William Shakespeare's Avengers

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William Shakespeare's Avengers Page 27

by Ian Doescher


  I tried to bench thee, and thou didst refuse.

  STRANGE

  Unlike the other people in thy life,

  I do not work for thee.

  STARK

  —It follows, then,

  That we are in this errant, flying doughnut,

  Some billion miles beyond our home, the earth, 75

  With backup none.

  PARKER

  —Yet I am backup, yea!

  STARK

  In no wise backup, but a stowaway.

  Adults are talking—thou must silent be.

  STRANGE

  Your odd relationship confuseth me.

  What is this youth, the ward of Tony Stark? 80

  PARKER

  Nay, I am Peter Parker—well met, sir.

  STRANGE

  I’m Doctor Strange.

  PARKER

  —A-ha! If we would use

  Our names of pretense, I am Spider-Man!

  STARK

  It seems the ship doth self-correct its course.

  It runs unaided, autopiloted. 85

  STRANGE

  May we control the vessel, fly us home?

  [Stark does not answer.

  By heaven, speak, Stark! Canst thou get us home?

  STARK

  I heard thee once, yet I’ve another thought:

  We should not yet return.

  STRANGE

  —Thy thoughts are foolish:

  No circumstance exists in which we should 90

  The Time Stone take to Thanos. Dost thou see

  The powers we confront and what’s at stake?

  STARK

  It is not I but thou who dost not see.

  This Thanos hath been playing on my mind

  These six years past, since he an army sent 95

  Unto New York and redefin’d my life.

  Now he is back and thou wouldst watch me flee?

  I am not certain of the forward path,

  Would not presume to guess if it is better

  To face him on our battlefield at home 100

  Or on his own. Yet thou saw’st what they did,

  Of what these monsters are most capable.

  On his turf, he will not expect a fight,

  Thus we should take the battlefield to him.

  Dost thou with mine opinion, Doc, concur? 105

  STRANGE

  ’Tis fair, Stark. We shall voyage unto him,

  Yet understand thou this: if I’ve a choice

  Twixt saving thy life or the boy’s life, or

  Protecting the Time Stone from Thanos bleak,

  I shall not hesitate to let you die. 110

  ’Tis not by cruelty, nay; I cannot,

  For lo, the universe hangs in the balance.

  STARK

  In faith, I see thou hast a moral compass.

  We understand each other. Peter, welcome—

  I dub thee here and now Avenger true. 115

  [The ship flies on and docks with Thanos’s larger ship. Exeunt Tony Stark, Doctor Stephen Strange, and Peter Parker.

  ENTER GAMORA AND THANOS IN HIS SHIP. HE BRINGS HER A BOWL OF FOOD.

  THANOS

  Methought you may be hungry, daughter dear.

  [Gamora takes the bowl from him and throws it aside, breaking it against Thanos’s throne.

  GAMORA

  That seat was e’er repugnant to my taste.

  THANOS

  Thus have I heard. E’en so, I hop’d you would

  Assert your rightful place on it someday.

  GAMORA

  I hated this foul room and what it stood for, 120

  This ship, thy minions, and my hateful life.

  THANOS

  Indeed, you amply told me those things, too—

  Each day, for nearly twenty years you did.

  GAMORA

  A child was I when thou didst kidnap me.

  THANOS

  Avaunt, ’twas no kidnapping. I sav’d you. 125

  GAMORA

  Nay. On my planet we were happy, brute.

  THANOS

  Near starving as you hungry went to bed,

  And scrounging for a meager scrap of food.

  Your planet stood upon the very brink

  Of absolute collapse, and nearly jump’d— 130

  ’Twas I who stopp’d the process ere it did.

  Do you know all that hath transpir’d thenceforth?

  The children born have nothing known but skies

  Of blue and bellies full of sustenance;

  It is a paradise where all rejoice. 135

  GAMORA

  Because thou murther’dst half the planet, fiend.

  THANOS

  But little price to purchase their salvation.

  GAMORA

  Thou art insane, e’er wert.

  THANOS

  —Think, little one,

  For truly ’tis a simple calculus.

  The universe is finite, is it not? 140

  It follows that resources, too, are finite.

  If life proceeds uncheck’d, life soon shall cease,

  Will not exist. Our course requires correction.

  GAMORA

  Thou knowest not such things!

  THANOS

  —Things such as these

  Are known by only me, and no one else. 145

  At least, I am the only one with will

  And pow’r and fortitude to make it so.

  Once, you had that same will and fought beside

  Me, daughter.

  GAMORA

  —I’m no daughter unto thee.

  All that I hate about myself I learn’d 150

  From thee.

  THANOS

  —In teaching thus did I make you

  The fiercest woman in the galaxy.

  ’Tis why I trusted you to find the Soul Stone.

  GAMORA

  Alas, then I have disappointed thee.

  THANOS

  Aye, I am disappointed, yet ’tis not 155

  Because you did not find it, little one,

  But ’tis because you did, yet lied to me.

