Source: https://combineoverwiki.net/wiki/Cave_Johnson
Archived: 2026-11-02 (the page's wikitext, through the wiki's API)
{{Article|p1|p2|good}}
{{Otheruses|Jones}}
{{Character Infobox
|name = Cave Johnson
|image = Cave Johnson cropped.png
|homeworld = [[Earth]]
|birth =
|death = Late [[Timeline of the Half-Life and Portal universe#1980s|1980]]s
|rank = Founder and CEO of [[Aperture Science]] (1940sCave Johnson won the ''Shower Curtains Salesman of 1943'' award - late 1980s''Portal 2 Collector's Edition Guide'')
|species = Human
|gender = Male
|height =
|weapons =
|hair = Brown
|eyes = Blue
|cyber =
|era =
'''Cave Johnson''' was the founder of the applied sciences company [[Aperture Science]], and was its CEO until he died as a result of [[Moon]]-rock poisoning in the late [[Timeline of the Half-Life and Portal universe#1980s|1980s]].
As one of his last requests, his right-hand and secretary [[Caroline]] became his successor.
== Biography ==
=== Early career ===
In his youth, Cave Johnson, son of a professor of farming at a local farm college,{{YouTube|m06qmgDElR4|''Perpetual Testing Initiative'' promotional video}} became a successful business entrepreneur, and, some time before [[Timeline of the Half-Life and Portal universe#1943|1943]], founded Aperture Fixtures, a shower curtain developer and manufacturer. Much of Johnson's early success came from Aperture Fixtures, and with the company developing high-tech shower curtains for most branches of the United States military as well as the public, Johnson soon became a billionaire and won the Shower Curtain Salesman of 1943 award. Making use of his new wealth, in [[Timeline of the Half-Life and Portal universe#1944|1944]] Johnson purchased a huge salt mine in Upper Michigan, whose tunnels extended over four kilometers below the surface. The main Aperture Fixtures facility was constructed within the underground caverns. According to the headline from the Michigan newspaper ''The UP Pioneer Press'' seen in Test Shaft 09, Johnson is referred to as a "local" entrepreneur; he may then have been a native from or may have been living in Michigan for some time when he purchased the mine.
[[File:Portal2 2011-04-25 22-57-59-92.jpg|Johnson's early achievements on display in the lobby of Aperture Science.|left|thumb|250px]]
Following this, in [[Timeline of the Half-Life and Portal universe#1947|1947]] Johnson decided to take a more broad scientific approach to Aperture Fixtures, and promptly renamed the company "Aperture Science". Johnson began to focus on experimental physics as new direction for the company, and although Johnson was well known for his unorthodox approach to science, Aperture Science received an award for Best New Science Company in 1947.
By the [[Timeline of the Half-Life and Portal universe#1950s|1950s]], Aperture Science was prospering. Within the [[Aperture Science Enrichment Center]], Johnson took an active role in the company's testing of products, making voice announcements and pre-recorded messages to address [[Test Subject]]s, that consisted of specially selected astronauts, Olympians and war heroes. Johnson was aided by his assistant [[Caroline]] during this time, who remained loyal to him for decades to come. By this time, Aperture was in the process of developing the [[Aperture Science Handheld Portal Device|Quantum Tunneling Device]], and various prototypes were utilized in the many [[Testing Track|test chamber]]s rapidly constructed in [[Test Shaft 09]] and beyond.''[[Portal 2]]'' chapter ''The Fall''
=== Financial troubles ===
However, by the [[Timeline of the Half-Life and Portal universe#1960s|1960s]], Aperture's financial boom period had passed, and with countless products stuck in the testing phase as well as many being pulled from shelves for violating health and safety regulations, Aperture was beginning to struggle. In [[Timeline of the Half-Life and Portal universe#1961|1961]], Johnson ordered the lower areas of Test Shaft 09 to be sealed off to hide the highly unethical experiments Aperture had been conducting. In [[1968]], Aperture Science was involved in U.S. Senate hearings regarding astronauts going missing following their participation in testing.
