. .,-;//;:=, . :H@@@MM@M#H/.,+%;, ,/X+ +M@@M@MM%=,-%HMMM@X/, -+@MM; $M@@MH+-,;XMMMM@MMMM@+- ;@M@@M- XM@X;. -+XXXXXHHH@M@M#@/. ,%MM@@MH ,@%= .---+-+:+,. =@#@@@MX ., -%HM$$%%%+; =-./@M@M$ .;@MMMM@MM: X@/ -$MM/ .+MM@@@M$ ,@M@H; :@: . -X#@@@@- ,@@@MMX, . /H- ;@M@M- .H@@@@M@+, %MM+..%#$. /MMMM@MMH/. XM@MH; -; /%+%$XHH@$= , .H@@@@MX, .=--------. -%H.,@@@@@MX, .%MM@@@HHHXX$$$%+- .:$MMX =M@@MM%. =XMMM@MM@MM#H;,-+HMM@M+ /MMMX= =%@M@M#@$-.=$@MM@@@M; %M%= ,:+$+-,/H#MMMMMMM@= =, =++%%%%+/:-. Portal 2: Easter Egg Guide by jimmthesnowman version 1.00 8/9/2011 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [I] Introduction ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- What is an easter egg? An easter egg is a hidden little object or theme that game developers hide in the game for players to find or stumble upon. The best easter eggs are those that add something to the story - and the easter eggs in Portal 2 do just that. Portal 2 has a ton of easter eggs, and many of them tie directly into the story. This guide originally started out as a Rat Man guide, but was rejected as too specialized. After that, I decided that I would write an Easter Egg, inclusive of the Rat Man, instead. The project was finished in two days of intensive writing; I used GamesRadar and a variety of images, Youtube videos, and personal exploration as a source. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [T] Table of Contents ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- _=_ Table of Contents _=_ Version history _=_ Frequently asked questions -_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_- Easter Eggs _=_ Hotel Painting and Test Subject labels _=_ Rat Man -> Rat Man's Dens -> Final Transmission _=_ Companion Cubes -> Conservation of Mass -> Party of Three -> Companion Cube Escapes _=_ Turrets -> Singing Turrets -> Turret Assembly, Scanned Alone, and a look at that packaging -> Oracle Turret _=_ Mody Dick and Good Listener _=_ Chell's parentage and the origin of GLaDOS -> GLaDOS's remakrs -> The Oracle Turret and the Science Project -> Portrait of a Lady and Cave Johnson's Remarks: Caroline x Johnson -> GLaDOS finding Caroline, the Turret Opera, and the Closing Song _=_ Awards Case, Black Mesa Rivalry, and the Borealis _=_ Vitrified Test Chambers _=_ Analogy to the story of Prometheus _=_ Wheatley: You Made Your Point, Pit Boss, Smash TV _=_ P-Body's cameo _=_ The Three Cores -_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_- Extra Features _=_ Developer Commentary _=_ Extras -_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_- _=_ Contact information _=_ Thank yous _=_ Copyright ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [V] Version History ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Version 1.00 - August 9, 2011 -_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_- First version of this guide. Basically complete, but I welcome any additions. Version 1.10 - August 23, 2011 -_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_- Minor rewrites, expansions, and fixes. To search this guide, press Ctrl + F. T is opens the Find function, and allows you to go to specific sections of this document via the section headers. If you liked this guide, be sure to click on the orange recommend bar at the top of the page nad make your opinion known! This will, potentially, give this guide a black star on the FAQs page. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [F] Frequently Asked Questions ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- What becomes of Rat Man? There is no solid information about the Rat Man past him saving Chell in Lab Rat. He enters a relaxation chamber; it is not known if he survived to the events of Portal 2, or he is still in suspension, or if he is dead. How many easter eggs are there in Portal 2? There are quite a few hidden trinkets in Valve games in general, and Portal 2 is not an exception. There are quite a few very interesting and very bemusing easter eggs in the game, to an extent rivalled, in my opinion, only by the Halo series. Where did the companion cube in the ending come from? The Companion Cube was badly burnt. During the events of Portal, you send just such a companion cube into the furnace. It is not known if this is the same companion cube, but it is quite possible. How it got there is another mystery; a companion cube is briefly seen flying through pipes in the background during the elevator ride, and it is also possible that it is the Rat Man's companion cube as well. You sure you got all of them? I think I got all of them, but it's not unheard of for me to be wrong. If you can contribute something, I advise you do! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [1] Easter Eggs ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [1.1.a] Hotel Painting and Test Subject labels ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hotel Painting At the very beginning of the game, you are woken up for a periodic excercise to keep you from getting what is basically statis burn. Part of the excercise is to stare at a painting on the wall, for "intellectual substinance". The painting is a landscape painting in the Hudson style (a style that emerged in New York in the 18th century, google it), and depicts a cabin by the mountainside. Later, when Wheatley wakes you up and begins to crash the relaxation chamber foward, you get the opportunity to see the painting again; but it has transformed. The painting now shows the same scene, at night, with an enourmous moon besides the mountain. You'll also note that the frame is broken, as are most of the other contents of the room. A comparison: http://static.gamesradar.com/images/mb/GamesRadar/us/Games/P/Portal%202/ Everything%20Else/Easter%20Eggs/hotelpainting--article_image.jpg Test Subject Labels During the chamber ride, pay close attention to the labels slapped onto the chambers of other test subjects. You'll notice that they have information on them - expiration dates (all are expired!), bar codes, and check boxes for Adult/Child, Fat/Slim, Male/Female, and Short/Tall. Most of the expirees are adults. You'd be one of them too, if it wasn't for the Ratman's actions in Lab Rat. See this picture: http://static.gamesradar.com/images/mb/GamesRadar/us/Games/P/Portal%202/ Everything%20Else/Easter%20Eggs/testsubjectpackingslip--article_image.jpg ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [1.2] Rat Man ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Rat Man was