- “Papá was a musician. When I was a little girl, he and Mamá would sing such beautiful songs.”
- ―His daughter in regards to him and his wife's singing
Héctor Rivera is the deuteragonist of Pixar's nineteenth animated feature film, Coco. He is the father of the titular character, Mamá Coco, the great-great-grandfather of the protagonist, Miguel Rivera and husband of Mamá Imelda.
Background
- “The papá, he was a musician. He and his family would sing, and dance, and count their blessings. But he also had a dream: to play for the world. And one day he left with his guitar, and never returned.”
- ―Miguel, opening narration
Being Miguel's long-lost great-great grandfather, Héctor is also the husband of Imelda, father of Coco, father-in-law of Julio, grandfather of Victoria and Elena Rivera, great-grandfather of Berto, Enrique and Gloria, and is and additionally the great-great-grandfather of Abel, Rosa, Benny, Manny, and Socorro Rivera. Many years ago, Héctor Rivera was born on November 30, 1900 and married Imelda Rivera. Having a passion for music, Héctor wrote many of songs that became famous under the name of Ernesto de La Cruz. At one point, Imelda gifted him a guitar that Héctor cherished and used to play with all his songs. In 1918, their firstborn and only daughter was born: Socorro (nicknamed Coco).
Once day, Héctor left the family to join his former friend, Ernesto da la Cruz in music. He began missing his family and intended to return to them but was unfortunately was killed by his former friend, Ernesto de la Cruz. However, most people, Including Héctor, believed that he died of food poisoning. He later woke up in the Land of the Dead. When he never returned, Imelda believed he had truly abandoned the family. When she came to the Land of the Dead, Imelda and Héctor remained distant towards one another. Slowly, as Coco forgot her father, Héctor's bones began to turn yellow and cracked.
He tried numerous times to cross the bridge, but all his attempts failed. Because music appeared to have stopped him from realizing what he wanted all along (family), Héctor began to dislike musicians and grew embittered towards his once friend, Ernesto da la Cruz for stealing his music and taking all the credit, as well as stealing his guitar and never being able to see his daughter. His family disowned him and soon, Héctor was being forgotten. Many years ago, Héctor was a passionate musician from Santa Cecilia, born there on November 30, 1900. During his life, he met a woman named Imelda, and their shared talent in music sparked a romance. They fell in love, married, and later had a daughter named Coco in 1918. Héctor was a loving father and wrote the song "Remember Me" for her. While Imelda was ready to settle down and plant roots for their family, Héctor still wanted to give his songs to the world. So in mid-1920's, he set out on tour with his childhood friend Ernesto de la Cruz. As they performed together on tour, Héctor wrote the songs and Ernesto sang them. During the tour, Héctor began to feel homesick and came around to Imelda's way of thinking and decided to go home to his family. When he told Ernesto, they had an argument where Ernesto begged him to stay as he needed his songs but Héctor was unmoved. Ernesto fumes at the decision of Héctor but quickly composes himself and seemingly accepted his friend‘s decision and offered to send him off with a toast saying he would move Heaven and Earth for his amigo. On his way to the train station, Héctor suddenly collapsed and died as Ernesto spiked his toast with poison earlier. After his death, Ernesto stole both the songbook and the guitar of Héctor, ultimately taking the opportunity and passing them off as his own in order to achieved fame and glory.
During his time in the Land of the Dead, Héctor learned how Ernesto took credit for his songs, growing resentful. When Imelda died, she refused to welcome Héctor back to the Riveras and disowned him, as she believed him to have abandoned her and Coco for his music. Estranged from his family, Héctor spent his afterlife trying to cross over to the Land of the Living to see Coco again but was rejected as his descendants, having a low opinion of him, wouldn't put his picture up. Shunned, he slowly started to be forgotten.
