Speed Racer (Emile Hirsch) is an 18-year-old whose life and love has always been racing. Racing is "in his blood". When Royalton later proves ready to make good on his threats, Speed teams up with his girlfriend Trixie (Christina Ricci), his one-time rival, Racer X (Matthew Fox), and shifty Japanese racer Taejo Togokhan (Rain) to enter the Casa Cristo known as "The Crucible" in part of a plot to uncover the treacheries of Royalton and save the Racer business. Furthermore, it is revealed to the audience at the movies end that Rex did not really die (and also did not cheat), but instead underwent plastic surgery to reemerge as Racer X, helping his younger brother finally save his family and his sport.