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I just started playing Portal, and found these scrawls on the wall (somewhat hidden). The first two images were in the first level with turrets, and the second was a couple levels after.

image 1, chamber 1

image 2, chamber 1

image 3, chamber 2

It appears represent the companion cube as a friend (symbolized by hearts around the pictures), and the cake.

What does this graffiti mean (if anything), and who wrote it?

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  • Related
    – user140963
    Commented Jun 27, 2016 at 17:55
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    The answer is heavily dependent on the following questions: do you want spoilers, and are you planning on playing Portal 2? Commented Jun 27, 2016 at 17:57
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    @Kaizerwolf we should answer the question with spoilers or future game content if needed. We can always use spoiler tag "!>"
    – ave
    Commented Jun 27, 2016 at 18:00
  • 3
    I'm glad I'm not the only person who was late to the party that is Portal.
    – Pharap
    Commented Jun 28, 2016 at 3:01
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    @Pharap :D Yeah, bought it (and portal 2) for 5.23 like 3 days ago. Just finished it tonight. Sadly relavent
    – user140963
    Commented Jun 28, 2016 at 3:33

1 Answer 1

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The graffiti was written by:

Doug Rattmann, the only known surviving employee at the Aperture Science Enrichment Center. He was suspicious of GLaDOS and was prepared when GLaDOS decided to attack the facility. He survived the attack but was trapped inside the facility.

Meaning of the graffiti:

Rattmann escaped a neurotoxin attack caused by GLaDOS, but by going into hiding got cut off from his supply of schizophrenia medication. This made him become delusional and unstable. The graffiti, simply put, is the expression of a madman. He has an obsession with the Weighted Companion Cube, which he thinks can talk. The graffiti also foreshadows that GLaDOS is not telling the truth about the tests.

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    It is worth noting however that a very popular fan theory states that the companion cube is a person. Either the remains of the employees; or an employee trapped within storage.
    – user64742
    Commented Jun 28, 2016 at 1:42
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    Also note that the person in question wasn't affected by the neurotoxins - he suffered from schizophrenia, and started to slip back into delusion when he got cut off from his supply of medication. ( thinkwithportals.com/comic )
    – Crashworks
    Commented Jun 28, 2016 at 3:17

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