X-Men
- Locked due to inactivity on Nov 2, '17 3:54am
Thread Topic: X-Men
-
NEWSCASTER (V.O.)
Is there such a thing as too much
security? A possible complication
adding to the United Nations
Anniversary is the sheer number of
security personnel for what will be
the largest single summit in the
history of the planet.
He walks towards the cell and tries to look down the
hall, pressing his face to the bars.
NEWSCASTER (V.O. CONTD)
While the Secret Service has never had
difficulty handling one or even
several world leaders, it has never
had to handle the daunting task of
watching over all of them.
It is only then that he hears a slight crack and his head
squeezes between the bars like a soft-shelled egg. He
gasps in pain, but more from shock. He pulls his head
back with some difficulty and POP, it squeezes right back
through.
KELLY
What have you b------s done to me?
Kelly is horrified. Disgusted. He paces the cell,
unable to comprehend what has happened to himself.
It is only when he hears the sound of a HELICOPTER IN THE
DISTANCE that he reacts. He starts to panic, then
collects himself. Then he goes over to the bars again.
He pauses, afraid... then:
He pops his head through again. He turns his shoulder
toward the bars and begins to push. His feet slip in the
floor and his fingers stretch and crack inside, then his
ribs begin to pop one by one with the brittleness of
undercooked spaghetti. It is agonizing, but Kelly
finally manages to pull his horribly-altered body through
the bars.
INT. HALLWAY - NIGHT
Kellys whole chest and pelvis are slightly flattened
beneath his clothes, but with a hideous crunching sound,
they seem to inflate again back to normal.
Kelly looks at his body with a mixture of fascination and
disgust.
VOICE
HEY.
Kelly turns and screams. Blob has just walked into the
room and lunges, grabbing him by the arms. Kelly is
enveloped in this fat, hulking mass. He manages to keep
one hand free and all he can do is push it against Blobs
face. It is futile. Until...
Steam begins to come off Blobs face. And Blob SCREAMS
IN PAIN.
EXT. HELIPAD - NIGHT
Senator Kellys helicopter, which has obviously been
pilfered for Magnetos use, lands.
Magneto, Sabretooth, Pyro, Mystique (no Toad) all climb
out, having returned from their ill-fated attempt to get
Logan.
INT. HALLWAY - ELSEWHERE - NIGHT
Kelly peers down the hall where we first went on our way
to meet Magneto.
Kelly, with only that way to go, does so, passing once
again the odd assortment of machines, very reminiscent of
the one he was exposed to.
He hears voices coming toward him and he looks around
wildly, wondering what to do. Shadows foretell the
arrival of the brotherhood headed this way.
Kelly turns to run back from where he cam from.
INT. HALLWAY - ELSEWHERE - NIGHT
Magneto and Sabretooth come walking from the other end of
the hall and pass the very spot where we just saw Kelly.
No sign of him.
INT. CELL - NIGHT
From which Kelly has escaped. The bars bend to make room
for Magneto as he walks into the room.
MAGNETO
How are we feeling today, Senator?
Advanced, I hope...
But he freezes when he actually enters the room.
First, he sees that Blob is laying on the floor with a
purple, welt-like hand print across his face. It is
blistered and hideous. Blob is gasping for air.
Magneto looks and sees the cell is empty. He looks at
Sabretooth. -
MAGNETO (contd)
I want him alive.
SABRETOOTH
Ill find him.
MAGNETO
ALIVE.
And Sabretooth bolts back from where they came.
EXT. MAGNETOS LAIR - NIGHT
Kelly hits the fresh air, looking around wildly. He runs
for the edge of a cliff high over the ocean.
He raises his hands, we see his palms are covered with
those wicked spines and they are dripping a venomous
fluid not too different in color from the wound on Blobs
face.
But then suddenly, something is wrong. Kelly buckles,
clutching his stomach again. He squelches what would
have been a scream of agony.
He looks at his palms and the spikes are gone.
Kelly hears footsteps. Suddenly out of the darkness
Sabretooth barrels toward him.
Kelly turns and LEAPS. Sabretooth comes to the edge of
the cliff.
When he looks over, Kellys body has vanished. Swallowed
by the sea.
Only his clothes remain on the rocks below.
INT. LOGANS ROOM - NIGHT
Jean shows Logan the simple dorm cube with a bed and a
small desk. Jean opens the door for Logan and he
inspects the sparse surroundings grimly. Cyclops stands
just outside the door - eavesdropping.
JEAN
Anything else I can get you?
LOGAN
Some cigars. Case of beer.
JEAN
Theres no smoking or drinking on the
school grounds.
LOGAN
I wont light the cigars - how about
that?
JEAN
Ill see what I can do -- You should
get some sleep. Even with your
healing ability, youre going to be
hurting for a while.
LOGAN
What if I like the pain?
Jean doesnt know what to make of that. She is about to
leave, then pauses.
JEAN
The Professor said you were a solider.
Actually, I believe he used the word
mercenary.
LOGAN
Yeah? Well I dont like to talk about
my past.
JEAN
Maybe, the Professor could help you
with that.
LOGAN
By reading my thoughts?
JEAN
If necessary.
LOGAN
(smirks)
What if theyre naughty?
Jean smiles politely at his knowing glance.
JEAN
Get some shut-eye, slick.
She shuts the door.
INT. HALLWAY - NIGHT
Jean hesitates at the door, thinking. Smiling. She
turns and only then does she realize Cyclops is standing
there.
She is startled.
JEAN
Scott.. I -
CYCLOPS
I dont like him being here.
JEAN
What are you talking about?
CYCLOPS
You saw what happened tonight. You
think Magneto wont come after him
again. You think he wont come here
if necessary. This is a school, for
Gods sake.
JEAN
If Magneto is planning to use Logan
for some terrible purpose its our
responsibility to do something.
Cyclops shakes his head.
JEAN (contd)
Whats wrong? Theres something else
bothering you.
Cyclops gets closer to Jean. She puts her hand on his
chest.
CYCLOPS
I have a bad feeling about this.
Jean leans in slowly and kisses Cyclops just beside his
mouth
JEAN
You know I love you, Scott.
Cyclops pulls her close. The hold each other.
INT. LOGANS ROOM - NIGHT
E.C.U. Logans ear. His super-sensitive hearing has
picked up the whole conversation.
Logan looks over on the bed and sees a new sketchbook and
several pencils.
A small note is attached.
I hope you dont mind. I understand this
helps you relax.
- X
Logan shakes his head. -
INT. XAVIERS OFFICE - LATER - NIGHT
A white light board. Beasts blue furry hand slides a
long, full-body x-ray in place.
Beast is showing Logans x-rays to Cyclops, Storm, Jean
and Xavier.
BEAST
Adamantium. Until today I thought it
to be a myth. Impenetrable,
unbendable, resistant to the most
extreme heat, cold, indestructible.
Beast points to the x-ray.
BEAST (CONT'D)
Its been grafted to his entire
skeleton.
XAVIER
He also has accelerated healing
abilities - uncharted regenerative
capability, making his age impossible
to determine. He could very well be
older than I am.
STORM
Is the Adamantium part of his
mutation?
XAVIER
No. Someone put it there, relying on
his healing abilities to keep him
alive.
CYCLOPS
What do you think Magneto wants with
him?
Xavier wheels himself to the window, starring out, deep
in thought.
XAVIER
Im not entirely sure its him that
Magneto wants.
ANGLE ON: X-ray of Logans Adamantium skeleton.
INT. MANSION - NIGHT
Rogue. The waifish young thing who hides so well in the
shadows seems more comfortable to be moving through the
mansion at night.
She passes through the halls and rooms not making a sound
in her strangely-swathed body suit.
INT. LOGANS ROOM - NIGHT
She creaks a door open slowly, letting a shaft of dim
light slice the darkness.
The light shines across a nightstand. Rogue stares down
at the notepad, a sketch it. It is of an animal, small
but fierce - a wolverine.
She walks in to a figure laying in the bed and stands
over him. Over Logan.
He lays under a single sheet, sweating, his eyes moving
quickly this way and that in R.E.M. His hands twitch.
Rogue leans closer.
PUSH IN ON LOGANS EYES AS THEY MOVE UNDER THE LIDS.
FLASH - DREAM SEQUENCE
INT. MILITARY LAB - THE PAST - NIGHT
Like none we have ever seen thus far. In fact, judging
by most of the instruments here, we are looking at a
laboratory some fifty years old.
Logan looks down and we can see his body, naked, strapped
to a table.
A hand puts a mask over his mouth and -
BLACK
He awakens -
STILL LOGANS P.O.V.
