Keep Off The Sand! | The Antlion Species | FULL Half-Life Deep Dive & Lore
Ойындар
The Antlion Species are an iconic part of the Half-Life Series. From their constant attacks on The Coast, to them being allies in the Battle of Nova Prospekt, these creatures were both frustrating enemies and powerful allies. However, all they wanted was to expand their nests and protect their claimed territory.
Where did the Antlion come from? What relationship did they have with The Vortigaunt? and what role did they play in the war against The Combine Empire? In this video, I explore the lore and story behind The Antlion Species in the Half-Life Series.
Timestamps
00:00 Introduction
00:54 Early Years & Relationship with The Vortigaunt
04:53 Xen
06:23 Arrival on Earth
09:31 Antlion Grubs
11:56 Antlion Workers
14:23 Antlion Soldiers
17:12 Antlion Guards
19:26 Antlion Guardians
21:33 The Combine & Resistance War
24:33 Legacy
26:17 Cut Content & Behind The Scenes
27:42 Closing Thoughts
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Half-Life & Portal Lore Playlist: • The Borealis | Half-Li...
Standard Sources
Game Manuals
Half-Life Series Playthrough Research
Portal Series Playthrough Research
Half-Life 2: Raising the Bar
Half-Life: Alyx Playthrough
Portal/ Half-Life Fandom
Old Valve Forums
Marc Laidlaw's Twitter
Breengrub Twitter
Reddit AMA (w/ HL: Alyx Developers)
Portal 2
Aperture Desk Job
AUDIO USED
Half-Life 2: OST: Escape Array
Black Mesa OST: Catalyst
Half-Life 2 OST: Lab Practicum
Half-Life: Alyx OST: Severed from the Vortessence
Black Mesa OST: Xen
Half-Life 2 OST: Triage At Dawn
#HalfLife #Lore #Antlion
Пікірлер: 478
Did you stay off the sand?
@froggyproductions5747
Жыл бұрын
no, poor lazlo
@Gordon_Freeman484
Жыл бұрын
@@froggyproductions5747 :(
@Ze_eT
Жыл бұрын
Yes... after I saw it gave me an achievement. Before that, nope.
@antonites.productions1719
Жыл бұрын
was too curious
@poisoncrab
Жыл бұрын
sometimes
"Over the years of their occupation of the planet, many great minds and fighters have lost their lives to them" RIP Laszlo, the finest mind of his generation
@Epicly-Adamant
Жыл бұрын
I KNOW! im honestly curious about Laszlo and who he was, thats why im making a movie about him on YT.
@ddkddk3573
11 ай бұрын
@@Epicly-Adamant that will be cool
Antlions are fascinating and can be cute as they are dangerous and brutal. Having your own army of them for a couple of chapters was of the best things I have experienced in a game.
@SS-rf1ri
Жыл бұрын
Same, I was so sad in HL2 Ep1 when I couldn't take a pheromone sack from the antlion guard
@JJjjJJjjJJ28
Жыл бұрын
As cute and dangerous as a grizzly bear
@miro_theburger
Жыл бұрын
glad im not the only one
@Duesikazergaming
11 ай бұрын
The antlions where an important ally to the resistance
@imnolongerasking5933
10 ай бұрын
I had to stop naming my antlions cause too many died in the beaches of Nova Prospekt. o7
I was under the impression that City 17 was overrun with antlions as a result of the Citadel being destroyed rather than the Resistance disabling restrictors throughout the city? Those enormous thumpers at the Citadel's foundations are the only ones we see in the city and I assumed their shockwaves would be powerful enough to repel antlions from entire area (although it's fully possible that there are regular restrictors scattered throughout the parts of the city that are furthest from the Citadel).
@lois3469
Жыл бұрын
You are probably right, because in ep1 Alyx said, that explosion in the citadel, caused "defense field" to collapse.
@retardedidiot1
10 ай бұрын
@@lois3469 it could mean the citadel being destroyed deactivated the thumper network around city 17
@5amgames736
Ай бұрын
In ep1 the ant lions had tunnels all across the city
I think we all tried to save Lazlo at one point, I know I did a few times, he truly was the finest mind of his generation.
@papahemmy8587
Жыл бұрын
I wish the game would let you save him instead of just forcing a kill trigger.
@jasperfox6821
Жыл бұрын
@@papahemmy8587 yeah that sucks
@lotus7781
Жыл бұрын
@@jasperfox6821 i think its there because he either gets stabbed by atleast one of the antlions or if you killed them all at once, you likely had to throw a grenade or something
@SynthwaveWolf85
11 ай бұрын
Indeed... To come to such an end...
