Sequels X-Men 4 (fan screenplay)

[Boba_Fett_123]

Next part will be up today. I've finished the rough draft, and the last scene is, if I must say so, jaw-droppingly awesome.

 

[flavio_lebeau]

just read the Sentinels attack. Good action indeed. While writing action we have to be careful to not make people think "but why [insert x-men name] didnt just [insert use of power] against [insert enemy]", like what happened in X3 when Magneto throw the flaming cars and everyone asks "why didnt Storm do something instead of hiding?" And so far, i havent questioned any part of it. Great

 

[X-Maniac]

just read the Sentinels attack. Good action indeed. While writing action we have to be careful to not make people think "but why [insert x-men name] didnt just [insert use of power] against [insert enemy]", like what happened in X3 when Magneto throw the flaming cars and everyone asks "why didnt Storm do something instead of hiding?" And so far, i havent questioned any part of it. Great

Debates like that have happened since the first movie. The climax of all three movies asks similar questions.

In X1, why didn't Storm fly up to the machine? In X2, why didn't Storm or Iceman or others try to stop the water...? etc etc

Although the movie doesn't make it clear why Storm doesn't help when Magneto throws cars, the novelisation explains it. Magneto's magnetic fields and Pyro's intense heat are wreaking havoc with the atmosphere above the island and she is unable to generate any weather attacks.

 

[flavio_lebeau]

Debates like that have happened since the first movie. The climax of all three movies asks similar questions.

In X1, why didn't Storm fly up to the machine? In X2, why didn't Storm or Iceman or others try to stop the water...? etc etc

Although the movie doesn't make it clear why Storm doesn't help when Magneto throws cars, the novelisation explains it. Magneto's magnetic fields and Pyro's intense heat are wreaking havoc with the atmosphere above the island and she is unable to generate any weather attacks.

oh man....puh-lease *sigh*

i never said X1 and X2 didnt have those kinds of mistakes, they might have even bigger ones, i just mentioned X3 because it was the first that came to my head.
I never meant to break the love atmosphere for X3 most movies have those fails, thats why i said its hard to write action.

As for the explanation, i think it quite underestimates Storm's powers. But heck, X2 had a way bigger action mistake, that all of us know about.

let's not start a "i love X3, you suck, i hate X3, you suck even more" because this thread isnt meant for this.

 

[X-Maniac]

oh man....puh-lease *sigh*

i never said X1 and X2 didnt have those kinds of mistakes, they might have even bigger ones, i just mentioned X3 because it was the first that came to my head.
I never meant to break the love atmosphere for X3 most movies have those fails, thats why i said its hard to write action.

As for the explanation, i think it quite underestimates Storm's powers. But heck, X2 had a way bigger action mistake, that all of us know about.

let's not start a "i love X3, you suck, i hate X3, you suck even more" because this thread isnt meant for this.

I'm not starting anything, I'm just telling you what I know.

Why are people trying so hard to see me as bad? Are you trying to give me a paranoid complex?

Let's repeat the info - in the novelisation, it says Magneto's magnetic fields and Pyro's intense heat are causing atmospheric problems and Storm couldn't generate any weather. That seems fair enough, except the movie doesn't explain it or show her saying something like 'With all the electrromagnetic interference from Magneto, and Pyro's fire bursts, it's going to be really hard to manipulate the atmosphere here...'

That's all I was saying.

 

[Boba_Fett_123]

Okay, seriously, let's keep that nonsense contained to the X3 forum.

Anyway, more later today.

 

[flavio_lebeau]

Okay, seriously, let's keep that nonsense contained to the X3 forum.

Anyway, more later today.

thats what i wanted, i just made a compliment to your writing of that scene so far.

 

[Boba_Fett_123]

Sorry, I didn't mean to come off as yelling at you. I appreciate the compliment, and yes, that's exactly what I was trying to avoid. If these characters have these spectacular powers, they should be using them in logical ways, not just when it would be flashy.

 

[Boba_Fett_123]

INT. MANSION

The foyer is now leveled. The X-Men continue to fight valiantly, but there are simply too few of them and too many Sentinels.

CYCLOPS
Kitty! Get down to the Danger Room and evacuate the students!

KITTY
Done!

She dives through the floor. Cyclops blasts a Sentinel, then shouts to the team.

CYCLOPS
We have to cut and run! This isn’t doing us any good!

STORM
Where do we go? All the students won’t fit on the jet!

HENRY
And I can’t call any of my Washington contacts…chances are, they’re in on this!

Hank casually backflips, dodging a laser beam.

CYCLOPS
Well, we’d better think of something fast.

INT. PENTAGON SITUATION ROOM

Trask stands among his aides, surveying the Sentinels’ progress.

EXT. CHICAGO – NIGHT

The Sentinels descend upon Chicago.

EXT. LOS ANGELES – NIGHT

And upon LA.

INT. PENTAGON SITUATION ROOM

Trask smirks.

TRASK
Finally, something’s being done.

Suddenly, a MAN storms into the room. He is dressed in a navy blue business suit, with officer’s medals and stars attached to his left breast pocket.

TRASK
Commander Fury.

Nick Fury.

FURY
What the hell is going on, Trask?

