General Robertson

General Robertson in the field, talking with Johnathan.

> "*We need you to look for this man, as he could be the last hope for all of us.*"
>
>

--General Robertson, speaking to Nathan about David Hawkings.

**General Robertson** is one of the many main characters affiliated with the military in the zombie series, as its leader. Robertson first appeared in Season 5 Episode 1at the offshore military base, Black Mesa Sigma, and is an ongoing character in Splonder's newest series, A New Beginning*.* General Robertson wears a forest-camouflaged National Guard uniform.

He is voiced by various actors throughout the series. As of right now Phantom is the main voice actor, however he has also been voiced by Spartains and Splonder in past seasons.

## Pre-Apocalypse

General Robertson rarely discussed his past life before the outbreak, however it is known that he joined the U.S Army at some point in his life. He served for a long enough time and rose through the ranks to be promoted to a general. It is known that at one point he was attempted to be made part of the Super Soldier Program, however he declined.

## Post-Apocalypse

General Robertson is first encountered at Black Mesa Sigma by David and Connor. He is the on-site commander of the base. General Robertson at first is welcoming to his visitors, but realizing they could be infected, orders David and Connor to be placed under quarantine. Later, a spiteful Connor attempts to assassinate Robertson after an incident while he and David were under quarantine. However, he is saved by David at the last moment. Robertson, still outraged from the attempt decides to banish them from the Island.

Robertson isn't seen again until Episode 7 of Season 5 . Here he is encountered by David, Connor in an underground military base. Robertson however does not appear until the near ending of the episode itself. General Robertson is heavily guarded when seen meeting the duet. Before ordering the soldiers to shoot both the duet and the Unknown Soldier, Johnathan Lacy rushes into the scene to stop the general before any thing can happen. The general seems to be taken back a bit but decides to back down. From here Robertson explains to David and Connor about them being in the labs that the virus was created in and their plan about fighting with the Combine in Big City.

The general is seen once again but this time in Big City . At this point Robertson takes command from the major highway where he and his men are being shot at by combine soldiers. With little amount of military units he had with him they are soon killed off leaving him alone to defend himself. During this time John Colt manages to find his way back up to the bridge, from there he meets up with General Robertson. John sacrifices himself to protect Robertson and is eventually shot by a combine sniper leaving the General to defend himself once again. He meets face to face with Breen and is talked into surrendering everything. However David Hawkings, with the help of many rebel units, takes out the rest of Breen's soldiers on the bridge allowing the General to go free. It's unknown what happened to Robertson after he retreated.

Years after the war Robertson is seen alive. He has managed to take back small safe zones/small towns from infected and bandits but has left much of the US to defend for itself still. In the series, A New Beginning, Robertson was held up in Central Evo City, one of the most heavily armed and guarded safe zones in the Country. He later goes on a mission with a sizeable force of men to locate Nathan Rogers, whom he had assigned to find David Hawkings. Upon reaching his last known location, he comes up empty handed, aside from several dead Joint Strike Force soldiers. As the convoy heads back to Evo City, it stops, hitting a roadblock. As Pvt. Johnathan heads over to talk to the general, an explosive suddenly detonates on the convoy, wounding General Robertson. The rest of the convoy, caught off guard and leaderless, are easily killed by the JSF soldiers.

When Robertson awakes, he is met with the Joint Strike Force Commander, who orchestrated the ambush. The Commander tells Robertson that Robertson's own men informed the Commander of the convoy's location. He patronizes the general for wasting his time fighting for a new world, and warns him that if a conflict were to occur, the military and their, according to the Commander, inferior troops, would be destroyed. This angers Robertson, whose men have been doing most of the fighting while the JSF have merely waited for their moment to strike, and an argument ensues. However, the argument is cut short by the commander, who beats Robertson unconscious with a truncheon.

## Personality

General Robertson, in terms of tactics, is somewhat close-minded. He seemed eager for glory and victory at the expense of the lives under his command. This is evidenced during the Battle of Big City, when his strategy is to simply win the battle through a war of attrition by massing almost all of his troops at the bridge. However, the Combine had better equipped and better trained troops, in greater numbers than the military, so this was basically impossible. The general would have likely lost his entire force if it were not for intervention from the rebels.

Despite these tactical shortcomings, Robertson recognized defeat when he saw it, and was willing to, reluctantly, surrender after his near-defeat at the Battle of Big City. These shortcomings in terms of tactics should not be mistaken for stupidity, as Robertson was still shown to be an intelligent person.

Robertson seemed to prefer to be boots on the grounds with his men instead of commanding them from far away. He is present at the front lines of the Battle of Big City, and fought against the Combine until the last man.

## Relationship With Others

* David Hawkings

General Robertson first meets David when he arrives at Black Mesa Sigma along with Connor. He is at first welcoming of David, providing he doesn't cause any trouble. However, Robertson realizes David has potentially been exposed to the infection, and as per standard procedure, puts David in quarantine. Later, David saves Robertson from assassination at the hands of Connor, however, he still has David along with Luke exiled from the island, saying he can't "have them running around the island like dogs".

Robertson makes up with David when he later meets him in the AAA Corporation bunker, and asks him to join the military and help at the Battle of Big City, to which David agrees. The two, presumably, do not meet again again after the end of Season 5, and years later, Robertson launches a search for him.

* Connor Ashman

Robertson and Connor Ashman get off to a very rough start. He meets him along with David at Black Mesa Sigma, and although things seem to be going well between the two at first, Robertson places the two under quarantine. Then, Connor draws a crowbar on Robertson and his guard, threatening to harm them if they place him under quarantine, however, he is disarmed.

This is not the only time Connor threatens Robertson's life, as later, Connor murders one of the marines on the base, and almost assassinates Robertson, before being saved by David.

Connor later meets Robertson again in the AAA Corporation bunker, and Connor agrees to help fight the Combine alongside the military, although this is probably more so due to Connor's greater hatred for the Combine than for Robertson and the military.

* Nathan Rogers

General Robertson meets Rogers after he is captured and brought before him in the Evo City safe zone. Robertson stops Johnathan from punching Nathan out of anger, and takes the opportunity to interrogate Nathan himself, showing he takes a great interest in him. Robertson certainly trusts Nathan, as he recruits him to hunt down David Hawkings, despite Nathan supposedly killing a military soldier.

* Pvt. Johnathan Lacy

Johnathan respects General Robertson as his superior, although General Robertson does not seem to respect Johnathan as much. Johnathan seems to answer to Robertson as his right hand man, assisting him in interrogations, accompanying him in the field, and giving him important info on missions. Although the relation between the two seems to hardly stretch anything beyond purely business.

* Joint Strike Force Commander

There is a great deal of animosity between the Joint Strike Force Commander and General Robertson, despite the short period in which they met. Both of the two believe the army of their counterpart is inferior and could be crushed by their own army. Their argument ends with the Commander even physically assaulting the general and knocking him out.

## Sources

1. ↑ https://youtu.be/q8yDqkvlDmU?list=PLl7tPKKmq7yEHF06oa-45Gdu8QE97IxPF&t=1281
2. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btM5euLY5tU&index=9&list=PLl7tPKKmq7yEHF06oa-45Gdu8QE97IxPF
3. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbrCIgay9mQ&list=PLl7tPKKmq7yEHF06oa-45Gdu8QE97IxPF&index=10