WALL-E (Character)

**WALL-E** is the titular protagonist of the 2008 film of the same name.

WALL-E is a waste-collector drone created by the Buy n Large corporation initially programmed to haul the garbage plaguing Earth in the distant future. Unexpectedly, his years of loneliness and never-ending work allowed him to gain a consciousness of his own, and a wish for something else in life to come. One day, his world is turned upside-down when he meets another robot from outer space.

## Background

### Personality

Because WALL-E has been alone for 700 years, he has developed a "glitch": sentience and a personality. He has become very curious and he keeps anything interesting he can find. Even though he still obediently follows his directive, WALL-E can get distracted, collecting the trash rather than compacting it. His most prized possession, "Hello, Dolly!", teaches him how to hold hands, which he considers the way to say, "I love you."

He has become very lonely, having nobody but Hal as his company, and is beginning to wonder whether there is more to life than his directive. So when he meets EVE, he quickly falls in love with her. WALL•E is very protective of EVE. When she shuts down after getting the plant, WALL•E places her on top of his transport (thinking she is charged by solar energy just as he is) and protects her from the weather waiting for her to "recharge". At the repair centre, he mistakes the equipment there as trying to torture her and rushes to her aid. When EVE was frustrated and discomforted by his interventions, he quickly remorses about it and knows when to back out in dangerous situations and let EVE handle the dealing, but still insists to follow and help her complete her directive.

When he first learns about love, he is fascinated and wanted to find someone he loves for himself. When around EVE, he attempts to demonstrate his love for her in the best way he can, even when she didn't reciprocate her feelings at first. As the film progresses however, WALL-E is able to understand the importance of how love isn't just about holding hands, but taking time to know each other, trusting people and accepting who they are and what they are meant for.

WALL-E's friendly demeanour has an effect on the other robots and humans he meets. For instance, he causes M-O to act on his own, leaving his pre-set travel path to follow WALL-E trying to clean him, and he teaches TYP-E how to wave good-bye. He also breaks John and Mary out of the technology-induced reverie that consumed the lives of all the other passengers aboard the Axiom, wherein they learn how to enjoy the world and each other's company for the first time in their lives. Even the dirt on his chassis provided Captain B. McCrea the impetus necessary to become interested in the history of and subsequent return to Earth. Most importantly, he is instrumental in EVE's growth and development, from rigidly following her programming to learning how to love him in return.

WALL-E can also show a little bit of bravery, as such when he proceeds to continue forward, even in the most serious situations or when he is hurt or damaged. As such, when he followed EVE to the Axiom out to space, he didn't have the slightest concern of what space would appear to him and instead admired them, as far as charging himself upon the Sun. He also demonstrated this when attempting to hold the holo-detector from closing for the plant to be placed in. He can also be willing to put others before his wish, as such when he had the chance to hold EVE's hand when she finally returned his feelings, but declined them in the process, instead telling her to complete her directive to return to Earth in order to be fixed.

While he may make some sort of mistake and be blamed for it, WALL-E holds no grudge toward anybody, (even EVE) for their mistreatment toward him. Additionally, WALL-E is very forgiving and determined to set things right, as he helped EVE save the plant that was stolen from her despite how rigorous she was to him. Afterwards, EVE was grateful for WALL-E aiding her and was apologetic for how frustrated she was with him, which WALL-E forgives EVE and accepted her friendship. It shows that even though WALL-E knows someone will be upset, (whether at him or not), he'll own up and try to improve of his actions.

Possibly due to centuries of living alone, WALL-E used to have a desperate need to please others. This was most likely out of fear of losing the new friend he had made, such as EVE. This is shown when he brought EVE back to his home in the middle of a sandstorm and he showed her all of the knit-knacks he had collected throughout the years. When EVE had deactivated after collecting the plant he had found, WALL-E not only protected her from the environmental harms that had occurred while she was offline, but took her sightseeing and out on dates, which was what caused EVE to become even more infatuated with him when learning about this.

