- Cole MacGrath: "Another Ray Sphere?"
- Sebastian Wolfe: "No. A Ray Field Inhibitor. I call it the RFI. Think of it as an anti-Ray Sphere."
- ―Cole and Wolfe's conversation about the RFI.
The Ray Field Inhibitor, often abbreviated as the RFI, was a device created by Dr. Sebastian Wolfe, as a counter-measure to the Ray Field Plague. The device, as its name suggests, inhibits Ray Field Energy, functioning like an anti-Ray Sphere. Wolfe also discovered that the inhibition of the energy could possibly weaken or kill Conduits, thought of using it against entity that Kessler warned his associates about. The Ray Field Inhibitor could remove the superhuman abilities of all Conduits, though it resulted in their deaths.[1]
History
The Ray Field Inhibitor was designed in secrecy by Wolfe, with the objective of it as a possible cure for the Ray Field Plague, according to his notes. With the Blast Cores as its power source, the device required an ample amount of it in order for it to fully function.
The final product was able to usurp all of the Ray Field energy, the energy source of all the Conduit's abilities and also the source of the Plague. Once activated, it resulted in the death of all Conduits, but also as the cure for all plague victims.[1]
Wolfe introduced the device during his first encounter with Cole MacGrath. With Wolfe telling him that it was the deterrent against The Beast, Cole took the device, as he was told of the Blast Cores later on. Cole would then keep the device as he gathered all the Blast Cores, while also learning more of its nature through the notes Lucy Kuo found that were left behind in Wolfe's lab. Cole and the others would then use several of his other notes as their guide, due to Wolfe's death.[1]
The Last Stand
If I use that thing, it's going to kill us! Kill all Conduits, not just the Beast!
― Cole, after his second attempt at using the device.
After absorbing all of the Blast Cores, Cole prepared to activate the device while the others stood by. Charging the device, Cole, Kuo, and Nix felt the sensation of dying as Cole kept his hold on the device. After Zeke stopped Cole from activating it with the Amp, the others soon find out the device's true purpose, which causes a small dispute about whether to activate it, or side with John White's plan.
Cole chose to work with the team to activate it, Zeke, along with Laroche and his men, work together to put up substations all over the city to charge the RFI. After Cole was able to fully charge the RFI and subdue the Beast, he activates it, sending a signal that pierced through the atmosphere, killing most active and dormant Conduits.
In an alternate timeline, Cole chose to side with John, Nix would steal the RFI from the team and take it with her. As Cole and John rampaged through the city, Nix would utilize the RFI in order to attack Cole and John, despite not it being fully charged. Though it was able to subdue them for a short while, Cole was able to take down Nix, and later Zeke, who tried to hold on to the RFI and stop Cole. Cole would then destroy the RFI with the Amp.
Description
Usage and functions
The device was designed to drain Ray Field energy, the energy present in a Conduit and a plague victim. The device can only be fully activated once all of the Blast Cores have been used by a Conduit, and by the said Conduit's hands. The device, as shown by Nix in the Evil Karma ending, is able to send rays of energy towards a Conduit, sufficiently weakening him/her. This can be considered a side-function of the device that a Conduit was able to perform. She was forced to use this method of combating the Beast and Cole, as she had not absorbed any Blast Cores, and the RFI was only partially charged.[1]
The RFI can channel its own energy through a Conduit holding it, amplifying his/her powers far beyond their current level. When Cole held the fully charged RFI in the Good Karma ending, his powers surpassed the levels they had achieved before being drained by the Beast. He gained an unlimited supply of energy, could achieve true flight with his Static Thrusters, and was able to fire Missile Bolts that seemed to cause the Beast tremendous damage, bringing him to his knees within moments.
Appearance
The RFI was a small device, appearing to be a sphere from afar, though the center of it had a light blue cylinder that gave off a small blue glow. The rest of it was made from metal with several circuits and components.[1]
Trivia
- As shown by his actions and movement, John was able to detect the RFI's presence, which aided him greatly when he was looking for Cole. How he was able track the device down is, as of yet, unknown.
- Even though it was said in InFamous 2 that when the RFI was activated, it killed literally every single Conduit in the entire world, however, it has become evident with Infamous: Second Son that only a large number of Conduits were killed, rather than every single one. There are only vague hints given to why this is, and no official explanation is given as to why this happened.