THE SILVER SURFER
THE END OF ETERNITY: PART ONE
(#1875-12)
TELEPLAY BY
DALLAS BARNES & LARRY BRODY
STORY BY
LARRY BRODY
REVISED PAGES
AUGUST 13, 1997
FINAL DRAFT
AUGUST 11, 1997
THE SILVER SURFER
"THE END OF ETERNITY"
TEASER
FADE IN:
EXT. UNKNOWN DEPTHS OF SPACE - A PURPLE BEAM
STABBING outward from an origin we can't SEE. The PURPLE
BEAM SPEEDS through space toward:
EXT. A PLANETARY SYSTEM - THE OUTERMOST PLANET
Breathtakingly beautiful, like a giant ice carving, with
GLEAMING swirls and spires and ridges.
DRAX (O.S.)
Pip! Look! Is that not the most
magnificent celestial object
you've ever seen...?
As he speaks, we ANGLE TO:
PIP AND DRAX'S STARSHIP
(NOTE: Originally Nebula's pirate craft in #1875-06) as it
speeds past the frozen planet.
PIP (O.S.)
C'mon, Draxy, you tellin' me the
Beacon's taken us a trillion light
years to ooh'n ahh over an icicle?
Where PIP THE TROLL turns from the sight of the Outermost
Planet in the viewscreen to DRAX THE DESTROYER. Nearby,
LINES OF ENERGY from the BEACON OF THE WATCHERS guide the
ship's controls.
DRAX
No, my little friend, more likely
it's taking us to -- that...!
Drax smiles at the viewscreen, and as the troll whirls to see
what's there, we TIGHTEN ON his astounded reaction to:
EXT. A PLANETARY SYSTEM - PIP AND DRAX'S STARSHIP
Moving through a corridor of IMAGES of the Watchers, toward
the innermost planet in the system -- an enormous version of
the black crystal Beacon. (Also last seen in #1875-06.)
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2.
PIP
It can't be!
INT. PIP AND DRAX'S STARSHIP - THE BRIDGE - DAY
On the viewscreen, the planet grows larger as they draw
nearer. Pip and Drax stare.
DRAX
But it is! Another Universal
Library!
PIP
That means we're gonna know
everything! Look out, Kree --
'cause I'm gonna use it to free
all the trolls!
Grabbing Drax, Pip starts dancing around with joy. The big
android watches him bemusedly as:
EXT. A PLANETARY SYSTEM - PIP AND DRAX'S STARSHIP
As, suddenly, the PURPLE BEAM strikes it, and we WIDEN TO SEE
the BEAM taking in the whole system. All movement stops,
everything seeming to stand still, while:
INT. PIP AND DRAX'S STARSHIP - THE BRIDGE - DAY
As both Pip and Drax are sent tumbling to the deck by the
abrupt change in direction.
PIP
(crying out)
Hey! Now what's goin' on?
Pip clambers to his feet. Drax is already up, heading for
the airlock.
DRAX
I know only one way to find out --
EXT. A PLANETARY SYSTEM - PIP AND DRAX'S STARSHIP
As Drax flies from it. As suddenly as it stopped, all other
motion resumes -- but Drax goes flying backward, into the
airlock once more -- and the ship travels in reverse as well!
INT. PIP AND DRAX'S STARSHIP - THE BRIDGE - DAY
Everything here is also in reverse, both Pip and Drax
returning to their positions on the deck.
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3.
Pip CRIES OUT, but his entire speech is reversed, as
everything we saw before happens again -- backward!
We hear all the DIALOGUE, but it too is backward, speech and
action speeding up in reverse, faster and faster, garbled and
indecipherable, until:
EXT. A PLANETARY SYSTEM
As Pip and Drax's ship WARPS OUT, still in reverse! We HOLD
ON the system, bathed in the PURPLE LIGHT. It is changing,
devolving, becoming more and more primitive.
SERIES OF QUICK SCENES
The IMAGES of the Watchers VANISH, and the Library Planet
changes its shape, becoming a what it must have been before
the Watchers changed it -- a vegetation-covered sphere!
THE OUTERMOST PLANET
Whirls and warms and bursts into FLAME!
THE ENTIRE SYSTEM
Both planets move back into the sun, which evaporates into
spinning gases until this entire primal site EXPLODES! The
PURPLE BEAM VANISHES as well, and from O.S. comes a sound
that many will recognize as THANOS' LAUGHTER! We WIDEN FROM
THE NOTHINGNESS TO FIND:
ETERNITY AND INFINITY
Staggering, the vanished planetary system showing up as an
emptiness (like a wound) in both their overlapping bodies.
They CRY OUT WORDLESSLY and:
ETERNITY
It begins!
INFINITY
Help me, brother!
But if Eternity responds, we can't hear it -- because Thanos'
LAUGHTER is continuing, LOUDER AND LOUDER, overpowering
everything as we
FADE OUT:
END OF TEASER
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4.
ACT ONE
FADE IN:
EXT. GALACTUS' SHIP - GALACTUS' MOUTH (A DREAM VISION)
Opening in a sardonic smile as:
GALACTUS
Ah, Silver Surfer, do you truly
expect me to believe you wish to
resume your duties as my herald?
