9

The Scientist created the B.R.A.I.N. (or the Fabrication Machine) for peaceful purposes. However, the "Leader of Mankind" took control of the machine and used it to wage war on other humans. Lacking a soul, the machine was corrupted and turned on mankind, wiping them out. The Scientist constructed nine rag doll-like homunculi, or "creations," in order to ensure some form of life would carry on, and created a Talisman which could be used to destroy the Fabrication Machine. The Scientist died animating his final creation, 9. 9 awakens at the start of the film, taking the Talisman with him. Outside, in the lifeless and devastated world, 9 meets 2, who gives him a vocal processor to speak. However, they are attacked by a machine called the "Cat Beast" and 2 is captured. 9 is saved by one-eyed 5 who takes him to Sanctuary, an abandoned cathedral, where surviving creations of the Scientist are led by 1 and his bodyguard 8. 9 decides to rescue 2 from an old factory, aided by 5. The two locate 2 and the "Cat Beast" is destroyed by 7, the only female creation and an expert fighter. 9 spots the dormant Fabrication Machine and connects the Talisman to its socket, it sucks out 2's life force, which awakens the Fabrication Machine. The survivors retreat to 3 and 4's hideout where they reveal the machine's origins: an artificial intelligence called B.R.A.I.N. which creates other machines in its own image, but then turned on humanity and took over. 9 realizes they need to remove the Talisman from the machine, and returns to Sanctuary where 6, who seems to have knowledge of the Talisman, urges them to "return to the source." Sanctuary is attacked by a bird-like robot, which is destroyed, as is the Sanctuary. A snake-like robot, the "Seamstress", uses 2's corpse as 'bait' and, generating a series of flashes through 2's eyes, hypnotizes 8 and 1. 7 tries to stop the robot, but is captured and taken back to the B.R.A.I.N., along with 8. 9 follows the "Seamstress" to the abandoned factory and witnesses the life force being sucked out of 8 by the Fabrication Machine, but rescues 7 before the remaining creations destroy the factory and, seemingly, the machine. The survivors celebrate, but the machine rises and sucks the life force 5. 6 warns 9 that the souls of the murdered creations are within the machine and it shouldn't be destroyed, they must "return to the source" in the Scientist's workshop where 9 awoke. Then the machine sucks out 6's life force. 9 goes to the workshop and finds a hologram addressed to him, which explains how the B.R.A.I.N. was born of his intellect and was intended for good but was captured by government agents and used as a weapon of war, it became corrupted because the scientists never gave it a "real" soul. In recompense, the Scientist designed and animated the nine creations, putting part of his soul into each of them, giving them his life. He explains how the Talisman can be used to destroy the B.R.A.I.N./Fabrication Machine by taking the intellect that he gave from the machine. 9 realizes that if he can take the machines "life force" then he can save the souls of his friends. As they battle the machine, 9 prepares to sacrifice himself, but 1 sacrifices himself instead to allow 9 to remove the Talisman and destroy the machine. However, 9 is seemingly crushed to death underneath the Machine. 7 and the twins find his lifeless form and believe he is dead, but, much to their relief, he is alive, regaining consciousness in 7's arms. The film ends with 9, 7, 3, and 4 releasing the souls of 1, 2, 5, 6, and 8, who, after briefly bidding them farewell, soar into the sky and cause it to rain. The raindrops contain a green liquid the same color as the departed souls, hinting that there is still hope for future life.