Coco

[First lines]

Miguel:
[narrating] Sometimes I think I'm cursed, 'cause of something that happened before I was even born. See, a long time ago there was this family - 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. And the mamá? She didn't have time to cry over that walkaway musician! After banishing all music from her life, the woman gets rid of all of her husband's instruments and records. She found a way to provide for her daughter. She rolled up her sleeves and she learned to make shoes. She could have made candy, or fireworks, or sparkly underwear for wrestlers! But no, she chose shoes. Then she taught her daughter to make shoes. And later, she taught her son-in-law. Then her grandkids got roped in. As her family grew, so did the business. Music had torn her family apart, but shoes held them all together.

Miguel:
[finishing his opening narration] Sometimes I look at de la Cruz, a-and I get this feeling, like we're connected somehow. Like… if he could play music… maybe someday, I-I could too! [Cuts to him at the plaza revealing he's actually talking to a mariachi guy.] If it wasn't for my family.

Mariachi:
[impatient] Ay, ay, ay, muchacho.

Miguel:
Huh?

Mariachi:
I asked for a shoe shine, not your life story!

Miguel:
Oh yeah, sorry. [shines his shoes] I just can't really talk about any of this at home, so...

Mariachi:
Look, if I were you, I'd march right up to my family and say, "Hey! I'm a musician, deal with it!"

Miguel:
I could never say that.

Mariachi:
You are a musician, no?

Miguel:
I-I-I don't know. I mean... I only really play for myself.

Mariachi:
Nah! Did de la Cruz become the world's best musician by hiding his sweet, sweet skills? No! He walked out onto that plaza and he played out loud! [spots something] Ah, mira, mira! They're setting up for tonight! The music competition for Día de Muertos! You wanna be like your hero? You should sign up!

Miguel:
Uh-uh, my family would freak!

Mariachi:
Look, if you're too scared, then, well...have fun making shoes! [pauses] Come on, what did de la Cruz always say?

Miguel:
"Seize your moment"?

Mariachi:
[showing his guitar] Show me what you got, muchacho. I'll be your first audience.

[Miguel takes the guitar and is about to play when...]

Abuelita:
[in the distance, furious] MIGUEL!

Miguel:
Ah! [gives the guitar back and Abuelita is stomping up the street with Rosa and Berto following.] Abuelita!

Abuelita:
What are you doing here?!

Miguel:
Um... oh... uh...

Abuelita:
[thrusts her shoe in the mariachi's face] You leave my grandson alone!

Mariachi:
Doña, please! I was just getting a shine!

Abuelita:
I know your tricks, mariachi! [to Miguel] What did he say to you?

Miguel:
He was just showing me his guitar.

[Berto and Rosa gasp]

Berto:
Shame on you!

Abuelita:
[pushing her shoe further] My grandson is a [childishly] sweet, little angelito, perrito, cielito! [furiously, pushes him off the bench] He wants no part of your music, mariachi. You keep away from him. [The marachi crawls away and takes his hat with him.] [to Miguel, childishly] Ay, pobrecito! [hugs him] Estas bien, mijo. [kisses his head; furiously] You know better than to be here in this place! You will come home, NOW.

Abuelita:
What is all this? You've keep secrets from your own family?!

Berto:
It's all that time he spends in the plaza!

Gloria:
Filled his head with crazy fantasies!

Miguel:
It's not a fantasy! That man was Ernesto de la Cruz, (gives Papa the photo) the greatest musician of all time!

Papa:
We've never know anything about this man, but whoever he was, he still abandoned his family. This is no future for my son!

Miguel:
But Papa. You said my family would guide me. Well, de la Cruz is my family. I'm supposed to play music.

Abuelita:
Never! That man's music was a curse! I will not allow it!

Miguel:
But if you would just--

Mama:
Miguel!

Papa:
You will listen to your family! No more music!

Miguel:
(picks up a guitar) Just listen to me play!

Papa:
End of argument!

Abuelita:
You want to end up like that man? Forgotten? Left off your family's ofrenda?

Miguel:
[angrily] I don't care if I'm some STUPID ofrenda!

Abuelita:
(glares angrily at the guitar and prepares to destroy it)

Miguel:
[terrified] No!

Papa:
Mama!

Abuelita:
[furiously smashes the guitar against the ground, destroying it] There! [throws the broken guitar and makes the Cross sign] No guitar, no music. [sees Miguel starting to cry] Aw, come. [tries to comfort him] You'll feel better after you eat with your family.

Miguel:
[snapping in venge of tears] I don't want to be in this family! [snatches the photo away from Papa and runs away]

Papa:
[runs after him] Miguel, Miguel!

