Igliak is a planet featured in Tools of Destruction, the comic series, All 4 One, and Into the Nexus, with mentions in A Crack in Time. Located in the Praxus Sector of the Polaris Galaxy, it is home to the large metropolises of Meridian City and Luminopolis. Meridian City served as the capitol of Allied Polaris, Free Polaris and the seat of the Polaris government, where the galactic president resides. This made it both a central planet in the galaxy and also prone to invasion.
Ratchet and Clank first came to Igliak to repel an invasion of Meridian City, when Emperor Tachyon used the Dimensionator to unleash an army of cragmites. Following Captain Qwark's election as galactic president, after undermining Artemis Zogg's own campaign, Zogg stole Igliak using the Helios Project and brought it to his Artemis Galaxy, requiring the Polaris government to use the Apogee Space Station as a command post. After Zogg's defeat, Igliak was returned back to its original location. Dr. Nefarious later laid a trap for President Qwark in Luminopolis, where he unleashed a rare light-eating Z'Grute onto the city, attracting Ephemeris the Creature Collector to the planet. To send the nethers back to the Netherverse, Ratchet and Clank explored the Intergalactic Museum of History in Meridian City to recover the Dimensionator, and fought back a nether invasion.
History[]
Before Tools of Destruction[]
The warbots Cronk and Zephyr met when stationed in Meridian City's Zenith Outpost during the Phylax Intrusion.[1] During the Forfolax Emancipation of 23, the two were later stationed at the Folstoid Plateau to secure the gelatonium refinery so as to be able to transport fuel to the Meridian armory. After being attacked by undead zombie dung dragons created by the planet's radioactive sun, they went into battle with only a rusty spoke and a roll of toilet paper stolen from Igliak.[2]
At another time, Ulysses L. Ironfist and a gang of hillbilly ninjas stockpiled the galaxy's trillium deposit to hold Igliak capital using a neothermic deathbeam capable of laying waste to the planet. Cronk and Zephyr infiltrated the hideout and stopped them.[2]
Pepper Fairbanks, former weather girl and later news anchor, featured in a pictorial in "Women of Igliak".[3]
After Emperor Tachyon rose to power, Igliak's Meridian City became the capital of Free Polaris, comprising all planets and sectors not under Tachyon's rule. Tachyon sought to seize control of the city, but the combined forces of free planets in the Verdigris Sector held him back.[4]
After Lord Vorselon's body was lost in the battle of Zaurik, he and his army stormed GrummelNet Industries headquarters in Meridian City to obtain the design for his robot body.[5]
Slim Cognito came to Igliak but was arrested and sent to Zordoom Prison after exposing his Class B Grav-Cannon to a group of female tumfoids during a rock concert.[1]
Tools of Destruction[]
Tachyon saw his opportunity to finally invade Meridian City after taking the Dimensionator from Captain Qwark on Reepor, and releasing an army of cragmites. When invading, Tachyon heralded the return of the cragmites as the "true rulers" of the galaxy, sending any insurgents fighting back to a four-star penal colony in the Vartan Nebula. Qwark was also brought to the city as prisoner, sending a distress call to Ratchet and Clank.[6]
Ratchet and Clank saving Qwark.
