Supergirl: The Drifter
FADE IN:
EXT. SOLAR SYSTEM
The solar system as seen near Pluto's orbit.
A small, cigar-shaped spacecraft moves toward the sun.
INT. KARA'S SHIP
A small, cramped spacecraft. A large bed is the main feature.
Lying on the bed is 16-year-old KARA, slim, short hair,
sleeping in suspended animation. She wears a long white robe,
with no shoes.
Several screens line the wall. One shows the ship's
trajectory across the solar system, destination Earth, ETA 6
years.
Another screen shows Kara's vitals: metabolism: 0.01%,
relative age: 16, height: 5'8", etc.
Another screen shows the ship's log. The lines have a
date/time stamp. The log reads:
5735.21 - Engaging escape-pod #15.
5735.28 - Engaging suspended animation.
5735.37 - Leaving Argo's orbit.
5735.37 - Locating Earth.
5735.37 - Setting course.
5735.49 - Metabolism of 0.01% achieved.
5736.19 - Engine 100% power.
Then the log comes to life:
5763.15 - Entering Sun system.
5763.15 - Opening screens.
The top of the ship becomes transparent. Sunlight pours in.
5763.16 - Raising metabolism.
The Vitals screen shows Metabolism slowly rising to 25%.
Energy Absorption (the sun's Energy that Kara has absorbed)
begins to rise too, very, very slowly. It's going to take 8
years for it to reach 87%.
5763.22 - Transmissions detected.
2.
Another screen shows a quick collage of TV shows.
5763.23 - Engaging cerebral tap.
A small device covers Kara's temples. Her eyes begin R.E.M.
Several seconds go by. Then an alarm flashes.
5763.28 - Drifter detected, contact 2 years.
5763.28 - Engaging evasive maneuver.
INSERT shot of ship. Directional thrusters engage, changing
the ship's direction.
BACK TO SCENE
One screen shows the ship's trajectory changing slowly.
There's a red dot (the Drifter) shown too, it's heading for
the ship. A sign that reads "contact with Drifter: 2 years"
appears below the display.
5763.29 - Engaging protective armor.
Kara's robe morphs into an X-men style armor, only white,
with boots and covering everything but hands and head, with
the "S" symbol etched on the chest.
The ship's trajectory continues to change on the screen. ETA
to Earth increases. Contact with drifter increases too.
After a moment, the ship's trajectory goes around Saturn.
ETA to Earth is now 8 years. Contact with Drifter is 8.1 years.
5763.56 - Evasive action completed.
EXT. SOLAR SYSTEM
Focus on the ship of a moment.
PAN BACK until Pluto is but a small dot.
Far away, a man in a spacesuit (no helmet) floats in the
direction of Kara's ship.
EXT. EARTH'S HIGH ORBIT
SUPER: 8 years later. Orbital Space Station Komodo.
A large space station in high orbit around Earth. A space
shuttle is parked in the station's airlock.
JEFF DUNCAN, is near the shuttle, inspecting it.
INT. CONTROL ROOM - KOMODO
A series of screens line the wall of the control room.
3.
BIFF ALDEN sits in front of one of the screens, showing
Duncan outside.
CAPTAIN ANDREW MILLAR (tall, mid-forties) and CYNTHIA BELL
sit next to another screen, monitoring an experiment with
the small nuclear reactor in the station.
DUNCAN (O.S.)
Inspection completed. The bird is
ready to fly.
ALDEN
(to microphone)
Roger that. Return to airlock.
The screen shows Duncan moving slowly back to the airlock.
Alden uses a joystick to keep the camera on Duncan.
A moment later, Alden catches a glimpse of something strange.
He pans back the camera and sees the man in spacesuit with
no helmet (the Drifter) floating 50 yards away from the station.
ALDEN
What the...
(to Millar)
Captain Millar, you have to see this.
Millar looks up from his screen.
MILLAR
What?
Alden points to the spacesuit on the screen. Millar stands
up and goes to get a closer look.
MILLAR (CONT'D)
Is Duncan still out?
ALDEN
He's heading for the airlock.
MILLAR
(to microphone)
Duncan, still out?
DUNCAN (O.S.)
For another ten seconds.
MILLAR
(to microphone)
How's your O-2?
DUNCAN (O.S.)
I'm good for 15 more minutes. Why?
4.
MILLAR
(to microphone)
I need you to check on something.
EXT. OUTER SPACE - MINUTES LATER
Duncan slowly maneuvers toward the man in the spacesuit.
We can see the Drifter clearly now. The spacesuit looks old
and worn but complete. He has no helmet so we can see the
head. A skeletal head looking like one of those shrunken
heads but at normal size. The eyes are closed. The nametag
on the suit reads "Sergei Velakov."
DUNCAN
Not one of ours. Looks like an
old Russian suit.
(beat)
Yeah. Nametag says "Velakov." Wow,
the head's hideous.
(beat)
Shouldn't the head explode
without a helmet?
MILLAR (O.S.)
Have some respect for the dead.
It could be you out there.
DUNCAN
Sure, cap, why not. What do you
want me to do with it?
MILLAR (O.S.)
Bring him in.
DUNCAN
Are you kidding me?
BELL (O.S.)
Captain, I advice against it.
MILLAR (O.S.)
We're bringing him in and that's
it. We'll keep him in the airlock,
seal him in a container and take
him back to Earth. That man was a
fellow astronaut. He deserves a
proper burial and I'm going to
make sure he gets one even if I
have to dig the grave with my own
hands. Is that clear?
DUNCAN
Roger.
Duncan grabs the Drifter by the arm.
5.
Suddenly the Drifter's head turns to Duncan. His eyes pop open.
DRIFTER
Kill me! Kill me!
INT. CONTROL ROOM - KOMODO
Duncan on the screen, screaming in terror. He activates his
jetpack and flies away from the Drifter. His lifeline going
wild.
Alden uses the joystick to keep the camera on Duncan.
MILLAR
(to microphone)
What happened?
Duncan is still screaming.
MILLAR (CONT'D)
(to microphone)
Duncan, WHAT HAPPENED?
DUNCAN (O.S.)
It's alive! It's alive!
MILLAR
(to microphone)
What do you mean it's alive?
DUNCAN (O.S.)
(calming a bit)
It talked to me.
BELL
He's hallucinating.
MILLAR
(to Bell)
Calm him down. I'll bring him in.
Millar goes to the airlock.
BELL
(to microphone)
Duncan, calm down. Listen to me.
You're in vacuum. You couldn't
have heard anything.
INT. CONTROL ROOM - KOMODO - MINUTES LATER
Duncan sits next to Bell and Alden, watching Millar on the
screen as he brings the Drifter into the airlock.
MILLAR (O.S.)
You guys can't hear him, can you?
6.
BELL
(to microphone)
Hear what?
CUT TO airlock.
DRIFTER
Kill me! Kill me!
CUT BACK TO control room.
We cannot hear the Drifter in the control room.
MILLAR (O.S.)
Can you see his mouth move?
Alden uses the joystick. The image on the screen pans to the
Drifter's mouth. It's moving quickly. Mouthing something we
cannot make out.
DUNCAN
I told you I wasn't hallucinating.
BELL
(to microphone)
What's it saying?
MILLAR (O.S.)
"Kill me." He repeats it over and
over.
DUNCAN
(to microphone)
Get that monster out of here!
It's going to kill us all.
MILLAR (O.S.)
Relax. How dangerous can he
possibly be when he wants us to
kill him?
ALDEN
(to microphone)
Captain, the mouth. It's speaking
in Russian.
INT. LAB - KOMODO
The Drifter lies on the examination table. Millar is the
only one here.
DR. ANNE LAUNDERS, late thirties, is visible on one of the
screens. (She's on Earth, not the station.) Another screen
shows the control room, with Alden, Duncan and Bell.
7.
Through the whole scene (except for a moment), the Drifter
says "kill me!" over and over.
LAUNDERS
So it speaks in Russian, but you
hear it in English.
MILLAR
Technically, he's not speaking.
He doesn't make any sounds, only
mouths the words. Alden says he's
mouthing "kill me."
LAUNDERS
How good is his Russian?
ALDEN
My mother was Russian.
LAUNDERS
So what? My mother's from
Argentina and I don't speak a
word of Spanish.
ALDEN
(in Russian)
Screw you, bitch.
LAUNDERS
Leave mom out of this, okay.
Millar moves away from the Drifter toward a tool table next
to the wall. He picks up a pair of scissors.
The Drifter's mouth continues to move, but we don't hear
anything. The Drifter follows Millar with its eyes.
MILLAR
Here, I cannot hear him.
He returns to the Drifter. The "kill me" resumes.
MILLAR (CONT'D)
But here, it's screaming.
LAUNDERS
What's that? Like a five-foot radius?
MILLAR
More or less. I'm guessing it's
some kind of a robot.
LAUNDERS
A psychic robot?
8.
MILLAR
Maybe. It's not alive. At least
it has no intelligence. All it
does is scream the same two words
over and over.
LAUNDERS
It follows you with its eyes.
MILLAR
Just following movement.
He waves his hand in front of the Drifter, trying to attract
its attention. But the Drifter's eyes remain focused on
Millar's.
MILLAR (CONT'D)
Or maybe not. But it's nothing a
robot can't do.
He tries to cut the suit with the scissors but can't.
LAUNDERS
Have you tried talking to it?
MILLAR
In English and Russian. No
response.
(beat)
Can't cut the suit.
LAUNDERS
Is it a real suit or some kind of
armor?
MILLAR
Looks like a real Russian suit
from 20 years ago but I'm not
sure. And I'm not touching it
with my bare hands.
LAUNDERS
Oh, come on. Be a brave little
spaceman and touch the evil
monster from outer space. I'm
sure Captain Kirk would've
touched it.
Millar shoots Launders a look while he moves back to the
tool table. He drops the scissors and picks up a power saw.
MILLAR
I'll try this first.
Millar plugs in the power saw and tries to cut the suit. He
can't.
9.
INT. CONTROL ROOM
FOCUS ON a screen showing the status of the nuclear reactor,
including its output in watts. We see Millar in a screen
next to this one.
Millar starts the power saw again. The reactor's output goes
up by 1000 watts. He stops it and the output goes down 1000
watts.
He tries the saw again twice. The second time, the reactor's
output remains high and begins to increase slowly. A third
try and the saw won't stop. The reactor's output increases
by the thousands now. The saw burns. Alarms start to blare.
ALDEN
Power surge! That thing must be
sucking our power! Shutting down
lab's power grid. Starting
reactor shutdown.
Emergency lights go on in the lab.
DUNCAN
Get that thing out of here, Captain!
ALDEN
Core breach! Core breach! It's
trying to restart the reactor.
It's going to cause a meltdown!
Emergency lights go on everywhere.
MILLAR
Everyone to the shuttle. I'll
kick it out of here.
INT. CORRIDOR - MOMENTS LATER
Millar pushes the Drifter (on a gurney) to the airlock. He
starts to open the inner door manually.
Then the Drifter sits up, and grabs Millar by the neck.
INT. SHUTTLE
Duncan, Alden and Bell sit on their chairs, waiting to hear
from Millar.
BELL
Captain?! Captain, are you there?
MILLAR (O.S.)
(weakly)
Leave... now...
10.
Duncan and Alden exchange glances, then start the shuttle.
It moves away from the space station.
BELL
What are you doing? We can't
leave without him.
Alden and Duncan ignore her. The shuttle moves a thousand
yards away from the station.
ALDEN
Brace for impact.
INSERT shot of the space station. The station explodes. The
shuttle is a couple of miles away by now. Debris from the
station flies everywhere.
BACK TO SCENE
Alden maneuvers the shuttle, avoiding most debris.
The commotion continues for several seconds. Then it stops.
The debris is past the shuttle.
ALDEN
Status?
DUNCAN
Systems in order. I'd like to
check hull integrity myself, but
I think we're good for re-entry.
ALDEN
(beat)
Anyone wants to say a word for
Captain Millar?
BELL
He's alive.
Bell points to a screen showing a man in a spacesuit (Millar)
floating where the space station was.
DUNCAN
That's the thing.
BELL
It's the Captain!
DUNCAN
Not anymore.
Millar's body slowly turns to the shuttle.
ALDEN
It's coming after us.
11.
DUNCAN
Start re-entry.
ALDEN
Without checking hull integrity?
DUNCAN
I'll take my chances.
Dr. Launders appears in a screen.
LAUNDERS
What the hell happened up there?
ALDEN
Reactor exploded. That thing
killed Captain Millar, took his
body and it's following us. We're
starting re-entry.
LAUNDERS
How fast is it moving? Can you
outrun it?
ALDEN
(checks screen)
It's moving at... wait a minute
it's changing course. Now it's...
going after the other spacecraft.
LAUNDERS
What OTHER spacecraft?
EXT. OUTER SPACE - EARTH'S ORBIT
Kara's ship moves slowly toward Earth. Millar heads for it.
In the distance, the shuttle starts re-entry.
INT. KARA'S SHIP
Kara looks 18 now. She has long hair. She still wears the
white armor she had eight years ago.
The status log reads:
5771.12 - Approaching Earth. Maneuvering to re-entry position.
The ship's directional thrusters kick in and turn the ship
so it's underside is facing Earth.
5771.12 - Raising metabolism.
Kara's metabolism begins to rise slowly. The Energy
Absorption is 87%.
Alarms sound.
12.
5771.14 - Debris detected. Engaging evasive action.
The debris from the Komodo reaches the ship. The directional
thrusters maneuver the ship away from most debris, but a
large chunk hits it, damaging the thrusters.
5771.16 - Directional thrusters damaged. Repair time 12 minutes.
The ship is out of control, spinning madly as it enters
Earth's atmosphere.
In a couple of minutes, Kara's metabolism reaches 78%. She
opens her eyes dreamily, and sees the ground spinning and
approaching at maddening speed. She screams.
The ship crashes loudly.
BLACK, then
INSERT COLLAGE OF IMAGES. Some are scenes seen from a first
person POV (Kara's memories). The sound and images are
severely distorted to the point that it's almost impossible
to make sense of them. All we see are blurs moving around.
All we hear is noise, as from a very old cassette tape.
Some are scenes from sitcoms and news reports.
Then a blurry scene in first person POV. Somebody helping
the person into a truck. The male voice sounds odd but it's
clear enough.
VOICE
...I'll take you to Dr. Danvers'
house and he'll have you back on
your feet in no...
The last scene in the collage is the crash (blurry) as seen
by Kara.
INT. LINDA'S ROOM - DANVERS' HOUSE - DAY
Kara wakes up with a jolt. Panting. Scared. Looks around.
She's in an unfamiliar bed in an unfamiliar house.
SYLVIA DANVERS, late forties, short, friendly looking, sits
on a chair next to the bed. She smiles warmly.
SYLVIA
Good morning, young lady.
KARA
(startled)
Where am I?
(beat, more relaxed)
Er... good morning.
13.
SYLVIA
(chuckles)
You are in the residence of Dr.
Fred Danvers and wife -- that
would be me. I'm Sylvia but you
can call me Syl if you want to.
You were brought here last night
by Wally Dockings who --
incredibly enough -- says you got
hit by a meteorite.
KARA
A meteorite?
SYLVIA
Well, the thing about Wally is
that, er -- he's a really nice
guy, don't get me wrong -- but
he's a bit slow and he loves all
that sci-fi stuff so he tends to
make things up from time to time.
Kara doesn't really know what to make of that.
SYLVIA (CONT'D)
And how are you feeling?
KARA
(beat)
Strange. My body feels strange.
SYLVIA
You have a mild concussion but no
broken bones. You'll be back on
your feet in no time. Are you hungry?
KARA
(eager)
Yes. Very hungry.
SYLVIA
Let me tell Fred that you're up
and then I'll fetch you some
breakfast.
KARA
Okay. Thanks.
Sylvia stands up and heads for the door.
SYLVIA
By the way, what is your name?
KARA
(beat, thinks about it)
Kara.
14.
SYLVIA
Well, Kara, the bathroom's over
there.
(points)
Feel free to use it.
Sylvia leaves the room. Kara looks around for a moment.
Everything seems both terrifyingly unfamiliar and
reassuringly familiar. Then she gets off the bed.
We hear Sylvia's footsteps as she walks away. A door opens.
SYLVIA (O.S.)
Fred, she's awake. I'll go make
her breakfast. Oh, her name is Kara.
FRED (O.S.)
I'll be there in a moment.
Kara looks around, touching and poking everything. We hear
Fred's footsteps. Kara opens the bathroom door, looks at
herself in the mirror and gasps in horror. She touches her
hair (much longer than she remembers). Looks at her face.
Fred enters the room, startles her.
KARA
What happened to me?!
FRED
(calmly)
Well, Wally says you got hit by a
meteorite. All I know for sure is
that you got a nasty bump on your
head last light.
KARA
(panicking)
Why do I look so old?! Why is my
hair so long?! Why can't I
remember anything?!
INSERT COLLAGE of distorted memories.
FRED
Calm down.
(gets closer)
You have --
Kara backs away, terrified.
KARA
Get away from me!
Fred backs away to the door, trying to give Kara some space.
Sylvia appears at the door.
15.
SYLVIA
What happened?
Kara turns to look at herself in the mirror again.
KARA
What did you do to me?!
FRED
(soothingly)
Calm down, Kara. You have a
concussion and you just woke up.
You're dazed and confused --
Kara turns to Fred. His demeanor calms her down a bit.
FRED (CONT'D)
And you're in an unfamiliar place,
which only makes things worse.
But don't worry, I'm a doctor. I
want to help you. I want to make
you feel better. But you have to
help me. You have to calm down.
So relax, have some breakfast and
let me give you a full checkup.
Is that all right with you?
Kara stares at Fred for a moment, not really knowing what to
do. Then she nods weakly.
INT. LINDA'S ROOM - DANVERS' HOUSE - MINUTES LATER
Kara sits on the bed, finishing her breakfast, talking
calmly to Fred and Sylvia.
KARA
I don't understand. I'm sure my
hair has never been this long.
I'm sure I'm younger than I look.
I'm sure I'm... 16 years old.
FRED
Do you remember where you live?
KARA
No. My memories... some are...
hidden. Like they're there but
not there. Like when you try to
remember someone's name but can't.
You know that you know the name
but can't quite see it.
16.
FRED
That's amnesia. It's normal after
a concussion. Don't worry about
it. Just relax and let the
memories return on their own.
KARA
But some memories...
