#nef is probably ooc for this entire au but screw it

[awildtrashcan]

So what's the plot of the Rift Apart Au? Is Doctor Nefarious going to double cross Emperor Nefarious?

Uhhh oh boy thanks for the ask anon, I'll try to explain as best as I can but for all the shit I talk about how I was disappointed by the ending, I can't write a coherent plotline to save my life (it's why I draw instead), and any of this is subject to change because it's still in development and I'm indecisive, so here we go

(Spoilers for the AU I guess? Even though I already made art of the final fight because I’m impatient lmao. If anyone would want to look at content for it blind here's your warning and I'm also putting a read more so I don't flood everyone's dashboards because I just word dumped 1700+ words, I am not joking, turn back while you still can it’s like a minific here whoops)

Basically, the AU is centered around a Nef redemption arc happening within RA as I mentioned in my other post, or at least it's focused around his internal struggle over whether to give up villainy or not. So RA is rewritten to keep and expand on Nef's development from A4O (might even include rewrites/expanding on events pre-RA to better pace everything).

The first half of RA is largely the same with Nefarious stealing the Dimensionator so he can always win and all that but to add onto what's stated in-game (and also because I made a bunch of headcanons pre-release I'd like to use), Nef is stealing the Dimensionator as a last-ditch attempt at accomplishing something because after the events of A4O there's been a small seed of doubt over why he's still doing the typical villain song and dance growing inside him no matter how much he tries to kill it.

From his supposed retirement over the period of time between A4O and RA, Nef shows signs of questioning what his motivation is anymore after getting a taste of the other side by helping the heroes, even if it was under strained circumstances. He spends most of his time just existing, attempting to build up resources and troops for another siege against the galaxy, but his slow progress isn't just because he's low on bolts. Lawrence, ever the dutiful voice of reason and Nef’s only true friend, asks what's wrong. Nef brushes his question off, but Lawrence is already used to his employer being stubborn and continues to pry, eventually asking if his stay on Magnus is the cause of his troubles. Being absolutely correct, Lawrence is kicked out of the room by an enraged doctor until he inevitably needs his help again.

This routine continues with similar conversations happening over the years and their relationship becoming strained until one day where Lawrence reaches the root of Nef’s problems, that being he’s actually considering giving up being a villain, the only role and way of life he’s known until his time on Magnus. Not wanting to confront his inner turmoil any longer, this prompts Nef to push Lawrence away, using the excuse of giving him paid paternity leave because after A4O, Nefarious has softened up a little bit no matter how much he denies it. 

With the last reminder of Magnus gone (Nef disregarding the photo still folded up in his wallet, because as long as he pretends it doesn’t exist he doesn’t need to convince himself to throw it away, look at it, end up spending a half hour sitting at his desk considering his conversations with the heroes and the way he might’ve actually smiled at times, and give up and put it back to be forgotten until he sees it again), Nef hears of the Dimensionator being presented during the Heroes Day Parade and realizes this is the perfect opportunity to finally prove that all his decades of villainy was worth it and win.

So Nef takes over his alternate self’s position, and he’s having the time of his life! At first. After some time spent utilizing all of the new tech and resources he has at his fingertips and reveling in his triumph, the initial rush of power fades and he realizes he feels...empty. He’s finally achieved what he’s described in many a monologue over the years and yet he feels nothing. This is what he wanted, shouldn’t he be happy? Absolutely ecstatic? The only thing really motivating him right now is the annoyance that his archenemies are in this dimension with him and aiming to take away the victory he’s finally got his hands on (even if his grip is loose and halfhearted). He’s gotten this far, he should make this victory stick and get rid of those pests once and for all. He has the power of a galactic empire’s worth of warbots and gunships, he should be able to take down his nemeses and their alternate counterparts easily. But somehow the heroes evade his every attack and it isn’t until the Emperor’s assistant, with a line of questioning too similar to his assistant back home, suggests that maybe the problem is him.

Sick of dealing with forced introspection even in another reality, Nef heads out to finally get rid of his problems and deal with the heroes himself. We all know how that ends but this time throughout the fight, Nef begins to break down mentally as well as physically, trying so desperately to win and hold onto his victory because this is the best he’s ever gotten and he can’t go back to just being some loser of a supervillain. But even with his best efforts, he still goes down.