Personality
Héctor has acquired a number of bad traits during his time in death: being deceitful, quick-dealing, and having the air of a con artist. However, these bad qualities stem from neither ambition nor malice, but rather absolute desperation to make up for the mistakes he made in life—leaving his family behind—and make them right. Despite matching what his run-down appearance may suggest, Héctor, at his best, is a charming, creative, and deeply family-oriented man.
Héctor's most defining qualities are his deep love for family, especially Coco, and the profound regret he feels that resulted from his choice to leave his family to share his music with the world. In life, Héctor loved nothing more than Imelda and Coco. For him, music was to show this love. Even his tour with Ernesto was motivated out of the desire to share his feelings with the world. Before learning the true circumstances of his death, Héctor suffered the consequences of leaving and was incapable of telling his family, especially his daughter, how much he loved them. He carried a deep sense of shame for his actions; preventing him from reconnecting with his embittered wife after she died. When left with nothing, Héctor's regret for his choice to leave developed into his own self-loathing and cynical outlook on himself. Even after he learned he was actually murdered, Héctor still carried the responsibility of his choice, which moved Imelda when he owned up on the pain that he caused their family. It is seeing Héctor's love for his family and profound suffering while separated from them that teaches his descendant, Miguel, that family is even more important than his love of music no matter what.
Héctor is a creative genius and an immensely talented artist. His brilliance is most prominently on display within the songs he wrote, which had a tremendous national influence in the world. Héctor's creativity is also on display in his movements as a skeleton. While most of the dead move as they did in life, excepting the occasional reconstruction when they fall apart, Héctor has found all manner of creative ways to move his skeletal body. Héctor's creativity is shown to come from his heart; many of Héctor's best songs were written as an expression of his feelings towards those he loves. Examples being writing "Un Poco Loco" for Imelda and, famously, writing "Remember Me" for Coco.
It is here that he draws a parallel between himself and Ernesto de la Cruz. While Ernesto was strongly incapable of inspiration for his music because he wanted to be recognized for it, Héctor was able to because he wanted to express his feelings of the relationships that inspired him.
While he is often passive and evasive in the face of conflict compared to Imelda, Héctor would fight back when he's deeply betrayed or if his family is at stake. His weak condition did not hold him back in a scuffle with Ernesto after discovering he caused him to remain separated from his loved ones or hold his own with the security guards to save Miguel's fading life and Coco's deteriorating memory, and again to save Miguel from Ernesto. While he held a grudge against Ernesto for taking the credits for his music (which later grew hateful after discovering his betrayal), Héctor showed no ill will to Miguel when it was assumed the latter was fraudulent musician's descendant; growing fond of the boy in their time together and comforted him when his supposed great-great-grandfather turned on him.
At the start of the film's events, Héctor was shown to dislike music nearly as much as his estranged family. Though he loved music in life, Héctor deeply regrets what his musical pursuits cost him; he was very reluctant to play music before meeting Miguel. Likewise, Héctor has also come to dislike musicians due to Ernesto neglecting of him after his death. Thus, Héctor had come to view musicians as self-important showboating jerks, including himself for once being one.
However, Héctor still enjoyed listening to music and was a musically supportive teacher to Miguel. Over the course of the film, Héctor regains his love of music, especially after he and Imelda reignite their attraction to each other through a song. One year after Miguel's time to the Land of the Dead, Héctor is finally accepted back into his family and enjoys playing his music for his family once more.
Physical Appearance
Before his death, Héctor was a human with short black hair and loose bangs, tanned skin, brown eyes, and a goatee. He wore a light brown Mexican formal attire with white upper outlines similar to Ernesto's.
As a spirit in the Land of the Dead, Héctor appears as a skeleton with his bones yellow and rusted, sans the bright gold, green, and purple markings on his skull, which are nearly faded. His appearance was overall unkempt - his black hair became messier, while the rest of himself was held together by things such as tape and bandages on his right arm and left leg. On his head, he wears a straw hat. He also wears a torn-up indigo formal jacket with a red tie and red, black and white suspenders, and torn-up light brown and black pinstriped pants to show his skeletal knees and feet, giving him the appearance highly reminiscent of a scare-crow. He also gained a single gold tooth in his frontal teeth.
