Alister Azimuth

General Alister Azimuth was a revered, yet rebellious leader of the Lombaxes. The Court of Azimuth was architected by him, and he was a childhood friend of Kaden Ratchet's father. He was a Four Bolt Magistrate of the Lombax Praetorian Guard and also an elder councilman of the Center for Advanced Lombax Research. Azimuth had a variety of equipment including a double-ended wrench, holoarmor, hoverboots and a pocket watch containing a picture of him and Kaden. Azimuth also had his own ship, similar to the Aphelion, but with out the sentience.

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 started a family 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 unknownst to them was Percival Tachyon), who possessed ideas for technology considerably more advanced than what they were using at the time. Azimuth, despite warnings from Kaden to do otherwise, helped the inventor by giving him access to Lombaxes technology, believing it could repair the galaxy from the Great War. Tachyon instead would use this technology to form his armies and crush Fastoon. The General held himself responsible for the attack as well as the deaths of Kaden and Ratchet's mother. Azimuth was prevented from joining the other Lombaxes for his 'crime' and was exiled. He would eventually find himself in the Breegus System on planet Torren IV. From this point on, Alister began gathering information about the Great Clock, hoping to redeem himself for his mistake.

Skirmish with Nefarious
"Oh...the usual rebel stuff. Destroyed one of Nefarious' transports...blew up Vorselon's outpost in Korthos."

- A Vullard tells Ratchet of "the exile"

A few decades later, Doctor Nefarious rose to power in the Polaris Galaxy, and Alister would have 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.

Kaden's Son
"You're...you're...Kaden's son!"

- Azimuth realises just who the "assassin" is

When Azimuth first met Ratchet, he initially thought that the young Lombax was an assassin wearing a Hologuise who had been sent by either Vorselon or Nefarious to kill him. When Ratchet eventually caught up with him, Azimuth recognized Ratchet as Kaden's son before telling each other their situations and teaching Ratchet how to use Kaden's old hoverboots. Afterwards Alister told Ratchet to meet him in Axiom City on planet Terachnos, to find a way to talk to Clank in the Great Clock. In a rush of excitement and hope for the safety of his race, Azimuth would bring some damage to Axiom City. Upon infiltrating Pollyx Industries, a company specialising in Zoni technology, they discovered the last remaining Obsidian Eye in the universe was located in Krell Canyon, planet Lumos. After battling and defeating a VX-99 sent by Lord Vorselon they set off for Lumos.



Revelation and Quest for Redemption
"BECAUSE I FAILED THEM!...I failed them."

- Alister reveals his past to Ratchet

On Planet 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 with this plan. Ratchet agreed, even upon finding out he would never meet Clank in the altered timeline.

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

- Ratchet tries, and fails, to dissuade Azimuth from using the Clock to restore his race

Upon learning that the Great Clock could rip apart reality if mis-used, Ratchet and Clank unsuccessfully attempted to dissuade Azimuth from using the Great Clock to find the Lombaxes, and the upset anti-hero left. After defeating Dr. Nefarious, Ratchet and Clank were saved by Azimuth just before the ship they were standing on collided with the Nefarious Space Station. The three of them travelled to the Great Clock where Clank requested to stay to protect the facility. Azimuth questioned if that was "it" and what they would do about the Lombaxes, still determined to fix his mistake. Ratchet said that the past was not meant to be changed and still refused Azimuth the chance to use the Orvus Chamber.

Frustrated and outraged that Ratchet no longer wanted to change what he did, Azimuth sent an energy blast from his wrench at him. Ratchet was struck directly in the chest and fell backwards off the platform, killed by the blast. Clank, shocked by Azimuth's actions, managed to seal the Orvus Chamber before Azimuth could reach it. He then activated a time shift and travelled just a few minutes back in time, preventing Ratchet's death.

Duel in the Orvus Chamber
"Kill you now! Save you in the past!"

- Azimuth during the battle

Ratchet and Clank battled the General in the Orvus Chamber after he activated a time shift in the Great Clock to travel to the past and prevent the attack on Fastoon. Upon his defeat, Azimuth realized his mistake and why time shouldn't be meddled with. Using his wrench, he replaced the master switch, and reversed the massive wave of quantum energy that was destroying the Clock. He prevented the Great Clock from being destroyed at the cost of his own life. His pocket watch, now damaged and not working, was picked up by Ratchet as a memento to the General,Kaden, and his cause to restore their race.

Behind the scenes

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

Trivia

 * Azimuth was the first character to successfully kill Ratchet, and if that timeline continued he would have taken Ratchet's title as the last Lombax in the universe.
 * Azimuth was one of few main characters to die on screen.
 * Alister was the second character to be both a villain and a hero (Captain Qwark also achieved this title, but through the span of several games). However, it is arguable if he was actually a villain at all, as it seemed in his eyes his motives were heroic.


 * Azimuth was created partially with the intent of giving Ratchet a sort of mentor.
 * Azimuth is an unlockable skin in A Crack in Time.
 * The symbol on his armor resembled the one on Orvus' head, meaning it could be a symbol of honour worn by the most revered people in the Polaris galaxy.
 * While using the Groovitron Glove Azimuth did the 'Moonwalk', much like how Nefarious could do the Thriller dance. Both are references to Michael Jackson, who died the year of the game's release.
 * His wrench was an unlockable replacement for Ratchet's wrench in A Crack in Time.

Appearances

 * Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction (Named mentioned)
 * Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time