[[File:ASCDT cave.jpg|thumb|right|Cave Johnson in the 1970s.|150px]]
By 1971, Aperture had been declared bankrupt. As a result, the company could no longer afford esteemed members of society for testing, and resorted to collecting homeless people from the street to participate in testing for the promise of sixty dollars. Johnson was quite bitter about Aperture's bankruptcy, and did not attempt to hide his dislike for the homeless people he was forced to hire. Johnson blamed [[Black Mesa]] for Aperture's financial troubles, claiming that the rival company was stealing their ideas. However, Johnson could not support these accusations and Black Mesa remained the more stable company.
By October 1976, Johnson had Aperture branch out in its selection of "low risk" test subjects to include child orphans, psychiatric patients and the elderly.
=== Decline of health and death ===
By the [[Timeline of the Half-Life and Portal universe#1980s|1980s]], Aperture remained in financial turmoil. Desperate for a successful new product, in [[Timeline of the Half-Life and Portal universe#1970s|1979]] Johnson purchased approximately seventy million dollars-worth of [[Moon]] rocks for use in further [[Mobility Gels|mobility gel]] development, despite not having nearly enough money to cover the costs. Upon discovering that moon dust serves as a remarkable portal conductor, Johnson took an active role in its implementation into portal technology.
The moonrocks would later be used to create [[Conversion Gel]], which Johnson would implement into tests during the 1980s. However, during the development of the Conversion Gel, Johnson contracted a severe illness as a result of prolonged exposure to moon dust, which slowly damaged his respiratory system and caused both of his kidneys to fail.''[[Portal 2]]'' chapter ''The Reunion''
[[File:Portal2 2011-06-22 18-31-36-29.jpg|thumb|right|250px|A mandatory employee testing area in the 1980s, with a portrait of an older, ill Cave Johnson on the wall.]]
Dying, brain damaged, and incapable of realizing time was not flowing backwards, Johnson planned out a three-tier research and development program to ensure Aperture's success into the "fast-approaching distant past". In it, he detailed the "Heimlich Counter-Maneuver", the "Take-a-Wish Foundation" and renewed development of the Quantum Tunneling Device. Furthermore, in response to Aperture's continued struggle for test subjects, Johnson made testing mandatory for all employees.
During this time, Johnson continued to make pre-recorded messages over the [[Aperture Science Announcement System|intercom system]], however few were on the subject of testing, and instead addressed employees about the future of the company, and many had Johnson raging over his imminent demise. Desperate to cheat death, in [[Timeline of the Half-Life and Portal universe#1982|1982]] Johnson ordered his engineers to begin research and development on a computer system that could store his consciousness. However, should the system not be completed before his death, Johnson ordered that his ever loyal assistant Caroline succeed him as CEO of Aperture, and have her consciousness uploaded instead, regardless of any protests she might have. Johnson died before the system was finished and, as per his dying command, Caroline was forced to become part of [[GLaDOS]]' personality makeup.''[[Portal 2]]'' chapter ''The Part Where He Kills You''{{YouTube|lR2UyCwtj-U|Talking with Caboos15: Ellen McLain plus surprise guest}}
Posthumously, Johnson's prerecorded messages were still issued over the PA system in Aperture, primarily to mark trivial events, such as telling employees to resume working. This practice continued into the later stages of GLaDOS' development, but apparently ended after her takeover of the facility.''[[Portal 2: Lab Rat]]''
=== Appearances ===
[[File:Overlay scrawlings006a.png|Graffiti and pasted photos left by Rattmann featuring Cave Johnson's username and password.|thumb|200px]]
==== ''Portal'' ====
In ''Portal'', Johnson is only referred to once in the game, in some graffiti by [[Doug Rattmann]] found in [[Test Chamber 17]], simply as cjohnson (followed by tier3) scribbled on a wall, which appeared to be an administrator login and password for [[ApertureScience.com]]. Above can be found three images of men in suits with their heads masked by a [[Weighted Companion Cube]] that has been cut out from some sort of image. The bottom-left one, based on a [http://www.nndb.com/people/355/000054193/sam-rayburn-R000082.jpg painted portrait] of [[Wikipedia:Sam Rayburn|Sam Rayburn]], has the words "Our Founder" under it and the letters "R.I.P." right beside.
==== ''Portal 2'' ====
In ''Portal 2'', Johnson appears to be deceased, with only his automated pre-recorded voice messages playing to guide [[Chell]] through the forgotten bowels of the facility.
