From the X-Men Universe
Script by p. james clarke
10 pages
Final Draft: March 14, 2016
Page One
1/ Nighttime. Establishing shot kind of wide of a 19-22-year-old Apache man with medium-length black hair, jean-jacket, shirt, jeans and boots walking with his head down and hands shoved into his pockets under a street light. In the background is a plain industrial building with “Camp Verde Cultural Center”
CAPTION: Apache Reservation, Camp Verde, Arizona, 1972.
CAPTION: Life on the Reservation is changing. The old ways are being replaced with the new. The myths and religions of the Apache are now just decoration for the casinos and anything to make money.
2/ Mid-shot of the same Apache man. This is Neal Proudstar, future father of John and James Proudstar (Thunderbird and Warpath of The X-Men). He should resemble his kids and have a strong, handsome Native American face. He is gazing up at the sky.
CAPTION: I don’t know what the future holds, but I feel as if I am destined to do something greater than just living here and showing rich tourists from Scottsdale how we used to live for a buck.
3/ Neal is turning the corner and we see the exterior of a slightly run-down single-story house and we should see a side window. There is a man, all in black with a hoodie climbing out of the window and we should see him carrying a white cloth bundle cradled in his arm. This is Big Owl in his human form. Neal’s view should be obscured, but like in a half a second he’ll see what’s going on.
CAPTION: I can’t shake the feeling I was put on this Earth to make a difference.
4/ Neil has noticed the figure climbing out of the window and is reacting in a defensive way.
NEIL: HEY! What are you doing?
Page Two
1/ Small panel. Close-up of Big Owl and his hoodie showing his glowing yellow owl-eyes as he is looking up at Neil, who is not in frame. His features should mostly be occluded, but they are mostly human other than his eyes. The viewer should not get a clear picture of whether this is just some freak with contacts or something more supernatural.
2/Small panel. Close-up of Neil, a shocked look on his face.
NEIL: What the-
3/ Small panel. Close-up of what Big Owl has cradled in his arm. It is a female Native American baby, crying.
BABY: WAHHHH!
4/ Shot is from behind, Neil is leaping at Big Owl, who is taken off-guard and should be leaning back, the baby exposed.
NEIL: Give me that baby!
5/ Neil has the baby and is crouched on one knee after knocking Big Owl down and taking the baby. Big Owl should be on his back.
Page Three
1/ Big Owl should now be standing in front on Neil and the baby. Neil should still be down on one knee. Big Owl should be a huge looming figure, yellow eyes burning and glowing.
BIG OWL: How DARE you interfere with my work!
BIG OWL: I’m going to enjoy making you pay for this!
NEIL: There is no way you are getting this baby!
2/ From the front porch of the house, we see an adult man holding a shotgun, an adult woman who is crying and a very attractive 17-18-year-old girl. They are all Native American and in various forms of pajamas. The girl should be in something cute or slightly sexy looking as this is Maria who Neil will meet later.
MOTHER: My baby! MY BABY!
MOTHER: He stole my BABY!!
3/ Big Owl is looking over his shoulder towards the oncoming people and Neil and the baby are still on the ground.
BIG OWL: NO! Not like this!
4/ Some cool effect showing Big Owl shape-shifting into a large grey owl with yellow eyes and flying away with Neil somewhere in the frame watching this, frozen, unable to move.
BIG OWL: This isn’t over!
5/ The family has shown up, the father angrily pointing the shotgun at Neil who is still on the ground with the baby in one arm and the other arm out in a defensive “stop” pose. The rest of the family is gathered around the angry father.
NEIL: Wait! There’s been a misunderstanding!
Page Four
1/ Mid-Close-Up of Neil, holding the baby out towards us.
NEIL: There was this guy that climbed out of your window with the baby!
NEIL: It wasn’t m-
2/ The Mother is grabbing the baby out of Neil’s arms, pushing him out of the way.
MOTHER: Nascha! My little girl!
3/ The father of the child is still pointing the shotgun at Neil, but the Mother is in front of Neil.
FATHER: Is this the one that stole Nascha from us, Natalia?
MOTHER: No! This is no bogeyman!
MOTHER: I saw his yellow eyes in Nascha’s room, but there was nothing I could do!
MOTHER: This young man must’ve stopped him!
4/ The father and mother are hugging Neil with the baby at the center.
FATHER: You saved our little girl, young man, the rest of the tribe must know!
Page Five
1/ Wide shot of the Reservation Cultural Center all lit up.
CAPTION: Word spread quickly about what I did.
CAPTION: As crazy as it sounds, there was no doubt about who or what I had met last night.
2/ Neil is surrounded by elderly Native American Men. They are dressed in modern clothes, but you should get a sense of wisdom about them.
CAPTION: The elders gathered and spoke to me at great length about who I fought with.
CAPTION: It was Big Owl. This bogeyman of legend who steals children out of the night... He is real.
3/ Interior of the Cultural Center. People are gathered around Neil, shaking his hand, another with a hand on his shoulder, etc. They are looking at him like he is a hero and with adoration. Neil should look happy, and a slightly embarrassed.
CAPTION: The baby’s family insisted on throwing this party for me, celebrating me saving Nascha from Big Owl. It seems like the whole town showed up.
4/ Neil sitting at a table with the baby’s family. The mother should be holding baby Nascha, and the father should have his hand on Neil’s shoulder. The eldest girl, Maria should be dressed very nicely, and is making eye contact with Neil. This is the tease for the next page where Neil and Maria meet. Neil should be making eye contact back with Maria with a smile on his face.
CAPTION: It’s kind of overwhelming having all this attention, but for once I feel like I made a difference, and that I can see the future looking a little brighter for me.
5-6/ Two small panels that are close-ups of Neil and Maria’s faces, showing that there is a spark happening between them.
Page Six
1/ Neil and Maria have found a quiet corner of the Cultural Center and are standing, talking to one another. Neil should have his hands jammed into his pockets or something and Maria could be shifting on her feet nervously.
CAPTION: Later.
NEIL: So, how’s your little sister?
MARIA: She’s fine. I think she actually slept better than any of us last night.
2/ Close-up of the two of them. Maria’s face with a look of admiration and a slightly flirty like tucking her hair behind her ear or something and Neil should have a slightly nervous joking look.
MARIA: You know, it’s pretty brave what you did. My mom can’t stop talking about how frightening Big Owl was when she saw him in Nascha’s room. She was SO scared of him.
MARIA: But when I saw you that night, you didn’t look scared at all.
NEIL: Oh, yeah? Well, I was pretty sure your Dad was going to shoot me, so I can only imagine what I looked like.
3/ Maria should be biting her lip and Neil should have his eyes wide in reaction to what she says.
MARIA: To be honest-
MARIA: I thought you looked -
4/ Maria has her arms around Neil’s neck and is giving him a kiss on the lips.
Page Seven
1/ Neil walking in the street at night, much like we had on our opening page, but this time a big smile on his face.
CAPTION: I can’t believe she kissed me, and I can’t believe we sat and talked for so long, but even more than that, I can’t believe what an amazing girl she is.
CAPTION: She has all these plans of what to do in life, and it really got me thinking.
2/ Neil at the front door of his place opening it and walking in. The front porch light is on, and it is a modest, small, kind of run down place single story house.
CAPTION: Even though my Mom and Dad are gone, after what happened last night, I think there is something for me now. A purpose.
CAPTION: And who knows, maybe Maria is part of it.
3/ Neil now in his bedroom and only lit by the moonlight. He should be standing, kicking off his shoes, taking off his coat, shirt, etc. getting ready for bed.
CAPTION: I don’t know, maybe I’m rushing it, but for once I feel like –
4/ Same shot, Neil should be in his socks, and maybe no shirt on, but behind him is the large dark figure of Big Owl, with bright yellow eyes in the dark.
NEIL: - like I’m being watched!
Page Eight
1/ Neil has turned and is taking a swing at Big Owl, but now we can see Big Owl more clearly. He is morphed somewhere in-between Owl and Man and easily avoids the punch.
BIG OWL: Pathetic. You will not catch me off guard again.
2/ Big Owl now has Neil in a choke-hold with one hand, holding him off of the ground.
BIG OWL: No one has ever interfered with my work before.
NEIL (struggling): I’m-
NEIL: -not afraid
NEIL: to fight YOU!
3/ Big Owl has thrown Neil across the room into a wall.
NEIL: NGUHH!
BIG OWL: You are no match for me, human.
4/ Neil has gotten back up, propped up against the wall, visibly shaken, but not frightened.
NEIL: I won’t let you take that little girl again.
Page Nine
1/ Wider shot of the room with Big Owl laughing, Neil still against the wall.
BIG OWL: No, no, it’s not the girl I want now. Those are just games I like to play with your people.
BIG OWL: To keep them afraid of the bogeyman.
2/ Closer shot of Big Owl’s face, angrier and his human form is changing even more to a demonic look.
BIG OWL: I feed off the fear.
3/ Similar shot, now Big Owl licking his lips, but even less human looking.
BIG OWL: The taste of fear of that mother when I took her baby-
BIG OWL: It was DELICIOUS!
4/ Big Owl has walked closer to Neil, who is still against the wall.
BIG OWL: But now I do wonder-
BIG OWL: What can I do to you?
Page Ten
1/ Big Owl has quickly closed the gap between he and Neil, now within inches of Neils face. Big Owl should be even more demonic and inhuman looking. Neil should look frightened now, but trying to be brave.
BIG OWL: Ahhh, yes. I sense what is in your future.
BIG OWL: The girl.
NEIL: You leave her alone!
2/ Big Owl once again lifts Neil up, but now he’s holding him against the wall.
BIG OWL: No, no, that’s not what is going to happen, my dear, little human.
BIG OWL: I know what you desire, and what you wish for...
NEIL: What do you mean?
3/ Big Owl has dropped Neil again and Neil is on his knees against the wall and Big Owl has turned and is walking towards the window, but is looking back at him.
BIG OWL: And you will get your wish. You will marry her, this Maria.
BIG OWL: And you will have two sons who will do brave, heroic things.
BIG OWL: One will even save the world.
BIG OWL: But he will die, doing so. And the other will try to live in his shadow.
4/ Big Owl is at the window, half-way out and looking back at Neil.
BIG OWL: And Maria will never forgive you for losing them both.
BIG OWL: I will spend many years feeding off of your fear…and your grief.
5/ Mid-close-up of Neil against the wall, bathed in moonlight, a shocked and defeated look on his face, the window open and just two yellow eyes in the black.
BIG OWL: After I leave, you will not remember any of this, but you will have a nagging fear of what’s to become in the future.
BIG OWL: And I will relish every day of this, Neil Proudstar.