by Ian Doescher
CHORUS
No happy ending this, regrettably,
For all doth end in woe and tragedy. 75
Full half of all humanity and life
Hath vanish’d in a moment of pure strife.
Fled to a planet after his great vice,
Surrounded by a perfect paradise,
Our villain, Thanos, calmly looketh out 80
Upon the universe that he did rout.
He taketh one deep breath, then doth he smile,
There from his labors shall he rest awhile.
The only ray of hope that we may give,
As our play ends, while half no longer live, 85
Is that, before Nick Fury met his end,
He able was to signal an old friend.
Though in full darkness now we blindly grope,
Some newfound marvel may deliver hope.
[Exeunt omnes.
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
“What is this horrid scene that once was bliss?
Where is the family whom now I miss?”
“Is this the vision of
Celestial light that cometh ere one dies?
Is this some angel, come from the beyond?”
“I us’d the Stones but to destroy the Stones,
Which nearly kill’d me. Now the work is done,
And is fore’er. Inev’table am I.”
“Although they’re gone, I’m still endeavoring
To better be, for they would wish me so.”
“Maguna! Morgan H. Stark, come thou forth.
’Tis time for lunch, if thou wilt eat with me.”
“Thou humie—where is the one I seek, big green?”
“Ne’er better, verily. Why dost thou ask?
Is mine appearance anything but fine?”
“Spurr’d by the death of my whole family,
I’m fully Ronin—no Clint Barton more.”
“Six Stones, three teams, one chance.
Let us unto the portal presently.”
“Thus can I do all day.”
“Yea, so thou say’st—
This catchphrase is habitual with us.”
“ ’Tis mine, Thor! I have obtain’d the needed Stone!”
“ ’Twas not I, Father, nay, and ne’er could be!
The day I do betray you, slaughter me.”
“How doth my head look, Father? Fit to trick?”
“Thou shalt suffice and help me snuff their wick.”
“The radiation
Is largely gamma. I was made for this.”
“Let’s kill the brigand properly this time—
A death befitting all the deaths he caus’d.”
“The battle join’d by hordes of comrades strong,
Who once were dead yet now their lives prolong!”
“Assemble, ye Avengers true!”
“The lady shall have help from mighty sisters,
Whose pow’r is sure, whose loyalty is vast,
Whose strength is drawn from resources within
That others know not of. Fly, women, fly!”
“I am inevitable! Thanos rex!”
“I, though, am Iron Man, come thou to vex.”
“The dance once promis’d for a Saturday
I finally return’d to share, in time.”
DRAMATIS PERSONAE
chorus
tony stark, Iron Man
steve rogers, Captain America
thor, a god of Asgard
loki, a god of Asgard, a rogue
bruce banner, The Hulk
natasha romanoff, Black Widow
clint barton, Hawkeye
doctor stephen strange, a sorcerer
peter parker, Spider-Man
t’challa, Black Panther
okoye, a warrior of Wakanda
shuri, a scientist, Princess of Wakanda
m’baku, leader of the Jabari
ramonda, Queen Mother of Wakanda
carol danvers, Captain Marvel
peter quill, Star-Lord, a Guardian of the Galaxy
gamora, a Guardian of the Galaxy
nebula, Gamora’s sister
drax, a Guardian of the Galaxy
rocket, a Guardian of the Galaxy
groot, a Guardian of the Galaxy
mantis, a Guardian of the Galaxy
vision, a unique lifeform
wanda maximoff, Scarlet Witch
scott lang, Ant-Man
hope van dyne, The Wasp
hank pym, formerly Ant-Man
janet van dyne, formerly The Wasp
cassie lang, Scott’s daughter
james rhodes, War Machine
sam wilson, Falcon
peggy carter, a former agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.
bucky barnes, Winter Soldier
valkyrie, a warrior of Asgard
frigga, Queen of Asgard
jane foster, a scientist
miek and korg, Thor’s friends
the ancient one, Sorcerer Supreme
wong, a sorcerer
pepper potts, proprietor of Stark Industries
morgan stark, Tony’s daughter
howard stark, Tony’s father
jarvis, Howard’s servant
happy hogan, Tony’s associate
harley keener, Tony’s protégé
laura, cooper, lila, and nathaniel barton, Clint’s family
may, Peter’s aunt
ned, Peter’s friend
nick fury, former director of S.H.I.E.L.D.
maria hill, a former agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.
thaddeus ross, a soldier and politician
thanos, a harbinger of death
ebony maw, proxima midnight, corvus glaive, and cull obsidian, the Children of Thanos
the stonekeeper, a mysterious entity
alexander pierce, a former agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.
jasper sitwell, a secret agent of Hydra
brock rumlow, Crossbones
soldiers, thugs, underlings, and aliens
PROLOGUE
THE NEW WORLD.
