A Bug's Life is a computer animated film, released by Disney and Pixar to theaters in 1998. It concerns an oddball ant named Flik, who recruits circus bugs to defend his colony from grasshoppers.

Directed by John Lasseter. Written by Andrew Stanton.

Music by Randy Newman and includes "The Time of Your Life". Written and performed by Newman.

Dialogue

[First lines; As the line of ants marched to the stone, one ant spotted a shadow moving across the ground. He looked up and gasped. A leaf was falling from the overhead tree]

Scared Ant #1: [gasps] No, no, no, Oh, no. Oh, no.

[a leaf lands in front of one of the worker ants in the food line]

Scared Ant #1: I'm lost! What do I do? What do I do?

Scared Ant #2: Help!

Scared Ant #3: We'll be stuck here forever!

Mr. Soil: Do not panic. We're trained professionals. Now, stay calm. We are going around the leaf.

Scared Ant #1: Around the leaf. I-I-I don't think we can do that.

Mr. Soil: Oh, nonsense. This is nothing compared to the twig of '93. [gestured for the line of nervous ants to come towards him] That's it. That's it. Good! You're doing great! There you go. There you go! Watch my eyes. Don't look away. And here's the line again.

Scared Ant #1: [gleeful shout] Thank you! Thank you, Mr. Soil!

Mr. Soil: Good job, everybody!

Dr. Flora: Oh, my. There's quite a gap, Mr. Soil. Shouldn't we tell the queen?

Mr. Soil: I don't think we need to involve the queen in this. She's got enough on her plate already, training her daughter.

Dr. Flora: Oh, yes, Princess Atta. The poor dear.

Princess Atta: Oh... Wind's died down. They'll be here soon.

Queen: Just be confident, dear. You'll be fine.

Princess Atta: Ah! There's a gap. There's a gap in the line! What are we gonna do?!

Thorny: It's okay, Your Highness. Gaps happen. We just lost a few inches, that's all.

Princess Atta: Oh, right.

Thorny: Your Highness, I can't count when you hover like that.

Princess Atta: Oh, of course. I'm sorry. [chuckles] Go ahead.

Queen: Guys, go shade someone else for a while. Okay, Atta. Now what do we do?

Princess Atta: Oh! Don't tell me. I know it. I know it. What is it?

Queen: We relax!

Princess Atta: Right.

Queen: Oh, it'll be fine. It's the same, year after year. They come, they eat, they leave. That's our lot in life. It's not a lot, but it's our life. [laughs] Isn't that right, Aphie? Oh, you're such a cute little aphid.

Grub: Ditch Dot!

Reed: Yeah, yeah!

Dot: Hey, come back here! [grunts]

Queen: Dot!

Dot: Yes, Mother.

Queen: What did I tell you about trying to fly?

Dot: Not until my wings grow in.

Queen: Right.

Dot: But, Mom...

Princess Atta: Dot, you're a young queen ant, and your wings are too little to be...

Dot: I was talking to Mother. You're not the queen yet, Atta.

Queen: Now, Dot, be nice to your sister.

Dot: It's not my fault she's so stressed out.

Princess Atta: [sighs] I know, I know. [sighs] I'm always acting like the sky is falling.

Mr. Soil: Look out!

Princess Atta: Ah!

Queen: Atta!

Thorny: Princess Atta!

Dr. Flora: Princess Atta! Princess Atta!

Princess Atta: Oh!

Mr. Soil: Look out!

Dr. Flora: Hey! Stop that!

Mr. Soil: What do you think you're doing?

Dr. Flora: You could have killed somebody over here!

Flik: [gasps] I'm sorry! I'm sorry!

Thorny: Oh, it's Flik.

[Cornelius groans]

Flik: I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry! Please forgive me. I'm sorry! [screams] Princess Atta!

Princess Atta: Flik, what are you doing?

Flik: Oh... Oh, this! This is my new idea for harvesting grain. No more picking individual kernels. You can just cut down the entire stalk!

Princess Atta: Flik, we don't have time for this.

Flik: Exactly! We never have time to collect food for ourselves, because we spend all summer harvesting for the offering. But my invention will speed up production.

Princess Atta: [groans] Another invention?

Flik: Yeah, and I've got something for you, too.

Princess Atta: [sighs] Flik!

Flik: Since you're gonna be queen soon, you could use this to oversee production. Dr. Flora, if I may.

Dr. Flora: [gasps] Oh!

Princess Atta: This is all very nice, but...

Thorny: What?

Flik: Just an ordinary blade of grass and a bead of dew, right?

Princess Atta: Flik, please.

Flik: Wrong! It is, in fact...

[Flik rolls up the blade of grass and places the bead of dew in its center.]

Flik: ...a telescope!

[Dot and Queen laugh]

Princess Atta: It's very clever, Flik, but...

[Flik peers at Atta through the telescope]

Flik: Hello, princess! My, aren't you looking lovely this morning! Not, of course, that you would need a telescope to see that...

Thorny: All right, listen! The princess doesn't have time for this! You want to help us fill this thing? Then get rid of that machine, get back in line and pick grain like everybody else!

Cornelius: Like everybody else!

Princess Atta: Please, Flik. Just go.

Flik: I'm sorry. I was... I was really just trying... Trying to help.

Cornelius: Harvester. Why, we've harvested the same way ever since I was a pupa.

Princess Atta: [exasperated sighs] Where were we?

Mr. Soil: The food pile, Your Highness.

Princess Atta: Oh, yes. Yes.

Dot: Hey, Flik! Flik, wait up!