By the end of the film, after finally being remembered, Héctor's appearance has since changed. His bones have become brighter and his markings are fully colored. In addition, his wardrobe has been changed to more of a clean-cut approach - his hair is straightened, his jacket has been converted to a vest, his pants have been mended, and now wears brown dress shoes made by Imelda, while retaining his straw hat and tie.
Abilities
Héctor is noted for being a talented musician, according to Miguel. He can play a guitar and knows how to sing. It shocked Miguel that Héctor could perform, because he originally stated he hated musicians. He usually told himself to think about someone he loved while performing, one of the reasons why he excelled in singing. Also, his musical abilities have passed down to his descendants.
He is also a master of disguise. Though he failed in sneaking across the bridge the first time in his Frida costume, he was able to get into the party and briefly trick Ernesto de la Cruz when he was with Miguel. Also, being a master of disguise himself, Héctor was able to provide makeup on Miguel, fooling people into thinking the boy was a skeleton.
Coco
Héctor appears in a prologue, narrated by his grandson, Miguel explaining the ban on music. He is also the faceless musician in the picture and his guitar is folded over.
Héctor disguised as Frida Kahlo
He first physically appears in the movie by disguising himself as artist Frida Kahlo in another attempt to get across the Marigold Bridge. In the security line, Héctor attempts to sneak passed security. However, the woman at the security check out scans for "Frida's" photo on an ofrenda despite Héctor's protests. Having been caught in a lie, Héctor removed his Frida disguise. Desperately needing to cross the bridge, Héctor attempts to cross it by evading the guards. Meanwhile, a curious Miguel is watching the exchange in the re-entry line. As he attempts to cross the bridge, Héctor suddenly sinks into the petals, the magic not working for him. Two security guards nonchalantly take him away as Héctor yells out "Dumb Flower Bridge!"
The guards take him to the corrections center, where Héctor is being told of the charges and emptying his head out with flower petals, which includes faking a unibrow, which shocks the skeleton. He attempts to bribe the officer with many unsuccessful attempts, such as an emotional appeal and promising backstage tickets to Ernesto's sunrise spectacular. Instead of arresting him, the officer lets Héctor off with a warning, something that immensely annoys him and he storms out without his friend, Cecelia's costume.
Héctor and Miguel officially meet each other.
As he is leaving, Héctor is approached by Miguel, who asks if he really knows de la Cruz, having overheard Héctor's conversation with the corrections officer. As he asks who wants to know, Héctor is immensely shocked and horrified to see a living child in his presence. Miguel then takes Héctor to a phone booth to avoid his family or anyone else's suspicions, and explains that he needs de la Cruz's blessing, believing the man to be his great-great-grandfather. Though initially shocked that Ernesto even has a great-great-grandson, Héctor begins to use this as an advantage to get to the Land of the Living to see Coco again. Miguel re-thinks his request and decides that maybe this wasn't such a good idea. However, Héctor manages to convince him to help Miguel get to de la Cruz They leave Marigold Central Station in a hurry as the Riveras pursue them.
Miguel and Héctor hide in an alley where Héctor disguises Miguel as a skeleton to prevent any suspicions. Héctor promises to bring Miguel to de la Cruz in exchange for putting his photo on Miguel's ofrenda when he enters the Land of the Living. However, he points out that de la Cruz is a hard person to get to and asks if there's anyone else easier to get to. Miguel keeps the fact he has a family a secret. He nearly leaves to find de la Cruz himself but Héctor decides to help Miguel get to his alleged great-great-grandfather and begins chasing after him.