As GALACTUS speaks, we WIDEN TO SEE that his huge body stands
in empty space alongside his even more enormous ship,
everything here so vast that we can only see parts of it all.
THE SILVER SURFER
Circling before Galactus' head, on his board, face filled
with anguish.
SILVER SURFER
I do not "wish" to do so, but I
will -- if only you let me spend
one brief moment with Shalla Bal!
GALACTUS' EYES
Narrow as he considers for a beat, while, from far away:
THE WATCHER (O.S.)
Silver Surfer...
GALACTUS (O.S.)
Very well, my repentant son -- I
shall bestow upon you the blessing
your heart most desires --
THE SILVER SURFER
His face lights up with joy, and he soars upward, flying into
an exultant somersault as:
SILVER SURFER
Oh, mighty one, never can I thank
you enough! You have given me...
THE WATCHER (O.S.)
Silver Surfer!
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5.
This time, the unseen voice is a mighty shout, and we
SMASH CUT TO:
EXT. DEEP SPACE - THE SILVER SURFER
Lying alone on an asteroid, with only his board. He awakens
with a start, still finishing his sentence --
SILVER SURFER
My greatest dream...?!
He leaps to his feet. Then, catching himself, he looks
around disappointedly, stops, even more startled as:
THE WATCHER (O.S.)
I beg your pardon, Silver Surfer...
WIDENING, we SEE THE WATCHER, looking down at the Surfer.
THE WATCHER
I did not desire to disturb your
slumber.
SILVER SURFER
Watcher?!
(concerned)
Why do you come to me? Well do I
know your vow of non-
interference --
THE WATCHER
And you know I have broken it --
in times of great peril!
ANOTHER ANGLE
The Watcher's voice betrays his concern. Quickly, the Surfer
leaps onto his board, soars up at him.
SILVER SURFER
What is it, Watcher? Have you
found Zenn-La? Does trouble
threaten my home?
We TIGHTEN ON the Watcher. His expression is grim.
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6.
THE WATCHER
It threatens us all!
(catching himself)
But just as once were you the
herald of Galactus, so now think
of me as the harbinger of greater
entities. It is from them you
will receive your answers...
And, as he says it, the Watcher RIPPLES, VANISHING, and
around him coalesces:
ETERNITY AND INFINITY
In all their cosmic enormity.
ETERNITY
(calling out)
Prepare yourself, Silver Surfer --
INFINITY
You are about to learn the true
nature of the universe!
We ANGLE TO a SILVER DOT, a mere point of light near their
bodies, TIGHTENING TO:
THE SILVER SURFER
Looking all around, completely overwhelmed. He flies back
and forth, trying to see.
SILVER SURFER (V.O.)
Those voices! They ring
throughout my being! What manner
of entities are these...?
ETERNITY AND INFINITY
Exchange looks as:
SILVER SURFER (O.S.)
Who are you who overwhelm my
senses? Who are too vast for my
mortal eyes to see?!
ETERNITY
My sister is Infinity, the essence
of space. I am Eternity, made up
of all time.
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7.
INFINITY
Together, we are the universe
personified...
ETERNITY
Created by the collective minds of
all the sentient beings that have
ever lived!
A comet races through Infinity's body where a human being's
heart would be, and enters Eternity's in the same place!
Following its trail, we TIGHTEN TO:
EXT. ANOTHER PART OF ETERNITY
FINDING a planet we've seen before: HARMONY (from #1875-09).
We PAN ACROSS its surface, where BETA RAY BILL and GAMMA JEN
BETH toil with a group of former "dreamers." These WHYNNM
have turned their filthy, decayed city into a clean and
functioning world.
INFINITY
Look well at events now
occurring --
The PURPLE BEAM appears, piercing the sky -- and everything
stops, then reverses, the clean-up becoming just the
opposite, the city collapsing!
THE SILVER SURFER
Staring at an IMAGE LIKE A SHIMMERING "HOLE" IN SPACE, where
he can see as what's happening on Harmony continues.
SILVER SURFER
I know that world! It is called
Harmony!
ETERNITY (O.S.)
The universe has been expanding
ever since its birth. Now it is
ruthlessly being made to collapse.
We TIGHTEN PAST the Surfer TO
EXT. PLANET OF HARMONY
It keeps devolving, going back to its origins, as:
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8.
INFINITY (O.S.)
A malignant force has gained the
power to cause time to run
backward. Soon the entire cosmos
will be affected.
Harmony's time reversal continues even faster, the horselike
inhabitants going from having intelligence and awareness to
being mere animals, no longer standing on two legs but
cantering about on four!
ETERNITY (O.S.)
If this abomination is not
stopped, all creation will end
before it even began!
THE SILVER SURFER
Appalled. He flies at the IMAGE, and passes through it!
SILVER SURFER
No! Gone are the dreamers of
Harmony!
(calling out)
Eternity! Infinity! When I was
but a child the Master spoke of
you and your awesome nature!
(beat)
Surely, you will not let the
universe come to this end!