==== ''Perpetual Testing Initiative'' ====
{{Main|Perpetual Testing Initiative}}
In the ''Perpetual Testing Initiative'', which takes place in an alternate timeline in which he did not die of moon rock poisoning, Cave Johnson wants to lessen Aperture's spending to avoid bankruptcy. In order to do so, he establishes the Extra-Earth Outsourcing Initiative. Instead of having Test Chambers built in our own dimension, known as Earth One, the plans are sent to versions of Aperture Science in other dimensions within the multiverse, and these alternate Apertures will then build the Test Chambers. Along with a different version of Aperture Science, come different versions of Cave Johnson.
==== ''Aperture Desk Job'' ====
{{Main|Aperture Desk Job}}
In ''Aperture Desk Job'', which offers another alternate timeline, the game begins with a sighting of Cave's 1970s portrait as two pre-recorded messages from him play intended to be directed to the new hires of Aperture, either for the gifted scientists or for the entry-level Product Inspectors. In the latter case, he emphasizes the importance of the firing light. At the conclusion of the game, [[Grady]] and the unnamed protagonist travel to Cave's office at the top floor of the facility to show him their invention, a toilet-based [[Aperture Science Sentry Turret|Sentry Turret]]. They discover that, four years ago, after his body became riddled with disease, Cave had his consciousness placed into a computer by his team of engineers to make him immortal. As a brain-sized computer inside a robot body was too small to encompass the entire human mind, they instead developed a giant head that was large enough accommodate his full consciousness. Cave reveals that, shortly after his engineers switched him on, he killed a few of them in a panic and threatened them if they ever returned, leaving him abandoned and stranded in his immobile giant head ever since.
Now prepared for death, he allows Grady and the protagonist to use their invention to kill him, but they find out that, underneath the clay shell of his head, there was a nearly indestructible metal exoskeleton. They instead successfully target his power supply, and while Cave compliments them on their efforts in his seeming final moments, he's immediately restored when his automatic backup power activates. After promptly firing the two, the damage from the turret firing causes the structural integrity of his office floor to fail, leading his head to crash through and plummet into the depths of the facility below.
The game ends with a shot of Cave's head settled deep in an early section of Aperture alongside a growing pile of toilet sentries. Cave and the sentries deliver a musical [[Wikipedia:Requiem|Requiem]] as the credits roll.
== Personality and skills ==
Cave Johnson is said to have learned to trust his gut. A big picture thinker, he did not expand on details. He apparently did not really know how science works, but he knew how people "work". He was used to getting what he wants. He was extroverted, enthusiastic and opinionated. He seems to have been very energetic, perhaps even impulsive, and considered that life is an adventure he was happy to be on. He was born a salesman, a leader, an evangelist. People trusted him, even when his plans were clearly dangerous. He used his warm, homespun delivery to put people at ease. He did not seem to accept the responsibility that comes with his power. Either he did not see or chose not to see the ramifications of his actions and experiments.
The results of the [[Aperture Science Collaborative Disposition Test]] tell that Johnson does not see crises - only challenging opportunities ("challengitunities") he chooses to scale like mountains, that he is a can-do, shoot-from-the-hip, silver-tongued self-starter, and a good match for any cooperative test partner, providing they shut up and listen.
==Related Achievements==
{|class=wikitable style="vertical-align:center;" width=50%
|-
!colspan="2" style="text-align:left"|''[[Portal 2 Achievements and Trophies|Portal 2]]''
|-
|rowspan=2 width=64px|[[File:PORTRAIT.jpg]]
!style="text-align:left"|Portrait of a Lady (10G)
|-
| ''Find a hidden portrait.'' |
|---|
| } |
== Behind the scenes ==
Originally, Cave Johnson was to be the game's primary antagonist, talking about every chamber entered by the early protagonist [[Mel]], while [[GLaDOS]] had only cameo appearances.{{IA|20120308210611/http://gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2012/03/07/portal-2-origins.aspx|''Portal 2'''s Wildly Different Origins|GameInformer (March 7, 2012)}} Desiring to live forever, he had his engineers at Aperture put his essence in a device, making him into an artificial intelligence. As the game progressed, Cave would begin to realize how much humanity he had lost. The rest of the story would be the tale of Cave trying to become a robot and leading a robot uprising. The bots and Cave would gain power. Eventually, they would put the player on trial for having committed war crimes against their brothers-in-arms, the robots turrets, which the player would inevitably have abused in the course of the game. During the development of the ''[[Peer Review]]'' DLC, Valve envisioned a plan for a singleplayer campaign, detailing the [[Aperture Science Personality Construct|Adventure Sphere]], teaming up with one of [[ATLAS and P-body]], who were to encounter Cave Johnson's AI. However, this was abandoned due to lack of resources.
