by Ian Doescher
BARTON
Though they pursue, I have some tricks for them—
Behold this arrow, with a blasting charge,
Stuck in the wall, it doth explode and send 160
Some of the beastly body parts asunder!
Above me now, another pathway up—
I’ll use my trusted rope and grappling hook
To send me flying, safely borne away.
The beasts below me jump up, too. Come, sword, 165
And slice each monster with thy vicious blade!
[Barton dispatches the last of the beasts.
Rest, for a moment. Then, to find my friends.
ENTER PAST NEBULA, APPROACHING HIM.
Well met—a comrade whom I know and trust.
[Barton hands Past Nebula the glove.
P. NEBULA
[into radio:] My father dear, I have secur’d the Stones.
[Barton looks at Past Nebula, afraid. She puts a foot on his chest and points her gun at him.
ENTER GAMORA, POINTING A GUN AT PAST NEBULA, FOLLOWED BY NEBULA.
GAMORA
Cease, villain!
P. NEBULA
—Could you possibly betray us? 170
[Past Nebula steps away from Barton, who stands quickly.
nebula
Thou needst not do this, thou who art myself—
I know thy mind and how it soon will shift.
P. NEBULA
Nay, I am this.
GAMORA
—Thou certainly art not.
NEBULA
[to Past Nebula:] Troth, hear me: thou hast seen what we
become.
GAMORA
O, Nebula, pray hear her.
NEBULA
—Once it seem’d 175
Impossible that we would not obey
Our father, yet his aspirations are
Mere madness—thou canst change. I did. Thou shalt.
P. NEBULA
He shall not let me.
GAMORA
—Ill-born woman, nay!
[Past Nebula tries to shoot, but Nebula shoots her. Past Nebula dies. Exeunt Gamora and Nebula. Aside, Stark turns on the rocket pack on his back.
STARK
Intentionally hit me, Thor, and give 180
Me an electric boost that works him woe!
[Thor summons lightning and shoots it toward Stark, who in turn uses his charged rockets to shoot himself at Thanos. Thanos deflects with his blade. Thor swings Stormbreaker and hits Mjölnir with it, sending Mjölnir flying. Thanos shifts so the hammer hits Stark instead, and Stark is knocked unconscious.
FRIDAY
Awake, sir, or thou perishest anon!
[Rogers and Thor both rush at Thanos, but each is subdued. Thor calls Stormbreaker, but Thanos catches it and begins pushing its blade toward Thor.
THANOS
Be it mere inch by inch, I’ll kill you yet.
[Mjölnir rises and strikes Thanos and is then called into Rogers’s hand.
THOR
Ha-ha, ’tis true! Thou worthy art, brave Cap!
[Rogers swings Mjölnir, approaches Thanos, and strikes him, knocking him over.
ROGERS
My shield united unto Mjölnir shall 185
Be weaponry that e’en thou canst not stop!
[Rogers strikes Thanos over and over, finally summoning lightning and bringing it down on him.
THANOS
[aside:] By what unnat’ral strength is this man fir’d?
Where is the melting pot where he was forg’d?
[Thanos manages to get up and knock Rogers down, then picks up his blade, cuts Rogers’s leg, and knocks Mjölnir from Rogers’s hand. Swinging the blade, Thanos begins chipping away at Rogers’s shield.
ROGERS
Alack, my shield that was impervious
To ev’ry blow now unto tatters turns. 190
[Thanos knocks Rogers away, and Rogers gets up slowly.
THANOS
Will you still fight? In all my years of conquest,
Of violence, death, ’twas never personal.
What I shall do unto your stubborn planet—
This little, miserable blue-green plot,
Which doth annoy my soul past all degree— 195
I shall enjoy past ev’ry pleasure else.
ENTER EBONY MAW, PROXIMA MIDNIGHT, CORVUS GLAIVE, CULL OBSIDIAN, AND AN ARMY OF THANOS’S MINIONS INCLUDING LEVIATHANS IN A BEAM FROM HIS SHIP. ENTER CHORUS, ASIDE.