ENTER CHORUS.
CHORUS
Avengers! This their latest, grimmest tale.
Ne’er was such tragedy beyond the pale
Than that which lately did befall the crew—
Malicious murder Thanos did pursue.
And now, ere on our scene we ope the door, 5
Needs must review the dramas heretofore.
Ant-Man, Scott Lang, return’d in these new plays.
Near done with house arrest—a mere three days—
Demanded was his time of Hope and Hank,
The daughter-father team with whom Lang shrank. 10
Hope’s mother sought they, yet then Ghost did see—
Embitter’d quantum-phasing enemy.
When Foster—former friend—would heal the Ghost
And all sought Hank’s lab to the uttermost,
Scott, Hope, and Hank their foes did overwhelm. 15
Pish, though! Lang was caught in the Quantum Realm.
A newfound hero, Carol Danvers she,
Next came upon our stage impressively.
Devoid of any past or memories,
Confus’d about who were her enemies, 20
A battle sent her hurtling down to earth
Perforce to learn about her powers’ birth.
The lady met a young Nick Fury; he
Assisted her against the wicked Kree.
In th’end, this Danvers had astounding pow’r— 25
Now may she help us in our tragic hour.
Arrive within this tale, your eyes to fill.
Relax awhile as players, scenes, and acts,
Vex’d by our meager stage, draw to climax. 30
Eventually, ye shall be in tears—
Long ere the final curtain call appears.
[Exit Chorus.
SCENE 1
The Barton homestead.
ENTER CLINT AND LILA BARTON. SHE HOLDS A BOW AND ARROW AS HE GUIDES HER. ENTER LAURA BARTON ASIDE, PREPARING FOOD. ENTER COOPER AND NATHANIEL BARTON NEAR HER, PLAYING CATCH.
BARTON
Nay, but this arrow’s path in general
O’erflows the measure. Thus, aim carefully.
Hold tight, and shoot not yet. See where ’twill fly?
LILA
Yea, Father.
BARTON
—Let us worry, then, o’er how
Your fletching, stance, and bow each guide its flight. 5
Move thy foot over, point thy toe aside.
Hips still and shoulders back. Canst better see?
LILA
I can.
[He pulls some of her hair in front of her eyes.
BARTON
—How now, when thy bird’s eyes are block’d?
LILA
Nay!
[Lila laughs.
BARTON
—If art ready, use three fingers and
Give wing unto thy shot!
LAURA
[to Nathaniel:] —A mighty throw. 10
[To all:] Would ye like mayonnaise and mustard on
The sausages that I prepar’d for us?
LILA
[to Barton:] Who putteth mayonnaise on hot dogs, Father?
BARTON
Thy brothers have disturbing habits, dear.
[To Laura:] Two mustard for your flock of arrow
shooters! 15
My gratitude.
LAURA
—Nate?
NATHANIEL
—Ketchup, if you please.
LAURA
In sooth, a touch of ketchup shall suffice.
[Lila shoots and gets a bull’s-eye.
BARTON
Well done, my little hawkeye. Get thine arrow.
[Lila vanishes and dies, unseen.
LAURA
Enow of practicing—the soup is warm.
BARTON
We shall be there at once. Come, Lila, come! 20
Where art thou, daughter? Hast thou flown the coop?
[Laura, Cooper, and Nathaniel vanish and die.
Sweet Laura, art thou here? Nate, Cooper, boys?
Alas, my family hath fled and gone—
Here in one moment, in the next departed,
Like, by some force, they all had disappear’d. 25
What is this horrid scene that once was bliss?
Where is the family whom now I miss?
[Exit.
SCENE 2
Aboard the Q-Ship.
ENTER TONY STARK AND NEBULA. THEY PLAY A GAME OF PAPER FOOTBALL.
STARK
I flick to thee—
NEBULA
—And I shall kill the thing!
STARK
It is not necessary thus to do—
Thou shouldst just hold position with thy hands
That I might shoot the football through the posts.
[Nebula takes a turn shooting and misses.
NEBULA
A flick, and through thine uprights!
STARK
—It was close! 5
[She continues trying until she scores.
A goal, well done! Now we each have one point.
NEBULA
’Twould make me passing glad to try again.
[They continue playing.
STARK
In th’end, the game is tied. Canst feel the tension?
[He shoots again.
’Tis fun, and I confess my shot was poor.
Thou hast a chance to win if thou scor’st next. 10
NEBULA
For honor, righteousness, and victory!
[She shoots.
STARK
Incredible—thou winnest, Nebula!
Congratulations. Fair game, noble foe.
[He shakes her hand.
Didst thou have fun?
NEBULA
—’Twas fun. Yea, fun. Most fun.
[Exit Nebula. Stark turns on his Iron Man helmet.
STARK
Is this contraption working, or is’t lost? 15
[The helmet lights up.
