This is the untitled early draft of Avatar: The Way of Water. This screenplay was released as part of the Avatar: The Way of Water Collector's Edition.
It includes many deleted scenes and altered dialogue that was excluded from the final film.
Note that it has potential spoilers for Avatar: Fire and Ash.
"CU" means "Close-up", as a camera angle. For example, "CU Kiri" means "Close-up on Kiri".
Avatar: The Way of Water Screenplay[]
Cover page[]
Pages 1-24[]
FADE IN:
WIDE SHOT of mist-shrouded highland rainforest, the silhouettes of alien trees layered into the far distance. Utterly wild. Untouched by the hand of Man.
Faint in the mists above the forested slopes are FLOATING MOUNTAINS, hanging impossibly in the sky.
DEEP IN THE RAINFOREST -- we move slowly through giant ferns and exotic flowers. Enormous trees tower overhead. Strange insects swarm.
JAKE (V.O.)
The forests of Pandora hold many
dangers...
EYES MOVE BEHIND FOLIAGE -- huge golden eyes in a blue face.
JAKE (V.O.)
But the most dangerous thing about
Pandora is that you may grow to
love her too much.
WIDER - NEYTIRI STALKS THROUGH THE RAINFOREST, hyper alert. She emerges from behind cover with her bow, revealing --
Her almost FULL-TERM BELLY bulging. She draws her bow with strong arms, but the bowstring hits her bulge. She adjusts the bow’s angle and SHOOTS. Runs toward the kill.
MACRO -- Neytiri’s long slender fingers glide over a string of beads, each polished stone different in turn -- each one a moment in memory. She sings softly in NA’VI, like a lullaby.
JAKE (V.O.)
We sing the songcords to remember --
each bead a story -- a chapter in
our lives.
Each phrase of her song parallels the story in the beads. This is a SONGCORD, and it tells a life.
ON JAKE SULLY, holding a newborn -- his son NETEYAM. Little legs pump vigorously as the baby cries. Jake is filled with the primal emotion of a proud new father.
MACRO -- blue fingers put a new bead on Jake’s SONGCORD.
JAKE (V.O.)
A bead for the birth of Neteyam --
our son. My joy.
With a smiling NEYTIRI and the OMATICAYA CLAN looking on, Jake raises NETEYAM to the sky.
IN THE HELL'S GATE BIOLAB -- Neytiri, cradling newborn Neteyam, stands with Jake before a fluid-filled AMNIO TANK containing a FEMALE AVATAR. It is VERY PREGNANT. Connected to medical umbilicals, it looks like a giant fetus itself.
JAKE (V.O.)
A bead when we adopted our daughter
-- Kiri. Born of a brain-dead
avatar...
The figure turns in the fluid revealing that it is GRACE AUGUSTINE’S AVATAR. The in-vitro mother of an in-utero baby.
JAKE (V.O.)
A daughter whose conception was a
total mystery.
Jake and Neytiri share a look, knowing what they must do.
THE OMATICAYA CLAN gathers around the fire pit for dinner. NEYTIRI breast-feeds baby Neteyam in her arms. JAKE next to her, holds infant KIRI.
JAKE (V.O.)
A father protects. It’s what gives
him meaning.
Jake looks into Kiri’s wide eyes. She stares back -- soul to soul. Her tiny fingers wrap around one of his.
AN UTRAYA MOKRI GLADE -- the entire clan gathered at the sacred willows. In addition there’s NORM SPELLMAN, in his AVATAR form, and a handful of HUMANS, such as CHIEF SCIENTIST MAX PATEL -- wearing BREATHING MASKS.
JAKE (V.O.)
From the moment of our first
communion --
Neytiri’s mother MO’AT, the clan’s TSAHIK (shaman) gently touches the tendrils of the two babies’ KURU to the tree, which glows as the connections are made. (The kuru is a ponytail-like NEURAL WHIP that connects the Na’vi brain to the global network. A sort of biological USB plug.)
JAKE (V.O.)
-- the Great Mother holds our
memories, and those of all Na’vi
who ever lived, in her mind --
which spans the world.
MACRO -- another bead is slipped onto Jake’s SONGCORD.
MONTAGE OF FAMILY LIFE -- a toddler takes first steps -- kids running around with tiny bows -- kids fighting, yelling, leaping, climbing over each other and their parents. Neytiri cleans a dirt smudge off a kid’s face with spit on her fingertip.
ANOTHER TIME -- DOLLY IN on KIRI yelling at younger BROTHER LO’AK furiously IN NA’VI, fighting over a wooden IKRAN TOY --
KIRI (IN NA’VI, SUBTITLED)
It’s mine! I had it first.
LO’AK (IN NA’VI, SUBTITLED)
You liar! I had it first...
JAKE (V.O.)
(over the argument)
It took a few years to get the
language through my thick skull,
but now when I hear it, it might as
well be English.
COMING OUT OF JAKE’S V.O. WE CAN NOW UNDERSTAND THE KIDS IN ENGLISH. (From now on all scenes in which the People speak amongst themselves in Na’vi, will be heard in English.)
KIRI
... well I hate you times infinity,
Lo’ak you penis-face! Hate-you-hate-
you-hate-you --
JAKE
That’s enough out of both of you!
Don’t make me come over there.
ANOTHER TIME -- THE WHOLE FAMILY is in a pile together, laughing and snuggling with Jake’s arms wrapped around them. TWO BOYS now, and TWO GIRLS. Jake has big arms.
JAKE (V.O.)
Before I knew it, we had four --
five if you count Spider.
A HUMAN BOY in a BREATHING MASK runs and tumbles with the Sully kids, like a Jack Russell playing with the bigger dogs. The is JAVIER “SPIDER” SOCORRO.
JAKE (V.O.)
Orphaned by the war -- he was the
stray cat that adopted us.
MONTAGE -- Jake notches a wooden post with his knife, marking Neteyam’s height. Jake boxes with the boys, laughing and rough-housing. Jake stalks through the night forest with his sons, teaching them to bow-hunt.
JAKE (V.O.)
It goes by too fast, like a dream.
JAKE AND NEYTIRI fly side by side on their gloriously-colored IKRAN. Around them are the FLOATING MOUNTAINS -- as spectacular by night as they are by day. It’s DATE NIGHT -- free from the kids, flying free under the stars...
JAKE (V.O.)
Happiness is simple. But who
would’ve thought a jarhead like me
could crack the code.
The two laugh and cavort among the clouds and vine-bridges, wingtip to wingtip. An image from a beautiful dream.
They alight next to each other on a rocky promontory. Laughing they jump down from their creatures. She runs and he races to catch her tail -- like two kids romping. Finally they flow into each other’s arms -- kissing passionately.
Jake looks up, inhaling the spectacle of the Pandoran sky.
HIS SMILE FALLS as his eyes rivet on something there.
JAKE (V.O.)
But the thing about happiness -- it
can vanish in a heartbeat.
Neytiri sees his suddenly grim expression -- turns to look up. What she sees fills her face with dread.
JAKE (V.O.)
A new star in the night. It could
mean only one thing --
EXT. INTERSTELLAR SPACE
An indescribably BRIGHT LIGHT flares the lens -- the NEW STAR seen much closer now, and APPROACHING FAST.
THE STAR resolves into STARS. And they’re not stars, they’re STARSHIPS -- a FLEET of them -- their engines pointed at us.
JAKE (V.O.)
Ships -- decelerating. The Sky
People returning.
EXHAUST PLUMES from the ANTIMATTER ENGINES are arc-bright blow-torches, dwarfing the ships themselves. We are SHAKEN by their primordial fury.
EXT. COASTAL RAINFOREST - DAY
JAKE, NEYTIRI and many NA’VI WARRIORS, all painted for war, crouch in the jungle. They shield their eyes from something brighter than the sun.
JAKE (V.O.)
The battle we prepared for all
these years was over before it
started.
A STARSHIP -- ISV MANIFEST DESTINY -- descends VERTICALLY. The 7-kilometer-long EXHAUST PLUMES light the landscape with a merciless glare.
The exhaust hits ground at the SEA-COAST and blasts outward like a blow torch held against a flat surface.
A KILOMETER HIGH INFERNO roars outward in an expanding ring of death. It is a GOD-LIKE DISPLAY OF POWER.
DOWN IN THE FOREST the effect is devastating -- STAMPEDES of animals flee before HURRICANE OF FIRE -- HAMMERHEADS, STURMBEEST, DIREHORSES, HEXAPEDES and every other species in the forest -- all TRUMPETING and SHRIEKING as they flee. Even a THANATOR, the apex predator, is consumed by fire.
JAKE (V.O.)
Eywa’s armies were driven out in
the first minutes.
IN THE CENTER OF THE INFERNO, in between the splayed exhaust plumes, SOMETHING DESCENDS. Dangling under the starship on a cable, is the LANDING MODULE -- the size of a 30 story building. This is the ULTIMATE SLING-LOAD LANDING.
AMID THE FURY, the MODULE TOUCHES DOWN. The cable disconnects. The starship rises. With CRACKLING THUNDER it ascends once more above the clouds.
TIME CUT -- BULLDOZERS, monstrous robotic juggernauts, descend RAMPS as smoke swirls around the MODULE.
LONG LENS -- DOZERS are hulking silhouettes amid smoke and flame. They RAM the still burning remains of the forest -- leaving BARE EARTH. AMP SUITS walk among flame and ash like demons patrolling Hell.
WIDE SHOT -- a clear-cut wasteland 15 kilometers in diameter, with its epicenter at the coast. THE KILL ZONE. On the seaward side, steam rises over DEAD REEFS.
JAKE AND NEYTIRI watch in numb horror from a promontory. Neytiri streams tears, unable to comprehend the sheer scale of the devastation. Jake's eyes burn with fury.
Around them -- on the ground, through the trees, in the sky above -- every living thing FLEES.
CARD: ONE YEAR LATER
INT. AMNIO LAB - ISV VINDICATOR
FADE UP ON POV -- OUT OF FOCUS -- looking up at two HUMAN MED- TECHS in breathing masks framed by a big surgical light.
FEMALE TECH
He’s coming up.
(to us)
You’re doing fine. Just lie still.
EXTREMELY CLOSE ON -- a pair of NA’VI EYES -- disoriented.
POV -- MALE TECH shines a light in “our” eyes, which flares brightly. A BLUE HAND enters, pushing the light away.
GRAVELLY VOICE (O.S.)
Get that out of his face.
A big blue NA’VI FACE with a shaved head leans in.
BIG BLUE FACE
Colonel? Can you hear me, Colonel?
WIDER -- Attendants of two species hunch over a muscular NA’VI FIGURE lying on a gurney.
With no warning the Na’vi PUNCHES Big Blue and EXPLODES OFF THE TABLE. Staggers back, ripping off monitor cables and --
SNARLS, baring fang-like teeth, then HEAVES the massive surgical light toward the attendants, who duck as --
He takes a fighting stance as two other MILITARY NA’VI, in fatigues, close in on him -- which turns into a BRAWL, quickly wrecking a lot of expensive equipment.
INT. OBSERVATION ROOM
A DOCTOR flinches back as one MILITARY NA’VI smashes face- first into the window with a loud THUMP.
DOCTOR
Muscle tone looks good.
INT. AMNIO LAB
FIGHTER’S POV -- we’re in the middle of the brawl, as three grunting MILITARY NA’VI swear and grapple to restrain him. BIG BLUE shoves his face right in front, holding up his hands placatingly, and yells --
BIG BLUE
Colonel! It’s me. Corporal
Wainfleet.
Wainfleet? Come to think of it, we do recognize CORPORAL LYLE WAINFLEET’s face in this BLUE INCARNATION -- same shaved head and thuggish features.
OUR VOICE (O.S.)
Lyle? That you?
WAINFLEET
(grinning, nose bloody)
Yes sir!
IN POV we look down and -- OUR OWN HANDS ARE BLUE. They push the attendants away --
OUR VOICE (O.S.)
I’m OK. Back off! I’m good!
-- and we stagger to the window, finding our reflection. Moving closer we discover the FACE OF COLONEL MILES QUARITCH.
He’s much younger, looking about 20, and missing the jagged claw-scars across his forehead. But it’s the same powerful jaw, intense stare and “high and tight” hair. Just... blue
QUARITCH bares his teeth, revealing sharp white Na’vi canines. He touches one fang with his index finger. The feel of that sharp point suddenly makes this all real.
He’s a GODDAMN NA’VI. He has become the enemy he fought.
QUARITCH
Well ain’t this a bitch.
EXT. ISV VINDICATOR -- ROTATING HAB
OUTSIDE VIEWPORT -- Quaritch presses to the glass to see --
Along the flank of ISV VINDICATOR -- a kilometer long INTERSTELLAR VEHICLE. Quaritch is in the rotating HAB SECTION that provides gravity, so the rest of the ship and the stars beyond seem to spin slowly around him.
INT. AMNIO VAULT
Rows of AMNIO TANKS, many filled with BLUE FIGURES.
QUARITCH watches as floating MED-TECHS slide a RECOM out of a drained tank. The unconscious NA’VI BODY stirs in zero gravity like a baby in the womb.
HUMAN QUARITCH (PRELAP)
In case you haven’t figured it out,
you’re Colonel Miles Quaritch --
INT. RECOM SQUAD BAY -- S.S.U. VINDICATOR
VIDEO IMAGE -- HUMAN QUARITCH stares out at us -- 50’s, gray- eyed, muscular. Intense.
HUMAN QUARITCH
-- except younger, bluer, taller -- and not nearly as good lookin’.
In the background of the VIDEO is the LINK ROOM at HELL’S GATE, where other SECOPS TROOPERS, including WAINFLEET, enter or exit clamshell LINK UNITS.
HUMAN QUARITCH
In one hour I fly a mission against
the Na’vi stronghold. The powers
that be thought I should do a quick
back-up. Just in case. And if
you’re watching this then my ticket
did get punched.
He looks over his shoulder and shouts OFFSCREEN.
HUMAN QUARITCH (CONT’D)
Hey, what the hell am I supposed to
say here?
NA’VI QUARITCH sits in front of the screen, watching Human Quaritch, taking in every detail.
SELFRIDGE (O.S.)
Get him oriented! Remind him how
this works.
PARKER SELFRIDGE, the RDA ADMINISTRATOR of Hell’s Gate, VIDEO BOMBS the Human Quaritch shot, waving a tiny crystal -- a QUANTUM FLASH DRIVE.
SELFRIDGE (CONT’D)
See -- your memories, personality --
all in here. I send this to Earth,
where you’re growing in a lab as we
speak, they imprint you with it,
and bingo bongo you’re --
HUMAN QUARITCH
Am I doin’ this or you doin’ this?
Selfridge smirks and moves on. Quaritch turns to camera.
HUMAN QUARITCH
Anyway, the idea is to put the
minds of the saltiest on-world
operators like Corporal Wainfleet
over there --
WAINFLEET gives a casual thumbs-up as he enters a LINK UNIT, BG. He’s about to make his own “soul-drive” recording.
HUMAN QUARITCH
-- and your humble narrator-- into
recombinant bodies.
(pause)
You’re a recom now, Colonel --
loaded with all my memories. And
charm. What you won’t remember is
my death, because it hasn’t
happened yet --
(raises voice)
And it ain’t going to!
WAINFLEET
Damn right!
HUMAN QUARITCH
Well -- whatever happened -- if
you’re any clone of mine, you’ll be
lookin’ for some payback. And Jake
Sully would be top of my list.
RECOM QUARITCH feels Human Quaritch staring back.
HUMAN QUARITCH
Remember kid... a Marine can’t be
defeated. You can kill us, but we
just regroup in Hell. Semper fi.
Human Quaritch reaches out and turns off the camera.
RECOM QUARITCH stares at the BLANK SCREEN.
EXT. SPACE - ISV VINDICATOR
ISV VINDICATOR glides soundlessly toward --
PANDORA. The green and blue MOON looks strikingly like Earth. It orbits the gas-giant POLYPHEMUS, which reigns over the scene -- its cyclopean EYE STORM glowering without mercy.
QUARITCH (PRE-LAP)
You are going to Pandora, ladies
and gentlemen...
INT. RECOM SQUAD BAY -- ISV VINDICATOR
FOLLOWING Quaritch’s polished boots walking with measured stride down the aisle between tables.
QUARITCH
Respect that fact every second of every day.
I know you’re all asking yourselves the same question --
CU QUARITCH as he turns, glowering at camera.
QUARITCH
Why so blue?
WIDER -- The entire RECOM SQUAD sits, looking RIPPED in T- shirts and cammo pants. TEN flinty-eyed RECOMBINANT KILLERS. Their hair is buzzed high and tight -- except for their long ponytail KURU.
The recoms GROAN. Most have already served under Quaritch, and know his style.
QUARITCH
For our sins in a past life, we
have been brought back in the form
of our enemy. That gives us their
speed and strength -- but with our
training and experience. And that’s
a potent mix.
He pauses, looking around the room, meeting the eyes of his new command -- like him, all hardened minds in young bodies.
WAINFLEET
Do we have a mission yet?
QUARITCH
We do. Our mission is to hunt down
and kill the leader of the Na’vi
insurgency -- Jake Sully.
EXT. RAINFOREST - DAY
CAMERA RACES at treetop height. From beneath -- GREEN WINGS rush INTO FRAME -- two IKRAN, ridden by NEYTIRI and JAKE. The trees fall away at the edge of a cliff revealing --
A MAG-LEV FREIGHT TRAIN running on elevated track along a swath cut through the rainforest. A GUNSHIP ESCORT flanks the train -- the new-gen KESTRELS and SEAWASPS.
JAKE signals to NEYTIRI and they roll into a dive.
CAMERA MOVES WITH THE TRAIN floating on its magnetic cushion half a meter off the track -- LOOKING FORWARD as --
THE TRACK EXPLODES and the train DERAILS, cars piling onto each other in a heap that spills into the bordering forest.
NA’VI RIDERS, led by horse-clan leader AKWEY, charge out of the forest on DIREHORSES. TROOPERS are hit by Na’vi arrows and gunfire as --
GUNSHIPS OPEN FIRE -- the Seawasps strafing the ground with ROTARY CANNONS while the Kestrels bank in, DOOR-GUNS BLAZING.
NEYTIRI SHRIEKS as she dives past a KESTREL. She SNAP-SHOOTS her bow, hitting the starboard gunner. In one aerobatic arc she circles under the gunship and swoops up the other side, FIRES AGAIN, INVERTED -- hitting the port gunner.
A SEAWASP PILOT feels a shadow across the sun and looks up --
JAKE dives, FIRING his AR (ASSAULT RIFLE). Rounds rip across the windshield. The Seawasp cartwheels to the ground, EXPLODING in a fireball.
EXT. WRECKED TRAIN —- DAY
Na’vi warriors cheer as they swarm over the jackstrawed train cars. One car has broken open, spilling cases of WEAPONS.
The WARRIORS WHOOP as AVATAR NORM hands out guns to the jubilant raiders.
CIRCLING ABOVE are LO’AK AND NETEYAM, riding ikran. They are now the equivalent in human age of 13 and 14.
LO’AK
Bro, we've got to get down there!
NETEYAM
No way! Dad will skin us.
LO’AK
Come on, don’t be a wuss!
LO’AK rolls into a DIVE.
NETEYAM
Lo’ak! Get back here you -- RAAAAH!
HE SNARLS in frustration and DIVES after him.
LO’AK SWOOPS in to a hot landing. Neteyam hops off right behind him, sprinting to catch up as his little brother runs to a TOPPLED TRAIN CAR.
VA'RU, a YOUNG WARRIOR, FIRES an AR in the air. He picks up a weapon and throws it to Lo’ak.
LO'AK racks the bolt, WHOOPS and raises it proudly, but --
NEYTIRI YANKS the rifle out of his hands and throws it down.
NEYTIRI
You should not be here! Your
father will be very angry. Neteyam,
you know better than this! Now go!
She raises her bow, as if to WHACK THEM BOTH. Neteyam angrily grabs Lo’ak’s arm and pulls him away.
NETEYAM
See! Thanks for gettin’ me in
trouble, douche!
NEYTIRI YIPS for her ikran, mounting it at a run.
JAKE, standing atop the wreckage some distance away recognizes HIS SONS among the raiders. His face darkens with fury as he starts toward them, but --
WARRIORS YELL and Jake pivots to see -- GUNSHIPS banking around a cliff toward them. He grabs his THROAT MIKE --
JAKE
Gunships inbound! Fall back -- into
the forest! Move!!
His guerrilla fighters head for the tree-line as -- a SEAWASP GUNSHIP roars over the treetops and opens fire with its ROCKETS. Na'vi scatter as EXPLOSIONS go off among them.
JAKE REACTS as he sees his boys running from the EXPLOSIONS overtaking them. THEY DISAPPEAR IN A BLAST.
JAKE RUNS as if in a nightmare. One of his guys knocks the SEAWASP down with a STINGER, adding to the chaos as --
Jake finds LO’AK, crouched amid burning rubble.
JAKE
You okay? Where’s your brother?
Lo’ak points numbly and Jake leaps over wreckage, seeing a SMEAR OF BLOOD where a body slid down the other side. He jumps down, searching through smoke and dust --
JAKE
Neteyam!!!
Next to a dead warrior, Jake finds NETEYAM’S BODY.
JAKE
No, no, no --
He flips him over, dreading the worst.
NETEYAM'S eyes flutter open and he moans. Despite a gash on his head, and a peppering of tiny shrapnel, he looks OK.
JAKE
What are you doing here, boy? What
the hell were you thinking?!
MOMENTS LATER -- JAKE RUNS in SLOW MOTION through smoke and fire. He cradles his boy, whose arms and legs flop limply. More gunships are strafing nearby.
JAKE WHISTLES for his mount and it swoops down behind him, overtaking him, then --
He does a HIGH PERFORMANCE TAKE-OFF -- gripping his ikran as it goes airborne before he’s even in the saddle.
HOLDING NETEYAM, Jake dangles as the ground drops away. The ikran SNAP-ROLLS, throwing Jake onto its back. Jake is one of few strong enough to do this holding a teenage boy in one arm. It is heroic. Magnificent.
More EXPLOSIONS below as Jake climbs away from the wreckage. LO’AK AND NEYTIRI FALL IN beside him and they dive together into the sheltering forest.
EXT. HALLELUJAH MOUNTAINS - DUSK
The FLOATING MOUNTAINS OF PANDORA, wreathed in clouds. The surreal beauty of the place not dampened by rain.
JAKE LEADS the returning RAIDERS, swooping their ikran among the suspended monoliths, past cliffs and “beanstalks”.
They pass NA’VI SENTRIES on promontories, armed with STINGER MISSILES and AR’s like Afghan fighters. EXPLOSIONS on a mountain two klicks away send out shock-waves in the humid air. Delayed THUNDER echoes through the canyons.
JAKE (V.O.)
They’d always hit us back, but they
didn’t know where our base was.
And when they came up here to find
us, Eywa kicked their ass.
EXT. HIGH CAMP - DUSK
The WAR PARTY glides under an enormous FLOATING MOUNTAIN. On the underside is a CREVASSE -- a cave ENTRANCE that’s entered VERTICALLY. The ikran swoop inside, climbing...
INT. HIGH CAMP GROTTO - CONTINUOUS
DOWN-ANGLE -- ikran flap up TOWARD US, silhouetted against the forest landscape a kilometer below.
JAKE (V.O.)
They couldn’t touch us in here.
They enter an ENORMOUS GROTTO, part of a system of caves that riddle the mountain. This is the GUERRILLA BASE -- HIGH CAMP.
There are SHACKS (MOBILE LABS) and a larger inflatable BIOLAB -- human tech mixed incongruously with Na’vi WOVEN DWELLINGS called MARUI. The two cultures jammed together. This is the OMATICAYA CLAN now -- refugees and guerrillas.
KIRI and SPIDER (now 14) look up as TUK (6) runs toward them.
TUK
They’re coming! The war party is
coming back!
All three kids join the other villagers rushing to meet the returning warriors. As the WOUNDED are lifted down from the ikran, MO’AT examines them.
Jake helps Neteyam down as Lo’ak slinks over. Both boys SHRINK UNDER HIS GLARE.
JAKE
You’re supposed to be SPOTTERS!
You spot bogeys, you call them in --
from a distance! Any of this sound
familiar? Jeezuz. I finally let
you two geniuses fly a mission --
and you disobey direct orders!
Kiri and Tuk watch, eyes wide, as the boys catch hell.
JAKE
Girls help your Grandmother with
the wounded.
NETEYAM
Dad, I --
JAKE
No -- not dad. I’m your commanding
officer.
NETEYAM
Sir. I take full responsibility, I--
JAKE
That’s right! You do. You're the
older brother -- act like it!
NEYTIRI touches his arm.
NEYTIRI
Your son is actually bleeding.
Jake sighs in exasperation.
JAKE
Go on, get patched up.
Neytiri takes Neteyam by the arm. Jake stops Lo’ak with one hand, focusing THE GLARE on him.
JAKE
You almost got your brother killed.
You understand?!
Lo’ak keeps his eyes down, waiting for the axe.
JAKE
You’re grounded. No flying for a
month. See to the ikran!
Lo’ak turns to the ikran’s TACK. He lets out a long EXHALE. Spider slips from behind Lo’ak’s ikran, where he’s heard the whole thing.
SPIDER
Bro, it could’ve been a lot worse.
INT/EXT. SULLY MARUI -- HIGH CAMP -- DUSK
Kiri dresses a wound on Neteyam’s arm. Mo’at prepares a salve of plant extract. Lo’ak, Tuk and Spider look on.
KIRI
I would use yalna bark.
MO'AT
Oh you would. And who is Tsahik?
KIRI
You are, grandmother. But yalna
bark is better.
Mo’at rubs the plant extract across Neteyam’s peppered back.
NETEYAM
Ow ow ow!
KIRI
It stings less.
Lo’ak puts a hand on Neteyam’s shoulder -- mock soothing.
LO’AK
The mighty warrior.
Neteyam shrugs him off hard, then winces.
KIRI
Hold still, skxawng!
NEARBY -- JAKE and NEYTIRI watch the group gathered around their first born son. Jake field-strips his AR. Neytiri’s anxiety shows -- TAIL LASHING, ears flattened.
JAKE
What?
NEYTIRI
I said nothing.
JAKE
The tail and ears also speak.
NEYTIRI
It is not easy to be a son of Toruk
Makto.
Jake scowls and racks the bolt on his weapon.
NEYTIRI
You cast a long shadow, Jakesuully.
Neteyam and Lo’ak try to live up to
you -- it is very hard on them.
JAKE
I know.
NEYTIRI
You are very hard on them, also.
JAKE
I’m their father -- it’s my job.
He slaps a magazine into the rifle for emphasis.
NEYTIRI
This is not a squad it is a family.
Jake stops. He realizes his hands are shaking. His voice is hoarse with emotion --
JAKE
Jesus, I thought we’d lost him.
She puts her arms around him.
NEYTIRI
The boy walks alone into the forest, the man returns.
This is how it has always been.
EXT. HIGH CAMP COMMONS -- NIGHT
SPIDER, KIRI and LO’AK leave the dinner congregation around the COOK-PIT, and cross the grotto.
Approaching the LABS, they pass several AVATARS, GENTECH NA’VI BODIES remotely-controlled by human “DRIVERS”. The avatars climb into HAMMOCKS -- when they go to sleep their consciousness will return to their human bodies.
HUMAN NORM bandages a minor wound on HIS OWN AVATAR, which slumps unconscious in a lawn chair. Spider fist-bumps him.
SPIDER
Norm, I have GOT to get an avatar!
NORM
Sure pal, I’ll get right on that.
(holds out his hand)
Just put 40 million bucks right
here...
Spider sighs. They’ve been all over this before. He walks on. Norm watches him go, noting Kiri towering over Spider.
NORM
Hey Spider, remember -- it’s not
the size of the dog in the fight --
SPIDER
Yeah, I know -- it’s the size of
the fight in the dog.
INT. BIOLAB
SPIDER, LO’AK and KIRI come in through the airlock, the Na’vi kids crouching through the human-sized inner door.
Spider pulls off his MASK. Kiri just wrinkles her nose.
SPIDER
It sucks that you can breathe Earth
air for like hours and I can’t
breathe your air for ten seconds.
KIRI
Yeah, Monkey Boy, that really
sucks. For you!
She ruffles his hair. He yanks her tail.
MAX PATEL monitors LINK UNITS containing the human “DRIVERS” of the AVATARS we saw outside.
MAX
Hey kids.
LO’AK
Whassup, Max.
The Na’vi kids pull ORAL-NASAL MASKS from a wall rack, slinging the CO2 cylinders casually over their shoulders. They take the occasional whiff as they walk along.
CLAMSHELL LIDS rise, and the human AVATAR-DRIVERS emerge wearily from their LINK UNITS. They greet the kids.
KIRI approaches the AMNIO TANK containing GRACE’S AVATAR. With human GRACE AUGUSTINE dead, her avatar will remain in a vegetative state as long as it lives.
Kiri peers in at the floating avatar’s face -- an adult version of her own.
KIRI
Sometimes I think she’s just going
to wake up and smile at me.
TIME CUT -- VIDEO IMAGE -- HUMAN GRACE talking to camera. It is one of her science VIDEOLOGS, recorded in the SHACK when she was there with Jake -- only days before her death.
