Captain Qwark
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Captain Qwark is a major recurring character in the Ratchet & Clank video game series. He wears green tights with a blue stripe down the middle and a blue and black atom with a lightning bolt that vaguely resembles the letter Q. He also wears a yellow belt on his waist and has an antenna on his head. Qwark's role was initially a self-serving enemy of Ratchet and Clank, but has become less antagonistic in the later games.
His appearance suggests a possible homage to the original costume of Captain Marvel from Marvel Comics. The green color scheme, shape of the face mask and chest insignia all boast similarities, not to mention that both characters originate as space-faring heroes.
He is voiced by Jim Ward.
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[edit] Ratchet & Clank
Initially, Qwark is portrayed as the greatest hero of all time; however, he is nothing more than a "pretty-boy," endorsement fiend who receives credit for acts of bravery that he had nothing to do with. He has been known to double-cross his allies. In the first game he works for the villainous Drek. He attempts to kill Ratchet and Clank on Planet Umbris using a Blargian Snagglebeast (the second boss of the game) but fails, resulting in Ratchet shooting his ship down in vengeance (3rd boss). His endorsement deal going bust after having been defeated, he resorts to selling Gadgetron products under an assumed secret identity "Steve McQwark." He appears at the end of the game in an amusing commercial.
[edit] Going Commando (aka Locked and Loaded)
For most of the game, Qwark does not appear except in reruns of "Behind the Hero", relating his escapades after the first Ratchet & Clank game leading up to his disappearance. Abercrombie Fizzwidget also makes a few references to Captain Qwark during cutscenes.
Also there is an area on planet Todano where players are to get a figure of Captain Qwark for a fan to get a magnet of some sort. It is found with the plumber from the original game on the second part of the flying lab.
Qwark himself does not appear until later on when it comes to light that he has been masquerading as Abercrombie Fizzwidget all along. He then tries to frame Ratchet, Clank and Angela for the Protopet's release. After Ratchet defeats the original Protopet and the real Fizzwidget is released, Qwark is sent to test various gadgets for MegaCorp, such as the Crotchitizer, which he, disturbingly, acquires a like for.
[edit] Up Your Arsenal
In the beginning of this game, Qwark is insane and living as a tribal chief on in the Florana Jungle, but when the Solana galaxy mysteriously comes under attack it becomes Ratchet's job to find him. Upon seeing one of his old Vid-Comics, described below, his memory is jogged and he regains his (relative) sanity. Later on in Up Your Arsenal Qwark gives his own account of what happened in Florana in a shameless attempt make a comeback as one of the galaxy's greatest superheroes. However, Qwark manages to redeem himself in the end of Up Your Arsenal. After tracking him down to his secret hideout, Ratchet scolds him for his cowardice and walks off, but Clank merely tells Qwark "This is your chance to redeem yourself. You can be the hero you always wanted to be". He later joins Ratchet in the final boss battle against Dr. Nefarious and his Bio-bliterator (showing up and distracting Nefarious at a crucial moment).
[edit] Vid-Comics
Quark is also featured in a series of 5 "Vid-Comics" with two-dimensional gameplay, but still using 3D graphics. These are accessed via the console in Ratchet's quarters on the Starship Phoenix. There is a cheat code (revealed at the end of the fourth comic and remotely similar to the Konami Code) that gives Qwark a pink tutu during the vid-comics.
- Pirate Booty (Booty is in the Eye of the Beholder in European Version)
- Arriba Amoeba!
- Shadow of the Robot
- Deja Q all over again
- Shaming of The Q
There are also 2 Vid-Comics that were cut from the final game, but are nonetheless playable in the Insomniac Museum.
- Pirate Booty Special Edition (with a different boss)
- Unnamed Vid-Comic
[edit] Deadlocked (aka Gladiator)
Qwark is only featured as part of a cheat, where certain robots acquire his likeness. However, he does make a cameo appearance near the end. He assures Ratchet (ironically) that there has been no kidnapping of heroes since nobody has come to kidnap him, and he even tells the duo that they missed the last three meetings of the Qwark Cadets Fan Club, but telling them not to worry, because he had extra copies of the newsletter, and he even saved some of the snacks, "Hope you like custard!". According to the epilogue, he is still living in blissful ignorance with his monkey friend, but doesn't do hero work on Wednesdays.
This ending is a bit strange because, while Ratchet and Clank know that Qwark is not really a hero, the rest of the galaxy believes he is (Although it is plausible that Vox, through many connections and sources happens to know of Qwark's true nature or hadn't captured him yet but planned to do so later).
[edit] Size Matters
Qwark once again takes upon a major role, following Ratchet as an unwanted guest. Early on in the game, it is learned that Qwark never knew his real parents, having been raised in an orphanage by monkeys. Upon Ratchet's suggestion (to keep him occupied), he uses a service on the net to search for his real parents, seemingly making headway as the game progresses. However, he learns that his true father is the antagonist of the game, Otto Destruct, emperor of the Technomites (despite the fact that Otto is of a microscopic size). In truth, Otto and the Technomites are just manipulating Qwark to keep tabs on Ratchet and Clanks' whereabouts. Qwark repeatedly distracts Otto during the final battle, agitating the emperor. In the end, Clank reveals that Qwark's true parents were both heroes, but were tragically killed by flawed Technomite technology. Once Qwark learns this, he seeks revenge against Otto, by attempting to transfer his own unintelligence into Otto's mind. Fortunately, he is rescued by Skrunch, whose monkey-like mind is beamed into Otto's instead.
[edit] Tools of Destruction
Captain Qwark was confirmed in the April edition of EGM to appear in the upcoming Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction game for the PS3. Although little is known of his role in the game at this point, design director Brian Allgeier said in EGM, "We really don't know what side he's on as he's kind of working for Tachyon [who wants to kill all lombaxes], but also giving secrets to Ratchet and Clank." He is also confirmed as the only returning character in the game, besides Ratchet and Clank themselves.
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Ratchet & Clank • Going Commando • Up Your Arsenal • Deadlocked • Going Mobile • Size Matters |
