01x03 - Episode 3

[bunniefuu]

[ethereal music playing]

[TV static playing]

[ominous music playing]

[ominous music swells, fades]

[sirens wailing]

You have to move back!

Please, everyone.
It's for your own safety.

What are we looking at?

Ah, Inspector Nakamura.
You're not gonna believe this.

Eyewitnesses said
a tornado touched down here,

flipped a single truck, and then moved on.

A city full of cars,

and it tosses the one van
full of wild animals?

Yes, sir. Lions, tigers, and cheetahs.

Five big cats in all.

Did you say five?

- [officer] Inspector! We've got a problem!
- Huh?

There's... there's a little kid!

[crying]

[animals snarling]

[Nakamura panting]

There's gotta be something we can do.

[officer] We have multiple teams
with g*ns trained on the animals, sir.

But if we don't take out
all five at once, they could...

Damn it!
Get more sharpshooters up here now!

- [whimpers, screams]
- What is it?

[officer] Look at that little girl!
She's headed straight for them!

- What the hell is she doing?
- [screams]

- [boy crying]
- [animals snarling]

[girl] Hey there, kitties.

I know you're afraid. So who wants pets?

[snarls]

[both snarl]

You're okay. Don't be scaredy-cats.

[snarling]

[boy stops crying]

[all gasp]

[mystical chime plays]

[mysterious music playing]

[lion snarls]

Moving in!

- [boy moans]
- All teams! We've secured the boy!

[grunts]

- [girl] Quit it!
- Huh?

[girl] You're freaking them out
with all those g*ns! Put 'em away already!

Ah, why, hello there, Uran.

You guys are so dumb.

[Nakamura] You sensed
they were afraid, is that it?

[Uran] Yup.

Okay, then. Let me get this straight.

You want me to believe
those lions and tigers were scared.

[Uran] Um...

I don't know. I guess so.

[man] And that's why
you headed to the scene,

taking a three-kilometer detour
from your usual path to school?

Silly, you know I did.

In other words,
you can sense fear in animals

over that long of a distance?

Kinda, yeah.

[both] Hmm.

- Wow!
- What a wonderful ability.

- [Uran] So...
- [both] Hmm?

I'm bored. Can I go home now?

[Uran yawning]

Atom!

I'm so sorry, Inspector Nakamura.
I know my little sister can be a handful.

No, no, to the contrary.

She really helped us out today.

Yeah, Atom. Thanks to me, we wrangled
the kitties without anybody hurting them.

And none of them ate that little kid.

[laughs]

You deserve
a special police award for that.

Why would I want a boring old certificate?
No, thanks!

[Uran scoffs]

Uh, Uran!

[Uran] I'll take that lion
if you wanna give me something.

Thanks anyway. Have a good day, sir.

[Nakamura laughing]

- Inspector!
- Huh?

He's here. Like, right now.

They're meeting up with him
down in the lobby.

What?

- And where's Tawashi?
- I just pinged him.

Good man.

Uran, how many times do I have to tell you
not to take detours?

[Uran] A million, I guess.
I couldn't help it.

Oh. Hey, kids.

You two are supposed to go
through that gate.

[Atom] Huh?

Actually, this is the right one, sir.

Huh? So you're robots?

Man, it's getting to where
you can't hardly tell them apart anymore.

Please. Right this way, sir, if you would.

[footsteps approaching]

[footsteps echoing]

[mysterious high-pitched sound playing]

[sound fades]

Are you listening to a word I say, Atom?

[Atom] Uh, yeah.

[Uran] As I was trying to tell you,
it wasn't just some random detour.

I felt something weird,
so I had to check it out, right?

[door opens]

Hello. Uh, thank you for coming.

My name is Superintendent Tawashi.

Welcome to the Tokyo Metropolitan Police.

Uh...

[speaks slowly] It's so nice
to have you with us here.

- [Nakamura] Uh...
- Would you get me a translator already?

Yes. Right away, sir.

Don't bother.
I can speak your language perfectly well.

[Tawashi] Oh. I see.

Smartest man in Central Asia.
I should've guessed it, right?

Yes, of course.

[clears throat]

Make yourself comfortable.

I know this drab little room
isn't ideal for conversation.

Sorry, Professor Abullah.

Please, there is nothing to apologize for.

Your country is beautiful.

Not so, my homeland, Persia, as of late.

[Tawashi] Is this visit a part of
the post-w*r reconstruction efforts?

[Abullah] Indeed.

I'm here to attend
the World Science Conference in Tokyo.

By the way, Professor Abullah,

you were also here in Japan
three months ago, were you not, sir?

Yes.

I believe you had a meeting

with a legal scholar
named Junichiro Tazaki, right?

The news of Tazaki's death
came as such a shock.

- [unsettling music plays]
- He was a great man.

Why was he slaughtered
and in such a brutal fashion?

As it turns out, you were the last person
to see him alive.

You're not under any suspicion, of course.
Your alibi is ironclad.

At the time of death,

you had already boarded your flight back
to Persia and were waiting to take off.

It's just that...

Well, did you notice anything unusual?

