Supervillain Lover is a screenplay I’ve been working on.
It’s about a young woman who once loved a superhero, but is now forced to become the hero herself, when all she wants to do is fly away.
It has action (perhaps too much action), violence, drama, and romance.
This is the action-packed part one. You can view it as PDF, or read it inline after the break.
INT. FLY, INC. STORE - DAY
The INTERVIEWER is delighted to be interviewing the HANNAH GRAYSON.
She’s twenty-two. Black hair. T-shirt and jeans.
The two stroll through the FLY, INC. STORE, filled with technology: gadgets, toys, computers, robots…
INTERVIEWER
With Fly, Inc., you’ve done the impossible. From hoverboards to hover-dogs…
He smiles and ducks as a hovering robotic dog flies past his head.
The store is run by robots. The only humans are the customers, the interviewer, and Hannah herself.
INTERVIEWER (CONT’D)
How do you do it? How do you do the impossible?
HANNAH
There is no impossible. Our potential is infinite–
INTERVIEWER
Your logo.
Fly, Inc.’s logo the back wall: white on black, an infinity sign inside a circle.
HANNAH
Yes. We have endless possibilities, but we put ourselves in these boxes, and we can’t break free, we can’t fly away.
INTERVIEWER
Indeed…
(awkward beat)
(more upbeat)
What of the rumors that you are working with the military?
He smiles: he knows he’s not going to get a straight answer, but he asks anyway.
INTERVIEWER (CONT’D)
Helping fight the “threat” of magic, they say?
HANNAH
Magic _is _a threat–
INTERVIEWER
But the superheroes–
HANNAH
(louder)
Magic is a threat, and should be wiped out. Technology is the new way of things. As for me and the military…
She smiles back, but it doesn’t reach her eyes.
HANNAH (CONT’D)
You know that’s need-to-know. If there _is _anything between us, it’s just that: between us.
INTERVIEWER
Like your lab?
HANNAH
No. My lab is all me.
BLACK.
TITLE: SUPERVILLAIN LOVER
VOICES over static-y radio:
HANNAH
The detectors indicate it came from dead ahead.
CONTROLLER
Commence with AMAG Trial One.
(beat)
Move in.
HANNAH
This needs to work.
PRESIDENT
It will. Friday, you’ll be speaking about it at the dinner. Hannah, you’ve changed everything.
Static.
SOLDIER 1
Control, I think–I may see something.
CONTROLLER
Visual?
SOLDIER 2
Bringing scopes online now, sir.
EXT. GRASSY FIELD - DAY - VIDEO FROM SCOPE ON WEAPON
The soldiers ahead wade through the tall grass.
SOLDIER 1
Anti-magic weapons online.
They each hold ENERGY WEAPONS. Large. Heavy. Lined with glowing streaks of light. Adorned with the Fly, Inc. logo.
A FLASH of PURPLE shines through the grass.
BOY
(muffled through grass)
WHY WON’T YOU DIE, FREAK?
Ahead: a clearing on the edge of a large pond.
Teenage boys kick someone on the ground.
HANNAH
(confused)
But it’s just…
SOLDIER 1
Control?
CONTROLLER
Confirm. Surround.
BANG! The soldiers stumble.
CONTROLLER (CONT’D)
What was that?
SOLDIER 1
Some sort of shockwave.
The ground rumbles; the world darkens.
The soldiers look up: no clouds, just… Darker.
CONTROLLER
Move in! Take out the target!
HANNAH
No… I… The pulse came from further ahead.
The soldiers rush into the clearing.
An eighteen year old girl lies on the ground at the water’s edge, head in the water, dead.
LIZ, 20, is held between two boys. The third beats her.
SOLDIER 1
Subject identified.
CONTROLLER
Take out the target, be on guard for additional threats.
The boys look up, surprised. They step away from the girl.
HANNAH
Stop.
CONTROLLER
Proceed.
HANNAH
I command you to stop.
The soldiers aim their weapons.
HANNAH
(to someone on the other end of the radio)
Stop them! They have–they have the wrong target!
PRESIDENT
Stand down!
CONTROLLER
I’m sorry, Mr. President, but that’s not your call.