He struggles weakly with restraints as doctors in lab
coats and thick, red rubber gloves stand over him taking
notes, paying very little attention to him at all.
On the other side of the room is a huge vat filled with
some kind of molten metal.
At the base of the vat is a giant electromagnet
generating a huge gyroscope which created enormous
friction energy - the apparent source of the intense heat
for melting the metal in the vat.
AGAIN THE MASK PUTS HIM UNDER AND:
BLACK
Awake again, but this time sinking into water -
restrained completely now.
Logan looks down and gets only a glance of his body,
seeing that he is a series of incisions from head to toe -
literally split open - the flesh held back with hundreds
of clamps.
HE SINKS INTO THE STRANGE LIQUID - LIKE WATER BUT THICK
AND VISCOUS.
And the sound of a DROWNING SCREAM.
AND THE METAL IS POURED IN AFTER HIM.
THE SOUND OF MOLTEN METAL HITTING LIQUID IS UNNERVING.
Mixed with screams, it is unbearable.
INT. LOGANS ROOM - NIGHT
SCREAMING
Logans screaming as he comes to.
Logans eyes FLASH OPEN. He looks up and sees a figure
looming over him. In a flash he reacts.
THUD. Nothing more. Then silence.
The door bursts open and Cyclops stands in the doorway
shocked. Frozen. Jean is next and finally Storm. They
can only stare.
Logan sits upright in bed, CLAWS EXTENDED, INTO ROGUES
CHEST. She is literally frozen at the end of his arm.
Finally, Cyclops breaks the silence and moves to grab
her.
STORM
DONT TOUCH HER.
Cyclops freezes.
Logan finally pulls his claws free and retracts them.
Rogue staggers, she pitches forward and touches his face
gently with her hands, as though she would like him to be
the last thing she sees on this Earth.
Logan and Rogue, locked in a fatal moment of tenderness
snaring a look of loneliness that only they can
understand.
But suddenly, Logan seems to change.
And before he can say another word, he begins to tremble,
then he starts to howl in pain.
Rogue SNAPS BACK, mouth open in a gaping, silent scream.
What sound comes out does not match the expression at
all. Merely a gasp, like steam escaping. Through the
huge slash in her clothes, we see the wound on her chest
slowly vanish.
Before long, she transforms back into a healthy young
girl with no sign of injury.
Then, her escaping breath begins to accelerate, much in
the way Logans did - too much like Logans did. It is
as if she has taken in his trait of berserker rage. Soon
she is smashing things all around her. One hand rakes
the wallpaper like claws.
Finally, she gets a hold of herself, becoming the
introverted Rogue we all know so well.
Then she stands slowly, looks at the others.
And she runs from the room. Storm runs after her.
The rest turn to Logan, who lays on the floor,
convulsing.
Jean goes to help him. She looks back at Cyclops. His
expression makes it clear that his worst fears about
Logan have come to pass. -
EXT. PUBLIC BEACH - DAY
A familiar scene of suburban escapism. Crowded enough
that most people can move about unnoticed.
In fact, most people do not notice the very large
jellyfish shooting through the water at remarkable speed.
And only a few notice the COMPLETELY TRANSPARENT MAN
emerging from the water.
It is Senator Kelly, and he resembles in many ways a
jellyfish. His skin and innards are clear and gooey. It
is only when he comes completely and naked out of the
water that he returns to somewhat normal.
He walks up to the beach and people recoil from the very
sight of him. Pointing, whispering. Then just laughing
at the naked man.
Kelly grabs a towel off an empty chair, a Hawaiian shirt
off another.
Suddenly, he buckles, grabbing his stomach and lurching
away in terrible pain.
He barely pauses when he hears a childs voice in semi-
whisper:
CHILDS VOICE
Mom, is that a mutant?
INT. HALLWAY - DUSK
Storm and Logan walk down the hall. Logan is wearing
sweats. He has obviously just woken up. The sun is low
in the horizon and the hall is suffused with an orange
glow.
Students pass by them. By now, the students have heard
rumors about what happened the night before. They watch
Logan fearfully as they pass by him.
LOGAN
Why is everybody up at sunrise?
STORM
The sun is setting, Logan. Youve
been asleep for nineteen hours.
LOGAN
What did she do to me?
STORM
She borrowed your power to save her
life. When she touches someone, she
absorbs their strengths -- their
gifts. In your case -- your ability
to heal. Thats why she keeps her
body covered.
LOGAN
I felt like she almost killed me.
STORM
If she held on any longer she could
have.
LOGAN
And you think it helps calling her
Rogue?
Storm shakes her head, but remains patient.
STORM
Weve learned to embrace what we are
rather than hide it like an
affliction. For some, it has become
their identity. You mock the names
these people choose but they wear them
as badges of pride.
They arrive at the door to the gym.
LOGAN
Inspiring -- Now what am I doing here?
CYCLOPS (O.S.)
I wanted to talk to you.
Logan turns and sees Cyclops.
CYCLOPS (contd)
Storm, would you excuse us please?
STORM
Of course.
She exits.
CYCLOPS
Lets take a walk.
Cyclops begins to walk away in the other direction.
Logan just watches him go. After a moment, he decides it
might be more interesting to see where this is going. He
follows. They walk across the hall to:
INT. GYMNASIUM - NIGHT
On first glance, the gym looks really average. A fairly
standard boxing ring in the middle. A fairly standard
weight set nearby.
Then you notice the weights themselves are abnormally
large.
100. 200. 300. 400 pounds. All the way up to 2000.
And that is just one stack.
Cyclops enters first with Logan coming in behind him.
CYCLOPS
How long have you been in Alaska?
LOGAN
I dont remember. Is that what you
wanted to ask me?
Logan is barely through the door when Cyclops whips
around on Logan and thumps his finger into his chest.
CYCLOPS
I just wanted to make you clear on
something. Personally, I dont care
what Magneto wants with you. He can
take those claws of yours and use them
for Barbecue skewers. What I do care
about is the safety of this group.
The Professor is in charge, and after
the Professor, theres me. So, for
the remainder of your time here,
youre going to keep that killer
instinct of yours locked down so no
one else gets hurt.
Beat.
LOGAN
(smirks)
Ive served with men like you before.
Methodical. Systematic -- Naive. You
know what happens to those men in a
real fight?
CYCLOPS
You know, you --
LOGAN
Shut up. I got no interest in you,
Xavier,
(he points mockingly at the
Xs on Cyclops uniform)
or your... X-Men.
Logan takes him in for a moment.
LOGAN (contd)
And I dont think this has anything to
do with my killer instinct. You
just dont like the way Im looking at
your girl -- Or maybe you dont like
the way shes looking back. And maybe
you think youre man enough to do
something about it.
Cyclops is enraged. A red light begins to glow around
the edge of his visor and the ruby-quartz lens brightens.
We can faintly hear the low hum of immense power that is
now barely contained. Before Cyclops can even react,
Logan puts his fist against Cyclops throat. SHOOK!
Logan extends one claw up one side of Cyclops neck. He
smiles.
LOGAN (contd)
Cmon sport. You think you can blow
the meat off my bones before I gut
you? Lets find out.
The air is now charged with tension. The two men are
about to attack when-
XAVIER (O.S.)
Cyclops!
Logan whirls and sees Xavier regarding them sternly.
Logan turns his building anger on Xavier.
LOGAN
I have a question for you, Chuck.
Whats the point?
Xavier sits calmly as Logan, claws still extended,
marches over to him.
XAVIER
The point of what? -
LOGAN
This. This whole God damn thing.
(derisively, at Cyclops)
Making yourselves into some sort of
team of super-powered freaks.
Teaching wayward mutants about
classical literature. For what?
Logan continues to advance on Xavier. Cyclops moves to
stop Logan, but Xavier waves him off.
XAVIER
The point is to step into a more
evolved position of social
responsibility. To recognize that
there is a world out there and that we
mutants are as much a part of it as
normal human beings.
LOGAN
What if it never happens? What if
theyre so afraid of us that we become
the enemy? -- This place is gonna be
one giant cemetery.
Xavier has heard this argument before.
XAVIER
Now thats Magneto talking.
LOGAN
No. Thats me talking. And you know
what? Its only been thirty-two hours
and you still have no idea what this
guy wants with me.
XAVIER
I believe he wants you for your
Adamantium.
Logan raises his hand to his chest grasping for something
that no longer hangs from his neck.
XAVIER (contd)
Youre thinking of your dog tag. It
was made of Adamantium wasnt it?
JEAN (O.S.)
Professor.
Logan turns and sees Jean walking towards them.
XAVIER
What is it?
JEAN
Rogues missing.
Logan looks at Jean with concern.