[Miguel runs out of his home]

[Miguel sees the Land of the Dead for the first time]

Miguel:
This isn't a dream then! You're all really out there!

Victoria:
You thought we weren't?

Miguel:
Oh, I don't know. I thought it might have been one of those made-up things, that adults tell kids, like vitamins.

Victoria:
Miguel, vitamins are a real thing.

Miguel:
Well, now I'm thinking maybe they could be.

[Héctor steps up to the Departure Agent, disguised as Frida Kahlo]

Héctor:
Yes, it is I, Frida Kahlo. Shall we skip the scanner? I'm on so many ofrendas, it will just overwhelm your blinky thingy.

[The machine scans Héctor; an X appears on the screen, and a buzzer goes off.]

Departure Agent:
Whoa, shoot. Looks like no one put up your photo… Frida?

[Héctor sheds his disguise.]

Héctor:
Okay, when I said I was Frida, just now, that... that was a lie. And I apologize for doing that.

Departure Agent:
No photo on an ofrenda, no crossing the bridge.

Héctor:
You know what? I'm just gonna zip right over, you won't even know I'm gone!

[Héctor zooms toward the door and splits himself past the guard.]

Héctor:
Haha! [He rushes toward the bridge as Miguel watches; he begins to sink into the petals.] Almost... there... just a little... further... [struggles to stand up but fails] Ugh. [picked up by two guards]

Male guard:
Upsy daisy.

Héctor:
Fine! Okay! Fine! Who cares?! [spits out some petals] DUMB FLOWER BRIDGE!

Rosita:
Aw, I don't know what I'd do if no one put up my photo.

Arrival Agent:
Next!

Rosita:
Oh, come mijo! It's our turn!

Arrival Agent:
Welcome back, amigos! Anything to declare?

Julio:
A-as a matter of fact… yes. [shows him Miguel and giggles nervously]

Miguel:
Hola.

[The Arrival Agent's jaw literally drops, detaching from its skull.]

Imelda:
I demand to speak to the person in charge!

Case Worker:
I'm sorry, señora, it says here no one put up your photo!

Imelda:
My family always, ALWAYS put my photo on the ofrenda! [takes off her boot and smashes the computer with it] That devil box tells you nothing but lies!!

Julio:
[as he and the dead Riveras approach nervously] Mamá Imelda? [Imelda aims her boot at him; he shrieks]

Imelda:
[snapping out] Oh, mi familia! They wouldn't let me cross the bridge! Tell this woman and her devil box that my photo is on the ofrenda!

Julio:
Well, w-we never made it to the ofrenda.

Imelda:
What?

Julio:
We ran into uh... um...

[Miguel and Imelda see each other; the view briefly snaps to the photo of Imelda on the ofrenda.]

Imelda:
[gasps] Miguel?

Miguel:
Mamá Imelda...

Imelda:
What is going on?

Head Clerk:
[comes out of the door] You the Rivera family?

[The computer short circuits]

Head Clerk:
[sneezes as Dante gets close] I am sorry, whose alebrije is that?

Miguel:
That's just Dante.

Rosita:
He sure doesn't look like an alebrije.

Oscar:
He just looks like a plain old dog...

Felipe:
...Or a sausage someone dropped in a barbershop.

Head Clerk:
Whatever he is, I am [sneezes] terribly allergic.

Miguel:
But Dante doesn't have any hair.

Head Clerk:
And I don’t have a nose, and yet here we are. [sneezes again]

[The Head Clerk gives Imelda a marigold petal to start her blessing to send Miguel home]

Head Clerk:
Now, you look at the living and say his name.

Imelda:
[bitterly] Miguel.

Head Clerk:
Nailed it! Now say, "I give you my blessing."

Imelda:
I give you my blessing. [The marigold petal glows; Miguel is amazed] I give you my blessing to go home... [the petal glows brighter] ...To put my photo back on the ofrenda... [even brighter, Miguel nods] ...And to never play music again!

Miguel:
What?! She can't do that!!

Head Clerk:
Well, technically, she can add any condition she wants.

Miguel:
[frowns] Fine...

Head Clerk:
Then you hand the petal to Miguel.

[Miguel takes the petal; in a flash, he's back in the mausoleum. He looks out the window.]

Miguel:
No skeletons! [stares smugly at Ernesto's guitar and takes it] Mariachi Plaza, here I come!

[Not even a few steps later, he's back in the Land of the Dead; he is caught by Imelda.]

Imelda:
2 seconds and you already break your promise!

