by Ian Doescher
—’Twill be fun. 235
[Rogers steps back. Romanoff runs toward him and jumps at his shield, which he lifts to send her toward a flying Chitauri.
The flying enemy I’ve caught, yet still
Must clutch and grasp my way to its controls!
[She subdues the Chitauri piloting the vehicle.
Now turn—O, not so swiftly! Flying this
Is ’mongst the loftiest deeds e’er I’ve done!
STARK
I come beside thee, and shall guide thy way! 240
BARTON
In teamwork have we come, at last, together,
Like perfect flight of birds in V-formation.
[Thor joins Hulk, smashing the leviathan to bits.
THOR
The Hulk and I work on the monstrous beast,
And tear it part from part and piece from piece.
The mighty mass asunder comes, and dies 245
Whilst crashing through Grand Central Terminal.
We two, who once did clash, have bravely fought—
[Thor is silenced as Hulk hits him to settle their grudge, knocking him aside.
SELVIG
[coming to his senses:] Alack, what have I done? Where
am I? O!
BARTON
[into radio:] Good Captain, there’s a bank at
Forty-second—
Not far from where thou art, as flies the crow— 250
Where many innocents are trapp’d inside.
ROGERS
I’ll hie me thither with unceasing haste.
[Aside:] Unto the bank I speed, to help the people.
Chitauri I espy, most threatening—
One hath a bomb, which he would soon unleash 255
Upon those rooted underneath. Nay, fiend!
Feel thou my wrath! [To citizens:] Ye people, run for shelter!
[He subdues the Chitauri and holds his shield up against the bomb’s blast, which knocks him back out onto the street.
My body grows fatigued with this dispute—
Since, after all, I’m but an older man.
[Police officers lead the civilians away from the building.
WOMAN
He saved us! That strong man in suit of blue! 260
ENTER NICK FURY AND MEMBERS OF THE WORLD SECURITY COUNCIL ABOVE, ON BALCONY.
MEMBER 2
Director, we have our decision made.
FURY
I recognize the council is decided,
But giv’n ye make a stupid-arse decision,
I am decided to ignore your nonsense.
MEMBER 1
Director, you are closer than our subs. 265
Pray, scramble now your jet—
FURY
—Nay, ’tis Manhattan,
The island where eight million people dwell,
The pride of all America thereon.
In New York you can be a newfound man—
The greatest city in the world, some say. 270
Until I certain am my team shall fail,
No strike of power nuclear I’ll send
Upon our own civilian population.
MEMBER 1
If we hold not these fatal forces back,
We shall lose ev’rything. Wouldst have it so? 275
FURY
If I so order, we already have.
[Exeunt Nick Fury and council members. Loki begins chasing Romanoff.
ROMANOFF
[aside:] ’Tis thee, thou villain born in shadow’s depths.
[Into radio:] Hawkeye?
BARTON
[into radio:] —Natasha, what attemptest thou,
As thou upon our rival’s vessel mount’st,
Ascending on the borrow’d wings of foes? 280
ROMANOFF
[into radio:] I need thine aid—the bleak one chaseth me.
BARTON
[into radio:] Within my sights I have him—arrow, dive!
[Barton shoots at Loki, who catches the arrow.
LOKI
Yea, thou hast tried, but Loki doth succeed—
[The arrow tip explodes and Loki is blown off of his vehicle, onto Stark Tower near Stark’s residence. Hulk engages him there.
HULK
Rawr!
LOKI
—’Tis enow! You all are far beneath me!
I stand o’er you—a god!—thou creature dull. 285
And I shall not be silent whilst thou bully—
[Hulk grabs Loki by the legs and repeatedly smashes him from side to side.
HULK
A puny god.
[Romanoff jumps from her vehicle onto the top of the tower, near Selvig.
ROMANOFF
—Unto the tower’s top,
Whereon the Cube and its dark pow’r await.
There must some answer be to silence it—
I know not where is that Promethean heat 290
That can destroy this mighty Tesseract.
SELVIG
The scepter!
ROMANOFF
—Doctor, art thou well again,
Returnèd from the dark and awful place?
SELVIG
’Tis Loki’s scepter—th’energy thereof!
The Tesseract cannot defend ’gainst it, 295
One cannot fight, you see, with one’s own self,
A house divided quickly tumbles down.
ROMANOFF
’Tis not thy fault—thou wert in madness shrouded
And knew not what thou didst.
SELVIG
—Methinks I did.
A safeguard I included that would cut 300
Their power source.
ROMANOFF
—E’en Loki’s scepter dreary!
SELVIG
It may contain the pow’r to close the portal.
Behold! I see it there, beneath us now.
[Romanoff begins climbing down to the lower level of the roof to retrieve Loki’s scepter. Stark engages the final leviathan.
JARVIS
Sir, heed: thy suit shall lose all charge ere thou
Canst penetrate its shell.
