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.



Scary Monsters

 


 

She's Dreaming. 

 

Got that? Off the charts.

 

Scary Monsters.

 

Let's amp it up. 

Delcium, eight drop.

 

See, most of our best work is done

when they're asleep.

 

 

 

 

Helen, may I ask you a question?


Helen : 

Uh, yeah, of course.

 

I don't mean to be patronizing,

but you seem to be quite a fragile thing.

 

Are you ill?


Helen : 

Um, guess I am.

Got quite a few things wrong with me.

 

Um, my ankle, my wrist.

 

I get tired.

I get anxious.

 

What are you anxious about?

 

 

Helen :

Everything.

Makes it hard to make friends.

 

Oh, yeah, I had A Friend once.

 

We used to play chess every Saturday morning.

Yeah, he was very interesting.

 

He lost both legs in the 

retaking of Goose Green.


Helen :

Poor guy.

 

Yeah.

Funny thing was is 

his nickname was

‘Stumpy’ before it all happened.

Just didn't feel like I could 

call him that after.


Helen : 

What did you call him?

 

Knobby No-Legs.

I don't know what 

happened to him.

We must have had 

a falling out.

 
 
 
James Whale :
Tell me something, Clayton. 
Do you believe in mercy killing? 

Clayton, The Gardener : 
I never really gave it much thought. 

James Whale : 
You must've come across 
such situations in Korea. 
 
A wounded comrade, or 
perhaps even An Enemy
You know, someone for whom 
Death would be a blessing. 
 
Clayton, The Gardener : 
I never went to Korea. 
I never even made it through boot camp. 
That I was A Marine, which is True.
You filled in the rest. 

James Whale : 
Oh, I see. 
 
Clayton, The Gardener :
My Old Man was A Marine. 
Lied about his age, and he enlisted. 
 
James Whale :
Is this The Great War? 

Clayton, The Gardener : 
Yeah. Yeah.
By the time he was ready 
to ship out, it was all over.
So, he felt like he'd missed out. 
 
James Whale :
Well, it was a very lucky thing he did.

Clayton, The Gardener : 
 That's not the way he saw it. 
To him it was like
His Life never really got started
 
Nothing else seemed to matter.
Certainly not His Family. 

James Whale : 
Is that why you became 
A Marine, for Your Father's sake? 

Clayton, The Gardener : 
I figured it'd be The Next Best Thing. 
I mean, but, you know, 
I loved it, too. 
 
It was a chance to be 
a part of something important, 
Something that's 
bigger than yourself. 

 
James Whale :
So, what happened? 
 
Clayton, The Gardener :
Didn't have the guts for it. 
 
James Whale :
Hmm? 
 
Clayton, The Gardener :
Literally. My appendix burst. 
They gave me a medical discharge.
 
And the only thing I can think is, 
‘How the hell am I gonna 
tell My Father?’
 
And you know what happened
when I finally did tell him?  
He laughed at me. 
 
Well, them's the breaks, huh? 
No War Stories for this pup. 
 
 
James Whale :
That's where you're wrong, Clayton. 
You just told me one. 
 
A Very Good Story indeed. 
 
Whew. This Storm is getting worse.
"A Perfect Night for Mystery and Horror.
The Air Itself is filled with Monsters." 
 
Clayton, The Gardener :
That's from one of your movies, right? 
 
James Whale :
Very good. 
 
Clayton, The Gardener :
"The only monsters are here." 
 
James Whale :
Don't remember that one.
 
Clayton, The Gardener :
This afternoon at the party when you said, 
"The only monsters are here," 
I was wondering which "here" that was. 
 
James Whale :
No, I--I don't recall. 
Memories of The War, perhaps.
Barnett. Barnett on The Wire
 
Clayton, The Gardener :
Your Friend. 
 
James Whale :
He caught his one night coming 
back from reconnaissance. 
 
I wouldn't take him, but McGill did, 
"just to give the laddie a taste." 
 
They were nearly home when 
a Maxim gun opened fire. 
 
Barnet's body landed on this wire 
that was as thick as briers. 
 
It was hanging there the next morning. 
 
It was only a hundred yards from The Line,
but too far... For anyone to fetch it. 
 
So we saw him every morning stand-to 
"Good morning, Barnett," 
we used to say to him. 
 
"How's old Barnett looking today?"
 
