Doctor Isaac Kleiner
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Doctor Isaac Kleiner is a fictional character from the video games Half-Life and Half-Life 2. He is one of the few survivors of the incident that took place in the Black Mesa Research Facility, and being a prolific author of several works on teleportation and interdimensional travel, he is a key figure in the scientific community of the Resistance against the Combine Empire. He is affectionately referred to simply as "Izzy" by Dr. Eli Vance on various occasions.
Some sources also erroneously refer to the character as Dr. Alex Kleiner, based on an apparent inaccuracy in the strategy guide of the original Half-Life.
Appearance and role
Half-Life
Although Dr. Kleiner's character design is based on the "bald, glasses" scientist model from the original Half-Life (dubbed "Walter Bennett" by fans and later named as such in the Opposing Force and Blue Shift expansion packs) he is not intended to be the same character, and never interacted with Gordon at all during the Black Mesa Incident. Also, the texture file for Dr. Kleiner's face is called "walter_face.vtf". This is likely to be referring to Walter Bennett. Before Half-Life 2, the only reference in the games to Kleiner was during when Dr. Keller mentions he "[does] not understand what Kleiner sees in that boy," referring to Gordon.Dr. Kleiner, who recommended Gordon Freeman for employment at Black Mesa, worked with him as part of the facility's Anomalous Materials team and was one of his professors at MIT. He manages to survive the Resonance Cascade disaster of the first game with the aid of Doctor Eli Vance, though exactly how he escapes is unknown.
In the strategy guide for the original Half-Life, a Dr. Alex Kleiner is mentioned, which can be assumed to be the same person. This likely an error, although it is entirely possible during the development of Half-Life 2 he had his name changed, and is most likely the same person mentioned at the beginning.
Half-Life 2
Along with colleagues (and fellow survivors) Alyx Vance, Dr. Eli Vance, and Barney Calhoun, he makes up the core of the resistance against the Combine. Dr. Kleiner has set up a lab underground in City 17. A teleportation system, developed jointly by Kleiner and Vance, allows for near-instantaneous transportation between Kleiner's lab and Vance's facility, several miles distant. As a pet, Dr. Kleiner keeps a debeaked headcrab he calls "Lamarr" (a reference to 1930s actress and inventor Hedy Lamarr).Half-Life 2: Episode One
In Kleiner returns, appearing on the video screens usually reserved for Doctor Breen's propaganda and instructing survivors to make their way to their nearest train station to evacuate City 17. Kleiner also humorously informs people that the Combine's "Reproduction Suppressors" are no longer effective, and that "those so inclined" should take advantage of the fact. In lieu of their return, he also rallies people to prepare for the Combine's retaliation, stating that several new technologies were developed during their occupation, and that these will be deployed as soon as possible to help fight the Combine.
Notes
His voice in Half-Life 2 was provided by Harry S. Robins, the voice of all scientists in the original Half-Life.
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