Miguel:
This isn't fair, it's my life! You already had yours! [takes Imelda's petal] Papá Julio, I ask for your blessing! [Julio cringes nervously; one by one each dead Rivera resists.] Tía Rosita? Oscar? Felipe? Tía Victoria? [Victoria just shakes her head no]

Imelda:
Don't make this hard, mijo. You go home my way, or no way.

Miguel:
You really hate music that much?!

Imelda:
I will not let you go down the same path he did!

Miguel:
[looks at the photo] The same path he did... he did.

Victoria:
Listen to your Mamá Imelda.

Oscar:
She's just looking out for you.

Rosita:
Be reasonable.

Miguel:
[stagey] Con permiso, I need to visit the restroom. [exits] Be right back!

Head Clerk:
Uh... should we tell him there are no restrooms in the Land of the Dead?

Corrections Officer:
Disturbing the peace... fleeing an officer... falsifying a unibrow...

Héctor:
That's illegal? [detaches his head and pats petals out]

Corrections Officer:
Very illegal. You need to clean up your act, amigo.

Héctor:
[screws his head back on] "Amigo"? Oh, that's-that's so nice to hear you say that, because... I have just had a really hard Día de Muertos and I could really use an amigo right now. [detaches his hands; they act like holding shoulders] And amigos... they help their amigos. [reattaches hands] Listen, you get me across that bridge tonight, and I'll make it worth your while. [spots a poster of Ernesto on the wall] Oh! You like de la Cruz? He and I go way back! I can get you front row seats to his Sunrise Spectacular show! I-I-I'll get you backstage, you can meet him! You just gotta let me cross that bridge!

Corrections Officer:
I should lock you up for the rest of the holiday, but my shift's almost up and... I wanna visit my living family, so I'm letting you off with a warning. [gives Héctor a warning ticket, he snatches it]

Héctor:
Can I at least get my costume back?

Corrections Officer:
Uh... no.

Héctor:
Ohh! [stomps past Miguel] Some amigo... [crumples the warning ticket]

Miguel:
[catches up to him] Hey, hey! You really know de la Cruz?

Héctor:
Who wants to–? [notices him and shrieks] Ay! You're alive!

Miguel:
Shh!! [takes him inside a phone booth to hide] Yeah, I'm alive and I want to get back to the Land of the Living, I need de la Cruz's blessing.

Héctor:
That's weirdly specific.

Miguel:
He's my great-great-grandfather.

Héctor:
[completely dumbstruck] He's your gr-gr-gr– Wh-what?! [his eyeballs drop into his mouth]

Miguel:
Eww.

Héctor:
[pushes his eyeballs back into place] Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. Wait, wait. [gasps] Wait, no, wait, wait, wait, wait. Wait, wai-wait, wait, wait, wait. Wait, wait. [gasps again] Yes! You're going back to the Land of the Living!

[They exit the phone booth]

Miguel:
You know what? Maybe this isn't such a good...

Héctor:
No! [snaps fingers, stops him] Niño, niño, niño! I-I can help you, you can help me. We can help each other. [Miguel can see Imelda and the dead Riveras behind him] But most importantly, you can help me!

Imelda:
MIGUEL!

Miguel:
Ah!

Héctor:
I'm Héctor. [extends his hand]

Miguel:
Uh... that's nice! [grabs his arm and runs]

Hector:
[upon hearing that Miguel's dead family are trying to send him home] Wait, wait, wait. You said de la Cruz was your only family. The only person who could send you home.

Miguel:
I do have other family, but–

Hector:
You could have taken my photo back this whole time?

Miguel:
But they hate music. I need a musician's blessing.

Hector:
You lied to me!

Miguel:
Oh, you're the one to talk.

Hector:
Look at me. I'm being forgotten, Miguel. I don't even know if I'm gonna last the night. I'm not gonna miss my one chance to cross the bridge, 'cause you want to live out some stupid musical fantasy!

Miguel:
It's not stupid!

Hector:
I'm taking you to your family. [grabs Miguel's arm and pulls him to the stage, but Miguel pulls away]

Miguel:
Let go of me!

Hector:
You'll thank me later.

Miguel:
You don't wanna help me. You only care about yourself. [pulls out Hector's photo from his pocket and throws it at him. Hector chases after it in the wind] Keep your dumb photo! Stay away from me!

Imelda: [singing "La Llorona"] Y aunque la vida me cueste, Llorona No dejar de quiererte.

Miguel:
I-I thought you hated music.

Imelda:
Oh, I love it. I remember that feeling - when my husband would play and I would sing, and nothing else mattered, but when we had Coco suddenly, there was something in my life that mattered more than music. I wanted to put down the rules. He wanted to play for the world. We each made a sacrifice to get what we wanted. Now, you must make a choice.

