X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE
Written by
David Benioff & Skip Woods
EXT. RURAL ROAD - DAY
A two-lane road carves through an endless forest of towering
black spruce. A flock of pintails skims over the treetops,
heading south before the first snowfall.
A young BOY (12), undersized and feral, trudges home, bookbag
strapped to his back. Black-haired and pale-skinned, the boy
looks as if he hasn't had a good meal in a long time.
Before we hear anything the boy turns, watching the bend in
the road behind him. After a moment we hear the thrum of a
hard-charging engine.
An Oldsmobile Super 88 rounds the bend, accelerating as it
hits the straightaway. The boy steps away from the road but
the car comes straight at him.
The boy closes his eyes. The Oldsmobile's brakes clamp down
on the wheels and the car shivers to a halt with inches to
spare. Laughter spills from the car's open windows.
Four HIGH SCHOOL LETTERMEN pile out of the car, wearing their
leather-sleeved football jackets. GILMAN, the largest of the
four, shakes his head and laughs.
GILMAN
Kid didn't even move. You see that?
Where's your survival instincts,
boy?
The boy says nothing. He readjusts his bookbag and resumes
his long walk northward.
GILMAN (cont'd)
Hey!
Gilman grabs the boy's shoulder and spins him around-
GILMAN (cont'd)
The hell you going? You hear me
talking to you?
One of the other football players, MASON, walks over and
inspects the boy's face.
MASON
This is the kid whose old man
robbed the truck stop last year.
Gilman curls his meaty hand around the back of the boy's neck
and pulls him closer, scrutinizing him. The four lettermen
tower over the small boy.
I C_ONTTNTT f 1
2.
CONTINUED:
GILMAN
You the one with the convict daddy?
The boy stares back at Gilman, unblinking.
MASON
That's him.
GILMAN
What's the matter, you about to
piss your pants? Answer me.
The boy says nothing, never looking away from the bully.
Gilman presses his fist, adorned with a heavy class ring,
against the.boy's cheek.
GILMAN (cont'd)
You a tough guy like your daddy?
Gilman shoves the boy, forcing him to stumble backwards. The
boy regains his balance, never taking his eyes off Gilman.
GILMAN (cont'd)
You want to play tough guy with me?
Huh?
Provoked by the boy's lack of fear, by the insolence of his
stare, Gilman rears back and punches him in the face.
The boy falls to the ground. Blood spills from a gash in his
cheek where the class ring cut him.
MASON
(a ringside announcer)
Right cross to the face... and he's
down!
The football players laugh, looking down at the fallen boy.
The boy stands. There is still no sign of emotion on his
face. No fear, no anger, no evident pain.
GILMAN
What's the matter? You want some
more?
The boy doesn't look away. The bully swings, cracking the boy
in the side of the head, knocking him down again.
GILMAN (cont'd)
(to his friends)
Let's get out of here.
CONTTNTTF:T) I
3.
CONTINUED: (2)
Walking back to the car, Mason slaps Gilman on the shoulder.
MASON
You gave that little pissant
something to think about.
Gilman grins and looks back at the boy, expecting him to be
sprawled and crying on the ground.
Instead the boy stands again, brushes the dirt off his shirt,
and walks toward Gilman.
GILMAN
You got to be kidding me. I'm gonna
knock the--
But Gilman's words die in his throat as he sees something
impossible happening. The gash on the boy's cheek knits
itself shut, leaving no sign of injury.
Gilman is so shocked he doesn't see the boy's fist whizzing
toward him, striking him in the nose. And then another punch.
And then another.
The boy is far smaller and weaker than Gilman, but he fights
with a ferocity that seems inhuman, punching and kicking and
headbutting, doing whatever it takes to fell his enemy.
Gilman, stunned by the intensity of the assault, goes down,
trying to protect his face from the blur of blows.
Mason tries to pull the boy off his friend and suffers a bite
to the hand. He howls with pain and backs off.
The other two football players, amazed to see their leader
getting pummeled by a boy half his size, watch in awe.
The boy growls as he batters the bully. He grabs Gilman's
collar and lifts the football player's head off the ground,
prepared to deliver the coup de grace with his right fist.
Three bone claws spring from the boy's hand, serrated and
razor sharp.
Everything stops. Mason, clutching his wounded hand, quits
hollering and stares. The other two football players blink
and slowly back away.
Even Gilman, moaning on the ground, hushes and tries to crawl
backwards, away from this beast on top of him.
(("ONTTN11F.1)1
4.
CONTINUED: (3)
But the boy is more shocked than-any of them. He stares with
horror at the claws, this part of him he never knew existed.
He stands and stumbles away from Gilman. Mason runs over,
lifts his punch-drunk friend to his feet, and hustles him
toward the Oldsmobile.
The other football players pile in, slam the doors shut, and
speed off, leaving the boy alone by the side of the road.
The boy stares at his claws and for the first time we see
fear in his eyes. He screams, a scream that echoes over the
black spruce, into the darkening northern sky.
INT. CABIN - MORNING
LOGAN wakes. with a wordless shout, sitting upright,
shirtless, in a bed covered with shredded bedsheets.
KAYLA SILVERFOX (25) wraps her arms around him and whispers
in his ear.
KAYLA
It's okay... shh... it's okay.
Logan pants, chest heaving, eyes wild, gripping the tattered
sheets in his fists. Kayla holds him tight until his bone
claws retract.
KAYLA (cont'd)
I'm right here with you. Okay? I'm
right here with you.
Kayla, a full-blooded Innu, wears her long black hair pulled
back in a ponytail. She's been sleeping in one of Logan's
flannel shirts.
KAYLA (cont'd)
The war dreams or the one where
you're a kid?
Logan takes a deep breath, finally calming down. He relaxes
into Kayla's arms.
LOGAN
The one where I'm a kid.
Kayla runs her fingers through his thick hair, kissing his
forehead. He sees that she has a small cut on her forearm. He
takes her arm and looks at the wound.
((0NTTN111 T)1
5.
CONTINUED:
LOGAN (cont'd)
I cut you.
KAYLA
It's nothing. Just a scratch.
She kisses him.
KAYLA (cont'd)
We need new sheets again, baby.
EXT. CARNIVAL - NIGHT
A traveling carnival has come to a seaside New England town.
The brightly-lit Ferris Wheel spins a few hundred yards
inland from the dark Atlantic.
LOCALS roam through the carnival, lining up to ride the Tilt-
A-Whirl. KIDS carrying plumes of cotton candy race from shoot-
'em-up games to free throw competitions.
A CARNY BARKER of the old school, wearing a patched-suit and
a derby, beckons the curious to his attraction.
CARNY BARKER
Come see the notorious Bird Man!
Half-man, half-eagle, is he an
angel from Heaven or a spawn of
Satan? Ladies and gentlemen,
tonight is your last chance to see
the creature you've all been
hearing about:
We follow two BOYS who hand the barker their tickets, pull
aside the curtain and step into the sideshow...
INT. SIDESHOW - CONTINUOUS
.joining a small crowd of CURIOUS ONLOOKERS. The tent is
dark save for a spotlight fixed on a tiny stage.
SHERRLENE, a peroxide-blonde in her fifties, whose tanned
hide is covered with interlaced tattoos, slaps a tribal beat
on a pair of bongos.
The crowd hushes. A tall man in a hooded robe shuffles toward,
the stage like a boxer long past his prime. He stands in
front of the gawkers, head bowed, face shadowed by his hood.
1 RFNTTNTTPD 1
6.
CONTINUED:
Finally BEAK throws off his robe and raises his wings to the
crowd. As advertised, he looks like an amalgam of man and
bird, with three-toed, clawed feet and dirty-feathered wings.
His very human, tired brown eyes are set in a face dominated
by a long sharp beak. He stares back at the gaping crowd.
Beak looks more pathetic than monstrous. His skinny limbs
don't seem very strong and he projects an air of weary
resignation, not menace.
But when he flaps his gray wings and caws at the onlookers,
the children shriek in terror and bury their faces in their
father's legs.
INT. BEAK'S TRAILER - NIGHT
Sherrlene and Beak sit at a card table, playing gin and
drinking bourbon.
SHERRLENE
I'm gonna knock with three.
BEAK
Are you kidding me?
He throws down his hand in disgust.
SHERRLENE
You always hold out for gin. You
could have knocked a while ago.
BEAK
Yeah, well, I'm an eternal.
optimist.
Sherrlene tallies the points.
SHERRLENE
All right, I'm gonna hit it. You
want to come look for shells with
me on the beach tomorrow?
BEAK
I don't want to scare away any
tourists.
SHERRLENE
Aw, sweetie, it's winter. No
tourists. I'll come get you in the
morning.
(rr)NTTNTrJ r) 1
7.
CONTINUED:
Sherrlene collects her things, stands, and kisses Beak on the
side of his feathered head.
BEAK
Goodnight, Sherrlene.
SHERRLENE
Night, Beak. Sweet dreams.
Sherrlene closes the door behind her and Beak flips through
the deck of cards, preparing for another lonely night.
A knock on the door.
BEAK
You forget your purse?
(another knock)
All right, all right, I'm coming.
He stands and opens the door.
EXT. BEAK'S TRAILER - CONTINUOUS
A towering figure in a long black coat looms beside the
trailer's door.
BEAK
Show's over, pal.
VICTOR CREED is shrouded in shadows, but when he grins his
white fangs gleam. He drapes his arm around Beak and drags
the birdman inside the trailer.
VICTOR CREED
Show's never over for you, freak..
INT. BEAK'S TRAILER - CONTINUOUS
BEAK
You want money? There's twenty
bucks on the dresser. That's all I
HAVE--
VICTOR CREED
I just want to hear you talk a
minute before I cut your lungs out.
Creed shoves Beak back into his seat, picks up the bottle of
bourbon, examines the label, and guzzles it. Beak opens his
mouth but no words come out. Finally:
(RONTTNTIED
8.
CONTINUED:
BEAK
You're the one that's been killing
mutants.
Creed wipes his lips with the back of his clawed hand.
BEAK (cont'd)
But you... you're one of us.
VICTOR CREED
Us? There's no us. There's you and
there's me, and in a minute, just
me.
Creed smiles down at his feathered target. Beak tries to
shield his body with his wings.
BEAK
Please... I never hurt anybody, my
whole life...
VICTOR CREED
Let me show you how it's done.
EXT. BEAK'S TRAILER - CONTINUOUS
An awful, prolonged shriek escapes from the trailer.
EXT. CABIN - DAY
The small log cabin sits in a clearing in a jack pine forest.
Winter has come to the north country; the ground and tree
branches are covered with several inches of snow.
Logan chops firewood behind the cabin, splitting the logs
with expert axe strikes, smoking a cheap cigar.
His nose wrinkles as he sniffs the air.
LOGAN.
Smells like government.
Behind Logan, two approaching men in dark suits and black
overcoats glance at each other. Logan, halving another block
of wood, doesn't turn around.
One of the newcomers, STRYKER, was a colonel in the Special
Forces. He still has the look. His hair is cropped short, his
bearing is military, and his blue eyes are fierce.
f r_ONTTNTJF D
9.
CONTINUED:
CHRISTOPH NORD, A.K.A. AGENT ZERO, looks more like a death
row convict than a military man. A family of tattooed spiders
walk down his neck.
STRYKER
(SMILING)
I even showered today.
Logan turns, the axe gripped in his hand.
STRYKER (cont'd)
Been a long time, Logan. You
haven't aged a day. Everyone else
gets old and gray, but not you.
LOGAN
How'd you find me?
STRYKER
We never lost you, my friend. I
believe you know my colleague?
Logan and Agent Zero stare at each other. There is a history
between these two and clearly the memories are not fond.
STRYKER (cont'd)
We're with the Department of
Agriculture now.
LOGAN
Agriculture? You working with
farmers?
Agent Zero grins. There is nothing pleasant about his grin,.
AGENT ZERO
Pest Control Division. Working with
exterminators.
LOGAN
(puffing on his cigar)
Still shooting first, asking
questions later?
In one blindingly fast motion, Agent Zero pulls a customized
automatic from his shoulder holster, fires, and reholsters.
AGENT ZERO
Still smoking cheap cigars?
Logan spits the butt of the severed cigar from his mouth and
clenches his fists.
( C'ONTTNTTFTL'
10.
CONTINUED: (2)
LOGAN
That was a buck twenty-five,
asshole.
Stryker holds up both hands, one palm to Logan, one to Zero.
STRYKER
Boys, please.
(to Logan)
Could we take a minute of your
time?
LOGAN
You're taking it.
STRYKER
We want you back.
Logan turns away from them. He tosses aside the axe, picks up
a load of firewood and . stacks. it beside the cabin.
STRYKER (cont'd)
You're a born warrior. You can hide
up here as long as you want, that's
never gonna change.
LOGAN
Not interested.
STRYKER
It's... creative work, I can assure
you of that. And it pays well.
LOGAN
Already got a job.
AGENT ZERO
Lumberjack. Eighteen grand a.year.
LOGAN
Eighteen five.
AGENT ZERO
You content chopping down trees?
LOGAN
Yeah, I am. It's good work. And I
haven't killed anybody in three
years.
AGENT ZERO
Starting to miss it?
(CONTTNTIRT)1
11.
CONTINUED: (3)
LOGAN
Right about now I am.
Agent Zero grins, enjoying the game. Stryker, seeing that
this is going badly, tries to break the tension.
STRYKER
We're putting together a team. Best
men in the business. Men with...
special qualities. Men like you.
LOGAN
Forget it.
Logan walks around to the front of the cabin. Stryker and
Agent Zero follow. Logan's battered old pickup truck is
parked beside the newcomers' Lincoln.
STRYKER
It's a team of hunters. We're going
after some very bad people.
Logan climbs into the driver's seat.
STRYKER (cont'd)
You read the papers, Logan? They're
killing mutants.
Logan closes the door, turns the key and revs the engine to
warm it. Stryker taps on the window. Logan grits his teeth
and rolls down the window, not looking at the colonel.
STRYKER (cont'd)
Listen to me. They have names. They
have addresses.
LOGAN
I can take care of myself.
STRYKER
All right, forget about yourself.
Your country needs you.
LOGAN
I'm Canadian.
He hits the gas, forcing Stryker to jump back lest the tires
run over his foot. Stryker and Agent Zero watch him go.
12.
EXT. DISTRICT UNIFIED SCHOOL - DAY
Logan parks in the lot of a sprawling brick grammar school.
He gets out of the truck and walks toward the main building.
The school day has ended. STUDENTS meet up with their MOMS or
DADS for the ride home.
As Logan rounds a corner, he stops in his tracks, looking
around. Something's not quite right.
Logan'ducks his head at the last. possible second and a
snowball whizzes past, missing him by inches.
Six FOURTH GRADERS (four boys and two girls) charge at him,
hurling snowballs and screaming.
FOURTH GRADERS
Get him!
Logan jumps back around the corner, out of sight. The fourth
graders chase after him, round the corner with their throwing
hands cocked, ready to launch some serious ice.
Logan is nowhere in sight.
The fourth graders turn in confused circles, searching for
their target, snowballs melting in their hands.
LOGAN (O.S.)
Hey, fellas.
The boys and girls look up and see Logan sitting on a second-
floor window ledge. He has already formed six perfect
snowballs, with which he proceeds to pelt the fourth graders.