GRACE (VIDEO)
... and maybe I’m losing it out
here, but I’m seeing real evidence
for a systemic response at a global
level. I can’t -- I won’t -- use
the term intelligence. Maybe
awareness is a better word. It’s
like the entire biosphere of
Pandora is aware and capable of a
cognitive response -- no, crap, I
can’t say that either-- they’ll
crucify me...
Kiri stares into the tank as the boys lounge around.
LO’AK
So who do you think knocked her up?
I’m thinkin’ it was Norm.
Spider guffaws, then -- off her look -- CHILLS.
KIRI
You do NOT deserve to live.
LO’AK
No, think about it -- he was the
teacher’s pet, he was there at the
lab with her all that time --
KIRI
I would kill myself! I would drink
acid.
VIDEOLOG -- HUMAN NORM walks through the background of the shot, scratching his ass and brushing his teeth.
SPIDER
Bro, you’re right! He’s in like
every shot!
LO’AK
I’m thinkin’ their two avatars were
out in the woods -- all alone...
KIRI
Yeah, well stop thinking! You're
not good at it. My father was a
handsome and brave Na’vi warrior.
SPIDER
So where is he then?
KIRI
He died valiantly in the battle,
before he and my mother could
declare their secret love.
LO’AK
Naw. You’re Norm’s love child.
Kiri punches him on the shoulder.
KIRI
Grossss!!
SPIDER
Sometimes it’s not so great to know
who your father was.
An uncomfortable silence. Lo’ak and Kiri share a look.
SPIDER
Whatever. I barely remember him.
EXT. RAINFOREST / KILL ZONE
DOWNANGLE on a GARUDA SHUTTLE THUNDERING over the virgin rainforest of Pandora, flanked by SEAWASP GUNSHIPS.
The forest gives way to barren earth -- the KILL ZONE. CAMERA TILTS UP to reveal, across the wasteland, a city rising on the shore of the EASTERN SEA -- BRIDGEHEAD.
EXT. BRIDGEHEAD - DAY
THE PERIMETER is defended by GUN TOWERS, bristling with automated GUNS and MISSILE BATTERIES. Bursts of TRACERS stream out toward the treeline.
THE SHUTTLE hover-taxis across BRIDGEHEAD. It’s not so much a city as the foundation of one -- all rebar and concrete. Insectile CONSTRUCTION BOTS swarm over work-sites -- welding, fitting, pouring. The skyline is dominated by CRANES.
EXT. BRIDGEHEAD AIRFIELD
MASSIVE SHUTTLE WHEELS slam down onto the pavement amid a furious DOWNBLAST. The lift engines spool down.
BOOM! The CARGO RAMP slams to the tarmac, and passengers run down the ramp.
CREW CHIEF
Keep that mask on! Go directly
inside the terminal! Do not stop!
QUARITCH strides down the ramp like he owns the place. He stops at the bottom -- forcing the running NEWBS to split around him. His RECOMS, carrying PACKS, form up behind him.
He lowers his ORAL-NASAL MASK. Takes a deep lung-full of air. He's back on Pandora -- the world he loves and hates.
EXT. STREETS OF BRIDGEHEAD
Quaritch and his recoms walk through the chaotic activity of a FRONTIER BOOM-TOWN, staring around.
They are accompanied by a number of HUMAN OFFICERS who double- time to match their stride.
Leading them is GENERAL FRANK ARDMORE, wearing a SKEL-SUIT -- an open EXOSKELETON FRAME that makes him eye-level to Quaritch. He handles the skel easily, matching Quaritch’s stride. It’s not swagger, it’s the confidence of power over a defeated enemy -- MacArthur in Japan.
ARDMORE
We've done more here in a year than
the previous thirty years.
Utility AMP SUITS stomp among two-storey tall TRUCKS and monster ’DOZERS. Guys in hard hats gawk at the passing recoms. The scale is WAY BEYOND HELL’S GATE.
ARDMORE
We are not here to run a mine,
Colonel. As On-World Commander, I
have been charged with a greater
mission, arguably the most dire
mission in human history.
INT. SHIPYARD FACTORY
A massive multi-armed 3D PRINTER HEAD -- 50 meters across -- moves over a WARSHIP HULL taking shape layer by layer.
WELDING BOTS swarm over a second SEA DRAGON, nearby.
ARDMORE, mask off now, lights a cigar and takes a drag.
ARDMORE
Earth is dying. Our task is to
open this frontier -- nothing less
than to make Pandora the new home
for humanity. Before we can do
that, we need to pacify the
hostiles.
QUARITCH
With respect General, we're
motivated. Just point us and pull
the trigger.
INT. COMMAND CENTER - BRIDGEHEAD
Ardmore, out of his skel-suit, still has that aura of power, though QUARITCH and WAINFLEET tower over him.
They are at the HOLO-FLOOR -- a HOLOTABLE on steroids. 3D GRAPHICS you can actually WALK INSIDE.
With them are staff officers and the RDA company man, CHARLES STRINGER -- SELFRIDGE’S replacement.
Quaritch and Wainfleet are in EARTH AIR now, but with masks pulled down like surgeons taking a break. They take the occasional WHIFF when not talking.
ARDMORE
Sully’s forces have been hitting
our outlying sites -- the mines,
pipelines --
ON THE HOLO -- SURVEILLANCE and DASHCAM IMAGES of insurgent strikes -- Na’vi on ikran and direhorses attacking.
STRINGER
They hit a mag-lev two days ago.
AERIAL SHOT of the DERAILED TRAIN, BURNING. Na’vi swarming.
QUARITCH
What about here at Bridgehead?
ARDMORE
We get hit constantly, but not by
Sully -- it’s the wild-life.
HOLO-DISPLAY -- TELEPHOTO IMAGES of WILD IKRAN attacking -- cut down by automated defenses.
STRINGER
The planet has an immune system --
what the indigenous call Eywa. We
just call it The Bitch.
HOLO -- STURMBEEST and HAMMERHEADS stampeding into the Kill Zone, gunned down.
STRINGER
The Kill Zone keeps them from
reaching the fence.
QUARITCH
Any intel on Sully’s base of
operations?
ARDMORE
It’s a cave system in the
mountains, somewhere here --
He points into the holo display.
ARDMORE
-- but every time we send forces up
there, we take losses. Our hardware
really stirs up the hornet’s nest.
We get ten minutes in enemy
airspace then they’re all over us.
VIDEO IMAGE -- wild IKRAN swarm like bats, converging on GUNSHIPS, taking them down.
ARDMORE
Colonel, we believe your Blue Team
will not trigger the immune
response.
QUARITCH
How do we test that hypothesis?
ARDMORE
The hard way.
Quaritch looks at Wainfleet. Grins. They like it.
QUARITCH
Outstanding.
EXT. FLOATING MOUNTAINS - AERIAL - DAY
Two KESTREL GUNSHIPS fly side by side, hauling ass through the mountains. In the bay-doors, with feet on the skids, are Quaritch and the recoms. They are in full battle-rattle, with AR’s, NVG headgear.
PILOT (INTERCOM)
Entering hostile airspace.
Quaritch sits in the door, wind in his face, feeling the adrenaline pulsing. Just like the good old days.
EXT. FLOATING MOUNTAINS/VINEBRIDGE - DAY
LO'AK, SPIDER, KIRI and TUK run and leap from one vine-trunk to another, above a dizzying drop to the landscape below. They’re all agile as mountain goats.
EXT. FOREST BENEATH FLOATING MOUNTAINS - DAY
The KESTRELS hover as Quaritch and his teams FAST-ROPE down to land among jungle undergrowth.
The gunships PEEL OFF as the recoms regroup in concealing foliage. Quaritch scans the threatening forest around them. He signals -- splitting the team into TWO SQUADS of six. They move out, AR’s gripped tightly, on separate paths.
EXT. RAINFOREST - DAY
CAMERA DESCENDS through dense forest canopy, past vines and leaping simian PROLEMURIS, to REVEAL --
LO’AK, Spider, Kiri and Tuk running along a thick tree limb, far above the ground. They swing and leap like monkeys, with Spider staying right with the others -- a nut-brown MOWGLI.
LO’AK
Tuuuuuk! Keep up!
SPIDER
Bro, why’d you bring her, anyway?
LO’AK
She’s such a crybaby. She’s all...
(shrill Tuk imitation)
I’m telling! You’re not supposed
to go to the battlefield! I’1l
tell Mom if you don’t let me come!
Tuk sticks her tongue way out and holds it there.
SPIDER
So she gave you no choice! And if
she gets eaten, it’s not our fault.
LO’AK
What I’m sayin’.
Pages 25-49[]
EXT. FOREST - DAY
QUARITCH walks point, scanning warily as he moves through exotic foliage. He SNAP-PIVOTS as --
CRASH! A HEXAPEDE leaps from cover and smashes through ferns as it bounds away. QUARITCH signals, and his squad moves on, eyes probing ahead. They pass a crashed and overgrown SCORPION GUNSHIP.
EXT. RAINFOREST - DAY
THE KIDS play among the overgrown wreckage from the battle of 2154 -- crashed GUNSHIPS and fallen AMP SUITS. LO’AK yells to the others from a wrecked SAMPSON GUNSHIP suspended just off the ground by vines.
LO’AK
Hey check this out, bro!
Spider climbs up, monkey-fast, Tuk scrambling after him.
IN THE COCKPIT Spider and Tuk stare at the SKELETON of the pilot, drilled by a NA’VI ARROW right through the windshield.
SPIDER
Whooaah.
Lo’ak grabs a .30 cal DOOR GUN. He tries to work the action but it’s rusted tight. He swivels the weapon and fires at imaginary enemies, making MACHINE-GUN SOUNDS. POOM POOM POOM!
NEARBY -- KIRI WALKS through the lush forest, arms outspread. She runs fingertips over the plants as she passes.
TIME CUT -- SPIDER hops on top of an AMP SUIT lying half- submerged in a stream. He beats his chest and yells a WAR CRY. Tuk is bored, trying to fish with her little bow and arrow. Lo’ak tries to clean out the door gun with a stick.
LO’AK
I bet I can get this working.
CLOSE UP -- KIRI’S EYES among the foliage, drinking in the complexity around her --
A SERIES OF IMAGES -- A drop of water on a leaf -- an insect climbing with sunlight refracting through its eye -- fractal patterns in the whorls of budding leaves.
KIRI kneels very close to a FAN-LIZARD clinging to a vine. MACRO -- ITS EYE, regarding her curiously. The lizard SNAPS OPEN ITS FAN and takes flight -- a living frisbee.
Kiri touches a leaf, reverently -- and we FOLLOW HER GAZE into the leaf’s surface --
VFX ZOOM into the vein patterns which become fractals of cells that expand farther to reveal DNA itself.
MACRO ON KIRI’S EYE, moving slowly over the wonders around her, the IRIS pulsating with excitement.
LATER -- Lo’ak and Spider stand side by side, PISSING ON A ROCK -- human and Na’vi urine mixing. Lo’ak checks the sun.
LO’AK
Hey, we gotta get back.
MOMENTS LATER -- THE KIDS search among the trees.
TUK
Kiriiii!
KIRI lies on a bed of GREEN TENDRILS, her arms outstretched and expression rapturous. The tendrils move in WAVES that pulse outward from her like pond ripples.
WOODSPRITES (ATOKIRINA -- floating SEEDS of the sacred TREE OF VOICES) -- pulsate around her, some landing on her.
Spider runs to her and kneels quietly. Shakes her shoulder.
SPIDER
Kiri. Hey. Hey!
He has to shake hard to pull her back to reality. She refocuses, seeing him for the first time.
KIRI
I was doing that thing wasn’t I?
SPIDER
Yeah, you were.
Spider shoos a WOODSPRITE away. The other kids run up.
LO’AK
Come on, we gotta go.
Kiri gets up. HER KURU pulls itself free from the tendrils.
EXT. RAINFOREST BENEATH FLOATING MOUNTAINS - DAY
QUARITCH looks up at the soaring magnetic formations above the trees. A few ikran circle overhead, ignoring the RECOMS.
QUARITCH
(thumbing throat mike)
Iron Sky, Blue One Actual.
INTERCUT WITH BRIDGEHEAD OPS CENTER -- Ardmore and his officers on the HOLO-FLOOR.
ARDMORE
This is Iron Sky, send your
traffic.
QUARITCH
We’ve been on the ground in the hot
zone for seven hours, and no
challenge from the wild-life. Looks
like we’re under the Bitch’s radar.
EXT. RAINFOREST - DAY
Lo’ak leaps down from a raised root and bends to examine something on the ground. The other kids jump down to see.
ANGLE ON -- HUGE BOOTPRINTS in the mud of a game-trail. Lo’ak’s fingers lightly touch the tread pattern.
LO’AK
Way too big for human.
SPIDER
Avatars?
Lo’ak studies the tracks, taking in the whole scene around him, nostrils flaring as he breathes in strange scents.
LO’AK
I guess, but these guys are for
sure not ours. This way!
Lo’ak head off, following the tracks. Kiri grabs his arm.
KIRI
What are you doing?
LO’AK
Sshhhh. I’m tracking.
KIRI
Don’t be an idiot.
LO’AK
Look, I'm a trained scout. I spot
bogeys, I call it in. Go back if
you’re scared.
He leaps over a log and runs on, TRACKING. Spider scrambles after. Kiri stops Tuk from following TOWARD DANGER.
KIRI
Lo’ak!
(he keeps going)
Skxawng!
Kiri is torn between keeping Tuk safe and catching up to Lo’ak. She grips her little sister’s shoulders.
KIRI
Stay here, I have to catch him.
TUK
(scared)
You can’t leave me by myself.
Kiri, furious and frustrated, grabs Tuk’s hand.
KIRI
Come on.
The girls run to catch up to Lo’ak.
EXT. RAINFOREST —- SHACK CLEARING - DAY
WAINFLEET walks point, using his HANDHELD HOLO to track a homing signal. He points to a clearing ahead.
QUARITCH pushes foliage aside revealing -- a vine-covered AMP SUIT lying on its back. HIS RECOMS fan out across the clearing toward an overgrown LINK SHACK.
QUARITCH (COMMS)
Blue Two, rally to my pos.
Quaritch is drawn to the AMP suit. He brushes vines from the cockpit and sees the painted nose art -- the words “BEYOND GLORY.” This was HIS suit -- in another life.
He contemplates the SKELETON inside, skewered by two Na’vi ARROWS. Stares into the eye-sockets behind the mask.
CLOSE ON -- GOLDEN EYES peering through a screen of leaves. Lo’ak, Kiri, Spider and Tuk are watching from a distance.
KIRI
We are NEVER supposed to come here.
Dad’s going to ground us for life.
LO’AK
I gotta see what they’re doing.
KIRI
Lo’ak!
Spider follows Lo’ak as they creep closer to the clearing.
IN THE CLEARING -- several recoms check out the SHACK, looking in through the imploded window at a SMASHED LINK UNIT now covered by vines and dead leaves.
ON THE BOYS -- wide eyed.
SPIDER
Bro, that’s where your dad and my
dad...
Fought to the death.
LO’AK
That’s your dad’s suit.
A look of awe passes between them.
LO’AK
I gotta call this in.
He gestures and they silently pull back to join the girls. Lo'ak thumbs his THROAT MIKE, talking low.
LO’AK
Devil Dog, this is Eagle Eye, over.
EXT. FLOATING MOUNTAINS —- DAY
Jake, Neytiri and Neteyam fly their ikran among sheer cliffs.
JAKE (COMMS)
Devil Dog. Send your traffic.
INTERCUT JAKE AND LO’AK...
LO’AK (COMMS)
I’ve got eyes on some guys -- they
look like avatars -- but they’re in
full cammo and carrying AR’s. Six
of them. Over.
Jake reacts, suddenly alarmed.
JAKE (COMMS)
What’s your pos, over?
Oh shit. Busted.
LO’AK (COMMS)
We’re, uh -- at the old shack.
JAKE (COMMS)
Who’s we?
LO’AK (COMMS)
Uh -- me, Spider, Kiri and, uh --
(wincing)
-- Tuk.
Neytiri flashes Jake a look of pure dread.
JAKE (COMMS)
Son, listen to me very carefully.
Pull back right now. Do not make a
sound. Get the hell out of there.
Move!
LO’AK (COMMS)
Copy. Pulling back.
NETEYAM
Dad, I know a short-cut!
He banks his ikran before Jake can protest. Neytiri banks after her son, and Jake goes after them. Neteyam dives into a narrow cleft between two cliffs.
EXT. RAINFOREST / SHACK CLEARING —- DAY
Lo’ak gestures and the boys turn to go, when --
A FIGURE LUNGES, grabbing Tuk, who SCREAMS and -- RECOMS of Blue Two squad LEAP out of the foliage, rifles raised --
RECOM ZHANG
FREEZE! None of you move!
LO’AK
Raaaahhhhh!!
Lo’ak bares his fangs and draws his bow as Spider leaps to protect Kiri, bow drawn, HISSING --
RECOM ZHANG
Drop the weapons! Now! DO IT!
HE FIRES A BURST right over their heads. SPIDER and Lo’ak drop their bows. Raise their hands. Recoms grab them and shove them to their knees as --
QUARITCH and the other recoms sprint to the scene and -- Wainfleet twists Kiri’s wrist, looking at her hand -- FOUR FINGERS. He holds it up for Quaritch to see.
WAINFLEET
Four fingers. She’s half breed.
Quaritch spins KIRI around. He is startled at the resemblance to Grace Augustine.
QUARITCH
You look a lot like somebody I used
to know. We didn’t get along.
Quaritch hands her off to ZHANG and turns his attention to Lo’ak, who hides his extra digits.
WAINFLEET
Show me your fingers!
Lo’ak brings his hands forward -- MIDDLE FINGER raised from each fist. The double bird. Quaritch snarls and grabs him by the KURU, yanking him up to look at his face.
QUARITCH
You’re his aren’t you?
Lo’ak bares his teeth and HISSES like a rabid bobcat.
QUARITCH
Yeah, you’re his. Where is he?
LO’AK (IN NA’VI, SUBTITLED)
Sorry, I don’t speak English -- to
buttholes.
Quaritch jerks his queue, hard. Lo’ak cries out in pain.
QUARITCH (IN NA’VI, SUBTITLED)
Where is your father?
Lo’ak’s eyes well with tears, but he gives Quaritch nothing.
QUARITCH
That’s how you wanna play it?
He grabs KIRI by the hair and draws his KNIFE --
SPIDER
NO! Leave her alone!
Quaritch glances at the little human kid. Something familiar about him ...
QUARITCH
What’s your name, kid?
Spider is paralyzed by QUARITCH’S FACE -- and THAT VOICE.
SPIDER
Uh -- Spider. Socorro.
Quaritch blinks as IT DAWNS ON HIM...
QUARITCH
Javier?
SPIDER
Nobody calls me that.
Quaritch passes Kiri to ZHANG, who twists her arm behind her in a painful come-along. Quaritch kneels in front of the boy. Looks into those suddenly familiar eyes.
FLASHBACK -- HUMAN QUARITCH lying in a bunk at HELL’S GATE with a five year old Spider, reading him a book.
BACK TO PRESENT -- Quaritch looks him over -- the little boy he used to read bedtime stories to, now a teenager.
QUARITCH
I’ll be damned. I thought they sent
you back to Earth.
SPIDER
They can’t put five years olds in
cryo.
An awkward moment between the boy and this Na’vi incarnation of his dead father. Quaritch stands, touches his throat mike.
QUARITCH (COMMS)
Iron Sky, Blue One, we’re ready to
extract. We are bringin’ out high
value prisoners.
(to Wainfleet)
Sully’s not the lone wolf any more.
His weakness is his family.
He realizes that the forest is becoming quickly DARKER and looks up. Through a gap in the trees he sees -- THE SUN being covered by the vast disk of POLYPHEMUS. The DAILY ECLIPSE is starting.
EXT. AERIAL -- DUSK (ECLIPSE)
A DRAGON GUNSHIP leads a squadron of SEAWASPS and KESTRELS in a tightly banked turn across the face of Polyphemus.
ARDMORE (COMMS)
Copy, Blue One, we are inbound to
your pos, over.
EXT. SHACK CLEARING -- TWILIGHT (ECLIPSE)
The kids have been herded into the clearing near the fallen AMP suit -- now on their knees and held tightly by recoms.
QUARITCH
Perimeter!
Several recoms fan out into the surrounding forest. With a cable, Wainfleet has jacked his HANDHELD into the dash panel of the fallen AMP suit.
WAINFLEET
You’re gonna want to see this.
VIDEO IMAGE -- FAST FORWARD DASH-CAM POV -- AMP suit arms hacking through jungle, the LINK-SHACK APPEARING AHEAD --
QUARITCH (O.S.)
There! Run real-time.
DASH-CAM POV -- a THANATOR flies at us, armored jaws open, teeth bared. Frantic, blurred images as Human Quaritch takes on Neytiri’s thanator.
ON RECOM QUARITCH, lit by the screen in the gathering dark.
The AMP suit finishes off the thanator with its knife, trapping Neytiri beneath the beast’s heavy, inert body. She HISSES defiantly AT CAMERA.
JAKE (O.S.)
Give it up, Quaritch!
VIDEO POV whirls around, revealing JAKE crouched in a fighting stance, snarling -- the SHACK behind him.
JAKE
It’s all over.
RECOM QUARITCH bares his own Na’vi teeth.
RECOM QUARITCH
Sully!
HUMAN QUARITCH (O.S.)
Nothin’s over while I’m breathin’.
EXT. RAINFOREST CLEARING - NIGHT
JAKE, Neytiri and Neteyam glide in to quiet landings and dismount. Neteyam pulls his bow from its holster but --
JAKE
No, Boy. Stay with the ikran.
He looks Neteyam in the eye. I mean it.
NETEYAM
Yes, sir.
Jake and Neytiri soundlessly move off through the forest.
EXT. SHACK CLEARING -- NIGHT (ECLIPSE)
VIDEO -- Neytiri in warrior pose, bow drawn, pointed right at us. She lets the arrow fly. It SLAMS HOME. Neytiri runs up and HISSES, crouched protectively over fallen Jake. The POV topples... and becomes still. Trees and sky.
RECOM QUARITCH stares at the last thing Human Quaritch saw as he died. He shuts off the display. Touches the REAL ARROWS -- YELLOW FLETCHINGS weathered but unmistakable.
He reaches into the cockpit and RIPS OUT HIS HUMAN SKULL, pulling the mask off it. His blue fingers surround the little skull like a soft-ball. He stares into the empty sockets. His team looks on in uneasy silence.
SPIDER watches wide-eyed as this Na’vi revenant holds his father’s skull. WAINFLEET reaches into the cockpit and removes DOG TAGS from the corpse.
WAINFLEET
Are we gonna recover these remains?
Quaritch’s powerful blue hand CRUSHES THE MOLDERING SKULL. He lets the fragments fall through his fingers.
IN THE SKY -- a bright diamond in a ring, the last flash of sun disappears behind the disk of Polyphemus. TOTALITY.
EXT. RAINFOREST - NIGHT (ECLIPSE)
Jake and Neytiri move like spirits through the GLOWING FOREST. He presses his throat mike.
JAKE
Eagle Eye, Devil Dog, say your
status, over?
(no answer)
Eagle Eye, how copy?
EXT. SHACK CLEARING
But it’s QUARITCH who’s now listening to LO’AK’S EARPIECE. He raises Lo’ak’s throat mike in his hand -- CLICKS IT.
QUARITCH
Jake Sully! You hear me, Corporal?
I’ve got your kids! How you copy
that?
JAKE slows, stunned. (INTERCUT JAKE and QUARITCH...)
JAKE
Who is this?
QUARITCH
It’s your past catchin’ up with
you, son.
JAKE stops cold, recognizing the VOICE, however impossible.
QUARITCH holds Lo’ak’s mike out in front of the boys.
QUARITCH
Talk to him!
LO’AK
Dad, uh -- we’re all here -- Kiri,
Spider and Tuk. I’m sorry, Dad, I --
QUARITCH
Now listen up, Corporal. I’m gonna
give you coordinates and you’re
going to show your face or you’re
gonna have a real short Christmas
list.
NEYTIRI reacts in horror to the voice in her earpiece.
QUARITCH
I took you under my wing, Jake --
and you betrayed me. You killed
your own kind. Good men. I will NOT
hesitate to execute your kids.
JAKE MOVES fast but silent through the night.
JAKE
Give me the coordinates.
EXT. FLOATING MOUNTAINS - AERIAL - NIGHT
The DRAGON leads its squadron of gunships beneath the floating mountains, homing in on Quaritch’s position.
EXT. RAINFOREST - NIGHT
JAKE AND NEYTIRI glide through the night forest. Neytiri stops him suddenly with a touch. She inhales deeply -- an UNFAMILIAR SCENT. Jake signals and they SEPARATE, creeping forward.
EXT. SHACK CLEARING - NIGHT
QUARITCH’S NVG POV -- BIOLUMINESCENCE garishly over-exposes the amplified NIGHT-VISION image.
Quaritch rips off his NVG goggles, and rubs his eyes. He stands blinking, looking around as his eyes adjust.
CLOSE ON Quaritch’s eyes -- the pupils widening in the great golden irises. Around him the forest GLOWS with a thousand pastel hues. His feline nose wrinkles with new smells. He breathes in the night, his senses alive.
QUARITCH
NVG off!
He throws his night-vision headset away. The others hesitate, then take theirs off -- look around with growing amazement.
OUTSIDE THE CLEARING -- A LONE SENTRY blinks as his eyes adjust to the forest glow. Which is when --
JAKE EMERGES FROM THE SHADOWS behind him in absolute silence. A FLASH OF HIS KNIFE, and the sentry goes down with Jake’s hand clamped over his mouth.
IN THE CLEARING -- LO’AK hears a high pitched TRILLING. His EARS SWIVEL to the source. Lo’ak locks eyes with KIRI She squeezes Tuk’s hand. Their cat-like ears scan as --
The TRILL COMES AGAIN. Spider sees the Sully kids hyper-alert and realizes -- IT’S ON. He stealthily opens his FOLDING KNIFE, keeping it hidden.
NEARBY -- NEYTIRI has the kids in view. She draws her bow but ZDINARSIK, who’s gripping Kiri, moves -- blocking the shot.
NEYTIRI STOPS, exhaling sharply, hands shaking. She inhales and draws again, trying to steady her nerves. She must shoot within inches of her daughter. But then --
ZDINARSIK moves slightly and -- SHHH-WHACK! An ARROW drives right through his chest. He is thrown back, freeing KIRI as --
Quaritch FIRES in the direction of the arrow and --
NEYTIRI flattens herself behind a trunk as bark is blasted from the far side and --
LO’AK yanks the PIN on a SMOKE GRENADE on Wainfleet’s battle harness. RED SMOKE BOILS around them as --
TUK and LO’AK bare their fangs and BITE DEEP into the arms of the recoms holding them, shaking their heads furiously. The men SNARL in pain, releasing them and -- LO’AK AND TUK DISAPPEAR into the SMOKE as --
QUARITCH grabs Spider, who stabs his KNIFE into his arm --
QUARITCH
Aaaahh -- son of a bitch!
-- and wrenches free.
SPIDER (IN NA’VI)
Ruuuun!
KIRI BOLTS but MANSK grabs her, then -- SSHH-WHAP! An ARROW buries in MANSK’S throat. Spider grabs Kiri and they RUN, as--
RECOMS FIRE into the smoke on rock-and-roll, as WAINFLEET drags the fallen MANSK behind a tree, and --
JAKE LEAPS onto another SENTRY, taking him down. His knife strikes twice, fast. Then he’s up and running as --
QUARITCH low-crawls to ZDINARSIK, sees that he’s dead, skewered by an arrow with familiar YELLOW FLETCHINGS.
QUARITCH
That you Missus Sully?!
He sees a lithe shape running and RIPS OFF A LONG BURST. She’s gone in the shadows, behind trees. Then -- A RINGING SILENCE. Quaritch signals to the recoms to flank out, to get the angle on her. They move off, left and right.
QUARITCH (CONT’D)
Come on out. You and I have
unfinished business!
ON NEYTIRI, panting behind a trunk. Through foliage she sees glimpses of Kiri and Spider sprinting away. Must buy time.
NEYTIRI
Demon! I will kill you as many
times as I have to!
ZHANG is moving slowly, circling out to get the angle on her. He places his feet quietly, eye riveted to his rifle’s SCOPE.
SCOPE POV -- as Neytiri is slowly revealed behind her trunk. MACRO as Zhang’s finger tightens on the trigger --
SHWHACK! An ARROWHEAD BURSTS from his chest. He grips it and drops slowly in astonishment as we --
RACK FOCUS to a wide-eyed NETEYAM behind him. Shaking, Neteyam fumbles to nock another arrow but DROPS IT as --
QUARITCH, GOMEZ and WAINFLEET whip around, guns up as --
A SHAPE TACKLES NETEYAM, flinging him sideways and down as the forest is SHREDDED by recom weapons. JAKE rolls with Neteyam down a slope, and they scramble behind trunks. Jake pops out FIRING, driving recoms to cover, as --
NEYTIRI makes her move -- she breaks cover and sprints, leaping from limb to limb as--
QUARITCH and the others send a FURY OF TRACERS that rip the foliage into confetti. Quaritch CHAMBERS A GRENADE in his underslung launcher and FIRES --
KRACK-BOOM! Wood-splinters shower her as the tree limbs are ripped apart. NETEYAM and JAKE sprint and land panting behind a tree, mainlining adrenaline.