Miguel:
But I don't wanna pick sides. Why can't you be on my side? That's what families are supposed to do - support you, but you never will. [wipes a tear from his eye and runs off]

[Héctor confronts Miguel and Ernesto de la Cruz]

Héctor:
We had a deal, chamaco!

Ernesto:
Who are you? What is the meaning of this? [Héctor steps in his Frida disguise] Oh, Frida. I thought you couldn't make it.

Héctor:
[takes off his disguise] You said you'd take back my photo. You promised, Miguel!

Ernesto:
[to Miguel] You know this, uh… man?

Miguel:
I just met him tonight. He told me he knew you.

Ernesto:
[widens his eyes in realization] H-Héctor?

Héctor:
Please, Miguel. [takes out his photo] Put my photo up.

[Miguel reaches for the photo, but Ernesto takes it]

Ernesto:
My friend. You're, you're being forgotten.

Héctor:
[angrily] And whose fault is that?!

Ernesto:
Héctor, please.

Héctor:
Those were my songs you took. My songs that made you famous!

Miguel:
What?

Héctor:
If I'm being forgotten, it's because you never told anyone that I wrote them!

Miguel:
That's crazy. De la Cruz wrote all his own songs.

Héctor:
[to Ernesto] You want to tell him or should I?

Ernesto:
Héctor, I never meant to take credit. We made a great team, but you died and I... I only sang your songs because I wanted to keep a part of you alive.

Héctor:
[sarcastically] Oh, how generous.

Miguel:
You really did play together.

Héctor:
Look, I don't want to fight about it. I just want you to make it right. Miguel can put my photo up...

Ernesto:
Héctor...

Héctor:
And I can cross over the bridge. I can see my girl. Ernesto, remember the night I left?

Ernesto:
That was a long time ago.

Héctor:
We drank together, and you told me you would move heaven and earth for your amigo. Well, I'm asking you to, now.

Miguel:
"Heaven and earth", like in the movie?

Héctor:
What?

Miguel:
That's Don Hidalgo's toast. In the de la Cruz movie, "El Camino a Casa".

Héctor:
I'm talking about my real life, Miguel!

Miguel:
No, it's in there. Look!

["El Camino a Casa" is playing on a screen]

Don Hidalgo:
[in movie] Never were truer words spoken. This calls for a toast… to our friendship! Haha! I would move heaven and earth for you, mi amigo.

Miguel:
But in the movie, Don Hidalgo poisons the drink.

Don Hidalgo:
[in movie] Salud! [he and Ernesto toast and drink]

Ernesto:
[in movie; spits it out] Poison!

[The fist fight breaks out; Héctor remembers something.]

Héctor:
That night, Ernesto... the night I left... [Flashback; a younger Héctor packs up his suitcase.] We've been performing on the road for months. I got homesick and I packed up my songs.

Young Ernesto:
You wanna give up now... when we're this close to reaching our dream?

Young Héctor:
[heading for the door] This was your dream, you'll manage.

Young Ernesto:
[grabs his suitcase] I can't do this without your songs, Héctor!

Young Héctor:
[pulls away] I'm going home, Ernesto. Hate me if you want, but my mind is made up.

Young Ernesto:
[angry, but then controls himself] Oh, I could never hate you. If you must go, then I'm... I'm sending you off with a toast... [pours 2 drinks] …To our friendship. I would move heaven and earth for you, mi amigo. Salud!

[They toast and drink as Ernesto looks at Héctor rather coldly. Later on the streets...]

Héctor:
You walked me to the train station... [stumbles and clutches his stomach painfully] But I felt a pain in my stomach. I thought it must have been something I ate.

Young Ernesto:
Perhaps, it was that chorizo, my friend?

Héctor:
Or something I... drank. [collapses in the street and dies; fade to black.] I woke up... dead. [has a realization after the flashback ends] You... poisoned me.

Ernesto:
You're confusing movies with reality, Héctor.

Héctor:
All this time… I thought it was just bad luck. [Flashback; Ernesto takes Héctor's songbook, reads Remember Me.] I never thought that you might have... that you... [Flashback ends; Héctor becomes furious and lunges at Ernesto for murdering him] HOW COULD YOU?!

Miguel:
Héctor!

Ernesto:
Security, security!

[Two security guard rushes into the room.]

Héctor:
YOU TOOK EVERYTHING AWAY FROM ME, YOU RAT! [The security guards pulls him away.]

Ernesto:
[stands up from the ground] Have him taken care of. He's not well.

Héctor:
I just wanted to go back home! No! NO!! NOOO!!!

[The security guards takes Héctor away.]

