MOVIES · STORY NOTES

The Incredibles

The Incredibles is a 2004 American animated superhero film written and directed by Brad Bird. Set in a retro-futuristic version of the 1960s, the film follows Bob (Nelson) and Helen Parr (Hunter), a superhero couple respectively known as Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl, who hide their powers in accordance with a government mandate that outlawed superheroes, and attempt to live a quiet suburban life with their three children.

Description adapted from Wikipedia contributors, The Incredibles · CC BY-SA 4.0. Text adapted for this entry.

FULL SPOILERS AHEAD

The story, including the ending.

These write-ups discuss major events and outcomes for this listed work. Each source and its coverage are identified below.

Source plot synopsis — includes the ending

During the glory days of superheroes, Bob Parr (alias Mr. Incredible) thwarts a civilian's attempted suicide by tackling him through a skyscraper window. Bob discovers supervillain Bomb Voyage robbing the building, but is interrupted by his devoted fanboy Buddy Pine, who wants to be his sidekick. Bob rejects Buddy, and Voyage clips a bomb onto Buddy's cape. Bob gets the bomb off, but it destroys an elevated train track, forcing Bob to stop an oncoming train. After his wedding with Helen (alias Elastigirl), Bob is sued for collateral damage by the suicidal civilian and the injured train passengers. Similar lawsuits create a negative public image of superheroes, and the government initiates the Superhero Relocation Program, banning "supers" from using their powers in public and forcing them into hiding.
Fifteen years later, Bob lives with Helen and their children, Violet, Dash, and baby Jack-Jack, in a quiet suburb of Metroville. Bob misses his superhero days and resents his mundane job as a claims adjuster, moonlighting as a vigilante with his friend Lucius Best (alias Frozone). One day, a frustrated Bob injures his supervisor Gilbert Huph after being prevented from stopping a mugging, and is consequently dismissed. That evening, a woman named Mirage secretly offers Bob a mission to subdue a giant "Omnidroid" robot loose on the island of Nomanisan. Bob succeeds by tricking the machine into ripping out its own power source. Rejuvenated by the action and higher pay, Bob trains to get back into shape, and asks superhero costume designer Edna Mode to fix a tear in his old suit. Incorrectly assuming that Helen knows of Bob's new job, Edna makes new suits for the entire family.
Summoned back to Nomanisan, Bob discovers Mirage is working for Buddy, now calling himself Syndrome after being embittered by Bob's rejection. Syndrome has become wealthy by inventing weapons that mimic superpowers. He has been perfecting the Omnidroid by luring supers to fight it until it kills them. Syndrome intends to send an Omnidroid to attack Metroville, then defeat it publicly with secret controls, thereby gaining "hero" status. He intends to then sell his inventions to the world, thereby rendering superheroes meaningless.
Helen visits Edna and learns what Bob has been up to. She activates a beacon Edna built into the suits to find Bob, inadvertently causing him to be captured while infiltrating Syndrome's base. Helen borrows a private plane to fly to Nomanisan; Violet and Dash stow away, leaving Jack-Jack with a babysitter, Kari. Despite knowing that there are children on the plane, Syndrome shoots it down. Helen and the children survive and make their way to the island. Disillusioned by Syndrome's callousness, Mirage releases Bob and informs him of his family's survival. Syndrome's guards pursue Dash and Violet, who fend them off with their powers and reunite with their parents. Syndrome captures the family before following the Omnidroid to Metroville. Violet uses her powers to free her family, and Mirage helps them reach Metroville.
Syndrome uses his remote-control gauntlet to battle the Omnidroid, but due to the robot's learning capabilities, it identifies the remote as a threat and quickly disarms and knocks out Syndrome. The Incredibles and Lucius fight the Omnidroid; Helen and the children retrieve the remote control, allowing Bob to destroy the robot's power source. The family and Lucius are publicly appreciated just as Syndrome awakens to see their victory. Returning home, the Parrs find Syndrome abducting Jack-Jack to raise as a sidekick for revenge. As Syndrome flies up, Jack-Jack's superpowers manifest, and he escapes Syndrome's hold. Helen rescues the falling baby, and Bob throws his car at Syndrome's plane, sending him into one of its engines.
Three months later, the Parrs witness the arrival of supervillain the Underminer. They don their masks and suits, ready to face the new threat.
Sources and content license

Source and revision history ↗ · Adapted from Wikipedia contributors, The Incredibles. Section headings and formatting adjusted. · Content license