INT. KARA'S HOUSE - ARGO CITY - FLASHBACK
A distorted memory in first person POV. Some kind of
celebration. A handful of people too blurry to make out sit
around the table. Their movement suggests that they're
talking and laughing. We can't understand what they're
saying (they sound like adults in a "Peanuts" cartoon).
KARA (V.O.)
I remember this celebration -- my
birthday party. I remember it,
but it's blurred. I see shapes --
FOCUS on two blurry shapes. A tall one with bluish clothes
and dark, short hair. And a shorter one with long, blond hair.
KARA (V.O.)
-- I know which shape is my
father and which is my mother.
But I can't see their faces. And
when they speak... I almost know
what they're saying but all I
hear is noise.
INT. LINDA'S ROOM - DANVERS' HOUSE - RESUMING
FRED
That's not amnesia. Maybe... no.
Don't worry.
(exchanges look with Sylvia)
We're going to leave you alone
now. Try to relax. Don't try to
force the memories. Just relax,
lie down, close your eyes. Maybe
sleep a little, okay?
KARA
Okay. Thanks.
FRED
My pleasure.
(stands up)
If you need me, I'll be in my
office. That's to the right and
down the hall.
17.
SYLVIA
We'll take good care of you, Kara.
We're very good at that.
Kara smiles. Sylvia takes the food tray away and she and
Fred leave the room.
Kara lies down, closes her eyes.
INSERT some distorted memories.
Then a normal, perfectly clear memory: Krypton explodes,
taking a large space station (Argo Colony) with it.
BACK TO SCENE
Kara opens her eyes, startled.
EXT. CRASH SITE - DAY
SOLDIERS everywhere. A large crater where Kara's ship
crashed. The ship itself (twisted but mostly in one piece)
is hauled into an army truck.
Anne Launders (from the Komodo Scenes) is there, supervising
everything.
GENERAL MARCUS, a tall, severe-looking man in his fifties
arrives in a Jeep. He jumps off the Jeep and heads for Launders.
GEN. MARCUS
Talk to me, Dr. Launders.
LAUNDERS
Alien craft of unknown origin.
Twelve feet long, five feet wide
at the middle. Too small to be a
real spacecraft. My guess is that
it's some kind of a escape-pod.
GEN. MARCUS
Is it in one piece?
LAUNDERS
The inside seems intact. The
outer hull and thrusters seem
badly damaged by the impact.
Although it seems to be repairing
itself.
GEN. MARCUS
How about the occupants?
18.
LAUNDERS
Nothing inside. But we found
humanoid footprints twenty yards
away. If they belong to the alien,
it means the thing walked out of
this crash.
GEN. MARCUS
Not good. What about Captain Millar?
LAUNDERS
Haven't shown up yet. Maybe he
burnt on re-entry.
GEN. MARCUS
Don't count on it. I'll go talk
to Washington. You setup the
search for the two aliens and
make sure the place is clean
before you go play with the ship.
LAUNDERS
I know my job, Gen. Marcus.
INT. LINDA'S ROOM - DANVERS' HOUSE - DAY
Kara lies on the bed. Eyes open. A moment later we hear
footsteps, then a knock on a door.
FRED (O.S.)
Yes?
SYLVIA (O.S.)
I'm planning on making lasagna
for lunch. Any thoughts about that?
FRED (O.S.)
Sounds great. Ah, remind me to
call Jen Summers after five.
SYLVIA (O.S.)
Got her results?
FRED (O.S.)
Yeah. She'll just need minor surgery.
SYLVIA (O.S.)
Thank god. And how's Kara. Be honest.
Kara stands up. Walks to the door. Listens intently to the
conversation.
19.
FRED (O.S.)
Physically, she's fit as a fiddle
but those blurred memories of
hers worry me. They sound like
some kind of brain damage. I'd
like to run some tests but I
don't want to scare her. Not much
I could do anyway if it's really
brain damage.
SYLVIA (O.S.)
Oh, poor girl. She looks so nice.
I hope she's okay.
(beat)
She's such a lovely girl. Did you
see her eyes? So kind and fiery
at the same time. So intelligent...
FRED (O.S.)
(sternly)
Don't do this to yourself, Syl.
SYLVIA (O.S.)
(getting angry)
I'm not doing anything to myself.
FRED (O.S.)
I saw your eyes when Wally
brought her. Syl, she's not Linda.
SYLVIA (O.S.)
(angry, sobbing)
I know that, you miserable old
fool! I know she's not my Linda.
But is it so horrible for a
mother to have hope of seeing her
daughter again?
FRED (O.S.)
(soothingly)
Oh, Syl, come here.
Kara comes out of the room. She walks down the hallway
leading to Fred's office and finds a wall full of family
pictures, showing the Danvers and their daughter Linda. One
of them is of Linda's fifteenth birthday. Linda is identical
to Kara at 16, with similar short hair, only brunette.
Kara stares at the pictures, mesmerized.
SYLVIA (O.S.)
It's that... her eyes...
20.
FRED (O.S.)
Yeah, yeah. I noticed too. But
think about Kara. She doesn't
need this now.
SYLVIA (O.S.)
Yes, you're right. I just...
FRED (O.S.)
Come on, sit. Let me get you
something.
SYLVIA (O.S.)
(jokingly)
Oh, don't you dare go popping
pills on me, you quack.
FRED (O.S.)
You called me a miserable old
fool and a quack. If I had half a
mind I'd give you a dozen Prozacs.
They chuckle. Fred comes out of the office and finds Kara
looking at the pictures. Kara turns to Fred.
KARA
Is that Linda?
FRED
Yes. This is my daughter Linda.
That one was taken on her
fifteenth birthday.
KARA
Where is she?
FRED
Two weeks after this picture was
taken, she went on a boating trip
with some of her friends. There
was an accident and the boat sank.
They never found her body.
(beat)
She's officially listed as
missing but... you know, there's
no real chance she's still alive.
KARA
(apologetic)
Sorry, I didn't mean to... I
shouldn't have.
21.
FRED
No, no. It's okay. That was three
years ago. I loved my daughter
and I miss her like crazy every
single day. But -- somehow --
I've managed to accept the
thought that I'll never see her
again. It hurts. But I can't just
ignore the memories and pretend
she never existed. That wouldn't
heal the pain, it'd just bottle
it up; make things more difficult.
Fred puts a fatherly hand on Kara's shoulder. Sylvia comes
out of Fred's office and walks to them.
FRED (CONT'D)
So don't worry. I love Linda and
I love talking about her. Maybe
there's something in her life
that might help you get yours back.
KARA
I don't think I should...
Sylvia points to a picture showing seven-year-old Linda
sleeping on a couch.
SYLVIA
This is my favorite. She was
seven. It was the first time we
let her stay up past eight. We
told her she could stay up till
nine, to watch the end of the
movie. But of course, by eight-
twenty she was snoring like a
drunken sailor. So Fred took the
picture and every time she'd ask
to stay up late, Fred would show
it to her. Then Linda would glare
at him with those beautiful blue
eyes and say --
(little girl's voice)
"Daddy, you're so mean!"
(normal voice)
And then storm to her room.
Fred and Sylvia smile at the memory.
FRED
I think there's a picture of
Linda glaring at me. She looked
so cute.
22.
SYLVIA
Yes, I think you're right. Why
don't you go fetch the album so
Kara can take a look at it?
EXT. LAKE - DAY
A mid-sized lake with calm waters. An OLD MAN and his
eleven-year-old grandson, BILLY, fish in the middle of the lake.
Billy is bored. He looks at the fish swimming under the boat.
All the fish seem to be moving away from the center of the lake.
Then EVERY fish in the lake sprints away from the boat.
OLD MAN
What the heck was that?
Millar's body pops up near the boat, face down.
BILLY
(pointing to Millar)
Grandpa!
OLD MAN
Oh my god!
(gets a closer look)
I think he's --
MILLAR
Go away!
OLD MAN
He's alive. Billy, help me get
him into the boat.
Millar continues to talk as the Old Man and Billy haul him
into the boat, surprisingly easily.
OLD MAN
I can't believe it. He can't
weight more than ten pounds.
MILLAR
No! Go away! Kill me! Kill me!
Danger!
The Old Man begins to row back to shore.
OLD MAN
Hurry, Billy, we've got to get
him to a hospital.
MILLAR
No! Kill me! Kill me!
23.
INT. E.R. LOBBY - LEESBURG MEDICAL CENTER - DAY
A NURSE sits in front of the short-wave radio.
CHUCK (O.S.)
(on radio)
This is A-71 calling Leesburg
Medical. Over.
NURSE
This is Leesburg Medical. What
have you got for us, Chuck? Over.
CHUCK (O.S.)
(on radio)
We've got a six-foot-two man in
his late forties, wearing an
astronaut's suit with the nametag
"Captain Andrew Millar." He's got
no pulse, no respiration. Body
temperature fifty-seven degrees
and seems to weight about ten
pounds. Wanna know the kicker?
He's no dead. Over.
NURSE
You're kidding me, right? Over.
CHUCK (O.S.)
(on radio)
I wish. He's saying "Kill me!
Kill me!" It's creeping the hell
out of us. You better call the
army or something. Over.
NURSE
How about the X-Files? What's
your ETA? Over.
CHUCK (O.S.)
(on radio)
We're ten minutes away. We'll be
there in three.
INT. CORRIDOR - LEESBURG MEDICAL CENTER - MINUTES LATER
Nurses and doctors cart Millar into an E.R. Room. A DOCTOR
has a defibrillator ready. Millar is screaming all the way.
DOCTOR
Cut the suit.
NURSE
We've tried that. Can't do it.
24.
DOCTOR
So be it, then.
The Doctor uses the defibrillator. Millar absorbs the
electricity.
DOCTOR (CONT'D)
What the...
The Doctor tries again, same result.
Then Millar absorbs the electricity from the whole room.
Lightning bolts shoot from the outlets toward his body.
Lights flicker. A moment later the fuse blows up, and the
room goes dark.
Millar's body glows eerily.
DOCTOR
Holy sh --
EXT. CRASH SITE - DAY
A SOLDIER comes running to Marcus and Launders.
SOLDIER
They found Captain Millar.
Leesburg Medical Center.
GEN. MARCUS
Pick him up.
(to Launders)
One alien left.
INT. KITCHEN - DANVERS' HOUSE - DAY
Sylvia and Kara sit at the kitchen table. Several photo
albums lie on it. One of them is open. There's a picture of
a young Linda dressed in her school's uniform.
SYLVIA
This was taken before her first
day of school. She was so happy.
She was going to be a big girl
and do big girl stuff. Then we
told her she was supposed to go
to school alone; we weren't going
to be there with her -- and she
cried for an hour. Finally we
convinced her that she was going
to be with all her little friends,
playing with them most of the
time, and that big girls didn't
need mommy and daddy around while
they play with their friends.
(MORE)
25.
SYLVIA (CONT'D)
So she calmed down and promised
no to cry the next day. And she
didn't. We walked her to school,
hugged her and kissed her good-
bye. She looked heart-broken, but
didn't cry. Not while we were
around. As soon as we were gone,
it was Niagara Falls, of course.
But not in front of us. She kept
her promise.
Both smile.
SYLVIA (CONT'D)
What about you, Kara? Remember
anything about school?
KARA
I remember schools. Millions of
them. The memories flood my mind.
They move so fast I can barely
grasp them. I remember teachers,
students, classrooms. I know most
of those memories come from
movies or TV shows. I don't feel
like any of them are really mine.
I don't see myself in any of them.
And the blurred memories. They're
mine, but I don't understand them.
(beat)
And when I think about family or
home, I remember millions of
families and homes, but I don't
belong in any of them. I can't
see my parents' faces, only blurs.
I don't know where I live, or
where I came from. I don't...
SYLVIA
Well, don't worry about homes
right now. You're welcome in mine
for as long as you need. And
don't worry about money or food
or clothes either. You're our
guest here. And talking about
food, I was supposed to bake
lasagna, wasn't I? Too late for
that. How about we swing by the
town and pick up something for
lunch? Maybe buy you some clothes
too. You must be melting inside
that outfit.
26.
KARA
Oh, no. The armor is quite
comfortable.
SYLVIA
...armor --?
KARA
(realizing)
Yes... it is an armor.
Kara looks at some of the pictures in the album. One shows
Linda wearing a tank top and jeans. Kara's white armor
morphs into the same tank top and jeans.
Sylvia can't believe it.
SYLVIA
How... how did you do that?
KARA
I just remembered. I can change
the armor's shape at will.
Sylvia stares at Kara for several seconds before she speaks.
SYLVIA
(chuckles, nervous)
Well, we -- we still need food.
Let's go. Maybe you'll remember
something else while in town.
EXT. DIRT ROAD - DAY
WALLY DOCKINGS, chubby, late thirties, eyes like Forrest
Gump's, drives his pickup truck through a dirt road.
A dozen SOLDIERS block the road twenty yards ahead. One
Soldier motions Wally to stop. He does so.
SOLDIER #1
I'm sorry, sir, but there's been
a chemical spill near Connor Hill
and all roads are closed.
WALLY
Near Connor Hill? You mean where
the meteorite crashed last night?
Soldier #1 exchanges looks with the other soldiers.
SOLDIER #1
Sir, there's only a chemical
spill. If you please turn around
your vehicle...
27.
WALLY
What happened to the meteorite?
SOLDIER #1
Sir, there's no meteorite, only a --
WALLY
What do you mean no meteorite? I
saw it crash with my own two eyes.
I saw the crater it made where it
crashed. I even picked up the
pretty lady that got hit by it.
SOLDIER #1
Pretty lady? What did you do with
her?
The other soldiers whisper into their radios.
WALLY
I took her to Dr. Danvers house,
of course. She looked pretty
dizzy. I think the meteorite hit
her real hard.
A Jeep appears from the road ahead, it stops next to Wally's
pickup.
Soldier #2 jumps out of the Jeep and opens the door on
Wally's pickup.
SOLDIER #2
Sir, would you mind coming with us?
WALLY
Why? What do you want with me?
EXT. CRASH SITE - MINUTES LATER
Launders and Marcus stand twenty yards from the crater left
by Kara's ship. They look at some footprints.
LAUNDERS
... and judging by the depth and
distance of the prints, our alien
must be about six-foot-five and
weigh over four hundred pounds.
A soldier comes rushing.
SOLDIER
Gen. Marcus, they're bringing a
man who claims he picked up a
pretty lady that got hit by a
meteorite that crashed here last
night.
28.
GEN. MARCUS
A pretty lady?
(to Launders)
A six-foot-five, four hundred
pound pretty lady?
LAUNDERS
Who are you to judge?
SOLDIER
Captain Devlin said the guy
sounds like Forrest Gump.
GEN. MARCUS
Did Mr. Gump say what happened to
the pretty lady?
SOLDIER
He said he took her to Dr.
Danvers' house. We got his
address from the phone book. He
lives a couple of miles outside
Leesburg.
The Jeep with Wally arrives.
GEN. MARCUS
(to Launders)
Take two squads to the doc's
house. Capture her, kill her --
your choice. I'll wring a
description out of Forrest.
LAUNDERS
Okay.
Launders motions to a group of soldiers and walks to a
nearby Jeep.
Wally stares at the crater.
WALLY
(to soldier)
I told you there was a meteorite!
Marcus walks to join Wally.
GEN. MARCUS
No, my good man, what crashed
here last night wasn't a
meteorite, it was a spacecraft --
an alien spacecraft.
WALLY
Wow. Are you kidding me?
29.
GEN. MARCUS
No, Mr. Gump. I'm a General of
the U.S. Army. I assure you I
have no sense of humor.
WALLY
My name ain't Mr. Gump. It's Wally.
GEN. MARCUS
Well, Wally, tell me about this
pretty lady you picked up last night.
WALLY
The one that got hit by the
meteorite?
GEN. MARCUS
No, the one that walked out of
the spacecraft that crashed here
last night.
WALLY
You mean she's an alien?
GEN. MARCUS
Exactly. By the way, did you see
the movie "Species"?
WALLY
Of course I saw it! I've seen
every sci-fi movie ever made.
GEN. MARCUS
That's very convenient. Now would
you please come with me. We'll
sit down, have a nice, hot cup of
coffee and talk about aliens and
national security.
EXT. DANVERS' HOUSE - DAY
The Danvers house lies about two miles away from the town
itself.
Two jeeps loaded with Soldiers and Launders approach the
house. Launders motions them to stop 50 yards away from the
house.
LAUNDERS
Lock the perimeter and become
invisible.
Launders takes off her lab coat, drops it in the Jeep and
gets off.
30.
LAUNDERS (CONT'D)
I'll check if the alien's still here.
The Soldiers move around the perimeter of the house.
Launders walks to the front door, turns around, makes sure
none of the soldiers is visible, then knocks on the door.
Fred answers the door a moment later.
FRED
Good morning, how may I help you?
LAUNDERS
Are you Dr. Fred Danvers?
FRED
Yes.
LAUNDERS
Oh, thank god. My name is Hannah
David, I just spoke to a man
named Walter -- or Wally --
Dockings. He said he brought my
niece here last night. She's 20
years old, five-foot-nine, has
long blond hair and was wearing a
white outfit. Is she okay?
FRED
Oh yeah. Wally brought her last
night. Don't worry, she's okay.
Had a mild concussion but that's all.
LAUNDERS
Can I see her?
FRED
Well...
Fred notices that there's no car (how did she get there?)
and sees a soldier's boot, hiding behind a tree.
FRED (CONT'D)
What was her name? Cindy... Cynthia?
LAUNDERS
Sylvia. Sylvia David.
FRED
Yeah, Sylvia. She was feeling so
well that she left about two
hours ago. I told her she should
get a full checkup at the
hospital, but she said she just
wanted to go home.
31.
LAUNDERS
Oh, I see. Well, Dr. Danvers,
thank you for taking care of my
niece. If you care to tell me the
total of your bill, I'll make
sure to send you a check.
FRED
(smiling)
Forget that. It was my pleasure
to help her.
LAUNDERS
Thank you.
Fred goes back into the house. Launders walks away. A
SOLDIER approaches her.
SOLDIER
There's nobody else in the house.
LAUNDERS
I guessed that much.
Launders walks to the Jeep and picks up her lab coat. She
fishes the radio from the pocket.
LAUNDERS (CONT'D)
(to radio)
Gen. Marcus?
Launders climbs into the Jeep, which drives away.
GEN. MARCUS (O.S.)
(on radio)
Found her?
LAUNDERS
(to radio)
She left. Danvers says she went
home but he's lying. I'm sure he
didn't believe I was her aunt.
GEN. MARCUS (O.S.)
