Have you ever longed
to be someone else? Someone special. The class clown, or the football star. Someone people thought was cool. Or just even noticed. I know I have. That's me. Pelle Nohrmann. A perfectly ordinary
12 year old. Oh, boy. A bit too ordinary
if you ask me. Hang on. I'm sure many people
like being normal. But I'm pretty tired of it. I'm nothing special. I'm not even the nerd
everyone teases. At least he gets some attention. I'm just Pelle. A tiny ant in a giant anthill. Super, put your shoulders
way high up! Tiny and insignificant. Chin up! Look up now. Look into the camera. Smile. Big eye. Hold. Super! That's great. Okay. What's your name? Pelle. "Palay?"
Okay, super. Next! - Pelle.
- Yeah, whatever. Next, please!
Next in line! Are you Amanda? And that's Amanda Sommersted. Even though we're
in the same class, she doesn't know I exist. No one else does either. That's great! Yeah, yeah, yeah.
That's great! Wow! I'm gonna keep shooting.
That's so nice. The camera loves you.
Give me a little smile. Love it! Super! Everybody, sit down!
Calm down! Stop it, you two! Heads up, and cheese! Put the photos away,
and look to the front, please. Ida, take off your headphones
and focus up here, please. This week's assignment
is to do a presentation on someone interesting
in this town. You'll be put into groups so you'll have
someone there to help you. Let's all start with the plan. You're going to make posters
with pictures and important facts
about this person. Like where they're from,
are they famous? For example, what do you and
this person have in common? There are no interesting
people in Middellund. What about your dad, Ida? The CEO of ExoFarm? Why don't you do
a presentation on him? That might be fun.
What do you think? You can work with your sister.
Sound good, Amanda? Sure. Or not. Okay!
Team up in pairs! Find a partner and go to work
on your project. Get away from me! Stop it! - Stand still!
- Leave me alone! Get a grip, loser. Get off me already. - Are you crying for your mama?
- What's your problem? - You are!
- Hey, give me my backpack! Dork brings comics to school. - Leave my comics alone!
- What's wrong with you, man? - Are you mental?
- Come on, stop. You are, aren't you? Give me those!
Give me those! Jump, little guy, jump! - Come on! What's wrong, huh?
- Give those back to me! What's wrong?
Is there a problem? What kind of a name is...
Ahh! What? Who threw that? Hey! What'd I tell you
about being on the roof? Nohrmann! You think that's funny? - You're dead meat!
- Get him! I don't see him. I heard something. Let's go.
Come on! Hey, come on, where'd he go? I think he went in there. - Into Ms. Gmelkra's?
- Yeah. He wouldn't dare. I'm not going in there. You go look for him. Are you scared of her, sissy? No, I'm not! I'm not scared. So, go look for him. - Why me?
- Scared? I'm not scared!
I just don't wanna go. Let's look over the fence. D-Do you see him? Man, it's spooky in there. Are you scared the
zombie witch is gonna get you? - Man, shut up!
- You shut up! Come, let's look over here. Ah! Do you realize what time it is? Is that him? Yeah. Sorry. Where have you been? Playing. With who? A schoolmate. During dinnertime? Well, come and eat. I don't want to. Goodnight. Middellund faces a very
strange situation today. - Well, good morning. Sleep well?
- Nah... An infestation of fleas. I'm here outside the
medical company ExoFarm, to find the truth
about what happened, that caused this
terrible flea epidemic. I'm standing here
with the CEO of ExoFarm. - Oh look, it's Amanda and Ida's dad.
- Uh-huh. Mr. Sommersted,
can you shed some light, on what is happening here and if Middellund needs
to be worried. You know, you missed out
on my lasagna last night. Did you have
a date or something? A date, please! Father, can you help me? You bet. We're all out of sugar. I could've sworn
I just bought some. What happened? Oh, come on,
please don't tell me that's the last of the juice. What's your problem? Sorry. Here's your magazine. Magazine?
Are you insane? - It's Spiderman!
- What? Today, we're gonna focus
on tactics, coordination, speed, and stamina. I learned this exercise
in the army. I was a machine.