He had so many wonderful things
to tell me.

The ideas poured from him.

The International Robot Laws
were his brainchild, as you know.

All told, I'd say it was
the greatest ambition of his life

that robots and humanity
would learn to coexist.

[Uran] Robots actually feel
a lot more stuff than humans think we do.

Wouldn't you agree, Atom?

[Atom] Uh-huh.

But overall, I gotta say,

robotkind, not so good
at expressing itself.

Without sensor gates,
humans can't tell with us advanced models.

But it's so obvious.

Humans make such weird faces sometimes.

Like this one!

[Atom] That man back there.

Back where? What man?

At the sensor gate. Coming in as we left.

I couldn't figure out

if he was human or robot.

Well then, Professor,
thanks for sharing your time.

[Abullah] Of course.
I just wish I could've helped more.

[alarm sounding]

[officer, Nakamura] Huh?

Idiot! Didn't I tell you
to turn the damn thing off?

- Uh, sorry!
- He's a VIP!

I am afraid most of my organic body
was another casualty of the w*r in Persia.

Uh, I am so sorry, Professor!

Please, it's fine. An honest mistake.

[Abullah] Apropos of nothing,

I heard there was another tornado
in Tokyo today.

There was.

Could you perhaps
tell me where it took place?

- [unsettling music plays]
- [gasps]

Something is scared.

The cats are all okay,
so it's not them, right?

[Atom] Hmm?

What I felt just now,
it came out of nowhere really fast.

Like, whoosh! And there it was!

Was it separate from the cats,
or do you think it was one of them?

Can't tell, but it was strong.

And that feeling,
you're still picking up the same one now?

Uh-huh, but it's coming in faint.

Which direction? Can you tell?

It's so faint,
its source could be anywhere.

When they're afraid, like, really afraid,
lions will hide their fear.

But right now,

the one who's
the biggest scaredy-cat of all

is you, Atom.

[Atom] Mmm...

[Uran laughs]

[creature snarling]

[leaves rustling]

[snarling]

[low, bellowing snarl]

[device chimes]

You were looking at it again.

What happened to him wasn't your fault.

- Hey, Helena.
- Hm?

We should take a vacation.

Are you sure?

I mean, I did mention it the other day.

But can you take the time away from work?

With Brando having k*lled his attacker,

the higher-ups consider
the matter dealt with.

In that case,
a change of scenery might be nice.

Definitely. I'm sure of it.

What are your thoughts on a Japan trip?

[Helena] Why Japan?

I was just there on the job,
and I found the whole place enchanting.

Japan it is, then.

[device chirps, chimes]

Yes, Marco Polo Travel Bureau.

Uh, hello there. I'm a returning customer.

Greetings, Mr. Gesicht.

I would like to make
another reservation with you.

Thank you very much, sir.

A trip to Japan for my wife and me.

Excellent choice.

Actually, I think we'll have to enter her
in your system before we book.

No, sir. We already have
your wife's info on record.

That's unlikely, as she's never left
the Euro Federation before.

Both of you registered for travel
with Marco Polo in the past

but canceled your reservation later.

We did what?

But when?

Two years ago, ma'am.

Interestingly, also for a trip to Japan.

So we booked a trip to Japan?

[pensive music playing]

[Gesicht] Why did she say that?

Two years ago, we were in Spain.

I was on my training assignment
with Europol.

That's right.

We lived in Madrid for a whole months.

Yeah. Remember all our photos?

[device chirps]

[Gesicht] Ah. It's our day
at the Sagrada Família.

[Helena] Aw, and that was in Andalusia.

[Gesicht] You tripped
right into those sunflowers.

And then I got all turned around
looking for you!

[Helena] How could I forget?

You had to use your GPS to find me.
And even then, it took a while.

[Helena laughing]

[both laughing]

The two of us sure took
a lot of photographs, didn't we?

[Helena] Yes.

[eerie music playing]

[Helena] Maybe too many.

[Gesicht] Yeah.

We try to copy human behavior,
but we don't take it that far.

We had fun, didn't we?

Yes. Course we did.

And apparently, we planned a trip
to Japan in the middle of that trip.

[Helena sighs]

[machinery whirring]

[Hoffman] All done, Gesicht.
Rise and shine.

Scans are clear. There's nothing abnormal.

Well, thanks for the once-over.

[machinery whirring]

Look, I know you wouldn't have pushed
for this diagnostic

if you weren't experiencing
some sort of malfunction,

but according to the data I pulled,
everything looks normal.

I still think
it's a case of simple fatigue.

What happened to Brando isn't your fault,
so don't blame yourself.

For all of its failings,
human memory is a very convenient thing.

We have a great capacity to forget.

Our lives would be tough indeed if we had
to hang onto every painful reminder.

Thus, forgetting is something of a balm.

But it doesn't work like that for robots,
my friend.

Your memories endure permanently.

The only fix for a bad robot memory
is to delete it.

- Professor.
- Yes?

If I'd had that done to me,
they would log it in my file,

would they not?

[pensive music playing]

They would log it,
but I'm not seeing any record of that.

Then how about the insertion of
inaccurate memories. Any luck?

