Showing posts with label Littleness.. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Littleness.. Show all posts

Tuesday 12 February 2019

So, Why IS She a Princess, Exactly...?





51   EXT DAGOBAH SWAMP - X-WING 

Luke wanders back to where his ship is sitting. Artoo beeps a greeting, 
but is ignored by his depressed master. Luke kneels down, begins to 
help Artoo with the ship, then stops and shakes his head dejectedly.

LUKE
I can't do it, Artoo. I can't go on alone.

BEN  (OS)
Yoda will always be with you.

Luke looks up to see the shimmering image of BEN KENOBI.

LUKE
Obi-Wan! Why didn't you tell me?

The ghost of Ben Kenobi approaches him through the swamp.

LUKE
You told me Vader betrayed and murdered my father.

BEN
You father was seduced by the dark side of the Force. He ceased to be 
Anakin Skywalker and became Darth Vader. When that happened, the good man who was your 
father was destroyed. So what I have told you was true... from a 
certain point of view.

LUKE  (turning away, derisive)
A certain point of view!

BEN
Luke, you're going to find that many of the truths we cling to depend 
greatly on our own point of view.

Luke is unresponsive. Ben studies him in silence for a moment.

BEN
I don't blame you for being angry. If I was wrong in what I did, it 
certainly wouldn't have been for the first time. You see, what happened 
to your father was my fault.

Ben pauses sadly.

BEN
Anakin was a good friend.

Luke turns with interest at this. As Ben speaks, Luke settles on a 
stump, mesmerized. Artoo comes over to offer his comforting presence.

BEN
When I first knew him, your father was already a great pilot. But I was 
amazed how strongly the Force was with him. I took it upon myself to 
train him as a Jedi. I thought that I could instruct him just as well 
as Yoda. I was wrong. My pride has had terrible consequences for the 
galaxy.

Luke is entranced.

LUKE
There's still good in him.

BEN
I also thought he could be turned back to the good side. It couldn't be 
done. He is more machine now than man. Twisted and evil.

LUKE
I can't do it, Ben.

BEN
You cannot escape your destiny.

LUKE
I tried to stop him once. I couldn't do it.

BEN
Vader humbled you when first you met him, Luke... but that experience 
was part of your training. It taught you, among other things, the value 
of patience. Had you not been so impatient to defeat Vader then, you 
could have finished your training here with Yoda. You would have been 
prepared.

LUKE
But I had to help my friends.

BEN  (grinning at Luke's indignation)
And did you help them? It was they who had to save you. You achieved 
little by rushing back prematurely, I fear.

LUKE  (with sadness)
I found out Darth Vader was my father.

BEN
To be a Jedi, Luke, you must confront and then go beyond the dark side 
- the side your father couldn't get past. Impatience is the easiest 
door - for you, like your father. Only, your father was seduced by what 
he found on the other side of the door, and you have held firm. You're 
no longer so reckless now, Luke. You are strong and patient. And now, 
you must face Darth Vader again!

LUKE
I can't kill my own father.

BEN
Then the Emperor has already won. You were our only hope.

LUKE
Yoda spoke of another.

BEN
The other he spoke of is your twin sister.

LUKE
But I have no sister.

BEN
Hmm. 


 
To protect you both from the Emperor, you were hidden from your 
father when you were born. The Emperor knew, as I did, if Anakin were 
to have any offspring, they would be a threat to him. That is the 
reason why your sister remains safely anonymous.

LUKE
Leia! Leia's my sister.

BEN
Your insight serves you well. Bury your feelings deep down, Luke. They 
do you credit.
 
But they could be made to serve the Emperor.

Luke looks into the distance, trying to comprehend all this.

BEN  (continuing his narrative)
When your father left, he didn't know your mother was pregnant [with twins]. Your 
mother and I knew he would find out eventually, but we wanted to keep 
you both as safe as possible, for as long as possible.  So I took you 
to live with [Anakin's estranged Step-]brother Owen on Tatooine... and your mother took Leia 
to live as the daughter of Senator Organa, on Alderaan.

Luke turns, and settles near Ben to hear the tale.

BEN  (attempting to give solace with his words)
The Organa household was high-born and politically quite powerful in 
that system. Leia became a princess by virtue of lineage... no one knew 
she'd been adopted, of course. But it was a title without real power, 
since Alderaan had long been a democracy. 
 
Even so, the family continued to be politically powerful, and Leia, following in her foster 
father's path, became a senator as well.  That's not all she became, of 
course... she became the leader of her cell in the Alliance against the 
corrupt Empire. And because she had diplomatic immunity, she was a 
vital link for getting information to the Rebel cause.  That's what she 
was doing when her path crossed yours... for her foster parents had 
always told her to contact me on Tatooine, if her troubles became 
desperate.



Luke is overwhelmed by the truth, and is suddenly protective of his 
sister.

LUKE
But you can't let her get involved now, Ben. Vader will destroy her.