  THANOS OPENS A DOOR. ENTER NEBULA, BOUND AND HANGING WITHIN A CHAMBER, HER PARTS STRETCHED APART FROM HER BODY, WITH TWO GUARDS.

  GAMORA

  O, Nebula, what hath this monster done?

  [To Thanos:] I prithee, do not this.

  THANOS

  —Of late, your sister

  Snuck slyly on this ship to end my life. 160

  NEBULA

  Please, do not do this.

  THANOS

  —Practic’ly did she

  Succeed, and thus I brought her here to talk.

  [He points his glove at Nebula, who screams in torture.

  GAMORA

  Stop! Stop it, horrid viper-kissing villain!

  I swear to thee upon my very life,

  I never found the Soul Stone that thou seek’st. 165

  [A guard presses a button and the computer comes to life.

  COMPUTER

  Search and obtain the files of memory.

  [Nebula projects images of Past Gamora and Past Nebula, speaking to each other.

  P. NEBULA

  You know well what the beast will do anon—

  He is prepar’d to find the mighty Stones,

  Each one of them.

  P. GAMORA

  —He ne’er shall have them all.

  P. NEBULA

  He shall!

  P. GAMORA

  —Take heed: he cannot, Nebula, 170

>   Because I found the map unto the Soul Stone

  And burn’d it into ash. I burn’d it whole.

  [The image fades.

  THANOS

  True, you are strong, which comes from me, my dear,

  True, you are generous, which comes from me—

  Yet never did I teach you how to lie, 175

  To be a rank, dissembling, common cheat.

  ’Tis wherefore you are so unskill’d therewith.

  Where is the Soul Stone? You will tell me now.

  [He points his glove at Nebula, who screams again and again until Gamora intercedes.

  GAMORA

  On Vormir! Yea, the Stone on Vormir waits.

  THANOS

  Once we arrive, then show me, little one. 180

  [Exeunt all except Nebula and one guard. Nebula’s body returns to normal except one eye.

  GUARD

  Strange little eye, that doth not fit its place—

  I’ll fix thee and thus make my master glad.

  Belike he shall reward me handsomely!

  [The guard approaches Nebula and pushes her eye back in her head. She grabs him and quickly disposes of him, then releases herself from her bonds. She turns to a computer, hailing Mantis.

  NEBULA

  I bid thee, Mantis, heed my call anon!

  Thou must needs meet me soon on Titan’s face. 185

  It may yet be our only chance to stop

  My father foul, who hies there.

  [Exit Nebula.

  ENTER THOR, ROCKET, AND GROOT IN THEIR POD, NEAR NIDAVELLIR.

  GROOT

  —Groot—’tis I!

  ROCKET

  Thou shouldst have ask’d ere now, we shall not stop.

  If thou wouldst tinkle, do so in a cup!

  What dost thou fear that we would see? 190

  A drip on thy small twig?

  Ev’ryone hath seen a twig before.

  GROOT

  Groot—’tis I!

  THOR

  —Tree, pour thou what’s in the cup

  Out into space, then use the cup again.

  ROCKET

  Thou speakest Groot? 195

  THOR

  ’Twas taught on Asgard, an elective course.

  GROOT

  Groot—’tis I!

  THOR

  —Thou shalt know when we are close.

  Nidavellir’s forge harnesses the pow’r

  That blazes with the strength of neutron stars.

  It is the birthplace of my hammer rare, 200

  A truly awesome place, of craft unmatch’d.

  ROCKET

  [aside:] The time hath come for me to be the captain.

  [To Thor:] Thy brother, then, is dead? ’Twould be

  annoying, true.

  THOR

  He hath been dead before, though now methinks 205

  It may be final—last of many deaths.

  ROCKET

  Thy sister and thy father, too?

  THOR

  Yea, both are dead, a fam’ly tragedy.

  ROCKET

  Is thy mother living yet?

  THOR

  A Dark Elf kill’d her, too, regrettably. 210

  ROCKET

  Mayhap thou some best friend hast?

  THOR

  Nay, he was stabb’d directly through the heart.

  ROCKET

  Art thou sure, Thor, of thy preparedness for this mission

  of murder?

  THOR

  Ha, yea! The rage and vengeance, anger, loss, 215

  Regret—they are tremendous stimuli,

  Which clear the mind as th’ocean wipes the shore.

  I am prepar’d, hath never better felt.

  ROCKET

  This Thanos of whom we speak is the toughest

  rogue known within the universe. 220

  THOR

  Yet he hath never fought the mighty Thor.

  ROCKET

  In troth, he did.

  THOR

  Yet he hath never fought the strong Thor twice.

  This time, a newfound hammer shall I wield.

  ROCKET

  It must be strong indeed, if thou wouldst win. 225

  [Thor begins to cry softly.

  THOR

  Know’st thou my years are fifteen hundred, hare?

  I have kill’d twice as many foes as that,

  Each one of whom would gladly have kill’d me,

  Yet none succeeded. I remain alive

  Because the hand of fate doth wish me so. 230

  This Thanos is the latest in a line

  Of bastards rank who work me woe, and shall

  But be the latest to my vengeance know.