## Film Appearances

### WALL-E

In the year 2110, rising toxicity levels make life unsustainable on Earth. After all the humans leave Earth aboard giant spaceships, millions of WALL-E robots and a lesser amount of mobile incinerators are left behind to clean up the dirty planet. But after 700 years, the incinerators and all but one WALL-E robot have failed. This last operational WALL-E (N. 62675) is still hard at work, blissfully unaware of the futility of his situation. During this time, he befriends a cockroach (whom he names Hal). Though he continues obeying his directive to compact trash, as he develops curiosity, he begins saving odds and ends that fascinate him. He hides out from sandstorms and rain in his truck, spending his time sorting his collection, the pride of which is an old VHS copy of the musical "Hello, Dolly!". To keep himself going, he has taken to salvaging parts from his inoperative counterparts.

One day after work, he finds a mysterious red dot that zips away from him. He follows, not noticing that there are several others behind him. Once the red thing stops, he tries to grab it, but it turns out to be a light from a massive ship coming down on him. He narrowly escapes by digging a hole into the ground to hide in. Once the ship lands, it deposits EVE, a robot sent back to Earth to evaluate the soil to check for signs of ongoing photosynthesis, proof that life is sustainable again. WALL-E is fascinated with this new robot and is excited to see someone else besides himself for the first time in hundreds of years, and soon falls in love with her, wishing to hold her hand like he'd seen done in his favourite movie. He attempts to impress her many times, but due to EVE dedicated to her mission, he fails but refuses to give up. Despite their hostile encounter, EVE soon begins to befriend WALL-E when they formally introduced each other and their directives, and when WALL-E saves her from a sandstorm. He shows her a plant he had found earlier, which she immediately takes and stores in her cavity before going into standby mode. Alarmed, WALL-E tries to wake her inert body but fails, so for the next several days, he protects EVE, taking her out on "dates". Eventually, he gives up on her awakening and attempts to return to work, but finds he cannot focus on his directive; EVE is all he cares about.

When he sees her ship return to pick her up, WALL-E races to get back to EVE. Making sure Hal stays put, he clings to its hull as it travels through space to the Axiom. WALL-E is amazed to see the wonders of space for the first time, also taking the chance to recharge while in range of the sun. Once at the Axiom, he encounters the cleaner bot M-O, who tries to clean him up. WALL-E engages in a cat-and-mouse chase, pursuing the cart robot carrying EVE to the bridge, not realizing that M-O is following his trail to clean up the dirt his treads left behind. On reaching the bridge, WALL-E hides from sight, but eventually gets discovered by EVE, then Captain McCrea. EVE, who discovers the plant to be missing, presumes WALL-E to be the thief. They are then both sent to maintenance. WALL-E mistakes the diagnostics to be hurting her and breaks out to try and help her, accidentally blasting the power console with her blaster and freeing other malfunctioning robots.

After a chase through the Axiom's halls evading security, EVE tries to send WALL-E home in an escape pod, but he refuses to leave her. They hide when GO-4 arrives and places the missing plant in the pod, which clears EVE's suspicions of the plant. WALL-E tries to retrieve it only for the pod to be jettisoned into space, set to self-destruct. Storing the plant in his chest and grabbing a fire extinguisher, he escapes the pod just before it explodes. EVE is so grateful he saved the plant that she kisses him much to his surprise, then they share a space dance before re-entering the Axiom.

Once inside, WALL-E offers to help EVE, but she tells him to stay put near the pool while she goes up the garbage chute to deliver the plant to Captain McCrea. soon WALL•E becomes anxious with waiting and climbs up the chute, in the process saving the plant from falling. After a fight with the plant, he is electrocuted by Auto and sent down to the garbage depot, along with EVE. They are compacted with other garbage by WALL-E's bigger counterparts, the WALL-A's. EVE struggles to free him before they are sucked in the vacuum of space. However, they are prevented from being sucked into the vacuum, thanks to M-O and the WALL-A's shutting the airlock. EVE, who had witnessed her security files of WALL-E protecting her, changes her directive to caring for him.