Flik: Oh. Hello, princess.

Dot: You can call me Dot. Here, you forgot this.

[Dot holds the telescope out to Flik]

Flik: Thanks. You can keep it. I can...make another one.

Dot: I like your inventions.

Flik: Really? Well, you're the first. I'm beginning to think nothing I do works.

[Dot holds up the telescope]

Dot: This works.

Flik: Great. One success. [sighs] I'm never gonna make a difference.

Dot: Me, neither. I'm a royal ant, and I can't even fly yet. I'm too little.

Flik: Oh, being little's not such a bad thing.

Dot: Yes, it is.

Flik: No, it's not.

Dot: Is, too!

Flik: Is not.

Dot: Is, too.

Flik: Is not. Is not. Is not.

Dot: Is, too. Is, too. Is, too.

Flik: Is not... Oh... A seed. I need a seed. Here, pretend that that's a seed.

Dot: It's a rock.

Flik: Oh, I know it's a rock, I know. But let's just pretend for a minute that it's a seed, alright? We'll just use our imaginations. Now, now do you see our tree? Everything that made that giant tree is already contained inside this tiny little seed. All it needs is some time, a little bit of sunshine and rain, and voilá!

Dot: This rock will be a tree?

Flik: Seed to tree? You've gotta work with me. Alright? Okay. Y-you might not feel like you can do much now, but that's just because, well, you're not a tree yet. You just have to give yourself some time. You're still a seed.

Dot: But it's a rock.

Flik: [shouting] I know it's a rock! Don't you think I know a rock when I see a rock?! I've spent a lot of time around rocks!

Dot: You're weird, but I like you.

[horn sounds, gasps and panicked chattering]

Flik: They're here.

Ants: They're here!

Dot: Mom! Where are you?

Ants: They're coming! Run!

Queen: Dot! Dot!

Dot: Mom!

Princess Atta: Single file!

Dot: Mom!

Queen: Thank heavens!

Princess Atta: Please, everyone. Uh, food the offering stone.

Queen: [whistles] Okay, everyone, single file. Food to offering stone and into the anthill. Now, let's go!

Princess Atta: Go, go, go, go! Come on. Keep movin', keep movin'!

Queen: Good. Okay. That's everyone. [flies into the anthill with the others. Flik is heard in the background]

Flik: Hey! Hey, wait for me! [he runs up to the offering stone] Get the food to the offering stone, then into the anthill.

[Flik takes off hiss harvester and sets it on the offering stone. It vibrates off the platform and falls the ground. The stalk-holder flips out and knocks one of the supporting rocks loose. The offering stone tips over, and the food starts falling off. Flik hears the crash, turns around and sees the food falling off!]

Flik: [screams] No! No, no, no, no, no! Oh, oh!

[Flik grabs the leaf's stem to save the food, but his attempts are futile. Every single piece of food falls off. Looking over the edge, Flik watches in horror as the very last piece falls into the creek]

Flik: Oh, no. PRINCESS ATTA! PRINCESS ATTA! PRINCESS ATTAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!

[Flik runs into the anthill just as the buzzing grows louder]

[In the anthill, the whole colony is waiting for the grasshoppers to have their feast then leave]

Princess Atta: They come, they eat, they leave. They come, they eat, they leave.

Flik: Excuse me, pardon me. Pardon me, excuse me. Coming through. Excuse me. Excuse me. Sorry, sorry. [he runs through the crowd to make his way to Atta] Coming through. Princess Atta, there's something I need to tell you.

[Flik shuts up and bits his finger in fear, waiting for the inevitable]

Princess Atta: Not now, Flik.

Flik: But, Your Highness, it's about the offering!

[rumbling stops, all gasps and evil rocks chatters]

Hopper: [first words] Hey, what's going on here?

Molt: Yeah, where's the food?

[all ants gasp]

Princess Atta: [angrily to Flik] What did you do?

Flik: [all ants turn to him, nervously] It was an accident?

Molt: Boo!

[the grasshoppers arrived towards the ants scream and Thumper snarling before Dot screams]

Molt: Where's the food? Huh?

Flik: Hopper.

Hopper: So, where is it? Where's my FOOD?! [echoes]

Princess Atta: I-Isn't it up there?

Hopper: What?

Princess Atta: The food was sitting in a leaf on top-

Hopper: [interrupts] Excuse me?!

Princess Atta: Are you sure it's not up there?

Hopper: Are you saying I'm stupid?

Princess Atta: No.

Hopper: Do I look stupid... to you? Let's just think about the logic, shall we? Let's just think about it for a second. If it was up there, would I be coming down here, [He leans into Atta] to your level, LOOKING FOR IT?! Why am I even talking to you? You're not the queen. You don't smell like the queen.

Queen: She's learning to take over for me, Hopper.

Hopper: Oh, I see! Under new management. So it's your fault.

Princess Atta: No, it wasn't me, it was-

Hopper: Uh-uh-uh. First rule of leadership: Everything is your fault.

Princess Atta: But-But-I-

Hopper: It's a bug-eat-bug world out there, Princess, one of those circle-of-life kind of things. Now, let me tell you how things are supposed to work. The sun grows the food, the ants pick the food, the grasshoppers eat the food--

Molt: [annoyingly interrupts Hopper] And the birds eat the grasshoppers. Hey, like the one that nearly ate you, you 'member? You 'member? Oh, you shoulda seen it.

Hopper: Molt.

