The Polaris government,[1] also known as Allied Polaris[2] and Free Polaris[3] at other points in history, is an organization in Tools of Destruction. It refers to a formation of planets in the Polaris Galaxy under a democratic government. The Polaris Defense Force[4][5] serves as its military branch, and the government is led by a galactic president. Its capital is Meridian City, Igliak. Its military force is the Polaris Defense Force.
The Polaris government under Allied Polaris included the lombaxes, and fought against the Great Cragmite Empire in the Great War. During Tools of Destruction, Free Polaris referred to planets not under the rule of Emperor Tachyon, and Ratchet and Clank defended its capital during his attack after the cragmites returned. Later, Captain Qwark was elected as the galactic president, and Ratchet and Clank worked with President Qwark and the Polaris Defense Force in a number of adventures.
History[]
Before Tools of Destruction[]
During the Great War, the lombaxes led Allied Polaris in a revolt against the cragmites. Allied Polaris sent convoys between the Verdigris and Praxus sectors through the Ublik Passage, until the cragmites detonated a nearby neutron star to block them.[2] The Great War reached a stalemate[6] until the Center for Advanced Lombax Research invented the Dimensionator,[7] and thereafter banished the cragmites to dimension X2-49.[8]
Following the cragmite defeat, the lombaxes continued to lead Polaris' government for many years, attempting to return order to the galaxy in the dangerously unstable wake of the Great War.[9]
During the heightened Nether activity in the Zarkov Sector caused by Vendra and Neftin Prog, the galactic president at the time gave it an Alpha-9 classification, meaning it was declared haunted and the entire sector was evacuated.[10] The evacuations were coordinated by Mayor Gumblebrick.[11]
When Emperor Tachyon came to power and the lombaxes fled to the lombax dimension,[12] Free Polaris formed, comprising all planets not under Tachyon's rule. Tachyon fought for years to take over Meridian City, but the Imperial Army was no match for the combined forces of the free planets in the Verdigris Sector.[3]
Artemis Zogg served as Polaris Minister of Defense.[13] After the lombax exodus, Artemis Zogg and the Galactic Panel of Interstellar Know-It-Alls recovered the Surinox Shard, which the lombaxes had used to create the Dimensionator, and used it to develop the Helios Project over the next several years. The program was headed by chairman of the panel and Zogg's advisor, Vorn Garblak, and would be used to keep the galaxy safe by teleporting planets away from threats.[14]
Tachyon seized control of the gelatonium capital, Cobalia, making the rest of the galaxy dependent on his rationing of gelatonium[15] as few planets with gelatonium remained not under imperial rule, many of which were instead controlled by the hostile kerchu.[16]
Aside from planets under Tachyon's rule or that of Free Polaris, many were in the territory of the space pirates, while Dr. Nefarious took control of much of the Breegus System.
Tools of Destruction[]
After Tachyon obtained the Dimensionator and brought the cragmites back, he invaded Igliak. In "Save Meridian City", Ratchet and Clank fought back against them to stop them. When Ratchet defeated Tachyon, the cragmites were vanquished.[17]
A Crack in Time[]
During A Crack in Time, Dr. Nefarious' damage to the Great Clock led to a number of time anomalies. These froze several Polaris military installations on Igliak, Sargasso, and Cobalia.[18] The Polaris Defense Force was unable to fight Dr. Nefarious in the Breegus System, leading a terachnoid to call into space radio to thank Ratchet for defending Terachnos.[19] Minister of Defense Artemis Zogg had fusion turrets installed in Luminopolis, Igliak, in the event of an attack by Dr. Nefarious.[20]
After A Crack in Time[]
Captain Qwark announcing his own presidential campaign rather than endorsing Zogg's.