The kids run, screaming and laughing, nearly colliding with
Kayla, who rounds the corner and stares up at Logan.
KAYLA
Nice.
Logan, caught with a snowball in his hand, looks sheepish.
LOGAN
They started it.
13.
INT. PICKUP TRUCK - LATER
Logan drives Kayla home over roads slick with black ice. She
sings softly along with the country song on the radio.
LOGAN
Stryker came by the house today.
KAYLA
Stryker? Colonel Stryker? The one
you told me about?
(off Logan's nod)
What did he want?
LOGAN
Wants me back.
KAYLA
And?
LOGAN
Told him no.
KAYLA
So why can't they get someone else?
Logan thinks about it for a moment. When he speaks there is a
degree of self-loathing in his tone.
LOGAN
I'm the best there is at what I do.
And what I do best isn't very nice.
Kayla studies the side of his face for a moment.
LOGAN (cont'd)
Maybe he's right. Maybe it's the
only thing I'm good for.
Kayla watches him. Logan shakes his head as if ridding
himself of an errant thought.
LOGAN (cont'd)
Son of a bitch had me thinking
about it for a minute.
He wraps his arm around her shoulders and pulls her closer.
f CONTTN11Fn1
14.
CONTINUED:
LOGAN (cont'd)
I'm not going anywhere. First time
in my life, I don't feel like a
freak.
KAYLA
Hey. You're not a freak.
LOGAN
Most guys don't have to worry about
gutting their girlfriend when they
have a bad dream.
KAYLA
You're not a freak. You've got a
gift.
LOGAN
A gift?
Logan shakes his head, staring at the black ribbon of road.
LOGAN (cont'd)
You can return a gift..
INT. CABIN - NIGHT
A well-built fire burns in the fireplace. Logan and Kayla sit
naked in front of it, wrapped in an old flannel quilt.
KAYLA
The kids made cornhusk dolls today
in Arts and Crafts.
She reaches for her bag and pulls out a little doll.
KAYLA (cont'd)
I made one for you.
Kayla hands him the doll and he examines it by firelight.
Given the limitations of the art form, it's a skillful
representation of Logan, unique hairstyle and all.
LOGAN
I look like Elvis.
KAYLA
You're Elvis with claws.
The moon, swollen and red-hued, rises above the dark hills,
framed in the cabin's window.
I coNTTNTTRn 1
15.
CONTINUED:
LOGAN
Full moon tomorrow.
KAYLA
You know why the moon's so lonely?
Logan shakes his head. Kayla lies back, resting her head on
Logan's leg as he plays with her hair.
KAYLA (cont'd)
She used to have a lover.
Kuekuatsheu. They lived in the
Spirit World and every night they'd
wander the skies together. But one
of the other spirits was jealous.
Trickster wanted the Moon for
himself. So he told Kuekuatsheu the
Moon asked for flowers. He told him
to come to our world and pick her
some wild roses.
LOGAN
Never trust a guy named Trickster.
KAYLA
Yeah, well, you do some stupid
things when you're in love.
Kuekuatsheu didn't know that once
you leave the Spirit World, you can
never go back. Now he's trapped
here. Every night the Moon searches
for him and every night he sees her
in the sky and howls her name...
but he can never touch her again.
For a moment they're both quiet, contemplating the sad myth.
LOGAN
Koo-koo-choo got screwed.
KAYLA
Kuekuatsheu. The Wolverine.
EXT. CABIN - NIGHT
Viewed from a distance, the little cabin looks warm and
inviting, the firelight shining from the windows.
Something watches from the edge. of the dark woods. Something
monstrous, its black talons carving gashes in the trunk of a
pine tree.
16.
EXT. LOGGING CAMP - MORNING
Kayla drops Logan off at the logging camp. The site is
already loud with motorized activity. TRIMMERS remove the
limbs from fallen trees. TEAMSTERS in forklifts load logs
onto flatbed trucks.
Logan comes around to the driver's side window, holding his
orange Husqvarna chainsaw in one hand.
KAYLA
Be careful.
Logan bends forward to kiss her on the lips. He turns and
walks towards a crew of LUMBERJACKS circled around a
SUPERVISOR with a clipboard.
Logan turns when he hears a honk. Kayla leans out the window.
KAYLA (cont'd)
I love you, by the way.
Logan notices that dozens of lumberjacks are watching this
scene. He clears his throat.
LOGAN
T love you, too.
SUPERVISOR
(thick Maine accent)
We all love you, Casanova, but
could we get to work here? We need
to let some daylight in the swamp.
The lumberjacks laugh loudly. Damage done, Kayla waves a
cheerful goodbye and drives away from the camp.
Logan trudges into the circle of lumberjacks, who make kissie-
kissie sounds and slap his shoulder.
SUPERVISOR (cont'd)
All right, I need a team of
choppers for 3B, that's gonna be
Phelan, Marcuse, Van Mier and
Logan. Two teams for 3C...
EXT. ACCESS ROAD - MORNING
Kayla steers the pickup along the access road leading away.
from the logging camp.
C'C)NTTNTTF.n )
17.
CONTINUED:
An eighteen-wheel flatbed loaded with trimmed logs blocks the
road. Men in reflective vests stand on the flatbed, securing
the load with chains.
Kayla hits the brakes and checks-her watch. She's late. She
taps the horn.
A FOREMAN ambles over to her, in no particular rush.
FOREMAN
Can't move the truck till the
load's tied down.
KAYLA
Please? I'm already late.
FOREMAN
Not gonna happen, ma'am...
The foreman thinks about it, sighs, and changes his tune.
FOREMAN (cont'd)
(yelling to truck driver)
Hey Zeke! Pull this mother over.
Lady's got to get through.
Moments later the truck rolls forward, enabling Kayla to
scoot through in her pickup. She toots her horn and waves.
KAYLA
Thanks, fellas.
EXT. TIMBER STAND - MORNING
Logan and three other lumberjacks-- PHELAN, MARCUSE, and VAN
MIER-- tramp through the woods towards their designated area,
carrying their chainsaws and helmets.
Phelan, whiskey-bellied and flushed from the exertion, has
fallen behind.
PHELAN
You all want to ease the pace a
little bit? Trees ain't going
anywhere.
Logan, in the lead, stares at a crude smiley face carved into
a tall pine tree. His gaze travels from the carving to
something sitting on the forest floor.
(CON'TNt1F.n I
lB.
CONTINUED:
PHELAN (cont'd)
What you got there?
The other lumberjacks gather around Logan. A severed bear's
head, haloed by buzzing flies, rots in the sun.
PHELAN (cont'd)
Goddamn.
VAN MIER
Hunter?
MARCUSE
Why would a hunter leave the head?
LOGAN
Bullet didn't kill this bear.
(BEAT)
Claws did.
INT. TRUCK - MORNING
Kayla sings along with the tape on the tape deck.
KAYLA
Lolly Lolly Lolly get your adverbs
here, Lolly Lolly Lolly got some
adverbs here, Come on down to
Lolly's get the adverbs here...
Rounding a corner on the narrow access road, Kayla nearly
collides with a man in a long black coat. She slams on the
brakes and the truck shudders to a halt.
The man's back is turned to the truck, his head bowed. His
hair hangs below his shoulders, clotted with dirt, as if he's
been sleeping in the woods for weeks.
Kayla leans out of the open truck window. Before she can
speak, the man in the long black coat turns.
It's not just his size that frightens us, though the man is
massive. It's not just the four-inch-long black talons
curling from his fingertips, or the gleaming fangs he licks
as he smiles at her.
What terrifies us most are his eyes. They are a shark's eyes,
black and loveless and utterly inhuman.
f CONTTNT1FD'
19.
CONTINUED:
Victor Creed walks toward the truck. He scrapes his talons
over the hood: screeeeee. Five parallel gashes now scar the
hood, carved straight through the steel.
EXT. TIMBER STAND - CONTINUOUS
Logan, hearing a noise the other men can't, rises from his
crouch. He looks to the west, listening carefully.
PHELAN
What's the matter--
Logan holds up a hand: quiet. He hears a distant scream. A.
voice he knows better than any other.
He runs, leaving his astonished co-workers behind.
No one can run through the woods faster than Logan and'Logan
has never needed to run faster. He vaults fallen trees, ducks
under branches, accelerates when he hits the access road.
EXT. ACCESS ROAD - MINUTES LATER
Logan sees the pickup truck in the distance. Even a hundred
yards away he can tell that something is.wrong.
It seems impossible that he could run any faster, but now he
does, reaching the truck in seconds. He sees the claw marks
gouged through the steel hood.
He sees.the driver's side door tossed onto the asphalt twenty
yards. from the truck.
And finally he sees Kayla, curled in the fetal position on
the side of the access road. Blood puddles beneath her. Her
skin has already begun to lose its 'color.
He runs to her, kneels beside her body, hands checking for a
pulse, listening for breath, trying desperately to find any
sign of life in her lifeless form.
LOGAN
Come on, you're okay. Say
something. Say something, darling.
Say something. Kayla, come on.
He cradles her in his arms.
LOGAN (cont'd)
You're okay. You're okay.
(CONTTNTTRN'
20.
CONTINUED:
He rocks back and forth, her lifeless body clutched tightly
in his arms, his eyes clenched shut.
The veins bulge in his neck, every muscle in his body tenses,
as if there were a beast inside him trying to break free of
his skin.
INT. CASADY'S BAR & GRILL - DAY
The local dive opens early. TOWN DRUNKS sit by themselves,
smoking cigarettes, sipping the day's first hair-of--the-dog,
reading the paper or staring into their beer.
Victor Creed sits at the bar, carving a crude smiley face
into the wood with the claw of his index finger. He looks up
and sees the BARTENDER staring at him. The bartender doesn't
approve of the vandalism, but he's not about to say anything.
Creed taps the rim of his glass. The bartender comes over
with a bottle of George Dickel Tennessee whiskey. He fills
Creed's glass halfway-- a standard pour.
Creed stares at the bartender. He taps the glass again. The
bartender, hand shaking, fills the glass to the brim.
Creed raises the whiskey to the light.
VICTOR CREED
Stuff don't work on me. I drink and
drink and I never feel any
different.
He downs the full glass of whiskey with a swallow. He looks
around the bar, at the pool table in the back, the Wurlitzer
jukebox, the stacked bottles of liquor.
VICTOR CREED (cont'd)
You got any insurance on this
place?
BARTENDER
Insurance? I guess so. Why?
Creed wipes his mouth with the back of his hand.
VICTOR CREED
'Cause it's about to get ugly.
Logan walks into the tavern, sniffing the air. He sees Creed
sitting on the barstool, back to the door.
( C_0NTTNTTF.T) I
21.
CONTINUED:
Logan approaches the bar, never taking his eyes off creed.
Finally Creed turns to look at Logan. He stands, towering
above the smaller man.
Logan sees a splotch of dried blood on the back of Creed's
hand. Creed knows Logan is looking at it. He lifts his hand
to his mouth and licks the blood off.
VICTOR CREED (cont'd)
Sweet girl. Tasted like strawberry
jam.
The bone claws burst from Logan's hands, pale, white, and
serrated. He growls and swings at Creed's head.
The big man is fast. He ducks under the claws, grinning and
circling like a boxer, happy that he's finally got a decent
adversary.
The bartender and the local drunks have seen plenty of bar
fights, but not ones featuring clawed mutants. They run.
VICTOR CREED (cont'd)
You can scare off the civilians
with those, sonny boy. But I got
claws of my own.
He swings, raking his talons across Logan's chest, drawing
first blood. Logan lunges at Creed and the battle begins.
-The pace of the combat is startling, the physical power
stupendous. A missed swipe by Creed ends with him clawing out
the guts of the jukebox. Logan jumps at his enemy and gets
swatted into the wall, smashing the plasterboard.
Creed grabs Logan by the collar and tosses him onto the pool
table. Creed brings his fist down, looking to pulverize
Logan's skull, but the smaller man rolls clear. Creed's fist
shatters the slate and the table collapses.
Clearing his head on the sawdusted floor, Logan sees the
eight ball rolling past. He picks it up and hurls it at
Creed's head.
Creed catches the eight ball in his left hand and squeezes
his fist shut. He opens his hand and lets the powdered
remains spill onto the floor.
Logan springs to his feet and swings at creed, again and
again, his claws whooshing through the air.
l CONTTNTJRT) )
22.
CONTINUED: (2)
Creed, despite his bulk, is an elegant fighter. He circles
just out of reach, grinning as the claws slash past his face.
Creed grabs Logan's right wrist as it flies by. He grabs the
left wrist. His wet fangs glisten as they plunge toward
Logan's throat.
I
With no room to dodge, Logan drives his head forward,
smashing Creed's face with a glorious headbutt.
I
As Creed staggers back, Logan kicks him in the chest,
knocking the big man over the bar, where he crashes into the
bottles of liquor and slides to the floor in a tumult of
glass shards and alcohol.
Logan sees a lit cigarette in an ashtray on one of the
tables. He picks the butt up and flicks it over the bar.
The cigarette ignites the spilt alcohol. Creed roars and
rises to his feet, a burning man.
He vaults over the bar and advances on Logan. The flames
consume his overcoat, licking at his skin. Creed slaps them
out with his palms, apparently oblivious to the pain.
VICTOR CREED (cont'd)
You put up a better fight than your
girl did.
Creed snatches Logan and slings him headfirst through the
plate glass window.
EXT. PARKING LOT - CONTINUOUS
Logan hits the snow-covered pavement hard, splinters -of glass
in his hair, his face bloodied from dozens of small cuts.
Creed steps out the bar. As Logan struggles to his feet Creed
kicks out his legs and drops him again.
Creed crouches beside Logan, grabs the back of his head, and
smashes his face into the concrete.
The beating gets savage, creed hammering Logan again and
again. Logan's healing factor cannot keep up with the
violence being done to his body.
VICTOR CREED
Time you got declawed, kitty kat.
Creed lifts his heavy black boot and brings it down hard on
the extended claws of Logan's left hand.
I CONTTNTTFT)1
23.
CONTINUED:
Logan howls as the-bone claws shatter. Creed repeats the
process on Logan's right hand.
VICTOR CREED. (cont'd)
You were a tough little guy. But
there's always someone tougher.
Creed plunges his clawed hand into Logan's chest. Logan
gasps, eyes widening. His tolerance for pain is world-class
but this is another level of suffering.
VICTOR CREED (cont'd)
And it's always me.
Creed stands, staring down at Logan's unmoving body. Sirens
moan in the distance. Creed walks away.
Logan bleeds in the snow. We rise above him, higher and
higher, his battered body dwindling as we rise with the
smoke.
INT. HOSPITAL EMERGENCY ROOM - DAY
Two MALE NURSES shove a gurney down the corridor. Logan is
flat on his back, bloody and unconscious.
A SURGEON hurries after them, pulling on latex gloves.
SURGEON
We know what we're looking at?
MALE NURSE #1.
Bar fight.
MALE NURSE #2
Multiple knife wounds.
INT. OPERATING ROOM - CONTINUOUS
The male nurses transfer Logan from the gurney to the
operating bed. One FEMALE NURSE prepares Logan's arm for an
IV while a second NURSE cuts open his blood-soaked shirt with
surgical scissors.