In "Save Meridian City", Ratchet and Clank fought through hordes of cragmites and enforcers during the invasion to reach the spaceport. After hearing Qwark's distress call, in "Rescue Qwark", the two searched the city to find him, traveling through the sector 3 construction zone and down an air tunnel expressway, only to discover him wallowing in self-pity inside a closet. Ratchet and Clank left for Fastoon thereafter, with Qwark choosing to remain behind to supposedly coordinate the relief effort.[7]
After Tachyon was defeated, the original Dimensionator was moved to the Intergalactic Museum of History[8][9] in the Lombax History Wing.[10]
A Crack in Time[]
Due to the damage on the Great Clock, time anomalies froze several military installations on Igliak, leading to violent outbursts.[11]
A holo-film named Unicop about a Meridian City police officer named Marcus Kane transformed into a half-unicorn, half-cop, starring Captain Qwark as Kane, aired and was advertised on space radio.[12]
Comic series[]
Ten months prior to the events of the Ratchet & Clank comic series, Qwark visited Meridian City for an event where he was set to endorse Artemis Zogg, then a fan who had invited him.[13] Zogg also showed Qwark the Helios Project during development, then designed to prevent galactic disasters.[14] While Qwark was practicing his speech to endorse Zogg, his agent Cyrus instead talked him into running for president himself.[15] Five months later, Qwark won the election, and shut down the project, citing dangers from the Tachyon incident. Zogg stole the project and used it for himself.[16]
Igliak was one of the planets that Zogg used the Helios Project to steal and take to his Artemis Galaxy, with its inhabitants enslaved and forced to work for sunlight. Because this meant the capital was lost, Talwyn Apogee offered the Polaris Defense Force use the Apogee Space Station as a command post.[17] Following Zogg's defeat, Igliak was returned, and Ratchet and Clank visited Qwark in his presidential compound in Meridian City two weeks later.[18]
All 4 One[]
In a plan of revenge for his defeat in A Crack in Time, Dr. Nefarious organized a fake award ceremony for President Qwark in Luminopolis, where he reanimated a cryosleep induced Light Eating Z'Grute, to have it destroy his enemies. The plan backfired on Nefarious however, getting himself caught in the crossfire as the Z'Grute then went on a rampage throughout the city, destroying Rusty Pete's Healthy Hamburger Shack, and consuming as much electicial energy as possible. Ratchet, Clank, Qwark, and Nefarious joined forces to defeat the Z'Grute, pursuing it through the Lumnopolis Power Plant, and finally defeating it using Zogg Tower's fusion turrets. However, the creature collector known as Ephemeris arrived and snatched not only the Z'Grute, but also Ratchet and the others, and took them to planet Magnus.
In the finale of All 4 One, the Loki Master began his plan of using loki-possessed monsters to decimate the galaxy. With the cragmites already gone and Reepor dormant, he decided on Igliak as his first target instead.[19] The Loki Master however was defeated before his plan could be fully put into motion, and Ratchet piloted Ephemeris to return him and his friends to Luminopolis.[20]
Into the Nexus[]
Before the events of the game, Vendra and Neftin Prog stole a tourbot for the Intergalactic Museum of History, learning that the Dimensionator was moved there,[9] although they eventually used one built by Pollyx Industries.[8]
Ratchet and Clank traveled to Igliak to retrieve the original Dimensionator. In "Find the Dimensionator", the two explored the museum's various exhibits, including fighting its replica of the Biobliterator, before retrieving the device. Thereafter, in "Fight off the Nether Invasion", the nethers invaded to destroy the Dimensionator so they could not be sent back to the Netherverse.[21] While Neftin and Pollyx repaired the original Dimensionator, Ratchet and Clank stopped the invasion and defeated Mr. Eye, sending the nethers back with the help of Vendra Prog.
Geography[]
Overview[]
Igliak from space appears to be a vast cityscape, meaning Meridian City and Luminopolis (and any other cities) presumably dominate the skyline. The planet does have a few waters, from which krull are fished during good weather.[22]
Zephyr alleged that the planet's radioactive sun once created undead zombie dung dragons.[2]
Merdian City[]
Meridian City is the capital of Free Polaris[4] and later the galactic government, home to the presidential compound. It is also the location of GrummelNet HQ[5] and the Intergalactic Museum of History. The city is also home to the Meridian armory,[2] the Meridian City Library,[23] and the Meridian City Raquetball Club.[24]
Meridian City is dominated by immense glass skyscrapers. The skyscrapers have round dome-like roofs, suggesting similarity to lombax design on Fastoon. Around its rooftops are several large red trees, with various branch tips encased in glass spheres.
Luminopolis[]
Luminopolis.
It is a large metropolis, densely packed with towering skyscrapers lit by vivid lights, and a bright mist seen below the buildings. Walkways are illuminated with heliogrubs inside street lamps, and decorated with lilac-leaved trees, as well as various other blue and green flora. The city skyline is always seen lit with criss-crossed searchlights.
