Administrator
| “ | It saddens me that despite my best efforts to instruct and better you, some of you insist on finding new ways to fail.
— The Administrator
|
” |
The Administrator (real name Helen[1]; family name unknown), also referred to as the TF Announcer or simply the Announcer, handles the affairs of both RED and BLU as well as TF Industries. She is the source of the mysterious, disembodied voice that issues commands and announces vital events during matches. 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.
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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-a-Tron 5000 speaker system, itself connected to a board with a myriad of signs that illuminate in situations of varying urgency (e.g. 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.
The WAR
| “ | In my experience, Miss Pauling, nothing kills friendship faster...than a healthy competition.
— The Administrator at her evil deeds
|
” |
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 the 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.
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 for a visit, where the design was purchased. Many months later, during the promo for the 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.
Trivia
- The Administrator has a liking for cigarettes and the Punishment Monthly magazine according to Saxton Hale.
- The Administrator is voiced by Ellen McLain, who also played the voice of GLaDOS in Portal and the Overwatch Dispatcher in Half-Life 2.
- The Administrator occasionally posts on the TF2 Official Blog; usually entries that involve tongue-lashing the community for untoward behavior, such as the usage of external achievement unlocking programs.
- The Administrator is the only Non-player character that has a presence in regular gameplay (with the possible exception of the ghost of Zepheniah Mann and Silas Mann).
- As portrayed in the comic, the Administrator is in possession of the Mann Family Portrait. She bears a very close resemblance to Elizabeth, Zepheniah Mann's maidservant.
- 'The Administrator' takes place concurrent to the events of Meet the Spy.
- 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]
- The Demoman refers to her as "the angry lady who's always screamin' at us while we fight." [3]
- A painting of what looks like the Administrator can be found in the map Mann Manor, however, in an inaccessible room.
- In Template:W, an image of the Administrator cameos as the Queen of Diamonds in the "Poker Night" card deck.