INT. CORRIDOR - NIGHT
A long, dark subterranean corridor with gleaming walls
and floor. Well lit and strangely echoless.
Logan follows Xavier, who are in turn followed by Storm,
Cyclops and Jean to a thick steel door at the end of the
hall.
LOGAN
Where are we going?
XAVIER
To find Rogue.
LOGAN
How?
XAVIER
The brainwaves of mutants are quite
different than those of the average
human being.
At Xaviers eye level is a black screen with a chin-rest
like you see at the eye doctor. Xavier rests his head in
it and the screen lights up.
XAVIER (contd)
Cerebro amplifies my power. It allows
me to browse the worlds consciousness
and find the genetically enhanced.
A vertical beam scans across his eye and a picture of
Xaviers retina appears on the screen next to a
computerized image of the same. The two images overlap
and match perfectly.
XAVIER (contd)
This is how I found you.
A small beep and a loud KNOCK of tumblers rolling and the
vault door opens.
They walk inside.
INT. CEREBRO - CONTINUOUS - NIGHT
They come into a room with a high sphered ceiling -
entirely black.
In the center of the room is a huge - for lack of a
better term - device. Part computer, part super-
structure, it is the sort of precision tangle of metal
and wire that would make Da Vinci weep. It has a space
in the bottom that seems to fit Xavier and his chair
perfectly. Suspended above its center -- a web of wires,
tubes, and cables all connecting to the heart of the
device -- a CHROME SKULLCAP.
Logan slowly circles the device.
Logan looks at Xavier, perhaps even a little impressed.
LOGAN
You designed this yourself?
XAVIER
Actually, Magneto helped me put it
together.
LOGAN
He helped you?
XAVIER
We were friends once... But that was
a long time ago.
Jean, Logan, Cyclops and Storm watch as Xavier fits his
wheelchair into the huge machine, and the chrome skull
cap lowers onto the Professors head, fitting like a
second skin. It comes to life. What was dark and
menacing is now a brilliant explosion of colored lights.
CLOSE UP ON:
XAVIER - into and through his eyes and:
EXT. SPACE - NIGHT
Closing in rapidly on the planet Earth.
Passing into its atmosphere, making a few orbits, all the
while hearing the deafening voices of billions.
Every country, every city, every town, berg, hamlet and
village.
Every language.
Every thought.
The voices descend to a sizeable crowd of millions, then
thousands, gradually working their way to one.
EXT. SKY - OVER WESTCHESTER - NIGHT
Down a tree-lined road and around a corner into a parking
lot.
Single out a figure that - by the clothes - can only be
Rogue. Close in faster and faster, lower and lower until
we go right through the back of her head to:
BLACK
SILENCE
ROGUE (O.S.)
I dont belong... I dont belong...
Im sorry... so sorry... theres
nowhere...
INT. CEREBRO - NIGHT
Xaviers eyes open.
XAVIER
Ive found her, Westchester Mall.
LOGAN
Ill go.
CYCLOPS
No... Ill go.
Logan looks over to Jean.
LOGAN
O.K. sport... you go.
INT. WESTCHESTER MALL - NIGHT
A mother and child wander in a typical shopping daze.
PULL OUT TO REVEAL
Crowds of shoppers mill about, a typical crowded evening
at the mall. Rogue comes up the escalator, wandering
through them all.
She walks under a high-sphered glass ceiling, revealing
the night sky outside.
She walks over to a Victorias Secret store and looks up
at the mannequins in the windows who wear almost nothing
at all. Quite a contrast from her own, stifling garb.
She touches the glass as though trying to reach them,
then she moves on.
ROGUES P.O.V.
She looks all around the mall at the many oblivious
people here. Children playing tag on one side. A young
couple holding hands.
Human contact all around.
She walks past a small child, her hand nearly brushing
the girls hair.
Rogue takes a seat on a bench, alone.
A figure comes into frame.
STORM
Rogue.
Rogue looks up and sees Storm standing right in front of
her. Her eyes dart around, looking for a way out.
STORM (contd)
You dont have to run.
Finally, Rogue surrenders.
ROGUE
Im sorry. Im not like the rest of
you -- Im tired of hurting people.
She starts t -
o cry now.
STORM
Its okay.
ROGUE
Why did I have to be like this? What
purpose does it serve?
And when Rogue looks up, she sees another figure - this
one filling the frame behind Storm.
A huge clawed hand grabs Storm around the throat and
lifts her up as she struggles in vain.
INT. MALL - LOWER LEVEL - NIGHT
Cyclops looks up and sees Storm is being CHOKED BY
SABRETOOTH, her feet not touching the ground.
Rogue is frozen with fear.
He tries to get a shot with his visor, but too many
people are in the way.
INT. MALL - UPPER LEVEL - NIGHT
Sabretooth smiles as Storm struggles to turn. He
whispers in her ear.
SABRETOOTH
Scream for me.
CLOSE UP ON:
STORMS EYES as the life is being squeezed out of her.
INT. XAVIERS OFFICE - NIGHT
MIRROR SHOT OF XAVIERS EYES
Suddenly, Xavier touches his throat, then raises a
shaking hand to his head.
XAVIER
Dear God.
Xavier wheels himself from the room.
INT. MALL - LOWER LEVEL - NIGHT
Cyclops has a clear shot now. His eyes start to glow
brightly.
Suddenly, a familiar movement on the pedestal behind him.
Toad has been camouflaged the entire time. He comes down
and FLICKS HIS LIZARD-LIKE TONGUE, snatching the visor
from Cyclops face.
Deep red light far greater than anything we have ever
seen before comes blasting out of cyclops eyes without
any sort of control, as if a fire hydrant had been ripped
from the ground.
His head comes back and the light blows the whole of the
glass ceiling to smithereens, bringing it down on
panicking shoppers who scatter.
Toad leaps to the second level and then again out of
sight.
INT. MALL - UPPER LEVEL - NIGHT
Sabretooth reacts, surprised by the sudden shift. This
gives Storm one last chance to breath.
We notice now that something is happening to her body.
INT. MALL - LOWER LEVEL - NIGHT
Cyclops stumbles helpless, his eyes are shut to prevent
further destruction.
CYCLOPS
GET OUT OF THE WAY. GET OUT OF THE
WAY.
INT. MALL - UPPER LEVEL - NIGHT
Storm, nearly lifeless now, struggles with what little
strength she has to get free of Sabretooth. He relishes
the slow kill.
But suddenly ALL THE HAIR ON HIS BODY STANDS ON END.
Sabretooth is momentarily confused.
Storms eyes open wide as her body convulses.
BOOM
A huge bolt of lightning shoot from her body into
Sabretooths chest, knocking him back in shock. Storm
falls to the ground, not breathing.
Sabretooth, stunned and scorched, gets to his feet and
smiles at his handiwork. He is about to move in and
finish them both when the rumble of a helicopter can be
heard above.
He looks up and sees SENATOR KELLYS HELICOPTER passing
over the hold in the roof. Sabretooth leaps up and pulls
himself out of the opening.
Toad is a leap behind.
Rogue rushes to Storm, struggling with how to give her
mouth to mouth, CPR, anything to resuscitate her without
touching. She is starting to panic now. She looks
around, but anyone still left in the mall is running for
the doors.
ROGUE
SOMEONE HELP ME. SHES NOT BREATHING.
INT. MALL - LOWER LEVEL - NIGHT
Cyclops stumbles blind and helpless, covering his eyes.
He hears Rogue screaming.
CYCLOPS
ROGUE?
ROGUE (O.S.)
HELP ME. STORM ISNT BREATHING.
Cyclops tries to find a way up, but he trips over all the
debris, helpless.
CYCLOPS
YOU HAVE TO COME AND GET ME. I CANT
SEE.
EXT. STREETS - NIGHT
Xavier is in a specially designed car that enables him to
drive solely with his hands. He races towards the mall.
INT. MALL - UPPER LEVEL - NIGHT
Rogue is talking, walking backwards towards Storm, trying
her best not to lay a hand on Cyclops.
ROGUE
Here, here, here... a little left.
Careful.
ANGLE ON:
Cyclops drops to his knees, the sprinklers still gushing.
His eyes are tightly shut.
He feels for Storms face and touches her lips.
CYCLOPS
Oh God.
He immediately begins mouth to mouth, though it may have
been too long.
EXT. MALL - NIGHT
Xavier fights the rush of traffic - people fleeing madly
from the mall.
As he pulls up to the front doors, he sees Cyclops
emerging, carrying Storm. She is conscious, but her
breathing is shallow. His eyes are shut tightly and he
must follow Rogues direction.
Sirens wail in the distance.
