Pluto – Season 1 Episode 2 Recap & Review

Episode 2

Episode 2 of Pluto begins with Superintendent Tawashi and his comrade investigating a crime scene regarding a legal scholar named Junichiro Tazaki, who is also responsible for proposing the International Robot Laws. Tawashi plans to interrogate everyone in the anti-robot law groups for leads. Tawashi notices horns sticking out of Tazaki’s body and a few destroyed homes. One of his men informs him about the cases that cropped up in Switzerland and Germany involving Bernard and Mont Blanc. 

Someone informs him about Gesicht and his robotic origins. We cut to Gesicht and Atom at a restaurant. They discuss Atom’s involvement with the 39th Central Asian War. Atom confirms he went there to defend the peace in that nation and wasn’t expecting the pop star treatment he received. As they eat, Atom discusses why he likes pretending to be human and strives to understand them. Gesicht finds Atom’s design impressive since he can feel touched by life’s marvels so easily. 

He comments on Atom’s childlike appearance and knows his model is superior to his own. Atom confirms people found his design amusing, leading them to sell him off to a circus. This triggers Gesicht for a bit. He brings up North and Mont Blanc’s cases to Atom because he feels the killer is after the seven most advanced robots in the world, Atom and himself included. Atom asks Gesicht to fork over his memory chip. Atom feels it could assist him in leading Gesicht toward possible clues. 

After inserting the chip into his body, Atom promises to delete any personal data he receives from it. He excuses himself to the restroom and tells Gesicht this is a habit he developed while mimicking human behavior. In the restroom, Atom cries due to all the information he’s received from Gesicht’s memory chip. They walk off somewhere and Gesicht confirms he’ll be leaving Japan soon because he has much work waiting for him and wants to speak with the other robots. 

Atom jokes with Gesicht about his wife but promises he and her will be okay. Meanwhile, Tawashi visits the Metropolitan Police Department’s Forensics Division and asks for an update on Tazaki’s body. His comrade (Inspector Nakamura) tells him that they declared he died by suffocation, baffling Tawashi. He asks his men to put up a 3D replica of the crime scene. Tawashi tells his comrade he has a hunch who the perpetrator might be as Atom makes his presence known to him. 

Atom says he has an admissions pass and tells Tawashi he spoke with Gesicht and obtained data about Mont Blanc and North’s cases. Tawashi belittles Atom for his robotic nature and argues that a robot committed the crime. Atom finds clues from the crime scene’s rubble, pointing to a human being the perpetrator. Tawashi doesn’t believe Atom’s deduction since he feels a human couldn’t have wrecked the house in this fashion. Tawashi brings up statements he received from witnesses to prove his point. 

However, Atom asks him to present him with a 3D replica of Tazaki’s body. This triggers Atom to recall Gesicht’s meeting with Brau, where he explains how the horns have connections to being named Pluto. Atom notices ink on Tazaki’s hands and uses his abilities to follow a trail of wet footprints. This leads him, Nakamura, and Tawashi toward several business cards. Tawashi spots a card with ink and fingerprints on it, surprising Atom. 

Atom meets with Professor Ochanomizu who is in the middle of telling someone that he doesn’t plan to create robots for war purposes. Atom asks him questions about Lanke and Tazaki. Ochanomizu learns about Lanke’s passing from Atom and says he hasn’t seen him since the 39th Central Asian War. Atom presents Ochanomizu with his business card (the same one he and the inspectors found) and warns him that he and the other members of the Bora Inquiry Commission are in danger. 

Ochanomizu explains how Bora formed out of suspicion of the Persia Kingdom harboring robots of mass destruction. Persia was ruled by Darius XIV, who treated the nation’s robots and humans poorly. He planned to conquer all of Central Asia but a treaty called the Prohibition of the Manufacture of Robots of Mass Destruction passed by the UN ruined those plans. Ochanomizu states that Thracia President Alexander leveled accusations against Persia, resulting in the Bora Inquiry Commission getting dispatched there. 

Ochanomizu says he doesn’t know what Bora stood for, but confirms he, Lanke, and Tazaki were members. He says the Thracia confirmed no robots were there but Ochanomizu heard of a rumor concerning Dr. Goji. He says Goji is an alleged scientist who was rumored to have worked on the Persia Kingdom’s destructive robots. However, he says this is a mere rumor and that no one has seen him nor knows his real name. He confirms visiting a mosque in Persia and the Kingdom claimed it was a waste area of unusable bots. 

We transition to a scene from the 39th Central Asian War. A man asks Mont Blanc if he’s okay as another gentleman shares how many robots he destroyed so far. Blanc confirms he defeated a lot of bots and wonders what they’re doing here. The man confirms Atom’s arrival with the peacekeepers and contemplates Blanc’s questions. He wonders if the robots they defeated were their true targets or if they should direct their hate toward other beings. 