The city is powered by jellyfish-like creatures known as lumenoids, which generate electric impulses, and were contained within power conduits. The Luminopolis Power Plant in particular contains large pools of water housing many lumenoids, where their bioelectricity is harvested and distributed thoughout the city.
Rusty Pete's Healthy Hamburger Shack was a popular eatery in the city, until it was destroyed during the Z'Grute's rampage. It's vegan-wheatgrass-and-tree-bark burger was a favorite of hipsters everywhere. Another notable building is Zogg Tower, named after former minister of defense, Artemis Zogg.
The city has transport tunnels and skyways for air cars and air taxis to travel through. There are also metal grind tubes spread throughout the city, which act as electricity conductors.
During Captain Qwark's presidency, Friendship Through Firepower Initiative weapon kiosks were set up around Luminopolis, which distributed free Combusters to citizens for protection and city defense, upon completion of a very brief training program. The initiative however was ultimately a failure.
Behind the scenes[]
The word meridian has a number of meanings, but is most typically a term in astrology referring to midday or noon, meaning the highest point of altitude reached by a heavenly body. It has also commonly been interpreted as the attainment or arrival at the highest point of power, a meaning which appropriately represents Meridian City's status as the seat of government and capital city of the Polaris Galaxy.
In the 2011 E3 demo of All 4 One, the destruction of a generator the light-eating Z'Grute was feeding on in Luminopolis, is said by Pepper Fairbanks to have caused a massive blackout from the Grimgord Skyway all the way to Apogee Square.[25] This dialogue is removed in the final release.
Citations[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Tools of Destruction script § "IRIS Questions and Answers"
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Tools of Destruction script § "Escape the Cragmite Caves (gameplay)"
- ↑ A Crack in Time script § "Gimlick Valley"
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Tools of Destruction menu § "Planet Igliak"
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 A Crack in Time menu § "Galactic Trivia"
- ↑ Tools of Destruction script § "Save Meridian City (gameplay)"
- ↑ Tools of Destruction script § "Rescue Qwark - Part 2 (gameplay)"
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Into the Nexus script § "Qwark the Savior"
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Into the Nexus script § "Neftin Prog's Hideout"
- ↑ Into the Nexus script § "Find the Dimensionator (gameplay)"
- ↑ A Crack in Time script § "Time Phenomena"
- ↑ A Crack in Time script § "Unicop (Trailer)"
- ↑ Lost and Spaced, p. 1-2
- ↑ Lost and Spaced, p. 6-7
- ↑ Lost and Spaced, p. 11-14
- ↑ Lost and Spaced, p. 18-20
- ↑ Lost and Spaced, p. 4
- ↑ Bros Before Foes, p. 19
- ↑ All 4 One script § "Infiltrate Ephemeris and Defeat Nevo Binklemeyer (gameplay)"
- ↑ All 4 One script § "The End of the Loki"
- ↑ Into the Nexus script § "Déjà vu"
- ↑ Tools of Destruction script § "Meridian City, Planet Igliak"
- ↑ Into the Nexus script § "Free Vendra Prog (gameplay)"
- ↑ Into the Nexus script § "Defeat the Netherbrutes (gameplay)"
- ↑ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnGyQaYqp0w&feature=related
References[]
- Video games
- Insomniac Games (2007). Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction [Game]. Sony Computer Entertainment. PlayStation 3.
- Insomniac Games (2009). Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time [Game]. Sony Computer Entertainment. PlayStation 3.
- Insomniac Games (2011). Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One [Game]. Sony Computer Entertainment. PlayStation 3.
- Insomniac Games (2013). Ratchet & Clank: Into the Nexus [Game]. Sony Computer Entertainment. PlayStation 3.
- Bibliography
- Fixman, TJ (2010). Ratchet & Clank (Issue 3: Lost and Spaced) [Book]. Wild Storm.
- Fixman, TJ (2011). Ratchet & Clank (Issue 6: Bros Before Foes) [Book]. Wild Storm.
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