This is part two of Supervillain Lover, my screenplay about a young woman who once loved a superhero, but is now forced to become the hero herself, when all she wants is to fly away.
See also: Supervillain Lover: Part 1
You can view it as PDF, or read it inline after the break.
INT. PETER’S HOUSE - SUNSET
Peter sits at the kitchen table.
PETER’S MOM places his dinner in front of him. A scar runs across her face at eye level.
She takes her own seat in the shadow.
A small princess figurine lays on the table between them.
She concentrates hard. Touches it with a glowing finger.
The princess comes to life. It starts walking around.
It begins to grow.
Its features become more realistic, less princess-like. It begins to look a bit like a smaller version of Peter’s mom–
PETER
I don’t know what to do. Mom…
She loses concentration.
The princess becomes lifeless once more.
She sighs in disappointment, then smiles at Peter.
PETER’S MOM
Think, Peter. What did we see today?
Peter takes a bite.
PETER
Hannah…
PETER’S MOM
Her inventions, as… Misguided as she may have been to create them… They work, darling.
PETER
She cut off the deal.
They sit in silence.
INT. HANNAH’S BEDROOM - SUNSET
The video call app is still open on Hannah’s computer.
No call is active: it serves solely as a mirror.
Hannah stares at her reflection.
INT. HANNAH’S LAB - CONTINUOUS
Robots scuttle here and there, constructing a room around Liz and Anna.
A wall goes up, then another.
A robot rolls in with a wood framework for a dresser. It’s not finished.
Liz sits on the ground, flicking her lighter repeatedly.
Anna observes.
ANNA
What kind of look would you like?
Liz flicks the lighter again.
ANNA (CONT’D)
We can do anything. Some nice grays, perhaps?
The lab is mostly gray.
ANNA (CONT’D)
Or perhaps reds?
A robot rolls around, sizing up the room.
It paints a bit red, then shakes its head. It tries blue instead.
Anna shoves the robot away.
ANNA (CONT’D)
Blues? Or maybe you like the pinks and purples? Stained wood or painted?
(muttering)
Your not any help.
(louder)
Fine.
She signals the robot she had dismissed.
ANNA (CONT’D)
(to robot)
Whatever you think.
The robot nods and gets to work.
Liz flicks the lighter again.
ANNA (CONT’D)
You’ll never burn anyone’s eyes out with that.
Liz ignores her. Flick. Spark.
ANNA (CONT’D)
Would you like a new lighter that works?
Liz looks up.
Grasps the lighter tighter.
LIZ
No.
Anna, in spite of being a robot, sighs.
ANNA
What’s with it, anyway?
Liz glances around.
LIZ
What’s with that, anyway?
She points at a dangerous looking knife, framed on the wall.
It looks almost alive as light flickers across it.
Anna regards Liz for a moment.
ANNA
A bad memory.
She looks at the knife.
ANNA (CONT’D)
What do you know about The Mage?
LIZ
Superheroic asshole.
Anna laughs.
ANNA
He and Hannah were… Well…
(doesn’t want to remember)
Together, once.
(nostalgic)
They were the only children for miles in an idyllic countryside…
LIZ
You make it sound like you were there.
ANNA
(uncomfortable)
No, but I… remember it.
Anna sighs.
Her eyes light up and project images on the wall–it’s impossible for any but her and Liz to see exactly what–but her eyes glow in hues of greens and yellows.
ANNA (CONT’D)
It was beautiful. Grass as tall as they were, and the way the sun would light it all up at sunset… Over the old barn… Down through the forest in the West…
Her eyes are alight in the orange of sunset…
ANNA (CONT’D)
Hannah always wanted to fly! And with Peter’s magic, they’d sit in the sky on a bed of air and watch as the sun set…
Her eyes turn dark.
ANNA (CONT’D)
Peter eventually became The Mage.
INT. HANNAH’S BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS
Hannah stares at her image on the computer screen… She stares at the scar across her throat.
ANNA (O.S.)
There was an… Event, once. Peter being an asshole… He always liked showing off.
BEGIN FLASHBACK
EXT. EVENT PLAZA - DAY
Peter stands on the stage as The Mage.
ANNA (O.S.)
Hannah had just finished her first creation: a flying cube. Peter was only interested in attracting a crowd. Just drug her along; forced her into a dress for the occasion, too.
Next to him, holding his hand: Hannah, in a white and purple dress with a small white mask.
The crowd CHEERS!
ANNA (O.S.)
Then The Shadow came…
BANG!
Half the stage BLOWS UP.
The crowd PANICS as debris flies everywhere.
They all look to the stage; to Peter!
But all they can see is dust and smoke, and–
A being made of pure shadow.
END FLASHBACK
INT. HANNAH’S BEDROOM - SUNSET
Hannah traces a finger across the scar.