Gesicht visits Brando after his robot-sumo match. He visits Brando at his apartment and meets his wife Mine and their kids. After dinner, Gesicht and Brando discuss Brando’s life regarding his wife’s worry for his safety in the Robot Adoption System that allowed him to obtain children. Brando says he wasn’t afraid of dying before, but now that he has kids, he doesn’t want to die. He feels Blanc felt that way too and reflects on how much fun he had with him. 

Gesicht brings up North and tells Brando the individual who killed Blanc is after him. Brando welcomes the challenge and plans to make the perpetrator pay for killing Blanc. Gesicht warns him to be careful and to let him know if anything dangerous happens. The two head out for a while and discuss Brando’s kids more. Brando says Gesicht should consider having some of his own, which triggers the same memory he’s been having involving an elderly man. 

Brando checks up on him but Gesicht says he’s fine. They discuss “luck” for a bit and Brando tells Gesicht to visit him if anything bothers him and they part ways. Gesicht visits Hercules, the same robotic humanoid who was proposing questions to Blanc during the 39th Central Asian War flashback. Gesicht praises Hercules for his victory and Hercules says he can’t wait to combat Brando soon. He asks Gesicht for his thoughts about humans’ fascination with building monuments after specific people. 

Hercules believes they build these things to remember individuals worthy of praise. He compares humans’ memory capabilities to robots and says he developed murderous intent during the war. However, since the war ended, Hercules says he can’t destroy his opponents. Gesicht feels Hercules is developing compassion and Hercules questions if they’re evolving as organisms. Meanwhile, Brando recalls Blanc’s heroism for a bit before his kids interrupt his train of thought. 

His kids scold him about a zoo trip but Brando says he’ll take them later because he has important matters to attend to. Brando receives a call from one of the arena’s workers who scolds him for taking a cargo truck and his battle suit somewhere. He tells the worker not to worry about it, ends the call, and continues driving. We cut to Atom asking Ochanomizu if he thinks a human is responsible for the murders that occurred so far. Ochanomizu says it could be a combination of the two.

He reminds Atom Brau is the only droid who murdered humans in the past. Ochanomizu admits Brau’s AI was perfect, baffling Atom since he’s unsure how an AI with no defects could kill a human. Meanwhile, Brando gets into his suit and notices the same tornado from the reports she heard from Gesicht. Gesicht senses Brando’s in danger and warns Hercules and Atom about what’s happening. Brando says he’s about to make the perpetrator pay. Gesicht picks up on Brando’s location and tells Hercules and the two rush to the scene. 

Brando tells them the enemy’s strong and Gesicht, Atom, and Hercules get a glimpse of the perpetrator. Brando gets sent to the sea and tells the others he damaged the enemy. However, he doesn’t feel like he’ll be surviving for too long. He tries sending them data on the enemy he fought but sends them memories of him and his family instead. Brando thinks his circuits got torn up during the fight with the enemy and apologizes to his allies. 

Brando asks Gesicht to tell his children not to worry about him and perishes. As Gesicht and Hercules hover over the ocean Brando perished at Atom and asks them if they saw the signals mixed in with the alerts Brando sent. Gesicht confirms he didn’t. Atom says it came from a different AI that spiraled out of control. Atom brings it up on the monitor, and everyone from Gesicht to Hercules is baffled by the sight before them. They question what it could mean. 

Meanwhile, we cut to a news report from the Blue Mosque Coliseum in Istanbul. As people mourn Brando’s death and construction workers clean up the scene, a fight promoter named Al Haft scolds Hercules for spending time grieving Brando’s demise and not preparing for his upcoming title match. Hercules questions why these men haven’t found anything on the perpetrator, despite Brando telling him, Atom, and Gesicht that he defeated the enemy. 

Suddenly, several men tell Hercles they found Brando’s arm in a strange location. Hercules leaves with the men to the site. He notices Brando’s arms are in the form of a horn alongside Brando’s memory chip. After realizing the killer’s still alive, the episode closes with Hercules screaming Brando’s name in rage.

The Episode Review

As they say, the plot thickens with episode two of Pluto. As with the previous episode, this one gives us solid characterization for its supporting cast and explores compelling themes that’ll make viewers contemplate. Although there were a few inconsistencies sprinkled in that’ll bug audiences, this episode was just as exciting and thrilling to sit through as the previous chapter. 

One strange matter worth addressing is Atom’s discussion with Ochanomizu in the car. Despite obtaining Gesicht’s data and recalling his time spent with Brau, it was strange for Atom to ask Ochanomizu questions about Brau and his murderous past. You’d think he’d already have this information stored in his system.

Considering we receive a scene of him recalling Brau’s Pluto name-drop at the Forensics lab, it was a weird scene to include all around. Despite instances like these, the episode maintained top-notch quality from a writing, soundtrack, and visual perspective. On top of having a steady pacing that makes it easy for folks to attain important intel, Pluto continues to impress and delight. 

Overall, this was a great episode to sit through. With its alluring character segments, deep dive into the emotional complexities of man and machine, and exhilarating twists and turns, this series is shaping up to be a masterpiece for Netflix. However, it’s best to see how the story progresses and ends before giving it a title like that.