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Gadgetron Corporation is a large gadget and weapons supplier in the Ratchet & Clank series. Based in the Gadgetron site on planet Kalebo III, it is one of the largest corporations in the Solana Galaxy. It has Gadgetron vendors stationed on all inhabited planets throughout the galaxy and some uninhabited planets.[1] Ratchet and Clank have made use of Gadgetron products throughout all of their adventures, such as the OmniWrench,[1] Swingshot, nanotech, and the RYNO series of weapons.

Gadgetron is based primarily in the Solana Galaxy, but also had a small presence in the Bogon Galaxy, originally based on planet Barlow, before Megacorp drove them out of business. In the Polaris Galaxy, a few Gadgetron products can be found but the company does not operate there, as GrummelNet Industries takes their place. In both galaxies, Ratchet continues to use Gadgetron products, and RYNO weapons (or plans for RYNO weapons) can be found.

History[]

Before Ratchet & Clank[]

Gadgetron have been well-established in the Solana Galaxy for some time prior to Ratchet & Clank. They had showrooms located on all inhabited worlds in the galaxy (as well as the uninhabited planet Trachea Five).[2] Though they had a small presence in the Bogon Galaxy, based on Barlow, Megacorp drove them from business years prior to Ratchet's arrival.[3]

Gadgetron developed a series of missile launchers known as the RYNO series. The first developed was the most powerful missile launcher in the galaxy when it was released,[4] but was deemed unfit for civilian use.[5] Later weapons in the same RYNO series (which surpassed the power of the original) were similarly deemed illegal, and in some cases, the holoplans for said weapons were scattered around different galaxies. Many RYNO plans were scattered around the Polaris Galaxy, the only evidence of Gadgetron presence in that galaxy.

Ratchet & Clank[]

Gadgetron site from R&C (2002) 1

Gadgetron site on Kalebo III

The Gadgetron HelpDesk was used by Ratchet when building his first ship,[6] and thereafter. Gadgetron sold many more weapons to Ratchet and Clank through Gadgetron vendors in Ratchet's quest to defeat Chairman Drek.

The Gadgetron site on Kalebo III was visited by Ratchet and Clank visited the Gadgetron site on planet Kalebo III while they searched for the Hologuise. In retaliation, Chairman Drek sent his blarg elite commandos to defeat them, giving them permission to destroy Gadgetron in the process if it were necessary.[7] The CEO, Wendell Lumos, was unconcerned about the invasion, as Gadgetron's defenses "were the best that money could buy".[8]

That was terrific!

Ratchet and Clank meet Wendell Lumos.

In "Get past the blarg", Wendell Lumos met Ratchet and Clank after they fought through the blarg on their quest, and asked them to enter a hoverboard race. After Ratchet won the hoverboard race against the Gadgetron test dummy robots, Lumos filmed Ratchet and Clank as spokespeople for Gadgetron's new hoverboard line, though he was unimpressed by their performance on camera, and offered Ratchet the employee discount beginning in two years' time as well as giving him the Hologuise.[9] The HelpDesk Girl also met Ratchet and Clank after they rode a grind rail, andgave them a Map-o-Matic.

Re-imagined[]

The 2016 re-imagined game is primarily an unreliable retelling of events by Qwark.
The re-imagined game primarily describes Captain Qwark's account of events. As Qwark is an unreliable narrator, and contradictory events are in-universe fiction (though those which correspond still apply). Please see Project:Bulletin board/Canon for the wiki's coverage of canon.

In Qwark's version of events, Gadgetron also supplied the weapons Ratchet purchased from Gadgetron vendors, though the vendors also provided Raritanium upgrades for weapons. These vendors sold many weapons from other manufacturers, such as GrummelNet and Megacorp. Ratchet also acquired all the same Gadgetron gadgets, though they were acquired in different location.

The Gadgetron Headquarters on Kalebo III were attacked by the blarg, who threatened Wendell Lumos, and destroyed a dam which caused the hoverboard race track to be flooded. Once again, they attacked around the time Ratchet and Clank visited the world (again looking for a Hologuise). In "Find the Focus Lab", Ratchet and Clank fought through the blarg, including fighting through many weapons testing rooms in which the blarg took over Gadgetron's test dummies to send them to fight Ratchet, and reached Wendell Lumos. After using the Hydrodisplacer to drain the flood, he won the hoverboard race and was awarded with the Hologuise.

Going Commando[]

Help Matron render

The Help Matron.

In the Bogon Galaxy, Gadgetron maintained a minimal presence in Bogon on planet Barlow, having an old factory in the Vukovar Canyon. An Inventor that had been frozen by his own creation, the Thermanator, was broke free from the ice by Ratchet, who had arrived to participate in hoverbike racing. He was dismayed to learn that Gadgetron had been driven out of business by Megacorp and not been active in the galaxy for years,[3] and then sold Ratchet the Thermanator for 1,000 bolts. Several Gadgetron weapons, including the RYNO II, were also sold in Vuokvar Canyon by the Help Matron, an old employee who had remained on the planet.