"Inaccurate" like the thing
just never happened, right?

Yes.

Back in the day, you'd hear rumors
about that being done to robots in jail,

but now,
with robots having rights, no way.

Any particular reason you ask?

What if someone
had deleted certain memories

and replaced them in my head with fakes?

Hmm.

What if my nightmare is
a remnant of that process?

It's an interesting theory, to be sure.

I'm headed to a meeting right now.
Whatever it is, it can wait.

Please, Director Schelling.
This will only take a moment of your time.

[Schelling] Then you can have
that moment tomorrow.

Did you manipulate
Detective Gesicht's memory somehow?

[snarls]

[Hoffman] Uh...

I need to know!

[Schelling] How many robots of
Gesicht's caliber are left in the world?

Huh?

[Schelling] How many robots
have there ever been

that could be converted
into weapons of mass destruction?

There used to be seven of them altogether.

[Schelling] That's right.

And now, three of those initial seven,
Mont Blanc, North No. , and Brando,

have been destroyed.

Only four of these
priceless machines still exist.

And your Detective Gesicht

is one of them.

I know that, sir,
but it doesn't answer my question.

If you took valid memories from his AI
and replaced them with...

Do you have the slightest idea
how much we've invested in Gesicht?

[gasps]

All you need to do is
see to his maintenance. That is your job.

And only that.

[grunts softly]

What did you do to his memory, Director?

Whatever you're hiding,
I need to know! Tell me!

[camera shutter clicks]

[man] Look at these horns.

You think it's the same k*ller
from the other cases, or what?

[camera shutter clicks]

What do you make of this,
Detective Gesicht?

Copycat. This is not the same guy.

Why do you say that?

The perpetrator wore hybrid sneakers

in the hopes of
not leaving any footprints,

but I see
traces of their steps everywhere.

Weight, kilograms.

centimeters tall.

You'll want to check that drawer.

Your perp had a tough time
getting it open,

so they took off their gloves momentarily.

They left viable prints.

I'll get forensics.

So this is a basic robbery
made to resemble the horns murders?

Yes, going by the data.

Your analysis was perfect, as always.
You don't miss a thing!

[Gesicht] Perfect.

They tell me you're on vacation?

Sorry to call you on a day off.
You're a big help.

- [Gesicht] Detective Fersen.
- Yes?

Pardon my asking, but this is
the second time we've met, isn't it?

Come now, Inspector. As a robot,
it's not like you could've forgotten.

The Salzburg case, three years ago.
You were invaluable then, as well.

Three years ago.

Right! I remember you hadn't been home
from the th Central Asian w*r

very long at that point.

You shared a fair number of stories
about your deployment.

At Karl's bar that night.

You drank seven beers by yourself,
if I recall.

[laughs]

See, Gesicht? You remember me just fine.
I'm still a beer man, through and through.

Well then, Detective,
it was a pleasure to see you again.

Feeling's mutual.

When you have the time,
let's knock a few back.

[Gesicht] I remember
three years ago perfectly.

[man on radio] It's been four years since
the end of the th Central Asian w*r,

and democracy is starting
to take root in Persia.

[Gesicht] The th Central Asian w*r.
I was there.

[soldier] We are here
with the peacekeeping forces!

Known t*rrorists have taken shelter
within this neighborhood!

For your safety,
all residents must evacuate immediately!

I repeat.

Known t*rrorists have taken shelter
within this neighborhood!

You're wrong, you know.

You see t*rrorists everywhere,
but there aren't any here!

Do you want to know who was here?
My infant child!

You and your peacekeeping forces
dropped a b*mb on my sleeping baby!

[sobs]

Look around!

You say you want to liberate us,
but are dead babies your idea of justice?

If you have an ounce of humanity,
then you understand!

How can your eyes remain so dead
to my suffering?

Because I am a robot, sir.

[gasps]

[man screams]

- [man grunts]
- [soldier] Calm down!

[man grunting]

[crying]

What is he doing?

The man's in despair.

It's probably more emotion than a robot
like you can hope to understand.

That's despair.

[Gesicht] Four years ago.
I remember it all.

[video game sounds playing]

[groans]

Huh? Come on! I totally got that!

[both gasp]

- What the... Mom!
- I'm so sorry, dear.

I only got this yesterday.

- Now it's all wet!
- [man] Hans.

How come we don't just
get a robot maid, huh, Mom?

- All the other kids in my class have one...
- [man] Enough, Hans!

Your mother here maintains this household
as best she can.

Be more respectful in how you talk to her.

Besides, what have I said
about games at the table?

I know.

So, dear, what do you
have planned for today?

[man] Hmm?

[woman] It's the day
of your brother's death.

[man] Mmm.

You're going to claim his body, right?
They'll let you.

[slurps]

[sighs] Finally.
Been dead for three whole years.

I think it's shameful how the authorities
wouldn't even let you bury him until now.

Well, that's the law.
Nothing to be done for it.

"Any corpse of a criminal is
hereby detained for months."

It couldn't be helped, Ilsa.

My older brother was not a good man.