TRASK
Operation: Zero Tolerance was enacted by the President today, Commander.

FURY
Yeah, and it’s tearin’ apart half the country! Manhattan’s a mess right now!

TRASK
Once the mutant problem is dealt with, the Sentinels will be reassigned to clean-up and disaster relief. Don’t worry.

FURY
Who’s worried? An’ what’s this about a mutant “problem”?

TRASK
I’m sure you’re department heard about the assaults in Manhattan today.

FURY
‘Course we did. ‘Bout five minutes before you pansies picked up on it.

Trask frowns.

TRASK
Then you see what needs to be done.

FURY
You’re about as subtle as a bull in a china shop, Trask, and it’s not doin’ anyone any favors. Unfortunately, I don’t get to override you because you’re in bed with the President.

TRASK
Manners, Commander.

Fury lights a cigar.

FURY
Yeah, maybe you don’t know me too well, but manners ain’t my defining characteristic. By the way, Wolverine disappeared off the radar.

Trask narrows his eyes.

TRASK
I wasn’t aware that Wolverine had left Xavier’s.

FURY
Don’t bulls.hit me, Trask. It’s my job to keep up with the lies.

Fury leans in closer.

FURY
Tell me…the president know what you’re pullin' at that school? Which, I might mention, is officially a school now?

Trask says nothing.

FURY
Didn’t think so. There's a list o' confirmed mutant criminals that you're supposed to be huntin' down, and the X-Men ain't on it. I’m callin’ off the Sentinels in Salem Center, Trask.

TRASK
You can’t do that!

FURY
Wanna bet?

Trask charges toward him. Fury simply blows smoke in his face.

FURY
I don’t care how big an’ brawny you are, Bolivar. Don’t get in my face ‘til you earned the right.

Fury leaves. Trask turns to his aides.

TRASK
You heard him! Call off the Sentinels!

Trask scowls.

TRASK
Get Shaw on the line.

INT. DANGER ROOM

Rogue turns to Emma, who nods. Rogue FLIES over toward Bobby and continues whaling on him.

EMMA
See what she could be? If only she weren’t such a coward, she could have had so much power.

Bobby grunts, his nose and mouth bleeding now.

BOBBY
She didn’t take the cure.

He kicks Rogue away from him.

BOBBY
This isn’t real!

EMMA
Is that so? Then why are you mere minutes from blacking out? The Danger Room isn’t playing nice anymore, Mr. Drake.

Bobby touches his face. His hand becomes covered in blood.

BOBBY
How…

EMMA
How, indeed.

Rogue joins Emma.

EMMA
You’re right, of course. Rogue didn’t get cured. But she wanted to.

Emma smiles wickedly.

EMMA
I don’t think she’d have done it for you, though. Her interests seem to have moved on.

Bobby struggles to get up. Around him, the students fight random Danger Room bots. Suddenly, Bobby is kicked in the jaw, and crumbles. TILT UP to Gambit, who smirks.

Kitty phases in and sees Bobby on the floor.

KITTY
Bobby!

She runs over and sees Emma and her cronies.

KITTY
You!

Emma smiles.

KITTY
No way you’re real.

BOBBY
Kitty…

Kitty leans down next to him.

BOBBY
Get to the control room…shut it down…

KITTY
What about you?

BOBBY
I’ll be fine…

Bobby ices up, then struggles again to his feet. He locks eyes with Emma as Kitty goes away.

BOBBY
Come on!

Emma turns to Gambit.

EMMA
Why don’t you teach him a lesson?

Gambit leaps forward and whacks Bobby with his staff.

INT. CONTROL ROOM

Kitty phases in.

KITTY
C’mon, c’mon…

She presses buttons and moves through programs.

INT. DANGER ROOM

Emma, Gambit, Rogue, and the robots all vanish. Bobby falls to his knees, de-icing. Dani and Sam run over to him.

INT. CONTROL ROOM

Kitty stands over the control panel.

KITTY
Please say that did it…

She phases back into the Danger Room.

INT. DANGER ROOM

Kitty reappears.

KITTY
Oh, thank God.

She goes over to help Bobby with Dani and Sam.

KITTY
Guys, Scott wants us to evacuate. The mansion’s under attack.

BOBBY
All right…out through the…the corridors…

KITTY
Oh God…we have to hurry, he needs help!

 

[Muad'Dib]

Nice work Boba, love Sentinels.

And cool touch adding Fury in, very Marvel of you to have him make a cameo like that.

 

[Boba_Fett_123]

INT. MANSION FOYER

The X-Men continue battling the Sentinels. Suddenly, without warning, the stop and launch into the sky, flying away.

CYCLOPS
What happened?

BEAST
Someone must have called them off.

STORM
But why?

CYCLOPS
I don’t know…this just gets weirder.

He turns to Colossus.

CYCLOPS
Pete, go to the sublevels and get the students, tell them we’re out of here.

STORM
We’re still leaving?

CYCLOPS
You really think this’ll last, ‘ro?

INT. SUBLEVELS

Peter arrives just as Kitty drags Bobby out of the Danger Room.

KITTY
Peter!

Peter runs over and grabs Bobby from her. Kitty kisses him on the cheek.