(on radio)
Her aunt? That's the best you
could come up with?
LAUNDERS
(to radio)
I'm a scientists, not a General.
I'm not that good at lying.
32.
GEN. MARCUS (O.S.)
(on radio)
Then get your butt back to the
base and start on Millar and the
spacecraft, and leave the alien
hunting to the pros.
LAUNDERS
(to radio)
Aye, aye, mon capitan.
GEN. MARCUS (O.S.)
(on radio)
Don't call me Captain.
EXT. STREET - LEESBURG - DAY
Sylvia drives her car around Leesburg. Kara sits on the
passenger's seat, looking around like a tourist.
SYLVIA
So, how do you like Leesburg so far?
KARA
I like it. It's nice... cozy.
SYLVIA
Yeah, it's small.
They reach one of those food-by-the-pound places and Sylvia
parks the car.
SYLVIA (CONT'D)
We're here. Any food preferences?
KARA
I don't remember what food I like.
They both get out of the car.
SYLVIA
Then let's buy a bit of everything
and find out.
KARA
Okay.
Kara looks around and finds a small park a couple hundred
yards away. Something there catches her eye. Two kids (a boy
and a girl) play there. The boy has a Superman action figure.
Kara stares at the action figure. She takes a few steps
toward the park, then stops and turns to Sylvia.
KARA (CONT'D)
May I...?
33.
SYLVIA
Sure, go ahead. Take all the time
you need. I'll wait for you inside.
Kara begins to walk to the park again, eyes fixed on the
action figure.
INSERT COLLAGE of images from news reports on Superman.
A MAN sits on a bench across the street, reading a newspaper.
He turns to Kara. He has an earpiece like an FBI agent.
The man turns the page on the newspaper. There's a sketch of
Kara in that page instead of the news. He presses a button
on his earpiece.
MAN
(quietly)
Spotted tall blonde. Matches
description. Walking down Main
and Second. Heading for the
Centennial Park.
EXT. CENTENNIAL PARK
Kara approaches the BOY. The memories keep on flashing, too
fast to make sense.
The Boy plays with the action figure. He hasn't noticed Kara.
The GIRL plays with her dolls, who are cooking something in
a small toy kitchen.
Kara watches them in silence for a moment.
BOY
Take that you evil monster!
The Superman action figure attacks a weird green monster.
GIRL
Now we can bake the cake, Martha.
The Boy looks up, notices Kara. She goes down to one knee,
points at the action figure.
KARA
Is that Superman?
BOY
Of course! Who did you think he was?
KARA
Do you know anything about him?
34.
BOY
Do I? I know everything about
Superman!
(sales pitch)
Superman, the last son of Krypton,
who came to Earth as a baby and
grew up to be the greatest hero
ever. The true champion of truth,
justice and freedom --
Only one word registered in Kara's mind.
KARA
Krypton?
BOY
What? You didn't know Superman
was from Krypton?
INSERT FLASHBACK: Krypton exploding, destroying Argo Colony.
BACK TO SCENE
KARA
Krypton... Krypton was destroyed.
BOY
Yeah, of course it was --
Two Jeeps arrive. Eight soldiers total. All jump off the
Jeeps, aiming weapons at Kara. Two soldiers have net-
throwers, the rest have machine guns.
SOLDIER #1
Get away from the children!
Kara stands up, moves away so the guns aim away from the
children. She looks at the guns. Doesn't like what she sees.
KARA
(getting angry)
What do you want?
SOLDIER #1
Come with us.
KARA
Where!?
Soldier #1 motions to Soldier #2 and he fires his net-
thrower. The net is a temper-steel mesh with a dozen weights.
The net falls on Kara, trapping her for a second. She breaks
it effortlessly.
Now she's very angry.
35.
KARA
Why do you attack me!?
Soldier #1 motions again and now two nets fly to Kara. She
uses her heat vision to split them in mid-air. She's furious
now.
Two Soldiers fire their machine guns. Kara covers herself
with her hands instinctively. The bullets bounce off her
body. All the Soldiers fire their machine guns. Kara stops
covering herself with her hands. Bullets bounce everywhere.
A Soldier climbs back into the Jeep, and tries to ram Kara.
She stops the Jeep dead.
KARA
Leave me alone!
The Soldier jumps out of the Jeep just before Kara sends it
flying a hundred yards into the air.
Two Soldiers get a bazooka from the other Jeep, load it and
aim it at Kara. They fire.
Kara swats the rocket easily. The rocket hits a tree behind
her and explodes. The tree falls toward the kids. They
scream in terror.
She turns around, sees the tree falling toward the kids. She
flies and catches it in mid-air. The Soldiers scamper into
the remaining Jeep and speed away.
Kara watches them go away, then lands and places the tree
safely on the ground. She calms down.
KARA
(to kids)
Are you okay?
BOY
Wow! How did you do that?
KARA
I'm from Krypton too.
GIRL
So you're Supergirl?
KARA
Supergirl?
(smiles)
Well... maybe.
GIRL
That is sooo cool!
36.
BOY
But why aren't you wearing a
Supergirl outfit, eh?
GIRL
Yeah, you need to wear one.
Definitively.
KARA
What do you mean?
The Boy shows her the Superman action figure.
BOY
Like this one.
Kara looks down on herself and her armor changes into a
SuperMAN outfit.
BOY
No, no. That's a Superman outfit.
GIRL
Yeah, you need a SuperGIRL outfit.
The Girl shows one of her dolls, with a red miniskirt.
GIRL (CONT'D)
See.
Kara changes the armor into a Supergirl outfit.
SUPERGIRL
Like this?
BOY
Perfect!
GIRL
Cool!
BOY
Now you're ready to fight
monsters and stuff.
Supergirl chuckles. She looks around.
SUPERGIRL
I have to go now. Those men might
come back and I don't want to
hurt them.
(beat)
Thanks. You've been very helpful.
KIDS
Bye, Supergirl.
37.
Supergirl flies away, waving at the kids, who stare at her
for a moment before going back to play.
The Girl plays with her dolls for a moment then turns to the
Boy, who's playing with the Superman action figure. The Girl
takes a red hanky from her pocket, ties it around the neck
of the doll with the red miniskirt.
The green monster attacks the Superman action figure. The
Girl comes with her improvised Supergirl action figure.
GIRL
Don't worry Superman, Supergirl
will help you!
INT. SHIP'S HANGAR - MILITARY BASE - DAY
A large hangar inside the base that Marcus commands. The
base is pretty much an Area-51 type base, where all the
weird stuff ends up.
Kara's ship lies on some kind of pedestal. Marcus stands
next to it, listening to Launders.
LAUNDERS
My first guess seems correct.
It's probably some kind of
escape-pod. It has no weapons and
no offensive or defensive
capabilities other than repairing
itself. This --
(points at translucent
part of the hull)
-- is the same metal as the rest
of the ship. It's translucent for
some reason. Probably so its
occupant can see where it's going.
That screen over there shows the
vitals of the occupant. That one
seems to show navigational data.
Other than that we know nothing.
GEN. MARCUS
The computer seems operational.
LAUNDERS
Sure, but it's an alien computer,
using alien technology, with
information in an alien language.
It's almost impossible to get
anything useful out of it without
help from its occupant. And
speaking of which...?
38.
GEN. MARCUS
We're working on that. Can you
open it?
LAUNDERS
We can breach the hull but the
sucker keeps on repairing itself.
Again, without its occupant's
help it'd be difficult to open it
without destroying it.
GEN. MARCUS
How about Captain Millar? Any
progress?
LAUNDERS
Follow me.
INT. CORRIDOR OUTSIDE DRIFTER'S HANGAR - MINUTES LATER
A soldier stands guard. There's a basket on a small table in
front of the door. Launders places her PDA, watch, radio and
cell phone in the basket.
LAUNDERS
Leave anything with a battery
here. We don't want any source of
electricity within twenty yards
of Millar.
Marcus leaves his radio and cell phone on the basket.
LAUNDERS (CONT'D)
You don't have a pacemaker, do you?
GEN. MARCUS
No. What about the electricity
from our bodies?
LAUNDERS
He's either unwilling or unable
to extract it. Are you done?
GEN. MARCUS
Yes.
INT. DRIFTER'S HANGAR
The Drifter (Millar) lies on a pedestal like Kara's ship.
He's strapped to the pedestal with thick, metal cable.
Launders and Marcus walk toward Millar. Launders motions to
stop when they're about eight feet away.
Millar is looking at them, mouthing something.
39.
LAUNDERS
Look at his head. He's looking
straight at me. He's mouthing the
words "kill me" over and over.
Just mouthing them, not saying
them. He's making no sounds
whatsoever. Now take a step.
Marcus takes a step.
MILLAR
Kill me! Kill me!
GEN. MARCUS
You're going to have to do better
than that if you want to impress
me. I read your report on Velakov.
They walk toward Millar.
LAUNDERS
When it was on Velakov, the
radius was five feet. Now it's
almost nine. As Velakov, he only
said "kill me" over and over. As
Millar, he's reported to have
said "go away" and "danger" as
well. It's growing stronger.
Probably from the electricity he
absorbed from the Komodo.
GEN. MARCUS
Has he said anything besides
"kill me" to you?
LAUNDERS
No. I've tried everything but
can't get anything else out of him.
GEN. MARCUS
Mind if I give it a try?
LAUNDERS
Knock yourself out.
GEN. MARCUS
(to Millar)
Captain Millar, I'm Gen. Marcus
of the U.S. Army. May I have a
word with you?
MILLAR
Kill me! Kill me!
40.
GEN. MARCUS
Well, Captain Millar, you just
survived a nuclear explosion and
a fall to Earth all the way from
orbital height without so much as
a helmet, so unless it turns out
you have a weakness for holy
water or wooden stakes there's
very little chance we could
figure out how to kill you
without your cooperation.
Millar goes silent for a second.
Then Millar's head morphs into a thousand different heads,
each showing itself only for a millisecond. Some heads are
humanoid, most aren't.
MILLAR
Don't feed him! Don't feed him!
LAUNDERS
(startled)
Wow, you got a response.
Millar's outburst stops and his head returns to normal.
MILLAR
Kill me!
GEN. MARCUS
(smirking)
You see, doc, the trick to
dealing with someone with a one-
track mind is to find out what he
wants and then deny it to him.
The GUARD shows at the door.
GUARD
General.
The Guard points to his radio.
GEN. MARCUS
(to Launders)
Now, if you excuse me, I have
other business to attend.
Marcus walks out of the hangar.
INT. CORRIDOR
Marcus grabs the radio from the Guard.
41.
GEN. MARCUS
(to radio)
Marcus here.
SOLDIER (O.S.)
(on radio)
We had an encounter with the
alien woman. She's bulletproof,
and strong enough to send a Jeep
flying a hundred yards. After
that she left the scene by flying
away herself wearing a Superman
costume.
GEN. MARCUS
(to radio)
Oh, that's not good. First, I
want you to litter the landscape
with hi-def radars and keep track
of anything flying bigger than a
mosquito. Second, take a squad of
Exos and tanks, and four cages to
the crash site just in case she
goes back for her ship. And fuel
up another squad of Exos. They're
coming with me to Dr. Danvers'
house. Priority on the last one.
SOLDIER (O.S.)
(on radio)
Yes, sir. I'm going to need
twenty minutes for your Exos and
three hours for the radars.
GEN. MARCUS
(to radio)
Take all the time you need. It's
not like we're dealing with an
alien invasion or anything, right?
INT. DRIFTER'S HANGAR
MILLAR
Don't feed him!
LAUNDERS
If you don't want me to feed him
you're going to have to tell me
what he eats. I know he eats
electricity but what else? Are
the lights feeding him? How about
the electricity from my body?
Talk to me, Millar, you don't
want me to accidentally feed him,
do you?
42.
MILLAR
Don't feed him!
LAUNDERS
(angry)
You know what? I've had it with
you. If you don't start talking
to me right now I'm going to
bring the generator up here and
pump three hundred gigawatts into
your body. You hear me!
Millar's head morphs into a thousand heads again.
MILLAR
No! No! Don't feed him!
LAUNDERS
Why shouldn't I feed him?! Why
Captain Millar, why? Who is HE?!
What is he? Start talking to me
or I swear to god I'll hook you
to a nuclear reactor!
MILLAR
No! No! Don't!
LAUNDERS
Give me a reason, Millar, just
one good reason why I shouldn't
feed him! Just --
MILLAR
Noooo!
Millar's head-shifting stops, and for one millisecond we see
a completely different face. It's Millar's head, but with an
alien expression. Calm, cool, dark and deep.
Then Launders looks like she is hit by something (a psychic
wave). She covers her face with her hands and screams in pain.
INSERT COLLAGE of images in quick succession. Millions of
planets. Billions of beings screaming in pain and fear.
BACK TO SCENE
Launders drops to her knees, still screaming, and then
collapses onto the floor.
INT. KITCHEN - DANVERS' HOUSE - DAY
Supergirl (in costume) sits at the kitchen table, talking to
Fred and Sylvia.
43.
SUPERGIRL
I remember now. I'm from Krypton
too. Like Superman. I was born in
an orbital colony called Argo. It
was like a giant space station.
When Krypton was destroyed, it
destroyed Argo as well. My father
sent me to Earth in one of the
escape-pods. My father... before
I entered the escape-pod... he
blurred my memories. He thought
it'd be easier for me to adapt to
Earth if I didn't remember
anything about Argo or Krypton.
(beat)
My parents are dead. My friends,
relatives, everyone I knew is
dead. I can't remember anything
about them. Their names, their
faces, their voices... their
whole existence is nothing more
than a blur to me.
SYLVIA
Oh, Kara, I'm so sorry...
Sylvia caresses Kara's shoulder.
SYLVIA (CONT'D)
Don't worry, we'll help you any
way we can.
FRED
Yes. Think of this as your home.
You can stay with us for as long
as you need to.
SUPERGIRL
Thanks.
GEN. MARCUS (O.S.)
(on bullhorn)
Dr. Fred Danvers, this is Gen.
Marcus of the U.S. Army speaking.
We have your house surrounded and
we're authorized to use lethal
force if necessary. You have
thirty seconds to surrender the
woman who was brought to you last
night by Walter Dockings. We know
she's in there. Do not try to
escape or we'll be force to take
extreme measures.
44.
FRED
Damn. I knew that woman was from
the army. Hide here, I'll get rid
of them.
Fred rushes out of the kitchen, leaving the kitchen door closed.
SYLVIA
Can you get away?
Supergirl looks around, using her X-ray vision to see
outside the house.
SUPERGIRL
They have heat-sensing cameras.
If I leave, they'll know, and
they'll hurt you.
SYLVIA
Don't worry about us, just go.
SUPERGIRL
No. I won't let them hurt you. If
they try I'll crush them.
SYLVIA
Oh, don't say that.
(beat)
Could you really crush them?
Supergirl nods and smiles.
SYLVIA (CONT'D)
Let's hope it doesn't come to that.
They remain quiet for a moment. Supergirl listens to the
conversation at the front door.
SUPERGIRL
The General is growing impatient.
Please, tell Dr. Danvers to let
him in. I have an idea.
INT. ENTRY HALL - DANVERS' HOUSE
Fred stands at the door, blocking Marcus, who looks like he
doesn't want to push Fred away by force but might change his
mind in about ten seconds.
FRED
...not without a search warrant,
you can't! I know my rights.
Sylvia walks out of the kitchen.
45.
GEN. MARCUS
Dr. Danvers, let me put it this
way. Do you see that hulking
monster standing next to my Jeep?
Marcus points outside.
REVERSE ANGLE: We see an "Exo" standing next to a Jeep. The
Exo is a fifteen-foot-tall, eight-foot-wide robot manned by
a soldier inside it.
BACK TO SCENE
GEN. MARCUS (CONT'D)
We call it "Exo," as in
exoskeleton. I have five of them
surrounding your house. They're
armed to their teeth, weigh
twenty tons and can lift eighty,
and in ten seconds they're going
to turn your house into
matchsticks if you don't get the
hell out of my way, do you
understand?
SYLVIA
Fred... let him in.
Fred turns to Sylvia. She looks like she knows what she's
talking about, so Fred moves out of the way.
Marcus walks in.
GEN. MARCUS
(to Sylvia)
Thank you.
(to Soldier)
Where is she?
The SOLDIER walks in behind Gen. Marcus. He has a heat-
sensing camera.
SOLDIER
Still in the kitchen.
Fred and Sylvia exchange glances. Marcus walks to the
kitchen. He opens the kitchen door and finds Kara looking
exactly like Linda Danvers, including the short brunette
hair, wearing jeans and a T-shirt.
INT. KITCHEN - DANVERS' HOUSE
Kara (as Linda) stands in the middle of the kitchen and for
reasons that will become obvious, she won't move from there
during this scene. Somehow she appears to be only about
five-foot-three.
46.
Gen. Marcus slowly walks into the kitchen, eyeing Linda
carefully.
LINDA
(angrily)
Gen. Marcus, I want you to stop
harassing my parents and leave my
house immediately or I'm going to
call my good friend Gen.
Alexander Eliot Meddings and
he'll have you court-martialed
faster than you can say "I'm a
little teapot, short and stout."
Fred and Sylvia walk into the kitchen. They can't believe
what they're seeing.
GEN. MARCUS
(chuckles)
Actually, that's a good bluff. Or
it would be if Gen. Meddings
wasn't my brother-in-law.
LINDA
You're lying.
GEN. MARCUS
Of course, but so are you.
(beat)
So you're Dr. Danvers' daughter?
LINDA
Yes, I'm Linda Danvers and I
wasn't kidding about the court-
martial.
GEN. MARCUS
You look like someone I know...
Marcus gets closer, and notices her height. Too short. He
looks disappointed.
GEN. MARCUS (CONT'D)
Maybe not too much, though.
Marcus notices the photo albums lying on a counter.
GEN. MARCUS (CONT'D)
(re: the album)
Do you mind?
SYLVIA
(sarcastically)
No, please. And if you want some
milk and cookies too just let me
know.
47.
Marcus flicks through the pages of the album, comparing the
photos of Linda to Kara. Then puts the album back on the
counter.
GEN. MARCUS
Would you show me your hands, please?
LINDA
Why?
GEN. MARCUS
(smiling)
Indulge me.
Linda shows him the palm of her hands. Marcus grabs an
insignia from his chest and pricks Linda's right palm with
the needle. Linda recoils the hand with an "ouch," shakes it,
and then shows it to Marcus. There's a drop of blood growing
where he pricked her.
LINDA
(really angry)
Now this is assault and battery.