Xavier looks at the lot of them: waifish Rogue, blind
Cyclops, unconscious Storm and his wheelchair-bound self
as their guardian.
XAVIER
But why would they do this?
Then a look of realization...
EXT. MANSION - MEANWHILE - NIGHT
Rogue hurries past several students.
She runs up to the large front doors of the school, but
they are locked. She looks around and then runs toward
the side of the building.
INT. LABORATORY - NIGHT
Beast, continuing his research into Magnetos plan, is
analyzing the x-rays of Logans skeleton. Several books
about metallurgy are scattered across the table.
INT. LOGANS ROOM - NIGHT
Logan is sketching quietly. He chews a cigar, keeping it
politely unlit.
He hears something. He stands, goes to the door and
opens it. He cocks his head... listening... smiling...
We hear it too, sharing his ears.
It is a woman breathing, groaning. He smiles and follows
the noise.
EXT. MANSION - NIGHT
Rogue climbs through a students open window.
INT. MANSION - NIGHT
She darts down a hallway and around a corner, looking
around, staying low. -
INT. GYMNASIUM - NIGHT
Jean is working out on an average-sized set of free-
weights, sweating, pushing hard. Obviously the sound
Logan heard. She is on her back doing presses.
Suddenly, she looks up and sees Logan standing over. She
is startled and starts to drop the bar. He catches it.
LOGAN
You should always work with a spotter.
JEAN
Hes busy right now.
Logan cannot help but glance at her left hand, still
clinging to the bar. The shimmering diamond on the third
finger.
LOGAN
I was thinking maybe you and me could
go into town.
JEAN
Were you now?
LOGAN
What do you say?
JEAN
Not interested.
Logan shrugs, starts to take his hands away. Jean is not
ready to take the weight of the bar. It almost comes
down on her when he catches it again.
JEAN
Let go.
LOGAN
Suit yourself.
And he does. And so does Jean at the same time. She
gets up and faces Logan - the bar simply hovers in mid-
air.
Logan smiles.
INT. LABORATORY - NIGHT
Beast looks at his watch. Its stopped. He puts it to
his ear -- shakes it. Then his ears perk up. He hears
something. He glances at the wall. All things METAL --
picture frames, chairs, objects on tables, etc. start to
move one after the other.
It is as if some magnetic force is moving past the wall,
just outside the lab, heading for the open door.
Beast, sensing the danger, makes a run for the metal
door. Just as he reaches it, it SLAMS closed -- knocking
him back across the room.
Beast CRASHES into the wall on the opposite side of the
lab. His leg badly hurt, Beast tries to crawl toward the
door.
But as he does this, METAL OBJECTS from around the lab
fly in front of it sealing him in.
INT. CORRIDOR - NIGHT
Rogue moves quietly down the corridor that leads to
Cerebro.
She comes to the retinal scanner - she brings her eye to
the screen.
It lights up and scans her eye. A PICTURE OF XAVIERS
RETINA appears on the screen.
A SINGLE WORD APPEARS ON THE SCREEN beneath it:
ACCESS DENIED
The scanner scans again.
E.C.U. ON ROGUES EYE
Something is wrong. The eye not being scanned is a
familiar yellow. It is Mystique.
Her other eye changes in the light of the scanner. The
retina reshaping itself in minute ways.
ANGLE ON: The screen -- ACCESS GRANTED -- CHARLES XAVIER
The door to Cerebro opens.
Rogue or rather Mystique, rushes in. She goes to a small
panel on the side of Cerebro.
She opens it. She reaches in. SHE REMOVES A COMPUTER
CHIP -- No more than three inches wide.
INT. HALLWAY - NIGHT
ANGLE ON: The black boots of a man, walk down a hallway,
as students peer from their sleeping quarters, terrified.
INT. GYMNASIUM - NIGHT
Jean is casually wiping sweat from her brow. Logans
eyes possess a certain focus intent.
LOGAN
Hes uptight.
JEAN
He takes his work seriously.
LOGAN
He takes himself seriously.
JEAN
What is it youre failing to get at?
Are you interested in me?
JEAN
Im just interested.
Holding out her left hand.
JEAN
Logan, do you see this ring?
LOGAN
Ive seen a lot of rings.
JEAN
Yeah, Ill bet you have.
Before he can reply, Rogue is standing in the doorway
looking at them.
JEAN
Rogue, where have you been?
ROGUE
Logan. The Professor wants you to
come with me right away.
E.C.U. on Logans nose. His nostrils flare... sensing...
Logan squints the tiniest bit. We know he knows
something is wrong, but he is hiding it.
LOGAN
(to Rogue)
Hey Rogue, tell Jean what you were
telling me last night.
Rogue pauses. Confused.
ROGUE
The Professor--
Logan walks towards her.
LOGAN
You remember. About women.
He moves closer.
ROGUE
Logan--
LOGAN
Whatever you say about them being the
same...
SHOOK. The claws are out. HE LUNGES.
LOGAN (contd)
No two women smell alike.
He grabs Rogue by the throat.
JEAN
Logan, what are you doing?
Jean, seeing Logan threaten Rogue with his claws for the
second time, RAISES A VAULTING HORSE INTO THE AIR.
LOGAN
This aint Rogue!
He keeps his claws pointed at her face.
ANGLE TIGHT: Logans left hand is wrapped around Rogues
throat but part of it is TOUCHING THE EXPOSED SKIN OF HER
FACE WITH NO ILL EFFECTS.
Jean realizes that Logan is right. ROGUE MORPHS INTO
MYSTIQUE.
MAGNETO (O.S.)
Telekinesis.
Jean spins around and sees MAGNETO. Without hesitation,
the vaulting horse FLIES AT MAGNETO.
Simultaneously, one of the thousand-pound weights flies
from the weight set and smashes the vaulting horse aside.
MAGNETO (contd)
Fascinating. What I wouldnt give for
that. Alas, metal is all Im good
for. But it seems to serve me well
enough.
Jean is completely unaware of the huge set of lockers
rising behind her.
LOGAN
Jean!
WHAM.
The lockers hit her in the back, sending her flying.
Jean lies motionless on the floor, unconscious. The
heavy lockers are floating above her, wavering between a
few feet and a few inches.
MAGNETO
I do love a good check mate.
LOGAN
What do you want?
MAGNETO
Come with me and Ill let her live.
LOGAN
You think I care about her? Im the
only one whos sure to walk out of
here.
Pause.
MAGNETO
Then why dont you kill her.
This catches Logan a little off guard.
MAGNETO (contd)
Go on. Kill her. You can do it
quicker than I will. Maybe Ill just
cripple her.
The lockers now stand upright, hovering over Jeans
knees. -
MAGNETO (contd)
So do her the favor. Show her mercy.
Logan thinks for a moment -- looks at Jean still
unconscious on the floor. Then:
Logan retracts his claws.
Mystique has morphed back into her natural state with the
exception of ONE OF ROGUES POCKETS, which still clings
to her hip. Mystique produces a large syringe from the
pocket and sticks it in Logans neck. Logans legs
weaken instantly.
MAGNETO (contd)
(to Mystique)
Call the others and tell them we have
what we came for.
EXT. MANSION - LATER - NIGHT
The fence that surrounds the property has been bent and
buckled violently.
INT. MANSION HALLWAY - NIGHT
Xavier wheels down the hallway, pajama clad students are
milling about the halls. Their faces showing that they
are afraid to go back to their rooms. One GIRL, younger
and smaller than the others, seems particularly upset.
Xavier wheels over to her and gently touches the side of
her face.
XAVIER
Its going to be alright.
She manages a faint smile. Then Xavier looks to the
other students -- their frightened faces.
INT. LABORATORY - LATER - NIGHT
Beast reclines in his lab chair, a splint on his leg.
Jean stands with Cyclops who watches through a new visor.
Rogue sits off to the side, bearing the guilt. While
Storm, her neck badly bruised, stands near her.
For the first time we have seen -- Charles Xavier is
angry.
STORM
When Rogue left the mansion, they must
have followed her.
Xavier shuts his eyes furious.
XAVIER
Yes... they wanted me out of the way.
If I had been here... I...
Xavier opens his eyes and sees Rogue sitting on a chair
in the corner. She is visibly upset. Xavier wheels over
to Rogue. Xavier reaches out and softly touches her
clothing covered shoulder.
XAVIER (contd)
This was not your fault. I knew there
was a danger, I should have never left
the school.
And with that he turns his wheelchair to the door.
XAVIER (contd)
I am going to find Logan.
Xavier leaves.
INT. CEREBRO - NIGHT
Xavier enters and wheels himself into the giant machine.
It immediately comes to life - lighting the room. The
chrome skull cap descends onto Xaviers head.