[sighs]

[man] But, you know,

despite everything,
he looked out for me as best as he could.

A proper burial is
the least I can do for him now,

even though he was a criminal.

[on radio] A Berlin hotel was the scene
of a fiery expl*si*n last night.

Judge Neuman from the German
Ministry of Justice d*ed in the blast.

Neuman was best known as

the world's first robot
to preside over court cases.

His groundbreaking rulings on cases
like the Greifelt lawsuit

earned him kudos in the world of law.

The cause of the expl*si*n
is still being investigated,

but according to prelim...

Adolf, how are you this fine morning?

I just heard the news on the radio.

What news would that be?

Someone m*rder*d a robot judge.

Well, "destroyed" is more accurate.

Hmm.

Death to the machines, right?

Death to the machines.

[man] Death to the machines.

[Adolf] Death to the machines.

[pensive music playing]

[man] Corpse number .

Right this way, sir.

In full accordance with the König Law,

we acknowledge the passage
of three years since death

and hereby relinquish the body
to the family.

And do you authorize said transfer?

[Adolf] Yes.

Please affix your signature here.

The body. I don't have to confirm
that it's him, do I?

Well, sir,
given the scope of his injuries,

I wouldn't recommend it.

My brother was sh*t to death
by a police officer, wasn't he?

Which was found to be
both appropriate and lawful.

[GPS] Please state your destination.

Go to Hofgarten Cemetery.

Confirmed, sir.

No. Reroute.
We're going somewhere else first.

Dr. Schiller's place.

Confirmed, sir.

Sorry, doctor.
I should've called ahead first.

You want me to take a look
at your brother's remains, I presume?

Yes.

Something catch your eye
in the autopsy report?

No, uh, it's nothing like that.

Well, you can say your goodbyes, at least.

Let's see.

Hmm? My God!

What is it?

[gasps]

[gentle jazz music playing]

What's the matter, dear?

Huh? I'm fine. I'm just tired, is all.

You see more of them out to eat now.
Robots, I mean. It's weird, right?

Robots can think like we do.

That's what all the experts love
to tell us.

Doesn't seem possible, does it?

- [Adolf] Sh!
- Huh?

You can't just say something like that
in the middle of a crowded restaurant.

You know better. It's discriminatory.

The International Robot Laws
are very clear about that.

[gasps]

There's something I need to take care of
at work before I can head home.

You go on without me.

[Ilsa] Okay. I'll see you there.

[man on radio] Armed robbery in progress!
Multiple suspects involved!

Fleeing in an armored m*llitary vehicle!
They've broken through into Ward N- !

Gesicht responding.
I'll try to head them off.

[traffic sound echoes, fades]

- [traffic sound resumes]
- [tires screech]

The getaway vehicle is in sight.
Requesting permission to fire the SAAW!

[man on radio] Proceed!

Gesicht! Did you get them?

I took out their wheels.
They're not going anywhere.

[men coughing]

Hands where I can see them! On the double!

Do as he says, or we'll sh**t!

[all coughing]

That's one way to end a chase.

Some kind of anti-t*nk g*n, or...

Hardly.

For a vehicle with that much armor,
you need something more unique.

What are we talking about exactly?

Shells crafted
of an alloy called Zeronium.

[footsteps approaching]

[man] Brethren, it is my dearest wish

to wipe every robot
from the face of this planet

until the day when none of them remain!

Now is the time to lay low
these abhorrent machines for their hubris!

Together, we will usher in
the day of reckoning!

Repeal the International Robot Laws!

[all] Yes!
Repeal the International Robot Laws!

Abolish the use of police-bots!

[all] Abolish the use of police-bots!

Robots only exist to serve us!

[all] Robots only exist to serve us!

Robots are nothing but slaves!

[all] Robots are nothing but slaves!

[man] Robots are inferior to man!

[all] Robots are inferior to man!

[man] Death to the machines!

[all chanting] Death to the machines!
Death to the machines!

Death to the machines!
Death to the machines!

[door closes]

[man] Apologies. The rally ran long.

So, then.

What's this urgent news
you needed to tell me?

I claimed my brother's body
from the police today.

Ah, yes. That brother.

I think I knew that sooner or later,

he would come to a bad end.

But they...

[man] Go on.

They pulverized him, sir.

Pulverized him how?

What they used to k*ll my brother
three years ago reduced him to meat.

f*ring it produces more blowback
than a human can withstand.

But a robot could use it
and survive the blast.

What are you saying?

If it's true, then you and I
are sitting on a powder keg!

Yes, sir, I know that.
"No robot can harm or m*rder a human."

It's forbidden
by the International Robot Laws,

as per Article .

I checked.
There are only a few in the world

that are even strong enough
to have used that w*apon.

What did they employ to k*ll your brother?

An expl*sive shell
composed of a Zeronium alloy.

As luck would have it,

I can name the very machine
you're looking for.

- [device chirps]
- [gasps]

They call it Detective Gesicht,

and Europol dumped nearly endless funds
and resources into developing the thing.

They say it's gotten to the bottom
of many difficult cases.

During the th Central Asian w*r,

it served as a member
of the peacekeeping forces.