Molt: This blue jay has him halfway down his throat, okay? And Hopper's kickin' and screamin', okay? And I'm scared, okay? I'm not goin' anywhere near, okay? [Hopper furiously approaches Molt] Aw, come on. It's a great story. [Hopper angrily grabs his antennae] Ow! Ow! Ow!

Hopper: [violently pushes him against a wall] I swear, if I hadn't promised mother on her deathbed that I wouldn't kill you, I would kill you!

Molt: And believe me, no one appreciate that more than I do.

Hopper: Shut up. I don't want to hear another word out of you while we're on this island. Do you understand me? [Molt whimpers] I said, do you understand me?!

Molt: Well, how can I answer? You said I couldn't say another word. [Hopper enraged is about to punch him] Ah! Remember Ma!

Hopper: [furiously turns and angrily punches another grasshopper; calms down becoming reasonable] Hey, I'm a compassionate insect. There's still a few months till the rains come, so you can all just try again.

Queen: But, Hopper, since it's almost the rainy season, we need this time to gather food for ourselves.

Hopper: Listen, if you don't keep your end of the bargain, then I can't guarantee your safety. And there are insects out there that will take advantage of you. Someone could get hurt. [He evilly snaps his fingers and calls out Thumper who scares Dot; she tries to run away but is caught by Hopper; he brings her face-to-face with Thumper] What's the matter? You scared of grasshoppers? You don't like Thumper?

Flik: [steps forward] Leave her alone!

Hopper: [turns to Flik] You want her? [He holds Dot above Flik] Go ahead. Take it. [Flik stands down in fear] No? Then get back in line. [Flik goes back in line; releases Dot, who returns to her family] It seems to me that you ants are forgetting your place. So let's double the order of food.

Princess Atta: No! But-But-

Hopper: We'll be back at the end of the season, when the last leaf falls. [He pulls a skin flake off Molt and lets it slowly drop like a leaf] You ants have a nice summer. Let's ride!

[The grasshoppers all fly away and the entire colony stares at Flik, who chuckles nervously]

[Later, Atta banging a gavel inside a large courtroom]

Princess Atta: Flik, what do you have to say for yourself?

Flik: Sorry. I-I'm sorry for the way I am. I didn't mean for things to go so wrong. I...especially didn't want to make you look bad, Princess.

Princess Atta: Well, Flik, you did.

Flik: I was just trying to help.

Mr. Soil: Then help us. Don't help us.

Flik: Help? Help? Help?

Princess Atta: Flik, you are sentenced to one month digging in the tunnels.

Thorny: Uh, excuse me, Your Highness. Need I remind you of Flik's tunnel-within-a-tunnel project?

Flik: Helpers to help us. That could... That's it! We could...

Thorny: It took the whole engineering department two days to dig him out. Send him to Health and Ant Services.

Dr. Flora: Heavens, no!

Flik: We could leave the island. The riverbed's dry right now. We could just walk right across the riverbed. We could go get helpers. We could! We could leave, sure. We could go find helpers to help us. It's perfect!

Queen: Perfect? What's so perfect?

Flik: Your Highness, don't you see? We could send someone to get help!

[Ant council gasps]

Princess Atta: Leave the island.

Queen: Why didn't I think of that? Oh, because it's suicide.

Thorny: She's right. We never leave the island.

Cornelius: Never leave!

Thorny: There's snakes and birds and bigger bugs out there!

Flik: Exactly! Bigger bugs! We could find bigger bugs to come here and fight and forever rid us of Hopper and his gang!

Mr. Soil: Ludicrous!

Dr. Flora: Who would do a crazy thing like that?

Flik: I'll volunteer. I'd be very happy to volunteer.

Queen: [laughs] You got a lot of spunk, kid, but no one's gonna help a bunch of ants.

Dr. Flora: At least we could try. Oh, I-I could... I could travel to the city. I could search there!

Princess Atta: If you went, you'd be on that silly search for weeks.

Thorny: Royal huddle. [whispering] Great idea, princess. It's perfect.

Cornelius: Exactly.

Princess Atta: Wait a minute. What did we just decide here?

Mr. Soil: To let Flik leave.

Cornelius: While we keep harvesting to meet Hopper's demands.

Dr. Flora: You see? With Flik gone, he can't...

Princess Atta: He can't mess anything up! Flik, after much deliberation, we have decided... to grant you your request.

Flik: Really?

Queen: Really?

Princess Atta: Uh, really.

Flik: Oh! Thank you, princess. Thank you so much for this chance. I-I-I won't let you down, I promise, I promise, I promise, I promise.

Princess Atta: Yeah, yeah, that's fine, that's fine. No, forget it, forget it.

Flik: But I should probably help repair some of the damage before I go, don't you think...

Ant Council: No! No, no!

Princess Atta: Just go. Just go.

Cornelius: Just leave!

Flik: [suavely] Hey, don't worry! The colony is in good hands! Bye, now.

[An ants cheering]

Flik: [breathes in] All right. Hey, fellas. Beautiful morning, huh?

Grub: My dad says he gives you one hour before you come back to the island crying.

Flik: Does he now?

Reed: My dad doesn't think that.

Flik: He doesn't, huh?

Reed: Nah, he's betting you're gonna die.

Flik: Oh.

Reed: Yeah, he says if the heat doesn't get you, the birds will.

Dot: Well, I think he's gonna make it.

Reed: Nobody asked you, Your Royal Shortness.

Grub: Yeah, Dot. What do you know?

Flik: Hey, hey, hey. Ease up, all right? Come on. She's entitled to her opinion, too. Ohh...

Grub: So go, already. Hey!

Reed: The city's that way!

