A little HL2 question...

[Dallas]

I just got done starting a new play through of Half Life 2; I played the opening mission (which is by far the best opening mission ever) in the background I kept hearing Breen talking about the Suppression Field and if the Union will ever de-activate it.

My question then came into being! Let's say Freeman refused to pick up the can and the CP killed him and the resistance was thus destroyed.

Q. How long would it take for the Human race to become OTA/Stalkers once Freeman was dead? ie: How long would it take for the Union singularity of Earth to be achieved?

We can even take the question further: would Earth become a bridge world between the Overworld and our universe?
Would the Union expand and eventually conquer all life in our Universe also?

[Sectus]

Well, that question comes with literally endless possiblities for answers, or solutions. If the situation should arise that Freeman died in the opening mission in canon, literally thousands of things could happen. Perhaps the resistance did not really need Freeman, and were able to overthrow the Union on their own? Freeman's mere presence actually caused many of the events that happened in the game, some leading to hardships for the resistance.

I suppose if the story arc did proceed in the other direction, it would take a while for them to use up human kind. In canon, it is about five years after the Union assaulted Earth, so judging from the conditions in the game, I would say that it would take about ten or twenty more years for them to entirely use it up. Eventually the existing generation of humans would die out, and the Earth's resources would all be absorbed by the Union.

Also, a thing that many players tend to forget, the Union is a Universal Union. They span several plans of reality and other dimensions. The events that occur in-game of the Half-Life series are literally a forgettable occurance for the Grand Advisors. I am sure that even if Earth overthrew the Union in that particular area, if they really cared, they would be more than capable of re-capturing it. That is why I now find the resistance to be literally futile, because no matter what they do, or how they fight, the Union just cannot be beaten on a realistic basis. The whole human race could fight the Union for ten years, spanning several generations, and it would do little to nothing.

[Dallas]

Yes, this is a great answer but!
If the Union are capable of inter-dimensional, cross-galactic expansion, then how come they didn't use their power to expand rapidly throughout our universe? Is Earth really the only possible way they have of reaching us?! What if the Union has a dimension-cracking thing that can tear open portals? Maybe that's something on the Borealis, it would explain why everyone wants it so bad? Oh these questions!!!!

[Mr Jive]

I believe that the Combines arrival was actually our fault (Black mesa), it was the Resonance cascade that made a breach towards our planet allowing the creatures of Xen to escape into our universe, the Combine who were following the creatures of Xen from their home world saw this as an advantage to expand their empire. I believe (my knowledge on the cannon is not that great) that the combine were actually not that good at portals, to get to our universe they sought of launch themselves forcefully. But after you take down the citadel it breaks off the portals that they are using and closes the gap. So I guess the resistance isn't futile, the only way the Combine would be able to get back is if they could figure out the technology that we used to make the resonance cascade in the first place: and that takes us to the borealis. If the combine get there first they can re-open the portal and all hope is lost, if they can't then all it would mean is the resistance would just have to keep fighting until all the combine are dead, and then they can rebuild earth.

And I do think the resistance could have done this by themselves, in hl2 it seems that a fully fledged resistance spans the entire area from city 17 and the areas around it, the game hints that tensions had been high for a long time now and it was only a matter of time before the rebellion kicked off. I mean Gordon was out of action for a week and pretty much the entirety of city 17 had fallen in that time. Boy I rambled on more than I meant to

Also I think the other problem would be is that city 17 might not be the only way for the Combine to get to earth, although it seems quite likely, and if it is, it hints that citadels wouldn't actually exist in other cities, I mean, why build a relay tower that big in every city if only one works Who knows, only HL3 can tell :3

[Dallas]

This has been most insightful, thanks to both of you. I'm glad I got such well written answers.