Alex (Float)

Alex is the protagonist of the 2019 Disney/Pixar animated short Float.
==Background==
Alex is a young child who became curious of his father showing him a dandelion. To Alex's curiosity, he proceeded to float like the dandelion petals in the air, much to his father being overprotective of his son. Alex's father became firm with his son trying give him precaution such as placing a rock on his backpack so that to keep Alex away from floating. When Alex started interacting with the children at the park, his father became worried and tried to get his son back home, but to Alex's temper tantrum, his father becomes frustrated with his son's behavior and yells at him for being abnormal. Alex's father holds his son, while trying to calm him while riding on a swing. Alex suddenly begins to float when his father reinvigorates him, just as Alex is launched into the air, causing him to float again. Alex and his father happily spend their happy moments at the park, even when Alex is floating.
==Appearances==
===Float===
As a toddler, Alex spends time with his father happy to see his newborn son. Seeing a dandelion, Alex's father grabs it and blows the petals off the dandelion, which Alex begins to float by himself. Soon as Alex approaches a family passing by, his father keeps his son away from the family as well as his neighbors, trying to keep Alex safe so that he doesn't lose him. Sometime later, Alex (now a four-year old boy) suddenly floats in his own home using crayons to draw on the ceiling, much to his father's worry that his son is making a mess, which Alex’s father gives him a jacket so he can leave the house, but Alex refuses; Alex's father then places a rock on his backpack to keep him from floating. Alex grabs another dandelion and starts to float, but his overprotective father tries to keep him away from floating.
Approaching a park, Alex floats away from his father into a playground as he notices that his son has escaped. Alex interacts with the other children in the playground, much to Alex's father trying to keep his son with him just as Alex's father takes him out of the playground so he can take his son home, which Alex throws a temper tantrum. As Alex continues to cry louder, his father angrily shouts at him for being abnormal. Alex lands safely as his father takes his son home, much to everyone at the park staring at Alex's father for causing a scene. Alex's father rides on a swing with his son just as Alex suddenly starts to float into the air just as Alex and his father enjoy their happy moments at the park, still with Alex floating.
===Other appearances===
One of the music-related memories that appears in the 2024 Disney/Pixar film Inside Out 2 is a shot of Alex from Float.
==Trivia==
*Alex's ability to float is said to be a metaphor for most childhood related mental differences such as autism and ADD/ADHD. Bobby Rubio's son, whom Alex was based on, was diagnosed with autism.
*In the scene when Alex's father goes to his desk before he notices Alex coloring the ceiling, a toy helicopter seen on the table bears much resemblance to the Thomas and Friends character, Harold the Helicopter. Whether the design for the helicopter to look like Harold is intentional or not is unknown.
Category:Kids
Category:Pixar characters
Category:Males
Category:Animated characters
Category:Protagonists
Category:Silent characters