Headcrab
From Combine OverWiki, the Half-Life Wiki
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| Headcrab | |
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| General information | |
| Affiliation |
Xen wildlife |
| Type |
Parasite |
| Personal information | |
| Game information | |
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- "Have you ever seen such a magnificent species? These "crabs" can completely control their host's nervous system."
- ―Black Mesa scientist[src]
The Headcrab, also referred to as head humper by Barney Calhoun and parasitic by the Combine Overwatch, is the most numerous and arguably iconic alien in the series.
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[edit] Overview
Headcrabs are fairly small creatures, consisting of a rounded body with four legs for movement and a often pair of larger frontal claws for attacking prey or as additional support when standing still. Headcrabs appear to have no external sensory organs, so it is assumed they move about by touch and vibration.
The Headcrab includes several subspecies. The first to be introduced is the Standard Headcrab, and the adult form, the Gonarch, in Half-Life. Half-Life 2 updated the Standard Headcrab and introduced two new subspecies, the Fast Headcrab and the Poison Headcrab, along with new Zombies.
[edit] Combine application
In Half-Life 2, the Earth-occupying Combine alien race is seen utilizing Headcrabs as a form of biological weaponry against the Resistance. "Headcrab shells", as they are known, are shells containing several Headcrabs. After impact, their payload of Headcrabs is released into the open, free to infest or kill nearby victims. If used in large numbers, these shells are highly effective in neutralizing a large concentration of Resistance groups, as proven during a visit to the devastated town of Ravenholm.
[edit] Behind the scenes
- Originally, a device attached to a Gonarch, nicknamed "Big Momma Pod", was to be used by the Combine for obtaining large numbers of Headcrabs for use in Headcrab Shells.[2]
- Curiously, although Half-Life 2's Headcrabs are capable of tolerating areas contaminated by toxic waste and radioactivity, they are unable to swim and survive in liquid substances (including water); these traits are reversed in Half-Life. The Headcrab's resilience towards toxic and radioactivity materials appears to be passed on to the hosts they parasitize, as zombies are frequently found in conditions that would otherwise be hazardous to their hosts.
- Headcrabs and Zombies are often compared to the Flood from Halo.
[edit] Gallery
[edit] Models
 Standard Headcrab model, with six eyes (Half-Life version). |
 Standard Headcrab model, also with six eyes (Decay version). |
 Gonarch model. |
 Baby Headcrab model. |
 Standard Headcrab model, without eyes (Half-Life 2 version). |
 Fast Headcrab model. |
 Poison Headcrab model. |
[edit] List of appearances
- Half-Life: Day One (First appearance)
- Half-Life
- Half-Life: Uplink (Non-canonical appearance)
- Half-Life: Opposing Force
- Half-Life: Blue Shift
- Half-Life: Decay
- Half-Life 2
- Half-Life 2: Raising the Bar
- Half-Life 2: Episode One
- Half-Life 2: Episode Two
[edit] Notes and references
- ↑ Half-Life 2: Raising the Bar
- ↑ Playable Half-Life 2 Beta files
| Xen | ||
|---|---|---|
| Creatures | Alien Controller · Alien Grunt · Barnacle · Boid · Bullsquid · Chumtoad · Gargantua · Headcrab · Houndeye · Ichthyosaur · Leech · Manta Ray · Nihilanth · Snark · Tentacle · Vortigaunt | |
| Headcrabs | Headcrab · Fast Headcrab · Gonarch · Lamarr · Poison Headcrab · Standard Headcrab · Headcrab Shell | |
| Zombies | Zombie · Fast Zombie · Gonome · Poison Zombie · Standard Zombie · Zombine | |
| Vortigaunts | Vortigaunt · Vortigese · All-Knowing Vortigaunt · R-4913 · Sweepy · Uriah · Victory Mine Vortigaunt · Vortigaunt Camp · Vortigaunt Shepherd · X-8973 | |
| Flora | Light Stalk · Fungus · Tree | |
| Weapons | Sentry Turret · Hivehand · Snark · Snark Mine | |
| Other | Crystal | |
| Creatures (cut) | Archer · Charger · Fast Walker · Flocking Floater · Kingpin · Mr. Friendly · Panther Eye · Sand Barnacle · Snapbug · Stukabat | |
| Headcrabs (cut) | Brickbat | |
| Vortigaunts (cut) | Vorti-Cell | |
| Weapons (cut) | Black Hole Gun | |
