by Ian Doescher
fav’rite little rabbit. Thor, live! [Calling to Eitri:] Methinks
he dieth!
[Eitri pounds the mold to release the axe blade from it.
EITRI
He needs the axe! Where hath the handle gone?
[To Groot:] Tree, get up from your pastime electronic, 50
And help me find the handle in a trice!
[Groot approaches the axe-head and sprouts branches from his hand to form a handle. He foregoes his own limb in its creation. Thor summons the axe to his hand and awakes suddenly.
THOR
The power is restorèd unto me—
Now off to battle Thanos gallantly!
[Exeunt.
SCENE 2
Wakanda.
ENTER STEVE ROGERS, NATASHA ROMANOFF, BRUCE BANNER, WANDA MAXIMOFF, VISION, JAMES RHODES, AND SAM WILSON IN THE QUINJET.
ROGERS
Drop unto twenty-six, head oh-three-oh.
WILSON
I hope your instincts do not fail us, Cap,
Or we shall land much faster than you wish.
[The Quinjet drives through a veneer of mountains toward the capital city of Wakanda.
Amazing, how the mountains part like curtains—
A city here, beneath the Afric skies. 5
ENTER T’CHALLA, OKOYE, M’BAKU, AND VARIOUS SOLDIERS, COMING TO WELCOME THE QUINJET.
OKOYE
When you said we would ope Wakanda’s borders
Unto the world entire, ’twas not my thought.
T’CHALLA
Reveal to me: what didst thou, then, imagine?
OKOYE
Perchance we would but host th’Olympic games,
Perhaps a Starbucks where I’d quench my thirst. 10
[The Quinjet lands and those onboard disembark.
BANNER
Should we bow low unto the grand, high king?
RHODES
He is a king; yea, you must bend the knee.
ROGERS
[to T’Challa:] It is as though I’m ever thanking thee.
[They shake hands. Banner begins to kneel.
RHODES
What are you doing?
T’CHALLA
[to Banner:] —Ease shalt thou find here.
Vex not thyself with kneeling—’tis not done. 15
[Rhodes grins at Banner.
[To Rogers:] Expectest thou how large of an assault?
BANNER
Methinks thou shouldst expect a big assault.
ROMANOFF
How is our situation? Is it bleak?
T’CHALLA
Receive, friends, access to my king’s guard full—
With th’Border Tribe, the Dora Milaje, 20
And this as well: good Captain Rogers’ friend.
ENTER BUCKY BARNES.
BARNES
A semistable, hundred-year-old man.
[Rogers and Barnes embrace each other.
ROGERS
Ho, Buck, how farest thou?
BARNES
—As fair as chalk,
Which for the end of th’world is not too bad.
ENTER SHURI. TOGETHER, SHE AND BANNER HELP VISION LIE ON A TABLE IN THE MEDICAL BAY AND BEGIN EXAMINING HIM.
SHURI
The structure of his Stone is polymorphic. 25
BANNER
Indeed, it took great effort to attach
Each tiny neuron nonsequentially.
SHURI
Yet wherefore not reprogram the synapses
To work collectively? ’Twould better be.
BANNER
Because we did not think such massive thoughts? 30
SHURI
Belike you did your best, such as it was.
WANDA
Canst thou proceed with thine approach instead?
SHURI
Indeed, yet some two trillion neurons wait
Within his brain, upon which we must work.
One misalignment could, I fear, result 35
In a cascade of circuit failures dour.
[To T’Challa:] ’Twill take time, brother.
ROGERS
—Canst thou say how long?
SHURI
As long as you can give me, I will use.
[A signal beeps on Okoye’s wrist. She turns on a small projecting device.
OKOYE
Some object entereth the atmosphere.
[From above, several of Thanos’s vessels begin falling from the sky.
WILSON
Good Cap, a situation doth arise. 40
[One of the vessels crashes into the force field around the city and is destroyed.
BARNES
Ha! How I love this mighty, awesome place.
RHODES
Thy celebration may be premature—
More vessels are incoming yonder, far
Beyond the dome.
[Vessels crash to the ground.
VISION
—’Tis far too late, my friends.
We have no time—we must destroy the Stone, 45
For if it be not now, yet it will come.
ROMANOFF
Dim Vision, get thine ass upon the table.
T’CHALLA
Kings to our work, our homeland to protect,
And we’ll resist the enemy, I trust.
ROGERS
Attend me, Wanda: once the brutal Stone 50
Hath been pull’d out of Vision’s complex pate,
Destroy it by thy massive, vicious pow’r.
WANDA
I shall destroy its ev’ry scrap and stitch.
T’CHALLA
[to Okoye:] Now go, evacuate the populace.
Defenses strong we shall engage and, prithee, 55
Anon fit Captain Rogers with a shield!
[All except Vision, Wanda, and Shuri board ships and fly toward the alien vessels. Banner climbs into the Hulkbuster suit. Rhodes gets into his War Machine suit.
ROMANOFF
[in radio:] How dost thou like thy newfound armor,
Bruce?
Shall it keep thee from thinking darker thoughts?
