Writing Wednesday: Finally Finished!
I finished my capstone script yesterday!! Sixty pages, a little more than 11,000 words. This was the third draft, and I turned the first half of it in last week and the second and final half just now. We'll read it tomorrow in class hopefully, and then next week I have a meeting with my professor to go over my whole portfolio from this semester.
Here's an except from the fight scene at the end. I'd never written a fight scene before, but my dear tommytonebender read the script for me and said she really liked it, so I guess I did a pretty good job. And if anyone else wants to read the script now that it's finished, I'd be more than happy to e-mail you a copy!!
INT. LAIR/ATRIUM - NIGHT
The fight has made its way up to the massive atrium of the lair. PARVOLA is running towards ALEX and AUDRA, who each grab one of her arms, but she lifts both of them off the ground and shakes them off, knocking them to the floor. LADYKILLER jumps in and tries to get an arm around PARVOLA’s neck, but she wrenches the arm off of her, twisting it as LADYKILLER tries to block a scream through gritted teeth.
The news team stands just a few feet away. JUSTINE #3 holds the baby, bouncing her up and down a little, but really watching the fight. JUSTINE #2 pans her camera from side to side to catch all the action. JUSTINE #1 stands next to her, not in the shot, but commentating through her microphone.
JUSTINE #1
The Morgans and their henchwoman are putting up a good fight, but they’re no match for Parvola’s super-strength! Is there any way their age and experience can best this young girl’s energy, or are the humans fated to always submit to the superheroes?
The battered HENCHPEOPLE are lying at the sidelines, shouting encouragements at their employers.
HENCHMAN #1
Pull her hair!
HENCHWOMAN #1
Kick her in the teeth!
The HENCHMAN still hanging from the chandelier chimes in as well.
HENCHMAN #2
Just knock her out, leave her lying there, I need something to break my fall...
LADYKILLER stands recovering for a minute, huffing and clutching her shoulder. PARVOLA pushes sweat-damp bangs out of her eyes and, seeing her prey unprotected, runs at ALEX and AUDRA again. ALEX dodges, AUDRA puts her arms up and tries to block, and PARVOLA grabs one arm and whips her to the floor and starts kicking her. ALEX tackles PARVOLA to the ground, but after a moment’s struggle, she pushes him off and onto his wife.
LADYKILLER returns, now holding a spear grabbed from the hand of an antique suit of armor decorating a corner of the atrium. She throws it at PARVOLA using her good arm, but the supergirl ducks, grabs it, and throws it back at her. LADYKILLER makes a move to dodge but it goes too fast, and the wooden pole jabs her in the stomach, knocking the wind out of her. PARVOLA goes to the corner and lifts the entire suit of armor over her head, then turns around and looks at the Morgans with a devious grin. Running toward them to build momentum, she launches the suit into the air. ALEX and AUDRA freeze with shock as the hundreds of pounds of metal plummet toward them.
Then it stops, and just hangs in the air for a second. ALEX and AUDRA breathe with relief as PARVOLA’s face contorts with angry shock. She grabs the foot of the suit and tries it pull it towards her to throw it again, but it doesn’t move. She keeps pulling at it, throwing all her energy into budging this suit even an inch.
MAGNA-MAN (OFF-SCREEN)
You really have no idea of when to give up, do you?
An increasingly frustrated PARVOLA whirls around to see MAGNA-MAN standing in the doorway of the lair, one arm outstretched, using his metal-controlling powers to keep the suit of armor frozen. A proud ERIC stands next to him, waving to ALEX and AUDRA, who wave back awkwardly, looking very confused. ERIC is still pushing the shopping cart full of baby supplies.
The news team is absolutely delighted. JUSTINE #2 immediately points her camera at Magna-Man, and JUSTINE #1 smooths down her hair and hops back in front of the camera to talk to her audience directly.
JUSTINE #1
Ladies and gentlemen, you wouldn't believe it if you weren't seeing it, Magna-Man just walked into the King and Queen's lair!
JUSTINE #1 dashes over to him, her copies in tow.
PARVOLA
Hey! You're supposed to be here to film me!
JUSTINE #1
Magna-Man, did you come here to stop Parvola? Are you on the villains' side?
MAGNA-MAN
[holding up a hand to stop her questions] Can you just hold on for a second? I need to sort some things out.
He gently lowers the suit of armor to the floor and goes up to PARVOLA, who is sneering at him.
PARVOLA
You're ruining this.
MAGNA-MAN
You were ruining yourself.
