01x02 - Episode 2

[bunniefuu]

[ethereal music playing]

[TV static playing]

[ominous music playing]

[ominous music swells, fades]

[unsettling music plays]

[footsteps approaching]

[ominous music playing]

Just what I need.

For what it's worth,
we made a positive ID on the victim, sir.

Junichiro Tazaki. A legal scholar.

He was the one that first proposed
the International Robot Laws.

Hold on. You're telling me
this dead guy strung up in the rain

was the egghead
who gave robots equal rights?

- That's him.
- [grunts]

Well then, I guess we start questioning
the anti-robot groups.

- All of the usual suspects.
- Right.

[unsettling music playing]

Check out his head.

I feel like I remember some other cases
involving horns recently.

We'll look into it.

[man] Uh, you there.

[items clattering]

All right. What in the blue hell
could have done this?

[eerie music playing]

- [wood creaks]
- Malicious or bad luck?

Did this thing collapse on its own,
or did someone demolish the place?

[officer] We'll have an answer
for you soon.

[man] You know, all this wouldn't be
out of the question for you lot.

[officer] Sir?

Enough juice under the hood?
A robot could do this. Piece of cake.

Superintendent!

We found the other cases!

Switzerland and Germany.

[footsteps approaching]

[man] That's right.

They found horns on the head of
that destroyed robot, Mont Blanc.

The other incident that fit the bill
was Düsseldorf, Germany.

Victim there was a human. Bernard Lanke.

He was a leading figure
in the Robot Liberation Movement.

I guess we better reach out to Europol.

See what the investigators
on each of these cases can tell us.

Looking at the agency data,

seems like the same detective is
point of contact on both of them.

Both the same guy?

Uh-huh. Says here the detective's a robot.

Well, if that don't b*at all.

What's he call himself?

Gesicht, sir.

Hmm?

[mysterious music playing]

Uh... Wow!

[toy whirring]

How curious.

What do you mean, sir?

I'm looking right at you,
and I know you're a fellow robot,

but my identification system
can barely tell the difference.

Yeah, I get that a lot.

I mean, I've seen you on the news
several times, of course,

but even as we're sitting here
talking face-to-face...

On the news?

Yes. The media raised quite a fuss
over your inclusion

when you were deployed
with the peacekeeping forces

during the Central Asian w*r.

You were aware of that, were you not?

Yeah.

I went to help defend the peace.

But the whole time I was over there,

the media kept treating me
like I was just some...

Like some touring idol or pop star,

when all you wanted was
to keep everyone safe.

Uh-huh.

[waitress] Thank you for waiting.

It looks so good!

[exclaims]

Mmm. Mmm!

Mmm.

Uh...

Is something wrong?

Nothing. It's just that you sincerely seem
to be enjoying your dessert.

I'm sure I look like
I only pretend to drink by comparison.

Yeah, I'm pretending too.

But the more I do it,
the more I start to figure it out.

To figure what out?

The meaning of tasty.

I don't know if this is how it feels
for the humans, but my heart, it jumps.

Simply incredible.

So, earlier, when you saw that kid
outside playing with his toy,

that moment made you want one also?

Sure it did!

'Cause that toy, it's super popular
with the other kids right now.

- [Gesicht] Then how about the snail?
- Huh?

When I ran into you earlier,
you were looking at a snail in the rain.

[Atom] I was.

[Gesicht] Not because it was
a pulmonate gastropod mollusk

from the Helicidae family though.

You picked up the snail
because you felt something.

You were moved by that simple bit of life.

I don't know. I just wanted to see it.

Mmm.

Wonderful. You really live up
to your reputation, Atom.

They've housed you
in the frame of a child,

but your artificial intelligence is
of a caliber and nuance far beyond my own.

That's why they sold me off.

Hmm?

My body versus my brain.

They thought it was funny,
so they sold me to a circus.

You were sold?

[Gesicht grunts, moans]

Uh, hey, Mr. Gesicht?

[moans]

Uh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean
to bring up a bad memory.

[Atom] It's fine.

I guess that it's about time
I got to the point.

There've been some robot murders,
and I thought you should know.

Mont Blanc in the Alps.
North No. in Scotland after that.

And no good suspects as of yet.

And you think maybe
they're gonna come after me?