The frenetic activity in the room ceases. Everyone stares at
Logan's unblemished chest.
SURGEON
What is this?
( CO749TNnFn )
24.
CONTINUED:
Logan lunges forward, grabbing the surgeon's collar and
pulling the startled man's face next to his own.
LOGAN
Where is he?
MALE NURSE #1
Hey, hey, easy--
The male nurses struggle to restrain Logan but he's too
strong for them. The surgeon gasps for air.
LOGAN
Where is he?
STRYKER (O.S.)
His name is Victor Creed.
Logan turns and sees Stryker standing at the entrance to the
operating room.
STRYKER (cont'd)
I can help you find him.
EXT. HOSPITAL - DAY
Logan storms out of the hospital, followed by Stryker.
STRYKER
He escaped from an ultramax
penitentiary in Nevada last year.
Started murdering mutants. Shape-
changer in New Mexico, pair of
telekinetic twins in California--
Logan turns on Stryker, grabbing the colonel by the throat
and shoving him against a lamp post.
LOGAN
Three years I been here. Three
years everything's good. Nobody
knows me. And then one day you show
up and the next day she's dead.
STRYKER
I came to warn you--
LOGAN
You knew he was coming.
f CONTTNfJRD 1
25.
CONTINUED:
Stryker shakes his head as well as he can with Logan's hand
on his throat. Stryker's face is turning red.
LOGAN (cont'd)
How did you know?
STRYKER
He got the List.
LOGAN
What list?
Stryker chokes, gasping for air. Logan eases up on his grip
but doesn't release the man. Stryker takes a deep breath.
STRYKER
The List. Every known mutant in
North America. Government's been
keeping it for years. Names,
addresses, everything.
LOGAN
How did he get it?
STRYKER
Someone must have leaked it to him.
There are people in Washington who
want to see you all destroyed.
Logan releases Stryker. The ex-colonel straightens his jacket
collar and composes himself.
LOGAN
Creed's a mutant, too.
STRYKER
Apparently he doesn't have much
tribal loyalty.
Logan turns and walks away. He looks like a homeless man, his
clothes torn and bloodied, his hair disheveled. He walks
fast. Stryker calls after him.
STRYKER (cont'd)
Do you have a plan, Captain?
LOGAN
I'm not in the Army anymore.
STRYKER
Do you have a plan?
CnNTTNT TF.Tf 1
26.
CONTINUED: (2)
Logan turns and stares at Stryker.
LOGAN
I'm gonna track him down and I'm
gonna end him. That's the plan.
I
STRYKER
You already tried that. He's a
hundred miles away and you're
walking out of the hospital.
Logan's fists are clenched. He's ready to hammer Stryker into
the ground, but the older man does not back down.
STRYKER (cont'd)
You can't beat him. Not the way you
are right now. You've probably gone
your whole life without losing a
fight, but I'm telling you now, you
can't beat him.
(BEAT)
Unless I give you the tools.
Logan glares at Stryker, still itching for immediate revenge.
STRYKER (cont'd)
You come with me, I promise you two
things. You will suffer more pain
than any other man could bear. And
you will have your revenge.
Logan stares into Stryker's eyes.
EXT. ALKALI LAKE - DAY
A black helicopter lands on a concrete helipad inside the
walls of the massive compound.
SENTRIES armed with assault rifles man the guard towers,
scanning the perimeter with binoculars.
Logan, Stryker and Agent Zero step out of the helicopter.
Logan glances around the foreboding place before following
Stryker inside the main building.
INT. SURGICAL PREP ROOM - DAY
Logan lies on his back on an examining table, naked save for
a strategically-placed towel.
(-ONTTNTTFr) l
27.
CONTINUED:
A red-bearded scientist, DR. CORNELIUS, draws blood from
Logan with a syringe.
An Army surgeon, CAROL HINES, marks Logan's skin with an
indelible pen. He looks like a Maori warrior, his body mapped
with strange lines, dots and x's. Stryker watches Hines work.
STRYKER
Could you unsheath your claws?
Logan raises his left hand. The bone claws pop out, the same
length they were before Creed shattered them.
STRYKER (cont'd)
Remarkable. Full regeneration.
Logan examines the markings on his forearm.
LOGAN
The hell you planning on doing to
me?
Hines gives Stryker a worried look but he ignores her.
STRYKER
We're going to make you
indestructible. But first we have
to destroy you.
Stryker heads for the door but stops midway and turns.
STRYKER (cont'd)
I forgot to give you something.
He reaches into his jacket pocket, pulls out an old set of
dog tags and tosses them to Logan. Logan inspects the tags
with ambivalence.
LOGAN
Never wanted to put these on again.
STRYKER
Held on to them for years. Figured
you'd be back one day.
Logan slips the steel chain over his head.
STRYKER (cont'd)
(SMILING)
Now you'll always know your name.
28.
INT. CORRIDOR - DAY
Stryker walks down a long concrete corridor lit by
fluorescent ceiling lights. Hines steps out of the prep room
and hurries after him.
HINES
Sir?
Stryker stops and waits.for her to catch up.
HINES (cont'd)
I know we've discussed this before--
He knows what she's going to say. He shakes his head and
continues down the hallway, forcing Hines to chase after him.
STRYKER
Ad nauseam, Lieutenant.
HINES
Anesthetic won't work on him. His
healing factor neutralizes drugs.
Including painkillers.
STRYKER
He can handle the pain.
HINES
We've never conducted any animal
TESTING--
STRYKER
No other animal would survive the
experiment.
INT. SURGICAL PREP ROOM - CONTINUOUS
Logan, wearing a hospital-style robe, stands by the closed
door. No other human could hear the conversation down the
hallway. Logan catches every word.
HINES (O.S.)
He might not, either. There's a
significant chance the procedure
will kill him.
(C_l)NTTNTTFn )
29.
CONTINUED:
STRYKER (O.S.)
Correct. Some experiments succeed,
some fail. That's why we call them
"experiments."
INT. CORRIDOR - CONTINUOUS
STRYKER
The man's well-being is not my
concern. Proving that the science
works-- that's what matters.
Hines does not relish confrontation and she's afraid of
Stryker. But she gives it one more try.
HINES
Sir... I took the Hippocratic Oath.
I swore I'd never intentionally
harm another human being.
Stryker turns on Hines, jabbing his finger at her.
STRYKER
You also swore. to protect your
nation. You remember that oath,
Lieutenant Hines?
HINES
Yes sir, but I don't understand why-
STRYKER
I don't need you to understand. I
need you to follow orders.
Stryker continues down the corridor, leaving Hines standing
alone in the fluorescent light.
INT. SURGICAL PREP ROOM - MOMENTS LATER
Hines enters the room to find Logan sitting on the examining
table, paging through a magazine. He smiles up at her.
LOGAN
You ready for me, Doc?
INT. SURGICAL THEATER - LATER
Hines and two MEDICAL TECHNICIANS accompany Logan to a water-
filled plexiglass tank the size of a lidless coffin.
((Y)NTTN1WS) )
30.
CONTINUED:
An array of stainless-steel machines crowds around the tank,
including a series of robotic arms that taper into foot-long
needles.
One wall of the theater is glass. Behind the glass is the
control room, where Stryker looks on, hands behind his back.
Dr. Cornelius and several SUPPORT STAFF enter data into
computers monitoring the experiment.
Logan removes his robe and hands it to Hines before stepping
into the tank of water.
LOGAN
See you on'the other side.
One of the technicians fastens a breathing tube, connected to
an oxygen tank, to Logan's mouth.
Logan lies down, submerging himself in the cold water. The
technician clamps Logan's wrists and ankles into place with
stainless-steel shackles bolted to the plexiglass walls.
Logan's eyes are open as he watches the robotic arms swivel
into place, poised above him like a gang of metal vipers.
INT. CONTROL ROOM - MOMENTS LATER
GENERAL MUNSON stands in the back of the room, observing the
experiment with great interest.
Agent Zero leans against the back wall, bored, cracking his
knuckles.
Hines takes a seat beside Cornelius, who studies a readout on
his computer screen.
CORNELIUS
Adamantium temperature?
TECHNICIAN #1
Steady at eighty-two eleven.
CORNELIUS
Feed lines clear?
TECHNICIAN #2
Lines one through twelve clear.
CORNELIUS
Prepare insertion.
31.
INT. SURGICAL THEATER - CONTINUOUS
Logan lies underwater, watching as the robotic arms descend
toward him. The needles begin to spin at high speed, like
massive power drills. They churn the water when they enter.
CLOSE on Logan's eyes as the needles enter his body. The man
has suffered gunshots and knife wounds, car crashes and
bottles smashed across his face. He has never suffered this.
He closes his eyes.
INT. CONTROL ROOM - CONTINUOUS
CORNELIUS
Commence feed.
The technicians enter commands, watching close-up images of
the procedure on their monitors.
INT. SURGICAL THEATER - CONTINUOUS
Logan writhes in the tank. Twelve long needles have drilled
into his bones, including his skull.
TECHNICIAN #1 (O.S.)
Feed commenced at a rate of twenty
nine cc's per second.
TECHNICIAN #2 (O.S.)
Density probe indicates preliminary
chelation of the compact tissue.
CORNELIUS (O.S.)
Body temperature?
HINES (0.5.)
One zero two point three.
CORNELIUS (O.S.)
Heart rate?
HINES (O.S.)
One sixty.
INT. CONTROL ROOM - CONTINUOUS
Stryker turns and addresses the general.
(C_C)NTTNTTF.T) )
32.
CONTINUED:
STRYKER
You're witnessing medical history
in the making. We've begun bonding
adamantium to Weapon X's skeleton.
GENERAL MUNSON I
We tried to use that stuff for tank
armor. Too damn expensive.
STRYKER
It took us three years to prepare
enough alloy for the skeleton.
GENERAL MUNSON
So if this works, I guess Weapon X
won't be walking through any metal
detectors.
STRYKER
If this works, General, Weapon X
will walk wherever he wants.
INT. SURGICAL THEATER - CONTINUOUS
Logan spasms in the tank like a man being electrocuted.
HINES (O.S.)
Heart rate one ninety.
CORNELIUS (O.S.)
Density?
TECHNICIAN #2 (O.S.)
Four four seven.
CLOSE on Logan's clenched eyelids and CLOSER still, entering
the mind of the tortured man.
Horrific images flicker past, selected traumas from a deeply
traumatic life.
Logan cradles the lifeless body of Kayla Silverfox.
The feral boy stares at his monstrous claws and howls.
Logan (looking identical in age to the man we've been
following) stands in a village in Vietnam as bamboo huts-burn
around him.
33.
INT. CONTROL ROOM - CONTINUOUS
GENERAL MUNSON
How long before he's mission
operative?
STRYKER
Remains to be seen. We're in
uncharted territory here.
GENERAL MUNSON
Uncharted territory is a pretty
good description of your budget,
Colonel. This doesn't work, you can
kiss the Eleven good-bye.
STRYKER
We need the Eleven. Our victory in
the war to come depends on it.
GENERAL MUNSON
Not everyone in the Pentagon thinks
there's gonna be a war.
Stryker turns and fixes his gaze on the general.
STRYKER
Oh, it's coming, General. The enemy
walks among us. We'd better be
prepared.
INT. SURGICAL THEATER - CONTINUOUS
Logan thrashes in the tank, his convulsions increasingly
violent, his eyes rolling back in their sockets. The water in
the tank begins to steam.
The reel of blood-stained images from Logan's past continues.
A bull-necked man beats the feral boy with an axe handle.
HINES (O.S.)
Body temperature one zero eight.
Heart rate two ten. Sir--
A dying Russian lies on his back on a dock in Odessa, staring
at the sky, his shirt punctured with three precise holes.
Logan stares down at him, bone claws extended.
(CONTTNi1FT)1
34.
CONTINUED:
STRYKER (O.S.)
He's a warrior, Hines. He can
handle it.
Victor Creed plunges his clawed hand into Logan's gut.
CORNELIUS (O.S.)
Density?
TECHNICIAN #2 (O.S.)
Probe rejected, sir.
INT. CONTROL ROOM - CONTINUOUS
GENERAL MUNSON
Is there a problem?
Stryker allows himself a small smile.
STRYKER
On the contrary. The probe is
diamond-tipped. It's not hard
enough to penetrate adamantium.
HINES
Heart rate two twenty five. Sir,
we're well beyond maximum--
STRYKER
You're trained to care for humans,
Doctor. Weapon X is not one of us.
INT. SURGICAL THEATER - CONTINUOUS
Logan writhes in the tank, muscles coiling and uncoiling. The
montage of nightmares continues, snapshots from Hell.
The feral boy sits alone in the back of a school. bus. While
the other children talk and laugh, he cuts his thumb with a
pocket knife and watches the wound heal.
TECHNICIAN #1 (O.S.)
Chelation near completion.
HINES (O.S.)
Heart rate two forty four... two
fifty... two fifty seven...
( CONTTNTT1 D'
35.
CONTINUED:
TECHNICIAN #2 (O.S.)
Adamantiumreservoir ninety percent
depleted.
HINES (O.S.)
Core temperature one hundred and
nineteen degrees.
.A young Stryker, wearing jungle fatigues and a necklace of
human ears, holds a revolver to the temple of a sobbing Viet
Cong prisoner. Stryker smiles as he pulls the trigger.
INT. CONTROL ROOM - CONTINUOUS
Stryker leans close to the glass, watching his test subject's
agony. His experiment will succeed or fail in the next few
moments. Sweat beads his forehead.
STRYKER
Easy now.
TSURGICAL THEATER - CONTINUOUS �.., .,.
Adamantium claws burst from Logan's hand, shimmering
underwater.
Crazed with pain, he carves through the walls of the
plexiglass tank. Steaming water cascades onto the poured
concrete floor.
Bursting free of his restraints, Logan slashes through the
robotic arms. Sparks dance like a swarm of fireflies. The
dismembered machines twitch like wounded beasts.
Logan rises from the broken tank, drenched with water, naked
save for dozens of long stainless steel needles drilled into
his body and the wires and hoses trailing from the needles.
Hair matted to his head, eyes wild, face contorted, he looks
like a strange amalgam of machine and animal. He tears the
breathing tube from his mouth and stares through the window
into the control room, panting, claws extended.
INT. CONTROL ROOM - CONTINUOUS
Hines sits very still, hand over her mouth. Cornelius and the
technicians rise from their chairs and slowly back away from
the window.
I CC)NTTNTTF.T) I
36.
CONTINUED:
The general stares at Logan, awed by the sight of the living
weapon. Even Agent Zero no longer looks bored.
STRYKER
Magnificent.
INT. SURGICAL THEATER - CONTINUOUS
Logan slashes through the locks of the steel-reinforced
theater door. He charges out of the room.
INT. CONTROL ROOM - CONTINUOUS
For a moment there is silence in the control room.
GENERAL MUNSON
I take it this is still part of the
plan, Colonel?
STRYKER
He's got nowhere to run.
Closed circuit monitors show Logan running down a tunnel.
STRYKER (cont'd)
The only exit is a 25 ton blast
door. It was built to withstand a
nuclear detonation.
INT. CORRIDOR - CONTINUOUS
Logan hurries down a long tunnel hewn through solid rock,
leaving a trail of watery footprints. He stops in front of
the battleship-steel door at the end of the tunnel.
