Talwyn Apogee

Talwyn Apogee was a Markazian who Ratchet and Clank first encountered during their search for the Lombax Secret. She later became a friend of theirs in several adventures. Her father, Max Apogee, was a famous explorer and artifact expert who was also trying to find the Lombax Secret. After he disappeared following a space pirate raid, Talwyn was left behind on the Apogee Space Station in the Nundac Asteroid Ring, guarded by two old war-bots, Cronk and Zephyr. Ratchet and Clank ran into Talwyn whilst believing the station contained the Lombax Secret and they quickly became allies.

Talwyn possessed a high level of knowledge about the Lombaxes due to her father who she was raised by until his disappearance. This meant she was able to read the Lombax Language. She was also an able combatant and assisted Ratchet in various fights against many enemies.

Early life


Talwyn was raised by her father, Max Apogee until his disappearance during a space pirate raid. She was then left on the Apogee Space Station with Cronk and Zephyr. While it is unclear at what age she was left, she could recall having her seventh birthday party with her father. Little is known about Talwyn's mother. While Cronk and Zephyr eventually felt that Max Apogee was likely dead for a while, Talwyn refused to believe this.

Meeting Ratchet and Clank
"Well congratulations, you win an all-expense paid trip out the airlock."

- Talwyn meeting Ratchet and Clank

Talwyn met Ratchet and Clank when they fought their way through the Apogee Space Station in search of the Lombax Secret. She initially threatened to jettison the duo out of the airlock, but ordered Cronk and Zephyr to lower their weapons after she realized that he was a Lombax. Ratchet and Clank explained their search for the Lombax Secret, and how it had brought them to Talwyn's space station. Talwyn told them about her father, Max Apogee, who had vanished while chasing space pirates that had stolen his Lombax artefact. She and her warbots, Cronk and Zephyr, accompanied Ratchet and Clank to planet Ardolis in search of the artefact.

Searching for the artefact
"A Lombax and his girlfriend just stole our treasure!"

- Captain Slag to his pirate crew shortly after Talwyn had taken the Lombax artefact

Ratchet and Clank landed on Ardolis and when they eventually encountered Captain Slag, Talwyn distracted the pirates and told Ratchet to meet her at the Skull Radio Tower where she had the artefact. When Ratchet and Clank arrived at the location they found Talwyn, Cronk and Zephyr struggling to figure out what the artefact was or how to use it. Ratchet managed to get it to work and the artefact proved to be a device which showed a hologram of Rykan V. Talwyn theorized that the Lombax Secret was hidden there and the group set for Rykan V.

Rykan V
After a HALO jump to reach Rykan V, Ratchet and Clank fought their way through the spaceport with Cronk and Zephyr. While they fought their way through Tachyon's forces, Talwyn attempted to find the location from the air due to heavy fire preventing her from landing.

Eventually they found the door to an old bunker with Lombax writing inscribed into it. Talwyn initially teased Ratchet for not being able to read Lombax writing, and immediately apologized as she sympathized with Ratchet's loss. She then read the writing herself which explained only a Lombax could gain entry. Ratchet opened the door. Talwyn quickly became frustrated when she found nothing inside, however Zephyr found old holo-film which pointed to a testing facility on planet Sargasso and suggested that the Lombax Secret was an interdimensional teleportation device.

Sargasso and Clank's vision
"Wow, a jailbreak. You use know how to impress a girl."

- Talwyn to Ratchet.

After arriving on Sargasso the group split up and Talwyn ran into trouble. Her last transmission stated that Tachyon's troopers were following them and they were attempting to lose them in the swamp. However, she and her warbots were captured and sent to Zordoom Prison.



Later, the Zoni gave Clank another vision: Talwyn would die in Zordoom Prison unless Ratchet and Clank rescued her. Though initially sceptical of Clank's vision, Ratchet and Clank went to Viceron were they received a transmission from Qwark explaining his plan to infiltrate Zordoom Prison and rescue her. Meanwhile Talwyn, or inmate 979B, was inside her cell inside the prison. After infiltrating the prison and rescuing Talwyn she explained that they had to rescue Cronk and Zephyr and ignored the warnings about violating Zordoom statute 36A by attempting to escape.

Ratchet and Clank then headed to planet Jasindu to continue the search for the Lombax Secret, which they soon found as the Dimensionator. Qwark stole the device and headed to Reepor. Clank sent a message to Talwyn and the group met up on the planet's surface to track down Qwark.

Destroying the Dimensionator
"Ratchet, we need to recover the Dimensionator before Tachyon does. Let's just hope your friend wasn't dim-witted enough to wonder around Reepor with it."