  Such is the will of fate, which I obey.

  ROCKET

  Yet what, pray tell, if thou art wrong? 235

  THOR

  If I am wrong, what more have I to lose?

  ROCKET

  [aside:] I still could lose much. Personally, I’ve much

  to lose. [To Thor:] If fate doth will thou shalt the crapsack

  slay, thou surely shalt another eyeball need.

  [Rocket pulls an eye out of his pocket and hands it to Thor.

  THOR

  What is this orb thou wavest fore my face? 240

  ROCKET

  What is its appearance? A knave lost a wager to me

  upon Contraxia.

  THOR

  To pay the price, he gaveth thee his eye?

  ROCKET

  Nay, he paid one hundred ducats. Later that night, I

  snuck into his room and took the eye. ’Twas interest— 245

  and interesting, too.

  THOR

  All gratitude, sweet rabbit, for this gift.

  [Thor takes off his eye patch and puts the new eye inside his socket.

  ROCKET

  My gorge is rising at the very sight. If ’twere my body,

  the pocket from Rocket should have been clean’d ere it

  went in thy socket. ’Twas difficult to take it off 250

  Contraxia—the only method was to put it up my—

  [A sensor beeps.

  Ah, we arrive at our destination.

  [Thor’s new eye swivels in place. He hits his head gently.

  THOR

  I am not certain this new eyeball works.

  All round us looketh dark, with somber hues.

  ROCKET

  ’Tis not thine eye, nay, ’tis the scenery. 255

  [They fly into Nidavellir, which appears to be a desolate place.

  THOR

  There must be something wrong—the star is dead,

  The rings are frozen, which should swiftly fly.

  [The ship lands near the forge of Nidavellir. Thor, Rocket, and Groot disembark.

  ROCKET

  ’Tis my fervent hope the dwarves are better at forging

  metal than cleaning rooms. Peradventure they realiz’d

  they live upon a junk heap in the middle of outer space. 260

  THOR

  This forge, for centuries, was never dark.

  ROCKET

  Didst thou not say that Thanos wears a gauntlet upon

  his wicked hand?

  THOR

  Indeed I did, yet wherefore dost thou ask?

  ROCKET

  Did it look thus? 265

  [Rocket indicates a mold of a gauntlet upon a stand, which is twin to the one Thanos wears.

  GROOT

  Groot—’tis I!

  THOR

  —Get ye quickly to the pod.r />
  ENTER EITRI, A DWARF, KICKING THOR, ROCKET, AND GROOT ASIDE.

  Nay, Eitri, wait—let cease thy vicious wrath!

  EITRI

  Thor, is it you?

  THOR

  —Forsooth. What happen’d here?

  EITRI

  You were our sworn protector, were you not?

  Was Asgard not suppos’d to keep us safe? 270

  THOR

  Yet Asgard is destroy’d, my heart withal.

  The glove, O Eitri—say, what hast thou done?

  [Eitri sits.

  EITRI

  Three hundred dwarves once liv’d upon this ring.

  Methought if I accomplish’d what he bid me,

  They would be safe from harm. I made the thing 275

  He most desir’d—a pure device that would

  Be capable of harnessing the pow’r

  Of the Infinity Stones. Still, he kill’d

  The colony entire—my friends, my colleagues—

  All but for me. “Thy life is thine,” said he, 280

  “Yet thy skill’d hands are mine alone fore’er.”

  [Eitri shows his hands to Thor, which are badly burned.

  THOR

  This, Eitri, is about more than thy hands.

  Each weapon thou hast ever fashionèd,

  Each axe and sword and hammer, all doth dwell

  Within the confines of thy crafty mind. 285

  Indeed, now doth it feel like all is lost—

  How deeply I do know those sentiments.

  Together, thou and I shall Thanos kill.

  [Exeunt.

  ENTER TONY STARK, DOCTOR STEPHEN STRANGE, AND PETER PARKER ABOARD THE Q-SHIP.

  PARKER

  Where are we bound? If thou dost know, then speak.

  STRANGE

  Methinks our stolen ship arrives on Titan. 290

  STARK

  Inevitably, this rig hath no pow’r

  To park itself. Pray, put thy hand inside

  The steering gimbal, close the metal hatch

  Upon thy hand—together, we shall pull

  And guide the massive ship toward the ground. 295

  ’Twas meant for one large monster to control,

  So we must move as one if this would work.

  [Stark and Parker each take a control and try to guide the ship.

  PARKER

  We must needs turn! Turn, turn! Pray heed me now!

  [The ship begins to crash-land. Strange creates a force field around the three of them to protect them. The ship lands on Titan, and they fall.

  STRANGE

  [to Stark:] Art thou all right? ’Twas far too close for me.

  STARK

  I owe thee one—my thanks for thy great pow’rs. 300

  [Parker, who has attached himself to the ceiling, descends on a line of web.

  PARKER

  Hear ye: if aliens implant their eggs

  Within the cavity of mine own chest,

 

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