That's right. I don't have any proof yet,

but I think I know
what the k*ller is up to.

They're trying to destroy the seven
most powerful robots humanity's produced.

Why would they wanna do that?

I think you already know why.

Mr. Gesicht? Could I access the contents
of your memory chip for a moment?

[Gesicht] What?

Maybe I can find something
to cr*ck the case.

Something that you saw or heard,
but maybe you overlooked it.

Uh... [chuckles] Yeah, I'm afraid not.

My chip's full of classified info
on other cases,

not to mention my personal data.

[sighs]

Of course, as we've already established,

your artificial intelligence is
more advanced than mine.

I'm trusting you.

I won't be long.

[chip clicks]

[brooding music plays]

I copied what I might need.

For all the data not relevant to the case,

you'll delete it, right?

Right.

I hope you find something in all of
that information I've managed to overlook.

Something that you've overlooked.

[mysterious music playing]

- Excuse me. I'll be right back.
- Huh?

- I gotta go to the bathroom.
- You do?

I mean, I do try to mimic human behavior,
so it's something I picked up.

Ah, but of course.

For as human
as they've designed you to be,

it would be odder if you didn't.
[chuckles]

[door motor whirs]

[melancholy music playing]

[door motor whirs]

[Atom sobbing]

[sobs] Oh, Gesicht. I saw it.

- [Gesicht] It sure rains a lot here.
- [Atom] Uh-huh.

Now that we met,
are you leaving Japan right away?

Yes. There's plenty of work
waiting for me.

And, of course, three more robots
I need to speak with

about these homicides.

Visit me again?

If you make a promise, you have to do it.
No backing out.

Yeah, I promise.

Your wife is a real nice lady.

[splutters, sighs]

This is exactly why I didn't want
you looking through my chip, Atom.

[laughing]

- Come on now! Stop being nosy!
- [Atom] Ah!

- Delete that data ASAP!
- [Atom laughing]

It's gonna be all right.

[Gesicht] Huh?

You and your wife
are gonna be okay, Inspector.

Whatever comes your way,
you two can handle it.

[chuckles] Thank you for that.

Well then, Atom,
guess I'll see you around.

Don't forget, okay? You made a promise!

We'll meet again. Count on it.

FORENSICS DIVISION

[man] Cause of death figured out?

Asphyxiation.

So they choked him?

What was the m*rder w*apon?
They use a rope?

Frankly, we don't know
what they used on him yet.

Whatever it was,
they squeezed the hell out of him.

- No trace of DNA?
- [man] No.

Fire up the D simulator!

[electrical thrumming]

[wood cracks]

I've got a pretty good idea
of who we're dealing with.

Really, sir? As easy as that?

Sure. If the perp left no trace
at the scene, they must be a...

- [Atom] It's pretty strange, huh?
- [both] Hmm?

What the hell?

[man] Atom!

Hey, Tawashi! I hope you're well.
And you too, Inspector!

This is a crime lab.
You can't just go traipsing in.

That's why I got a clearance pass, sir.

You requested assistance from Europol
in your investigation, didn't you?

Because I've installed the memories of
Inspector Gesicht,

the detective in charge of
their horns cases.

I have all the data from the Switzerland
and Düsseldorf killings here

waiting in my AI.

[Tawashi] Hmm?

Must be awful nice,

getting to swap the contents of your head
whenever you feel like it.

You robots have it so easy.

But if you think you're gonna solve this
with nothing but borrowed facts,

guess again.

You and your buddies can't even tell when
something is beautiful or tasty, can you?

But in terms of this mess,

maybe you've got a leg up
on what we can figure out.

They said it couldn't be done.
A robot finally k*lled a human.

How do you know
it wasn't another human, sir?

What the hell kinda human could do this
without leaving clues behind?

People leave behind fingerprints, hair,

something to show
that they were on the scene.

We didn't find anything like that
because it's not there!

So what do you make of this?

I'm picking up green tea under the rubble.

[Tawashi] Green tea?

Yup. A pair of broken teacups
and some red bean yokan.

- Hey! Expose where he's looking!
- [man] Yes, sir.

It was warm. The tea in these cups
hadn't had a chance to cool off.

During the autopsy, the coroner did find
some red bean yokan and some tea

inside the victim's stomach.

When a robot pays a visit,
do you serve them food and drink?