The soldiers charge their weapons.
HANNAH
NO!
Liz looks up as they FIRE.
She GASPS as yellow blasts of energy hit her.
SOLDIER 1
Control… It’s getting dark.
CONTROLLER
Take her out, now! She may be doing it!
Then: It’s as dark as night.
WHOOSH!
A blast of blue fire flies from somewhere in the grass.
BOY
ARGH!
The blast hits one of the boys. He falls into the water, SCREAMING as the blue consumes him!
The flames burn even beneath the surface.
Steam rises into the air.
BANG! Another blast of flame; another boy down.
SOLDIER 2
It’s coming this way.
A figure steps through the grass.
It’s THE KING. She wears heavy magical steampunk armor. Giant cannons rest upon her shoulders.
A helmet obscures all but her vicious smile and her hypnotic, glowing eyes which seem to be made of actual blue fire.
CONTROLLER
Take out the target and get out of there!
HANNAH
No! Leave her!
CONTROLLER
You have your orders.
SOLDIER 1
Confirm. Taking out primary target.
Two soldiers train their weapons on The King. The rest rush up to Liz, who sits on the ground, dazed.
They aim.
HANNAH
You can stop this, or I will stop it for you.
CONTROLLER
You have no say in this operation, Miss Grayson.
HANNAH
Anna?
ANNA
(voice almost exactly like Hannah’s)
On it.
The soldiers fire!
FIZZLE.
ANNA (CONT’D)
Done.
Only sparks leave the weapons.
BOOM!
One of the soldiers is enveloped in blue flame.
SOLDIER 1
Control! Our weapons!
CONTROLLER
Backup is approaching to extract–
SOLDIER 1
Our weapons!
CONTROLLER
Miss Grayson, lives are at stake!
HANNAH
You made your bed.
VROOM!
A Humvee rolls into the clearing. The machine gun at top ROARS.
The bullets hit The King, but have no effect.
Soldier 1 grabs Liz, and pulls her onto the vehicle.
It drives away at top speed.
The King turns to the last boy. He cowers on the ground.
BOY
Please…
She aims her shoulder cannon.
BOOM!
INT. CONTROL CENTER - CONTINUOUS
The cavernous room is lit by the dozens of giant monitors.
Several show only static.
One tracks the Humvee.
SOLDIER 1
Target acquired.
The controller sighs.
He takes a candy from his desk bowl, and angrily shoves it into his mouth.
He turns to glare at Hannah.
CONTROLLER
You just put a dozen lives at risk, and caused the deaths of–
HANNAH
My weapons, my rules. That was the agreement. That agreement is now over.
She stands up. Her office chair topples over.
The President of the United States, surrounded by aides and the Secret Service, tries to pacify her.
PRESIDENT
Hannah, we can resolve–
HANNAH
No we cannot. The condition was that I am in control.
PETER, twenties, also known as THE MAGE, laughs.
PETER
Come on, honeybun. Give ‘em a chance.
He stands in a corner, dressed in his garish superhero costume: orange with lime green accents.
HANNAH
I did not ask for your input.
PETER
Well, if you won’t give your weapons to the government, baby, I’d gladly take ‘em.
HANNAH
I thought I was supposed to “find more appropriate interests than this techno-nonsense.”
PETER
As my mother likes to say: “We both want the same thing.”
HANNAH
You, dead?
She pulls a gun. BANG!
The bullet hits Peter right between the eyes.
He falls to the ground.
HANNAH (CONT’D)
With pleasure. You “magical” people are all the same: evil.
The Secret Service pulls their own weapons, but Hannah’s is already back in her holster.
Hannah turns to the controller.
HANNAH (CONT’D)
Give her to me.
CONTROLLER
What do you care?
Hannah blinks.
HANNAH
You will give her to me now, or you will go against me.
CONTROLLER
I am in command of the most powerful military in the world.
Peter groans. He pulls himself to his feet, the bullet hole slowly closing up.
Hannah shoots him again, and leaves the room.
INT. INTERROGATION ROOM - DAY
Liz sits, handcuffed, at the table.
Across from her, an INTERROGATOR.