Xavier closes his eyes as the machine powers up.
E.C.U. ON XAVIERS EYES
They fly open. And then a terrible noise. The sound of
a well tuned machine suddenly going horribly wrong.
Xavier is in terrible pain.
His back arches and he falls from his chair onto the
floor. He struggles to reach for a fire alarm on the
wall. His fingers stretch until finally -- he pulls it.
Warning bells wail. Xavier falls unconscious,
convulsing.
ANGLE ON: Cyclops and Jean as they burst into the room.
INT. LABORATORY - LATER - NIGHT
Xavier lies asleep in a hospital bed. Several electrodes
are taped to his head. A screen next to the bed monitors
his erratic brain waves.
Jean and the splinted Beast stare at the monitor
following its rhythm. Storm and Rogue stand at the foot
of the bed. They are each trying to hide their fear, and
not doing a very good job of it. Cyclops looks on, the
stress shows on his face.
CYCLOPS
Whats wrong with him?
JEAN
His vital signs are weak and getting
weaker.
BEAST
Im in the process of running more
tests. But it seems that every minute
that goes by he gets weaker.
All are silent. Rogue looks to Beast with desperate
eyes.
ROGUE
Can you help him?
BEAST
I dont know.
Xavier lies in bed, motionless.
INT. FRONT HALL - DAY
Two huge wooden front doors -- morning light shines
through the jagged holes in the wood where the knobs had
been pulled off. The antique steel knobs lay twisted and
mangled on the floor.
The small girl from last night kneels in front of the
door with a dustpan, sweeping up the mess.
Something catches her eye. She sits up and leans in
closer to the jagged hole in the door.
ANGLE ON: The little girl -- light from the hole washes
over her face. Then suddenly the light is cut off, as if
something is blocking the hole.
DOLLY IN: as the small girl steps back, a look of
fascination comes across her face. As if she sees
something coming through the hole.
INT. CEREBRO - DAY
Cyclops, Jean and Storm stand before the device. Beast
rises awkwardly on his splinted leg, his back to the open
control panel.
BEAST
Its gone. The neuro-filter, someone
removed it.
Jean stands.
STORM
What does that mean?
BEAST
The neuro-filter acts like a surge
protector, regulating the infinite
flow of information from Cerebro to
the Professors mind. Its what keeps
him from being crushed by the
consciousness of millions.
Cyclops steps away, pondering Beasts words. He
understands the ramifications -- the damage that has been
done to Xavier.
CYCLOPS
Can the Professor repair his own mind? -
BEAST
Im afraid without Cerebros help, he
wont have the strength to heal
himself -- And without the neuro-
filter... theres no Cerebro.
Jean is noticeably upset.
JEAN
Hes already losing control of his
vitals. Respiratory. Cardiovascular.
Unless we manage to replace the filter
by tomorrow morning, Im afraid.
CYCLOPS
We have to find Magneto.
He exits. Jean follows him.
INT. HALLWAY - DAY
Cyclops is standing, motionless.
JEAN
Are you all right?
CYCLOPS
No. Im... I dont know if we can do
this without Charles.
Jean puts her hand lovingly to his face. Cyclops takes
her hand.
JEAN
He put you in charge for a reason,
Scott.
She goes to kiss him.
SMALL GIRL
Dr. Grey?...
The small girl stands alone in the hallway.
SMALL GIRL (contd)
Someone is here to see you.
Jeans eyes widen -- and around the corner steps Senator
Kelly, wearing the clothing he had taken from the beach.
He trembles as though from a high fever. His body is
covered with a layer of sweat.
KELLY
Dr. Grey.
JEAN
Senator?
CYCLOPS
How did you get in here?
KELLY
Your front door was damaged... there
was a hole...
Kelly makes a hole with his hands that is not much larger
then that of a coffee can.
KELLY (contd)
... I squeezed through.
Kelly buckles in pain, but then catches himself.
Jean and Cyclops rush to help him. Beast crutches
himself out to see whats happening.
Kelly notices Beast.
KELLY (contd)
What in Gods name are you?
BEAST
Im Beast.
KELLY
Of course you are.
INT. LABORATORY - LATER - DAY
Xavier is in bed, eyes closed.
Rogue holds vigil at his side.
Kelly is in the bed next to him, trembling, burning up
from what seems to be a bad fever that keeps getting
worse.
Jean has a syringe in her hand and is swabbing some
alcohol on Kellys skin.
KELLY
Im sorry to come here, Ms. Grey. I
was afraid if I went to a hospital,
they would...
JEAN
(interrupting)
Treat you like a mutant? We are not
what you think. Not all of us.
KELLY
Tell it to the ones that did this to
me.
Jean looks closer at his hands.
JEAN
I dont see these spikes youre
talking about. Im going to give you
an antibiotic for the - Oh my God.
Jean and Kelly both look as the cotton swab ignites like
flash paper in her hand. Everyone is shocked. Jean
pauses and takes the bottle of alcohol from the shelf.
She pours a small amount on Kellys arm and it instantly
catches fire.
INT. LABORATORY - LATER - DAY
Rogue is still sitting in a chair, next to Xaviers bed --
Xaviers opens his eyes. He looks at Rogue and smiles
softly.
XAVIER
Hello, Rogue?
Rogue almost jumps out of her chair with excitement.
ROGUE
Hold on, Ill get the others.
Rogue exits. Xavier slowly looks over to Kelly lying in
the bed next to him. Both men are weak and getting
weaker.
XAVIER
Senator... Kelly?
KELLY
Yes... Who are you?
XAVIER
I am Charles Xavier. This is my
school.
Kelly tries to speak, but his strength is waning.
The two men are a pitiful sight, both slowly coming
apart.
XAVIER (contd)
Can you tell me what happened to you?
Kelly is in pain. Its a struggle to speak. -
KELLY
(weak, delirious)
I was kidnapped... They killed
GUYRICH... mutants... There was a
light... a bright... light.
Xavier turns to Kelly, looking deep into his eyes.
He begins to PROBE KELLYS MIND.
INT. EXT. VARIOUS FLASHBACK - DAY/NIGHT
FLASH
The following is an audio-visual collage of Kellys
perspective from throughout the film, coming back to us
in a new order.
THE CAGE OF SENATOR KELLY in Magnetos lair. NOW HIS
P.O.V. as seen by Xavier.
Vision fades in and out in a sedated haze.
He is laid out of a gurney.
KELLY (V.O.)
Whatever you do to me... no matter
what -- youll make me right. Every
word I have spoken will be confirmed.
He looks up and sees Mystique wheeling the gurney,
smiling down at the Senator.
MYSTIQUE (V.O.)
And people like you are the reason I
was afraid to go to school as a child.
FLASH
Kelly is looking around a large, sphered room. In the
center is the MACHINE.
JEAN (V.O.)
The mutant gene tells the body when it
needs to change.
KELLY (V.O.)
I can assure you, there is no such
creature in my genes.
FLASH
The DOG TAG as it is elevated into the machine.
JEAN (V.O.)
In every organism on Earth there exits
a mutator gene -- The X-factor. The
beginnings of another stage of
evolution.
SLOWLY BUILDING LIGHT, growing brighter and brighter.
MAGNETO (V.O.)
God works too slowly.
Pull back as if the camera is pulling back through his
eye, into his head -- A MICROSCOPES VIEW OF HIS CELLS,
suddenly and violently disturbed.
KELLY (V.O.)
What have you b------s done to me?
CHILDS VOICE (V.O.)
Mom, is that a mutant?
Kellys reflection in the metal of the sink in his
prison.
MAGNETO (V.O.)
Youre a leader Senator Kelly, you set
an example...
Blobs face, burned by Kellys hands.
Over the cliff.
GUYRICH (V.O.)
... A Demonstration of some kind?
The venomous spike emerging from Kellys hands.
MAGNETO (V.O.)
Because if more of you... were like
more of us... like more of us...
GUYRICH (V.O.)
... the UN summit... the whole world
will be watching.
KELLY (V.O.)
What is it you intend to do to me?
The woman staring up at him on the beach.
KELLY (V.O.)
Oh... Oh God... what have you done to
me?
The boy on the beach.
JARRING FLASH
KELLY (V.O.)
Dear God.... dear... God.
NEWSCASTER (V.O.)
... the largest single summit in the
history of the planet.
JEAN (V.O.)
... the mutator gene will activate.
MAGNETO (V.O.)
Welcome to the future... brother...
The brotherhood of mutants.
A VIOLENT COLLISION OF NOISE, IMAGE AND LIGHT AND THEN:
Xaviers eyes burst open.