BANNER
Methinks I master its controls, forsooth—
’Tis most amazing, like I were the Hulk 60
Sans actually—
[He stumbles and falls in the suit.
OKOYE
[aside:] —This man’s an Avenger?
I would more readily take arms beside
A jester than this sad and bumbling fool.
RHODES
Two new heat signatures are rising from
The line of trees; our enemies arrive. 65
ENTER PROXIMA MIDNIGHT AND CULL OBSIDIAN. THE SOLDIERS OF WAKANDA CREATE BATTLE FORMATIONS AGAINST THEM. MIDNIGHT TESTS THE FORCE FIELD WITH HER BLADE AS ROGERS, ROMANOFF, AND T’CHALLA APPROACH HER.
ROMANOFF
Where is thine other dark and horrid friend?
MIDNIGHT
His life you’ll pay for with your coming death.
Great Thanos will acquire the needed Stone.
ROGERS
That shall not happen, wretch, not on our watch.
T’CHALLA
For now are all your forces in Wakanda— 70
O, Thanos shall have naught but dust and blood.
MIDNIGHT
We’ve blood to spare, and will to shed as well.
SHE SIGNALS WITH HER SWORD. THE ALIEN VESSELS OPEN. ENTER ALIEN WARRIORS AND OUTRIDERS FROM THE VESSELS. ROGERS, ROMANOFF, AND T’CHALLA RETURN TO THE BATTLE FORMATION.
BARNES
&
nbsp; [to Rogers:] Did they their quick surrender proffer you?
ROGERS
’Twas not precisely thus.
T’CHALLA
—Rise—yibambe!
SOLDIERS
O, yibambe!
BARNES
—From hell what creatures come? 75
ROMANOFF
Perhaps we made the gloomy lady mad.
[Outriders begin crashing into the force field. Eventually, some are torn in half.
OKOYE
They slay themselves to gain their chance at us.
[Various beasts break through the force field. T’Challa and his army—with Barnes, Banner, and others—begin firing on the beasts. Wilson and Rhodes fly toward the enemies.
WILSON
[into radio:] What sharp, malicious teeth the vermin
have!
RHODES
[into radio:] Fly back, Sam, or thy wings shall soon be
sing’d!
[Rhodes releases bombs, destroying many Outriders.
BANNER
Cap, should these monstrous, massive, ugly things 80
Run round the dome’s perimeter, there shall
Be naught twixt them and Vision where he lies.
ROGERS
Then we must keep the beasts in front of us.
Our path is clear, like sun on cloudless day.
OKOYE
How shall we so?
T’CHALLA
—Ease up the barrier. 85
[Into radio:] Vow this, brave souls: when ye my signal
hear,
E’en then ope northwest section seventeen.
SOLDIER
[into radio:] Requesting confirmation, King T’Challa:
Did you say we should ope the barrier?
T’CHALLA
Right on my signal, yea.
M’BAKU
—This shall be th’end 90
Of our Wakanda.
OKOYE
—If so, it shall be
The noblest ending known in history.
T’CHALLA
Wakanda fore’er! [Into radio:] Ope the barrier!
[Rogers, Romanoff, Banner, T’Challa, Okoye, M’Baku, Barnes, and all soldiers charge toward the enemies. The force field is opened and Outriders begin surging in. Rogers and T’Challa lead the charge as the armies clash. An epic battle ensues.
ENTER CHORUS, ASIDE.
CHORUS
With your imagination, combat see
In motion of no less celerity 95
Than that of thought. O, do but think you stand
Upon the battlefield, where in each hand
Are weapons ready to defeat a foe—
The armies strike each other blow for blow!
Suppose you see such beasts as ne’er were seen, 100
From planets various, with humors mean,
Which run toward the noble-hearted group
With murder as their purpose, troop by troop.
[Exit Chorus.
T’CHALLA
[into radio:] Ah, sister Shuri, how much longer now?
SHURI
[into radio:] I have but started, brother.
T’CHALLA
[into radio:] —Keep on, swiftly! 105
[Shuri continues to work on Vision in the medical bay. Meanwhile, many of the Avengers are beset by beasts and struggle.
BANNER
Their numbers are too giant to resist!
A MIGHTY BEAM BURSTS FORTH, DESTROYING MANY BEASTS. THE AXE FROM NIDAVELLIR, STORMBREAKER, APPEARS, CUTTING DOWN MANY MORE. ENTER THOR, ROCKET, AND GROOT FROM THE BEAM, JOINING THE BATTLE.
Ha, foes! How like new drywall you are screw’d!
THOR
Deliver Thanos unto me, ye knaves!
[Thor runs toward several Outriders, jumps, and strikes Stormbreaker on the ground, killing many beasts. Barnes lifts Rocket and twirls about with him, so that they shoot in opposite directions.
ROCKET
Come, now, ye vile space dogs, and feel my wrath!
Taste ye these lasers! [To Barnes:] How much for
thy gun? 110
BARNES
Nay, friend, ’tis not for sale, for it is mine.
ROCKET
How much, then, for thine arm?
[Barnes glowers at Rocket.
