- [as the Giant flies toward the missle]
- Hogarth Hughes: [in the Giant's mind] You are who you choose to be.
- The Iron Giant: Superman.
- Hogarth Hughes: [to the Giant, in battle mode] It's bad to kill. Guns kill. And you don't have to be a gun. You are what you choose to be. You choose. Choose.
- The Iron Giant: [as a nuclear missile is headed for Rockwell; to himself] I fix.
- Hogarth Hughes: Giant?
- The Iron Giant: [kneels down to Hogarth] Hogarth. You stay. I go.
- [lifts Hogarth's chin with a finger and waves his other finger at him]
- The Iron Giant: No following.
- Hogarth Hughes: I love you.
- [the Giant takes off to intercept the rocket]
- Hogarth Hughes: I know you feel bad about the deer, but it's not your fault. Things die. That's part of life. It's bad to kill, but it's not bad to die.
- The Iron Giant: You die?
- Hogarth Hughes: Well, yes, someday.
- The Iron Giant: I die?
- Hogarth Hughes: I don't know. You're made of metal, but you have feelings, and you think about things, and that means you have a soul. And souls don't die.
- The Iron Giant: Soul?
- Hogarth Hughes: Mom says it's something inside of all good things, and that it goes on forever and ever.
- [Hogarth leaves. The Iron Giant lays back to look at the stars]
- The Iron Giant: Souls don't die.
- Annie Hughes: Would you say grace, please?
- [Hogarth sees the Giant's hand in the kitchen]
- Hogarth Hughes: Oh my God... Um, uh... oh, my God! We... thank you for the... er, food that mom has put in front of us and *stop!*... uh, the Devil... from doing bad things? And er, get out of here!... Uh, Satan? Go! Go so... that we may live in peace. Amen.
- Annie Hughes: Amen. That was... hmm, really unusual, Hogarth.
- Hogarth Hughes: [speaking quickly] Forgot to wash my hands!
- Annie Hughes: [as Hogarth races out of the room] What--? Okay.
- Hogarth Hughes: [talking very fast, on caffeine] So she moved me up a grade 'cause I wasn't fitting in, so now I'm even more not fitting in. I was getting good grades, you know, like all A's. So my mom says, "You need stimulation," and I go, "No, I'm stimulated enough right now."
- Dean McCoppin: That's for sure.
- Hogarth Hughes: So she says, "Uh-uh, You don't have a challenge, you need a challenge." So now I'm challenged, all right- I'm challenged to hold on to my lunch money because of all the big mooses who wanna pound me, 'cause they think I'm a shrimpy dork who thinks he's smarter than them! But I don't think I'm smarter, I just do the stupid homework! If everyone else JUST DID THE STUPID HOMEWORK, they could move up a grade and get pounded, too! Is there anymore coffee?
- Dean McCoppin: Look, it's none of my business, but who cares what these creeps think of you? They don't make you what you are, you do. You are who you choose to be.
- Dean McCoppin: Get back! I said get back! I mean it!
- The Iron Giant: No. Stop. Why?
- Hogarth Hughes: It was an accident. He's our friend.
- Dean McCoppin: He's a piece of hardware, Hogarth. Why did you think the army was here? He's a weapon, a big... big gun that walks.
- The Iron Giant: I... I not gun.
- Dean McCoppin: Yeah? Then what's that?
- [Points at huge hole the Giant's ray left on a bus]
- Dean McCoppin: You almost did that to Hogarth!
- The Iron Giant: No!
- [Runs away]
- Hogarth Hughes: Wait!
- [Runs after the Giant]
- Dean McCoppin: Hogarth!
- Hogarth Hughes: Come back!
- Dean McCoppin: [sees the toy gun Hogarth left on the ground] It was being defensive. He reacted to the gun.
- General Rogard: That missile is targeted to the giant's current position! WHERE'S THE GIANT, MANSLEY?
- Kent Mansley: [notices the giant is standing just a few feet away. It glares at him] Oooh... We can duck and cover! There's a fallout shelter not far from...
- General Rogard: There's no way to survive this thing, you idiot!
- Kent Mansley: You mean we're all going to...
- General Rogard: To die, Mansley. For our country.
- Kent Mansley: Screw our country! I WANT TO LIVE!
- [he jumps into a jeep and attempts to drive away, but the giant stops him by slamming his hand down like a roadblock. As Mansley recovers from the crash, some of the soldiers train their rifles on him]
- General Rogard: Hold him, men! Make sure he stays here... like a good soldier...
- [the Iron Giant is eating one of Dean's sculptures]
- Dean McCoppin: There are two kinds of metal in this yard: scrap and art. If you gotta eat one of them, eat the scrap. What you currently have - IN YOUR MOUTH! - is ART.