WALL•E then shows his motherboard that is damaged beyond repair to EVE and tells her that his replacements are halfway across the galaxy. This finally makes EVE agree to fulfil her original directive if only to get him home so he can get repaired. With the Captain's guidance, they make their way to the holo-detector, which, when inserted with a plant, will send the Axiomback to Earth. But Auto, still obeying a 700-year-old directive issued by Buy n Large CEO Shelby Forthright, is determined to stop them by tilting the ship. WALL-E drops the plant when he sideswipes the holo-detector, and Auto proceeds to close the holo-detector for good. WALL-E wedges himself underneath the holo-detector to keep it from shutting and gets crushed while EVE is occupied with saving the humans from being crushed by a train. The Captain finally relieves Auto of duty by switching Auto to Manual mode, which shuts Auto down. After Auto is defeated and the Captain rights the Axiom, EVE rushes over to the holo-detector and attempts to pry it open to free WALL-E, but to no avail. She quickly calls to the other robots and humans to retrieve the plant. M-O finds the plant, and with help from the humans and robots lined up, EVE catches the plant and places it into the holo-detector, activating the device. EVE pulls a severely damaged WALL•E out as the Axiom initiates a hyperjump straight to Earth.

As soon as they land, EVE rushes WALL-E back to his truck, where she repairs him and recharges him. WALL-E wakes back up, but his memory is wiped clean and he reverts to his original programming and directive, oblivious to EVE, Hal, and his collection. EVE attempts to help him remember, but when all her efforts fail, she becomes heartbroken and sadly holds his hand like he had wanted and gives him a farewell "kiss". As EVE prepares to leave in sorrow, WALL-E's grip on her hand tightens. His eyes then adjust, and he calls her name, making her overjoyed. They kiss and the power of love reboots his memory. WALL-E is surprised upon waking up to see that they are holding hands. WALL-E and EVE help the Captain and Axiom passengers start a new life on Earth, and they spend the rest of their lives together.

Several years later, WALL-E is still together with EVE, holding hands as the two observe a large tree, which has grown from the same plant that WALL-E had discovered at the beginning of the film.

## Other Appearances

WALL-E makes a brief cameo in the short film, Your Friend the Rat. He is seen driving a vehicle on Mars, with several humans and rats riding in it. Ironically, this short film was released a year before WALL-E's titular film was released.

WALL-E is one of the many Pixar characters that appears in Pixar: In Real Life. He appears in two episodes: "WALL-E: Lost and Found" and "WALL-E: BnL Pop-up Shop".

A glass capsule of WALL-E (along with glass capsules of EVE and AUTO) can be seen inside one of the glass displays at Second Chance Antiques in Toy Story 4.

WALL-E makes a cameo in The Simpsons in Plusaversary, as one of the many Disney-owned characters celebrating Disney+ Day at Moe's Tavern.

A crate resembling WALL-E in his cube-shaped form appears in Lightyear, first outside the abandoned space hanger where Buzz Lightyear and Sox try to look for a new ship to use, and later inside the deck of the mining facilities as it breaks off.

## Disney Parks

WALL-E has made appearances at some special events as an interactive audio-animatronic. The animatronic, created under the Living Character Initiative, was planned to make appearances at Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom, but this was cancelled over concerns that the animatronic, which is rather heavy, could run over guests' feet and cause injuries (and lawsuits), as well as reports it was constantly breaking down during backstage testing at Disneyland (one such breakdown occurred at a D23 expo meet-and-greet).

### Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom

WALL-E has his own spell card called WALL-E's Trash Crunch.

### Star Tours: The Adventures Continue

WALL-E makes a cameo in Star Tours: The Adventures Continue. He appears on G2-9T's luggage scanner in the queue, alongside several other Disney and Star Wars characters, apparently being smuggled onto a flight by a Star Tours passenger. A separate piece of luggage which passes by the Goose Droid is filled with objects from WALL-E's collection, including the boot with the plant growing from it.

### World of Color

WALL-E and EVE play major roles in the show, where they fly through space to the "Define Dancing" tune from the film's score.