Flik: I know.

Reed: You're supposed to look for bugs, not dandelions!

Dot: You leave him alone. He knows what he's doing.

Flik: That's right! Here I go! For the colony and for oppressed ants everywhere! Whoa...

Dot: Wow!

Flik: Hey!

Dot: Bye, Flik!

Flik: Wow. Whoa!

Dot: Good luck, Flik!

Flik: Bye! [pained grunt]

Dot: Flik!

Flik: [muffled] I'm okay!

Grub: Your dad's right. He's gonna die.

Dot: You just watch. He's gonna get the bestest, roughest bugs you've ever seen!

[Dim roaring]

Rosie: Get back! Get back! Get back, you horrible beast! I have no fear!

Dim: Oh! [whimpers]

Rosie: Oh, my goodness.

[Dim crying, the other flies booing]

Rosie: Oh, I'm so sorry, Dim.

Dim: Owie! Owie, owie! [sobs]

Rosie: An owie? Okay, show Rosie the owie. All right, Dim. It's okay.

Fly Mom: [frustrated sighs] I have been in outhouses that didn't stink that bad. This is ridiculous. What a disappointment.

[A small flea in a top hat, P.T. Flea, jumps outside the tent]

P.T. Flea: [gasps] No!

Complaining Fly: You! Come here! I want my money back!

P.T. Flea: Uh, no refunds after the first two minutes.

Cockroach: Popcorn! Stale popcorn!

P.T. Flea: We're losing the audience! You clowns get out there now!

Heimlich: I hate performing on an empty stomach!

P.T. Flea: Do your act, Heimlich, then you can eat.

Slim: P.T., what's the point?

P.T. Flea: Not now, Slim.

Slim: What's the point of going out there? They'll only laugh at me.

P.T. Flea: That's because you're a CLOWN!

Slim: No, it's because I'm a PROP! You always cast me as the broom! The pole! The stick! A splinter!

P.T. Flea: You're a walking stick! IT'S FUNNY! NOW, GO!

Slim: You parasite.

[The other flies booing. Slim and Francis prance in the arena with flowers on their heads]

Slim: [dryly] Tra-la-la-la-la. Spring is in the air, and I'm a flower with nothing interesting to say.

Francis: [high-pitched] Ah!

Slim: A bee!

Heimlich: I am a cute little bumblebee!

[Heimlich begins chasing Slim and Francis around the arena]

Heimlich: Here I come!

[Slim and Francis dramatically screaming]

Fly Brother #1: [to Francis] Hey, cutie! Wanna pollinate with a real bug? [laughs]

[Francis flies up to the pair of flies and angrily throws his hat off]

Francis: So, bein' a ladybug automatically makes me a girl! Is that it, flyboy?! Huh?!

Fly Brother #2: Yikes!

Fly Brother #1: She's a guy!

Heimlich: Francis, leave them alone! They are poo-poo heads!

P.T. Flea: Not again!

Francis: Judging by your breath, you must have been buzzin' around a dung heap all day!

Slim: Come on, Francis. You're making the maggots cry.

[The baby maggots wail. Large wings with eye spots fan out. They belong to a moth, Gypsy, who preens and warms up her voice in a dressing room. Gypsy operatic vocalizing]

P.T. Flea: All right, we're dying out there. Gypsy, quick, you and Manny...

Gypsy: Shh. He's in a trance.

[A praying mantis, Manny, is shown in the room rubbing his temples with his eyes closed]

P.T. Flea: Well, get him out of it! You and your husband are up now!

Gypsy: Manny, we're on.

Manny: Oh? Yet again it is up to me to rescue the performance. Gypsy, come.

[Gypsy humming. Manny crashes and groans]

Gypsy: Stage is the other way, dear.

Manny: Yes, of course.

Francis: Anytime, pal! I'm gonna pick the hairs out of your head one by one!

Fly Brother #1: Take your best shot!

Francis: You name the place!

Fly Brother #2: Oh, yeah?

Francis: Yeah, 'cause when you get there, you are dead!

Slim: Francis, let me handle this. That's no way to speak to a lady.

Francis: I heard that, you twig!

P.T. Flea: Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to present Manto the Magnificent and his lovely assistant, Gypsy!

[P.T. Flea sounds the gong]

Manny: From the most mysterious regions of uncharted Asia, I give you the Chinese Cabinet of Metamorphosis!

P.T. Flea: Rosie, whole troupe! On stage! Finale! Now!

Rosie: Okay, I just need a little time to...

P.T. Flea: Now!

Rosie: Coming. Coming. Tuck, Roll. Let's get moving, guys. We're up next.

[Two pillbugs, Tuck with separate eyebrows and Roll with a unibrow, roll in. Tuck and Roll speaking foreign language]

Rosie: Don't you understand? We are up!

Tuck and Roll: Up-a! Up-a! [speaking foreign language]

[Tuck jumps onto Roll's shoulders]

Tuck and Roll: Hey!

Rosie: Hey! They don't understand me.

Manny: I summon the voice of Confucius...

Circus Fly: Get off the stage, you old hack!

Manny: [yelps] I demand to know who said that! [grunts]

[A piece of fruit hits Manny]

Manny: How dare you! [yelps]

[More fruit hits Manny. The other flies booing]

Manny: Ingrates!

[Fruit continues to hit Manny as he walks offstage. Gypsy remains inside the food container]

Gypsy: [muffled] Manny? Manny!

Fly Brother #2: I only got 24 hours to live, and I ain't gonna waste it here! Come on!

