Ernesto de la Cruz

### Goal

To kill Héctor to steal his guitar and songs and achieve fameTo preserve his reputation and keep the secret to his success hidden by preventing Miguel from going back to the Land of the Living and ensuring Héctor is forgotten

### Enemies

Héctor, Miguel, Imelda, Dante, Pepita, the Riveras, Isabella Garcia-Shapiro, Candace Flynn, Kermit the Frog, Larry the Cucumber

### Likes

Hector (formerly), fame, Dia de los Muertos, bread of the dead, tequila, wealth, polo, women, parties, fireworks, his dogs, causing misery, attention, glory, being in the spotlight

### Dislikes

Threats to his reputation and legacy, Rivera family, having the spotlight stolen from him, being crushed by a giant bell, criticism, confrontation, anyone more talented than him, being insulted, being booed at, losing his fame, his secret exposed

### Fate

Gets crushed to death by a giant bell; years following his demise, he is exposed as a fraud to both Lands of the Living and Dead and crushed by a giant bell again

### Quote

"Seize your moment.""I have a great-great-grandson!"

"I'm Ernesto de la Cruz, the greatest musician of all time!"

"I am the one who is willing to do what it takes to seize my moment! Whatever it takes."

"Apologies, old friend, but the show must go on."

**Ernesto de la Cruz** is the main antagonist in the 2017 Disney/Pixar animated film, *Coco*. He was a famous singer and musician who dazzled audiences with his fancy looks and his charm and was a source of Mexican pride. After his unexpected death, his soul lives in the Land of the Dead. Trapped in this extraordinary realm, Miguel embarks on a quest to find Ernesto, whom he thinks is his long-lost great-great-grandfather. However, Miguel learns a very different story from his heritage than what he expected. He was a former best friend and music partner of Héctor—Miguel's ***REAL*** great-great-grandfather—whom he had killed so he could steal the credit for his music and be a famous musician himself.

#### **Why He Sucks**

1. He took away Hector's only chance to see his family again and his songs just so he could take credit for it, which is how music was in Mexico in the first place.
2. He is very egotistical and narcissistic, as he thinks he is the so called "greatest musician of all time", but he actually stole Hector's songbook ***and his guitar*** so he could take all of the credit for them.
3. He is a big jerk towards Hector and the other Riveras.
4. He is such a coward, as when Héctor furiously attacked him after finding out that the former killed him with poison, and running away from confrontation with an angered Rivera family, calling his security guards for these instances instead of defending himself.
5. He is an example of what happens to Miguel if he hadn't learned how family is important to him.
6. He is willing to murder people, and steal from Hector, believing that is what it takes for him to seize his moment.

#### **Redeeming Qualities**

1. Benjamin Bratt (voice of El Macho from *Despicable Me 2*) does a great job voicing him.
2. He got a taste of his own medicine when he got hit by a bell (twice), got slapped by Imelda, got berated by Miguel for his actions, and had all his attention taken away from him after his former fans turned against him upon his true colors revealed.
3. Héctor has a point when he said Ernesto is not very talented, which is proven correct when the latter states in the flashback that he can't succeed without Héctor's songs.