Hi fellow peepers!
So, here I, Filipuntik, come with a little theory, or research I made. Let me just put this in…
SPOILER ALERT!
Chances are you've noticed that before you actually started reading. If you haven't played (Into the) Nexus, you probably left the topic immediately. Good for you.
Okay, to the theory. I've been wondering about the death of two prominent characters that takes place in the beginning of the game (I'm not putting here their names right now, you all know who I mean). I would actually consider it a good step from the team. Yes, as would Darkstar say, prepare your pitchforks. Anyway, why a good step? See, it added a lot to the dark tone of the game. It multiplied the evilness of Vendra Prog and how much people hate her, as well as making players thing Neftin is the better one of the two. This difference is increased over the course of the game. Come on, he's so good he even goes to jail himself. Finally, it got the devs rid of the problem how to get those two robots off the ship. Also, as they reappear as ghosts in the end, it gives the player a nice feeling that they were killed off for real, but they didn't disappear for real. With the movie as well as the first game remake coming up, we doubt that we would see continuation of (It)N pretty soon, so as well we won't see those two soon, but at least they will have good time *nudge nudge*.
So, the center, 'the question' of the theory itself. Would it actually be better if Cronk and Zephyr (here we go) DIDN't die? Let's see. We shall refer the three reasons (in reversed order) why is it good they died in order to find out our answer.
1)
Getting of the ship
Of course. If we want to know the answer to 'the question', we have to find out how would they stay alive (insert Confucius meme here). If we want the least of changes prior to the moment they die in the game, we should start from the moment Vendra sets of the explosives. From that moment to the moment the explosion consumes the bridge, the glass in the front cracks, sending Ratchet and Clank flying out into outer space. Robots aren't sucked out, because they are tied up. We get a nice touching moment as Ratchet and Cronk (I think) make one last eye contact. Well, maybe, if Ratchet smacked the rope or cable or whatever they were tied up with, it could break and the robots would be saved, too. Chances are that the rope (orcableorsomething) would loosen in space, releasing them. What next? Here we hit a rock in our river of imagination. They cannot move in space so well. They would probably be attracted to one of those fancy magnetic platforms. But there would be no chance for them escaping the way Ratchet does. I mean - they are robots made of metal. And metal is attracted to magnets. You might say why doesn't Clank pull Ratchet down then. Well, see, Clank is small, newer (which, I guess, has an impact) and has something to propel him away from the platform - Ratchet. The only way I see that would save Cronk and Zephyr would be some kind of police or saviors. Okay, probably not in a ghost sector. Anyway, somehow those two robots would save themselves. Or they wouldn't be even tied on the bridge in the first place. But… that would take away our second point…
2)
Character Estabilishing Moment
That thing is actually a 'trope' (see TVTropes). What I am talking about is this scene - Vendra demands the detonator, which is in hand of Neftin. This Neftin refuses, saying that killing everyone is a little bit… *short pause, then interrupted by Vendra's "A little bit what?* Here, one point in evilness. Also another one for her tone. Neftin, beaten, hands her the detonator, and she, with a smile (another evil point) sets off all the explosives (yet another point of evilness).
The reason it's a CEM is the fact not only we see Vendra is a jörk, but that Neftin can't do anything by himself. He is completely obliged to listen to his own twin sister. Poor guy.
Now, if this didn't happen, we wouldn't just lose this moment. If Ratchet saved the warbots the way stated above (breaking the youdon'twantmetowriteitagain), the scene would still be intact. However, there's
also this nice detail of Cronk's and Zephyr's death in the game. It adds some evilness points to Vendra, even when she has received enough prior to the bridge incident. So, saving the warbots would make the CEM less impactful. Less darker. Oh, darker? As if we are referencing our third point now.
3)
Dark tone of the game
You might think just killing those two poor guys is dark enough. But have you thought of the latent effect? In ToD they give us a bunch of funny moments with them. FUNNY. Imagine having those two running around ItN. I don't know about you, but I think it would break the atmosphere the game creates by scary effects and deserted areas. Sooo… funny enough this is the most for the point. Let's just… CALCULATE the result. Yup, bringing up maths!
CALCULATION
We've got three points covered. Somehow (looking at the third one). Let's make some calculations. I'll make ranks 1-5 for each point in each scenario.
THEY DIE
1) Covered. They die. They don't need to get of the ship. Well, technically they get of it, but it's not a ship anymore and they are just- 5 points.
2) In the moment, their personalities are not FULLY blown (lame pun) into our faces, but like 90% is. But sometimes leaving a slight mystery around your characters is a good idea. 3 points.
3) As stated, it doesn't add so much to the dark tone as much as removing something that would disrupt it. Removing… REMOVING. I hate myself. 4 points.
THEY SURVIVE
1) I couldn't make a good scenario where they survive and get off the ship - and it wouldn't break those other two points. But maybe you can write a story about how they survive and then they- NOT fanfiction, just an explanation. 3 points.
2) The game offers us quite a lot of places to make a CEM, so their survival wouldn't destroy it totally. 5 points.
*So, now we are hoping for five points so we can smack the theory into Dix- I mean Fixman's face, right?*
3) The only good non-breaking scenario would be that Cronk and Zephyr are somehow taken away from the story. And they have to survive. Getting lost somewhere? Sounds good, yet you would have to find them later on. (You, I mean Ratchet). And… well, only at the ending. Yet we still get their ghosts in the game, so no big impact. But still… thinking that C. and Z. (CZ… CZ… I see what you did there, Insomniac. Thanks.) are lost somewhere and could die easily is pretty dark. So: 3 points.
*NOPE! HURRRRHURRRHURRR!*
Okay. Think up any kind of opinion about this. Yet… they-survive scenario lost by one point (it's 12-11, for those of you mathematically challenged.). Maybe I used wrong points to decide on? Who knows!
Contribute!
BUT WAIT.
THERE'S MORE.
A little theory. What if it was Neftin who set off the bombs? Hm?
It would add up to his jörkiness. And reduce Vendra's. But in the end they would both probably redeem themselves after the incident in Silox. So no big impact, I think. Contribute to this one, too!