Growling, he carves through the door as if it were cardboard.
INT. CONTROL ROOM - CONTINUOUS
The savaged blast door flickers on the monitors. Logan Is
free. The general stares at Stryker. Stryker licks his lips.
STRYKER
(to Agent Zero)
Alert the containment team. Bring
him back.
(( r)NTTNTJF.J) )
37.
CONTINUED:
AGENT ZERO
Bagged or breathing?
STRYKER
Either way. Just bring him back.
EXT. ALKALI LAKE - NIGHT
A full moon shines down on the frozen landscape. Logan has
exited the Alkali Lake complex beyond the high walls of the
compound. The lake itself shimmers in the moonlight.
Logan stares at the lonely moon. A wolf howls in the
distance.
His breath rises above him in the cold air; his wet hair
freezes. Ignoring the gusting wind and bitter chill, he runs
through the snow toward the distant woods.
EXT. WOODS - NIGHT
Logan runs. Pine trees tower above him. He enters a clearing
where the virgin snow glitters beneath the moon.
He stops moving and peers through the darkness. He smells
something coming closer.
A pack of GRAY WOLVES emerges from the woods, surrounding
Logan. Snow dusts their fur. They look hungry, their blue
eyes unblinking as they watch this pale interloper.
The LEADER OF THE PACK, a muscular brute far bigger than his
comrades, snarls at Logan. Logan stares back at the wolf.
The wolf jumps at Logan, fangs bared, aiming for the man's
throat. Logan sidesteps and the wolf hurtles past, skidding
on the snow when he lands.
Logan and the wolf circle each other, looking for weakness.
The wolf gnashes its wet teeth and pounces again.
Man and beast battle in the moonlight, a shadowy combat of
ferocious velocity, of gleaming fangs and gray fur.
The wolf lunges for Logan's throat again, but this time Logan
catches the wolf in one hand and slams it to the snow.
The wolf, desperate to escape, rakes Logan's arm with his
claws. Logan ignores the bloody welts.
rC)NTTNTTF.T) )
38.
CONTINUED:
His face is close to the wolf's face and they stare into each
other's eyes, predator to predator.
Snikt!
Logan presses the claws of his left hand to the wolf's
throat. The wolf quits fighting, mewling submissively. He
goes slack in Logan's grip, rolling over to signal surrender.
Logan stands over the newly-subservient alpha wolf. The other
wolves in the pack stare at the strange champion.
Intense light shines on Logan's face. He turns and sees that
he's surrounded by a dozen SOLDIERS wearing tactical armor.
Powerful flashlights are mounted to the barrels of their
guns, which are pointed at Logan.
The wolves flee, dodging through the pines, their paws
kicking up snow.
SOLDIER #1
Put your hands in the air!
INT. CONTROL ROOM - NIGHT
Stryker and the others are able to watch Logan in action, as
night-vision security cameras mounted in the trees beam a
constant live feed back to monitors in the control room.
STRYKER
These soldiers are the creme de la
creme. They're equipped to handle
the situation.
EXT. WOODS - NIGHT
Logan tries to gauge his enemies, staring into the harsh
lights- He growls.
SOLDIER #1
Hands in the air, now!
Logan charges at the soldiers.
The soldiers fire their weapons. These are not rifles but
high-powered Tasers. Twelve darts sink into Logan's skin,
each connected to a silvery wire.
Thousands of volts of electricity course through Logan's
body.
(fC)NTTNIJF.n
39.
CONTINUED:
Gritting his teeth and fighting through the pain, he slices
the twelve wires with his claws and advances on the stunned
soldiers.
INT. CONTROL ROOM - NIGHT
The monitors show the fallen soldiers lying in the snow. For
a moment everyone in the room is quiet.
HINES
The creme de la creme just got
creamed.
Stryker gives her a very nasty look before turning to General
Munson and speaking in calming tones.
STRYKER
There's a high-voltage fence on the
perimeter of the base--
GENERAL MUNSON
Is it made out of adamantium?
EXT. HUDSON FARM - DAY
An old Chevrolet pickup truck rattles down a snow-covered
road that passes acres of frozen farm fields. A Good Sam Club
sticker is pasted on the rear bumper.
INT. CHEVROLET - CONTINUOUS
JAMES and HEATHER HUDSON, a middle-aged farmer and his middle-
aged wife, are bundled up in heavy parkas. James drives; his
wife talks.
HEATHER HUDSON
Marge'll probably make her walnut
pie again. I thought I'd do
meringues this year. Try something
different. Don't you think?
JAMES HUDSON
Yep.
HEATHER HUDSON
You like my meringues, don't you?
JAMES HUDSON
Yep.
((Y)NTTN!JRr 1
40.
CONTINUED:
HEATHER HUDSON
(GOOD-HUMORED)
Yep. Yep. Forty years of
conversation, all I get is yeps.
Heather grabs her husband's arm.
HEATHER HUDSON (cont'd)
Jimmy!
James turns in time to see a naked man sprint across the snow
and slip inside a red sheep barn.
HEATHER HUDSON (cont'd)
I think there's a naked man in the
barn.
JAMES HUDSON
.yep.
INT. SHEEP BARN - DAY
James Hudson cautiously slides his barn door open. He holds
an old shotgun in his hands, a gun he hasn't fired in years.
He advances slowly into the barn, sunlight from the open door
falling on the scattered straw. A vintage motorcycle covered
in a tarp stands near the side wall.
Hudson looks inside each sheep pen. His thick-wooled SHEEP,
ready for breakfast, bleat hopefully.
In the third pen Hudson finds Logan, who has covered himself
with straw. A few curious sheep sniff at the fugitive's face.
Hudson stares at Logan, who stares back somewhat, well,
sheepishly.
JAMES HUDSON
Son... What in hell are you doing?
LOGAN
Sorry... It's a little cold out
there.
JAMES HUDSON
Uh huh. It's the middle of January
and you got no clothes on.
LOGAN
That's probably it.
(CFNTTNEWF )
41.
CONTINUED:
Hudson sighs and lowers his shotgun.
JAMES HUDSON
You're not on the drugs, are you?
LOGAN
No sir.
JAMES HUDSON
Just had a rough night?
LOGAN
Pretty rough, yeah.
JAMES HUDSON
All right, come on. I got some old
clothes'll probably fit you.
He turns and Logan begins covering strategic places with wads
of straw.
JAMES HUDSON (cont'd)
I'll take you around back so my
wife don't see you again.
LOGAN
Sorry if I scared her.
JAMES HUDSON
Scared her?
(SNORTS)
I'm not worried about you scaring
her.
INT. KITCHEN - DAY
Logan sits at the breakfast table with James and Heather. He
wears an old plaid shirt, dungarees, and a pair of scuffed
work boots.
A heaping breakfast lies before him: scrambled eggs, pork
sausages, pancakes with maple syrup, a steaming mug of
coffee.
Logan devours everything in front of him, looking up only to
nod in thanks as Heather scoops more food onto his plate.
JAMES HUDSON
You mind if I ask where you came
running from?
r()NTTNITF.n )
42.
CONTINUED:
HEATHER HUDSON
Jimmy. Let the boy eat.
Logan piles eggs onto a slice of buttered toast.
JAMES HUDSON
I'm just wondering. We're twenty
miles from town. It's a miracle you
didn't get hypothermia out there.
LOGAN
I've got good circulation.
(gesturing toward barn)
Nice chopper you got out there, by
the way.
James's face lights up. Logan has found the man's passion.,
JAMES HUDSON
You know motorcycles?
LOGAN
What is it, '48 Panhead?
JAMES HUDSON
Best bike Harley-Davidson ever
made. First one with a seventy-four-
cubic inch engine, hydraulic valve
lifters, aluminum heads--
Heather stands to clear the plates.
HEATHER HUDSON
Now you've got him started. You
need more of anything?
Logan, smiling, holds up his hands to surrender.
The smile fades when he sees the red laser dot appear on
Heather's shirt.
HEATHER HUDSON (cont'd)
What's the matter, honey?
Logan dives across the table, trying to knock her out of the
way, but the bullet beats him there, punching through the
window frame and straight through Heather Hudson's heart.
She collapses in Logan's arms.
JAMES HUDSON
WHAT--
(CONTTNIWIF 1
43.
CONTINUED: (2)
LOGAN
GET DOWN!
But it's too late. A second bullet hits James in the back;
the farmer blinks and topples forward, dead before he hits
-the ground.
EXT. HUDSON FARM - CONTINUOUS
Agent Zero lies on his belly three hundred yards from the
farmhouse. He lowers his sniper rifle and speaks into his
headset.
AGENT ZERO
Weapon X is in the farmhouse. He
just murdered.two civilians.. Fire
at will.
An APACHE LONGBOW helicopter streaks overhead, fifty feet
above the ground.
INT. KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS
Logan checks James Hudson's pulse but finds none. He looks up
when he hears the thrum of the military helicopter.
Two Good Samaritans lie dead at his feet, slaughtered for
sheltering him. Something bestial has. entered Logan's eyes.
EXT. HUDSON FARM - CONTINUOUS-
The Apache circles the farmhouse.
INT. APACHE LONGBOW - CONTINUOUS
Both the PILOT and the GUNNER wear helmets with monocular
eyepieces that provide images from the external cameras.
GUNNER'S EYEPIECE POV
The farmhouse is centered in the crosshairs. Scrolling
numbers to the side of the image indicate the range in
meters. The gunner's finger tightens on the trigger.
INT_ KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS
Logan growls and runs for the door.
44.
INT. APACHE LONGBOW - CONTINUOUS
The gunner squeezes the trigger.
EXT. HUDSON FARM - CONTINUOUS
The Apache fires multiple Hellfire rockets, which blast out
of their launchers and rip into the farmhouse.
The old Hudson homestead collapses as the explosions blow out
the roof and the support walls.
INT. APACHE LONGBOW - CONTINUOUS
GUNNER
Direct hit.
EXT. HUDSON FARM - CONTINUOUS
AGENT ZERO
Locate the target and fire again.
INT. APACHE LONGBOW - CONTINUOUS
The gunner glances at his pilot. Both men seem mystified by
the command.
GUNNER
Sir... the target's destroyed.
AGENT ZERO (O.S.)
Repeat: locate the target and fire
again.
EXT. HUDSON FARM - CONTINUOUS
The Apache circles the smoking ruin where the house once
stood. No sign of Logan is visible in the scorched debris.
INT. APACHE LONGBOW - CONTINUOUS
GUNNER
They must've hated this guy big
time.
t C'_C?NTTNTTRI)1
45.
CONTINUED:
PILOT
What was he, terrorist or
something?
GUNNER
I don't know but he's a puddle now.
EXT. HUDSON FARM - CONTINUOUS
The Apache hovers near the sheep barn, rotor blades fanning
the rising smoke.
INT. APACHE LONGBOW - CONTINUOUS
As the gunner continues to scout the ground for any sign of a
corpse, the pilot notices something out of the corner of his
eye. He stares at the roof of the sheep barn.
A smoke-darkened figure stares back at him.
EXT. SHEEP BARN - CONTINUOUS
Logan, claws extended, skin blackened with soot, jumps from
the roof of the barn. He lands on the helicopter windshield.
INT. APACHE LONGBOW - CONTINUOUS
The pilot nearly jumps out of his seat.
PILOT
Jesus!
Logan raises his right hand and plunges his claws through the
bulletproof glass.
EXT. HUDSON FARM - CONTINUOUS
Agent Zero watches the Apache plummet to the ground. He
snorts with amusement and activates his headset.
AGENT ZERO
Your boy just took down fifty
million dollars worth of hardware.
Guess I got to do this myself.
46.
INT. STRYKER'S OFFICE - DAY
Stryker sits alone in his office, pinching the bridge of his
nose. It's been a long day for the colonel.
STRYKER
(on headset)
Negative. Come back to base.
AGENT ZERO (O.S.)
Have a little faith, boss.
STRYKER
You don't have the weaponry...
EXT. HUDSON FARM - DAY
AGENT ZERO
Don't care what kind of bones he's
got. Fifty caliber bullet through
his eyeball ought to do it.
STRYKER (O.S.)
Nord, goddamnit--
AGENT ZERO
I'm losing you, boss.
Agent Zero clicks off his headset and.raises the sniper
rifle, searching through the smoke with his scope.
AGENT ZERO (cont'd)
(muttering to himself)
Come out and play...
EXT. SHEEP BARN - CONTINUOUS
Logan emerges from the Apache's wreckage and runs toward the
sheep barn door.
A bullet cracks him in the forehead and Logan falls backwards
into the snow, stunned. For a few seconds we can glimpse the
adamantium of his skull.
His healing factor takes over and his skin begins to knit
itself back together.
Logan combat crawls inside the sheep barn.
47.
INT. SHEEP DARN - CONTINUOUS
He throws the tarp off the '48 Harley. James Hudson restored
this bike with love and elbow grease. The chrome and leather
shine as brightly as any new model on the factory floor.
The key is in the ignition. This used to be a safe
neighborhood.
EXT. SHEEP BARN - CONTINUOUS
Logan bursts out of the barn on the Harley. The tires spin on
the snow but Logan is an experienced rider. He steadies the
bike, steers it onto the blacktop and accelerates, heading in
the opposite direction from Agent Zero.
EXT. HUDSON FARM - CONTINUOUS
Agent Zero grabs his rifle and jogs over to a black SUV with
tinted windows and off-road tires.
EXT. COUNTY ROAD - DAY
Logan speeds down the road, Agent Zero in hot pursuit. Zero
gains ground, both hunter and quarry racing past 100 MPH.
INT. SUV - DAY
Agent Zero grabs an Atchisson assault shotgun from a rack
behind his seat that holds an impressive array of weaponry.
He lowers the passenger window and gets a bead on Logan, who
swerves to keep himself (and his more fragile motorcycle) a
tricky target.
EXT. COUNTY ROAD - DAY
Agent Zero fires six shells in rapid succession. Hundreds of
steel pellets scream over the motorcycle, perforating the
face of a smiling farmer on a fertilizer billboard.
Logan turns and sees the SUV closing on him. Agent Zero rams
the bumper into the Harley and Logan very nearly loses
control, managing to right the bike at the last second.
( C'ONTTNTIRF 1
48.
CONTINUED:
Logan accelerates and opens up thirty yards of breathing
room. He turns and sees Agent Zero catching up again.
Logan clamps on the brakes, hard.
He holds out his left hand and extends his claws. The tips of
the blades scrape the asphalt and sparks fly.
The SUV cannot brake in time. As it hurtles past the
motorcycle, Logan's claws hit the SUV's front tire and shred
it instantly. A split-second later he shreds the rear tire.
The SUV totters, falls to its side, and barrel rolls across
the empty road. It ends up on its roof in a drainage ditch,
wheels still spinning in the air.
Logan turns his bike and pulls up next to the upended SUV. He
lowers the kickstand, stands, and walks to the driver's side.
Agent Zero, bloodied and dazed, has managed to push open the
door. He leans out and aims his shotgun at Logan, who slices
the weapon into four pieces with a sweep of his claws.
Logan grabs Agent Zero by the back of the neck and hauls him
out of the car.
LOGAN
Those were good people back there.
Innocent people.
Agent Zero surreptitiously pulls a commando knife from a
sheath on his ankle.