You pretend to eat all the time,
you little smart aleck. What's your point?

[Atom] A veranda.

Hydrangeas.

They admired the hydrangeas together
as they sat on the veranda.

All right. Pull up that spot!

[man] We can confirm the presence of
hydrangeas in the victim's garden.

[Atom] You said yourself
that robots don't understand beauty.

Do you still think
a robot did all of this?

So what's your theory, then?

Some human k*lled our vic
and took the time to destroy his house?

After a nice little moment of
looking at hydrangeas,

he took a bulldozer
and knocked the whole place to hell?

Hey! Pull up the statements
from the neighbors!

[man] Yes, sir.

Right. It sounded just like a tornado.

So I hear this crazy roaring,
and the house next door is in pieces!

I'm so thankful it didn't hit us.

I can't believe how strong
that tornado was!

Hear that? A tornado!

One that only demolished a single house

and magically left
all the neighbors alone!

You see? It couldn't have been a human!

[Atom] Then Mr. Tazaki went out
to the garden.

Excuse me, sir.

Could I see an image of the corpse
as you found it?

I don't think that's something
a kid like you...

- [Tawashi] Just show him!
- Huh?

He only looks like a kid.
He's a robot, remember?

Right.

- [man] Hey! Pull up the body!
- [man] Yes, sir.

Horns.

[loud thud]

[Atom groaning]

[Brau ] The god of death.
He had horns like these.

This is one of Gesicht's memories.

[Brau ] The Roman god of the dead.

[mysterious music playing]

[Atom] The Roman god of the dead.

Pluto.

[unsettling music playing]

Tell me. Do we know
if Mr. Tazaki ever wrote things

with an old-fashioned dipping pen?

Huh? Uh, we logged a callus
on his right middle finger, so maybe.

Looks like it's mostly washed away,
but there's a bit of ink on his hand.

[unsettling music continues]

[Atom] Wet footprints.

It seems like he ran from the garden
straight into the house to the study!

Look, right here!

The ink in this bottle
matches what's on his skin.

What's in there, guys?

I think he knocked it over
while he was looking for something.

Looking for what, though?

Under here! Show what's underneath!

Bunch of business cards.

FACT-FINDING MISSION

[Atom] "Fact-finding mission"?

[Tawashi] Jackpot.

One of them's got inky fingerprints on it.

So what's the name on the card?

[Atom gasps]

[man] You have got to be kidding me.

Pester me all you like.
I'm not changing my mind.

I don't care what Thracia wants.

We're not making robots
for them to use in warfare.

- [video call disconnects]
- Every time.

- [knocking at door]
- Hmm?

[Atom] Hey, Professor. It's me.

Ah! Atom, my boy!

Is it okay if I come in for a little bit?

You're always welcome here.
Even at this hour.

Professor Ochanomizu,

have you ever heard of a scientist
by the name of Junichiro Tazaki?

Indeed. I heard that he d*ed
a few days back.

The news reports were pretty vague.

The International Robot Laws
were his idea.

Tazaki was a great man.

Well then, have you heard of
a man named Bernard Lanke?

Lanke?

The key member of
a pro-robot civil rights group.

Ah, yes, I know him.

It's been a number of years
since I've seen him.

And what is he up to these days?

I'm afraid he's dead.

[groans]

Professor, can you please tell me
when you and Mr. Lanke first met?

We both served
on a certain fact-finding mission

during the th Central Asian w*r.

[Atom] In the moments before he d*ed,

Mr. Tazaki was searching his study,
looking for a business card.

One that he got from you.

So he was trying to reach me?

Yes, because he knew
you were in danger. Same as him.

I think that somebody wants you dead.

You and all the others
from the Bora Fact-Finding Mission.

Please, Professor. I need to know.

What is the meaning of Bora, anyway?

[unsettling music playing]

[Ochanomizu] It's a long story.

It all started with the suspicion

that the Kingdom of Persia
was building robots of mass destruction.

As you know, the Kingdom of Persia
was a dictatorship at the time,

ruled by Darius XIV,
whose word was absolute.

Its citizens and robots alike
were mistreated

in defiance of
numerous United Nations resolutions.

Darius XIV invaded neighboring countries

with a huge army of robots,
claiming each's territory.

Thus, he attempted to conquer
all of Central Asia.