INT. LABORATORY - NIGHT
Rogue leads Storm, Jean, Beast and Cyclops quickly into
the lab.
Xavier is lying in his bed. Jean looks up at the screen
above him and sees Xaviers brain waves have dropped
severely.
Kelly lies unconscious in his bed, his heart monitor
weakening.
Beast limps over to Xavier. Xavier struggles to speak.
Beast bends down so that Xavier can whisper into his ear.
E.C.U. Xaviers lips move as he tells Beast what he
knows.
INT. LAB - LATER - NIGHT
Jean, Storm, Beast and Cyclops talk while the news plays
silently on the TV in the background.
BEAST
It appears as though Magneto has built
a machine which somehow triggers the
mutator gene in normal human beings.
And he is using Adamantium as its
core. -
CYCLOPS
Its core?
Beast grabs a wax pen and draws a lightbulb on a glass
drawing board.
BEAST
Thomas Edison knew how to make the
light bulb. He had the energy source.
He had the vacuum. But he didnt have
the filament. He tried metal after
metal but nothing would hold to power.
STORM
(nods -- now understanding)
... until he found tungsten.
Beast finishes his lightbulb by drawing the filament.
BEAST
Correct... Apparently, Adamantium is
the only metal strong enough to hold
the energy this machine produces. He
used the Adamantium in Logans dog tag
to test it on the Senator. And I
assume now he plans to use the rest of
Logans skeleton for a larger
demonstration.
CYCLOPS
For what purpose?
BEAST
Yes -- Only theres a problem. The
mutator gene is not responding to the
radiation the way it would in mother
nature. Its forcing the bodys cells
to replicate thousands of times faster
than theyre accustomed to. The
Senators body is literally burning
itself out. Scott -- this machine
kills people and I dont think Magneto
realizes it.
CYCLOPS
So where do you think hes planning
this larger demonstration?
Jean looks down and sees Xavier pointing with a trembling
hand, trying to speak.
Xavier is pointing to the television.
XAVIER
There...
He is looking at yet another report on Ellis Island.
Cyclops and Jean walk over. All they see on the TV is an
aerial shot of Manhattan, slowly coming around toward the
harbor.
The television image is from the P.O.V. of a helicopter
circling Ellis Island, taking in all the security and
construction. The grand main hall to Ellis Island and
finally, what the helicopter sees as it comes around for
one more pass.
SUDDENLY - The sound of Kellys heart monitor begins to
PICK UP SPEED. Jean rushes to Kelly and touches his pale
neck. She draws her hand back quickly as if burned. The
heart monitor keeps speeding up until it is racing faster
than a human heart could possibly produce.
Jean backs away helplessly.
The sheet that covers Kellys body begins to flatten out.
The sweat covering the hapless Senators body thickens
into a viscous, clear liquid and begins to run off the
table. Kelly is literally melting away. Cyclops holds
Jean as she turns away.
ANGLE ON: THE TV -- the gathering leaders of the world,
the water clogged with boats, and the thousands of
onlookers on Manhattan Island. All well within range.
INT. READY ROOM - NIGHT
Storm finishes preparing to leave in another section of
the ready room. Beast stands by on his Beast-size
crutches feeling useless.
BEAST
I wish I could go.
STORM
We all do.
BEAST
Storm. Try to look for the highest
vantage point.
From what I can figure, hell need to
gain as much altitude as possible to
blanket the island. It is my feeling
that Magneto has to--
STORM
Beast.
Beast looks at her.
STORM (contd)
Well be fine.
INT. LAB - NIGHT
Cyclops stands looking down at Professor Xavier. He
starts to walk away but he is stopped. He looks down and
sees that the Professor has weakly grabbed his sleeve.
Cyclops looks at Xavier but he is still unconscious. His
hand falls back to the bed.
CYCLOPS
You can still hear me... cant you.
Xavier lies still.
CYCLOPS (contd)
I want to thank you for taking me in.
Taking us in... You have taught me
everything in my life that is worth
knowing.
Cyclops grimly regards Xavier.
CYCLOPS (contd)
And I want you to know that Ill take
care of them.
INT. READY ROOM - NIGHT
Cyclops and Jean get into their uniforms.
Jean is about to go to the hanger when Cyclops stops her.
CYCLOPS
Hey. Im sorry. About Logan. I was
jealous.
JEAN
(putting her arms around him)
Well, I think thats perfectly
understandable.
CYCLOPS
Ill tell you one thing though.
JEAN
Whats that?
CYCLOPS
He calls me sport one more time, and
Ill blow a watermelon-sized hole
through him.
She smiles and kisses him.
CYCLOPS (contd)
Now lets go get him.
INT. X-JET - NIGHT
Cyclops, Storm, and Jean board the X-Jet. They find --
ROGUE, strapped into a seat, ready to go.
INT. HANGER - NIGHT
ROGUE stands outside the jet, obviously having been
kicked off.
INT. X-JET - NIGHT
Jean reaches out a hand. Cyclops takes it. They squeeze
tight. The X-Jets engines begin to fire up.
INT. HANGER - NIGHT
The hatch slowly starts to swing closed. From where she
stands Rogue debates, and then runs, dashing inside as
the hatch to the X-Jet closes behind her.
EXT. BASKETBALL COURT - NIGHT
A basketball sits on the ground near the middle of the
court.
Suddenly the asphalt starts to vibrate and the basketball
rolls a few inches.
THEN: There is a grinding noise and the surface begins
to separate at the half court line. The basketball falls
through the widening hole and bounces off the wing of the
rising X-Jet.
LIFT-OFF. The jet turns and clears the hanger before
blasting off into the night sky.
EXT. ELLIS ISLAND - NIGHT -
An aerial shot showing us the whole of the event.
Security of every kind covers every inch of the island.
Helicopters are coming in at the rate of about one every
minute to deliver dignitaries and their families from all
over the globe.
EXT. ELLIS ISLAND - BRIDGE TO NEW JERSEY - NIGHT
A steady flow of limos pour onto the island over a simple
two-lane bridge from New Jersey.
A NEWSCASTER IN THE FOREGROUND.
NEWSCASTER
With the ceremonies beginning shortly,
it looks as though the last of the
dignitaries have landed at Newark and
Teterboro airports and will be
arriving momentarily. It would seem
the United Nations has had their wish
tonight. There doesnt seem to be an
empty seat in the house.
EXT. BATTERY PARK - NIGHT
The pier of the Ferry to Liberty Island.
A great many families have come to watch curiously the
going on.
EXT. MANHATTAN HARBOR - NIGHT
The harbor is filled with police and Coast Guard vessels
watching the water closely.
INT. NEW YORK CITY APARTMENTS/VARIOUS - NIGHT
A series of shots showing the many folks gathering to
watch the historic event on television.
In some of these apartments, Ellis and Liberty islands
can be seen from their windows in the distance.
INT. SECURITY CONTROL CENTER - NIGHT
The OPERATING COMMANDER monitors the countless video
screens that display nearly every crevice of Ellis Island
as well as other parts of New York Harbor as well as the
network news feeds of the event...
EXT. ELLIS ISLAND - MAIN ENTRANCE - NIGHT
The front of the Great Hall of Ellis Island, where once
immigrants poured into the new world by the millions.
A huge military band off to one side plays music from the
different countries to help with the milling about and
shaking of hands.
The PRESIDENT himself is in the crowd, meeting and
greeting, a mob of Secret Service always right there.
Follow him into:
INT. ELLIS ISLAND - MAIN HALL
A YASSAR ARAFAT TYPE, who we will call Yassir Arafat,
comes up to the President and smiles.
The President introduces his WIFE AND CHILD as more
delegates approach.
The two men LAUGH and then HUG to the flashing of a
million bulbs.
Smattering of ass-kissy applause. Arafat and the
President wave to press and the like.
EXT. OBSERVATION DECK - ELSEWHERE - NIGHT
We are looking down on what APPEARS TO BE a deserted part
of the island. Away from the action.
PAN ACROSS THE EDGE OF THE ISLAND
Every fifty feet or so, uniformed Secret Service agents
keep tight watch on the island.
ANGLE ON:
One Secret Service guy in particular.
PUSH IN FROM ABOVE - We realize we are pushing in
unusually fast, as though we are falling.
WHAM. A sickening crunch.
Toad lands on top of the Secret Service guy. We have
been watching from his P.O.V. The Secret Service man is
tumbled into a heap. A real frog rabbits O.S.
Toad looks around quietly, listens... THEN LEAPS out of
frame. Hold on the body of the Secret Service guy.
LONG PAUSE.
ANOTHER SICKENING CRUNCH OFF SCREEN.