Probably emotional distress as
well. We're talking twenty-
million-dollar lawsuit at least.
You're going down, buster.
GEN. MARCUS
(smiles)
I apologize, Ms. Danvers.
(to Fred and Sylvia)
Doctor, madam, good evening.
Marcus turns around and walks out of the kitchen.
LINDA
Oh, don't dream you're getting
away with it this easily. When
I'm done with you, you're going
to be cleaning toilets in a
submarine...
We hear the front door as Marcus leaves the house.
Linda drops the angry facade and turns to Fred and Sylvia,
looking apologetic.
LINDA
I'm sorry, I know I shouldn't have.
Linda's clothes morph into her Supergirl outfit. The blood
on Linda's palm turns blue and joins the outfit.
48.
LINDA (CONT'D)
But it was the only thing that
occurred to me.
Linda pulls her brunette hair back (it was some kind of hood
created by the armor), revealing her long blond hair.
SYLVIA
Don't worry, Kara. It was a good
idea. At least you didn't have to
crush anyone.
SUPERGIRL
And sorry about the floor...
Supergirl stands from the holes in the granite floor of the
kitchen. (She dug herself five inches into the floor and
used the armor to mimic feet at floor level.)
SYLVIA
(chuckles)
I was wondering how you did that...
SUPERGIRL
I promise I'll fix it.
FRED
Never mind the floor, that's the
least of our problems. You fooled
Marcus just now but I'm sure he
won't give up that easily. He's
going to be looking for you like
crazy. I think you should lie low
for a while. You shouldn't be
seen wearing that outfit either,
at least not around the house.
SYLVIA
Yes, Fred is right. And if you're
going to have a normal life,
you're going to need an identity.
You're going to need a name, a
birth certificate, school records,
social security, and all that.
I'll be easier for you to take
Linda's.
SUPERGIRL
I don't... I don't want to take
Linda's life. I just couldn't do
that to you. I couldn't do it to
Linda...
49.
FRED
No, Kara, don't worry about Linda.
Earth is your home now and your
life will be much easier if you
use Linda's identity. Don't think
of it as taking Linda's life,
think of it as honoring it.
Especially if you do all the
wonderful things you can do
wearing that outfit.
SYLVIA
Don't worry about us either. If
someone's going to be telling
people she's my daughter, I'd
rather it be Supergirl.
They all chuckle.
SUPERGIRL
Thanks. You've been so kind to me.
SYLVIA
So it's settled -- you're staying
with us.
(to Fred)
Now we have to figure how to tell
everyone that Linda is back.
(to Supergirl)
How do you feel about a party?
INT. BACKYARD - DANVERS' HOUSE - NIGHT
Linda's Welcome Back party. We'll see only a collage of
images from the party, while a touching song plays on the
soundtrack.
There are about twenty people at the party plus the Danvers
and Linda. Most of the adults talk lively to Sylvia. The
teens, most of Linda's age, sit around a table, showing
Linda the photo albums, pointing at pictures, telling
stories, laughing. This is the first time Linda looks truly
happy.
Fred isn't talking to anyone, he mostly just watches Linda.
It's painful for him to watch Kara as Linda, but he tries to
cover up.
Sylvia, on the other hand, seems to have the time of her life.
INT. STREET
RICHARD MALVERNE, nineteen, slim, drives his bicycle
recklessly through the street heading for the Danvers' house.
He looks as on the verge of tears.
50.
Richard arrives at the house, drives around it to the
backyard and sees Linda.
RICHARD
Linda!
He almost crashes into a tree while trying to stop. He jumps
off his bike. Everyone stops talking and turns to him.
RICHARD (CONT'D)
Linda.
Linda turns to him too. She recognizes him by his photos.
Richard rushes to her and hugs her. She doesn't quite know
how to react to this.
RICHARD (CONT'D)
Thank god you're alive.
MATTIE, eighteen, approaches Richard and Linda. She shoots a
look to Richard, but he doesn't see it.
MATTIE
Rich...
Richard pulls back, cups Linda's face with his hands. Linda
is mesmerized by his eyes. So deep, so full of emotion,
about to burst into tears of joy.
RICHARD
You're alive... you're alive...
MATTIE
Rich, she doesn't remember you.
She has amnesia.
LINDA
You're Richard Malverne, right?
Linda smiles.
Richard takes a step back, releases Linda.
RICHARD
I'm... I'm sorry, Linda. I...
LINDA
Don't worry. The hug felt real nice.
The party continues. And so does the music on the soundtrack.
Richard looks more relaxed, though he can't take his eyes
off Linda, who occasionally looks back and smiles at him.
Sylvia is smiling ear to ear but Fred looks increasingly ill.
Linda notices Fred and feels bad for him.
51.
A moment later, Fred excuses himself and goes into the house.
Linda follows him with X-rays. He walks to his office and
sits down on his chair. He seems in pain. Linda excuses
herself and enters the house.
INT. FRED'S OFFICE
Fred rubs his eyes. There's a knock on the door.
LINDA (O.S.)
Are you okay?
Linda opens the door and peeks in.
Fred looks up, forces a smile.
FRED
Yeah, yeah. Don't worry about me.
Go have fun at your party.
Linda enters the office, closes the door behind her.
LINDA
It's me, isn't it?
FRED
(pained)
It's that... you look so much
like her...
LINDA
It's hurting you too much. I
can't do this to you. I'm going
to tell everyone --
FRED
(stands up)
No, Kara, don't do that.
Fred walks to Linda. He fights back his emotions before he
speaks.
FRED (CONT'D)
Let me tell you something. After
the accident, for over a year, I
kept hope that Linda was still
alive. I would spend hours every
night thinking about the million
ways she could have survived and
about the many reasons why she
hadn't contacted us -- maybe she
was in a coma, or had amnesia or
something else.
(MORE)
52.
FRED (CONT'D)
And the one constant among all
that wishful thinking was that my
daughter was alone. With all she
was going through, I wasn't going
to be there for her. So I spent
countless nights hoping and
praying that someone would help
her; someone would give her a
hand; take care of her; do for
her what I couldn't do.
Fred wipes some tears off his eyes.
FRED (CONT'D)
You're not my daughter, Kara, but
you're a lot like her, and not
just physically. You're also
alone. And I bet I know exactly
how your father felt when he sent
you here. I'm sure he wished that
someone would help you, take care
of you, do for you what he
couldn't. I can't let him down,
Kara. Not after I spent so many
nights wishing for someone to
help my own daughter. So don't
worry about me, okay? I'm fine.
And if being Linda makes your
life on Earth just a little bit
easier, then I'll swear to anyone
who asks, on my mother's grave
with a hand on the Bible and a
smile on my face that you're my
Linda.
Linda hugs Fred, kisses him on the cheek and smiles.
LINDA
Thank you.
Fred smiles, wraps his arm around her shoulders.
FRED
Now, Linda, let's go back to your
party. And I'm warning you, I'm
going to see a big smile on your
face even if I have to tickle
your toes with a feather.
INT. BACKYARD - LATER
Back to the party. Linda talks and laughs with her new
friends, having a ball. Fred seems more relaxed, having fun.
Even Richard seems to be having fun.
53.
INTERCUT with Kara's distorted memories from her sixteenth
birthday party. The memories look less blurred, you can
almost make out the faces of her parents; they look a bit
like Fred and Sylvia. And the noise is down, you can't still
discern what they are saying though, but the voices of the
people in the party sound like the voices of Linda's friends.
INT. HOSPITAL ROOM - ARMY BASE - DAY
Launders sleeps on the bed. There's a SOLDIER guarding her.
A moment later, Launders stirs and wakes up.
SOLDIER
You okay, Dr. Launders?
LAUNDERS
What time is it? How long have I
been out?
SOLDIER
You've been here for nine-point-
three hours.
LAUNDERS
Oh, damn. Where's Gen. Marcus?
INT. MARCUS' OFFICE - ARMY BASE - MINUTES LATER
Launders sits on a chair. Marcus sits behind his desk.
LAUNDERS
The pain... it's unbelievable. I
felt it for just a fraction of a
second and it almost made my mind
explode.
GEN. MARCUS
That's what Captain Millar is
feeling?
LAUNDERS
No, not Millar. The alien. Millar
is gone. The alien is the one
feeling the pain. That thing...
is old... very old. Billions of
years old. Perhaps it was born
during the Big Bang. It's made of
energy, not matter. And it's very,
very simple. Like a virus. The
simplest energy being possible.
GEN. MARCUS
Why did it absorb Captain Millar?
54.
LAUNDERS
Just like a virus, it's too
simple. It depends on something
more complex than itself to
perform some functions for it. It
uses the matter to store other
forms of energy and to perform
higher functions like thinking.
But the matter decays so it has
to renew it constantly.
GEN. MARCUS
But if Millar is gone, then who
the hell did we talk to? Is it
the alien that wants us to kill
it? And why did it say "don't
feed HIM" instead of "don't feed me"?
LAUNDERS
The alien absorbs intelligent
beings because it needs their
minds to build a mind for itself.
But it can't absorb the whole
mind. Their pain, their fears,
their emotions, it can't
assimilate them. They become a
part of the mind the alien can't
control. Right now, the whole of
the alien's mind is dormant. It
requires too much energy to
function, but the pieces of minds
it can't control are active. The
fears, the pains, the emotions of
the billions of beings it has
absorbed are flashing around its
mind, and the alien can feel them.
Let me put it this way: the alien
is having a nightmare. It is
aware but not awake. It can feel
but it can't act. And the
nightmare is composed of all the
pain of a billion beings.
(beat)
I think it woke up, just for a
moment, so it could show me this.
GEN. MARCUS
So we talked to Captain Millar's
emotions, is that it?
LAUNDERS
Essentially.
(beat)
Can you imagine what this alien's
life feels like?
(MORE)
55.
LAUNDERS (CONT'D)
Imagine that every time you ate
meat or chicken or anything, you
absorbed all their pain and felt
it like it was your own. You
can't stop eating because you'd
die, but the more you eat the
more pain you feel. And this goes
on for billions and billions of
years...
GEN. MARCUS
I suppose the alien showed you
all this so you'd feel pity and
kill it.
LAUNDERS
No. I think he wants me to wake
him up from his nightmare.
EXT. FRONT PORCH - DANVERS' HOUSE - DAY
The morning after the party.
Richard rings the doorbell. Linda opens the door. She smiles.
He looks distressed.
LINDA
Hi, Rich.
RICHARD
Hi, er... sorry to bother you...
but I... can we -- can we talk in
private for a second?
LINDA
Sure.
INT. LIVING ROOM - DANVERS' HOUSE - MOMENTS LATER
Linda and Richard sit on the couch.
RICHARD
Linda, I... I wanted you to hear
this from me before you heard it
from anyone else. I mean, I
don't... I don't know how much
you remember about the accident
or how much they've told you
already --
LINDA
The accident? Oh, the boating
accident.
56.
RICHARD
Yes, the boating accident. I...
it was my fault. I asked my
father to let me drive the boat
because I wanted to show off in
front of you and I was so busy
trying to look cool that I never
saw the other boat. I'm so sorry,
Linda --
LINDA
Rich...
RICHARD
The last three years of my life
have been such a mess... I felt
so guilty... I barely finished
high school, I've seen so many
psychiatrists --
Linda puts a soothing hand on his shoulder.
LINDA
Rich, it's okay. I'm okay. You
don't have to feel guilty anymore.
He stares at her for a moment.
RICHARD
I'm so glad you're alive.
He goes for the kiss, stops mid-way, then sits back,
embarrassed.
RICHARD (CONT'D)
I -- I forgot. You don't even
remember me. I can't just
pretend -- I mean, we're
different people now. We're older.
I'm more psychotic. You look
gorgeous...
LINDA
Oh, thanks. And I'd really like
to know you.
RICHARD
Really? Well, how about, you know,
we go to the mall or something?
I'm sure the guys are going to be
there.
LINDA
(smiles)
I'd love that.
57.
RICHARD
Great. Er, but, I don't have a
car -- I have a thing about, you
know, driving. And my bike is...
maybe we should ask your dad to
give us a ride.
LINDA
Or we could walk there.
RICHARD
Sure. That'll work too.
Both stand up and head for the door. Linda stops.
LINDA
Eh... let me tell mom and dad
where I'm going first, okay?
INT. CONTROL ROOM - ARMY BASE - DAY
Dozens of screens line the walls. There's a large Control
Table in the center. The Table is actually a touch-sensitive
screen.
The screens show various parts of the base. One shows the
Drifter. Other shows Kara's ship. Others show the various
Area-51-type stuff on the base.
The Control Table shows a map of the region, with Leesburg
on the bottom-left corner and the large army base in the
middle. The rest is unforgiving desert.
Marcus stands next to the Control Table, talking to Launders.
Various soldiers sit in front of the screens, monitoring
everything.
LAUNDERS
Think about it, General. That
alien has been around for
billions of years. He has seen
billions of planets and species.
Do you have any idea how much
knowledge he could give us?
GEN. MARCUS
Think about it, doc. That thing
survived a nuclear explosion and
a fall to Earth. Not to mention
that it has a tendency to absorb
members of intelligent species,
most of whom -- I would presume --
have tried to destroy it and yet
it doesn't have so much as a scar.
Do you really think it's wise to
wake it up?
58.
LAUNDERS
He's only going to be awake for a
few seconds. I only plan to give
him a handful of kilowatts. I've
taken all the necessary
precautions. I have Dent and
Martinez with their fingers on
the trigger, ready to cut the
power on the whole base if
necessary. Believe me, General,
I'm neither stupid nor suicidal.
I know what I'm doing.
GEN. MARCUS
I'm sure that's what Icarus said
to his father.
LAUNDERS
Be serious.
GEN. MARCUS
Just be a good mad scientist and
perform an autopsy on the guy.
LAUNDERS
I've told you. That'd only be an
autopsy of Millar's body.
GEN. MARCUS
Well, you're screwed then.
Launders thinks about it, tries to find a new angle.
LAUNDERS
Do you always assume that just
because something is powerful it
means that it's evil?
GEN. MARCUS
I'm not assuming it's evil, I'm
assuming it's dangerous, and I'm
sure the billion minds screaming
inside that thing would back me
up on that one.
LAUNDERS
Damn it! I've known you for
fifteen years and I consider you
a good friend and a fair
commander, so I don't want to do
this to you. But the truth is,
all I have to do is make a phone
call to Washington and in five
minutes you'll be getting a call
from the President ordering you
to do what I tell you to do.
59.
GEN. MARCUS
If the President wants me to feed
that thing, he's going to have to
come down here himself and kick
me out of my own base.
LAUNDERS
Bernie, trust me -- I know what
I'm doing.
Marcus gets really angry. He takes a menacing step toward
Launders.
The soldiers turn around to look at them.
GEN. MARCUS
Don't you dare Bernie me! I'm not
your beer buddy, I'm a General of
the U.S. Army and the commander
of this base. I'm god around here.
Don't you dare forget that. And
don't you dare pretend to use our
friendship to cloud my judgment.
LAUNDERS
I'm sorry, Gen. Marcus. I
shouldn't have said that.
Marcus calms down, gives Launders some space.
GEN. MARCUS
Don't you see it? That thing
brainwashed you. It made you feel
pity for it so you'd wake it up.
Now it's Launders who is angry.
LAUNDERS
Oh, no, no. Don't YOU dare
question my scientific judgment.
This has nothing to do with pity,
it has to do with knowing what
that alien is and what it can do.
Trust me, I know what I'm doing.
GEN. MARCUS
(beat)
What if you're wrong?
60.
LAUNDERS
What if I'm wrong NOW? What if
the alien isn't really dormant?
What if he's just resting,
gathering energy from the lights
or our heat, slowly recharging
itself and preparing to kill
everyone? Would you rather die
because you did something wrong
or because you did nothing at all?
(beat)
I just want a few seconds with it.
Marcus thinks about it.
GEN. MARCUS
Very well, but this is a once-in-
a-lifetime opportunity, know what
I mean? If you ask again I'll
drop-kick you all the way to
Australia.
LAUNDERS
I'll make the most of it.
GEN. MARCUS
Leave before I change my mind.
I'll stay here, making sure you
don't screw up too badly. And
believe me, if that thing wakes
up and kills everyone, I'm going
to be really pissed at you.
EXT. MAIN STREET - DOWNTOWN LEESBURG - LATE MORNING
Linda and Richard arrive at downtown Leesburg. Richard looks
completely wound up. Linda is fresh as a lettuce.
RICHARD
I think we should just take a bus
from here.
LINDA
What? Are you tired?
RICHARD
You're not?
LINDA
Er... a bit. Well, let's take the
bus then.
Richard leaves his bike leaning against a tree and they walk
to the nearest bus stop.
61.
They stand on a corner on Main Street. A large BUS approaches
from the south. There's very little traffic. Only a VW Bug
and a pickup truck.
The bus is coming at full speed when a dog rushes across the
street. The bus driver sees it at the last moment and
swerves to avoid it, losing control. The VW Bug sees the dog
too and swerves in the opposite direction of the bus,
heading for it.
The bus driver sees the Bug and tries to turn the other way
too quickly so the bus topples over and falls on top of the Bug.
The bus drags the Bug through the street and they smash into
the Pickup truck, which had stopped at a red light, so the
Bug is caught between the bus and the truck, and its driver
is trapped. The Bug catches on fire. The truck driver rushes
out of the truck and away from it.
The people in the bus are unharmed but the bus is leaning on
top of the Bug at a 60º angle. The door is too high for them
to reach, as is the emergency exit on the right side. The
other emergency exit is on top of the bug, so nobody can get
out.
Linda sees this, looking concerned. She moves as if she was
going to fly there, but sees Richard.
LINDA
Hurry, Rich, you have to go call
the fire department.
RICHARD
Yeah, you're right.
Richard rushes to his bike and rides away.
Linda disappears behind the tree and a moment later
Supergirl lands behind the Bug. Richard sees Supergirl and
stops.
Supergirl acts quickly as if she had done this a million times.
She uses her super-breath to put out the fire. She lifts the
truck and moves it out of the way. She pulls the Bug's door
out and throws it away, then peeks inside the Bug.
SUPERGIRL
Are you okay?
The Bug's driver stares at Supergirl. She's scared to death.
She manages a weak nod in response. She has some bruises and
cuts, but no broken bones. She's trapped under the roof of
the Bug.
62.
Supergirl flies to the front of the bus, so everyone inside
it can see her.
SUPERGIRL (CONT'D)
I'm going to move the bus. Hold on.