INTERROGATOR
If you won’t answer our questions, Miss Jane Doe… At least answer this: why are you here?
Liz stares straight ahead, tears leaking from her eyes.
She lifts her hand up.
She holds a fancy lighter, engraved: “ELIZABETH”.
The interrogator holds a hand to his ear.
INTERROGATOR (CONT’D)
I thought we took the lighter?
He reaches out to take it, but changes his mind.
INTERROGATOR (CONT’D)
Is that your name? Elizabeth?
Liz glances up, then back down.
She opens the lighter. Flicks it.
It sparks, but no flame.
LIZ
There once was a flame…
INTERROGATOR
A flame?
LIZ
Gone. Snuffed out. Forever. De–
She chokes on tears.
LIZ (CONT’D)
Dead.
(whisper)
They _killed _her.
(harsher)
And _she _killed them.
She looks up.
LIZ (CONT’D)
And now she wants me, and I don’t know why, and I want her to find me, even though I know she shouldn’t, even though I know she’s terrible and wrong, but she killed them, she killed them and I hate them, and…
The interrogator grasps her hand.
There’s a sound of a HELICOPTER from somewhere nearby. Yelling, too; from a nearby room?
She stares directly into her interrogator’s eyes.
LIZ (CONT’D)
And something is about to happen.
INTERROGATOR
What would that be?
LIZ
I do not know. But you will not like it.
(beat)
Three…
She looks to the side.
LIZ (CONT’D)
Two…
The interrogator’s eyes narrow.
LIZ (CONT’D)
One…
He reaches for his gun, but–
BOOM!
The wall behind Liz EXPLODES!
Lis stands, amazed.
Outside, forty floors above the ground, Hannah pilots a hovering motorcycle.
HANNAH
No time to explain! JUST GET ON!
Hannah begins to pull the motorcycle closer to the building, but–
Liz JUMPS!
She wraps her handcuffed hands around Hannah, and holds on for dear life.
Hannah guns it.
EXT. CITY SKY - CONTINUOUS
Hannah and Liz fly away from the fifty-story military building.
Choppers FIRE at them.
Hannah flies the motorcycle at a building, then, she drives down the side.
CRASH!
Through a window; now they drive on a ceiling. Hannah fires the motorcycle’s guns, shattering the glass walls in the way.
Paper flies EVERYWHERE. People SCREAM.
Hannah flips the motorcycle over, now driving on the floor proper, before–
CRASH! Out the other window.
HANNAH
Anna?
ANNA (O.S.)
(over earpiece)
Get out of the air, you’re sitting ducks!
Hannah pulls a lever. The motorcycle DROPS!
The ground approaches… Closer… Closer…
She pulls the lever again.
WHOOSH!
They stop falling, meters away from the traffic below. They SHOOT FORWARD.
ANNA (O.S.)
Left at the light.
BANG! BANG!
Bullets whiz by their heads as police officers shoot from the ground.
HANNAH
SHIT!
She drops the motorcycle into traffic, and weaves through it.
ANNA (O.S.)
Everyone is after you. Police, military… Left at the light.
They races through the intersection. Police cars chase after them!
BOOM! BOOM!
A shadow falls over Hannah and Liz as a police car FLIES over them.
It CRASHES ahead, alight in blue flame!
Hannah veers away!
It’s The King! She disappears and reappears in explosions of blue flame. She blasts car after car.
She appears in front of Liz and Hannah. The blue fire in her eyes ROARS as she grins menacingly.
Hannah fires missiles at the King. She doesn’t wait to see the effect: she turns.
INT. CONTROL CENTER - CONTINUOUS
Peter turns to the President.
PETER
Call it off. Please. If she gets hurt–
PRESIDENT
I’m sorry, Mage.
PETER
You are the Commander in Chief!
PRESIDENT
Not of this branch.
PETER
What did she say? “You will stop it, or I will stop it for you?”
The President raises an eyebrow; the Secret Service agents raise their guns.
Peter walks up to one of the agents. He removes their sunglasses, and stares into their eyes.
He lifts a hand to the agent’s head.
The agent collapses, dead.
Some agents begin firing as others pull the president to safety.
Peter walks through the bullets.