JAKE
You okay, boy?
He nods, wide-eyed. Jake SNAPS A LOOK, then grips his son’s shoulder --
JAKE (CONT'D)
With me. Move!
Neteyam runs with his father, putting lots of dense forest between them and the recoms.
ON A SEPARATE PATH Kiri and Spider run hand in hand.
KIRI
That was your father back there!
SPIDER
My father’s dead. I don’t know what
that was.
NEARBY -- LO’AK AND TUK are zipping among the undergrowth when -- Jake and Neteyam leap over a log right in front of them, scaring the crap out of them.
JAKE
Anybody hurt? Tuk, you okay?
Tuk sniffs and nods. Jake motions and they run on.
JAKE
Just for the record, you kids are
in a lot of trouble.
EXT. RAINFOREST - NIGHT
Quaritch and the recoms have spread out in a search line, advancing at a jog.
WAINFLEET
-- they’re on foot, headed north.
Target is the Ace of Spades, I say
again, Ace of Spades!
EXT. AERIAL -—- NIGHT
The DRAGON leads gunships flying low and slow, scanning the forest with THERMAL OPTICS.
INT. DRAGON COMMAND SHIP
ARDMORE stands behind the pilot, watching his screens.
PILOT
Sir, we’ve been in hostile airspace
over ten minutes. We’re past bingo.
ARDMORE
We've got Sully, we’re going long.
EXT. RAINFOREST/ GUNSHIP - NIGHT
Jake looks up as a SEAWASP GUNSHIP appears over the trees behind them.
THERMAL SCOPE -- the Sullys are caught in the open on a limb, warm bodies WHITE on the scope.
GUNSHIP PILOT
I have targets in the open.
ARDMORE (O.S. COMMS)
Engage. Take them out.
The SEAWASP’S ROTARY CANNON FIRES a stream of TRACERS as --
Jake gets the kids under a huge limb. The rounds tear chunks off, sending wooden shrapnel raining around them -- HAMMERING THEM with a sound that drowns out Tuk’s SCREAM.
Jake sees RECOMS closing in on them, and FIRES LONG BURSTS, driving them behind trees.
JAKE
Move people!
He scoops up TUK Jake and his sons run hard, putting cover between them and the pursuers.
THERMAL SCOPE -- running figures of the Sullys are flashes glimpsed through heavy foliage.
PILOT
Targets are intermittent, I’m not
getting lock.
ARDMORE (O.S. COMMS)
Switch missiles. Hammer their
positions.
STREAKS OF FIRE as ROCKETS lance through the trees. A RAIN OF DEATH as the forest is BLASTED all around JAKE’S group. THEY SPRINT flat out as the forest LIGHTS UP with EXPLOSIONS. Wood shrapnel flies, branches fall, foliage is shredded as --
NOT FAR AWAY -- SPIDER tries to keep up with Kiri, but falls behind as they dash along a raised root and --
KA-KOOM!! A missile EXPLODES -- knocking Spider off the root. Kiri runs on, reaches cover and looks back. Can’t see him.
KIRI
SPIDER!!
She starts back along the trail, but NEYTIRI FLASHES OUT OF THE FOLIAGE, grabbing her arm.
NEYTIRI
Come daughter! This way!
KIRI
No, Spider’s back there --
QUARITCH and WAINFLEET leap down a bank to Spider’s body.
QUARITCH
Air units, check your fire! CHECK
YOUR FIRE!
Quaritch flips the boy over -- Spider GROANS, coming to. Quaritch, RELIEVED, pulls him up and throws him over his shoulder as --
HELLACIOUS FIRE from the gunships hammers the forest ahead.
QUARITCH
Fall back!
NEARBY, screened by foliage, KIRI is freaking out as she sees SPIDER carried off.
NEYTIRI
Come! NOW!
KIRI
NOOO!!
Neytiri has to literally drag her away. Around them is a CHAOS of TRACER FIRE and a rain of kindling.
NOT FAR AWAY -- JAKE FURIOUSLY RETURNS FIRE, until his AR empties. He SNARLS and tosses it away. Running, he leads the kids into denser jungle as --
EXT. AERIAL - NIGHT
GUNSHIP PILOTS look up to see -- HUNDREDS OF WILD IKRAN swarm across the face of Polyphemus. They descend upon the gunships like the Furies of Hell. EYWA’S FORCES.
Gunships wobble and flip over amid SLASHING, BITING IKRAN. TRACERS fill the night, spraying in all directions as --
SWARMS OF STINGBATS stab DOOR-GUNNERS with venomous tails.
EXT. RAINFOREST - NIGHT
THE KIDS gawk as A KESTREL SPINS overhead and impacts nearby. A FIRE-BALL roars up. Lo’ak pumps his fist in the air --
LO’AK
EY-WA! EY-WA! EY-WA!
INT./EXT. DRAGON COCKPIT
Ardmore flinches as IKRAN hit the canopy, raking claws across the glass. GUN-TURRETS hammer away.
ARDMORE
We’re out of time.
(to COMMS)
All call signs, break off! Blue
Team, rendezvous for extract!
EXT. RAINFOREST - NIGHT
QUARITCH’S RECOMS fall back toward the hovering DRAGON.
QUARITCH
Let’s go people our ride’s leaving!
Spider is freaking out in his grip, flailing and kicking.
SPIDER (IN NA’VI)
NO! Let me go! Raaaaahhhh!!
Quaritch hands the thrashing kid off to Wainfleet so he can cover their retreat. He sees --
A FLOCK OF STINGBATS descends toward them, all teeth and venomous tails. Quaritch braces for impact but -- the stingbats divide, flapping past around him. He is INVISIBLE TO EYWA. He ROARS amid the flurry of wings as --
NOT FAR AWAY -- NEYTIRI REACTS as OMATICAYA WARRIORS arrive, WHOOPING, bows ready. She springs up from her children and -- with a WAR CRY -- leads the warriors TOWARD THE ENEMY --
THE RECOMS latch onto CABLES and are hauled up into the hovering DRAGON. SPIDER is drawn into the belly of the beast. Quaritch is backing toward the extraction point when --
JAKE LAUNCHES off an overhead limb, TACKLING HIM HARD. They fall, CRASHING through branches. Down an embankment -- Quaritch’s AR cart-wheels away.
They roll and tear apart, scrambling up -- then square off, teeth bared. KNIVES drawn. The hovering DRAGON moves off amid swarming ikran. Its thunder abates.
JAKE
That you, Colonel?
QUARITCH
Just like old times, ain’t it,
Jake? I’m gettin’ all misty eyed.
He lunges. Jake blocks and BACKSLASHES and then IT’S ON -- thrusting, leaping, whirling -- crystal blade against steel. They’re both lightning fast, equally matched. But then --
NEYTIRI LEAPS IN SLOW MOTION -- SNAP-SHOOTS ON THE FLY --
THE ARROW -- IN SLOW MOTION -- drills toward Quaritch’s chest. His EARS pivot and he side-slips -- it SKIPS off his chest ARMOR and slams into a trunk.
The other Na’vi SHOOT. In a hail of arrows Quaritch DIVES -- INTO A RUSHING RIVER. He is carried away into darkness as Neytiri and the warriors fire another fusillade after him.
EXT. RAINFOREST / NEARBY - NIGHT
JAKE AND NEYTIRI rush back to the kids. She pulls Kiri and Tuk to her, hugging them fiercely.
NEYTIRI
Oh, Great Mother -- thank you!
Bless you!
LO’AK
Where’s Spider?
KIRI sobs, covering her mouth. Jake seizes both his sons and grips them tight. Lo’ak tries not to cry. Doesn't succeed.
JAKE
It’s okay, boy.
(grabbing the others)
We're okay.
But Kiri can only weep at the loss of her best friend.
NETEYAM
What were they, avatars?
JAKE
No. They’re ghosts.
EXT. HIGH CAMP VILLAGE (INSIDE GROTTO) - NIGHT
A hasty EVACUATION is in progress -- villagers running with packs. Strapping them onto ikran.
Jake addresses the leaders, MO’AT and VA’RU.
JAKE
Go to the forest. Disappear like
smoke.
VA’RU
Can this be the great Toruk Makto?
JAKE
This Quaritch -- whatever he is --
can walk right in here, right under
Eywa’s nose -- with the entire RDA
war machine behind him.
Jake looks at their stricken faces.
JAKE
I promise you -- if it takes my
last drop of blood -- we will drive
the Sky People from our land.
INT. SULLY FAMILY DWELLING
Neytiri’s ears are flat with anger. She paces like a caged panther, her tail lashing.
NEYTIRI
I can not leave my People, Jaake!
JAKE
He’s targeting our family! And he
is not gonna stop.
Her anger is replaced by a kind of panic.
NEYTIRI
I cannot. You cannot ask this! The
children -- everything they have
known -- the forest is our home...
JAKE
He had our children under his
knife!
Jake is shaking with emotion. Neytiri holds up her bow -- her Father’s WAR BOW. Symbol of the Omaticaya People.
NEYTIRI
Ma-jaake -- my father put this bow
in my hands -- as he was dying. He
said protect the People.
JAKE
This is to protect them! Quaritch
has Spider. The kid knows our whole
operation -- he could lead them
right to us. You understand? If the
People harbor us -- they will die.
She sags -- knowing he’s right. He grips her arms --
JAKE
I’ve got nothing, baby. No plan.
But this family I can protect.
That I can do.
NEYTIRI
My heart is crying out, Jaake.
JAKE
My heart is crying out too. But I
know one thing -- wherever we have
to go, the family is our fortress.
Finally, she faces him with stoic warrior strength.
NEYTIRI
Then this is our path.
JAKE (V.O.)
As a warrior, every bond of love
you build -- weakens you.
INT. BIOLAB
Kiri sobs, her face pressed against the tank where Grace’s Avatar serenely floats. Jake and Neytiri look on, sadly.
JAKE
(taking Kiri’s arm)
Come on -- it’s time to go, honey.
Kiri tears her arm free, and stands tearfully defiant.
KIRI
Don’t lie and don’t change the
subject. Who was my father?
NEYTIRI
Daughter, this is not the time.
KIRI
This is the time!
(anguished)
I’ve lost my best friend and now
I’ll never see my real mother
again. I want the truth!
Jake and Neytiri look at each other, realizing it is, in fact, finally the time...
EXT. TREE OF SOULS - NIGHT
The enormous white WILLOW, under its signature STONE ARCHES, is the most sacred site to Na’vi of this region -- the symbol of Eywa. The tree glows with serene purple light.
JAKE and AVATAR NORM watch as Kiri, Neytiri and Mo’at kneel with eyes closed and their KURU plugged into the TENDRILS of the Tree -- connecting with tribal memory.
FLASHBACK -- among the roots lie Human Grace and her Avatar, head to head in fetal positions. They are overgrown by Silken MYCELLIUM. The roots glow with pulsating bioluminescent energy. Mo’at leads a hypnotic chant as HUNDREDS OF NA’VI, plugged in, sway in unison.
BACK TO PRESENT -- Mo’at disconnects, and the others follow. Kiri turns to regard her adoptive family.
NEYTIRI
You have no father, Kiri.
JAKE
When we realized the avatar was
pregnant Norm ran some tests. It
was partho -- what?
He glances at Norm -- help me out here.
NORM
A parthenogenic birth. You’re
genetically identical to Grace’s
avatar. There literally is no
father.
KIRI
What, like a -- clone?
NORM
Yeah, but our science didn’t do it.
KIRI
It can’t just happen.
MO'AT takes her grand-daughter’s hands. The Tsahik’s eyes brim with tears of joy and awe.
MO’AT
No, child. It was the will of Eywa.
(indicates the dais)
When the dreamwalker body lay here,
in the Great Mother’s hands -- a
seed was planted.
KIRI stares up at the glowing tree. Feeling the PRESENCE. A couple of WOODSPRITES hover, trying to land on her.
NEYTIRI
Daughter, you are very special.
You must trust in that.
Jake puts his hands on Kiri’s shoulders from behind.
JAKE
I don’t care how it happened.
You’re my baby girl, and I’m your
father. The only father you’ll
ever need.
CU KIRI -- his words give some comfort, but they don’t explain the things going on in her head.
KIRI
You should have lied.
EXT. TREE OF SOULS - DAWN
The WHITE WILLOW towers over the gathered OMATICAYA CLAN. Jake stands at the very spot where, years before, he assumed leadership of the People, as TORUK MAKTO -- The Rider of Last Shadow. He wears the MANTLE of OLO’EYCTAN, CLAN LEADER.
JAKE (V.O.)
When it came time, the words were
like stones in my heart...
Jake removes the MANTLE and hands it to Mo’at.
JAKE
I can no longer lead the People.
Mo’at places the mantle on the shoulders of VA’RU, the successor.
JAKE (V.O.)
Va’ru was wise for his years. He
would be a strong Olo’eyctan.
Va'ru draws his knife and holds it up for all the Omaticaya clan to see. Jake bares his chest to Va’ru. People sob, cover their mouths, tears streaming.
JAKE (V.0O.)
The Leader must die...
The knife SLASHES DOWN. But Va’ru turns the blade. Only his fist slams into Jake’s chest. A symbolic stab to the heart.
Va’ru makes a ritual backhand cut across Jake’s chest. Blood trickles down. Mo’at dabs the blood with a fingertip and draws a streak down Va’ru’s forehead.
JAKE (V.O.)
... so the Leader can be born.
The other members of the clan come with their knives, one by one, and make ritual cuts. Jake bears the pain, but the anguished faces of his people are almost too much for him.
JAKE (V.O.)
Jakesuully was dead. His family was
cut from the hearts of the People.
Neytiri cries silently, her arms around the children.
EXT. HIGH CAMP GROTTO - IKRAN ROOST —- DAY
The Sullys, parents and kids, finish cinching the PACKS and SADDLEBAGS on their ikran. Neytiri embraces HER MOTHER. Tuk runs in, sobbing, hugging Mo’at’s waist.
TUK
Grandmother, come with us. Please!
MO’AT
No, Tuktirey, I must stay The
People need their Tsahik, now more
than ever.
TUK buries her face, not ever wanting to let go, but...
EXT. COASTAL CLIFFS - DUSK
FIVE IKRAN FLY through the rain under somber clouds. Tuk rides with Neytiri. Jake, Lo’ak, Kiri and Neteyam fly solo. Everything they own is strapped to their ikran.
JAKE (V.O.)
One life ends, another begins.
They pass over the surf, and head out over an angry sea.
TIME CUT -- the Sullys fly silhouetted against a somber dusk as they pass RUGGED ISLANDS. Surf CRASHES against cliffs.
JAKE (V.O.)
I had no plan. Only hope. It’s a
father’s duty to have hope.
TIME CUT -- DAY AGAIN -- a chain of ATOLLS stretches to the horizon -- rings of reef, small islands sheltered inside.
JAKE (V.O.)
The sea clans are a world unto
themselves. Thousands of islands.
An unknown territory into which we
could vanish without a trace.
The ikran convoy is tiny against the vast landscape.
EXT. OCEAN / ATOLL - DAY
HIGH SHOT -- the SULLYS fly across the HUGE SURF of the OUTER REEF, a natural seawall, and into the calm LAGOON. Their ikran skim over turquoise water and shallow coral fingers, toward a volcanic island covered with hug MANGROVES.
EXT. METKAYINA VILLAGE —- DAY
BUILT AMONG THE ENORMOUS ROOTS of the mangrove trees is the METKAYINA VILLAGE -- structures suspended over the water from the arching roots. They are beautifully woven MARUI hanging like wasp nests, connected by walkways.
The Sullys bank in a tight arc around the village, and Neytiri HAILS them with piercing CRIES.
VILLAGERS run out along the walkways shouting and waving. The Sullys land on a sand-spit, their IKRAN panting.
A SHELL-HORN resounds across the lagoon. People dive into the water, mounting their ILU (a cross between PLESIOSAUR and MANTA RAY.) Ilu riders race beneath the suspended houses as others run out along the sand.
The Sullys get their first look at the REEF PEOPLE -- a MARINE-ADAPTED SUBSPECIES with broad salamander tails -- fast swimmers. Children jostle in the growing crowd to see the strangers.
Lo’ak nudges Neteyam as -- A TEENAGE REEF GIRL slips off her ilu and rises from the water -- an exotic sea nymph. This is TSIREYA She checks them out with wide curious eyes, as --
Lo’ak and Neteyam check her out right back. Suddenly the Reef’s not so bad. A CRY from seaward. Everyone turns --
THREE FLYING CREATURES skim toward them over the waves -- SKIMWINGS. They glide just above the surface, like huge flying-fish, driven by strong tails in the water.
The SKIMWING RIDERS glide over the crowd to touch down in the lagoon beyond. They slip off their mounts and wade ashore. The leader walks straight toward Jake.
TONOWARI, the OLO’EYCTAN of the METKAYINA CLAN, is impressive -- powerfully built, scarred, heavily TATTOOED -- including his face. Like a Maori chief. The CROWD goes silent.
Jake makes the formal Na’vi greeting, left forefinger to the middle of his forehead. Tonowari returns it.
JAKE (V.O.)
I knew Tonowari as a tough leader.
But it wasn’t Tonowari I was
worried about...
The crowd parts and a striking woman strides forward. This is RONAL, Tonowari’s wife. She wears the ceremonial HEADRESS of TSAHIK. Her face is TATTOOED, her expression stony.
Pages 50-74[]
JAKE
I See you, Ronal, Tsahik of the
Metkayina.
Ronal only narrows her eyes.
TONOWARI
Why do you come to us, Jakesuully?
JAKE (V.O.)
We seek uturu.
RONAL
Uturu!
JAKE (V.O.)
Yes -- sanctuary for my family.
TONOWARI
We are Reef People, you are forest
people. Your skills will mean
nothing here.
JAKE (V.O.)
We will learn your ways.
Ronal snorts. She walks around the Sullys as if eyeing pigs at an auction. Picks up Kiri’s tail then flicks it aside contemptuously.
TONOWARI
Your tails are weak. You will be
slow in the water.
A cocky teenage boy, NU’UNG, laughs. The reef girls giggle.
Ronal grabs Kiri’s hand, inspects the extra finger. Turns to Lo’ak. He hides his hands behind his back, but she SNARLS and he produces them guiltily.
RONAL
These children are not even true
Na’vi, they have demon blood.
Neytiri bristles. Ronal’s derision strikes close to her own secret shame about her mixed-blood children. Jake holds up his hands for all to see -- FIVE DIGITS.
JAKE (V.O.)
I was born of the Sky People, but
now I am Na’vi. We will adapt.
Neytiri’s glare says Ronal better back off her kids unless she wants a smackdown.
NEYTIRI
My Husband was Toruk Makto. He led
the clans to victory against the
Sky People. You will gain honor.
RONAL
This you call victory? Hiding among
strangers?
(to Jake)
It seems Eywa has turned her back
on you, Chosen One.
Neytiri bares her fangs and HISSES.
JAKE (V.O.)
I apologize for my mate, she --
NEYTIRI
Do not apologize for --
Jake cuts her off with a firm grip on her arm.
JAKE (V.O.)
She is exhausted. We have flown
long.
Tonowari gives Ronal a warning look. He locks eyes with Jake -- alpha to alpha. He feels his People’s eyes upon him. He’s on dangerous ground whichever way he decides. Tonowari lays a hand on Jake’s shoulder as he turns to address the crowd.
TONOWARI
Toruk Makto is a great war leader.
All Na’vi people know his story.
(a beat)
But we Metkayina are not at war.
(to Jake)
Death follows you wherever you go,
Jakesuully. I can not let you bring
your war here.
JAKE (V.O.)
I’m done with war. I just want my
family safe.
Tonowari notes Jake’s abject manner.
NEYTIRI
Uturu has been asked! You must
shelter us -- it is the Na’vi Way.
TONOWARI
I know the Na’vi Way!
But Tonowari is trapped. He scans the eyes of the Metkayina. There is honor at stake, and tradition that binds all Na’vi. Tonowari sighs. Facing Jake he CLOSES HIS EYES SLOWLY AND OPENS THEM -- the Na’vi sign of assent.
TONOWARI
Toruk Makto and his family will
stay with us. Treat them as
Brothers and Sisters. They do not
know the sea --
(to Jake, pointedly)
-- so they will be like babies
taking their first breath. Teach
them our ways so they do not suffer
the shame of being useless.
JAKE (V.O.)
Thank you.
TONOWARI
(to the Sully kids)
My son Nu’ung and my daughter
Tsireya will show you what to do.
NU'UNG
Father, why do I --
TONOWARI
It is decided!
Tonowari turns away, taking a furious Ronal with him. She shoots an icy glare at Neytiri. But TSIREYA SMILES as she steps in front of the kids -- grabs the boys’ hands --
TSIREYA
Come. I will show you our village.
The sea girl leads the boys along the walkway, followed by Kiri, Tuk -- a fuming Nu’ung -- and the village kids.
LO’AK
(low, to Neteyam)
This place does not suck.
INT. NEUROLAB - BRIDGEHEAD
SPIDER is strapped into a BRAIN-SCANNER, immobile, leads fastened all over him. It WHINES as it spins around him. ARDMORE yells in at him through the whirling SCAN-HEAD.
ARDMORE
Where is Jake Sully? Where’s his
base?
SPIDER
Eat me!
Spider grimaces as PAIN stabs through his skull.
NEUROTECHS stare at real-time HOLOS of Spider’s brain. QUARITCH, WAINFLEET and STRINGER watch from the shadows.
ARDMORE
Is he still in the mountains?
SPIDER
How should I know? Got any more
lame-ass questions I couldn’t
possibly know the answer to?
Ardmore strides over to the techs.
ARDMORE
Kid’s lying. Push the levels.
NEUROTECH
We’ll burn him if we go higher.
Ardmore gestures TURN IT UP. The tech complies with raised eyebrows. QUARITCH’S eyes narrow.
ARDMORE
Where did he go? Which clans are
harboring him?
The machine ROARS LOUDER. Spider thrashes against his bonds.
SPIDER
Aaaahhhhggg!!! I don’t know! I
don’t know, you buttholes! I don’t
know!
QUARITCH
That’s enough.
STRINGER
We've gotten no actionable
intelligence out of him.
QUARITCH
I said you’re done.
Quaritch SLAMS his hand down on the SHUT-OFF SWITCH. The WHINE dies away and the SCAN-HEAD stops. Ardmore turns to countermand him, but -- sees the look in Quaritch’s eye.
QUARITCH (CONT’D)
Let me work the personal angle.
Ardmore scowls, then gestures dismissively and walks out.
IN THE SCANNER -- Quaritch reaches in and unstraps Spider, yanking the LEADS off him. Pulls him out. The boy is wild- eyed, struggling weakly. Blood trickles from one nostril.
QUARITCH (CONT’D)
Tough guy, huh? How’s that workin’
out for you?
He wipes the kid’s bloody nose. WAINFLEET watches him carry the boy out.
INT. HOLDING CELL / OBSERVATION ROOM
SERIES OF CUTS:
-- Spider stalks the CELL like a caged animal.
SPIDER
Hey you pinkass pricks, let me out
of here! Heeeyyyy!!!
-- He FLINGS A CHAIR at the observation window. It bounces off. He throws it again -- dreadlocks flying, teeth bared.
SPIDER (CONT’D)
Raaahhrrr!!! Vale madre pendejos!
-- Spider huddles in a corner, hugging his knees. Trembling, trying not to cry.
-- He stands on a table, PISSING on the two-way mirror.
In the darkened OBSERVATION ROOM, Quaritch grins.
QUARITCH
I’m startin’ to like this kid.
DOCTOR
He’s completely feral. Thinks he’s
one of them.
MOMENTS LATER -- QUARITCH enters the CELL and kneels down, eye level to Spider. He rubs his BANDAGED FORE-ARM, where Spider stabbed him.
QUARITCH (CONT’D)
You got heart, kid. I respect that.
Here...
He reaches in a pocket, pulls out the DOG TAGS.
QUARITCH (CONT’D)
Thought you might want these.
Spider glances at the tags, then looks away. Quaritch shows him the NAME stamped on the tag.
QUARITCH (CONT'D)
Colonel Miles Quaritch. Deceased.
Killed in action.
(beat)
I’m not that man, son. But I do
have his memories -- enough to know
he wasn’t always the best father.
That’s not an apology. I’m not your
father. Technically, you and I are
nothing to each other. But I can
help you. You help me, I help you.
Spider has no response. Just stares straight ahead, jaw clenched. A fierce little dude.
QUARITCH (CONT’D)
Let’s get out of here. Whattya say?
EXT. AIRFIELD - DAY
Quaritch hoists Spider into the aft bay of a KESTREL GUNSHIP as the other RECOMS jump aboard. The TURBINES SPOOL UP. He crouches by the boy and tightens the straps on Spider’s BREATHING MASK.
QUARITCH (CONT’D)
There’s a tracker in this, so you
run -- I’1l have you back in two
minutes and then whip your ass old
school. Understood?
Spider registers it, but gives him nothing. Quaritch signals, the pilot PULLS PITCH and the ground drops away.
INT. SULLY MARUI - DAY
The whole Sully family is gathered in their MARUI. DAY ONE at the reef -- Jake has called a FAMILY MEETING.
JAKE
I want you kids on best behavior. I
mean it. You learn fast, pull your
weight and don’t cause trouble.
Got it?
He looks pointedly at Lo’ak.
LO’AK
Yes, sir.
Neteyam pats him on the back. Lo’ak pulls away, baring fangs. Tuk starts to cry.
TUK
I want to go home.
JAKE
Tuk-tuk -- this is our home now.
All eyes on Jake. He looks around at his traumatized family -- understanding how hard this is on them.
LO’AK
Look, we’re gonna get through this,
if we all have each others’ backs.
NEYTIRI
What does your father always say?
The kids roll their eyes and answer in unison.
KIDS
Sullys stick together!
JAKE
That’s right. Sullys stick
together.
EXT. RAINFOREST TRAIL - DAY
Sunlight shafts down through the enormous trees. The forest is alive with animal sounds and movement. QUARITCH stands hands on hips, addressing his RECOM TEAM. Spider, wearing only MASK and loin-cloth, has his arms crossed -- not wanting any part of this.
QUARITCH
Sully’s gone to ground. But
wherever he went, we’re gonna find
him -- and his crazy wife too.
Spider smirks at the massive RECOMS clanking around in their high tech gear.
QUARITCH (CONT’D)
To get him we go Na’vi -- all the
way. Eat like them, ride like them
-- think like them.
(in NA'VI/SUBTITLED)
And that starts with speaking the
language.
Spider GUFFAWS.
SPIDER (IN NA’VI/SUBTITLED)
You call that speaking the
language? You sound like a three
year old!
QUARITCH
Alright kid, you just went from
team mascot to interpreter.
SPIDER
You guys are a joke. Look at you --
you got all your battle rattle and
your big old boots --
He scrambles up vines to a LIMB, nimble as a ring-tailed lemur. SNEERS down at them flexing BARE TOES on the bark.
SPIDER (CONT’D)
You wanna play Na’vi out in the
woods? Boots are for pussies!
He dances along the root on calloused feet, taunting them. Quaritch GRINS.
QUARITCH
BOOTS OFF!
EXT. REEF NEAR VILLAGE - DAY
NETEYAM, LO’AK and TUK run with Tsireya and Nu’ung along a walkway among the MANGROVE ROOTS. Also with them is ROTXO, a chunky reef kid with a BIG SMILE, and some older boys -- Nu’ung’s POSSE.
TSIREYA dives off, followed by the reef kids. LO’AK whoops and --
UNDERWATER -- FWOOSH! FWOOSH! -- the Sully boys plunge in, followed by a smaller SPLASH as Tuk hits behind them.
They look around. The gin-clear water abounds with ICTHIDS -- SCHOOLS flash by like silver blizzards. Colorful reef fish dart and circle around them.
The reef kids race ahead, FROG-KICKING smoothly among the roots. Their STRONG TAILS LASH, giving them extra speed.
The Sully kids come to the SURFACE, out of breath after only a few seconds. The reef kids use UNDERWATER SIGN LANGUAGE.
NU’UNG (SIGNING, SUBTITLED)
What’s wrong with them?
Tsireya SIGNS to the Sully boys floating above --
TSIREYA (SIGNING, SUBTITLED)
Come down. Follow us.
But they don’t understand. The reef kids get impatient and go back up to them.
NU’UNG
You are not good divers. Maybe good
at swinging through trees but...
His posse boys crack up. Tsireya smacks him.
NETEYAM
We don’t speak finger talk, guys.
TSIREYA
I will teach you!
ROTXO
Where is Kiri?
MOMENTS LATER -- Rotxo and Tsireya run dripping back along the walkway. They find Kiri HANGING BACK, withdrawn.
IN JUMP CUTS -- we see Kiri waving them away, not wanting to go in -- they laugh and gesture, grinning, pulling her forward -- she resists, digging in like a mule -- they each grab an arm and start hauling her, laughing -- other reef kids join in. Finally Kiri’s grinning too and --
UNDERWATER -- a big multiple SPLASH. KIRI looks around at all the fish. Wow. Tsireya SIGNS to Rotxo.
TSIREYA (SIGNING, SUBTITLED)
Watch her.
KIRI is already swimming off on her own, mesmerized by the marine life. Rotxo follows. She spreads her arms wide, hair flowing free, with an EXPRESSION OF WONDER.