Ernesto:
[to Miguel] I apologize. Where were we?

Miguel:
You're going to give me your blessing.

Ernesto:
Yes, uh... Sí. [takes a petal of Aztec from his pocket] Miguel, uh... my reputation is very important to me. I would hate to have you think...

Miguel:
...That you murdered Héctor for his songs?

Ernesto:
[laughs] You don't think that... [seriously] Do you?

Miguel:
I... No, everyone knows you're the... the good guy. [Ernesto cuts a sharp, doubtful face. He looks at Héctor's photo, then takes it to his pocket] Papá Ernesto, my blessing…?

Ernesto:
[looks at the petal, and crumbles it immediately] Security… [the security guards rushes into the room again] Take care of Miguel! He'll be... extending his stay.

Miguel:
[shocked] What?! But I'm your family!

Ernesto:
And Héctor was my best friend. [smiling cruelly] Success doesn't come for free, Miguel. You have to be willing to do whatever it takes to... seize your moment. [Miguel gasps] I know you'll understand.

[The security guards takes Miguel out of the room.]

Miguel:
No! NOOOO!!!!

[After Miguel and Héctor get thrown in a cenote pit]

Miguel:
Héctor?

Héctor:
Kid?

Miguel:
Oh, Héctor! [They embrace each other.] You were right. I should have gone back to my family.

Héctor:
Hey -- hey, hey...

Miguel:
They told me not to be like De la Cruz… [cries, drying his eye] ...But I didn't listen.

Héctor:
Hey, it's okay...

Miguel:
I told them I didn't care if they remembered me. I didn't care if I was on their stupid ofrenda. [sobs]

Héctor:
[hugs Miguel] Hey, chamaco, it's okay. It's okay.

Miguel:
I told them I didn't care. [sobs, Hector suddenly spasms, surging with gold light and falls to the ground, weak.] Héctor, Héctor!?

Héctor:
She's... forgetting me.

Miguel:
Who?

Héctor:
My daughter.

Miguel:
She's the reason... you wanted to cross the bridge.

Héctor:
I just wanted to see her again. I never should have left Santa Cecilia. I wish I could apologize, I wish I could tell her that her papá was trying to come home… that he loved her so much. [long pause] My Coco...

Miguel:
[completely surprised] Coco? [shows him the photo of Imelda and young Coco]

Héctor:
Whe-where did you get this?

Miguel:
[points to Coco] That's my Mamá Coco... [points to Imelda] That's my Mamá Imelda... [points to the mystery father] Is that... you?

Héctor:
[with realization] We're...

Miguel and Héctor:
...Family? [smile at each other]

Héctor:
[looks at the photo sadly, memory recovered] I always hoped I'd see her again, that she'd miss me, maybe put up my photo… but it never happened. You know the worst part? Even if I never got to see Coco in the living world, I thought at least one day I'd see her here… give her the biggest hug… but she's the last person who remembers me. The moment she's gone from the living world...

Miguel:
...You disappear from this one. You'll never get to see her.

Héctor:
Ever again. [long pause] You know, I wrote her a song once. We used to sing it every night at the same time, no matter how far apart we were. What I wouldn't give to sing it to her... one... last... time. [Begins singing "Remember Me"]

Miguel:
[Realizing] He stole your guitar, he stole your songs. You should be the one the world remembers, not De La Cruz!

Héctor:
I didn't write 'Remember me' for the world, I wrote it for Coco. [looks at Miguel sadly] I'm a pretty sorry excuse for your great-great grandpa.

Miguel:
Are you kidding!? A minute ago I thought I was related to a murderer. Ha! You're a total upgrade. [excitedly] My whole life, there is something that made me different. I never knew where it came from. But now I know... it... it comes from you. I'm proud we're family! [runs up happily] I'M PROUD TO BE HIS FAMILY! [loud grito]

Héctor:
[happily jumps up with a loud grito] I'M PROUD TO BE HIS FAMILY! [loud grito]

Miguel:
[loud grito, then suddenly heard a howling sound coming from the hole of a cenote pit] Dante? [Dante appears and barks happily] Dante! [laughs] It's Dante! [Pepita appears with a loud mighty roar which shakes the stalactites, Miguel laughs with joy until Imelda appeared above Pepita]

Héctor [smiles nervously] Imelda!

Imelda:
[fiercely] Héctor.

Héctor:
You look good!

[After Imelda and Pepita rescues Miguel and Héctor from the cenote pit and reuniting with the rest of the Rivera family]

Imelda:
[hugs Miguel] Mijo, I was so worried! Thank goodness we found you in time! [turns to Héctor angrily] And you, how many times must I turn you away?!

