Thanks for Emeraldblade95 for granting me the permission.
What's The Work?
Ratchet & Clank is a renowned action-adventure platformer series developed by Insomniac Games and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment. The series debuted on the PlayStation 2 in 2002 and has since become one of the flagship franchises for PlayStation consoles. The series is set in a vibrant, sci-fi universe filled with diverse planets. It centers around its titular characters, Ratchet and Clank, as they travel across the galaxy to thwart the plans of various villains, save worlds, and uncover mysteries about their own origins.
Who's He? What Has he done?
Ratchet is one of the two main protagonists of the Ratchet & Clank series.. He is a Lombax, a feline-like species, who was originally a mechanic on the planet Veldin, where he met his lifelong friend and companion, Clank. Together, they set off on numerous adventures across the galaxy. Clank, a small, intelligent robot, is Ratchet's best friend and partner. Their relationship is central to the series, with Clank providing wisdom and technical support, while Ratchet handles much of the action. Throughout the games, Ratchet takes on numerous villains and threats to the galaxy, often involving interdimensional travel, time manipulation, and battles against nefarious forces like Dr. Nefarious.
I will go with only the most important five games since there are a lot of games and installments in the series.
Ratchet & Clank (2002): discovers Clank, a robot who has crash-landed on his home planet, Veldin. Clank informs Ratchet of Chairman Drek's plan to build a new planet by destroying others. The climax involves Ratchet and Clank thwarting Drek's plan. They confront him on his new planet, culminating in a battle that ends with Drek's defeat and the planet's destruction, saving many planets in the process.
Tools of Destruction: Travels to various planets, such as Cobalia, Stratus City, and Mukow, to find information and allies. He encounters the smuggler, Talwyn Apogee, and her warbot bodyguards, Cronk and Zephyr, who assist in his quest. Searches for the Dimensionator, a powerful Lombax device that can open portals to other dimensions. This device becomes central to the plot as it can potentially lead to the return of the Cragmites or the safety of the Lombaxes. Ratchet and Clank confront Emperor Tachyon on the Cragmite homeworld. Ratchet eventually defeats Tachyon, preventing him from using the Dimensionator for his destructive plans.
A Crack in Time: Ratchet starts by searching for Clank, who was taken by the Zoni. He encounters new characters like General Azimuth, a fellow Lombax who becomes both an ally and a pivotal character in the story. He battles and defeats Dr. Nefarious, who plans to use the Great Clock to rewrite history. Nefarious aims to erase the Lombaxes from existence and reshape the universe to his liking. In the climax, Ratchet and General Azimuth face off. Azimuth, driven by guilt over past actions and the desire to undo his mistakes, attempts to use the Great Clock to rewrite history, despite warnings that it could destroy the universe. Ratchet stops Azimuth, leading to a dramatic conclusion where Azimuth realizes his mistake and sacrifices himself to save the universe.
All 4 One: Ratchet, Clank, Qwark, and Dr. Nefarious are brought together unexpectedly. They are captured by a mysterious machine called the Creature Collector during an award ceremony for Qwark. The team confronts The Loki Master and the Ephemeris. Despite Dr. Nefarious's usual villainous tendencies, he works with the heroes to stop The Loki Master's plans. Their cooperation is crucial to their success as they eventually defeat him and save the universe once again.
Rift Apart: The game begins with Ratchet and Clank being honored in a parade for their past heroics. Clank reveals that he has repaired the Dimensionator as a gift for Ratchet, enabling him to search for other Lombaxes. However, the ceremony is interrupted by Dr. Nefarious, who steals the Dimensionator. Clank is found by Rivet, a female Lombax resistance fighter from another dimension where Dr. Nefarious is Emperor Nefarious, a tyrant who has taken over the galaxy. Rivet decides to help Clank find Ratchet and stop Emperor Nefarious. The team ultimately confronts and defeats Emperor Nefarious in the final showdown. They battle through his forces and use the power of the Dimensionator to restore balance to the dimensions. After defeating Emperor Nefarious, Ratchet, Clank, and Rivet set out to repair the dimensional damage caused by the misuse of the Dimensionator.