CHORUS
The hounds of hell and beasts of ev’ry kind
Are suddenly, by Thanos, unconfin’d.
Come they to wreak their havoc on the earth
And make th’Avengers prove their very worth. 200
Imagine legions come before your sight
As would set all of Europe to its flight.
Not e’en the pow’r of Harry at its peak
Could overcome this evil menace bleak.
How shall th’Avengers o’er this threat prevail? 205
Behold, our players swiftly tell the tale!
ROGERS
[aside:] I must arise—the fight is not yet o’er.
If ’twere but me against these frightful hosts,
Still I must fight, for ’tis the war we’ve sought.
[Rogers rises to his feet and walks to face Thanos’s army.
WILSON
[offstage, into radio:] Cap, can you hear me? It’s Sam
Wilson here. 210
Look on your left—the cavalry arrives!
A PORTAL OPENS TO ROGERS’S LEFT. ENTER T’CHALLA, OKOYE, SHURI, AND AN ARMY OF WAKANDANS, FOLLOWED BY SAM WILSON FLYING IN HIS FALCON SUIT. OTHER PORTALS OPEN—ENTER DOCTOR STEPHEN STRANGE, PETER QUILL, DRAX, MANTIS, GROOT, PETER PARKER, WANDA MAXIMOFF, BUCKY BARNES, VALKYRIE, MIEK, KORG, AN ARMY OF ASGARDIANS, WONG, SEVERAL WIZARDS, HOPE VAN DYNE, AND PEPPER POTTS. STARK AND THOR ARISE IN WONDER.
T’CHALLA
Ah—yibambe!
OKOYE
—Yibambe!
SHURI
—Yibambe!
CHORUS
The battle join’d by hordes of comrades strong,
Who once were dead yet now their lives prolong!
The mighty band, defenders ev’ry one, 215
Produce an army not to be outdone!
[Exit Chorus.
STRANGE
Is ev’ryone arriv’d? Is this the whole?
WONG
Would you have more? Is this not crowd enow?
ENTER SCOTT LANG AT GIANT SIZE, EMERGING OUT OF THE BASE, HOLDING BRUCE BANNER, ROCKET, AND JAMES RHODES IN HIS HAND AND THEN SETTING THEM DOWN. ROGERS CALLS MJöLNIR TO HIS HAND, AND THOR CALLS STORMBREAKER TO HIS HAND.
ROGERS
Assemble, ye Avengers true!
THOR
—Hurrah!
[The Avengers’ army rushes on Thanos’s army. Epic battle ensues. In the melee, Rogers and Thor switch weapons.
Give me the axe, and thou the smaller take! 220
[They trade again. Stark is knocked down, and Parker rushes to his side.
PARKER
Thou wouldst not, sir, believe all that hath happ’d!
Dost thou remember when we were in space,
And I grew dusty, like to disappear?
I fainted, and awaking, thou wert gone.
Yet Doctor Strange was there and spake to us, 225
“Five years have pass’d—our comrades need our help!”
With yellow sparkly motions, e’er his wont—
What art thou doing?
[Stark approaches and hugs Parker tightly.
—�
��Tis a welcome squeeze.
[Aside, Quill fights off foes but is subdued by one.
QUILL
Death comes, alas! I stand, prepar’d to die.
ENTER GAMORA, SHOOTING THE MINION THREATENING QUILL. ENTER NEBULA WITH HER.
Gamora sweet! Methought I lost thee once, 230
And never shall I let thee go again.
[Quill puts his hand on her cheek, but Gamora grabs his hand roughly.
GAMORA
Do not presume to touch me!
[She kicks Quill twice and knocks him down.
QUILL
—Dear, thy kick
Didst miss its mark the first time, not the second—
Both boys were struck thereon.
GAMORA
[to Nebula:] —This is the one
On whom all mine affections will descend? 235
NEBULA
Two choices had you: this man or a tree.