BEGIN FLASHBACK
EXT. EVENT PLAZA - DAY
The smoke clears.
The humanoid shadow clutches Hannah, a knife digging into her throat. A trickle of blood flows down Hannah’s neck.
END FLASHBACK
INT. HANNAH’S BEDROOM - SUNSET
Hannah shuts off the computer.
INT. HANNAH’S LAB - CONTINUOUS
Anna stares at the knife, remembering.
Around her and Liz, the room is taking shape, in blacks, whites, and purples.
ANNA
Peter… Did not react well. Said he was too dangerous. _Magic _was too dangerous.
Robot or not, she looks like she wants to cry.
She puts a hand up to her metal face.
ANNA (CONT’D)
Said… Too weak. Seeing… Seeing Hannah helpless…
She points up at the knife.
ANNA (CONT’D)
That’s the knife.
She falls silent.
The knife is hidden as the last wall of the room, already painted and wallpapered, is put into place.
Anna looks up.
She points at the lighter.
ANNA (CONT’D)
And that?
Liz flicks the lighter.
Spark, no flame.
LIZ
(whisper)
She’s gone.
Beat.
LIZ (CONT’D)
The sparks are so small…
Flick.
Spark.
LIZ (CONT’D)
I want them to burn.
ANNA
I have a flamethrower.
EXT. GOVERNMENT BUILDING - NIGHT
Peter strolls up to the front glass doors of the fifty story building in full Mage regalia.
He waves cheerfully at a guard inside.
The guard watches him warily.
Peter blinks.
In a FLASH of blue fire, he appears on the other side of the glass.
Immediately, the guards point their guns at him.
Peter summons one of the guns. He shoots down two guards.
More guards rush in.
Peter snaps his fingers.
The guards all freeze, then shake their head as if to clear them.
Peter walks calmly past them. The guards follow.
More guards await in the hall, weapons ready.
The guards behind Peter snap their own fingers.
The additional guards fold in behind.
Peter snaps his fingers and points up.
Several guards break off and head up a staircase.
He points towards a hallway. Guards run off to clear the floor.
He points at two more guards, then at a security camera, then makes a slicing motion across his neck.
They rush off.
Finally, he gestures for the remaining guards to follow as he descends the stairs.
BEGIN MONTAGE
- Guards rushing through building
- Guards snapping their fingers at people
- People picking up weapons and joining guards
- Almost all heading downstairs
- Several staying to guard office on top floor
INT. GOVERNMENT BUILDING SECURE STORAGE - NIGHT
The reinforced vault door EXPLODES into the room.
Soldiers stand ready in the room, unable to see through the smoke.
Then: a ROAR of bullets flies through the smoke.
The soldiers in the room didn’t have a chance: they all fall dead.
Peter strides in.
The room is very large, and very empty.
Its sole contents: at one end, a small rack of the big, bulky, energy weapons.
Peter motions at a few members of his army.
They grab some explosives, and place them on the rack.
They set a timer.
The remaining army–hundreds of people, some guards, some soldiers, some just office workers–fans out in front of him.
Peter snaps his fingers.
The entire army snaps out of it.
For a moment, they stare at him.
Then, they point their weapons at him.
Peter turns away.
They all collapse, dead.
As he leaves, the vault door fixes itself behind him.
He pauses.
BANG!
The wall around the vault door cracks.
INT. GOVERNMENT BUILDING - OFFICE ON TOP FLOOR - NIGHT
The owner of the opulent office–one WILLIAM H. PEMBERLEY–hides beneath his large wooden desk, phone to ear.
The light from the city skyline outside streams through the glass balcony doors and windows.
WILLIAM
(whispering to phone)
I think I heard an explosion. Not sure. It had to be at least fifty floors down… Basement maybe? Building appears stable for now…
He takes a peek around his desk towards the glass door to his office.
Soldiers stand at guard outside, facing towards the office.
He ducks back under the desk.
WILLIAM (CONT’D)
Still there. I think magic is controlling them…
(beat)
When–how far away are you?
He checks his gun.
WILLIAM (CONT’D)
Hello? Hello?
He peeks around his desk again.
All the soldiers outside lie on the ground, dead.
He jumps to his feet.
PETER
(behind him)
Hello, Will.
William spins around.
WILLIAM
(relieved)
Mage! Thank– thank God!
PETER
Please sit, Will.
WILLIAM
Something–magic… Took over everyone, they–
He motions at the guards.
PETER
(happily)
It’s all taken care of. Let’s have a drink to celebrate. While we wait for the others to arrive.
Peter conjures two glasses with ice.
He pours William’s own Chivas.
William hesitantly reaches out for the glass.
WILLIAM
I’m not sure it’s appropriate…
PETER
It’s alright William. This all must be so stressful.