However, Héctor admits that getting to Ernesto isn't going to be easy because he is a busy man. However, he stops when he sees Miguel walking funny and questions what he is doing. The twelve-year-old says he's trying to walk like a skeleton, but Héctor knows that Miguel is actually walking like him and tells him that is not how skeletons walk and tells him to knock it off when he points out how Héctor walks. As they are passing Miguel sees the sign about Ernesto's Sunrise Spectacular, Héctor expresses disdain for the celebration, explaining that it's a party celebrating the end of Dia de los Meurtos. As Miguel expresses that the twenty-one year old man can get them in based on what he told the security guard, Héctor admits it was a lie and apologizes for doing that, causing the boy to glare at him. Seeing him upset, Héctor assures Miguel that he can get him to Ernesto because he knows where de la Cruz is rehearsing. Reluctantly, Miguel goes along with him.
Héctor takes Miguel to the warehouse, where he has his friend, Cecilia, let them in, telling Héctor that he better have that dress. When they get in the warehouse, Héctor admits to Ceci that he lost the dress (due to the security guard not letting him have it back.) During his argument with Ceci, Héctor realizes that Miguel and Dante ran off. He finds his companions with Frida Kahlo and begins to push Miguel away from "pestering the celebrities." However, Héctor is met with disappointment from Miguel that his great-great grandfather is throwing a party across town. They learn from a group of musicians where they mention that there is a talented show where the winners get to go to his party. Miguel gets the idea to compete, as Héctor tries to convince Miguel not to do it, he instead decides to help Miguel get into the party de la Cruz is hosting. Héctor, defeated, reveals that he knows someone who has one.
As Héctor takes Miguel to Shantytown, the "underworld of the underworld," he asks why the kid wants to be a musician. Miguel insists it is because his great-great-grandfather was one, but Héctor on past experience begins to negatively speak of de la Cruz again. Miguel impatiently asks how far the guitar is, but the older man tells Miguel they are almost there, leading him and Dante to where the guitar is located. Héctor greets his Tía Chelo and shares tequila with her and his other adoptive aunts and wonders if Chicharrón is around. Tía Chelo tells him that Cheech is in the bungalow but warns Héctor that the former is not in a mood for visitors, but the twenty-one-year old insists that Chicharrón cannot deny a visit from him, and leads Miguel and Dante in his "cousin's" place.Chicharrón attempts to turn Héctor and Miguel away but Héctor says that its dia de Meurtos and offers him a drink to get Chicharrón's guitar. Chicharrón is scared he won't get his guitar back, and is not convinced when Héctor promises that they will bring it right back. As they continue arguing with each other, Chicharrón suddenly shimmers gold and is shaken violently.
When Héctor realizes that his friend is approaching the Final Death, the dying man asks for Héctor to play him a song. While the younger man attempts to dissuade Chicharrón because he doesn't play guitar or sing anymore and insists that the guitar is for Miguel. However, Héctor decides to play just once for his amigo and begins to play "Everyone Knows Juanita." When he censors a couple of lyrics, Chicharrón yells that those aren't the words but Héctor reminds him that children (Miguel) are present and continues singing the song. Satisfied, Chicharrón thanks Héctor for the song before succumbing to the Final Death. To honor his fallen friend, Héctor drinks a toast to Chicharrón and takes the guitar. Miguel, confused, asks what happened to Chicharrón, and Héctor informs him that no one else in the Land of the Living is left to remember Chicharrón. Miguel reasons that since he's met Chicharrón, then he can remember him when he gets back. However, Héctor informs Miguel that is not how it work, as it will work is if someone in the land of the Living passes on their stories to another. However, since no one is left alive to tell Chicharrón’s stories, he can never return. Héctor brushes it off and tells Miguel that it happens to everyone eventually and begins to lead Miguel and Dante to Plaza de la Cruz.
