Welcome back folks. I went through something of a Scarlet Witch phase a little while back which produced a bunch of scripts featuring the lovely Ms. Maximoff.
Here's a ten pager with a slight cosmic bent. It's set between Wanda's disappearance at the end of House of M and her re-emergence in the Children's Crusade. It also co-stars two of Wanda's former beaus The Vision and Wonder Man. Both Viz and Simon are written as they were during Kurt Busiek' awesome Avengers run (Viz doing his best to act aloof and robotic, Simon in his ion-charged energy form and both ga-ga for Wanda).
Enjoy
PAGE ONE
Panels four, four rows. All four panels are page wide.
1.) Open on an overhead shot looking down on the sprawled, unconscious form of the WANDA ‘SCARLET WITCH’ MAXIMOFF. She’s in full costume, lying face down on a polished marble floor. The floor sports a chessboard design of light and dark squares. Her face is turned, her cheek against the marble, so that we can see her profile – in case the costume wasn’t enough to recognize her by.
NO COPY
2.) Cut to a
low angle shot from in front of Wanda. She’s lifting her head. Her eyes are
bleary and her expression is confused. She doesn’t remember being knocked
unconscious and she’s not sure where she is or how she got here. One forearm is
braced against the floor taking her weight. The other hand rubs her aching
head.
WANDA:
UUGHHH.
3.) Pull out
to a wider low angle shot. Wanda is getting shakily to her feet. She’s turning
her head left and right taking in her surroundings. Her expression of confusion
has been replaced by one of anxious concern.
WANDA:
WHAT
HAPPENED?
4.) Cut to an establishing shot with Wanda in the foreground with her back to us. She’s recoiling from the strangeness she sees around her. Looking beyond her we are getting a good look at her location. The chess-board floor extends a couple of dozen feet in front of her before coming to an abrupt halt. Beyond the edge of the floor is empty black space. The space is filled with twinkling nebulas of stars, blazing comets and perhaps a planet or two. This is no sector of space recognizable to Wanda or to us. Wherever she is, she’s not in
WANDA:
WHERE
AM I?
PAGE TWO
Three panels, two rows. Panel one and two are across the top row. Panel three is page wide and takes up the lion’s share of the page.
1.) Move in for a head and shoulders close-up of Wanda. A noise from behind her has caught her attention. She’s reacting with a start, recognizing a familiar voice in this very unfamiliar place. She hasn’t turned around to look yet, this is just her reaction to the voice.
The voice coming in from off panel belongs to SIMON ‘WONDER MAN’ WILLIAMS.
SIMON
(off panel):
I
DON’T WANT TO HURT YOU, BUT I HAVE NO CHOICE.
WANDA:
SIMON?
2.) Same shot, except now Wanda is whipping around to look toward the source of the voices. There is a second voice coming in from off-panel here. This voice belongs to THE VISION.
VISION
(off panel):
I
UNDERSTAND. MY HAND IS LIKEWISE BEING FORCED.
WANDA
(jag):
VISION?
3.) Pull back to a big reveal. Wanda’s head and shoulders are in the bottom centre foreground. A few feet in front of her, hovering several feet off the ground, locked in mortal combat are her Avengers team-mates Wonder Man and the Vision. They are trading blows in the mid-air and from their serious expressions it seems like they’re both out for blood. Wanda is looking up at them astonished and horrified!
SIMON
& VISION (jag):
I MUST DESTROY
YOU!
PAGE THREE
Five panels, four rows. Panels one, two and three are page wide on the top three rows. Panels four five are across the bottom.
1.) Cut to a three quarter full shot from in front of Wanda. She’s stepping forward, toward the combatants, with both hands held up a palm facing each of them. Her expression is stern and unflinching. She’s not afraid to step between these two power-houses. Perhaps we can see Simon and the Vision’s feet dangling into panel in either side of the foreground.
WANDA:
WHAT
ARE YOU TWO DOING?
WANDA:
WHAT
IS THIS PLACE? HOW DID WE GET HERE?
2.) Pull
back to a wide shot of all three of them. Vision and Simon are hovering on
either side of the foreground in profile. Wanda stands between them, facing us.
She’s glaring up at them disapprovingly with her hands on her hips. Both the
guys look sheepish gesturing down toward her for understanding as they try to
tell her that she doesn’t know the full story.
SIMON:
WANDA!
