Alister Azimuth

General Alister Azimuth was a revered, yet rebellious leader of the Lombaxes. The Court of Azimuth was designed by him, and he was a childhood friend of Kaden. He was a Four-Bolt Magistrate of the Lombax Praetorian Guard, and also an elder councilman of the Center for Advanced Lombax Research. Azimuth possessed a variety of equipment including a Praetorian OmniWrench, Hoverboots, and a pocket watch containing a picture of him and Kaden. Azimuth also had his own ship, which looked similar to the Aphelion.

Early Life
"Kaden almost broke his arm hoverbooting right over there...we had some good times!"

- Azimuth remembers his childhood

Alister was best friends with Kaden and as children they had many adventures together in the Breegus System, notably hoverbooting on Krell Canyon. As they grew older Kaden had a son and presumably joined Alister in the Center for Advanced Lombax Research and Lombax Praetorian Guard.

Exile
"For my crimes...I was forbidden from joining the Lombaxes. And so...I live in exile."

- Alister speaks of his exile

Later, the Lombaxes were approached by an inventor who, unknown to them, was Percival Tachyon. He possessed ideas for technology considerably more advanced than what they were using at the time. Despite warnings from Kaden to do otherwise, Azimuth helped the inventor by giving him access to Lombax technology, believing it could repair the galaxy from the Great War. Tachyon instead would use this technology to crush Fastoon and rebuild the Cragmite Empire. The General held himself responsible for the attack as well as the deaths of Kaden and hundreds of Lombaxes. When the Lombaxes escaped, Azimuth was forbidden from joining them and was exiled. He would eventually find himself in the Breegus System on Torren IV. From this point on, Alister began gathering information about the Great Clock, hoping it could undo his mistake.

Rebellion and skirmishes with Nefarious
A few decades later Doctor Nefarious rose to power in the Polaris Galaxy. Alister had many confrontations with the doctor and his henchman Lord Vorselon. Despite being captured briefly by Vorselon, Azimuth managed to destroy one of Nefarious's transports, and an outpost in the Korthos Sector belonging to Vorselon.

Meeting Ratchet
"No.. It can't be... You're Kaden's son."

- Azimuth realises who the "assassin" is

When Azimuth first met Ratchet, he initially thought that the young Lombax was an assassin wearing a Holo-Guise who had been sent by either Vorselon or Nefarious to kill him. Ratchet chased him, and when he caught up, Azimuth recognized Ratchet as Kaden's son. Azimuth spoke with Ratchet about the Great Clock, and taught Ratchet how to use hoverboots. Afterwards Alister told Ratchet to meet him in Axiom City on planet Terachnos, where they could find a way to talk to Clank in the Great Clock. He and Ratchet infiltrated Pollyx Industries, a company specializing in Zoni technology, and discovered that the last remaining Obsidian Eye in the universe was located in Krell Canyon on Lumos. After battling and defeating a VX-99 sent by Lord Vorselon they set off for Lumos.



On Lumos, Azimuth explained the story of his exile to Ratchet. He also revealed his plan to gain control of the Great Clock and prevent his actions from leading to the vanishing of the Lombaxes and the death of Ratchet's parents. He promised Ratchet that he would help him get his family back. Ratchet agreed, even when the general told Ratchet he would never meet Clank in this altered timeline.

Conflict over the Clock
"They're not in danger, they've just...moved on. And we'll find them. But the past stays where it is."

- Ratchet speaking to Azimuth at the Great Clock

When Ratchet and Clank learned that the Great Clock could rip apart reality if misused, they unsuccessfully attempted to dissuade Azimuth from using it. Azimuth became upset, and the general left in his ship. After Ratchet and Clank defeated Dr. Nefarious, Azimuth saved them just before the ship they were standing on collided with the Nefarious Space Station. The three of them flew to the Great Clock where Clank requested to stay to protect the facility. Still intent on using the Clock, Azimuth asked Ratchet about the Lombaxes. Ratchet replied that they'd moved on, but said that the past should not be changed, backing out of Azimuth's plan.

Frustrated and outraged that Ratchet no longer wanted to "save" the Lombaxes, Azimuth shot Ratchet with an energy blast from his wrench, killing him. Azimuth raced Clank to the Orvus Chamber, but the little robot managed to seal it off before he could reach it. Inside, Clank shifted time six minutes into the past and prevented Ratchet from being hit by Azimuth's blast.

Duel at the Orvus Chamber and Death
"Kill you now, save you in the past!"

- Azimuth during the battle

Pursued by Ratchet and Clank, Azimuth raced to the Orvus Chamber and activated a time shift to prevent the attack on Fastoon. Ratchet then fought him to prevent the destruction of the universe. Upon his defeat, Ratchet told Alister that the Great Clock wasn't a time machine—it was only meant to keep time and space intact. Realizing his mistake, Alister bid Ratchet a final farewell and used his wrench to move the damaged master switch, reversing the massive wave of quantum energy destroying the Clock. Though he was successful, the resulting final blast of energy killed Alister. Ratchet took Alister's pocket watch as a memento to the General and all he stood for. Alister's Praetorian OmniWrench was also taken by Ratchet and put on the wall of his garage along with his other weaponry.

Appearance
Azimuth possesses the usual characteristics of a Lombax including long ears and a tail. Compared to Ratchet, he is taller and far more muscular. The color of his fur differs as well—he has gray fur with red-brown stripes and black eyebrows. Azimuth's eyes are yellow with brown irises and he also a short beard on either side of his jaw. In addition, he wears what what may be Praetorian Guard armor with plates on the shoulders and chest. The chest plate in particular has a symbol on it, much like Ratchet's armor.

Abilities
Azimuth was a hardened war veteran and a powerful fighter who could backflip and jump distances Ratchet would not be able to cross without a Meteor Pad or versa-target. His hoverboots were far superior to Ratchet's, enabling greater speed and farther jumps. His close-combat skills combined with his Praetorian OmniWrench made him a deadly adversary, and he was also able to attack from long distances with energy blasts from his wrench.

Behind the Scenes

 * Joey D'Auria provided the voice for Alister Azimuth in A Crack in Time.

Trivia

 * Azimuth was one of the few main characters to die on screen. Others include Luna and Lord Vorselon.
 * According to Insomniac Games, part of the reason Azimuth was created was to give Ratchet a sort of mentor.
 * The symbol on Azimuth's armor resembles the one on Orvus' head.
 * In real life, an azimuth is an angular measurement in a spherical coordinate system.
 * Azimuth is an unlockable skin in A Crack in Time after collecting 32 gold bolts.
 * Azimuth's wrench was also an unlockable replacement for Ratchet's wrench in A Crack in Time.


 * Azimuth's wrench can be seen on the wall of Ratchet's garage in the opening pages of Ratchet & Clank: Issue 1: Ears of War.
 * Alister Azimuth also appears in Ratchet's memories in the same comic.

Appearances

 * Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction (mentioned only)
 * Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time
 * Ratchet & Clank: Issue 1: Ears of War (flashback only)