Changes

Karl and Lin Sui-Xi work for the above "[[Boss|Office Worker]]" in tracking down and murdering all of the Knights. They are not told the true plan, but they know that Eiri Masami is involved. They say that they "don't need a Wired God".<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-12">[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serial_experiments_lain#cite_note-12 [13]]</sup>

Karl and Lin Sui-Xi work for the above "[[Boss|Office Worker]]" in tracking down and murdering all of the Knights. They are not told the true plan, but they know that Eiri Masami is involved. They say that they "don't need a Wired God".<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-12">[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serial_experiments_lain#cite_note-12 [13]]</sup>

Karl is a smoker, much to the chagrin of his partner.

The Men in Black make their first appearance in [[Layer 02]] in which Karl conspicuously watches Lain from behind a lamp post, notably without his eyepiece. They re-appear in the next episode in front of the Iwakura residence just as [[Iwakura Mika|Mika]] has returned, much to her confusion and anger. In response to Mika's threat that she would call the police, Karl and Lin tell her that she had never seen them, nor had they ever been there.

They wear curious high-tech eyepieces that make use of laser sights, and enjoy stalking Lain. Karl states that he loves Lain in [[Layer 07]] after removing his headgear.  

In the [[Layer 04|next layer]] the Men in Black show up once again at the Iwakura residence, this time at the climax of Lain's fevered activity on the [[Wired]]. Angered by their intrusion, Lain yells at them to "go away" and causes Lin's eyepiece to malfunction, wounding him as well. This causes both of the agents to flee.

Karl and Lin murder [[Takuyoshi Masuoka]] when the identity of the [[Knights of the Eastern Calculus|Knights]] are revealed, subsequently sparking the mass suicide of the remaining members.

They are noticeably absent from [[Layer 05]], returning in the [[Layer 06|sixth]] to confront Lain in person. She accuses them of being part of the [[Knights of the Eastern Calculus|Knights]], but Karl simply tells her to "get down". Seconds later her coolant system explodes, shattering her window. Lain accuses the Men in Black of the act but Karl tells her that [[Knights of the Eastern Calculus|they]] planted a parasite bomb in her coolant system. Lain is still not convinced that the Men in Black are innocent, and Karl states again that it was the work of the Knights. The Men in Black depart, leaving Lain speechless and shocked.

In the penultimate [[Layer 12|layer]] they are betrayed by the Office Worker and meet very gruesome and seemingly unexplained deaths. After the [[reset]], they are seen working as construction workers.

In the next layer they intercept Lain as she returns from class. They request that she come with them, and promises that they do not intend to harm her. They escort her to the [[Boss]], witnessing Lain's shift in identity in the process when she is mercilessly questioned. As the more [[Identity|assertive Lain persona]] excuses herself, Karl tells her that she "is what is dangerous". The boss tells the Men in Black that something interesting is taking place, and that the three of them should observe the events to come.

 

The Men in Black do not resurface until the [[Layer 10|tenth layer]], in which the identity of the Knights are released worldwide. The pair assassinate [[Takuyoshi Masuoka]], injecting a lethal substance into his neck.

 

In [[Layer 12]], Karl suspects that they have been betrayed by their employer due to his contact with Masami Eiri. He also believes that Eiri still lives despite his supposed suicide, to the bewilderment of his partner. Moments later, they are approached by their Boss, who confirms Karl's suspicions. Karl recounts that they had been told to escape -- the boss says smugly that it should be somewhere "...where there is no electric wires and no electromagnetic waves from satellites.” Lin responds with outrage, saying that there is no such place on earth. Karl asks his erstwhile client what will happen when the real world merges with the Wired without devices. The boss simply replies that something "wonderful" will happen, and that he is looking forward to it. When he leaves, Lin is suddenly stricken with inexplicable pain and begins screaming in fear. He then collapses and begins convulsing, his body contorting wildly. Karl rushes to his aid, shocked to find an image of Lain in Lin's retina. He then realizes that his partner is dead. Moments later Karl is stricken by a similar terror and anxiously scans his surroundings before being confronted by a shadowy image. Karl lets out a similar horrified scream as the visage closes in, perhaps meeting the fate of his partner.

 

After the [[reset]] in [[Layer 13]], they are seen working as construction workers.

Karl is voiced by [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Takumi_Yamazaki Takumi Yamazaki] in the Japanese version and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamieson_Price Jamieson Price] in the English version. Lin is voiced by [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Nakata George Nakata] in the Japanese version and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Buchholz Bob Buchholz] in the English version.

Karl is voiced by [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Takumi_Yamazaki Takumi Yamazaki] in the Japanese version and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamieson_Price Jamieson Price] in the English version. Lin is voiced by [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Nakata George Nakata] in the Japanese version and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Buchholz Bob Buchholz] in the English version.