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The Hypersonic Brainwave Scrambler was a robot invented by Dr. Nefarious capable of generating intense weaponized sonic waves. It was created specifically to combat the Zoni and target their one known weakness, that being their critical reliance on their shared hive-mind. The Hypersonic Brainwave Scrambler was able to disrupt the Zoni's hive-mind, leaving each of them deranged and helpless.

Its green dome and visible cranial components were designed to be a homage to its master.

Junior Caretaker

Junior Caretaker trophy

A hidden bronze trophy "Junior Caretaker" is rewarded for defeating the Hypersonic Brainwave Scrambler.

History[]

Tombli Outpost[]

This is your last chance, Orvus. How do I get into the chamber?!

Dr. Nefarious during the interrogation and torture of Orvus, ACiT

Dr. Nefarious first used the Hypersonic Brainwave Scrambler to torture the Zoni leader, Orvus, in the Tombli Outpost on Zanifar. Nefarious was planning to get control of the Great Clock in order to rewrite history, and he needed access to the Orvus Chamber. Through the intelligence of Pollyx Industries, Nefarious knew that the Zoni were susceptible to sonic weaponry, so he used the machine to blast Orvus with energy when he denied giving into the interrogation. In the meantime, Pollyx was scanning Orvus's memory for some sign of the key to the chamber, but was unable to. Fed up with Pollyx's failure and impatient with Orvus's pleas to not use the clock, an enraged Nefarious signaled the machine to blast Orvus again.

Despite being greatly weakened by the device's previous sonic blasts, Orvus managed to hold off the beam. Everyone present covered their eyes from the glare of the held-out blast. Declaring that the only one who would be able to enter the Orvus Chamber was safe from Dr. Nefarious, Orvus vanished in thin air and cut off the blast. Unable to deduce where he went, Nefarious and Pollyx had still discovered the key to the chamber from Orvus's memory, his son, Clank. This allowed Nefarious to lure the other Zoni and Clank into a trap of his behind-the-scenes designs involving the Great Clock a short time later.

Great Clock[]

One Hypersonic Brainwave Scrambler… scrambled.

Clank, after destroying the mechanical menace, ACiT

With Clank imprisoned in the Great Clock, Dr. Nefarious worked for over a year to try and hack his brain in order to get inside the Orvus Chamber, under the pretense that he was repairing Clank's seemingly dysfunctional memory for the Zoni. After a time, Nefarious became impatient with pretending to be an ally of the Zoni, wanting only to access the chamber. When he let his desire slip out while scanning Clank's brain, the Zoni stood in his way, firmly telling him that he was forbidden from seeing the chamber. With this, Nefarious decided to end his 'partnership' with the Zoni. He then reached behind his back and with 'assistance' from a sarcastic Lawrence, dramatically introduced the device.

Dr. Nefarious pulled out the small, folded up ball and threw it into the air. It then opened up and let off waves of sonic energy from its two- side circular openings. It then chased the three Zoni, who were helpless to stand up to it, out the room, breaking much of the equipment around the mnemonic station in the process as Nefarious laughed maniacally. A black-out then occurred in the clock, as the equipment, much like the Zoni themselves, was especially susceptible to sonic weaponry, a fact Lawrence apologized for not mentioning earlier. When the back-up generators activated the next moment, Nefarious noticed that Clank had awakened and escaped his confinement in the darkness, fleeing from the doctor down the hall after the Zoni.

Clank avoided the Nefarious Troopers as the 117,000 Zoni also fled from them and evacuated the clock. The Zoni that were escaping from the Hypersonic Brainwave Scrambler alluded its grasp as it continued to aimlessly crash into different parts of the clock and cause several temporal disruptions, which ironically helped Clank in his escape as Sigmund, Junior Caretaker of the Great Clock, guided him. It's hectic rampage also let in many Teratropes. Dr. Nefarious soon managed to recapture Clank after knocking him out with the orb of gratuitous immobilization. Leaving Lawrence to keep tabs on Clank and Sigmund, the doctor and his forces left the Great Clock so that they could finish with the rest of the doctor's plans in the Breegus System.

In the meantime, the Hypersonic Brainwave Scrambler was left to roam free through the Great Clock, mindlessly crashing into and damaging much machinery, even after all the Zoni had vanished. It's rampage began to annoy Sigmund very much, who swore to have his vengeance on the machine for all the trouble it was causing and making his job more difficult. After learning of the security mechanisms and the guidelines to being the suitable new Senior Caretaker of the Great Clock, Clank confronted the device on a platform. Wielding the Chronoscepter, Clank destroyed the machine in combat as Lawrence silently watched while unseen.

The Hypersonic Brainwave Scrambler tried getting assistance from Teratropes and fired its various energy forms at Clank, but he destroyed the device through his scepter's ability to manipulate time, being slowed down and smashed apart. It eventually exploded completely, and by the end of the conflict with Dr. Nefarious and a treacherous General Azimuth, all the damage it had done to the clock was completely repaired, thanks to the help of the safely returned Zoni and Ratchet.

Abilities[]

The Hypersonic Brainwave Scrambler had two spherical openings on each side that released sonic waves. It also had a laser blaster with two pincer-like appendages which unfolded from underneath when activated. This fired beams of sonic energy. In its battle with Clank, it had three attacks - a charged sonic burst emitter that fired projectiled shots, a shockwave that covered the ground of the surrounding area, and a forcefield that electrocuted those that touched it. It could also set loose a spawn of Teratropes by firing its sonic waves into the ground.

Trivia[]

  • The device resembled and often made sounds like a Boombox. Ironically, the head of a common Zoni also resembled a boombox.
  • In the Insomniac Museum, there was a Hypersonic Brainwave Scrambler model which looked different than the newer model. It was a black round object with a hypnotising spiral. Its original design was actually based on the IT-O Interrogator from Star Wars Episode IV.[1]
  • The device is one of the few weapons that was designed to kill Zoni and capable of hurting them.

Notes and references[]

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