Enter the Emperor, who’s just learned that some imposter has stolen his throne and lost to the Lombax rebel under his name and he’s furious. He’s about to dump the impostor into some abandoned dimension like the trash he is, but the other robot offers his assistance in defeating the rebels because even if he has to beg for mercy, Nef isn’t going to let it end here. Emps looks at the robot who must be so desperate to be like him to look so similar, thinks “why not?” and takes him with him.

Damaged from the fight with the heroes, Nef shuts down as Emps takes the time to repair him. He also takes the time to look through his memory banks because some deranged fan of his would be perfectly fine with providing the Emperor with whatever information could be used to stamp out the Resistance, right? And that’s how Emps learns the robot isn’t trying to be him. He is him. An inferior, pathetic and weak version of him, and Emps realizes he has a new, interesting project lying in front of him. Exterminating rebels is fun and all, but with the slow pace it’s going he needs something to entertain him in the time leading up to his complete domination of the galaxy and turning this loser into an evil overlord befitting the Nefarious name will be an amusing challenge. Nef wakes up back in working order and finds his alternate self that was about to kill him without a second thought smiling at him, saying the Doctor just hit paydirt taking over his position in his absence.

The second half of the game starts here and as the Resistance tries to fight back as in canon, Emps spends his time teaching Nef how to be the “best” version of himself, crushing any doubts from earlier that arise and encouraging him to prove himself by sending him out to deal with the heroes with his own hands. This proves to be a double-edged sword in a way as Nef interacting with the heroes keeps some of those doubts alive and even flourishing underneath Nef’s newfound drive to prove himself. Emps can see this too, and after a particular disappointment, Emps gives him a final push, verbally (and maybe physically) tearing into Nef and questioning why he can’t do something as simple as kill his enemies, why he’d even think about giving up on the life of villainy he’s meant for, what’s he good for if he can’t even accomplish that, why he’s useless, worthless, trash.

Nef hits his breaking point, pushing himself to the extreme to defeat the heroes and prove to himself, the Emperor, the heroes, and the universe that he’s worth something. And he does. He actually takes out most of the remaining Resistance members while Emps deals with the others, until all that’s left are his archenemies. And as he gains the upper hand and succeeds in sending Ratchet and Clank to Zordoom, the look on the two heroes’ faces make him realize he just destroyed what faith, from Magnus and maybe even just a few minutes before, they had in him left and he goes back to the Emperor’s office with a heavy weight in his processors rather than the vindictive happiness and satisfaction he expected. The Emperor greets him with the widest smile he’s ever seen and for the first time since their alliance/mentorship/Nef doesn’t care what to call it anymore he tells Nef that he knew he could do it if he just tried. He’s proud of him.

Disgust fills his circuits at that and Nef realizes how far he’s fallen, how this isn’t what he needed or wanted at all, how much he’s royally fucked up. But he also realizes that for once, he isn’t going to follow the path everyone else says he should anymore, even if the only couple of people left who believed in him no longer do. So while Emps is rejoicing over the annihilation of his enemies and subsequently experiencing his own existential crisis, Nef sneaks off to begin dismantling an empire from the inside out, starting with helping a certain space rat and his backpack break out of prison and getting a reality warping gun out of his alternate self’s hands.

Aaaaaaaand that’s all I’ve got for now! Like I said, I’m still working on the plot and anything I just said is up to change, but the basic gist of the rest of the AU is extending the second half of RA with Nef betraying Emps to help the heroes figure out how to fix the dimensions and take down the Emperor, even if the heroes don’t want him helping either. It definitely won’t be easy and although Nef has realized he truly doesn’t want to be a villain anymore, he’s still Nef and that includes him being a stubborn, egotistical jerk. But now he’s a stubborn, egotistical jerk that’s aware he actually (begrudgingly) has a heart and he’s done resigning himself to the role the universe, including himself, thinks is all he’s good for.

The rest of the AU is also focused around Nef not only moving on from villainy, but realizing he actually has the potential to become a hero and truly redeem himself and prove he can be a good person while keeping the traits that make him who he is, rather than just settle for retiring and living the rest of his artificial lifespan in whatever remote sector he finds to avoid getting arrested. Because I don’t want Nef to just become the evil uncle that shows up sometimes, I want to see him learn to better himself and work for it without sacrificing who he is at the same time.