Arne Magnusson

General CVG character
width=180px
name=Dr. Arne Magnusson


caption=Doctor Arne Magnusson, as seen in White Forest, with an ID badge that reads "MAGNUSSON, DR. LEVEL: 11".
series="Half-Life" series
firstgame="Half-Life"
voiceactor=John Aylward

Doctor Arne Magnusson is a fictional character from the video games "Half-Life" and "", voiced by actor John Aylward and using the 3d's of Actor Paul Eenhoorn. He is one of the few survivors of the incident that took place in the Black Mesa Research Facility. He is found at the White Forest Rocket Facility where he has been joined by Dr. Isaac Kleiner and Dr. Eli Vance, and where he appears to be in charge. He works on his satellite delivery rocket throughout the game and explodes with hysterical joy when its launch is successful. Magnusson appears as much more of a rude and impatient character than most of those in the "Half-Life" game series, and Eli Vance mentions that Magnusson and Kleiner were argumentative, bitter rivals at Black Mesa, when they competed for grant money. Their rivalry may also be due to personality conflict, as Kleiner's demeanor is almost diametrically opposite to Magnusson's (cf. Latin "Magnus" - large, Dutch/German "Klein" - small).

Appearance and role

"Half-Life"

In "", Magnusson mentions forgiving "Gordon Freeman" for a debacle involving a "microwave casserole". This is confirmed (by the developer commentary) to be a reference to an incident early in "Half-Life", where the player can accelerate the speed of a microwave, causing the food inside to explode and a nearby scientist to exclaim, "My God, what are you "doing"?!". According to the developers' commentary, the idea for Magnusson's demeanour came from one scientist in Half-Life who said "Gordon doesn't need to hear all this, he's a highly trained professional," as the Test Chamber doors were opened.

"Half-Life 2: Episode Two"

Magnusson appears throughout the game at the White Forest missile silo base (though often the player can only communicate with him through video uplinks), working on his rocket to deliver a payload that will close the growing Combine superportal. As stated by Alyx, Magnusson was "hoping for the day when he could launch a satellite to tap into the old array they set up at Black Mesa, but getting a launch off when the Citadel was intact... There was just no way."

Magnusson lends his name to the Magnusson Device (which he claimed not to have named himself), a special adhesive anti-Strider explosive. The weapon comes into prominent use during one critical part of the Episode, where they are given to the player as the fastest means to stop a sizable Strider attack wave. They excel at this task, since a single successful detonation causes a Strider to dramatically blast apart; in comparison, Striders can sustain multiple hits from most other weapons, and even then they usually just collapse in a heap. Valve referred to this device as the "Strider Buster" prior to the game's release.

Magnusson's peculiar personality seems to have gained him much respect from the Vortigaunts, and even to have influence on them. His assistant, called "Uriah" after Charles Dickens's character 'Uriah Heep' because of his "bowed posture and semi-servile manner", is the only Vortigaunt seen to wear clothes (a lab coat with an identification badge). Uriah makes awed references to Magnusson such as "I can return to my place of honor, at the side of the Magnusson" and "It is an honor to have been accepted by the Magnusson". Another Vortigaunt earlier in the game also utters a phrase very similar to Magnusson's "What next in the parade of constant interruptions?" ("What next in the parade of constant obstacles?") ; the game's commentary confirms that this is intentional and that his mannerisms have spread among the Vortigaunts via their telepathic link.

ee also

* Half-Life
* Half-Life 2
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