Héctor:
Imelda…

Imelda:
I want nothing to do with you! Not in life, not in death! I spent decades protecting my family from your mistakes. He spends 5 minutes with you and I have to fish him out of a sinkhole.

Miguel:
[gets in front of Héctor] I... I wasn't in there because of Héctor, he was in there because of me. He was just trying to get me home. I didn't want to listen, but he was right. Nothing is more important than family. I'm ready to accept your blessing and your condition, but first I need to find De la Cruz... to get Héctor's photo.

Imelda:
What?

Miguel:
So he can see Coco again. Héctor should be on our offrenda. He's part of our family.

Imelda:
He left this family!

Miguel:
He tried to go home to you and Coco, but De la Cruz murdered him.

[Imelda looks at Héctor in shock]

Héctor:
It's true, Imelda.

Imelda:
And so what if it's true?! You leave me alone with a child to raise and I'm just suppose to forgive you!?

Héctor:
Imelda, I– [starts to spasm as he surges with gold light, collapse onto his knees]

Miguel:
Héctor?

[Imelda gasps]

Héctor:
[sobs] I'm running out of time. It's Coco.

Imelda:
She's forgetting you.

Miguel:
[helps Héctor up] You don't have to forgive him, but we shouldn't forget him.

[The Rivera family looks on in sadness]

Imelda:
I wanted to forget you. I wanted Coco to forget you too, but–

Héctor:
This is my fault, not yours. I'm sorry, Imelda.

Imelda:
[looks at Héctor, then Miguel] Miguel, if we help get his photo, you will return home? No more music?

Miguel:
Family comes first.

Imelda:
[to Héctor] I... I can't forgive you… but I will help you. [to Miguel] So how do we get to De la Cruz?

Miguel:
I might know a way.

[After Imelda finishes "La Llorona" and begins to bless Miguel]

Imelda:
Miguel, I give you my blessing... [the petal glows and gets brighter with each condition] ...To go home, to put up our photos, and to never–

Miguel:
[bitterly] Never play music again.

[Pause]

Imelda:
...To never forget how much your family loves you.

[Miguel smiles at Imelda's acceptable at music]

Héctor:
You're going home.

[Miguel reaches out to grab the petal, but Ernesto swipes him away]

Ernesto:
You're not going anywhere!

[Imelda yells and charges at him, but he pushes her away.]

Héctor:
Imelda! [runs to her]

[The dead Riveras surround him.]

Ernesto:
Stay back, stay back! All of you, stay back! Not one more step!

[Dante flies down and tries to tug Miguel back by the shoe]

Miguel:
Dante!

[Ernesto flings Miguel to the ground, his hoodie falling off.]

Héctor:
Ernesto, stop! [surges and falls to the ground, knocking down a microphone] Leave the boy alone!

Ernesto:
I've worked too hard, Héctor. Too hard to let him destroy everything!

[Rosita angles a camera on him and Victoria turns on the stereo.]

Héctor:
He's a living child, Ernesto!

Ernesto:
He's a THREAT! [The action appears on the jumbotrons onstage; the crowd is shocked.] You think I'd let him go back to the Land of the Living with your photo... to keep your memory alive?! No!

Miguel:
You're a coward!

Ernesto:
I am Ernesto de la Cruz, the greatest musician of all time!

Miguel:
[stands up] Héctor's the REAL musician! You're just the guy who murdered him and stole his SONGS! [the crowd gasps and murmurs]

Audience member:
Murdered?

Ernesto:
[grabs Miguel by the shirt] I am the one who's willing to do what it takes to seize my moment... Whatever it takes. [tosses Miguel over the building]

Miguel:
[screams]

Héctor:
NO!

[The crowd gasps]

Imelda:
MIGUEL!

Felipe:
MIGUEL!

Ernesto:
[to Héctor] Apologies, old friend, but the show must go on.

[After Ernesto's crimes are exposed to the Land of the Dead, Ernesto straighten his hair up, unaware that Miguel's family had broadcasted his crime]

Ernesto:
Ha, ha! (The audience begins to boo at him) (laughs nervously) Please, please, mi familia!

Male Attendee:
MURDERER!

Female Attendee:
GET OFF THE STAGE!