ETERNITY AND INFINITY
Look in the Surfer's general direction sadly.
INFINITY
We are the Alpha and the Omega --
but although we see all possible
outcomes, we do not know which
will inevitably occur!
ETERNITY
Nor can we employ our vast power
directly. To do so would cause
the very catastrophe we seek to
avoid.
INFINITY
For that reason we must use a
champion to act in our stead.
And, as they talk, we again FIND:
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9.
EXT. PLANET OF HARMONY
Its reversal and destruction almost complete! The Whynnm are
no more. Instead there are only amoebas, on a world like a
primordial soup! O.S., the Surfer GROANS.
ETERNITY (O.S.)
A being whose place in time and
space has already been wrenched
from him, so he will not be
affected by the reversals that
occur.
All life on Harmony VANISHES into a molten ooze!
INFINITY (O.S.)
When Galactus transformed you into
the Silver Surfer, he initiated
the creation of that being.
ETERNITY (O.S.)
And when you separated yourself
from your master you finished the
task.
The molten ooze is sucked into the sun, and EXPLODES!
ETERNITY AND INFINITY
Their bodies are peppered by more such EXPLOSIONS! The two
entities WAVER AND GROW FAINT. Infinity sinks to a knee, and
Eternity catches her as:
ETERNITY
Time truly grows short. Be
warned, Silver Surfer, that you
too will inevitably perish --
unless you succeed as the
universe's champion!
THE SILVER SURFER - INTERCUTTING WITH ABOVE AS NEEDED
The IMAGE before him vanishes, and both he and his board are
blown back by the BLASTS! Quickly, the Surfer recovers, and
calls out:
SILVER SURFER
What would you have me do?
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10.
INFINITY
You must use the power of Galactus
and the soul of Zenn-La to stop
the agent of our destruction --
before it is too late!
SILVER SURFER
Who is this madman?
ETERNITY
The tides of malignant entropy are
controlled by one you already
know --
INFINITY
Thanos!
And, as the outlines of Eternity and Infinity vanish, leaving
only the Surfer, and what's left of the stars, we
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. ANOTHER AREA OF SPACE - THANOS' SHIP
The skull-like bioship moves through space. From it comes
the wide, fan-shaped PURPLE BEAM -- and the SOUND OF THANOS'
LAUGHTER!
INT. THANOS' SHIP - NIGHT - THE VIEWSCREEN
Where more stars are EXPLODING out of existence as:
THANOS (O.S.)
Lady Chaos! See what Thanos has
wrought...!
WIDER
FINDING Thanos in the garden before the statue of Lady Chaos.
He looks from the viewscreen to the statue, face filled with
pride -- and fury.
THANOS
Mock me now, if you dare...!
He waits as though listening. Then:
THANOS
(continuing; sardonic)
What's that, my lady? I can't
hear your words. You wouldn't be
ignoring me, would you...?
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11.
Thanos turns away from the statue, points a finger. A
smaller version of the PURPLE BEAM SHOOTS from it at:
AN AREA OF DENSE FOLIAGE
Purple and twisted. The widening PURPLE BEAM touches it, and
the foliage changes, becoming thinner, less gnarled.
THANOS (O.S.)
After all, not even a goddess
would dare ignore a man who
possesses the ultimate weapon...
Thick branches become green twigs, the twigs become buds.
All it takes is a short beat -- and there's nothing but bare
ground, and some seed. The PURPLE BEAM STOPS.
THANOS
Moves to the area he's just defoliated and picks up the
seeds. He's very careful as he makes sure he has them all.
Thanos' tone becomes one of concern as:
THANOS
So young, so very delicate...
And Thanos rubs his palms together, grinding the seeds into
dust that falls back to the ground.
THANOS
(continuing)
Soon I'll crush the entire
universe between my hands in the
greatest offering Chaos could
have --
WIDER
As Thanos breaks off. On the viewscreen, the PURPLE BEAM is
sputtering, becoming weaker. Thanos rushes to his control
panel, pushes a series of buttons and levers.
EXT. ANOTHER AREA OF SPACE - THANOS' SHIP
Where the PURPLE BEAM STOPS.
INT. THANOS' SHIP - NIGHT
Thanos looks distraught. He turns to the statue.
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12.
THANOS
The Time Reversal Field is out of
power!
He waits, "listening." When he responds, he's the "old"
Thanos again, submissive to the statue, subdued.
THANOS
(continuing)
Oh, my lady, I am sorry. I have
failed...
EXT. ANOTHER AREA OF SPACE - THANOS' SHIP
Changing course, and speeding up.
THANOS (O.S.)
I must return to the Source. And
then, once and for all, I shall
prove myself worthy of your love...
Thanos' ship FORESHORTENS INTO WARP as we
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. DEEP SPACE - THE SILVER SURFER
Shooting the curl of a COSMIC WAVE, as:
SILVER SURFER (V.O.)
Awesome as Eternity and Infinity
may be, I cannot help but doubt
their belief in me...
He soars between a planet and its moon.
SILVER SURFER (V.O.)
(continuing)
I do not feel like a "universal
champion," but rather like Norrin
Radd, a man who well knows his own
shortcomings...
