Despite being ominously away for the opening half of the game, Emperor Nefarious' debut in Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart has a profound impact on the PS5 exclusive. In only a short amount of time, the 'Nefarious who wins' manages to live up to his moniker with successive victories over Ratchet, Clank, Rivet, and Kit. It's not hard to imagine Emperor Nefarious becoming a fan-favorite villain because of these victories, even in the face of his eventual undoing.
With the original Dr. Nefarious managing to creep back onto the scene countless times across the Ratchet and Clank franchise, it also stands to reason that his competent doppelganger stands an even better chance of returning. Subtle hints and teases during the closing moments of Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart suggest it's possible that Insomniac Games already planted seeds for the evil robot to play a part in future installments.
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In the closing chapter of Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart, the collective forces of two dimensions converge on the city of Megalopolis in Ratchet and Clank's universe. From there, a climactic battle ensues between the assembled team of heroes and Emperor Nefarious, his army, and a giant Power Rangers Megazord-inspired suit of Power Armor. Eventually the Emperor's forces are whittled down, and the robot himself is badly damaged at the hands of Rivet and Kit.
His resilience and determination during this section of the game, despite being pushed back more than ever before, is the first sign that he's likely to still bounce back. In the end, none of the game's heroes deal a final blow. Instead the original Dr. Nefarious turns on his alternate reality partner, which allows Ratchet to use the Dimensionator one final time to open a portal so Clank can summon a Kraken that promptly pulls the Emperor away.
The significance of that Kraken, and the destination at the other end of that portal, are two more hints that Emperor Nefarious is likely to pop back up into the lives of Ratchet and Clank. Throughout Rift Apart, the sea creature's presence is repeatedly felt from afar via dimensional rifts. That is until the titular duo arrive at the pirate base on the planet Ardolis. After a little exploration, it's revealed that this is where the Kraken calls home.
That could have a massive impact on Emperor Nefarious' plans, as it means he's already back in his native dimension at the end of Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart. Right off the bat that ensures the evil genius will have nearly instant access to his weapons, armies, and a host of potential allies once he frees himself from the creature's grip. What could be of even more significance is that Ratchet uploaded the schematics for the Dimensionator to that universe's Rubion Forge during his adventure. If writers at Insomniac Games plan on bringing the villain back, the only loophole he'd now have to jump through would be the acquisition of a Phase Quartz, or an alternate method of powering the portal weapon.
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Fans who sat back and appreciated Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart's credits slideshow were treated to a potential glimpse of what the game's cast got up to in the aftermath of their final battle. During the closing cinematic, a number of slides point to Emperor Nefarious still being at large in Rivet and Kit's universe. Not only is his assistant shown to have avoided being arrested, there's also a shot of the Kraken minus any reference to the Emperor.
What could also prove to be important is the fact that Dr. Nefarious is seen turning off the lights in the Emperor's throne room. From here the villain is shown rendezvousing with his faithful butler, Lawrence, and his newly formed robo-family. These events could prove to be symbolic, as it suggests the original Nefarious is planning on taking a break from his goal of intergalactic domination. That would leave the door wide open for the Emperor to return, seeking revenge on the Lombaxes that bested him.
Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart is available now for PlayStation 5.