Neftin Prog

Biographical information
Homeworld	Netherverse
Residence	Yerek (childhood home) Thram (hideout)
Family	Vendra Prog (sister)
Physical description
Species	Nether
Gender	Male
Behind the scenes
Portrayed by	Fred Tatasciore

Neftin Prog is an antagonist in Into the Nexus. Along with his twin sister, Vendra Prog, he is a notorious space criminal and a nether. Neftin serves as the "muscle" for the duo during their crime spree across the Polaris Galaxy.

Neftin assisted Vendra in her efforts to bring the nethers into Ratchet's dimension from the Netherverse. In pursuit of this goal, he abducted terachnoids from Pollyx Industries, hired Thugs-4-Less mercenaries, and eventually clashed with Ratchet and Clank. Following Vendra's capture, Neftin led a Thugs-4-Less strike team to liberate her from the Nebulox Seven.

History

Before Into the Nexus

Neftin and Vendra Prog emerged in caves near Meero City, Yerek, having entered through dimensional rifts created by the explosion of the Great Clock. Because they arrived at a young age, their physiology adapted to Ratchet's dimension, leaving them with no memory of the Netherverse.

Neftin and Vendra were bullied as children, with the diminutive Neftin unable to fight back. During this isolation, Vendra was exploited by Mr. Eye and began studying quantum mechanics and transdimensional tunneling to amplify rifts to the Netherverse, leading to the evacuation of the Zarkov Sector.

Vendra eventually provided Neftin with cybernetic enhancements, transforming his slight frame into a massive, muscular physique. Neftin subsequently augmented Vendra's Nether Blades into the upgraded Prog Blades, utilizing lightweight carbonox-fiber projectiles capable of high-velocity flight. He also established a hideout in the Hagrow Swampland on Thram.

The Progs' search eventually led them to the lombaxes and the Dimensionator. After learning the device was moved to the Intergalactic Museum of History on Igliak following Emperor Tachyon's defeat, they kidnapped Docent 427 to retrieve it, as Neftin's massive size precluded a stealthy theft. When this failed, they sought to build their own Dimensionator.

Ratchet & Clank (2016)

The 2016 re-imagined game is primarily an unreliable retelling of events by Qwark.

The re-imagined game primarily describes Captain Qwark's account of events. As Qwark is an unreliable narrator, and contradictory events are in-universe fiction (though those which correspond still apply). Please see Project:Bulletin board/Canon for the wiki's coverage of canon.

Neftin's mugshot after his arrest.

Sometime before the Ratchet & Clank movie and Qwark's retelling of events, Neftin twice attempted to render the entire population of Aridia colorblind; Qwark thwarted both attempts.

Before the Nexus

Vendra and Neftin assaulting Pollyx Industries.

Six months prior to Into the Nexus, Neftin and Vendra hired Thugs-4-Less to raid Pollyx Industries, abducting Pollyx and several terachnoids to construct a new Dimensionator in Yerek's Azeril Caverns. During these operations, Vendra was captured and sent to the Vartax Detention Facility. Neftin subsequently organized a galaxy-wide crime wave, bribing elected officials to locate her prison ship.

Into the Nexus

Neftin with a thug while attacking the Nebulox Seven.

Neftin and Thugs-4-Less attacked the Nebulox Seven, lacing it with pyrocidic blaster mines and warning that interference would result in its destruction. Upon being freed, Vendra immediately berated Neftin for the six-month delay. Despite Neftin's protest that killing Cronk and Zephyr was unnecessary, Vendra detonated the mines, destroying the ship and killing them.

Neftin and Vendra speaking to Mr. Eye on Yerek.

Neftin accompanied Vendra to Silox to summon Mr. Eye. While there, Neftin aggressively managed Thugs-4-Less, demanding Ratchet's "head on a pike" and threatening to "bash [their] bones into fine powder" if they failed. As Ratchet advanced, Neftin offered a 10,000-bolt bonus to any thug who brought him Ratchet's head.

Neftin holding back Mr. Eye for Ratchet and Clank to escape.

When Ratchet and Clank arrived, Neftin attempted to appeal to Ratchet's empathy regarding Vendra. When Ratchet refused, Neftin vowed to kill him. Following the battle "Defeat Neftin Prog", Vendra successfully summoned Mr. Eye, who immediately betrayed them by banishing her to the Netherverse. Realizing Ratchet and Clank were his only hope of freeing his sister, Neftin switched sides, reasoning that the partnership was mutually beneficial, and urged them to meet him on Thram.

