Talk:Combine

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Wrong Redirect

Shouldn't the redirect code Combine Overwatch be in the Overwatch page, not this? --Mega Sean 45 23:13, 31 March 2009 (UTC)

Uhhhh...who is going to answer this? =P --Mega Sean 45 23:57, 20 April 2009 (UTC)

Done--YabbaMyIcing 04:24, 21 April 2009 (UTC)

Thanks, it's been bothering me why a Combine Overwatch redirect is on Combine and not Overwatch. --Mega Sean 45 12:04, 21 April 2009 (UTC)

Universal Union vs "universal union"

The title "Universal Union" is a misnomer that has, for some reason, gained popularity. The phrase is only mentioned once in the game, by Breen during one of his speeches. The text is as follows:

BREEN: It has come to my attention that some have lately called me a collaborator, as if such a term was shameful. I ask you, what greater endeavor exists than that of collaboration? In our current unparalleled enterprise, refusal to collaborate is simply a refusal to grow--an insistence on suicide, if you will. Did the lungfish refuse to breathe air? It did not. It crept forth boldly while its brethren remained in the blackest ocean abyss, with lidless eyes forever staring at the dark, ignorant and doomed despite their eternal vigilance. Would we model ourselves on the trilobyte? Are all the accomplishments of humanity fated to be nothing more than a layer of broken plastic shardes thinly strewn across a fossil bed, sandwiched between the Burgess shale and an eon's worth of mud? In order to be true to our nature, and our destiny, we must aspire to greater things. We have outgrown our cradle. It is futile to cry for mother's milk, when our true sustenance awaits us among the stars. And only the universal union that small minds call 'The Combine' can carry us there. Therefore I say, yes, I am a collaborator. We must all collaborate, willingly, eagerly, if we expect to reap the benefits of unification. And reap we shall.

As you can see, Breen uses the term as a description, not a title; "universal union" is not capitalized in the closed captioning of the game, as it would be if it were a name or title. Instead it's left un-capitalized suggesting that Breen is merely using an alliteration for the sake of his speech. Thus, what this article says about the Combine being referred to as "the Universal Union" is incorrect, so I am changing it back to "a universal union" unless someone is able to compose a better reason to the contrary. 96.255.136.51 06:14, 21 July 2009 (UTC)

In the Collaboration Speech, he speaks that sentence as if there is a comma after Universal Union. i.e. "and only The Universal Union, that small minds call 'The Combine', can carry us there."--YabbaMyIcing 17:39, 25 July 2009 (UTC)

And Our Benefactors is a title.--YabbaMyIcing 17:40, 25 July 2009 (UTC)

One could argue that the formation and speaking of his sentences does not particularly give weight to one side of the argument or the other, as it could have been spoken either way while still being grammatically correct, thus making that argument entirely subjective. However, as mentioned, the captioning for the game does not capitalize "universal union" when it DOES capitalize "The Combine", showing evidence that it was indeed just a descriptive phrase and not an official title. 96.255.136.51 19:09, 31 July 2009 (UTC)

Neverless, Universal Union sounds really good and should be the offical title. I hope we will hear it in Ep 3 again. (btw I would not take the subtitles too seriously) --141.5.11.5 12:09, April 16, 2010 (UTC)

"Their slaves...we are their slaves...we are..."

Are you sure the Nihilanth is referring to the Combine? GordonGMan 13:16, 20 August 2009 (UTC)

Of the three factions worth mentioning there's the Humans, the Combine, and Nihilanth's group (I forget the name). Assuming Nihilanth means both himself and the Vorts only the Combine could possibly subjigate them, so yes. It's not like humanity could do it as of HL1.-Thulu

Combine Metal

should there be something written about the blackish-blue metal that the combine use in all of their machinery? is there any information about it in Raising the Bar or any other written material? QX100 00:54, October 24, 2009 (UTC)

1984?

The Combine remind me a LOT of the government in the book 1984 perhaps they are inspired by that? 70.36.177.121 02:13, September 20, 2011 (UTC)