[The battle continues. Barton carries the glove and attempts to keep it safe.
BARTON
[into radio:] Cap, what should I do with the golden egg?
This glove will not be worn by me, I’ll wager.
ROGERS
[into radio:] Take thou the Stones as far hence as thou canst.
BANNER
[into radio:] Nay, we have yet another massive task: 240
To take them once more whither they were ta’en.
STARK
[into radio:] It is impossible to bear them hence,
For Thanos hath destroy’d our one time tunnel.
[Lang shrinks to normal size.
LANG
[into radio:] A time machine additional we have!
[He pushes a button and the horn of his van is heard.
ROGERS
[into radio:] Hath someone seen a brown and ugly van? 245
[Valkyrie, riding overhead on a winged horse, spots the van.
VALKYRIE
[into radio:] Indeed, but you shall not like where ’tis park’d:
Amidst a flurry of our enemies.
STARK
[into radio:] Inform me, Scott, how long thou needest to
Make thy van operational once more.
LANG
[into radio:] ’Tis peradventure some ten minutes more. 250
ROGERS
[into radio:] Pray, venture forth—we’ll bear the Stones
to thee.
[Van Dyne flies next to Lang.
VAN DYNE
[into radio:] This mission, Cap, we’ll gladly undertake.
[Lang and Van Dyne smile at each other, then shrink to insect size and fly toward the van. Stark and Strange meet on the battlefield.
STARK
Intriguing man, well met. Thou told’st me once
We have one option out of fourteen million
That would see us succeed. Tell me ’tis this. 255
STRANGE
If I report to thee what happens next,
It shall not happen—such is paradox.
STARK
I hope and trust that thou art in the right.
[Lang and Van Dyne reach the van.
VAN DYNE
Alas, the van’s a mess.
LANG
—Worse yet, it seems
The thing’s inoperational. ’Tis dead. 260
VAN DYNE
What?
LANG
—Yea, such falls our fortune. Fear thou not,
Methinks I may hot-wire’t immediately.
[Thanos, Glaive, and Maw fight and slay many Asgardians.
THANOS
Where’s Nebula?
GLAIVE
—Liege, she respondeth not.
MAW
Sire, witness yonder, cross the battlefield—
It is the glove, the six Infin’ty Stones! 265
[Barton continues to keep the glove away from enemies. T’Challa approaches him.
T’CHALLA
Fast, Clint! Give thou the gauntlet unto me.
Once thou releasest it, I’ll take thy mantle.
[Barton gives the glove to T’Challa, who runs with it and fights off foes until he is struck by Thanos’s whirling blade. Thanos charges T’Challa, but Wanda lands in his path.
WANDA
Thou varlet, thou took’st ev’rything from me—
To face thee here fulfills my just revenge!
THANOS
Nay, woman, I know naught of you or yours. 270
WANDA
Thou, villain, wilt know me ere thou art dead.
[Wanda summons magic to begin fighting Thanos. T’Challa runs from them and meets Maw, who uses magic to draw T’Challa and the glove toward him.
PARKER
[into radio:] I’ll save you yet! Give thou the glove to me!
[T’Challa tosses the glove and Parker takes it with a web.
Now activate my instant kill at once!
[Parker’s suit begins slaying foes automatically. Wanda uses her magic to knock Thanos’s blade away, then hold his body aloft and strip him of his armor.
THANOS
[into radio:] Rain fire upon their heads!
GLAIVE
[into radio:] —Yet sire, our troops!
THANOS
[into radio:] Do thou my bidding, reason not the need! 275
[Thanos’s ship fires upon the battlefield, slaying many people on both sides. Wanda is knocked aside. Wong and other wizards use protective shields above their heads. Potts, flying overhead in her Rescue suit, sees the breach in the lakeshore.
POTTS
Is ev’ryone beholding what I see?
The waters over all of us shall flow!
STRANGE
Perhaps I shall take on the role of Moses.
