Amazon Grace Shooting Draft
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Amazon Grace
Episode #6
Production #V0806
Written by: Jim Fisher and Jim Staahl
Directed by: Charlie Haskell
Production Draft - April 07, 1998
Pages 1-2A, 10, 12, 13-13A, 14, 17-17A, 18-18A, 19, 20, 20A, 22, 22A - April 27, 1998
Full Script - May 02, 1998
Pacific Island Pictures, LTD, All Rights Reserved © 1998
FADE IN: EXT. ACADEMY - DAY CHEIRON strides across the empty grounds. Suddenly, his ears perk up. Was that a NOISE coming from the gymnasium? Cheiron crosses to the gym and shoulders the door open. INT. GYMNASIUM - CONTINUOUS Cheiron enters cautiously. WHOOSH. With a lightning quick reflex, he grabs a javelin out of the air, inches from his face. Cheiron: (deadpan) Careful. You could put an eye out. LILITH, a young female cadet, rushes to Cheiron. Lilith: Cheiron, sir, I'm sorry. I was using the day off to get in some extra practice. Cheiron: The outsider works twice as hard just to be accepted. I know. He hands her the javelin. Lilith: Will there ever be a time when I don't feel... different? Cheiron: Is there ever a time when you are not yourself? Lilith readies to throw the javelin again. Cheiron stops her. Cheiron: Remember, Lilith, balance in all things. Lilith: You're saying I should have gone to town with the guys. Cheiron: A good warrior trains for combat; a great warrior trains for life. Lilith: (resigned) You might mention that to the guys. EXT. PATH - SPOOKY FOREST - DAY Misty. Eerie. Weird noises. Shafts of light cast ghostly shapes as JASON, IOLAUS, and HERCULES walk. Jason: (dramatically) Then it came again -- the eerie scratching sound. So the knave and the maiden sped the chariot away. And when they get home -- (big, dramatic finish) -- they find the monster's hook stuck in the side of the chariot! Iolaus and Hercules exchange looks; they're unimpressed. Hercules: When I heard that, it was a farm boy and a peasant girl in an ox cart. Iolaus: I got a scary story! Took place in a forest, just like this. In fact, it could have been on this very road. There were two, no, three young warriors returning from Troy. There was a noise. A NOISE in the distance. Heads turn to listen. Iolaus: Like that. Hercules: What? Minotaur? Cyclops? Jason: Your stomach growling? Iolaus gives Jason a playful shove. Iolaus: No. It was... (dramatically) Harpies. Half-woman/hald-bird beasts that swoop down and tear the flesh from your bones. A STRANGE BIRD-LIKE FACE watches from a tree above. Jason: Feathers as strong as armor! Hercules: Impossible to kill. Iolaus: And I swear it's true. Pounced on them right down that path! Iolaus leaps a barrier and heads down a dark diverging path. Hercules: Iolaus?! Iolaus: What? Hercules: Can't you read? 'No Trespassing.' Herc points to an animal SKULL pierced by a diagonal ARROW, encircled in a WREATH OF TWIGS and seated atop a PIKE. Iolaus: So? It's a shortcut. What? Son of a god and future king scared? Jason: I don't break laws just because it's convenient. Hercules: We'll meet you back at the academy. Iolaus: (calls mockingly to them) Chic-ken! Bwak-de-bwak-bwak! EXT.PATH - SPOOKY FOREST - DAY The temperature drops, Iolaus pulls up his collar. He walks into a huge spider web. Ew. A SCREECH. Iolaus freezes. Out of the trees drop - WAILING, armored, bird-faced CREATURES! Iolaus: HARPIES!!! FADE OUT.
Act One
FADE IN: EXT PATH - SPOOKY FOREST - DAY - A MOMENT LATER Iolaus stands encircled by harpies. SHRIEKING, they rush him. Hercules and Jason charge into the fray. Harpies descend upon Jason and Iolaus as two harpies dive at Hercules. He dodges one and seizes the other, pinning her to the ground. HARPY (Cyane): Hercules!? Herc bends close and pulls off a mask to reveal: Hercules: Cyane!? Herc is enthralled at the sight of CYANE. A beat. Cyane: You can let me up now. DISSOLVE TO: INT. ACADEMY - GYMNASIUM - DAY THE CADETS are paired off for practice. A wave of distraction passes over them. A CADET'S attention is diverted and he is knicked off the BALANCe BEAM by his PARTNER'S padded STAFF; a SECOND CADET is smacked by the return swing of the HEAVY BAG; A THIRD CADET gets whacked by the swiveling SHIELD of the PRACTICE DUMMY. Soon all eyes are riveted on the front door: Hercules, Jason and Iolaus stand with Cyane and the Amazons. Jason: Now that we have everyone's complete attention, I'd like you to meet some friends of ours. Hercules: Fellow cadets, this is Cyane. She's the leader of the Amazons, Telaquir tribe. "Amazons!" The word sweeps through the ranks as the cadets offer a tempered welcome. Iolaus sidles up to some CADETS. Iolaus: (under his breath) And you guys said we couldn't meet girls. Cyane eyes the cadets with disdain. Cyane: (to Hercules) Who's in charge here? SIMULA, Cyane's trusted ORACLE, steps forward. Simula: There she is. Hercules: But... Too late. The cadets dutifully part ranks as Cyane leads the amazons to Lilith and offers a salute of respect. Cyane: We are honored to meet someone who has undertaken the difficult task of turning these boys into warriors. Hercules: catches up to Cyane. Lilith: I'm not mast er of this academy. I'm Lilith, a cadet. Cheiron (O.S.): Why do I not hear the sounds of practice? Hercules: That's our leader. Cheiron clops in. Everyone parts to make a path for him. Simula: He's sent a Centaur to announce his arrival. (full of loathing) Personally, I find them lowly beasts, but they make good