So one thing I don’t think is brought up enough is Hector’s boundless optimism and hopefulness. There’s a lot of talk in the fandom about the various tragic things about him–he’s falling apart due to being forgotten, 90 years of failed bridge crossings, Imelda continuously rejecting him when it wasn’t his fault he died–but he finds ways to make it work.
Didn’t make the bridge crossing as an alebrije? Okay, we’ll try again next year.
Bones not staying together as well as they should? Cool, let’s learn some tricks.
Imelda still turning him away? He wooed her once, he could probably do it again.
As tragic as we find Hector, he doesn’t see himself that way, and I think that’s part of what makes him so charming. He’s not naive, and he’s very aware that he’s being forgotten and time is running out, but he still tries, and he still finds the best in his situation.
THIS!!!
Life tip: if you ever find yourself in a really crappy time or situation, just think WWHD, what would Hector do? And you’ll find yourself in a better place.
^Unless your best friend offers you tequila when you tell them you want to go home. Then do the EXACT OPPOSITE of what Hector does, please.
Hector’s a serial nicknamer with literally everyone he meets. Ernesto, Imelda, Miguel, Chicharron, everyone. So much so that Imelda knows things are serious when he acually says “Imelda” rather than “diosa” or “querida”.
With Coco, though, there’s no nicknames. She’s always, always Coco, because there’s no sweeter name in the world he could call his daughter.
Edit: I do know that Coco is a nickname, but I mean more in terms of monikers rather than names you go by. (Like how he calls Miguel “chamaco,” etc.)
COCO SPOILERS COCO SPOILERS COCO SPOILERS (man I’m so sorry I can’t tag this so if you haven’t watched the movie yet, please don’t read further!)
Oh my God. You’re right! YOU’RE SO RIGHT.
Something that always seemed weird to me was just how broad Héctor’s chest and back looked at the photo, and it makes sense that they were Ernesto’s. It makes it all even sadder, thinking that they trusted each other so much as to share clothing. Perhaps the belt was the only thing that belonged just to Héctor, as the details on it are also on the movie logo (is that the correct way of saying it? Ahhh).
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SENDING THIS, IT DEFINITELY CLEARS THINGS UP.
(Gotta add tags once I’m on my computer, and put this under a Read More)
After the great response to my pure-and-wholesome Paperman/Coco edit, I figured I would put my new art tablet to the test and make a not-so-pure-and-wholesome Coco edit, this time with The Emperor’s New Groove as a reference. I like to think this was his internal monologue.
So here’s a fun idea I had re: Teacher!AU while at work: Hector and Ernesto make a name for themselves musically via YouTube.
They have a decent following, nothing huge, but enough people that when Ernesto tweets “Having a concert in [city]!” they can fill a small venue.
Their most popular song is “Un Poco Loco”–which, in one of the few vlogs where he’s not manically grading papers, Hector admits it was written for the current object of his affections and he thinks she likes it, but nothing else. The comments on that vlog are full of crying emojis and jealousy.
Their mostviewed video, however, is “The World Es Mi Familia”. It’s only 40 seconds long, because right as they hit the chorus, the table Hector decided to stand on collapses. Ernesto uploads it on the way to Urgent Care (Hector needed 5 stitches) because they have an upload schedule to keep. It becomes a regular favorite in “YouTube Fail” compilations.
Every year after that, at least one student stares hard at him in the first day of class and approaches with a tentative “Senor Rivera? Was that you in…?” He just lets out a long sigh and pinches the bridge of his nose as he groans, “Si.”
Stop talking and start doing: My Fallout Shelter for my Tumblr blog 