"He seemed a little peaked. 
Looks a little plumper." 
And if he hung there... 
 
Well, at least until we were relieved.
 
We introduced him to 
the new unit before marching out,
speaking highly of his companionship. 
 
God, we were a witty lot.  
Laughing at Our Dead, 
feeling that it was Our Death, too. 
 
But I tell you, for each man who died I thought, 
"better you than me, poor sod." 
 
You know, a whole generation 
was wiped out by that war. 

Clayton, The Gardener : 
You survived it. 
Can't hurt you now. 
No good to dig it up. 

James Whale : 
Oh. Friend, it's digging itself up. 
There is nothing in
The Here and Now
to take my mind off it. 
 
The parties... Well, you were there. 
Reading... I can't--
 
I-I can't concentrate. 
There's no Work, of course, 
 
And, uh, love and, uh, 
painting and, uh... 
 
Drawing, I mean. Look. 
 
Your Portrait, Clayton. 
It's all gone from me now. All gone. 
 
They're nothing but the scribblings of an infant. 
There's nothing. Nothing
 
 
Clayton, The Gardener :
You said you wanted to 
draw me like A Statue —
There. 
 
James Whale : 
It's going to happen after all. 
 
 Clayton, The Gardener :
What did you say? 
 
James Whale :
....No, it won't do. 
 
 Clayton, The Gardener :
What won't do? 
 
James Whale :
You're much too human. 

Clayton, The Gardener : 
Well, what do you expect, bronze? 
 
James Whale :
Don't move. 
I want you to wear this. 
Just so I can see the artistic effect. 
 
Your very human body
against the inhuman mask. 
 
Oh! Very striking. Mmm. 
 
Clayton, The Gardener :
I don't know. 
 
James Whale :
Just for a minute, 
so I can see the effects. 
 
Clayton, The Gardener :
From the first world war, isn't it? 
 
James Whale :
Fasten this around the back. 
Let me help you. There. 
 
Clayton, The Gardener :
Hmm? Uh... Now what?
 
James Whale :
All right, let's take it off.
 
Clayton, The Gardener :
Uh, it's too tight. 
I can't breathe. 
 
James Whale :
Oh, no, l-l-leave it. I'll help. 
Leave it to me. 

Clayton, The Gardener : 
Wha-can you-- 
 
James Whale :
I'm still here. 
 
Clayton, The Gardener :
Um... Mr. Whale. 
 
James Whale :
Oh, what steely muscles 
you've got there. 

Clayton, The Gardener : 
Just take the fuckin' 
mask off me now, ok? 
 
James Whale :
What a solid brute you are. 

Clayton, The Gardener : 
Hey, just get your fuckin' hands off me! 

James Whale : 
It's no use, Clayton. I can't hear you.
I can't hear a word. 
Oh, well, then, maybe this. 
 
Clayton, The Gardener :
Hey, hey, hey, hey! 


James Whale :
Ohh! How will you ever 
get yourself back? 
 
I told you, I'm not that way! 
Get it through your fuckin' head, all right? 

James Whale : 
You feel so good, Clayton.
 
Uhh! Didn't even sting! 
Wait till I tell My Friends about this. 
Won't they be surprised. 
 
 Clayton, The Gardener :
I haven't done anything with you 
 
James Whale :
You undressed for me. 
I've been kissing you. 
How will you ever be able 
to live with yourself? 
 
Clayton, The Gardener :
What do you want from me? 

James Whale : 
I want You to Kill Me
 
Clayton, The Gardener : 
What?
 
James Whale :
Break My Neck. 
It'll be so easy to choke 
The Life out of me. 
 
Come on, Clayton. 
We've come this far. 
 
I'm losing My Mind. 
Every day a new piece of it goes,
and soon there'll be none of it left. 
 
But if You Kill Me, 
Death will be bearable
 
You could be My Second Monster. 
Come on. Please, do it now. 
Make me invisible

Clayton, The Gardener : 
I am not... Your Monster! 
 
 James Whale :
You're a bloody pussycat. 
My deepest apologies.
 Can you ever forgive me? 
 
No, I suppose not. 
I've got to go to bed. 

Clayton, The Gardener : 
Are you ok? 
 
James Whale :
Oh, Clayton. 
 
Clayton, The Gardener :
Do you need some help? 
 