Admirable Standard
This part is no issue at all since he saved the universe and countless lives more than once:
- Defeating Chairman Drek and stopping his plan to create a new planet by destroying others.
- Preventing Dr. Nefarious from turning all organic life into robots.
- Saves the heroes captured by Gleeman Vox and stops the DreadZone tournament, which threatened to spread its deadly influence across the galaxy.
- He Defeats Emperor Otto Destruct and his plan to use a device that could endanger the universe by making him the smartest being.
- Stops the Vendra and Neftin Prog from unleashing creatures from another dimension that could threaten the universe.
- Thwarts an invasion led by Stuart Zurgo, who seeks revenge on Ratchet and Clank and aims to conquer the galaxy.
- Defeating Emperor Tachyon and his plan to eliminate all Lombaxes and conquer the galaxy.
- Stopping Dr. Nefarious from using the Great Clock to rewrite history.
- Closing interdimensional rifts and defeating Emperor Nefarious to restore balance to the multiverse.
Corrupting Factors
Now here's the issue. There were 3 corrupting factors listed in his NPG page, 2 of them center about him doubting Clank about the Zoni's existence in Tools of Destruction and Quest for Booty. However, this is justified for the following reasons:
- Initially, Ratchet had little to no concrete evidence about the existence of the Zoni. They were more myth and legend than fact in the galaxy, making it hard for him to believe in something he had never seen or encountered.
- Tends to approach situations with a practical and rational mindset. The idea of the Zoni, who have mystical and almost magical powers, could seem far-fetched to someone who relies on technology and tangible solutions.
- Clank's connection to the Zoni is unique and personal. While Clank could see and interact with the Zoni, Ratchet did not have the same experiences.
- Ratchet is often protective of Clank. He might have doubted the Zoni's existence to protect Clank from potential disappointment or harm, especially if he thought the Zoni might not be real or could be a threat.
But as soon as he realizes that he was mistaken about the Zoni in ACIT, he starts protecting them as he progresses through the story, and encounters various Zoni who assist him. Ratchet’s journey eventually leads him to the Great Clock, where he sees firsthand the crucial work the Zoni do. The importance of the Zoni in maintaining the stability of the universe and the integrity of time becomes evident.
The third one is about him slapping Nefarious in ACIT when he malfunctioned and played radio sound when they were stuck on an armada after their fight. But this is also justified:
- At that moment, Ratchet and Clank's lives are at immediate risk due to the countdown of the self-destruction of the Nefarious Space Station.
- Dr. Nefarious, as the main villain, is directly responsible for the dangerous situation they are in. Even though he is malfunctioning, his actions have led to this critical point, making Ratchet's frustration and anger towards him more intense.
- Knowing that they would have died if Alister hadn't saved them underscores the gravity of the situation. Ratchet's act is a response to the sheer peril they were in and the frustration of having to rely on last-minute interventions to survive.
There's also a corrupt moment when he smacks Nefarious with his omni-wrench in Rift Apart. Here.
But this was understandable since Nefarious is a constant and dangerous threat. When Ratchet encounters him, it's often in high-stakes situations where Nefarious is actively causing harm or chaos. Ratchet and Dr. Nefarious also have a long history of antagonism. Nefarious has repeatedly endangered countless lives, including those of Ratchet and Clank. This history fuels Ratchet's aggressive response. Furthermore, Over the years, Nefarious's actions have caused Ratchet immense frustration and anger. The physical strike with the wrench is an outlet for these pent-up emotions, especially in a moment of confrontation.
In the end, Ratchet doesn't have any corrupting factors, given that all of his acts are justified because how intense the situation he's in. Other than the ones mentioned above, he starts off as self-centered and arrogant, but as the series progresses, his partnership with Clank and the realization of the greater threats to the galaxy prompt him to become more selfless and heroic, shedding ALL of his corrupting factors.
Final Verdict
YES