- Kent Mansley: You know, Hogarth, we live in a strange and wondrous time: the Atomic Age. But there's a dark side to progress, Hogarth. Ever hear of Sputnik?
- Hogarth Hughes: Yeah, first satellite in space.
- Kent Mansley: Foreign satellite, Hogarth, and all that that implies. Even now it orbits overhead - Boop! Boop! - watching us. We can't see it but it's there, much like that giant thing in the woods. We don't know what it is or what it can do. I don't feel safe, Hogarth. Do you?
- Hogarth Hughes: What are you talking about?
- Kent Mansley: What am I talking about?
- [Loses patience]
- Kent Mansley: What am I talking about? I'm talking about your goldarned security, Hogarth! While you're snoozing in your widdle jammies, back in Washington we're wide awake and worried! Why? Because everyone wants what we have, Hogarth! Everyone! You think this metal man is fun, but who built it? The Russians? The Chinese? Martians? Canadians? I don't care! All I know is we didn't build it, and that's reason enough to assume the worst and blow it to kingdom come! Now, you are going to tell me about this thing, you are going to lead me to it, and we are going to destroy it before it destroys us!
- [Mansley's stomach rumbles, having been unknowingly given ice cream laced with Ex-Lax]
- Kent Mansley: [racing to the bathroom] Just hold that thought and stay right there!
- Earl Stutz: I'm telling the truth, dang it! It came from outer space. I saw it! And it was headed toward land. I called the government in Washington. Maybe it was a sputnik, or... or an invader from Mars. That's what it is, an invader from Mars! It was a spaceship of some kind. An unidentified flying object...
- Man: Unidentified? Knowing you, Earl, I'd say it was either whiskey or beer.
- [others laugh]
- Dean McCoppin: Hey! I saw it too.
- Man: I rest my case.
- [others laugh]
- Hogarth Hughes: I believe you. What if it is Sputnik, or a flying saucer from Mars? I bet we could find it.
- Dean McCoppin: Sorry, kid. I didn't really see anything. But if we don't stick up for the kooks, who will?
- Kent Mansley: The biggest thing in this town is probably the homecoming queen.
- [suddenly seeing half of his car gone]
- Kent Mansley: Oh my GOD!
- Kent Mansley: Your mom's working late tonight, Hogarth, so it's just us guys, and we're gonna have a little chat. Sit down!
- [shoves Hogarth onto a chair and shines a bright light on him]
- Kent Mansley: How's that? A little too bright? Good. Forgive me, Hogarth. I wanted you to learn something.
- Hogarth Hughes: What can I learn from you?
- Kent Mansley: You can learn this, Hogarth. That I can do anything I want, whenever I want if I feel it's in the people's best interest. The giant metal man. Where is it?
- Hogarth Hughes: I don't know what you're talking about.
- Kent Mansley: You don't? Does this ring a bell?
- [lays down the picture Hogarth took of the aluminum siding he used to lure the Giant]
- Kent Mansley: No? How about this?
- [lays down the photo Hogarth accidentally took of himself - with the Giant behind him]
- Kent Mansley: You've been careless, Hogarth.
- Hogarth Hughes: It doesn't prove anything.
- Kent Mansley: It's enough to get the army here with one phone call.
- Hogarth Hughes: Then what's stopping you?
- Kent Mansley: [angry] Where's the giant?
- [Grabs Hogarth by the jaw]
- Kent Mansley: You can't protect him, Hogarth, anymore than you can... protect your mother.
- Hogarth Hughes: My mom?
- Kent Mansley: It's difficult to raise a boy all alone. We can make it more difficult. In fact, we can make it so difficult that it would be irresponsible for us to leave you in her care, and all that that implies. You'll be taken away from her, Hogarth.
- Hogarth Hughes: You can't do that!
- Kent Mansley: Oh, we can, and we will.
- Hogarth Hughes: He's at the junkyard. McCoppin's Scrap off Culver Road.
- Kent Mansley: The junkyard, of course! Food for the metal eater. I wouldn't worry about this, Hogarth. This isn't really happening. It's only... a bad dream.
- [puts a chloroform rag on Hogarth's mouth, leaving him unconscious]
- Hogarth Hughes: Hey, Dean! Watch this!
- Dean McCoppin: All right, we're watching.
- Hogarth Hughes: This one's for professionals only! Banzai!
- [dives into lake, starts shivering]
- Hogarth Hughes: Come on in! The water's... great.
- Dean McCoppin: No, thanks.
- Hogarth Hughes: You... weenie!
- [to the Giant]
- Hogarth Hughes: Come on in. It's really, really refreshing.
- [the Giant walks away]
- Hogarth Hughes: What? You too? You... big baby!
- The Iron Giant: [the sound of the Giant running is heard; suddenly he jumps into the water] Banzai!