I’ll get the arm, so help me, for I do love a body part.
ROGERS
[to Thor:] Thou wearest a new haircut?
THOR
—I see thou
Hast my beard copied, to seem more a man. 115
[Groot runs a line of Outriders through with one of his branches.
This is a friend of mine, whom I call Tree.
GROOT
Groot—’tis I!
ROGERS
—Truly art. Steve Rogers—’tis I!
WANDA
[to Shuri:] Attend, the sounds of battle switch their
tune—
A newer, bleaker sound ariseth next.
[The earth is displaced as several circular vehicles with blades burrow underground and then emerge, advancing.
T’CHALLA
Away! Flee, warriors, or we are doom’d! 120
WANDA
This threat is far too great. I must outside—
Depart from Vision’s side to stop this dread
New menace from destroying all my friends.
[She leaves the medical bay and heads to the battlefield.
RHODES
[to Wilson:] Sam, focus all thy fire upon the left!
WILSON
It shall be done e’en as thou sayest, Rhodey! 125
[Just as the bladed vehicles are about to crush Romanoff and Okoye, Wanda appears and stops them with her magic. She brings down the vehicles on the heads of the approaching Outriders.
OKOYE
Say wherefore was she from the field remov’d,
When all this while she hath such power, hmm?
MIDNIGHT
[into radio:] The Scarlet Witch hath join’d the battlefront.
I bid thee, take it now while we’ve the chance.
ENTER CORVUS GLAIVE TO THE MEDICAL BAY, ADVANCING ON SHURI AND VISION. THEY ATTEMPT TO FIGHT HIM OFF.
WILSON
[into radio:] As I fly round, I see a problem new: 130
Our Vision is in trouble.
ROGERS
[into radio:] —Someone pause
Your skirmishing and hence to bring him aid!
RHODES
[into radio:] I shall.
WANDA
[into radio:] —My steps, too, will be thither led.
[Midnight strikes Wanda, knocking her aside.
MIDNIGHT
Your freakish lover shall soon die alone,
Just as you shall, at my most deadly hand. 135
[Romanoff and Okoye approach.
ROMANOFF
Nay, she is not alone, thou queen of darkness.
[Romanoff and Okoye fight with Midnight. Meanwhile, Glaive and Obsidian strike Vision aside. Banner lands among them in the Hulkbuster suit.
BANNER
You bullies, this shall not be like New York.
This suit once easily o’ercame the Hulk,
And it shall do for ye as well. En garde!
[Obsidian tackles Banner.
[Into radio:] Friends, listen: Vision needeth backup
now! 140
[To himself:] Hulk, hear me: I know how thou lik’st an
entrance,
The drama of the stage, a perfect cue,
This is the moment, this the final second—
This play ends badly if thou comest not! 145
[Obsidian tears an arm off Banner’s suit.
Hulk, come! [In Hulk’s voice:] Nay, nay! [In his own voice:]
Thou giant, verdant ass!
I’ll beat this evil sprite by mine own strength!
[Banner punches Obsidian. Obsidian begins to punch Banner, who grabs the broken arm of his suit and fastens it to Obsidian.
Enjoy the ride, thou feckless, horrid monster!
[Banner presses a button and Obsidian flies off into the sky, hitting the force field dome and dying.
[To himself:] Hulk, we have much we must discuss, my
friend.
[Glaive stabs Vision with his spear.
GLAIVE
Methought you were formidable, machine, 150
Yet you will die like any other man.
[He bends to take the Stone from Vision’s head, and Rogers runs up, knocking Glaive aside.
ROGERS
[to Vision:] Go quickly, get away ere thou art slain!
[Midnight subdues Romanoff and prepares to strike her, but at the last moment Wanda lifts Midnight into a bladed vessel, killing her. Midnight’s blue blood flies everywhere.
ROMANOFF
’Twas gross, in sooth. A gloomy foe was she.
[Rogers strikes Glaive, knocking Glaive’s spear aside. Then Glaive subdues Rogers, but is suddenly run through by Vision, wielding Glaive’s spear.
ROGERS
Ask’d I not thee to flee? Thou listen’d not.
VISION
We’ll not trade life for life, thou taught’st me this. 155
Our foes are strong: pure thoughts are dead and still,
While lust and murder wake to stain and kill.
ROGERS
The battle is near o’er, and thou mayst rest.
Whate’er come next, we have been sorely press’d.
[Exeunt.
SCENE 1
Titan.
ENTER DOCTOR STEPHEN STRANGE, SEATED. ENTER THANOS, WALKING TOWARD HIM. ENTER TONY STARK, PETER QUILL, DRAX, MANTIS, AND PETER PARKER, ALL HIDDEN.
STRANGE
Indeed, thou lookest much more like a Thanos.
THANOS
’Tis safe, then, to assume the Maw is dead?
[Strange nods.
This day extracteth quite a heavy toll.
Still, he accomplishèd his noble task,
For he hath brought you and the Time Stone here. 5
STRANGE
Thou mayst regret the brigand ever did—
For, after all, he brought thee face-to-face
With th’master of the old and mythic arts.