Whenever a new game release is around the corner, fans take to learning as much as they can about the characters involved. Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart will be adding a new entry in the series, with Ratchet’s history being explored more than before, ushering in new interest among fans.
There is some information about Ratchet that isn’t shown in the games or has gotten lost in the process. For this reason, it’s better to consume all these facts from one place, which is what you’ll find here. Fans have had many questions about Ratchet, in particular, having been placed as the main lead in the series.
10 Who Has Provided The Character’s Voice?
It’s a common question among fans of long-running characters over who provides the voice. Ratchet’s mannerisms have seen several memes made by fans, who usually think it’s the same actor that has voiced the character all along.
However, the truth is that Mikey Kelley was the first actor to take up the role, although his contribution was restricted to the first Ratchet & Clank. Following the next game, every single voiceover has been provided by James Arnold Taylor, going in on two decades by this point.
9 What Species Is He From?
This has been such a recurring question that there have been many facts provided on an individual basis as well. To sum up, Ratchet is from a species known as the Lombaxes, who are believed to have gone pretty much extinct, save for Ratchet.
Lombaxes were native of the planet Fastoon, with only a handful seen in the series. The Lombax Angela Cross appeared in Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando, while another named Azimuth appeared in Ratchet & Clank: A Crack in Time, but he died in the game. Another female Lombax will appear in Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart.
8 Who Are His Parents?
The games with the best acclaim in the series are the ones that have dived into Ratchet’s history. A Crack in Time brought Azimuth, who was another Lombax but wasn’t Ratchet’s father. However, Azimuth did mention Ratchet’s father to be known as Kaden.
Ratchet’s mother’s identity has never been shown, but it was mentioned that she had died with Kaden being unable to save her. Beyond this, Ratchet’s family history is yet to be explored in full.
7 Who Is His Archenemy?
Ratchet doesn’t have an archenemy per se, with the character that qualifies the best being Dr. Nefarious. That’s because he’s the most recurring villain in the series, having antagonized Ratchet and Clank multiple times.
Ratchet also considered Captain Qwark an enemy for a time, after having realized the latter had only pretended to be a hero while actually being a villain. Overall, Dr. Nefarious fits the bill for Ratchet and Clank’s main villain.
6 What Teams Has He Been A Part Of?
For someone who has primarily been shown working with a robot sidekick, Ratchet has surprisingly been part of many teams and organizations. The best games in the series are those that concern the lead pair’s dynamic, but Ratchet has still appeared under some factions.
He was an employee of Gadgetron, served as a commando in Megacorp, while also being part of the Q-Force and Polaris Defense Force. It’s clear the notoriety that comes with saving planets has led to these offers.
5 Who Have Been His Love Interests?
Ratchet has managed to garner his fair share of attention from the ladies, having had three love interests by far. These were Angela Cross, Talwyn Apogee, and Sasha Phyronix. His romances have generally been spread out amongst the games.
Angel Cross was the first romance in Going Commando, being another Lombax like Ratchet. Sasha was an even more serious relationship with marriage even on the cards, but this didn’t materialize. Finally, Talwyn has served as his longest romances, starting from Tools of Destruction.
4 What Was His Original Design?
The first design of Ratchet was made by David Guertin, with the character’s appearance looking nothing like the Ratchet we know today. This version was more like a reptilian, with a large gauntlet weapon that he carried everywhere.
While the series has always been funny, checking out this design is also worth a laugh since the original Ratchet looks so different and even resembles Clank somewhat. Eventually, the feline features of Ratchet took shape and were finalized.
3 Why Was The Character Initially Negatively Received?
Fans have always found Clank to be a hilarious character, but Ratchet was met with a mixed reception after the first game. This was due to his tendency to be rude and condescending, which many found to be a negative attribute.
Ratchet was also quick to raise his temper in the first game, something that didn’t match well with the story’s light-hearted setting. Eventually, his character was toned down significantly to make him more likable.
2 What Other Games Has He Appeared In?
Being a character about two decades old, Ratchet has surfaced in many other games in his time. These include appearances in Jak II, Everybody’s Golf, Jak 3, Ape Escape 3, Daxter, Resistance: Fall of Man and Resistance 2, LittleBigPlanet 2, Modnation Racers, and Super Bomberman.
Of course, he’s not a playable character in most of these, with only a handful featuring him in cameo appearances while others have made use of elements of his character such as his costumes and weapons.
1 Is Ratchet His Real Name?
Fans will be interested to know that Ratchet isn’t the character’s real name. What’s a letdown, though, is that the developers haven’t decided when to introduce this aspect of him. While they know what his real name is, it hasn’t been adapted into the story to appear in canon.
The reason for this comes down to storytelling, as there hasn’t been the right time to deliver this information without compromising on the impact the revelation would bring. For this reason, Ratchet continues to be known by his nickname. By this point, however, it’s become common to simply call him Ratchet rather than think about what he actually should go by, something even the developers have taken to doing.
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