Hero Boy
On Christmas Eve, many years ago I lay quietly in my bed. I did not rustle the sheets. I breathed slowly and silently. I was listening for a sound I was afraid 'd never hear. The ringing bells of Santa's sleigh. (Opening Lines)
2nd most-quoted character in The Polar Express (2004): in 22 of its 75 quotes
Most scenes with: Hero Girl (9), Conductor (6), Know-It-All (5)
At one time, most of my friends could hear the bell. But as years passed, it fell silent for all of them. Even Sarah found, one Christmas, that she could no longer hear it's sweet sound. Though I have grown old, the bell still rings for me. As it does for all who truly believe. (last lines)
More lines from Hero Boy
4 quotes
Hero Boy
Hey, that kid wants to get on the train.
Hero Boy
Are you sure? (repeated line)
Hero Boy
[pulls the whistle]
've wanted to do that my whole life.
Scenes with Hero Boy
17 scenes
Well? You coming?
Hero Boy
Where?
Why, to the North Pole, of course! This is the Polar Express!
Hero Boy
I don't think we're supposed to leave our seats.
Yeah, it's a violation of railroad safety regulations for a kid to cross moving cars without a grown-up.
I think 'll be okay.
Hero Boy
Well, the wind blew it out of my hand. (Shows hero girl his ticket) You can have my ticket!
(Shocks himself)
These tickets are not transferable! (Gives back the hero boy his ticket) Young lady, you're just gonna have to come along with me!
You know what's gonna happen now? He's gonna throw her off the train. He's gonna probably throw her right off the rear platform. It's standard procedure. That way, she won't get sucked down under the wheels. They may slow the train down a little bit, but they're never gonna stop it.
Hero Boy
Stop it? That's it! I have to stop the train again.
No, please, don't do that again.
Is there something I can do for you?
Hero Boy
'm looking for a girl.
A gir...? [Starts laughing] Ain't we all?
What exactly is your persuasion on the big man? Since you brought him up.
Hero Boy
Well, I... I want to believe. But...
But you don't wanna be bamboozled. You don't wanna be led down the primrose path. You don't wanna be conned or duped, have the wool pulled over your eyes. Hoodwinked. You don't wanna be taken for a ride, railroaded.
We gotta make the engine before we hit Flat Top Tunnel.
Hero Boy
How come?
So many questions. There is but one inch of clearance between the roof of this rattler and the roof of Flat Top Tunnel. Savvy?
What was that you said?
Hero Boy
- I believe. I believe that this is yours. [hands bell to Santa]
It's everything I dreamed it would be.
Could all this be nothing but a dream?
Hero Boy
No.
Hero Boy
It says...
It's nothing I need to know.
[Hero Boy has just done some research on the North Pole, further driving his doubt of Santa's existence, and has just bedded down for the night. His parents enter the room and quietly converse as their son lies half-asleep]
He's gotta be asleep by now.
Mother He used to stay awake all night, waiting for Santa.
I think those days are just about over.
Mother [sadly]
That would be sad if that were true.
Yeah, an end of the magic.
Mother [Hero Boy's mother bends down to kiss him on the cheek; he quickly closes his eyes] [whispering]
Merry Christmas, sweetheart. [gives him a kiss as she and her husband turn to leave]
See, he's out like a light. An express train wouldn't wake him up now.
Hero Boy
[the parents close the bedroom door behind them] [thinking]
"End of the magic"?
Hey! Hey, you. Yeah, you! Do you know what kind of train this is?
Hero Boy
Huh?
Train, do you know what kind of train this is? Well, do you?
Hero Boy
Uh...
Of course! It's a magic train. We're going to the North Pole.
Ah, I know it's a magic train. Actually, it's a Baldwin 2-8-4 S-3 class Berkshire type steam locomotive, built in 1931 at the Baldwin Locomotive Works. It weighs 456,100 pounds and has a tractive force of 83,450 pounds. Its top speed is--
Hero Boy
[overlapping]
Are we really going to the North Pole?
Mm-hmm.
Hey, look, everybody!
Isn't that wonderful?
Herpolsheimer's! Herpolsheimer's! [the Polar Express went slowly past the Herpolsheimer's store outside] Wow, look at all those presents! I want ALL of 'em!