[two mosquitoes fly near a bug zapper; one flies towards it, as if in a trance]

Harry's Friend: Harry, no! Don't look at the light!

Harry: [entranced] I can't help it. It's so beautiful. [gets zapped, falls] Woo hoo!

Flik: Try not to look like a country bug. Blend. Blend in.

Bus Beetle: Making all stops to the septic tank, including standing water, empty bean can and dead rat! Watch your stingers. All aboard!

Bug #1: Hey, watch it.

Bug #2: Get out of the way!

Flik: Oh, sorry.

Snail: Ow! Watch where you're going!

Flik: I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do that. I didn't... Oh, sorry!

[off-key violin sawing]

Flik: Oh, I'm really, really, sorry. That was an... An accident.

[Inside, bugs sit, drink and talk as a saloon piano plays]

Cockroach: I knew an old lady who swallowed a fly...

Flik: Wow...

Fly: Move it!

Flik: Whoa!

Fly: Hey, waiter! I'm in my soup! I've been working out. Feel my wing. Yo! Two Black Flags over here! All right.

Bug: Hair of the dog you bit.

Cockroach Waitress: [in the bar] Alright, who ordered the Poo Poo Platter? [a bunch of flies swarm the dish she holds in the air]

Mosquito Waitress: Here you go, Slick. Enjoy.

Slick: [takes one bite and his mouth starts to bubble] Ow! Ow! Hey, I said no salt!

Bug: Buzz off!

Flik: Oh, excuse me, sir. I was wondering if I could talk to you for a moment. I represent a colony of ants, and I'm looking... I'm looking for tough bugs, you know, mean bugs, the sort of bugs...

Slim: Fired by a flea, how humiliating!

Francis: Let's face it. We stink.

Tuck: You fired!

Roll: You fired!

Tuck: You fireeeeeed!

Rosie: [in disgust] Oh, will you shut up?

Tuck: Hey!

Roll: You fired!

Heimlich: Someday I will be a beautiful butterfly, and then everything will be better.

Gypsy: I can't believe the troupe is breaking up. We've always been together.

Manny: Farewell, my friends.

Francis: To the audience we'll never have.

Slim: [gasps and whispers] Francis! Your boyfriends from the circus are here!

[Francis gasps]

Fly Brother #1: There she is.

[Francis nervously popping lips]

Fly Brother #2: Hello there, girlie bug.

Francis: Shoo, fly. Don't bother me.

Fly Brother #1: Say, why don't you tell our pal, Thud.

[Thud slams down behind Francis. Thud growls]

Fly Brother #1: What you said to us at the circus?

Fly Brother #2: Yeah. Something about buzzing around a dung heap?

Flik: Excuse me. Hi, I represent an ant colony, and we're just...

Drunk Mosquito: Hey, bartender! Bloody Mary, O-positive. [given a drop of blood] Oh, yeah... [slurps it quickly and passes out]

Flik: Sir.

Flik: Oh, great ones! I have been scouting for bugs with your exact talents!

Gypsy: A talent scout!

Flik: My colony is in trouble. Grasshoppers are coming. We've been forced to prepare all this food.

Manny: Dinner theater!

Heimlich: Food?

Flik: Please, will you help us?

Fly: Where are they?

Slim: We'll take the job!

Flik: You see, I'm looking for tough warrior bugs.

Francis: Stand back, ye flies! We are the greatest warriors in all Kingdom.

Flik: [from a distance, to himself] Warrior bugs!

Francis: My sword.

[Francis grabs Slim and brandishes him like a sword]

Slim: [dryly] Swish, swish. Clang, clang.

Francis: Little John.

Heimlich: What ho, Robin! Justice is my sword and truth shall be my quiver.

Rosie: Okay, come on everyone. Break a leg.

Flik: Whoa! You're vicious!

Dim: Hold on, Mr. Ant.

Flik: Amazing.

[one of the ants fainted]

Princess Atta: Dr. Flora!

Dr. Flora: Oh, dear. Not another one.

Thorny: Oh, this is insane.

Cornelius: Insane.

Thorny: There's just not enough food left on the island! No way we can make double quota before Hopper comes.

Princess Atta: Well, we have to try, Thorny. We don't have any choice.

Thorny: Yeah, I know.

Queen: [about Mr. Soil] He's our royal thespian. Last year he played the lead in Picnic. [laughs]

Flik: [has just realized the "warrior bugs" are from the circus] Your Highness! The warriors have called a secret meeting to make plans for circus, uh, circumventing the oncoming horde, so they can trapeze - trap them with ease!

Princess Atta: Well, shouldn't I come, too?

Flik: No! Ha ha ha! Sorry. No, no, see it's classified in the DMZ, gotta go ASAP, you know, strictly BYOB. Bye!

Flik: [after Heimlich suggests that he tell the truth] They can't! They can't know the truth! The truth, you see, is bad! I will be branded with this mistake for the rest of my life! My children's children will walk down the street, and people will point and say "Look! There goes the spawn of Flik the loser!" Oh, oh, oh, you know, all right fine. Yeah okay. Just go. But could you do me a little favor before you leave? If you could squish me.

Flik: You can't go! I'm desperate!

Slim: Really? I couldn't tell!

Dot: Hmph. Come on wings. Help.

Princess Atta: Mother Flik it's up to something.

Heimlich: Help! I'm stuck! Put me down.

[the ants watch as Heimlich gets stuck during the bird attack]

Princess Atta: The caterpillar's using himself as live bait.

Mr. Soil: How brave!

Heimlich: [as bird looms over him] Aaaaaaaaah!