STARK
[aside:] —Imagin’d I 305
Ne’er such a monstrous, mighty beast as this.
It smasheth buildings like they were mere blocks
And it a toddler, thrashing them to bits.
The devastation it doth wreak is vast.
Pray, JARVIS, knowest thou the tale of Jonah? 310
JARVIS
’Tis not a model I would emulate.
STARK
I shall, with shouts of thanks, make sacrifice,
And what I did once vow I shall make good!
[Stark flies inside the leviathan’s mouth, setting off bombs inside, and then flies out, tumbling to the ground. The leviathan falls, dead. Stark is immediately surrounded by Chitauri.
BARTON
The fight is pressing, just as my supply
Of darts runs out, like water from a drain. 315
Jump now, and hatch a swift escape anon!
[Barton jumps from his perch, fires an arrow connected to a rope, and swings inside a nearby building.
STARK
It seems our situation bleaker grows—
The Hulk is dogg’d by legions of Chitauri,
Who spray their weapons on him from above.
I have been near defeated by these things— 320
This is the darkest hour of the Avengers!
ENTER WORLD SECURITY COUNCIL MEMBER 2 WITH PILOT 2, ON BALCONY. ENTER NICK FURY AND MARIA HILL ON BALCONY, SEVERALLY.
MEMBER 2
[to pilot:] Director Fury holds no more command.
We authorize the hasty override
Of order seven-alpha-one-one—go!
PILOT 2
This seven-alpha-one-one is confirm’d— 325
I shall take off, and strike the target, ma’am.
[Exit Member 2 as Pilot 2 begins preparations in his plane.
HILL
A jet flies into motion, sir. All station’d
Upon the deck, a rogue bird doth commence,
And we must shut it down ere it can fly!
Repeat: its takeoff is unauthoriz’d. 330
[Exit Maria Hill. Fury runs in haste to the deck, acquiring a rocket launcher on his way.
FURY
Ne’er did I think I’d see the horrid day
When I’d take arms against a sea of troubles
And, by opposing, end them—never when
Those troubles were the soldiers under me.
I fire upon my ally in dismay, 335
I fire to keep the jet from grievous ill,
I fire to give the strong Avengers time,
I fire in hope of ev’rything I stand for!
[Fury fires at Pilot 2’s plane as it prepares to take off, damaging it so it cannot fly. Exit Pilot 2. Another plane flies off freely.
Alack, one jet is finish’d but another
Hath flown ere I can stop it—fie upon’t! 340
[Into radio:] Stark, canst thou hear? A missile nuclear
Approacheth the blind city speedily.
[Stark continues to battle Chitauri.
STARK
[into radio:] It never ends—how long?
FURY
—Three minutes, mayhap.
STARK
I prithee, JARVIS, our remaining pow’r
Give to the thrusters.
JARVIS
—As thou speak’st, ’tis done. 345
[Stark flies away toward the missile. Rogers and Thor battle many Chitauri, and Rogers is wounded by a shot.
THOR
Stand’st thou preparèd for another bout?
ROGERS
Wouldst take a nap? This could I do all day.
[Thor smiles. Romanoff, on the tower, brings the scepter back to Selvig.
SELVIG
Point it toward the Cube, unto its crown.
If you can pierce therein, all shall be well.
ROMANOFF
The energy is passing strong, yet I 350
Believe I’ll close it yet. [Into radio:] Can ye hear me?
I have the means to close the lethal portal.
ROGERS
[into radio:] If thou canst, do it now!
STARK
[into radio:] —I bid thee, wait!
ROGERS
[into radio:] The harsh Chitauri still advance on us.
STARK
[into radio:] Indeed, yet there’s a nuke that doth
approach. 355
Some sixty seconds shall expire until
The bomb explodeth—all, then, shall expire.
I’m chasing it e’en now, and have a thought
Of where I may the awful weapon aim.
TONY STARK TAKES HOLD OF THE MISSILE AND BEGINS FLYING TOWARD THE PORTAL. ENTER MARIA HILL WITH MANY S.H.I.E.L.D. SOLDIERS ON BALCONY WITH NICK FURY, OBSERVING.
ROGERS
[into radio:] Yet, Stark, from that path there is no return. 360
STARK
[to JARVIS:] Invest our energy remaining in
The upward route we two must take anon.
JARVIS
Shall I attempt to call upon Miss Potts?
STARK
Inarguably prudent, JARVIS, yea.
[JARVIS tries to call Potts, but she does not answer. Stark flies the missile into the portal.
SOLDIERS
Hurrah!
HILL
—Stark did it!
FURY
[aside:] —Yea, yet is he finish’d? 365
[Stark hurls the missile toward the main Chitauri vessel, striking it. All Chitauri below fall, dead. Stark begins to dropping back to earth.
ROMANOFF
O, Stark, I’d have thy dim wit back again.