That's when the treaty
banning the manufacture

of robots of mass destruction
was proposed.

The UN ratified the treaty right away.

Not long after,

the Kingdom of Persia was accused of
having exactly those kinds of robots.

The charge was brought
by President Alexander

of the United States of Thracia,

the man who had called
for the treaty in the first place.

The Bora Fact-Finding Mission was sent
to the Kingdom of Persia to check it out.

And so it began.

None of us knew what Bora even meant.
Was it a code name?

Or was it maybe an acronym?
We really didn't have a clue.

But that didn't stop any of us
from taking part in the mission.

Bernard Lanke, myself, or Tazaki.

Then what? Please go on.

Those robots of mass destruction
that Thracia was so indignant about?

We didn't see a one of 'em.

But then, how come
they acted so sure of it?

And why did the other countries
believe them?

The Kingdom had a genius.

"A genius"?

It was believed that Darius XIV
had a genius scientist in his pocket.

If the Kingdom had banned robots,
they were his handiwork.

What was the name of this scientist?

"Dr. Goji" is what we called him.

No one knew
the doctor's real name, you see.

No idea what he looked like.

We didn't even have conclusive proof

that a person possessed of Goji's talents
existed to begin with.

We weren't very successful
at digging up anything on the man.

But we made a discovery one day
that changed everything.

Beneath an old mosque, deep underground...

I'll never forget what we saw there.

Robot corpses piled high atop one another.

The Kingdom was quick to explain it away.

It was just a dump
for robots who couldn't be fixed.

Nothing nefarious about that, they said.

And then, Central Asia was at w*r.

[metallic clattering]

[loud thud]

Hey, Mont Blanc. You hanging in?

- [air whooshing]
- Huh?

What's your status? Take any damage?

Well, Brando, you destroyed , .

I got more than that.

How about you?
How many combatants did you destroy?

[Mont Blanc] Lot of 'em.

"Lot of 'em," huh?

Pretty impressive. , of 'em.

[mysterious music playing]

[Mont Blanc] What are we doing here?
I don't know.

We came here to fight for a just cause,
didn't we?

To liberate robots
from the yoke of oppression.

That's why we came, right?

Wasn't it?

Access the network feed.

The palace of Darius XIV.
They say it's about to fall.

Our peacekeeping forces
have entered the capitol in triumph.

Atom, the Peace Ambassador.

'Course he got the easy job.

"Why are we here"?
That's the big question, right?

Who are we supposed to k*ll
in this desert day after day?

Who are we supposed to hate?
Couldn't tell you.

Hate, huh?

Uh-huh.

It fuels their wars,
but I don't even know what it feels like.

[rhythmic music playing]

- [footsteps thudding]
- [crowd cheering]

[metallic clanking]

[crowd cheering]

[low, bellowing howl]

- [loud thud]
- [crowd cheering]

[crowd chanting] Brando! Brando! Brando!

[commentator] What a win, folks!
Our champ's a force of nature!

He clinches top honors here
at the ESK-KKR tournament

with a decisive knockout!

wins in a row!

Will anyone ever knock our invincible hero
from his throne?

He's the strongest warrior in history!

Brando!

[unsettling music playing]

That was a heck of a match, Brando.
I'm impressed.

[Brando] Nah.
I'm getting rickety these days.

Even if it doesn't show.

End of some fights,
I'm too wiped out to move. Like right now.

I still don't get the logic of it.

All of you wear pankration suits
with the same loadout,

but when you wear it,
you're the strongest by far.

All you need to win most fights is
a little experience under your belt.

The rest of it's dumb luck.

Luck?

Uh-huh.

Humans always laugh at me,
harping on it as much as I do.

But, hey, Brando's a lucky guy.

Pretty old-fashioned, huh?

Yes.

This is where I live. Way up top.

[Brando] I saw that look
on your face, Detective.

It says, "Why does a famous athlete live
in a dump like this? Don't they pay him?"

[Gesicht] Huh? [chuckles] No.

[Brandon] Sure, with all that fight money,
I could afford a mansion.

Something ritzier than this, at least.

However,

there's something else
I like to spend my cash on.

- [keys jingle]
- [door lock clicks]

Attention! The king of
the fighting world is home!

- [boy] Daddy!
- [children laughing]

[girl] Daddy!

