GLaDOS

GLaDOS (pronounced 'glah-doss' similarly to the female name 'Gladys') is a fictional artificially intelligent computer system featured in the Valve Software video game Portal. GLaDOS is an acronym of 'Genetic Lifeform and Disk Operating System.' In the game, GLaDOS is the only character to speak, and was voiced by actor Ellen McLain.
Portal

GLaDOS is the player's only link with the situation they are placed in; at the game's start, GLaDOS introduces the player to the game's Enrichment Center and the physics of the portal gun. In later stages of the center, GLaDOS admits to having lied to the player about their progress, as part of a supposed 'test protocol.' GLaDOS slowly becomes more sinister, reinforcing the discomfort a player would experience as the facility is totally abandoned. The player's trust in GLaDOS is tested when the AI directs the player into a testing area populated with live-fire turrets, a course designed for military androids. The AI claims that the regular test chamber is unavailable due to routine maintenance.
GLaDOS uses the lure of cake and grief counseling to encourage the player to continue, but at the final testing area, as the player prepares to receive the supposed cake, GLaDOS attempts to incinerate the player in a fire pit. Once the player escapes, GLaDOS attempts to reconcile the player, claiming the pit was a final test. The player then travels through the bowels of the Enrichment Center, battling natural hazards and further turrets until they reach GLaDOS's chamber, where the final battle occurs.

Origin and Backstory

GLaDOS' origin is gradually revealed in the later stages of the game. An abandoned slideshow presentation in a meeting room shows GLaDOS was developed by Aperture Science Laboratories Inc. as a method of de-icing fuel lines in direct competition with a similar project by Black Mesa Research facility. GLaDOS is described as not only being a fuel line de-icer, but having a fully-functional Disk Operating System and being "arguably alive."
GLaDOS is, however, much more than a fuel line de-icer. The AI is installed as the Enrichment Center's central control computer. It is possible that GLaDOS has further control over Aperture's Laboratories, however this is not confirmed.
GLaDOS's core is mounted in a large, sealed chamber alongside control consoles and an incinerator. The core hangs from the ceiling surrounded by video screens that show random and relevant images. The core swings continuously, dislodging one of the modules in the final level. There are no clear speakers or units which create GLaDOS' voice, though it is present throughout the facility.
During the final battle, GLaDOS reveals it is the source of the facility's abandoned state; GLaDOS flooded the Enrichment Center with a fatal neurotoxin, presumably killing several scientists, just before its Morality Module was installed. Since the Module had been installed, it can be assumed that the release happened as the Module was being installed, forcing the scientists to abandon the facility.

Modules

GLaDOS' core is composed of several interconnected spherical modules and a central 'spine' onto which they are mounted. Whist durable, the modules can be detached from the spine with the aid of a rocket turret, and thus placed in an incinerator. The player disconnects and incinerates four modules during the final battle. Brief descriptions of their respective purposes follow:
Morality Module - the first piece to detach. Silent with a purple 'eye' that fixes on the player. Its incineration provokes GLaDOS to attempt to kill the player. Revealed to be the part that prevented GLaDOS repeating a release of a deadly neurotoxin into the Enrichment Center, an event that presumably happened as this module was installed, resulting in the facility's evacuation. It appears that the Morality module is what causes GLaDOS to speak in its disjointed voice as, once destroyed, GLaDOS begins using a huskier, more sinister voice.
Curiosity Module - the first piece blown off by a rocket. Has an orange eye that swivels around, questioning everything it sees vocally. Talks continuously with a child's voice. Appears to be able to smell (asks "Do you smell something burning?" when placed near the incinerator). Its destruction causes GLaDOS to scream.
Cake Module - possibly the origin of GLaDOS' obsession with cakes. Has a blue eye and a deeper adult voice. Eye does not focus on objects. Once detached, it recites a recipe for a chocolate cake, including such irrelevand or fictional elements as "electromagnetic image rhubarb" and "slaughter electric needle injector". Its destruction is met with another scream from the core. After it's incineration, GLaDOS seems to realize it and asks "Who's going to make the cake when I'm gone?"
Aggression Module - the final module to be detached. Has a red eye. Once detached, it shakes and produces animal growls and aggressive sounds. Its destruction signifies the end of the game.

GLaDOS is not aware of the purpose of the Morality module until it is incinerated, and does not react to the detachment of each module in a method relevant to the module. Even though detached, the modules appear to have some kind of link to the core, as GLaDOS is aware of the incineration of each; though the Morality module gives a surprised reaction, subsequent modules cause GLaDOS to scream as though in physical pain.
GLaDOS seems to lose some abilities as the modules are destroyed, such as claiming "Two plus two is... ...ten," before correcting itself with "...in base four! I'm fine!"

Abilities

GLaDOS has the following abilities:
*Able to track the player anywhere in the facility via cameras
*Operates elevators
*Operates test chamber doors
*Comments on the player's completion of test chambers
*Has access to a reserve of fatal neurotoxin which can be released throughout the facility
*Some control over rocket turrets
*Limited control of a portal generator

Personality
GLaDOS possesses considerable wit and sarcasm for a computer. The AI normally speaks with a mechanical, computerised voice, emphasised by disjointed sentences in which phrases such as "Aperture Science" and "The Enrichment Center" are spoken in a particular way. During the final battle, the voice becomes much smoother and human-like as GLaDOS prepares to kill the player.

Death
GLaDOS is eventually destroyed by the player's action of placing the Aggression Module into the Emergency Intelligence Incinerator. GLaDOS' voice fluctuates rapidly as a large portal opens in the ceiling on which the core is mounted, presumably a result of GLaDOS' malfunctioning state. The portal dismantles the core, tearing parts off the frame and spine before sucking them into the ceiling. As the last of the core is destroyed, the player is drawn into the portal. The final scene from the player's perspective shows burning pieces of GLaDOS' core falling to the ground just outside the Aperture Laboratories complex.
The final overall scene, following a rapid flight through the bowels of the facility, shows rack upon rack of GLaDOS modules surrounding a cake and a Companion Cube. As the scene plays, the 'eye' portions of several modules light up orange, showing that the AI has not been totally vanquished. A claw descends and extinguishes the candle on the cake, triggering the credits and song.

The outro song, 'Still Alive,' was written by Jonathan Coulton and sung by Ellen McLain. Told from the computer's perspective, GLaDOS claims to be still 'alive' and brands the events of the test a success.

The song illustrates the parallels between HAL9000 and GLaDOS - both believed they needed no human presence, were deactivated/destroyed piece by piece and their final actions were to sing a song (though 'Still Alive' features a complete backing band).

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See Also

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