It's so Christmassy, cozy and beautiful.
[The carol "Good King Wenceslas" plays inside the shop, and an animatronic Santa is placing presents in a display]
Hero Boy
[The throttle suddenly becomes jammed, and Steamer tries to get it to work again, but it was no use. The train began to accelerate faster and faster.]
We're going pretty fast.
Tell the engineer to slow down.
[unintentionally breaks the cotter pin holding the throttle]
Ah! Jumping jeepers, the cotter pin sheared off!
Smokey
What?
The pin!
Smokey
Where?
There!
Smokey and Steamer
[The cotter pin falls through a vent.]
Oh, no!
They can't hear me.
They can't? [notices that they are approaching two preposterous signs that read "Danger 179-degree grade" and "Use Low Gear", and gasps] I don't like the look of this. Quick, under the safety bar.
Hero Boy
[scared to death]
Is every... Is everything alright? [The conductor pulls his robe belt off and ties it around the children to the safety bar.] What should we do?!
Well, considering the fact that we have lost communication with the engineer, we are standing totally exposed on the front of the locomotive, the train appears to be accelerating uncontrollably, and we are rapidly approaching Glacier Gulch, [Hero Girl whimpers] which just happens to be the steepest downhill grade in the world, I suggest that we all hold on...TIGHTLY!!
Smokey and Steamer
[The train speeds down the roller coaster-like track drop while the three scream loudly.]
Whoa! The pin!
[They try to grab the cotter pin, but Steamer gulps it into his stomach, leaving him shocked.]
Jiminy Christmas, the ice has frozen over the tracks!
[The conductor is right. The train hits the massive ice lake and skids and skates on the ice. Smokey uses a shovel to force the cotter pin out of Steamer's stomach, but it flies out of the cab and onto the ice, fracturing it. The train hits an iceberg, causing it to lean sideways and Hero Girl almost falls off, but is grabbed by the conductor and Hero Boy.]
Hold on! Hold on! No, no, no! Come on! Watch your step! Come on sweetie. Up you go. Up you go! No, no, no. Put your feet on here! Little adventure, huh? [The conductor turns to Hero Boy.] Young man, quick thinking on your part!
[The Conductor carries a light as they enter another train car, know as the Abandoned Toy Car.]
Ah, the forsaken and the abandoned. Mind your step now. These... These poor toys have suffered enough. Being left to rust and decay in the back alleys and vacant lots of the world.
Hero Boy
What are they doing here?
It's a new concept the boss came up with. Instead of being thrown away, they're collected, refurbished. He calls it... re-by-cycling, or something like that.
Makes me wanna cry seeing toys that were treated this way.
These hopelessly entangled string puppets and marionettes pose a particular problem. We found that the nimble fingers of our workforce here at the North Pole are best suited for working out these knots and tangles, don't you think? Oh, thank you. Uh-oh. Double-locked here.
[The door shuts. Hero Boy continues looking at the toys and has gotten lost in the dark train car. He walks towards the door and bumps into a marionette of Scrooge who clasps his shoulder, Hero Boy stops walking, he turns nervously.] [As Ebenezer Scrooge]
You are just like me, my friend. A SCROOGE!
[Hero Boy gasps in horror and jumps back in fright]
Ebenezer Scrooge! North Pole, Santa Claus, this train-- It's all a bunch of humbug!
[Hero Boy looks up and notices the Hobo up on the roof, puppeteering Scrooge.] [Continued as Scrooge]
A bout of indigestion! Oh, yeah, I know what you are! YOU'RE A DOUBTER!!!
[Hero Boy screams and flees frantically, trying to find the door, but with all the puppets and marionettes in his path, it makes it almost impossible to get out.]
A DOUBTER! YOU DON'T BELIEVE! YOU'RE A DOUBTER!! YOU DON'T BELIEVE!!!
[Hero Boy reaches the door and instantly slams it shut, he has returned to the car where all the kids are sitting.]
[After the train arrives at the North Pole and stops in front of the giant tree in the city's center...] [organizing the children and lining them up]
Alright. Alright, ladies and gentlemen. 2 columns, please. Shorter in the front, taller in the rear. Even-numbered birthdays on the right, odd-numbered on the left. No pushing. No pushing. But let's not dilly-dally, it's 5 minutes to midnight.