NO! YOU HAVE TO STEP ASIDE.
VISION:
PLEASE
WANDA. WE HAVE TO FIGHT!
WANDA
(jag):
WHAT? HAVE
YOU BOTH GONE INSANE?
3.) Reverse angle. We’re looking at the same wide scene of all three Avengers but now we’re behind Wanda. Only Simon is gesturing down toward her now trying to convince her that he and Vision haven’t lost their marbles. Suddenly the square of floor that Wanda had been standing on is rising up, out of the floor. Wanda is teetering almost over-balancing as the square levitates beneath her. Through the hole it’s left in the floor we can see twinkling stars just like those beyond the edge of the floor.
A third unfamiliar VOICE is coming in from off panel.
SIMON:
NO
WANDA, YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND.
WANDA:
I
UNDERSTAND JUST FINE. YOU - -
WANDA
(jag):
HEY!
VOICE:
YOUR
TEAM-MATE IS CORRECT WANDA MAXIMOFF. YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND.
VOICE:
COME,
ALLOW ME TO EXPLAIN.
5.) Close if for a tight shot of Wanda’s face. She looks angry now, having discovered who is behind their current predicament. Her teeth are bared and her eyes are narrowed.
WANDA:
YOU.
PAGE FOUR
Four panels, three rows. Panels one and two are across the top row with the lion’s share of the space going to panel one. Panel three is page wide across the middle row. Panel four is page wide across the bottom row.
1.) A wide establishing shot. Wanda is in the left foreground standing atop her floating square, which has come to a stop. Opposite her, seated on a large ornate throne which hovers atop its own floating section of chessboard floor, is the GRANDMASTER. He’s wearing his usual costume and his usual self-satisfied grin. He has his fingers steepled in front of him. Wanda is looking at him with disdain. Her stance is battle-ready but not threatening.
WANDA:
GRANDMASTER!
WANDA:
I
SUPPOSE THIS IS ANOTHER OF YOUR SICK GAMES.
GRANDMASTER:
WHILE I WOULD NOT
CHARACTERISE THIS CURRENT ENDEAVOUR AS SUCH, YOU ARE OF COURSE CORRECT.
2.) Cut to a shot of Wanda’s shocked expression. The Grandmaster’s hand is sticking into shot, gesturing in her direction like a game show host presenting the possible grand prize to the contestants.
GRANDMASTER:
AND YOU WANDA MAXIMOFF,
ARE THE PRIZE.
WANDA
(jag):
WHAT?
3.) Cut to a
high angle shot looking down past Wanda and the Grandmaster at the field of
combat below. Wanda is in the right foreground, the Grandmaster on the left.
Both are looking down. He is gesturing down toward the chessboard below,
drawing Wanda’s attention (and ours) back to the other two Avengers. They have
begun to fight again. Our focus here is still with Wanda and the Grandmaster.
Wonder Man and the Vision are small figures below we only need to see enough to
tell they’re fighting again.
GRANDMASTER:
YOU SEE THE HEARTS OF
BOTH OF THESE BRAVE WARRIORS…
GRANDMASTER:
…BELONGS TO YOU.
4.) Move in for a mid-figure close up of Wonder Man and the Vision fighting. Simon is holding the wrist of the Vision’s outstretched arm. With his other hand is swinging a punch at the android but it’s being caught inches from its target by the Vision’s other hand. Force beams blast out of the Vision’s eyes hammering Simon’s cheek. Wonder Man has turned his head, taking the boiling agony of the blast on his ionically-charged flesh. His teeth are gritted and the strain stands out on his face. The Vision’s android face remains passive and disengaged.
CAPTION:
BOTH HAVE LED
LIVES OF TURMOIL WITH FEW MOMENTS OF TRUE HAPPINESS.
CAPTION:
BUT FOR BOTH THOSE
MOMENTS WERE EXPERIENCED WHILE EMOTIONALLY INVOLVED WITH YOU.
CAPTION:
I PROMISED A
RETURN TO THAT STATE OF CONTENTMENT
CAPTION:
WITH YOUR CONTINUED EXISTENCE OF COURSE BEING FORFEIT HAD THEY REFUSED TO INDULGE ME.
PAGE FIVE
Four panels, three rows. Panel one is page wide across the top row. Panels two and three are across the middle panel. Panel four is large across the bottom row.
