Updated on June 9, 2021, by James Troughton: With Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart launching, bringing forth a new lombax in the form of Rivet, an alternate universe variant of Ratchet, we thought it would be a perfect time to expand our list of the things that you might not have known about this intelligent cat-like species. 

The lombaxes weren't exactly an integral narrative point in the original PlayStation 2 games. Rather, the idea of the lombax served as an aesthetic choice for Ratchet's design more than anything else. There wasn't particularly any lore regarding his species, hence Angela's appearance, something that would become a point of contention for fans.

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However, in the PlayStation 3 era, the lombaxes became a significant plot-point with Ratchet's status as the lone lombax solidified. Sure, there's Angela and Azimuth, but it's akin to how the Doctor went through his angsty phase of being the last of his people in spite of the Master's continued and irritating existence.

13 Their War With The Cragmite Was A Stalemate

For all intents and purposes, the cragmites and the lombaxes were equal. Their ongoing war was anything but. It wasn't 'going' anywhere. The former wanted to dominate the galaxy and rule it with their pressed down tyrannical thumb while the latter served as bastions of the people, serving to defy these evildoers.

All the while, it wasn't going anywhere. Technologically, they were an even match, and strategically, it seemed to be the same case. With that, the war came to a stalemate, and the lombaxes only managed to get a leg up and win because of a new invention.

12 The Lombaxes Created The Dimensionator

Doctor Nefarious, Ratchet & Clank, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, Rift Apart, The Dimensionator

That new invention that helped them win the war and topple the regime of the cragmite was the Dimensionator. Yep, the very same one that we see Nefarious wielding in Rift Apart. We last saw it in Into the Nexus as, eventually, it landed in the lap of Ratchet, but he didn't want to use it.

See, the lombaxes made it to banish the cragmites to another dimension, thus winning the war. It worked, all without unnecessary bloodshed. A neat little way to end a conflict that isn't horrific, even if it is a bit dark. Who knows where they ended up, after all.

11 Female Lombaxes Don't Have Tails (Except For Rivet)

The sex of a lombax is easily differentiated by one key element, their tails. A female lombax doesn't have one while a male does. This was how Insomniac explained Angela who looked like Ratchet despite lacking a tail.

It became a pertinent point when the lone lombax story was initiated as fans were unsure if Angela was truly one of his kind or just a similar offshoot species. However, despite this discrepancy between the two sexes, Rivet has a tail. This was an oversight on Insomniac's part, but it has led some to speculate that this alternate reality Ratchet is actually transgender, something posited by TheGamer's own Stacey Henley. Insomniac said that they will neither deny nor confirm, so she can be if you wish.

10 Angela Was Revealed To Be A Lombax In A Crack In Time

Since Ratchet wasn't initially considered or labeled as the last of his species - he was just, at his core, a strange cat-like humanoid from Veldin who was a bit of a blunt surfer-dude - many assumed that Angela was a lombax, given her similar appearance. That's a natural conclusion to come to.

However, with the later games exploring his species and identifying him as the last of his kind, Angela's identity was thrown into question, with many fans disputing her as a similar race that isn't exactly the same. Insomniac saw fit to end this discussion by revealing that she truly is a lombax - it's nice to know that there may be more out there.

9 Lombaxes Were The Best Engineers In The Galaxy

Ratchet's always been a tinkerer, even if he was somewhat sloppy at what he did. In the first game, we found him in a garage working on a junk-ship which was a concept recycled and exaggerated tenfold in the re-imagining.

This was expanded upon further in the PlayStation 3 era as it was revealed that his species, the lombaxes, were incredibly gifted engineers that were renowned for their craftsmanship, hence the infamous Dimensionator. It seems that this key part of his identity may have been in Ratchet's DNA all along.

8 They Still Exist In Another Dimension

Two years after Ratchet was born, the Lombaxes up and moved to a completely different dimension to escape Tachyon's evil grasp. He's pictured above and, while he doesn't exactly look imposing, he was the cause of the downfall of our beloved hero's species. He was a straggler after his people's banishment, but he was a baby, so the lombaxes raised him, but when he discovered what they'd done, he raised an empire that superseded their military prowess.