James Whale :
Pray, you undo this button. 
I don't seem to be able 
to manage it when I'm tired. 
 
Do you believe people 
come into our lives 
for a purpose?
 
 Ok, I can manage now. 
When you die, make sure that
your brain is the last organ to fizzle. 
 
 Clayton, The Gardener :
You'll feel better tomorrow. 

James Whale : 
Good night. 
 
Clayton, The Gardener :
Good night. 
 
Hanna / Fritz / Igor :
Hello? 
Oh, hello, Mr. David. 
No, he did not tell me, 
but that's no problem. 
I make the breakfast. 
Yes, very good. Good-bye. 
 
Clayton, The Gardener : 
Hanna, this is not what you think it is. 
 
Hanna / Fritz / Igor :
Aah! All I ask is you get dressed and go. 
 
Clayton, The Gardener :
Hanna, I need to talk to you 
about Mr. Whale. 
 
Hanna / Fritz / Igor :
There is nothing you could 
say would surprise me. 
 
Clayton, The Gardener :
Maybe, but I still need to 
talk to you about him. 
 
Hanna / Fritz / Igor :
I blame my daughter for keeping me out so late. 
I only hope you did not get him excited. 
You could give him new stroke. 
 
Clayton, The Gardener :
Why do you do it, Hanna? 
 
Hanna / Fritz / Igor :
What I do? 
 
Clayton, The Gardener :
Like he was your own 
flesh and blood? 
 
Hanna / Fritz / Igor :
I did it when he was happyIt was easy
It's only fair I do it now he is ill. 
 
Oh, enough of this talk. 
I must go wake The Master. 
 
Mr. Jimmy, good morning. 
Mr. Jimmy? 

What have you done with him? 
You look for him. 

Clayton, The Gardener :
I put him to bed last night. 

Mr. Jimmy? Mr. Jimmy! 
Mr. Jimmy! Mr. Jimmy! 

Clayton, The Gardener :
Crazy son of a bitch! 
Oh! No! No! No! 
Mr. Jimmy! Jimmy! Jimmy! 

Clayton, The Gardener :
H-he wanted me to kill him, 
and then he did it himself! 
I didn't do this!
 
 
Hanna / Fritz / Igor :
Mr. Jimmy. It says here, "good-bye."
I find in his room. ‘Sorry', he says. 
'He's had wonderful life'.
 
Oh, my Mr. Jimmy. 
Poor, foolish man.
 
You could not wait for God 
to take you in his time?
 
You must leave.
You were not here 
this morning.
 
 
Clayton, The Gardener :
Look, I did not do this.
 
Hanna / Fritz / Igor :
Police will not know that.
They will want to investigate.
You want them to question 
you about Mr. Jimmy?
 
Please, Clayton, it's better 
that I find the body alone.
 
Clayton, The Gardener :
How are you gonna explain how 
you got him out of The Water?
 
Hanna / Fritz / Igor :
You're rightUh, we must 
put him back.
 
Clayton, The Gardener :
Wh-uh...
 
Hanna / Fritz / Igor :
Oh, Mr. Jimmy, we do not mean disrespect.
You will keep better in water. 
 
 
 
The Hermit :
“Who are You? 
I think you're A Stranger to me. 
 
I cannot see you. 
I cannot see anything. 
 
You must please excuse me, 
but I'm blind. 
 
Perhaps you're afflicted, too. 
We shall be friends. 
 
It's very lonely here, 
and it's been a long time since
any human being came into this hut. 
 
I shall look after you, 
and you will comfort me.
  
 No, no. This is good.
Smoke. You try. Smoke. 
 
The Creature :
Good! Good! 

The Hermit : 
I was all alone. 
It is bad to be alone. 
 
The Creature :
Alone Bad. Friend Good. 
Friend Good
 
 Clayton, The Gardener :
Time for bed, sport.
What did you think of the movie?

Clayton's Son : 
Pretty cool.
Better than most monster movies.
 

Clayton, The Gardener : 
Yeah? I knew the guy who made it.
 

Clayton's Son :  
Is this another one of your stories?

 
Clayton, The Gardener :
No. It's the original sketch of The Monster.
 
Clayton's Son : 
Is this for real? 
 
 
 
Clay, the trash, before it rains. 

Clayton, The Gardener : 
Come on.