He lifts his hand to forehead after forehead, and agent after agent collapses, as if cords cut.
Soldiers storm into the room with grenades and heavy machine guns.
They take cover behind desks, and toss their grenades.
Peter catches one.
He smiles.
BANG!
Blood, flesh, and bone fly everywhere!
The soldiers peek. They don’t see him…
They stand, and move forward, guns raised.
Then, the blood, flesh, and bone scattered everywhere reforms.
Peter, as good as new, stands before them.
They fire!
The bullets swarm at Peter–then around him.
He’s surrounded in a sphere of bullets, then–
BANG!
The bullets fly everywhere! Wooden desks shatter! Monitors explode! Soldiers collapse, riddled with their own bullets.
Peter walks through the debris to The Controller, who hides under the remains of his desk.
Peter reaches for what’s left of the candy bowl.
He picks up a candy, and puts it in his mouth.
He pulls the controller out by the neck.
CONTROLLER
It’s–
(gasp for breath)
It’s for the good of the world.
PETER
I don’t care about the world. My only concern is Hannah.
CONTROLLER
They’re already after her.
Peter frowns.
PETER
Too bad for you.
The man lurches.
He chokes as vines erupt from his mouth!
They wrap around his neck.
He reaches for them, but they won’t budge.
Peter disappears in a blast of blue flame.
The light in his victim’s eyes slowly peters out.
EXT. STREET - DAY
Debris and projectiles fly through the air every-which-way.
Hannah swerves this way and that, but it’s everywhere!
A rocket almost hits, but before it does, it’s consumed in blue flame!
With a blast of blue fire, Peter appears ahead.
Debris swirls around him as he stalks towards Hannah and Liz.
A giant chunk of stone flies at them; he flicks it away with a motion of his hand. It CRASHES into a row of tanks!
PETER
(voice magically loud)
STOP!
Everyone stops.
Liz and Hannah sit on their motorcycle in the middle of the mess, surrounded.
ANNA (O.S.)
(over earpiece)
You have one way out.
Peter approaches Liz and Hannah.
PETER
Whatever will we do with the two of you?
Hannah presses a button.
BANG BANG BANG BANG!
Between explosives and lasers, the motorcycle cuts a hole in the road below.
They fall.
INT. WATER TUNNEL - DAY
They fly through the tunnels inches above the water below.
ANNA (O.S.)
There’s an entrance north aways. Left now!
Hannah makes a sharp left turn.
ANNA (O.S.)
Right!
There is very little light: aside from the headlamp, the only light is from the storm drains and manholes above.
Then, that light is snuffed out.
FLASH!
The King appears ahead, malevolent smile upon her face.
Hannah jerks into a tunnel on the left.
FLASH!
Again, The King.
Hannah turns, time after time, but The King is everywhere.
BANG BANG!
The King LAUGHS as the missiles explode against her harmlessly.
Suddenly, she appears, much too close!
Hannah jerks away; the motorcycle spins.
There’s a splash, and then–
VROOM!
She accelerates away.
The King is nowhere in sight.
Hannah pulls up.
BANG! A missile removes the manhole cover just as she SHOOTS THROUGH to daylight.
EXT. STREETS - DAY
Hannah takes a deep breath as she drives away.
Then, she realizes: Liz is no longer behind her.
She screams in anger.
INT. TUNNELS - DAY
Liz struggles in the water as the current tries to pull her under.
She bangs against a wall, then another.
An above-water tunnel juts off ahead, just a bit above her.
She just manages to grab ahold!
She climbs up, and crawls along the tunnel, coughing.
Small tunnel. Well-lit. Large enough to stand.
She tries to get on her feet, but–
Something crunches behind her.
It’s The King!
A blast of blue flame whizzes by her head.
She runs.
KING
You can run and die… Or you can come with your King.
Another ball of blue fire shoots by.
Liz dashes into another tunnel.
The lights begin to flicker.
Then, they go out entirely.
KING
In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is King…
Suddenly, the blue fire of The King’s eyes illuminate Liz’s face, inches away.
KING (CONT’D)
And I’ve got two eyes.
Liz yelps and scrambles away.
