I would really like some definite statement about that damn helmet.

My opinion is that of course he has it on; i don't know why it isn't displayed in your first encounter with the suit in HF, but later on you get to see a lot of deceased operators like Gordon, and they all have their helmet on.

So the natural feeling i got from playing it the first time, is that you naturally have the helmet.

I say all of this because a lot of players seems to think Gordon isn't using an helmet.

I guess that theory is also supported by all the artworks picturing Gordon helmetless, included the loading screen in the original HF.

But i think it's pretty safe to argue that Gordon is depicted that way to show he isn't a generic super soldier, but a rather average looking scientist.

At its times, this concept was important, because it differentiated Gordon from all the main characters of that times shooters, generic super soldiers who sometimes didn't even have a name (the "doomguy"), or whose identity wasn't important anyway.

Half Life was innovative under that aspect, wich is why i think they wanted to show Gordon's face, and the following artworks for Half Life 2 and the sequels just followed the path.

They so did, anyway, also because no clear helmet desing was ever provided from Valve; apart from the low quality models of dead explorators on Xen.

The missing helmet traversy shares a lot with the "mute Gordon" one: Gordon isn't supposed to be mute, he's made so to let the player immerse more in his person; but with time, and the absence of clear directives (even tough there have always been solid proofs for counter arguments: Gordon was hired at Black Mesa after a telephone interview, and the helmets are always presents on other hazard suits), the ambiguity snowballed and generated confusion and alternative theories.

I hope Valve will provide clear models and artworks of a complete suit, in the future.