No one could stop me. No one could get me. No one has won against me
to this day. The rules are simple. If you fall, go outside the circle, or drop the stick, you've lost. No questions? Good. Anybody want to help me
demonstrate? Anybody? Come on. Hm? Pel. Pelle. In the middle. - Uh, no thanks...
- In the middle, Pel. What about pads or something? We won't need it. Pain is your mind
telling you you're alive. En garde! You can do better than that. Hm? Come on, Pelle. Give it your best shot, Pelle! Hwa! Ha! Hyah! Hiyah! You're not even trying. Yeah. Let's go. Let's go, Pelle. Come on, son. Come on, don't be scared. Hey! Hey! How'd you do that? - What?
- With Carsten. How'd you get so strong? I'm not. It was for show. What about the school door? Where'd you get your powers? Are you some kind of
government experiment? What, me? Yes, of course, you! - No.
- Are you a mutant? No! Come on, no? Are you sure you weren't bitten, by a radioactive super spider? Promise, I won't tell anyone. What? That you're a superhero! Please, read this. Take it, come on. Fine. Happy now? That could be your story. You have all the same
cool powers. For all we know, you could fly
or maybe climb walls. Look at what you did
in gym class. Are you listening to me? Let me help you out. Hey! Hey! Hey! Do you realize
how lucky you are? Get off my back. I'm sending you away
with a flea in your ear. We'll see. Amanda. Got you, Amanda! You'll never get me, Teddy! Pelle! Shut up! You really shouldn't hit girls. What? Who said that? I did. Freeze! What are you? I'm a real superhero. Not today! Thank you for saving me, Pelle! You're welcome, Amanda. Time for you to die! Have mercy! Not today! It was an ant. It was an ant that bit me. I knew it! I knew I was right! Shh! Can you help me? Of course I will! All superheroes get
their power from something, and they have weaknesses. For example, Martian Manhunter. He loses his telepathic powers
when exposed to fire. Thor is the god of thunder,
but only when he has Mjolnir. We should skip school tomorrow
and test your powers. Superman gets his powers from
earth's gravity and the sun's rays, but Kryptonite makes him weak
and could kill him. Wilhelm, take the trash out! Later! Take out the trash, now! I've got someone over right now! What weakness does an ant have? Don't worry, we'll know once
we figure out your powers. Welcome to the
hidden world of the ant. Ants have been living on our
planet for millions of years. Boring! And are one of the
few insects that can be... The army ant uses
its sharp mandibles, which enable it to bite
with great force. It's one of the strongest
insects on the planet. There are more than
12,000 different species... - Bite into this.
- What? Come on, bite this. ...over 22,000... - Wilhelm, it's a book.
- Yeah, bite into it anyway. O-Okay. I knew it! Let's see what else you can do. The ant has poor eyesight, and is dependent on its
finely tuned sense of smell, which enables it to find
and identify scents from afar. You need a costume. Okay, but I am not wearing
underwear over my clothes! I want a cape like Superman! Do you know how
impractical capes are? No cape, no costume. Some male ants can fly, under favorable
weather conditions. Go on, Pelle, jump! Flap your arms!
Like this! Come on. However, this only applies
to a tiny percentage of ants. Hiyah! The ant colony
has one central ant. The most important ant of all. The queen. The center of every
male ant's universe. Apart from its venomous bite, the ant also defends itself
with its formic acid. A highly corrosive poison, which it sprays
through its glands. Wow, it actually
turned out really good. Now, we have to think of a name. - What about "Ant Human?"
- No. Why not? Help, Ant Human, help me? Sounds stupid. Do you think they need help? Nah. Super Ant Human? Too long. Giant. Ugh, a superhero's name
must be easy and really cool. Like Aquaman, Batman,
Captain America, Captain Marvel, Daredevil,
Deadman, Deadpool, Doctor Fate, Doctor Strange,
Hellboy, Hawkeye, Hulk. - Okay!