Ahead, something glows in the dark. It’s red…
The glowing red button says “DO NOT PUSH.”
Liz glances down, then back at the approaching eyes.
EXT. FLY, INC. SKYSCRAPER - DAY
The dual spirals of the giant FLY, INC. SKYSCRAPER stretch up into the sky.
At the top, they meet to form an infinity symbol.
The top few floors–HANNAH’S LAB–are separate; an infinity-symbol-shaped form made almost entirely of glass, seemingly hovering over the rest of the skyscraper.
The supports around the sides of the lab look less like supports and more like tethers keeping it from flying away.
The only other connection between the glass lab and the rest of the building is the gigantic glass elevator shaft that runs up the center.
The front doors of the massive, thirty-floor lobby slide open.
SCREECH!
Hannah skids inside, directly into the waiting glass elevator.
The doors close.
It ascends.
INT. HANNAH’S LAB - DAY
The elevator doors open.
Hannah drives the motorcycle to its place next to the red ‘67 Mustang.
She yells in frustration. She throws the keys across the room.
INT. HANNAH’S OFFICE - DAY
Hannah steps into her office overlooking the NYC skyline.
She freezes. Stares, mouth agape.
Liz sits morosely at Hannah’s desk, still rather wet, nibbling on a sandwich.
Hannah’s desk and chair are both floating platforms, chained to the floor.
LIZ
Hi.
Hannah blinks.
LIZ (CONT’D)
A robot let me in.
Hannah pulls Liz from the desk, and slams her into a glass wall.
HANNAH
A bot let you in? A robot?
(beat)
My bots… Do you know who makes them? I do. They behave how I behave. They don’t do anything I wouldn’t do. And I’d _never _let anyone up here.
LIZ
(distracted)
The robot sounded just like you. More polite, though.
(beat)
Why did you save me?
She stares at her sandwich on the desk.
LIZ (CONT’D)
The robot gave me that. Is it robot food?
HANNAH
I don’t even know who the FUCK you are! I– I– and then–
LIZ
There was a button. It said not to push.
Hannah drops Liz.
Liz slides to the floor.
Hannah starts pacing.
LIZ (CONT’D)
She’s after me.
HANNAH
I can have a bot take you back to… Wherever you’re from. Not that it will do you much good.
LIZ
Nowhere. I’m from nowhere.
(beat)
Not anymore.
Liz takes out her lighter.
She flicks it. Spark. No flame.
Hannah stalks out of the room.
Liz scrambles after her.
INT. MIDDLE OF LAB - CONTINUOUS
Half-done inventions lie on work tables everywhere.
ANNA, a robot, hurries up. Humanoid. Sleek metal. On her chest, a partial Sky, Inc. logo: the circle with the infinity symbol, but no words.
The GLOWING infinity symbol seems to WRITHE with Anna’s excitement.
Her voice sounds very similar to Hannah’s, but more carefree.
ANNA
So did you decide to keep her? Or will it be death? Death, right?
Gleeful, she turns to Liz.
ANNA (CONT’D)
Please accompany me so I can see to your death.
Liz blinks, and looks at the floor.
LIZ
Okay.
Anna grabs Liz’s shoulder.
HANNAH
Anna, it’s alright.
ANNA
But–
HANNAH
Anna!
The robot releases Liz.
Liz looks around the room.
Light streams in from everywhere. Even the ceiling is made from glass–except for a circular loft-like area in the middle.
HANNAH
Welcome to the safest place on Earth.
LIZ
This is safe?
She looks at all the glass.
HANNAH
It’s not glass. It could withstand a nuclear explosion.
She strides to a nearby wall.
HANNAH (CONT’D)
And even if it couldn’t…
She slams on the wall.
Metal walls come down, covering all the glass.
LIZ
Won’t do much good if the building’s gone.
Hannah just smiles a dark smile.
HANNAH
You’d be surprised.
Hannah walks to a glass staircase.
HANNAH (CONT’D)
I have a bedroom in the loft. You are not allowed up there.
(to Anna)
Anna, keep her out of trouble.
(beat)
No killing. No maiming, either.
Anna is disappointed.
Hannah disappears up the stairs.
