All-Knowing Vortigaunt

The All-Knowing Vortigaunt is an Easter egg Vortigaunt featured in Half-Life 2.

Overview


Near the end of the chapter Water Hazard (in the map ), Gordon Freeman must destroy a Hunter-Chopper that has been following his trail. After this is completed, a large, sliding metal gate must be opened to proceed further. After going through the gate, on the left there are two visible drainage tunnels set into the face of the rock. The grate on the left tunnel is shown to be peeled back. Inside this tunnel, beyond a stretch of radioactive waste is a large, underground cavern, home to a character referred to by fans as "The All-Knowing" (or "Sore Throat") Vortigaunt.

The Vortigaunt in question is shown roasting a Fast Headcrab over an open fire while chanting, eventually pausing to hack and wheeze for a moment. When triggering him with the "Use" key, the player may hear many cryptic statements pertaining to the Black Mesa Incident, Xen, the G-Man, the Nihilanth, and Gordon's deep connection to the Vortigaunts, among other topics. However, given enough prompting by the player, he appears to say every possible Vortigaunt sentence, spoken by the other Vortigaunts in Half-Life 2.

Trivia

 * The Orange Box achievement "Vorticough", worth 13 points, requires to discover the All-Knowing Vortigaunt.


 * Some players think the Fast Headcrab makes its first appearance in the All-Knowing Vortigaunt cave. This is untrue, as it first appears at Station 6: if one goes back to Arlene after leaving with the Airboat, it appears a Fast Headcrab killed her, but without turning her into a Fast Zombie.

List of appearances

 * Half-Life 2