Marlin (Albert Brooks)’s Timeline and Summary
- Marlin is super excited. He's gonna be a new dad and he's got a new home. What could go wrong?
- Um, everything. Marlin's wife and children are killed in a barracuda attack, but one little egg remains. Marlin promises his son, Nemo, that he'll never let anything happen to him.
- True to his word, on Nemo's first day of school, Marlin is a total wreck. When he learns that Nemo's class is heading to explore the Drop Off, he freaks out and follows them.
- Marlin sees Nemo about to swim out into open water. That's it. They're going right home. No school for Nemo.
- But, then Nemo swims out into open water, defying his father. As he heads back, Marlin watches as his son's captured by divers and taken up to a boat that speeds away.
- Marlin rushes out into the ocean after the boat. When the trail runs out, he asks for help and meets Dory...who promptly forgets him.
- Just then, a large and menacing shark comes up and insists that Marlin and Dory follow him to a "party." Yikes. But the party is just a 12-step program for vegetarian sharks. Phew.
- During the event, Marlin finds a diver's mask with some writing on it—this can help him track down Nemo. He just needs to find a fish who can read.
- Marlin and Dory have to run for their lives when one of the sharks smells Dory's blood and attacks. In the process, Marlin realizes Dory can read.
- Marlin and Dory eventually fight the sharks off. Explosions are part of it.
- Marlin and Dory wake up inside the mask, which falls into a dark abyss in the ocean. They follow it down, but find an anglerfish instead. Marlin manages to hold off the anglerfish while Dory reads the address on the mask.
- Marlin and Dory head for Sydney and get directions from some moonfish. When they come to a big trench, Marlin insists they swim over.
- Above the trench, he finds out that he's lead them right into a swarm of stinging jellyfish. Marlin proposes a game to help them escape safely, but ends up having to save Dory.
- Marlin wakes up with some sea turtles traveling on the East Australian Current towards Sydney. He talks with one of the turtle dads, Crush, about when it's time to let go of your kids. The answer: right about now.
- After getting off the EAC, Marlin and Dory are lost. Dory suggests flagging down a whale for directions, but Marlin knows that's a bad idea. It's especially bad when the whale swallows them. Eventually, Dory talks to the whale and tells Marlin things are gonna be okay.
- Things do turn out okay when the whale spits Marlin and Dory out in Sydney Harbour. That was a close one.
- They spend the night searching for the boat that took Nemo. The next morning, a pelican scoops Marlin and Dory up, but Marlin refuses to be eaten. Luckily, another pelican rescues them and takes them up to the dentist's office where Nemo is being held captive.
- Marlin, Dory, and Nigel rush through the office window and create a commotion, but Nemo is dead already. Alas, poor Nemo.
- Back in the harbor, Marlin leaves Dory behind to head home. But, after a few minutes, Dory and Nemo chase him down.
- As Marlin and son are reunited, Dory is swept up into a fisherman's net with some tuna. But, Nemo convinces Marlin to let him help Dory. The fish are freed and everyone is happy.
- Marlin heads back to his home in the Great Barrier Reef with Nemo and Dory where they all live out their days together. Awww.