AGENT ZERO
You ever notice good people tend to
die when they spend time with you?
He swings the knife at the side of Logan's neck.`Logan
catches Agent Zero's wrist and slams it against the door
frame.
Agent Zero drops the knife with a pained smile. He didn't
think that would work.
AGENT ZERO (cont'd)
Maybe you should stick with the bad
people. We're more your speed.
LOGAN
I got a message for your boss.
(C'_ONTTNTTF.T) I
49.
CONTINUED: (2)
AGENT ZERO
(SMIRKING)
Yeah? Tell me.
The smirk fades from Zero's face as he sees the adamantium
claws plunging toward his heart.
EXT. GAS STATION - DAY
Logan stands at a pay phone beside the Texaco station,
watching a couple of SKATEBOARD PUNKS practice their ollies.
He punches in a number and waits for the connection.
OPERATOR (O.S.)
Department of Agriculture.
LOGAN
Get me the Pest Control Division.
OPERATOR (O.S.)
I'm sorry, sir, there is no Pest
Control Division.
LOGAN
Why don't you get 'em anyway. And
tell 'em Logan's calling.
While he waits he watches one of the kids attempt a backside
tailslide on the curb. The kid loses his balance and wipes
out, skinning his palms on the asphalt.
STRYKER (O.S.)
Where are you?
LOGAN
(controlled fury)
You shouldn't have killed those
people. All they were doing was
helping a stranger.
INT. STRYKER'S OFFICE - DAY
Stryker sits behind the desk of his office. His aide,
COLLINS, stands on the other side of the desk, listening in
on an extension.
STRYKER
You ran on me, goddamnit. We had a
deal. Now you get back to base--
50.
EXT. GAS STATION - CONTINUOUS
We continue to INTERCUT between the gas station and Stryker's
office.
LOGAN
They had nothing to do with this.
You let that mad dog gun 'em down
like they were animals.
STRYKER
I'm giving you an order, soldier!
Return tobase--
LOGAN
Had enough orders for one lifetime.
(BEAT)
I'm going after Victor Creed.
For several seconds there is silence on the line.
STRYKER
We're bringing you in. One way or
another, we're bringing you in.
Logan bows his head, considering his next words.
LOGAN
People like you are always waiting
for the next war. You start one
with me, Colonel, you better sleep
with the lights on.
He hangs up the phone and walks to his bike. The skateboard
punks give him a wide berth.
EXT. SAN DIEGO ZOO - DAY
Closing time at the big zoo and FAMILIES flock toward the
parking lot. SANITATION WORKERS clean the trash from the
walking paths.
EXT. LEMUR ISLAND - DAY
The lemur habitat is cultivated to mimic the environment of
Madagascar. Four RING-TAILED LEMURS swing from the branches
of the baobab trees, shrieking at each other.
f rC)NTTNTTPD I
51.
CONTINUED:
They congregate in a small wooden hut with a peaked roof,
where they scamper up and down the back of FRANCIS, a
slender, balding man in a zoo keeper's uniform.
Francis has a gentle smile as he feeds the lemurs leaf-eater
biscuits. He speaks to them as they shriek,: clambering over
his lap, biscuits clutched in their tiny hands.
FRANCIS
She did what? Ninna, that wasn't
very nice.
He gives one of the female lemurs an admonishing look. She
shrieks and dances away, biscuit held to her chest.
FRANCIS (cont'd)
You must have done something to
deserve it, Myrto. Oh, you bit her?
Why? Haven't we talked about this?
The lemurs all quiet down at the same time. Francis watches
them. Something is wrong. The lemurs flee, ducking into holes
in the baobab trees, hiding from whatever's coming.
Francis frowns and turns. Victor Creed stands above him.
VICTOR CREED
Everyone thinks you're a lunatic,
talking to animals. But I know
you're not, Francis. You understand
them, don't you? That's your power.
Francis looks for help but there is no one in sight.
VICTOR CREED (cont'd)
What do they tell you?
Francis is quiet for a few seconds, staring at the killer.
FRANCIS
Nothing very fancy. They tell me
when they're scared. When they're
angry. When they're hungry.
VICTOR CREED
You ever talk to a panther,
Francis?
Francis shakes his head.
CONTTNi7Ff)1
52.
CONTINUED: (2)
�1
VICTOR CREED (cont.'d)
Every now and then a white panther
comes along. Albino. The mama
panther won't even look at it. She
won't lick it, she won't feed it,
nothing. So pretty soon the white
panther dies. You know why?
(off Francis's silence)
White panthers are mistakes. And
nature takes care of its mistakes.
FRANCIS
There are no mistakes. We're all
part of the plan. We're all God's
children.
Creed grins, licking his sharp fangs.
VICTOR CREED
I don't know who my Daddy was, but
it sure as Hell wasn't God.
Francis bows his head.
FRANCIS
I'm not afraid of dying.
Creed runs one long claw across Francis's cheek.
VICTOR CREED
How do you know? You've never done
it before.
CUT TO:
Ninna the ring-tailed lemur mewls softly, trying to hide
herself deep within the baobab tree as her human friend
SCREAMS.
EXT. LAS VEGAS STRIP - NIGHT
Logan, riding James Hudson's vintage motorcycle, rolls down
the famous strip, lit by the mammoth neon signs above him.
He stops at a red light and stares at the lonely moon rising
over the desert.
LADY OF THE NIGHT (O.S.)
You look like a man who could use a
night off.
(C fNTTNTTRT)1
53.
CONTINUED:
Logan turns to look at a REDHEAD in a tight silver dress,
waiting at the light in her Cadillac convertible. She looks
like she's expensive, and she looks like she'd be worth it.
LOGAN
You're way out of my league,
darlin'.
LADY OF THE NIGHT
You never know. You looking for a
good time with a bad woman?
Logan smiles and shakes his head.
LOGAN
Not tonight.
The redhead purses her lips.
LADY OF THE NIGHT
You don't know what you're missing.
Logan revs his engine as the light changes.
LOGAN
I know exactly what I'm missing.
The courtesan waits at the green light,. watching Logan speed
off into the night -
EXT. BOXING GYM - NIGHT
In a seedy part of town, far from the casinos' bright lights,
Logan walks through the front door of a rundown boxing gym.
INT. BOXING GYM - NIGHT
Even at this hour the gym is packed with aspiring PUGILISTS.
Las Vegas has become the Mecca of world boxing, and many 'of
the fighters here exhibit impressive skills as they batter
the heavy bag, tap at the speed bag, and jump rope.
Logan walks toward a ring in the center of the gym. Two young
BOXERS inside the ropes, wearing headgear and sparring
gloves, dance around throwing quick jabs that don't land.
JOHN WRAITH (45) stands outside the ring, watching this
action with evident distaste. He wears a black cowboy hat,
sunglasses, and a handlebar mustache. He has the swagger and
drawl of a rodeo cowboy.
! ('ONTTNTTF.T) )
54.
CONTINUED:
WRAITH
This is a contact sport, ladies. If
you don't like hitting people, try
golf.
Logan comes up behind Wraith, unseen by the Texan..
LOGAN
You talk tough for a guy who always
let me do the dirty work.
A slow smile creases Wraith's face. He turns.
WRAITH
Look at this. You never get old, do
you?
The two men'embrace. There is genuine affection here, the
camaraderie of men who have fought together, bled together.
WRAITH (cont'd)
Nobody followed you?
LOGAN
You tryin' to insult me?
WRAITH
Can't be too careful, brother. I've
been retired five years I still
check under the car every time I
drive.
LOGAN
I'm looking for Victor Creed.
Wraith's face goes serious at the mention of the name. He
looks around the gym, making sure no one's watching them.
He glances at the boxers in the ring, who lean on the ropes
and breathe heavily, awaiting instructions.
WRAITH
Why don't you two get a manicure or
something and meet me back here in
the morning.
(to Logan)
Want a beer?
LOGAN
Always.
(C_ONTTNTTF.T)'
55.
CONTINUED: (2)
Wraith leads Logan toward an office in the back, draping an
arm around his shoulders.
WRAITH
I love you like a brother. So I'm
giving you thirty minutes. After
that, you're too dangerous to know.
INT. WRAITH'S OFFICE - NIGHT
The windows in the office look out on the training boxers.
Wraith leads Logan inside and grabs two longneck bottles of
beer from a mini-fridge.
WRAITH
What I hear, our friend the
Colonel's got eyes all over the
country looking for you. He ain't
about to let Weapon X go rogue on
him.
Wraith pops the caps off the beer bottles and hands one to
Logan.
LOGAN
What's Weapon X?
They tap glass.
WRAITH
You are. A walking, talking,
hundred-million dollar experiment.
LOGAN
You know about it.
Wraith sits behind his desk and puts his boots up. Logan sits
across from him.
WRAITH
I keep my ear to the ground. People
like us, we never really quit the
game.
LOGAN
I did. Woke up one day and knew I
was done.
Logan peels the label from his bottle of beer.
f CONTTNTTFT) )
56.
CONTINUED:
LOGAN (cont'd)
Stryker used to give me a new name
every Monday. And by the end of the
week, I'd draw a line through it.
(BEAT)
I .put a whole lot of people under
the ground. And one day I
realized... Stryker was never gonna
run out of names.
Wraith nods, meditative.
WRAITH
Our friend the Colonel has big
plans.
LOGAN
What kind of plans?
WRAITH
Hear a lot of chatter about
something called the Eleven. My
boys in Arlington say it's the
biggest covert weapons project
since FDR built himself an atom
bomb. Other than that, no one knows
a goddamn thing.
Wraith places his bottle on his desk and sits up straight in
his chair.
WRAITH (cont'd)
Look, I... I heard about what
happened to your woman. For what
it's worth, I'm sorry.
Logan nods. He doesn't want to talk about it.
WRAITH (cont'd)
I did a little contract work with
Creed back in the day. I've known
some seriously foul people, but
that cat... They say he took out a
whole village in Nicaragua one
time, every man, woman, and child,
killed 'em all, just 'cause he was
bored.
(BEAT)
I been screwed, sued, and tattooed,
but I never killed no kids.
C'ONTTNIIRT) I
57.
CONTINUED: (2)
LOGAN
Creed did government work?
WRAITH
Till they got wise to him. Wherever
he went there was a trail of
bodies. And not always the right
bodies, you know what I'm saying?
There is murder in Logan's eyes.
LOGAN
Help me find him.
WRAITH
He's a hard cat to track.
LOGAN
Just tell me where to start
looking. I'll do the rest.
Wraith taps the bottleneck, considering.
WRAITH
Might want to talk to his friends
from the ultramax.
LOGAN
The prison he busted out of?
WRAITH
(NODDING)
Feds built it to hold the baddest
of the bad mutants. Worked pretty
well. Only problem-- now they all
know each other.
(BEAT)
You ever hear of a guy named Fred
J. Dukes?
LOGAN
Nope.
WRAITH
People call him the Blob. You find
him, you'll know why. Got out of
the hoosegow a few months ago. Went
home to Iowa. Town called Elgin.
LOGAN
You think he's still in touch with
Creed?
f C_ONTTNTIRT)1
58.
CONTINUED: (3)
Wraith leans back in his chair and allows himself another
slow smile.
WRAITH
I bet you'll find out.
EXT. HIGHWAY - NIGHT
Logan, on his Harley, speeds past a welcome sign for Elgin,
Iowa, Population 676.
EXT. ROADSIDE MOTEL - NIGHT
The neon Vacancy sign shines, a beacon for tired travellers
in the heartland.
INT. MOTEL ROOM - NIGHT
Logan lies on top of the bed covers, hands behind his head.
The lights are out and Fox News plays on the television,
casting the small room in blue light.
INSERT TELEVISION
A REPORTER stands in a Detroit alleyway as POLICE OFFICERS in
the background cordon off the area from ONLOOKERS.
REPORTER
This is the 13th confirmed mutant
slaying of the last two months, and
with the investigation apparently
stalled, members of the mutant
community are voicing their
outrage.
A YOUNG WOMAN wearing a "Mutants are Humans, Too" t-shirt
speaks passionately for the camera.
YOUNG WOMAN
Of course there's bias at work
here. If these were normal people
getting. chopped up, you better
believe there'd be an FBI Task
Force investigating, there'd be all
sorts of resources allocated to
find this killer. Why is it that
when violence is done to our
community, the nation turns its
back?
(MORE)
(RNNTTWURD
59.
CONTINUED:
YOUNG WOMAN (cont'd)
If the government can't protect us,
we're gonna have to start
protecting ourselves.
In the corner of the TV screen, carved directly into the
brick wall of the alley, is a crude smiley face.
END INSERT
Logan's expression does not change as he watches the report.
Our only indications that he's boiling inside are the look of
dark vengeance in his eyes, and the fingers of his right
hand, which clench into a fist, unclench, clench again.
He lowers the volume with the remote, picks up the telephone
and dials a number. We hear four rings.
KAYLA (O.S.)
(on answering machine)
Hey, you've reached Kayla and
Logan. We're not home right now so
please leave a message after the
beep and we'll get back to you as
soon as we can. Bye!
Beep. Logan replaces the receiver in its cradle and' lies
back, alone in the world.
EXT. SUPERMARKET PARKING LOT - DAY
A MOTHER pushes her shopping cart towards her minivan. Her
young, freckled SON holds her hand, gazing fearfully at
Logan, who stands on the edge of the lot smoking a cigar. He
looks out of place in this quiet, Midwestern town.
Logan winks at the kid. He drops his cigar, grinds it out
with the toe of his boot, and heads for the supermarket.
INT. SUPERMARKET - DAY
Two STOCK BOYS, wearing bright blue vests over red shirts,
stand at one of the aisle dividers, hiding behind a stack of
breakfast pastries. They are plainly terrified.
STOCK BOY #1
Say something.
STOCK BOY #2
You say something. It's your
section!
(C_ONTTNTTF.T)1
60.
CONTINUED:
STOCK BOY #1
Dude...
The stock boy peeks around the divider. FRED J. DUKES,
a.k.a., THE BLOB, stands in the center of the aisle, tearing
open bags of pork rinds and pouring them down his gullet.
Dukes is the biggest man you've ever seen. By a long shot.
Just shy of seven feet tall and weighing in at half a ton,
he's beyond fat. Beyond obese.
His eyes look like pinpricks in the swollen enormity of his
face. When he shifts his bulk, ripples cascade down his
flanks, his flesh trembling with each breath.
LOGAN (O.S.)
Jesus, Dukes...
Dukes, mouth and chin dusted with fried pork skin, turns his
head to examine the pest standing next to him.
LOGAN (cont'd)
Maybe it's time to give the pork
rinds a rest.
Dukes swings his arm. Despite his enormous mass, the man
moves with surprising speed. Not quick enough to catch Logan,
though, who ducks beneath the blow.
Dukes's forearm, thicker than a fire hydrant, smashes through
the steel shelving. Bags of pork rinds and potato chips
tumble to the floor.
Snikt! Logan shows his glittering claws to the big man.
LOGAN (cont'd)
I'll fillet you standing, fat man.
That what you want?
Dukes hesitates. That is not what he wants.,
LOGAN (cont'd)
.Where's Victor Creed?
Dukes grunts and bulls forward, toppling the heavily-laden
shelves into the next aisle. Panicked SHOPPERS scream and run
for the exits.