servants. Cyane nods in agreement. Hercules: (clears throat, whispers) Cheiron is our leader. Simula: A Centaur!? The amazons tense, fingering their weapons. Cheiron is a pillar of civility. Cheiron: (graciously) At your service. Hercules: I offered Cyane our hospitality before they continue theor search for a homeland. Cheiron: You are welcome here. The ancient feud between Centaur and Amazon is best left in the past. Cyane: We accept your offer, Centaur. Our fight is with accursed Zeus, not with you. Hercules: (defensive) I heard Zeus can be a pretty decent guy -- (off Cyane's glare) Uh, when you get to know him. Lilith: (stepping in) C'mon, I'll show you where you can put your gear. Iolaus: (gentlemanly) Want me to get that for you? Iolaus reaches for a bag. An AMAZON slaps his hand away, hefts the bag and follows Lilith and the others. Iolaus: See that? A love tap. She likes me. Jason: I don't know. I gotta go with Herc's technique. Keeping a sense of mystery. Iolaus: Mystery...? (off Jason's skyward point) You haven't told her Zeus is your father, have you? Hercules: I will. Iolaus/Jason: And that would be? Hercules: When the time is right. Iolaus and Jason roll their eyes: 'That's good, that'll work.' EXT. ACADEMY - GROUNDS - LATER Hercules leads the Amazons on a guided tour of the Academy. Cyane: Are they kicking a pig's bladder? Iolaus, Jason, Lilith, and several CADETS form two teams engaged in an early version of soccer using a water filled PIG's BLADDER. Hercules: Filled with water. It's one of Cheiron's foot drills. Iolaus and Jason, shirtless, sweaty and panting, approach. Jason: Care to give it a try? A little co-ed competition? Hercules: Ah, guys, I'm not so sure it's a good idea. Iolaus: C'mon. Girls against the guys. Cyane: (nodding towards Lilith) Is she one of the guys? Iolaus: Lilith? she's, uh -- Lilith: (tough competitor) A cadet. Let's play. WIPE TO: EXT. ACADEMY - GROUNDS - A MOMENT LATER Hercules displays dazzling footwork as he dribbles past several Amazons. CRUNCH. Cyane wipes him out with a vigorous body check. He looks up, a bit woozy. Staring down at him is Cyane. Cyane: Is this how it is played? She dribbles off with the pig's bladder. Hercules: (shouts) You're not playing by the rules. Cyane: (over her shoulder) What rules? CRUNCH. It's Cyane's turn to be wiped out. Shocked, she looks up from the ground at Lilith! She dribbles off. Cyane: (calling) Excellent move. Worthy of an Amazon. Intense action: The Amazons, playing hard, knock the cadets reeling as they work the pig's bladder towards Iolaus defending the "goal" between the two spears. Cyane breaks free. She delivers a mighty kick that sends the ball sailing toward Iolaus. SPLOOSH. The bladder knocks him off his feet as it explodes into a shower of water. Herc rushes over to Iolaus and Cyane. As the rest of the cadets pick themselves up off the ground, Herc picks REMNANTS of the bladder off the prone, soaked Iolaus. Iolaus: (rubbing his chest) Let's call it a scoreless tie. DISSOLVE TO: INT. ACADEMY - GYMNASIUM - DAY CLOSE ON - A javelin. As Lilith's hand reaches in to pick it up, another hand (Jason's) grabs it instead. Jason: Here. Let me help you with that. Lilith takes the javelin from Jason, eyeing him, annoyed, but in control. Lilith: (pointed) You goning to throw it for me, too? Jason: (not getting it) Uh, no. Of course not. Lilith raises the javelin and gives it a heave. The javelin nails the target with authority (not perfect, but a very nice throw). Jason is impressed. Lilith smiles. Lilith: I'll let you know next time I feel a wave of helplessness coming on. Jason: (smiles, charming in defeat) I look forward to it. Jason exits. Lilith looks after him, shaking her head and sighing with frustration. Men... A beat, then Cyane enters. Cyane: Have you seen Hercules? Lilith: No. Care to join me in our javelin drill? Lilith picks up a javelin and sends it flying through a series of hanging rings toward the bull's-eye across the room. Cyane chooses a javelin, tests its weight, then throws. It splits Lilith's. Cyane: Why do you train with boys? Lilith: I wanted to be a warrior. There was no academy for women. So came here to the best. It's just been a little hard fitting in. Lilith swings several of the rings, then makes the tough shot. Cyane: An Amazon warrior takes pride in who she is, not how she fits in with others. Cyane wings all the hoops... and hits the mark, very close to Herules, who has just entered. Hercules: Hope I'm not interrupting. Cyane: Hercules, I've been looking for you. I have something to tell you. Hercules: Good. I've been looking for you. Cyane: Last night, Ares gave me a sign in my dreams. A land we can settle as our own. A days ride to the Northwast. So tongiht there will be a big celebration. Iolaus and Jason enter. Iolaus: Do I hear party? We're there. Cyane: And for one cadet volunteer, it will be a very special evening. Iolaus: That would be me. WIPE TO: EXT. ACADEMY - GROUNDS - NIGHT A BONFIRE rages. DRUMS pound out an INFECTIOUS RHYTHM. Herc and Jason approach Iolaus. He is painted in bright colors. Jason: Guess you haven't found the right time to tell her, yet. Hercules: Not with you two butting in. Jason and Herc finally notice Iolaus. Iolaus: Hey, check it out. They painted me to represent the male in the Amazon culture. Colorful... Hercules: and practically useless. Jason: They couldn't have picked a better representative.