1.) Cut back to a two shot of Wanda and the Grandmaster. She is making a move toward us, intending to leap off the floating square into the fray and break it up. The Grandmaster has reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder, holding her back. A wicked smile plays across his lips.
WANDA:
NO!
YOU CAN’T DO THIS! I WON’T LET YOU!
I’LL - -
GRANDMASTER:
BE WARNED WANDA
MAXIMOFF, VIOLATING THE RULES OF MY GAME CARRIES SEVERE PENALTIES.
2.) Close on Wanda, whirling to face the Grandmaster, swatting his hand from her shoulder.
WANDA:
THIS
IS NOT A GAME YOU MADMAN! WE ARE NOT YOUR PLAYTHINGS!
3.) Close on
the Grandmaster on his throne. He has spread his arms wide in a shrug. The grin
on his face widens as his threat hits home.
GRANDMASTER:
NEVERTHELESS. YOU WILL
ALLOW THE CONTEST TO CONTINUE WITHOUT INTERFERENCE, LEST ALL YOUR LIVES BE
FORFEIT.
4.) Cut to a
shot of Wonder Man and the Vision. The power of the Vision’s eye-beams has
finally overwhelmed Simon. He’s being pitched backward toward us with pain
etched deeply across his face. The beams are still hammering his head and face
as he hurtles toward us, his arms flailing at the air for purchase.
CAPTION:
YOU SHOULD
BE FLATTERED.
CAPTION:
THEY BOTH
SEEM QUITE EAGER TO KILL TO WIN YOUR HAND.
SIMON:
UUGGHHH!
PAGE SIX
Six panels, three rows. Panels one and two are across the top row. Panel three, four and five are across the middle row. Panels three and five are small giving the lion’s share of the row to panel four. Panel six is page wide across the bottom.
1.) Cut to a low angle shot. Simon is sprawled in the foreground. He has the palm of one hand splayed on the floor taking his weight so that he doesn’t collapse on his face while his other hand holds his furiously smoking, smouldering face. In the background the Vision is slowly, calmly walking toward him, regarding him with the cold, emotionless expression of a robot.
SIMON:
AAGGHH.
VISION:
PLEASE BELIEVE
THAT I TAKE NO PLEASURE IN THIS VICTORY SIMON.
2.) Cut to a shot looking down at Wonder Man from the Vision’s point of view. We only need to see his upper half as our focus is on the Vision’s foot. It plunks heavily down onto Simon’s back. The arm holding him up is overwhelmed by the weight and his face slams into the floor. Deep cracks go spider-webbing out in every direction from the point of impact.
VISION
(off panel):
I
MERELY WISH TO ENSURE WANDA’S SAFETY.
3.) Cut to a low angle shot looking up at the Vision. He’s got one diamond hard fist raised, ready to deliver the killing blow.
VISION:
BESIDES, LOGIC
WOULD DICTATE THAT A MAN WITH YOUR
PENCHANT FOR RESSURECTIONS WOULD FIND SOME
WAY TO COME BACK.
4.) Cut to a low-angle mid-figure shot of Simon. We’re on the ground next to him. His hand is in the foreground, his fingers dug deep into the marble, tensed against the coming blow. Beyond his hands we can see that his face is turned toward us, his cheek pressed to the floor. His eyes are tightly closed. The Vision’s fist has stopped in it’s tracks, just inches from Simon’s head.
VISION
(off panel):
NO.
5.) Cut to a tight shot. The Vision’s hangs in the air, inches from Simon’s head. One of Simon’s eyes is visible in this shot and has popped open to glance around and see why he’s not dead.
VISION
(off panel):
I
- - I CANNOT.
6.) Pull out to a wide high angle shot. We’re looking down on the pair as Wonder Man suddenly whirls around on the Vision. He has pulled out a huge chunk of the marble floor and is clobbering the android Avenger with it. The Vision is hurled backward off his feet and into the air. The chunk of marble shatters on impact and shards of stone and dirt go whizzing through the air every which way. Simon’s face is full of desperate fury.
SIMON
(jag):
NO!
PAGE SEVEN
Five panels, three rows. Panels one and two are across the top row. Panel three is page wide across the middle row. Panels four and five are on the bottom row.
1.) Simon has rocketed up off the floor, powered by his belt jets. He’s tackling the Vision out of the air before he even gets a chance to land. Wonder Man’s shoulder is colliding with the stricken android’s back, carrying his along as he…
SIMON:
WHY DID
YOU STOP!
