin; the Curiosity Core, an orange core with an average size pupil and four dots that is insatiably curious about everything around it (it even recognizes Chell as "the lady from the test"); the Knowledge Core (also known as "Crazy Core"), a blue core with a very dilated pupil and six dots that gives an interesting cake recipe, and the Emotion Core (also known as "Aggressive Core" or "Anger Sphere"), a red core with a rather small pupil and eight dots that emits angry growling sounds. When looked upon from a certain angle, GLaDOS looks like a woman - with a head, a chest, a large abdomen and two arms - hanging upside down by her feet, an arm bound around her legs (an effect actually intended by the team). The in game commentary mentions making her to be an inverted version of "The Birth of Venus", however, Game-ism says that she looks like she is imprisoned in some sort of bondage or torture posture. Unfortunately, it is unknown what part is the Disk Operating System, and what part is the Genetic Lifeform. GLaDOS's "body" is likely one of them, and the four disks and four "pillars" in the entrance lobby may have something to do with it.


 * When Chell detaches all of GLaDOS's Cores in Portal, the Cores are all sent in a different location, making it harder and harder for Chell to catch them. While being in these locations, they appear to be still linked to GLaDOS somehow with a greenish, semi-transparent beam / thread. It is only when grabbed by Chell and destroyed in the Emergency Intelligence Incinerator that their effect on GLaDOS stops.

Portal
GLaDOS speaks with a monotone female voice that has an electronic edge to it. When her Morality Core is detached however, her voice loses most of its computerized tone and becomes much more human and seductive. It swiftly becomes obvious that despite her polite and equable tones, GLaDOS is neither particularly bothered by what happens to Chell, nor entirely rational. She frequently lies about such concerns as the deadliness of acid pits, and also has a fixation with cake, which she insists will be served after the test is completed. She presents this and the bewildering and dangerous tasks Chell is forced to perform as common procedure at Aperture. GLaDOS is also prone to seemingly intentional vocal malfunction, often blotting out important pieces of information in bursts of static. In one case, she promises to stop lying to Chell; however, as soon as she counts down to one, her voice is cut by loud static. Whether these are actual malfunctions, however, is still to be speculated.

Portal 2
After being accidentally booted up by Chell and Wheatley, GLaDOS actually displayed emotion. She stated that after being "murdered" by Chell, she realized she had a "black-box quick-save feature", a feature in which the last two minutes of her "life" is recorded, forcing her to relive the event of Chell destroying her repeatedly. This caused GLaDOS to harbor an intense grudge for Chell, while also showing that she has gained her own intelligence. Her voice is much more toned down to a human-like voice and is much less prone to static mulfunctions. Her personality changed into something very intimidating, constantly trying to provoke Chell, similar to how she kept insulting Chell during the end of Portal. She also keeps lying to Chell, as well as taunting her about her weight when she couldn't fly high enough on the Aerial Faith Plate.

However, GLaDOS still retained some of her characteristics from before, such as having no other interest but to keep testing no matter what happens. She even appears to be "supporting" Chell, but mainly just to throw her into more complicated tests. She also developed humor, though her jokes are cruel and morbid ("calling" Chell's "parents" resulting in a response that said "The birth parents you are trying to reach do not love you. Please hang up.")

It is revealed that GLaDOS's homicidal tendencies may be a result of "test withdrawl", described as "The Itch" by Wheatley after he takes over GLaDOS's body. Whoever controls the facility is hard-wired with a compelling desire to perform tests, with a euphoric reaction to completed tests. The euphoria diminishes over time, causing said withdrawl, which can induce insanity. The fact that Wheatley experiences this as well as GLaDOS, indicates that this is not limited to GLaDOS herself, but instead the system that houses them.

At the end, it seems GLaDOS' grudge for Chell has lessened. During this moment, she decided not to kill Chell, but instead to fulfill her promise of letting her go. It would seem that she did this merely to make them even, as Chell originally killed her, but then saved her later on.