Dukes blasts through the cereal aisle, too, with a great
rending of steel, his giant shoes crushing boxes of Lucky
Charms as he stomps into the produce section.
CONPTNi)F.T)1
61.
CONTINUED: (2)
A coconut bounces off Dukes's head. Enraged, the giant turns
and sees Logan standing by a pile of hairy coconuts, tossing
one in his hand like a baseball.
LOGAN (cont'd)
You're gonna help me, bub. You_just
don't know it yet.
Dukes bellows and runs at Logan. A coconut pelts him in the
face, angering him further. Logan jumps out of the way as
Dukes brings down his massive fists. Coconuts explode.
Dukes charges after Logan, shattering watermelons, stacked
grapefruits, clusters of bananas.
After a thirty second rampage Dukes is exhausted, his giant
chest heaving as he gasps for air, his hands and face
splattered with remnants of crushed fruit.
Logan jumps onto Dukes' back. The fat man roars and spins
around, trying to buck the little rider, but Logan's got one
arm wrapped around Dukes' throat and he's not letting go.
The spinning makes Dukes a little dizzy and he slows down.
Three adamantium claws shine in the big fellow's face,
reflecting the overhead fluorescent lights.
Dukes quits, his massive shoulders slumping. He sinks to his
knees, his great bulk splitting the linoleum floor.
Logan presses his claws against Dukes' quivering jowls.
LOGAN (cont'd)
Where's Creed?
FRED J. DUKES
How the hell would I know?
LOGAN
Come on, he's your friend. When was
the last time you talked to him?
FRED J. DUKES
Friend? He don't have any friends.
All he's got is victims.
LOGAN
Careful, Dukes. I can smell a lie
before you even tell it.
The Blob begins to cry, the great bellows of his cheeks
trembling, tears and snot dribbling down his face.
1 RONTTNTTEH 1
62.
CONTINUED: (3)
FRED J. DUKES
I'm not lying! I don't know where
he is.
Logan pulls a handkerchief out of his back pocket and hands
it to Dukes.
LOGAN
All right, take it easy.
Dukes blows his nose into the handkerchief, one of history's
loudest and most violent nasal ejaculations.
He offers back the soiled handkerchief. Logan waves it off.
LOGAN (cont'd)
It's a gift.
Dukes takes a deep breath, gathering himself.
FRED J. DUKES
You ever been to Superior?
LOGAN
The club for mutants? Down in New
Orleans?
FRED J. DUKES
Creed likes to party down there.
Talked about it all the time-- how
hot the girlies were. That's all I
know.
Logan shaves Dukes' jaw with the edge of his claw.
LOGAN
Nah. You know more than that.
Dukes tilts his face, trying to keep his face from getting
scraped off.
FRED J. DUKES
Joint's owned by a guy named
Barbarus. Shared a cell with Creed
in the ultramax. Anyone knows where
to find him, it's Barbarus.
Logan stares into the Blob's face, gauging the man's words.
LOGAN
He better be there, Freddie. And he
better know something good.
(MORE)
( r'nNT T NT TF.n )
63.
CONTINUED: (4)
LOGAN (cont'd)
'Cause I'm in a mood for violence
and you're way too big to hide.
INT. CONFERENCE ROOM - DAY
Stryker stands by a window-overlooking Alkali Lake while
General Munson sits at the head of the conference table.
STRYKER
we have information that he was in
Las Vegas two nights ago. We'll
find him soon.
GENERAL MUNSON
This is turning into a goddamn
disaster, Colonel.
STRYKER
I disagree. I'd say the experiment
has been a success.
GENERAL MUNSON
Success? Are you kidding me?
STRYKER
Weapon X is a prototype. Nothing
more. He's the walking proof that
enhanced skeletons are viable.
That, along with the healing factor
we've replicated from his blood,
will insure that the Eleven is
capable of protecting our species
from extinction.
(BEAT)
At this point, Logan is merely an
inconvenience. He won't be for
long.
GENERAL MUNSON
I'm sorry, William. I've lost
confidence in your leadership. I'm
going to recommend your dismissal
to the Joint Chiefs.
Stryker stares out the window at the distant lake, with no
visible reaction to the General's words.
STRYKER
Disappointing, General. Expected,
but still... disappointing.
I CONTTN:]M )
64.
CONTINUED:
General Munson takes a sip of water from the glass in front
of him.
GENERAL MUNSON
I know you believe in what you're
doing. But I don't. War with the
mutants is not inevitable.
The general coughs. He begins to look confused as he coughs
again, his breathing gone suddenly ragged. He clutches at his
chest.
A thin smile curls Stryker's lips. He turns to regard the
General.
STRYKER
You're having a massive heart
attack, sir. Leading cause of death
for men in your age bracket.
The general gasps for air, trying to rise to his feet. In his
death throes, he knocks the glass of water from the table. It
shatters on the floor.
STRYKER.(cont'd)
The war is coming. It's time to
choose sides.
The general collapses-and Stryker stands above him, staring
down at the dying man with pitiless eyes.
STRYKER (cont'd)
You chose treason.
EXT. CLUB SUPERIOR - NIGHT
A heavy rain falls in the French Quarter. There is no sign
outside the club, only.a gargantuan BOUNCER standing in front
of an unmarked door in a dark alley.
The bouncer apprises the stocky mutant walking his way.
BOUNCER
You superior?
Only when we go CLOSE ON THE BOUNCER do we realize he has a
single eye, large and bloodshot, centered in his forehead..
Logan raises both hands. Snikt! A single claw extends from
his right hand.
(ONTTNTTF.T) )
65.
CONTINUED:
He shoves the claw straight through his left palm, retracts
the blade, and shows his wounded palm to the bouncer. The
bouncer sees the wound heal and opens the door.
BOUNCER (cont'd)
Welcome home, brother.
INT. CLUB SUPERIOR - MOMENTS LATER
The dimly-lit club is the size of a warehouse and jammed with
PARTYING MUTANTS. Most of them look like normal humans but a
few are "overts," distinguished by curling horns, scaled skin
and other genetic abnormalities.
A sexy WAITRESS walks by with a tray of drinks. She winks at
Logan. A "Kiss Me, I'm a Mutant" button is pinned to her
shirt.
Industrial beats pour out of speakers bolted to the ceilings.
Logan surveys the room. A young PUSHER approaches, his long
sideburns shaved into scimitars running down his jawline.
PUSHER
You lookin' for help, man? Ups,
downs, in-betweens. What you need?
LOGAN
Wild roses for the moon.
PUSHER
Wild roses... That some new hash
out of Amsterdam?
LOGAN
Something like that. You seen my
buddy Barbarus?
The dealer points toward a staircase at the back of the club.
PUSHER
VIP room. But hold up,bro,.I got
what you're looking for.
LOGAN
Trust me, bub-- you don't.
Logan heads for the staircase.
66.
INT. CLUB SUPERIOR, SECOND FLOOR - NIGHT
Logan tries to enter the VIP room but a muscle-bound SKINHEAD
with Mutant Power brands on his biceps blocks his path.
SKINHEAD
Private party.
LOGAN
I'm on the list. Logan.
The skinhead raises his clipboard and examines the list.
SKINHEAD
Last name?
Logan's fist splits the clipboard and crushes the skinhead's
nose. The muscle-bound brute slumps to the floor,
unconscious. Logan steps over him and into the VIP room.
LOGAN
Unknown.
INT. VIP ROOM - CONTINUOUS
The VIP MUTANTS -sit at plush booths, downing shots of
tequila. They grope their GIRLFRIENDS. They arm wrestle and
compare tattoos and gobble down fried oysters.
BARBARUS sits in a corner booth. He wears a custom-made wife-
beater. The brutally-muscled mutant has four arms, all
sleeved in tattoos.
One hand pours himself a new glass of Jack Daniel's. A second
hand gouges his name into the table top with a black steel
commando knife. The third drums the beat of the current song
on the vinyl booth's backrest.
The fourth hand pets PANTERA, the nubile mutant sitting on
his lap, a beautiful young woman entirely covered in
glistening black fur. Her yellow eyes glitter.
Logan approaches the table. Barbarus stares up at him.
Pantera purrs, yellow eyes on Logan.
BARBARUS
(nuzzling his girl)
Oh, I heard about this li'l fella.
Mr. Creed beat him to hell.
( C_ONTTNTTRT)1
67.
CONTINUED:
LOGAN
I came back. Where is he?
BARBARUS
Somewhere in America. Doing what he
does best.
LOGAN
What's that?
BARBARUS
Putting people's insides on the
outside.
LOGAN
He's killing mutants, bub.
Barbarus smiles, twenty fingers drumming on the table top.
BARBARUS
Some mutants need killing.
LOGAN
You got that right.
Snikt!
Barbarus shoves his girlfriend out of the way and stands,
unsheathing three more black commando knives from his belt.
The other MUTANTS quiet down, watching the fireworks.
Barbarus swings, the four knives whistling through the air.
Logan ducks under them and continues to bob and weave as
Barbarus advances behind a whirlwhind of black steel.
Logan slashes and one severed hand falls to the ground.
Barbarus howls, stabbing at Logan with his three good arms.
Logan's claws flash through the air again, and another neatly
severed hand lands on the table.
Logan retracts his claws and curls one finger: come at me.
Barbarus, shamed and furious, gathers himself and charges.
Logan times his punch perfectly, pivoting on the ball of his
foot and hitting Barbarus with an uppercut that sounds like a
well-hit baseball.
Barbarus crashes to the floor. Pantera hisses and pounces at
Logan, her black claws aimed at his face. Logan backhands
her. She hits the floor and slides across the hardwood.
C_nWTTAATFT)
68.
CONTINUED: (2)
Logan kneels beside Barbarus.
LOGAN (cont'd)
You want to keep your other hands?
Where is he?
Blood dribbles from Barbarus's lip. He spits out a tooth.
BARBARUS
He don't sent me postcards.
LOGAN
No? Way I hear it, you two were
practically boyfriends before he
busted out.
BARBARUS
Busted out?
(LAUGHING)
You been misinformed. Victor Creed
got himself a government pardon.
Some fellas from the Department of
Agriculture came and picked him up.
LOGAN
You're lying to me.
Barbarus grins, his teeth red from the blood in his mouth.
BARBARUS
No, sir. But somebody is.
INT. PARKING GARAGE - NIGHT
A five-story concrete parking structure on the edge of Las
Vegas. John Wraith walks to his black.'68 Mustang, whistling
a Jerry Jeff Walker song.
When he gets to the car he drops to the floor and checks the
underbody for bombs. Nothing down there.
He stands, reaching into his pocket for his keys.
VICTOR CREED (O.S.)
You think I'd use a bomb on you,
Johnny Boy?
Wraith spins around. Victor Creed sits on a concrete parapet,
the desert wind blowing his filthy blonde hair.
He hops off the parapet and walks toward Wraith.
(COWTNIIEFL 1
69.
CONTINUED:
VICTOR CREED (cont'd)
It's all about human contact for
me.
Wraith quickly unlocks the car door and get in. He slips the
key into the ignition. The engine turns on the first try.
Wraith hits the gas and the Mustang squeals out in reverse.
He slams on the brakes, shifts into drive, and guns the car
right at Creed.
An instant before impact, Creed sidesteps the car and punches
through the driver's window.
It's a miracle of a punch, timed perfectly, a crushing shot
to Wraith's jaw. Wraith loses control. of the car and it
sideswipes a parked Hummer, spinning to a stop against a
concrete wall.
Wraith blinks and tries to clear his head. Creed reaches
inside the broken window and hauls the Texan out. He lifts
the bleeding man into the air and flashes his white fangs.
VICTOR CREED (cont'd)
Hear you been talking out of
school.
WRAITH
He'll find you.
VICTOR CREED
That's the plan. It's a lot easier
than finding him.
Creed slams Wraith against the concrete wall and plunges his
claws deep into Wraith's gut.
The Texan's mouth opens as the full force of the pain hits
him. Creed whispers in his ear.
VICTOR CREED (cont'd)
I can feel your spine, Johnny Boy.
A sickening crunch as vertebrae are crushed like walnut
shells.
VICTOR CREED (cont'd)
Never knew you had one.
Creed drops Wraith's body to the ground.
70.
INT. HINES' HOUSE - NIGHT
Carol Hines, the Army surgeon last seen in Alkali Lake,
unlocks her front door and steps inside her house.
she looks exhausted, with deep circles under her eyes. She
puts her keys and the mail on a table by the door and then
looks up, startled, when she hears SHRIEKING.
Hines, very nervous, advances into the dark kitchen.
She flicks on the lights. A red kettle on the stove top
whistles. A mug waits on the counter. Hines, mystified, turns
off the burner.
LOGAN (V.0.)
Pour yourself a cup of tea.
Hines spins around. Logan sits at the kitchen table, an unlit
cigar in his mouth.
LOGAN (cont'd)
It's gonna be a long night.
INT. HINES' HOUSE - LATER
They both sit at the kitchen table now. Logan smokes his
cigar and watches Hines, who clutches her mug of tea with
trembling hands.
Logan watches her through the haze of smoke.
LOGAN
Careful, Doc. I can smell a lie. I
can hear it. Maybe you start to
sweat a little bit. Maybe the pitch
of your voice changes. But I'll
know.
(BEAT)
Tell me about Creed.
Hines opens her mouth, closes it, opens it again.
HINES
I can't. Please... you don't know
what they'll do to me.
LOGAN
Nope. But I know exactly what I'll
do to you.
(rnNTTNT1FT) I
71.
CONTINUED:
Hines stares at Logan and he stares back.
HINES
I don't believe you. You're
different than they are. You
wouldn't hurt an innocent person.
LOGAN
You're not innocent, Doc.
He leans forward, forearms on the tabletop.
LOGAN (cont'd)
What does Victor Creed have to do
with the Weapon X program?
HINES
It's not the Weapon X program, it's
the Weapon Ultra program. Started
sixty-five years ago. They've been
trying to make the perfect soldier
for a long time. First to fight the
Nazis. Then the Communists. Now
it's mutants.
LOGAN
So where does Weapon X fit in?
Hines closes her eyes and takes a deep breath.
HINES
You don't understand. X is a letter
but it's also a Roman numeral.
Weapon "Ex" is a nickname.
Officially, you're Weapon Ten.
(BEAT)
Victor Creed is Weapon Nine.
Hines watches him, unsure how he'll react.
HINES (cont'd)
Both of you are experiments...
prototypes. The final product is
almost ready. Weapon Eleven.
Logan's face darkens as the extent of his betrayal becomes
clear to him.
LOGAN
Creed works for Stryker.
Hines nods.
I CONTTNi]RM
72.
CONTINUED: (2)
LOGAN (cont'd)
Be ordered it. He ordered Creed to
kill her.
Hines can see Logan's mounting fury. She holds up her hands.
HINES
I don't know about anyone getting
killed. I'm just a scientist. I
work in a lab sixteen hours a day.
LOGAN
Just following orders, huh?
HINES
He was your commanding officer for
years. How many people did you kill
on his orders?
Logan stares at her for a long count. she stares back,
terrified but resolute.
LOGAN
All this time I been hunting Creed,
and he's just a puppet. It's
Stryker pulling the strings.
He stubs out his cigar on the breakfast table.
