Men in Black 1997

Agent K, portrayed by Tommy Lee Jones, is a dedicated member of the Men in Black (MIB), a covert organization operating independently of any governmental control. Their primary mission is to protect Earth by maintaining it as a neutral territory for extraterrestrial beings who live incognito among humans in New York City. To ensure secrecy, they utilize a device known as the Neuralyzer, which erases the memories of anyone who encounters either the agents or the aliens, as well as those of former agents upon retirement.

After his long-time partner D retires following a dangerous incident at the U.S.-Mexico border involving an alien in disguise, K seeks out a promising replacement. He discovers New York City detective James Darrell Edwards III, played by Will Smith, who impresses K with his unique ability to identify disguised extraterrestrials. After a series of tests, K extends an invitation for Edwards to join the MIB, effectively erasing his past identity and transforming him into Agent J, K’s new partner.

As K begins to familiarize J with the inner workings of MIB, they quickly realize that various alien refugees are seeking safety on Earth. Shortly thereafter, they receive a distress call from an Arquillian fleet hovering in Earth’s orbit, alerting them to a grave threat posed by a creature known as the Bug, part of a giant, cockroach-like race involved in a fierce war among intergalactic beings. The Bug is on a quest for a powerful object referred to as the Galaxy, which possesses the potential to drastically alter the balance of power in the ongoing conflict. In a race against time, the agents must secure the Galaxy before the Arquillian fleet executes its threat to obliterate Earth.

During their investigation, K and J discover that the Bug has taken on the appearance of farmer Edgar, after having brutally eliminated him. They learn that the Bug has already slain two Arquillians who believed they possessed the Galaxy. As they visit the city morgue, they find a minuscule Arquillian that whispers to Dr. Laurel Weaver (played by Linda Fiorentino), “The Galaxy is on Orion’s belt” before passing away. In a moment of revelation, K and J realize that “Orion” refers to the cat owned by the late Edgar, and the “belt” signifies the collar.

With the Arquillian deadline looming, the agents rush back to the morgue only to find the Bug has ascended to a new level of desperation. As the situation intensifies, K and J uncover a potential escape route for the Bug via an observation tower disguised as a spacecraft. As they confront Edgar, chaos ensues, forcing them to engage in a battle where K strategically sacrifices himself to save J from the creature’s wrath. K, utilizing a clever plan, retrieves his weapon from inside the Bug and ultimately defeats it, successfully reclaiming the Galaxy.

In the aftermath of their victory, as MIB sets about cleaning up the chaos, K prepares to use the Neuralyzer on Laurel. In a candid moment, he reveals the true purpose of his mentorship: he has been training J as his successor, as he plans to retire. This truth weighs heavy on J, and after reluctantly agreeing, he neuralyzes K.

In the concluding scenes, Laurel becomes J’s new partner, taking on the moniker Agent L. Meanwhile, K, now living as Kevin Brown, resumes a normal life with the woman he left behind. As J and L set off to investigate further alien activities, the camera pans out, finally unveiling that the Galaxy is contained within a marble, which a pair of alien hands adds to a collection of other galaxies.