- Dean McCoppin: You came here just in time. This rich cat, some industrialist wanted him for the lobby of his company. Whipped out his checkbook right on the spot. I said, "You get him for the rest of your life, but, what, I have to give him up the minute I give birth? Give me time to cut the umbilical, man."
- Dean McCoppin: Sorry about the crowbar, kid. You'd be surprised how many people want to steal scrap. But, man, once I make it into art, I can't give it away. I mean, what am I? A junkman who makes art or an artist who sells junk? You tell me.
- Hogarth Hughes: Can you talk? You know, words? Blah, blah, blah, like that? Can you do that, blah, blah, blah?
- The Iron Giant: [very rusty] Blah, blah, blah.
- Hogarth Hughes: Well, you get the idea, anyway.
- Dean McCoppin: Oh, hey, I know you. Squirrel boy.
- Hogarth Hughes: Uh, Hogarth.
- Dean McCoppin: By night known as Hogarth.
- Hogarth Hughes: Wow, my own giant robot! I am now the luckiest kid in America! This must be the biggest discovery since, I don't know, television or something!
- Hogarth Hughes: Hey, mom! You won't believe our good luck. Guess what I found?
- Annie Hughes: Hogarth, we've been through this before. No pets.
- Hogarth Hughes: But he's not a pet, mom. He's a friend.
- Annie Hughes: Hogarth, we've got to rent a room this year if we're gonna make ends meet, and no one wants to live in a place with shredded upholstery.
- Hogarth Hughes: You'll never know he's there. I'll keep him in a cage...
- Annie Hughes: ...until you feel sorry for him and set him free in the house. You remember the raccoon, Hogarth?
- [Shudders]
- Annie Hughes: Oooooh! I remember the raccoon.
- Marv Loach: What department is that again?
- Kent Mansley: Frankly, I'm not at liberty to divulge the particulars of the agency I work for, and all that that implies.
- Marv Loach: You mean, national security?
- Kent Mansley: Let me put it this way. Every so often things happen that can't be rationalized in a conventional way. People wanna know their government has a response. I am that response.
- Hogarth Hughes: I thought you might like, you know, a bedtime story. I have some really cool ones. Mad Magazine - very funny. The Spirit - very cool. Boy's Life - eh. Oh, here. This is Superman. He's a lot like you. Crash-landed on Earth, didn't know what he was doing... but he only uses his powers for good, never for evil. Remember that.
- [Giant looks at a comic with a robot like himself on the cover]
- Hogarth Hughes: Oh, that's Atomo, the metal menace. He's not a hero, he's a villain. But you're not like him. You're a good guy, like Superman.
- The Iron Giant: Super... man.
- Dean McCoppin: I'm gonna have coffee. What do you want, some milk, or... what? Milk?
- Hogarth Hughes: Coffee's fine.
- [Dean looks at Hogarth skeptically]
- Hogarth Hughes: Yeah, I drink it. I'm hip.
- Dean McCoppin: I dunno. This is espresso, you know? It's like Coffee-zilla.
- Hogarth Hughes: I said I'm hip.
- Hogarth Hughes: [picking up a rock] See this? This is called a rock. Rock.
- The Iron Giant: [a little rusty] Rock.
- Hogarth Hughes: Good.
- The Iron Giant: [picks up a boulder] Rock?
- Hogarth Hughes: Yes!
- The Iron Giant: [picks up a tree] Rock.
- Hogarth Hughes: No, no. That is a tree. Rock... tree. Get it?
- The Iron Giant: Rock... tree.
- Hogarth Hughes: That's right!
- [a huge wave has pushed Dean into the middle of a nearby road]
- Truck Driver: Hey!
- Dean McCoppin: Yeah?
- Truck Driver: You're right in the middle of the road!
- Dean McCoppin: YEAH?
- Truck Driver: All right.
- [drives off]
- Dean McCoppin: I think that's enough fun for one day.
- Hogarth Hughes: [seeing the shot deer] It's dead.
- The Iron Giant: Dead?
- [the Giant tries to pick up the deer]
- Hogarth Hughes: Don't do that!
- The Iron Giant: But... why?
- Hogarth Hughes: It's dead, understand? They shot it, with that gun.
- [the Giant looks at the gun; his eyes narrow and turn red]
- Hogarth Hughes: Hey, are you all right?
- The Iron Giant: [snaps out of it] Gun.
- Hogarth Hughes: Yes. Guns kill.
- The Iron Giant: Guns kill.
- Dean McCoppin: Found your pet.
- Hogarth Hughes: Where?
- Dean McCoppin: It's up my leg, man. Squirrel's in my pants, Hogarth, and it's climbing its way out of here.
- Hogarth Hughes: Don't wig out.
- Dean McCoppin: Okay, it's heading north now. I'm sorry, kid.