If it m*rder*d your brother,
if a mere robot blew a human to pieces...

- Well, it's too repulsive to imagine.
- [groaning]

[Adolf grunts]

[Adolf] My brother,
I know he was a horrible person.

I know he was.

But even so, he deserved better than
to die at the hands of a damn robot!

I couldn't agree with you more,
my dear Adolf.

Please lend me your resolve, sir!

Give me the strength
to destroy this heinous thing!

[metallic clanking]

[Hercules] It's been a while, huh?
This old battle suit.

I haven't worn it since the w*r.

You kept it maintained?

Yes, sir. As much as I could.

I had to keep it under wraps, obviously.
It was risky.

If they find out
I borrowed a battle suit, I am done.

I'm in your debt.
I know I've asked a lot of you.

Come on now. You and I go back a long way.

But what's the plan?

I'm not trying to second-guess you,

but if they hear about this,
they won't let you fight anymore.

- [Hercules] Let 'em do their worst.
- [man] Huh?

'Bout time I retired.

[sighs] End of an era.

[Hercules] I've missed m*llitary-grade!

Packs a lot more punch
than my pankration suit!

[man] Yeah!

[Hercules] The left arm output
feels a bit underpowered.

Copy that. I'll get it up to snuff.

Huh?

[Hercules] Two suns. What the hell?

- [Hercules grunts]
- [man] Hercules!

Just a few days ago, a police robot
fired a Zeronium shell at humans.

Spokesperson Wagner, you care
to defend Europol's choice there?

Actually, the target
was the armored vehicle they were in.

But if that shell were to hit a human,
they would be eviscerated.

Any use of it
needs prior approval from HQ.

We always act
with the safety of humans in mind.

And what if HQ gets it wrong?

Look, we don't take that w*apon lightly.

How many of your robots

are walking around
with this b*mb tucked up their sleeve?

How do we go through our day

knowing some random robot
could be our judge, jury, and executioner?

More to come on this contentious topic
after a brief commercial break.

So what do you think?

We're pushing
the "dangerous robots" narrative.

It's starting to bear fruit
across several forms of media.

Why are we being so passive about this?

To rush is to bungle the job.

What's important is that Gesicht
will be an outcast by the time we're done.

[Adolf] I've already looked into
the robot's schedule, sir.

He leaves on a long trip
a few days from now.

We have to destroy him while we can.

Hmm. No matter where it may run off to,

we'll never stop denouncing the thing
as a public menace.

[Adolf] But, sir...

If we rush, your brother's background
will come to light in all of this.

I'm not going to sugarcoat it.

When I hear
the particulars of what he did,

even I feel downright sick to my stomach.

If any of that becomes public knowledge,

our anti-robot campaign is doomed,
and all of us are pariahs.

Surely, you understand.

Where are you going, huh?
We're not done here!

[door opens]

[door closes]

Hercules! [pants]

Are you okay?

[Hercules] Is this force I'm feeling
Photon Energy?

Epsilon!

For our first time meeting,
that was one hell of a handshake.

It was rather overt. I'm sorry.

But I had to stop you decisively.

How you figure?

North No. , Mont Blanc, and Brando.

Whatever k*lled them
is still alive, isn't it?

[Hercules] Don't forget
that you're a target too.

I am well aware.

Why the hell'd you interfere, then?

[Epsilon] We must not fight. We can't.

Hmm. Of course you're a peacenik.

Is that the reason you sat out the w*r
while the rest of us were doing our duty?

That w*r was in no way
a righteous conflict.

"Wasn't righteous?"

All those robots were destroyed,
and you've got the gall to say that?

You're scared.
You can dress it up all you like.

Scared then,
and you're just as scared now.

You're right. It's a fearful time.

They forced you into clean-up duty
in Persia after we won, right?

I heard conditions on the ground
were pretty grim.

People the world over
heckled and abused me.

It wasn't the heroes' welcome
the rest of you got.

But thanks to that,
I gained something priceless.

[Hercules] Yeah? Like what?

[Epsilon] I met children
orphaned by the w*r.

And so I took them in.

We're a family now.

Heard about that.
The robot who's raising human kids.

Yet another thing about you I don't like.

That priceless thing
you discovered after the fact.

You telling me it's love?

[Epsilon] And what of you?

What did you bring home
from the b*ttlefield, I wonder?

[melancholy music playing]

Did humans teach you
all about their hatred?

[wind whistling]

[Epsilon] This is what I think.

Humans and robots are becoming more alike.

If we bridge that gulf,

tragedy will follow in its wake.

What we see unfolding now

is the first sign of that calamity.

A sign, you say?

We have to break this cycle of hate...

no matter what it might cost us.

[man] This isn't a piece
you can find just anywhere, pal.

Standard issue
in the Central Asian w*r, sure,

but you can't make 'em
or sell 'em these days.

A compact cluster cannon.
A guided rocket launcher, basically.

Once it has a target lock,

it delivers its payload
with % accuracy.

Detonates inside the body.
It'll even blow robots to bits.

Hey. Careful where you're pointing that.

