Chell (Portal)
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Chell is the
silent protagonist In video games, a silent protagonist is a player character who lacks any dialogue for the entire duration of a game, with the possible exception of occasional interjections or short phrases. In some games, especially visual novels, this may extend ...
in the ''Portal''
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series developed by
Valve A valve is a device or natural object that regulates, directs or controls the flow of a fluid (gases, liquids, fluidized solids, or slurries) by opening, closing, or partially obstructing various passageways. Valves are technically fittings ...
. She appears in both ''
Portal Portal often refers to: * Portal (architecture), an opening in a wall of a building, gate or fortification, or the extremities (ends) of a tunnel Portal may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Gaming * ''Portal'' (series), two video games ...
'' and ''
Portal 2 ''Portal 2'' is a 2011 puzzle-platform video game developed by Valve Corporation, Valve for Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360. The digital PC version is distributed online by Valve's Steam (service), Steam service, while al ...
'' as the main
player character A player character (also known as a playable character or PC) is a fictional character in a video game or tabletop role-playing game whose actions are controlled by a player rather than the rules of the game. The characters that are not control ...
and as a
supporting character A supporting character is a character in a narrative that is not the focus of the primary storyline, but is important to the plot/protagonist, and appears or is mentioned in the story enough to be more than just a minor character or a cameo ap ...
in some other video games. Not much is known about Chell but some posit she is the daughter of an employee at
Aperture Science Laboratories The Half-Life (series), ''Half-Life'' video game series features many locations set in a dystopian future stemming from the events of the first game, Half-Life (video game), ''Half-Life''. These locations are used and referred to throughout the se ...
, the main setting of the games. Chell's face- and body-model were derived from those of
Alésia Glidewell Alésia Toyoko Glidewell (born December 8, 1978) is an American web-series-director, producer, and voice-actress. She was previously the owner of a small production-company. Career She has provided voices for video games, including '' Sly 2: B ...
. She experienced a redesign in ''Portal 2'' which was often changed during development. For example, the original redesign featured a laboratory-hat. A character presented in
first-person perspective A first-person narrative is a mode of storytelling in which a storyteller recounts events from their own point of view using the first person It may be narrated by a first-person protagonist (or other focal character), first-person re-teller ...
, Chell can only be seen through reflections and portals in the game. Chell was generally well-received by critics and gamers, with many people praising that she does not speak and looks like a "normal-looking and normal-dressing woman" in contrast to many other female characters in first-person shooters.


Development and design

Valve's
Erik Wolpaw Erik Wolpaw is an American video game writer. He and Chet Faliszek wrote the pioneering video game website Old Man Murray. He subsequently worked for game developers Double Fine Productions and Valve, and is known for his work on video games inclu ...
felt that it did not really matter what kind of person Chell was, noting that playtesters of the first ''Portal'' often did not know her name as it was never mentioned. Wolpaw explained that they never mentioned her name as felt like they had this relationship with
GLaDOS GLaDOS (Genetic Lifeform and Disk Operating System) is a fictional artificial intelligence, artificially superintelligent computer, computer system from the video game series ''Portal (video game series), Portal''. GLaDOS later appeared in ''Th ...
, and they wanted GLaDOS to recognize them".
Chet Faliszek Chet Faliszek (; born 1965) is an American video game writer who has worked for companies like Valve and Bossa Studios, having been involved in the story writing for series such as ''Half-Life'', ''Portal'', and ''Left 4 Dead''. Career Faliszek ...
noted that Chell was the female version of
Gordon Freeman Gordon Freeman is the silent protagonist of the ''Half-Life'' video game series, created by Gabe Newell and designed by Newell and Marc Laidlaw of Valve. His first appearance is in ''Half-Life''. Gordon Freeman is depicted as a bespectacled Ca ...
's role as a
silent protagonist In video games, a silent protagonist is a player character who lacks any dialogue for the entire duration of a game, with the possible exception of occasional interjections or short phrases. In some games, especially visual novels, this may extend ...
(in the ''
Half-Life Half-life (symbol ) is the time required for a quantity (of substance) to reduce to half of its initial value. The term is commonly used in nuclear physics to describe how quickly unstable atoms undergo radioactive decay or how long stable ato ...
'' video games). Wolpaw explained it served the game's humour better if she did not talk, and that if the "straight man in a world gone mad" did talk, referring to Chell, "it would suck". In fact, there is one part of the first game where GLaDOS seems to get annoyed by Chell's refusal to respond to her, saying, "Are you even listening to me?" (Wolpaw has commented a few times that Chell simply won't give GLaDOS the satisfaction of a response, but he doesn't intend that theory to be taken seriously). In an interview by
IGN ''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...
about ''Portal 2: Lab Rat'', Valve's Michael Avon Oeming commented that, currently, "Chell is more of a storytelling device," comparing her to the
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character by
Will Eisner William Erwin Eisner (March 6, 1917 – January 3, 2005) was an American cartoonist, writer, and entrepreneur. He was one of the earliest cartoonists to work in the American comic book industry, and his series ''The Spirit'' (1940–1952) was no ...
, but noted that more may be seen of Chell in the future. Chell's face and body model were derived from those of the director, producer and voice actress
Alésia Glidewell Alésia Toyoko Glidewell (born December 8, 1978) is an American web-series-director, producer, and voice-actress. She was previously the owner of a small production-company. Career She has provided voices for video games, including '' Sly 2: B ...
. When making ''
Portal 2 ''Portal 2'' is a 2011 puzzle-platform video game developed by Valve Corporation, Valve for Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360. The digital PC version is distributed online by Valve's Steam (service), Steam service, while al ...
'', developers considered not bringing back the character. However, this was changed as playtesters wanted GLaDOS to recognize them as the person who had killed her in the first game. In her original redesign for ''Portal 2'' developers tried to make her look appealing, yet not overdesigned, with nothing made simply for fashion. They explored changing her nationality, and tried to make her look less human due to the "constant dehumanization of these test subjects". Being a test subject, Chell's suit was designed to look neither sexy nor unattractive. The original redesign of the character featured a laboratory hat, which was thought of halfway through the concepting phase. Matt Charlesworth, Valve's concept artist, commented that the hat reminded him of test pilots. This look was eventually abandoned in favor of returning to her original orange jumpsuit, this time with the jumpsuit wrapped around her waist. Valve's art team explained that this was to give her more freedom and help her stand out more as an individual.