AT THE SURFACE -- NU’UNG makes a sharp CLICKING SOUND and several ILU swim to him.
NU’UNG
These are ilu.
TUK
Eeeee-loooo.
NU’UNG
If you want to live here, you have
to ride.
Lo'ak impulsively reaches for the KURU of the nearest one. It shies away -- easily eluding him. SQAWKS and CLICKS at him.
NU’UNG
But first you have to catch one.
The ilu CHATTER MOCKINGLY, their mouths permanent grins filled with needle-sharp teeth. Nu’ung and the reef boys LAUGH and point as --
Neteyam and Lo’ak flounder after the agile creatures.
TSIREYA comes back and sees the reef boys being jerks. She CLICKS and an ilu comes to her. She steadies it for Lo’ak, who mounts awkwardly. He tries to balance, sliding all over on the slick skin as --
She steadies another one for Neteyam.
TSIREYA
Make the bond gently.
The boys do but the ilu STARTLE. Both boys topple, grabbing their ilu around the neck. Lo’ak gets a BLAST of FISHY BREATH from the NOSTRILS on its back -- right in the face.
LO’AK
Whooaaa! That is nasty.
More derisive laughter from the reef boys.
Lo’ak scowls at Nu’ung and MENTALLY SPURS his mount -- WHOOSH -- it ROCKETS FORWARD. He yelps and holds on tight as it DIVES -- inhales water and gets PEELED OFF. Comes up HACKING.
NETEYAM, learning from his brother’s mistake, takes a deep breath first and --
UNDERWATER -- he flaps like a flag in a high wind, holding its KURU as the ilu swims. He loses his grip and tumbles off.
This time Tsireya has to LAUGH, though she stops when Neteyam surfaces SPUTTERING.
NOT FAR AWAY -- KIRI takes a deep breath and relaxes, sinking down to kneel calmly on a sandy bottom.
Some CURIOUS ILU come to her, circling close. One pushes its head into her outstretched hand. She puts her arm IN ITS MOUTH amongst needle-teeth. It tastes her with its tongue, then swims close, sliding its body across hers.
Kiri CONNECTS HER KURU, then slips onto its back. She naturally STREAMLINES her body to the ilu and -- RIDES OFF, effortlessly. She goes up for a breath when she needs it and goes back down, exploring the reef.
ON LO’AK -- holding on like grim death as his ilu dives. He is peeled off and kicks back to the surface, humiliated --
In time to see Kiri arrive, literally swimming circles around him on her ilu. She stands her mount vertical in the water, TAIL-WALKING on its back fins. Her expression smug.
NU’UNG and his posse are dumbfounded.
LATER -- TSIREYA has rounded up a SMALL ILU for Tuk -- a water pony. They stand in the shallows as Tuk studiously connects her KURU.
TSIREYA
She will share her breath spirit
with you, through the bond.
Tsireya interlaces her fingers like the tendrils of two kuru.
They race off, joining the other kids UNDERWATER as they fly over the lagoon bottom. Tuk’s grin is EAR TO EAR.
EXT. REEF/LAGOON - DAY
Jake climbs on a SKIMWING as TONOWARI and two other WARRIORS steady it. It surges like a BULL IN A CHUTE.
TONOWARI
This is a warrior’s mount. Not
easy to master. Perhaps start with
an ilu --
JAKE
No. This one.
The beast turns to meet Jake’s eye. It BARES ITS TEETH in a threat display. This is NOT going to be easy.
He wraps a STRAP -- part of a woven SHEATH on the beast’s KURU -- around his hand, like a bull-rider.
TONOWARI
Remember, when you dive back in --
good position is very important.
JAKE sends a mental command and the beast races forward, building speed. Jake WILLS IT TO TAKE FLIGHT and -- the WINGS SNAP OUT and for a second it’s gliding above the waves. Then it DIVES and --
HITTING THE WATER is like a WALL. Jake is SLAMMED BACK, torn off the saddle in a vortex of bubbles. He comes up COUGHING. His wrist is raw and bleeding where the strap ripped loose.
WARRIOR
You are sure he is the one who rode
the Toruk?
Tonowari scowls, watching Jake flounder.
Jake grits his teeth and gets back on the skimwing. He winds the strap around his SCRAPED, BLEEDING WRIST.
EXT. REEF/LAGOON - DAY
NEYTIRI is finding that an ilu is NOT an ikran. And water is NOT her element. She strong-arms the ilu, ripping along the surface, but SMACKS A WAVE face first.
Water shoots up her nose and she falls off. Ronal rides up.
RONAL
You must keep the bond.
Neytiri shoots the Tsahik a withering look.
NEYTIRI
I understand how the bond works.
She sets her jaw and climbs back on.
TONOWARI RIDES UP. They watch Neytiri fall again -- SNARLING and SLAPPING the water in frustration.
TONOWARI
It will take time.
RONAL
Small children can ride ilu. These
outsiders will not last a week.
EXT. RAINFOREST - DAY
QUARITCH and his recoms are FAR ABOVE THE GROUND, running along huge tree limbs. They are BAREFOOT and BARE-CHESTED, but carry AR’s and combat-webbing.
Ahead of them SPIDER LEAPS effortlessly from branch to branch, landing with perfect balance. He grabs his crotch, dancing backward, taunting them.
The recoms try to keep up. FIKE lands on something sharp and CRIES OUT. PRAGER slips on moss and TUMBLES OFF the limb --
SPIDER
Oh, oops!
EXT. LAGOON - REEF - DAY
UNDERWATER, Lo’ak and Neteyam ride hell for leather with the reef kids, who snake around each other in sinuous HYDROBATICS -- high-G turns and BARREL ROLLS. The SULLY BOYS FLAIL AROUND spectacularly -- but STAY ON.
JAKE falls off his skimwing at FLIGHT SPEED -- he HITS like a skipping stone -- a punishing wipe-out.
EXT. TIDE POOLS - TWILIGHT
Metkayina villagers walk among softly GLOWING TIDE POOLS, harvesting seaweed and shellfish. A serene, timeless image.
KIRI squats with Tsireya, watching a SWARM of small fish darting around and through her fingers.
KIRI
How do you connect to Eywa?
TSIREYA
We make the bond underwater, at the
Cove of the Ancestors. I will take
you when you are ready. But first --
you must learn to breathe.
EXT. LAGOON/DIVING HOLE - DAY
Kiri, Lo’ak and Neteyam sit cross-legged at the edge of a diving hole as Tsireya talks and Roxto demonstrates the “breathe-up.”
TSIREYA
Constrict your throat, so your
breath sounds like the surf.
Breathe in slowly -- let your mind
go clear -- breathe out slowly.
To Lo’ak and Neteyam, Tsireya is the most beautiful creature they’ve ever seen.
TSIREYA (CONT’D)
Clearer with each breath. You must
slow down your heartbeat. Breathe
from down here.
She puts a hand on Lo’ak’s belly. Whoah.
TSIREYA (CONT’D)
Breathe in -- and breathe out.
His heart races at the touch of her hand on his belly.
TSIREYA (CONT’D)
Your heartbeat is fast, Lo’ak. Try
to focus.
LO’AK
Sorry, sorry.
Neteyam looks sidelong at Lo’ak and smirks.
TSIREYA
When you are ready, fill your
lungs, stay calm, and dive --
One by one, Sully kids drop into the water...
SERIES OF VIGNETTES
-- FAR UNDERWATER, Neteyam frog-kicks downward. His swimming is stronger. He goes through a huge BAIT BALL. Icthids dart out of his way to make a living tunnel.
-- LO’AK frog-kicks with Tsireya across rippled sand in gin- clear shallows. He is CALM and unhurried. A ray-like creature darts from the sand, flapping ahead of them.
-- TUK floats among stalks of a SARGASSUM FOREST as an OTTER- CREATURE swims sinuously around her, then pops up face to face. She LAUGHS, letting out bubbles.
-- ROTXO leads the kids past huge NAUTILOIDS, like mill- wheels hovering mid-water, tentacles pulsing.
-- AT NIGHT, Sully kids glide among galaxies of BIOLUMINESCENCE that turn the reef into a bright midway. Creatures dart past, leaving glowing wakes like comet tails.
It’s a whole new Pandora they never dreamed existed.
EXT. LAGOON/DIVING HOLE - DAY
Tsireya sits cross-legged with a sole pupil -- Lo’ak. He is deep in trance, despite her hand on his diaphragm. She softly chants the “WAY OF WATER”...
TSIREYA (V.O.)
The Way of Water has no beginning
and no end...
LATER -- TSIREYA drops a SHELL into the water. Lo’ak watches it twinkle down into the cobalt depths. She waits, then taps him. He descends, gliding down after the shell...
VIGNETTES CONTINUE:
--HIGH ANGLE, NIGHT -- silhouetted ilu swim over the GLOWING multi-colored reef.
--SOMETHING like a Spanish Dancer the size of a car undulates past. Its BIOLUME DOTS pulse with starburst patterns. The kids are mesmerized.
-- LO’AK dives deeper and deeper after the shell twinkling far below him...
TSIREYA
The sea is around you and in you.
The sea is your home, before your
birth and after your death...
-- IN DAPPLED SUNLIGHT, Kiri dreamily reaches to touch the velvety side of a big, octopus-like creature pulsing past.
-- UNDERWATER, TUK plays with her ILU PONY in shallow water. It blows an AIR RING and swirls it with its nose. She BITES the air, then cracks up. The ilu bobs its head -- laughing.
TSIREYA (V.O.)
The sea takes, and the sea gives.
Water connects all things...
-- LO’AK, far down the coral wall, in the twilight over 50 METERS DOWN, finally catches the falling SHELL. He looks up toward the surface, IMPOSSIBLY FAR AWAY --
TSIREYA (V.O.)
Life to death...
LO’AK BURSTS UP into sunlight and air, GASPING for breath. He brandishes the shell overhead and WHOOPS as Tsireya GRINS.
TSIREYA
... darkness to light.
EXT. HOMETREE - DAY
FIRE! The smoke is too blinding, the NOISE too blaring, to make sense of it, then we realize -- HOMETREE IS FALLING -- a terrifying FLASHBACK of flames, EXPLOSIONS and SCREAMS --
INT. SULLY MARUI - NIGHT
Neytiri CRIES OUT, coming wide awake in her hammock, heart hammering. Jake is THERE, arms around her.
JAKE
It’s okay, sshhhhh. I’m right here.
Neytiri struggles to dispel the horrific vision. She breathes hard, staring into the darkness.
EXT. FLOATING MOUNTAINS - DAY
QUARITCH, SPIDER and the recoms run across a VINEBRIDGE in the floating mountains. Blue Team leaps nimbly from vine to vine, looking decidedly more Na’vi.
EXT. IKRAN ROOKERY - DAY
SPIDER and the RECOM POSSE hunker behind rocks, watching -- a multitude of SCREECHING IKRAN.
WAINFLEET takes aim with a TRANK GUN -- FIRES. FWHAP! The DART STRIKES. His ikran flaps around, starts to fly then flops back to the ground, barely conscious.
Wainfleet hands Quaritch the trank gun and runs forward. He makes the bond and climbs aboard his groggy ikran.
SPIDER SNORTS and shakes his head in disgust.
SPIDER
Na’vi kids younger’n me do it with
their bare hands.
QUARITCH
Jake Sully did it the hard way?
Spider nods. Quaritch hands the trank gun to PRAGER and walks out among the pissed-off ikran. He sizes them up as they REAR and FLAP in threat displays.
Quaritch finds his match -- it LUNGES and almost bites his head off. They regroup and GLARE at each other.
QUARITCH (CONT’D)
Okay. Me and you, good-lookin’.
Quaritch lets the ikran lunge but DODGES and RUNS up the rock face. Circling, he LEAPS -- landing on its back. Now it’s a BUCKING BRONCO but Quaritch hangs on.
SPIDER
Did I mention you’re supposed to
tie the mouth shut first?!
The ikran SNAPS RAZOR TEETH at Quaritch as he grabs its KURU. But before he can make the bond, they TUMBLE OFF THE CLIFF --
Spider GASPS. They all rush to the edge, looking down --
QUARITCH and the ikran are in free-fall, still wrestling. Holding his KURU in one hand, Quaritch stretches to reach the ikran’s. Then he uses his last bit -- of strength -- to make the bond.
Still falling, the ikran’s and Quaritch’s PUPILS DILATE.
EXT. LAGOON —- DAY
JAKE FLIES his SKIMWING in ground-effect, then streamlines himself to it and DIVES. K-WHOOSH! He blasts under the water but holds on then --
LAUNCHES AIRBORNE again, skimming across the wave-tops, reveling in the POWER OF THE SKIMWING.
TONOWARI and his riders FALL IN beside Jake, YELLING and pumping their lances in the air. Jake WHOOPS BACK and they carve across the waves together.
EXT. ROOKERY - DAY
SPIDER and recoms JUMP BACK as QUARITCH’S IKRAN rockets up past them. He BANKS in a tight turn and SOARS OVER THEM, bellowing a WAR CRY.
Spider grins, in spite of himself.
EXT. LAGOON - DAY
Ronal watches as Neytiri flies low on her IKRAN. Neytiri aims her BOW and fires into the water, then --
SHE DIVES HER IKRAN BELOW THE SURFACE. It folds its wings and swims underwater like a CORMORANT, pumping its aft canards.
Neytiri surfaces defiantly, holding A FISH PIERCED BY HER ARROW up to Ronal. Serve that up for dinner, reef bitch.
EXT. SKY - DAY
Quaritch maneuvers through the air, testing his moves as he banks and dips. The RUSH IS INTOXICATING.
EXT. LAGOON —- DAY
LEARNING MONTAGE:
-- Tsireya teaches Tuk and Kiri to use a GILL MANTLE, a diaphanous creature that connects to their kuru. It draws oxygen from the water -- an external gill -- so they can stay under much longer on one breath.
-- the KIDS BODY SURFING WITH ILU, communing with waves, experiencing pure animal joy at the speed and freedom of it.
-- UNDERWATER, Kiri swims in a pas de deux with an ilu. It’s a vision of grace and unity with nature.
-- UNDERWATER, Rotxo shows Lo’ak how to use a METKAYINA SPEAR- GUN. Lo’ak stalks the reef, calm and patient. He FIRES -- nailing a big fish.
-- Tonowari shows Lo’ak and Neteyam how to WEAVE fibers to make an ILU SADDLE, then --
-- Lo’ak and Neteyam teach Jake the weaving technique. They’re much better at it than he is.
JAKE (V.O.)
It was a time to learn. A time to
heal.
-- Jake and Neytiri walk on the beach at NIGHT. WAVES pulse with BIOLUME as they hit the shore. She takes his hand.
-- IN THE SULLY MARUI, everyone’s asleep -- except Jake. He walks among the hammocks of the sleeping kids, touching each on the head. The protector.
EXT. LAGOON/UNDERWATER - TWILIGHT
VILLAGE WOMEN wearing GILL MANTLES work a DEEP WALL, harvesting BIOLUMINESCENT DELICACIES under coral ledges. RONAL maneuvers gracefully among fans and sponges.
TUK dives, looking for Kiri. She comes around a coral fan, stopping as she sees -- KIRI, her expression rapturous, her glowing MANTLE undulating like angel wings. She is surrounded by a SWARM OF TINY BIOLUMINESCENT SQUID. Like a thousand fire-flies moving together, they form SHAPES AND PATTERNS as --
Kiri moves her hands, CONDUCTING THE SWARM to make -- FACES -- CREATURES. The forms disintegrate and reform at her whim -- like she’s composing visual music.
ANGLE ON RONAL WATCHING -- astonished and disturbed. Something about this girl is very wrong.
Tuk SHAKES Kiri, who snaps out of it in a panic. The SWARM disperses. Kiri looks around -- a small crowd has gathered. She’s a SPECTACLE. Kiri bolts for the surface, Tuk following.
EXT. LAGOON/SHALLOWS - DAY
UNDERWATER -- Kiri floats serenely, just below the surface, watching cloud patterns through the water. Her face mirrored.
LATER -- Kiri lies in a meter of water, staring at patterns of sunlight playing over the washboard ripples of sand bottom -- PATTERNS WITHIN PATTERNS -- waves, refraction, interference. Matter and energy in an eternal dance...
NU’UNG (O.S.)
Are you some kind of freak?
Kiri squints up, confused, at -- NU’UNG and POSSE staring down at her.
KIRI
I’m sorry, what?
POSSE KID
He asked if you are a freak.
Kiri’s scrambles up, fighting back tears. Nu’ung circles her.
NU’UNG
You are not even real Na’vi. Look
at those hands.
LO’AK (O.S.)
Hey, back off, fishlips!
Nu’ung spins as LO’AK stalks up, getting right in his face.
NU’UNG
Another four-fingered freak.
The other boys gather around, shoving Lo’ak. He’s about to get his ass kicked.
KIRI
Leave us alone!
NETEYAM’S HAND CLAMPS on Nu’ung’s arm and spins him around.
NETEYAM
You heard her. Leave them alone.
Neteyam’s presence is calm, POWERFUL. Nu’ung senses he doesn’t want to tangle with him.
NETEYAM
Back off. Now.
Nu’ung puts up his palms and steps back --
NETEYAM (CONT'D)
Smart choice. And from now on -- I
need you to respect my sister.
(to his siblings)
Let’s go...
BUT -- Lo’ak just can’t help himself. He holds up his splayed fingers to Nu’ung.
LO’AK
You think this hand’s funny? Let me
show you something cool it can do.
(demonstrating)
First you ball it up real tight like
this, then--
CRACK! A SOLID JAB to Nu’ung’s nose --
LO’AK
It’s called a PUNCH, bitch!
LO'AK follows with a hard CROSS AND UPPERCUT COMBO. Nu’ung hits the sand, butt first.
MOMENT OF STUNNED SILENCE. Neteyam winces. Here we go.
ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE. Nu’ung leaps up, tackles Lo’ak. Cronies jump in, dog-piling. Knees, elbows, feet in a blur. Neteyam jumps in. An errant elbow WHACKS him in the chin.
JAKE (PRELAP)
What was the one thing I asked?
The one thing!?
INT. SULLY MARUI - DAY
Lo’ak and Neteyam stand in front of Jake, bruised and bloody.
LO’AK
Stay out of trouble.
NETEYAM
It was my fault.
JAKE
I don’t think so. You need to stop
taking the heat for this
knucklehead.
LO’AK
He was picking on Kiri!
JAKE
Go apologize to Nu’ung.
LO’AK
What?!
JAKE
He’s the chief’s son! I don’t care
how you do it, go make peace.
LO’AK
But --
JAKE
You heard me. Right now!
Lo’ak heads out -- extremely bummed. Jake looks over Neteyam’s bruises.
JAKE
How do the other guys look?
NETEYAM
Worse.
JAKE
Good.
EXT. LAGOON - DAY
Lo’ak rides his ilu to NU’UNG and his cronies. They do indeed have more scrapes and bruises than the Sully boys.
Awkward beat. No one wants to talk first.
LO’AK
I’m sorry I hit you -- so many
times.
Nu’ung stares with hooded eyes, then holds out his hand.
NU’UNG
We should be friends.
No one more surprised than Lo’ak. He clasps Nu’ung’s fore- arm, in the traditional Metkayina grip.
NU’UNG
Come hunting with us -- outside the
reef. It’s where the men hunt.
LO’AK
No way. I’m not allowed.
NU’UNG
I must be asking the wrong brother.
BULLSEYE.
LO’AK
Let’s do this.
Nu’ung tosses Lo’ak a SPEAR-GUN.
INT. REEF WALL/TIDAL TUNNEL - DAY
UNDERWATER -- NU’UNG and his posse lead Lo’ak to the mouth of a TIDAL TUNNEL. Seaweed flutters at the tunnel mouth, showing the powerful CURRENT SUCKING IN. Their ILU shy back.
Lo’ak’s eyes go wide as he enters the current behind Nu’ung and their ilu are SWEPT INSIDE in a flash and --
IN THE TUNNEL -- the walls WHOOSH by as Lo’ak is propelled by the profound force of the current. No swimming back. He can only hold his breath and hope the tunnel’s not too long...
EXT. REEF FRACTAL WALL/OCEAN SIDE/UNDERWATER - DAY
Lo’ak BURSTS from the tunnel to the ocean side of the seawall. His LUNGS SCREAM FOR AIR as he races his ilu upward.
EXT. REEF FRACTAL WALL/OCEAN SIDE - DAY
Lo’ak hits the surface. There are SWELLS out here - LARGE SWELLS. Waves THUNDER against the seawall. Lo’ak YELLS out in excitement.
LO’AK
Woo-hoo! That was insane, Cuz!
NU’UNG
This way, I know a good spot.
They head out across the ocean toward a cluster of ROCK SPIRES in the distance called the THREE SISTERS.
EXT. OCEAN/THREE SISTERS - DAY
UNDERWATER -- vast schools of ray-like animals flying in formation. Huge silver BAIT-BALLS churn.
SURFACE -- Lo’ak ducks as a school of skimwings passes over, stretching as far as he can see, skipping from wave to wave. This place is alive with biomass. Dangerous and THRILLING. Lo’ak feels bold hanging with the reef boys. He spurs his mount after them, leaping his ilu through the swells, getting air. Whooping!
NU’UNG
Keep up, forest boy!
UNDERWATER -- Nu’ung shows him how to lie in wait behind a coral head for a big fish to swim by. Lo’ak crouches with his SPEAR GUN, eyes alert. I’ll show these guys...
But we see by glances and SIGNING that the reef boys HAVE SOMETHING IN MIND. On Nu’ung’s signal, THEY SWIM OFF.
LO’AK waits in his position until he runs out of breath, then surfaces, looking around for his new buddies -- but THEY'RE GONE. He looks in all directions, sees nothing.
LO’AK
Hey! Nu’ung! Hey guys!
The boys have vanished. Lo’ak realizes he’s been ditched.
LO’AK (CONT’D)
Hey! Okay not funny!! Heeeyyyyy!
(nothing)
Crap! I am SUCH a dumbass.
Swells rise and fall around him. Beyond is endless ocean. This is dangerous. Scary.
Below Lo’ak, we see a school of SILVER ICTHIDS schooling in a solid wall. The curtain parts, revealing a LARGE AKULA -- a shark-like, armored predator with a mouth from hell.
THE PREDATOR’S EYES track the SILHOUETTE of Lo’ak’s ilu above The monster is LOCKED ON.
SENSING MOVEMENT, Lo’ak’s ilu sees the AKULA ROCKETING AT THEM LIKE A POLARIS MISSILE. It SQUEALS and darts forward --
The APEX PREDATOR HITS FROM BELOW. Its glistening, twisting body drives Lo’ak and ilu skyward in a column of spray and --
As it rises, the akula’s MASSIVE JAWS SNAP SHUT, taking a CHOMP out of the ilu’s aft fin. Then it SMACKS back to the water, sucking Lo’ak down with it.
The wounded ilu JETS OUT OF SIGHT, leaving Lo’ak alone. Now the akula comes around on him -- a WALL OF TEETH. Lo’ak DIVES. The akula pursues and --
He just makes it into a gap in the reef before the akula TEARS INTO THE CORAL behind him and --
He SHOOTS his SPEAR-GUN, but the spear bounces off the akula’s armored head and --
THE AKULA SMASHES into the coral gap, raising a cloud of silt as it BITES and TWISTS. Lo’ak swims fast through channels and short tunnels. Takes refuge under a coral head ...
A SHADOW PASSES -- then nothing. His chest heaves, heart hammering. He’s only got seconds left. He looks around. Can’t see the akula ...
Lungs bursting, Lo’ak makes a break for the surface. The AKULA circles back and LAUNCHES AT HIM, JAWS GAPING, but--
A DARK SHAPE ROCKETS overhead -- a TULKUN. Megalocetus plachydermis -- one of the ARMORED WHALES of Pandora.
WHAM! The TULKUN T-BONES the AKULA, stunning it. It circles and —- BAM! - RAMS IT AGAIN. The force is TERRIFYING. One last SLAM! The akula sinks, twitching, streaming blood.
The boy scrambles for the surface, but he’s DONE. His eyes roll back in his head. His body sinks...
LO’AK SNAPS AWAKE on a rock at the water’s surface. He gulps for air, coughing up water. Slowly recovering his faculties, he sits up and looks around. Where is he??
Lo’ak can hear a big animal’s measured, slow BREATH. That’s when he realizes: He’s not on a rock -- he’s on the tulkun’s massive FORE-FIN!
He slides off the fin and swims to the CREATURE’S HUGE EYE, which is just above the waterline.
LO’AK (CONT'D)
You saved my life.
The large eye stares back -- a well of emotion and thought.
LO’AK (CONT’D)
Thank you.
(signing and speaking)
Thank you.
(beat)
Friend.
BOOM! The tulkun responds with a round of MASSIVE VOCALIZATIONS. The COMMUNICATION is THRILLING -- even though Lo’ak can’t understand a word of it.
LO’AK (CONT'D)
Buddy, I have no idea what you just
said --
The tulkun raises one huge FORE-FIN above Lo’ak -- then brings it down on him -- whoa, whoa! Lo’ak’s pushed UNDERWATER, deeper and deeper.
Then the giant creature circles gently around as if to say Let’s swim.
They swim together. Lo’ak is tiny next to this great being, but the tulkun is careful as --
-- Lo’ak and the tulkun take turns doing barrel rolls. He holds on to a FIN and the tulkun pulls him along.
-- Lo’ak sees that one of the tulkun’s aft fins is MISSING. He gently rubs his hand along the SCARRED STUMP.
He notices that a HARPOON HEAD has pierced one huge fore-fin. It’s rusted and surrounded by scar tissue. He pulls hard, but its spikes won’t let it come out.
LO’AK
They hurt you, didn’t they?
-- LATER -- the tulkun hangs vertical, reaching out one long fore-fin. LO’AK responds, reaching back. BOY and TULKUN float together HAND TO FIN.
EXT. TIDE POOLS - TWILIGHT
Kiri stands, all alone, looking out over the terraced pools. She HEARS the SOUND OF BREATHING -- not her own.
She closes her eyes and listens, feeling a PRESENCE. It is strangely exhilarating but also TERRIFYING.
INT. SULLY MARUI - NIGHT
Kiri works preparing dinner near Neytiri, but avoiding eye contact or conversation.
NEYTIRI
What is wrong, Kiri?
KIRI
Nothing -- Neytiri. I’m fine. Why
would I not BE FINE?!
She slams down a bowl and food goes flying.
NEYTIRI
So I am not called Mother now?
Silence and slumped shoulders. Neytiri tries to hold her, but Kiri shrugs sharply away. Her eyes well up.
KIRI
Why can’t I just be like everyone
else?
Pages 75-99[]
NEYTIRI
Eywa put in you only what you are
strong enough to bear.
KIRI
I don’t want it!
Kiri STOMPS OUT of the marui. Neytiri looks to Jake and sighs in exasperation. She’s all yours.
EXT. LAGOON - NIGHT
Jake and Kiri sit watching the lagoon. The shoreline glows with bioluminescent waves.
JAKE
What is it, Baby Girl? You missing
Spider?
KIRI
Yeah. But -- it’s not that.
He waits. They listen to the surf.
KIRI
I feel her, Dad.
JAKE
Feel who?
KIRI
Eywa. I hear her breath -- her
heartbeat. She’s so close. Just
there -- like a word about to be
spoken.
(beat)
I feel like -- maybe I’m going
crazy, or something.
JAKE
You’re not crazy, baby girl. What
does Eywa’s heartbeat sound like?
Her eyes glitter in the starlight, wide with fear and wonder.
KIRI
Mighty.
NETEYAM runs up, dragging a guilty-looking NU’UNG by the arm.
NETEYAM
Tell him what you told me!
EXT. OUTSIDE THE SEAWALL - NIGHT
Lo’ak rides the TULKUN -- the LIFT-HOME OF A LIFETIME. As they near the reef, they see TORCHES spread across the water. People YELLING LO’AK. A SEARCH PARTY.
LO’AK
Oh man, am I in trouble.
The tulkun slows. Lo’ak slides off, close to the eye.
LO’AK (SPEAKING/SIGNING)
Go -- I will see you again.
No sound from the tulkun as he submerges. A BIOLUMINESCENT WAKE as he dives out of sight.
An OUTRIDER YELLS OUT.
RIDER
I see the boy! Over here!
EXT. REEF/LAGOON - NIGHT
A CROWD of Metkayina have gathered, including Tonowari and Ronal. Lo’ak can’t look his parents in the eye.
NEYTIRI
I pray for strength that I will not
pluck the eyeballs out of my
youngest son!
She shakes him by the arm for emphasis -- hard.
TONOWARI
No! My son knows better than to
take him outside the reef. The
blame is his.
Tonowari drops a heavy hand on the back of Nu’ung’s neck. The boy hangs his head, ashamed.
LO’AK
It’s not Nu’ung’s fault. This was
my idea -- Nu’ung tried to talk me
out of it. Really.
What? Nu’ung reacts with shock that Lo’ak is protecting him. Lo’ak has made an ally.
Jake and Tonowari meet eyes -- you deal with yours, I’ll deal with mine.
The Sullys moves off. Once they’re out of earshot --
LO’AK
You told me to make friends with
those kids, that’s all I was --
JAKE
I don’t want to hear it! You
brought shame to this family.
Lo’ak is sullen and defiant.
LO’AK
Can I go now?