Ernesto:
Orchestra! A-1, A-2, a 1... [The conductor breaks his baton in half in disgust, without any words to say] [singing] Remember me, Though I have to say– [A tomato is thrown at his jacket] Hey! [The audience continues booing and they start throwing food at Ernesto]

Female Attendee:
Look! [Pepita flies up Miguel with Miguel on her back. The crowd cheers. Then Pepita crawls out of the curtains to confront she confronts Ernesto, who backs away nervously]

Ernesto:
Nice kitty… [Pepita roars and grabs him by the waist] Put me down! NO, PLEASE!! I'm begging you! Stop, stop! Ow, ow! NOOOOO!! [Pepita flings him straight into a giant bell. He falls and sees the giant bell as he is about to be crashed into] NOOOOO!!! AHHHH!!!!

[The bell falls on him crushing him... again. The crowd cheers.]

Audience member:
What did I miss?

[After Ernesto is destroyed, Miguel reunites with the dead Riveras]

Miguel:
Good boy, Dante.

Imelda:
Miguel! [they hug each other]

Miguel:
Héctor! [runs up to him] The photo… I-I-I lost it!

Héctor:
[sitting up] It's okay, mijo. It's... [surging worsens, spasms more and faints]

Miguel:
HÉCTOR, Héctor!?

Héctor:
[moans, whispers] Coco...

Miguel:
No, we can still find the photo!

Imelda:
Miguel, it's almost sunrise!

[The sun begins to rise; Miguel's skeleton transformation has now reached up to his face, Héctor weakly places his hand on his face.]

Miguel:
No, no, no. I can't leave you! I promised I put your photo up! I promised you'd see Coco!

Héctor:
We're both out of time, mijo. [surges yet again]

Miguel:
No! No! She can't forget you!

Héctor:
I just wanted her to know... that I loved her. [takes out a marigold petal, surging once more]

Miguel:
Héctor!

Héctor:
You have our blessing... Miguel.

Imelda:
[holds the petal with Héctor] No conditions.

[The petal glows and they contour it toward Miguel]

Miguel:
No, Papá Héctor! Please!! [The dead Riveras and Dante mourn sadly] No...! [panting sadly]

Héctor:
Go home... [smiles and surges one final time]

Miguel:
I promise! I won't let Coco forget you! [the petal touches him] AHH!!

[A flash of petals, and the view fades to white; he wakes up in the mausoleum and flees for home with the skull guitar in hand.]

[Miguel makes it to Coco's room; she is sitting in her wheelchair staring into space.]

Miguel:
Mamá Coco, can you hear me? It's Miguel. I saw your papá. Remember? Papá? Please, if you forget him, he'll be gone, forever!

[Coco doesn't respond]

Papá:
[from outside, banging door] Miguel, open this door!

Miguel:
[showing Hector's guitar] Here, this was his guitar, right? He used to play it to you? See, there he is. [No answer] Papá, remember? Papá?

Papá:
[from outside] MIGUEL!

Miguel:
[begging] Mamá Coco, please don't forget him!

[The door opens, and the Riveras enter.]

Abuelita:
What are you doing to that poor woman?! [comforts Coco] It's okay, Mamita. It's okay.

Papá:
What's gotten into you?! [Miguel begins to cry, hugs Papa; Papá embraces him.] I thought I'd lost you, Miguel...

Miguel:
I'm sorry, Papá.

Mamá:
We're all together now, that's what matters.

Miguel:
Not all of us...

Abuelita:
It's okay, mamita. [At Miguel, angry] Miguel, you apologize to your Mamá Coco!

Miguel:
[walks over to Coco] Mámá Coco... [stubs his foot against Héctor's guitar and gets an idea.]

Abuelita:
Well… apologize!

Miguel:
[holding up the guitar] Mamá Coco? Your papá, he wanted you to have this... [begins strumming; Abuelita tries to intervene, but Papa stops her.]

Papá:
Mamá, wait.

[Miguel starts playing "Remember Me".]

Miguel [sings, tearfully]: Remember me, though I have to say goodbye. Remember me, don't let it make you cry

Mamá:
Look!

[Coco begins to slowly lift her head.]

Miguel: For even if I'm far away, I hold you in my heart. I sing a secret song to you each night we are apart. Remember me, though I have to travel far

Miguel and Coco [singing along]: Remember me, each time you hear a sad guitar Know that I'm with you, the only way that I can be until you're in my arms again. Remember... me.

[Coco smiles, memory recovered; Abuelita begins to cry.]

Coco:
Elena? What's wrong, mija?

Abuelita:
Nothing, Mamá. Nothing at all.

Coco:
[to Miguel] My papá used to sing me that song.

Miguel:
He loved you, Mamá Coco. Your papá loved you so much.

[Coco smiles and opens the drawer on her nightstand, taking out a notebook.]