Holla, my Lady Potts, my darling Pep.
If thou dost this recording ever find,
I prithee post it not on Facebook, dear—
And neither Twitter, Instagram, nor Snapchat,
Nor onto YouTube or to Vimeo— 20
For this shall wring the tears from any eye
That shall the message see, I’ll wager thee.
I know not whether thou shalt ever view
These videos I have recorded, Pepper,
Or if thou even still…I cannot say, 25
Nor even think the fate that thou mayst face.
By heaven, how I hope thou art alive.
Day twenty-one it is—nay, twenty-two.
If ’twere not for the existential terror
Of staring at the lit’ral void of space, 30
Methinks I’m feeling somewhat heal’d today.
My horrible infection’s run its course,
With thanks due to the mean blue lady here.
Thou wouldst adore her, Pepper—practical,
With but a few sadistic tendencies. 35
Together, she and I work on the ship;
The fuel cells, during battle, were all crack’d,
And we the ion charges have revers’d
To earn some forty-eight hours’ flying time.
Now, though, the vessel flieth dead in space, 40
One thousand light years from our cherish’d earth,
Some six quadrillion miles to Sev’n-Eleven.
Tomorrow morning, oxygen shall cease,
And that shall be the end of Tony Stark.
Forgive me, Pep, I know that I once said 45
No more surprises would encounter us,
Yet how I hop’d I had one more in store,
A final shock: mine unforeseen return.
It doth appear, though—ah, thou knowest well.
Feel thou not bad, and prithee mourn me not. 50
In truth, if thou dost grovel some few weeks
And then move forward with enormous guilt…
Belike I should lie down and rest mine eyes.
Please know: when I drift off to this last sleep,
’Twill be like ev’ry other night of late. 55
I am quite well, completely well, and I
Shall go to sleep; to sleep, perchance to dream
Of thee because ’tis ever thou I love.
HE TURNS OFF THE HELMET AND THEN RECLINES TO SLEEP. ENTER NEBULA, PROPPING HIM UP ON A CHAIR AS HE SLEEPS.
NEBULA
Goodnight, strong Stark.
[Exit Nebula.
ENTER CAROL DANVERS IN A BRIGHT LIGHT, FLYING OUTSIDE THE SHIP. STARK AWAKENS.
STARK
—Is this the vision of
Celestial light that cometh ere one dies? 60
Is this some angel, come from the beyond?
Nay, ’tis a woman—human, too, it seems.
Come in, come in, if art not made of dreams!
[Exeunt.
In New York, at the Avengers’ base.
ENTER STEVE ROGERS.
ROGERS
These sad and lonely, unforgiving days
Have been a blight and scourge upon my life.
Half of our comrades, half of all on Earth,
Did perish in a dreadful cosmic flash.
I have been lonely far beyond all measure, 5
The days too long, the nights without sleep pass—
Weep both for ev’ry soul that did expire
And for those left behind, we who surviv’d.
[The building begins to shake.
What is this quaking that disturbs my peace?
Belike something portentous doth arrive. 10
HE RUNS OUTSIDE. ENTER TONY STARK AND NEBULA IN THE Q-SHIP, WITH CAROL DANVERS, WHO GRASPS THE SHIP FROM BELOW AND GUIDES IT TO THE GROUND. ENTER THOR, NATASHA ROMANOFF, BRUCE BANNER, ROCKET, AND JAMES RHODES, WALKING OUTSIDE WITH ROGERS.
The prodigal return’d—’tis Tony Stark!
[Stark and Nebula disembark.
STARK
I could not stop him.
ROGERS
—Nor could I, alas.
STARK
In truth, I lost the kid as well, e’en Peter.
ROGERS
We all lost, Tony, all of us.
STARK
—Is Pepper—
ENTER PEPPER POTTS, RUSHING TO STARK’S SIDE.
POTTS
O, Tony! Fate hath giv’n thee back to me. 15
[They embrace.
STARK
It’s well, all shall be well. [Aside:] What have I done
That I deserv’d to see my love again?
[Rocket sits next to Nebula, and they hold hands in shared sorrow. Then all walk inside the base. Thor sits aside, stewing.
RHODES
It hath been twenty-three days since vile Thanos
Arriv’d on earth.
ROMANOFF
—World governments are bleak,
Their order gone to pieces with the losses. 20
The parts that have surviv’d attempt to take
A census, and thus far it doth appear
That Thanos hath accomplishèd precisely
The plans which he so evilly devis’d—
The rogue obliterated fully half 25
Of all the living creatures ev’rywhere.
STARK
Is’t known where he is now?
ROGERS
—Nay, ’tis unknown;
He op’d a portal and escapèd thus.
STARK
I see Thor’s anger—what befalleth him?
ROCKET
The man is anger’d mightily, for he believeth he hath 30