When asked how he is a musician by Miguel to the Plaza, Héctor explains he and Ernesto used to play on the road together and that he "taught [Ernesto] everything [Héctor knew.]" However, the kid doesn't believe its true and regards De La Cruz as the "greatest musician," but Héctor laughs it off and says that Ernesto has the greatest eyebrows of all time, but disregards his reputation for his music. When they arrive at the Plaza, they sign up for the talent show. Before Miguel performs on stage, Héctor enthusiastically asks him what song he is going to perform. The boy answers he intends to sing "Remember Me" but Héctor convinces him to play something else. Miguel settles on "Un Poco Loco" after realizing it is too popular because other competitors are doing "Remember Me."When they arrive at the Plaza, they sign up for the talent show. Before Miguel performs on stage, Héctor enthusiastically asks him what song he is going to perform. The boy answers he intends to sing "Remember Me" but Héctor convinces him to play something else. Miguel settles on "Un Poco Loco" after realizing it is too popular because other competitors are doing "Remember Me." As the next band plays, Héctor teaches Miguel how to shake off all his nerves as he performs: shaking every part of his body and letting out a shriek of sounds called a grito. However, Héctor is alarmed by Miguel's incapability to produce one.
Nonetheless, when it is Miguel's turn, Héctor tells the kid he's got this and gives him the advice to grab the audience's attention. As Miguel performs, Héctor watches with enthusiasim until Dante drags Héctor on stage. While Miguel sings, Héctor begins dancing and singing along to the music, causing the crowd to go wild. The duo bond over the song, and are given a round of applause when they are finished. However, Miguel forces Héctor to run when he spotted Mamá Imelda, Papá Julio and several other family members. Héctor and Miguel enter an argument when the emcee reveals Miguels identity to the crowd. He begins berating the kid for lying to him and running away from his family. Héctor reveals he is being forgotten, and knows that he'll disappear someone in the night. Finally, he drives Miguel away when attempting to drag him back to his family. In a fit of anger, Miguel gives Héctor his photo back and runs away. Héctor chases after the photo but as soon as he catches it, Héctor sees Miguel has disappeared. Just as he calls Miguel out, Héctor realizes the boy is gone and deduces that Miguel went to Erbesto's party before the Sunrise Spectacular. He manages to get his Frida costume back from security and, this time, is successful in tricking Ernesto's security team into thinking he is Frida Kahlo and given access to get inside de la Cruz's mansion. While inside, Héctor waits until Miguel and Ernesto are alone to be given his great-great-grandfather's blessing. There, he makes himself known to the two individuals, and Héctor calls Miguel back on their deal from earlier while quickly discarding his disguise. Héctor begs Miguel to take his photo back home.
During the argument with de la Cruz, Héctor reveals that he wrote the songs that made de la Cruz famous ans that he received no credit for writing them. Though De la Cruz tries to justify that he was only trying to keep Héctor's memory alive, the other skeleton is not swayed but says he doesn't want to argue about it and just wants de la Cruz' to make it right by giving Miguel a blessing so the boy can put Hèctor's photo up so he can cross the bridge and see his little girl. He tries to get de la Cruz to remember the night he left and that he would move heaven and Earth for his friend and asks de la Cruz to hold up that promise. Miguel realizes that line is from a de la Cruz movie and points it out for Héctor to see, but also mentioned that the drink offered to the de la Cruz character has been poisoned. The film causes Héctor to relive the events of the last night was he was alive and realized that Ernesto poisoned his drink. Infuriated his former best friend murdered him, Héctor physically attacks de la Cruz before the security team takes Héctor away to a cenote. A few minutes later, Miguel is thrown down in the same exact prison that Héctor is in.