BEN
She hasn't been trained in the ways of the Jedi the way you have, 
Luke... but the Force is strong with her, as it is with all of your 
family. There is no avoiding the battle. You must face and destroy 
Vader!
 
 






Master Luke, People Will Scrap You,
Violate Your Mind and Enslave You.
Every one of them’s Bad — You were right, R2.
 

Friday 8 February 2019

Deadly Smallness








 Narcicism, Cruelty and Emotional Sadism are actually a Learned set of Habits of Mind and Behaviour that are the direct result of Maladaptive Empathy and Emotional Openness -

EMPATHY + BETRAYAL = RESENTMENT + CRUELTY

NIGHT TIME. COUNTY HALL, SOUTH BANK. Inside the Sea Life London Aquarium housed inside County Hall, Sherlock makes his way along the blue-lit corridors and through the glass tunnels under the water.
 

TANNOY ANNOUNCEMENT: 
Ladies and gentlemen, the Aquarium will be closing in five minutes. 
Please make your way to the exit. Thank you.
 

(He continues onwards until he reaches an enclosed area with benches where people can sit and look at the various tanks all around. A woman is sitting on one of the benches with her back to him.)
 
SHERLOCK: 

Your office said I’d find you here.

VIVIAN: 

This was always my favourite spot for agents to meet.  
(She continues looking forward into a tank of sharks and other smaller fish.) 
We’re like them: ghostly, living in the shadows.
(She turns to look at him. Behind him, fluorescent jellyfish swim in another tank.)
 

SHERLOCK: 
Predatory.

VIVIAN: 

Well, it depends which side you’re on. 
(She turns away to look into the shark tank again.) 
Also, we have to keep moving or we die.
 

SHERLOCK: 
Nice location for the final act. Couldn’t have chosen it better myself. 
 But then I never could resist a touch of the dramatic.
 

VIVIAN: 
I just come here to look at the fish.
 

(She stands up and takes a few steps closer to the tank.)
 

VIVIAN: 
I knew this would happen one day.

(She turns to face him, her handbag hanging from her elbow.)
 

VIVIAN: 
It’s like that old story.
 

SHERLOCK: 
I really am a very busy man. Would you mind cutting to the chase?
 

VIVIAN: 
You’re very sure of yourself, aren’t you?
 

SHERLOCK (precisely)
With good reason.
 

VIVIAN: 
There was once a merchant in a famous market in Baghdad.
 

(Sherlock closes his eyes and lowers his head a little.)
 

SHERLOCK: 
I really have never liked this story.
 

VIVIAN: 
I’m just like the merchant in the story. I thought I could outrun the inevitable. I’ve always been looking over my shoulder; always expecting to see the grim figure of ...
 

MARY: 
... Death.

(She comes into the room and stops at Sherlock’s side a couple of feet away from him.)
 

SHERLOCK (not looking round)
Hello, Mary.
 

MARY: 
Hey.
 


SHERLOCK: 
John?
 

MARY: 
On his way.
 

SHERLOCK: 
Let me introduce Amo.
 

MARY (staring at Vivian):  
You were Amo? (Sherlock looks round to her.) 
 You were the person on the phone that time?
 

SHERLOCK: 
Using AGRA as her private assassination unit.
 

MARY  (to Vivian)
Why did you betray us?
 

VIVIAN: Why does anyone do anything?
 

SHERLOCK: Oh, let me guess. Selling secrets?
 


VIVIAN: 
 Well, it would be churlish to refuse. Worked very well for a few years. I bought a nice cottage in Cornwall on the back of it. But the ambassador in Tbilisi found out. I thought I’d had it. 
 (She looks towards Mary before returning her gaze to Sherlock.) 
 Then she was taken hostage in that coup.  
(She laughs.) 
I couldn’t believe my luck! That bought me a little time.
 


SHERLOCK: 
But then you found out your boss had sent AGRA in.
 

VIVIAN: 
Very handy. They were always such reliable killers.
 

SHERLOCK: 
What you didn’t know, Mary, was that this one also tipped off the hostage-takers.
(Mary turns and stares at him.)
 

 VIVIAN
 (sitting back down and resting her handbag on her lap)
Lady Smallwood gave the order, but I sent another one to the terrorists with a nice little clue about her code name should anyone have an enquiring mind. Seemed to do the trick.
 

MARY: 
And you thought your troubles were over.
 

VIVIAN: 
I was tired; tired of the mess of it all. 
(She sighs.) 
I just wanted some peace, some clarity. 
The hostages were killed, AGRA too ... 
(she looks across to Mary) 
... or so I thought. 

 My secret was safe. 
But apparently not. 
Just a little peace. 

That’s all you wanted too, wasn’t it? 
A family, home. Really, I understand.

(Mary glances across to Sherlock but his gaze is fixed on Vivian, who lifts her handbag as if in preparation to stand, and rests one hand on the open top of it.)

 
VIVIAN: 

So just let me get out of here, right? 
Let me just walk away. I’ll vanish. 
I’ll go forever. 