2.) …arcs downward crashing into the marble floor with an earth shaking boom. The impact turns much of the marble beneath it to dust which is thrown into the air in a swirling, billowing cloud.
SFX:
KROOM!
SIMON:
WHY
DIDN’T YOU KILL ME?
VISION:
SIMON, PLEASE.
I CANNOT KILL A TEAM-MATE…A FRIEND…A BROTHER…EVEN TO SAV - -
4.) Close up of the Vision’s face in profile as Simon’s fist hits hit with the force of a meteor strike. Chunks of fractured, synthetic skin go flying at us.
SIMON
(jag):
SHUT UP!
SIMON
(jag):
HE’LL KILL
HER!
5.) We’re
above and behind Simon. We’re looking down on him as he raises both fists,
fingers interlocked, above his head for a final, skull-smooshing blow. Beneath
him the Vision is hurt. He lies limp and injured with cracks covering his
synthetic face.
SIMON
(jag):
IF YOU WON’T SAVE THE WOMAN YOU LOVE!
SIMON
(jag):
I WILL!
PAGE EIGHT
1.) Tight close up on Wonder-Man’s clasped hands as they begin to tremble. Is it with fury, or perhaps with fear?
NO COPY
2.) Tight close up on Wonder-Man’s hands as they come apart – he’s not going to do it.
NO COPY
3.) Cut to a full figure shot of Wonder Man. He’s getting to his feet cradling his shaking head in one hand as he rises. His shoulders are slumped and his other hand hangs limply at his side. His body language is that of utter defeat.
SIMON:
I - - I
- - I CAN’T.
SIMON:
OH GOD
WANDA. I CAN’T DO IT.
4.) Cut to a full figure shot of the Grandmaster. He is up out of his chair shaking both fists in the air. His face is filled with frustration. His eyes and his hands both sizzle and boil over with crackling cosmic power.
GRANDMASTER:
CURSE YOU EARTHLINGS AND
YOUR CONFOUNDING MORALITY.
GRANDMASTER:
YOU DARE BREAK THE RULES OF MY
GAME?
5.) The Grandmaster is partially in the right foreground. We’re looking across him, down his outstretched arm which is pointing at Wanda. He’s eyes are fixed on the battleground below. He is merely pointing at Wanda, but paying her no mind – and little respect. That’s a big mistake. Wanda glares at him – her eyes full of smouldering fury.
GRANDMASTER:
I WILL FLAY THE SKIN
FROM HER BONES AND MAKE YOU WATCH…
6.) Close on the Grandmaster’s outstretched hand. Wanda has roughly grabbed his wrist and bent his hand painfully up and away from her. His pointed finger is twisted into a twitching claw as pain shoot through his hand and wrist.
GRANDMASTER:
I WILL - - ARRGGH!
PAGE NINE
Five panels, two rows. Panel one is page side across the top row. Panel two is tall and narrow in the bottom left of the panel. Panels three, four and five are stacked one on top of another down the right of the page.
1.) Cut to a shot with the back of Wanda’s head and shoulders in the bottom left corner. We’re looking past her at the Grandmaster who is backing away from her. He’s is massaging his pain-wracked wrist and gaping at her with equal parts surprise, fear and contempt. He’s condescending to her, blustering about his immense power but at the same time he’s backing away because Wanda is looking at him like she could eat him alive.
GRANDMASTER:
IMPUDENT WENCH! YOU DARE
LAY A HAND ON ME?
GRANDMASTER:
I AM THE GRANDMASTER! AN
ELDER OF THE UNIVERSE! SPARED FOREVER FROM DEATH’S EMBRACE BY ETERNITY, THE
LIVING EMBODIMENT OF THE UNIVERSE HIMSELF!
2.) Full figure shot of Wanda. She looks badass. She is surrounded by an aura of throbbing eldritch energy. He bolts dancing between the fingertips of both hands, one of which is reached out toward us. Even her eyes are aglow with unimaginable magical power.
WANDA:
OH
REALLY?
WANDA:
WELL
I AM WANDA MAXIMOFF! THE SCARLET WITCH! AVENGER! SORCERESS!
WANDA:
I
ONCE RAISED A MAN FROM THE DEAD WITH BUT A STRAY THOUGHT.