- Hawkman, Iron Fist... I got it! Cool and easy to understand. Let's have some action. How about Antman? Antman? It's already taken, and you're not a man. Antboy? I guess that's alright for now. I'm hungry. How long do we
have to stay here? Until a crime is committed. I'm going to the store. Wait! What if someone robs
a bank, and you're not here? I'm just gonna buy some candy. Stay here. Help! No! Stop!
He stole my bag! Somebody help me! You really shouldn't steal. What are you supposed to be? Uh... Man, you look ridiculous. Why don't you go crawl back, to your dumb little
Halloween costume party. Maybe... You should go back... To school! What'd you say? Uh... for an education. Plus, it's not... It's not...
v-very smart to skip school. Who are you? I am... Antboy! It's true! It's true!
I swear! I'm not crazy! He just stood there
in that weird costume, and then he climbed up the wall! Then he chased after me!
The little ant guy! He runs around.
He was scampering. It was weird! He said his name was Antboy! Psst! Wilhelm! Did you see that?
What happened? I just stopped a criminal. And I can climb walls. No way. Check this out. What? I just did this. I can do it.
I swear! I'm so hungry. Why am I so hungry? Your powers always need
regular charging. How? Ants need sugar to get energy, that's why you ate all the candy
when you were bitten. Here, this belt has
containers for candy, so you can always recharge. Cool. Here's a cover for your phone. Thanks. Here, this is your AntCom. Connect it with your cell phone
and stay in touch with me. A superhero has come to
our small town of Middellund. Citizens want to know,
who is this masked hero? After what appeared
to be a young boy, dressed as a superhero rescued
a man from a car accident. The superhero, known as Antboy, rescued a six month old baby
from a fiery building today, sparking even more interest
in his true identity. Antboy was a hit. For the first time in my life,
people noticed me. Antboy's so cool!
Antboy's so awesome! He is so cute! I wasn't just
tiny Pelle anymore. I was Antboy! Even the school play
was about me. They even got a copy
of my costume. Move, bug! I was Middellund's protector, and villains' worst nightmare. I was untouchable. What's up? Antboy doesn't use
his powers to get fans. He's a superhero! A superhero has
better things to do. Like what? You just wanna be popular. No! You and me.
Girls don't care about us. I know, but they are into Antboy. Ida! Ida! Amanda. - School night.
- Ugh, you're so annoying! I can't concentrate
on this project, - with all that horrible noise.
- Ugh! Good morning, class. Good morning. Amanda and her sister
aren't coming today, because Amanda's sick, so... Mette and Aisha, please come
up and do your presentation. Someone help me! I'm gonna fall! Help! Help! Someone save me! Please, help! Hello? Hi, it's mom. Um, can you get some milk, but
get whole milk, not that 2%... Can't talk right now, Mom. - And make sure you check the date.
- Help me! - Make sure it's organic.
- Yes. - And I don't want anything...
- Talk to you later, Mom. Help me! Don't worry.
You're safe now. I'm gonna fall! I'm gonna fall... Antboy! I'm sorry about that,
but I really need your help. My dad received this video
this morning. Sommersted. I have your beautiful,
young daughter. I'm The Flea,
and just like the insects, I'm impossible to get rid of, so don't waste your precious
time calling the police. My demands are simple. Number one, 20 million
in small, unmarked bills. Number two, you will step down
as CEO of ExoFarm. Who's that man? I don't know. Can't your father pay him? 20 million? He's not that rich. Isn't it your job to save her? - Me?
- Yes, you. You're a superhero, yeah? Don't worry. Wilhelm and I,
we'll go after her. Wilhelm? What? Who's Wilhelm? But you said...
You said "Wilhelm." - I-I gotta go now.
- I wanna come with you. I don't think it's a good idea. It's probably too dangerous. Hey. What's up? Don't be mad, please. - Why?
- Promise you won't be mad? Hey. So, you're really
into superheroes, alright. What were you thinking? You can't let a girl be
in the Fortress of Solitude. - Where?
- I told you! Girls ruin everything! I bet she's gonna tell! She's gonna tell everyone
I know who you are! I doubt she cares much. Do you even know who she is? Wow, these dolls
are really cool. They're action figures!