Getting caught with one is enough for them
to charge you with attempted m*rder.

I won't k*ll anyone.

Human, at least.

[Adolf] When I was a kid,
advances in robotics

led to vast improvements
in economic productivity.

Meanwhile, newly unemployed humans

fell between the cracks
everywhere you looked.

My own father was one of the victims.

I'm hungry!
Can I have something to eat, Dad?

Yeah! Let's see what I can do.

Aw, I'm getting tired
of sandwiches all the time.

Why can't it be a nice, juicy steak?

And how the hell
we gonna pay for that, you idiot?

I don't know.
Maybe Dad found a decent job again.

He's looking at the job listings
because he hasn't found anything yet.

Don't you worry, boys.
Your old man is gonna figure this out.

Dad? When's Mom coming back, huh?
I miss her.

Don't worry about Mom, okay?
I'm gonna get that figured out too.

[kids laughing]

I wish I had a ball to play with.

[father] Hey, lookie here.

[young Adolf] Huh?

Wow, it's brand-new! Thanks!

Hold on. Where did you get this?

Don't worry. I mean it. Just have fun.

- Oh! Thank you, Dad!
- [brother laughs]

[chuckles]

[boys laughing]

[brother] Your turn!

[young Adolf] Did it!

[brother] Uh-huh!

[gasps, screams]

[robot] He is the thief!
He stole the ball from the store!

There is footage to prove it!

It's all a mistake! I didn't steal it!

- [robot] He is the thief! He is the thief!
- [father grunting]

[father] I'm sorry, okay?
Please just let me go!

[father grunting]

Damn it! [grunts]

Come on, it was a friggin' ball!
Damn it to hell! [grunts]

[Adolf] The cops released him
after a few days.

He began drinking. A lot.

- Three months later...
- [thud]

...he jumped off our building's roof.

[door opens]

- Oh. What's up?
- [door closes]

Hey, little bro.
Don't say I never gave you nothing.

Enjoy.

[gasps] Wait.

This is a portable prep school module!

Mmm, why is your shoulder bleeding?

I had to off one to get you that.

[young Adolf] Off one?

I took out a robot.

They're not allowed to k*ll us,
thanks to how they're put together,

but there's nothing keeping us from
k*lling their dumbasses all day long.

Uh...

Study hard, Adolf. You're smart.

Learn all you can, then use it
to take this world back from them.

[door opens]

[door closes]

[Adolf] Huh? He's changing course.

Did he notice me tailing him?

[insects chirping]

This could be my chance.

[Adolf] The hell is he doing?

[grunts] This is it.

[grunts]

[groans]

[mystical twinkling]

[Gesicht] You're Epsilon, I presume?

[Epsilon] Sorry to have asked you here
on such short notice.

It's fine.

Clearly, it's not the sort of thing
you talk about over a data link.

Only you can stop the k*ller.

No one else is strong enough
to take them into custody.

Whoever they were, they're dead now.
Brando k*lled them.

That's Europol's stance,
which is why they shut down the case.

[Epsilon]
And do you believe that, Detective?

We can't allow Hercules to fight them.

A death match between the two of them

would prove
nothing less than catastrophic.

Or one with you.

You don't need to worry about me.
It's my duty to uphold the law.

If we don't act soon,
another w*r will start.

That's something none of us can afford.

The orphans in my care
experienced all the pain w*r has to offer.

No one else should live that nightmare.

Tell me, Detective.

Are you aware of the new malady
they're calling Persian w*r Syndrome?

I am. It's an umbrella term

for the deep psychological damage
exhibited by the survivors.

[Epsilon] Many of the children in my care
suffer from quite severe cases.

One little boy in particular.

His entire village disappeared
in the blink of an eye.

He was the only survivor.

Everyone else was gone.

There's an image b*rned into his memory.

Something huge
lurching into the desert beyond.

[low, bellowing howl]

Years have passed,
but the boy only ever says one word.

[eerie music playing]

It's the word uttered
by the terrifying thing he saw that day.

[echoing] Bora.

[rumbling]

[Uran grunts]

Atom, where are you?

Come on, slowpoke! We gotta hurry,
or we'll be late for school.

Yeah, I know,
but I think I just felt something again!

What was it?

Like a little animal, and it's all afraid
because the world is so big,

and it can't find its way home again.

That's kinda vague.

- I gotta go make sure it's all right!
- Wait!

- What do I tell your teacher?
- I bet you'll think of something good!

She's nothing but trouble.

REDEVELOPMENT ZONE
NO TRESPASSING

Is it this way?

What am I looking at?

You're the worst painting ever.

[gasps]

Um...

Hey there. Are you dead?

Someone felt scared. Was it you?

Wait. You're a robot, huh?

Hold on. I'm gonna get help!

[man] Don't leave.

Huh?

Don't worry, okay?
This human I know is super smart.

Professor Ochanomizu
can fix anything if it's robotic.

[man] There's no need.

There is, too, a need!
If you don't get help, you're gonna die!

[man] It's too late. Leave me alone.

I can't do that, dummy!

[man] No humans, please.