WANDA:
I’VE
ALTERED ALL OF REALITY TO MY WHIM IN A FIT OF PIQUE.
WANDA:
I’VE
EXTINGUISHED THE EXISTENCE OF AN ENTIRE RACE WITH A SINGLE UTTERANCE.
WANDA:
DO YOU TRULY
BELIEVE ETERNITY AND HIS PRECIOUS DECREES HOLD ANY SWAY OVER ME?
4.) Tight close up on the Grandmaster’s face (perhaps just his eyes). Wanda’s outstretched fingers are sticking into the shot from off panel left. They are inches from the Grandmaster’s face. Mystical power sparks from her fingertips. His brow is deeply furrowed. His eyes are wide, his pupils small. Beads of sweat have begun to roll down his harried face.
GRANDMASTER:
I - - I DON’T - - YOU
CAN’T - -
5.) Pull out to a two shot of Wanda and the Grandmaster in profile. She is lunging forward bellowing with fury jabbing a finger at the Elder’s face. The Grandmaster is jerking away, suddenly terrified. He’s throwing his arms up in front of his face is a desperate effort to ward her off. His hands blaze bright white with a sudden surge of cosmic power.
WANDA:
NOW
RETURN ME AND MY FRIENDS TO EARTH BEFORE I - -
GRANDMASTER
(jag):
YAHHH!
SFX:
FIIZZZ
PAGE TEN
Seven panels, three rows. Panels one, two and three are on the top row. Panel one is in the left of the top row. Panels two and three are
small and stacked one on
top of another on the right of the panel. Panel four and five are across the
middle. Panel six and seven are along the bottom row.
1.) Cut to a full figure face-on shot of Wanda. We’re suddenly on Earth, a puff of smoke dissipating around her (a side-effect of the sudden teleportation. We’re at the foot of
SFX:
ZZAMMM!!
WANDA:
-
-TRANSFORM YOU INTO A TAPEWORM!
2.) Cut to a tight head and shoulders shot of Wanda. She’s realised her sudden change of locale. She is looking around with a somewhat confused expression on her face.
WANDA:
HUH?
3.) Pull out a little to show Wanda in mid-figure. She’s dusting off the front of her costume, like she’s just been somewhere unpleasantly dirty. She’s nodding in approval. Her lips are pursed and her jaw line set. She’s glad her plan played out just as she’d hoped.
WANDA:
WELL,
I SHOULD THINK SO TOO.
4.) Pull out a bit wider to include the Vision and Wonder Man in either side of the panel. They’re in profile looking back at Wanda who stands between them facing us. She’s got her hands held out as they shower her with praise and compliments. Simon is very enthusiastic. The Vision is a little more reserved, perhaps because he’s a little worse for wear. He’s hot one hand pressed to one side of his damaged face – holding it together. Wanda looks a little uncomfortable at their praise.
SIMON:
WOW!
WANDA, THAT WAS - - YOU WERE
INCREDIBLE!
VISION:
INDEED.
YOUR GAMBIT WAS IMPRESSIVE AND EXTEMEMLY BRAVE.
VISION:
YOU
SAVED ALL OF OUR LIVES.
5.) Reverse
angle. Wanda is partially in the foreground with her back to us. Looking past
her we can see Simon and the Vision on either side of the background. They are
both still praising her, Simon still more emphatically than the android.
WANDA:
SIMON.
VISION. I - -
SIMON:
C’MON
WANDA, HE’S RIGHT. YOU WERE BORN FOR THIS STUFF!
SIMON:
IT DOESN’T
MATTER WHERE YOU HIDE…OR WHAT YOU’’VE DONE…YOU’RE STILL A HERO… AN AVENGER.
WANDA:
NO,
I’M NOT A HERO. I’M NOT AN AVENGER. NOT ANYMORE.
WANDA:
I’M JUST A
WOMAN. A WOMAN WITH A LIFETIME OF REGRET, OF HURT FRIENDS AND RUINED LIVES.
WANDA:
A
WOMAN WHO IS BEST LEFT…
7.) Pull out to a high angle shot. Simon and the Vision are in the left and right of the bottom foreground in profile. Wanda is trudging away from them into the drifts of snow and swirling winds. Her shoulders are slumped, her head is bowed and her arms are hugged to her chest. Both Simon and the Vision simply watch her go.
WANDA:
…ALONE.
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