Slowing, the Surfer looks out at the universe beyond.
SILVER SURFER (V.O.)
(continuing)
If I am to use the power of
Galactus to save all of creation,
then must I go to its very
source -- and seek my former
master's aid...!
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13.
THE SILVER SURFER'S POV - AN ENERGY FIELD
Filled with various sources -- but not as full as we've SEEN
it before.
SILVER SURFER (V.O.)
Already does the universe seem
smaller, and less filled with
energy --
We ANGLE TO the largest, BRIGHTEST power source.
SILVER SURFER (V.O.)
(continuing)
There! Galactus' energy signal
will lead me directly to him!
BACK TO THE SILVER SURFER
Going faster and faster. He FORESHORTENS INTO WARP as we
CUT TO:
EXT. ANOTHER PLANETARY SYSTEM - THE SILVER SURFER
WARPING IN. Before we can SEE or hear anything else:
NOVA (O.S.)
Silverado! Oh man, am I glad to
see you -- !
We WIDEN TO SEE NOVA sweep toward him like a living flame.
Behind her is Galactus' enormous ship. The Surfer soars
toward her.
SILVER SURFER
Nova! Why are you here with the
mighty one, instead of questing
for his next energy source?
NOVA
Truth to tell -- I just can't seem
to get away...
ANOTHER ANGLE
Nova says it like a joke, but just as the Surfer reaches her,
she stops in mid-flight. For a short beat Nova's completely
still, and we SEE that she has a slight PURPLE AURA around
her. Then she starts moving backward, exactly as she
originally came toward the Surfer.
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14.
NOVA
Uh-oh -- here I go again!
Nova reaches out at the Surfer futilely, but continues
backward to Galactus' ship, which also shows a slight PURPLE
AURA around it. The Surfer starts to follow.
SILVER SURFER (V.O.)
Nova out of control like this?
Incredible...!
Still in reverse, Nova continues up to the control center of
the looming vessel, and the Surfer starts to follow.
EXT. GALACTUS' SHIP - A CABLE OF DESTRUCTION
Emerging abruptly. It plunges down toward the planet
below -- and straight at the surprised Surfer, who barely
gets away in time!
THE SILVER SURFER
More cables emerge. The Surfer zigs out of the way of a
second, then bends low on his board and slaloms through the
rest until he's away from the ship. Amazed, he looks down at:
THE SILVER SURFER'S POV - THE PLANET
For the first time, we get a good LOOK, SEEING that it's been
totally consumed. But it does show a slight PURPLE AURA.
SILVER SURFER (V.O.)
Galactus sending his cables down
to feed on a world he has already
drained? Impossible...!
(beat)
Unless...
And, as we WATCH, the planet returns to life, the dead gray
rock replaced by soil, and water as grids of ENERGY CRACKLE.
SILVER SURFER (V.O.)
(continuing)
Like Harmony, this planet, Nova,
and Galactus' ship are moving
through a reversal of time -- !
Although this world has no animal life, it's now populated by
WEIRDLY SHAPED PLANTS. The CRACKLING ENERGY DIES DOWN -- and
the cables of destruction pull out of the ground!
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15.
BACK TO THE SILVER SURFER
Soaring closer to the ship, above the vanishing cables.
Everything stops, as it did before. And then the cables
emerge, plunging downward again! We ANGLE WITH them to:
EXT. THE SURFACE OF THE PLANET - DAY
The process we know to be Galactus' feeding begins anew.
SILVER SURFER (V.O.)
Now time is going forward again!
(realizing)
This is not the condition I saw
before...
The CRACKLING ENERGY grid forms, the ENERGY and color leaving
the planet, as:
BACK TO THE SILVER SURFER
He soars up toward the top of the ship, sweeps on, to:
EXT. GALACTUS' CONTROL CENTER - THE COMMAND CHAIR
As much of it as we can SEE. Seated there is GALACTUS'
massive form. Circling in the air near him is Nova. As the
Surfer soars in:
NOVA
Surfer...!
We ANGLE WITH the Surfer, and as he nears Galactus' helmeted
head, we SEE that it too is surrounded by the PURPLE AURA.
SILVER SURFER
Galactus! I come with a purpose
most dire!
GALACTUS' EYES
SIZZLING WITH ENERGY. His brows knit in fury as:
GALACTUS (O.S.)
Former herald! Why are you free,
while I, the unconquerable
Galactus, careen uncontrollably
through time?
(more)
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16.
GALACTUS (cont'd; O.S.)
(hard)
Are you the one responsible for
the madness in which I have become
ensnared?
(harder)
Are you the cause of my burning
hunger!?
GALACTUS' HAND
He hits a button on the command chair, and we WIDEN as a BOLT
OF ENERGY ARCS from it at:
THE SILVER SURFER
BLASTED in mid-air. He starts to fall but never hits the
ground as Galactus FIRES BOLT AFTER BOLT, knocking the Surfer
all over the control center, CRASHING into machinery and
walls! He's like a tin can being blown through the air by a
crack shot in the Old West as we
FADE OUT:
END OF ACT ONE
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17.