Still dazed, William downs the whiskey.
Peter takes his own sip.
PETER (CONT’D)
Food and drink, they are amazing things. Out of all the things in this world, they are the most susceptible to magic.
The higher the quality… the better the chef… the better the ingredients… better the magic takes.
He savors the taste in his mouth.
PETER (CONT’D)
Not that I need such crutches. I got enough power in my pinky to twist this here entire building into a pretzel.
Peter gazes lovingly at the drink left in the glass.
PETER (CONT’D)
Still… There are so many things I could do… I could enchant the liquid already flowing down your throat and into your stomach. I could turn it into lead…
The contents of the glass shift to lead, then–
PETER (CONT’D)
Or mercury.
(beat)
I could freeze it. Shape it.
Back to drink. It freezes.
The frozen liquid snakes upwards like tree branches. The points are sharp–
The icy branch falls back into the glass as dozens of tiny spiders. They scurry around the glass.
PETER (CONT’D)
I could turn it into spiders that would devour you from within… Or a snake that would make you its home.
The snake HISSES.
William gazes at it, horrified and confused.
WILLIAM
Why–what–
PETER
But y’know? I’d so much rather do this.
The liquid from the glass rises into the air.
William tries to stand.
Peter motions downwards. William is slammed back into his chair.
The bubble of liquid grows larger and larger until it surrounds William’s head.
PETER (CONT’D)
You screwed up the deal. You had to keep one little girl happy, and you blew it.
William struggles against invisible bonds as the bubble of liquor cuts off his air supply.
PETER (CONT’D)
Hush now. Everything will be okay…
(beat)
Tell me: do you like cheesecake and country?
INT. HIGH-END RESTAURANT IN NYC HIGH-RISE - NIGHT
The King drops a large speaker onto a table.
She presses a button.
Country music begins to play.
Everyone in the restaurant looks around in confusion.
They spot The King.
She snaps her fingers.
The lights flicker out.
People begin to SCREAM.
KING
EVERYBODY STAY CALM!
The moonlight streams in through the giant windows.
The King’s outline can just barely be seen.
KING (CONT’D)
No-one needs to get hurt. I just need one person. And you are going to bring them to me. I have to be somewhere in…
She checks her wrist, even though she has no watch.
KING (CONT’D)
Three minutes. That gives you two.
BYSTANDER
I’ll die before you take me!
BOOM!
A flash of blue from one of the cannons, and the bystander crashes through a window into the night.
The King begins walking through the restaurant.
KING (CONT’D)
Not you. Idiot.
(beat)
I need one person, and you are going to give them to me. Do you know why?
Her voice seems to come from everywhere; a whisper, a shout.
KING (CONT’D)
Because I… I am your King. In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is King…
The fire in her eyes flashes.
KING (CONT’D)
And I’ve got two eyes.
She reaches for something, then brings it to her mouth.
The moonlight glints off the white cheesecake.
She savors the taste.
KING (CONT’D)
Bring me the cheesecake chef.
INT. HANNAH’S BEDROOM - NIGHT
Hannah emerges from a hidden door.
She closes it behind her. It looks like any other section of wall.
In her hand she holds a thick BRACELET. Lines of energy run across it.
She leans against the wall and takes a deep breath.
HANNAH
(to self)
Forget… Forget…
The bracelet in her hand frames an INFINITY SYMBOL on the wall. It wants to glow… It flickers… It fades.
Hannah’s eyes close. She takes a deep breath.
She grabs a handful of small chrome spheres from a box next to her. She tosses them into the air.
She takes a step from the wall.
The spheres whir around her with a soft hum.
She reaches a hand out.
A sphere stops to rest on the tip of her finger.
She shakes herself out of her trance.
The spheres fall to the ground.
The infinity symbol GLOWS again.
INT. HANNAH’S LAB - NIGHT
Hannah descends the stairs, holding the bracelet.
WHOOSH!
The smell hits Hannah as she reaches the foot of the stairs.
LIZ (O.S.)
It’s like fire, but sticky!
ANNA (O.S.)
I know!
Hannah locates the pair in the other room.
Liz has a flamethrower. It’s not a normal flamethrower. It’s a flamethrower a bloodthirsty robot would build. Giant. Arm-mounted. No separate gas tank.
Point your arm, pull the trigger, and sticky liquid fire sprays.
HANNAH
Put this on.
She shoves the bracelet at Liz.
HANNAH (CONT’D)
It’ll hide your… Signature, so to speak.
LIZ
Where did you get it?
HANNAH
I… Yuli–
(beat)
A bot made it. It works against my detectors. It should work against–whoever that was.
LIZ
The King.
(beat)
That’s what she calls herself.
Liz looks down, lowering her flamethrower.
LIZ (CONT’D)
Am I… Are you… Do I have to go?