She lifts the bus and gently moves it away from the Bug,
straightens it and lowers it to the ground.
Then she goes to the Bug, pulls the roof out, lifts the
driver and deposits her a few feet away. The people from the
bus get out of it and walk to see Supergirl.
SUPERGIRL (CONT'D)
Is everyone all right?
Everyone gawks at Supergirl, slack-jawed and literally
speechless. Nobody moves a muscle to answer her.
She feels really uncomfortable. She looks around, hoping
that someone would say something to her, but everyone just
stares at her.
SUPERGIRL (CONT'D)
Er... I'm... I'm going to take
that as a yes. So er... I'm...
going to go now. Bye.
Supergirl flies away. Everyone remains speechless.
Linda appears next to Richard, who's gawking at the scene.
LINDA
Rich... Rich...
She waves her hand in front of him and he snaps out of it.
RICHARD
Wow, did you see that woman? That
was amazing!
LINDA
Who? Supergirl? Yeah, I saw her.
RICHARD
Supergirl? Yeah, that was a
Supergirl. Wow. I can't believe
what I just saw.
LINDA
(proudly)
Yeah, she was pretty amazing,
wasn't she?
63.
RICHARD
Yeah. And, where were you? I lost
sight of you for a moment.
LINDA
Er... I was hiding. I got... I
got a thing about fire... and...
RICHARD
Oh, I totally understand you.
Believe me, I do.
INT. KITCHEN - DANVERS' HOUSE - AFTERNOON
Linda, Sylvia and Fred sit at the kitchen table.
LINDA
...And then I ask "is everyone
okay?" And everyone just stares
at me, like I got something
really gross coming out of my nose.
Sylvia and Fred chuckle.
LINDA (CONT'D)
I didn't know what to do. I felt
so uncomfortable. I kept thinking,
"maybe my skirt's too short." I
don't know. It felt so weird.
SYLVIA
They were just impressed. We're a
very small town. A woman lifting
a bus isn't exactly an everyday
occurrence.
FRED
Yes, but still, they should have
said thanks at least. You did
great, Kara. We're proud of you.
SYLVIA
Indeed we are.
LINDA
(smiles)
Thanks.
Sylvia and Fred smile warmly.
INSERT FLASHBACK: The same scene we've seen before several
times: Kara's sixteenth birthday party. Only this time is
much less blurred. The faces of Kara's parents are almost
visible. They're still a bit blurred, but it's easy to see
that they're the faces of Sylvia and Fred Danvers.
64.
BACK TO SCENE
Linda's expression suddenly changes into horror. She backs
out of her chair and stands, looking at Fred and Sylvia.
She's panting heavily.
Linda changes into Supergirl.
SUPERGIRL
What's happening to me?!
FRED
What's wrong?
Supergirl covers her eyes with her hands.
SUPERGIRL
The party. The memory of my
sixteenth birthday. It's not
blurred anymore.
SYLVIA
Well, that's great.
SUPERGIRL
No! I can't see my parents!
(beat)
I see you instead of them.
(to Fred, angrily)
What's happening to me! Make it stop!
FRED
What are you saying, Kara? You
see our faces instead of your
parents' faces?
SUPERGIRL
Yes! Why! Tell me why!
FRED
First calm down. I expected
something like that to happen.
It's something the mind does. It
happens often. Imagine that you
see a robbery: a man rushes by,
grabs a lady's purse and
disappears around a corner. It
happens so fast that all you see
is a blur. And that's all you
remember: a blur.
(MORE)
65.
FRED (CONT'D)
But then someone says, "yeah, I
saw what happened, it was a tall
man." And someone else says,
"yeah, he was wearing a blue
shirt, and had a gun." And now
when you try to remember, you see
a tall man with a gun wearing a
blue shirt, snatching the lady's
purse. Your mind alters your
memories.
SUPERGIRL
And that's going to happen to all
my blurred memories?! They're
going to be replaced?!
FRED
I presume so.
SUPERGIRL
I can't let that happen. How can
I stop it?
FRED
I'm not sure you can.
SYLVIA
But think about this, Kara --
perhaps that's what your father
wanted. That's why he blurred
your memories instead of erasing
them. He didn't want you to lose
the memories, just to replace them.
SUPERGIRL
I want my memories! I want to see
my real parents!
SYLVIA
You have to let them go.
SUPERGIRL
I can't just forget them! They're
my parents! I can't just replace
them with someone else.
Sylvia and Fred look at each other.
FRED
Kara, believe me, of all the
people on Earth, WE know exactly
how you feel. Your parents are
dead. You're not. You have to let
them go.
66.
SUPERGIRL
(almost crying)
But I can't just replace them
with someone else and pretend
they never existed. Please, Dr.
Danvers, tell me how to stop it.
FRED
(beat, thinks)
You can't stop it. Your blurred
memories are going to be replaced
no matter what you do. But...
maybe you could replaced those
memories with the real ones... if
you found out what your parents
really look like.
SUPERGIRL
But how can I...
(realizes)
My ship! The computer should have
all the information. Where is it?
Where is my ship?
SYLVIA
We have no idea, but I guess
Wally would know.
INT. DRIFTER'S HANGAR - AFTERNOON
Launders stands next to the power outlet near the far wall
of the hangar. She carries a long extension cord and a
switch. She plugs in the switch on the outlet and drops one
end of the extension cord.
A SOLDIER stands next to the outlet.
LAUNDERS
Don't plug it in until I tell you to.
SOLDIER
Yes, Dr. Launders.
Launders carries the other end of the extension cord with
her. She walks to ten yards away from the Drifter. She looks
up at one of the cameras mounted on the walls of the hangar.
LAUNDERS
Martinez, can you hear me?
The Soldier listens to the radio.
SOLDIER
He says yes.
67.
LAUNDERS
Good. Cut the power on the hangar.
The lights go out. Emergency lights turn on.
LAUNDERS (CONT'D)
Can you still hear me?
SOLDIER
He says yes.
LAUNDERS
Good. Now cut all the power.
The emergency lights go out. Total darkness.
LAUNDERS (CONT'D)
Can you still hear me?
(beat)
Tell Martinez to restore full power.
SOLDIER
Restore full power.
All the lights turn on.
LAUNDERS
(to soldier)
Okay. Flip the switch off and
plug in the cord.
Launders walks to the Drifter, dragging the end of the
extension cord with her.
MILLAR
No! Don't feed him!
LAUNDERS
Any change in power consumption
in the hangar?
SOLDIER
No.
LAUNDERS
Good. Flip it on.
MILLAR
NOOOOO!!
The Soldier flips on the switch. Electricity flies from the
end of the extension cord into Millar. Launders drops it.
68.
SOLDIER
One hundred watts... two
hundred... five hundred... two
thousand...
LAUNDERS
Flip it off when it reaches ten
thousand.
SOLDIER
Five thousand... seven thousand...
ten thousand.
The Soldier flips off the switch. Electricity continues to
flow. He flips it on, then off again. Nothing changes.
SOLDIER (CONT'D)
Twelve thousand...
LAUNDERS
Cut the power.
Electricity stops flowing. Lights go off. Emergency lights
turn on.
Millar goes quiet, and glows.
Launders is looking at the Soldier, so she doesn't notice
Millar glowing.
LAUNDERS
(to soldier)
Unplug it.
SOLDIER
(points at Millar)
Look.
The Soldier unplugs the extension cord without taking his
eyes off the Drifter.
Launders looks at the glowing Drifter for a moment.
LAUNDERS
Restore power.
The lights turn on again. Millar's face has changed. The
face we saw for a second when the Drifter woke up before.
Launders slowly walks closer to the Drifter.
LAUNDERS
Are you the alien using Millar's
body?
69.
The Drifter's voice is odd. Deep. Dark. Sounds like many
voices speaking at once.
DRIFTER
Yes.
EXT. WALLY'S HOUSE - AFTERNOON
Wally's house sits next to a creek that feeds the lake.
Wally stands next to the shore, fishing.
Supergirl lands next to him.
SUPERGIRL
Are you Wally?
He turns to her and smiles.
WALLY
Yes, madam, I'm Wally Dockings.
(beat)
Hey, you're the woman that got
hit by --
He realizes who she is. He reacts in horror. He drops to the
ground in fetal position, and covers his head.
WALLY (CONT'D)
You're the alien monster! Please
don't kill me! Please!
SUPERGIRL
I'm not a monster. I'm not going
to hurt you. I came here to thank
you for helping me the other day.
He peeks at her. Calms down a bit.
WALLY
Why do you dress like Superman?
SUPERGIRL
I'm Supergirl. I'm from Krypton too.
He relaxes, stands up.
WALLY
Really?
SUPERGIRL
Yes. As I said, I wanted to thank
you for helping me the other day.
I appreciate it.
70.
WALLY
(proudly)
Oh, well. It was nothing. I do it
all the time. I mean helping
people, not helping superpowered
aliens from Krypton.
SUPERGIRL
(smiles)
I'm sure you do.
(beat)
I also came because I wanted to
ask you something. I need to find
my ship. Do you know where it is?
WALLY
Sure I do.
INT. DRIFTER'S HANGAR - AFTERNOON
LAUNDERS
I suppose this is the point in
the story where you kill everyone
and I feel like a total idiot for
having woken you up, right?
DRIFTER
I do not destroy life for pleasure.
LAUNDERS
You destroyed Millar.
DRIFTER
Necessity. Not pleasure.
Velakov's body was beyond repair.
Needed a new one.
LAUNDERS
Do you have a name?
DRIFTER
Some call me Drifter.
LAUNDERS
Why?
DRIFTER
I drift. From planet to planet.
Solar system to solar system. In
an endless search for the energy
to live.
LAUNDERS
What do you want?
71.
DRIFTER
Same as you. To live.
LAUNDERS
You've been alive for billions of
years.
DRIFTER
Existence. Not life. Different
concepts. Only alive when awake.
LAUNDERS
Has the pain stopped now that
you're awake?
DRIFTER
Pain is ever-present in my life.
Quieter when awake. But present.
LAUNDERS
What other forms of energy can
you absorb besides electricity?
DRIFTER
I can absorb all forms of energy.
I can only store some of them. I
can only use the energy I store.
LAUNDERS
You use Millar's body to store
the energy, right?
DRIFTER
Yes.
LAUNDERS
What happens if Millar's body is
destroyed?
DRIFTER
Millar's body would cease to exist.
LAUNDERS
Would you cease to exist as well?
DRIFTER
I cannot cease to exist.
LAUNDERS
Why did you come to Earth?
DRIFTER
I followed an energy source.
72.
LAUNDERS
The energy source from the
escape-pod?
DRIFTER
Yes.
LAUNDERS
Why?
DRIFTER
The energy is easy to store.
Would last me for years... I fade.
Feed me again.
LAUNDERS
What do you know about the
occupant of the escape-pod?
DRIFTER
I have no concern for the
Kryptonian. Only her spacecraft.
LAUNDERS
(worried)
Kryptonian? What do you mean
Kryptonian?
DRIFTER
Feed me. I fade. Feed...
(back to Millar)
No! Don't feed him!
Launders quickly grabs the end of the extension cord and
recoils it as she walks to the Soldier. She grabs the radio
from the Soldier and throws the extension cord to the corner.
Then she walks out of the hangar.
INT. CONTROL ROOM
Marcus sits in front of the Control Table. The top right
corner shows an image of the crash site. The rest shows the
display of the area. There's a small red dot moving from
Leesburg to the crash site.
LAUNDERS (O.S.)
(on radio)
General, are you there?
Marcus picks up his radio. His eyes fixed on the small red dot.
GEN. MARCUS
(to radio)
Where else would I be?
73.
LAUNDERS (O.S.)
(on radio)
Did you hear? The woman -- the
alien woman you're trying to
capture, she's from Krypton.
GEN. MARCUS
(to radio)
I already knew that, doc.
LAUNDERS (O.S.)
(on radio)
You did?
GEN. MARCUS
(to radio)
Of course. We figured it after we
saw her fling a Jeep a hundred
yards, bullets bounced off her
chest and she flew away wearing a
delightfully skimpier version of
Superman's costume.
LAUNDERS (O.S.)
(on radio)
And you're still going to try to
capture her? Are you crazy?
GEN. MARCUS
(to radio)
My good Dr. Launders, we're the
U.S. Army. We operate under the
delusion that we can successfully
deal with any possible threat to
out beloved country, no matter
where it might come from. We're
funny that way. Now if you're
interested in witnessing how the
taxpayer's money turns into
brilliant military strategy,
you're more than welcome to join
me at the control room. But hurry,
the fun might end soon.
EXT. CRASH SITE - LATE AFTERNOON
Supergirl lands near the crater left by her spacecraft. She
looks around. Something looks odd. She walks to the crater.
Her ship isn't there.
Then a CAGE springs. Two-foot-thick, ten-foot-tall metal
walls rise from the ground and enclose Supergirl. Another
wall covers the cage, forming the roof and boxing her in.
She's surprised by the speed of the cage.
74.
Lights turn on inside the cage. A screen comes to life,
showing Marcus. She turns to the screen, glares and shows
Marcus her power stance.
Marcus' voice is calm and amicable.
GEN. MARCUS
Good evening. I'm Gen. Marcus of
the U.S. Army. I strongly advise
you to remain calm while you're
taken --
SUPERGIRL
(angry)
Where is my ship?
GEN. MARCUS
Your spacecraft is currently held
in our base. You'll see it in time.
CUT TO outside of cage. Two Exos pick it up and carry it
toward the base.
CUT BACK INSIDE the cage.
SUPERGIRL
Let me out of here or I'll let
myself out.
Electrical bolts shoot from the corners of the walls and
crash on Supergirl. She falls to the floor, in great pain.
GEN. MARCUS
Uncooperative behavior will not
be tolerated.
More electrical bolts.
Supergirl is really angry. She jumps off the floor and
punches the wall of the cage, making a huge dent on it. More
electrical bolts rain on her, slowing her down. But she
keeps on smashing the wall until she breaches it.
CUT TO outside of cage.
Supergirl flies out of the cage through the hole. The two
Exos drop the cage.
Exo #1 points its hand at Supergirl, and a four-inch-thick
steel cable shoots from a hole in its palm. The cable has
four steel tentacles connected to its top. When the top hits
Supergirl, the four tentacles wrap around her body, trapping
her.
75.
Supergirl breaks free from the tentacles. She grabs the
cable as it falls to the ground and yanks on it, breaking
half of Exo #1's arm off. Then she uses the impulse of the
yanking and swings the cable and the piece of the arm around
and sweeps the two Exos off their feet.
INT. DRIFTER'S HANGAR
The Drifter eyes the extension cord lying in the corner of
the hangar. He's not screaming right now. His expression
shows that he's the Drifter, not Millar.
Then the Drifter's eye slowly slides out of its socket. Then
pops out. It falls to the floor. The eye grows four legs and
a pair of claws and walks to the extension cord. It connects
the cord to the electrical outlet and brings the other end
to the Drifter.
As soon as the cord is ten feet away from the Drifter,
electrical bolts shoot in his direction. The eye leaves the
end of the cord under the bed, so the electrical bolts
cannot be seeing from the cameras at the control room.
INT. CONTROL ROOM
The Soldier who should be checking on the Drifter is busy
watching the battle and doesn't notice the little eye
pushing the extension cord.
EXT. CRASH SITE
Here's a description of Marcus' army. There are 5 Exos, 6
Hovertanks and 20 foot soldiers. The Exos we've seen before:
fifteen-foot tall, twenty tons. They have rocket launchers,
a small plasma gun, the cables you saw a moment ago, machine
guns with 1" bullets and a repulsion beam. The rockets and
machine guns do little to Supergirl. The small plasma does
nothing when it hits her armor, but gives her a mild burn
when hits her skin. The repulsion beam can push her around.
And she can break up to three cables tied around her.
The Hovertanks you'll see in a moment. They're the size of a
normal tank, but they levitate two feet off the ground. They
have a force field, a large plasma gun (their main weapon)
and screamers (an ultrasonic cannon). The force field is
strong enough to withstand a couple of punches from
Supergirl. The plasma gives her a nasty burn when it hits
her skin, but does little when it hits her armor. The
Screamers give her a nasty headache and can dismantle an Exo
in a couple of seconds.
The foot soldiers have net-throwers, small machine guns and
lasers, none of which can harm Supergirl.
76.
Marcus gives orders to the army through the Control Table,
which is touch-sensitive. The Control Table can show the
battle from every conceivable angle (it's a simulated
display), and Marcus can talk to anyone on the field by
TAPPING on the image.
We'll INTERCUT between the CRASH SITE and the CONTROL ROOM
during the battle.
Supergirl stands in mid-air. Three more Exos appear from
behind the trees. The two Exos she swept, stand up.
Two Exos fire rockets at her. She avoids them easily.
GEN. MARCUS
Exo-3, move to H-7. Exo-2, use
the pusher.
One Exo uses the repulsion beam (it comes out of its palm).
It takes her by surprise, and sends her back a dozen feet.
GEN. MARCUS (CONT'D)
Cables everyone.
In succession, all Exos fire the cables. The first two miss,
but the other three hit their mark. The two that missed,
recoil the cables and shoot from the other arm. Supergirl is
trapped by five cables with their tentacles wrapped around
her torso, pinning her arms to her sides. She tries to break
free, but can't.
Then she uses her heat vision on one cable, slashing it. She
wraps her leg around another and pulls, breaking off the
Exo's arm. Then she breaks free form the three remaining cables.
GEN. MARCUS (CONT'D)
Hovertanks.
The Hovertanks come into view. That makes it eleven against one.
Supergirl takes the offensive. The flies to an Exo and
smashes its legs. Then continues to a Hovertank but crashes
into its force field. She falls to the ground.
Two Exos use their machine guns. They do little. She jumps
off the ground, avoiding a cable, and flies to an Exo. She
pulls the Exo's arm off and sends it against another Exo,
damaging its leg.
GEN. MARCUS (CONT'D)
Screamers.
She heads for another Exo, but gets hit by the screamer. She
covers her ears, in terrible pain. An Exo takes advantage.
It launches a cable, trapping her, then recoils the cable
and grabs her with its hands.
77.
She breaks free form the Exo and heads for a Hovertank. She
punches the force field twice, evading two large plasma
beams from two other Hovertanks. The third punch collapses
the force field. She grabs the Hovertank by the cannon,
spins around and sends it against another Hovertank.
The first Hovertank smashes into the force field of the
second, breaking apart and collapsing the force field. Then
Supergirl comes flying and trashes the now-unprotected
Hovertank.