KITTY
What’s going on up there?

PETER
The Sentinels left. We don’t know why, but Scott wants us to evacuate the mansion.

KITTY
Evacuate? To where?

Jubilee joins them.

JUBILEE
That was way creepy, guys.

PETER
What? What happened?

KITTY
Emma rigged the Danger Room to attack the students.

She moves ahead.

KITTY
I have to talk to Scott.

Jubilee and Peter watch her go.

EXT. X-MANSION

Scott, Storm, Beast, and Angel stand on the lawn. Kitty approaches them.

STORM
Kitty? The students—

KITTY
They’re fine, Storm.

Kitty rounds on Scott.

KITTY
Emma rigged the Danger Room. She overrode the programming, had things in there. Bobby…Bobby’s hurt. Bad.

BEAST
Oh my stars and garters…

KITTY
I think…I think Emma knows something about the Sentinels. And she knew you’d hide us in the Danger Room, so she was ready for that. That’s why she disappeared, she knew this was coming.

ANGEL
No way…

CYCLOPS
This is getting out of hand.

VOICE
Yeah, and it just got worse.

EXT. PARIS – DAY

Rogue and Gambit walk around the Eiffel Tower. Rogue looks at Gambit, who again tries to steal a kiss. Rogue pulls away.

ROGUE
Keep dreamin’, sugar.

GAMBIT
You don’t wanna know what I dream about, chére.

ROGUE
You are embarrassing, you know that?

GAMBIT
I try.

Suddenly, a Sentinel lands behind them.

SENTINEL
Targets located. Eliminate.

ROGUE
Look out!

Gambit ducks away just as the Sentinel fires. Rogue looks up at the Sentinel.

GAMBIT
This shouldn’t take long.

He charges his staff and launches it at the Sentinel. The Sentinel knocks it away.

GAMBIT
Huh.

The Sentinel reaches down and grabs Gambit, throwing him aside.

ROGUE
Remy!

She runs over to him, then glares up at the Sentinel.

ROGUE
All right, honey, show me what you got.

She kisses Gambit passionately, her eyes glowing red. She leaps forward onto the Sentinel’s abdomen, charging.

SENTINEL
Circuit…overload…

The Sentinel’s torso explodes, and Rogue flies to the ground. Gambit looks at her.

GAMBIT
A kiss does that to you…I can’t wait to see you in bed.

Rogue scowls.

ROGUE
You’re a pig, Remy LeBeau.

Gambit smiles rogueishly.

EXT. MANSION – NIGHT

A woman with short brown hair approaches the X-Men, flanked by government agents.

WOMAN
I’m CIA Agent Hill. I’ve been sent here by my agency to get you people out of here.

CYCLOPS
Whoa, wait…since when is the CIA involved?

HILL
It’s not. We’re under orders to intercept Operation: Zero Tolerance because someone high up has a soft spot for you people. Now listen: we’re taking you into the city. There’s a series of old bunkers under the streets, built to survive a nuclear attack, and with reinforced walls that resist bioscans. You’ll be safe from the Sentinels down there.

CYCLOPS
Uh…thanks, I think.

HILL
One more thing, and this is important. You get down there, and no matter what happens, you stay there until I come to get you. Understood?

CYCLOPS
I’m not sure I like being ordered around.

HILL
Fine. You wanna die, be my guest.

CYCLOPS
Okay. We’ll go.

HILL
Good. The transport will be here shortly. Oh, and Mr. Summers…this never happened.

INT. OVAL OFFICE

Fury stands by the president’s desk.

PRESIDENT
A school, Nick!

FURY
Yeah, that Trask’s a sneaky b.astard.

PRESIDENT
I want him removed from office, now!

FURY
Too much red tape, you know that. The public likes Trask. Why, I’ll never know. We got Hill down there now moving the kids to a safehouse. It’s under control.

Fury sits down.

FURY
There is another situation you need to know about, though.

EXT. NYC – NIGHT

The Marauders stand on a street corner. Red Eyes speaks to them from an alleyway.

HARPOON
When’s Creed getting here?

RED EYES
Creed’s place is with me. He is not part of your game.

HARPOON
And what are we supposed to be doing?

RED EYES
The entrances that I illustrated to you will be accessible at midnight tonight, per my arrangements. You will have ample time to prepare your strike.

HARPOON
And once we get down there?

RED EYES
Kill anything that moves.

Harpoon smiles.

INT. TIBETAN MONASTERY

Jean walks down the stairs to a common area. Kurt eats at a long table with the other monks. Jean pulls her hood over her head and takes a seat next to Kurt.

KURT
Would you like something to eat, Jean?

JEAN
I’m not hungry.

She squints and touches her temple.

KURT
What’s wrong?

JEAN
I don’t know. Something…I feel like something’s wrong.

She turns her head toward the door. Suddenly, she gets up and runs outside.

KURT
Jean!

EXT. TIBETAN MONASTERY – DAY

Jean steps out into the snow. Kurt teleports outside.

KURT
Jean, what are you doing?

JEAN
Look!

She points down the mountain, where a body lays unmoving. Kurt teleports toward it, then back moments later.

Jean gasps.

JEAN
Logan!

