All spoilers are unmarked on moment pages.
"Just remember, you have friends who care about you."
General
- Artemis Zogg having respect for Ratchet and Clank is sort of heartwarming in a twisted way. Most villains (and even a number of non-villains) they'd encountered up to then tended to hate their guts, or at best simply viewed them as a nuisance. Zogg, however, genuinely admires what they've done to help the universe and understands just how formidable they are as opponents. Sure it doesn't prevent him from trying to kill them later (nor from crossing one hell of a Moral Event Horizon when he goes back on his word to return Veldin), but it's still kind of a nice change of pace.
- Ratchet and Talwyin's relationship is at it's most pronounced here, showing time and time again just how much they truly care for and trust one another. If Word of God stating they're a couple wasn't enough confirmation for you, then these 6 issues will surely do the trick.
Issue 1: "Ears of War"
- Clank returning to Veldin with Ratchet after A Crack in Time is a small example of Fridge Heartwarming. It's made explicitly clear in the first issue that Clank doesn't agree with Ratchet's decision to retire from heroics, yet despite this he still decided to stick by his friend. In the comic proper when he tries to guide the Lombax towards helping in the missing planet crisis, he does so in a polite manner and never belittles him for refusing. Even after Ratchet gives him the Ok to help the Galactic Rangers, the next time we see Clank he's still in their garage simply moving some books around. When he said he wasn't going to leave Ratchet, he meant it.
- On that note: Despite being in a depressed funk and outright refusing to get involved in the latest galactic incident, at no point does Ratchet force Clank to follow suit, instead allowing him to stay in the meeting with Qwark and subsequently help the Galactic Rangers if he wanted to.
- Compare these moments to the first game where the two dragged each other into various situations and constantly belittled each other over them, or even Tools of Destruction where they kept arguing over the Dimensionator and Zoni. They've both come a long ways since then.
Issue 2: "Friends With Benefits"
- Clank strikes up a conversation with the robot pirate in the cell next to him, explaining his plan to break out and save Ratchet. The pirate even helps him pull it off despite thinking that escape from Vartax is impossible.
- Also, Clank says his plan will "get us out of here so we can save Ratchet." Note that this is before he learns that Cronk and Zephyr are also trying to break them out, meaning he's not referring to them but rather the pirate. Despite being total strangers (and despite the pirates being a recurring enemy to the duo) Clank had no intention of leaving him stuck in a cell, and he makes good on it too.
- At first it seems like General Glahm holds a grudge against Ratchet for the thrashing he handed his army in Krell Canyon. But once he reveals the escape plan he drops the ruse entirely showing that he's let bygones be bygones, and even seems to respect him now if him calling the Lombax "our best chance of putting the universe right again" is any indication.
Issue 3: "Lost and Spaced"
- The first thing Talwyn does upon reuniting with Ratchet is glomp him in excitement.
- While he ultimately screws things up, there is something to be said about Qwark's earnest desire to support Artemis Zogg for Galactic President. Sure, he planned on opening his endorsement speech with a joke praising himself, but he was still willing to endorse Zogg for no real personal benefit because he actually believed in him. In the end it took his former manager Cyrus stroking Qwark's ego to get him to retract his endorsement and take the presidency for himself, and even then Qwark still pushes back against this idea, concerned of what it will mean for Zogg. Heck, just listen to how he describes him:Cyrus: Now let me ask you something: Why are you endorsing this old Blarg sniffer?
Qwark: He's noble, intelligent, and a man of the people. - Talwyn gives her condolences to Ratchet towards Azimuth's death:Ratchet: Tal, I wanted to explain—
Talwyn: It's alright, Ratchet. I know Alister was like family to you. I was sorry to hear that he died.
Ratchet: Thanks, Tal.
Talwyn: But if he taught you anything, it's that guilt and solitude can be a very bad combination. Just remember, you have friends who care about you. - Qwark terminating the Helios Project may not seem like one of these at first (especially since it's the action that cemented Zogg's Start of Darkness), but it becomes one if you think about it more: The issue directly cites the Tachyon incident as the reason why Qwark shut down the program, and issue 6 reveals that he actually retained Artemis' Zogg's Exposition Dump regarding the Surinox Comet Shard's interdimensional properties. This implies that, in spite of his technological illiteracy and him accidentally helping Tachyon during it, Qwark actually learned from the incident and was able to recognize the dangers that Dimensionator tech has when used maliciously. Meaning that his choice to terminate the Helios Project wasn't done out of pride or to spite Zogg, but instead was an informed decision done because he genuinely believed that it was in best Polaris' best interests to do so. Obviously the consequences of this could've been avoided had Qwark not been...well, Qwark about the whole situation, but it's still an unexpectedly philanthropic move from the narcissistic captain who typically only does things that work to his self-interests.
Issue 4: "Thanks For the Armories"
- Talwyn gives the duo a hug before they teleport onto Zogg's ship. Cue the following exchange:Talwyn: Take care of him, Clank.
Clank: I always do.
Issue 5: "Multiple Organisms"
- Talwyn dismisses Zogg's attempt to provoke her:Artemis Zogg: He [Talywin's father] fled this dimension like a coward, all to save the life of a Lombax he barely knew! He orphaned his daughter just so Tachyon couldn't kill some worthless space rat! How does that make you feel?
Talwyin: Proud. - Glahm is revealed to be alive, and he expresses joynote at Ratchet surviving the Vartax escape!
Issue 6: "Bros Before Foes"
- Cronk and Sasha reassuring Ratchet that no one judged him and Clank for leaving Polaris, and that Talwyn would want them to keep going in spite of her (seeming) death.Cronk: She knew how much you cared about her, rookie. We all did.
Sasha: There isn't a single citizen in this universe who doesn't know what you've been through these past few years. If anyone understood why you needed to get away, it was Tal. [...] You and Clank needed to get away from the pressure the universe put on you. She wanted you to be happy again. She knew you'd come back when you were ready.- Just the fact that Sasha and Ratchet are on good terms for the whole comic counts as well. Whatever relationship they had was cut short when Ratchet and Clank jumped to Polaris, yet Sasha never treats him with anything but kindess and respect. And while the focus of the pep talk is definitely on Talwyn, Sasha still heavily implies that she doesn't hold ill will against Ratchet for staying in Polaris.
- Qwark actually apologizes to Zogg for how he treated him, and begs him not to punish the universe for his actions. Granted we was tied up and held at gunpoint, but the fact remains that Captain Copernicus Qwark apologized and admitted his mistake.
- When Ratchet reveals that he and Clank are moving back to Polaris, Qwark immediately invites them to hang out and play video games. He may see them as his sidekicks, but ultimately he does consider them his friends.
- Heartwarming in Hindsight: During the opening to Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One as the Polaris newscasters report the Z'Grute attack, they bring on Minister Vorn Garblack to discuss part of the incident, meaning that he didn't end up blacklisted from the Polaris Government. It's nice to know that his Heel–Face Turn ultimately turned out well for him.note