[children clamoring]

[boy] Hey, Daddy!

[Brando] All right!

You all have a good day today?

Yeah! We saw you fight, Daddy!
You're so strong!

- [girl] You were amazing!
- [laughs] That's why Daddy's the champ!

Look who's popular. Hello.

Oh! This is Mine. She's my better half.

Mine. I'm Inspector Gesicht with Europol.

[Brando] All right, you rugrats!
Who's hungry, huh?

- [boy] Me! I'm starving!
- [Brando] Come on.

- [Brando laughs]
- [boy] Come on. Let's go!

Please join us for dinner. I made plenty.

- [feel-good music playing]
- [children laughing]

- [boy] Catch me if you can!
- Easy does it! You're getting it all over!

- [boy] You wait!
- [boy] Too slow!

No running during dinner!
This isn't a playground!

- Are you really a detective, mister?
- Yes, I really am.

Let me see it, then!

Whatever cool w*apon
they give you to fight crime!

Um, yeah. I'm afraid
they can't give me anything like that.

My goodness! Let him eat in peace!

Keep it up, and I'll swat your rear.
See if I don't!

[boy splutters, screams]

Hmm. They're insane. I'm sorry.

Oh, no. I haven't had this much fun
during dinner in a long time.

You said it. I think human-style meals
have a lot going for 'em, don't you?

I do. They're so cheerful and lively.

[laughs] That's how we handle mealtime
in the house of Brando.

It's an utter circus three times a day.

- [Mine] Not so fast!
- [Brando gasps]

[Mine] You'd better take
some of that salad!

Will do!

Daddy is strong and all,
but Mommy is the strongest one!

She should be famous
'cause she's the real world champion!

Champion, champion, champion!

Champion, champion, champ...

Stop the cheering,
and finish your dinner already!

- [boy gasps] Too scary!
- [children laugh]

[boy] She really is the champion, huh?

[snoring]

- Is everyone asleep?
- [Brando] Mm-hmm.

Go easy on it, you lightweight.

[Brando] Mmm.

This is the life
I've carved out for myself

with all the prize money
I've been racking up.

I see.

And with me brawling for a living,

Mine never knows if I'm going to come home
on top of the world

or in a box of bits
headed for the scrap heap.

She used to be home alone.

Nothing to do but worry all by herself
until I walked through that door again.

And that's when the policy
came into effect.

The Robot Adoption System, in other words?

Yeah. We started with one,

but it wasn't long
before we took in another kid.

The more the merrier.
Got five of them now.

Funny thing, parenthood.

Before I had kids, I never gave a sh*t
what happened to me in a fight.

I couldn't be bothered, you know?

But now?

I wanna live as long as I can

so I get more time with them.

That's weird, huh?

I got kids so I could die knowing
my wife wouldn't be all alone.

And now that they're here,
I just wanna stick around forever.

[sighs]

Mont Blanc had stuff
he wanted to live for too.

He and I were deployed together
during the th Central Asian w*r.

That's where I met him.

The two of us saw a lot of combat,
but it wasn't all bad.

I remember the good times.

We'd stay up late,

and he'd tell me about trees,
birds, all kinds of things.

For a guy as great as Mont Blanc
to die like that, in pieces...

Have you ever heard of a robot
by the name of North No. ?

Yeah. Never met him in person though.

He's dead as well.

[unsettling music playing]

Just a few days ago now.

He was working in Scotland as a butler
for an elderly composer.

A peaceful existence,
as far as I could tell.

[Brando] Was it a m*rder?

It was. And now you're in danger as well
for the same reason they k*lled him.

Don't worry about me. I'm built tough.
"King of the Fighters," they call me.

And that's the reason
they're targeting you.

I say bring it on.

After what that murderous bastard did
to Mont Blanc,

I'll rip him limb from limb.
And that's a damn promise.

Don't try to deal with them on your own.

If anything happens, you contact me!

Would you like another one?

Uh, thanks, but I'd better not push it.

Those Turkish energy drinks
don't mess around, do they?

You know, I'm ready for another one.

- [Mine] I was talking to our guest!
- What? Oh.

Forget I even asked you.

[Brando] You sure you don't want
a ride back to the stadium?

Don't worry about me.
I'll hail a cab if I need one.

Fair enough.
And you're always welcome at our table.