[[File:Portal casting.jpg|The casting sheet.|left|thumb|200px]]
A casting call conducted by [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0485141/ Shana Landsburg] for ''[[Portal 2]]'' was posted on the subscribers-only industry website [https://breakdownexpress.com/ Breakdown Express] on June 8, 2008, with a concept art portrait of Cave Johnson. That call sheet, seeking a voice-over artist to take on the role of Johnson, an "eccentric dead billionaire", with work tentatively to start at the end of July 2008, was the first hint that Johnson would appear in ''Portal 2''. The call sheet revealed many bits of Johnson's fate and personality, that he speaks with a slight Southern/Western accent ("natural, not too broad"), and how his role evolves as the game progresses.{{IA|20080611064540/http://www.kombo.com/article.php?artid=11223|Rumor: Portal 2 Casting Begins, Sample Script Page Leaked!|Kombo.com (June 10, 2008)}}
Cave Johnson's physical appearance changed several times over the development of ''Portal 2''. The casting call portrait of Cave, which shows an elderly man in a suit and a tie with little to no facial hair, was painted over a photograph of a conservative American businessman and politician [[Wikipedia:Ross Perot|Ross Perot]].{{IA|20121005110121/http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?p=14137505|Steam Users' Forum post that examines picture as a swipe (March 22, 2010)}} An alternate portrait reuses a portrait of actor [[Wikipedia:Larry Hagman|Larry Hagman]] as his character J.R. Ewing from the 2012 reboot of the TV series ''[[Wikipedia:Dallas (1978 TV series)|Dallas]]''.{{IA|20170726014117if_/http://tellyspy.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Dallas_JR_4.jpg|J.R. Ewing image reference}} Cave Johnson's image was drastically changed for the [[Aperture Science Collaborative Disposition Test]] in April 2011 to a slightly younger appearance, showing Johnson with sideburns and brighter hair; the shirt and tie were also replaced by a turtleneck sweater. This appearance was based on that of ''Portal 2'' lead animator, Bill Fletcher.[[:File:Bill Fletcher.jpg|Bill Fletcher image reference]] Interestingly, the 1950s portrait of Cave Johnson seen in the lobby entrance for [[Test Subject]]s at the Aperture Science Innovators bears resemblance to a photo of [[wikipedia:Walt Disney|Walt Disney]].[[:File:Walt Disney.jpg|Disney image reference]]The [https://www.deviantart.com/makani artist]'s [https://makanidotdot.tumblr.com/post/5855577093/fun-fact-cave-johnsons-1950s-portrait-from explanation] on her tumblr account.
During the development of the game, an idea of finding and killing Cave Johnson was present. According to [[Erik Wolpaw]], the player would encounter the CEO of Aperture Science with his consciousness uploaded to a computer; he would reside in a crummy, plugged into a wall box. Despising his situation, Johnson would ask Chell to unplug him, therefore ending his life. The computer would also allow her to proceed further - carrying it across the room and standing on it, she could reach a previously inaccessible ledge. The sequence was ultimately cut as it proved to be difficult to be explained to the player.[https://kotaku.com/valve-almost-let-you-kill-cave-johnson-5939973 Valve Almost Let You Kill Cave Johnson] on Kotaku Indeed, the ''Portal 2'' game files still feature a cut dialogue between Johnson, GLaDOS, and Chell. He was to be found during the chapter ''[[Portal 2 storyline#Chapter 7: The Reunion|The Reunion]]'', on the map sp_a3_portal_intro.''[[Portal 2]]'' game files The full dialogue can be read [[User:Sandvich18/List of scenes in Portal 2/The Reunion#Cave cube sequence|here]]. This idea was recycled for ''[[Aperture Desk Job]]''{{'}}s storyline.