EXT. LIBERTY ISLAND - NIGHT
Two Secret Service guys approach one another. One is
holding a smoke, the other is producing a lighter. Just
as his smoke is about to hit the flame, the flame dodges
to one side. He moves the smoke to follow it, and the
flame dodges the other way.
The guy with the smoke looks at the guy with the lighter
as if to say knock it off. The guy with the lighter
shrugs as:
THE FLAME INSTANTLY GROWS TO A RAGING INTENSITY,
ENGULFING THEM.
As they are incinerated and their ashes fall to the
ground, Pyro climbs into view from the seawall below,
dripping wet.
He has come dressed to make trouble tonight. Strapped to
his back is an impressive looking flame thrower. A three
tanker.
EXT. SEAWALL - NIGHT
A Coast Guard boat crawls into view just off shore. A
Secret Service man in the foreground waves to the boat as
it passes by.
EXT. COAST GUARD BOAT DECK - NIGHT
A thirty footer. Fast and sturdy.
The PILOT OF THE BOAT, a man in his late forties, waves
back.
EXT. SEAWALL - NIGHT
As the Secret Service guy waves, he jolts upright, his
face contorting in impossible pain. Slowly, he is lifted
off the ground.
EXT. COAST GUARD BOAT DECK - NIGHT
PILOTS P.O.V.
Sabretooth holds the last Secret Service man aloft,
impaled on his claws. He waves now, the body swaying
this way and that before he casually throws it to the
ground.
The Pilot turns to the wheel of the boat as he MORPHS
INTO MYSTIQUE and turns the boat toward the island.
EXT. BOTTOM OF THE SEAWALL - BOAT - NIGHT
Man-made rocky shore. The boat bumps and grinds on the
rock. Sabretooth jumps down to the deck and meets
Magneto coming up from below. They nod to one another
and walk toward the front of the boat. On the deck is
something covered with a tarp. Sabretooth pulls back the
tarp to reveal Logan, still unconscious from the drug.
ANOTHER, MUCH LARGER OBJECT is on the back of the boat
under another tarp, but we cannot see what it is.
Magneto steps off the boat and looks up -- up at
someplace we cannot yet see.
EXT. ELLIS ISLAND - GREAT HALL - NIGHT
The dignitaries take their seats as the ceremony
commences.
INT. X-JET - NIGHT
Cyclops pilots the plane as Manhattan comes into view.
They bank to the south. Cyclops checks his monitors.
CYCLOPS
Radar Stealth Mode checks out. All
right, therell be less security north
of the George Washington Bridge. Im
taking her down.
JEAN
Into the Hudson?
CYCLOPS
(smiles)
Uh-huh.
EXT. HUDSON RIVER - NIGHT
The X-Jet slows to a hover. Its Harrier Jet engines
tilt back until they are vertical to the water. The
engines cycle down and the plane lowers until it is
hovering a few feet off the surface.
INT. X-JET - NIGHT
CYCLOPS
V.T.O.L. off.
EXT. HUDSON RIVER - NIGHT
The Jets engines cut and the plane splashes down into
the water. It floats there for a moment and then sinks
below the surface.
EXT. BELOW RIVER SURFACE - NIGHT
As the X-Jet sinks, the hatches close off and the wings
retract to transform the plane into a submarine. The
engines pull tight to the body of the craft and begin to
propel it forward.
EXT. HUDSON RIVER - NIGHT
AERIAL VIEW: The water ripples as the submersed aircraft
passes under the bridge and into the harbor.
INT. SMALL ROOM - NIGHT
C.U. on Logan. He wakes. His arms are cuffed behind his
back. He is delirious and weakened from the drug.
He looks around and sees that he is in an oddly -
shaped
room with barely enough space for him and Magneto, who
smiles at him in the half darkness.
LOGAN
(very weak)
Where am I?
MAGNETO
Youre backstage at the encore of
creation.
He looks at his watch.
MAGNETO (contd)
Three minutes to curtain.
LOGAN
What are you going to do?
MAGNETO
In the road to survival, there is
always sacrifice Logan. We are the
future... not them. We must protect
ourselves. After tonight, when the
leaders of the world return home --
They will return as brothers, as
mutants... and our cause will be
theirs. This is survival, I know you
understand that, Logan... or is it
Wolverine?
He steps out of the hatch and closes it.
EXT. LIBERTY ISLAND - NIGHT
Magneto who looks down. From atop what, we cannot tell.
Magneto comes to stand on a railing outside from his high
perch, overlooking the island. From here we pull out to
reveal at last where he is.
HE IS NOT ON ELLIS ISLAND AT ALL
Instead, he stands on the catwalk around the torch of the
Statue of Liberty, about a mile away.
He has his back to its gold translucent flame, looking
over at the activity on Ellis Island, hearing the band
and inhaling the cool evening breeze.
MAGNETO
Give me your tired, your poor...
And he turns to the bright lights of Manhattan and its
millions of inhabitants.
MAGNETO (contd)
... Your huddled masses.
He brings a radio to his lips.
MAGNETO (contd)
Lights.
EXT. POWER STATION - NIGHT
Sabretooth is tearing the padlocks off of the generator
shed that powers the island.
INT. POWER STATION - NIGHT
Sabretooth grabs a hold of a fuse lever marked Liberty
Display Lights and pulls it down. Turning it off.
INT. TORCH - NIGHT
Logan is now in darkness. He frantically pulls on his
binds. No use.
INT. X-JET - NIGHT
Cyclops is monitoring the area above-water on a video
screen.
JEAN
(points to the monitor)
The lights on the Statue of Liberty
are off.
STORM
Beast said that he would have to take
a high vantage point.
Cyclops, motioning to an open area of water next to
Liberty Island.
CYCLOPS
Lets dock over there.
Cyclops pulls a lever. The X-Jet begins to surface.
CYCLOPS (contd)
Storm, give us some cover.
INT. APARTMENTS/VARIOUS - NIGHT
Televisions all over the city show the Statue sitting
dark to countless curious viewers.
INT. X-JET - NIGHT
The water level outside the X-Jet lowers as the plane
surfaces.
EXT. X-JET - NIGHT
The plane rises until it is nearly flush with the surface
of the water -- Not a hundred yards from an obvious Coast
Guard cutter. Out the jets window, the Statue rises
away into the fog that is now rolling in over the Harbor.
INT. SECURITY CONTROL CENTER - NIGHT
ANGLE ON:
The OPERATIONS COMMANDER raises a radio to his mouth.
OPERATION COMMANDER
Liberty One, Liberty One, this is
Horizon, do you copy.
AN AGENTS VOICE RESPONDS.
AGENTS VOICE
Go, Horizon.
OPERATION COMMANDER
(on radio)
Liberty, whats the situation with the
lights, over? -
EXT. LIBERTY ISLAND - NIGHT
IT IS MYSTIQUE. The lower part of her face and the whole
her neck are that of a stocky man.
MYSTIQUE/AGENTS VOICE
Uhhh, Horizon, weve seem to have had
a shutdown at the generator, were
five by five. There now, checking it
out. Everything is fine other-wise.
OPERATION COMMANDER
(on radio)
Roger Liberty one. Horizon out.
She MORPHS back into her full self and smiles.
MYSTIQUE
Darling... Were clear.
EXT. SEAWALL - NIGHT
Jean, Cyclops, Storm and Rogue step off the wing tip of
the X-Jet onto the island. They climb over the fog
encased seawall and stand staring up at the Statue and
the desolate island.
EXT. TORCH - NIGHT
Magneto takes this moment in the darkness to point his
hands and all of his concentration on the bottom of the
torch.
The air RIPPLES with magnetic energy as -- the cap-like
end piece of the torch begins to vibrate, metal groans,
twists...
WITH A CRACK OF METAL, it comes free, dropping to the
ground.
INT. TORCH - NIGHT
Logan stares down through the hollow torch as the cap
falls away into the fog.
EXT. STATUE - BOTTOM - NIGHT
The foursome are deciding how to proceed.
CYCLOPS
We should check out operations, see if
the Secret Service is still around.
Storm is surveying the layout of the island. She looks
up at the Statue.
STORM
LOOK OUT.
They all look up. The cap of the torch is SCREAMING DOWN
towards them out of the sky. It crashes down as they
leap out of the way.
CYCLOPS
Im going to assume that means that
the Secret Service is out of
commission. Jean, can you raise me up
there?
JEAN
Its too far.
CYCLOPS
(assessing the situation)
Storm, Rogue, -- you take the south
entrance.
(pointing to the main
entrance)
Jean and I will go in here.
Storm and Rogue start for the south entrance.
CYCLOPS (contd)
(to Storm and Rogue)
Ill see you both soon.