Thanks. Eating with your family tonight
was a real treat.

Those kids. Man, they're just so great.

Honestly. Maybe you should get a kid.

I wouldn't recommend five though.

Unless you feel like
pulling your hair out.

[chuckles]

I'll give it some thought. [gasps]

[muffled] Zeus a body.
What do you say?

[Gesicht grunts]

Hey, talk to me.

[Gesicht groans]

Oh. It's nothing.
Maybe I had too much to drink.

[Brando] Are you sure
you can get home by yourself?

[groans]

I'm all right. Honest.

Okay. I'm holding you to that.

Please do try to be careful
in the days ahead.

Call me anytime.
I don't care if it's a false alarm.

- Gesicht.
- Yeah?

Remember how I said

winning was mostly up to luck?

Humans seem content
to leave stuff up to chance all the time,

but I say you make your own luck.

Long as I've got my family behind me,
I'm invincible.

If you need help, just say the word.

I've got your back, guaranteed.

Remember, who's lucky?

Me!

That you are. And I appreciate the offer.

Please, Brando.

Don't you die on me.

[dramatic music playing]

- [bell rings]
- [crowd cheering]

[metallic clanking]

[metallic clanking]

[electrical crackling]

[commentator] Whoa!
It's a double wristlock!

This could be the end, fight fans!

[man] Rip his damn arm off!

[electrical crackling]

[man] Break it!

[man] Twist it off!

[electrical crackling]

[bell ringing]

[commentator] Another win
for the undefeated champ!

He defended his title
with skill and showmanship.

What a match!

[crowd cheering]

The crowd here can't get enough of
their invincible god of battle!

Hercules has done it again!

[crowd chanting] Hercules...

Next month, Hercules will finally have
his long-anticipated showdown

with Brando from Turkey,
the European champ!

Yes!

Hercules with his signature pose!
What a night!

An amazing monument, Hercules.
You should be proud.

I told them not to build that.

That it would
cheapen the view of the ruins

and that it was a waste of time and money.

But they ended up building a giant statue
of my pankration suit anyway.

'Course they did.
Humans like that kind of stuff.

I happened to catch the match last night.
You battled with your trademark strength.

I just did what I always do.

Care for a cup of tea?

I was thinking maybe
we could sit and talk.

[Hercules] I don't play at human stuff.

'Cause I'm a robot.

A k*lling machine
who leaves his opponents in pieces.

Recently, it feels like
there's been a lot of less of that.

In other words,
you're thinking that I've gone soft.

That I could've been more brutal
in how I won the fight.

[scoffs] You worried about me?

I do have that fight
with Brando coming up.

Hmm.

Speaking of,
heard you paid him a visit too.

I did. It's impressive how tough he is.

Yeah, I'll bet.

Me and Brando have faced off many times.

He's always been tough.

And especially back in the day.

[sentimental music playing]

[Gesicht]
During the th Central Asian w*r.

Is that what you mean?

Hey, Detective Gesicht.

Do you know why humans care so much about
building these monuments? Because I do.

Because it's in their nature to forget.

That's why, before time
can snuff out a memory,

they build these statues and whatnot
so they can remember.

Then there's us robots, Detective.

Unless we go to the trouble of
erasing something,

our memories are gonna last forever.

I remember all of it in perfect detail.

Our comrades in arms

and mountains of destroyed robot corpses,

friend and foe alike.

Gave me a k*ller instinct.

Even now.

But ever since, I haven't been able
to destroy my opponents.

Do humans have a name for this feeling?

I think they would call it compassion.

Hey.

[Gesicht] Hmm?

I wonder if...

if we're evolving in our own way?

[melancholy music playing]

[girl] Why, Daddy? No fair!

Huh?

You promised you'd go to the zoo with us.
We've been looking forward to it forever!

I know. Sorry, kiddos.

A work thing came up today
that Daddy absolutely has to take care of.

[all] What?

So you're just
canceling on us out of nowhere?

I'll go to the zoo with you
next time around! Yeah! It's a promise!

You'll break that promise
like you broke this one!

[all] Hmm!

Never! 'Cause this time,
I promise as a man!

And a real man never breaks his promise.

What the hell kinda man would he be
if he did, huh?

- [children] Hmm.
- [Mine] All right.