the name originally given by players to a mysterious figure who drew hidden murals and visible instructions for Chell all over the maps of the original Portal. He lives in hudden dens containing murals, and slept on Aperture Science boxes and ate beans, milk, and water, the cartons for which are scattered all across his living areas. His murals and frantic scribblings were often relevant to the storyline. As the game progressed, you learned more information about the character from his dens: particularly his obession with a companion cube. GLaDOS says at one point that companion cubes cannot talk and if they do, not to believe that they say; this is a reference to the Rat Man. All this shows that the Rat Man is completely schizophrenic. Before the release of Portal 2, a short webcomic, titles "Portal 2: Lab Rat", was released online. The comic centers on Doug Rattmann, the now-named Rat Man, and his life at Aperture before, during, and after GLaDOS's takeover. The comic serves as a bridge between Portal and Portal 2, and finally explains the link between the Rat Man and Chell. The Rat Man comic can be read through the Extras section of Portal 2, or online with a web browser through this link: http://www.thinkwithportals.com/comic/. For more information on the Rat Man himself, see the following comrehensive article on the Half-Life wiki: http://half-life.wikia.com/wiki/Doug_Rattmann. Suffice to say, the Rat Man is deeply involved in Chell's escape and survival, and is able to use his programming skills to hack the facility and give him what he needs to survive, without having a Personal Portal Device like Chell. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [1.2.a] Rat Man's Dens ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Although many players speculated that the Rat Man died after his activities at the end of the Lab Rat comic, he returns in the events of Portal 2. His dens can again be found in chapters 1 through 3, and if one stands near one of his murals, they can hear mutterings, presumably from Rattman himself. It is never confirmed that he lived to the events of Portal 2, but it is possible. A walkthrough of all of his dens can be found here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fUay4TB4p8 The Rat Man's first den is located after Test Chamber 4 in Chapter 1. After completing the test, you must open a pair of portals in a small after-test area, knocking a pane of glass of its hinges and allowing you to use it as a walkway. To the right is a fairly obvious ladder; climb up it to access the Rat Man's first den. This is easily the easiest Rat Man Den to find, but also the smallest. It contains a computer desk and a mural, as well as several cans of beans and a gallon jug labelled "Water" on the floor. The Rat Man's second den is located in Test Chamber 3, Chapter 2. It is located along the right wall in the level; there is a large whole in the wall through which you can fall into the den. This is almost as easy to find as the First Den, although it can be missed. There are two murals in the room. There are many, many cans of beans located near the first mural. The room contains a radio on the floor; the radio is actually playing "Exile Villify" by The National. You'll notice that "Exile" and "Villify" are the titles of the two murals. The song was specifically written for the game by the band. The third den is is the first den that is actually difficult to find. It is located through a crack in the walls of Test Chamber 6, Chapter 2, and is well-hidden, as it is difficult to see unless you are looking specifically for it, as it is hidden by the slanted wall to the left of the entrance. To reach it, you need to use the Ariel Faith Plates to launch yourself towards the portal-surface plate sticking out of the wall on one side (the lower one to the right). You must also place a portal on the furthest wall surface to the right of these pads. Done currectly, this will hurl you right into the Rat Man's third den. The room contains discarded coffee cups, water jugs, bean cans, a PC, and, most interestingly, a broken-open Xbox 360. Besides the debris on the floor, there is also a mural, labelled "Smooth Jazz Fails", on the wall here. The Fourth Den is located in Test Chamber 12 of Chapter 3. You need to get onto the Lard Light Bridge and look up to see a hole in the cealing containing portal tiles. The room is a behind-the-scenes room, and it consists mainly of giant air duct - if you navigate these and come to the far wall, there are stacks of boxes and cans of beans there, as well as a mural, containing what I assume is a tree, and labelled "There is no maker" and "Who are You", as long as a few other words hanging of the "branches". There is also a Xbox 360 box on the floor. The Fifth Den is located in Test Chamber 16 of Chapter 3. To reach it, you have to first use the laser to kill the three turrets behind the glass wall. After retrieving the Laser Redirection Box, you can set a portal near the entrance and redirect the laser into a turret behind a grate near the entrance. This will kill it and cause the grate to shatter. Crouch-walk through the grate to enter what are basically some maintainance ducts. The area consists of the usual water jugs, cans of beans, and an Xbox 360 (a recurring reference...), and a mural on the wall - there is a large orange hand with the words "Unmake Reality", math equations written sideways, and a man stepping over a dead body carrying skelatons. The man is, presumably, the Rat Man. The Singing Turrets easter egg is located near this den, but will be covered seperatly, as it is not directly related to the Rat Man. The final Rat Man Den is located in Test Chamber 17 of Chapter 3. There is a small enclave in the walls on the left side of the chamber, with a sort of entry in it; you can easily see it from the ground. You can use the Light Bridge, through a portal, to access it. Inside, there is a rather long ladderway leading into a small corridor leading into a fan room. There is a computer, an Xbox 360, a few cans and whatnot, and a scary-faced mural in the corridor. There is an enourmous but strangely organized mass of beans and mugs along the floor of the fan room, and what is in my opinion the most interesting of the murals - one showing Chell in a life vest sleeping, and a normal distribution curve marking how Chell's tenacity was at the very tippity-top, the top 1% of human tenacity. There are some words on the mural and some carticulatures as well. If you leave the den, any portals you openned within will close - hrmm. If you look away and look back at the doorway after leaving, the wall will close - mysterious. Perhaps the last den contains Rat Man himself, somewhere. The song played here is caused "Ghost of Rattman". One last thing: there is a hidden developer commentary here, and clicking on it will once again cause an SSTV uproar. Decoding these messages reveals tounge-in-cheek information on the SSTV signals and on the ARG from Portal 1: http://static.gamesradar.com/images/mb/GamesRadar/us/Games/P/Portal%202/ Everything%20Else/Easter%20Eggs/adamfosterARG--article_image.jpg. Also interesting: the writing on the mugs is unique to this den. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [1.2.b] Final Transmission ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Rat Man's third den hosts one of the most complicated Easter Eggs in Portal 2. When you first try to use the cube dispenser for the first time, GLaDOS remarks on how the system is still "full of trash", and a whole bunch of trash comes out and bounces towards you. The order varies, but the trash consists of two Edgeless Safety Balls, a chair, a disk, a water jug, and a radio. The radio is particularly important. None of the other objects do anything interesting (the disk is too large to place in the PC), but the radio is key. To best ensure that the items end up "alive" and not fizzling in the water, set up the portals so that they are flung into the den. When you get the radio, it is playing smooth jazz. Smooth Jazz is used as a reference a few times in the game, the other time being when the automated voice that gives you instructions prior to you waking up GLaDOS tells you to "reflect on some smooth jazz", playing a track that soon breaks down. If you listen closely, the radio is playing an instrumental jazz version of "Still Alive", a song composed for the game. If you take the radio into the Rat Man's den and pick it up, it will begin to play some sort of resonating static signals. Doing this will earn you the achievement "Final Transmission". However, the static signal is actually a picture, coded in a signal known as SSTV. SSTV is a series of high frequency noises that, with specialized software (there is freeware on the Internet for it), can be decoded into a still image. It was originally used by early satellites, but today is mostly for ham radio operaters who want to send each other pictures via radio. Anyway, putting the signal through a SSTV decoder (as seen here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPDS7r_mv7U) will reveal a secret image from the secret sqeaks: a companion cube on the moon! The transmission isn't perfect, but the clearest image can be found here: http://valvearg.com/w/images/5/52/RattmanWCCBBS.png. The transmission and the name of the achievement seems to indicate that this was the last den that Rat Man built before...whatever happened to him (we don't know for sure). Taken in context, the image's purpose isn't clear. It's a well- hidden picture of a cube on the moon. The Rat Man doesn't have a Aperture Science Portal Device, getting around by hacking the Aperture Science system. Taken out of context, however, this is a clear foreshadowing of the game's ending. In your final battle with Wheatley, you open a portal to the moon (humourously, you do so right into the midst of some abandoned astronaut equipment). ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [1.3] Companion Cubes ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If you played Portal 1, you will remember the companionship you had with a single companion cube as GLaDOS made you bond during test, and the shattering effects of having to let it go to the furnace to complete the test. Companion Cubes are again mentioned in Portal 2. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [1.3.a] Preservation of Mass ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- When you go into Chapter 2, Test Chamber 7, a lot of Companion Cubes near a wall are mashed into it by a moving platform (damn you GLaDOS...). Further in, GLaDOS has a swell time dispensing Companion Cubes and then destroying them as soon as you try to move them. She finally lets you keep one alive, in the end (damn you GLaDOS...), for the test. You'll notice, if you are an asture observer or were listening to GLaDOS's "don't steal anything" lecture, that the emancipation grille in this room is broken. Naturally wanting to rebel against GLaDOS, you'll want to create a portal behind the door, grab the cube, and portal around the exit with the cube in hand. The cube is saved! Of course, when you get near the elevator, it is destroyed by GLaDOS, who remarks sadistically that "I think that one was beginning to say 'I love you.'" Doing this earns you an achievement, "Preservation of Mass". A walkthrough for the achievement: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhVVH8k-k04 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [1.3.b] Party of Three ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This second companion cube easter egg can be found in Co Op, and is one of the most difficult easter eggs to find and achievements to get without prior guidance. The achievement can be found in the final level of the fourth area. First of all, to simplify things for yourself, get to the final room, the CD room, and then commit suicide by jumping into the pit. This will remove all of the bots on the conveyer belt, allowing you to aim for the achievement without them compounding your headache. Player 1 should use the excursion funnel to ride over the spikes and then drop down alongside the conveyer belt, as usual. However, Player 2, instead of dropping a wall to flip over the turrets, should drop one to arrest both player's movements foward, in front of the CD room. Player 1 can then drop another funnel in front of the Light Bridge and send both players moving sideway. This will take through a back area besides the final room, and if you pay attention to the wall on the left, you will see a companion cube on a lonely ledge. The trip is cut short, however, by a masher at the end of the funnel. Here is a video of the achievement: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yz8Z0PWxSUQ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [1.3.c] Companion Cube Escapes ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In the final cutscene, as Chell is standing outside, listening to birds, looking at the grass and the sun...you hear the exit door slam open again. Turning around quickly, the door burps out...a burned Companion Cube? Now, how did that get there. The most likely answer is that it is the Cube you threw in the funnel in Portal 1. How it got out is a mystery; possibly it was flung out by GLaDOS to keep you company in the outside world, or possibly it escaped on its own. Another possibility is that it's the Rat Man's companion cube. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [1.4] Mody Dick and Good Listener ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In Chapter 2, during Test Chamber 8, GLaDOS will decide to be nice to you and give you instructions on solving the test. Of course GLaDOS can't simply give it away, so she says it 8 times faster then normal. Very helpful, given you can't understand a word. If you take the time to record the message slow it down, it reveals that the messages are actually an opening passage from Moby Dick: http://www.gamesradar.com/video/b-940326777001. “And methodically knocking people's hats off – then, I account it high time to get to sea as soon as I can.” During the last part of Chapter 4, after escaping from GLaDOS's clutches, you'll be running with Wheatly while she tries to redirect you. One of these attempts is "one last test chamber". If you're curious or completionist, you'll take the bait. The room will promptly close, nuerotoxin will pump in, and you'll get one glimpse at fake plants ("the outside world") before dying. You get the "Good Listener" achievement for your troubles. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [1.5] Turrets ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Believe it or not, but turrets are actually fairly intelligent. This is minor, but disabling one will cause it to say things like "I don't blame you." This section records some of the special-ist turrets in the game. A couple of minor points: - The "Animal King" jumbo turret that sings the bass in the end-game opera is featured in an Aperture Science video detailing what to do if enemy sentient beings attack. Everyone either runs away or bows to it. - The "Fat Lady" turret is visible next to the turret quartet in the singing turrets, and is once seen as part of the junk being filthered out of the elevator chamber. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [1.5.a] Singing Turrets ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If you watched the final cutscene, you will be treated to a strange capacity the turrets apparently have - the ability to sing. On the first part of your elevator ride you are treated to a four-turret singing group, and further up the elevator, there is an enourmous turret opera. However, you can find singing turrets in one other place - as easter egg in Chamber 16, Chapter 3. This easter egg is located in the same room as Rat Man's 5th Den. To access it, you must use the Thermal Discouragment Beam to kill the turret that is standing in the grate near the entrance. Doing so will blow the grate and allow you to enter into a back area with air ducts. If you look down through another grate, you will see four turrets in boxes; doing so will cause them to open up their gun ports and start to sing a tune. The fat turret from the final cutscene is also visible, opposite the four in the boxes, and looking at it will cause it to add its voice to the tune. As one player explained: "they're practicing for the grand finale!". See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbzUT-99w88. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [1.5.b] Turret Assembly, Scanned Alone, and a look at that packaging ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- During Chapter 5, at one point during your exploration of Aperture Science's back area, you'll come across a box that serves as a turret assembly station. Because it is dark, you may miss it. Each turret takes about 10 seconds to assemble, box, and ship down to who-knows-where. After removing the turret template from its scanner, but before placing a malfunctioning one, stand in the scanner and allow yourself to be scanned. Although you are "invalid", you get the "Scanned Alone" achievement for your troubles. This is a very simple achievement, but very easy to miss. During Chapter 9, you finally get a clear view of the packaging on the turrets. If you go to the side you will see a picture of a nursery, one at night and one during the day, and a turret standing by guarding the crib. Apparently this is what the turret's original commercial application was, as a guard. This probably explains the turret's sing-song voices in this game, although I would like to point out that they are "adopted" from military models. You get to see the box view during your escape, when you portal into an obvious trap and Wheatley drops turrets to kill you, but they all turn out to be crap, broken, or still in their packages. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [1.5.c] The Oracle Turret ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- At one point on your explorations you will come across the Redemption Line - a series of rooms in Chapter 5 where turrets are tested, and bad ones are flung into the furnace. It's funny, but about half of the turrets are crap turrets - talk about quality control. Anyway, at one point you have to walk across a conveyer belt sending spare parts into a furnace. If you stand on it a bit, a functional turret will come down the conveyer belt, and quietly say "I'm different." If you pick it up, you will unlock the "No Hard Feelings" achievement. The reason the turret is important is because it forshadows several events, being incredibly knowledgable for such a simple machine: "The answer lies beneath us." - A reference to the pre-GLaDOS facility that lies beneath the current one. "Her name is Caroline. Remember that." - As I will explain in "Chell's Parantage", Caroline is the assistant and alledged wife of Aperture Science founder Cave Johnson. It is very, very possible that she is Chell's mother, and this is one piece of evidence for it. It also points to GLaDOS's original name. "Get mad! Don't make lemonade!" - Cave Johnson's furious lemonade tirade ("I'm going to get my engineers to invent a combustible lemon that BURNS YOUR HOUSE DOWN!") has replaced the cake as Portal's dominant meme. This foreshadows Cave Johnson's late life. It won't be enough." - This one is rather vauge. It could be a reference to Rattman not believing a personality core could stop GLaDOS's murderous intentions, or to what you are currently doing "not enough" to allow you to escape the facility (replacing one monster with another). "That's all I can say." - Well, you have been very informative. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [1.6] Chell's Parentage and the Origin of GLaDOS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We don't learn anything at all about Chell's parentage from the original Portal, but Portal 2 reveals a lot about her. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [1.6.a] GLaDOS's remarks ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Early in the game, GLaDOS attempts to depreciate Chell as much as she can. Half her remarks point out to Chell being overweight or bastardized by her parents. Regarding overweight, Chell is definetly not - if you want to see a complete picture of Chell, create two portals side-to-side and stand halfway through one. As is revealed much later in the game, in Chapter 8, name-calling appears to be a function of the control module of whoever controls the facility - when Wheately is locked in, he turns to calling Chell names as well, including calling her fat, to which potato-GLaDOs responds "Look at her. She's not fat you idiot!". As for her parentage, during chapter 3 GLaDOs tells Chell that she has a special suprise for her, and points out that she will let Chell "meet a certain two people" if she does well on her next tests. She lies: you don't meet your parents, and GLaDOs remarks "Oh come on, you didn't actually think you would get to see them?". After that, she spends several tests depreciating you further, pretending to call them and reach "We don't love you anymore", saying "In all fairness they did abandon you.", and other things like that. She also mentions that Chell is an orphan. Why does GLaDOS seem so fixated on Chell's parentage? We shall soon see. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [1.6.b] The Oracle Turret and the Science Project ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- After your escape from GLaDOS in chapter 4, you will be taken through a series of back areas as you attempt to sabotage the facility. At one point, as explained in the "Oracle Turret" easter egg section, you will pick up a turret on the redemtion line. It will reward you by spitting out several cryptic statements. One is "Her name is Caroline. Remember that." You don't know who Caroline is yet, but "Her" could refer either to GLaDOS or to your mother, and possibly to both. As is revealed later, this line shows that Caroline is, possibly, the mother of Chell and the AI of GLaDOS. Now, for the science project. As you go through the back facility, you come across one room containing "Bring Your Daughter to Work Day" projects. The fact that all the boards are still up indicates that this took place the day that GLaDOS murdered everyone. Anyway, all of the projects are either potato batteries (as Weatley remarks, there is a distinct lack of variety here) or baking soda volcanoes ("I'm guessing this wasn't one of the scientist's children. I don't want to be snobby, but let's be honest: It's got manual laborer written all over it.") In one corner there is an enourmous potato, absolutely huge, with vines reaching to and through the cealing and overbearing the nearest two science experiments. As Wheatley remarks, "Look at that, it's growing right up into the ceiling. The whole place is probably overrun with potatoes at this point. At least you won't starve, though." It's amusing the read the experiment and find out that the potato was grown with "special ingredients from daddy's work". That indicates that the child was the child of a high-ranking official within Aperture. If you look down in the right bottom corner you can see the name of our intrepid experimenter...Chell. That's right, Chell. The very same one you're playing as right now. What does this mean? It means that Chell is the daughter of a high-ranking Aperture Science employee; that she was present when GLaDOS was activated; and that she has been imprisoned in the facility since her childhood. And it gets crazier... keep reading. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [1.6.c] Portrait of a Lady and Cave Johnson's Remarks: Caroline x Johnson ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- At one point between the first and second orange gel test areas, you can see a small portal surface on the top right of the entrance. If you go through it, you will find a small office, with one exciting thing in it - a portrait. By now you've seen several potraits of Cave Johnson, and certainly have seen him aging. His face is familir. However, the potrait also includes, for the first time, Caroline, standing by his side: http://static.gamesradar.com/images/mb/GamesRadar/us/Games/P/Portal%202/ Everything%20Else/Easter%20Eggs/portraitofalady1--article_image.jpg Upon seeing the potrait, GLaDOS remarks that the people in it "look familiar". Don't the two look almost like lovebirds? This is our first look at Caroline, and you can immediatly see some sort of resemblance between Chell and her, notably the eyes. You get the achievement "Potrait of a Lady". As for Cave Johnson's remarks, it's time to put two and two togethor. Cave Johnson, in his introduction to Aperture Science, explained "This is my lovely assistance Caroline. Say hi, Caroline. [Caroline says "Hi, Caroline"] Ain't she lovely? Sorry boys, she's married. To Science!" As one marriage counseler explained, by the standards of marriage in the 50s, Johnson could very well have been alluding to "Science" being "me". As you go deeper into the bowels of Aperture Science, you come across more and more ramblings from an increasingly iller Johnson, who gets cancer from crushing moon rocks for the white portal gel (as an aside: moon rocks can be portalled onto, as seen in the final boss fight, so this indicates that he had someone portal to the moon, collect moon rocks, and then come back with them onto Earth...and in large quantities, too). He also begins to rely on Caroline more, saying: "The point is: If we can store music on a compact disc, why can't we store a man's intelligence and personality on one? So I have the engineers figuring that out now. Cave Johnson: Brain Mapping. Artificial Intelligence. We should have been working on it thirty years ago. I will say this - and I'm gonna say it on tape so everybody hears it a hundred times a day: If I die before you people can pour me into a computer, I want Caroline to run this place. Now she'll argue. She'll say she can't. She's modest like that. But you make her. Hell, put her in my computer. I don't care. Allright, test's over. You can head on back to your desk." At this point, you can finally put two and two togethor: Caroline is GLaDOS. The various pieces of evidence for Chell's parentage comes togethor as well: it is very, very likely that Cave Johnson and Caroline are Chell's parents. You may also notice that all their names begin with C; that, in Lab Rat, Chell's last name was redacted where no one else's was; and that Caroline means "Free Man". ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [1.6.d] GLaDOS finding Caroline, the Turret Opera, and the Closing Song ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- After the final battle, you are treated to a rare sight - an affectionate GLaDOS. GLaDOS is happy that you are alive, and her voice changes in tone. It quickly becomes obvious that the "Caroline" side of her has taken over. In "Rat Man", Henry installs a personality sphere in the hopes of limiting GLaDOS through morality. The experiment failed catastrophically, but it is now obvious that the personality that had been imparted in GLaDOS was that of Caroline - as Cave Johnson was explaining in some of his last quotes, brain mapping. It is likely that GLaDOS killed the original Caroline in her neurotoxin attack. "You know, being Caroline taught me a valuable lesson. I thought you were my greatest enemy. When all along you were my best friend. The surge of emotion that shot through me when I saved your life taught me an even more valuable lesson: where Caroline lives in my brain." Announcer: "Caroline deleted." "Goodbye, Caroline." And so Caroline leaves the field (or maybe not ;)). Anyway, after this deletion GLaDOS is back to her usual hostile, sadistic self. GLaDOS admits that "the simplest solution is best", "killing you is hard", and finally, "Go. Just, go." With that, she sends you on an elevator ride to the surface. Willingly. Cue #1 that perhaps Caroline is not quite gone. As you are riding the elevator, you are treated first to a turret quartet, then to a whole opera. The song is in Italian, but translated it goes: My beautiful dear, my darling beauty! My baby, oh heavens (Chell)![note 3] That admire her! That admire her! Oh my dear, farewell! My dear child... Why don't you walk far away? Yes, far away from Science! My dear, dear baby... Ah, my beauty! Ah, my dear! Ah, my dear! Ah, my little girl! Oh my dearest one! This could also go in the "Special Turrets" section, but I felt that it fit more into here. The song is set to a well-known aria, but the lyrics are, obviously, new. Well now, that certainly sounds like something Caroline would say. The song is hauntingly beautiful, and its lyrics sound like Caroline bidding farewell to Chell. The Credits Song is called "Want You Gone", and consists of GLaDOS lamnating on your departure. There are, in particular, two lines that strike out. The first is "She was a lot like you." This means that Caroline was a lot like Chell. Another is "When I delete you maybe I'll stop feeling so bad." During the scrolling lyrics, the second part of the sentance is replaced by [REDACTED], and the line is almost covered up by a climatic point in the song, and once again indicates that Caroline is probably not really deleted. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [1.7] Awards Case, Black Mesa Rivalry, and the Borealis ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Fans of the Half-Life series will know that one of the major figures in their universe is the company, Black Mesa. It is not dissimilar from Aperture Science - in fact, they are dead rivals (and yes, Aperture Science is set in the Half-Life universe, so the events of Portal and Portal 2 take place sometime during and/or after a certain invasion). In the entry lobby to the old Aperture, you can see some awards and plaques. Many of them are "Runner Up": Top 100 Applied Science Companies: 1949: #2 US Dept. of Defence Contracter of the Year Runner Up: 1952 US Dept. of Defense Contracter of the Year Runner Up: 1954 It's amusing to see that the two companies have been going at it for so long. It's also amusing to see that, at one point, Cave Johnson was a shower-curtain salesman. The rivalry with Black Mesa is elaborated more upon later in the game. Some of Cave Johnson's remarks point this out thourally: Cave Johnson: Greetings, friend. I'm Cave Johnson, CEO of Aperture Science - you might know us as a vital participant in the 1968 Senate Hearings on missing astronauts. And you've most likely used one of the many products we invented. But that other people have somehow managed to steal from us. Black Mesa can eat my bankrupt-- The last piece of interest in the area is a very large docking area, easily visible as you pass through the area. If you walk up to the life preserver in the corner, you will see "Borealis" written on it. This is a ship, launched from Aperture Science, that is known to contain some sort of powerful item that will shape the story in Half LIfe 2: Episode 3. In case you didn't know. Doing this unlocks the "Ship Overboard" achievement. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [1.8] Vitrified Test Chambers ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Scattered throughout the Portal 2 underground word of chapters 6 and 7 are several sealed blast doors that painted in bright (well, no longer bright) yellow paint "Vitrified". Each one is the site of a discontinued testing chamber. There are six in two areas, and walking up to them and pressing Q will activate one of Cave Johnson's pre-recorde messages in reference to the test sphere is question. Here is a link to a video showing the locations: http://www.gamesradar.com/video/b-940176257001. Finding all of them unlocks the achievement "Door Prize". Here is the dialouge, by door: "If you've cut yourself at all in the course of these tests, you might have noticed that your blood is pure gasoline. That's normal. We've been shooting you with an invisible laser that's supposed to turn blood into gasoline, so all that means is, it's working." "If you need to go to the bathroom after this next series of tests, please let a test associate know, because in all likelihood, whatever comes out of you is going to be