Marcus looks like a kid playing a video game.
LAUNDERS
You're just a big boy playing
with your action figures, aren't you?
Marcus smiles.
A repulsion beam hits Supergirl from behind, pushing her a
dozen yards. A screamer hits her, then another repulsion
beam. She crashes into the ground. A cage arms itself around
her.
She shoots the top corners of the cage with her heat vision
(that's where the electrical bolts come from) and punches
her way out.
GEN. MARCUS
See. The first time she just
smashed her way out of the cage.
This time she takes out the
electricity first. She learns
quickly.
Supergirl throws the cage against an Exo. The Exo uses the
repulsion beam against the cage, sending it back to her. The
cage hits her and sends her to crashing into the ground.
GEN. MARCUS (CONT'D)
Soldiers.
The Soldiers come out of their hiding and send a dozen nets
to Supergirl. The nets trap her for a second, but she easily
breaks out of them. The Soldiers use their machine guns and
lasers on her. She uses her heat vision on their weapons,
melting them. Then she blows them away with her super-breath.
A Hovertank attacks her from behind with the plasma gun. The
beam hits her cape, pushing her a bit, but nothing else. She
turns around and stops the beam with her bare hands. She
yells in pain, and takes off heading for the hovertank.
The Hovertank fires again. She dodges. The beam narrowly
misses an Exo.
78.
Marcus taps several times on the image of the Hovertank.
GEN. MARCUS (CONT'D)
Watch out for crossfire. She's
not stupid.
Supergirl uses her heat vision to cut the leg off an Exo as
she attacks the Hovertank. She destroys the force field, and
then an Exo uses the repulsion beam to send her flying a
dozen yards.
Two Hovertanks hit her with the screamers. She's in terrible
pain. Then she extends her armor to cover her head, which
reduces the effect, and rolls away.
She lifts the Hovertank without force field and sends it
flying against the two remaining Exos. The Exos use their
repulsion beam and send the Hovertank back. She avoids it
and the Hovertank crashes into another Hovertank, crushing
its force field and damaging the Hovertank itself.
She attacks one of the Exos, taking its legs off. She heads
for the other, but it uses the repulsion beam to push her away.
GEN. MARCUS
That's good enough. Full retreat
everyone except Exo-3. Exo-3,
disengage weapons systems and
stand in a non-threatening posture.
Supergirl notices the foot soldiers moving away, along with
the remaining Hovertanks. The last Exo stands immobile with
its arms to its sides.
GEN. MARCUS (O.S.)
Exo-3, point out to Supergirl the
location of Cage #4.
The Exo lifts its arm and points to its left.
A wall rises from the ground. The screen on it shows Marcus'
face. Supergirl flies to the cage.
SUPERGIRL
I want my ship.
GEN. MARCUS
And we're prepared to give it
back to you.
The screen changes. It shows a map of the area.
79.
GEN. MARCUS (CONT'D)
This is your current location.
(red arrow flashes on map)
This is the location of our base,
where your ship is kept.
(the base flashes)
If you're so kind as to wait at
the main entrance, I'll send
someone to escort you to your ship.
SUPERGIRL
Don't try to trick me.
Marcus' face appears in a corner of the screen.
GEN. MARCUS
It's not a trick. I give you my
word there will be no further
hostilities against you.
Supergirl gives Marcus a warning look. Then takes a better
look at the map, and flies away.
INT. CONTROL ROOM
Marcus watches his Control Table as Supergirl flies away.
The screen changes to show the map of the area. A red dot
indicates Supergirl's position, flying straight to the base.
GEN. MARCUS
(to microphone)
The alien woman is coming to the
base. I want no hostile behavior
toward her -- I repeat -- no
hostile behavior. Not even a
disrespectful look. I want a path
cleared from the main entrance to
Hangar nineteen. I don't want to
see a single weapon in that path,
am I clear?
(to Launders)
Come with me.
Marcus stands up and heads for the door.
GEN. MARCUS (CONT'D)
And erase that girlie-pride smirk
off your face.
Launders chuckles, follows Marcus out of the room.
INT. CORRIDOR - ARMY BASE
Marcus and Launders walk side-by-side down the corridor.
80.
LAUNDERS
And what happened to the
(mocking)
"oh, we're the U.S. Army, we can
deal with any threat"?
GEN. MARCUS
Supergirl is not a threat.
LAUNDERS
Are you kidding? She swept the
floor with your army.
GEN. MARCUS
I meant she's not our enemy. You
can tell a great deal about
people by the way they behave in
battle. I sent three squads
against Supergirl: soldiers,
remote-controlled tanks and Exos.
The tanks -- she trashed
mercilessly because they were
unmanned. The soldiers -- she
melted their guns and blew them
away, but never tried to hurt
them. The Exos -- she disabled
them. Broke their arms, crushed
their legs, but always made sure
the soldier inside was unharmed.
See where I'm going? She was very
angry and had good reasons to
be -- we attacked her. But at
every point in the battle she
went out of her way not to hurt
my men. That proves me she's on
our side.
LAUNDERS
She might be, but you're going to
have a helluva hard time
convincing her that you're on her
side.
GEN. MARCUS
(smiles)
I know. That's why I'm making it
your job to convince her.
EXT. MAIN ENTRANCE - ARMY BASE - NIGHT
Supergirl glares at the unarmed SOLDIER guarding the entrance.
SUPERGIRL
Where is my ship?!
81.
SOLDIER
(scared)
I told you, madam, if you just
wait another --
Supergirl takes a step toward the soldier, looking as
intimidating as can be.
SUPERGIRL
(threateningly)
Take me to my ship now.
Launders appears at the gate.
LAUNDERS
You wouldn't harm an unarmed
soldier, would you?
Supergirl gives Launders a nasty look.
SUPERGIRL
No, but if you don't take me to
my ship right now, I'm going to
trash this place until I find it.
Launders does her best not to look intimidated.
LAUNDERS
(smiles)
No need for that. Just follow me
please. I'll take you to it.
INT. CORRIDOR - MOMENTS LATER
Launders leads Supergirl down an empty corridor. Supergirl
constantly looks around just in case something jumps out of
the wall to attack her.
LAUNDERS
Let me tell you something about
us humans: we're a very weak
species -- physically I mean.
It's very easy to harm us, even
kill us. And that weakness makes
us distrustful of strangers when
we don't know their intentions.
You could easily kill me right
now. You could pull my head off,
crush me, melt my brain --
SUPERGIRL
I wouldn't do that.
82.
LAUNDERS
And how are we supposed to know
that? We know you're from Krypton
and you wear Superman's clothes.
For all we know you could be his
sister. Or his worst enemy. Maybe
you came to Earth to help him
protect it. Or to try to conquer
it. How do you expect us to trust
you?
SUPERGIRL
I haven't harmed any humans. Not
even the ones who attacked me.
LAUNDERS
Yes, we noticed you went out of
your way not to harm our soldiers
at the crash site. But we still
need something else.
SUPERGIRL
What else?
LAUNDERS
We could use some information.
It'd go a long way to earn our
trust if you were to tell us
everything about Krypton. You
know, history, science, politics,
culture, sports, religion,
everything.
SUPERGIRL
I can't.
LAUNDERS
That's not a good way --
SUPERGIRL
I mean I don't know anything. I
don't remember. I was sixteen
when Krypton exploded and my
father thought I was too young to
cope with it, so he blurred my
memories. I don't even know my
parents' names or what they
looked like. That's why I want my
ship. Maybe there's something there.
LAUNDERS
Let's hope.
83.
INT. SHIPS' HANGAR - MOMENTS LATER
Supergirl approaches her ship, looking hopeful. She places
her hand on the lock (a touch-sensitive pad). The ship opens.
SUPERGIRL
Computer, on.
COMPUTER
(in Kryptonian)
Good evening, Kara.
LAUNDERS
Can it speak English?
SUPERGIRL
Computer, speak in English.
All the screens inside change. Now they display all their
information in English. Launders stares at the screens,
reading them as fast as she can.
LAUNDERS
Wow, I didn't really think it could.
SUPERGIRL
Computer, show me my parents.
COMPUTER
Not possible.
Supergirl frowns at the response.
LAUNDERS
Change your wording. Maybe it
didn't understand.
SUPERGIRL
Computer, show me an image of my
parents.
COMPUTER
Not possible.
Supergirl is getting impatient.
SUPERGIRL
Computer, tell me my parents' names.
COMPUTER
Not possible
LAUNDERS
Ask it if it has the information.
84.
SUPERGIRL
Computer, do you know my parents'
names?
COMPUTER
Yes.
SUPERGIRL
Then why can't you tell me?
COMPUTER
Not possible.
SUPERGIRL
Why?
COMPUTER
You are too young, Kara.
SUPERGIRL
What? What do you mean I'm too young?
COMPUTER
I am not allowed to give you any
information about your past until
you have reached the age of
twenty-five.
Supergirl is angry.
SUPERGIRL
Show me my parents now!
COMPUTER
Not possible.
Supergirl picks up the ship and slams it back into the pedestal.
SUPERGIRL
Show them to me!
LAUNDERS
Take it easy! You're going to
destroy it!
SUPERGIRL
(to Launders)
I want to see my parents!
LAUNDERS
I know, but you won't get
anything out of a computer by
hitting it.
(beat, thinks)
Ask it if it has a message for you.
85.
SUPERGIRL
A message?
LAUNDERS
From your parents.
SUPERGIRL
Computer, do you have a message
for me?
COMPUTER
Yes.
SUPERGIRL
Read it to me!
The computer speaks with the same voice as before, but it
seems to have a feminine, motherly demeanor now.
COMPUTER
Hi Kara. There are so many things
your father and I would like to
tell you, but we can't because it
would only make it harder on you.
So I am only going to tell you
this: think not about your past,
only about your future. Think not
about where you have been, only
about where you are going. Think
not about your origin, only about
your destiny. Be brave, my
daughter, and above all: live.
Supergirl tries to hold back the tears.
SUPERGIRL
(weakly)
Mom...
She rests her head on the ship, closes her eyes.
Launders doesn't know what to do. She places a soothing hand
on Supergirl's shoulder.
LAUNDERS
Don't worry, we're going to help
you. Believe me, I'm as interested
in getting everything out of that
computer as you are. Here's what
we're going to do...
INT. CONTROL ROOM
Supergirl and Launders can be seen on a screen. Several
soldiers watch them. Marcus watches too.
86.
SOLDIER #1
(to Soldier #2)
Would you do what her father did?
Be honest, if Earth was going to
be destroyed today and you were
sending your teenage daughter to
live in another planet, would you
erase her memories, or would you
prefer that she remembered you?
SOLDIER #2
Call me selfish, but if I'm going
to die, I'd like my daughter to
remember me.
GEN. MARCUS
What her father did was stupid.
He erased the images but not the
feelings. Look at her. She still
loves her parents. More so now
because she knows the sacrifice
they made. But she has nothing to
attach those feelings to. She
can't mourn their death. You
can't treat a wound if you can't
see it. Now, would you two mind
doing your jobs instead of
drooling all over my control room.
SOLDIER #1 AND #2
Yes, sir.
Soldier #2 moves his chair away from that screen and next to
the screen he was supposed to be watching; the one showing
the Drifter's hangar. He notices the extension cord running
under the Drifter's bed.
SOLDIER #2
Why is there a cable running
under Captain Millar's bed?
He punches some buttons on the console. A screen shows the
electrical output on the room.
SOLDIER #2 (CONT'D)
Damn! He's sucking our electricity!
GEN. MARCUS
Cut the power.
The lights go off in the hangar. Emergency lights turn on.
The Drifter is glowing. He stands up, passing through the
restraining straps. He walks toward the wall.
SOLDIER #2
He's up! He's up!
87.
GEN. MARCUS
Lock him in.
Foot-thick metal slabs roll up to cover the walls and
ceiling of the hangar. The Drifter passes through them like
a hot knife through butter.
SOLDIER #2
Didn't stop him. He's heading for
the Kryptonian ship.
GEN. MARCUS
Lock everything in his path and
cut the power. I want everyone up
and ready. I don't want to see
any energy weapons. No plasma, no
lasers. I want bazookas. I was
machine guns and rifles. I want
grenades. We're going to get
medieval on this guy.
(beat)
Arm and fuel every Exo, tank and
plane we've got and pray we won't
need them.
INT. SHIP'S HANGAR
The hangar locks itself. Foot-thick metal slabs cover walls
and ceiling. Emergency lights go on. Alarms blare.
SUPERGIRL
(angry)
What's going on? Are you trying
to trap me again?!
LAUNDERS
No, no. I swear --
(to radio)
General, what the hell do you
think you're doing?
GEN. MARCUS (O.S.)
(on radio)
Captain Millar is up and walking
straight to you.
LAUNDERS
(to radio)
Can you stop him?
GEN. MARCUS (O.S.)
(on radio)
We can't even slow him down.
88.
LAUNDERS
(to radio)
Open the hangar, we have to get
the ship out of here.
GEN. MARCUS (O.S.)
(on radio)
Too late.
The wall shimmers and melts. The Drifter walks in, eyeing
the ship.
SUPERGIRL
Who is that?
LAUNDERS
It's an energy being who wants
your ship. You have to stop him.
Supergirl flies to the Drifter. A few feet away, an arm
forms on the metal wall and hits her, sending her crashing
into the right wall. The Drifter never looks away from the ship.
Four seven-foot-tall METAL MEN walk out of the walls and
attack Supergirl.
The Drifter walks to the ship. The ship's log reads: Drifter
detected, shutting down. Then it shuts itself down and locks
itself. Launders sees this. She sees the Drifter approaching
and takes several steps back.
Supergirl punches one Metal Man and kicks another. The hits
make huge dents on the Metal Men and push them back. But
they quickly repair any damage and continue attacking her.
The Drifter puts his hand on the ship, and gets shocked. The
electrical bolt coming from the ship causes pain on the
Drifter (later is explained why).
DRIFTER
(to Launders)
Open it.
LAUNDERS
I... I can't.
Launders points at the ship's lock. The Drifter looks at it,
then turns to Supergirl.
Her fight with the Metal Men continues for a minute. She's
stronger and faster and an expert in martial arts (courtesy
of the cerebral tap and Jackie Chan movies). But her punches
and kicks do little real damage since the Metal Men aren't
alive.
89.
Then a Metal Man double-fists her in the back of the head,
leaving her dazed. The four Metal Men hold her and drag her
to the ship, then try to force her hand into the lock.
Supergirl reacts, fights back. She breaks free. The Metal
Men throw her against the wall, then all four jump to her,
form a ball around her, trapping her inside.
Metal from the pedestal wraps around the ship. The Drifter
grabs it, then sinks into the ground and disappears with the
ship.
It takes Supergirl a couple of seconds to smash her way out
of the metal ball.
SUPERGIRL
Where did he go?
LAUNDERS
He just -- sort of -- went
through the floor.
Supergirl looks down, uses her X-ray vision to search, but
finds nothing.
LAUNDERS (CONT'D)
(to radio)
Gen. Marcus, can you locate him?
GEN. MARCUS (O.S.)
(on radio)
No. Supergirl, can you hear him move?
SUPERGIRL
He makes no sound when he moves.
GEN. MARCUS (O.S.)
(on radio)
Dr. Launders, would you be so
kind as to escort our guest to
the control room?
INT. CONTROL ROOM - MINUTES LATER
GEN. MARCUS
(to Soldier)
I don't want to see a single drop
of electricity in a fifty-mile
radius. Blow up every power plant
in the state if you have to.
SOLDIER #1
What about hospitals? What about
the base?
90.
GEN. MARCUS
I want the main generator working
at minimum and feed only the
essential areas. Cover it with C-4
tied to a dead-man trigger. If
that thing gets close, blow it up.
Same with every hospital. We're
going to starve it.
SUPERGIRL
What is it and why did it take my
ship?
LAUNDERS
It calls itself "Drifter." It
needs energy to function. Lots of
it. And it thinks that your
ship's power source is the best
kind of energy around. And...
your ship knows what it is. When
the Drifter approached it, the
log said "Drifter detected" and
the ship locked itself. The
Drifter tried to put its hand
through it, but couldn't.
SUPERGIRL
Then we have to get my ship back.
GEN. MARCUS
Out best option is to wait. If Dr.
Launders is right, that thing
will run out of energy in a few
hours. Then it'll be harmless as
a puppy and you can get your ship
back, and find out how to disable
it permanently. In the meantime,
perhaps you could give us a hand.
Without electricity, people will
get scared. There might be riots.
We could use your abilities on
crowd control.
SUPERGIRL
Do you trust me now?
GEN. MARCUS
Don't harm any civilians. They're
not bad people, they're just scared.
SUPERGIRL
I promise not to harm anyone.
91.
GEN. MARCUS
(to Soldier #1)
Take twenty soldiers, and escort
Supergirl to Leesburg. Give her a
hand in anything she needs.
SOLDIER #1
Yes, sir.
SUPERGIRL
I'll meet you there.
Supergirl walks out of the room. So does Soldier #1
Launders waits for a few seconds before she speaks.
LAUNDERS
Riots? This is Leesburg, not New
York.
GEN. MARCUS
Good point.
(to Soldier #2)
Take forty men dressed as
civilians to Leesburg and keep
Supergirl busy for two hours.
SOLDIER #2
Yes, sir.
LAUNDERS
So you don't really trust her.
Marcus walks to the Control Table. The screen shows the red
dot (Supergirl) moving away from the base. Marcus turns off
the display.
GEN. MARCUS
As a matter of fact, I do. I'm
just being practical. She's the
only key to the ship and I want
to keep the key away from that
thing. Now I want you to get the
auxiliary generator ready to be
moved. I'm presuming the Drifter
can detect its food.
LAUNDERS
I'm sure it can. Are you going to
try and capture it?
GEN. MARCUS
I'd like that, but mainly I just
want to make sure it hasn't left
the perimeter.
(MORE)
92.
GEN. MARCUS (CONT'D)
If that thing leaves Leesburg,
we're in big trouble.
INT. CAVE - NIGHT
A large underground cave. The ground shimmers for a moment
and the Drifter (glowing) bobs up with the ship. He places
the ship on the ground and stares at it.
The Drifter puts its hand on the lock, and gets shocked.
Then he morphs his hand so it looks like Kara's hand, puts
it on the lock and gets shocked again.
INSERT SHOT: a view of the whole city of Leesburg. The
lights go out.
BACK TO SCENE
The Drifter senses the change. He looks angry and desperate.
He turns to the ship. A large rock lunges itself into it,
causing a small bump that it repairs in seconds.