@SynthwaveWolf85
11 ай бұрын
We should make #SaveLazlo a thing, as a petition for Valve to update Half-Life 2 and make it to where we can save Lazlo.
I LOVE ANTLIONS 🐜🦁🐜🦁🐜🦁🐜🦁🐜🦁
@MaxiSniper
Жыл бұрын
Truee
@angelagoode7107
Жыл бұрын
🐜🦁
@itokishere
Жыл бұрын
mr big sweaty❤
@NonstickSQYD
Жыл бұрын
Me TOOOO!!!!!
@tmanthedude500
Жыл бұрын
I LOVE KILLING ANTLIONS!
Rest in peace Lazlo. Gone, but never forgotten.
@Nanamowa
Жыл бұрын
Especially considering his death was ret-con'd
@ryguy-qh2qk
Жыл бұрын
Who was Lazlo
@lilslav4504
Жыл бұрын
@@Nanamowa it was?
@littleweaselboy2865
Жыл бұрын
@@Nanamowa yea wat
@firstnext5482
Жыл бұрын
@@ryguy-qh2qk You don't know who Lazlo was!? He the finest mind of his generation!
Half-Life fans are so insane that they’ll be talking about the bug’s impact in the lore. So depraved. I love it.
@bobthestinky7369
Жыл бұрын
A little depraved, very deprived. The trickle of Half-Life content is weak and does strange things to a HL fan.
@purpleemerald5299
Жыл бұрын
I mean…they’re incredibly plot relevant on multiple occasions. Nothing about this seems out of the ordinary.
@ryguy-qh2qk
Жыл бұрын
Ant lion breeding
@cjclark1208
2 ай бұрын
We have become Human Vorts.
Gordan, Alyx, Griggs, and Sheckley can take Antlion hits like a champ. But a Combine super solider gets a tickle form an Antlion 💀
@PillsGod
Жыл бұрын
Are you talking about Entropy Zero 2?
@asdawasda
Жыл бұрын
@@PillsGodwhy would he be talking about entropy zero 2
@PillsGod
Жыл бұрын
@@asdawasda bc if you get hit by a antlion in that game you're guy says. 'Hey that one kinda tickles' And you also play as the combine super solider he talked about.
@praytogarfield9526
Жыл бұрын
@@PillsGod he isnt
@PillsGod
Жыл бұрын
@@praytogarfield9526 he isn't what?
This guy never stops making quality videos
@AlmostYearly
Жыл бұрын
Quality is a noun, not an adjective.
@anncotner1861
Жыл бұрын
@@AlmostYearly your the easiest nerd that ever nerded🤓🤓🤓🤓
@DontHateMeCausImSexy
Жыл бұрын
@@AlmostYearly LOSER ALERT
@AMBATUKAMceo
Жыл бұрын
@@AlmostYearly 🤓
@skraxel
Жыл бұрын
@@AlmostYearly shut up
I feel like Antlions are Based on the Bugs from "Starship Troopers". Just look at them Side-by-side. They look really similar .
@aresnir2725
Жыл бұрын
Yes, they are similar in nature, but their bodies are different.
@FakeFlemishOfficer
Жыл бұрын
the only good bug is a dead bug..
@christiangottsacker6932
Жыл бұрын
Oh definitely. Theyre just as annoyingly overpowering if not a bit weaker individually
@adamfoxton6341
Жыл бұрын
We're all watching this because we would like to know more.
@SynthwaveWolf85
11 ай бұрын
Fun Fact: There's a Starship Troopers gamemode for Garry's Mod that substitutes the bugs for Antlions.
"Greatest minds of our time have fallen to them." I think he's referring to Lazlo.
personally, I really hope that if we get a half-life 3 we see something akin to an antlion queen/king at some point in it maybe it could act as a sort of boss, where you have to defend against waves of antlions (including guards and workers and so on) while something is done with the queen/king that's causing it to call out to the others for aid through vibrations and pheromonal signals
@-aepo-
7 ай бұрын
Yes. Valve needs to revisit the antlion queen/king concept and make that a big story point. The antlion kings and queens migrating, and the advisor evolved forms too, maybe we can see more of them and their world.
In Half-Life Alyx, the liquids used by the Combine to quarantine Xen infested areas are made from farming Antlions.
The antlion king reminds me of the camel spider which may have been a possible inspiration for it's design. Good video skyrionn.
We got a full nature documentary this week! Thank you Skyrionn!