- Talwyn to Ratchet on Reepor

On Reepor, Talwyn and her warbots helped Ratchet and Clank survive the initial waves of Tachyon's troops. Talwyn and her warbots were soon separated from Ratchet and Clank. Tachyon stole the Dimensionator from Qwark, and used it to bring back the Cragmites. Ratchet and Clank then disappeared, having fallen into some underground caves. After fighting some of the Cragmites off, Talwyn was busy at work preparing her ship for an escape when she was delighted to see Ratchet had survived. She expressed sympathy towards the Lombax when Ratchet told her that Clank didn't make it. However, Clank suddenly reappeared. Clank and Ratchet attempted to hug, but settled with a simple fist-bump due to Talwyn's presence. When Aphelion warned that the Cragmite fleet was heading for Meridian City, Talwyn told Ratchet that it was the capital of Polaris, and that he had to suppress the invasion. Talwyn explained she would get there as soon as they repaired Cronk.



Talwyn later met up with Ratchet and Clank when they returned to Fastoon. Talwyn stayed in her ship until the five Magna Cannons were destroyed, allowing her to land. She helped Ratchet get into the Court of Azimuth, where Tachyon was. Early into the confrontation Talwyn, Cronk and Zephyr provided some covering fire against Tachyon however, along with Ratchet and Clank, Tachyon was sucked into a separate dimension where they continued their fight.

Aftermath
After the fight Ratchet woke after falling unconscious and was surrounded by Talwyn, Cronk, Clank and Zephyr. The group returned to the Apogee Space Station along with Qwark and Rusty Pete. At the space station, the Zoni appeared. Talwyn, like everyone else, could only watch as they took Clank and promptly disappeared.

Ratchet & Clank Future: Quest for Booty
"There's something strange about this island. I've been talking to one of the villagers and, well, there's something about a curse."

- Talwyn talking to Ratchet about Hoolefar Island.

Talwyn helped Ratchet in his search to find Clank. They eventually found a clue from IRIS about a pirate captain named Darkwater that was connected to the Zoni. The two of them travelled to the Azorean Sea on Aphelion to planet Merdegraw in order to find out more. However, they were quickly found and attacked by the space pirates that were patrolling the seas. Despite putting up a fight, Talwyn and Ratchet were both captured. The pirates revealed to them that Darkwater was apparently dead. At this point Rusty Pete, posing as Captain Slag, intervened and had Ratchet and Talwyn shot from a cannon to Hoolefar Island.

Talwyn accompanied Ratchet on their initial exploration of the island and then went off exploring by herself while Ratchet repaired the island's wind turbines. During this, she contacted Ratchet about the villagers mentioning a curse related to Captain Darkwater as well as a mysterious thief that only left behind red feathers after his crimes. She then asked him to meet her at the supply beacon where they found a VersaBolt had been stolen from the power coupling, they then split up to search for it.

After Ratchet fixed the beacon, Talwyn went with him to meet Mayor Barnabus Worley to see the Obsidian Eye, a powerful telescope that Darkwater used to keep in contact with the Zoni. They quickly realised it could be used to find Clank if they had the Fulcrum Star needed to power it. Because the beacon was now fixed, Talwyn picked up a signal and the two of the met Rusty Pete by the pier. He revealed he purposely sent them to the island to see the Obsidian Eye and offered to help them find the Fulcrum Star by going to the Morrow Caverns to find the treasure map leading to it.



Trapped
"I'll try to find a way out of here, just promise we'll leave this place together, okay?"

- Talwyn to Ratchet after becoming trapped in the caverns.

After arriving at the caverns, Talwyn found herself trapped behind a door which collapsed after she went through it. Here, Ratchet either promised to save her or said that he could make no promises. Either way Talwyn was left behind while Ratchet carried on through the caverns. After Rusty Pete's betrayal and attempt to resurrect Captain Slag, Talwyn encountered the Undead Pirates and managed to hold them off, albeit still trapped behind the door. If Talwyn was rescued by Ratchet, she helped him fight off a Pythor, thanked Ratchet for her helping her and keeping his promise and then headed back to the Hoolefar Island with him, helping to stop the Undead Pirates from pillaging the island when they attacked. If Ratchet left her behind in Morrow Caverns, she missed the attempted pillaging of Hoolefar Island but managed to "boost her way back to the island alone", almost cruelly remarking that she knew how Clank must have felt at the time.



After translating the map he found in the caverns, Ratchet then set sail for Darkwater Cove with Talwyn where they believed the now combined spirits of Slag and Darkwater were headed. The two of them managed to solve various puzzles in order to get to the treasure room where the Fulcrum Star was being kept. After fighting more Undead Pirates, Ratchet was suddenly sent falling into the Lythoin Caves. Slag/Darkwater, temporarily combined, took Talwyn as a prisoner and left Ratchet to be devoured by the Pythors within. After escaping and catching up with the fleet over the Azorean Sea, Ratchet saw that the pirates had locked Talwyn behind a ghost force field inside a pirate ship. Releasing her, Talwyn helped Ratchet defeat Slag/Darkwater and get back the Fulcrum Star. She later accompanied him back to Hoolefar Island where it was revealed that Clank was now in the custody of Dr. Nefarious.

Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time
Talwyn supplied Ratchet with information that the sector he was travelling to in search of Clank was notorious for teeming with dangerous mercenaries; however she remained largely uninvolved with the final part of Ratchet's mission to find Clank. While travelling through space she was occasionally mentioned on the Pirate Radio Station and also on the Deep Space Jams Station.

Talwyn also appeared on some of the monitors in Clank's subconscious during his stay in the Great Clock.

Ratchet & Clank: Issue 1: Ears of War
Ratchet and Clank returned to Veldin. After hearing about the disappearing planets from Qwark, Ratchet asked the newly appointed Galactic President if Talwyn was alright and if her space station had disappeared. Qwark confirmed she was fine, her space station was intact, and also stated that she would be happy to see Ratchet and Clank if they were to help find the missing planets.

Ratchet & Clank: Issue 3: Lost and Spaced
"That's far enough! I've got three more rounds and I'm a very good shot, so I suggest you grab some sky!"

- Talwyn mistaking Ratchet, Clank, Cronk and Zephyr for an intruder

After Cronk and Zephy helped Ratchet and Clank escape from the Vartax Detention Facility, they returned to the Apogee space station. Talwyn initially though they were intruders and blew a hole in one of the walls threatening them. When she recognized them she instantly ran over and embraced Ratchet.



She then explained to the group about some of the missing planets and how she had let the Polaris Government use the space station as a command post. As Talwyn led them to the command post she also explained how Qwark was coming up with an operation plan. Once they arrived at the command post they met with Qwark and Sasha and discussed the threat presented by Artemis Zogg and the Helios Project.

Attack on Artemis Zogg
"I know Alister was like family to you. I was sorry to hear that he died"

- Talwyn comforting Ratchet over the death of Alister Azimuth

While the Galactic Rangers prepared for the attack on Artemis Zogg with direction from Sasha, Talwyn comforted Ratchet over the death of Alister Azimuth. The plan was for the Galactic Rangers to disable Artemis Zogg's ship with an EMP. When the plan failed and Sasha's father, President Phyronix, was teleported to the Artemis Galaxy, Sasha left in grief.



Talwyn later found Sasha in the shooting range firing at Cragmite targets with a Combuster. Talwyn agreed with Sasha that it was a good way to let off steam and revealed that she had once used the Alpha Disruptor and had accidentally broken the gravity generator behind the wall of the shooting range. Despite having no gravity for two days she insisted it was worth it. Their firing practice was interrupted by Artemis Zogg over the loudspeaker, who demanded that Ratchet and Clank hand themselves over or else he'd destroy Veldin.

Ratchet & Clank: Issue 4: Thanks for the Armories
"How do we know you won't kill them?"

- Talwyn to Artemis Zogg about Ratchet and Clank.

Talwyn instantly voiced her objections to Artemis Zogg, claiming that he couldn't be trusted and handing himself over would be suicide. After Qwark suggested an alternative plan Ratchet and Clank went to the teleporter to go to Zogg's ship. Talwyn showed great concern for him and made him promise that he'd run if Zogg broke his promise. She then embraced him again before he teleported. While waiting for Ratchet and Clank's signal, Talwyn's mind constantly had images of Zogg "doing something horrible to Ratchet".



Sasha and Talwyn eventually moved in on Zogg's ship, where Ratchet revealed he couldn't keep the promise he'd made to Talwyn and decided to stay on the ship until he'd rescued Veldin from Zogg. Talwyn then boarded Zogg's ship and met up with Ratchet and Clank, helping them to get the Surinox shard before a Warbot separated Ratchet and Clank from Talwyn, allowing her to be captured. At around this time Sasha informed Cronk that she had seen Talwyn's ship crash into Zogg's ship and they both presumed her to be dead.

Ratchet & Clank: Issue 5: Multiple Organisms
Talwyn was then placed into a cell by Artemis Zogg who told her that he knew her father, Max Apogee. He revealed that Max Apogee's research on the Lombax Secret led to his discovery of the Surinox Comet. He then explained to her that he was sending a fleet to Veldin to kill Ratchet and Clank.

Vorn later came to see Talwyn where he revealed a change in heart and release her from her cell. The two of them ran from Artemis Zogg on his ship, just as it was destroyed leaving Ratchet to declare that she had died.

Ratchet & Clank: Issue 6: Bros Before Foes
Ratchet and Clank were taken by Sasha to the Apogee Space Station where an escape pod crashed into the station. Vorn was the first to exit, followed by Artemis Zogg holding a Tesla Claw against a captive Talwyn. Talwyn insisted that Ratchet should shoot him, despite the danger to herself. As Ratchet prepared to take the shot, Zogg released an army of Mr. Zurkons that attached the group. With the attention momentarily away from her Talwyn attempted to escape but was pulled back as Zogg grabbed her neck staff. She then bit Zogg's arm, freeing herself.