Keep your hands off! Okay, chill out. I knew you only became
a superhero to be a show-off! Grow up, will you!
This is serious! Why don't you act
like a real sidekick? The kidnapper calls himself
"The Flea." My demands are simple. Number one, 20 million
in small, unmarked bills. Number two, you will step down
as CEO of ExoFarm. You have 48 hours, Sommersted. Spend them wisely if you want
to see your daughter again, or I'll drain her blood
instead of yours. Do your parents know The Flea? No, okay? Her father's like Lex Luthor. You know I can hear you, right? My father's not like Lex Luthor! She doesn't know
who we're talking about. The bad guy in Superman. Yeah. A rich businessman, who acts like
he's helping the world, but who really wants to own
and take over everything. You're so weird! - You're the weird one!
- Stop it! Does your dad have enemies? I don't know. Some people don't
really like him. He says it's lonely at the top. - Top of what?
- ExoFarm. The factory just outside
of town. What do they make there? Mostly vaccines,
but they do research, too. What kind of vaccines? I don't know.
My dad doesn't talk about it, but I think they help
really sick people. Ugh, sounds dodgy to me. Maybe it's someone from town. Maybe Miss MaryAnn. She's evil. Maybe Mark or Allan. Nah, they're too stupid. Is that Amanda's necklace? Are you okay? I can smell her. There! That one. There? You're kidding, right? That's old
Ms. Gmelkra's house. When I was bit, I was in there. That's where I got my powers. Ms. Gmelkra died last summer.
Who knows what's in there. Did you know they found
her rotting corpse, after two weeks on the floor? I heard, that they only found
her dead body, after it had been rotting
for two whole months, in the master bedroom. Rumor has it, that her spirit, still ridden with disease, mysteriously appears
at night, roaming. Uh... that's real? Amanda's in there. Anyway, Antboy isn't a coward. Hello? It's me. You scared me, Wilhelm. Are you inside? I'm in the basement. It looks like a lab. - Cool.
- - Did you find Amanda? No. This place gives me the creeps. Be careful, Antboy... Wilhelm! You there? Don't worry,
I'll get you out of here! And so we meet, Ant... boy... It's me you want,
just set Amanda free. She hasn't done anything to you. My fight is with her father. CEO of ExoFarm. Peter Sommersted. Before he ruined my life,
I was a biochemist at ExoFarm. My research was groundbreaking. What kind of research? A very rare species of ants,
called Formica Aquilonia. It was my theory that the
species had unique antibodies, capable of killing
life-threatening illnesses, so I began developing
"Hercules," a serum which transferred the healing
powers to my first test subject. My poor old mother. You're Ms. Gmelkra's son. Yeah. The tumors in her body
got smaller and smaller, but then, Sommersted
implemented his cutbacks. The company had to save money. My research was the first
to be terminated. I was furious! I tried to threaten the board
to let me continue, but Sommersted
didn't give a damn. "I'm sending you away with
a flea in your ear," he said. And my mother... It was too late for her. After her death, my plans for revenge
started taking shape. I chose another species, Pulex Irritans. The flea of blood. It's properties removed
the arthritis in my legs, and made them
100 times stronger. Be glad you only have to eat
sugar to maintain your powers. When I got the power
of the flea, I got its insatiable craving... for blood. The ant that bit you, was the last of its kind. A genetically modified
Hercules ant. You are to thank me, Antboy. Or should I say Pelle. Amanda only loves Antboy. She doesn't even know
Pelle Nohrmann exists. Now, about your little friend, the comic book geek. Do you really think he's
interested in your friendship? I know you, Pelle, for what you really are, a tiny pissemaur. I'm gonna crush you
under my boot. Until we meet again. The Flea was right. Why should I risk my life for
people who don't care about me? I was just a tiny ant who
dreamt he was big and strong, and loved by everyone. But the dream was over now. And the ant had woken up. I just wanted to be
Pelle Nohrmann, and forget Antboy ever existed. What was I thinking? - I couldn't save Amanda.