 

[MaleRogue]

Very Very cool
can not wait for the end

 

[Boba_Fett_123]

Some time with the Morlocks...

INT. TIBETAN MONASTERY

Jean and Kurt burst in, throwing Logan onto a table. The other monks look on, shocked.

JEAN
Kurt, there’s no pulse!

KURT
Jean…how did you know he was out there?

JEAN
I…I don’t know. I just…did.

She looks at Kurt, eyes widening.

JEAN
What’s happening to me?

KURT
I’m not sure. But for now, we need to tend to Logan.

INT. BUNKER

The X-Men, led by hill, enter a series of underground tunnels.

HILL
Welcome to your new home.

She returns to a ladder to the surface.

HILL
We’re sealing you in. Any issue, just use the comm. link we gave you and we’ll handle it.

CYCLOPS
Got it.

HILL
We’ll take Mr. Drake with us, keep you informed on his status.

Hill leaves. A female figure approaches the X-Men.

FEMALE
Well, well…how the mighty have fallen.

She steps from the shadows, an Asian woman with purple hair and a lightning bolt of red over her left eye. PSYLOCKE.

PSYLOCKE
Come to live with the sewer dwellers?

CYCLOPS
You were with Magneto’s brotherhood. At Alcatraz.

PSYLOCKE
You caught me. Just barely escaped wifey’s rampage, though.

Cyclops starts forward.

PSYLOCKE
Hey, no offense meant. So the government not as buddy-buddy with you as you thought, huh?

BEAST
You could put it like that.

Psylocke’s gaze drifts to Angel.

PSYLOCKE
And you…

Angel glares.

PSYLOCKE
Sorry about the thing with your dad. Herd mentality and all that.

ANGEL
What are you doing down here?

PSYLOCKE
Same as you are—hiding. There’s a few of us.

SHADOWCAT
Pyro?

Psylocke scoffs.

PSYLOCKE
Hasn’t been any sign of him or the old crowd since Alcatraz. Although Stormy here killed Cal, last I heard.

Storm’s gaze hardens.

STORM
Killing is harder than you know. It comes too easily, now.

Pause.

STORM
And it frightens me.

PSYLOCKE
Doesn’t it always. Come on, I’ll show you everyone else.

Psylocke leads them further along.

PSYLOCKE
This is Sarah.

Sarah has bones protruding from her shoulder blades, and pinkish hair.

SARAH
Who’re you?

CYCLOPS
Scott. We’re the X-Men.

SARAH
Oh, right. The heroes.

Two more mutants appear behind Sarah: SUNDER and CALIBAN.

CALIBAN
I felt new mutants…

He turns slowly toward the X-Men.

SARAH
You know what’s gonna happen now, Bets.

She turns to Psylocke.

SARAH
They’re gonna come down here and kill all of us. That’s what Ellie said.

As though on cue, ELLIE PHIMINSTER joins the group, pale white skin accented with heavy eyeliner and ratty jet black dress.

ELLIE
I dreamed that the heroes came, but they weren’t heroes at all, because they couldn’t save anything.

She looks directly at Cyclops.

ELLIE
I dreamed that they were so hurt by loss that it ate away, ate ate ate until nothing was left, nothing at all.

She suddenly sits down.

ELLIE
So much pain that it hurt too much and try try try as he might, it wouldn’t go away. Never goes away, never stops hurting. Always comes back, again and again.

PSYLOCKE
Don’t mind her.

ELLIE
No one listens, but I warned them.

PSYLOCKE
Ellie!

ELLIE
Sorry.

BEAST
Her powers…she’s precognitive?

PSYLOCKE
I think so. At least, that was Callisto’s best guess. But…well, she’s been wrong before. Ellie, I mean.

COLOSSUS
Why do you all live down here? Other than hiding.

PSYLOCKE
We’re freaks. They hate us up there. They try to kill us, and sometimes they succeed.

SARAH
And we’re not gonna take it anymore.

COLOSSUS
But I don’t understand…how you all can be so angry.

PSYLOCKE
Of course you don’t. You can walk down the street and no one would be any the wiser.

She looks at Angel.

PSYLOCKE
But you know how it is.

ANGEL
I learned to be proud of—

SARAH
Oh save it!

She stands.

SARAH
You think I’m proud of these things?

She indicates the protrusions.

SARAH
Speaking of curses…where’s Rogue? I saw her in line for the cure, before that jerk off Pyro blew the place up.

CYCLOPS
Rogue’s doing some soul searching.

SARAH
Yeah. Bet she comes back cured. We’d all be better off.

Storm looks sympathetically toward Scott and Hank.

 

[Boba_Fett_123]

EXT. MANHATTAN – NIGHT

Harpoon approaches Riptide and Scalphunter.

HARPOON
Time to go.

INT. BUNKER

Ellie sits with Kitty.

ELLIE
You can’t feel it?

KITTY
Feel what?

INT. SEWERS

The Marauders land and march forward.

INT. SARAH’S ROOM

Sarah lays on the floor, looking up at the ceiling. The wall is kicked in, and her throat is pierced before she can scream. REVEAL to Scalphunter, grinning and grabbing another knife.

INT. BUNKER

Ellie’s gaze bores into Kitty.