There, they both reconcile. As Héctor attempts to calm Miguel down, he shakes violently and collapses to the ground. Héctor reveals his daughter is forgetting him, causing Miguel to realize that was the person he wanted to cross the bridge. During their heartfelt conversation, Héctor reveals that he was trying to get home to his family and speaks his daughter's name: Coco. This causes Miguel to take out his family photo and gets him to show Héctor. Flummoxed, Héctor asks where he got the picture from. Miguel reveals that the two women in the photograph are his Mamá Imelda,, the little girl is Mamá Coco. He then points at the faceless musician and asks if the mysterious man is him. They both realize that they are both related: Miguel sees that Héctor was his real great-great-grandfather the whole time. After their familial revelation, Héctor reveals that he wrote a song for Mamá Coco, which was "Remember Me," a song they used to sing together every night. As he recals singing it with her, Héctor sings the true version of the song. At the conclusion of the song, Héctor tells Miguel that he wrote the song for his daughter, and not for the world. Ashamed, Héctor realizes he is a sorry excuse for a great-great-grandfather. However, Miguel lifts his grandfather's spirits up and says that the music is whatn makes them both different fromt eh family and is glad that it comes from him. The two revel in their relationship with "gritos" one more time. However, Miguel begins to think all hope is lost, until Imelda, Pepita and Dante appear to rescue them both. Though Imelda is happy to see Miguel, she coldly looks at Héctor, who sheepishly at their reunion, tells her that "She looks good." Luckily, Imelda lets Héctor and Miguel up on Pepita and out of the cenote.
After joyously embracing Miguel, just thankful he is safe and that they found him in time, Imelda turns on Héctor, thinking he got their great-great grandson in trouble. However, Miguel takes up responsibility and makes it clear that Héctor was just trying to get him home but he didn’t listen. He decides that nothing is more important than family, which immediately shocks Imelda. Miguel says he will accept her conditions and her blessing, as long as she helps him get Héctor's photo back from de la Cruz, as Héctor still belongs on their ofrenda. However, Imelda reminds Miguel that her husband left the family. However, she learns from her twelve-year-old grandson that Héctor was trying to get him to her and Coco but that Ernesto murdered him before he could. Héctor admits that it is true, however, Imelda cruelly says she does not care what the reason was. As Héctor is about to apologize, he is suddenly approaching the Final Death. He tells his wife that he is running out of time because of Coco, and Imelda realizes that their daughter is forgetting him. Miguel goes to help his grandfather up and tells Imelda that they don't have to forgive Héctor but they shouldn't forget him. Imelda puts aside her anger towards Héctor and agrees to help Miguel get Héctor’s photograph. She asks how they get to de la Cruz, to which Miguel replies that he “might know a way."
Imelda, Miguel, Héctor and the other Riveras sneak into Ernesto's Sunrise Spectacular by pretending to be one of the dancers in the show. It turns out that Frida helped them with their plan. When they suddenly come across de la Cruz, Imelda confronts him alone. As de la Cruz begins wondering if he has seen her before, Imelda immediately takes her shoe and slaps him for murdering the love of her life. Ernesto is confused what she means until Héctor comes out, meaning that Imelda was referring to him. He is touched by Imelda's last statement but his wife immediately brushes it off. Imelda then slaps Ernesto with her shoe for attempting to murder her grandson. It causes the singer to grow even more confused until Miguel comes out, and mentions that Imelda is referring to him.
Ernesto is shocked to see that Héctor and Miguel are related but the young boy sees Héctor's photo in Ernesto's pocket. The entire Rivera family confront Ernesto but he quickly runs away and Imelda and the others chase after him. During the chase, Héctor again points out that Imelda called him the love of her life. Though she denies it again, Miguel cheekily says that he heard her say it too. Héctor along with the rest of the family begin fighting de la Cruz's security team. Though Imelda is able to get to the photo, she is suddenly put up on the stage. Héctor joins Victoria, Rosita, and Miguel to follow Imelda up on stage. Though she initially has stage fright, Miguel yells for Imelda to sing. She sings beautifully, which shocks not only Héctor but the other family members. As he watches awestruck, Miguel gives Héctor a guitar and he begins playing. Imelda enters in a scuffle and a dance with de la Cruz but steps on his foot and gets away and steals her husband's picture back.