Slim: Suck it in, man.

Princess Atta: You don't think I've offended the warriors, do you?

Flik: You? No!

Princess Atta: Oh, good. Because, you see, when you first brought them here, I'd thought you'd hired a bunch of clowns!

Flik: [voice suddenly higher] You did?

[laughs nervously]

Flik: Princess, you're doing a great job.

Princess Atta: Thanks. You're sweet. You're wrong, but sweet. I know what everyone really thinks.

Flik: I don't follow you.

Princess Atta: Everyone, the whole colony. Nobody really believes I can do this job. It's like they're all watching me. Just... just...

Flik: Waiting for you to screw up.

Princess Atta: Flik, I owe you an apology.

Flik: For what?

Princess Atta: Well, I haven't been that nice to you, and I'm sorry. If there's any way I can make it up to you... Hey! I know! How would you like to be the queen's official aide to the warrior bugs?

Flik: Me?

Princess Atta: Oh, sure. You've got a great rapport going with them, especially after that rescue. It was very brave.

Flik: Hopper's afraid of birds!

Francis: [after being vigorously pursued by a bird] And I don't blame him!

Heimlich: I'm a beautiful butterfly.

Hopper: Guys, order another round, because we're staying here!

[the other grasshoppers cheer]

Hopper: What was I thinking? Going back to Ant Island. I mean, we just got here, and we have more than enough food to get us through the winter. Right? Why go back?

[the music continues and the rest of the gang begins to party again]

Hopper: But there was that ant that stood up to me.

Axel: Yeah, but we can forget about him!

Loco: Yeah, it was just one ant.

[the rest of the gang agrees, mocking the ants]

Hopper: Yeah, you're right! It's just one ant!

Loco: Yeah, boss. They're puny!

Hopper: Hmm, puny. Say, let's pretend this grain is a puny little ant. [evilly throws the grain at Loco] Didn't that hurt?

Loco: Nope.

Hopper: Well, what's this? [He evilly throws another grain at Axel]

Axel: Are you kidding me?

[the other grasshoppers laugh]

Hopper: Well, how about this one? [He evilly pulls the lid off the jar of grain and Axel and Loco are buried beneath the avalanche; he then climbs on top of the grain pile] You let one ant stand up to us, then they all might stand up. Those puny little ants outnumber us 100 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 wanna stay?

[the grasshoppers are all set]

Molt: He's quite the motivational speaker, isn't he?

Hopper: Let's ride!

[the grasshoppers fly off to Ant Island]

Princess Atta: You mean you're not warriors?

P.T. Flea: Are you kidding? These guys are the lousiest circus bugs you've ever seen, and they're gonna make me rich!

Thorny: You mean to tell me that our entire defensive strategy was concocted by clowns?!

Francis: Hey, hey, hey, hey. We really thought Flik's ideas was gonna work.

[all ants gasp and angrily turn to Flik, while the fireflies put a spotlight on him]

Francis: Oops.

Princess Atta: [sternly] Tell me this isn't true.

Flik: No, you don't understand me.

Cornelius: This couldn't have happened at a more inopportune time! The last leaf is about to fall!

Princess Atta: We haven't collected any food for the grasshoppers!

Thorny: If Hopper finds out what we almost did-

Queen: [angrily] Hopper is not gonna find out! We're going to hide all this, and pretend it never happened! [angrily points to Circus Bugs] You bugs were never here, so I suggest you all leave!

Flik [gets in front of Circus Bugs] But the bird! The bird will work!

Queen: I never thought I'd see the day when an ant would put himself before the rest of his colony.

Flik: [shocked] What?

Queen: The point is, Flik, you lied to us.

Flik: No, it's not true, I just-!

Princess Atta: [walks to Flik] You lied, Flik. You lied to her. You lied to the colony! You lied to me! And like an idiot, I believed you.

Flik: But I was just afraid that if you knew I'd gotten circus bugs. [looks at Princess Atta still mad, sighs] I just wanted to make it difference.

Princess Atta: I want you to leave, Flik. And this time, don't come back.

[Flik hangs his head in sadness, Dot gasps. Flik and Circus Bugs then sadly leaves.]

P.T. Flea: Tough crowd. [giddaps] Yee-haw!

Dot: [sadly, while the Queen holds her back] Flik...

[after Hopper and his grasshopper army returns to Ant Island]

Hopper: [holding a leaf with grains] You little termites! I give you a second chance, and this is all I GET?!

[Hopper angrily throws it in front of the ants]

Princess Atta: But Hopper, we ran out of time!

Hopper: Have you been playing all summer?! You think this is a game?!

Princess Atta: No, no, please!

Hopper: Well, guess what? You just lost. [all ants starts running while grasshoppers chase them] NOT ONE ANT SLEEPS UNTIL WE GET EVERY SCRAP OF FOOD ON THIS ISLAND!!!

Molt: Just do what he says. You don't want to make him mad. Believe me!

Manny: You listen to me, my boy. I've made a living out of being a failure, and you, sir, are not a failure!

Hopper: You little termites! I give you a second chance, and this is all I get?

[all ants scream]

Princess Atta: But, Hopper, we ran out of time!

Hopper: Have you been playing all summer? You think this is a game?

Princess Atta: No, no, please!

Hopper: Well, guess what? You just lost.

[Thumper roaring]

Hopper: Not one ant sleeps until we get every scrap of food on this island!

Molt: Just do what he says. You don't want to make him mad. Believe me!

Hopper: No, no, no. You're staying with me, Your Highness.