Up Your Arsenal[]

The Gadgetron HelpDesk once again provided Ratchet support throughout his adventure when he returned to Solana in Up Your Arsenal. Gadgetron vendors, now orange, sold new and more powerful weapons, such as the N60 Storm, the Annihilator, and the Plasma Whip. These weapons could now be upgraded with use, similar to Megacorp's weapons. Gadgetron also sold more powerful and upgradeable versions of the Agents of Doom and the Suck Cannon.

Size Matters and Secret Agent Clank[]

Secret Agent Clank is in-universe fiction.
Secret Agent Clank is an in-universe holofilm in the Secret Agent Clank fictional series. Its events are a fictional movie within the Ratchet & Clank universe. Please see Project:Bulletin board/Canon for the wiki's coverage of canon.

In Size Matters Gadgetron vendors once again sold Ratchet and Clank new weapons during their adventure, including the Concussion Gun, the Shock Rocket, and the Bee Mine Glove. They also sold new versions of the Agents of Doom, the Suck Cannon, and a new iteration of the Bomb Glove known as the Acid Bomb Glove.

In Secret Agent Clank the same Gadgetron weapons were delivered by Clank to Ratchet while on the Prison Planet, as Ratchet did not have access to a vendor.

After Up Your Arsenal[]

On Kerwan, the Gadgetron HelpDesk to provided Ratchet with help during Emperor Tachyon's attack on the planet, though he used the GrummelNet weapons, the Combuster and Fusion Grenade. When Ratchet followed Tachyon back to the Polaris Galaxy, the Gadgetron HelpDesk continued to support Ratchet, though he did not purchase Gadgetron weapons, instead buying from GrummelNet vendors throughout his adventure.

Though Gadgetron did not operate in Polaris, the holo-plans for the Gadgetron RYNO IV, an illegal weapon, could be acquired. The Smuggler assembled this weapon for Ratchet after acquiring all the holo-plans.

During the Ratchet & Clank comic series, many Gadgetron weapons, such as the Blaster, were used by Ratchet, alongside weapons from other providers.

Characteristics[]

Business[]

Gadgetron vendor from R&C (2002) render
Gadgetron vendor from UYA

Two variations of the standard Gadgetron vendors.

Gadgetron is a large manufacturer of weapons and gadgets with a large presence throughout the Solana Galaxy, and is considered the quadrant's leading retailer of state-of-the-art gadget technology[2]. They have vendors on all inhabited planets in the galaxy, in addition to the uninhabited planet Trachea Five.[1][2] Gadgetron appears to have a monopoly on weapons and gadgets sold in Solana, and admitted that critics have described them as a power-hungry monopoly bent on galactic domination.[10] The only known competitors in Solana are Vox Industries, which developed many weapons in the Shadow Sector used in its DreadZone tournament, and Minton Incorporated, which developed the Hydro-Pack but was unable to sell it due to a legal battle with Gadgetron.[11]

Many Gadgetron employees are either female robots with a hotbot appearance, including the HelpDesk Girl and the Help Matron, or members of a green reptillian species from Kalebo III, of which Wendell Lumos and Moby are members. They offer a discount of 10% on weapons to any employees who have been with the company for two years.[12]

Gadgetron HelpDesk[]

I hope she's cute.

Ratchet and Clank meet the HelpDesk girl.

The Gadgetron HelpDesk is the most prominent Gadgetron service in the Solana Galaxy, offering free advice during interplanetary travels.[13] Said advice consists of recommending appropriate weapons[14][15][16], and gadgets, even indicating if they are not available at your current location.[17][18] The HelpDesk is also aware of illegal gadgets acquired through other means, such as the Persuader.[19]

Entertainment[]

Hoverboard from R&C (2002) gameplay 2

Ratchet in a hoverboard race at the Gadgetron site.

Gadgetron also produces various hoverboards, as well as hoverboard drives such as the professional grade Model T-15 Platinum Zoomerator, which offered more lift, speed, and maneuverability than any other anti-grav device on the market.[20] Along with boards and attachments, they also produced the 'Official Gadgetron HoverTrack', which would let contestants automatically equip their hoverboard as soon as they stepped on it.[21]

Prior to the Protopet's existence, Gadgetron had made an attempt at its own pet for children, but considered it a failed experiment. After they abandoned the Bogon Galaxy, these pets, which became known as the Gadgetron Hound of Cuddly Death, went from docile creatures into deadly pack predators.[22]

VG-9000 render

The VG-9000.

Ratchet's personal quarters on-board the Starship Phoenix also came equipped with a Gadgetron VG-9000 game system.[23] There were several attachments, including a controller, VR headset, and zero-G dance pad, and it was capable of playing vid-comics.

Weapons[]

Bomb Glove gameplay

Ratchet using the Bomb Glove in Ratchet & Clank.