JAKE
Any more trouble and I’ll jerk a
knot in your tail! You read me?
LO’AK
Yes, sir. Lima Charlie.
Lo’ak turns and heads for the MARUI. Kiri and Tuk follow.
JAKE
What happened to “keep an eye on
your brother?”
NETEYAM
Sorry, sir.
NOT FAR AWAY -- NU’UNG slides in beside Lo’ak as he walks.
NU’UNG
Why did you speak for me?
LO’AK
Because I know what’s it like to be
one big disappointment.
EXT. REEF/INLAND POOLS - DAY
CLOSE ON Kiri’s face, awed.
KIRI
I wish I had been there. The ocean
blessed you with a gift, Brother.
WIDER -- The kids are gathered around Lo’ak at the terraced TIDE POOLS -- listening raptly. Except for Nu’ung --
NU’UNG
He’s making this up! The tulkun
have not returned yet, and anyway,
no tulkun is ever alone.
LO’AK
Well this one was!
TUK
I believe you, Lo’ak.
LO’AK
He had a missing fin -- just a
stump. On his left side.
TSIREYA
Payakan!
The reef kids look at each other, SHOCKED.
KIRI
Who’s Payakan?
ROTXO
A young bull who went rogue. He’s
outcast -- alone. And he has a
missing fin.
TSIREYA
They say he is a killer.
NU’UNG
He killed Na’vi, and other tulkun --
not here, far to the south.
LO’AK
No, he’s no killer --
TSIREYA
Lo’ak, you are lucky to be alive!
LO’AK
I’m telling you guys, he saved my
life! We’re friends!
Neteyam steps forward. Claps him on the shoulder.
NETEYAM
My Baby Bro -- the mighty warrior!
Who faced the killer tulkun and
lived to tell about it.
LO’AK
You guys aren’t listening.
EXT. MANGROVE FOREST - DAY
INLAND, the MANGROVE ROOTS form a dense forest of arched columns. Tsireya and Lo’ak have found a beautiful secret spot, next to a pool below a waterfall.
LO’AK
How do you sign “I trust you”?
If Na’vi blush, Tsireya is doing it.
TSIREYA (SPEAKING/SIGNING)
I trust you.
Lo’ak tries it out.
LO’AK
How about, “We're from different
worlds, but we have a connection.”
Wow. Now Tsireya’s blushing purple.
TSIREYA (SPEAKING/SIGNING)
We are from different worlds, but
we have a connection.
He tries it. Tsireya corrects him, molding his hands.
LO’AK
Cool. Now if only I could
understand his answers.
She blinks as the penny drops.
TSIREYA
This is for Payakan?
LO’AK
Yeah -- who’d you think it was for?
TSIREYA
(flustered)
Nobody. Never mind.
(angry)
Lo’ak, hear my words -- do not go
back there. It is dangerous.
LO’AK
Don’t tell. It’s our secret.
EXT. DIVING HOLE - DAY
The kids -- Tuk, Neteyam, Tsireya and Rotxo -- return to the surface after a deep practice dive. They GASP for breath.
TUK
Where’s Kiri?
FAR DOWN THE WALL, KIRI floats calmly -- alert but with her heartbeat extremely slow. She is surprised to see Tsireya and Rotxo arrive. The three ascend together.
KIRI surfaces and calmly takes a breath. Tsireya beams.
TSIREYA
You are ready.
EXT. OPEN SEA —- DAY
The FIVE KIDS ride their ILU through big swells, leaving the METKAYINA REEF behind. The ilu bound through the water, sometimes AIRBORNE. The ocean itself seems alive with energy as they set out on an adventure.
The kids bound forward, wild and free in a vast ocean as...
EXT. OPEN OCEAN/THREE SISTERS ROCKS - DAY
Lo’ak sits ALONE on his ilu, riding the swell.
LO’AK
Payakaaaaan!
He waits, scanning the waters. Then -- a SURGE as the water changes color and the TULKUN’S HEAD rises like the sail of a submarine.
Lo’ak slips off his ilu and floats in front of Payakan’s giant eye, which is just above water.
LO’AK (SPEAKING/SIGNING)
I’m Lo’ak. Looo’aaak. I trust
you. You can trust me.
TIGHT ON -- Lo’ak unbolting the last spike of the rusted HARPOON HEAD. He pulls the shaft out of the scarred hole and lets it sink. Payakan trumpets gratefully. Lo’ak grips the fin and -- THEY’RE OFF. Two friends on the move...
-- UNDERWATER -- Lo’ak holds on as Payakan FEEDS in a BAIT SCHOOL, sucking in tons of water like a giant vacuum cleaner.
-- At the surface, Payakan FLIPS LO’AK with his massive TAIL FLUKES, sending him somersaulting through the air. Lo’ak surfaces, laughing, and swims back for more.
-- UNDERWATER -- Payakan blows a huge AIR RING from his blow- hole and Lo’ak swims through it.
-- LO’AK RUNS nimbly over the armored back as they cut through big swells -- like a boy surfing a nuclear submarine. He beats his chest and YELLS WAR CRIES at the sea-birds.
EXT. COVE OF THE ANCESTORS - LATE AFTERNOON
THE KIDS ride their ilu into the COVE OF THE ANCESTORS, gazing around in awe at fantastic rock formations. The SACRED COVE sits beneath FLOATING ISLANDS, and at its center is a BLUE-HOLE -- a deep well in the ocean. Embracing the cove, like giant arms, are enormous ROCK ARCHES.
TSIREYA
The Cove of the Ancestors. Our most
sacred place.
Kiri feels the world darkening and looks up, squinting at -- AN ECLIPSE BEGINNING. Auspicious...
LATER, UNDERWATER -- KIRI descends with the others through the ECLIPSE DARKNESS toward --
RANTENG UTRALTI -- the UNDERWATER SPIRIT TREE. Its glow suffuses the water with a serene purple light. The enormous central column branches out into limbs, ending in LUMINOUS FRONDS that sway in the currents with otherworldly beauty.
EXT. OCEAN - UNDERWATER - NIGHT (ECLIPSE)
Lo’ak hovers on the glowing reef as Payakan emerges from darkness and passes over like an alien mothership. With a playful fluke-stroke, Payakan blows Lo’ak off the coral, engulfing him in swirling nebulae of sparkling biolume.
EXT. SACRED TREE - UNDERWATER - NIGHT (ECLIPSE)
Kiri’s eyes are wide with anticipation as she approaches the sacred tree. Tsireya indicates a good place for her to connect. Kiri disconnects from her GILL MANTLE and touches the tendrils of her KURU to a frond of the tree. They CLASP with a brighter glow -- a good connection.
A warm rush engulfs Kiri. She closes her eyes and --
KIRI’S POV - She’s inside a LAB, a dark, technical space, somewhat abstract. Holos of the neural net fill the air.
GRACE AUGUSTINE, in human form, is there. She smiles.
GRACE
I’m so happy to see you, my
beautiful daughter. But you seem
troubled.
Kiri hugs her fiercely. Somehow Grace transforms fluidly into her AVATAR FORM. Her blue arms wrap around Kiri. The LAB morphs into the INTERIOR OF HOMETREE.
KIRI
Why am I different? What does the
Great Mother want from me? Why did
she make you pregnant with me?
GRACE is about to answer when FEAR CROSSES HER FACE and --
A BRIGHT LIGHT BURNS through Grace from behind and -- GRACE IS TORN FROM HER ARMS WITH A SCREAM. TERRIBLE ROARING SOUND, like a blast furnace, as the WHITEOUT BECOMES ALL CONSUMING. Kiri SCREAMS silently and --
UNDERWATER -- All around Kiri the Spirit Tree is throbbing with bioluminescence, lighting up like a pinball machine. Kiri CONVULSES violently -- a GRAND MAL SEIZURE. Air bubbles erupt from her mouth. She gags on salt water as --
NETEYAM rushes in and grabs his sister. Tsireya disconnects Kiri’s kuru. Together they kick for the surface.
SURFACING, Neteyam treads water as he starts the BREATH OF LIFE -- human CPR. Tuk, Tsireya and Rotxo look on in shock.
Kiri COUGHS and GASPS, starting to breathe on her own.
TUK
Kiri? Kiri!!
But she doesn’t regain consciousness. Neteyam -- all business -- WHISTLES FOR HIS ILU. Gripping Kiri in one strong arm, Neteyam mounts up and takes off.
EXT. LAGOON/VILLAGE - NIGHT
RUSHING WITH Jake and Neytiri as they sprint to meet the KIDS and OUTRIDERS who are bringing KIRI ashore.
Neteyam and Rotxo lift Kiri off the ilu, passing her up to Jake and Neytiri, who carry her along the walkway.
JAKE
Tell me exactly what happened!
INT./EXT. SULLY MARUI - NIGHT
Jake and Neytiri rush in, laying Kiri on the woven floor. He checks the unconscious girl’s vitals as --
OUTSIDE THE MARUI -- LO’AK runs up, breathless, to join the group peering in the entrance.
NETEYAM
Where have you been?
INSIDE -- JAKE picks up an ENCRYPTED COMM-UNIT, takes a deep breath, and keys the mike --
JAKE
High Camp, High Camp, this is Devil
Dog...
EXT. VILLAGE / LAGOON - DAWN
ROTORS THUNDER overhead. METKAYINA gawk at the SAMPSON TILT- ROTOR coming in for a landing -- Sky People tech they’ve heard of but never seen. JAKE stands on the sand-spit, guiding the landing by COMMS. Tonowari watches, not happy.
SAND flies, lashing them, as MAX PATEL lands the Sampson. AVATAR NORM jumps off the skid.
AS THE ROTORS WIND DOWN, Max hops out wearing a MASK and joins Jake aft, helping Norm unload serious MEDICAL GEAR.
JAKE
You sure you weren’t tracked?
MAX
Pretty sure. I hugged the cliffs
then hopped over water way to the
north, running right on the deck.
VILLAGE KIDS crowd close, fascinated by Max’s tiny stature and brown skin. They touch him, then dart back.
NORM
You took a risk, Jake, calling us
out here.
JAKE
Come on, bring the gear.
INT./EXT. SULLY MARUI - LATER
RONAL, in full formal TSAHIK HEADRESS and regalia strides along the walkway, her PREGNANT BELLY thrust forward. The crowd parts as she approaches the MARUI. Lo’ak, Neteyam and the reef kids jump out of her way as she sweeps inside --
RONAL stops short when she sees Max and Norm working on Kiri with their human TECH. IV-drip. EEG. EKG. Max studies WAVE- FORMS on his tablet display --
MAX
-- see this small spike-and-wave
signature in the pre-frontal --
RONAL
I see that I am not needed here.
Ronal turns to go, but Neytiri fiercely GRABS her arm.
NEYTIRI
You are Tsahik! Come!
Neytiri HISSES at Norm and Max --
NEYTIRI
Out! You have done nothing!
-- driving them away from Kiri. She pulls Ronal over and the T sahik kneels to the girl. She unwraps her HERBAL POUCH and methodically spreads out HER tools.
OUTSIDE -- Jake huddles with the science guys.
NORM
I’m goin’ with classic frontal lobe
epilepsy. You get visions, states
of religious ecstasy -- like the
kind she described.
JAKE
Can you do anything?
MAX
She’1l wake up on her own when
she’s ready.
INSIDE -- Ronal ministers to Kiri in the ancient way. CHANTING over her she punches a needle -- a fish SPINE -- into Kiri’s skin across her chest and face, as --
OUTSIDE --
NORM
Jake, plugging into the Eywa-net
was some kind of trigger. She
definitely can’t do that any more.
MAX
Yeah, if she seizes again
underwater, it could kill her.
Jake realizes what a blow that’s going to be for Kiri, who craves connection with Eywa more than anyone.
INSIDE -- Ronal CHANTS while wafting purifying smoke over Kiri. The girl’s eyes flutter open.
TUK
Mom -- look!
Neytiri rushes to Kiri.
NEYTIRI
Kiri.
CU KIRI -- disoriented. Then she REMEMBERS -- the terror, the PROFOUND SENSE OF LOSS. She begins to sob. Tuk grasps her hand as Neytiri strokes her hair.
OUTSIDE, MINUTES LATER -- Neytiri and Jake look to the TSAHIK for an answer. Ronal coldly eyes Max and Norm -- the alien and the false Na’vi.
RONAL
Eywa has folded ears to your
daughter.
NEYTIRI
That cannot be. She is touched by
the All Mother’s hand --
Ronal gestures -- SILENCE! She looks pointedly at Jake --
RONAL
You have stepped far from Eywa.
She has turned her back on this
whole family.
Ronal walks out, leaving Neytiri in shame and doubt.
EXT. PANDORA SKY - DAY
QUARITCH and Posse fly their ikran in formation, AR’s ready.
SPIDER rides the neck of Quaritch’s ikran, sheltered between big blue arms, loving the wind in his hair. He’s wearing a THROAT MIKE and correcting Quaritch’s pronunciation.
SPIDER
Ngati. Ngaaati! Oel ngati kameie.
QUARITCH
Oel ngati kameie.
WAINFLEET banks close to Quaritch, thumbing his throat mike.
WAINFLEET (COMMS)
Boss, a long range patrol picked up
a radar hit. A rogue gunship.
Spider looks alarmed. Suddenly remembers who he’s running with. Quaritch has got a feeling --
QUARITCH (COMMS)
Where?
WAINFLEET (COMMS)
Eastern Sea. 400 klicks north.
Quaritch doesn’t wait for more. He cuts a sharp bank, heading back to base. The posse follows.
QUARITCH (PRELAP)
The signal was intermittent and
they lost it over open water --
INT. OPS CENTER —- DAY
ARDMORE watches, scowling, as Quaritch points at the MAIN DISPLAY which shows myriad atolls in the Eastern Sea.
QUARITCH
-- but if you project the track it
hits this island group.
ARDMORE
That’s hundreds of islands. A big
search box. Lot of villages.
QUARITCH
This is our guy. Give me ships and
aircraft, I’1ll bring you his pelt.
ARDMORE
Let it go, Colonel. He’s gone --
dead for all we know.
QUARITCH
No, he’s out there. Maybe raising
an army among the sea clans.
(points out the window)
This is a coastal installation. You
really want twenty thousand
screaming Na’vi pouring in from
your seaward flank? Trust me,
General -- you need to know Sully’s
dead.
Ardmore glances down and scowls. Quaritch and Wainfleet are BAREFOOT. The General sighs. Why do special ops guys always think they’re -- special?
ARDMORE
One Sea Dragon. One week.
QUARITCH
You’re making the right decision.
EXT. BRIDGEHEAD HARBOR - DAY
A SEA DRAGON moves out of the harbor, past the outer seawall. It’s a monster, 100 meters long with huge DUCTED-FANS driving it forward. Running on its HYDROFOILS it throws up giant ROOSTERTAILS. It is escorted by several GUNSHIPS.
QUARITCH’S RIDERS swoop INTO FRAME, banking toward the ship. SPIDER rides on the neck of Quaritch’s ikran.
INT./EXT. SEA DRAGON BRIDGE - DAY
The nerve center of the ship. A big HOLO display showing inbound radar targets -- IKRAN.
OFFICER
Captain! We got company!
CAPTAIN MICK SCORESBY -- 40’s, salty -- grabs a MASK and goes out onto the BRIDGE WING to look where crewmen are pointing.
He joins DR. IAN GARVIN, OCEANOGRAPHER -- 40's, bearded -- at the rail, in time to see --
QUARITCH’S RIDERS flap down to the BRIDGE ROOF. Scoresby and Garvin duck as the wings crack like sails overhead.
Quaritch and Wainfleet JUMP DOWN onto the bridge wing. SPIDER scrambles after, dropping to the deck. GARVIN gives him a double take -- this feral boy with wild hair.
QUARITCH
You Scoresby?
SCORESBY
Uh huh. You the asshole that’s
commandeering my ship?
TIME CUT -- CLOSE ON BRIDGE HOLO DISPLAY as Quaritch points.
QUARITCH
The target area is pretty much this
whole island group.
SCORESBY
Never been up there.
(to Garvin)
You know those waters, Doc. What
kinda indigenous we got?
GARVIN
Metkayina, mostly. Some Ta’unui.
Maybe fifty villages.
QUARITCH
And we’re going to search them all.
SCORESBY
Look, I hunt tulkun. That’s what
I’m rigged for and that’s all my
guys do. I’ve got quotas to meet.
Quaritch stares him down.
QUARITCH
I’ll be nice once. Then I won’t.
Scoresby considers his options. He shrugs and GRINS. Hell, he’s always up for an adventure.
SCORESBY
Well, if you can’t get out of it,
get into it.
EXT. OUTSIDE BRIDGEHEAD HARBOR - DAY
The SEA DRAGON accelerates, lifting out of the water to FLY JUST OVER THE SURFACE as a WING-IN-GROUND-EFFECT SHIP(WIGE). It quickly hits its cruise speed of 120 knots.
The recoms’ ikran are sheltered aft, behind the ship’s fairing, out of the blasting wind. SPIDER sticks his head above the cowling, holding on tight as the AIRSTREAM BLASTS HIM. He WHOOPS like a maniac as --
EXT. OPEN OCEAN - DAY
WIDE AERIAL -- the Sea Dragon, flanked by GUNSHIP ESCORTS, races across the ocean, wing-tips blasting the wave tops.
EXT. REEF VILLAGE/LAGOON - DAY
THE SHELL-HORN sounds across the lagoon. Jake, Neytiri and the boys rush out of the marui as --
The reef explodes into activity. Villagers drop everything and RUN -- jumping onto ilu and skimwings. Tsireya YELLS OUT at the Sullys as she races by on her ilu --
TSIREYA
Our brothers and sisters have
returned! Come -- see!
TONOWARI, on his skimwing, BLASTS ACROSS THE LAGOON, racing to meet the TULKUN. Ronal and other skimwing riders follow.
There’s a sense of unbridled joy at the anticipated reunion.
JAKE, NEYTIRI and the BOYS RIDE OUT with everyone, to see --
THE RETURN OF THE TULKUN -- A BREATHTAKING SIGHT -- thirty of the great creatures swim into the lagoon, escorted by TONOWARI and the OUTRIDERS.
TULKUN MOTHERS with yearling CALVES, BULLS of all ages, and ELDERS, larger than the rest -- see their Metkayina family speeding out to greet them.
Tulkun greet villagers with BLASTS OF SPRAY. FLUKES SLAM the surface, making HUGE SPLASHES. The water RESONATES with their MIGHTY VOCALIZATIONS.
Young bulls leap clear of the water in full breaches -- some with show-off spins -- CRASHING down in eruptions of spray to the CHEERS of the Na’vi.
THE SULLYS are swept up in the reunion as everyone -- from children to old people -- greet their OTHER FAMILY.
All but TUK, who sprints back to the marui -- little feet nimbly running along mangrove roots --
Tuk BLASTS into the MARUI and drags Kiri out of her hammock.
TUK
Come on come on come on!
KIRI
Tuk, leave me alone! What?!
KIRI stumbles out, blinking in the sun, to see the wondrous reunion. Is that a smile blooming on her face?
JAKE (V.O.)
In the endless cycle of migration,
the tulkun had come home.
UNDERWATER MONTAGE -- Villagers dive among Tulkun, who in turn glide in circles around Na’vi. Some roll inverted, and village CHILDREN play underwater on their huge bellies. It’s a spectacle of tiny figures moving gracefully among giants.
Jake and Neytiri watch as Metkayina find friends among the pod, signing news of their time apart. RONAL strokes her pregnant belly, SIGNING happily to a Tulkun mother.
Tulkun answer with reverberant, song-like VOCALIZATIONS, which the villagers understand.
JAKE (V.O.)
It was a time for stories -- of
their season apart, of births and
deaths, of old friends and new
loves. It was a time for songs --
EXT. LAGOON - NIGHT
UNDERWATER LANTERNS -- BIOLUME PODS -- glow amid tulkun hanging vertically in the water. From above, light from TORCH CANOES filters down.
STRONG VILLAGERS play the WATER DRUM, a submerged, air-filled nautilus shell that BOOMS out a TRIBAL RHYTHM, as --
UNDERWATER -- RONAL strides over the sand bottom, arms upraised in a BLESSING, wearing a flowing ROBE OF SHELLS.
TULKUN SING a capella as Na’vi TULKUN DANCERS move among them -- Tsireya and other TEEN GIRLS wearing GILL MANTLES, move with balletic grace and complex, serpentine hand movements -- weaving a visual narrative to accompany the tulkun’s song.
To everyone’s surprise, KIRI joins the dance, somehow knowing the ancient physical language.
ON THE SEAWALL -- LO’AK sits with his back to the celebration, gloomily staring out to sea.
EXT. TA’UNUI SEA VILLAGE/LAGOON - DAY
TA'UNUI PEOPLE run from their marui to see --
THE SEA DRAGON thundering toward them across the lagoon -- hydrofoils blasting SPRAY 50 meters into the air. The massive ship settles into the water and stops.
LATER -- SEA PEOPLE gape as GUNSHIPS hover overhead, rotors BLASTING their woven dwellings. Terrifying SKY PEOPLE TECH.
SPIDER watches with growing dread as -- RECOMS turn the place INSIDE OUT. They hold the VILLAGE MEN at gunpoint. Wainfleet holds an ELDERLY TSAHIK, while Quaritch interrogates the OLO’EYCTAN, who is tightly bound.
Quaritch gestures at a HOLO-TABLET showing an image of Jake.
QUARITCH (NA’VI/SUBTITLED)
This man. We know he is in these
islands. Here? This village?
THE OLO’EYCTAN speaks too fast for Quaritch to follow.
QUARITCH
What’s he saying?
SPIDER
They never saw him. He says they
are sea people, forest people don’t
come here.
QUARITCH
Ain't buyin’ it.
(NA’VI/SUBTITLED)
Another village? Near? Another
village? You understand me?!
The CHIEF goes on, explaining. Quaritch looks to Spider, who shakes his head.
QUARITCH
(to Wainfleet)
Shoot that animal.
Wainfleet FIRES TWO BURSTS into an ilu. It SCREECHES and rolls over in a cloud of blood. The villagers begin to wail.
SPIDER
What are you doing?! Stop!
QUARITCH (NA’VI/SUBTITLED)
Ears work now?! Jake Sully?! Toruk
Makto? No?
Quaritch gestures and Wainfleet aims his AR at the TSAHIK.
QUARITCH
Make it clear -- tell us where he
is or we kill their Tsahik!
SPIDER
No! I’m not gonna be part of this!
Quaritch turns back to the Chief, switching his tablet to a picture of NEYTIRI.
QUARITCH (NA’VI/SUBTITLED)
This woman? See this woman?
OLO’EYCTAN (NA’VI)
No. No. We know nothing of these
people --
Quaritch nods and RECOM FIKE SLAMS his RIFLE BUTT into the Chief’s face. He crumples to the ground. The villagers SNARL AND HISS. The OLO’EYCTAN yells through bloody fingers --
OLO’EYCTAN (NA’VI)
Be calm, my People! Be strong!
SPIDER
Stop! They don’t know anything!
WAINFLEET grinds his AR muzzle into the Tsahik’s back, driving her to the ground. The villagers cry out in protest. The tsahik just glares, defiant.
WAINFLEET
We really gonna waste her?
SPIDER
Please no! NO!
Quaritch glances at Spider. Checks his own moral dipstick.
QUARITCH
Burn the hootches!
PRAGER cuts loose with a FLAMETHROWER. A tongue of liquid fire leaps out, engulfing the nearest marui.
QUARITCH (CONT'D)
Spread the word! If you hide Jake
Sully -- we burn your village!
(to Spider)
Tell them. Make sure they
understand.
Spider gulps and starts to translate...
MINUTES LATER -- Quaritch and the recoms fly out. Behind them, THE VILLAGE BURNS. SPIDER, trapped between Quaritch’s arms on the ikran, is IN SHOCK. Tears stream down his face.
EXT. SULLY MARUI —- DAY
Tonowari and Jake talk in LOW TONES outside the Sully marui.
JAKE
Did they kill anybody?
TONOWARI
Not yet. They threaten -- but the
villages will not tell them where
you are. By my order.
NEYTIRI comes out, sensing there is bad news.
EXT. MANGROVE ROOTS —- DAY
Jake and Neytiri talk privately among mangrove roots. Neytiri’s eyes BLAZE.
NEYTIRI
We must hunt this demon! Set a
trap. Kill him.
JAKE
We have to be smart! If we hit
Quaritch, they’ll know we’re here --
they’ll come with everything
they’ve got.
NEYTIRI
What is our plan then? You always
have a plan.
JAKE
I don’t know, okay! I thought this
could be a home. I thought we could
start over --
She sees how lost he is -- torn between family, conscience, duty, and the need to have a home -- somewhere. She softens. Touches his cheek with her hand.
NEYTIRI
You will find the path -- Eywa
chose you for a reason.
ON JAKE -- not comforted by this.
EXT. A DIFFERENT REEF VILLAGE - TWILIGHT
SPIDER looks on in shame and horror as RECOMS set fire to another sea village. SCREAMS and WAILS amid the smoke.
QUARITCH stands with Wainfleet, frustrated.
WAINFLEET
They’re stonewalling us.
QUARITCH
If we turn up the heat, Sully’ll
just run again, farther and deeper.
(MORE)
QUARITCH (cont'd)
We need to draw him out -- force
him to fight.
EXT. SEA DRAGON - DAY
THE RECOM POSSE land ikran on the Sea Dragon BRIDGE ROOF. Quaritch slides off and drops down by Scoresby. SPIDER jumps down, standing apart. He glares at Quaritch.
SCORESBY
I’m done with those things crappin’
all over my bridge -- and I’m done
with you crappin’ all over my life.
I’ve got quotas to meet.
QUARITCH
You want to hunt? Let’s hunt.
SCORESBY
What -- here?
(shakes his head)
Not here. Too many villages.
GARVIN
You don’t understand the kinship-
bonds between tulkun and ocean
Na’vi -- it would be like murdering
a member of their family.
SCORESBY
Doc’s right. We start huntin’
here, the hostiles’ll come after us.
QUARITCH
That's exactly what I want. One
hostile in particular.
SPIDER REACTS. He’s helpless -- unable to warn Jake.
EXT. LAGOON/SHALLOWS - DAY
NETEYAM finds Nu’ung and Tsireya spearfishing.
NETEYAM
Lo’ak’s gone. I think he went out
to meet Payakan.
NU’UNG
Come -- I know where.
EXT. THREE SISTERS/UNDERWATER - DAY
Lo’ak greets Payakan, touching a pectoral fin as the tulkun extends it and rolls over.
LO’AK (SPEAKING/SIGNING)
Why are you outcast? What happened?
Payakan pushes him under with his fore-fin.
LO’AK (SIGNING, SUBTITLED)
No -- play later! Talk now.
EXT. THREE SISTERS - DAY
Nu’ung, Neteyam and Tsireya arrive on ilu.
UNDERWATER -- they spot Lo’ak and Payakan. The kids hide at the edge of a forest of ALIEN KELP -- SARGASSUM. They watch from behind swaying fronds as --
LO’AK listens to Payakan’s plaintive VOCALIZATION.
LO’AK (SIGNING, SUBTITLED)
I feel alone too.
Payakan stares at Lo’ak. Then SLOWLY OPENS HIS MOUTH -- a dark cave yawning before Lo’ak’s tiny figure.
Lo’ak understands -- this is an invitation. Then -- a moment of mystical power as the boy takes the ULTIMATE LEAP OF FAITH, ENTERING THE FORBIDDEN CAVE.
NETEYAM LUNGES forward to stop Lo’ak, but Tsireya and Nu’ung hold him back, signing NO! The three of them watch, amazed, as Lo’ak DISAPPEARS INSIDE THE MIGHTY JAWS.
INT. PAYAKAN’S MOUTH
Darkness swallows Lo’ak as baroque arches of a living cavern surround him. Deep inside, he sees a FAINT GLOW and approaches as --
A BIOLUMINESCENT STRUCTURE unfolds, forming hypnotic mandala patterns. Emerging from it is a large KURU, lit from within.
Lo’ak extends his queue, and the TWO KURU -- GREAT AND TINY -- MEET, TENDRILS INTERTWINING.
Lo’ak’s PUPILS DILATE and he shudders all over as --
LO’AK POV -- IMAGES FLOOD IN -- he’s swimming, surrounded by tulkun, a family pod. Lo’ak is connected to Payakan’s memory.
BUT SUDDENLY the BOND IS RIPPED APART and Lo’ak is SHOCKED BACK INTO THE PRESENT as PAYAKAN gives a deafening BELLOW and -- SLAMS HIS GREAT JAWS SHUT, plunging Lo’ak into DARKNESS.
NETEYAM, TSIREYA and NU’UNG GASP in shock -- the rogue tulkun just swallowed Lo’ak!
PAYAKAN TURNS AND SWIMS OFF -- with Lo’ak inside. Neteyam, followed by the others, chases after him, but then --
GREAT SHADOWS PASS over the kids’ heads. TULKUN BULLS swimming fast. That’s why Payakan’s running. The BULLS RAM INTO PAYAKAN, TRUMPETING FIERCELY as --
INSIDE -- LO’AK is pummeled by SHOCKS. BOOM! Another IMPACT ROCKS him as the bulls RAM Payakan again and --
PAYAKAN swims through a maze of rocks, momentarily losing his pursuers. He ROARS to the surface -- and EXPELS LO’AK in a GOUT OF WATER, then races off.