Appearances

In ''Portal'', Chell is performing tests for
Aperture Science The ''Half-Life'' video game series features many locations set in a dystopian future stemming from the events of the first game, ''Half-Life''. These locations are used and referred to throughout the series. The locations, for the most part, a ...
, which are being overseen by
GLaDOS GLaDOS (Genetic Lifeform and Disk Operating System) is a fictional artificial intelligence, artificially superintelligent computer, computer system from the video game series ''Portal (video game series), Portal''. GLaDOS later appeared in ''Th ...
, an
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computer system A computer is a machine that can be programmed to carry out sequences of arithmetic or logical operations (computation) automatically. Modern digital electronic computers can perform generic sets of operations known as programs. These progr ...
. Chell destroys GLaDOS in her efforts to escape but is wounded, and an unseen figure called the Party Escort Bot drags her back inside. In ''Portal 2: Lab Rat'', a tie-in comic for ''Portal 2'', Chell is put in stasis by Doug Rattmann after the events of ''Portal''. He is revealed to be responsible for Chell taking part in the tests. Chell reappears in ''Portal 2'' where she is reawakened by
Wheatley Wheatley may refer to: Places * Wheatley (crater), on Venus * Wheatley, Ontario, Canada * Wheatley, Hampshire, England * Wheatley, Oxfordshire, England ** Wheatley railway station * Wheatley, South Yorkshire, England * Wheatley, now Ben Rhydding, ...
. She and Wheatley attempt to escape the laboratory, and in the process accidentally reanimate GLaDOS. GLaDOS, furious with Chell for having "murdered" her, forces her to do more tests until Wheatley helps her escape. Chell and Wheatley team up to destroy GLaDOS's
neurotoxin Neurotoxins are toxins that are destructive to nerve tissue (causing neurotoxicity). Neurotoxins are an extensive class of exogenous chemical neurological insultsSpencer 2000 that can adversely affect function in both developing and mature ner ...
and turret production. GLaDOS eventually recaptures Chell, but fails to kill her due to her lack of neurotoxin and turrets. Chell takes advantage of the moment to replace GLaDOS's core with Wheatley's core. Wheatley, corrupted and driven to megalomania by inhabiting GLaDOS's former shell, betrays Chell and instead of freeing her, sends her to the very bottom of the Testing Facility. There she navigates several Mobility Gel testing areas that were in use between 1956 and 1985. As she ascends through level after level, she learns about the late founder of Aperture Science,
Cave Johnson Cave Johnson (January 11, 1793 – November 23, 1866) was an American politician who served the state of Tennessee as a Democratic congressman in the United States House of Representatives. Johnson was the 12th United States Postmaster Gener ...
, and his assistant, Caroline, whose personality and intelligence were ultimately implanted in GLaDOS. Chell finds and picks up GLaDOS, whom Wheatley has placed in a small module powered by a
potato battery A lemon battery is a simple battery often made for the purpose of education. Typically, a piece of zinc metal (such as a galvanized nail) and a piece of copper (such as a penny) are inserted into a lemon and connected by wires. Power generated by ...
. Opening the hatch that seals off the old facility from the new, Chell inadvertently pumps Mobility Gels up to the new facility, which later proves useful. Wheatley captures her and forces her to run tests for him until she finds his lair. And after attaching corrupted cores onto Wheatley, with the process of reverting being booby-trapped, she fires a portal to the moon which sucks her and Wheatley out into space. Chell is saved by GLaDOS, who lets her leave the facility via an elevator that takes her to the surface. Chell's origin is unclear; GLaDOS claims that in Chell's file it states that she is adopted. In ''Portal 2'', a long-abandoned science fair poster that was part of "Bring Your Daughter to Work Day" — the same day GLaDOS went rogue — is attributed to "Chell", implying that at least one of her parents worked for Aperture Science. Some posit that Chell is the daughter of Cave Johnson, the founder and CEO of Aperture Science. As both ''Portal'' games are presented in a first-person view, Chell is only seen fleetingly in normal gameplay, usually when portals are aligned in such a way that the player is able to create a recursive view of Chell. Placing two portals next to each other on a wall and then partially entering the one portal while facing the other allows the player a close-up view of Chell's face. Chell is a playable character in the crossover game ''
Lego Dimensions ''Lego Dimensions'' is a Lego-themed action-adventure platform crossover video game developed by Traveller's Tales and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, for the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Wii U, Xbox One and Xbox 360. It fo ...
'', and has access to her portal gun. Her character pack includes a sentry turret and a
Companion Cube Companion may refer to: Relationships Currently * Any of several interpersonal relationships such as friend or acquaintance * A domestic partner, akin to a spouse * Sober companion, an addiction treatment coach * Companion (caregiving), a caregive ...
, and unlocks a bonus level in which she returns to Aperture and is reunited with Wheatley, with the two trying to stop GLaDOS once more. A Portal-themed costume featuring Chell holding a portal gun is available for the 2020 battle royale game '' Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout''.


