Ratchet and Clank have had to battle a lot of enemies over the past nineteen years. With nine main games released in the Ratchet and Clank series so far, not every evildoer is going to be a notable member of the duo’s gallery of rogues. Similarly, not every bad guy that Ratchet and Clank has introduced has been a true-to-heart villain. Some characters in the series might not be good, but they are not as evil as the more heinous individuals that the team of heroes has known.
When the newest game in the series launches, Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart, some familiar nefarious faces will also be returning. With the multiple dimensions getting ready to open in the Ratchet and Clank universe, alongside some classic characters filling new roles, it feels right to look at which Ratchet and Clank villains excelled in their goals. Many may be oafish in their approach, but others have proven themselves capable of causing chaos on a celestial level.
S Tier
- Dr. Nefarious: The mechanoid is intent on the destruction of squishy life and Ratchet and Clank in particular. His determination has made him a foe several times. In Rift Apart, he looks to have succeeded in at least one dimension as shown in the trailers and gameplay for the game.
- The Nethers: A species native to the Netherverse, they show off their immense strength during Into the Nexus. Neftin, Vendra, and Mr. Eye are all Nethers though the latter is immensely stronger than his younger counterparts.
A Tier
- Chairman Drek: The original villain from the first game, Chairman Drek is the embodiment of unhinged capitalism. While his story changes some in the 2016 Ratchet and Clank remake, he's still an imperialist.
- Emperor Tachyon: This villain is a Cragmite and one of the more hostile aliens in Ratchet and Clank. While the extermination or at least removal of the Lombax race is a heinous goal particularly for someone that was adopted by the species, Tachyon is over the top.
B Tier
- Gleeman Vox: The game man and slick-styled alien is somewhat talentless but does know how to exploit some of the universe’s most talented heroes. He kidnapped Ratchet in Ratchet: Deadlocked, owned Vox Industries, and is the overall mastermind of DreadZone.
- Angstrom Darkwater: While the pirate’s actions do influence the future of the series at his core, he was nothing more than a pirate. Ratchet and Clank have faced some serious villains and Darkwater felt more like the monster of the week. It does not help that he is overshadowed by his contact with the Zoni who are infinitely more impressive.
C Tier
- Romulus Slag and Rusty Pete: The failed duo hoped to acquire Angstrom Darkwater’s riches but eventually lost both their heads. Since then, they have gone on to host their own space radio show, Pirate Radio. While they are not the best villains it is nice to see that they are willing to branch out and try new career paths. Alternate versions of themselves mat still be leading Darkwater's old crew though as it's on a pirate ship that Ratchet loses Clank in the Rift Apart's announcement trailer.
- Lawrence: As Dr. Nefarious’s loyal butler Lawrence might not be the most active villain on this list, but his dedication is what makes him noteworthy. Rather than find new employment Lawrence, has saved Dr. Nefarious’s life on multiple occasions.
- Klunk: As a Clank doppelganger that was created by Dr. Nefarious to spy on Ratchet he did not do a lot in the main series. While he is a striking replica of Clank and somewhat successful his role makes him one of the lesser villains in the franchise. His defeat also affects his status as Ratchet ultimately fashions him into a vacuum cleaner, probably to clean up all his Lombax hair, which is one of the more humiliating ways a villain has been handled.
D Tier
- Goons-4-Less Leader: The leader of the Goons-4-Less only knows money and makes it apparent after he terminates his contract with Angela Cross. While the Goons-4-Less are still in business, they continue to not be much more than blaster fodder against Ratchet and Clank. It will be interesting to see how the intergalactic mercenaries handle being transported to another dimension in Rift Apart.
F Tier
- Captain Qwark: The unreliable, easily deniable, rarely justifiable hero continues to fail upwards. Time and time again the so-called hero has displayed his concern with himself over others. While Qwark has made attempts and even occasionally succeeded at saving people, he is largely indebted to Ratchet and Clank. On more than one occasion, Qwark has also committed or tried to commit some serious crimes for the sake of redeeming himself, just looking at how he acts in Going Commando even. He may not consider himself a villain, but he definitely shouldn’t be seen as the hero.
Ratchet and Clank releases June 11 for PS5.