Joel Nielsen Xen Soundtrack 13 Ascension (v2)

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[Hazen]

It's not an elevator music, it is elevating music.

[mikejustmike]

This theme is the difference between seeing Gordon Freeman as an exhausted theoretical physicist who's slowly losing his mind from the sheer scale of death and destruction he's seen, and as an unstoppable force of destructive power who's mad as hell and not going to take it anymore. Really explains why the Vortigaunts were so quick to assume that the Combine was screwed once he showed up.

[darkstormgts-]

To me, this entire sequence was when Gordon officially became "The Freeman" in the eyes of the Vorts.

[bcnghhwk]

"What's he doing?"
_Gordon drops the crowbar and picks up the ion cannon_
beginning to believe."

[shingshongshamalama]

The finale of Black Mesa is not triumphant, but bitter-sweet. Perhaps even melancholy.

This was never a story about saving the world.
This is a story about how the world ends.

[neonviking]

I just realised. The climax of this song follows the same Leitmotif as Resonance Cascade.
Joel, you musical GENIUS.

[tpdblake]

This elevator ride is like a doom segment. The Nihilinth literally musters everything he can in a last ditch attempt to stop you from reaching him, and one person is able to kill his whole army of controllers. Since the vortiguants knew Gordon killed the nihilanth they probably saw this too, and this is probably the moment Gordon became the messiah to them

[odessanlo]

You can sense the fear the controllers are experiencing when Freeman ascends up the elevator and they all focus their attention on him. In the earlier chapter Lambda Core, they even go out of their way to leave their dimension just to prevent him from entering. This part in the game is when they all realise its too late and throw all the shit his way but to no avail. Also, it's really satisfying to kill these flying fuckers while they let out that god awful screech.

[khornethebloodgod]

I view Gordon Freeman as the living embodiment of the Human Spirit, the will of an entire people that has been beaten, bruised, and abused by the rest of the universe, as the rest of Humanity surrendered to the Combine he alone has the strength to carry on and keep hope alive. This section is the baptism to which he ascends from a common scientist trying to survive to a messianic hero who will stop at nothing to free his people, just like he freed the Vortigaunts, just like he freed himself. The G-Man uses Alyx when he can because he is unable to truly control Gordon because he has Ascended past a mere man,
He is The One True Free Man.

[ender]

I don't care how many people saying 80% interloper should be cut or Xen is just horrible. It is fine as it is. I don't know, everything in Blackmesa is the masterpiece to me.
Both original and remake are great.

[doctornsilver]

This is so good yet bitter-sweet in two ways.

In Freeman's perspective he is doing this to save the world but knows he will probably die afterwards.

In our perspective we know Freeman saves the world, but only for it to be taken anyways.

[MetalPeanut]

is it a coincidence that the roar of the gluon cannon is in tune with this track?
my primal screaming while vaporizing dozens of controllers wasn't in tune, however

[cybr_cayde]

when this started playing, I realized how _terrifying_ and unstoppable Gordon is

[atoaster]

Alyx: "Russ What's the deal with the crowbar?"
Russell: "Oh you mean Gordon Freeman's Crowbar?"
Alyx: "Yeah."
Russell: "Oh Alyx, he fought his way out of black mesa with nothing BUT that crowbar!"
Alyx: "No way."
Russell: "It's true, well it's true what they say. you know nobody knows for sure."
Alyx: "Well when i get him out let's give him a gun."

[mechaelite]

Man the elevator ride against those controllers whilst ascension plays on the background, added to the fact that you have unlimited gluon gun ammo, surely makes you feel like you're the messiah himself coming to liberate Xen

[stragnk]

"Mornin' Mr.Freeman, looks like you're running late." Because of Black Mesa, this has become one of my favorite quotes of the entire Half-Life series. It shows how such a simple concern as "running late" very quickly turns into a hellish nightmare, where Gordon Freeman can only think about surviving. Then you get to Lambda Core, which shifts the story towards telling the story of someone trying to survive, to a story of someone trying to save the world. I think this elevator segment perfectly reflects on this story line, as in the original Half-life, Xen was just another story of trying to survive against all means, where anything can kill you. This part however, isn't about survival. It resembles all of Gordon's and the Lambda Complex's efforts in the last few chapters. Instead of giving limited resources for surviving, this segment empowers you and makes you feel unstoppable, just how like how it should've been. At the credits of course, the game then lets you reflect on these 3 shifts in the story, and how long of a journey it's been from being a scientist, to basically a demi-god in a matter of 20 hours (or 2 days from Gordon's perspective). Oh, and all of this summed up by a kick-ass soundtrack, of course.

[AgentMS]

The name of this track is genius. It's referring not only to the literal ascension on the elevator, but also the ascension of Freeman into godhood in the minds of the vortigaunts. This insane man has blown up a countless number of their slavers. How could the vorts not believe Gordon Freeman to be their savior after the elevator?

I sure hope that naming is intentional, otherwise I've way overthought this 😅

[hatti...]

Nothing beats Half-Life's community in ambition. Nothin'.

[The_GamerFather]

Coming from an OG HL Player:
I played Half Life when it was released back in '98. I waited for HL 2 to come out, and when it finally did I played the shit out of it. Then Episode 1 was released... then Episode 2 with it's horrifying and intense ending... I practically cried. I then replayed the entire game series all over in 2011 losing hope of there ever being a HL3.

Then finally, on one rainy day... Crowbar Collective came through. I was informed of Black Mesa's release which I had been eagerly anticipating for years. I had to download the game in three different installments... IT WAS NOT ON STEAM AT THE TIME! The opening scene on the tram entering the Black Mesa Research Facility... with your music Joel.... WOW! I was floored by nostalgia. I was like a child again in complete AWE. I even downloaded your entire track back in 2012 and would keep it on replay while I was studying for... Y'ALL GUESSED IT! PHYSICS! Your epic music then, and your EPIC MUSIC NOW, integrating parts from your previous tracks into the finally release of XEN all these years later... my heart was racing playing this game. I could feel the intense energy when playing Ascension with your phenomenal music. My hat off to you sir. You made this old man feel young again. Thank you for your music which I find so moving. I appreciate you more than you could ever possibly imagine, AND WHAT MAKES THINGS BETTER? My soon to be 17 year old son is now a HUGE FAN of Half Life and your music... and I am so blessed that I get to share it with him. To anyone who made it to the end of this novel, I commend you for your patience, and one day just maybe one day... we can all share the amazing experience of HL 3. Although I did make my son promise me to play HL3 and pass it for me... for us... if I am no longer around to see that day.

TO ALL MY FRIENDS WITH THE RESISTANCE... I SALUTE YOU! WE SALUTE JOEL!

[brandonsantisteban]

2:17 imagining the notes:
Oh the main theme notes draws the black mesa logo. AMAZING DETAIL

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