Mater is mistaken for a secret agent in Pixar’s Cars 2.
During the World Grand Prix, the rusty tow truck becomes entangled with British intelligence agents Finn McMissile and Holley Shiftwell. They mistake Mater’s accidental observations and unusual behavior for the actions of a highly capable undercover operative. Mater does not understand the full situation, but his apparent clumsiness repeatedly helps expose the villains’ plan.
This misunderstanding gives Cars 2 its distinctive spy-film structure. Lightning McQueen is the professional racer at the center of the World Grand Prix, while Mater becomes the story’s accidental investigator. The plot moves through Tokyo, Porto Corsa, and London as the characters uncover a conspiracy involving Allinol fuel and a group of disgruntled cars.
Finn McMissile is an experienced British spy, whereas Holley Shiftwell is an intelligence agent who works with him. Neither is the character mistakenly identified as a spy; they are the agents who make the mistake about Mater.