

Ward made the character a staple, as much as James Arnold Taylor and David Kaye made Ratchet and Clank what they are today – recognizable icons of PlayStation. Still, he reclaimed his status, helmed his own team, and has since appeared time and time again, constantly helping Ratchet and Clank out… if you can call it helping. It’s no wonder he returned in the sequel, now the villain at large, masquerading as a capitalist with a Club Penguin Puffle as his sidekick, before being the rundown, washed-up relic that he became in the third outing. Qwark is intricate and in-depth, and a lot of that comes from the man behind the mic. He is hilarious, arrogant, warm, and distant. That’s because, beneath the smog of wanna-be heroism drowsed in moronic and selfish villainy, there was a childlike sense of vulnerability. From the get-go, even in his brief role as Drek’s confidant and mascot, Qwark was a lovable idiot you could get behind, even if he betrayed you time and time again. Qwark is as much a staple of the series as the titular duo, and that’s down to Ward. He embodied Qwark, and that meant he perfected the complicated and convoluted villainous hero in a way that made the character such an icon. It’s a good rendition, and kudos to Scott Whyte for nailing the sound, but that specific gusto and personality that Ward brought was absent. So, suffice to say, when I played Rift Apart, I could immediately tell that something wasn’t right with Qwark. It’s a series that I cherish, and I have such a deep connection to its characters because I’ve grown up with them. Ratchet & Clank is one of the first games I remember playing. It feels like a good time to celebrate his career now that he’s hung up the mic, looking at his most iconic work and what it’s meant to his fans, including me. But he still plays harmonica, guitar, does voices, and sings.

The other part – well, he has no memory, not from a year ago, a day ago, 10 minutes ago, two seconds ago. The amazing thing about Alzheimer’s is that part of the brain still functions normally. “He was completely paralyzed and hospitalized for four months where he learned to eat again, walk again, etc.
