Administrator
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The Administrator, also known as the Announcer or Helen,[1] handles the affairs of both the RED and BLU teams, as well as TF Industries. She is the source of the mysterious, disembodied voice that issues commands and announces vital events during rounds. An aged and thoroughly evil mastermind of a woman, the Administrator possesses both a piercing gaze and the sort of voice that commands total and unwavering obedience... or else. Her general demeanor tends towards either slight anger or various stages of bitter disappointment.
Contents
Role and duties
The Administrator wields considerable influence and power. Once thought to be the owner of both the RED and BLU corporations, it has since been revealed that Blutarch and Redmond Mann are both still alive thanks to Radigan Conagher's life extending machines. Despite their continued existence, neither of the Mann brothers seem capable of handling the affairs of their respective companies, and so for all intents and purposes the Administrator can be said to control them. By extension, this grants her control over every major government on the planet. She tends to keep her operations top secret, manipulating events from behind the scenes. Any development that may chance unwanted attention is swiftly terminated with extreme prejudice.
She communicates with both teams from a single microphone connected to a central control panel. By skilled manipulation of a huge array of plugs and sockets, she can tap into a number of communication channels, including ones that address the entirety of the RED and BLU teams. Her messages are relayed to the teams through an Alarm-O-Tron 5000 speaker system, itself connected to a board with a myriad of signs that illuminate in situations of varying urgency, such as "Intruder Alert - RED Spy - In Base". A massive monitor bank in front of her control panel allows her to keep a watchful eye on events at all times. Her exact motives in ordering the mercenary teams employed by both her companies into mortal combat on a regular basis remain mysterious.
The Administrator is attended by a number of staff, including loyal assistant Miss Pauling and several messengers.
WAR!
| “ | In my experience, Miss Pauling, nothing kills friendship faster... than a healthy competition.
— The Administrator on her evil deeds
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The Administrator considers inter-company friendships a profound breach of trust, forbidden by contract. After her assistant Miss Pauling brought it to her attention that the RED Demoman and BLU Soldier had become friends, she had communication channels opened up specifically to them both. Through these, she personally encouraged each to kill their new friend in order to earn a mysterious and valuable new weapon developed under Mann Co. Just as intended, this quickly destroyed their blossoming friendship and thus beginning the seven day war.
Director
| “ | This director's the perfect dupe. He's too stupid to divine our reasons for commissioning him. Too arrogant to listen to anything our mercs are actually telling him. And he records everything.
— The Administrator on the director
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The Administrator hired a director to record some background information about what the RED team members might say when asked questions from the files the Administrator gave the Director. Not intent on keeping him for long as she considers him to be a dupe and as sub-normal as the mercenaries, she gives the order to Miss Pauling to kill the director afterwards in a mine shaft. She also sends photos of the Sniper's parents, the Heavy's home and Minigun, and one of the Soldier's heads back to the RED team. After the mercenaries kill the messenger, she chastises them since the mini-television sets they carry are apparently extremely expensive, and warns them of the dangers of discussing the terms of their contracts with anyone. She does let them know that in this case, it was a rather absurd example and all gathered evidence – except the Soldier's heads – was destroyed.
Appearance
The Administrator's appearance has a storied past. It started with a fan rendition by the artist Makani, which spread around the Internet, proving to be rather popular. Shortly thereafter, the artist was invited to Valve headquarters for a visit where the design was then purchased. Many months later, during the promo for the Haunted Hallowe'en Special, a woman with a near-identical face could be seen standing next to Zepheniah Mann on his deathbed. Finally, on December 9, 2009, the Administrator's face was officially revealed using Makani's design with some slight clothing modifications. With the release of Meet the Director, the Administrator's appearance has undergone more changes.
Trivia
- The Administrator is voiced by Ellen McLain, who was also the voice of GLaDOS in Portal and the Voice Overwatch Dispatcher in Half-Life 2, making her appear in all of The Orange Box games.
- The Administrator is implied to have been in a relationship with Saxton Hale some time ago, who refers to her as a "chain-smoking seductress".
- In response to inquiries about her alleged relationship with Saxton Hale: "A lady never tells, and a gentleman never asks. More pertinently, an Administrator never forgets. Or forgives. Or relents. The Nosy Parkers among you would do well to remember that the next time you decide to paw through my confidential affairs like junkyard dogs."[2]
- In Poker Night at the Inventory, an image of the Administrator makes a cameo as the Queen of Diamonds in the "Poker Night" and "Poker Night Alternative" decks, respectively.
- According to a blog-post by her, The Administrator gets one hour of vacation time per year, which she usually spend it in a park, feeding pigeons, causing them to war with each other.
Gallery
Makani's original rendition of the Administrator.
The Administrator as she appeared in the WAR! Update.
The Administrator Queen of Diamonds card from the "Poker Night" deck as seen in Poker Night at the Inventory.
The Administrator Queen of Diamonds card from the "Poker Night Alternative" deck as seen in Poker Night at the Inventory.
See also
References
External links
- Comic – Before the WAR!
- TF2 Official Website - You Have Failed Me
- TF2 Official Website - I Can't Take My Eyes Off You for Five Minutes
- TF2 Official Website - Theft is a Dish Best Served Cold
- TF2 Official Website - Attention Employees...
- TF2 Official Website - Cheaters, Winners and Busybodies
- TF2 Official Website - Additional time has been awarded
