Tharpods are a species in All 4 One, also appearing in Ratchet & Clank (2016 game) and the movie. Residents of planet Magnus in the Polaris Galaxy, they are a peaceful race that worships nature and lives in harmony with their pet critters, with whom they share a close bond.
When Ratchet, Clank, Captain Qwark, and Dr. Nefarious arrived on Magnus, the tharpods had become nomadic, forced to flee their homes due to Ephemeris and Commander Spog. Before this, they were a technologically advanced species. Ephemeris was originally the brainchild of Dr. Frumpus Croid and his assistant Nevo Binklemeyer.
History[]
Early history[]
Tharpods on Magnus with their creature companions.
The tharpods settled on Magnus long after the loki had already arrived.[1] They established a civilization and lived in peace for hundreds of years.[a] They worshipped nature and formed deep bonds with Magnus' wildlife, with adopting a creature companion serving as a rite of passage.[3][b]
Dr. Frumpus Croid and his research partner, Nevo Binklemeyer, studied the tharpods' profound connection with the local fauna and discovered cosmic radiation emitted by the wildlife.[5] When Dr. Croid's pet, Mr. Dinkles, was possessed by the Loki Master, the Loki Master manipulated Nevo into sabotaging Dr. Croid’s laboratory before fleeing.[6] Twenty-two years later, Dr. Croid created Ephemeris as a small drone to locate Mr. Dinkles.[7] Over the next 28 years, the Loki Master seized control of Ephemeris and, under its influence, Nevo enhanced it—expanding its size, removing its planetary restrictions, and enabling interplanetary travel.[8]
Ratchet & Clank re-imagined[]
In the movie and Qwark's retelling, tharpods appear as citizens in the Solana Galaxy, residing on planets such as Veldin, Kerwan, and Pokitaru, as well as attending hoverboard racing events on Rilgar and Kalebo III.
The only notable tharpod characters are Mr. Micron and Ollie. Mr. Micron, an elderly tharpod from Veldin, brings his ship to Grimroth Razz's garage, only for Ratchet to install unnecessary modifications, leading to a demand for a refund. Ollie is a young tharpod boy appearing on Veldin and Kerwan, who is an avid fan of Captain Qwark and the Galactic Rangers.
Tharpods are not seen living in Solana in any other accounts of the franchise.
Before All 4 One[]
For over a century, Ephemeris abducted dangerous creatures from across the universe and brought them to Magnus. It was guarded by Commander Spog, who led an army of collector minions and terrorized the local population.[2] Just as Dr. Croid prepared to confess his crimes to the other tharpods, Spog invaded Uzo City.[9]
The tharpods were forced into hiding, with many becoming orphans, leaving behind abandoned cities and dangerous wildlife.[2] However, some survived in small village settlements.[c]
All 4 One[]
When Ephemeris captured Ratchet, Clank, Qwark, and Dr. Nefarious, they were dropped off in the Minion Training Center, where an orphaned tharpod girl named Susie freed them.[11] Though initially focused on escaping the planet, a Tharpod Elder convinced Ratchet to help their people.[2]
Throughout their journey, several tharpods assisted them in tracking down Commander Spog, reaching Phonica Moon to find Dr. Croid, and later, a group of tharpod children witnessed their final assault on Ephemeris in Uzo City.[12] After the defeat of the Loki Master, the destruction of Toranux by Dr. Croid[13] presumably eradicated the loki, allowing the tharpods to return to peaceful living.
Characteristics[]
Tharpods are a peaceful, tortoise-like species that revere nature. Many wear hard, carapace-like apparel covering most of their bodies. They are otherwise bipedal with humanoid features, with their arms, legs, and neck extending from their shell-like armor. Tharpods exhibit a range of colors, with common hues being green, blue, and purple, while their shells feature lightly colored highlights.
Their culture places great importance on their bond with wildlife, with adopting a creature companion considered a rite of passage.[3][b]
Tharpods appear to have long lifespans, as Dr. Croid worked on Ephemeris for over 100 years.[a]
Behind the scenes[]
The tharpods in All 4 One were voiced by Dave Boat (credited as Tharpod 1), and Richard Horvitz (credited as Tharpod 2).
Tharpod design was inspired by amphibious creatures such as turtles.[14] Some tharpods are also shown retracting their heads when frightened, similar to tortoises or turtles.
Dr. Frumpus Croid and Nevo Binklemeyer are stated to be over 100 years old in All 4 One, aligning with the lifespans of giant tortoises, which can exceed 150 years.
A tharpod appears as a downloadable skin for the competitive multiplayer mode of Full Frontal Assault as part of the All 4 One Pack.
Notes[]
Annotations[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Given that Ephemeris existed for over a hundred years,[2] and Dr. Croid built it, the tharpods likely lived on the planet for much longer, indicating they have lengthy lifespans.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Since the loki spirits had possessed Magnus' wildlife,[4] it is heavily implied that the bond between the tharpods and the creatures was a means of manipulation by the loki.
- ↑ During A Crack in Time, a resident of Rossa Fields in Magnus' Terawatt Forest, named Donald, called into a Polaris News segment hosted by Kip Darling and Pepper Fairbanks.[10] The resident was presumably a tharpod, as no other sentient species are known to inhabit Magnus.
Citations[]
- ↑ All 4 One script § "Confront Dr. Croid in the Hall of Paradoxology (gameplay, cont.)"
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 All 4 One script § "Parades and Groupies"
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 All 4 One script § "Meet up with Susie (gameplay)"
- ↑ All 4 One script § "Hello, Nevo"
- ↑ All 4 One script § "Happier Times on Magnus"
- ↑ All 4 One script § "The Betrayal of Nevo Binklemeyer"
- ↑ All 4 One script § "Poor Mr. Dinkles"
- ↑ All 4 One script § "Nevo Strikes Again"
- ↑ All 4 One script § "The Last Holo-Diary"
- ↑ A Crack in Time script § "Gimlick Valley"
- ↑ All 4 One script § "Stuck Together"
- ↑ All 4 One script § "Into Ephemeris"
- ↑ All 4 One script § "The End of the Loki"
- ↑ The Art of Ratchet & Clank, p. 197
References[]
- Insomniac Games (2011). Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One [Game]. Sony Computer Entertainment. PlayStation 3.
- Sony Interactive Entertainment (2018). The Art of Ratchet & Clank [Book]. Dark Horse Comics. ISBN 978-1506705729.