Liz slides to the floor in exhaustion.
She fondles the lighter.
LIZ
I want to maim someone.
Anna looks at Liz appreciatively.
Liz flicks the lighter.
EXT. HOTEL ROOFTOP - AFTERNOON
The President observes the FLY, INC. Skyscraper.
AGENT
You are too exposed up here.
PRESIDENT
So you’ve said every ten seconds.
An aide rushes up.
AIDE
Mr. President. _She’s _on the phone.
The president sighs.
INT. PRESIDENTIAL SUITE - AFTERNOON
The suite is enormous. The ceilings are easily thirty feet high, and the suite is adorned with numerous magnificent chandeliers.
Some areas are floored with marble, others with hardwood.
The President sits down behind the antique wooden desk. It is intricately carved with leaf-like shapes.
A large screen raises from the floor.
Hannah’s face appears.
She doesn’t say anything.
PRESIDENT
Hannah.
HANNAH
I’d appreciate if you removed the tanks from around my building.
PRESIDENT
Done.
INT. HANNAH’S BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS
Hannah sits at a small desk, her laptop in front of her.
The President is on a video call.
HANNAH
The noise from the helicopters is annoying.
The President nods to someone off-screen.
PRESIDENT
With any luck they’ll be gone before this phone call is over.
HANNAH
Just like that?
PRESIDENT
Just like that.
HANNAH
No Anti-Magic Taskforce to overrule you?
PRESIDENT
I’m afraid your _boyfriend–_well, there’s not that much left of them.
HANNAH
The Mage hasn’t been my boyfriend in five years. Not since…
She trails off.
Her hand reaches up and scratches at a scar running across her neck.
PRESIDENT
Hannah. The point is–I’m sorry. I’m sorry about today. I’m sorry about all the–the things that happened.
(beat)
We need those weapons. They–you–are the only thing that can fight magic; The Mage won’t be around to save us forever.
HANNAH
No.
The President is taken aback at the abruptness.
PRESIDENT
Look, you can have complete control. It can be your task force. Not even part of the government. But we need those weapons! Please!
INT. PRESIDENTIAL SUITE - CONTINUOUS
Hannah regards the President cooly.
HANNAH
How about this: I’ll do whatever the fuck I please, and you’ll not say anything about it.
PRESIDENT
I don’t suppose I have much choice.
HANNAH
I don’t suppose you do.
The video feed cuts out.
The President turns his chair around to face the advisors, ALBERT and FRANK, off to the side.
ALBERT
Sir…
PRESIDENT
I know.
FRANK
This makes me very uncomfortable.
PRESIDENT
I’m afraid that against her, we’d stand very little chance.
ALBERT
Our military is–
PRESIDENT
Did you know that no humans work at her company? Besides herself, that is. All robots.
All those wonderful gadgets you buy your kids… You got them hoverboards last year, didn’t you, Frank?
FRANK
They enjoyed them quite a bit, sir.
PRESIDENT
Made by robots. Those robots can produce anything. Anything. The anti-magic weapons?
(gestures outside)
Made at the store down the street.
ALBERT
We could bomb the stores–
PRESIDENT
Oh, if it came to that we’d definitely have to try… She never told me, but I’d bet they are as impenetrable as her lab. Assuming they don’t have bunkers.
The President pours himself a glass of whiskey.
PRESIDENT (CONT’D)
And there’s something else to consider…
He downs the drink.
He opens a drawer. He reaches for the chain inside, a tear-shaped pendant hung on it…
Albert nods reluctantly.
ALBERT
Without her, how do we fight magic?
The President closes the drawer.
PRESIDENT
The only one we could turn to would be The Mage. And if we hurt Hannah…
The President stands up, and walks onto the balcony.
PRESIDENT (CONT’D)
Friday’s dinner is now vital. Ensure the appropriate heads-of-state will be there.
Albert nods, and walks off.
The President glances at Frank.
PRESIDENT (CONT’D)
Have the military make a plan of attack. And station them near every store–at a “casual” distance.
(beat)
If it comes to that, we may not stand a chance, but we’ll go out trying.
FRANK
Won’t she know they’re there?
PRESIDENT
I reckon she already does.