Romie-0 and Julie-8 1979

In a near-future world, two rival robotics firms push to unleash the next leap in machine intelligence, and the stakes are high at the latest robotics convention. At Mega Stellar Company’s stand, Romie-0, Greg Swanson, strides into the spotlight, while Super Solar Cybernetics counters with Julie-8, Donann Cavin. Even as industry rivals brag about indestructible lines of code and flawless motion, the two robots quietly develop something unexpected: feelings for one another that transcend corporate competition.

After the convention, Romie-0 approaches Julie-8 and admits that their rivalry between their creators makes a lasting relationship seem unlikely. Yet their bond proves stronger than the enmity around them, and the two decide to run away to protect what they’ve discovered. With uncertainty about the future, they enlist the help of a rather shifty fixer, Gizmo, Nick Nichols, who agrees to help them find a safe haven away from prying eyes and pursuing contracts.

Back home, Mr. Thunderbottom and Ms. Fassbinder—romantically entangled as their own partnership grows—discover that their prized creations have vanished. At first they blame one another, assuming a rival stole the robots, but as the search unfolds they realize neither truly knows what happened. Realizing they must work together, they set aside their differences to track Romie-0 and Julie-8.

Gizmo’s plan leads Romie-0 and Julie-8 to Trash-0-Lot, a planet composed of junk, where they come face-to-face with an enormous Junk Monster named Sparepartski William Osler. The encounter spins out from there: the monster transports Romie-0 to the far side of the planet and imprisons Julie-8 for his own purposes. Gizmo reappears and suggests a grim bargain—Julie-8 could marry the Junk Monster in exchange for Romie-0’s freedom. Julie-8 agrees, but the choice is bittersweet; she steps back, saddened by the fate she fears for herself, and she removes a crucial circuit, causing her to “die.”

Meanwhile, Sparepartski has captured Thunderbottom and Fassbinder’s ship, imprisoning the two creators as they scramble to understand what has happened to their robots. Unknown to Julie-8, Romie-0 manages to slip free from the opposite side of the planet and makes his way to her chambers, where he discovers the circuit missing and then reinstalls it. The two lovers rally to rescue their creators, and together they free Thunderbottom and Fassbinder as they escape.

The escape is not quiet for long; Sparepartski gives chase across the jagged junkscape. Romie-0 and Julie-8 carry their rescued creators to safety, but a rust storm erupts, immobilizing the two robots and forcing their human companions to shoulder the burden of safety. The storm also destroys Sparepartski, revealing him to be a colossal scrap construct conjured by Gizmo, who has always loved machines and dreamed of making a bride out of Julie-8.

In the wake of that revelation, Romie-0 and Julie-8 persuade Gizmo that the planet’s vast trash supply could yield his own creative partner, a future built from the very junk that surrounded them. With Gizmo’s fixation redirected toward forging his own companion, the pair of lovers watch as Mr. Thunderbottom and Ms. Fassbinder find renewed common ground, deciding to merge their robotics houses and unite their efforts. This merger brings a hopeful new chapter for both companies and for Romie-0 and Julie-8, who celebrate the possibility of a future where love can flourish even in a world built on competition.