[[File:ApertureScience.com screen10.png|thumb|200px|An excerpt of the now obsolete Aperture Science and Johnson's history revealed through the NOTES command on ApertureScience.com.]]
By signing into [[ApertureScience.com]] with the username CJOHNSON and the password TIER3 (referring to the three tiered program), one could enter Cave Johnson's account. These login and password can be found in Rattmann scribblings spread around the Enrichment Center's maintenance area seen during ''Portal'', with the words "trust me" right to it. After logging in as Cave Johnson, "GLaDOS v1.07a (c) 1982 Aperture Science, Inc." appeared. Then one could type either APPLY to start the [[Enrichment Center Test Subject Application Process]], or NOTES, which gave information about [[Aperture Science#History|Aperture Science and Johnson's history]], in the form of a short timeline.[[ApertureScience.com]] When Valve retconned Aperture and Cave's story, they took the command line offline.
Originally, the cause of Cave Johnson's death was an exposure to mercury. According to ApertureScience.com, and the Aperture Science timeline on Game Informer, in [[1974]], Cave Johnson is exposed to that element while secretly developing a dangerous mercury-injected rubber sheeting from which he plans to manufacture seven deadly shower curtains to be given as gifts to each member of the House Naval Appropriations committee.{{IA|20100327072045/http://gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2010/03/24/Aperture-Science_3A00_-A-History.aspx|Aperture Science: A History|Game Informer (March 24, 2010)}} On [[ApertureScience.com]], "1978" and "1979" were originally given as the date for Johnson's poisoning and kidney failure, respectively. These dates were later [[Retcon#Dates|retconned]] to 1974 and 1976, as seen in the updated Aperture Science timeline on Game Informer. They were later replaced by yet another dates as featured in ''[[Portal 2]]'' and the ''Official Guide''.
[[File:Diorama card001.png|150px|left|thumb|The cardboard figure.]]
In the file dump retrieved at the BBS number (425) 822-5251 revealed during the ''Portal'' ARG, several [[Portal ARG#BBS resource list|memos]] seemingly written by Cave Johnson can be found. In one, he describes the three pillars on which Aperture Science is built. In another, he addresses Test Subjects who raised their concerns about the dangers of the research conducted by Aperture Science. Another consists of a rant about casualty rates, firing employees, and him practicing beekeeping in his office. In another, reusing text from the casting call sheet revealed in 2008, he apparently announces his death, and being able to write memos from beyond the grave. One is apparently the answer to a confidential letter Johnson sent, titled "Human Enrichment & Testing Initiative, Resource Acquisitions". It apparently describes the four types of Test Subjects and their behavior, referring to them in a less than human way.[[Portal ARG|''Portal'' ARG]]
A case of the [[Aperture Science Enrichment Center#Behind the scenes|diorama exhibit sequence]] cut from ''Portal 2'' was to contain a cardboard figure of Cave Johnson posing with a bearded hobo, someone in a straitjacket, and a little girl with the Aperture logo on her dress, against the background of with a blue Aperture logo.''[[The Final Hours of Portal 2]]'' The texture for the cardboard figure is present in the ''Portal 2'' files, under the name "diorama_card001.vtf".
Cave Johnson narrated the four weekly videos that lead up to ''Portal 2''{{'}}s release: ''[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vc596SuOnTE Panels]'', ''[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryn6YMcACUo Bot Trust]'', ''[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5j8e_nx5dM Turrets]'', and ''[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYQ75ge3ezk Boots]'', presented as informational videos intended for customers of Aperture products. He also narrated the ''[[Perpetual Testing Initiative]]'' [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m06qmgDElR4 trailer].
An e-mail from Johnson can be seen on the Apple games page for ''Portal'', informing members of the executive team of some information that should not be revealed to any Test Subjects, as it would "impair the scientific value of what we're doing here at Aperture Science."{{IA|20100520013143/http://www.apple.com/games/articles/2010/05/portal/|''Portal'' at Apple Games}} The information is revealed below the e-mail, and it consists of common console commands. In the e-mail, Johnson states that he is "busy cheating death".