PARVOLA stomps her foot and points at ALEX and AUDRA, who are getting to their feet and quietly slinking away.
PARVOLA
They stood me up, I had to show them that I wasn't going to take it being disrespected like that!
MAGNA-MAN
Sounds to me like they had a reason -
PARVOLA
They had a fabrication!
MAGNA-MAN
Well, it's not really your job to decide things like that -
PARVOLA
Don't you tell me what my work is and is not, I am a superhero! It is my responsibility to punish the guilty!
MAGNA-MAN
That's what we have courts and lawyers for. A superhero's job is to protect the innocent and defend their city. I don't think you did either of those things tonight.
PARVOLA
I... I'm an innocent!
MAGNA-MAN
No, you're a brat. A superhero needs to be noble and kind, and to set a good example for others.
ERIC, beaming affectionately, turns to JUSTINE #3.
ERIC
That's my nemesis.
JUSTINE #3 makes a noncommittal “mmm” noise and keeps watching MAGNA-MAN.
PARVOLA has her arms crossed and frowns up at MAGNA-MAN. She's less angry now, but just as defensive of herself.
MAGNA-MAN
Parvola, you're young and you have a lot of promise, and I can appreciate your zeal for justice, but -
PARVOLA
But what? Justice is what I was doing!
MAGNA-MAN
Justice isn't the same as vengeance. So one set of villains broke an arrangement, so what? You'll fight dozens of villains in your life, you can't let all of them to get to you. They're not that important.
ERIC'S face falls.
PARVOLA
They broke a promise, they lied to me, they tried to ignore me...
MAGNA-MAN
You have the whole city excited about you, you've already proven you're worth paying attention to. Now it's time to prove you're worth looking up to. Come on, let's walk this off.
MAGNA-MAN waves towards the door and PARVOLA nods. He puts an arm around her shoulder and starts walking out with her.
MAGNA-MAN
Although I have to say, that thing with the suit of armor was pretty cool.
PARVOLA shoots a look back at ALEX and AUDRA, who are helping LADYKILLER to her feet. ALEX gives her a slightly reproachful tilt of the head, wanting to encourage her to listen to Magna-Man's advice and leave them alone. AUDRA gives her a gloating smirk; she and Alex emerged as the victors tonight, more or less. The injured LADYKILLER just looks pissed.
PARVOLA glares at them, as if to say this war isn't over, then turns back to MAGNA-MAN.
PARVOLA
I picked that up from you, actually, when you used that metal statue in the park to fight off Professor Peril.
MAGNA-MAN
Ha ha, that's right! I'd forgotten all about that...
The two of them exit out the open door of the lair.
JUSTINE #1
[speaking to the camera] An unusual end to an unusual night. Evil clone battles, villain vengeance beat-downs, and superhero advice sessions all in a matter of hours. Guess it just goes to show you that Arch City is always full of surprises. Signing off from the King and Queen's lair, I'm Justine Jost with Channel Six News.
JUSTINES #1 and #2 start packing up their gear and JUSTINE #3 hands the baby back to ALEX.
JUSTINE #3
Congratulations, I suppose. She's a sweet girl. The name is Dawn Rose, right?
ALEX and AUDRA look at each other and nod.
AUDRA
Dawn Rose Morgan, that's right.
The three JUSTINES depart. It marks the end of the night, the beginning of a quiet time. The henchpeople in the background, no spectacle left for them to watch, start making their way back to their rooms.
ERIC is staring sorrowfully out the door at MAGNA-MAN's retreating figure. LADYKILLER looks him over.
LADYKILLER
You brought the whole cart with you?
ERIC
My car has a big trunk. I bought it specifically for that. You know. For kidnapping certain someones.
LADYKILLER
So did your plan work?
ERIC
Halfway. I stole the baby supplies you needed.
ALEX and AUDRA begin digging through the cart. She pulls out sets of pajamas while he pops Dawn Roses' first pacifier in the baby's mouth and they both smile.
LADYKILLER
And Magna-Man?
ERIC sighs.
ERIC
He talked to me, he laughed at me. He chased me, he ditched me. He directly said that his villains don't matter. One wonderfully hopeful step forward, two heart-crushing steps back.
LADYKILLER
You'll have another chance. Maybe you can steal some diapers for us next week.
ERIC
Maybe. I'm going home.
ERIC turns and walks out the front door. LADYKILLER calls after him.
LADYKILLER
Are you going to watch the news and cry?
ERIC
Probably.