Ten months before Lost and Spaced, Artemis Zogg launched a presidential campaign, with Cronk and Zephyr assigned as his bodyguards, and sought Qwark's endorsement. Among his policies, Zogg proposed offering small tax incentives to the kerchu in exchange for restricting gelatonium refineries to Sargasso and Jasindu.[21]
During their initial meeting, Zogg explained the Helios Project to a curious Qwark.[14] However, at a later event, Qwark announced his own run for president, withdrawing his support for Zogg.[22] Five months later, Qwark was elected president,[21] with Skrunch serving as his vice president.[23] Zogg, embittered by his loss, was further enraged when Qwark canceled the Helios Project, citing safety concerns. In response, Zogg stole the Helios Project.[24]
Comic series[]
As president, Qwark ordered a government-led search for Dr. Nefarious.[25] When the planets Cobalia, Sargasso, and Terachnos disappeared due to Zogg’s Helios Project, many called for Qwark's impeachment. However, after Terachnos vanished, these calls quieted, as many of the complaints had come from the terachnoids. During Ears of War, Qwark sought help from Ratchet and Clank, but they declined, citing their retirement.[26]
As more planets—Zaurik, Fastoon, and others—were abducted by Helios, Talwyn Apogee offered the Polaris government use of her Apogee Space Station as a command post.[27] The Solana government also became involved after President Phyronix was abducted by Zogg, with Sasha Phyronix and the Galactic Rangers assisting Polaris' defense forces.[28] Two weeks after Zogg's eventual defeat, President Qwark was credited with "defeating a crazed planet thief with arms tied behind his back," and his approval rating rose by one point.[29]
Later, President Qwark launched the Friendship Through Firepower Initiative, an unsuccessful program that established weapon kiosks around Luminopolis and Igliak,[30] allowing citizens to arm themselves for protection after completing a brief weapon certification program.[31]
All 4 One[]
By the time of All 4 One, the Polaris Galaxy was in debt, Luminopolis was in "shambles," and a lavish Meridian City retreat forged from raritanium led to growing criticism of Qwark’s presidency.[32] Meanwhile, Vorn Garblak had been appointed Minister of Defense.[33]
Due to multiple assassination attempts on President Qwark, his bodyguards, Cronk and Zephyr, had GrummelNet develop the Quantum Deflector for his protection.[34] The search for Dr. Nefarious continued under Qwark’s administration and was chronicled in a holovision newscast, The Search for a Super-Villain.[35]
During the events of All 4 One, President Qwark was abducted by Ephemeris, leaving Vice President Skrunch as the presumed acting president.
Full Frontal Assault[]
President Qwark at some point prior to events of Full Frontal Assault had the Hall of Knowledge brainiacs build the galactic weather grid into Polaris' defense network, to ensure the weather was sunny for his presidential visits.[36] Qwark was not re-elected president, losing three months before events of Full Frontal Assault.[37]
Qwark launched a new incarnation of the QForce stationed on the Starship Phoenix II.
Into the Nexus[]
Rift Apart[]
By the events of Rift Apart, the galactic government had entered into an alliance with the space pirates and their current captain Rusty Pete, who have promised to now only loot people when no one is looking.[38]
Characteristics[]
The Polaris government uses a presidential system. Presidential elections last at least five months (as Qwark was elected five months after announcing his candidacy).[21] The president serves alongside a vice president.[23] Other known government positions are Minister of Defense, a position once occupied by Artemis Zogg,[13] and later by Vorn Garblak.[33]
The extent of the government's legislative power is unknown, but appears to override local laws. One of its laws, Polaris Defense Initiative 1887-Upsilon, permits GrummelNet vendors to sell merchandise for means of defense around Polaris even in fongoid territories such as Quantos, which have locally outlawed technology.[39]
Known territories[]
In all instances Igliak has always been the capital.