Reception and analysis

GamesRadar's Joe McNeilly called Chell an example of ''Portal'' deconstructing
first-person shooter First-person shooter (FPS) is a sub-genre of shooter video games centered on gun and other weapon-based combat in a first-person perspective, with the player experiencing the action through the eyes of the protagonist and controlling the pl ...
archetypes, noting that she was neither in third-person nor sexualized unlike most female characters in first-person shooters. GamesRadar called Chell the antidote to the half-naked woman cliché, praising her for not being sexualized and being fully clothed, commenting, "The hero of Portal just happens to be a normal-looking and normal-dressing woman, like 50% of the world's population." GamesRadar listed Chell (jokingly) as one of its Mediocre Game Babes, calling her jumpsuit repulsive and saying, " erheel springs make her look like one of those aliens from '' The Arrival''."
IGN ''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...
listed Chell as the sixth top gaming heroine, calling her "one of the most resourceful heroines on
heir Inheritance is the practice of receiving private property, titles, debts, entitlements, privileges, rights, and obligations upon the death of an individual. The rules of inheritance differ among societies and have changed over time. Officiall ...
list". In an in-depth analysis of ''Portal'', Daniel Johnson from
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said that Chell being female, as well as GLaDOS's line about testing your daughter in Aperture Science Bring Your Daughter to Work Day, alluded to the testing of women. Johnson also noted that the information about who Chell is and why she is there reinforced the position of the player as an unwilling participant. GamesRadar said that it considered putting Chell on its list of the Top 7 Tasteful game heroines, but said she lost out to Zoey from ''
Left 4 Dead ''Left 4 Dead'' is a 2008 first-person shooter game developed by Valve South and published by Valve. It was originally released for Microsoft Windows and Xbox 360 in November 2008 and for Mac OS X in October 2010, and is the first title in the ...
''.
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's Luke Plunkett called Chell's original design in the first game memorable, later noting how in the first ''Portal'' "Chell ..was never really the ''star'' of the game" as well as how little she was actually seen. Mike Fahey, also from Kotaku, defended Chell from people saying that she should talk, and said, "The last thing I would want in ''Portal 2'' is for Chell to speak". When reviewing ''Portal 2'',
Game Informer ''Game Informer'' (''GI'', most often stylized ''gameinformer'' from the 2010s onward) is an American monthly video game magazine featuring articles, news, strategy, and reviews of video games and associated consoles. It debuted in August 1991 w ...
's Adam Biessener said that much of what makes ''Portal'' and ''Portal 2'' so special was the execution and the originality of standing in Chell's shoes and experiencing her destiny.


References

{{Portal series Adoptee characters in video games Cryonically preserved characters in video games Female characters in video games Fictional characters with neurotrauma Fictional slaves in video games Orphan characters in video games Portal characters Silent protagonists Video game characters introduced in 2007 Video game protagonists