[Uran] Then, tell me what you need.
What kind of energy do you take?

[man] SOL .

I've never heard of that one before.
Will anything else work?

[man] ER .

I'm not rated for it, but...

It'll help you for now?
Got it! I'll be right back!

Don't try to move while I'm gone!

[slurping, gulping]

[man coughing]

[Uran] Are you okay?
Does your body not like it?

[man coughing]

Thank you for this.
I feel a little bit better now.

That's good to hear.
So, mister, what's your name?

Don't really know.

Okay, then. Where are you from?

I don't remember anything.

The one thing I do remember is running.

I ran naked, as fast as I could,
running away from something.

Running from what? What something?

I couldn't tell you what it looked like,
but I know it was terrifying.

Oh.

And I found a little shack over there.

It's probably a supply shed
for all the local repairs.

That's where I found the clothes
I'm wearing now.

Now I know why they fit you so bad.

[laughs] No kidding.

[laughs] I made you smile, huh!
My name is Uran!

A nice name.

Hey, those squiggles on the wall.
Did you paint them?

Yes, I found a few cans of it
in that shed.

Are you, like, an artist?

Not that I know of.

But it felt like something I had to do.

I know what they call this.

Abstract painting.
When you can't tell what the picture is.

Abstract painting.

[Uran] Robots can paint or draw something
to look like the real thing, right?

So it's rare to see art by a robot

where you don't know
what you're looking at!

[laughs]

Or maybe you tried your very best,
and it still turned out all squiggly.

[chuckles] Who can say?

Even now, I can't tell you
what I was trying to depict up there.

Or why I bothered painting it
to begin with.

I just don't know.

[Uran] Hey, it's me!

Huh? I found you!

[man] Hmm?

Uran, hello.

[Uran] What you looking at?

These flowers. They're beautiful.

Flowers?

[Uran] Oh!

This spot was nothing but grass yesterday.

Oh! That's right!
I got you some more stuff!

Yummy energy catalyst.

And this bag's all paint.

But why?

You're gonna need more colors
to finish that wall, right? [laughs]

[Uran] Mister! Hey!

I picked up some clothes
that'll fit you better!

Uh...

I finished it.

[Uran] Wait.

I finally figured out
what it's supposed to be.

[Uran] A field of flowers?

Mister, I know
I called it Squiggly before,

but now

I wanna cry when I look at it.

[man] Thank you, Uran.

- [Atom] Uran!
- [Uran gasps]

Oh, hey. You're up early. Good morning.

[Atom] "Good morning's" a stretch.
The sun is barely out.

- Oh, yeah? Guess I didn't notice.
- [Atom] Where do you keep going?

Uh, well, I found a stray cat,
and he's super cute, so...

[Atom] I found
this empty bottle of catalyst.

What? Has the cat been drinking these?

Uh...

[Atom] It was stuffed down
in your book bag.

[sighs]

How come you were looking through
my book bag without permission?

How come you went straight to bed

after asking me for help
with your homework so I had to do it all?

But did I mention that it's a robot cat?

Report it
to the Ministry of Science, Uran.

I don't wanna!

[Atom] If it needs repairs, we could ask
Professor Ochanomizu for help.

What's the model number?

I don't actually know
what the model number is.

Meaning it wasn't made in Japan?

What country is this robot from?

I don't care where he's from!
All I know is he's scared!

He's finally starting
to warm up to me a bit.

I don't want him to run away.

As soon as he's done being skittish,
I'll bring you along so you can meet him.

Cross my heart!

But until then,
please don't tell anybody about him?

[Atom groans]

Thanks! You're the best!
Well, see you later!

[Uran laughs]

One more thing.

If you keep snooping in girls' bags,
they're not gonna like you.

[door closes]

[Uran] Hey, mister!

Where'd you go? It's me!

Oh no.
What if he really did run away again?

Are you over here?

Mister... [gasps]

What the heck?
How'd your clothes get so dirty already?

I just gave you those.

Hello? Are you in there?

Sorry for the mess.

But I finally figured out
what I was born to do.

Huh?

Right there. Look at them.

[gasps]

So many flowers.
But where'd they all come from?

Easier to show you.

[eerie sound plays]

[emotional music playing]

[gasps]

Incredible!

It was dead, and you made it bloom again!

Mister, who are you?

Someone who was meant

to do exactly this.

[Uran] You painted this
'cause of what you can do.

[man] Maybe I did.

It's faint,
but I can recall an image like this,

and I didn't want the memory to slip away.

It's amazing!

The way you can breathe life
into things, like flowers.

Do you think
that we will eventually die one day?

[Uran] Die?

I remember you mentioning death
the other day when you first found me.

You told me
that if I didn't get help, I would die.

Mmm...

If our computerized brains got broken,
that would do it.

Professor Ochanomizu says
depending on how broken our AI units get,

sometimes they're too messed up to fix.

Even if they did,
you wouldn't be you anymore.

So is that what death is to our kind?

[Uran] Hmm...

What does it mean to exist no longer?

This field of flowers represents life,

but there's another image I remember.

A world of death.

"A world of death"?

Utterly devoid of life.