- What's wrong with you? The Flea's on the run. Amanda and her family are safe. Yeah, no thanks to me. I didn't stand a chance
against him, Wilhelm. We can't stop now. It's still dangerous
with The Flea on the loose. I just can't do it
anymore, Wilhelm! Why don't you go be Antboy? - Fine!
- Fine! Fine! The police came
and knocked the door down, and the whole thing
was so scary! So, we've discussed each of
your favorite fiction books, and remember book reports
are due next week. And now, we are moving on
to non-fiction. Who has material
they can suggest, as good examples
of non-fiction? So... for example, Uh... autobiographies, is that
fiction or non-fiction? Books about... Ah! Children, leave
everything behind! Come to the front.
Calm down, please! One line!
Come on! Pelle, hurry up! Quickly! Quickly! Out to the yard, please! Pelle! The Flea's attacking the school! It's not my problem. Let the police handle it. Don't be afraid. Hurry, run outside. Antboy. Antboy saved me! Wilhelm. Wilhelm! Wilhelm! Wilhelm! Wilhelm! Wilhelm! Wilhelm! Wilhelm! Let me go, you loser! Insects have existed
for millions of years. They will outlive
the human race. I'm not a loser! I'm a flea! The problem with
you supervillains is, you talk too much! Get your hands off him! Antboy. You're the dumbest genius
I have ever met. Gmelkra, it's game over. You're gonna be real sorry
if you don't let go of him! What's wrong, Antboy? Low on sugar? Sugar! - Give up!
- You'll never see your little friend again, Pelle Nohrmann. We're off for a little walk
in the woods. Hey! Hey! Let me go! Put me down! Wilhelm. What are you doing? Antboy! The Flea took Wilhelm! Don't worry, Ida. I'll take care of this. Wilhelm! Hold on! Antboy. Antboy. I thought your sugar craving, was your Achille's heel. Antboy. But your real weakness, is people. Hello? Where are you? I'm not sure. Are you okay? I have an idea. Antboy. Gmelkra. Pissemaur! To think you're willing
to risk so much, for such a pathetic, little, weakling. That pathetic, little
weakling is my friend. What would you possibly need
friendships for? When you have all the strength
in the world. You're not that tough,
little bug. Bring it on, Flea. Time for dessert. You know what your weakness is? Your blood tank is empty, and you have no friends
to help you. You lost, Gmelkra. Give up. Never. Did you know that ants can lift
more than 50 times their weight? Thanks, Pelle. The arrest puts an end, to Gmelkra's terror
against Middellund, beginning with the abduction
of Amanda Sommersted, and culminating with
the attack at the school, and showdown with Antboy
in the forest. I wanna express gratitude from
all of us here at ExoFarm, and assure everyone concerned, that our security measures
have been improved. A sick man committed
these crimes, and our thoughts are with
the victims of this terror. You should really close
this window from now on. Just to be sure. I was hoping you'd come, so I, um... so I could say thank you
for saving me. Uh... Ida in? Ida? Yeah, I just came
to return this. Ida? Your sister. What? Ugh... Hi. What are you doing here? I came back, to say thanks. No, thank you. Yeah, you're alright,
Pelle Nohrmann. You thought I didn't know? It's amazing no one's
figured you out. But I won't say it's you. I better go now. Pelle, wait! Can't we be friends? See you tomorrow, Ida. Whoo-hoo! Hey, Pelle.
Whatcha doin'? Just giving the dog a bath,
so the fleas don't come back. I wanted to talk to you
about something. Yeah? I have an idea
for a new costume. I like the one I've got. That's not what I meant. Who then? It's just that Antboy
needs a sidekick, like, um, Batman and Robin. You think Ida wants
to be a superhero? What? I'm not talking
about Ida. Wilhelm, I'm just joking. But who needs Antboy now that
The Flea's not coming back? The world will
always need Antboy. Have you ever longed
to be someone else? I know I have. But not anymore. Antboy has superpowers
and lots of fans, but Pelle is still a tiny ant
in a giant anthill. And that's okay. Because if there's one thing
an ant's got, it's friends, and now, I do, too. Fortunately, because I can't
save the world on my own, can I?