Neftin in his hideout on Thram, giving Ratchet Docent 427.

At the hideout, Neftin surrendered Docent 427 to Ratchet, explaining that his own size prevented him from stealing the Dimensionator from the Intergalactic Museum of History. When Ratchet questioned Neftin's devotion given Vendra's mistreatment, Neftin explained that her obsession with finding a family had driven her to madness, and she had not always been so angry. Ratchet agreed to help on the condition that Neftin turn himself in afterward—a deal Neftin reluctantly accepted.

At the museum on Igliak, Talwyn Apogee was unhappy to work with Neftin, but complied. As Ratchet retrieved the Dimensionator, Neftin utilized a thug to create a zipline for recovery and worked with Pollyx and Captain Qwark to repair the device within the Meridian City Racketball Club.

Neftin taking Vendra to turn themselves in.

During the final confrontation, Clank used the Rift Cracker to free Vendra from the Netherverse. Neftin used the Dimensionator to open a portal releasing her, and another to the Netherverse, allowing Vendra to force Mr. Eye back into his dimension. Neftin comforted a remorseful Vendra, reaffirming that she was his sister. Upholding his bargain, Neftin placed her on his back to surrender themselves to authorities. When Vendra asked if they could still be evil, Neftin adamantly refused.

Characteristics

Appearance

Neftin Prog is a colossal cyborg, the result of biological and cybernetic enhancements received from Vendra. He notes that prior to these augmentations, he was once as small as Ratchet. His right eye is a prosthetic, and his arms feature two electrified club-shaped whips. His mechanical heart features an external piston that pumps continuously.

Like Vendra, he has pale skin and reddish-pink hair with two white streaks.

Personality

Neftin is loyal, protective, and aggressive. He launched a galaxy-wide crime wave and was callous toward his hired thugs, hurling one into the Intergalactic Museum of History with a harpoon and threatening to crush the bones of those who failed him. Despite this, he is less cruel than his sister, preaching pragmatism when attempting to dissuade her from needlessly killing Cronk and Zephyr. He also maintains a sense of honor, ultimately upholding his deal with Ratchet to turn himself in.

Vendra scolding Neftin aboard the Nebulox Seven.

Neftin is primarily driven by devotion to his sister, who helped him become strong when he was weak. This led to shifting loyalties; he initially assisted her quest to summon the nethers, but turned on Mr. Eye after the leader betrayed her. When Ratchet warned him of the dangers of transdimensional experimentation, Neftin acknowledged Vendra's stubbornness but reiterated his commitment to her. He later admitted that he endured Vendra's mistreatment out of sympathy for her longing for family, knowing she was not always so angry.

Abilities

Neftin serves as the muscle of the duo; thanks to his modifications, he possesses immense strength, reflexes, and power. He was strong enough to hold back Mr. Eye temporarily while helping Ratchet and Clank escape. He wields two electrified mace-like whips, which allow him to hover briefly. Vendra claimed Neftin had never lost a fight. However, his incredible size and muscle limited his agility, preventing him from infiltrating the Intergalactic Museum of History.

While Vendra acts as the "brains," Neftin is a capable tactician and skilled mechanic. He upgraded Vendra's Nether Blades into Prog Blades and worked with Pollyx to repair the Dimensionator. In his effort to free Vendra, he successfully bribed officials, coordinated a galaxy-wide crime wave, and commanded Thugs-4-Less to achieve his goal.

Combat

See also: Defeat Neftin Prog

During his bossfight Neftin utilizes his twin maces coupled with his bulk for large smashing attacks, either from afar, or after a leap forwards. He can hang from the ceiling and use one mace to generate small shockwaves on impact, or stand in the center and channel electricity into the floor, creating multiple large shockwaves. He is also supported by thug brawlers and jetpack-equipped thug shooters during specific phases of his bossfight.

Behind the scenes

Concept art.

In internal production, Neftin was described as Insomniac Games' version of Frankenstein's monster, complete with a mechanical heart.

Neftin Prog's voice actor in Into the Nexus is Fred Tatasciore.

References

• Insomniac Games (2013). Ratchet & Clank: Into the Nexus [Game]. Sony Computer Entertainment. PlayStation 3.
• Sony Interactive Entertainment (2018). The Art of Ratchet & Clank [Book]. Dark Horse Comics. ISBN 978-1506705729.