coal. Only temporary, so do not worry. If it persists for a week, though, start worrying and come see us, because that's not supposed to happen." "Just a heads up: We're gonna have a superconductor turned up full blast and pointed at you for the duration of this next test. I'll be honest, we're throwing science at the wall here to see what sticks. No idea what it'll do. Probably nothing. Best-case scenario, you might get some superpowers. Worst case, some tumors, which we'll cut out." "If you're allergic to peanuts, you might want to tell somebody now, because this next test may turn your blood into peanut water for a few minutes. On the bright side, if we can make this happen, they're gonna have to invent a new type of Nobel Prize to give us, so hang in there." "The average human male is about sixty percent water. Far as we're concerned, that's a little extravagant. So if you feel a bit dehydrated in this next test, that's normal. We're gonna hit you with some jet engines, and see if we can't get you down to twenty or thirty percent." "All right. We're working on a little teleportation experiment. Now, this doesn't work with all skin types, so try to remember which skin is yours, and if it doesn't teleport along with you, we'll do what we can to sew you right back into it." The fact that they are Vitrified indicates that the experiments were failures. You can tell that each door leads to one of those immense experiment spheres by the posters, which indicated cement-filled spheres. The last one is particularly interesting, because you are using what we can assume is partially a product of that test, a Portable Portal device. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [1.9] Analogy to the story of Prometheus ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Potrait of a Lady also brings up another complex reference, one to a famous Greek mythical figure, Prometheus. In the story of Prometheus, the titular god gifted man with fire. He was cast down to the bowels of the Earth by Zues for double-crossing him in this manner, to be "eaten by birds". Prometheus was a god, so he could not die, but he could feel pain - the daily bird eatings certainly took their toll. Say, wasn't GLaDOS, the god-like controller of the facility, cast into a potato and cast more then 2 miles deep into the bowels of the Aperture facility, where you rescued her from being eaten by a bird? Titan's two best friends were Atlas and Menoethius, and Atlas is the name of one of the two co op bots. Wheatley can be seen as Epimethius, who is the Titan of hindsight (and Wheatley clearly regretted double crossing Chell in his end- of-game lamnations), and Pandora is represented by Chell. GLaDOS gave fire (a portal gun) to Chell (man), and paid dearly for it, like Prometheus did, by being cast out of her position in a potato, to be picked at by birds. Pandora (Chell) empowered Epimethius (Wheatley) with great power (GLaDOS's body), and unleashes hell (Aperture's near-destruction). At one point underground you see Tataros 09 written on a pier, and Tataros is the name of the place the Zeus casts Prometheus down to. In the Portal 2 ending, you open up to a field of reeds. Some linguists think that elysium, the paridise in Greek afterlife, is derived from ialu, which means "reeds". Finally, in the Potrait of a Lady painting, if you pay attention to the black area on the far left of the painting, you can make out a creepy figure in robes by the leftmost bookcase. This is Aeschylus, a Greek writer who penned one version of the story. See http://img691.imageshack.us/img691/7682/portal2zp.jpg. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [1.10] Wheatley: You Made Your Point, Pit Boss, Smash TV ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- It's actually a good idea not to do anything right away when around Wheatley. He has very long dialouges and never stops talking, and many of his later lines are the funniest - but be warned, they can take a while. These are the kinds of things that will miss on a quick playthrough, and includes two achievements - You Made Your Point and Pit Boss. On the very first Wheatley level, the simple one where you have to put a cube on the button, you can volentarily refuse to solve the test. This will cause Wheatley to angst over you not solving it. Stay in place long enough and, besides to funny Wheatley dialouge, you get an achievement. The second one, Pit Boss, can be gotten at the beginning of your escape from Wheatley. As you are running up the stairs after avoiding the giant collection of spike plates he tries to hit you with, he will ask you to come back. At this point you can come back, and he will reply "Hey, you came back...um...can you do me a favor and jump into a pit over there?" It's particularly hilarious because he then tries to entice you with various offers - many boys, a three portal gun, a way out, etc. Actually jumping into the pit will, besides killing you, cause him to remarks "Oh you actually did it", and net you the achievement. The last Wheatley related thing that you can do is the Smash TV guide. Most players will accidentally destroy the first TV without even meaning too - all you have to do is get on an Ariel Faith Plate - but after that, figuring out how to smash the TVs is like a puzzle in of itself. On most levels you have to figure out how to throw yourself or cubes at the Wheatley-screens, but you can also use a Turret (they recognize Wheatley as an enemy...GLaDOS did a good job programming them :D) to destroy the screens. The Smash TV guide for Portal 2 can be found on gamefaqs, and I recommend you read it to learn how to get smashing, but all of Whealey's quotes are exceptionally funny on the topic. You can also smash the TV in the conveyer room during your escape. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [1.11] P-Body's cameo ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In test chamber 15, Wheatley will move a wall aside on the opposite side of the chamber, notably, breaking several lines and straining the architecture. He seems to do that a lot. Anyway, if you look to the left during the process, you will see P-Body from co op mode! He stands there, before acting suprised and running through the door, the same one you have to exit out of once you complete the level. Somehow, I doubt his presence there just as Wheatley is explaining his "suprise" is accidental... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [1.12] The Three Cores ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- At the end of the game, during the boss fight with Wheatley, you are given three cores by GLaDOS that are used to corrupt him. They all have some very funny dialouge (you could stick around till the timer goes down just to listen to them), and are all voiced by one person, Nolan North. The first core is the Space Core, and he appears where he wants to be - Space - in the closing cutscene, as he gets sucked out during the portal-moon vaccumn. (devious thought: if that was allowed to continue, it is likely that you could have sucked all the air off of Earth through your actions) If you examine the Text Dump, available as an FAQ on Gamefaqs, you will see that the Space Core has some unused lines where it actually wants to go home: Core 1: Earth. Core 1: Wanna go to earth. Core 1: Wanna go to earth wanna go to earth wanna go to earth wanna go to earth. Wanna go to earth. Core 1: Wanna go home. Core 1: Wanna go home wanna go home wanna go home wanna go home. Core 1: Earth earth earth. Core 1: Don't like space. Don't like space. Core 1: It's too big. Too big. Wanna go home. Wanna go to earth. These lines are unused in the game, so they cannot be considered canon. Still, it points out that maybe space gets boring, even for a hyperactive personality core. The second core is the Adventure Core - also known as Nathan Drake (it's a satire!) The core insists on knowing what is happening, and comes up with some not terribly good ideas for winning the battle. He also remarks on how pretty you are. Aw, thank you Drake, er core. There are some unused lines for him as well, and they go like this: Core 2: There's nothing in space! That's why it's space! Core 2: Oh, really? Space? Really? You should have said something! We had no idea! Core 2: You know what I hope's in space? Fire. I hope you go to space and catch on fire. Core 2: Dammit, we know! Everybody knows! Space! You! In it! We get it! It sounds like the adventure core is rebuffing the Space Core here. Wonder if all three of them were supposed to get sucked into space, originally. The third core is the Fact Core. It spits out a bunch of facts - all of them rubbish - and it quickly becomes obvious why it's "corrupted". Its most interesting line is the following: Core 3: In Greek myth, Prometheus stole fire from the Gods and gave it to humankind. The jewelry he kept for himself. This ties into the Prometheus contrast that Portal 2 seems to follow, and shows that the devs were certainly versed in the story, and that it was probably not accidental. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [2] Extra Features ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [2.1] Developer Commentary ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Developer Commentary can be accessed through the Single Player Menu. There is a menu option there for Developer Commentary. You can't save while using it, but it will cause many bubbles to pop up all over the map. Press q near these bubbles will play sound clips of the developers discussing how the feature or idea reached its current state during testing, what people thought about it, and other things like that. You can play through Developer Commentary to give a different view on the game. The HUB and an adapted part of the Mass and Velocity co op course are also available for exploration with this feature. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [2.2] Extras ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In addition the Developer Commentary, there is an Extras section right on the main menu with several unique videos and one interactive trailer: Meet Atlas and P-Body - a teaser video, similar to the co op introduction video, that was released by Valve prior to the game's release, and is available to be watched here. GLaDOS awakes - another teaser video, this time for the singleplayer campaign of Portal 2. Panels - a Cave Johnson-narrated product video showcasing the changability of Aperture-copyrighted panels. Includes a crusher - "we sell those too". Cooperation - a Cave Johnson-narrated product video that says that "humans cannot be trusted" - so cooperative testing will be taken over by robots. Boots - a Cave Johnson-narrated product video explaining the function of the Aperture Science boots - that is, to prevent killer falls. Super 8 Interactive Trailer - this is the coolest feature here, imo. This is an interactive trailer for the movie, Super 8. You get to walk around a destroyed train and its destroyed surroundings. The movie, Super 8, is currently out, and it's recieved favorable reviews. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [C] Contact Information ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I can be contacted at a[underscore]bilogur[at]yahoo[dot]com. If you email me with questions, make sure they are not already in this guide. If you email me with tips, and I find them helpful, I will add them and give you credit in the Thanks section. If you are requesting permission to use the guide, I will consider it, but generally my response will be "no". If you email me with further information on the Rat Man, and it's novel (and Portal 2 related), then I will investigate and, if you are correct, incorporate it into this guide, giving you credit in the thank yous, and where the information is cited. I reserve the right not to reply to trolling, spam, buissness letters, or hate mail. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [T] Thank yous ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thanks goes to Valve for what amounts to a Valve seal of awesomeness: an awesome game, with speedily-released modding tools, great DLCs, and great support, all for FREE. Totally unlike the money-hungry models of many other game companies. Thanks you, reader, for reading this, and thanks me, writer, for writing this. Thank you GamesRadar for the article that formed the basis of this one: http://www.gamesradar.com/f/portal-2-easter-egg-guide-30-secrets-and- references-you-may-have-missed/a-2011051112135583053 Thanks , for contributing information to this guide! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [X] Copyright ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This guide is (C) 2011 jimmythesnowman. This may be not be reproduced under any circumstances except for personal, private use. It may not be placed on any web site or otherwise distributed publicly without advance written permission.