ACT TWO
FADE IN:
EXT. A TUMULTUOUS PART OF THE UNIVERSE - FOUNTAIN OF
ENERGY
Spouting IRIDESCENT ENERGY billions of miles high. It's like
nothing we've ever SEEN before, the origin of the fountain a
disk of BLACKNESS so dark that it's visible even against
blackest space.
We ANGLE WITH one of the IRIDESCENT PLUMES as, like a sudden
gush of water, it arcs higher than the rest, and we FIND:
THANOS' SHIP
WARPING INTO the ENERGY. Immediately, the ship takes on the
IRIDESCENCE, shaking and FLASHING FROM POSITIVE TO NEGATIVE
AND BACK, as, from within, O.S., comes Thanos' HOWL!
INT. THANOS' SHIP - NIGHT
Everything within it shaking and tilting and FLASHING FROM
POSITIVE TO NEGATIVE, including the statue of Lady Chaos --
and Thanos, who frantically tries to stay on his feet and
work the controls, until:
EXT. A TUMULTUOUS PART OF THE UNIVERSE
Thanos' ship moves out of the IRIDESCENT ARC, and returns to
normal.
INT. THANOS' SHIP - NIGHT
As, with a SIGH, Thanos gathers himself, addresses the statue.
THANOS
Ah, Lady -- look well at the most
dangerous point in the universe...
He indicates the viewscreen, which is filled by the ENERGY
FOUNTAIN.
THANOS
(continuing)
And a lethal one, even to me...
As he talks, we TIGHTEN ON the viewscreen, SEEING what Thanos
describes:
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18.
THANOS (O.S.)
Do you remember how your perfidy
that brought me here?
ANOTHER ANGLE ON THE VIEWSCREEN - INTERCUTTING WITH
THANOS AND THE STATUE AS NEEDED
As the IMAGE is replaced by one of the interior of Thanos'
ship. (NOTE: It's the scene from #1875-09, in which LADY
CHAOS turns back into the statue.)
THANOS
Abandoned, I sought to abort my
trip to the far reaches of space...
On the viewscreen, the anguished Thanos works the controls,
and we SEE the ship WARP IN near the FOUNTAIN OF ENERGY.
THANOS
(continuing)
And in so doing found myself amid
such fascinating destructive force
that I had to study it...
On the viewscreen, several PLUMES arc toward Thanos' ship.
It dodges and weaves, then is caught by a couple of them,
FLASHING POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE until it escapes.
THANOS
(continuing)
My experiments confirmed that this
was an inter-dimensional nexus...
On the viewscreen, several TRACTOR BEAMS emerge from the
ship, encompassing pieces of the FOUNTAIN OF ENERGY and
bringing them to the garden, where Thanos stores the FOUNTAIN
ENERGY in cage-like CONTAINMENT FIELDS, and performs various
tests.
THANOS
(continuing)
The source of all energy --
everywhere...
NEW ANGLE ON THE VIEWSCREEN - STILL INTERCUTTING WITH
THANOS AND THE STATUE AS NEEDED
Various vegetation is now in a CONTAINMENT FIELD with the
FOUNTAIN ENERGY, where it is joined by a dense PURPLE MIST.
As the mist clears, the vegetation shrinks, growing backward
to nothingness!
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19.
THANOS
Because of its primal nature, the
energy here is inextricably woven
with time...
On the viewscreen, Thanos works feverishly, distilling the
mist into the PURPLE BEAM we've already seen.
THANOS
(continuing; beat)
Making it possible for me to
manipulate the one -- by
controlling the other...
WIDER
As Thanos moves back to the statue.
THANOS
No applause, Lady Chaos? No
praise for my achievement? What
do I have to do to win you?!
It's a cry filled pain. Thanos waits, seems to hear
something. He smiles.
THANOS
(continuing)
What did you say, my lady? Yes,
you're right! I cannot continue
my scattershot approach...
He turns, hurries back to the control console.
EXT. A TUMULTUOUS PART OF THE UNIVERSE - THANOS' SHIP
Sending out a series of TRACTOR BEAMS.
THANOS (O.S.)
I must contain the entire
fountain -- and beam it out to
destroy the whole universe at once!
And, as the TRACTOR BEAMS begin uniting in a gigantic
CONTAINMENT FIELD around the entire FOUNTAIN OF ENERGY, we
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. GALACTUS' CONTROL CENTER - THE SILVER SURFER
As we left him, taking HIT after HIT from Galactus. Around
him, equipment EXPLODES from Galactus' powerful BOLTS!
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20.
NOVA (O.S.)
Galactus! Stop!!!
We WIDEN as Nova soars between the Surfer and what we can SEE
of Galactus, FIRING FLAMING BLASTS OF THE POWER COSMIC
directly at her master!
GALACTUS' UPPER CHEST
As the BLASTS hits him, with no effect.
GALACTUS' EYES
Widening with astonishment -- and anger.
GALACTUS (O.S.)
Nova! My herald! You dare take
the prodigal one's treacherous
side?!
GALACTUS' HAND
And he presses a control one more time!