ELLIE
It’s ending.

The Marauders bust in.

KITTY
Scott!

She phases as Riptide begins the attack. Ellie falls. Scalphunter runs past as Kitty tries to take down Riptide. Harpoon turns to face Storm, her eyes white and lightning crackling at her fingertips.

Cyclops blasts Riptide from offscreen. He turns to Angel.

CYCLOPS
Get as many people away as you can!

ANGEL
Done.

INT. PSYLOCKE’S ROOM

Harpoon sneaks up on Psylocke, but she turns quickly and pierces his head with her psi-blade. He crumples to the ground.

PSYLOCKE
Better luck next time.

INT. BUNKER

Psylocke joins the fray and shouts to Storm.

PSYLOCKE
What the hell is going on?

STORM
I don’t know! Just fight them!

Psylocke kicks Riptide away, while Colossus punches Scalphunter.

INT. SEWERS

Ellie runs away.

INT. BUNKER

Kitty looks around.

KITTY
Where’s the girl?

PSYLOCKE
Ellie? She must have run off…

Psylocke runs off after Riptide.

INT. SARAH’S ROOM

Angel enters and sees Sarah’s body.

ANGEL
Oh no.

He kneels down beside her and cradles her body in his arms.

Scalphunter enters.

SCALPHUNTER
What have we here?

INT. BUNKER

The door to Sarah’s room slams shut. Angel screams.

Storm’s head snaps over to the door.

STORM
Warren!

Riptide spins like mad in the center of the room, striking Storm in the head with a projectile. She falls.

BEAST
Ororo!

He dives down to her.

STORM
I’m fine, he just grazed me!

Beast snarls and leaps onto Riptide, patches of fur being torn away. He tackles Riptide to the ground.

BEAST
Give me one good reason not to rip you apart!!

Sunder charges in.

SUNDER
Get off him.

BEAST
Why?

Psylocke speaks up.

PSYLOCKE
Just do it.

Beast backs away. Sunder picks up Riptide and snaps his neck.

SUNDER
X-Men shouldn’t have to kill. Sunder will do it.

Beast pants, the animal rage leaving him. Storm gets to her feet, joining Cyclops, Colossus, and Shadowcat.

STORM
I heard Warren scream.

They run to Sarah’s room.

INT. SARAH’S ROOM

Kitty enters first. ANGLE ON Kitty.

KITTY
Oh!

She turns away and leans on Peter, who freezes. Scott and Ororo move past them.

SCOTT
God, no…

Pan around, following Scott toward Warren.

Feathers and blood cover the floors and walls. Angel is pinned to the wall. Crucified. Scott and Henry run over and gently remove him.

BEAST
Warren! Can you hear me?

Warren mumbles incoherently.

CYCLOPS
Storm, call Commander Hill.

Storm leaves the room.

CYCLOPS
Where’s the b.astard who did this?

PSYLOCKE
I’ll go get his accomplice.

She begins to leave.

PSYLOCKE
I know a healer, topside. I’ll try to contact him. In the meantime, you should bind those wounds.

Angel lays between Scott and Henry, clinging on to life.

 

[Boba_Fett_123]

INT. TIBETAN MONASTERY

Logan sits on a chair in the tower. Kurt and Jean stand by him.

LOGAN
It’s good to see you, Jeannie.

JEAN
You too.

LOGAN
Ah…I feel like I got hit by a freight truck.

JEAN
What are you doing out here?

LOGAN
Got kidnapped. Ran away. Fell down in the snow.

KURT
Kidnapped?

Logan snarls.

LOGAN
Yeah.

He pops his claws.

LOGAN
You guys up for a little recon?

INT. TEMPLE

Shaw, DONALD PIERCE, and HARRY LELAND stand before Red Eyes. Sabretooth joins them.

SABRETOOTH
I’m gettin’ antsy.

He eyes Shaw, baring his fangs.

SABRETOOTH
I wanna taste blood.

RED EYES
In time, Sabretooth. Sooner, I believe, than you think.

Footsteps approach. REVEAL Emma Frost.

SHAW
Emma!

EMMA
I hadn’t planned on being here, but our fearless leader decided that my presence would somehow be beneficial.

She joins Shaw and the others and looks at Red Eyes.

EMMA
So what now? Are you doing this or not?

RED EYES
I have done much to remove the X-Men from my path. You have now achieved your goals: Trask has his legislature, and you have your revenue. And I…

Red Eyes steps out of the shadows, revealing a tall, bone white man with, naturally, red eyes. NATHANIEL ESSEX, SINISTER.

SINISTER
I will have the ultimate power.

INT. PSYLOCKE’S ROOM

Psylocke pins Harpoon against the wall.

PSYLOCKE
Spill it. What’s going on?

HARPOON
I don’t…I don’t know! I was hired by a guy called Essex to take out the X-Men, that’s all!

PSYLOCKE
SO WHY IS THAT GIRL DEAD?

Harpoon gulps.

HARPOON
We were only following orders…

REVEAL Cyclops behind Psylocke.

CYCLOPS
That’s enough, Betsy.

PSYLOCKE
Not hardly.

Henry enters.