The Bomb Glove was provided to first-time customers for free,[24], while other weapons such as the Blaster, Glove of Doom, and the Devastator were purchased from Gadgetron vendors found throughout the galaxy. At this time, the Devastator at the time was considered a perfect weapon that Gadgetron could not improve on until they later created the Gold Devastator upgrade,[25] and the Tesla Claw was the pinnacle of Gadgetron's weapons technology.[26] One Gadgetron weapon, the R.Y.N.O., was deemed too dangerous for civilian use,[5] and so Ratchet acquired it from the Shady Salesman on Rilgar instead.

Gadgets[]

Heli-Pack from R&C (2002) gameplay

The Heli-Pack's glide feature.

Ratchet also acquired many gadgets by Gadgetron from other characters, including the Swingshot, Heli-Pack, and Thruster-Pack, which he would use in most his following adventures. Licensing issues with the company Minton Incorporated meant that Gadgetron were unable to sell the Hydro-Pack in stores, and its lawyers Brushling, Flynn, and Culverhouse worked to resolve the issue.[11] Their Map-o-Matic also was the result of their on-going effort to map the entire galaxy.[27]

Other products and services[]

Other well-known products are the patented nanotech system[28] (including Ultra Nanotech,[29] the Quick Select system,[30] and the infobots that contain coordinates to various planets along with their video contents.[31] Gadgetron also produced Up Your Arsenal armor, containing materials such as magnaplate and adamantine, with their most advanced armor system, the Infernox armor, offering a total damage reduction of 80%.

Spitting Hydra gameplay

Test dummies inside the VR deck on the Phoenix.

Gadgetron also used test dummies to test its own weapons, generally the basic Bomb Glove, Blaster, and Pyrocitor, as well as serve as hoverboard racing opponents. They also served as opponents on-board the VR deck on the Starship Phoenix.

Gadgetron also offers a program allowing people to recycle their used space cruiser engines, in return for 10% off a trip to Pokitaru. They later reused the engine parts for their Scorcher weapons.[32] Gadgetron also possesed its own Central Intelligency Agency, with agents using armor not known or available to the public, such as the Chameleon armor.[33]

Citations[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Ratchet & Clank (2002 game), game manual (NTSC-U/C), p. 1
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 Ratchet & Clank (2002 game) menu § "Gadgetron vendor"
  3. 3.0 3.1 Going Commando script § "Scout the ruined machinery (gameplay)"
  4. Ratchet & Clank (2002 game) script § "Shady Salesman 1"
  5. 5.0 5.1 Ratchet & Clank (2002 game) menu § "R.Y.N.O."
  6. Ratchet & Clank (2002 game) script § "Ratchet works on his ship"
  7. Ratchet & Clank (2002 game) script § "This is starting to become annoying."
  8. Ratchet & Clank (2002 game) script § "You ever been on a hoverboard?"
  9. Ratchet & Clank (2002 game) script § "That was terrific!"
  10. Up Your Arsenal, game manual (NTSC-U/C), p. 20
  11. 11.0 11.1 Ratchet & Clank (2002 game), game manual (PAL), p. 9
  12. Ratchet & Clank (2002 game) script § "That was terrific!"
  13. Ratchet & Clank (2002 game) script § "Investigate crash site (gameplay)"
  14. Ratchet & Clank (2002 game) script § "Help Skid get to his ship (gameplay)"
  15. Ratchet & Clank (2002 game) script § "Meet the Commando at city (gameplay)"
  16. Ratchet & Clank (2002 game) script § "Explore the space station (gameplay)"
  17. Ratchet & Clank (2002 game) script § "Use your Swingshot (gameplay)"
  18. Ratchet & Clank (2002 game) script § "Locate Captain Qwark (gameplay)"
  19. Ratchet & Clank (2002 game) menu § "Persuader"
  20. Ratchet & Clank (2002 game) script § "Hi folks, Captain Qwark here."
  21. Ratchet & Clank (2002 game) menu § "Hoverboard"
  22. Going Commando, Monsterpedia
  23. Up Your Arsenal script § "Take Qwark to His Cage (gameplay)"
  24. Ratchet & Clank (2002 game) script § "Bomb Glove"
  25. Ratchet & Clank (2002 game) script § "Gold Devastator"
  26. Ratchet & Clank (2002 game) script § "Tesla Claw"
  27. Ratchet & Clank (2002 game) menu § "Map-o-matic"
  28. Ratchet & Clank (2002 game) script § "Investigate crash site (gameplay)"
  29. Ratchet & Clank (2002 game) script § "Buy the Premium Nanotech (gameplay)"
  30. Ratchet & Clank (2002 game) script § "Locate Skid McMarx (gameplay)"
  31. Ratchet & Clank (2002 game) script § "Captain Qwark has really sold out."
  32. Size Matters menu § "Scorcher"
  33. Size Matters menu § "Chameleon armor"
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