LO’AK
Nooo!!!
THE KIDS rush to him on ilu. They find Lo’ak, clinging to rocks, GASPING FOR AIR.
NETEYAM
Are you okay?! Are you hurt?
We see Neteyam’s relief that his little brother is okay.
LO’AK
They’re gonna kill him!
TSIREYA
No, they are driving him away.
Lo’ak struggles to his feet. Neteyam sees Lo’ak is devastated, tries to comfort him --
NETEYAM
I’m sorry, little brother.
Lo’ak SNARLS and shoves him away.
EXT. REEF VILLAGE - DUSK
Tonowari is furious. Lo’ak, Neteyam, Nu’ung and Tsireya stand before him. Ronal glares at Lo’ak.
TONOWARI
You allowed this? You allowed him
to bond with the outcast?
TSIREYA’S lip trembles but she stoically faces the music.
TONOWARI
You disappoint me, daughter.
She is crushed. Tears spill down. But she says nothing. Tonowari sees Jake and Neytiri arrive. Locks eyes with Jake. Then turns his full fury on Lo’ak.
TONOWARI
And you -- son of a great warrior --
who has been taught better!
LO’AK
Payakan saved my life, sir. You
don’t know him.
TONOWARI
Hear my words, boy! In the days of
the First Songs tulkun fought among
themselves. For territory. Then for
revenge. But they came to believe
that killing, no matter how
justified, only brings more
killing. So all killing was
forbidden. This is their Way.
Payakan is a killer, so he is
outcast.
Tonowari waits for Lo’ak’s response. Neteyam watches his brother, hoping against hope he’1ll STAND DOWN.
LO’AK
I am sorry -- but I don’t believe
you
NEYTIRI
Lo’ak! You speak to Olo’eyctan!
LO’AK
I know what I know.
JAKE
(grabbing his arm)
That’s enough!
Tonowari looks to Jake -- father to father. Leader to leader.
JAKE
I’ll deal with this one.
He marches Lo’ak away by the arm.
EXT. INLAND MANGROVES - TWILIGHT
Tsireya finds Lo’ak near the waterfall. She sits with him.
LO’AK
So -- what? Now the People cut out
my heart and make me eat it?
TSIREYA
My father is very strong-willed --
but this storm will pass.
That doesn’t give Lo’ak much relief.
TSIREYA (CONT'D)
I saw something today --
(takes his hand)
I saw a forest boy chosen by
tulkun. It is the deepest trust.
LO’AK
It only lasted a second. I didn’t
get any answers --
TSIREYA
You were chosen and you did not
hesitate. You have a strong heart.
No fear.
He looks down at her hand holding his. Back to her eyes.
TSIREYA (CONT’D)
I am very proud of you.
She kisses Lo’ak on the lips. He pulls back, surprised -- then leans in for another.
EXT. LAGOON - DAY
UNDERWATER, NEW MOTHERS, Na’vi and Tulkun, are surrounded by their community of both species.
JAKE (V.O.)
The People call it First Breath --
a celebration as old as time.
NA’VI MOTHERS float near the surface, holding TSALNU (BABY PODS) which are connected to their kuru.
ON JAKE -- watching. Remembering ...
FLASHBACK -- Neytiri squats in BIRTHING POSTURE, GASPING and glistening with sweat. INTO FRAME she lifts a beautiful translucent CHRYSALIS. Visible inside is BABY NETEYAM She connects the baby pod to her KURU, for nourishment.
JAKE (V.O.)
We do things a little different on
Pandora.
FLASHBACK -- Jake and Neytiri are surrounded by the entire OMATICAYA CLAN, gathered to WELCOME Neteyam. A beaming Neytiri gently opens the TSALNU, revealing their baby son, who draws his FIRST BREATH.
PRESENT -- UNDERWATER -- TULKUN MOTHERS float with distended THROAT POUCHES, like pregnant bellies, containing their calves, who are nurtured by their mothers’ INTERNAL KURU.
JAKE (V.O.)
Newborn calves stay inside mom’s
mouth, connected -- safe from
predators. When they’re big enough
to come out and meet the clan...
A CALF is released from its mother’s mouth and SWIMS TO THE SURFACE, cradled lovingly by her fins.
Mother and father tulkun gently hold the infant as it INHALES for the very first time. It SQUEAKS and shoots SPRAY from its blow-hole.
UNDERWATER, dappled by rippling sunlight, METKAYINA MOTHERS open their TSALNU. NA’VI BABIES kick toward the SURFACE, guided by mom’s fingertips When their little mouths reach the air they GASP in their FIRST BREATH.
They swim like tadpoles with well-developed tails, tiny legs pumping. THE CLAN share in the parents’ happiness.
NEYTIRI AND JAKE, watch the celebration with joy and wonder. They reach for each other’s hands and HOLD TIGHT.
JAKE (V.O.)
Sometimes, in these moments of
grace -- I can forget what’s coming
over the horizon.
EXT. OPEN SEA - DAY
A family pod of tulkun travel at the surface. A MOTHER teaches her YEARLING CALF a SONG, using call and response.
A KESTREL GUNSHIP overtakes them. It descends toward the MOTHER and FIRES. A TRACKING PINGER IMBEDS IN THE MOTHER’S BACK ARMOR. The Kestrel peels off, heading for the horizon.
EXT. OPEN SEA - DAY
The Sea Dragon THUNDERS across the ocean.
Pages 100-124[]
INT. SEA DRAGON BRIDGE - DAY
HOLO-SCREENS track the PINGER’S SIGNAL on a monitor.
TECH
Mother and calf. Strong signal.
Range two thousand.
EXT. AFT WELL DECK/SEA DRAGON - DAY
Quaritch follows Scoresby through the controlled chaos of the WELL DECK as crews run to SUBS and BOATS.
SCORESBY
Sub teams -- hatches closed! All
boats in!
PICADOR CHASE-BOATS are dropped from davits in the ship’s AFT WELL. They roar out, coming up ON PLANE, fast and maneuverable -- airborne half the time in the swells.
QUARITCH LEAPS down into the MATADOR KILL-BOAT, following SCORESBY Bigger than the Picadors, it has a massive HARPOON GUN mounted in the bow. The MATADOR slides down a slip-way, hitting with a blast of spray. Scoresby guns the engine as --
PICADORS ROAR toward the TULKUN POD, screaming over the water. Alarmed, the TULKUN SPEED UP.
IN THE MATADOR Scoresby YELLS to Quaritch over the ENGINES.
SCORESBY
They'll try to sound. See --
AHEAD, the POD SUBMERGES.
SCORESBY (COMMS)
Standby depth charges and -- FIRE!
PICADORS LAUNCH DEPTH CHARGES. Cannisters twirl through the air, SPLASHING down IN FRONT OF THE POD, then sinking.
KABOOM! KABOOM! KABOOM! The surface ERUPTS in domes of white water.
SCORESBY (CONT'D)
That forces ’em back to the
surface! Their ears are muy
sensitivo!
On CUE, the pod surfaces, their 5-meter-long SENSOR STALKS lifting out of the water.
INT. SEA DRAGON BRIDGE - DAY
SCREENS show DASHCAM IMAGES from the subs and boats. WAINFLEET watches eagerly, but SPIDER feels only dread.
GARVIN
Those are echolocation sensors --
they have to hold them out of the
water or they'll go deaf.
SPIDER
Does it hurt?
GARVIN
(resigned)
It’s agony for them.
ANGLE ON PICADORS, moving to flank the tulkun.
SCORESBY (COMMS)
Picadors in! Get in there, boys --
cut her out from the herd!
PICADORS race among the tulkun, driving them, separating mother and calf from the main POD.
GARVIN
They target a mother because the
calf swims slowly and she won’t
leave it.
WAINFLEET
(chuckling)
That is just wrong.
ANGLE ON THE MATADOR, directly behind the now-isolated mother and calf. Quaritch is impressed with the tulkun’s size.
QUARITCH
They ever fight back?
SCORESBY
Naw -- never seen ’em lift a fin.
But they’re tough bastards to kill!
(to comms)
Sub team go!
MAKO HUNTER-SUBS are dropped like bombs from a rack over the central MOON POOL. They SCREAM OUT from under the ship to overtake the mother, leaving cavitation trails behind then.
ON THE BRIDGE -- GARVIN, Spider and Wainfleet watch the subs move in.
WAINFLEET
Why don’t you just hit ’em with
missiles?
GARVIN
Shock-waves would destroy the fine
structure in the brain we're after.
IN THE MATADOR -- QUARITCH watches the sub’s cavitation trails catch up to the mother and calf.
SCORESBY
We go in from below, where there’s
gaps in the armor.
UNDERWATER -- A HUNTER-SUB maneuvers under the mother’s Massive tail flukes and --
THE PILOT watches the huge body pass above him like the Hindenburg. The GUNNER is glued to the targeting screen, aiming for soft skin at the base of a fin --
GUNNER
Target locked. Harpoon away!
A TORPEDO-HARPOON ROARS out. It strikes the weak spot, driving deep into muscle and --
THE MOTHER CRIES OUT, her wails echoed by DISTRESS CRIES from her calf and -- the HARPOON CASING blows open as a LIFT BAG inflates -- designed to keep the tulkun at the surface.
ON THE MATADOR -- a CO-PILOT takes over as SCORESBY runs to the bow, Quaritch following. He unlocks the HARPOON GUN.
SCORESBY
(to co-pilot)
Get up on her! Stay on her!
UNDERWATER -- SUBS FIRE -- HARPOONS strike home. One pierces all the way through a fin and we see EXPANDING ANCHORS pop out on the other side like a grappling hook.
THE MOTHER’S BOOMING VOCALIZATIONS rise in pitch. Lift bags inflate. Terrified, THE CALF tries to take shelter from the subs under its mother’s huge body as --
THE MATADOR closes in for the kill. Scoresby FIRES a massive HARPOON, its CABLE WHIPPING out after it and --
The harpoon slices through the water, rocketing forward like a torpedo. WIRE-GUIDED, it runs under the tulkun, then angles up sharply, STRIKING HER IN THE CHEST and --
POOOM! An explosive charge drives the head of the harpoon deep into her body. The mother SCREAMS. She THRASHES AND SPINS. Water explodes as her mighty fins impact the sea.
SCORESBY
Hold on to your ponytail, Colonel!
THE HARPOON CABLE SNAPS TAUT and --
THE MATADOR is yanked forward, throwing everyone aft. They grab for rails as they are taken on a “NANTUCKET SLEIGH-RIDE” -- Pandora-style. WIND AND SPRAY IN THEIR FACES as the Matador bounces along the top of the sea. Scoresby GRINS WOLFISHLY at Quaritch.
SCORESBY
We are livin’ large now!
The mother can’t sound because of the lift bags. The ocean EXPLODES with FOAM AND SPRAY as her fins CRASH DOWN.
Finally, exhausted, she comes to a stop... and the life goes out of her eyes. The calf surfaces, WAILING, nosing his dead mother’s body.
SCORESBY
Light’s out, little guy.
Scoresby takes aim at the calf. Pulls the trigger -- POOM!
SPIDER WINCES, watching the calf die.
EXT. OPEN SEA/SEA DRAGON - LATER
The DEAD TULKUN is hoisted up the aft ramp of the Sea Dragon. BLOOD in the water attracts a CHURNING MASS of PREDATORS. Flocks of small MARINE IKRAN swarm overhead.
THE MOTHER lies on the ramp -- a factory deck surrounded by platforms. The great mouth is pulled wide open by winches.
GARVIN guides A MASSIVE ROBOTIC ARM into the open maw with joysticks. WORKERS in rubber suits swarm around the dead tulkun as SCORESBY barks orders.
QUARITCH, Spider and Wainfleet watch as ULTRASOUND SCANNERS image the tulkun’s skull on Garvin's SCREENS.
A ROBOTIC CORE-DRILL drives upward, drilling deep into the creature’s upper palate. It withdraws -- and a TWO-METER LONG NEEDLE is plunged upward into the tulkun’s brain.
GARVIN guides the probe with surgical precision.
GARVIN
(to Spider)
These are intelligent beings.
Probably smarter than us.
SCORESBY
(crossing)
Not smarter than me!
GARVIN
That’s setting the bar low.
SCORESBY
Hey, I’m the one with the harpoon!
Scoresby stalks off, yelling at deck crew. Spider leans in close to the screen, WIDE EYED.
SPIDER
How do you know? They're smarter
than us?
GARVIN
(pointing at screen)
More neurons -- more pathways. Not
only are they smarter, they’re
deeply emotional -- more spiritual.
See -- this region here corresponds
to our emotional centers, but it’s
proportionally much larger. They
have music, philosophy, mathematics
-- okay, here we go...
THE MONITOR shows the PROBE reaching its target: a GLAND deep in the brain, situated beneath the CINGULATE GYRUS.
SCORESBY
Here comes the money.
Quaritch watches GOLDEN FLUID -- AMRITA -- drawn out and flow like honey into a receptacle.
QUARITCH
That’s it?
GARVIN
That’s it. Amrita.
SCORESBY
Bad luck for the big guys that it
just happens to stop human aging.
Like -- stops it.
Scoresby removes the vial and holds it up.
SCORESBY
Ounce for ounce the most valuable
substance known to man. This little
vial’s worth like eighty million --
He FAKE-THROWS it to Spider, who flinches to catch it. Scoresby LAUGHS, still gripping the vial tightly.
SCORESBY
Amrita is what’s paying for
everything here on Pandora now --
even your research, ain’t that
right Doc?
GARVIN
It’s why I drink.
Spider unconsciously clutches his stomach, looking ill.
SPIDER
That’s all you take? You waste the
rest?
Scoresby just SNORTS. Turns to his crew --
SCORESBY
Get the bags off! Sink her!
QUARITCH
No, leave the bags. I want them to
know it was us.
SCORESBY
I charge extra for bein’ used as
bait.
EXT. OPEN SEA - DAY
CAMERA TILTS DOWN from a sky dark with curtains of squalls, to a scene of HORROR -- JAKE, NEYTIRI, Tonowari, Ronal and REEF WARRIORS sit astride their mounts, riding the swells, as they stare numbly at --
RO’A, the mother tulkun -- lolling lifeless, KEPT AFLOAT BY LIFT BAGS. Her CALF’s BODY floats nearby. The air’s thick with marine ikran diving to feed on fish attracted by the BLOOD. Rain drizzles down.
TONOWARI
It is Ro’a.
ANGLE ON JAKE -- he’s on high alert, the wheels turning as he surveys the scene.
TULKUN FAMILY MEMBERS circle, eyes beseeching Tonowari. The water RESONATES with their MOURNFUL VOCALIZATIONS.
RONAL
She was a composer of songs, much
revered. She waited many breeding
cycles to have this calf. The clan
were so happy for her.
There is a vulnerability in Ronal we’ve never seen before. Tonowari is overcome by grief and rage.
JAKE, riding around Ro’a’s body, finds the PINGER lodged in her dorsal armor.
EXT. THREE SISTERS ROCKS -- DAY
UNDERWATER -- Lo’ak floats holding his breath, looking up at rain making gentle rings on the surface. He hears GREETING VOCALIZATIONS and looks down as --
PAYAKAN rises, big as a freight engine, out of the blue void.
AT THE SURFACE -- they come up together -- the young bull BLOWING, the boy taking a sharp breath. PAYAKAN’S soulful eye rises above the water.
LO’AK (SPEAKING/SIGNING)
Show me, brother.
INSIDE THE GREAT MOUTH -- Lo’ak floats silhouetted against the BIOLUME MANDALA of Payakan’s neural interface.
CLOSE ON -- the TENDRILS of Lo’ak’s KURU join with the tulkun’s. They both GLOW brighter as a strong bond is made.
LO’AK, eyes closed, feels a flood of sensation as --
INSIDE HIS MIND -- IMAGES burst brightly, an IMPRESSIONISTIC SEQUENCE of UNDERWATER POV’s --
Torpedo trails in the water. Boat wakes overhead. Harpoons striking flesh. A MOTHER TULKUN SCREAMS. The water explodes with foam and blood.
REEF BOYS riding ilu, painted for war. With them -- YOUNG TULKUN BULLS. They attack the boats. BULLET trails rip through the water. EXPLOSIONS. BULLS hit by gunship MISSILES. Na’vi boys sinking limply, trailing blood.
CU LO’AK -- feeling PAYAKAN’S agony of the soul.
LO’AK SURFACES gasping for air. PAYAKAN comes up like a wall next to him. Lo’ak puts his forehead against the armored face and holds it there, as Payakan KEENS.
EXT. REEF VILLAGE - TWILIGHT
Metkayina gather in GRIEF and OUTRAGE, the Sullys among them. LO’AK approaches through the crowd, arriving in time to hear--
TONOWARI
We knew of this hunting of tulkun
people. But it was far away.
(stares at Jake)
Now it is here.
JAKE
The Sky People won’t stop.
This is only the beginning.
Jake looks around at hurt, accusing eyes.
JAKE
Your tulkun must leave. Go far
away.
RONAL
Leave?! You live among us and
learn nothing!
RONAL waves an accusing hand toward the Sully family --
RONAL
I foretold that these outsiders
would bring death to our shore!
Neytiri’s EARS PIN BACK, but Jake grabs her arm -- Steady. AN ALPHA WARRIOR raises a LANCE high above his head.
WARRIOR
We will fight to protect our
brothers and sisters!!
WAR CRIES IGNITE -- Jake YELLS over them --
JAKE
No! No -- if you attack, the Sky
People will follow you here. They
will destroy you! Hear my words --
BUT JAKE’S WORDS ARE DROWNED OUT by the shouting warriors.
JAKE and TONOWARI meet eyes. The stakes are sky-high and there is no right answer. Jake strides into the center of the warriors, holding the PINGER high overhead.
JAKE
Tell our tulkun -- if they are hit
by one of these, they are marked
for death. Call for me -- and I
will silence it.
The warriors look to Tonowari. Who’s giving the orders here?
TONOWARI
Go!
Reef people dive into the water, swimming out to their tulkun brethren. LO’AK stares at the PINGER in Jake’s upraised hand. He runs off through the crowd. NETEYAM spots him leaving...
EXT. VILLAGE WALKWAYS - TWILIGHT
Jake and Neytiri walk away from the unsettled crowd.
NEYTIRI
We MUST fight. I will not stand and
do nothing!
JAKE
It’s a trap! They want us to hit
back. They’re not hunting tulkun,
they’re hunting us.
Neytiri sees it now for the first time.
NEYTIRI
The Blue Colonel.
(off his nod)
Then this is our fault.
Jake feels a noose tightening around his neck.
EXT. MANGROVE FOREST -- TWILIGHT
Tsireya catches up to Lo’ak and he turns, stopping. She searches his face with her eyes.
TSIREYA
What is it? Something has happened.
Before Lo’ak can respond, he sees Neteyam approaching.
LO’AK
Quit following me around!
NETEYAM
You think I like babysitting you?
I’m just trying to keep your dumb
ass out of trouble!
LO’AK
Get off my back!
Tsireya pushes gently on Neteyam’s shoulder.
TSIREYA
Go. I will stay with him.
He looks from her to Lo’ak, then scowls and walks away. She takes Lo’ak’s arm and pulls him along the path...
EXT. WATERFALL CLEARING - NIGHT
The two teenagers reach their secret spot in the mangrove forest behind the village. She waits for him to speak.
LO’AK
Payakan didn’t kill those boys.
Tsireya gasps, eyes wide.
TSIREYA
You bonded again?
LO’AK
I saw it all. The demon ship killed
his mother -- right in front of
him. He got the young bulls and
reef boys together to attack the
ship. They were all killed -- but
by the Sky People, not by him!
TSIREYA
He defied the Elders --
LO’AK
Yeah, but he’s not a killer!
TSIREYA
No, Lo’ak -- by the Tulkun Way, he
is. He bears those deaths.
LO’AK
Does he have to pay for it the rest
of his life? He knows he was wrong.
He would never do it again.
TSIREYA
We must tell my father --
He grabs her arms --
LO’AK
No no no -- I’m in enough trouble
with my dad already!
TSIREYA
Your father will understand this --
LO’AK
No he won't! He doesn’t understand
anything! Nobody does! The whole
clan hates me --
(holds up his hand)
-- demon blood! Alien. That’s all
they see.
She strokes his hand -- his extra finger. Calming him.
TSIREYA
I See you.
She places her palm solemnly on his chest, over the heart.
TSIREYA
You are Brother of Tulkun. You are
one of us, now.
EXT. SEAWALL - NIGHT
Tonowari stands alone, eyes on the open sea. Above, a sky of infinite stars -- home of the INVADERS. JAKE walks up to join him, but he doesn’t turn to look.
TONOWARI
Once I was afraid the war would
come because you are here. Now I
See -- you are here because the
war is coming.
Tonowari turns to Jake, his eyes boring into him.
TONOWARI
We cannot defeat this enemy that
comes from the stars.
(pause)
Not unless we join with other
clans. Many clans. Sea people with
forest Na’vi. Then we can drive
them out.
(grips his arm)
Lead us. Ride great Toruk, as you
did before.
JAKE
I’m not that guy any more. I have a
family now.
TONOWARI
A good man protects his family. A
great man protects his People.
JAKE
Look, I’m just a dumb grunt. I’m
sure as hell no great man.
Tonowari says nothing, waiting.
JAKE
It’s true -- I rode the great
beast. I made fiery speeches -- and
the clans followed me into battle.
FLASHBACK -- Jake with his fist raised, yelling “...this is our land!” The WARRIORS CHEERING, their blood up.
JAKE
Two thousand warriors. And you know
what? They died.
(beat, the surf booms)
I said the prayer for the dead so
many times the words echo in my
mind. I carry those Na’vi sons and
daughters with me every day.
Tonowari thinks about this. They both keenly feel the burden of command -- it’s what unites them.
JAKE
I won’t ride the beast of war
again.
EXT. LAGOON NEAR VILLAGE - THE NEXT DAY
LO’AK moves furtively among massive mangrove roots, looking around to make sure he’s not followed. He quietly pulls his RIDING HARNESS off a drying rack and goes to the edge of the pen, CLICKING for his ilu. It swims over, CHIRPING happily.
NETEYAM (O.S.)
No way you’re rolling out of here,
Baby Brother.
Lo’ak whips around to find his brother standing there.
LO’AK
I’ve gotta warn Payakan about the
pingers.
NETEYAM
No, you’ve gotta keep your skxawng
ass here!
LO’AK
He’s outcast. There’s nobody to
warn him but me!
NETEYAM
Bro -- why do you always have to
make things so hard?
LO’AK
You mean why can’t I be the perfect
son -- like you? The perfect little
soldier! Well I’m not you!
(turns away)
He’s my brother. I’m going.
NETEYAM
(grabbing his arm)
Oh, he’s your brother? No I’m your
brother!
LO’AK
Get off’a me!
LO’AK JERKS LOOSE AND LUNGES for his ilu. Neteyam GRABS him again but -- Lo’ak SPINS AND CLOCKS NETEYAM IN THE FACE.
It’s a nasty right cross with all of Lo’ak’s anger and hurt behind it. Neteyam staggers back -- then recovers and tackles Lo’ak, taking him down.
The brothers go at it, rolling around, YELLING and punching. Blows landing.
REEF KIDS RUN UP - Tsireya, Nu’ung, Rotxo.
TSIREYA
Stop it!
(to Nu’ung)
Stop them, you idiot!
NU’UNG
This is a brother thing.
Tsireya looks to Rotxo. He holds his hands up.
Neteyam finally GRAPPLES Lo’ak into submission. They’re breathing hard, hearts pounding, Lo’ak on the verge of tears.
NETEYAM
You done?
Lo’ak sniffs, wipes his nose. Nods. Gets up and --
BOLTS. Dives into the water, mounts up BAREBACK and RIDES LIKE HELL.
NETEYAM
Lo’aaak!!!
(to the others)
Shit. Come on!
They leap to their ilu and cinch their riding harnesses as --
EXT. OPEN LAGOON
LO’AK charges across the lagoon, past KIRI and TUK who are coming the other way, from the barrier reef. She sees his grim expression, and the way he looks back at his pursuers.
KIRI
Lo’ak?!
He churns past her, takes a breath and dives --
UNDERWATER -- Lo’ak enters a tunnel through the reef as --
NETEYAM and the reef kids ride past Kiri --
NETEYAM
Lo’ak’s going to find Payakan!
KIRI
Wait up!
NETEYAM
No, go back! You can’t bring Tuk.
Kiri reins up and glares at her 6 year old sister. She turns her ilu toward the village as the other kids DIVE after Lo’ak. Then she stops. Looks where the other kids dove, then back at the village...
TUK
Hurry up, you’re gonna lose them!
JAKE (V.O.)
The People would say that it was
Eywa’s plan. That Tuk needed to be
there. That they all needed to be
there...
Kiri clenches her jaw and turns to follow.
KIRI
Hold on!
Tuk grins as they race after the others.
JAKE (V.O.)
But that doesn’t give much comfort,
now ...
EXT. SEA DRAGON - DAY
The Sea Dragon ROARS across wave tops.
INT. BRIDGE - DAY
ON THE TRACKING SCREEN -- a single PINGER ICON.
TECHNICIAN
There’s our lone bull. Range ten
thousand.
SCORESBY (COMMS)
All crews to stations!
EXT. OPEN SEA/THREE SISTERS ROCKS - DAY
LO’AK’S ILU bounds through the big offshore swells, getting airborne at times.
LO’AK
Payakaaan!
He looks back -- NETEYAM and the kids are not far behind.
LO’AK
Payakaaaaaan!!
PAYAKAN SURFACES with a BLAST OF SPRAY and Lo’ak races over. The young bull TRUMPETS -- a STRESS VOCALIZATION.
LO’AK
What is it?
(speaking/ signing)
What’s wrong?
Payakan partially rolls, to reveal -- a PINGER lodged deeply in his armored back.
LO’AK
Holy crap!
INT./EXT. SEA DRAGON -- AFT WELL
Scoresby strides among scrambling boat crew and sub pilots.
SCORESBY (COMMS)
Two minute warning! Sub teams,
hatches closed!
(to Garvin)
Come on Doc, let’s make some bank.
He grabs IAN GARVIN and they jump aboard the MATADOR KILL BOAT as nearby -- boat crews leap into PICADORS. Pilots and gunners drop down through hatches into SUBS. Canopies close on CRAB SUITS...
EXT. OPEN SEA/THREE SISTERS ROCKS - DAY
Neteyam and the others rush toward Payakan, only to see -- Lo’ak on the tulkun’s back, straining to pull the PINGER out. He sees them and waves his arms wildly.
LO’AK
Guys, help me!
The other kids pull alongside.
LO’AK
Come on, we gotta pull this out!
Hurry! The ship’s coming --
All the kids climb aboard. As they get up on the armored back they see --
THE SEA DRAGON charging toward them.
The three boys and Tsireya strain with all their might to pull the pinger from Payakan’s armor. It’s lodged tight. Quickly but calmly, Neteyam jumps in the water and grabs a piece of STOUT LINE from his ilu’s harness.
NETEYAM
Call Dad! Get help!
Last thing Lo’ak wants to do.
KIRI
Just do it!
Neteyam ties the rope to his ilu’s SADDLE HORN and tosses it to Nu’ung, who runs up Payakan’s back to the pinger, as --
EXT. SEA DRAGON, AFT WELL - DAY
PICADOR BOATS drop into the water in BLASTS OF SPRAY and ROAR OUT, flanking the Sea Dragon.
EXT. OPEN SEA/THREE SISTERS - DAY
Neteyam’s ilu PUMPS its fins furiously, raising a churning boil of water. The kids are lined up, pulling the rope, feet braced against Payakan’s armor.
LO’AK (COMMS)
Dad! I mean -- Devil Dog, this is
Eagle Eye, do you copy?!
(INTERCUT WITH JAKE AT THE REEF VILLAGE)
JAKE
Lo’ak?
LO’AK
We’re with -- uh, a tulkun that’s
under attack! Killer ship’s
inbound!
Dread and adrenaline flood Jake’s body.
JAKE
Who’s with you?
LO’AK
It’s all of us!
JAKE
You have TUK with you??!!
LO’AK
Nu’ung and Tsireya too.
(snarling at her)
Tuk! Why do you even exist?!
JAKE
-- are you listening?! Get to cover
and DO NOT ENGAGE -- do you hear
me? DO NOT ENGAGE! We’re coming!
EXT. REEF VILLAGE - DAY
JAKE GOES INTO RAPID-RESPONSE MODE. QUICK CUTS AS:
Neytiri runs into the MARUI and grabs the WAR BOW. Jake sprints for the SKIMWING holding pen, passing Tonowari.
JAKE
Kids are under attack, defending a
tulkun! Your kids too!
TONOWARI
The demon ship?
JAKE
Yes!
Neytiri gives a WAR CRY as she swoops past on IKRAN, bow raised and --
Jake answers as he spurs his skimwing across the lagoon, leaping airborne as Tonowari and WARRIORS scramble to their mounts. Tonowari stops Ronal, indicating her belly.
TONOWARI
You should stay back.
RONAL
I ride!
She dives past him toward the SKIMWINGS...
EXT. SEA DRAGON/BRIDGE WING - DAY
SPIDER watches as Quaritch uses pedestal-mounted GYRO-OPTICS to scan the scene.
QUARITCH
It’s Sully’s kids. We’re rolling!
