>>64000957
so fun fact, the stalkers don't actually exist because they're "useful", they purely exist as a terror weapon / punishment method. The combine makes stalkers primarily out of resistance members they capture alive, or out of innocent bystanders, and this knowledge is public (although it's not clear how as we never see stalkers shown anywhere citizens could see them, but alyx definitely knows)
this clip from HL2E1 is a perfect example of the psychological effect they're meant to have on resistance fighters - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipYOMnTwulo
you're right about metrocops though, if you're willing to betray your fellow humans it's likely the only way to lead a half decent life within combine-controlled society. Ultimately though the sad truth of the combine occupation is that by the time the events of HL2 unfold, you would almost certainly be dead. It always gets me how ludicrously fucked up, moving and philosophically impactful the setting of HL2 is relative to what it was meant to be originally (valve showing off their cool new physics and making a fun shooter to followup HL1)