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Not all fled, however, as Kaden remained. He sent his son, Ratchet, to Veldin, before succumbing to Tachyon. Then there's Angela and Alister, who also stuck around, avoiding his sinister grasp. All these years later, Ratchet has been tempted with following his people into the unknown, but he's never given in.

7 The Original Lombax Design Was More Alien

Ratchet himself went through a lot of different designs in the concept-art phase, as it tends to go with pre-development. As he would become the basis of the Lombax species, it's safe to say that, down the line, they could've looked a lot different.

At first, Ratchet was a bug-eyed and stereotypical-looking alien with a head that's not too dissimilar to the later-added Zoni. In one stage, he even resembled Daxter from Naughty Dog's sister series a lot more than the lovable fluff-ball we cherish to this day.

6 Lombaxes Mined Trillium, A Very Strong Metal

As the lombaxes are gifted craftsmen, with a keen eye for all things engineering, they needed some high-quality metal to truly show off their talent. One such metal is trillium, which they had specific mines for.

To really show off the durability of this mineral, Insomniac threw in an armor set in Tools of Destruction made of the stuff and it packs a hefty amount of defense for Ratchet, keeping even his tail safe from harm.

5 Elite Lombaxes Would Join The Praetorian Guard

Alister was a mean SOB, acting as one of the best villains that the series had to offer, with an intimate connection to Ratchet and a catalyst for Insomniac to expand upon the lore of the lombax species.

He was a member of the Praetorian Guard and no, I'm not talking about Snoke's defensive squad of goons that did little to stop him from being sliced in half in Star Wars. They're the elite, the crème de la crème of the Lombax's militaristic outfit. They even have their own warrior OmniWrench's that appear like a double-bladed axe.

4 Lombax Ships Are Sentient

When it comes to engineering, the Lombaxes go a little bit extreme. Their ship designs are a stark contrast to the ugly bucket that Ratchet first flew in the original game, as they're slick, built for speed, and packed to the brim with defense and offensive systems.

That old green courier ship is like a camper van, whereas Aphelion is a Lamborghini. However, the designs aren't all the only thing that sets these beauties apart, as Lombax ships are sentient androids - they're not just like an Amazon Alexa, they're free-thinking, witty, and intelligent.

3 Kaden Was The Keeper Of The Dimensionator

Kaden, who was mentioned earlier, was Ratchet's father, and he placed the young boy onto Veldin to protect him from Tachyon. He was also the keeper of the Dimensionater, a truly respectful position that demands unbelievable determination. One of the last of his people in this universe, he lingered to protect the very thing that could be used to find and persecute them. Why he didn't destroy it escapes me, but maybe he figured Ratchet could find them one day.

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The Dimensionator was a large helmet that allowed for travel between dimensions, as the name would suggest. He died protecting the location of the device, which had been used to get rid of Tachyon's species as well as Ratchet's. Now, it's in the possession of Nefarious. Not the best of hands to have it in, but at least he isn't interested in finding the lombaxes. He just wants to find a galaxy where he never loses.

2 There Are Three Types Of Lombax Fur

Lombaxes have three known fur types, with the first being the most common, seen with Ratchet, Angela, and Kaden. It's a beige color with darker stripes. Then there's the sun fur, which Alister has. There are even albino Lombaxes.

The third and final known type is ash, which is gray fur. We finally get to see this with Rivet, who sports a very light, practically white color. Before this, ash was a type we had only heard of in murmurs of in-game lore.

1 Insomniac's CEO Named The Species

Insomniac's CEO, Ted Price, is actually the brains behind the naming of Ratchet's species.  He started the company in 1994 with Al Hastings and his brother, before beginning work on their very first game, Disruptor.

It wasn't a hit but, eventually, they found success with Spyro, Ratchet & Clank, and the recent major hit, Marvel's Spider-Man. Now, they're on a roll, with the likes of Miles Morales and Rift Apart, both doing wonders with critics and garnering the attention of fans worldwide.

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