Marlin

Marlin is a clownfish and one of the protagonists in the Disney/Pixar 2003 film Finding Nemo. He was voiced by Albert Brooks.

Background
Marlin is a clownfish who makes his home inside a sea anemone in the Great Barrier Reef. He once had a wife Coral who died in a barracuda attack. Also as a result of the attack, he has one son, Nemo.

Marlin can be somewhat overprotective of Nemo. He also tends to be neurotic, worrisome and pessimistic believing Nemo can't swim well when he actually can. However, this does not stop him from going on a journey to find his lost son, proving his determination.

Finding Nemo
At the beginning of the film, Marlin and his wife, Coral are expecting 400 children, which are due to hatch soon. The two are discussing names for their children, when a barracuda attacks. While Coral and most of the eggs perish, Marlin and one slightly damaged egg survive. Marlin chooses to name his remaining child Nemo, a name Coral had liked.

As Nemo grows, Marlin becomes very overprotective of him, in part due to Nemo's unusually small right fin, which was a result of the earlier attack. One day, Marlin reluctantly sends Nemo to school. At one point, Nemo swims out into the open ocean to touch a boat as a result of a dare, much to the horror of Marlin. As Marlin scolds Nemo, Nemo is captured by a diver. However, the diver drops a mask which bears his address, though Marlin can't read it.

Marlin is able to obtain the help of Dory, who is able to read the address but has short term memory loss, and learns that Nemo has been taken to Sydney, Australia. Marlin, along with Dory, sets out for Sydney in an attempt to rescue his son. At one point on their journey, Dory is injured by jellyfish. Marlin swims through the jellyfish, and is able to rescue her. (He explains that since he lives in an anemone, he is resistant to stings.) Marlin soon passes out, and awakens on the back of a sea turtle named Crush, who is riding the East Australian Current (EAC). After Marlin shares his story with some young sea turtles, word of mouth soon reaches Sydney and eventually, Nemo.

Marlin eventually reaches Sydney's harbor by way of a whale, after becoming lost in polluted water. Nigel, a pelican who has heard of Marlin, and knows Nemo, takes Marlin and Dory to a dentist's office where Nemo was taken. There, they find Nemo, apparently dead (Nemo was actually faking it in an attempt to escape). Saddened, Marlin leaves for home, leaving Dory behind despite her claims that her memory is better with him. Later, Dory meets Nemo, and after remembering Marlin's goal, returns Nemo to a happy Marlin. When Dory is caught in a fishing net, Marlin watches as Nemo, after convincing Marlin, is able to successfully rescue her with skills he learned while in the tank at the dentist's office. Marlin gains a new respect for his son, and becomes less overprotective. The end of the film shows Marlin, along with Dory, waving goodbye as Nemo goes on to school.

Disney Parks
Marlin features in both the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage at Disneyland, which features Marlin searching for Nemo, who has become lost once again. He is also in The Seas with Nemo & Friends at Epcot, which features a similar storyline.

Trivia

 * His name comes obviously from marlins which are a very different fish as they are billfish (which also include swordfish and sailfish) they are very big and powerful and they are one of the world's fastest fish.
 * In Monsters, Inc., a painting of Marlin can be seen on the wall behind the Sushi Chef.