Grasshopper Seeker #1: Where do you think you're going?

[all ants scream]

Grasshopper Seeker #2: Get over there!

Dot: Quick! To the clubhouse.

[Dot rustling]

Dot: [gasps] Hurry!

Grasshopper Seeker #1: Shut up a minute, will you?

Grasshopper Seeker #2: I think I heard something over here.

Grasshopper Seeker #1: Have you checked over there?

Grasshopper Seeker #2: No, not yet.

Grasshopper Seeker #1: Well then, get over there and check it out!

Grasshopper Seeker #2: Wait a minute. [gasps] Hey, I think I found something.

[The grasshopper bends down and picks up a ladybug leaf cape, placing it on his head]

Grasshopper Seeker #1: [chuckle] Cool. Hey, how do I look?

Grasshopper Seeker #2: Like an idiot.

Grasshopper Seeker #1: I don't know, maybe it'll keep me dry in the rain.

Grasshopper Seeker #2: You moron! We'll be out of here before it rains. Didn't you hear Hopper? After the ants pick all the food, he's gonna squish the queen to remind them who's boss. Then she's dead, they cry, boo-hoo, we go home. End of story.

Grasshopper Seeker #1: Oh, cool. I love our job.

Dot: Stay here. I'm gonna get help.

[Dot gets a rock]

Dot: Pretend it's a seed, okay?

Flik: Thanks, Dot.

Francis: Hey, what's with the rock?

Slim: Must be an ant thing.

Flik: Hello kids! Ready to make some grasshoppers cry?

Dot: It's payback time... Blueberry style!

Daisy: Blueberries rock!

Slim: Ladies and gentlebugs! Larvae of all stages! Rub your legs together for the world's greatest bug circus!

[the circus wagon arrives with the circus music playing]

Hopper: WAIT A MINUTE! [music screeches to a halt]

Heimlich: [nervously] I think I'm going to wet myself!

Francis: [out of the corner of his mouth] Steady...

Hopper: What's going on here?

Princess Atta: Well, uh...

Slim: Uh, yes. We were invited by Princess Atta as a surprise for your arrival.

Hopper: Squish 'em.

[Slim and Francis gasp; the grasshoppers advance on the circus bugs; Dim backs into the cannon launching Tuck and Roll out of it; they dance in front of the grasshoppers, singing their usual gibberish, then get into a fight]

Hopper: Now, that's funny.

[he and the other grasshoppers sit back in their seats laughing hysterically]

Hopper: I guess we could use a little entertainment. Looks like you did something right for once, Princess.

Heimlich: [dressed as baby] Bottle all gone. Baby wants pie!

Francis: Pie? He asked for it. Should I give it to him?

Molt: Yeah! Give him pie! Give him pie!

Hopper: You piece of dirt! No, I'm wrong. You're lower than dirt. You're an ant! [to the ant colony] Let this be a lesson to all you ants! Ideas are very dangerous things! You are mindless, soil-shoving losers, put on this Earth to serve us!

Flik: [gets up weakly, pause] Ants are not meant to serve grasshoppers! I've seen these ants do great things, and year after year they somehow manage to pick food for themselves and you. So who is the weaker species? Ants don't serve grasshoppers! It's you who need us! We're a lot stronger than you say we are... And you know it, don't you?

[Hopper knocks Flik back to the ground and prepares to stomp on him to his death, but the princess stops him]

Hopper: Well, princess.

Molt: Uh, Hopper? I hate to interrupt, but um...

[Hopper then sees all the ants who is now angry at him, preparing for a final battle.]

Hopper: You ants stay back!

[The ants puts their arms around each other to fight, including Circus Bugs.]

Molt: [backs away] Oh, this is such a bad idea.

Princess Atta: You see, Hopper, nature has a certain order. The ants pick the food, the ants keep the food, and the grasshoppers... leave.

Hopper: Where are you going? They're just ants!

Dot: No! Bad grasshopper! Bad grasshopper! Go home!

[Thumper yelps]

Dot: Yeah!

Hopper: Come back here, you cowards! Don't leave!

[during the rain, Hopper lands in front of Flik]

Flik: [gasps] Hopper!

Hopper: You think it's over?!

Flik: [backs up to the bird's nest] No, no, no. No, I can explain.

Hopper: All your little stunt did was buy them time!

Flik: No, please! Please, Hopper!

Hopper: [starts choking Flik] I'll get more grasshopper and be back next season, but you won't! [a bird pops up; Hopper looks up] Well, what's this? Another of your little bird tricks?

Flik: [smiles] Yep!

Hopper: Are there a bunch of little girls in this one, too? Hello, girls!

[The bird roars, Hopper screams and drops Flik. He tries to run away, but the bird blocks him, picks him up by his beak and flies mid-air above the nest where the chicks were hatched.]

Hopper: [last words] No, no! No, no, no! [screams] No! OH, NOOOOOOOO!!! OH, NO, NO, NO!

[Hopper into chick's mouth and screams. The camera zooms with the chicks, resulting in a pool of blood and gore]

[Last lines; The next morning, in a conch sounds. Thorny and other ants, using their own harvesters to cut down and harvest grain stalks, stop work at the sound of the conch]

Thorny: Come on, boys!

[Dot and other ant kids are playing in the frame of the fake bird, now surrounded by flowers]

Ant Boy: Hey, Princess Dot! Wait up!

Queen: I finally get a second to relax, and I got to get out of my chair. Come on! You can rub lotion on me later, shade boy.

Cornelius: Yeah, hubba-hubba.