Hey, what gives? It was 5 minutes until midnight 4 minutes ago.
Exactly! Columns of 2! [counts the children] 1, 2.
Question.
[looks at Billy inside, thinking that Billy can choose to see Santa or not]
No one is required to see Santa. [to the children] Ladies and gentlemen, you do not have to hold hands...
[Hero Boy and Hero Girl climb aboard the observation car, but unbeknownst to them, Hero Boy accidentally steps on a lever which uncouples the car. Inside...] [to Billy]
Look, you have to come with us.
Hero Boy
[agreeing]
She-She's right.
[feeling depressed and left out and thinking Christmas is not important to him]
Christmas just doesn't work out for me. It never has.
But Christmas is such a wonderful and beautiful time. It's a time for giving and being thankful, for friends and family. People hang decorations and lights. And then Santa comes and leaves presents under our Christmas trees.
Hero Boy
[sighs]
Look, I don't know if Christmas is gonna work out for you or not, but this is Christmas Eve. Don't stay here by yourself.
Yes, come with us. We'll go together.
Hero Boy
[Billy then decides to come with the two and have the chance to meet Santa. But just then, the observation car jerked and started to roll backwards, and its lights go out. It was uncoupled from the train. The three go to the platform at the back and feared what would happen next.] [assuring]
We're gonna be okay. [They get diverted onto another track downhill.] MAYBE NOOOOOOOTT!! [gasps] The emergency brake. The emergency brake! [hurries to the front of the car] There's no brake! I CAN'T FIND THE BRAKE!!
[materializes next to the manual brake]
Take a break, kid! How 'bout a nice, good hot cup of Joe?
Hero Boy
[notices a present coming down]
Hey, look! A present. It's going to my town. To someone named Billy!
My name is Billy!
It's going to, uh... 11344 Edbrooke Avenue.
That's my address!
Hero Boy
Give me your other hand. Give me your other hand!
I can't!
Hero Boy
On 3! 1, 2, 3! [they yank Billy up, but he is still stuck] Look! [sees a hand grabbing Billy's foot]
It's still got me!
Hero Boy
On 3 again! 1, 2, 3! [they yank Billy up again, and the person grabbing onto Billy is revealed to be the Know-It-All; shocked yet sternly] You!
What are you doing here?!
Same as you, I'm checking out my Christmas presents. I wanna make sure I'm getting everything on my list. All I found was one present, and all it had was a bunch of stupid underwear!
Elves
[All the children gather with the Conductor and elves in the North Pole city square. The elves bring the reindeer out] [singing]
It's the spirit of the season / You can feel it in the air / You can hear it if you listen everywhere, so much care, like a prayer, whatever it is, you need to share it [the reindeer are lined up] It's the spirit of the season [the horns are played. The elves bring the harnesses out] It's the spirit of the season / You can feel it in the air [Everyone cheers. The elves place the harnesses on the reindeer]
Aren't those bells the most beautiful sound?
Elves
[Hero Boy is unable to hear the bells. The entire square grows silent] [singing]
Oh, you better watch out / You better not cry / You better not pout; I'm telling you why / Santa Claus is coming... TO TOWN!!
[Santa finally emerges from the doors. A massive cheer erupts from the children and elves as Frank Sinatra's recording of "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town" begins blaring over the city's P.A. system] [elated]
He's here! He's here!
Hero Boy
[confused]
Where?!
Hero Boy
I can't see him! [the Conductor takes off his hat in respect. He's unable to see Santa, due to the elves stacking themselves on top of each other, blocking his view] I can't see him! I can't see him! [suddenly, a loud clatter erupts from the reindeer, who prance about excitedly. The sequence begins to slow. A bell breaks loose from the harness and is thrown into the air. The bell falls back down, bounces on the ground and rolls right to him. He picks it up, and shakes the bell next to his ear, but cannot hear it; decided] Okay. Okay! [closes his eyes] I believe. I believe. [whispers] I believe. [shakes the bell, and to his surprise, the bell he shakes makes a wonderful sound]