That's enough complaining for one day.
Mama's gonna take you kids to the zoo.

[boy] You're a liar, Daddy!
And liars are no good!

- [all] Hmm!
- See you later.

A work thing came up, huh?
Is everything okay?

Uh, yeah.
They're making me do an interview.

An interview?

[Brando uncomfortably groans]

It's a conversation
with Miss Istanbul, technically.

Come on. This editor did a favor for me.

And Brando always pays his debts.

Hmm. Have fun with your "interview," then.

Hey, don't be like that.

Your hubby's the European champ!

I've got obligations to my adoring public.

[phone ringing]

What's up?

Uh, this is super awkward for me, sir.

You know you can't take
your pankration suit out of the arena

without asking first.

It won't be a problem.
I'll bring it right back.

Okay, you can say that,
but that's not the point.

You swiped your suit and that cargo truck
and didn't get permission to take either.

If anything goes wrong,
they're gonna bench you!

Come on. Your big match
with Hercules is coming up fast!

- That's the whole point!
- Hmm?

I took my suit for a joyride
because I need the practice.

So, yeah, I get that...

I'll be back before you know it.

[thunder rumbling]

Do you think all of these murders are
being carried out by a human, Professor?

- Or do you...
- Or do I think it's a robot?

Or maybe a robot and a human
working in cahoots.

The only precedent of
a robot k*lling a human is

the case of Brau ,
and that was years ago.

No other robot ever did?

Hmm? Why do you ask?

No reason.

What kind of defects did they track down
in Brau 's AI

that allowed him to take a human life?

They didn't find anything.

Huh?

His AI checked out as perfect
in every way.

It was perfect?

If a perfect AI can k*ll a human,

what does that mean, Professor?

Maybe

he's the most human of us all.

This should be a good spot.

[metallic clatter]

[air hissing]

[motor whirring]

[high-pitched thrumming]

[metallic clanking]

[wind whistling]

[thunder rumbling]

[metallic clanking]

[low, bellowing howl]

[electrical crackling]

- [Gesicht gasps]
- Hmm?

[shuddered breathing]

[Hercules] Detective? What's the matter?

Patch yourself in! Now, Hercules!

[grunts] Son of a...

Atom! Patch into this signal feed!

- [gasps]
- [unsettling music playing]

What's wrong? I'm here, Atom!

I'm getting a signal from Istanbul.

[gasps]

- [thunder rumbling]
- [rain pattering]

[Atom] Detective Gesicht,
what's going on here?

It's a communication from Brando!

- [thunder rumbling]
- [electrical crackling]

[Gesicht] We have to keep

the channel open!

[gasps] What's he trying to do?

Damn it, Brando!

[Brando] I'll show you what it means
to go head-to-head with the champ!

Brando, stop! Don't try to do this alone!

Just get out of there! Run for it!

[Hercules] I've tracked his location.
Coast of the Black Sea.

Let's go, Gesicht!

[Brando] You k*lled Mont Blanc.

He was my friend!

Do not fight that thing by yourself,
Brando! We're on our way!

[motor whirring]

[whooshing]

[tense music playing]

[both grunting]

Brando's signal is fragmenting.

What's happening? Talk to me!

[grunts] Professor! I have to go now!

I don't understand. Go where?

Someone is attacking Brando,
and he's transmitting to us!

I have to get there before...
[groans, grunts]

[Brando grunts] So strong.
What the heck is this thing?

[loud thud]

[ethereal music playing]

[tense music playing]

[thunder rumbling]

[Atom whimpering]

You... you saw that, right?

[Gesicht] Brando, we're on our way.

Do you copy?

Damn it all!

[electrical crackling]

[Atom gasps]

[gasps]

[Atom] The sea.

[water burbling]

[melancholy music playing]

[Brando] I did it, guys.

[Gesicht grunts]

He's alive!

[Brando] I b*at that thing.

Brando, keep talking!

[Brando] I won. 'Course I did.

But I think that it got me too.

Hang on! We're almost there!

[Brando] You know, Hercules...

Huh?

...that match of ours?

I was really looking forward to it.

I was too.

[Brando] Ah, I was gonna
mop the floor with you.

The hell you were.

Save your trash talk for the fight.

[Brando laughing]

We're closing in on your position.

We're almost there. Just stay with us!