Quaritch and the recoms leap to their ikran. Spider takes over the gyro-binocs to see his friends as --
Neteyam’s ilu still pumps, kids helping by pulling the rope. The TAUT LINE THREATENS TO BREAK...
EXT. OPEN SEA —- DAY
Neytiri runs point above, on ikran, as -- Jake crashes across wave-tops on skimwing, flanked by Tonowari and Metkayina warriors. Even Ronal has rolled to save the kids, despite her BULGING BELLY.
It’s a breathtaking sight, the SEA PEOPLE IN FULL FURY...
EXT. OPEN OCEAN/THREE SISTERS ROCKS - DAY
Neteyam backs up his ilu, putting slack in the line, then spurs it forward with a YELL. The line TWANGS TAUT, and --
PHOONK! The PINGER rips free, and the kids tumble into the water. Neteyam grabs the pinger, hauls it onto his ilu.
NETEYAM
I’ll draw them off. Go that way!
Before Lo’ak can respond, Neteyam takes off.
LO'AK (SPEAKING/SIGNING)
Go -- DIVE!
PAYAKAN won’t leave them. But Lo’ak insists, signing again. So Payakan DIVES. Lo’ak watches him disappear into the blue.
EXT. OPEN OCEAN - DAY
IN THE MATADOR BOAT Scoresby follows the pinger’s ICON on a monitor. GARVIN watches grimly as the hunt unfolds --
SCORESBY
Come right! Hold two seven zero.
The BOATS swerve to follow the signal, Sea Dragon close behind. The picadors LAUNCH DEPTH CHARGES. The sea ERUPTS with domed EXPLOSIONS and --
UNDERWATER -- NETEYAM is HAMMERED by the concussion as --
QUARITCH, flying on ikran, sees the ocean erupt below him --
QUARITCH (COMMS)
No depth charges! Those kids are
worthless to me dead!
ON SCORESBY, frustrated, mentally shifting gears.
SCORESBY (COMMS)
Hold fire!
QUARITCH (COMMS)
Circle out -- get a cordon around
them! Get your subs in the water.
SCORESBY (COMMS)
You heard the man!
GARVIN
What, we're hunting kids now?!
SCORESBY
The sooner Big Blue gets what he
wants, the sooner he’s off my ship.
UNDERWATER -- THE KIDS hold their breath as boats circle above. They’re cut off in all directions. Lo'ak signals and leads them toward a huge bed of SARGASSUM as --
ABOVE -- THE SEA DRAGON slowly circles the SARGASSUM BED as CRAB SUITS step off the stern platform and --
UNDERWATER -- the CRABS PHWOOSH DOWN, then fold arms and legs to cruise on THRUSTERS, as -- MAKO SUBS DROP IN behind them and jet forward.
UNDERWATER -- the KIDS enter the SARGASSUM BED. Kiri turns to see BOATS overhead, SUBS and CRAB-SUITS converging on them. The kids race their ilu through the sargassum forest as --
Subs circle the bed, their SPOTLIGHTS sweeping the shadowy channels between clumps of stalks and --
CRAB SUITS move in among the stalks on thrusters. The chase gets kinetic, as the kids’ ilu twist through the three dimensional maze.
OUTSIDE THE BED -- NETEYAM looks back -- sees he’s no longer being pursued. He drops the pinger and DOUBLES BACK as --
IN THE SARGASSUM -- Lo’ak and Tsireya get separated from the others -- each group chased by multiple vehicles as --
ON THE SEA DRAGON BRIDGE -- Spider runs in, yanking off his mask. He WATCHES THE CHASE on screens displaying the DASHCAMS of subs and suits as --
A SUB FIRES -- the HARPOON HITS TSIREYA’S ILU. It writhes and SCREAMS, tossing her off and --
TWO CRAB SUITS close in, MANIPULATOR CLAWS extending to grab her, but --
LO'AK gets there first, SCOOPING her up. She hangs on as they c arve through the labyrinth. Another HARPOON SCREAMS BY, just missing them, and --
Lo’ak kicks them free of his ilu, sending it on ahead. The SUB follows the ilu as --
Lo’ak and Tsireya flee behind stalks, but see a CRAB SUIT coming. She guides them under an overhanging reef and into -- A TUNNEL. The CRAB follows them into the CAVE as --
QUARITCH AND WAINFLEET dive their ikran INTO THE SEA, swimming underwater, wings folded. They search the channels in the reef and sargassum beds.
ANGLE ON KIRI, TUK, ROTXO AND NU’UNG hovering on vertical ilu behind a dense thicket.
A SUB and TWO SUITS pass on the other side. Kiri looks into her sister’s eyes -- you OK?
TUK (SIGNING, SUBTITLED)
Need air.
A GUNSHIP hovers above, rotors beating the surface. Kiri gestures and they double back, away from the suits.
NU’UNG signals. The kids get off their ilu and swim toward -- an AIRBELL -- a LARGE BLADDER used by the sargassum for flotation. They swim into the open bottom and --
INSIDE THE AIRBELL, the kids surface, GASPING for breath. They tuck up inside as SPOTLIGHTS hit the bell.
The lights move off. They draw deep relieved breaths.
NU’UNG
Kiri, I am sorry I was such a
skxawng, before.
KIRI
You want to talk about this now?
ROTXO
Yeah, good timing, Cuz.
FWOOSH! A crab suit MANIPULATOR GRABS KIRI by the arm! The SUIT SURFACES inside the airbell as KIRI SCREAMS and KICKS. Nu’ung struggles to free her and --
ON THE BRIDGE -- SPIDER REACTS as, on the SCREEN -- the kids struggle with the crab suit.
SPIDER
Nooo!
IN THE AIRBELL -- ROTXO thinks fast. He draws his KNIFE and SLASHES THROUGH THE AIRBELL MEMBRANE --
AIR ROARS OUT as the bell sinks fast, coming down over the suit’s canopy and BLINDING THE PILOT as -- Rotxo and Nu’ung pry Kiri free of the manipulator. They escape upward through the rent in the bladder and --
TUK bails out of the bottom and KICKS FREE of the sinking mess, swimming away in a confusion of BUBBLES as --
KIRI looks around for her sister -- can’t see her. NU’UNG grabs her and points toward --
QUARITCH AND THE RECOMS searching nearby. The kids duck among the sargassum as --
INSIDE ANOTHER AIRBELL, Tuk surfaces, gasping for breath. Alone and scared.
IN THE CORAL CAVE -- Lo’ak pulls Tsireya into a small alcove behind a column. They can hear the WHINE of the THRUSTERS approaching. Lights play over the walls as --
Lo’'ak’s diaphragm heaves violently. HE NEEDS AIR NOW. Tsireya puts her hand on his abdomen. Her eyes tell him -- be calm, slow your heart, like I taught you.
Lo’ak goes inward, into a TRANCE. His POUNDING HEART SLOWS. Soon it’s a regular THUD. THUD. THUD...
The SOUND of the CRAB grows LOUDER -- then passes by. FADES.
LO’AK grabs Tsireya and pulls her the other direction, out of the tunnel, kicking desperately toward an AIRBELL, LUNGS SCREAMING FOR AIR --
INSIDE THE AIRBELL -- TUK is startled as Lo’ak and Tsireya burst to the surface, GASPING FOR BREATH. Lo’ak takes fast lungfulls, then grabs his little sister --
LO’AK
Come on!
The three submerge together and swim on but --
A SUB CUTS THEM OFF. They turn to flee as -- THE SUB FIRES a NET GUN -- FOUR SMALL TORPEDOES diverge to deploy a NET that sweeps over Tuk and Tsireya --
They struggle against the mesh, trapped and panicking as --
ON THE BRIDGE -- SPIDER watches in horror, as --
UNDERWATER -- LO’AK draws his KNIFE and attacks the net, trying to free the girls, but --
QUARITCH SWOOPS in and catches the net in his ikran’s back claws. WAINFLEET joins and their ikran DRAG THE NET UPWARDS. Lo’ak won’t leave the girls. He saws at the net as he is hauled up with the others.
PAYAKAN circles BELOW, seeing the kids hauled to the surface. He BOOMS a STRESS VOCALIZATION as --
ABOVE WATER -- the IKRAN flap mightily to lift the net out of the sea. Lo’ak clings, dangling. Refusing to leave the girls.
ON THE SEA DRAGON -- SPIDER bangs open the AIRLOCK DOOR and runs down the stairs from the bridge, in time to see --
THE KIDS deposited on the deck of the Sea Dragon. RECOMS grab Lo’ak and wrestle him down. The girls cough and THRASH inside the net, as --
Quaritch lands his ikran, jumps down and stands over them. Spider runs across the deck --
SPIDER
Don’t hurt them!
(to Lo’ak)
Bro, you okay?
Lo’ak looks at Spider. We feel the bond between them.
LO’AK
Yeah great, Cuz. Never better.
Quaritch pushes Spider back with one hand.
QUARITCH
Get him out of here. Keep him on
the bridge.
A SECOPS TROOPER grabs Spider and drags him toward the superstructure, as --
PAYAKAN rises, getting his eye above the surface as --
ON DECK -- LO’AK is CUFFED to a railing with FLEX-CUFFS.
WAINFLEET
Na’vi inbound!
Quaritch spins to see SKIMWINGS racing toward them from around the Three Sisters.
QUARITCH
Right on cue, Jake.
He rips open the NET. Recoms grab Tsireya and Tuk, yanking them up. They cuff the girls to the rail next to Lo’ak.
UNDERWATER -- PAYAKAN circles below -- FURIOUS! His friend needs his help! Frustrated, he SMASHES into the reef. Chunks of coral fly in a cloud of debris. He TRUMPETS.
ANGLE ON JAKE looking though his rifle scope.
JAKE’S POV -- the kids cuffed to the rail. A smug QUARITCH staring back. JAKE SNARLS in frustration -- FUCK! Too late!
Quaritch rips loose Lo’ak’s THROAT MIKE and speaks into it --
QUARITCH (COMMS)
Jake, tell your friends to stand
down. You want your kids back, you
come out alone. You know better
than to test my resolve.
JAKE takes a deep breath. This is it then. He turns to Tonowari, motioning the reef riders to stay back.
JAKE
Wait here.
Jake urges his mount forward but Tonowari stops him with his lance across Jake’s chest.
TONOWARI
They are killers of tulkun. They m
ust die. Here. Today.
JAKE
It’s me they want. That’s what all
this is about -- the hunting of our
tulkun. I brought this upon us.
Tonowari takes this in. He suspected as much. Ronal HISSES.
TONOWARI
You say our tulkun, Jakesuully. You
are one of us now, in your heart.
JAKE
Then I must be ready to die for
you.
Tonowari closes his eyes, and opens them, the Na’vi sign of assent. It is Jake’s decision. He raises his lance.
QUARITCH (COMMS)
This offer’s fixin’ to expire,
Corporal. What's it going to be?
JAKE (COMMS)
Check your fire! I’m coming out.
Jake rides out on his skimwing, slinging his weapon.
UNDERWATER -- PAYAKAN’S FLUKES SLAM against the sand in rage, creating a STORM OF SILT. He TRUMPETS and SQUEALS in mounting fury as --
ON THE SEA DRAGON Wainfleet lines Jake up in his sights.
WAINFLEET
Easy shot.
QUARITCH
No. You hit him now, they attack.
Wait till he’s on board.
But what they don’t know -- what nobody saw coming...
UNDERWATER -- PAYAKAN TURNS TOWARD THE SEA DRAGON. He SWIMS HARD, BUILDING SPEED with mighty strokes, his flukes stirring up the sea bottom and --
IN THE MATADOR -- SCORESBY sees the BIG SHAPE PASS UNDER HIS BOAT AT HIGH SPEED. Before he can process this --
PAYAKAN BREACHES STRAIGHT UP INTO THE AIR -- towering above the Sea Dragon’s deck in a GLORIOUS ERUPTION OF WATER AND FURY. A frozen moment as everyone on deck -- including the kids -- stare up at the awesome sight. Then --
KR-WHOOM! PAYAKAN CRASHES DOWN -- HIS ARMORED MASS CRUSHING CRANES AND DECK GEAR, grinding a RECOM out of existence as --
The entire ship lurches, throwing crew off their feet and --
LO’AK pulls the girls along the rail, out of danger, as Payakan SWATS a fore-fin down, crushing another RECOM and --
QUARITCH and the others OPEN FIRE, but their bullets do nothing against a tulkun’s armored skin as --
PAYAKAN contorts, TAIL SWEEPING BROADSIDE ACROSS THE DECK, SENDING HUMAN CREW AND RECOMS FLYING LIKE BOWLING PINS.
JAKE sees the chaos on deck and DIVES, surging his mount toward the ship at top speed and --
TONOWARI sees Jake dive. With a WAR CRY he CHARGES FORWARD. The reef warriors take up the cry and attack as --
ON THE MATADOR -- SCORESBY hands off control to his CO-PILOT, shoving past GARVIN, who just GRINS.
GARVIN
You remember I said they never
attack? I meant almost never.
SCORESBY
Shut up!
He runs forward to the bow pulpit, manning the HARPOON LAUNCHER. He aims at Payakan but --
THE TULKUN ROLLS OFF THE SHIP in a BLAST OF SPRAY just as Scoresby FIRES. The HARPOON rockets out and --
SKIPS OFF Payakan’s armored back as he disappears in foam. The harpoon ricochets into the hull and EXPLODES!
SCORESBY
Reload!
Pages 125-151[]
QUARITCH runs to the rail and sees Jake has dived. Could be anywhere. But he KNOWS...
QUARITCH
Sully’s inbound. Mount up! I want
eyes on!
He jumps on his IKRAN and LAUNCHES, the Recoms following.
SCORESBY sees SKIMWINGS swooping toward them --
SCORESBY (COMMS)
Take out the hostiles! Open fire!
The Sea Dragon’s deck guns OPEN UP! SKIMWINGS DIVE UNDERWATER as the surface ERUPTS with HITS. The attacking force just disappears.
A GUNSHIP banks, rolling into a gun run as --
NEYTIRI DROPS OUT OF LOW CLOUDS, diving straight down, her ikran’s wings folded tight. She draws and SHOOTS --
K-CRACK! A TWO-METER ARROW SHATTERS THE CANOPY, SKEWERING THE PILOT. Neytiri dives past then rockets over the water so fast none of the gunners can hit her. Behind her, the GUNSHIP cartwheels into the sea as --
TONOWARI’S SKIMWING BURSTS OUT OF THE WATER, arcing over a picador boat UPSIDE DOWN as Tonowari stabs his lance through the pilot and --
REEF WARRIORS ROCKET OUT OF THE SEA ALL AROUND THE BOATS, DEALING DEATH WITH LANCES AND SPEARGUNS.
CHAOS. NEOLITHIC WEAPONS against 22nd Century hardware. Humans fire back in disarray, hitting not so much.
SCORESBY (COMMS)
Somebody shoot something!
RONAL, her PREGNANT BELLY BULGING, gives a WAR CRY and -- her skimwing RIPS THE PILOT out of a Picador and flings him like a ragdoll. Before he even hits the water, she fires her SPEARGUN, hitting another guy. A badass momma warrior in full beast mode.
RECOMS sweep into the fray, FIRING. Trained and precise.
A METKAYINA is blown off his mount. The sea erupts with hits, driving skimwing riders below the surface as --
JAKE AND QUARITCH ROLL IN, STRAIGHT AT ONE ANOTHER, beginning AN AERIAL AND UNDERWATER DOGFIGHT -- IKRAN VS. SKIMWING!
As they hurtle at each other, JAKE dives underwater, jinking hard as rounds RIP past him then --
He surfaces and turns back on Quaritch, FIRING A BURST that Quaritch SNAP ROLLS to avoid and --
JAKE dives under again before Quaritch can fire -- but Quaritch dives too, tracking Jake UNDERWATER.
Jake’s skimwing lunges at the ikran, snapping at its throat. Quaritch is forced to rein away. The skimwing takes a second CHOMP, narrowly missing Quaritch himself this time, then --
QUARITCH’S MOUNT EXPLODES out of the water, coming around on Jake, FIRING -- forcing Jake to DIVE BACK UNDER and --
The colonel tracks him from above. Through gin clear water, he can see Jake’s mount streaking over the sandy bottom --
QUARITCH FIRES. Rounds rip tracks through the water and Jake slaloms between CORAL HEADS, evading, as --
THE LAST GUNSHIP strafes REEF WARRIORS below. NEYTIRI rolls her ikran inverted, SNAP SHOOTING as she goes over the canopy -- DRILLING THE PILOT. The gunship CRASHES into the sea as --
FLYING RECOMS swoop toward her, FIRING, but --
She carves up, banks tightly and drops back in among them, snap-firing her arrows with deadly accuracy. SHWACK! One is blown off his mount. Then another, and --
They try to hit her but her moves are too fast, too acrobatic and squirrely.
UNDERWATER -- RONAL leads reef warriors among the CRAB SUITS. She drives her lance into the THRUSTER of one suit, jamming the prop, as another warrior LASSOS the manipulator arm with a rope. Together they flip the suit onto its back as --
A WARRIOR leaps on, bashing a rock furiously into the canopy, which SHATTERS. Water engulfs the pilot, drowning his SCREAM.
AT THE SURFACE -- PAYAKAN REARS out of the sea, smashing down on a PICADOR BOAT which is CRUSHED in a wall of spray as --
IN THE MATADOR -- Scoresby grips the HARPOON GUN handles.
SCORESBY (CONT’D)
Come about! Stay on him!
KIRI, Rotxo and Nu'ung are being overtaken by TWO SUBS as they cross a colony of ANEMONE-LIKE CREATURES. Kiri grabs her KURU and plunges the tendrils into an anemone and --
COMMANDS the entire ANEMONE COLONY to extend on BODY STALKS, SEIZING THE SUBS in their tentacles and --
The subs are pulled down in a writhing mass as other anemones get in on the feeding frenzy. But just then --
NU’UNG is grabbed by a crabsuit.
KIRI hovers in an ICTHID SCHOOL, commanding them to swarm around her like a boiling silver nimbus and --
She advances on the suits, FURIOUS EYES fixed on them through the swirling mass. She THRUSTS her hands forward and THE SWARM LAUNCHES at the suits, engulfing them and --
THE PILOTS are blinded. They see only a silver blizzard, out of which appears -- the JAWS of TONOWARI’S SKIMWING, which CLAMPS ITS TEETH on the arm of the suit holding Nu'ung and RIPS IT CLEAN OFF as --
ON THE SEA DRAGON BRIDGE -- Spider WHOOPS, watching Kiri on the SUIT-CAMS as she conjures swarms of fish, sending them forth like silver streamers of her will.
PAYAKAN BREACHES under a PICADOR BOAT, LAUNCHING IT AIRBORNE straight at the Sea Dragon and --
It CRASHES onto the SUPERSTRUCTURE, right into a SPINNING DUCTED-PROP. Boat FUEL EXPLODES. A great plume of fire erupts out the back of the duct, covering the AFT WELL-DECK in burning fuel and --
ON THE BRIDGE -- SIRENS BLARE as the officers scramble to control the damage. As the HELMSMAN steps away to the fire- control station SPIDER leaps to the MAIN THROTTLES and rams them FORWARD --
ALL DUCTED-PROPS ROAR at full power and the Sea Dragon surges ahead -- accelerating toward a ROCK OUTCROPPING and --
SPIDER grabs a FIRE-EXTINGUISHER and BASHES THE THROTTLE LEVERS, breaking them off, and -- the helmsman flings Spider to the floor --
HELMSMAN
Goddamnit kid!
-- and tries to grab the lever-stumps to pull them back, but he can’t and --
THE SHIP ROARS forward, picking up speed, until --
K-KRRROOWWWNCH! The HULL SLAMS into the rocks -- GOES AIRBORNE -- and comes down with the BOTTOM RIPPED OUT.
ON THE BRIDGE everyone is thrown to the floor. ALARMS SHRIEK.
BELOWDECKS -- CREWMEN scramble as SEAWATER THUNDERS IN, and --
ON DECK -- LO'AK tries to free himself and the girls from the railing. One stanchion is broken, and he's desperately trying to bend the metal rail until it breaks as --
NEARBY -- NETEYAM surfaces on his ilu, seeing his brother's struggle. He dives and heads for the Sea Dragon.
UNDERWATER -- KIRI continues to send SWARMS to blind the attackers. BUT BEHIND HER --
WAINFLEET APPEARS, streaking down on his ilu. The creature’s back CLAWS GRAB KIRI under the shoulders like two huge hooks. She SCREAMS BUBBLES and is rocketed OUT OF FRAME as --
NETEYAM rides hard, building speed. His ilu BREACHES STRAIGHT UP, and Neteyam LEAPS OFF --
Onto the deck of the SEA DRAGON. Amidst SIRENS and chaos he sprints to the other kids. Whips out his knife and saws at Tsireya’s FLEX-CUFF --
NETEYAM
(grinning)
Hey Baby Brother, need some help?
LO’AK
Shutup! Get us loose.
NETEYAM
Who’s the mighty warrior? Say it.
AMID THE FIRE AND SMOKE OF BATTLE -- JAKE empties his last magazine. Tosses the AR as --
QUARITCH pulls a mag from his combat-harness and SLAMS it in. Jake rolls and dives into the sea as Quaritch banks after him, skimming the water -- HUNTING.
FOREDECK -- NETEYAM frees Tuk, and Tsireya grabs her hand.
NETEYAM
Get Tuk out of here!
TSIREYA and Tuk jump the rail, DIVING into the sea. Neteyam saws through Lo’ak’s FLEX-CUFF and turns to dive off. But Lo’ak goes the OTHER WAY, picking up an AR from the deck.
NETEYAM
Lo’ak no! Come on!
LO’AK
They got Spider locked up --
(points to the bridge)
We've gotta get him out.
Neteyam hesitates --
LO’AK
Come on, bro -- he’s our brother
from another mother!
NETEYAM SNARLS and shoves past Lo’ak, leading as they run toward the stairs to the bridge.
ON THE BRIDGE -- ALARMS BLARE as screens show the ship FLOODING UNCONTROLLABLY.
CAPTAIN (P.A.)
Abandon ship! Abandon ship!
OUTSIDE -- A TROOPER drags SPIDER along roughly as bridge crew piles out of the AIRLOCK and down steps at a run.
FORWARD WELL DECK -- WAINFLEET’S IKRAN flaps down with Kiri and drops her onto the deck. Wainfleet leaps off and grabs her in an iron grip as --
TUK, swimming away from the ship with Tsireya, looks back --
TUK
Look!
THEIR POV -- on the well deck WAINFLEET HAND-CUFFS a struggling Kiri to a PIPE.
TUK
We've got to go back for her!
Tuks swims back toward the ship.
TSIREYA
Tuk! Wait!
TUK
Sullys stick together!
Tsireya swims after her as Tuk pulls herself out of the water, scrambling up the hull like a monkey.
QUARITCH SKIMS over the water, searching for Jake.
UNDERWATER -- Jake pulls up, going straight for the surface. The SKIMWING’S TAIL lashes furiously and --
QUARITCH sees the WATER EXPLODE under him. In a flash --
THE SKIMWING’S JAWS clamp onto his ikran’s throat. Quaritch sees Jake's teeth bared as the skimwing wrenches brutally, flinging the ikran down. QUARITCH cartwheels into the ocean.
He surfaces quickly, raising his AR but --
A GREAT SHAPE BLOCKS THE SUN -- PAYAKAN’S MASSIVE FLUKES CRASH DOWN, driving him deep underwater and -- QUARITCH, knocked senseless, tumbles in a maelstrom of bubbles, his weapon torn from his grasp.
THE MATADOR ROARS, coming around on Payakan. Scoresby FIRES A HARPOON as PAYAKAN DIVES. It glances off his armor and --
UNDERWATER -- PAYAKAN sees the HARPOON CABLE zipping past his eye. He twists sideways and GRABS THE CABLE IN HIS JAWS.
Scoresby and Garvin gape as Payakan rolls, twisting the cable around himself to get a powerful grip and then --
WHAM! The KILL BOAT is YANKED FORWARD so hard it slams everyone to the deck.
SCORESBY
Son of a bitch!
GARVIN
Now who’s got the harpoon?!
SCORESBY
(to helmsman)
BACK FULL!
The KILL BOAT is dragged through the water as its engines ROAR in reverse, but -- it hurtles onto low rocks, SMASHING IN THE HULL. The crew are thrown off their feet.
The HARPOON CABLE suddenly goes SLACK. The boat backs down off the rocks, listing as water pours in. Scoresby, panting and CRAZED, scrambles to reload the HARPOON GUN.
GARVIN
I thought you were the intelligent
species here, Scoresby.
SCORESBY
Shut up, Doc. Ain’t tellin’ you
again!
Scoresby eyes the ominous SLACK CABLE. He pivots the gun, scanning the water all around the boat.
SCORESBY
Where are you... ?
PAYAKAN ERUPTS out of the sea, ARCING RIGHT OVER THE MATADOR, still gripping the HARPOON CABLE in his jaws. Scoresby swivels wildly but can’t get a shot as --
The HARPOON CABLE slams TAUT across the superstructure, SPLINTERING the cockpit into flying debris as --
The CABLE is dragged forward across the boat, SHEARING OFF EVERYTHING IN ITS PATH like a CHAINSAW. Garvin dives below the gun’le as the taut wire SCHIINNGS over his head, but --
SCORESBY is caught by the cable under one arm and -- SLAMMED AGAINST THE HARPOON GUN PEDESTAL. The cable cuts into his pinned arm -- he SCREAMS as --
UNDERWATER -- PAYAKAN yanks sideways in fury and --
K-KRAACK! The taut cable CUTS RIGHT THROUGH Scoresby’s arm and TEARS THE ENTIRE HARPOON GUN off the bow and --
Scoresby SCREAMS as he is flung one way into the water and HIS ARM FLIES THE OTHER.
ON THE SEA DRAGON -- SPIDER is hauled along by bridge crew running toward a LIFEBOAT when --
BLUE SHAPES DROP ONTO THEM! Neteyam and Lo’ak SLAM the human crew into walls and over rails. A SECOPS TROOPER tries to fire but LO’AK SHOOTS, dropping him. It’s over in seconds.
Lo’ak looks at the dead trooper, and the weapon in his hands, shocked at what he just did. The end of innocence.
Spider grabs his forearm and Lo’ak returns the NA’VI GRIP.
SPIDER
Thanks, bro.
NETEYAM
Come on, Cuz!
They start off, but Spider turns back --
SPIDER
Hang on a second!
He rips a BREATHING MASK off a downed trooper. Throws away his own -- goodbye TRACKER. He puts on the new mask JUST AS --
WAINFLEET ROUNDS A CORNER and sees the Sully boys. He snaps up his weapon but --
NETEYAM grabs the others and YANKS them behind a WINCH and -- ROUNDS SPANG off the winch as Wainfleet advances, FIRING!
THE BOYS SPRINT across the deck. Wainfleet FIRES, but large equipment blocks his BURSTS as --
Neteyam pushes Lo’ak ahead, putting himself between his brother and the bullets. Their legs pump and --
LO’AK flings Spider over the rail then clears it himself. Neteyam dives over as WAINFLEET’S TRACERS RIP ACROSS HIM.
IN THE WATER -- Lo’ak and Spider surface. FLOATING WRECKAGE blocks them from Wainfleet, who scans from the rail above.
LO’AK watches from behind debris as Wainfleet turns away with a SNARL. Lo’ak looks around for his brother. A BEAT, then--
NETEYAM surfaces nearby, GASPING. Lo’ak turns to Spider.
LO’AK
Woo-hoo! That was insane, Cuz!
The two friends HIGH FIVE. Lo’ak spots Neteyam’s ilu and CLICKS! It jets toward them. He mounts up and pulls Spider onto the neck, in front of him. Then circles back for Neteyam, who is GASPING WEAKLY nearby --
LO’AK (CONT’D)
Neteyam?
Lo’ak grabs his brother’s arm and pulls him up, revealing -- BLOOD STREAKING DOWN from a BULLET HOLE in his back. He is barely conscious.
NETEYAM
You skxawng. I’m shot.
LO’AK
Oh shit!
(to Spider)
Gimme a hand!
Together brown and blue hands pull Neteyam onto the ilu. Lo’ak turns the ilu, riding away, which is when -- SPIDER LOOKS BACK AT THE SHIP --
HIS POV -- a glimpse through railings and deck equipment as TUK pulls out her little knife to CUT KIRI’S CUFFS, but -- WAINFLEET APPEARS, grabbing her off her feet. We see Tsireya dive over the rail, escaping, then the view is blocked.
SPIDER
Bro, wait!
But Lo’ak is FREAKING OUT over Neteyam. He surges the ilu forward, gripping his bleeding brother tightly.
LO’AK
Hold on, Brother! Hold on!
AMONG BURNING WRECKAGE -- IAN GARVIN treads water. Behind him, a MASSIVE HEAD rises above the surface. He turns and finds himself face to face with --
PAYAKAN. Garvin, teeth chattering, stares into the great intelligent eye. He raises shaking hands and SIGNS --
GARVIN (SPEAKING/SIGNING)
Friend. Friend.
LONG BEAT -- then Payakan submerges. Leaving Garvin gasping.
NEARBY -- SCORESBY is hauled aboard a PICADOR BOAT by his men. He is conscious enough to see that his ARM IS GONE.
