Hotep and Huy

"It's not your fault your sons learned nothing!"

- Huy "Well, they learned blasphemy."

- Hotep

Hotep and Huy are the secondary antagonists in DreamWorks' 2nd full-length animated feature film, The Prince of Egypt (which is based on the biblical epic of Moses). They are two trusted advisers (and technically high priests) to Rameses and worshipers of the ancient Egyptian gods - they are also very contemptuous of Moses and his claims, using their own "magic" (in reality, realistic illusions) to discredit his miracles and trying to show Egypt's superiority over Moses and the enslaved Hebrews: the dastardly duo even had their own musical number "Playing With The Big Boys Now" - in this scene they are shown harassing Moses and trying to expose his miracles as frauds, calling on the name of several prominent Egyptian gods (most likely for theatrical effects as they appeared to be ancient stage-magicians rather than true sorcerers.

Hotep was voiced by the legendary actor/comedian, Steve Martin, who later played another DreamWorks villain Smek in Home, Orin Scrivello in "Little Shop of Horrors", and Mr. Chairman from Looney Tunes: Back in Action, and Huy was voiced by Martin Short, who also played Jack Frost in The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause, and Jester in Legends Of Oz: Dorothy's Return.

Role
As well as their obvious antagonism towards Moses, they were shown to already be corrupt when they kidnapped a Midian girl named Tzipporah to become the Pharaoh's concubine - however, Rameses rejected her and offered her to Moses instead. Moses would eventually help the girl escape and later in the story would come to love and marry (it is worth noting that in Hotep and Huy's defense slavery was an acceptable practice in ancient Egypt so although it is abhorrent by our standards they likely saw no wrong in their actions).

Hotep and Huy are also symbolic figures who represent the ancient gods of Egypt and their struggle against Moses and the Abrahamic God (widely viewed as the one "true" god) - this is especially prominent during the song "Playing With The Big Boys Now" in which they transform their staffs into snakes and state to Moses "by the might of Horus, you will kneel before us!" - unaware that Moses' snake had led their snakes into a hidden area and devoured them whole (symbolizing God's triumph over the rival pantheon).

Hotep and Huy also showed antagonism when they tried to convince Rameses to enforce a death penalty of Moses after he returned to Egypt years after killing a guard for cruelly treating a slave, however Rameses dismissed their suggestion (knowing that the killing was an accident) and they didn't question him (likely due to the fact questioning the Pharaoh was a very dangerous thing to do in ancient Egypt - especially in a public place).

Ironically, they seem to have a certain way with kids (whom they approve of). This is shown when they are seen entertaining Rameses' young son.

During the first plague, when Moses turns the water of the Nile into blood with his staff, Hotep and Huy did the same thing by adding red dye to a bowl of water, to which Rameses finds it very amusing. However, as the other plagues continued on, Hotep and Huy were of no help, and being outraged by their lack of regard over the plagues bringing Egypt to ruins, Ramses angrily thrashes their potion's table and orders them to leave the palace immediately, to which they reluctantly do so.

Personality
Hotep and Huy are cunning, ruthless, diabolical, manipulative, and blasphemous magicians. They are deceitful, traitorous, and pretentious, so they always use magic to ensure subordination to their Pharaoh. They are also a source of amusement for young Moses because they are so easily irritated by his "blasphemy". They serve as comic relief to balance the many serious themes of the film.