LOGAN (cont'd)
You ready to stop following orders?
INT. CONFERENCE ROOM - DAY
Stryker stands at the window overlooking Alkali Lake. Dr.
Cornelius steps into the room, holding a black leather case.
CORNELIUS
The Eleven will be ready within 24
hours.
STRYKER
Good.
CORNELIUS
Sir... Lieutenant Hines hasn't
reported to base today.
STRYKER
Hines?
(C_ONTT1 TIED 1
73.
CONTINUED:
Stryker considers the information for a moment and nods.
STRYKER (cont'd)
All right, thank you, Doctor.
(glancing at case)
What's this?
Cornelius sets the case on the table and opens it. Six
gleaming, armor-piercing bullets rest in green felt niches.
CORNELIUS
We saved the leftover adamantium
from the Weapon X procedure.
Stryker plucks one of the bullets from its niche and rolls it
between his fingers, examining it with a practiced eye.
CORNELIUS (cont'd)
Each one's got a high-explosive
core. Two in the head and Logan's
brain will have to regenerate from
scratch.
STRYKER
They won't kill him?
CORNELIUS
According to the computer models we
ran, there's a 30 percent chance
his healing factor will
reconstitute the gray matter. But
those synaptic bridges that form
our memories? Gone. If he survives,
his brain will come back fresh.
STRYKER
A blank slate... easy to train.
Stryker fondles the shining bullet lovingly.
STRYKER (cont'd)
She's a pretty little thing.
CORNELIUS
She ought to be. That's the world's
most expensive bullet.
Stryker pulls a revolver from his shoulder holster, dumps the
standard rounds, and begins loading the adamantium bullets.
(rfNTTN11F.T 1
I
74.
CONTINUED: (2)
CORNELIUS (cont'd)
There's another way, a more
reliable way, to break down his
memory.
STRYKER
Mm?
CORNELIUS
Only problem is, the procedure can
only be done here at Alkali Lake.
Stryker swings the chamber shut and holsters his gun.
STRYKER
Oh, he's coming back, Doctor. We
have what he's looking for.
EXT. ALKALI LAKE - DAY
Hines, driving an old Ford, pulls up.to the guard house at
the perimeter of the compound. A YOUNG SENTRY salutes her.
YOUNG SENTRY
Morning, Lieutenant.
Hines smiles brightly, trying to hide her nervousness.
HINES
Good morning!
The sentry looks into the car's cabin. The passenger seat is
empty. The back seat is empty.
YOUNG SENTRY
Could you pop the trunk for me?
HINES
The trunk?
YOUNG SENTRY
Yes, ma'am.
It's all standard procedure but Hines is close to panicking.
She opens the glove compartment and hits the trunk release.
The sentry inspects the trunk... nothing but a coil of rope
and a roll of electrical tape. He slams the trunk door.
YOUNG SENTRY (cont'd)
You have a good day.
(C'NNTTNTTHN 1
75.
CONTINUED:
He signals to a second SENTRY standing inside the guard
house, who hits a button. The steel gate rolls open and Hines
drives into the compound.
EXT. PARKING LOT - DAY
Hines steps out of her parked car and looks around. No one is
in the immediate vicinity.
HINES
It's safe.
Logan crawls out from the underbody, where he had been
clinging. He dusts himself off.
LOGAN
Were you aiming for every speed
bump in the state?
HINES
Sorry about that. Now what?
LOGAN
We find a uniform that fits.
A well-built SERGEANT walks toward his vehicle, paging
through requisition papers on a clipboard.
LOGAN (cont'd)
That ought to work.
EXT. ALKALI LAKE WEAPONS ENGINEERING CENTER - DAY
Hines and Logan, who now wears a crisp uniform with a
sergeant's stripes and a black beret, walk into the building.
INT. WEAPONS ENGINEERING CENTER - CONTINUOUS
HINES
You have some blood on your shirt.
Logan sees the drops of blood and tries to blot them out.
LOGAN
I barely hit the guy.
They don't notice as a small security camera near the
entrance pivots, its black eye watching the intruders.
(C'ONTTNI]F.n )
76.
CONTINUED:
Hines, very nervous, tries to keep her composure. Logan puts
a hand on her shoulder-- partly to steady her nerves, partly
to keep pushing her forward.
LOGAN (cont'd)
Time to visit the Colonel.
INT. WEAPONS ENGINEERING CENTER - DAY
Hines and Logan walk down a long corridor. Several SOLDIERS
and SCIENTISTS walk by, most of them ignoring the pair.
One young scientist in a lab coat hurries past, nodding at
Hines.
YOUNG SCIENTIST
Lieutenant.
HINES
(NODDING)
Murphy.
Hines waits till Murphy passes. She stops in front of a
locked door and allows a laser scanner to read her retina.
The door slides open.
Logan looks through the open doorway, his nostrils flaring.
He looks primed for homicide.
LOGAN
I can smell him.
He walks through the door. Hines checks to see if the coast
is clear.and follows him. Neither notices the security camera
mounted on the ceiling, swiveling to track their movement.
INT. WEAPON XI FACILITY - DAY
Logan and Hines stand at the top of a steel staircase, forty
feet above the concrete floor of a massive cavern.
Created in the 1960s by an underground hydrogen bomb test,
the Alkali Lake cavern is the second biggest in the country,
smaller only than the salt caverns of the Gulf Coast, home of
the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.
(CONTTNTTFT)1
77.
CONTINUED:
The sheer scale of the place is staggering. Three times the
size of the Super Dome, with walls of rough granite, the
cavern is loud with the constant thrum of ventilation and
high-powered machinery. Heavy steel pillars support the
ceiling of the cavern.
Ten thousand stainless steel isolation tanks crowd the floor,
arrayed in a grid, each tank slightly larger than a coffin.
TECHNICIANS walk in between the tanks, checking gauges,
writing notes in clipboards.
More technicians sit on a raised podium in the center of the
cavern, overlooking the Eleven, entering information into the
computers that monitor the sleeping army.
Logan is awed by the sight. Hines has descended the staircase
ahead of him. He follows after her.
HINES
Welcome to Weapon Eleven.
LOGAN
(STUNNED)
I thought it was just gonna be one
guy. This is...
HINES
Ten thousand.
They reach the cavern floor and walk amongst the Eleven.
HINES (cont'd)
Stryker says mutants and humans
will fight a war soon.
(gesturing to Weapon XI)
This is his army.
The camera glides over the isolation tanks as Hines continues
to speak. We catch glimpses of the ELEVEN inside, comatose
soldiers with needles and wires protruding from their skin,
exactly like Logan during the Weapon X procedure.
The men all look identical and they all look oddly familiar.
HINES (cont'd)
They incorporate the most
successful features of the previous
Weapons. Enhanced skeletons,
heightened senses, healing factor--
f r0NTTNTTF.T) I
78.
CONTINUED: (2)
Logan stops beside one tank and looks at the man inside, who
floats in his chemical sleep. His eyes widen when he realizes
what he's looking at.
LOGAN
It's Creed...
He looks inside another tank. Same cruel face, same powerful
body. Only their shaved heads distinguish them from Victor
Creed.
LOGAN (cont'd)
They're all Creed.
HINES
Stryker's most successful mutant
hunter. They cloned him years ago.
(BEAT)
The Colonel's been planning this
for a long time. _
Logan walks through the midst of this vast, sleeping army,
surrounded by ten thousand replicas of his worst enemy.
LOGAN
They get into the world, it's
genocide.
HINES
I think that's the general idea.
Logan stops in mid--stride, head raised in the manner of a
hunting dog who has just caught wind of his prey.
HINES (cont'd)
What's the matter?
Logan moves, walking quickly, nearly knocking over a
technician entering data into one of the stasis pods.
TECHNICIAN
Hey...
Hines hurries after Logan, smiling apologetically at the
annoyed technician.
HINES
Where you going?
Logan never turns.
f rONTTNUT n %
79.
CONTINUED: (3)
LOGAN
Don't follow me.
Hines stops, standing alone in the middle of the Eleven.
INT. HALLWAY - DAY
Logan walks rapidly down the hallway, his pace accelerating
as he nears a closed doorway. He rests his head against the
door for a moment before putting his hand on the knob and
entering the room.
INT. STRYKER'S OFFICE - CONTINUOUS
Stryker sits behind his desk, smiling at Logan. But Logan's
not looking at the colonel. He's looking at the young woman
who sits across from Stryker, her back to the door.
She doesn't turn. Her long black hair cascades down her back.
STRYKER
Hello, old friend. We've been
waiting for you.
Logan walks toward the desk, slowly now, a man in a nightmare
he can't wake from.
STRYKER (cont'd)
Did you really think we just let
you walk away three years ago?
You're a dangerous man, my friend.
We like to keep an eye on dangerous
men.
When Logan reaches the young woman he puts his hand on her
shoulder.
Kayla Silverfox turns and stares up at him, tears streaming
down her face.
KAYLA
I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.
An aluminum baseball bat whirs through the air, smashing the
back of Logan's head.
Logan falls to the floor, unconscious.
Victor Creed stands above him, staring at the flattened
barrel of the baseball bat.
f nNTTNITFT)1
80.
CONTINUED:
VICTOR CREED
Man's got a hard head.
STRYKER
(STANDING)
Let's go. He'll only be out for a
couple minutes.
Creed tosses aside the bat and lifts Logan onto his shoulders
as easily as a normal man would lift a child of six. He
carries Logan out of the room, winking at Kayla.
INT. RE-EDUCATION CHAMBER, ALKALI LAKE - DAY
Logan, still unconscious, sits on a chair that looks far too
similar to an electric chair, his arms and legs bound with
titanium manacles that prevent any movement.
The room looks like an execution chamber, complete with a
viewing window.
He opens his eyes and blinks in the bright light. Stryker and
Creed stand in front of him but Logan doesn't look at them.
Dr. Cornelius and an ASSISTANT stand near a machine that is
wired to the electric chair, fiddling with the controls, but
Logan doesn't look at them, either.
He stares at Kayla, who cannot meet his eyes.
LOGAN
Who are you?
KAYLA
(very quiet)
You know who I am.
LOGAN
No I don't.
STRYKER
She's real, old friend. Your eyes
are telling you. Your ears. Your
nose.
Logan ignores Stryker, staring at the love of his life.
LOGAN
You're dead.
('.ONTTNTWD )
81.
CONTINUED:
STRYKER
I asked you nicely to join the
program. And you were so stubborn.
But I knew if nothing else could
motivate you, revenge would.
Stryker smiles at Kayla, a proud professor beaming at his
student.
STRYKER (cont'd)
Tell him. Tell him about the day
you died.
Kayla, head bowed, is silent for a long count. When she
speaks her voice is a strange monotone, devoid of feeling.
KAYLA
They gave me a syringe full of
hydrochlorothiazide.
EXT. ACCESS ROAD - AN EARLIER DAY
Perhaps the colors are desaturated to let us know that this
is a scene we've witnessed before, or thought we did.
Kayla sits behind the wheel of her pickup. Victor Creed walks
toward her, black talons raking five gashes on the hood.
Kayla has been expecting him. She pulls her backpack out from
behind the seat and takes from it a hypodermic needle and a
plastic IV bag filled with dark blood.
Creed tears the truck's door off its hinges and tosses it
twenty yards. Kayla injects herself with the hypodermic.
KAYLA (V.0.)
Reduces the heartbeat to almost
zero. Breathing virtually stops.
Makes you flatline for six minutes.
Kayla hops down from the truck. She holds out the IV bag to
Victor, who casually pierces it with his claw.
KAYLA (V.0.) (cont'd)
I'd been drawing my own blood every
night for the past week. I had four
liters ready that morning.
Kayla smears. her own blood on her body and empties the rest
of the bag on the pavement. She lies down in the puddle in a
fetal position, her breathing already beginning to slow.
82.
INT. RE-EDUCATION CENTER, ALKALI LAKE - DAY
I
LOGAN
Why? I
KAYLA -
Same as Victor. Stryker gave me a I
choice: spend the rest of my life
in prison or come work for him.
LOGAN
Prison...
Kayla finally raises her head-and looks directly at Logan.
KAYLA
Shot my Daddy when I was eighteen.
Big mistake. Should have shot him
when I was seventeen.
LOGAN
You told me he died of a heart
attack.
KAYLA
Maybe he had a heart attack after I
shot him. Sat there and watched him
bleed. After what that man did to
me, I wish he died slower.
Logan stares at her for a long time.
KAYLA (cont'd)
That sweet little girl you lived
with in the cabin? That was all
make-believe.
LOGAN
You loved me. I know you loved me.
Kayla blinks and looks away.
KAYLA
I'm a good actress.
LOGAN
No one's that good.
(C ONTTN1TF.f )
83.
CONTINUED:
STRYKER
Everybody's a sucker for something.
Figuring out what it is, that's the
trick. For you, it's a woman's
love. An easy weakness to forgive.
But still a weakness.
Stryker signals to Cornelius. The doctor and his assistant
attach a nasty-looking copper halo to Logan's skull. The halo
is wired to the electric chair.
Logan never takes his eyes off Silverfox.
STRYKER (cont'd)
Don't be angry at her. She was just
serving her country, keeping the
mutant menace in check. She and
victor have been a real credit to
their race.
It takes Logan a moment to understand this comment.
LOGAN
You're a mutant?
KAYLA
My Daddy found out when I was
twelve. Said a freak like me
deserved whatever I got.
VICTOR CREED
My kind of guy.
STRYKER
She's a gifted girl. She can plant
thoughts in anyone's mind, make
them believe what she wants-- as
long as she stays focused on them.
He strokes her long dark hair, proud of his protege. Kayla
doesn't seem thrilled by Stryker's touch, but she endures it.
STRYKER (cont'd)
A useful tool in a seduction.
KAYLA
(to Logan)
Spent so much time getting you to
love me, by the time the Colonel
showed up I couldn't get you to
leave me.
(r0N'rTN1 F.n 1
84.
CONTINUED: (2)
Dr. Cornelius finishes calibrating his machine and adjusting
the halo brace.
CORNELIUS
We're good to go.
STRYKER
So, Logan... The truth is, you're a
real pain in the ass. But we've
invested far too much time and
treasure to terminate you. We're
starting over.
Cornelius checks the digital gauges on the machine.
CORNELIUS
If I've calibrated correctly, we'll
leave intact the hard-wired
functions, walking and talking, all
that good stuff.
VICTOR CREED
You mean I don't get to potty train
him?
CORNELIUS
But every memory you've ever had
will evaporate. Just like it never
happened.
Logan never takes his eyes off Kayla, his personal Judas.
LOGAN
Good.
STRYKER
(to Cornelius)
Let me know when he's clean. I have
to look in on our other guest.
Stryker exits the room, followed by Victor.
LOGAN
(to Kayla)
That story you told me... about the
guy who goes to get flowers for the
Moon. I can't get it out of my
head. Except I had it all
backwards. I thought you were the
moon and I was your Wolverine. But
you're the Trickster, aren't you?
(MORE)
( ('ONTTNTTF.1))
85.
CONTINUED: (3)
LOGAN (cont'd)
And I'm just a schmuck who got
played.
Kayla is silent for a moment.
KAYLA
My mother told me that story.
She takes a deep breath and turns to go.
KAYLA (cont'd)
It doesn't matter. You won't
remember any of this.
