Héctor Rivera

> "*I didn’t write 'Remember Me' for the world. I wrote it for Coco. I’m a pretty sorry excuse for a great-great-grandpa."
> "Are you kidding? A minute ago, I thought I was related to a murderer. You’re a total upgrade. My whole life… there’s been something that made me different. And I never knew where it came from. But now, I know. It comes from you!*
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> *"*
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> ― Héctor and Miguel Rivera
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**Héctor Rivera** (November 30, 1900—December 1921, aged 21) was the husband of Imelda, the father of Coco Rivera, Miguel's long-lost great-great-grandfather and the deuteragonist of *Coco*.

An aspiring musician, Héctor left his family to travel the world with his childhood friend, Ernesto de la Cruz. However, when he wanted to return to his wife and daughter, Ernesto spiked Héctor's tequila with poison. Dying at the age of twenty-one, Héctor was left embittered when de la Cruz took his guitar and credit for all his songs. When Imelda died, he attempted to re-connect with her but he had been disowned from the family without being able to tell her he was returning home.

In 2017, Héctor helped his then-unknown great-great grandson, Miguel Rivera find Ernesto De la Cruz. However, they learned that they are in fact each other's family. He nearly succumbed to the Final Death, but Miguel was able to resurrect his memories in his daughter Coco. After a nearly century, Héctor and Coco were reunited. On his very first Día de los Muertos, Héctor watched as his grandson played "Proud Corazón."

## Biography

### Early Life

Hector was born November 30, 1900 to unknown parents and grew up with Ernesto de la Cruz. When he was around eighteen years old, Hector married a woman, Imelda and together, their daughter, Coco, was born in 1918.
In 1921, Héctor began getting homesick and missed his wife and daughter and attempted to get back home to them. However, Ernesto poisoned Héctor by slipping it in his tequila. As he made his way to the train station, Héctor felt a pain in his stomach. Succumbing to the poison, Héctor then woke up dead.

### Legacy

Héctor's legacy was not a happy one, for Ernesto stole Héctor's guitar and and took credit for his songs, even turning Héctor's lullaby for his daughter into a sappy love song. As for Héctor's wife, Imelda, when her husband did not return, Imelda became embittered to Héctor. Needing to provide for her daughter, Imelda banned music from her life and her family and learned how to make shoes by looking at one herself. She also angrily tore Héctor's photo off the family picture, never putting it up and banning music in fear of her other relatives ending up just like Héctor.

His descendants never put it up either. However, his daughter, Coco, kept all the letters her father sent her and his ripped off photograph with them. Hector's great-great grandson, Miguel Rivera and daughter Coco proved that Hector was the person who wrote the songs and not de la Cruz.

Héctor became embittered towards his former friend, stealing credit for his songs and for never being able to get to his wife and daughter. When Imelda died of old age, Héctor attempted to reconnect with her, but was disowned from his own family.

## Relationships

### Miguel Rivera

> "*I'm proud we're family! I'm proud to be his family!"* (screams out a grito) *"I'm proud to be* his *family!*"
> ― Miguel and Héctor Rivera
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Miguel is Héctor's great-great-grandson through his daughter, Coco and has proven to love his grandson like the rest of his family. Though the two of them were unaware of their relationship at the time, Hector acted fatherly towards Miguel, even excluding dirty words from "Everyone Knows Juanita" song and that was mostly due to being a parent himself.

When they discovered their relationship, Hector was happy to learn that his great-great-grandson was with him their whole time. However, he felt that he was a sorry excuse for a great-great-grandpa, but Miguel was the one who convinced he was a total upgrade compared to Ernesto De la Cruz.

Miguel was the one who was able to keep Hector's memory alive with Coco and reminding her that her father loved her very much. At the conclusion of the film, Miguel kept his great great grandfather's spirit alive in the rest of his family's heart. In the aftermath, Hector watches his grandson with pride and smiles, while also playing with him without Miguel's knowledge.

## Behind the Scenes

Héctor Rivera was portrayed by Gael García Bernal