==Trivia==
On October 28, 2022, a Cave Johnson announcer pack was announced for ''[[Wikipedia:Dota 2|Dota 2]]'' to be released on November 3rd.{{YouTube|url=GNVAmbB8hEo|text=Cave Johnson Announcer Pack}}
== Gallery ==
=== ''[[Portal 2]]'' ===
==== Pre-release ====
File:Aperture diorama1.jpg|The diorama exhibit sequence.
File:Cave Johnson.jpg|Original portrait that accompanied the casting call, based on a photograph of Ross Perot.
File:Cave Perot reference.jpg|The photograph of Ross Perot used as inspiration for the previous portrait.
File:Potato 16.jpg|Original portrait on an alternate Portal 2 Xbox cover.
File:Portal2 cavejohnson.png|Alternate portrait used during the voice actor casting call, based on Larry Hagman as J.R. Ewing.
File:Cave Hagman reference.jpg|The photograph of Larry Hagman as J.R. Ewing used as inspiration for the previous portrait.
File:Various Caves.jpg|Various cartoonish appearance studies.
File:Walt Disney.jpg|The portrait of Walt Disney used as inspiration for the 50s portrait.
File:Caveportrait4.jpg|Placeholder 50s portrait used during playtesting, close to the Disney portrait.
==== Retail ====
File:Cave johnson 50s.png|Final 1950s portrait of Cave Johnson using Bill Fletcher's likeness, with the inspiration from the Disney portrait less obvious but still present.
File:Cave johnson 70s.png|1970s portrait of Cave Johnson.
File:Cave caroline 70s.png|1970s portrait of Cave Johnson, with Caroline at his side.
File:Cave johnson 80s.png|1980s portrait of Cave Johnson.
=== ''[[Aperture Desk Job]]'' ===
File:ADJ FrontDesk.jpg|Cave's 1970s portrait at the front desk.
File:ADJ PlayArea.jpg|Cave's likeness in a mural overlooking a play space.
File:ADJ Cave OutsideOffice.jpg|Outside Cave's office.
File:ADJ Cave Office.jpg|Inside the office.
File:ADJ Cave Clay.jpg|Cave's giant clay head illuminated.
File:ADJ Cave Metal.jpg|The metal head revealed.
File:ADJ Cave Collapse.jpg|Cave's office floor beginning to collapse.
File:ADJ Cave Requiem.jpg|Cave delivers a Requiem with the toilet turrets.
=== Other ===
File:08041249.801.png|The dangers memo.
File:07533945.935.png|The casualty rates memo.
File:02622055.965.png|The death memo.
File:05083881.801.png|The confidential letter.
File:09394469.756.png|The three pillars memo.
File:Bill Fletcher.jpg|Bill Fletcher.
File:Real cave and caroline1.jpg|Bill Fletcher and Laura Dubuk impersonating the characters they gave their likeness to at [[Wikipedia:San Diego Comic-Con International|Comic-Con 2012]].
File:Real cave and caroline2.jpg|Ditto.
File:Real cave and caroline3.jpg|Ditto.
File:Real cave and caroline5.jpg|Ditto.
File:Real cave and caroline4.jpg|Ditto, with Karen Prell and a fan.
File:Real cave and caroline w fans.jpg|Ditto, with fans.
File:Portal Tabletop Cave Johnson.jpg|''[[Portal: The Uncooperative Cake Acquisition Game]]'' Cave Johnson card.
File:ASCDT cave.jpg|''[[Aperture Science Collaborative Disposition Test]]'' Cave Johnson art.
File:Dubuck fletcher.jpg|The base picture used for one of the portraits in the game.
File:Steam20 2017CaveCaroline.png|Steam 20th Anniversary artwork parodying the "[[Wikipedia:Distracted boyfriend|Distracted Boyfriend]]" meme.
== List of appearances ==
===Main games===
== References ==
{{Quotecat|Cave Johnson}}
{{Characters}}
{{Aperture}}
[[Category:Portal]]
[[Category:Scientists]]
[[Category:Aperture Science personnel]]
[[Category:Portal 2]]
[[Category:Males]]
[[Category:Portal 2: Lab Rat]]
[[Category:Testing supervisors]]
