- “You let one ant stand up to us, then they all might stand up. Those puny little ants outnumber us a hundred to one, and if they ever figure that out, there goes our way of life! It's not about food, it's about keeping those ants in line. That's why we're going back! Does anybody else want to stay?”
- ―Hopper
Hopper is the main antagonist of Disney/Pixar's 1998 film A Bug's Life.
Appearance
Hopper is a large, grayish Grasshopper who is very tall (at least, for an insect). He towers over Flik and the ants in the movie. His legs are long, good for long ranged kick attacks.
Personality
Ruthless and violent, but also cunning, Hopper thinks nothing of killing ants, whom he considers lower than dirt, and his manner of speaking to Princess Atta is reminiscent of an abusive boyfriend mocking his terrified girlfriend. He also beats up his own gang members, and even kills two of them to keep control of his gang. He dislikes being thought of as weak in any way.
Hopper is also briefly depicted as a very anxious character. Indeed, during the Mexican bar scene, he expresses his gang the necessity of getting respect and obedience from the ants because they are far more numerous than them. He explains an only rebel ant is enough to cause entire colony's mutiny (which, ironically, will take place at the end of the movie). It should reveal a huge fear toward ants, hidden by his ruthless and dictatorial manners toward ants and even his own troops.
In any case, Hopper sees mercy and compassion as weaknesses, and relies mostly on fear to maintain control over both his own gang and the ants.