What d’you say?

MARY (furiously)

After what you did?!

(She starts towards the older woman.)

 
SHERLOCK 

(beginning to follow her)
Mary, no!

(In a fluid movement Vivian stands, pulling a pistol from her handbag and aiming it at Mary, who stops and backs away.)
 

MARY: 
Okay.

(She moves back to stand the other side of Sherlock.)

John is in the back of a cab with a phone to his ear.
 

JOHN (into phone)
London Aquarium. ... Yes, now.
 

(He hangs up.)

In the Aquarium, Vivian looks down at her pistol which she’s no longer pointing at anyone.
 

VIVIAN: 
I was never a field agent. 
I always thought I’d be rather good.
 

(Mary scoffs.)
SHERLOCK: 

Well, you handled the operation in Tbilisi very well.
 

VIVIAN: 
Thanks.

SHERLOCK: 

... for a secretary.
 

VIVIAN: 
What?

SHERLOCK: 

Can’t have been easy all those years, sitting in the back keeping your mouth shut when you knew you were cleverer than most of the people in the room.
 

VIVIAN: 
I didn’t do this out of jealousy!
SHERLOCK: 

No? Same old drudge, day in, day out, never getting out there where all the excitement was. 
Just back to your little flat on Wigmore Street.
 

(Vivian gapes.)
 
SHERLOCK: 

They’ve taken up the pavement outside the Post Office there. 
The local clay on your shoes is very distinctive.
 

(Close-up of Vivian’s dusty shoes.)
 

SHERLOCK: 
Yes, your little flat.
 

VIVIAN: 
How do you know?
 

SHERLOCK (quick fire)
Well, on your salary it would have to be modest and you spent all the money on that cottage, didn’t you, and what are you, widowed or divorced? 

(He focuses in on a plain gold band on the index finger of her left hand.)
  
Wedding ring’s at least thirty years old and you’ve moved it to another finger. 
That means you’re sentimentally attached to it but you’re not still married. 
I favour widowed, given the number of cats you share your life with.
 

MARY  
(nervously, watching Vivian closely)
Sherlock ... 

SHERLOCK: 

Two Burmese and a tortoiseshell, 
judging by the cat hairs on your cardigan.
 

(Close-up of those hairs.)
 
SHERLOCK (quick fire)

A divorcee’s more likely to look for a new partner; 
a widow to fill the void left by her dead husband.
 


MARY: 
Sherlock, don’t.
 
SHERLOCK

(quick fire, his voice rising as he gets fully into his stride)
Pets do that, or so I’m told,
 and there’s clearly no-one new in your life, 
otherwise you wouldn’t be spending your Friday nights in an aquarium. 

That probably accounts for the drink problem, too: 
the slight tremor in your hand ... 

(there’s a close-up of her slightly shaking gun hand, then a close-up of her mouth) 

... the red wine stain ghosting your top lip. 

So yes. I say jealousy was your motive after all – 

To prove how good you are ...


(Vivian’s gaze turns to look towards the entrance as Mycroft walks in.)

 
SHERLOCK: 

... to make up for the inadequacies of your little life.

(Vivian is still looking to where Greg now comes in followed by three uniformed police officers.)
 

MYCROFT: 
Well, Mrs Norbury. 
I must admit this is unexpected.

SHERLOCK (his voice dripping with sarcasm)

Vivian Norbury, who outsmarted them all. 
 All except Sherlock Holmes.

(He takes a step forward, holding out his left hand. Mary and the police officers behind her also step forward.)

 
SHERLOCK (softly)

There’s no way out.

VIVIAN: 

So it would seem. 
  
(She smiles a little.)
  
You’ve seen right through me, Mr Holmes.

SHERLOCK: 

It’s what I do.

(She tilts her head to one side.)

 
VIVIAN: 

Maybe I can still surprise you.

(Swiftly she brings up the gun and aims it at Sherlock.)

 
LESTRADE: 

Come on. 
 (He points at her.) 
Be sensible.

(Sherlock holds his hands out to the side. Vivian shakes her head.)
 

VIVIAN: 
No, I don’t think so.

(She fires. In super-slow motion the bullet heads towards Sherlock who stands there unmoving. Mary, who had no doubt anticipated that this was going to happen, hurls herself sideways in front of him and the bullet impacts her lower chest. Blood sprays outward and immediately there is a large bloodstain on her shirt. Crying out, she falls to the floor against a nearby bench.)
 


VIVIAN (spitefully)
Surprise.

Transcript courtesy of Ariane DeVere

https://arianedevere.livejournal.com/88515.html


"Meals at eight and five. 
Toilet privileges twice a day. 
Raise your voice, zap. 
Touch the glass, zap. 
You step out of line, you deal with me. 
Please, step out of line. 
Hmm? So how does it feel? 
To spend all that time, all that effort... and, to see it fail so spectacularly?"


"Did it...?" 
―Everett Ross and Helmut Zemo