Behind the scenes



 * GLaDOS is voiced by Ellen McLain. She also provided the voice of the Overwatch Voice in Half-Life 2 and its episodes, the Aperture Science Sentry Turrets and GLaDOS's other Personality Cores in Portal, except for the Emotion Core, and the Announcer in Team Fortress 2.


 * GLaDOS was universally praised for her contributions to the quality of Portal's writing, winning multiple awards for best new character from GameSpy, GamePro, and X-Play.


 * The song "Still Alive" sung by GLaDOS during the Portal end credits, composed by Jonathan Coulton, was very successful and received significant praise for its humor and the quality of its performance.


 * GLaDOS went through several design iterations. Earlier versions included a floating brain, a sprawling, spidery mechanism, and an upside-down version of Botticelli's painting "The Birth of Venus" built out of robot parts and wire, and the cores were glowing light blue spheres. Eventually, the team settled on a huge mechanical device with a robotic figure dangling out of it, conveying both GLaDOS's raw mechanical power and femininity.


 * The Portal team wanted to build a space that brought a great deal of attention to her, which resulted in the large chamber where she is found.


 * When the team decided to add a large disk to GLaDOS's design, with the four Personality Cores dangling from it, she was still a mere sphere standing above it, which was considered too small. Her "body" was then enlarged and placed under the disks.


 * The name "GLaDOS", other than the technical name it stands for, is a pun on the female name "Gladys". Indeed, a model folder found in the Portal files is named "gladdysDestruction".


 * The hundreds of pictures (exactly 143 in total) on the video screens in GLaDOS's main chamber display many various and considerably random items (many were taken by Valve, several were taken from the free stock images section of the website Turbo Photo). They include several of photos of cake, tools such as bolt cutters (often coupled with cake), people, signs, computer parts, many miscellaneous objects, animals, random locations, or scientific devices. There is also an image of the Black Mesa logo, reinforcing the connection between Aperture Science and Black Mesa. However, several pictures match up with the dialogue, such as an image of a violin about to be cut by a knife when GLaDOS mentions Chell's "violent" behavior, a picture of a cake when saying "surprise", the Black Mesa logo when she mentions the "dumbest thing" (destroying the Morality Core), a cow when she says "whoah, whoah, whoah" when the effects of the Morality Core go away, or a screw when she says "good news". However these images may slightly vary from one gameplay to another.


 * So far, Portal 2 footage shows changes in GLaDOS's design, notably her head being now rectangular instead of rounded. It is unknown if this change is simply a game design change, or if the head was rebuilt by the Personality Cores after GLaDOS's destruction. It could perhaps be that parts of the head were ripped off in the end of "Portal", such as the two side pieces, and the round thing that covered the sides of her eye. Commentary nodes in-game suggest that the body GLaDOS uses in Portal 2 was "hidden" within one of her rings during the final encounter in Portal.

Trivia

 * GLaDOS Intelligence Core is actually reciting the cake recipe, also found on many of the screens around the office areas of the Enrichment Center.


 * GLaDOS is strongly reminiscent of HAL 9000, the murderous AI computer of 2001: A Space Odyssey; even the single, red "eye" of the security cameras and Sentry Guns remind of HAL. However, those who read the book, 2001: A Space Odyssey, will find that the HAL 9000 was not self-aware, and driven to his actions in an attempt to rationalize two conflicting orders, to conceal the true mission objective and to never hide anything from the crew. Because GLaDOS became self-aware, and developed a sinister personality, it is safe to assume she is more alive, and more antagonistic, than HAL 9000.


 * GLaDOS also shares some characteristics with SHODAN, another female AI villain from the System Shock series.

List of appearances

 * ApertureScience.com
 * Portal
 * Half-Life 2: Episode Two
 * Portal: First Slice
 * Portal: Still Alive
 * Portal ARG
 * Portal 2: Lab Rat
 * Portal 2