CYCLOPS
So someone wants us out of commission. That explains the attack in Manhattan, it was a diversion.

HENRY
And it’s a safe bet that it also explains the Sentinels. How else would our friends here have known to find us here?

CYCLOPS
Which means that whoever this guy’s working for is in with Trask.

HENRY
Which would also put them in with Shaw and Emma.

CYCLOPS
But why? What do they all have to do with each other?

PSYLOCKE
It’s Essex. He’s the thing that’s linking them all together.

CYCLOPS
How do you figure?

PSYLOCKE
I read his mind. There’s no image of Essex. Just darkness, and piercing red eyes. They’re afraid of him and they don’t know why.

HENRY
We still have the issue of the missing girl.

EXT. MANHATTAN – NIGHT

Scalphunter emerges from a manhole, Ellie slung over his shoulder.

INT. PSYLOCKE’S ROOM

The conversation continues.

HENRY (cont’d)
What if she’s been kidnapped?

CYCLOPS
This Essex must need a precog for something.

PSYLOCKE
Or else he doesn’t want us having one.

CYCLOPS
Before the attack…she said they were going to kill us all.

HARPOON
She wasn’t…talking about us.

All turn back to Harpoon.

HARPOON
Essex wants…power. And he knows how—

Suddenly Harpoon cries out. His eyes glow red, and light comes from his mouth and nose, from every pore of his body. Then it stops, and he falls. Psylocke runs over and checks his pulse.

PSYLOCKE
He’s dead.

She looks up to Psylocke.

PSYLOCKE
Essex is here.

She melds into the shadows in the corner of the room.

PSYLOCKE
Don’t wait up.

INT. SARAH’S ROOM

Storm sits, looking over Angel.

STORM
Don’t worry. A healer’s coming soon. It’s gonna be okay.

ANGEL
I…

He shuts his eyes, squeezing back tears and grunting in pain.

ANGEL
I remember when I tried to do this.

Storm’s eyes water.

ANGEL
I don’t know what I’d do…without my wings.

STORM
Hang on. It’s gonna be okay.

INT. TIBETAN MONASTERY

Jean looks at Logan.

JEAN
I don’t have my powers anymore, Logan. I can’t just go out on missions.

LOGAN
Sorry, Jeannie, but I don’t think somethin’ stupid as the cure could ever do you in.

JEAN
They’re gone, Logan. And I don’t want them back.

LOGAN
What about you, elf?

KURT
What did you find?

LOGAN
Old military base. Loaded with Sentinels.

JEAN
Sentinels? What about Scott? We have to contact him!

Logan pulls a communicator off his waist and puts it to his ear.

LOGAN
Nothin’ at the mansion.

Jean looks to Kurt.

JEAN
We have to go.

KURT
But your rehabilitation—

JEAN
Scott’s in danger!

Kurt sighs.

KURT
Alright. Logan, is there a way back?

LOGAN
I reckon we steal somethin’ from that base and hitch a ride to Manhattan. Jeannie…bundle up.

 

[Boba_Fett_123]

So the movie's got a title now: X-Men: The Fall of the Mutants. Thoughts?

 

[Halcohol]

I think it's pretty damn cool, that's what I think. It's got a good pace, good action, and between this and your X3 rewrite you've shown you've obviously got a talent for adapting screenplay-type material.

I have to admit, the Marauder attack on Manhattan just doesn't seem like it's enough to get the President to endorse Operation Zero Tolerance. Maybe if it was a 9/11 type attack or something, but only 20 people being killed just doesn't make it justafiable to slaughter mutants, especially after the school became public.

I thoroughly enjoyed the scene with Kitty and Emma in Cerebro, and I can't wait to find out what happens to Bobby and Angel. Keep it up, this is some of the most entertaining stuff I've read online in awhile!

 

[Muad'Dib]

Looking great Boba. I reallu like Sinister and the Hellfire Club.

Is the title in reference to any specific even that has happened, one that will happen or just a general theme title?

 

[Boba_Fett_123]

Hal: Wow. Thanks for the compliment, I really appreciate it. I have to admit, I've been uncomfortable with the sequence of events leading up to Zero Tolerance, but at the same time, the attack needs to remain mutant-specific. Not to be crass, but the Marauders can't exactly fly a plane into a building--it would have no meaning for mutants or anything in particular. So yeah, that will more than likely be rewritten at some point. But again, thanks--that's one of the more flattering compliments I've received.

Muad'Dib: The title refers to a very specific event in the film, but it hasn't happened yet. It's also a general theme, but to a lesser degree. And yes, it is meant to reference the story arc from the comics, though only thematically.

 

[MaleRogue]

I love it to....
Can't wait for the next part..

 

[Boba_Fett_123]

Thanks. Small update today:

INT. SHADOW

Psylocke steps into the astral plane, black nothingness.

SINISTER
Elisabeth Braddock.

Psylocke turns to face him. He is in his astral form, merely a pair of red eyes.

PSYLOCKE
I don’t know what you’re planning, but it’s nothing good.

SINISTER
And you’ll stop me?

PSYLOCKE
I’ll help them.

SINISTER
Ah. Redemption must taste so sweet.

Psylocke looks away.

PSYLOCKE
Who said I was looking for redemption?