Sasha, Ratchet and Talwyn were then pinned down by the Zurkons, Talwyn then suggested that the aqueduct in the space station led to one of the gallery teleporters. Ratchet, Vorn and Talwyn then swam through the aqueduct where they were almost trapped by a closed hatch before The Plumber pulled them out. Talwyn, Vorn and Ratchet continued to hide from the Zurkons as they made their way through the space station, eventually the caught up with Artemis Zogg. Qwark then had an idea and allowed Ratchet to hit the shard using his Praetorian OmniWrench which had negatively charged energy, causing a bridge between realities which engulfed Zogg while everyone else, including Talwyn, hung on to parts of the space station.

Ratchet and Clank later told Qwark they would be going back to retirement again, but this time would stay in Polaris and planned to help Talwyn rebuild the Apogee Space Station.

Names and aliases
Talwyn was not known by any names other than Talwyn Apogee. Cronk and Zephyr referred to her as "Miss Talwyn" or occasionally just "Miss". Ratchet also often called her "Tal".

While prisoner at Zordoom Prison she was assigned the inmate number 979B.

Appearance
Talwyn Apogee was a Markazian. She had brown hair with a red bandanna and wore a red scarf around her neck. She wore a green vest with a dark green, long sleeve shirt underneath and light green gloves. Her shoulders were protected by metallic shoulder pads and she had dark green pants with a light brown belt and light brown boots that reached up to her knees.

Personality
"You're not going to bite me again are you?"

- Vorn to Talwyn.

Talwyn was a tough and fearless Markazian who was willing to face any adversary with weapons raised. She also showed great compassion towards her friends and family and was willing to risk her own safety for them. She was particularly defensive and proud of the memory of her father, who she insisted was still alive. According to Artemis Zogg her biting sense of humor was like that of her father's.

Relationships
Talwyn shared a strong friendship with Ratchet and was his girlfriend.

Skills and abilities
"You should try the Alpha Disruptor. A year ago I needed to blow off a little steam, and I forgot the gravity generator is behind that wall. We floated in zero-g for two days before the Terachnoids could fix it. It was totally worth it."

- Talwyn talking to Sasha at the Apogee Space Station firing range

Talwyn was highly skilled with a variety of weaponry, including a blaster and an Alpha Disruptor. She had a firing range at the Apogee Space Station, and enjoyed taking her anger out on the targets. She used a blaster in combat and was also able to use Hoverboots. She was able to perform HALO jumps and was a capable pilot. Talwyn was able to perform repairs and maintenance on her own ship and on her Robots, Cronk and Zephyr. Talwyn had the ability to read Lombax in addition to Markazian.

Behind the scenes

 * The voice for Talwyn Apogee was provided by Tara Strong.
 * In Ratchet and Clank Future: Quest for Booty when at Morrow caverns Ratchet promises to come back for Talwyn after she is trapped. The player then can leave her and escape, breaking the promise, or save Talwyn; either way Talwyn is freed. If you save her she will thank you for keeping the promise. If you leave her behind, she will hover back to Hoolefar Island and in an angry tone say to Ratchet, "Thanks for rescuing me. Now I know how Clank feels."

Development

 * Early concepts of Talwyn show her wearing similar outfit to the final one used. In these concepts her hair color varies including black and red and she does not have a tail. She also was originally shown with a coil-like weapon. Later concept art shows a much more similar Talwyn to her final appearance, with only minor differences in the facial style. In the later concept art she appeared left-handed.

Relationships
Talwyn shared a good friendship with Ratchet. A lot of fans of the series debated the nature of Talwyn's relationship with Ratchet. At the Ratchet & Clank tenth anniversary panel at PAX 2012 the panel was asked directly about Ratchet's relationship leading to Insomniac Games senior writer TJ Fixman stating Talwyn is Ratchet's girlfriend.

Etymology

 * Talwyn's last name, Apogee, may be named after the point in a moon's orbit where it is furthest from its planet.

Appearances

 * Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction
 * Ratchet & Clank Future: Quest for Booty
 * Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time (mentioned and seen in Clank's subconscious only)
 * Ratchet & Clank: Issue 1: Ears of War
 * Ratchet & Clank: Issue 2: Friends with Benefits
 * Ratchet & Clank: Issue 3: Lost and Spaced
 * Ratchet & Clank: Issue 4: Thanks for the Armories
 * Ratchet & Clank: Issue 5: Multiple Organisms
 * Ratchet & Clank: Issue 6: Bros Before Foes
 * Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One
 * Ratchet & Clank: Full Frontal Assault

Non-canon

 * PlayStation Home