(whisper)
Again?
Hannah turns to look Liz in the eyes.
HANNAH
Are you ready to go out there? To face the evils of Magic? To fight, and, most likely, die?
Hannah turns to the window and observes the skyline.
LIZ
No.
Hannah looks back at Liz.
EXT. GOVERNMENT BUILDING - OFFICE ON TOP FLOOR - NIGHT
The motorcycle lands silently on the balcony.
Hannah and Liz climb off.
The flamethrower is strapped onto Liz’s back.
Hannah tries the door.
It’s locked.
She peeks through the window.
HANNAH
He looks dead.
Inside, William is slumped over his desk.
HANNAH (CONT’D)
Don’t normally get my hands dirty, but–
She grabs Liz, bends her over, and slams her flamethrower-first through the door.
The protruding flamethrower head shatters the glass.
INT. GOVERNMENT BUILDING - OFFICE ON TOP FLOOR - CONTINUOUS
Liz stares at William.
Hannah stalks around the room, looking for something.
LIZ
Did he… He looks like he…
(quiet)
Drowned.
HANNAH
And you’d know?
Beat.
LIZ
It’s what they did to her…
Liz stares. Her hand reaches for her lighter…
HANNAH
Once… a long time ago… I managed to injure a magical person. More of an accident than anything, but…
She nods at William.
HANNAH (CONT’D)
A few months ago, William thought the government and I could work together to fight the bastards.
(beat)
That has not ended well.
Beat.
ANNA (O.S.)
(over earpiece)
William said he thought he heard an explosion from the basement.
Hannah looks at the bodies outside the office door.
She grabs Liz and pulls her back onto the motorcycle.
VROOM!
She drives it through the office, through the hallway.
A missile BLASTS open the door to an escape stairway.
She floats in between the levels, over the narrow gap between each half-flight of stairs.
It’s not wide enough to descend.
BANG BANG BANG BANG!
She fires weapons. The staircase below EXPLODES.
The motorcycle descends, blasting its way down in a whirl of blasted metal and cement.
Each time a piece of debris gets too close, a beam of energy destroys it.
INT. BOTTOM OF STAIRWAY - NIGHT
The motorcycle lands on a pile of rubble.
Hannah BLASTS a path through the door.
Hannah and Liz dismount. They approach the vault.
The door is destroyed.
Inside: The King, bodies strewn all around her.
Hannah pulls Liz back from the entrance.
The hall is lined with closets. Hannah pulls Liz into one.
They hold their breaths.
KING (O.C.)
Elizabeth, will you not come home with me?
The King’s heavy footsteps echo from the hallway outside.
Hannah removes a sphere from her pocket.
She slides it under the crack in the door.
HANNAH
(whisper)
Anna!
ANNA
(over earpiece, quietly)
On it…
Outside the closet, the small sphere floats silently away.
KING (O.C.)
Elizabeth… Will you not let me save you?
HANNAH
(whisper to Liz)
Say something.
LIZ
(whisper)
What?
HANNAH
(whisper)
Quietly.
LIZ
(at normal volume)
Who are you?
The King turns and stalks towards the closet.
KING
I would be your King, Elizabeth. I would be your Mother.
The King reaches for the doorknob.
KING (CONT’D)
Elizabeth, I would not leave you. I would not make you leave.
She opens the closet.
Inside is the sphere.
She smiles and shakes her head.
She turns and begins checking door by door down the hall.
KING (CONT’D)
I would not judge you, Elizabeth, my dear. I would only help you.
She opens another door. Another.
One more…
WHOOSH!
A blast of flame shoots at her.
She SCREAMS in pain. The sticky, flaming liquid has coated her arm.
Liz and Hannah scurry past her.
KING (CONT’D)
AHHHHHHH!
She screws her eyes shut.
Blue flames overpower the orange ones.
They disappear.
Her skin is horribly burnt…
And then, it heals.
KING (CONT’D)
I do not wish to hurt you, Elizabeth…
But Elizabeth is already gone.
The flying motorcycle shoots upwards through the fifty stories of destroyed staircase.
EXT. ROOF - NIGHT
The roof EXPLODES!
The motorcycle SHOOTS through the newly-created hole and into the night sky.
EXT. SKY - DAWN
Liz stares at the beginnings of the sunrise as they fly through the sky on the motorcycle.
Hannah notices.
She speeds up.
EXT. ROOF OF FLY, INC. SKYSCRAPER - DAWN
The two watch the sunrise from the roof of the skyscraper.
Slowly, Hannah reaches for Liz’s hand.
Thinking better of it, she pulls it back.
EXT. ROOF OF FLY, INC. SKYSCRAPER - LATER
Hannah puts a hand on Liz’s shoulder.
HANNAH
(softly)
Let’s go.