The Drifter screams in anger. He loses control. His head
morphs into the many heads of his victims.
MILLAR
Die, monster! Die!
The Drifter recovers some control.
DRIFTER
Nooo! Leave me alone! Let me live!
INT. LIVING ROOM - DANVERS' HOUSE - MOMENTS LATER
Fred lights up a gas lamp. Sylvia tries the phone.
SYLVIA
Phone's dead. Must be one helluva
blackout.
FRED
Let's hope it doesn't take too long.
Supergirl opens the front door and enters the house.
SUPERGIRL
Are you okay?
SYLVIA
Sure, eh... Supergirl.
(chuckles)
It feels funny calling you Supergirl.
93.
FRED
What's going on? Did you find
your ship?
SUPERGIRL
I found the ship but it didn't
want to tell me anything. Then I
lost it. Er... it's a long story,
I'll tell you later. What's
important now is that there's
some kind of monster lose who
feeds on energy. That's why the
General ordered the blackout. I
just came to make sure you were okay.
SYLVIA
It's just a blackout. We can
handle that.
FRED
Are you going to fight the monster?
SUPERGIRL
It's very powerful. The General
thinks we should wait until it's
weak. I think it's a good idea.
Don't worry, I'll protect you if
anything happens. Now I have to
go downtown and help the soldiers
with the crown control.
SYLVIA
Crowd control?
SUPERGIRL
The General thinks there might be
riots.
SYLVIA
(scoffs)
In Leesburg?
EXT. DESERT OUTSIDE LEESBURG - NIGHT
Marcus and his men set up a trap for the Drifter. Two Exos
place the auxiliary generator (a 6-foot-long box) atop an
improvised tower, fifteen feet tall. Soldiers place C-4 on
the base of the tower. The generator is covered with C-4 too.
Several Exos finish burying four cages.
GEN. MARCUS
Okay, so we have eight charges on
the generator, four on the base,
a hi-def radar, a sonar pointed
to the ground, four cages, five
Exos, four tanks, two bazookas...
am I forgetting anything?
94.
LAUNDERS
Yes. Praying.
GEN. MARCUS
I'm not a religious man.
LAUNDERS
You might want to become one just
in case the Drifter has found a
way to open Supergirl's escape-pod.
GEN. MARCUS
Not a chance.
(beat)
By the way, if we survive this,
remind me to kill you for waking
up that thing.
LAUNDERS
Don't blame me for that one. If
your men had been watching the
energy levels on the Drifter's
hangar like I told them to,
instead of gawking at Supergirl's
miniskirt, we wouldn't be in this
mess.
GEN. MARCUS
We'll have to settle that at the
court-martial. In the mean time,
would you do the honors and start
the generator?
Launders pushes a button on a control she's carrying and the
generator starts.
EXT. STREET - LEESBURG - NIGHT
Everything seems calm despite the absence of electricity.
There are gas lamps shining inside most stores. The people
walk calmly down the street. The cars move slowly, cautiously,
but they seem normal otherwise.
Three shadowy MEN walk toward a convenience store. You might
recognize them as the soldiers that stopped Wally. One of
them carries a brick.
The men give silent signals to each other, then one throws
the brick into the front window of the convenience store,
shattering it. Then the men scream like wild animals and
jump into the store through the window.
We HEAR the sound of shattering windows all around.
Pedestrians look around in disbelief: what's happening?
95.
EXT. DESERT OUTSIDE LEESBURG - NIGHT
Marcus, Launders and the soldiers hide out of sight from the
tower.
One soldier watches the sonar. A small blip appears, heading
for the center of the sonar.
SOLDIER
It's coming.
A moment later, the Drifter pops up from the ground, looks
at the generator, and walks to it. A cage springs and boxes
him. The Drifter keeps walking and goes through the cage's
wall easily. He stands next to the tower.
GEN. MARCUS
Stop the generator.
Launders pushes a button and the generator sputters to a halt.
GEN. MARCUS
Exo 1 and 2 use the cables.
The Exos come into view and shoot the cables at the Drifter.
The cables wrap around him. He looks unperturbed, still
staring at the generator.
The cables break five feet away from the Drifter and fall to
the ground. Then they stand up; using the tentacles as legs
and the piece of cable as a head. They look like weird stick
dogs. Both cables run back to the Exo they came from and
jump. One smashes the Exo's leg, breaking it off. The other
aims for the Exo's head. The Exo uses its arms to protect
itself. The cable thrashes the arms, and damages the head.
The tower sinks until the generator is at ground level. Then
the generator starts again and the electricity flies in
lightning bolts to the Drifter.
GEN. MARCUS
Stop the generator!
Launders tries the button again. Nothing happens.
LAUNDERS
Can't do.
GEN. MARCUS
(to Soldier)
Blow it up.
The C-4 charges explode but don't harm the generator.
GEN. MARCUS
Throw everything you got at it!
96.
Everyone attacks: Exos, Hovertanks and soldiers. But the
generator and the Drifter seem protected by a force field.
EXT. STREET - LEESBURG - NIGHT
There's a full-scale riot going on. About ten MEN are spread
around the various stores in the street, wreaking havoc,
thrashing the stores, throwing the merchandise out in the
street, etc.
Five soldiers (in uniform) try to calm them down, but it's
obviously a half-hearted effort.
SUPERGIRL
Stop this, all of you!
Supergirl doesn't know what to do. She doesn't want to harm
them and they're not listening to her.
She grabs one of the rioters by his shoulder and forces him
to his knees.
SUPERGIRL (CONT'D)
Stop it! Don't make me hurt you.
Another rioter, DUSTIN, hits Supergirl from behind with a
large lead pipe. She barely notices it. Dustin tries it
again, but she grabs it.
Dustin tries to pull the pipe away from Supergirl, but can't.
Richard rushes into shot and tackles Dustin away, just as
more rioters begin to attack Supergirl with rocks and trash
cans.
RICHARD
What the hell are you doing, you
idiot?
DUSTIN
Stay out of this, Malverne.
Supergirl uses her heat vision on the rioters' would-be
weapons. Then she uses her super-breath to send five of them
flying back.
Dustin pushes Richard aside and heads for Supergirl. Richard
quickly catches on to him and pushes him to a building.
RICHARD
Why are you trying to hurt her?
Dustin grabs Richard by the neck and turns the situation
around, slamming him against the wall.
97.
DUSTIN
Malverne. This is not your
problem. Do you understand? Now
get the hell out of my face and
let me do my job.
RICHARD
What do you mean you job? You're
a soldier, you should be helping --
Supergirl hears what Richard said and turns around to face them.
SUPERGIRL
Soldier? He's a soldier.
Dustin gives Richard a glare that could melt a glacier.
Supergirl rushes to him, lifts him by his neck and presses
him against the wall.
All the other rioters freeze.
SUPERGIRL (CONT'D)
You're a soldier?!
Dustin doesn't answer.
RICHARD
Yes, he is. He works at the base.
Supergirl gives a quick glance to the other rioters.
SUPERGIRL
And them?
Richard turns to the rioters.
RICHARD
(surprised)
Yes. I think all of them are
soldiers.
Supergirl gets angry. She lunges Dustin toward the other
rioters. He lands hard on the ground, unharmed but in pain.
SUPERGIRL
Why are you doing this?!
The rioters don't answer.
SUPERGIRL (CONT'D)
Did the General tell you to
attack me?!
No answer. We hear the faint sounds of battle in the distance.
Supergirl takes off.
98.
EXT. SKY
Supergirl flies up about two hundred feet. In the distance
we can see the flashes of light as the General attacks the
Drifter.
Supergirl flies to the battle.
EXT. DESERT OUTSIDE LEESBURG - MOMENTS LATER
The Drifter continues to absorb all the electricity produced
by the Generator. The remains of three Exos and four
Hovertanks can be seen littered around the Drifter.
The soldiers continue the attack, trying to destroy the
generator, but there seems to be a force field protecting it.
A moment later, Supergirl flies into shot, smashes through
the force field, and punches the Drifter, sending him back
thirty yards.
Without the force field, the soldiers destroy the generator
easily.
The Drifter stands up. His head is completely disfigured.
The punch crushed the bones on Millar's face.
Slowly, the Drifter's face fixes itself, as if it were made
of clay. He turns to glare at Supergirl, who's glaring at
him from ten yards away.
DRIFTER
Why do you attack me? I just want
to live.
SUPERGIRL
I want my ship back.
A beat. The Drifter's expression changes. The glare fades.
DRIFTER
Yes. YOUR ship.
The Drifter's arm stretches out and he grabs Supergirl by
the neck from ten yards away. His hand goes THROUGH her skin.
He's absorbing her, not trying to choke her.
Supergirl tries to push his arm away, but her hands sink
into his skin (rather, Millar's spacesuit). She has nothing
to grab onto. It's like trying to grab water.
The Drifter slowly walks to her.
Something crawls under Supergirl's skin. As if tendrils were
extending from his hand and going for her brain. She screams
in pain. She's growing weak and can't do anything against him.
99.
The Drifter is now three feet away. He extends his other arm
and grabs her by the neck with it too.
She tries to push him away with her foot. And it works. Her
boot doesn't sink into his skin like her bare hands do. She
pulls her hands out from his liquid-like skin and her armor
extends into gloves. She grabs his arms again, this time her
gloved hands don't sink into his skin. She begins to push
him away.
Slowly, the tendrils on her head recede as she extracts the
Drifter from inside her. As the tendrils retreat, she
extends her armor so it covers her head with a translucent mask.
It takes her twenty seconds to get him out of her body. She
falls to hands and knees, panting, exhausted. He absorbed
most of her energy.
The Drifter takes several steps back. The remains of the
Exos and Hovertanks come to life and fly toward Supergirl.
She rolls away, avoiding a large chunk of a Hovertank. She
stands, tired and still panting. She fights the pieces of
debris flying in her direction, punching this and kicking
that. But she's too tired, too slow.
The Drifter uses a psychic attack. He gives Supergirl a
taste of what it feels to be him (like he did to Launders in
the hangar). She screams in pain, and drops to her knees.
He's fully awake now, so the attack is less effective (he's
not suffering so much). But it's strong enough. She's in too
much pain to fight the debris.
Then an Exo's arm slams against the back of her head and
knocks her out.
INT. CAVE - NIGHT
The ground shimmers and the Drifter pops up, carrying
Supergirl, still unconscious.
He drags her to the ship, places her hand on the lock. The
ship opens. The screens come to life. Log writes "Drifter
detected, shutting down."
The ship tries to lock itself again, but then he sticks his
arm inside before the hatch closes. He gets shocked, he's in
pain, but stretches his arm all the way to the power source
and begins to absorb the energy.
Supergirl stirs, slowly waking up.
The Drifter is growing and glowing brighter. His body slowly
changes from Millar to an H.R. Giger-esque shape (that means
it looks like "Alien"). The bigger he gets, the less the
ship's attack affects him.
100.
She wakes up and sees the Drifter, who's about twenty feet
tall by now and growing. She grabs his arm (she still wears
gloves) and slowly, pulls it out of the ship.
Once his arm is out, the ship locks itself up.
Supergirl is about to charge the Drifter when suddenly, the
cave closes in on her, trapping her and the ship.
EXT. DESERT OUTSIDE LEESBURG - MINUTES LATER
The giant Drifter lumbers through the desert. He's in no hurry.
Launders and Marcus look at the Drifter from a hill two
hundred yards back.
LAUNDERS
He's heading for the base. I
suppose he wants revenge.
GEN. MARCUS
Not quite. He's strong now. He
wants us to attack him while he
can easily destroy us.
(beat, smiles)
I'm not going to let him down.
On cue, a squad of fighter planes flies above Marcus and
Launders. They head for the Drifter. They fire all their
missiles at him, with no effect. It looks like there's a
force field protecting him.
Twenty Exos and Thirty Hovertanks appear in the horizon.
They attack with the screamers, cables, machine guns.
Nothing harms the giant.
Then in a flurry that lasts only three seconds, rocks, sand,
weeds, everything in the desert attacks the army. Small
rocks smash into the Hovertanks at one tenth the speed of
light, going though them like they were made of tin foil.
Weeds wrap around the Exos' body and crush them to bits.
Sand flies like a particle storm and shreds the Hovertanks.
Only half a dozen Exos and Hovertanks survive the attack.
LAUNDERS
I think it's time to call the Army.
GEN. MARCUS
We are the Army.
LAUNDERS
You know what I mean.
101.
GEN. MARCUS
You mean costumed superheroes? We
had one of those around here,
remember? Didn't do a lot of good.
EXT. ROCK FORMATION - DESERT - NIGHT
A large rock formation, under which lies the Drifter's cave.
We hear pounding on the rock, then Supergirl's hand breaks
through. She continues to smash the rock until the hole is
big enough. Then she goes back in and carries the ship out.
The ship looks badly twisted but in one piece.
She places her hand on the lock. It sparks but nothing else
happens. A moment later the hull begins to repair itself.
SUPERGIRL
Computer, set repair priority to
user interface.
COMPUTER
(weakly, distorted)
Yes, Kara.
The inside of the ship begins to repair itself.
SUPERGIRL
Tell me about a being known as
"Drifter." What is it?
COMPUTER
Drifter -- the most powerful and
dangerous of the seven known
kinds of energy viruses. Its
exact origin, age and composition
are unknown.
One screen begins to work. It seems to show an entry from an
encyclopedia, but it's too fuzzy.
COMPUTER (CONT'D)
Its name derives from its known
behavior: the virus acquires a
body and "drifts" through space
until it finds a world inhabited
by complex beings. Once on the
planet, it will absorb energy and
store it in its body, which will
decay at a rate proportional to
the amount of energy stored and
used. Once the body becomes too
damaged to be useful, the virus
will absorb a new body.
(MORE)
102.
COMPUTER (CONT'D)
This cycle of absorption of
energy and bodies will continue
until all complex life forms have
been absorbed. Then the virus
will move to the center of the
planet and cause it to explode.
Once free from the planet's
gravitational pull it will drift
to the nearest planet with
complex life.
SUPERGIRL
How do I stop it?
COMPUTER
I have no record of a Drifter
being successfully contained or
destroyed.
SUPERGIRL
But -- you stopped it. When it
tried to reach your power source.
And my armor stopped it too.
COMPUTER
The metal in my hull and your
armor is very dense. It slows it
down, but does not stop it. It
would take it six hours to
penetrate my hull.
SUPERGIRL
You caused it pain too. How did
you do it?
COMPUTER
It is known that electricity in
certain wavelengths can activate
the pain centers on the Drifter's
mind.
SUPERGIRL
So if I use the metal on my armor
to create a container and use
electricity to keep it away from
the metal, I might contain it for
a long period.
COMPUTER
A similar experiment has been
attempted fifty-two times. The
Drifter's pain is inversely
proportional to the amount of
energy it has accumulated.
(MORE)
103.
COMPUTER (CONT'D)
It has already absorbed three-
fifth of my energy, the
electricity would have no effect
on it.
SUPERGIRL
So what can I do?
COMPUTER
Leave the planet.
SUPERGIRL
I can't do that! I can't let that
monster kill Fred and Sylvia.
Tell me what to do.
COMPUTER
I have no record of a Drifter
being successfully contained or
destroyed.
Supergirl slumps to the ground in despair. She tries to
think a way out.
SUPERGIRL
You said it absorbs bodies. What
if I destroy the body?
COMPUTER
The body is used for energy
storage and for higher functions.
The destruction of the body would
not harm it.
EXT. DESERT OUTSIDE LEESBURG - MINUTES LATER
The Drifter stands in the middle of a plain. Only three Exos
remain standing. Everything else lies on the ground in pieces.
GEN. MARCUS (O.S.)
(on radio)
Exo-12, come here. Everyone
else... go home to your wives and
children.
Two Exos head away from the Drifter. The other one comes
running up the hill toward Marcus and Launders.
LAUNDERS
What are you planning to do?
Marcus doesn't answer. The Exo stands next to him.
104.
GEN. MARCUS
(to Exo)
Open the hatch.
The hatch opens in the Exo's torso. A YOUNG SOLDIER, badly
bruised, peeks down at Marcus.
YOUNG SOLDIER
I'm sorry, Gen. Marcus, we did
all we --
GEN. MARCUS
Go home, Trent.
YOUNG SOLDIER
Yes, sir.
A ladder unfolds and the Young Soldier steps down. Marcus
climbs the ladder and begins to strap himself into the Exo.
LAUNDERS
What are you doing?
(beat, no response)
Bernard, what the hell do you
think you're doing?
GEN. MARCUS
Anne, you asked me before if I'd
rather die because I did
something wrong or because I did
nothing at all. You're about to
get your answer.
The Exo's hatch closes. The Exo turns and heads for the Drifter.
LAUNDERS
Bernie! Are you crazy! Bernie!
EXT. ROCK FORMATION
Supergirl paces back and forth as she argues with the computer.
SUPERGIRL
So it uses the energy to create
some kind of kinetic field that
allows it to manipulate matter
and to create a force field, right?
COMPUTER
That is correct.
SUPERGIRL
Is there a way to counter that field?
105.
COMPUTER
Not as long as the Drifter has
energy available.
SUPERGIRL
But if I destroy the body,
wouldn't I be cutting its energy
supply as well?
COMPUTER
Only if you destroy the whole
body. If only a part of the body
were destroyed, the Drifter would
replace it with a new body. But
if the whole body is destroyed,
the Drifter would be free to
drift into a new one.
Supergirl thinks about it.
SUPERGIRL
What if I -- somehow -- extract
its energy? Would that work?
COMPUTER
I have record of seventeen
attempts. All failed. The devices
used to extract the energy all
require energy to function
themselves, and the Drifter
absorbed it before they could
absorb its energy.
She thinks about it again, pacing.
SUPERGIRL
(to herself)
Okay, think, Kara, think. The
Drifter is a virus -- a tiny
energy thing, hiding somewhere
inside the body... It stores
energy in the body... It can only
use the energy it stores...
(to the Computer)
What if I isolate it? What if I
put something around the virus
itself that prevents it from
reaching the energy in the body?
COMPUTER
I have record of fifty-nine
attempts. All failed. Isolating
the virus would require complete
enclosure. The technology to do
it was not available at the time
of the attempts.
106.
SUPERGIRL
Is it now? Is Earth technology
capable of isolating it?
COMPUTER
No.
SUPERGIRL
How about your technology?
COMPUTER
It is theoretically possible.
SUPERGIRL
(smiles)
It is! Tell me how.
