Thursday, 28 February 2019

The Failed Apprentice





“You have been replaced...!!
— Darth Sideous

“Don’t You Think She Looks Tired...?”
— Perfect-10




“You shoulda left him on The Street where ya found ‘im.”
— Paulie Panina

“I know it was you, Fredo —”
— Don Michael Corleone


“— you broke all our hearts...”
— The Rocky Balboa of  Earth-199999



What the hell happened in there? I won the damn title and they think I'm a bum!
Why didn't you help me?

When the press is right, they're right.




I'm as good as Balboa ever was and
I'm tired of being called a damn robot!


Listen, Tommy. You can't fight the press.
I can't fight them.
As long as they got Balboa on the brain,
he's champ. He fought wars in the ring.
Tommy, face facts. You're in his shadow.


This is your own man talking!


No, listen.
There is a way to get the respect you
deserve. Challenge Balboa to fight.
George could set it up in just weeks.


It'd be the greatest fight ever.
Teacher against student,
old lion against young lion.
That's the only way you ever 
gonna get peace of mind.

The press will hound you with that man's
legend for as long as you wear gloves.
You gotta get him into that ring, Tommy,
or you'll keep hearing questions like that.

You'll start to ask yourself 
"Could I take him? 
Am I really good enough?"

"Do people think I'm a carbon copy
or a second-rate pretender who only
got a shot because of my skin tone?"

Got to challenge that man to fight, Tommy.
If he refuses, you gotta insult him! You
gotta dog him, you gotta humiliate him.

Do whatever you got to do to get him into
that ring! But that's what you got to do.



OK. Blast off. Rollin' silver. And down.
Andy, these flippers ain't flippin'.


That machine cost me a fortune.


It's costin' me a fortune too.


Rocky Balboa!


What was that?

Rocky Balboa, there's a man out here
wishin' to speak with you.
Rocky Balboa!

Rocko, you know who that is, huh?

Yeah, I know who that is.


Rocky, you need some help?


No, guys. It ain't no pie-eatin' contest.

Look what's in the street.


Tommy, what are you doin' here?
You oughta be celebratin'.


I'm challenging you to a fight.
Any time, any place, anywhere.


Fight?


That's right.


You're comin' here with these people
askin' if I wanna throw hands with you?
Is that what this is about?


Yeah. And I ain't nobody's robot.
Nobody's boy! Now are you accepting
the challenge or are you yellow?


He has no class. Come on, Rocko.
Hey, he has no class! Come on.


Hey, it ain't him. You wanna
shoot some eightball or somethin'?


Hey! I ain't through talkin' with you yet!



Look, I ain't got no more to say to you, OK?
I wanted good things for you.


The hell you did. 
You're in it for money.
I'm tired of people callin' me a robot.


You thought I was in this
for the money, Tommy?

We were supposed to be
like brothers, you know?

You don't know it, but you got a deception here.
This guy was usin' you for the bait.
He wants to get you and me in the ring.

He wants us to fight each other
to make the money.

He don't care about you
and he don't care about me neither.


Come on. Enough of the fantasy.
Let's talk reality.
Rocky Balboa, are you prepared
to accept Tommy Gunn's challenge?


Tommy...

Hey! I would have taken you any time.



You're a piece of garbage.



This ain't none of your business.


None of my business?


Come on, Paulie. 
Forget it.



He spit blood for you, put you ahead of his own family.
And you bring these rat bums around here? Kill his dignity?
Rocko made you your shot.
He's the real champ. You're just a joke.


Get out of here before I break your face.


Paulie?


Don't break your hand on that bum!


Paulie, are you OK?


You shoulda left him on the street,
where you found him.



 Merlin, get him outta here.


Get off of me!


You knocked him down.
Why don't you knock me down?



No, in the ring. Tommy Gunn only fights
in the ring! Let's get outta here.



My ring's outside.



Yeah? Let's do it.


Let's go live.


He's a punk, Rocky.



He's a street fighter.You a prizefighter.
Don't be a damn fool.


You don't own me!
You don't own me!


What's wrong? 
Take it easy.


Nobody does!
I want my respect.




Well, come and get it. 
Come on, Tommy.




I loved you, man! 
You know that?
You and me,
we were supposed to be like this, Tommy.
You blew it! You...



Lucky punch. But I told you never to fight a street fighter fight.
Come on, let's get out of here.


You're always a champ, Rocky. Great.


Great stuff. This is beautiful.

Mom! It's Dad.
He's on television. He's fighting.


What?!


Come on, man. Come on.
Come on, Balboa. Who's your papa now?
Come on!


Rocky, you gotta get up.



Come on, get up.




You're out!


If he dies, he dies.




You're the champ.
Now get up. One more round.

Get up! Don't lay down.
Fight this guy hard.

Come on!

He's no machine. I didn't hear no bell!




Get up, you son of a bitch,
cos Mickey loves ya.




Yo, Tommy!




I didn't hear no bell.




- One more round.
- Tommy, get back. Come on.




- You don't need this.
- You lose, you're finished.




I got one more round. Come on.




I'm not gonna knock you out this time.
I'm gonna put you through the street.




- One more round.
- Come on, Rocky.




Come on, Tommy.




Come on. Again!




Come on, Tommy.




Touch me and I'll sue.




All right, Rocky. You done it.




What in the hell are you doing?
Get up. What in the hell...?




Come on, knock the bum out.
He took my room!




Jab! Jab!




You're losin' everything. Come on!

Come on, Dad. You can beat him!

Fight back, you bum!




Stop!


Come on, Dad, go for it!
Hit him, Dad. Come on!
Hit him, Dad. Come on!
Go for it!


Hey, Adrian.
You were right. You were right.


Goddamn!
Only in America.
Hey, Rock! You outclassed the bum, huh?

Rocky, come on. Don't.

Touch me and I'll sue.
Come on, punk. Touch me and I'll sue.

Sue me for what?
For that?
Hey, yo, Father!
I love it when he does that.

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