- [to the people in the restaurant]
- Dean McCoppin: Excuse me! I'd like to apologize to everyone in advance for this.
- [zips down his fly to let the squirrel out, which cause a loud commotion]
- Dean McCoppin: Check, please.
- Kent Mansley: [after his first meeting with the Hughes family] HoGARTH? What an embarrassing name. Might as well call him Zeppo, or something like that. What kind of sick person would name a kid Hogar...
- [stops and looks over to Hogarth's smashed B-B gun. It reads part of Hogarth's name: Hog- Hug-]
- Kent Mansley: Hog Hug. HOG HUG? HOGARTH HUGHES!
- [stops the car he was driving]
- Annie Hughes: Strange. He's so tight-lipped now, and yesterday he wouldn't stop talking. I mean, hundred-foot robots and whatnot.
- Kent Mansley: Hundred-foot robot? He, he. That's nutty.
- [they both laugh]
- Kent Mansley: What else did he say?
- [Hogarth groans as he struggles to push the giant's hand out the bathroom window]
- Kent Mansley: You know, this sort of thing is why it's important to always chew your food.
- Annie Hughes: [to other waitress in background] So, he wants us to hold the mustard and the mayo. How about just hold the flavor altogether?
- Atomic Holocaust Narrator: [singing a bomb drill ditty] Time to duck and cover, the bombs are comin' down. The radiation shower will pour throughout your town. Hands over your head; keep low to the ground. Time to duck and cover, the bombs are comin' down. Duck and cover. Duck and cover. Get under the desk with your sister and your brother. Duck and cover. Duck and cover. Hands over your head; keep low to the ground. And all the kids who don't will cease to be around.
- Kent Mansley: Please, Sir, I've got a feeling about this one.
- General Rogard: That's nice, Mansley, but let me explain how things are supposed to work. If you had, say, a footprint, I might be able to send over an expert to make a plaster cast of it. Hell, you get me a photograph of this thing, I can send some troops down there! But you tell me you've got a feeling...
- Kent Mansley: All right... you want evidence? I'll get you evidence. And when I do, I'm gonna want a memo distributed!
- General Rogard: That's just swell, Mansley.
- Kent Mansley: And I'm gonna want that memo carbon copied and distributed...
- [Rogard hangs up]
- Dean McCoppin: Don't shoot! There's a kid in his hand! Kent, he only acts defensively. If you don't shoot, he's harmless. You gotta tell the general.
- Kent Mansley: This is your fault, beatnik. If you haven't interfered...
- Dean McCoppin: Will you just listen? Tell the general to stop. He's got the kid with him.
- Kent Mansley: I'll take care of it.
- [Dean leaves; Kent goes over to General Rogard]
- Kent Mansley: He said the monster has killed a kid. Sir, we must stop it at all costs.
- General Rogard: [On walkie-talkie] Go to Code Red! Repeat, Code Red!
- Atomic Holocaust Narrator: A peaceful, uneventful day in a town much like your own. Then suddenly, without warning...
- [Explosion]
- Atomic Holocaust Narrator: [echoing] Atomic holocaust!
- Hogarth Hughes: Hey, I thought you were in trouble. I had this weird guy following me around, it took me hours to shake him, I kill myself getting out here, and you have him doing... arts and crafts.
- Dean McCoppin: You have a problem with arts and crafts, little man?
- Hogarth Hughes: He's a giant robot. It's a little undignified.
- Dean McCoppin: It is? Well then, smart guy, what would you have him do?
- Train Engineer #1: Go ahead. Tell him what you saw, Frank.
- Train Engineer #2: You're not gonna believe this, but it was a giant... metal... man.
- General Rogard: [the U.S. Military proves unable to take down the Giant] Nothing can stop this thing! We've hit it with everything we got!
- Kent Mansley: Not everything, General. The Bomb. The Nautilus has first strike capability and is anchored just off shore.
- General Rogard: [Taken aback] ... You scare me, Mansley. You want us to bomb ourselves in order to kill it?
- Kent Mansley: General, the giant seems to follow whatever attacks it. We can lure it away from the town, then destroy it.
- General Rogard: [Considers the thought for a moment, then to a soldier] Radio the Nautilus. Tell them to target the robot and await my command.
- Dean McCoppin: Thanks for the scrap, Floyd. I'm sorry I can't pay you more, but it's got... it's got this large "bite" out of it.
- Floyd Turbeaux: That's why I'm selling it. It's got a large bite out of it.
- Dean McCoppin: Yeah, right. What could have done this?
- Earl Stutz: I told you what.
- Dean McCoppin: Oh, yeah. Strange invaders.
- Earl Stutz: Thanks for believin' me. I really did call the government. They're sending someone over to take care of the whole thing.
- Dean McCoppin: Jeez, Earl, you really are crazy. I mean, who in the hell would the government send?
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