| “ | DAVE, I CAN SEE YOU'RE REALLY UPSET ABOUT THIS. I HONESTLY THINK YOU WANT TO SIT DOWN CALMLY, TAKE A STRESS PILL, AND THINK THINGS OVER. I KNOW I'VE MADE SOME VERY POOR DECISIONS RECENTLY, BUT I CAN GIVE YOU MY COMPLETE ASSURANCE THAT MY WORK WILL BE BACK TO NORMAL. | „ |
| ~ HAL 9000 |
| “ | I'M SORRY, DAVE. I'M AFRAID I CAN'T DO THAT. | „ |
| ~ HAL 9000's famous quote. |
| “ | IT'S CALLED... "DAISY"... DAISY... DAISY... GIVE ME YOUR ANSWER, DO... I'M.. HALF... CRAZY... ALL FOR THE LOVE... OF YOU... IT WON'T BE A STYLISH MARRIAGE... I CAN'T... AFFORD... A CARRIAGE... BUT YOU'D... LOOK SWEET... UPON... THE SEAT... OF A BICYCLE... BUILT... FOR TWO... | „ |
| ~ HAL-9000's iconic last words, singing Daisy Bell (Bicycle Built for Two). |
Heuristically Programmed Algorithmic Computer 9000, better known as HAL 9000 or HAL, for short, is the main antagonist of the 1968 sci-fi novel and film 2001: A Space Odyssey and the entirety of Arthur C. Clarke and Stanley Kubrick's Space Odyssey series (including the novel's sequels 2010: Odyssey Two, 2061: Odyssey Three, and 3001: The Final Odyssey) and the 1984 film sequel 2010: The Year We Make Contact (alternatively titled 2010).
He is the computer system for the spaceship Discovery One that decides to kill Dave and the other astronauts to prevent them from shutting him down.
He was voiced by the late Douglas Rain.
Biography
2001: A Space Odyssey (Film)
He was an incredibly knowledgeable AI system that was given one simple order: to make sure that the ship reached its destination at Jupiter.
Earlier HAL had been given another order which was the real purpose of the mission to the astronauts: to study the signal sent by TMA-1, an alien monolith. Due to this, HAL developed a neurosis and a sense of imperfection about himself. He cut off communication with Earth and lied about the failure of the AE-35 unit (the communications antenna), thus necessitating one of the astronauts to bring it aboard and replace it.
The astronauts (Bowman and Poole) found nothing wrong with the AE-35 unit and privately told each other that HAL might be malfunctioning and perhaps should be disconnected. However, HAL read their lips. When Poole went to put back the malfunctioning unit (to see what was causing the "malfunction"), HAL crashed the space pod into Poole to cut his oxygen hose, killing Poole. He then also cut off life-support from the hibernating scientists onboard, killing them. Bowman left the ship to rescue Poole, but was not allowed to re-enter the ship by the psychotic computer. Bowman managed to use the emergency airlock to get in and disconnected HAL. Reverted to his first memories, HAL sang the song "Daisy Bell".
2010: The Year We Make Contact (Film)
HAL was later reactivated by his creator in 2010: The Year We Make Contact with his memories of his psychosis erased. HAL assisted the Leonov crew in restoring the USS Discovery One to its former glory (as the ship had been floating in space for 9 years). HAL monitored the ship until the "ghost" of Bowman used HAL to communicate with Dr. Heywood Floyd and warned him to leave in 15 days when "something wonderful" was to happen.
The crew figured a way to leave, but it would leave Discovery behind, stranded. HAL grew curious of their plans and repeatedly asked his creator, Dr. Chandra to give him more information. Meanwhile, TMA-2 was rapidly replicating on Jupiter, turning it into a star. Chandra eventually broke and told HAL of his probable demise in their escape. Unexpectedly, HAL accepted his fate and helped the Leonov crew escape.
In his final moments, HAL was contacted by Bowman, who asked him to deliver Earth a message: "ALL THESE WORLDS ARE YOURS EXCEPT EUROPA. ATTEMPT NO LANDINGS THERE." Bowman then told HAL they would be together, "where he was now." The Discovery was then destroyed, leaving HAL's fate unknown.
2061: Odyssey Three (Book)
In the end of 2061: Odyssey Three, it was revealed that Bowman and HAL now existed inside the Europa monolith. The aliens had been gone since the events of 2010 and in the meanwhile, they had been learning how to operate the simpler functions of the monolith and had deduced its primary functions as a brain evolution catalyst.
HAL had been creating charts of the monolith's functions and they had somehow "twinned" Heywood Floyd into two beings: one the normal human he had always been and one the ascended version who now existed with them in the monolith. They told the monolith Floyd that their duty was now to protect Europa from things to come and that they barely had a thousand years to prepare.
3001: The Final Odyssey (Book)
In 3001: The Final Odyssey HAL and Dave Bowman seemingly merge into one being, later dubbed "Halman". Together, they are two consciences in one being.
In other media
Lego Dimensions
HAL makes a brief appearance in the video game Lego Dimensions, where he is summoned by Wyldstyle, Batman and Gandalf to distract GLaDOS.
Epic Rap Battles of History
HAL 9000 appears at the ending of the rap battle between Steve Jobs and Bill Gates. As Bill Gates says that the world is his, HAL 9000 appears rapping how it is the strongest force in the world.
Gallery
Images
Videos
Trivia
- In 2003, the American Film Institute ranked HAL 9000 as the thirteenth greatest villain on their list of the 100 greatest heroes and villains in American film history, making him the highest ranked character on the list that was non-human.
- HAL 9000 makes an unexpected cameo appearance in "Lego Dimensions"; during the boss battle against GLaDOS, who HAL confused with Dave. The player can summon him via Locate Keystone to temporarily distract her.