Feeling a happy rush, Imelda joyously hugs her husband, which immediately shocks Héctor. Recomposing herself, Imelda says she forgot how it felt like, hearing her husband again and how she sung to his guitar playing. Héctor tells her that she "still [has] it." Miguel interrupts them, holding out a marigold petal to Imelda. Falling in love with music again, Imelda adds a different condition: to never forget how much his family loves him. However, as he reaches for the petal, Ernesto holds Miguel hostage. Imelda goes to attack de la Cruz but he quickly deflects her. Héctor begs Ernesto to not harm his grandchild, as he is a living boy. They watch helplessly as Ernesto throws the living child off the roof. As Héctor begins to fade from the Final Death, Miguel attempts to apologize for losing Héctor's photo but the grandfather assures Miguel he doesn't care, just as long as Miguel gets back home. He and Imelda give their grandson his blessing and sends him back to the Land of the Living., managing to save their grandson before the sun rises. Luckily, Miguel makes it to Mamá Coco and helps her remember Héctor, thus helping him be saved from the Final Death.
One year later, Imelda and Héctor have fully reconciled and are reunited with Coco, their now-deceased daughter He and his wife begin dancing to their great-great-grandchildren, Miguel, Abel and Rosa perform and enjoy watching and listening as music has finally brought their family together again.
Printed Media
Coco: A Story About Music, Shoes and Music
The novel reveals that Héctor tried multiple other tiems to cross the bridge. One of them was pretended to be Diego Rivera, the famous painter and an alebrije. It is revealed that Héctor and his entire family's last names are Riveras. The novel also reveals that Héctor only went on tour with Ernesto was because de la Cruz was the one who convinced him to join him on the tour. Héctor reveals he also wanted to raise money for his family, often mailing to his wife and daughter the money he earned from the tours. Héctor also realizes that Ernesto doesn’t care about music and only plays when they draw a large enough crowd, based that he loves attention rather than music itself. He also expressed hope that when he sings to his daughter, the songs are powerful enough to cross over to the Land of the Living, and reach to her in her dreams.
Songs
Solos
- "Everyone Knows Juanita"
Duets
- "Un Poco Loco" (sung with his great-great-grandson)
- "Remember Me" (sung with his daughter)
Relationships
Miguel Rivera
- “Are you crazy? A minute ago, I thought I was related to a murderer. You're a total upgrade. All my life, there's been something that made me different. But now I know now that it comes from you. I'm proud we're family. I'm proud to be his family!"
"I AM PROUD TO BE HIS FAMILY!” - ―Miguel and Hector
Héctor developed a strong relationship with Miguel throughout their interaction in the movie. However, things were awkward when they first met. Due to being a parent himself, Héctor watched out for his then-unknown grandson and acted as a paternal figure. For example, Héctor had immediately went searching for him when Miguel ran off to find Frida Kahlo and did not include swear words in the song "Everyone Knows Juanita" with Miguel present. He later gave Musical advice to Miguel on how to perform in front of others and praised him for his performance afterwards and proudly declared that he was glad Miguel was his great-great-grandson. After learning Miguel was running from his family, Héctor later yelled at Miguel for lying to him about not having any other family members besides de la Cruz and chastises him for leaving his family and nearly dragged him back to the Riveras, believing he was doing what was best in Miguel's interests. However, this led to the boy to run from Héctor, who immediately regretted for chasing the boy away and began yelling for Miguel to come back.
Though initially angered at Miguel for leaving without holding out his end of the deal, Héctor instead gently asked him to put his photo on his ofrenda for Héctor to see his daughter again. Also, during the conversation with Ernesto, despite not wanting to come between Ernesto and Miguel, Héctor believed that the child deserved to know the truth: that his "grandfather" was a con-man who stole songs Héctor wrote. Later, blinded by anger, Héctor attacked Ernesto, ignoring Miguel's cry of warning.
