| “ | Whoever asks for peace it's because they lost the war. | „ |
| ~ Costa (rough translation) |
Mayor Costa is a minor antagonist in the Brazilian movie Menino Maluquinho 2: A Aventura (The Nutty Boy 2: The Adventure), but the closest the movie gets to a main antagonist. Mayor of a small unnamed town in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais, Costa is an old childhood rival of Maluquinho's grandfather Tonico, holding a bitter grudge against him. He was portrayed by Nélson Dantas.
Role in the movie[]
Rivalry with Tonico[]
Costa at the town hall, dimissing Tonico's plea.
Costa is seen often interacting with his secretary (his wife), and acting bitter towards Tonico's proposal of a town centennial party, despite the fact it was his own grandfather, plus Tonico's, that raised the town together. Throughout the movie he is seen as a bitter old man with some sort of hatred towads his rival, denying every attempt of Tonico's to ask for the town hall's collaboration on the festivities. He is also shown as having a smoking habit, along with tossing the match he uses to light it over his back.
After Maluquinho and his friends meet the Tatá Mirim, a creature that is basically a sentient fireball, Tonico tries talking Costa into helping him, only for the mayor to announce that he does allow it, as long as the public money is not utilized. Maluquinho then tries talking to Costa himself, his friends coming along to help him, since the party will also feature a small circus dedicated to him, but the old man refuses to budge, considering it a low blow from Tonico to send children in his place.
Apology and redeeming[]
Costa being carried away by Pedro (left) and Tonico (right).
Tired at last, Costa attempts to cut the problem at the source by visiting the cabin storing the fireworks for the festival and talking to the owner, Pedro Fogueteiro, a long-time friend of Tonico's. Costa's bad habit of smoking finally becomes his downfall as the match he tosses hits a gunpowder pile and ignites the fireworks, starting a chain reaction that sets the whole cabin on fire. Tonico arrives exactly at that time and sees Pedro outside, but he tells him Costa is still inside. Rushing in, the two escape the burning storage with minor-degree burns, and Tonico finally reveals the reason for the grudge: a soccer game the two had in their childhood, in which Costa sprained an ankle, preventing him from scoring the winning goal.
At the end of the movie, Costa finally allows the festival to happen and even supplies the money needed for the festivities and tents. To compensate for the lack of fireworks, Maluquinho makes his own fireworks show by having several Tatás soar through the sky.
Since the plot of the movie is revealed to be a story told by Maluquinho, it is unknown if Costa was an actual person or a character he created to further the story.
Personality[]
Costa is a resentful old man who is willing to use his job as a mayor to prevent his childhood rival Tonico from achieving his goals, meaning he is not afraid to exert his profession on personal matters. He is also seen as a stubborn, bitter official with a Scrooge-esque personality, seemingly hating festivities in general due to his tussle, and only changing his opinion after his life is saved by his rival.