EXT. TORCH - NIGHT
Magneto prepares to execute the next stage of his plan
when he looks out over the island. A DENSE FOG has
rolled in, obscuring his view of the bottom half of the
Statue. He looks out towards Ellis Island and sees that
the fog is localized over Liberty Island.
MAGNETO
(into radio)
Be careful everyone... I think we may
have company.
EXT. SEAWALL - NIGHT
The Coast Guard boat Magneto came in on. The giant tarp
on the boat and what is under it.
IT RISES IN THE AIR, standing upright. The tarp slides
to the deck to reveal:
THE MACHINE. The one Kelly and Xavier saw. The air
ripples as it rises higher in the air.
INT. MUSEUM - NIGHT
Storm and Rogue quietly enter the Statues museum. It is
filled with scale models and full size displays
documenting the history of Lady Liberty. One display
showcasing the METAL STRIPS which line the Statue for
support. They quickly head for an exit on the far side
of the room.
SUDDENLY:
The lights go out. Darkness.
A low guttural CROAK echoes in the void.
STORM
(whispering)
Rogue... run.
Rogue runs into the darkness, heading for the exit. She
dashes past a six foot copper replica of the Statue and
out the door.
As soon as Rogue is past, the Statues HEAD TURNS and
watches her go. The replica blinks and the eyes turn
Mystique yellow.
INT. TORCH - NIGHT
The machine is rising. Logan yanks at the manacles in an
attempt to pull his hands free.
INT. OLD TORCH ROOM - NIGHT
A giant room that welcomes the many visitors to the
Statue. In the center is the old torch, placed there
after the Statues 1986 restoration. The only light in
the room is a soft red glow that emanates from the old
torch.
Cyclops notices a map of the Statue on a pedestal. -
CYCLOPS
Over there.
Cyclops and Jean study the map, looking for the way to
the torch. In front of them is the old torch. Its
eerie red glow is growing brighter.
EXT. STATUE - TORCH - NIGHT
THE MACHINE rises up and into the bottom of the torch
itself.
INT. TORCH - NIGHT
The machine is now almost on him. Logans struggles
turns to rage. SHOOK -- He pops his claws and
frantically cuts at the wall behind him, as the machine
draws closer.
INT. MUSEUM - NIGHT
We hear an ominous LOW RUMBLE, as you hear on an overcast
day just before a thunderstorm. SHEETS OF HEAT LIGHTNING
begin to roll across the ceiling, lighting the room in
sporadic bursts.
Toad darts around the room.
FLASH -- Reptile eyes -- DARKNESS.
FLASH -- A WEBBED CLAW -- closer -- DARKNESS.
FLASH -- leaping body -- closer -- DARKNESS.
Silence. Darkness.
The heat lightning continues to expose the room in
rolling flashes.
Silence. Darkness.
Suddenly, behind Storm the sound of ELEVATOR DOORS
OPENING. Storm spins and unleashes a BOLT OF LIGHTNING.
The lightning strikes an empty GLASS HYDRAULIC ELEVATOR
SHAFT. No TOAD.
INT. OLD TORCH ROOM - NIGHT
ANGLE ON: The map of the statue. Cyclops watches as the
dim red glow turns brighter and brighter. He turns to
look up at the old torch -- it glows FIERY RED HOT.
CYCLOPS
Get down!
THE TORCH EXPLODES.
A RING OF FIRE wipes across the room.
Cyclops and Jean duck behind the marble map pedestal as
fire whips around them.
Move up through the CEILING OF FIRE to reveal Pyro at the
center of the old torch. His eyes wide, manipulating the
fire like an orchestra conductor.
INT. HALLWAY OUTSIDE THE MUSEUM - NIGHT
Rogue runs down the hallway, she stops. The sound of
footsteps echo from behind her. The footsteps quicken
from walking to running. Rogue runs to get away as the
footsteps of her pursuer get closer.
INT. MUSEUM - NIGHT
Darkness. Silence -- except for the sound of Storms own
breathing. Storms eyes dart around the room, her senses
are in overdrive.
Suddenly, SLIME drips onto her cheek. A low guttural
CROAK. Storm looks up -- TOAD clings to the ceiling.
WHAM. Webbed feet slam into Storms chest sending her
flying into the elevator shaft. She crashes helplessly
to the bottom -- stunned.
Toads head peers through the open elevator doors to the
level below, looking down on the helpless Storm. Toad
SMILES. His webbed finger presses the elevator button.
The elevator doors above her close, sealing her in the
glass tubular shaft.
The ROAR of the hydraulic engine coming to life, the
elevator begins its crushing descent down toward Storm as
she lies at the bottom of the shaft dazed.
INT. OLD TORCH ROOM - NIGHT
C.U. on Jean and Cyclops both pinned down.
Fire sweeps around the map pedestal. Cyclops turns.
BOOM -- He fires a series of OPTIC BLASTS blindly through
the fire, blasting the ceiling.
Chunks of debris from the ceiling shower down onto Pyro.
The inferno stops.
Smoke fills the room, Jean tries to catch her breath.
Cyclops stands and heads toward the old torch trying to
draw a bead on Pyro. Cyclops doesnt see him. When:
A COLUMN OF FIRE erupts from the thick smoke, rocketing
at Cyclops.
Cyclops dodges, flipping a heavy wood table with flaming
pamphlets on it -- using it as a shield against Pyros
fiery onslaught.
EXT. TORCH - BACK - NIGHT
ANGLE FROM DIRECTLY OVERHEAD:
Magneto on the side of the torchs flame raises the huge
machine -- while on the other side -- LOGAN PUSHES
HIMSELF THROUGH THE HOLE -- his hands still bound behind
his back, and slams against the outer railing of the
torch.
Logan looks around in shock. He realizes where he is.
He looks out at all the activity on Ellis Island, drawing
a greater understanding of Magnetos plan.
EXT. TORCH - FRONT - NIGHT
With a MAGNETIC RIPPLE of the air Magneto drives the
machine right up through the bottom of the torch like
batteries in a flashlight.
EXT. TORCH - BACK - NIGHT
Logan turns his back to the hole he has just emerged from
and braces his cuffs against the rising machine. The
machine pushes against Logans wrists driving his cuffs
up against the top of the hole.
CRACK.
The pressure leaves the cuffs apart.
INT. ELEVATOR SHAFT - NIGHT
Storms eyes open, looking straight up.
ANGLE ON: The elevator continuing its crushing descent.
Storm struggles to her feet. Her hand presses against
the thick glass elevator shaft, it surrounds her like a
coffin.
LIGHTNING strike the glass -- to no effect.
Storm frantically searches for a way out. She looks up
to see the elevator closing fast.
Storm raises her hands above her head. WIND begins to
lift Storms hair. The wind picks up and starts swirling
violently against the sides of the elevator shaft.
Wildly, the wind whips around causing a CYCLONE within
the glass shaft buffeting upwards against the elevator.
The elevator groans as the hydraulics fight the
unrelenting vortex of wind. Smoke begins to pour from
the hydraulics, which whine in protest. At the center of
the tornado stands Storm, a force of nature.
As the elevator continues its descent the cyclone pushes
outward. Small cracks start to appear on the glass
walls.
She is now forced almost to the ground. The elevator is
now inches from Storms head. The floor is made of a
thicker version of the same Plexiglas and we look up
through it, the massive elevator looming over Storm.
BOOM.
The glass walls explode outward, showering the museum.
Storm partly rolls and is partly blown from the shaft to
safety. The pressure of the cyclone released, the
elevator SLAMS to the bottom.
INT. OLD TORCH ROOM - NIGHT
Jean, having caught her breath, looks over to:
C.U. on Cyclops. Hes pinned down as fire wraps around
the table -- the fire is burning through.
Jean, seeing Cyclops defenseless, stands up from behind
the marble podium. She quickly scans the room and spots,
on opposite walls near the old torch, TWO LARGE FIRE
EXTINGUISHERS.
Jean stretches out her fists and focuses her telekinesis.
Pyro spots Jean -- with one hand continuing to blast
Cyclops, he uses the other to unleash an ARM OF FIRE
toward Jean.
Jean focuses as she brings her outstretched fists closer
together. Suddenly -- the two fire extinguishers crash
through their glass holders.
Like two gunslingers in a showdown.
The extinguishers bullet toward Pyro.
The arm of fire rockets closer to Jean.
Suddenly, the EXTINGUISHERS COLLIDE EXPLODING in front of
Pyro.
Inches from Jeans face, the ARM OF FIRE disappears.
The COLUMN OF FLAMES against Scott VANISHES. The flames
once covering the room are gone, a choking smoke is all
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