COMPUTER
My power source is highly
radioactive. In order to avoid
injury to the occupant, the
source is contained within a
Kervian Isolator. In theory it
should be capable of isolating
the Drifter.
SUPERGIRL
Great! Now tell me where this
isolator is.
One screen shows a blueprint of the ship. A large sphere
flashes at the front of the ship.
She takes a good look at the blueprint and then moves to the
front of the ship. She grabs the metal and is about to tear
it open when something occurs to her. Her smile fades.
SUPERGIRL
Is it possible to take the
isolator without taking away your
power source?
COMPUTER
No.
SUPERGIRL
What will happen to you without
your power source? Do you have
emergency power?
COMPUTER
I will cease to operate without
my power source.
107.
SUPERGIRL
Can I separate the isolator from
the power source and then put it
back?
COMPUTER
You would render the isolator
useless if you attempt to extract
the power source from it.
SUPERGIRL
Can you use a Terran power source?
COMPUTER
No.
SUPERGIRL
Can you tell me how to build a
new one? Or how to build another
isolator?
COMPUTER
Earth technology is centuries behind.
SUPERGIRL
Maybe there's another Kryptonian
escape-pod. Could I use that
power source?
COMPUTER
My data banks would only survive
a few minutes without a power source.
SUPERGIRL
So, in a few words -- I have to
destroy you to save Earth, right?
There's no other alternative.
COMPUTER
It seems the only possibility.
SUPERGIRL
Then please tell me everything
about my parents.
COMPUTER
Not possible.
SUPERGIRL
Please, don't do this to me. At
least tell me my parents' names.
COMPUTER
Not possible. I am sorry, Kara.
108.
SUPERGIRL
Are you capable of reasoning?
COMPUTER
I am a complete artificial
intelligence.
SUPERGIRL
Then please, understand me. I
NEED to know about my parents.
Can you understand that? Can you
understand that I need to destroy
you too? I have to destroy the
Drifter. I have to. But if I do,
I'll never know about my parents,
unless you tell me about them now.
Do you understand my problem?
COMPUTER
I do, Kara. And I am sorry, but I
am not allowed to provide you
with any kind of information
regarding your past until you are
mature enough. Do you understand me?
SUPERGIRL
It's not fair! Please...
COMPUTER
Not possible.
A beat. Then in the same motherly voice used in the hangar.
COMPUTER (CONT'D)
Kara, think not about your past,
only about your future. Think not
about where you have been, only
about where you are going. Think
not about your origin, only about
your destiny. Be brave, my
daughter, and above all: live.
She looks about to cry for a moment, then her sorrow is
replaced by anger. She lets out an angry yell. She heads for
the front of the ship and tears the metal apart, opening a
large hole on it and sending a large piece flying a hundred
yards away.
Inside the hull we see a metallic SPHERE two feet in
diameter. She puts her hands on the sphere, doubting for a
moment.
SUPERGIRL
Please....
No response.
109.
In an angry bursts, she yanks the sphere out of the hull.
Then she slumps into the ground, her back to the ship.
A beat. Then in a weak voice:
COMPUTER
Well done, Kara. Your
unselfishness shows your maturity.
I am proud of you. And I am sure
Alura and Zor-El would be proud
as well.
She turns to the ship. One of the screens shows an image of
her with her parents. The image fades quickly, we only get a
quick glimpse of it before it banishes completely.
She stares at the screen for several seconds after it has
faded away.
SUPERGIRL
Thanks.
INT. DESERT OUTSIDE LEESBURG
Marcus' Exo walks slowly to the Drifter. There's no hurry.
He's about fifty yards away now. The giant merely eyes the
Exo curiously. A mosquito trying to kill an elephant.
LAUNDERS (O.S.)
(on radio)
Bern, get your ass back here!
That thing survived a nuclear
explosion -- a self-destroying
Exo won't even tickle it!
(beat)
Bern!
The Exo accelerates. In a second, it's running full speed.
The Drifter cocks his head. Then he attacks.
Rocks of all sizes lunge at the Exo. Marcus avoids most of
them with incredible agility. He rounds the Drifter, trying
to find an opening. He needs to be very close.
Then the sand in the desert takes the shape of an arm and
grabs one of the Exo's leg. The Exo falls to the ground. It
tries to break free, but can't.
LAUNDERS (O.S.)
(on radio)
Eject! Eject!
Then the Exo uses its machine guns to cut its own leg off.
And continues for the Drifter, crawling. The Drifter seems
amused by this. He lets the Exo get closer before the final
attack.
110.
Then some sort of whirlwind forms in the desert. A house-
sized desert storm, with the sand moving at one tenth the
speed of light. The whirlwind moves slowly toward the Exo.
The Exo fires its cable. It misses the Drifter by three feet,
but that was the intention. The cable hits a large rock
formation and wraps around it. Then the Exo recoils the
cable. Instead of pulling the rock, the Exo itself gets
pulled toward the rock formation. Toward the Drifter.
The Exo is about ten yards away when the desert in front of
the Drifter comes to life. Two large triangles rise from the
ground, as thin as a molecule. Scissors. They're about to
cut the Exo in half.
Then a blue/red streak takes the Exo away. The cable yanks a
large rock that slams into the Drifter's back.
Supergirl takes the Exo to the hill where Launders watches
the battle.
EXT. HILL
Supergirl lowers the Exo into the ground. She carries the
Kervian Isolator. Launders rushes to her. The hatch opens in
the Exo, showing a badly hurt Marcus.
SUPERGIRL
(to Marcus)
Are you okay?
Marcus doesn't answer.
LAUNDERS
(to Marcus)
You're crazy! You're an idiot!
You almost get yourself killed
for nothing. You're a moron, Bernie.
GEN. MARCUS
(to himself)
I'm Gen. Bernard Marcus of the
U.S. Army. I'm god around here.
Don't ever call me Bernie.
LAUNDERS
I'll call you whatever the hell I
please!
SUPERGIRL
I have a way to defeat the Drifter.
Marcus and Launders turn to Supergirl.
SUPERGIRL (CONT'D)
But I'll need help.
111.
LAUNDERS
You got it.
SUPERGIRL
This --
(re: the Isolator)
-- Can isolate the virus. But I
need find out where the virus is
inside the body.
LAUNDERS
That's easy. The decay of the
body is proportional to the
amount of energy that courses
through it. The virus' location
should show the largest amount of
decay.
SUPERGIRL
(smiles)
Great!
She turns to the Drifter, but her enthusiasm fades quickly.
She turns to Marcus.
SUPERGIRL (CONT'D)
I can't get too close to the
Drifter with the Isolator. It'll
try to destroy it, and I'm not
sure I can protect it. I need a
distraction.
GEN. MARCUS
I'm sorry, but this --
(re: the Exo)
-- is all that's left of my army.
Supergirl thinks about it for a moment. Then points to the
Exo's arm.
SUPERGIRL
Does the repulsion beam still work?
Marcus turns to the console in front of him. He pushes a
button. A beam shoots from the Exo's arm.
GEN. MARCUS
Apparently.
SUPERGIRL
Great.
She flies up to the Exo's hand and places the Isolator in
its grasp.
112.
SUPERGIRL (CONT'D)
Send it to me when I give you the
signal.
GEN. MARCUS
You got it.
Supergirl flies toward the Drifter.
EXT. DESERT OUTSIDE LEESBURG - NIGHT
The Drifter stands facing Supergirl as she approaches him.
She stops fifty yards away, hovering in mid air, trying to
think the best way to attack it.
The Drifter's voice is calm and measured.
DRIFTER
Do you have any idea how many
have tried to destroy me? I am as
old as time itself. I cannot die.
Slowly, the pieces of every Hovertank, Exo and plane begin
to assemble themselves into twisted, grotesque, animal-
shaped MONSTERS.
DRIFTER (CONT'D)
What makes you think you can
succeed where so many others have
failed?
Supergirl is scared. She knows how powerful the Drifter is.
But she's decided. She gathers all her courage and charges.
The Monsters attack, trying to prevent her from reaching
their creator. She punches this one and kicks that one,
trying to fight her way through, but they're too many, too
strong.
An APE-LIKE monster grabs her from behind with a massive
hand. She tries to break free but can't. Then an ALLIGATOR-
LIKE monster bites her in the leg, drawing blood. She
screams in pain.
She uses her heat vision on the Ape-Like Monster, cuts
through it, but the cut heals itself instantly before she
can get away.
An ELEPHANT-LIKE Monster lunges itself to her, smashing
against her and the Ape-Like Monster, crushing the latter.
Supergirl is free but in great pain. She slowly gets up,
then two monsters attack her. A Wolf-Like Monster bites her
arm, but her armor protects her. The other double-fists her
on the back, sending her a dozen feet into the ground along
with the Wolf-Like monster.
113.
She comes flying up from the ground and smashes two Monsters.
The monsters reassemble themselves a second later.
The fight continues for a minute. She knows that attacking
the monsters is useless: it doesn't harm the Drifter and the
monsters themselves can repair any damage she does to them.
But she's trying to force the Drifter to use as much of his
energy as possible.
She constantly scans him with her X-ray vision, trying to
find the spot on his body that decays the fastest (where the
virus itself is).
She finds the spot. Right between his shoulders.
SUPERGIRL
Yes.
She heads for the Drifter himself at full speed. She fights
off the monsters in her way, but generally tries to avoid them.
Then she crashes into the Drifter's force field and bounces
off it, in pain. Then recovers her composure and charges
again. The force field resists her punches.
The Monsters attack her. They seem to pass through the force
field effortlessly.
She continues to attack the force field, fending off the
attacks from the Monsters. Then the Ape-Like Monster jumps
from behind her and grabs her, smashing her head-first into
the force field. She's dazed and hurting. The other Monsters
begin to bite, punch and kick her. She tries to break free
from the Ape-Like Monster, but it's too strong.
She flies up, taking the Monster with her. Then she backs at
full speed into the force field, crushing the Monster. She's
free now. She flies up into the stratosphere then turns
around and comes down on the force field at full speed.
This time the force field shatters. But the impact hurts her
too. She collapses on the ground a few feet away from the
Drifter, almost unconscious.
The Monsters disassemble themselves. Their metal forms a
large cable, about a foot in diameter. The cable ties around
Supergirl, wrapping her whole body with it. Then it lifts
her off the ground so she's at eye level with the Drifter.
DRIFTER
I am a god. You cannot destroy me.
The cable begins to crush Supergirl. She screams in terrible
pain. She uses her heat vision on the Drifter, but he
absorbs the energy easily.
114.
Then she tries it on the cables but the energy heads for the
Drifter instead (it heads for the virus itself, in between
his shoulders).
The cable continues to crush her for a moment longer. Then a
piece of her armor stretches into a sword and slashes the
Drifter. He wasn't expecting this and the Drifter's skin is
rather weak, so the sword cuts half his neck. Then the sword
widens and covers the spot between his shoulders where the
virus is.
Supergirl uses her heat vision on the cable again, this time
the energy hits the cable, melting it. She breaks free and
attacks the Drifter.
She punches it several times. Sending it staggering back a
dozen yards.
The cable turns back into a Monster and attacks her. She
grabs the Monster and slams it into the Drifter, breaking
off a large chunk of its head.
The Drifter staggers back further. He's losing control. His
head turn into Millar's.
MILLAR
Die, monster! Die!
The Drifter regains control again. His head returns to its
H.G. Riger-esque self.
Supergirl charges again.
EXT. HILL
Launders and Marcus realize what just happened.
LAUNDERS
(screams)
Millar! You want that thing dead!
This is your best chance. Take
control of its body. It's a
billion against one! Take control!
EXT. DESERT
Supergirl hits him a couple more times. The Drifter loses
control again. This time it's the multi-headed show.
MANY HEADS
Die! Die! Die!
DRIFTER
Leave me alone! I just want to live!
115.
INT. EXO
A screen shows a close-up of the fight. Marcus aims the
Exo's arm toward Supergirl.
GEN. MARCUS
So do we, you psychotic, multi-
headed son of a --
The Drifter loses control again. Supergirl gives a hand
signal. Marcus fires the Isolator.
EXT. DESERT OUTSIDE LEESBURG
The Isolator flies to Supergirl. She catches it. A part of
her armor stretches and wraps around the Isolator (to
protect it), then she thrusts it into the Drifter. The first
impulse embeds it a foot inside his skin. Supergirl punches
it several times, each time sinking it a bit further.
Three more punches and the Drifter stops screaming. His
expression frozen in that of Millar's. Then slowly the
Drifter's body begins to melt. Pieces of his body drop to
the ground like wax from a candle.
After a moment, all that's left is the Isolator, still
covered by the piece of Supergirl's armor.
She falls to the ground, exhausted. She's made the effort of
her life. She'll feel that in the morning.
She pants for a moment, eyeing the Isolator, half expecting
the Drifter to come back to life. But he doesn't. It's over.
She slowly picks herself up again and grabs the Isolator.
EXT. HILL
We see Supergirl in the distance, flying toward us. Marcus
jumps out of the Exo, feeling like a kid and smiling like one.
GEN. MARCUS
That was an impressive performance,
Supergirl. I'm going to make sure
the President gives you a medal
even if I have to point my
bazooka to his forehead.
LAUNDERS
(smiling)
I'm going to tell him you said that.
GEN. MARCUS
Heck, I'll tell him myself when I
call him.
116.
Supergirl lands next to them. The piece of her armor
covering the Isolator returns to her body. She hands the
Isolator to Marcus.
SUPERGIRL
I suppose you can take care of it
now.
GEN. MARCUS
You bet I can.
For the first time we notice that the Isolator is screaming
with Millar's voice.
MILLAR
Kill me! Kill me!
Marcus and Launders look at each other. Marcus shrugs, turns
around and heads for his Jeep. Launders follows him.
Supergirl turns back to the desert, and walks out of shot.
We follow Marcus and Launders.
They walk in silence for a moment, eyeing the ball. Millar's
screams are creeping the hell out of them. Then Marcus stops.
GEN. MARCUS
(to Isolator)
I'm Gen. Bernard Marcus of the
U.S. Army and I'm glad to inform
Captain Millar and all the
billions of minds trapped with
him that the menace known as the
Drifter is now under control,
hopefully forever. Let me assure
you that your involvement in this
accomplishment will not be
forgotten. You've done an
excellent job. You should be
proud of yourselves. And you may
now rest in peace.
Millar's voice slowly goes quiet.
LAUNDERS
Are you kidding me? THAT worked?
GEN. MARCUS
Everyone needs closure. Even
remnants of emotions trapped
inside an alien monster.
Marcus starts for the Jeep.
117.
GEN. MARCUS (CONT'D)
Besides, I'm a General. Everyone
does what I tell them to.
Launders starts for the Jeep too.
LAUNDERS
You're so full of it, Bernie.
GEN. MARCUS
My dear Anne, if I didn't hate
your guts so much, I'd ask you to
marry me right now.
Launders bursts into laughter.
LAUNDERS
Just try that, buster, and you'll
learn what it feels to be in the
wrong end of a bazooka.
GEN. MARCUS
I know how that feels. Believe me,
I know.
They reach the Jeep. Launders is smiling. She turns around
and sees Supergirl, sitting on the ground a dozen yards away.
Her smile fades. She exchanges glances with Marcus and heads
for Supergirl.
CUT TO Supergirl.
She sits staring at the horizon. Tired, hurting, and
completely spent. Launders approaches her.
LAUNDERS
Need a ride?
SUPERGIRL
I'm okay. It's just that -- I had
to destroy my ship.
Launders sits next to her.
LAUNDERS
I'm sorry. Did you find out
anything about your past?
SUPERGIRL
The computer told me my parents'
names and showed me their picture.
(beat)
But it didn't work.
118.
LAUNDERS
(frowns)
What didn't work?
SUPERGIRL
Never mind.
Supergirl stands up and flies away.
INT. KITCHEN - DANVERS' HOUSE - DAY
Linda, Sylvia and Fred wash the dishes after lunch.
Sylvia rinses the dishes, Linda dries them and Fred places
them in the counter.
They look like a happy family.
INT. KARA'S HOUSE - ARGO CITY - DAY - FLASHBACK
The same Kryptonian residence we've seen in distorted
memories several times, only there's no blurring anymore.
The time at this point is a few hours before the party for
Kara's sixteenth birthday.
The house is a blend of Kara's real memories and Earth
memories. Some parts look like they belong on the Danvers
house, some are definitively alien.
ALURA and ZOR-EL prepare the snacks and drinks for the party
while Kara (at sixteen) watches her birthday cake as it
cooks in an alien oven.
Alura and Zor-El look exactly like Sylvia and Fred Danvers,
only with different hairstyles and color. They wear
Kryptonian clothes.
ZOR-EL
The cake isn't going to cook
faster just by staring at it, Kara.
KARA
(smiles)
Are you sure? 'Cos I have this
theory, you know, that if you
stare at something really, really,
hard, you can make time move
faster. And I need to test it for
my science class.
119.
ALURA
And I have this theory, you know,
that if the birthday girl doesn't
stop staring at her cake and
starts helping around here, she's
not going to eat any of it. Do
you want to test that theory too,
dear?
KARA
Okay, what do you want me to do?
ALURA
How about you help your dad with
the hors d'oeuvres?
Zor-El finishes filling a tray of hors d'oeuvres. He eats one.
ZOR-EL
Oh, these are great. Come on,
Alura, try one.
Zor-El grabs one tiny sandwich and gives it to Alura in her
mouth. Alura eats it then wraps her arms around Zor-El's
shoulders.
ALURA
(sensuous)
Hmmm. I don't remember the last
time you fed me.
Zor-El wraps his arms around Alura's hip.
ZOR-EL
(playfully)
Have I been neglecting my beloved
wife again? How uncouth of me.
KARA
Oh, no, no! You're not going to
start kissing again! That's -- oh,
gross.
Zor-El and Alura kiss.
KARA (CONT'D)
(smiling)
Stop that! You're going to give
me nightmares for the rest of my
life!
ZOR-EL
You're a tough girl, Kara. I'm
sure you can take it.
Zor-El kisses Alura again. Kara chuckles.
120.
INT. KITCHEN - DANVERS' HOUSE - DAY - RESUMING
Linda has a strange expression on her face. Sort of a sour-
sweet smile.
LINDA
Mom, can I go out with Rich tonight?
SYLVIA
Of course, Linda.
LINDA
Thanks.
They smile at each other.
Fred looks at them, concerned. They're mother and daughter
now. He's not sure that's healthy.
SYLVIA
But no funny business.
LINDA
Mom!
FADE OUT.
THE END
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