[Brando] I'm gonna send you the data
I picked up on the guy I just fought.

Could be useful.

It can wait. Don't push yourself.

[melancholy music playing]

Hmm?

[melancholy music continues]

[Brando] Huh.

That's kinda weird.

Those images.
They're all of his wife and children.

[Brando] Damn it.

My circuits are...

they're all messed up.

Brando, please.

[Brando] I can't...

I can't send over the...

the right data.

You've done enough.

[Brando] That's odd. Huh.

I'm sorry, guys.

I can't control it.

- [electrical crackling]
- [Atom gasps]

[water burbling]

[Brando] Hey, Detective.

[gasps]

[Brando] I told you
that I'm a lucky guy, right?

You did.

[Brando] I promised my kids

that I'd take 'em to the zoo
next time around.

I promised 'em as a man.

Please tell 'em I said...

not to worry.

Brando's a lucky guy.

Brando.

[Hercules] He sent
his final transmission from here.

I've been pinging him nonstop,
but there's no reply.

All I can see is
an oil slick on top of the water

and a huge amount of mechanical wreckage
down at the bottom of the ocean.

[Atom] Mr. Gesicht, Hercules.

There, for a moment,

there was something else
mixed into Brando's transmission.

Did you see it?

No, I didn't.

Do you think that whatever you saw
originated somewhere outside of him?

Uh-huh.

It felt like an artificial intelligence
that had lost all self-control and reason.

It was just noise.

Go on.

What could it have been?

Can you put it on the monitor
for me, Atom?

- Yeah.
- [Hercules] Atom.

Bounce it over to us too.

[Atom] Understood.

Here it is. It's right after this part.

What am I looking at?

[loud clatter]

[mysterious music playing]

[moans]

If I had to explain this in human terms,
I'd call it...

death incarnate.

"Death Incarnate"?

It's suffering.

The pain, it's

endless.

[tense music playing]

[music fades]

[static playing]

[woman] We're here
at Istanbul's Blue Mosque Coliseum.

Thousands of mourners have come
to pay their respects

to their fallen hero, Brando.

[people crying]

[crying]

Daddy!

A sad day.

We now cut to our reporter
on-site at the Black Sea.

Efforts here are ongoing.

Deep-water scans are revealing
a large amount of robot debris

along the ocean floor,

the majority of which is thought
to have come from Brando himself.

Now, the police and m*llitary say

they're not giving up
on their search just yet,

but off the record,
the outlook is not good.

The muddiness of the seabed
prevents retrieving all of the wreckage.

[whooshing]

[motor whirring]

How long are you gonna waste your time
doing this, huh?

If you don't defend your title soon,

they're gonna give it
to the second-place fighter!

Hercules! Are you even listening to me?

If you don't compete,
I'll take your metal ass to court!

I'll sue you for breach of contract,
and I'll win!

I'm the king of the fight promoters!
You know the kind of pull I've got!

[whooshing]

[Hercules] They haven't found
a damn thing.

Huh?

They haven't found
a single piece of his k*ller.

When they get a hit,
it's debris from Brando's pankration suit.

Even though he perished,
Brando said he b*at the other guy.

So why haven't we found
a single piece of him?

Hercules, listen.

Everyone else gave up on fishing
all the wreckage out of there.

It's not your responsibility.

But here you are,
paying for it out of pocket.

You feel like you owe the guy.
Is that what it is?

Your fans are all waiting for you, pal.

They're waiting for Hercules,
the god of battle.

Hell, I'm right there with them!

I'm begging you here, champ. Come on back.

[whooshing]

We found something, sir!
Both arms of Brando's pankration suit!

Excellent work!

Careful bringing them up from the bottom!

Actually, sir,
we didn't find them in the water!

His arms weren't on the ocean floor!

We found them on a tiny island
some kilometers out from here!

We'll lead the way!

[Hercules grunts]

Hercules!

Damn it!

Wait! One last fight!
That's all I'm asking you for!

Come on!

Hmm. There he goes.

[whooshing]

Over there! On that bit of rock!

No, it can't be.

[unsettling music playing]

It's Brando's memory chip.

And arms.

[music intensifies]

Posed like horns!

The k*ller

isn't dead yet!

[groaning]

[grunting, straining]

Brando!

[mysterious music playing]

[music fades]