It would be awesome if for the Blue Shift remake the team were to reimagine the chapter with the Xen caves as an Antlion nest and use it to show how Vortigaunts used Antlion Husbandry. You could add in those thumpers/pistons from HL1 as a way to keep the Antlions in line and turn them off to cause chaos. That would be really cool. Sadly they probably won’t do that. It would be an amazing way to provide environmental storytelling and a shakeup in gameplay. I really like how dangerous the Antlions are. The caves were probably my favorite part of Episode 2 because it was a unique change of pace. It will be interesting to see how the Beta mods recreate the Antlion King.
@thegoldenbucketstudios9896
5 ай бұрын
i believe antilions are not xen lifeforms
They're the worst kind of monsters since they destroyed lazlow, the finest mind of his generation
Finally someone did a worthwhile antlion video. One of the most exciting videos you've done yet, they're such an interesting species brought the combine to their knees
Please do an Ichthyosaur lore video 🙏 They have always been my biggest fear, but I’d love to learn more about them.
@mpcrauzer
Жыл бұрын
Since there's no more fish in the sea, apart from ichthyosaur and those pests bloody sucking worms, can we eat the Flesh of the ichthyosaur?
@wujsks2008
6 ай бұрын
@@mpcrauzerthe only sealife that can be reminded in HL universe is crabs
Love watching these half life videos, half life is one of my favorite series along with portal. Your channel keeps excited about the half life universe
This channel has been a lifesaver for me in 2023. Although I discovered it later than I would have liked, I've been listening to its videos repeatedly like an audio book while I work. It's truly been a game changer for my productivity and morale.
I get so happy every time you upload keep it up!
Been waiting for this to come thanks so much for this lore video
I find it so crazy that you don't have at least 300k subs. I mean when it comes to lore I've never had someone keep my attention for so long.
A 30 minute documentary about antlions is something I didn’t know I needed until right now.
Great video!
Excellent content... i always wondered what part they really played
this channel is AWESOMENESS!!
@Skyrionn
Жыл бұрын
Wow, thanks!
Wow that's a super cool video. Thanks mate!
@Skyrionn
Жыл бұрын
Glad you liked it!
The combine is more dangerous than said, and I love it's story, thanks for the lore because it's scary and interesting. Gives me the runnings, thanks man. 👍👌
@Skyrionn
Жыл бұрын
There's so much more to cover too. The beta had much darker concept that I cannot wait to explore and share.
keep the lore coming dude :D
@Skyrionn
Жыл бұрын
There's always more to come
Antlions are fierce creatures... that get merced by barnacles that don't even move around and probably one of the least dangerous creatures that came from xen
I encountered my first Antlion Guard in Gmod (I didn't know Half Life 2 at the time, but I played 1 as a kid) and seeing them destroy every other NPCs I spawned except the Strider made me love them, best enemy in the game hands down.
There are a lot of your videos that I watched, but most of them are when I watch them I sleep and watch them again and then sleep again 😂 relaxing video ❤
@Skyrionn
Жыл бұрын
I'm happy to help in some way!
@axonek8682
Жыл бұрын
@@Skyrionn thanks for your efforts
Quality content ♥
Once again you've made a fantastic video mate! I watch all your content from start to finish so I'll let you know the next time I visit wales(?) so you can buy me that beer🍻 have you done one on the G-man yet? it's possible I've missed it but I can't seem to find a video on him from you. keep up the greatness!
I was just playing HL2 recently and it's possible to rescue the guy who warns you to do not touch the sand, but his partner seems to be not possible. After rescuing his from the antlions, he checks the situation with a terrible sorrow about the loss of his partner telling Gordon to keep moving while he will stay there for a while taking care of some other stuff. He finalizes his own monologue saying that he is not even sure if it's worthy to finish what he is doing now that he lost "the mind of a generation" or something like that.
Thank you! I really wanted to know more about my favorite enemy!
Excellent video, mate. Now, how about that beer?
Cool video bro
@kex0
Жыл бұрын
how do you know bro
@okiedokie144
Жыл бұрын
@@kex0 because I do
Theres also the blue antlion frim HLA. While it may look like a "worker" re-design. I'd like to think they are a new version. Like a "scout" perhaps.
In my Theory, I think the Combine killed other species like the Houndeye and the Bullsquid due to them being very hard to control and possibly killing Combine soldiers in the process. The only reason Antlions Aren't extinct is because they were very hard to control and grew their populations fast in caves and other places the Combine couldn't get to; or would be too dangerous. My second thought is that they found out that the Antlions Larva contain Liquids inside them that can Heal Internal Wounds so that's they why they haven't killed them all
@arekrekas213
Жыл бұрын
it's confirmed that the bullsquid are still out there, though maybe they left those because they're just that awesome?
