Vendra Prog

Biographical information
Homeworld	Netherverse (born)
Residence	Yerek (childhood home) Thram (hideout)
Family	Neftin Prog (brother)
Physical description
Species	Nether
Gender	Female
Behind the scenes
Portrayed by	Nika Futterman

Vendra Prog is an antagonist in Into the Nexus. Along with her twin brother, Neftin Prog, she is a dangerous space criminal and a nether. Known and feared throughout the Polaris Galaxy as a "space witch," Vendra was sentenced to the Vartax Detention Facility before Neftin orchestrated her escape.

Vendra grew up in the Meero Orphanage on Yerek, where she experienced bullying and profound isolation. In contrast to Ratchet, who ceased his search for the lombaxes, Vendra became obsessed with bringing the nethers from the Netherverse into Ratchet's dimension—a drive that ultimately clouded her judgment. Ratchet and Clank fought Vendra and her Thugs-4-Less mercenaries to prevent a transdimensional catastrophe.

History

Before Into the Nexus

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

Vendra and Neftin were bullied as children; Vendra was notably punished with detention when she attempted to report the abuse. During this isolation, she was contacted by the nether leader, whom she named Mr. Eye. Feigning friendship, Mr. Eye explained their origins, informing Vendra that while she had lived outside the Netherverse too long to survive a return, she could instead bring the nethers to her. Consequently, Vendra began studying quantum mechanics and transdimensional tunneling to amplify rifts. Even at a young age, she designed the Nether Blades (the specifications of which were stolen by GrummelNet) and the rift beacons used in Pollyx's Rift Tether.

Twenty years prior to Into the Nexus, Vendra's experimentation forced the President of the Polaris Galaxy to classify Yerek and the Zarkov Sector as Alpha-9 and order a full evacuation. Vendra eventually provided Neftin with cybernetic enhancements to help him fight back against their peers. Neftin became fiercely protective of his sister, enduring her growing volatility as she pursued her goals.

Their search for a way home led them to the lombaxes and the Dimensionator. After learning the device had been 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 made stealth impossible. When this failed, they sought to construct their own version.

Before the Nexus

Vendra became a feared figure in Polaris, earning the moniker "space witch" for her powers and cruelty.

Vendra and Neftin assaulting Pollyx Industries.

Six months prior to Into the Nexus, the Progs hired Thugs-4-Less to raid Pollyx Industries, abducting several terachnoids, including Pollyx, to build a Dimensionator in Yerek's Azeril Caverns. Vendra was eventually captured, designated prisoner 9971, and given a quintuple life sentence at the Vartax Detention Facility. During her incarceration, Neftin organized a galaxy-wide crime wave and bribed officials to locate her.

Into the Nexus

Vendra imprisoned on the Nebulox Seven.

Vendra was transported in cryosleep aboard the Nebulox Seven, escorted by Ratchet, Clank, Cronk, and Zephyr. Two hours from the detention center, Talwyn Apogee ordered her awakened, warning of Vendra's unique "coldness". Upon waking, Vendra caused a power fluctuation and telepathically sabotaged the ship, attempting to crush Ratchet and Clank with elevators and turned maintenance bots against them.

Neftin and the Thugs-4-Less freed Vendra shortly after, though she immediately berated her brother for the delay. She trapped Ratchet and Clank in a telekinetic bubble, mocking Ratchet as a coward who had "lost the guts to find his race". Despite Neftin's hesitation, Vendra detonated the ship's mines, killing Cronk and Zephyr.

Vendra after successfully summoning a group of nethers.

Returning to Yerek to use the terachnoids' completed "low-rent" Dimensionator, Vendra successfully summoned several nethers but failed to bring Mr. Eye through. Facing his disappointment, she promised to transport him on Silox, where dimensional walls were thinner.

The nethers betray Vendra Prog under Mr. Eye's orders.

On Silox, Ratchet failed to dissuade Vendra from her path. When Mr. Eye arrived, he immediately betrayed her and the Thugs-4-Less. Despite Vendra's attempts to command him, Mr. Eye dismissed her as a "pawn" and banished her to the Netherverse.

Neftin subsequently allied with Ratchet and Clank to retrieve the original Dimensionator from Igliak. Clank used the Rift Cracker to locate Vendra, who was sobbing and too weak to escape her barrier. She relied on Clank to guide netherbeasts to destroy it; once freed, she thanked him but urged a quick exit, vowing never to return to the Netherverse.

The Prog twins banishing Mr. Eye back to the Netherverse.

During the final battle, Vendra used her powers to force Mr. Eye into the Dimensionator's portal. She expressed remorse to Neftin, questioning why he protected her despite her abuse. Neftin replied that it was his duty as a brother, leading to a brief moment of reconciliation. True to his bargain with Ratchet, Neftin prepared to turn them both in. Vendra childishly asked if they could still be evil, but Neftin firmly declined.

Characteristics

Appearance

Vendra is a nether whose physiology has adapted to Ratchet's dimension over time. She is humanoid with a slender frame and a large, round head. Vendra possesses pale skin and light green eyes; her slit pupils contract and expand like a feline's, narrowing into vertical slits when she is angry and becoming circular when calm. Her reddish-pink hair is styled into two ponytails resembling horns, and she typically wears purple clothing and a cloth hood with a large eye painted on-top.

She frequently uses her telepathic powers to hover above the ground.

Personality

Vendra scolding Neftin aboard the Nebulox Seven.

Vendra Prog is defined by malice, ruthless determination, and deep emotional isolation. Her reputation for "coldness" and danger earned her a quintuple life sentence. She possesses a volatile temper, evidenced by her berating Neftin even after he successfully rescued her. Vendra was willing to murder innocents to prove a point, killing Cronk and Zephyr despite Neftin's protests.

Her cruelty stemmed from a longing for family and the trauma of childhood bullying, which left her vulnerable to Mr. Eye's manipulation. She believed her personal goals outweighed the safety of the galaxy and viewed her desire for a family as total justification for her actions. She was unable to understand why Ratchet would not go to similar lengths to find the lombaxes. Neftin noted that Vendra was not always so angry, and that her obsessive pursuit of the nethers drove her descent into villainy.

Vendra also demonstrated stunted emotional growth. She was devastated by Mr. Eye's betrayal, an experience that softened her demeanor and made her despise the nethers. Even after repenting, she childishly suggested they remain "evil", requiring Neftin to firmly set her straight.

Abilities

Vendra possesses powerful psionic abilities, allowing her to emit psychic energy, trap others in telekinetic bubbles, and levitate. She was able to remotely weaponize the Nebulox Seven by activating its systems and maintenance bots. Her telepathic strikes were powerful enough to cause pain even to her cybernetically augmented brother. Following Mr. Eye's banishment, her powers appeared significantly diminished.

Vendra is also exceptionally intelligent; as a child, she mastered quantum mechanics and transdimensional tunneling. She designed the Nether Blades in preschool, developed rift beacons, and created the cybernetic enhancements that granted Neftin his immense strength.

Behind the scenes

Concept art.

Vendra's design was inspired by the evil queens of fairy tales.

Prior to release, writer TJ Fixman compared Vendra to Courtney Gears, tweeting, "If you thought Courtney Gears was evil, wait until you meet Vendra Prog". Vendra is the first major female villain in the series since Courtney Gears; both characters are voiced by Nika Futterman, who also voiced Juanita Alvaro and Vernon.

References

• Fixman, TJ [@TJFixman] (2013, July 10). If you thought Courtney Gears was evil, wait until you meet Vendra Prog. #IntoTheNexus [Tweet]. Twitter.
• 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.