Tuesday 25 May 2021

The Battle of Serenity Valley




Captain Malcolm Reynolds :
We're close to gone out here. 

We get a job, we got to make good. 


Pvt. Zoe Washburn :

Sir, I don't disagree 

on any particular point. 

It's just... 


In The Time of War, 

we would've never left 

A Man stranded


Captain Malcolm Reynolds :

Maybe that's why we lost. 




“ Production came to an end 

on Buffy, Season 3 [1999], 

and over my Summer vacation,

I was reading 

The Killer Angels

about 

The Survivors of Gettysburg

and it immediately made me think 

of The Millennium Falcon.


You know, 

as most things do.”


— Joss Whedon


EXT. SERENITY VALLEY - NIGHT

We come into the middle of a battle. 

Soldiers are yelling and running, gunfire everywhere, 

stuff blowing up but good.


Camera focuses on a soldier in the silhouette 

of an explosion, running and dodging fire. 

He hits the dirt for cover. 


We PUSH IN and see that it's Mal. 

His face is dirty and he's breathing hard.


Mal's up again and running 

to rejoin his company in a makeshift foxhole.


RADIO OPERATOR

Sergeant, Command says air support is holding 

till they can assess our status.


MAL

Our Status is that we need some gorram air support.

Now get back on line and tell 'em to get in here.


ZOE

That skiff is shredding us, sir.


RADIO OPERATOR

They won't move without 

A Lieutenant's authorization code, sir.


Angry, Mal walks over and rips off the badge 

from a dead Lieutenant's uniform 

and gives it to the Radio Operator.


MAL

Here, here's Your Code -- 

You're Lieutenant Baker.


Congratulations on your promotion. 

Now get me some air support!


(to Zoe)


Pull back, just enough to wedge 'em in here. 

Get your squad to High Ground, start picking 'em off.


ZOE

High ground is Death  with that skiff in the air.


MAL

That's Our Problem. 

Thanks for volunteering.

(to Bendis)

Bendis, give us some cover fire. 

We're going duck hunting.


The foxhole is rocked by a huge explosion. 

Mal's group of soldiers are looking 

pretty young and scared. 


Time for a morale boost:


MAL

Just focus!

(beat)

The Alliance said they were gonna 

waltz through Serenity Valley 

and we choked 'em with those words.


We've done The Impossible 

and that makes us mighty.


Just a little while longer, 

Our Angels are gonna be  soaring overhead 

raining fire on those arrogant cod,

so you hold!

(yelling)

You hold! Go!


His soldiers take up their positions 

to lay down cover fire while Mal and Zoe 

prepare to take down the skiff.


ZOE

Really think we can bring her down, sir?


MAL

Do you even need to ask?


Mal pulls a necklace out from under his shirt 

and kisses the cross.


MAL

Ready?


ZOE

Always.


Mal takes off. 

Zoe prepares to follow, 

sees that no one's covering Mal.


ZOE

Bendis? Bendis!


She sees Bendis huddled across 

from her, scared stiff.


ZOE (cont'd)

(angrily)

Rut it.


Zoe grunts and stands up, laying cover fire for Mal as he moves down the hill. 


After a moment, she follows Mal down The Hill, 

taking cover with him behind some boulders. 


Mal fires into the bushes, 

causing the soldier guarding a bigass gun 

to move out of his cover and return fire. 


Mal shoots him dead.

Mal activates the bigass gun's targeting system 

while Zoe covers him. 


Mal locks a target on the skiff that's been 

killing them in the battle and fires. 


He makes a direct hit and stands back 

from the bigass gun.


MAL

Yeah!

(manly grunt)


Then Mal realizes that the skiff is outta control... 

and headed right for him. Oh, shit. Mal starts running.


MAL

Zoe!


Mal and Zoe run as the skiff hits the ground and plows past them, exploding. Mal and Zoe hit the ground flat on their backs. Mal starts laughing. Zoe looks long-suffering.


ZOE

(entering foxhole, to Bendis)

Nice cover fire.


MAL

Did you see that? 

Green, what's our  status on...


Mal trails off as he realizes Green is pretty damn wounded, 

possibly deader than a dead thing.


MAL

Zoe.


She looks up. Mal points. 

Zoe moves to check Green. 

Mal moves to sit near Bendis.


MAL (cont'd)

Hey, listen to me. Bendis, look at me! 

Listen, we're holding this valley no matter what.


BENDIS

We're gonna die.


MAL

We're not gonna die. 

We can't die, Bendis.


You know why?

(beat)

Because we are so very, very pretty. 

We are just too pretty for God to let us die. Huh? 

Look at that chiseled jaw. Huh? 

C'mon.



There's a roaring sound overhead. 

Zoe is listening on the radio.


MAL (cont'd)

If you won't listen to me

listen to that


Those are Our Angels comin' 

to blow The Alliance to The Hot Place.

(to Zoe)

Zoe, tell the 82nd --


ZOE (stunned)

They're Not Coming.

(beat)

Command says it's too hot. 

They're pulling out.

 

We're to lay down arms.


Mal's stunned, in denial. 

He looks at Bendis.


MAL

But what's...


Slowly, Mal stands and peeks over the top of the foxhole. 

His face is lit from their air support rising and retreating. 

Bendis stands next to him. 


Mal's in shock, watching 

His Last Hope pull out of The Fight.


Beside him, Bendis is hit by Enemy Fire 

and FallsMal doesn't notice.


PUSH IN on Mal's bloody face. 


On the disbelief.



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