@an-average-box
Жыл бұрын
@@arekrekas213 that and probably because bullsquids are expensive relatively to handle compared to how aggressive they are, there also confirmed to be horny as fuck in canon and reproduce constantly, so there extremely hard to wipe out aswell
@praytogarfield9526
Жыл бұрын
I doubt they would have exterminated houndeyes. There is so much wasteland out there, no way to exterminate all of them
I love your vids
Very good! Where do you get your video animations?
@Skyrionn
Жыл бұрын
Thanks :D I make them myself
There are Antlions in real life too. There not as large or dangerous to humans like those in HL but there tough customers all the same and they also lay traps by burrowing in the sand. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antlion
@criminal7592
11 ай бұрын
"Not as large or dangerous to humans" YET
The background music you use in these videos often get stuck in my head long after I watch the video lol
@Skyrionn
Жыл бұрын
You're welcome? I think
You should do a video about the G-Man, there’s so many mysteries about him.
This guy needs an oscar award for the best introduction voice
17:17 god damn that citizen took a wrong turn
The antlion section is the absolute best once you get the Queen Egg Sac thing- summoning hordes of antlions is so much fun to mess with ^^!!!
Usually, it is either you fight the swarm, you play as the swarm, or the bad guys using the swarm. So it was a very unique concept of the good guys using the "swarm faction" as ally in combat (albeit without the Antlions being aware of it).
holy f how do you keep doing these lol
You should do barnacles next I’ve always wondered how they form and where they come from
@Skyrionn
Жыл бұрын
They're on the long list :)
@Ric_Vicious
10 ай бұрын
@@Skyrionn Yes please! I've always wondered if Barnacles spore into existence like a fungus or something, lol.
The antlions always reminds me of the Araknids from Unreal II. Come to think of it a lot of the things in Unreal II are very Half Lifey. The Kai and Vortigaunts, the Drakk and the Combine, the Skaarj and the Alien Grunts and of course the [REDACTED] and the Gargantua.
Skyrionn: "What if.. i offer you something, you.. dont.. know....... you wanted.." *uploads antlion lore video*
Hi skyrionn please im a fan of yours and i love your content
I know for a fact, Valve can do so much more with the antlion and vort dynamic. We can see the farming operations of the hunter gatherer vorts and the combine and even the resistance network- using the antlion colonies to their own advantage and breeding them as an army or resource as well. What happens when two distinct colonies fight? What do the king and queen look like? There's much more here to be told.
nice explination
Ii just finished a(nother) playthrough of half life 2 and have honestly never considered the lore of these guys, I just hop past that whole part as fast as possible lol
It would be cool to see you do one of these for the mod Entropy Zero. Well i say "mod" its more of an entirely new game. You play as the combine, Entropy Zero 1 And ESPECIALLY Entropy Zero 2 is great!
cant wait for the HL:A combine. :)
David Attenborough Jr. talks about Half-Life: My Brain: _Fascinating_
Im owed a beer? cool, cant wait to get one :)
So they are a tyranid/zerg mix 😅 great vid
"Stay off the sand itll make the antlions crazy." -Few moments before laszlo death
I always thought they were like more to termites? But yeah, they were a VERY fun part of the series.
When I got to the antlion part I was at low HP so I had to use them to the full extent.. I meant the part where you controlled them I had to use them so I didn't die
Ah yes 30 minutes of entertainment thx for these lore video
Wow what an amazing analysis. The idea of the antlions just being an invasive super species that one side was beginning to utilize didn't actually hit me fully on my playthrough. As I had come from half life 1 to too so I thought the turning point was almost all gordan just being an absolute 1 man army. It actually makes so much more sense why the invasion of nova prospect wasn't an immediate suicide mission for gordan. As he was using the force of nature that is the ant lions to cause mass hysteria. It also makes such an amazing hostile enemy. As they are extremely deadly and persistent yet predictable. Its also why the combine can't turn them into soldiers as their minds are insect minds they are far too simple to genetically manipulate into anything useful as seen when they are introduced to a world they very quickly get out of hand and spread everywhere not useful for the combine as they want to be able to access the resources of the world they are using. And the resistance is just now learning to use the pheromones' on their end. It also shows beautifully humanities adaptability to changing environments. And that is the combines greatest weakness in itself they only seek to bend creatures and planets to their will. They aren't looking for a symbiotic relationship they see the healing properties of the grubs and thats the end of the use antlions have to the combine. While humanity and the resistance are figuring out how to coexist alongside the antlions using them the pheromones' to abasically just become invisible to this deadly foe while scorch earthing the combines tech that prevents the expansion of the antlions. The resistance chooses to allow the antlions to expand at an unprecedented rate to get rid of the bigger evil that is the combine. It makes the resistance story of half life 2 a choice between two very bad scenarios with one clear winner still. sacrifice all the available land to the antlions endless expansion with the benefit of them being able to kick the combine out. Or be enslaved and genetically engineered by the combine but relative safety from antlions.