They both reconciled when they were trapped in a cenote together, Héctor comforted Miguel for de la Cruz' sudden betrayal. It was there that Héctor's relationship with Miguel changed when they were revealed to be related, and both of them smiled when their relation was revealed. Since he was the great-grandson of his daughter, Héctor loved Miguel dearly, as both of them yelled to be proud to be each other's family, begged Ernesto to spare his living grandson, and shouted in agony when he saw Miguel thrown off the roof. In their final moments together, Héctor called Miguel "m'ijo" and Miguel called him "Papá Héctor" as signs of affection for each other before Miguel was sent back to the land of the Living.
Imelda Rivera
- “You said 'love of your life'?"
"I don't know what I said!"
"That's what I heard!” - ―Imelda, Hector and Miguel
Héctor and Imelda are husband and wife and each other's true loves.
Prior to Héctor leaving the family on the road, Imelda and Héctor were very much in love with each other. She noted that she loved singing when her husband. Héctor went as far as writing a song for his wife to show his devotion towards her. Imelda was immediately heart-broken when her husband never returned and even went as far to ban music from her household. However, Imelda remained unaware that Héctor was trying to get home to her and Coco for about one-hundred years.
Even as they were both in the land of the Dead, Imelda still refused to speak with him and began to think it was her duty to protect her family from his mistakes. When they saw each other again, Imelda looked at him coldly, with Héctor awkwardly saying that she looks good. Imelda later lashed out on Héctor when he tried helping her off However, after learning the truth from their great-great-grandson, Miguel, she found it hard to forgive her husband. But she did assault Ernesto da la Cruz for murdering her husband, even calling him the love of her life when assaulting him.
A year later, Imelda and Héctor had fully reconciled, even kissing each other and standing next to each other while with their Rivera family.
Dante
Though the two don't interact as much as they did in the film, Dante knew that Héctor was Miguel's great-great-grandfather the whole time. He tried keeping Héctor and Miguel together, especially after their fight. Héctor appears to put the dog up at the highest regard, as he smiled when Dante appeared. Dante also whimpered in sadness when he saw Miguel and Héctor were saying goodbye together.
Pepita
Héctor ironically was deathly afraid of Pepita when he first met her. In fact, when they were flying out of the cenote, Héctor nearly fell off of Pepita but she allowed him to ride her even though Imelda and Héctor had a strained relationship.
However, after learning that Héctor never returned home because Ernesto killed him, Pepita forgave Héctor like the rest of the Riveras. She enacted vengeance on Ernesto for murdering Hector and nearly killing Miguel. So after a year that Hector and Imelda reconciled, they have probably a better relationship.
Gallery
Trivia
- Héctor's guitar was given to him by his wife as a present.
- He wore "Un Poco Loco" for Imelda and "Remember Me" for Coco.
- According to their descendant, Miguel, Héctor and Coco have the same chin and cheekbones
- There are several movie hints that Héctor is Miguel's true great-great-grandfather:
- After Miguel says they need to "find [his] great-great-grandfather, Dante immediately "wanders off to the room where Héctor is being processed.
- Also, later, Dante tries to keep Héctor and Miguel together, especially when the two Riveras have their argument.
- Miguel and Héctor play the same chord while Miguel was at his shrine to Ernesto.
- Both Héctor and Miguel had marigold flung into them when they couldn't go to the talent show and sneak off the Marigold Bridge respectively and they spit out the flower petals.
- Another way you can tell that Miguel and Héctor are truly related is that they have very similar hair styles as both of them have bangs that are straight parted and messy, have similar beauty marks and dimple (when Héctor was alive)
- After Miguel says they need to "find [his] great-great-grandfather, Dante immediately "wanders off to the room where Héctor is being processed.
Concept and Creation.
- It's revealed in one of the deleted scenes that Héctor was originally a tour guide and was asked from Ernesto de la Cruz to keep him out of the tour and stay away from his home.
- In the same deleted scene, Héctor and Miguel first meet on the bus as opposed to meeting at Marigold Grand Central Station.
- In one of the deleted scenes, Héctor and Miguel were attacked by Pepita, which was her original introduction to the film.
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