[Strange stands in front of the rushing water and, using magic, turns it into a swirling pillar. Parker’s suit continues to fight off foes.
PARKER
No problem ’tis. I yet am in control!
[Parker is quickly overwhelmed.
[Into radio:] Nay, I am not! Help, someone, or I perish
soon! 280
ROGERS
[into radio:] Ho, Queens, be ready! Watch for mine
assistance.
[Rogers throws Mjölnir toward Parker, who catches it with a web, but it passes by and he is borne away by it. A blast cuts his web, but Potts catches him.
POTTS
Be still, I have you, Peter.
[Potts hoists Parker onto Valkyrie’s flying horse.
PARKER
[to Valkyrie:] —O, holla!
[A blast from Thanos’s ship knocks Parker to the ground.
Afflicted ev’ry way, but not yet crush’d,
Perplex’d, but not yet driven to despair,
Struck down, for certain, but not yet destroy’d! 285
[The blasts suddenly stop as Thanos’s ship takes aim at a new target.
WILSON
What is this change? Though welcome, verily,
I wonder what it is they shoot upon?
STARK
I prithee, Friday, say whereat they shoot.
FRIDAY
’Twas something entering the atmosphere,
A mighty, driving force t’ward which they fire. 290
ENTER CAROL DANVERS, FLYING DIRECTLY TOWARD AND THROUGH THANOS’S SHIP, CAUSING IT TO EXPLODE.
ROCKET
Hurrah! Behold the lady, what a marvel!
ROGERS
[into radio:] Thou art most welcome, Danvers. We
need thine
Assistance greatly in this trying hour.
[Lang and
Van Dyne power on the portal in Lang’s van. Danvers lands near Parker.
PARKER
Holla, ma’am, I am Peter Parker call’d—
Thou art a wonder, far as I can see. 295
DANVERS
Ho, Peter Parker. Hast thou aught for me?
Wilt thou, my rook, pass power to the queen?
PARKER
The hordes still press upon us ardently.
I’d see thee do it!
[Parker hands Danvers the glove. Wanda, Okoye, Shuri, Valkyrie, Potts, Mantis, Van Dyne, and Gamora all gather nearby.
WANDA
—Naught of dread feel thou.
OKOYE
The lady shall have help from mighty sisters, 300
Whose pow’r is sure, whose loyalty is vast,
Whose strength is drawn from resources within
That others know not of. Fly, women, fly!
[The group of women meet Thanos’s warriors, slaying many.
DANVERS
The van I’ve nearly reach’d, our hope secur’d!
Soon I shall reach the rolling time machine. 305
THANOS
Nay, by my troth, she shall not thwart my schemes!
[Thanos throws his blades into the van’s portal, causing a vast explosion. Danvers is knocked down and drops the glove near Stark and Thor.
STARK
It is the moment—we must seize the glove!
[Stark tries to tackle Thanos, who pushes him aside. Thor calls Mjölnir and Stormbreaker to his hands to ward off Thanos.
THOR
Back, brigand, by the power of all Asgard!
ROGERS
Keep strong, Thor, and I shall thy cause assist!
[Rogers jumps onto Thanos’s back, but Thanos knocks both Rogers and Thor to the ground. Thanos grabs the glove as Danvers approaches him.
DANVERS
Nay, ’twill not be, thou villain in the height, 310
We shall win freedom from thine evil schemes!
[He throws her aside and puts on the glove. She approaches him again and begins to pull off the glove.
Thou shalt not win, I swear upon my life.
THANOS
Still I have further tricks hid up my sleeve!
[He removes the Power Stone from the glove, takes it in his other hand, and strikes Danvers, knocking her far away.
STRANGE
[aside:] Our strong and worthy ally soon dispatch’d—
Alack for all of us, is this the end? 315
Nay, we still hold the outcome in our hands.
[Strange and Stark look at each other. Strange lifts one finger.
Though I cannot tell Stark what happens next,
By forefinger shown thus, I indicate
Our chance to win is yet within our grasp.