Allied Polaris[]
Free Polaris[]
Polaris Galactic Government[]
- Igliak
- Cobalia
- Kortog
- Fastoon
- Voron Asteroid Belt
- Mukow
- Nundac Asteroid Ring
- Rakar Star Cluster
- Rykan System
- Sargasso
- Kreeli Comet
- Jasindu
- Quantos
- Terachnos
- Zanifar
- Morklon
- Magnus, Phonica Moon
- Ebaro
- Markazia
- Proteus VII
Notes[]
Annotations[]
Citations[]
- ↑ Lost and Spaced, p. 4
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Tools of Destruction menu § "Ublik Passage"
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Tools of Destruction menu § "Planet Igliak"
- ↑ A Crack in Time script § "VX-99 Defeated"
- ↑ Into the Nexus, script
- ↑ Tools of Destruction script § "Make a Trade with the Smuggler (gameplay)"
- ↑ Tools of Destruction script § "A Vision of Talwyn"
- ↑ Tools of Destruction script § "IRIS Questions and Answers"
- ↑ A Crack in Time script § "The Fall of the Lombaxes"
- ↑ Into the Nexus script § "Explore the Meero Ruins (gameplay)"
- ↑ Into the Nexus script § "Find Vendra and Neftin (Silox) (gameplay)"
- ↑ Tools of Destruction script § "Find Tachyon (gameplay)"
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Lost and Spaced, p. 11
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Lost and Spaced, p. 6
- ↑ Tools of Destruction menu § "Planet Cobalia"
- ↑ Tools of Destruction menu § "Planet Sargasso"
- ↑ A Crack in Time script § "The Story so far"
- ↑ A Crack in Time script § "Time Phenomena"
- ↑ A Crack in Time script § "VX-99 Defeated"
- ↑ All 4 One script § "Access the Fusion Turrets atop Zogg Tower (gameplay)"
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 Lost and Spaced, p. 18-20
- ↑ Lost and Spaced, p. 10-14
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 All 4 One script § "The Search for a Super-Villain"
- ↑ Lost and Spaced, p. 18
- ↑ Ears of War, p. 5
- ↑ Ears of War, p. 6
- ↑ Lost and Spaced, p. 4
- ↑ Lost and Spaced, p. 4; 14
- ↑ Bros Before Foes, p. 14-19
- ↑ All 4 One script § "Fend off the Minions (gameplay)"
- ↑ All 4 One script § "Complete Weapon Certification Program (gameplay)"
- ↑ All 4 One script § "Defeat the Z'Grute (gameplay)"
- ↑ 33.0 33.1 All 4 One script § "Fend off the Minions (gameplay, cont.)"
- ↑ All 4 One script § "Quantum Deflector"
- ↑ All 4 One script § "The Search for a Super-Villain"
- ↑ Full Frontal Assault script § "Phoenix 4"
- ↑ Full Frontal Assault script § "Phoenix 1"
- ↑ Rift Apart menu § "Rusty Pete"
- ↑ A Crack in Time menu § "Galactic Trivia"
References[]
- 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 (2012). Ratchet & Clank: Full Frontal Assault [Game]. Sony Computer Entertainment. PlayStation 3.
- Insomniac Games (2013). Ratchet & Clank: Into the Nexus [Game]. Sony Computer Entertainment. PlayStation 3.
- Insomniac Games (2021). Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart [Game]. Sony Interactive Entertainment. PlayStation 5.
- Books
- Fixman, TJ (2010). Ratchet & Clank (Issue 1: Ears of War) [Book]. Wild Storm.
- Fixman, TJ (2010). Ratchet & Clank (Issue 2: Friends with Benefits) [Book]. Wild Storm.
- Fixman, TJ (2010). Ratchet & Clank (Issue 3: Lost and Spaced) [Book]. Wild Storm.
- Fixman, TJ (2010). Ratchet & Clank (Issue 4: Thanks for the Armories) [Book]. Wild Storm.
- Fixman, TJ (2011). Ratchet & Clank (Issue 5: Multiple Organisms) [Book]. Wild Storm.
- Fixman, TJ (2011). Ratchet & Clank (Issue 6: Bros Before Foes) [Book]. Wild Storm.