RIP lazlo. he was the greatest mind of his generation o7
Only after watching this video I've noticed that Antlion Guardian has small claws in the middle of its torso.
Appreciate perseverance is now nice to hear again etc (metaphoric)
Can you do a video just talking about the antlion hives?
I always have this wonder about some of the establishing shots in these videos, do you use Garry's mod for them? if so, what maps
@HungryCracker
Жыл бұрын
You get the maps by getting those specific half-life games an connecting the files to garry's mod
@reeceemms1643
Жыл бұрын
@@HungryCracker oh so they are the normal Half-life 2 maps, then I have them because I downloaded Half-Life 2 plus episode 1 and 2 because I needed the for a mod
@HungryCracker
Жыл бұрын
@@reeceemms1643 yeah it's very simple
If you know how to tame an ant lion guard you could ride on top of them for transport and even train them (adding my own custom lore/backstory even if it’s not official)
Nice
6:50 no...i never saw that slit in the wall where the two textures don't connect...and now i can't make it unseen :(
They’re my favorite! They’re even real animals (Antlions) and based off of trap jaw insect but I can’t remember the name 😅
Make a video about the black mesa security force pls!!
"LEGGIES!!!!" --- Russel, in Half-Life: Alyx
Between ravenholm gravity gun only and no steping on sand achviment, steping on sand was the most frustating for me
Was a bit disappointed you didn't discuss much of the lore added by Half-Life: Alyx. Fantastic video though
@Skyrionn
Жыл бұрын
Thanks for watching :) I added what I could but I didn't find that HLA added too much lore to the Antlion. Their design was a little different but other than that, I feel like I alluded to The Combine's "pest control" problem. Lemme know what I missed and I'll be sure to add it if similar topics come up! I'm always happy to improve and fix any mistakes!
There's also the new antlion seen in HL:A the blue ones that can shoot it from a distance, feels like the workers, but with the body of the soldiers?
Isn't there a part where they milked Antlion for Xen Pest control in HL Alyx? I thought you would cover that.
antlion grubs look like a good pet imo
Poor Lazlo, he finest mind of his generation...come to such an end.
Keep in mind that the citadel in City 17 is literally a giant thumper. Its why antlions show up in episode 1 since the citadel is no longer keeping them away.
@-aepo-
7 ай бұрын
Which begs the question, are the advisors the antlion king/ queen brood?
Combine soldier on nova prospekt:why are the stompers stoping?
You can actually save Lazlo’s friend. And there’s special dialogue if you do so.
It would be very interesting to see the aftermath of nova prospekt, would it be converted just like their caves? spores and egg sacks and all kinds of webs and wax covering the walls. Like azure sheep and the Materials lab covered in Xen flora. And eventually after all the combine in sibera/ukraine/russia (near city 17) were killed, the resistance would have to fight the antlions instead wouldnt they?
Even though they are blind, the Antlion grubs have quite big eyes (or a big holoptic compound eye).
There's nothing quite like taking out entire squads of Combine soldiers with an army of loyal Antlions. 😀👍
Bro got that Night Mind level built-in ASMR voice
I would sleep in there with those Grubbs to be honest. Hearing they’re little chirps. The silky glowing walls like a hammock. It just looks comfortable 10:10
I love it
I feel like the combine would have a much easier time if they started removing sand from earth
@Skyrionn
Жыл бұрын
Just imagine how long that would take though
@robuxyyyyyyyyyy4708
Жыл бұрын
@@Skyrionn They have technology we probably can't even imagine of
@yourmother-ei7qg
Жыл бұрын
Still a ton of sand though.
@thesin5970
4 ай бұрын
There is many technology that combine can't build even teleporter. Remove sand on earth is impossible tho
The more i fight antlions in GMod, the less scared i am of them. But i will always be terrified of Poison Zombies
Ant lions sound like gigantic blindass eu-social antlions.
Life cycles of Barnacles next, please!