ROGERS
[into radio:] We must the portal seal to save the earth.
[Romanoff pushes Loki’s scepter into the Tesseract, which causes the portal to begin to close.
ENTER PEPPER POTTS ABOVE, ON BALCONY, ASIDE FROM NICK FURY, MARIA HILL, AND THE SOLDIERS.
POTTS
O, is my Tony well? I hear reports
Of monsters who have made attack upon
New York, a city that we hold most dear. 370
Our armies are no match unto this threat,
So say the heralds of our earthly doom.
The images are past unthinkable—
My love I’ve seen, with fellow warriors
Who fight the awful hordes. Pray, Tony, live! 375
[Exit Pepper Potts. Stark falls through the portal just before it closes. Exeunt all except the Avengers, Loki, and Selvig.
ROGERS
Behold, the rogue abideth.
THOR
—He slows not!
I shall attempt to rescue him, ere he
Doth strike the earth and shatter into bits.
[Before Thor can act, Hulk leaps and catches the falling Stark. They tumble to the ground. Rogers and Thor rush to Stark, removing his mask.
ROGERS
But is he breathing? Hath the man surviv’d?
Alas, he’s still and quiet, motionless— 380
Methinks we see the ruin of our Stark.
His means of death, his obscure funeral—
No trophy, sword, nor hatchment o’er his figure,
No pious rite nor formal ostentation—
But dead here in the streets, by rubble buried. 385
HULK
Rawr!
[Stark awakes.
STARK
—In my name, what is this shouting here?
What happen’d? Wherefore am I on the ground?
None of ye kiss’d me, like some sleeping damsel
To be awoken by your magic lips?
ROGERS
Look round—we won, succeeded in our task. 390
STARK
Indeed? Hurrah! Well done, my comrades all.
Perhaps we shall not work upon the morrow,
But take a day for rest and relaxation.
Have ye e’er shawarma din’d upon? I spied
A shawarma restaurant some two blocks hence. 395
I know not what ’tis, yet would taste thereof.
THOR
Our work upon this isle is not complete,
For Loki lies above us, in the tow’r.
STARK
It seems it shall be shawarma afterward.
[Stark, Rogers, Thor, Hulk, Romanoff, and Barton surround Loki.
LOKI
If ’tis the same to ye, my thirst I’d quench— 400
The drink ye’d give me I shall gladly take.
THEY ESCORT HIM AWAY. ENTER NICK FURY AND MARIA HILL ON BALCONY.
HILL
How doth it work, with all gone sep’rate ways?
Some far beyond our planet, by my troth.
What if another situation comes?
FURY
They shall return, and make us proud once more. 405
HILL
Yet are you sure?
FURY
—I am.
HILL
—Why?
FURY
—
We’ll need them.
ENTER MEMBERS OF THE WORLD SECURITY COUNCIL ON BALCONY.
MEMBER 3
Where are th’Avengers now, Director Fury?
FURY
Their whereabouts, for now, I’ve ceas’d to track.
A leave of absence they have justly earn’d.
MEMBER 2
The Tesseract?
FURY
—’Tis now where it belongs, 410
Far from our reach.
MEMBER 1
—Nay, such was not your purview.
FURY
’Twas not my choice. I merely did not argue
Withal the god who made the wise decision.
[Exeunt Thor and Loki, borne away with the Tesseract. Exit Erik Selvig severally.
MEMBER 1
You let him take it, and the criminal—
This Loki, who should answer for his crime. 415
FURY
Yea, he shall answer soon enow, methinks.
[Exeunt Clint Barton and Natasha Romanoff together.
MEMBER 2
You do not understand what you’ve begun,
To set th’Avengers loose upon the world.
They are too dangerous.
[Exit Steve Rogers.
FURY
—Indeed, they are,
And now the world doth know their passing strength. 420
Yea, ev’ry world doth know it, not just ours.
[Exeunt Tony Stark and Hulk together.
MEMBER 1
Was that the point you wish’d to make herein?
Was it some statement deep you did rehearse?
FURY
It was my promise to the universe.
[All freeze.
ENTER CHORUS.
CHORUS
Despite the devastation and the wrack, 425
And learning of the alien attack,
The people of New York begin to rise
With newfound wonder in their human eyes.
Heroic deeds by the Avengers crew
Is cause for comfort—celebration, too. 430
Full many are reliev’d to know of them—
These mighty ones who shall all foes condemn,
Who o’er the city, nation, world do guard,
As if the planet whole were their own yard.
Tattoos and haircuts, clothes in which they’re dress’d, 435
Are how folks mark th’Avengers they love best.
Some still are doubtful, worried o’er the threat,
And wonder if the worst is coming yet,
While others on the tale would put a cork—
Old men scoff, “Super Heroes in New York?” 440
Soon admiration feels suspicion’s pull,
Some question if the group’s responsible.
Must the Avengers all be brought to task