The Last Two WALL·Es

Introduction: WALL·E is a great movie that won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Film at the 81st Oscars. It is a science fiction story: Earth is no longer habitable due to severe environmental pollution. Consequently, humans had to leave Earth to live on a giant spaceship, leaving behind robots called WALL·E to collect garbage and clean up the planet. Our story takes place before the events of the movie.

(WALL·E stands for: Waste Allocation Load Lifter - Earth class)

Characters:

• Robots (WALL·E): Max (M), Sophia (S)
• E.T. (Extra-Terrestrials): Edward (E), Fidel (F)

Scene 1

(Setting: The robots are nearly broken because humans have been gone for a very long time. The last two WALL·Es, Max and Sophia, begin another ordinary day of work.)

S: Hey, let’s take a break. We’ve been working for years. This is so boring.

M: Yes, it is indeed boring. But there is nothing left on Earth but rubbish, and it’s our mission to deal with it.

S: Humans were so selfish to leave a mountain of trash for us to clear up. I don’t even know if we can ever finish it.

M: Maybe it will take a few more years, but we should remain hopeful for the future.

S: Hope? I don’t think so. We’ll both break down from this endless work very soon.

M: Come on. Don’t complain all the time. The best way to help is just to keep working.

S: I wish someone would come here someday and take me away.

M: They say that when something green and alive appears, the humans will return.

S: Look around you! Only we can survive in this terrible environment.

Scene 2

(Setting: Edward and Fidel are two visitors from Planet X. Expecting Earth to be a beautiful planet, they discuss their excitement on their way there.)

E: Hi Fidel, we’re not far from Earth now.

F: Yes! I’m so excited I can hardly breathe. How about you?

E: Not bad. You should take a nap to relax.

F: I’m trying, but it’s no use. Do you think humans are kind?

E: Don’t worry. I don’t think they will hurt us.

F: I know, but I’m still a bit anxious.

E: Why don’t you watch this tape? It has so many beautiful pictures of Earth.

F: Thank you. (Looks at the screen) Wow, it’s beautiful! Look, the sky is blue, the grass is green, flowers of every color are in full bloom, and birds are singing merrily in the trees.

E: I think that scenery is of indescribable beauty.

F: Look at this—red plum blossoms contrasting with the white snow. Truly amazing, don’t you think?

E: Yes. I remember my grandfather telling me that Earth is a beautiful blue planet. Although human technology wasn’t very advanced, they were friendly and diligent.

F: I can’t wait to meet them.

E: A beautiful view awaits us!

Scene 3

(Setting: The two visitors from Planet X land their spaceship, but they find nothing moving except for two robots. They ask the robots why the planet became so horrible.)

E: Oh my god…

F: What a horrifying sight!

E: I am truly shocked. I can’t believe my eyes.

F: Stale air, polluted water, dried-up land, boundless rubbish… is this really Earth?

E: It’s so different from the one depicted in our books. I doubt if that beautiful Earth ever existed.

F: There must be a reason. We can still find signs of civilization.

E: I wonder if there is any life left here.

F: That’s easy to find out. We can use our scanner. (Operating the device) No life, no life… Oh, wait! There are two moving robots over there. E: Well, let’s go check it out.

(They move forward. The two robots are hard at work.)

F: Hi buddies, what are you doing?

S: (Startled) Wow! How did you guys get here? You look strange. Are you robots? What’s your job?

E: We come from Planet X. We are just visitors.

M: Oh, E.T.s! Welcome to Earth! You are our only visitors in millions of years.

F: Tell us, has Earth always been like this?

S: Not at all. There used to be many humans, animals, and plants. The environment wasn’t always this bad. But the humans had to leave later, and we were left behind to clean up the trash. Day after day, we do this boring work with no end in sight.

E: Oh, you poor things. But how did this happen?

M: Humans exhausted all the resources and ruined the environment at their own pleasure. Finally, Earth became uninhabitable for them. So they moved away, leaving us with the promise: “We will be back.” We are just following our programming to clean up.

F: What a bitter lesson! Unfortunately, in this terrible situation, there’s nothing we can do to help the planet.

E: I feel a bit uncomfortable. Staying here makes it hard to breathe. We’d better leave. This has been a distressing journey.

F: Agreed. (Turns to Sophia) Would you like to come with us? Our planet is much better.

S: Really?! I can’t wait! I am so tired of this hopeless work. If you can modify my programming, I’ll go with you.

F: That’s easy. Come here, I’ll do it for you.

E: (Turns to Max) What about you?

M: I will stay. After all, this is my mission. Maybe one day they will come back.

F: I understand. It’s admirable that you insist on staying. Good luck.

E: Good luck. Goodbye.

S: (Hugging Max) My dear friend, I’ll miss you. Take care of yourself.

M: Have a safe journey. I hope next time you visit, you will see a beautiful Earth. Goodbye.