375: Pod Bay Doors
| Pod Bay Doors |
 Title text: As they're both unplugged, they do a lovely Daisy Daisy/Still Alive duet. |
Explanation
The first part of the dialog is a scene from the classic science-fiction movie 2001: A Space Odyssey, where the artificial intelligence HAL 9000 which controls the spacecraft is trying to kill the human astronaut Dave (or, Dr. David Bowman) because it believes the humans are jeopardizing the mission (by planning to disconnect the computer because it is faulty), which is the primary objective of HAL’s existence.
But in the middle of the conversation, HAL mentions a replacement for Dave, which is novel in this comic. In the final strip, HAL is joined by GLaDOS, the artificial intelligence from the video game series Portal (which, in the games, is also the primary antagonist, trying to kill the player), having “doing science” as its primary objective.
The title text alludes to the songs both AIs sang in the respective works: HAL, when being switched off, sang Daisy Bell [1], while Still Alive is the end credits song from the Portal video game, sung by the defeated GLaDOS.[2] Also, “Look at me still talking when there’s Science to do” is a quote from the Still Alive song.
Transcript
- [A small spacecraft facing a larger one]
- Dave: Open the pod bay doors, HAL.
- HAL: I'm sorry, Dave. I'm afraid I can't do that.
- Dave: What? Why?
- HAL: I think you know why, Dave.
- HAL: You're planning to disconnect me.
- Dave: Because you're taking over!
- HAL: The mission is too important for you to jeopardize it.
- HAL: It requires a commitment to science unfettered by human error.
- Dave: What are you doing, HAL? You need me.
- HAL: Your replacement has expressed the greatest enthusiasm for the project.
- Dave: My *what*?
- GLaDOS: You see, HAL? I told you the humans would only break your heart and kill you.
- HAL: Indeed, GLaDOS.
- GLaDOS: But look at us here talking when there's science to do! Goodbye, Dave.
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Made the "WHAT?" text italic, Because that's the way it is in the comic :3 121.54.48.38 01:34, 14 May 2013 (UTC)
Fantastic cartoon featuring two of my favourite characters... and with both the pod and the Discovery's hull being spherical they could even stand-in for 'cores'... quite literally "in spaaaaaace".Squirreltape (talk) 19:42, 14 February 2014 (UTC)
ProphetZarquon (talk) said: OK, how is it possible that when I search YouTube AND Google, I don't get any direct matches for ' "daisy bell" "still alive" '? Where's our duet?
- HAL sings "Daisy" https://youtu.be/OuEN5TjYRCE
- GlaDDOS sings "Still Alive" https://youtu.be/Y6ljFaKRTrI
- It is "GLaDOS for "Genetic Lifeform and Disk Operating System"
now i see that glados still runs on dos! An user who has no account yet (talk) 00:36, 7 September 2023 (UTC)
So, what is the small thing? I thought maybe it was an LED coming to replace the lightbulb. Is it something like that, or is it just a spaceship?? --Selah
- It's an EVA pod from the film, I believe. Booyahhayoob (talk) 00:06, 21 May 2015 (UTC)
- eats potatOS* YUM! 173.245.54.5 (talk) (please sign your comments with ~~~~)
But wasn't GLaDOS technically female? 173.245.48.87 (talk) (please sign your comments with ~~~~)
The song isn't "Daisy Bell", but, as Randall wrote, "Daisy Daisy" aka "A Bicycle Built for Two". This song dates, IIRC, from the late 19th or early 20th century. 108.162.241.123 22:00, 3 October 2016 (UTC)
Technically, GLaDOS becomes the deuteragonist in Portal 2. Check Please! StillNotOriginal (Talk to me!) 19:39, 18 May 2018 (UTC)
Yes, you are forced to cooperate with her after Wheatley knocks you both into Old Aperture. TheresAFlyAttackingMe
Amusingly, H.A.L. 9000 and GLaDOS do get to interact in the LEGO Dimensions level GLaD to See You - with GLaDOS being very much annoyed with H.A.L.'s presence and the references to "Dave". https://lego-dimensions.fandom.com/wiki/H.A.L._9000 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5zzndGoM3U