[The Queen and Cornelius walk down toward the ants and circus bugs joyfully gathering among blooming flowers]

Firefly: Oh, thank you!

Manny: Thank you.

Gypsy: You're too kind.

Slim: The least we could do.

Manny: All in a day's work.

Slim: Any time.

Rosie: Dim!

[Dim opens his shell to reveal ant kids attempting to secretly ride him]

Dim: Oh...

[The ant boys moaning]

Rosie: I'm so sorry, kids. I wish you could come along, too.

[Daisy tearfully hugs Francis. Daisy and the Blueberry troops all crying with Dot]

Francis: [quavering] I'm not gonna cry. I'm not gonna cry.

[Tuck and Roll perform a skit using Hopper's antenna. Tuck and Roll speaking foreign language]

P.T. Flea: Hey, let's go. We got a schedule to keep. Come on. Let's go.

[A number of ants cartwheel into the wagon]

Celebrating Ants: Hup, hup, hup, hup, hey!

P.T. Flea: Hey, Tiny! Let's get this show packed up! We got paying customers hatching!

[Molt carries supplies into the wagon]

Molt: Yes, Mr. Flea. Yes, sir. Of course, sir. Right away, sir. And, um, I just wanted to thank you for giving me a chance, because it's an honor to work with creative giants such as yourself.

[P.T. Flea motions the fireflies to close the wagon door]

Molt: Shutting up.

[P.T. Flea jumps on top of the wagon]

P.T. Flea: You sure you can't come on tour with us?

Flik: Sorry. My place is here.

Princess Atta: [quietly] Good answer.

P.T. Flea: Oh, well. Your loss. One minute, insects!

[Flik and Atta walk over to the circus troupe]

Princess Atta: I want to thank all of you for giving us back our hope, our dignity... and our lives.

Slim: And to you, Princess Atta. You have given us so much. Please accept this gift from us bugs to you ants.

[Manny twirls a leaf and produces a large rock, handing it to Atta]

Manny: For you!

Princess Atta: Oh! [chuckles] It's a rock.

[Manny, Slim and Francis congratulate each other]

Cornelius: What's with the rock?

Thorny: Must be a circus thing.

[Dot giggles]

Rosie: Well, Flik, you really goofed up. [quavering] Thanks.

Flik: [quavering] Yeah. You, too.

[Rosie begins to clap for Flik, followed by the rest of the troupe and the entire ant colony. Atta kisses Flik on the cheek. The queen removes Atta's tiara and gives her own crown to her. Atta tosses her tiara to Dot who flies up and catches it on her head. Dot giggles]

P.T. Flea: [sniffles] All right. Now it's getting mushy. We're out of here!

Grub: Whoa!

Rosie: See you next season!

Slim: See you, Flik!

Gypsy: Bye! We miss you already!

Tuck: You fired!

Roll: You fired!

Slim: [gasps] We forgot Heimlich!

[A chrysalis hangs on a nearby tree root. It opens to reveal Heimlich's face]

Heimlich: I'm finished! Finally, I'm a beautiful butterfly!

[Heimlich struggles and slides out of the chrysalis, looking largely the same as before but now a green and blue color and with two bulges on his back. Heimlich grunts. Two tiny butterfly wings pop out of the bulges]

Heimlich: Mein wings! Oh, they're beautiful!

Flik: Heimlich! The wagon's taking off! You better start flying!

[Flik and other ants lift up Heimlich]

Heimlich: But I am flying! And from way up here, you all look like little ants!

[Francis and Manny fly down and carry Heimlich away.]

Heimlich: Auf Wiedersehen!

Flik: Bye!

[Atta and Dot lift Flik up and land on the root. They wave goodbye to the circus troupe. Thorny and the harvester-wearing ants line up]

Thorny: Present, stalks!

[The ants face backwards]

Thorny: Harvester, salute!

[The harvesters launch their stalks into the air, crashing into each other and producing firework-like showers of grain. Flik and Atta hold hands as they and Dot continue waving goodbye. The circus troupe flies away from the island, now surrounded by water and whose tree now bears pink blossoms]

RANDY NEWMAN lyrics (The Time of Your Life)

Randy Newman: Was a bug, little bug, hardly there / How he felt, what he dreamed, who would care? / Without any evidence

Chorus: His flaws were many

Randy Newman: He was full of confidence

Chorus: Some people haven't any

Randy Newman: Didn't have much common sense

Chorus: It's highly over-rated

Randy Newman: He just knew that he'd come through / It's the time of your life, so live it well / It's the time of your life, so live it well / We may only go 'round just one time / As far as I can tell

Chorus: He could be wrong about that

Randy Newman: It's the time of your life / It's the time of your life / It's the time of your life, so live it well / Like us all, he started small, then he grew / When the time came, he knew what to do / He knew in order to succeed

Chorus: They'd have to work together

Randy Newman: He turned a rock into a seed

Chorus: And they were changed forever

Randy Newman: Then they had the strength they'd need

Chorus: To get through stormy weather

Randy Newman: Do or die, you gotta try / It's the time of your life, so live it well / It's the time of your life, so live it well / We may only go round one time / As far as I can tell

Chorus: He could be wrong about that

Randy Newman: It's the time of your life, so live it well / Isn't it a bit surprising / How our fortunes ebb and flow / And only to the enterprising / Does the magic fortune cookie go / Believe me / It's the time of your life, so live it well / It's the time of your life, so live it well / We may only go round one time / As far as I can tell / It's the time of your life / It's the time of your life / It's the time of your life, so live it well