Atlas

“

Blue, you go first. Click to listen — GLaDOS

”

Atlas (referred to as Blue by GLaDOS), is P-body's short and stout companion, and is one of two playable android Test Subjects built by GLaDOS for her Cooperative Testing Initiative, which was devised to phase out human testing.

Gameplay-wise, Atlas is played by the host of the Co-op session; the player that sends an invitation.

Biography

Atlas is a blue eyed Core with a basic design as a typical rounded Core, and is portrayed to have somewhat more masculinity in its programming than in P-body. GLaDOS had created the Cooperative Testing Initiative after her awakening in Portal 2, as a means of replacing Chell as her only Test Subject. Along with P-body, the two bots are pitted against a series of tests built by GLaDOS herself, utilizing the many different mechanics previously encountered by Chell from the game's single-player campaign.

It was later revealed by GLaDOS that Atlas and P-body's Cores are programmed specifically to do nothing more but tests.

During the final phases of testing, GLaDOS reveals that, while the Cooperative Testing Initiative has its uses, she needs human testing for science, not robots. GLaDOS reveals that there are humans locked away, deep within the ancient Aperture facilities. There the bots will be tasked with navigating the old test chambers and unlock the massive vault containing the humans, seemingly kept in place by some form of cryogenic storage. By doing this, they 'save science.' However, almost immediately after the robots unlock the room containing the test subjects, they are destroyed. They are eventually rebuilt and, during the credits, Atlas sits at a computer desk and watches P-body playing on a conveyor belt.

Gestures

Main article: Atlas gestures

Unlockable gestures

Name	How To Unlock	Description
Small Wave	Default gesture, available from the beginning.	This gesture makes Atlas wave his hand.
High Five	Complete the Calibration Course	Can only be performed when Atlas is near P-body. If one of the bots decides to perform the High Five, the other one will do it too.
Rock Paper Scissors	Complete the fourth chamber of the Team Building Course.	Can only be performed when Atlas is near P-body. If one of the bots decides to play a game of Rock Paper Scissors, the other one will take part in it too. Depending on the outcome, the bots will react to it by cheering or showing disappointment.
Laugh	Complete the Team Building Course.	This gesture makes Atlas laugh and slap one of his legs.
Robot Dance	Complete the fifth chamber of the Mass and Velocity Course.	This gesture makes Atlas perform a dance move called the 'Wave'.
Team Tease	Complete the Mass and Velocity Course.	Can only be performed when Atlas is near P-body. In this gesture, Atlas takes the head part of P-body and places it on the ground while laughing. P-body will take her head back and smack Atlas with it.
Team Hug	Complete the eighth chamber of the Hard Light Surfaces Course	Can only be performed when Atlas is near P-body. Self-explanatory.
Trick Fire	Complete the fourth chamber of the Excursion Funnels Course.	This gesture shows how skillfully Atlas can shoot his Portal gun.

Purchasable gestures

Item	Image	Description
ATLAS FACEPALM Level 1 Gesture		This gesture allows Atlas to show his disapproval with an open palm to the face.
ATLAS SHRUG Level 1 Gesture		This gesture allows Atlas to show his current thoughts on the situation; By shrugging confoundedly.
ATLAS THUMBS UP Level 1 Gesture		This gesture allows Atlas to show his encouragement through a thumbs-up.
ATLAS FIST PUMP Level 1 Gesture		This gesture allows Atlas to show his excitement through fist-pumping.
ATLAS HEAD SPIN Level 1 Gesture		This gesture shows his current thoughts of the world by smacking his head, spinning it in a 360 degree manner.
ATLAS DANCE SPIN Level 1 Gesture		This gesture allows Atlas to show off his disco dance skills.
ATLAS DRIBBLE Level 1 Gesture		This gesture allows Atlas to display his mad hoop skills by dribbling his core like a basketball.
ATLAS ROLL Level 1 Gesture		This gesture allows Atlas to show his appreciation for the finer things in life by removing his core and spinning it like a ball.

Development and Acting

Both Atlas and P-body are voiced by Dee Bradley Baker.

Gallery

Atlas' first-person view.   Atlas' Primary-fire portal.   Atlas' Secondary-fire portal.   Both of Atlas' portals.   Atlas prototype, with a Roll Cage.   Atlas image from the official Aperture Science Collaborative Disposition Test.   Atlas icon from the official Steam Portal 2 group.   Atlas eye icon from the official Steam Portal 2 group.   Blueprint of Atlas on a shirt.   Atlas on a poster with P-body.   Pre-release screenshot of Atlas and P-Body.   Another pre-release screenshot of Atlas and P-Body.

Trivia

• In the pre-release video "Bot Trust", the prototype Atlas in the "Unilateral Force-Induced Isokinetic Breakfast Trials" wields a frying pan similar to the ones found in Left 4 Dead 2, the frying pan is also featured in Team Fortress 2 as an all-class melee weapon, and in other Valve games (but as unusable physics props).
• In Portal 2 and its promotional videos, Atlas' name can be seen written both as "Atlas" and "ATLAS", showing inconsistencies from Valve as far as the bot's name is concerned.
• In the early days of Portal 2, the player used to play as a different character, named Mel. She was later replaced by Atlas, with Chell being replaced by P-body.
• Atlas made 2 cameos, along with P-body in LEGO Dimensions.
• Atlas is a Steam Exclusive character in the Good Friends DLC of the game Runner2

See also

• Co-op
• P-body
• Collaborative Disposition Test