Coco:
I kept... his letters... poems he wrote me... and... [skims through the book until she reveals a ripped up piece of paper. It's the missing part of the photo from the ofrenda, Héctor's face, which Miguel matches with.] Papá was a musician… when I was a little girl; He and Mamá would sing such beautiful songs... [continues talking as the Riveras listen]

[Last lines]

Miguel: [singing "Proud Corazón"] ¡Ay, mi familia! ¡Oiga mi gente! Canten a coro, let it be known! Our love for each other will live on forever in every beat of my proud corazón!

Abuelita:
What is all this? You've keep secrets from your own family?!

Berto:
It's all that time he spends in the plaza!

Gloria:
Filled his head with crazy fantasies!

Miguel:
It's not a fantasy! That man was Ernesto de la Cruz, (gives Papa the photo) the greatest musician of all time!

Papa:
We've never know anything about this man, but whoever he was, he still abandoned his family. This is no future for my son!

Miguel:
But Papa. You said my family would guide me. Well, de la Cruz is my family. I'm supposed to play music.

Abuelita:
Never! That man's music was a curse! I will not allow it!

Miguel:
But if you would just--

Mama:
Miguel!

Papa:
You will listen to your family! No more music!

Miguel:
(picks up a guitar) Just listen to me play!

Papa:
End of argument!

(Miguel tries to play the guitar, but Abuelita snatches it from him)

Abuelita:
You want to end up like that man? Forgotten? Left off your family's ofrenda?

Miguel:
[angrily] I don't care if I'm some STUPID ofrenda!

(Abuelita along with the whole family gasps in absolute shock at what Miguel has said)

Abuelita:
(glares angrily at the guitar and prepares to destroy it)

Miguel:
[terrified] No!

Papa:
Mama!

Abuelita:
[furiously smashes the guitar against the ground, destroying it] There! [throws the broken guitar and makes the Cross sign] No guitar, no music. [sees Miguel starting to cry] Aw, come. [tries to comfort him] You'll feel better after you eat with your family.

Miguel:
[snapping in venge of tears] I don't want to be in this family! [snatches the photo away from Papa and runs away]

Papa:
[runs after him] Miguel, Miguel!

[Miguel runs out of his home]

[Miguel gasps, Petipa roaring]

Miguel:
AAH!

Imelda:
This nonsense ends now, Miguel! I am giving you my blessing and you are going home.

Miguel:
I don’t want your blessing!

Imelda:
[runs upstairs after Miguel] Miguel! Stop! Come back! Miguel! I'm trying to save your life!

Miguel:
[slips through the metal gate trying to escape] You're ruining my life!

Imelda:
What?!

Miguel:
[angrily] Music's the only thing that makes me happy. And YOU, you WANNA take that away! YOU'LL NEVER UNDERSTAND! [marches upstairs]

Imelda: [singing "La Llorona"] Y aunque la vida me cueste, Llorona No dejar de quiererte.

Miguel:
I-I thought you hated music.

Imelda:
Oh, I love it. I remember that feeling - when my husband would play and I would sing, and nothing else mattered, but when we had Coco suddenly, there was something in my life that mattered more than music. I wanted to put down roots. He wanted to play for the world. We each made a sacrifice to get what we wanted. Now, you must make a choice.

Miguel:
But I don't wanna pick sides. Why can't you be on my side? That's what families are supposed to do - support you, but you never will. [wipes a tear from his eye and runs off]

[Backstage at the Sunrise Spectacular, Ernesto bumps into Imelda.]

Ernesto:
Don't I know you?

[Imelda removes her boot, and with it, she hits Ernesto across the face]

Imelda:
That's for murdering the love of my life!

[Imelda thrusts her boot in Ernesto's face.]

Ernesto:
Who?! Who the-

[Héctor appears around the corner.]

Héctor:
She's talking about ME!! [to Imelda, touched] I'm the love of your life?

Imelda:
I don't know, I'm still angry at you.

Ernesto:
Héctor?! How did you-

[Imelda hits Ernesto with her boot again]

Imelda:
And that's for trying to murder my grandson!

Ernesto:
Grandson?!

[Miguel appears around the corner]

Miguel:
She's talking about me!

Ernesto:
YOU!! [realized] Wait… you're related to Héctor?!

[One year later; As everyone prepares for Día de los Muertos, Mamá Coco has passed away and Baby Socorro is born]

Miguel:
[showing his baby sister the family photos on the ofrenda] And that man is your Papá Julio. And there's Tía Rosita and your Tía Victoria. And those two are Oscar and Felipe. These aren't just old pictures, they're our family. And they're counting on us to remember them.

[Abuelita then places a photo of Mamá Coco on the ofrenda and Miguel hugs her]

Coco:
[off-screen] Papá. [comes to him]

Hector:
Coco!