Cave Johnson's Death
The founder's fatal exposure to moon dust leads to the creation of GLaDOS.
Cave Johnson's death is a key event in the backstory of the Portal series, marking the end of Aperture Science's human leadership. Johnson became poisoned from exposure to moon dust, a key component of the paint needed to support portal technology, and became increasingly deranged. Leading up to his death, he ordered his lifelong assistant Caroline to be the first test subject for a mind-to-computer transfer; her personality would ultimately form the core of GLaDOS.
Quick Facts
- Cause of death
- Moon dust poisoning
Lore & Background
Cave Johnson founded Aperture Science, originally seeking to make shower curtains for the military. His research discovered portal technology, making Aperture a direct competitor with Black Mesa Research Facility for government funding. Johnson acquired the rights to a disused salt mine in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, where they started building a labyrinthine set of offices, laboratories, facilities, and test chambers. During this time, Johnson became poisoned from exposure to moon dust, a key component of the paint needed to support portal technology, and became increasingly deranged.
Leading up to his death, Johnson ordered his lifelong assistant Caroline to be the first test subject for a mind-to-computer transfer; her personality would ultimately form the core of GLaDOS. Some time after Johnson's death, the old sections of the facility were vitrified, and a more modern facility was built atop the ruins.
Related in Portal
Links follow this subject's own source article.
Elsewhere in Portal
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced