Tack

INT. FIRE NATION DERELICT – DAY

WIDE ON: SOKKA walks into a room and tries to read the labels of some boxes on there, but it is too dark for him to see the labels. He pulls a small pack of matches out of his pocket and takes one out. It takes several strikes, but he finally manages to light it. He then sticks it to a torch, and almost unwittingly drops the match on the floor.

CLOSE ON: The match falls to the floor, accidentally igniting an old fuse.

ANGLE ON: SOKKA leans in closer with his torch to read the printing on the crates.

INTERCUT: The fuse burns, ever so slowly making its way to the boxes.

SOKKA eventually wipes the ice off of one of the crates, and his eyes bug out as he sees what they say. He then turns to see the fuse, making its way to the boxes.

ANGLE ON: SOKKA rushes out of the room.

ANGLE ON: SOKKA dashes through the hallway, and runs into KATARA, who’s holding a couple of bags.

KATARA

Oh! Look what I found-

SOKKA

That’s nice. Now let’s get out of here.

KATARA

What’s wrong?

SOKKA

I’ll tell you later. Just hurry!

He grabs KATARA’s arm and leads her away, causing her to drop the bags.

CLOSE ON: The fuse nearly finds its mark.

EXT. FIRE NATION DERELICT – DAY

WIDE ON: SOKKA rushes with KATARA out of the SHIP.

ANGLE ON: He rushes her over to a snow mound and pushes her behind it, before joining her. He peaks over the edge.

INT. FIRE NATION DERELICT – SUPPLY ROOM - DAY

CLOSE ON: The fire finally meets its target; a load of gunpowder.

EXT. ICE PLAIN – DAY

WIDE ON: The ship suddenly bursts in a spectacular explosion, with debris being scattered and the very hulk of the ship being torn to shreds.

CLOSE ON: KATARA and SOKKA duck behind the snow mound to avoid flying debris.

EXT. ZUKO’S SHIP – MAIN DECK – DAY

MEDIUM ON: ÏROH is taking a sip of tea. Upon hearing the rumbling of the explosion in the distance, he hesitates for a moment. He disregards it and resumes his tea.

EXT. ICE PLAIN – DAY

WIDE ON: The explosions begin to die down, and some of the larger debris begins to sink down into the hole left by the ship’s absence. Various bits of metal no bigger than a foot are scattered around the large pool of water.

ANGLE ON: SOKKA and KATARA peak over their snow mound and see the ship’s absence. The both lean on their elbows as KATARA gives a suspicious and angry glance in SÔKKA’s direction. SOKKA then leaps over the ice-mound to go look into the hole. KATARA groans and follows him.

ANGLE ON: SOKKA looks into the water, seeing if there’s anything to salvage. KATARA arrives behind him. He then squints his eyes as he leans forward.

KATARA

What did you do?

SOKKA

Sssh… Look at that. What is that?

KATARA leans forward.

INT. FIRE NATION DERELICT – DAY

WIDE ON: SOKKA and KATARA enter the ship’s dark hallways, and start down one corridor. SOKKA grips KATARA’s hand the whole way.

MONTAGE: The two look through many rooms and hallways, seeing many different sights, including skeletons and different pieces of weaponry.

MEDIUM ON: They come to one room, and SOKKA chooses to survey around them while KATARA looks in the room. She screams softly and pushes up against the wall, hyperventilating.

ANGLE ON: SOKKA puts his hands on her shoulders as he looks in the room.

ANGLE ON: Several skeletons and instruments of torture line the walls and floor.

BACK TO: SOKKA turns back to KATARA, who’s breathing heavily and whimpering.

SOKKA

(hushed)

Katara, calm down.

ANGLE ON: KATARA looks at SOKKA.

KATARA

I saw her… She’s there…

                         SOKKA

No, she’s not. They’re all flamers. I promise you.

SOKKA grips her hand. KATARA starts breathing normally again, and swallows.

SOKKA

Come on, let’s get out of here.

KATARA

No. Let’s see what we can find.

MONTAGE: KATARA and SOKKA trek across their home, following the tracks carefully as they go. They pass rivers, glaciers, ice plains, and various common sights for them.

MEDIUM ON: SOKKA eventually reaches the end of the tracks, and is shocked to see that they abruptly stop, with no lead to a pack. He squats down and attempts to read them.

SOKKA

It’s impossible! How can they just end!?

WIDE ON: KATARA looks around for signs of an animal pack around, but stops cold as she stares at something off-screen.

           SOKKA

Well, sorry for dragging you all the way out here for nothing…

SÔKKA tilts his head up when there is no answer.

SOKKA

Katara?

He sees her staring off and gets up to see what she’s staring at, and his eyes nearly bulge when he sees it.

ANGLE ON: A FIRE NATION ship, shrouded in ice and surrounded by a glacier, is seen in the distance away from them.

ANGLE ON: SOKKA grins and starts toward it.

SOKKA

Jackpot!

KATARA

(frightened)

Where are you going?

SÔKKA turns back around to face her.

SOKKA

That thing’s got to be chock full of supplies. I’m going to go check it out.

KATARA

We can’t go there! What if it’s still-?

SOKKA

Look at it. It’s deserted. We’ll be fine.

He starts off back toward the ship.

CLOSE ON: KATARA deliberates for a second but chooses to follow.

EXT. FIRE NATION DERELICT - DAY

WIDE ON: SOKKA arrives at the entrance of the ship, and admires it for a second. He looks behind him to see KATARA pursuing him.

MEDIUM ON: He starts to climb up the ice to the ship. He enters an open porthole before checking behind him.

ANGLE ON: KATARA looks up at the ship in a daze.

SOKKA

Come on!

CLOSE ON: KATARA looks up to him and shakes her head.

KATARA

I’m staying out here.

CLOSE ON: SOKKA sighs and crawls out of the entrance a bit.

SOKKA

Look, you’ll be safer in here with me than you will be alone out here. Come on!

KATARA

Are you sure?

SOKKA

I made a promise to keep you safe, didn’t I?

MEDIUM ON: KATARA reluctantly begins to climb up the side of the ship. She nearly slips, but SOKKA grabs her hand and pulls her up the rest of the way. 

EXT. SOUTHERN WATER TRIBE – DAY

WIDE ON: A plain of water moves gently as we pan across it.

We land on a girl, KATARA, practicing a Tai Chi-like form by the side of a lake. She concentrates hard, but is unable to move the water.

CLOSE ON: KATARA once again extends her arms in an attempt to move the water in the lake. She grits her teeth, but once again holds her arm out.

WIDE ON: A small blob of water comes out of the ocean, and KATARA grins. She forms it into a stream and moves it around herself in an intricate formation.

SOKKA (O.S.)

What are you doing?

She gasps and whips around, taking the water stream with her. A loud grunt is heard off-screen. She then clutches her arms to her side as she looks toward the source of the noise.

MEDIUM ON: A seventeen-year-old boy, SOKKA, stands perfectly still, eyes clamped shut and water dripping from his face. He eventually opens his and gives a loud groan.

KATARA

(shocked)

Sokka!

ANGLE: KATARA rushes to SOKKA’S aid, a rag in her hand.

KATARA (CONT’D)

I’m so sorry.

SOKKA

Every time…

KATARA pats his face with the rag.

SOKKA

Five colds in the last month, and not in a conducive climate, mind you!

KATARA

Look, I said I was sorry.

               SOKKA
Can’t you just keep that nonsense to yourself?

CLOSE ON: KATARA bites her lip in anger.

KATARA

It’s not nonsense, it’s called waterbending-

SOKKA

You know what I meant.

CLOSE ON: SOKKA

SOKKA (CONT’D)

I’ve told you not to practice it out in the open like that. It’s dangerous to everyone here, especially to you!

KATARA

I’m not endangering anyone.

SOKKA

Let’s see what you say when the patrol shows up.

KATARA

Oh, will you calm down? They haven’t been here in years.

SOKKA

Care to remember what happened last time they were?

MEDIUM ON: KATARA glares at him, her expression turning from anger to sadness. SOKKA sighs and attempts to repent.

SOKKA

Don’t look at me like that.

KATARA

Like what?

SOKKA

Like I don’t miss her too.

KATARA sighs and gives a small reassuring smile to him.

SOKKA

All right, well. I’ve been calling you for a while. I spotted some tracks leading off that way. I was wondering if you didn’t want to come along.

KATARA nods, and then starts off with him.

INT. FIRE NATION – DUEL STAGE – DAY

WIDE ON: A figure obscured by fire stands over a scrawny child, kneeling on the floor. 

OZAI (V.O.)

You have spoken out of turn, Prince Zuko.

CLOSE ON: The child, ZUKO, stares at his father standing above him, terrified for himself.

ZUKO

(frightened)

I know… I’m sorry, father. I didn’t mean to.

OZAI (V.O.) (CONT’D)

You must now fight for yourself, my son. To regain your honor.

MEDIUM ON: ZUKO gets to his feet and attempts to hold his fists up.

ZUKO

You planned to kill innocent people. I had to say something! I meant you no disrespect.

Then figure walks toward him, and ZUKO lets his hands down.

ZUKO (CONT’D)

I can’t fight you. There must be another way.

The figure walks toward him, at first not saying anything.

ZUKO

(weepy)

Please… I don’t want to fight you, father.

CLOSE ON: ZUKO stares at his father, his eyes welling up.

OZAI

If you will not fight, then you will learn. And this shall be your lesson.

MEDIUM ON: OZAI casts fire at the screen a sharp cry is heard.

INT. ZUKO’S QUARTERS – MORNING

CLOSE ON: The eyes of ZUKO, who is now several years older, awaken after a particularly bad dream. As he turns over, we see that a large burn occupies most of his face.

CUT TO:

EXT. FIRE NATION SHIP – TRAINING DECK – DAY

WIDE ON: ZUKO faces several soldiers as well as a few machines. One lunges at him and he deflects it, while also blasting fire at another soldier. He leaps up from his spot to avoid another attack.

ANGLES ON: ZUKO widens his eyes as he ducks another fire blast. He chops another soldier and throws him into a mat, before turning to another. He stops another hand from hitting him and kicks him down.

ANGLES ON: Another soldier gets up and chases him to another fighting mat. The two share a long exchange of moves, until the soldier catches ZUKO off balance and ZUKO goes tumbling down.

ANGLE ON: ÏROH comes rushing to ZUKO’s aid, but ZUKO gets up on his own and brushes himself off, before motioning the victor away. He turns to ÏROH.

ÏROH

That was better. You’re still working from the brawn, however. Not the breath. And anger is your sole drive. Serenity provides control, but anger lets one lose a grip on it. 

ZUKO

What do you propose I do about it?

ÏROH

Perhaps you should take up meditation. I find it relaxes the mind in times of unrest.

ZUKO looks to ÏROH.

                          ÏROH

Take, half an hour. Then we’ll 

begin again.

INT. FIRE NATION - THRONE ROOM – DAY

WIDE ON: SOZIN leads forward on his throne, elderly and sickly looking, as the ASSAULT GENERAL approaches the throne.

SOZIN

Well?

ASSAULT GENERAL

It is done, my lord.

CLOSE ON: SOZIN is unconvinced, and leans further forward.

SOZIN

What did he look like?

MEDIUM ON: The general looks confused by his question.

ASSAULT GENERAL

He was near your age, sir. I’d guess about eighty.

CLOSE ON: SOZIN closes his eyes, and sighs.

ASSAULT GENERAL

Is something wrong, my lord?

SOZIN

The next Avatar was only born as Roku died. He should have been a child.

MEDIUM ON: The ASSAULT GENERAL gasps and hangs his mouth open, looking for words to say.

ASSAULT GENERAL

My apologies, my lord.

SOZIN stands up from his throne, and walks down toward the general. He sneers at the man, before casting enough fire at him to vaporize him where he stands.

CLOSE ON: SOZIN catches his breath, and turns to an advisor.

SOZIN

Eradicate them all. Let none escape!

EXT. ANTARCTIC – DAY

A storm rages on above in the sky, with harsh winds and constant thunder.

CLOSE ON: AANG holds on to APPA’s reins as the winds buck them both about. He yells.

WIDE ON: The two crash into the waves, as AANG struggles to bring APPA out of the water. He manages, but they crash back into the water, and are unable to get out.

CLOSE ON: AANG drifts down, his eyes closing and his mouth drifting open. All of the sudden, his eyes open. They’re glowing white, as are the arrow markings donning his head.

WIDE ON: AANG slams his hands together, creating an ice shell around him and APPA.

CLOSE ON: AANG’s eyes close and his glow diminishes.

EXT. SOUTHERN AIR TEMPLE – DAY

MONTAGE: FIREBENDERS barrage the temple. Pillars burn, AIRBENDERS and FIREBENDERS duel, and tanks run up the hill to the temple.

WIDE ON: A general and several soldiers burst through the temple doors and lead themselves down the hallway. They hear shuffling, and turn to see GYATSO opposing them with his arms extended. The soldiers attempt to bend fire at him, but GYATSO deflects their attack, now starting to perspire a bit.

ASSAULT GENERAL

What is your name?

GYATSO

Gyatso.

CLOSE ON: The ASSAULT GENERAL holds his men back from attacking.

ASSAULT GENERAL

You. Where is the Avatar? Tell us and we’ll stop our attack.

CLOSE ON: GYATSO breathes heavily as he looks over the men. He is thinking of what to say.

ASSAULT GENERAL (O.S.)

Well, man?

He falters, but manages to speak.

GYATSO

I… am the Avatar.

PAN TO THE ASSAULT GENERAL

He grins.

CLOSE ON: GYATSO

GYATSO

And I offer myself as prisoner.

ANGLE ON: The GENERAL lets his men past him.

MEDIUM ON: MONK GYATSO prepares to defend himself.

ASSAULT GENERAL

I’m afraid that Sozin won’t be accepting prisoners today.

CLOSE ON: The soldiers bend fire at the screen, and the screen flashes white.

INT. SOUTHERN AIR TEMPLE - AANG’s ROOM - NIGHT

WIDE ON: A dark child’s room is shown, with the sounds of scuffling and frantic panting heard. A figure in a brown cloak is seen pacing back and forth, leaving something on a table before rushing out of the door.

INT. SOUTHERN AIR TEMPLE - COUNCIL CHAMBERS - NIGHT

WIDE ON: Another man, Gyatso, enters a large chamber, with seven men seated on large thrones before him. He has a letter in his hands, and is clearly quite distraught by something.

GYATSO

My friends, I have news.

TASHI

As do we, Gyatso.

MEDIUM ON: TASHI leans forward to speak.

TASHI

We’ve received news from the Eastern Air Temple. The attacks are growing stronger. They say the Western Temple has been eradicated completely.

CLOSE ON: MONK GYATSO turns shocked at the news he hears.

INT. SOUTHERN AIR TEMPLE - HALL - NIGHT

WIDE ON: The child, cloaked, sneaks down a wall, but disappears back behind it when he sees two monks coming down the hallway. He waits until they have passed, and continues down his way.

TASHI (V.O.)

If we have any hope of Aáng completing his training, we must remove him safely from the temple. He can resume elsewhere.

INT. SOUTHERN AIR TEMPLE - COUNCIL CHAMBERS - NIGHT

CLOSE ON: GYATSO stressfully hangs his head before answering.

GYATSO

My friends, Aáng is no longer with us. He has run away.

PASANG

What?!

MEDIUM ON: The elders begin, in panic, to discuss amongst themselves.

GYATSO

It’s my fault.

GYATSO’s comment breaks the noise, as the elders’ eyes fall on him.

CLOSE ON: GYATSO holds up the letter and unrolls it, displaying it to the others.

GYATSO

I should never have submitted to his finding out at this time. You saw his performance at the presentation. He’s not ready for the responsibility.

EXT. SOUTHERN AIR TEMPLE - BISON PEN – NIGHT

WIDE ON: AÁNG sneaks into a pen where the sky-bison are kept.

MEDIUM ON: AÁNG pulls back his hood to reveal his face, and finds one of the bison in the pen. It begins to growl. AÁNG tries to shush it.

AÁNG

(hushed)

Hey! Take it easy, Appa. It’s me, Aáng.

The creature lets out a content sigh.

AÁNG (CONT’D)

Listen, you’re coming on a little trip with me. All right?

He then starts to mount the creature.

INT. SOUTHERN AIR TEMPLE – COUNCIL CHAMBER – NIGHT

MEDIUM ON: GYATSO and the councilmen are both seen in profile.

PASANG

(furious)

You fool! The Fire Nation is coming, Gyatso! Aáng would have been the first they’d have suspected.

GYATSO

All the better that he escaped, then-

CLOSE ON: PASANG grows furious and points his finger to GYATSO.

PASANG

You don’t understand! Had he remained here, we could have hidden him, protected him! Now, there is no way to guarantee his safety.

CLOSE ON: The impact of the news hits MONK GYATSO, and he almost seems to mouth ‘What have I done?’ to himself.

EXT. SOUTHERN AIR TEMPLE – BISON PEN – NIGHT

WIDE ON: AÁNG is now seated atop APPA, and begins to grip the reins.

AÁNG

Appa, yip-yip!

APPA begins to hover off of the ground, as AÁNG grips his reins tightly.

MEDIUM ON: GYATSO rushes out of the temple to see AÁNG leaving. He yells and rushes after him.

CLOSE ON: AÁNG sees GYATSO, but snaps the reins and APPA speeds away from the temple.

CLOSE ON: GYATSO pitifully watches AÁNG fly away. He mouths a ‘good-bye’.

INT. SOUTHERN AIR TEMPLE – COUNCIL CHAMBER – NIGHT

CLOSE ON: GYATSO falters as he looks for words to say.

GYATSO

What do we do now?

CLOSE ON: PASANG has great grief on his face.

PASANG

Whatever we can.

EXT. – SKY – NIGHT

CLOSE ON: AANG clearly has much regret about what he has done, but keeps flying.

WIDE ON: APPA disappears into the night sky.

EXT. FIRE NATION - DAYBREAK.

WIDE ON: SOZIN surveys a large army, backed by large FIRE NATION ships.

CLOSE ON: SOZIN looks to the sky.

ANGLE ON: A comet streaks through the sky and turns the sky red.

ANGLE ON: SOZIN turns his eyes back to the army. He holds his hands out in front of him, conjuring a large stream of fire in his hands and throwing it towards the camera.

Has anyone seen this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agcc7w8YmHo

Amazing how much it works, ain't it?

AntcuFaalb said:

Reegar said:

AntcuFaalb said:

ANH: 8

TESB: 8

ROTJ: 9

I wish to understand.

I'm biased by the fact that ROTJ is my favorite SW film.

... and The Last Crusade is my favorite Indiana Jones film.

Interestingly enough, Back to the Future II is my favorite of that trilogy.

My ratings are based on the amount of excitement I feel before hitting play. They're also based on how happy I am when the credits start to roll.

I watch movies/TV for the characters first and the storytelling second. This might explain why I only recently noticed the lack of creativity in the aliens of ST:TNG.

Ditto on Last Crusade.

The timing reminds of the old trailers on the 2004 discs. Me likey!

Same.

Has anyone seen these? It's scary how much they work.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agcc7w8YmHo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbiQJp-gPQk

^Skip to :30 on this one.

fishmanlee said:

TPM, The Lost World: Jurassic Park, and The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey would like a word with you. ;)

No, I stand by that AOTC is still the worst, especially since some movies have been made even worse than that, and yet can have GREAT soundtracks (The Last Airbender, anyone?)

Oh yeah, I forgot about that.

Williams scored the opening section with the monsters and nothing else. They replaced his music with a terrible congealing of tracks from elsewhere and from TPM.

I'm not kidding when I say that AOTC has one of the worst soundtracks I've ever heard, in terms of how much is repeated.

Reegar said:

Tack said:

There appears to be handful of scenes that were scored, and then subsequently cut. These are some of them, I think.

SW:

-The rear-projection landspeeder was scored, and only the tail end appears in the final film.

-I think a couple of shots of the final battle were slightly longer originally.

ESB:

?

ROTJ;

-The original opening (fully completed actually.)

-Luke's jump to the rancor pit.

-A short montage of Death Star scenes before the Emperor's arrival (the music cut is fairly obvious here.)

Does this have anything to do with the extended Battle of Yavin that Adywan implemented? I wouldn't know, I downloaded the Purist version.

No, there's a couple of notes that were cut down (I believe we noticed this while analyzing the mono mix) which I think means that the opening somersault shot was a bit longer originally. Adywan constructed his own shots and used ESB music to fill the gaps.

@Possessed

I wouldn't doubt that that whole sub-plot was a post production add on. AOTC and ROTS both were somehow made worse in editing, AOTC made even worse by the constant RESHOOTS!

Davnes007 said:

Yes, they would have.

Well surely we're beyond criticizing other people's-

...you know what, I'll shut up now.

Where are the free cats?

OK, maybe that was a bit too harsh on my part. You're entitled to your opinion, but frankly most of us like a good deal of the EU. Not to mention you state it as fact rather than just say "I don't like the EU very much". No one would've complained about that.

DuracellEnergizer said:

Eh, there's nothing wrong with enjoying Dark Empire. Thinking it's an example of stellar writing, on the other hand ...

Eh, I thought it was an interesting art-style and had some cool action scenes. Not the best writing ever, but Star Wars has seen far worse.

There appears to be handful of scenes that were scored, and then subsequently cut. These are some of them, I think.

SW:

-The rear-projection landspeeder was scored, and only the tail end appears in the final film.

-I think a couple of shots of the final battle were slightly longer originally.

ESB:

?

ROTJ;

-The original opening (fully completed actually.)

-Luke’s jump to the rancor pit.

-A short montage of Death Star scenes before the Emperor’s arrival (the music cut is fairly obvious here.)

IMICO

In My Incredibly Controversial Opinion

This coming from a guy who actually enjoyed Dark Empire.

You might have better luck using the whole "Steady, Rogue 3" line from the audio drama. The current edit is a bit jarring. Unlike the "Blast it, Wedge" line from ANH, this is two very different deliveries we're talking about.

*cough*self-promotion*cough*

http://originaltrilogy.com/forum/topic.cfm/Avatar-The-Last-Airbender-A-Film-Screenplay/post/670811/#TopicPost670811