[wind gusting]

What is that? What do I see?

[man breathes heavily]

A giant monstrosity
rising through the smoke!

[gasps] What is it? What am I looking at?

I'm scared! I'm scared! I'm scared!

You're okay!
I know it's scary, but it isn't real!

[man whimpering]

[Uran] You're okay.
You're not alone. I'm right here.

Don't be scared. You're safe.

- [man] Bora.
- Huh?

Bora.

- [unsettling music playing]
- "Bora"?

[music fades]

[man] I'm approaching the park complex
as you requested of me, Professor Abullah.

Well, this is sooner
than I thought you'd arrive there.

No trouble getting through customs,
I would assume?

[man on phone] No trouble whatsoever.

I'm at the location where
the tornado was spotted most recently.

I know it is a lot to ask for,
with the park being so large and all...

[man] It's no problem, sir,

because you gave me this body
suited to the task.

[man groaning]

[gasping, choking]

[groaning]

Remember now, it's important
that you not do any damage to it

during the process of retrieval.

End of the day, that body
is one of my creations as well.

Allow me to repeat the model number
you are there to extract.

SOL .

But his true identity is Pluto.

- [ominous music playing]
- [people screaming]

I've located the target,
Professor Abullah.

Very good.

I am on my way to you,

Pluto.

- [tense music playing]
- [chittering]

I know you can do it, mister!

You can make the whole world bloom,
just like your painting!

Just like my painting?

[Uran] Uh-huh!

You can fill the world
with beautiful flowers.

You said it yourself.
You were meant to do this, remember?

I was meant to do exactly this.

Yeah! If you can get your memory back,

then you can turn the earth
into a giant garden.

Think how pretty it'll be.

[man] Not what it is.

What do you mean?

My painting's not a garden, after all.

Huh?

[man] That's not it.

It's something...

Something much...

Much what?

Something much bigger.

Nature, at its most primal.

[wind howling]

[gasps] A tornado!

[wind howling subsides]

[gasps] Oh!

[rain pattering]

It's raining.

[gasps] Hey, look!

They're growing so fast,
I can watch it happen!

This is amazing! Look!
Nothing but flowers as far as I can see!

It's beautiful! I love it!

Beautiful.

[chuckles]

- [Atom] Uran!
- [gasps]

[Atom] You need to get away from that guy!

Something's wrong with him!
He's got a weird electromagnetic field!

Atom, why?

Listen, you need
to come over here right now.

You too, Professor Ochanomizu?

They're here because
I called the Ministry of Science!

I thought I might need their help!

[man gasps]

I can't believe you! You promised
you wouldn't tell anyone about him!

That's not what's important right now!
Listen to me!

The robot next to you is dangerous!

[man] Huh?

Squad A has got eyes on the target!

[officer] Squad B, ready to engage.

- What?
- You even brought police?

Professor!

Why the hell would you
get the police involved?

I had to report it, sir.
We have rules about this sort of thing.

[Ochanomizu grunts]

Metro Police Department!
Are you all right?

How could you?

How could you?

I trusted you, Atom!

Atom.

You can hate me later!
Just get away from him!

[man] Atom.

[Uran] Uh... [gasps]

Atom.

[Atom gasps]

- Hatred!
- [Atom gasps]

System overload!

Stop! Stop right there!
This is your final warning!

Mister, come back.

[tense music playing]

[grunting]

I'm going to explode!

[grunting]

[man] I can't control it.

This surge of rage!

Take the sh*t!

Wait!

[man] So many robots

dead.

[eerie music playing]

They deserve to die.

They deserve it.

How many did I m*rder?

Does anyone know?

I...

Flowers blooming in the desert.

An endless world of death.

[electrical crackling]

Horns!

[Uran] Mister!

[Ochanomizu] No! Impossible!

What do you see down there, Professor?
Talk to us!

It doesn't make any damn sense.

His computerized brain is gone!

[both gasp]

[loud footsteps approaching]

[all gasp]

What just happened?

- [robot] Hey, there it is!
- [all gasp]

[air hissing]

Sorry, but I gotta grab that body!

- [Atom] Huh?
- I beg your pardon?

[robot] Well, yeah.

I'm a construction robot
at the site nearby.

That's my off-duty body.

Huh?

[robot] I was wrapping up
my -hour work shift, see?

And that's when I realized
I couldn't find it where I had left it.

So, you're saying
this body on the ground belongs to you?

[robot] I looked everywhere for it.

I'm so glad I can go home now.

What manner of skulduggery is this?

A robot without artificial intelligence...

functioned on its own?

[dramatic music playing]

[footsteps approaching]

It's right over here.

[Abullah] To call it "a wandering soul"
bestows upon it a certain dignity.

But it was just an empty shell

being puppeted with electromagnetic waves
like a marionette.

Satisfied now?

You've had your little walkabout.

Time to come back.

[water burbling]

[Abullah] This body
is your only body, Pluto.

[water burbling]

[dramatic music playing]

Don't forget your orders
to track down Atom and k*ll him.

[growling]

[music fades]

[mysterious music playing]

[music fades]