WIDER
The latest COSMIC BOLT streaks at Nova. Quickly, the Surfer
swoops in front of her, taking its full impact -- both he and
his board CRASHING to the deck! Nova flies to him, cradling
the Surfer's GROANING form. She glares back up at Galactus.
NOVA
"Treachery?" The only treachery
here is yours! The last time you
saw him, the Surfer saved your
life!
(harder)
He's not your enemy!
GALACTUS' MOUTH
Forms a grimace as:
GALACTUS
When the Great Hunger is upon me,
all creatures are enemies!
(beat)
And no one knows better than you,
my Nova, how ravenous I now am --
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21.
WIDER
Galactus stops in mid-word, as, suddenly, everything on the
ship stops, reversing itself once again!
THE SILVER SURFER
Only he is unaffected, rousing himself to stare at:
THE SILVER SURFER'S POV - THE CONTROL ROOM
Where Galactus and Nova re-live the entire battle backward,
including the above dialog! The only difference is that the
Surfer is no longer in the fight --
SILVER SURFER (V.O.)
Again does time reverse, and both
Nova and great Galactus are
powerless to resist!
BACK TO THE SILVER SURFER
The "fight" ends with Galactus sitting back in his command
chair while Nova flies up and out of the control room.
Leaping onto his board, the Surfer too soars upward, to:
EXT. GALACTUS' SHIP
The Surfer emerges as the entire process we SAW before
resumes, but much more quickly this time, Galactus' cables of
destruction returning to the ship and then plunging down
again -- and again -- and again -- while Nova flies out, then
in, out and in --
SILVER SURFER (V.O.)
The ebb and flow of past and
present here grows more erratic --
Nova nears him, and the Surfer grabs her fiery form:
SILVER SURFER
Nova! You must tell me! How did
this begin?
Nova's body tries to keep moving. The Surfer holds on
tightly, forcing her to stay where she is. She works hard to
get out the words:
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22.
NOVA
As Galactus and I entered this
system, we were struck by some
weird purple beam -- and time
started going bizerk...
Nova almost gets away. Still, the Surfer holds on. She
manages to point down to:
THE SILVER SURFER AND NOVA'S POV - THE PLANET BELOW
Crazily shifting between life and death in an endless cycle!
NOVA (O.S.)
Big G's chowed down on that little
morsel more times than I can
count, but he never gets to feel
full --
BACK TO THE SILVER SURFER AND NOVA
As the Surfer realizes the reason:
SILVER SURFER
Because he always returns to the
moment before he absorbed its
energy!
NOVA
And the big guy isn't exactly a
good sport on the diet front. The
hungrier he gets, the crazier he
acts.
Now, against her will, Nova breaks away toward the ship. The
Surfer streaks after, catching her as:
GALACTUS (O.S.)
(roaring)
Where is my sustenance?!
EXT. GALACTUS' SHIP
Galactus stands in space beside it, his gaze sweeping all
around. From his eyes come twin BEAMS OF THE POWER COSMIC,
BLASTING randomly -- everywhere!
GALACTUS
I hunger!!!
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23.
THE SILVER SURFER AND NOVA
Keeping Nova with him, the Surfer soars away from Galactus'
ship, trying to evade the COSMIC BLASTS as:
NOVA
Oh, man -- I've never been so
scared in my life.
(beat)
You gotta do something!
More COSMIC BLASTS EXPLODE near them. The Surfer continues
his evasive maneuvers.
SILVER SURFER
I came here to ask for Galactus'
help! Instead I find that both of
you have been trapped by the very
being I must defeat!
NOVA
C'mon, Silverado, how about some
good news?
THE PLANET BELOW
A series of COSMIC BLASTS strike it, BLOWING huge chunks into
space!
SILVER SURFER (O.S.)
There is some. When you were
touched by that beam, you should
have vanished back beyond the
beginning of time!
NOVA (O.S.)
I had to ask...
SILVER SURFER (O.S.)
Galactus' power cosmic must have
shielded you both from the full
result --
THE SILVER SURFER AND NOVA
A piece of the planet hurtles at them, and as the Surfer
slips out of its way Nova again is wrenched from his grip.
She goes tumbling back toward the ship, but before the Surfer
can go after her, another of Galactus' COSMIC BLASTS EXPLODES
right beside him, and he falls to his knees!
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24.
NOVA
Gets closer to Galactus' ship. Passing the colossus that is
that gargantuan being, she lifts up a fiery hand in a wave:
NOVA
(her best "Lucy")
Aw, Ricky...you're not really mad,
are you...?
Galactus turns toward her -- and then the strange time flow
goes to work on him again, both Galactus and Nova vanishing
up toward the top of the ship as:
THE PLANET BELOW
The BLASTED pieces return to it, and it re-forms! We WIDEN
TO FIND the Silver Surfer. Forcing himself back to his feet,
he soars away as we
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. A TUMULTUOUS PART OF THE UNIVERSE - FOUNTAIN OF
ENERGY
As the last piece of Thanos' CONTAINMENT FIELD closes in
place around it. We WIDEN TO SEE Thanos' ship moving around
the field while:
THANOS (O.S.)