SINISTER
Oh, I must just have forgotten the point where you became altruistic.

PSYLOCKE
You don’t even know me.

SINISTER
I know enough, Miss Braddock. But it makes little difference. You will gain no information from me.

Psylocke shouts and falls, swallowed by the shadow.

INT. PSYLOCKE’S ROOM

Psylocke reemerges.

PSYLOCKE
Well, he’s up to something. How long ‘til your government buddies get here, again?

INT. BUNKER

The students are all gathered in a large room. Kitty, Jubilee, and Peter try to comfort them. PAN around: the Cuckoos gathered in a corner, Sam comforting Paige, Dani and Roberto up front with the older students.

KITTY
Okay, so, we’re gonna be down here for a while, until…until everything gets straightened out.

DANI
Something bad’s happening, isn’t it?

KITTY
Yeah. But we’ll get through it. We have a knack for that.

She smiles at Peter.

EXT. TIBETAN MOUNTAINS – DAY

Jean, Logan, and Kurt trek down the mountain, through the wind and snow.

LOGAN
Should be right up here.

They move forward. Jean missteps and shrieks: suddenly, all three of them fall through the snow.

INT. CAVERN

Logan lands first. Kurt grabs Jean and BAMFs, managing to slow the fall somewhat. Logan gets up, shakes his head, and looks around.

JEAN
Logan!

Logan whips his head around. On the ground is a dead woman. Val Cooper.

Logan looks around the “cavern”.

LOGAN
This ain’t a cave…

He looks to Kurt.

LOGAN
Move. Fast.

INT. TEMPLE

Sinister stands before the Hellfire Club. He looks at Sabretooth.

SINISTER
Do you smell that?

Sabretooth grins.

SINISTER
Stop them.

Sabretooth leaps away.

SINISTER
Nothing will stop me. I, who have come so far. The power will be mine.

He turns and punches the wall. In a spectacular display, the stone melts away, falling in a miniature avalanche, revealing an ornately designed wall.

SINISTER
En Sabah Nur, the oldest, the first, will awaken!

The Hellfire Club looks on.

SINISTER
Blood of the servant…

He slices his arm and rubs it against the wall, which glows an eerie pale blue. Emma winces.

SINISTER
Rise!

 

[Boba_Fett_123]

And the final update. The script did end up a bit short, but there's a few revisions coming up, so hopefully that'll fix that. And it does suffer from a bit of "they fight", so, yeah... Honestly, though, I think it's paced pretty well, so perhaps its brevity is a non-issue. These last few scenes may be polished, so check back after you read them!


INT. BUNKER

Storm, Scott, and Henry sit with Psylocke.

PSYLOCKE
We can’t wait much longer.

STORM
I wish the Professor were here…he’d know how to handle this.

SCOTT
We’ll pull through.

PSYLOCKE
Why are you even sitting around here? Go, get on your jet, leave the kids here.

HENRY
We’ve just proven that they’re not safe here.

SCOTT
But we do need to get wherever Essex is. And I think Hill might know.

HILL
Then you might be right.

Hill enters.

HILL
Get your kids on the transport. Hurry.

INT. CORRIDOR

Logan, Kurt, and Jean move through the base. Suddenly, a figure leaps behind them. Logan sniffs and spins around.

Sabretooth.

LOGAN
Go!

Kurt grabs Jean and ‘ports away. Logan pops his claws and screams, charging. Sabretooth is ready and grabs him, slamming him into the wall.

SABRETOOTH
You’re not gonna get out this time!

Logan slashes. They take turns striking each other, each healing as quickly as the wound is inflicted.

INT. OTHER CORRIDOR

Kurt and Jean run through a corridor.

JEAN
We have to find something, a way out!

Suddenly, Jean cries out. She falls, REVEALING Emma behind her.

EMMA
Not today, darling.

Kurt dives down, but Emma extends a hand and Kurt screams as well.

INT. TEMPLE

The tomb continues to glow. Sinister grins as it begins to slide open. Inside is a tall, muscular man, maybe a pharaoh once upon a time. Sinister falls to one knee, and the Hellfire Club does likewise.

SINISTER
Master…En Sabah Nur.

EN SABAH NUR
Rise.

Slowly, they get to their feet.

EN SABAH NUR
I am weak…gather…make strong again…

SINISTER
It is my intention, Master.

EN SABAH NUR
This body is dead…consumed…

SINISTER
You may have a new one…

EN SABAH NUR
Not yet…I will take forms…advantage by that, now…but not always…

SINISTER
What is your command?

EN SABAH
Gather…make strong…

SINISTER
It will be done.

Sinister turns.

SINISTER
Shaw. Contact Miss Frost, see who she’s come up with.

INT. CORRIDOR

The fight continues between Logan and Sabretooth, becoming more violent in the enclosed space. Logan swings at Sabretooth, but misses, and his claws become stuck in the wall. Sabretooth grabs his arm and twists. Logan snarls and guts Sabretooth with his other hand. Sabretooth shouts and bites into Logan’s shoulder. Logan screams in pain and pulls out.

Sabretooth shoves Logan back and onto the ground.

SABRETOOTH
I’m gonna rip you apart.