Crewmen scramble to staunch the bleeding as GARVIN CLAMBERS ABOARD, gasping and dazed. The PILOT slams the throttles forward and ROOSTER TAILS shoot up as the boat BUGS OUT.
THE SEA DRAGON is clearly sinking. LISTING so much the starboard deck is near water level, as -- QUARITCH hauls himself onto the deck -- battered, bleeding -- but his eyes burn with FURIOUS INTENT. He looks up to see --
The DAILY ECLIPSE beginning. GREAT POLYPHEMUS has already begun to consume the sun, as --
NOT FAR AWAY -- LO’AK and Spider ride hard to a rock island. Lo’ak spots JAKE and signals wildly --
LO’AK
Dad! Help!! It’s Neteyam -- he’s --
Jake races to the rock. He sees Lo’ak crying, the two boys -- human and Na’vi -- dragging Neteyam’s body out of the water.
JAKE’S HEART PLUMMETS. He reaches them and grabs his son as --
NEYTIRI lands and takes in Lo’ak, Spider and Jake dragging a blood-streaked Neteyam from the water. She SHRIEKS and runs to them as in a nightmare --
NEYTIRI
No. No. No. No --
She crouches with Jake, who holds Neteyam in his arms. NETEYAM’S eyes find Jake’s.
NETEYAM
Dad --
JAKE
I’m right here, son. I’ve got you.
NETEYAM
Dad, I want to -- go home --
JAKE
It’s okay Boy, we’re going home.
We’re going home.
NETEYAM
Dad, I —
And that’s all. The thought ends as light goes out of Neteyam’s eyes. He breathes out -- his LAST BREATH. Jake can only stare, stunned. Gutted -- as Neytiri SCREAMS --
NEYTIRI
Oh Great Mother no!
DARKNESS sweeps over the ocean as the sun is devoured. The Sullys inhabit a breathless lull in the battle. The burning ship, sporadic gunfire and war-cries, all seem distant.
LO’AK feels an abyss open beneath him. Jake turns to him, his face a grim mask.
JAKE
Where are your sisters?
Lo’ak is at a loss. Spider jumps in --
SPIDER
Kiri’s on the ship -- she’s tied to
a pipe. They got Tuk too.
Lo’ak is shocked. Wha --?
JAKE
Where?!
SPIDER
Mid-deck, forward -- you know where
the cranes are -- ?
(off Jake's look)
Come on, I'll show you!
JAKE
(to Neytiri)
We have to go.
But she’s not processing anything right now but the nightmare of her son’s death. He takes her by the shoulders --
JAKE
Listen to me -- listen to me! We
have to get the girls. You
understand? I need you with me. I
need you to be strong right now.
She looks up, focusing on him. He puts his palm on her chest.
JAKE
Strong heart.
Neytiri takes a long shuddering breath, then sets her jaw and picks up the WAR BOW. Going on now -- finding her warrior spirit -- may be the hardest thing she’s ever done.
She wipes fiercely at her tears, denying them. A terrifying grimace transforms her features.
Lo’ak moves to accompany his parents, but --
JAKE
Stay with your brother.
LO’AK
Dad, I want to --
JAKE
No! You've done enough!
Neytiri mounts her ikran as Jake hauls Spider into the water. LO’AK watches them go, GUT-PUNCHED by his father’s wrath.
LONG LENS POV -- through a RIFLE SCOPE we see Jake haul Spider aboard his skimwing, sitting him astride the neck.
ANGLE ON QUARITCH -- he snarls. There’s no clear shot without hitting Spider. Jake dives below the surface.
QUARITCH
He’s coming. Everybody on me, NOW!
WAINFLEET (COMMS)
Bravo team, rally at my pos. Prime
target is inbound...
UNDERWATER -- Jake pulls a METKAYINA LANCE from submerged boat wreckage, then urges his skimwing onward. Spider, breathing through his mask, clings white-knuckled and wide- eyed as the beast rips through the water and --
RECOMS and SECOPS TROOPERS deploy in a wide perimeter around KIRI and TUK They scan water and sky for attack.
STARBOARD WING -- in darkness, JAKE and Spider emerge from the water, running up the partially submerged wing like a beach. SMOKE AND FIRE screen their approach.
ON DECK -- A HUSH, broken by distant sporadic gunfire. QUARITCH keys LO’AK’S THROAT MIKE --
QUARITCH (COMMS)
I’ve got your daughters, Jake. Same
deal as before -- you for them.
He signals Wainfleet and the recoms to flank out, searching --
ROCK ISLAND -- LO’AK looks up from his brother's body as Tsireya emerges from the water and runs to him. She looks at Neteyam with horrified realization.
LO’AK
Stay with him.
He runs to the water and dives in. She puts her hand protectively on Neteyam’s still chest.
ON THE SHIP -- QUARITCH scans the twilight gloom of the ship for movement.
QUARITCH (COMMS)
Your boy didn’t have to die, Jake.
You brought that on yourself.
JAKE, moving through the shadows of the massive PROP DUCTS, reacts to this.
QUARITCH (OS)
You thought you could keep your
family safe. But you can’t.
Jake's jaw clenches. Spider signals direction and they run from shadow to shadow. Jake pulls the pin on a GRENADE and drops it down a FUEL PORT. Grabs Spider and sprints...
ON DECK -- Quaritch warily grips his AR, scanning.
QUARITCH
There’s only one way to keep them
safe. Let’s get this over with
before you lose --
VA-BOOOM! The darkness erupts with an enormous FUEL EXPLOSION, rocking the ship. Recoms duck as debris rains down. A wall of flame across the back of the ship.
ON RECOM PRAGER, framed against fire and smoke, as -- JAKE BURSTS THROUGH THE FLAMES in a flying leap, thrusting with his lance. PRAGER is driven back, skewered, as Jake vaults over him and --
NEYTIRI’S IKRAN tears through smoke INVERTED as she does a dismount flip, SNAP SHOOTING in mid air --
DRILLING A RECOM, even as she SLAMS TO THE DECK, rolling to her feet and SNAP-SHOOTING again -- blowing another recom backward. Troopers OPEN FIRE but she’s gone among shadows --
IN STYLIZED CUTS:
Jake and Neytiri attack in perfect synchronization -- TWO UNSTOPPABLE FURIES. THE PARENTS FROM HELL...
JAKE hurls his lance, grabs a fallen AR, FIRING BURSTS as he leaps and --
NEYTIRI never stops, cranking off ARROWS that simply don’t miss -- leaping, rolling, back-flipping -- SCHWACK! SCHACK! SCHWACK! A demon with bared fangs and blazing yellow eyes. They can’t hit her and they die trying, as --
QUARITCH fires a BURST and goes empty. He flings the AR and runs to KIRI, releasing her cuffs and drawing his KNIFE as --
JAKE’S AR goes empty. He uses it as a blunt instrument in vicious close-quarter fighting as --
NEYTIRI shoots her last arrow and swings the bow in whistling arcs, laying about her in a BERSERK RAGE, troopers flying as--
WAINFLEET TRACKS HER with his AR, about to fire, but -- JAKE SMASHES him in the face with his rifle and then HURLS HIM with a ROAR over a rail. He falls to a lower deck as --
Jake draws his KNIFE and runs to cut TUK FREE.
NEYTIRI DRIVES HER KNIFE into a human TROOPER, lifting him off the ground with a furious roar -- flings him. Stabs another trooper, who drops to the deck. She crouches over him -- her KNIFE FLASHING UP AND DOWN. BLOOD FLYING. Her rage against humans out of control...
SPIDER runs forward, witnessing this carnage, as --
NEYTIRI looks up, eyes CRAZED, face blood-streaked -- looking for more humans to kill. The deck is still, except for --
QUARITCH He steps into the open holding KIRI brutally by the hair, his knife to her throat.
SPIDER
No! Don’t hurt her!
Everyone freezes. Jake on one side of the deck, panting. Neytiri and Spider on the other. THE SHIP GROANS as it settles. Suddenly we realize how TILTED it is. Water rushes up the deck toward them as --
QUARITCH
We're running out of time here,
Corporal. This is your last chance.
You already lost one kid today. You
really want to lose another?
ON JAKE, panting, glaring. But he’s only got his knife, and it’s just too far --
QUARITCH
DO NOT test me Jake!
He tightens the blade against Kiri’s throat.
JAKE DROPS HIS KNIFE. He motions Tuk back and steps forward. Quaritch pulls out FLEX-CUFFS and tosses them at Jake’s feet.
QUARITCH
Now cuff yourself.
BUT... NEYTIRI GRABS SPIDER. Snaps her blade to his throat.
NEYTIRI
Release! Or I cut!
Quaritch didn’t see THAT coming. A BEAT, then he sneers --
QUARITCH
You think I care about some kid?
He’s not mine. He’s not even the
same species.
QUARITCH pushes his blade harder into Kiri’s neck. BLOOD trickles down from a surface cut.
SPIDER
Stop! Please! Let her go!
Spider struggles in Neytiri’s grip, oblivious to his own fate -- seeing only Kiri in danger. And Kiri sees only Spider.
KIRI
Don’t kill him!
NEYTIRI HISSES. She looks like she would cut a hundred human kids’ throats to get her daughter back.
NEYTIRI
I CUT!
NEYTIRI SLASHES her blade across Spider’s chest. Blood runs down from a long cut.
Quaritch glares. Not backing down.
NEYTIRI
Rrraaaaahhhhh!
She raises her knife to stab Spider’s chest --
QUARITCH
NO! -- WAIT!
QUARITCH SHOVES KIRI AWAY. She stumbles to the deck, then gets up and grabs Tuk, scrambling toward Neytiri.
SPIDER reacts, realizing -- this demon, this Na’vi incarnation of his father actually does love him.
BUT -- Neytiri still holds Spider. Her fury goes beyond getting her kids back. She puts her blade to his throat.
QUARITCH
You really gonna kill a kid, Mrs.
Sully?
NEYTIRI
A son for a son!
KIRI
Mom -- STOP! Don’t hurt him. Please
-- please!
JAKE
Baby, let him go.
QUARITCH
You’re a warrior. Your fight is
with me, not him.
Whether because of her family’s pleas or Quaritch’s challenge, Neytiri SNARLS and SLAMS SPIDER to the deck. She squares off with Quaritch, her eyes burning.
Kiri grabs Spider and pulls him away as the ship GROANS and THE SEA SURGES UP THE DECK, rushing around their feet. Jake scoops up his knife. Circles Quaritch toward his family.
JAKE
Baby, get the girls!
Neytiri won’t budge, her fury overwhelming her judgment.
JAKE
Now! GO!
TUK, crying, pulls on Neytiri’s arm --
TUK
Mama, come on --
Neytiri SNAPS OUT OF IT and starts to back away. Quaritch points his knife at her, eyes boring into her.
QUARITCH
I owe you a death.
JAKE
Spider, get out of here!
Spider grabs Kiri and pulls her away. Neytiri and Tuk retreat across the deck as WATER SURGES UP and -- Jake backs up, covering their retreat, his priority to protect his family.
QUARITCH
You gonna walk away Jake -- knowin’
I’m out there? Knowin’ I’ll never
stop? This -- between us -- runs
too deep. I’m gonna come for you.
And when I do, I’m gonna kill your
whole family.
Jake SNARLS. He stops. Holds his ground on the tilting deck.
JAKE
Then let’s get this done.
QUARITCH LEAPS forward, slashing in a high feint, then THRUSTING low -- Jake parries and strikes with a backhand SLASH across the chest, but Quaritch’s vest protects him.
They separate, then SPRING BACK at each other as water swirls around them and --
POWERFUL TURBULENCE breaks Kiri’s grip on Spider’s hand. She is washed off the ship as he clings to deck equipment and --
A DECK HATCH is now a SUCKING MAW as the ocean THUNDERS into it. The VORTEX catches TUK and pulls her in. Neytiri won’t let go. They’re both sucked inside the ship as Tuk SCREAMS --
QUARITCH LEAPS after Jake from CRANE to RAILING to STANCHION as the ship continues to roll. Jake struggles to block or evade the relentless attack as --
SPIDER climbs equipment, getting to the edge of the rising deck and clambering over, while --
IN THE HOLD -- NEYTIRI clutches Tuk with all her strength as they are SWEPT among machinery. The tilting space fills quickly with ROARING WATER. Neytiri grabs a railing and pulls them up a stairwell, clutching Tuk --
NEYTIRI
Tuk, hold on tight! Stay with me!
They make it up the stairs, LOST INSIDE THE SHIP. They run aft as WATER ROARS in behind them and the corridor continues to rotate, THE WALL BECOMING THE FLOOR, as --
THE FORWARD DECK becomes a vertical CLIFF. Jake and Quaritch struggle to hold on above water, neither backing off their murderous intent as --
SPIDER clambers over the HULL -- now the top of the CAPSIZING SHIP -- slipping and stumbling on wet metal as --
THE INVERTED DECK comes DOWN on Jake and Quaritch like a hydraulic press. They take LAST BREATHS and are PUSHED UNDER.
Jake pulls himself amongst submerged deck equipment -- UNDERWATER PARKOUR -- as Quaritch SLASHES AT HIM and --
NEYTIRI AND TUK stumble through a DINING ROOM -- the tables and chairs now OVERHEAD. They scramble across what used to be the CEILING. WATER THUNDERS into the room behind them as --
SPIDER RUNS along the BOTTOM of the hull, now its highest point, as the sea rushes up all around him. The SHIP SUBMERGES in a foaming maelstrom and Spider is SUCKED DOWN --
NEYTIRI and Tuk are swept along by the in-rushing flow -- through a doorway, into -- THE GALLEY.
They struggle to the far door. Neytiri pulls on the handle but the FLOW SLAMS IT SHUT. Pulling with all her strength, she can’t budge it and --
She turns, horrified, as THE ROOM FILLS.
UNDERWATER -- THE DECK above them drives Jake and Quaritch DEEPER AND DEEPER. QUARITCH LUNGES, SLASHING a deep cut across Jake’s shoulder blade but --
JAKE SPINS, kicks off a crane and STABS QUARITCH IN THE RIBS. His knife FOULS in the Colonel’s battle harness as Quaritch TWISTS away, pulling it out of his grip and --
Jake is DISARMED. He twists down on Quaritch’s knife arm -- shoves the flat of the blade with his forearm, snapping the Colonel’s thumb back -- opening his grip and -- QUARITCH’S KNIFE spins away.
AT THE SURFACE -- LO’AK swims to KIRI amid the chaos of debris and foam.
KIRI
Mom and Dad are down there!
They look down but can only see a mass of bubbles pouring up from the sinking ship.
SPIDER surfaces nearby and swims to them. The world has gone dark, the sun THREE QUARTERS COVERED.
LO’AK
We’ve got to get them!
Kiri nods. They both take deep breaths, preparing to dive.
JAKE AND QUARITCH grapple and twist furiously. Jake gets Quaritch in a CHOKE-HOLD -- locks him up with his legs, and arches his back, forearm crushing in on Quaritch’s throat.
KIRI AND LO’AK take final breaths and DIVE, kicking down toward the wreck below. SPIDER goes after them, his mask now a SCUBA system as --
UNDER THE DESCENDING SHIP -- CU QUARITCH -- eyelids fluttering as he starts to black out, which is when --
THE BOTTOM RUSHES UP and the ship CRASHES DOWN ONTO THE REEF. KRRRUUUUNNNCCCHHHH!!
They are sandwiched in a narrow space between deck and coral heads. SILT WHOOSHES UP, a boiling brown soup, and --
JAKE releases Quaritch to focus on survival. The two swim apart blindly groping for some way out of this as --
LO’AK, KIRI and SPIDER separate to search the bubbling WRECK. Kiri finds a GILL MANTLE and connects her KURU to it.
Lo’ak forces himself to TRANCE-OUT, slowing his heart. He swims fearlessly into the swirling silt-out as --
UNDER THE SHIP -- Jake pulls himself along beneath the INVERTED DECK. No light -- no way out.
KIRI floats calmly next to the dark HULL, moving her hands in a sensuous rhythm. Around her a GLOWING SWARM GATHERS -- tiny BIOLUMINESCENT SQUID, smaller than minnows.
ON JAKE pulling himself among wreckage -- he’s got seconds of consciousness and no clue which way to go.
A HAND comes out of the murk. It’s LO’AK. He pulls Jake with him -- up through a HATCH, into a FLOODED HOLD. The water is clearer here. Up above -- a SHIMMERING SURFACE, like mercury. An AIR POCKET.
Lo’ak hauls Jake up into the air pocket, their heads against a ceiling that was once the floor.
Jake GASPS, coughing. His head lolls, barely conscious.
JAKE
Neteyam?!
LO’AK
No, Dad -- it’s Lo’ak.
JAKE
(focusing)
Lo’ak.
And it all comes crashing back for him -- Neteyam is gone.
SPIDER pulls himself among the wreckage, SEARCHING. His eyes are ENORMOUS behind his mask and BUBBLES rush out of his regulator as he hyperventilates.
KIRI’S SWARM has become a golden galaxy around her. She gestures and the swarm flows with purpose into the ship, spreading out to search the flooded corridors and rooms as --
QUARITCH, lost in the murk, searches desperately for a way out. VEINS BULGING, he struggles on with pure will but then -- HE SLUMPS. Sinks limply to the bottom.
IN A CORRIDOR -- KIRI, with her GILL MANTLE undulating like angel wings, follows the GOLDEN SWARM trail through the labyrinth as --
UNDER THE SHIP -- SPIDER spots a LIMP NA’VI FIGURE on the bottom. JAKE! He rushes to him and turns him over but --
IT’S QUARITCH. Rescue this demon? Or keep searching for the family he loves?
SPIDER turns to go. Then stops. He SNARLS in a very Na’vi way, and grapples his father’s massive body -- DRAGGING HIM OUT from under the wreck by sheer force of will.
IN THE GALLEY -- NEYTIRI AND TUK are up against the ceiling -- previously the floor. They move along with only inches of air- space -- trying to find a way out.
TUK
Mama, I’m scared.
Neytiri grips Tuk’s hand tightly. But she knows -- there is no escape. She tries to hide her terror. The LIGHTS FLICKER AND GO OUT.
NEYTIRI
All Mother, help us.
IN THE HOLD -- Jake and Lo’ak huddle in their airpocket.
LO’AK
I’m sorry, sir. I’m sorry about
Neteyam. It’s all my fault --
He breaks down, crying.
Jake’s jaw clenches. Yes, it is all your fault. He grips his son’s shoulder.
JAKE
Focus on now, Boy. We’re losing
this air pocket.
Lo’ak sees he’s right. They shift to the highest corner of the air pocket, as the water level rises.
Jake is bleeding from knife slashes, pummeled by battle, gasping for breath. An overwhelming sense of defeat crushes in on him. He’s failed as a father -- as PROTECTOR. He’s lost one son already -- but he’s NOT about to lose another...
JAKE
You know the way out?
LO’AK
Yeah -- I think so. But Dad, it’s
gonna be a long breath-hold --
JAKE
I -- no -- I can’t make it, Boy.
You go. Go on. Get going!
LO’AK
No! You can do it! You just have
to slow your heart down, stay real
calm. Breathe from here --
He puts his hand on Jake’s belly, just like Tsireya taught him --
LO’AK
Slow and deep. Your mind has to be
just really calm. Okay?
Jake takes long slow breaths. In spite of his anger and loss, he registers his younger son taking charge. Lo’ak chants softly the Way of Water, as Tsireya did for him.
LO’AK
The sea is around you and in you.
The sea is your home, before your
birth and after your death...
IN THE GALLEY -- NEYTIRI AND TUK shiver in their dark airspace. Suddenly the water below them glows with a warm GOLDEN LIGHT. Like a thousand fireflies, the SWARM pours into the room, swirling around them.
Neytiri’s eyes widen. KIRI surfaces calmly. Smiles at Tuk.
KIRI
Everything’s going to be okay,
little sister. Here Mom -- you guys
take this.
Neytiri and Tuk connect to the MANTLE.
KIRI
I know you don’t love water, Mom.
But trust me.
She takes deep, calm breaths. Neytiri picks up the rhythm.
KIRI
Come on, follow me.
They take a last breath and submerge as --
IN THE FORWARD HOLD -- Jake takes slow, deep breaths.
LO’AK
Dad, you can do this.
Jake nods. Lo’ak signals -- they take one LAST BREATH, hold it, and submerge as --
ELSEWHERE IN THE WRECK -- KIRI LEADS her mother and sister through the dark catacomb, following the GOLDEN PATH OF BIOLUMINESCENCE.
UNDER THE WRECK -- JAKE FOLLOWS LO’AK as they pull themselves through the TWILIGHT MURK. Lo’ak looks around, hesitating -- then strikes off in a new direction. Jake follows, staying calm. This FINAL TEST IS ONE OF PURE ZEN FOCUS.
AT THE SURFACE -- Spider bursts up, hauling his unconscious father. The world around him is dark. He looks up --
POLYPHEMUS has all but covered the sun.
UNDERWATER -- Jake and Lo’ak kick upward through endless black water. Jake’s veins bulge, he’s almost at the limit.
A GREAT DARK MASS comes up under them -- a TULKUN FIN. It lifts them toward the surface as --
AT THREE SISTERS -- Spider hauls his UNCONSCIOUS FATHER to shore. In the surge of the swell, he drags him partway up onto the seaweed covered rocks.
QUARITCH gasps, shudders -- and takes in a huge breath. His eyes open and FOCUS on -- the boy in the breathing mask, holding him up. His son.
SEA SURFACE -- JAKE BURSTS UP, dragging in great lung-fulls of air. He registers the huge TULKUN EYE next to him.
LO’AK
Brother!!!
The boy rushes to Payakan’s eye, pressing himself against the armored face. Payakan VOCALIZES contentedly.
KIRI leads Neytiri and Tuk to the fin and they all climb aboard their living life raft. JAKE GRABS NEYTIRI and crushes her to him, with Tuk jammed in the middle. Lo’ak and Kiri clutch each other and their parents. Everyone is gasping for breath and crying.
They are alive -- battered, bleeding, exhausted -- but ALIVE.
ON SHORE -- SPIDER looks up at the sound of leathery WINGS. Quaritch’s ikran flaps to a landing. It is wounded, panting.
THE IKRAN noses Quaritch, who hooks his hand into its neck harness and pulls himself painfully to his feet. Gasping and blood-streaked, he locks eyes with Spider. HE HOLDS OUT HIS HAND --
QUARITCH
Come with me, son.
Spider hesitates. Then sets his jaw and steps back.
QUARITCH
Spider -- wait!
But the boy turns and dives into the sea. Quaritch watches him disappear beneath the waves. He struggles onto his ikran, then spurs his mount and vaults into the TWILIGHT SKY.
ON THE ROCKY SHORE -- TONOWARI, RONAL, NU’UNG and several reef people have joined TSIREYA, gathering around Neteyam’s body. Ronal clutches her children in a fierce hug. She sees SOMETHING and her eyes go hard. Of her look --
TONOWARI turns as JAKE leads his bedraggled family up onto the rocks. The two warriors, heads of families -- PROTECTORS-- LOCK EYES.
Behind the Sullys, PAYAKAN’S GREAT FLUKES rise, then vanish below the surface as he dives away.
IN THE DARK SKY -- QUARITCH BANKS, forming up with a bleeding Wainfleet.
QUARITCH
Where’s the rest?
WAINFLEET
Just us, boss.
The LAST TWO RECOM WARRIORS bank away, over the sea.
ON ROCKS -- SPIDER climbs toward everyone gathered around Neteyam’s body. KIRI runs to him and picks him up in a crushing hug, tears streaming.
KIRI
Are you okay, Monkey Boy?
Spider nods, embarrassed. But happy she’s safe. JAKE takes both kids under his arm. Tuk dives under his other, sobbing. Jake hugs them all, holding Spider like one of his own. A son for a son.
NEYTIRI clutches the limp body of her firstborn, splayed across her lap in a DROWNED PIETA.
Lo’ak stands apart, unable to face his parents. Tsireya sees his anguish, reaches for him, but he pulls away. Ashamed.
NEYTIRI rocks over her son’s body. She raises her head, issuing a WAIL from the depths of her soul. Her cry echoes across the sea and sky as we --
INT. SULLY MARUI - NIGHT
A single flame lights Jake and Neytiri as they wash their son’s body. Their hands slowly stroke the body, sponges moving over long limbs, beautifully formed hands -- motionless chest.
TIGHT ON JAKE as his eyes well up, glittering in the flame.
JAKE (V.O.)
A father protects. It’s what gives
him meaning.
FLASHBACK -- an infant’s blue fingers reach up from below, exploring Jake’s smiling lips. His eyes gleam.
ON JAKE as his face crumples in abject pain.
JAKE
Oh, baby boy.
Neytiri’s jaw sets as she works but her lips tremble.
NEYTIRI
He is with Eywa now.
MACRO -- Neytiri’s fingers slip a final bead onto the string of NETEYAM’S SONGCORD.
JAKE (V.O.)
Every songcord must have a last
bead.
EXT. REEF - NIGHT
Under a billion stars the METKAYINA stand waist deep in the water, with torches flickering. RONAL SINGS the funeral hymn as families, on ilu, swim away from shore with their DEAD.
JAKE’S ILU tows a DUGOUT CANOE bearing NETEYAM’S BODY, covered in flowers.
The village WATER DRUM sounds the sacred rhythm -- like a giant heart. KOONNNGGG-KUNG... KOONNGGG-KUNG...
HIGH ANGLE -- the funeral procession passes in silhouette over the galaxies of the reef.
FAR FROM SHORE -- the torches now distant. The kids watch as Jake and Neytiri gently lower their dead son into the water. LO’AK’S FINGERTIPS touch Neteyam briefly before the body submerges. He breaks down in sobs.
The HEART BEAT echoes across the water. TULKUN heads rise nearby, solemn monoliths, watching. The TULKUN’S SONG takes over from Ronal’s lament -- a plaintive alien CHORUS.
JAKE (V.O.)
The People say that all energy is
only borrowed...
UNDERWATER, Jake and Neytiri descend with Neteyam over a wide glowing ANEMONE BED. The DRUM resonates through the water, seeming to fill the ocean.
JAKE (V.O.)
... and one day you have to give it
back.
Kiri, Lo’ak, and Tuk watch from the surface as --
Their parents gently place their son, in fetal position, in the center of the anemone bed -- a field of golden tendrils rippling in the timeless rhythm of the sea.
The golden tendrils slowly close over Neteyam’s silhouetted form, drawing him down. Soon he is a shadowy shape, like an unborn baby in an ultrasound.
FLASHBACK -- Neytiri’s fingers open the TSALNU and newborn Neteyam takes his FIRST BREATH. Seemingly yesterday.
JAKE (V.O.)
Eywa holds all her children in her
heart. Nothing is ever lost.
The great HEARTBEAT continues as their son disappears into the waving golden field. Until all that remains is the timeless rhythm.
EXT. REEF VILLAGE -- DUSK
Jake stands before Tonowari’s marui. RONAL watches from the shadows inside as the leader comes out to meet Jake.
JAKE
My family and I -- we’ll move on
tomorrow. Far from here.
TONOWARI
How long will you run from
yourself, Jakesuully?
Tonowari puts his hand on Jake’s heart.
TONOWARI
Your son lies with our ancestors.
You are Metkayina now.
JAKE (V.O.)
And there it was. I wasn’t going
anywhere. This was our home.
Jake and Tonowari grip forearms, the Metkayina way.
JAKE (V.O.)
It was time to stand and fight.
EXT. REEF VILLAGE -- TWILIGHT
The Sully’s stand in a circle, holding hands, waist deep in the shallows. Village lights play on the water. Kiri glances at Spider standing nearby. He desperately wants to join. She holds her hand out and he steps forward, but --
Neytiri SHOOTS HIM A LOOK and he stops.
She grips Kiri’s hand and the circle closes. Neytiri begins to sing -- soft and clear. An ancient, haunting melody.
JAKE (V.O.)
Sullys stick together. It was our
greatest weakness, and our great
strength.
Neytiri’s song carries over...
EXT. COVE OF THE ANCESTORS - NIGHT
UNDERWATER -- JAKE and NEYTIRI are tiny silhouettes against the glowing SPIRIT TREE.
CLOSER -- Jake connects his KURU to a frond and it glows brighter. Connecting to the planetary mind. He looks at Neytiri with gratitude. With sadness. With love. Then closes his eyes...
EXT. FOREST - DAY
A beautiful glade near a small waterfall. A small BOY, maybe 6 years old, is bow-fishing at the pool. JAKE walks INTO FRAME and the boy turns. NETEYAM runs to him holding a fish.
NETEYAM
Dad, dad, look what I caught!
JAKE
Wow, that’s a big one!
NETEYAM
He was in that pool by the rocks,
right where you said!
CU JAKE, as tears spill down his cheeks. When we CUT BACK TO NETEYAM he’s now 14, just as we last saw him.
NETEYAM
What is it dad, why are you crying?
JAKE
I’m just glad to see you, Boy.
But it’s the happy six year old who hands him a bow.
NETEYAM
You try!
JAKE
Okay.
EXT. COVE OF THE ANCESTORS -- NIGHT
JAKE DRIFTS, eyes closed. Feeling the bittersweet connection with the spirit world.
JAKE (V.O.)
Nothing is ever lost.
A grim expression comes upon him, and his jaw clenches.
JAKE (V.O.)
This is what we fight for.
His EYES OPEN.