Ah...all is in readiness...
INT. THANOS' SHIP - NIGHT - THE VIEWSCREEN
As PURPLE MIST is pumped into the containment field with the
FOUNTAIN OF ENERGY. From O.S. we hear a STEADILY INCREASING
ROAR OF RAW POWER as:
THANOS (O.S.)
No entire civilization...
ANOTHER ANGLE
Thanos concentrates on the controls.
THANOS
Not the science of the Kree, nor
the determination of the Skrull...
A PURPLE BEAM stabs from Thanos' finger to the statue,
whirling it so Lady Chaos too seems to stare at the
viewscreen.
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25.
THANOS
(continuing)
Has ever been able to match the
feat I am about to accomplish...
O.S., the ROAR OF POWER RISES TO AN INCREDIBLE PITCH! The
ship and its garden begin to vibrate. Thanos nods with
pleasure, and we TIGHTEN ON the statue of Lady Chaos. It too
starts to shake.
EXT. A TUMULTUOUS PART OF THE UNIVERSE
The PURPLE MIST and the ENERGY FOUNTAIN have combined
IRIDESCENTLY, and Thanos' ship is moving to the BLACK disk.
The ship stops, its skull shape silhouetted against the
darkness.
THANOS (O.S.)
By staying here at the core we
will be immune to the effects of
the Time Reversal Field.
(beat)
Together we can appreciate the
truest expression of my love --
annihilation of everything that is.
ANOTHER ANGLE
From the ship, a PURPLE BEAM ZAPS at the enclosed FOUNTAIN OF
POWER. With an even LOUDER ROAR, an ENORMOUS PURPLE WAVE
BURSTS from the CONTAINMENT FIELD and MOVES OUTWARD in all
directions, filling the SCREEN WITH PURPLE LIGHT as we
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. AN EMPTY AREA OF SPACE
PANNING ACROSS COMPLETE NOTHINGNESS as:
SILVER SURFER (V.O.)
The Kirby-Lee Quadrant! Once home
to millions of worlds, now it is
an empty victim of the reversal of
time...!
CONTINUING TO PAN, we FIND the Silver Surfer speeding along
as fast as we've ever seen him!
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26.
SILVER SURFER (V.O.)
(continuing)
How do I defeat a foe as ruthless
as Thanos? Where do I even go to
find him...?
And as he looks around:
THE SILVER SURFER'S POV - AN ENERGY FIELD
With small LEVELS OF ENERGY GLOWING far in the distance,
outside the Quadrant. In the center of the FIELD, a GLOWING
PURPLE SPOT BECOMES LARGER, WIDER, expanding as:
SILVER SURFER (V.O.)
Wait! What is that? Not a beam,
but a widespread field --
The PURPLE SPOT BLOTS out more and more of the other SPOTS
as, cutting the Surfer off:
INFINITY (O.S.)
You must hurry, Silver Surfer!
Even Eternity has almost run out
of time!
BACK TO SCENE
As the forms of Eternity and Infinity coalesce before what is
now a miniscule-looking Silver Surfer. Within their bodies
are GROWING AREAS OF PURPLE. The areas start to tighten, to
shrink. In fact, the entire bodies of Eternity and Infinity
are growing smaller!
THE SILVER SURFER
From O.S. comes the PURPLE LIGHT, getting closer and closer
to him, stronger and stronger. He looks at it, gets an idea:
SILVER SURFER
Eternity! Infinity! I know you
dare not use your power directly.
But within you are all times and
all places...!
Now the PURPLE is no longer merely O.S. It's here, almost
upon the Surfer!
SILVER SURFER
(continuing)
Guide me to Thanos -- while you
still can!
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27.
And then, as the PURPLE is about to overwhelm him:
ETERNITY AND INFINITY
Reaching out, Eternity takes the Surfer and his board onto
the palm of his hand, thrusting the Surfer into his dwindling
chest, while we
CUT TO:
INT. ETERNITY/EXT. THE UNIVERSE
TRAVELING WITH the Silver Surfer as the giant hand of
Eternity pushes him along at a speed even faster than WARP!
He zooms through a field of PURPLE, looking from side to side:
SILVER SURFER (V.O.)
The reversal of time indeed has no
effect on me...
THE SILVER SURFER'S POV - THE SHRINKING PURPLE UNIVERSE
PANNING the universe alongside and before the Surfer, as:
SILVER SURFER (V.O.)
(horrified)
But for the rest of the universe,
it is a much more terrible story!
And, to illustrate this point, we
SMASH CUT TO:
SERIES OF QUICK SCENES - INTERCUTTING WITH THE SILVER
SURFER'S WILD RIDE!
EXT. PLANET OF MOROVUS - DAY
Where KILI and a group of TROLLS play with the HATCHLING
QUEEN SKRULL -- but it's all happening backward!
EXT. THE WANDERER FLEET
Moving through the Plasma Jump that brought it to this part
of the universe -- but moving backward!
EXT. PLANET OF KREE-LAR - DAY
The capitol city of the Kree Empire -- devolving backward
from its futuristic buildings to primitive huts!