LOGAN
I don’t think so, bub.

Sabretooth leaps toward him, but Logan rolls away and stabs him in the back of the neck. ANGLE ON Sabretooth, claws protruding through his throat. ANGLE ON Logan as he pulls his claws up. Sabretooth falls with a loud THUD!

Logan spins around and begins to chase after Jean and Kurt.

INT. TRANSPORT

Hill sits across from the X-Men. Angel is not with them, but in the back with the students.

HILL
We’re taking you to SHIELD Headquarters.

CYCLOPS
SHIELD?

BEAST
It’s a division of the CIA, deals with matters supernatural.

HILL
I’m impressed, Dr. McCoy. You learned quite a bit during your time in the Cabinet.

She turns back to Scott.

HILL
He’s right. I’m a deputy Director at SHIELD, but we’re taking you to see the head honcho. He’s decided to enlighten you on the situation.

She looks past the X-Men.

HILL
You might wanna look out the window now.

EXT. SKY – DAWN

As the sun rises, the transport comes upon a massive airship—the floating SHIELD Headquarters.

INT. TRANSPORT

The X-Men gaze out at the beautiful sight.

HILL (cont’d)
It’s kind of a once in a lifetime thing.

INT. SHIELD HQ

Hill leads the X-Men in. Nick Fury meets them.

FURY
X-Men.

HILL
This is Commander Nick Fury.

FURY
First things first: apologies for the Sentinel attacks. I knew earlier, I would’ve stopped it earlier.

SCOTT
You called off the Sentinels, then?

FURY
Yours truly. Let’s walk.

The X-Men walk with Fury through the sprawling complex.

FURY
What do you know?

SCOTT
This Operation: Zero Tolerance is somehow connected to Trask, the Hellfire Club, the mutants who attacked Manhattan…and someone called Essex.

FURY
Pretty good, all things considered. Though Miss Frost probably helped you piece that one together.

STORM
You tracked her?

FURY
We tracked all of ‘em, have been for some time now. This Essex guy, he’s a bit of a nut. Wants to resurrect an old ancient called En Sabah Nur. Means “the first”.

BEAST
But the first what?

FURY
Essex is a geneticist. He thinks that this En Sabah Nur is the first mutant. And a damn powerful one at that. Now, our records are extensive, but they don’t go that far back, so we gotta take his word for it on that one.

Fury looks at Scott.

FURY
Bottom line is, they woke him up. They’re in Tibet.

SCOTT
Tibet? But—

FURY
Yeah, your fiancée and her priest got sucked into it courtesy of your old friend Logan.

KITTY
Where are they now?

FURY
We’re guessing somewhere in the temple, but we lost track of them about twenty minutes ago. It shares property with Trask’s Sentinel base, conveniently enough.

BEAST
So the Sentinels were a diversion.

FURY
Yep. Keep you guys out of the way so that he could go about his dirty business. ‘Course, Trask kidnapping Logan wasn’t in the cards, though I doubt one guy can screw with their plans that much.

SCOTT
Then you don’t know Logan.

FURY
May very well be true. So, you people will wanna go on some kind o’ rescue mission, I assume?

BEAST
Of course.

FURY
Uh-huh. In that case, we’ll give you the lowdown on the whole thing. But here’s the long an’ short of it: you go in there, you gotta get in undetected, because there’s gonna be defenses in there we can’t predict. And let’s face it, you people aren’t big on stealth.

Scott grimaces.

FURY
So we’re gonna take two steps. Observe step one.

Nearby, a screen flickers to life, showing the Institute.

FURY
Step one: you die.

The Institute explodes. Storm bites her lip. Kitty embraces Peter. Scott clenches his fist slightly.

FURY
That’s sure to be all over the news in the morning. So step two: if you’re gonna take down the big bad, you need a team that’s trained to get you in there, because again, you’re stealth-deficient. Luckily for you, we got just that.

Offscreen, a gun CLICKS as it is loaded. SLOW TILT and PULL OUT, revealing MYSTIQUE, holding a rifle, PYRO, flicking his lighter as ever, MULTIPLE MAN, with a few duplicates, and LADY DEATHSTRIKE, her torso, left arm, and right thigh now composed of metal and wires. Mystique smiles deviously.

MYSTIQUE
So. What are we waiting for?

CUT.

END.

Needless to say, there will be a sequel, though I can't say when. Feedback is, as ever, welcome.

 

[Boba_Fett_123]

Okay, your turn. What do you want to see, in terms of characters, plotlines, or action in the sequel?

 

[Cosmic Mind]

hmmm, is good for now, is getting me curious as Jean somehow sense loga when she doesn't have powers, emma is now evil??? this is getting weird, keep going, I want to see what's next.......

 

[Boba_Fett_123]

I've started work on X-Men 5, which I'll probably just post in here as opposed to creating another thread for it. I think I'm going to wait until I'm at least half finished before I start posting instalments, though. There's still some cleanup to be done on Fall of the Mutants, so I want to tackle that first.

What to expect: X-Men 5 will be more introspective and character oriented than this one, though there will still be plenty of action. Explanation for Emma's newfound villainy, as well as Jean's bizarre behaviour, is forthcoming. Don't worry.