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28.
EXT. PLANET OF SKRULLOS - DAY
Also devolving, its jungle drying, becoming an arid plain!
EXT. PLANET OF KARRA-DES - DAY
Its dead emptiness starts returning to life!
EXT. PLANET OF EARTH - DAY
Where AMBER, Nova's old friend, lounges on the beach, she --
and everyone else here -- getting younger, smaller, becoming
little children as:
MORE QUICK SCENES - SHORTER, FASTER -- INTERCUTTING AND
OVERLAPPING WITH EACH OTHER AS WELL AS WITH THE SILVER SURFER!
MOROVUS devolves into an arid hunk of rock!
THE WANDERERS part from each other, GAMORA and LORD GLENN and
the DRACONIANS returning to their respective planets before
they were destroyed by Galactus!
KREE-LAR becomes a watery, lifeless world!
KARRA-DES returns to its sun!
EARTH'S MOON returns to it, enlarging the planet!
AND -- LAST BUT NOT LEAST:
EXT. WHAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE ANCIENT SKRULLOS
BUT DEFINITELY IS ZENN-LA! SHALLA BAL sits in the sculpture
garden, looking sadly at the restored version of the
spaceship sculpture that meant so much to Norrin Radd. She
reaches out to it --
And we ZOOM BACK TO SEE the entire planet quickly devolve
into space particles while we
SMASH CUT TO:
INT. ETERNITY/EXT. THE UNIVERSE - THE SILVER SURFER
Crying out:
SILVER SURFER
SHALLA BAL!!!
On his anguish, we WIDEN TO SEE that we have reached:
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29.
EXT. A TUMULTUOUS PART OF THE UNIVERSE
Where the Silver Surfer soars through the PURPLE FIELD being
generated by the ROARING FOUNTAIN OF ENERGY trapped in the
nearby CONTAINMENT FIELD. He looks shaken and weak.
SILVER SURFER (V.O.)
Shalla Bal! Zenn-La! The people
of all the worlds on which I have
been -- I cannot fail them!
(hard)
For the first time since I became
the Silver Surfer do I fully
understand why.
(beat)
The universe needs me. I will not
allow it to die!
ANOTHER ANGLE
The Surfer flies nearer to the CONTAINMENT FIELD from which
the PURPLE FIELD originates, gazes at the ENERGY FOUNTAIN
within it.
SILVER SURFER (V.O.)
Never before have I seen so much
energy. This must be the force
behind Thanos' field. If I can
destroy it --
He touches it with his hand. The CONTAINMENT FIELD SPARKS,
FLASHING POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE, and the Surfer pulls back
with a WORDLESS CRY.
SILVER SURFER (V.O.)
(continuing;
gathering himself)
No! Not "if!" I shall destroy it!
He FIRES a pair of:
COSMIC BLASTS
Hitting the CONTAINMENT FIELD. It SPARKS AND FLASHES FROM
POSITIVE TO NEGATIVE AND BACK -- and holds strong!
THE SILVER SURFER
Is flung back on his board. Again he FIRES A SERIES OF:
BRODY/BARNES SILVER SURFER 1875-12 REV. PAGES 8/13/97
30.
COSMIC BLASTS
Again the CONTAINMENT FIELD SPARKS AND FLASHES -- and holds!
THE SILVER SURFER
He looks around and sees:
THE SILVER SURFER'S POV - SPACE AROUND HIM
At first it seems as vast as ever, although PURPLE is the
basic color, not BLACK. But as we HOLD, the whole universe
appears to SHRINK, the PURPLENESS getting smaller, smaller...
SILVER SURFER (O.S.)
The end is almost here!
BACK TO THE SILVER SURFER
Frantically, he swoops around the CONTAINMENT FIELD and sees:
THE SILVER SURFER'S POV - THE BLACK DISK
And, within it:
SILVER SURFER (V.O.)
Thanos' ship! It is from there
that he must be controlling the
power!
BACK TO THE SILVER SURFER
Face set, both hands FIRING COSMIC BLAST AFTER COSMIC BLAST,
he speeds directly at Thanos' ship. We WIDEN as from the
ship comes a HOLOGRAPHIC IMAGE Thanos.
THANOS
You seek to stop me, man of Zenn-
La? Are you so ignorant that you
do not know you haven't a chance?
And, as Thanos LAUGHS, three things happen at once:
THE SILVER SURFER CONTINUES FIRING
THANOS' SHIP FIRES BACK!
THE RECEDING PURPLE FIELD RETURNS TO ITS SOURCE!
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31.
WIDER
For a beat nothing happens. Then there's a SOUND LIKE THE
LOUDEST THUNDERCLAP EVER, AND IN THE CENTER OF THE SCREEN THE
IMAGE VANISHES, LEAVING ONLY A WHITE NOTHINGNESS!
WE FREEZE FRAME, THE WHITE NOTHINGNESS SPREADING OUTWARD,
TAKING OVER EVERYTHING -- BECOMING EVERYTHING -- and, OVER it
all, we hear the LAUGHTER OF THANOS' as we
FADE OUT:
THE END
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