LOGAN
You didn't trick me into loving
you.
KAYLA
What?
LOGAN
The last two months, you weren't
playing around in my skull. You
weren't using. your powers on me. I
thought you were dead and I loved
you more than ever. Maybe it makes
you feel better to think it was all
fake. But it was never fake for me.
Kayla lowers her eyes.
KAYLA
You don't know where I come from.
You don't know what it was like.
LOGAN
I know exactly what is was like. I
come from there too.
KAYLA
I didn't have a choice.
LOGAN
Course you did. You still do.
Kayla stares down at Logan. The tenderness returns to her
face. She could free him right now if she wanted.
The moment passes and Kayla shakes her head.
KAYLA
I'm sorry.
t C()NTTNTTPTI'
86.
CONTINUED: (4)
LOGAN
Yeah, you keep saying that.
(to Cornelius)
Come on. Turn on the juice. Let's
get this over with.
CORNELIUS
Whenever you're ready, Miss
Silverfox.
Kayla turns and walks out of the room. Cornelius and his aide
follow, shutting the door behind them.
Logan takes a deep breath. He looks like a man who is ready
to forget everything.
INT. HOLDING CELL - DAY
Hines sits alone on a metal cot. The cell door slides open.
Stryker and Victor step inside.
STRYKER
Lieutenant. Victor and I were just
discussing how to kill you and we
thought you might have some
suggestions.
INT. CORRIDOR - CONTINUOUS
Silverfox steps out of the re-education chamber. She hears
voices from the holding cell and approaches.
STRYKER (O.S.)
When the Turks captured a traitor,
they strapped a steel basket to the
man's stomach. Inside the basket
was a rat.
INT. HOLDING CELL - CONTINUOUS
STRYKER
Now, even a rat can't chew through
steel. But it can chew through a
stomach. So it would. Right through
the skin and the fat and the muscle
and the intestines, right on out
the other side.
l CDNTTNi7ET) I
87.
CONTINUED:
Hines looks like she might be sick very soon. Kayla steps
into the doorway.
STRYKER (cont'd)
Victor thinks the Turks were soft,
letting the rats do the dirty work.
He's looking forward to spending
your last night with you.
HINES
Please, Colonel--
Stryker pats Hines on the cheek and nods to Victor.
STRYKER
Enjoy yourself.
HINES
Please don't do this... Please!
Victor drags the screaming Hines off of her cot. Kayla
watches with growing unease but Stryker smiles and- waves
goodbye as he turns the key that shuts the cell door.
INT. RE-EDUCATION CENTER, ALKALI LAKE - DAY
Logan sits in his electric chair, staring straight ahead,
preparing himself for the pain.
INT. VIEWING ROOM - CONTINUOUS
Cornelius stands behind the glass viewing window with his
ASSISTANT. He puts his hand on a red switch.
INT. RE-EDUCATION CENTER, ALKALI LAKE - CONTINUOUS
Thousands of volts surge into Logan's skull, forcing his body
to arch. After several seconds the power shuts off. Tendrils
of white smoke rise from the copper halo.
Logan opens his eyes and stares at Cornelius.
LOGAN
That all you got?
88.
INT. VIEWING ROOM - CONTINUOUS
CORNELIUS
(to his assistant)
This could take a while. Raise the
amperage by forty percent.
INT. STRYKER'S OFFICE - DAY
Stryker signs a memo and hands it to his aide, Collins. Kayla
stands by the window, picking at her fingers.
KAYLA
You're going to let Victor kill
that woman.
Stryker and Collins ignore her.
KAYLA (cont'd)
When you got me out of prison, you
told me we were going to help
people.
Stryker continues to sign papers, never looking up.
STRYKER
We are. We're saving humanity.
KAYLA
From the mutants?
The phone rings. Stryker answers it.
STRYKER
Yes?
(LISTENING)
Good. I'm coming down.
(hanging up; to Collins)
The Eleven is ready.
He stands and heads for the door. Collins follows. In the
doorway, Stryker stops and fixes his cold blue gaze on Kayla.
STRYKER (cont'd)
Don't worry, my sweet. You're one
of the good ones. I'll protect you.
He and Collins exit the room, leaving Kayla alone with her
misery.
89.
INT. RE-EDUCATION CENTER, ALKALI LAKE - DAY
Logan sits panting in the chair, gripping the ends of the arm
rests with white fingers, waiting for the next surge of
electricity. It comes and he arches again, all the muscles in
his body contracting, the veins in his neck bulging.
INT. VIEWING ROOM - CONTINUOUS
Cornelius and his assistant watch Logan with no detectable
sympathy. They turn when Kayla walks into the room.
KAYLA
Is he clean yet?
Cornelius and the assistant face front again..
CORNELIUS
He's stronger than I thought. We
could be here all night..
Kayla watches Logan in his agony. A glimmer of remorse passes
over her face.
KAYLA
He was good to me.
Cornelius, fiddling with the amperage dial, curls his lips in
a sardonic smile.
CORNELIUS
You have a funny way of showing
your gratitude.
Logan thrashes in his chair. Kayla chews her lip. For a long
count she watches Logan suffer.
KAYLA
You should turn it off now.
Cornelius turns and stares at her.
CORNELIUS
I should what?
(BLINKING)
Oh. I guess that's... I guess
that's a good idea.
He turns off the electricity.
1coNTTN IRD 1
90.
CONTINUED:
KAYLA
You two have always hated each
other. You should fight.
The assistant blinks and begins to scowl, turning toward
Cornelius just in time to get punched in the mouth.
The two men brawl on the floor with the lack of skill you'd
expect from two scientists.
INT. RE-EDUCATION CENTER - MOMENTS LATER
Kayla steps into the room. Logan sits slumped motionless in
the electric chair. She detaches the copper halo. The skin
beneath the metal is singed but it quickly begins to heal.
Kayla stares at the man she betrayed, hesitates for a moment
and exhales.
She unfastens the titanium manacles. Logan is still
unconscious. Kayla shakes him gently.
KAYLA
Hey. Wake up.
Logan opens his eyes. He is clearly disoriented, as if waking
from a long coma. He stares up at Kayla.
KAYLA (cont'd)
Are you okay?
Logan stares at her, groggy and confused.
KAYLA (cont'd)
Do you understand what I'm saying?
(BEAT)
Do you remember me?
In one blinding motion, Logan snatches Kayla by the throat
and roughly pulls her to him. She does not resist.
LOGAN
I would have done anything for you.
KAYLA
Please...
LOGAN
Do you hear me? Anything.
(r0NTTNTTF.T)1
91.
CONTINUED:
KAYLA
Please... Creed's killing your
friend.
INT. HOLDING CELL - DAY
Victor Creed holds Hines against the cell wall with one hand.
Her feet kick in the air as she struggles.
He splits her blouse down the middle with a long black talon.
VICTOR CREED
I've always had a thing for human
chicks. You're all so soft and
helpless.
HINES
No...
VICTOR CREED
Maybe it's time I did a little
surgery on you, Doctor.
LOGAN (O.S.)
The woman said no.
Creed turns his head and sees Logan and Kayla standing in the
doorway.
He grins and tosses Hines aside. She crashes into the wall
and slides to the floor, dazed.
VICTOR CREED
(to Logan)
Starting to think you're addicted
to pain. You keep coming back for
more.
Snikt !
LOGAN
This is the end.
VICTOR CREED
Amen to that.
Kayla stands in between them, holding up her hands.
KAYLA
Please! We shouldn't be fighting
each other. Stryker's using us.
(CONTTNTIF.T) I
92.
CONTINUED:
VICTOR CREED
A little late for the Mutant Power
crap. We hunt freaks for the man.
That's why we're free.
KAYLA
What's he gonna do with us when the
other mutants are dead? Put us in a
zoo?
Creed hesitates, considering the logic of her words. A fanged
smile splits his face.
VICTOR CREED
Don't try your head games on me.
I've gutted better telepaths than
you.
Creed rears back to hammer Kayla, a blow that would separate
her head from her body.
Logan catches Creed's fist inches from Kayla's face.
LOGAN
Time you quit picking on girls.
VICTOR CREED
Oh, I'm happy picking on men.
Creed swings at Logan's head, Logan ducks, and the fight
begins.
This is melee so efficient that no motion is wasted. Every
lunge would kill any other adversary. Every parried blow
would shatter a normal man's arm.
Kayla, bleeding from the nose, staggers to her feet. She
helps up Hines and pushes her toward the door.
KAYLA
Get out of here.
Hines doesn't have to be told twice. She flees. Creed sees
his plaything running out the door. He snarls in frustration.
VICTOR CREED
You're ruining my party.
He grabs hold of Logan and hurls him headfirst through the
cell wall-- a concrete support wall.
93.
INT. HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS
Logan crashes to the floor, covered in rubble. Creed steps
out of the cell, licking his fangs.
Creed tries to stomp Logan's face, but the smaller man rolls
out of the way and gets back on his feet.
The mutants battle down the corridor, claws whistling through
the air.
A team of SENTRIES charge around the corner, wearing tactical
armor and carrying XM8 assault rifles. They level their
rifles at the battling mutants.
SENTRY #1
Get down! Get down!
SENTRY #2
Down on your knees!
Logan and Creed, trying to punch holes in each other, ignore
the sentries. Kayla, staring down the barrels of the big
guns,. holds up her hands.
She concentrates, staring into the sentries' eyes.
KAYLA
We're here as guests of Colonel
Stryker.
The sentries' hostility shifts into apologetic obeisance.
SENTRY #1
Very sorry about that.
KAYLA
You boys are no longer needed here.
Go back to barracks.
SENTRIES
You got it. See ya later. Bye!
The sentries wave cheerfully and depart.
Creed and Logan are equally skilled, but Creed's superior
size and strength begin to wear the smaller man down.
Creed slams him into the wall, opening fissures. Holding both
of Wolverine's wrists up with one hand, Creed grabs
Wolverine's face with his free hand.
(CONTTNI IRh )
94.
CONTINUED:
His black claws slide toward Wolverine's eyes.
VICTOR CREED
How you gonna fight without eyes,
little man?
Logan brings his knee up hard, smashing his adamantium-
enhanced kneecap into Creed's groin.
The big man groans. Logan spins Creed around, jamming him
against the wall. He tries to skewer Creed with the claws of
his right hand but Creed moves his head at the last moment.
Logan's claws are buried to the hilt-in the wall. He strikes
at Creed with his left hand, but Creed dodges again. All six
of Logan's claws are deep in the solid rock wall.
He brings his hands. together, the adamantium blades slicing
through granite as if it were cheesecake.
Creed ducks under the claws an instant before they shred him.
He grabs Logan in a-bear hug.
A large section of the wall behind them falls out, and,
unable to halt their momentum, Logan and Creed tumble through
the hole, disappearing from sight.
Kayla runs over and stands at the jagged precipice, looking
out onto the gargantuan Weapon XI cavern.
INT. WEAPON XI FACILITY - CONTINUOUS
Logan and Creed fall seventy feet, clawing at each other in
mid-air.
Logan hits the floor hard, the impact blasting a small crater
in the concrete.
Creed manages a rolling fall, cat-quick and dexterous.
CUT TO:
Stryker stands on the raised podium in the center of the
cavern, overlooking his vast, sleeping army. He cannot
believe what he's seeing.
STRYKER
(to Lead Technician)
I want the Eleven combat ready.
(cnNTTNIIF.T)1
95.
CONTINUED:
LEAD TECHNICIAN
We can't rush them,.sir. They've
been in stasis for--
STRYKER
I want them ready!
The Lead Technician flinches and barks orders to his
subordinates, who enter commands into their computers.
The lids of ten thousand isolation tanks slide open. As the
camera roams among the Eleven, needles and hoses detach from
their bodies, releasing their metallic grip.
The cloned Creeds begin to stir in their stainless steel
coffins.
CUT TO:
Creed pounces on Logan, who is still severely injured from
the fall. Creed tears into the smaller man mercilessly,
slinging him around the cavern, gouging him with his black
talons.
Creed batters Logan with a series of savage blows. Logan
falls, his healing factor overwhelmed, barely conscious.
Creed plants one heavy black boot on Logan's face and presses
down hard. He leers at his defeated foe.
VICTOR CREED
Your pal Wraith pissed all over my
boots when I crushed his spine.
Smell like fear, don't they?
Something changes within Logan, a fury so overwhelming it
cannot be contained, a rage so vast it could only be called
berserker.
.Logan rolls toward his tormentor, sweeping his claws straight
through Creed's ankle, severing the foot.
Creed screams and falls to his knees.
Logan stands, grabbing a handful of Creed's dirty blonde
hair.
LOGAN
This is for the ones who couldn't
fight back.
((`ONTTNTIRT) )
96.
CONTINUED: (2)
The adamantium blades are a silver blur in the overhead
light.
CUT TO:
Stryker, standing on the podium, sees his chief henchman's
head tumble from his shoulders. He grits his teeth and
surveys his army.
Ten thousand enhanced warriors begin to step out of their
steel coffins, baring their fangs, eyeing their surroundings.
STRYKER
(to the Lead Technician)
Activate the PA system.
The Lead Technicians flips a switch. Stryker speaks into a
microphone; his voice booms from speakers mounted on the
pillars throughout the cavern.
STRYKER (c.ont'd)
Soldiers!
The Eleven snap to attention with machined synchronicity, all
ten thousand facing Stryker.
CUT TO:
Logan, bloodied but healing, stares down at his fallen enemy.
KAYLA (O.S.)
Logan!
Kayla runs down one of the steel staircases that clings to
the cavern wall like fire escapes.
KAYLA (cont'd)
If we get closer to Stryker, I can
work my magic.
Logan stares at Stryker, his true enemy, the.man who
destroyed his life. Ten thousand clones. encircle Stryker, who
stands on the raised podium in the cavern's center.
LOGAN
I don't want him hypnotized. I want
him dead.
Never taking his eyes off his enemy, Logan advances.
CUT TO:
I c_0NTTNTTF:T)1.
97.
CONTINUED: (3)
Stryker sees Logan walking toward him, toward the hordes of
clones. Stryker shakes his head and smiles.
STRYKER
The man's committing suicide.
He leans into the microphone. The Eleven listen to their
commander's voice, amplified by hundreds of speakers
STRYKER (cont'd)
No army that ever marched could
stand against you! You will never
abandon your mission, and your
mission is simple! Kill the
mutants! Kill them wherever you
find them!
Stryker points at Logan.
STRYKER (cont'd)
THIS IS YOUR FIRST ENEMY!
Ten thousand cloned murderers turn on Logan, soulless black
eyes focusing on their target.
Logan stops his march beside one of the massive steel pillars.
that supports the cavern ceiling.
LOGAN
(to Kayla)
Get the hell out of here.
KAYLA
What are you doing?
LOGAN
Bringin' down the house.
He sweeps his claws clean through the pillar, at an angle.
The uppermost section shears off and drills into the floor
with a concussive whump that spiderwebs the concrete for
thirty feet around the impact site.
Stryker realizes what Logan is doing.
STRYKER
ATTACK! ATTACK!
The Eleven charge. From above we can see the full-scale of
the onslaught, wave upon wave of cloned murderers closing in.
(CENTTN11FTl'
98.
CONTINUED: (4)
Logan runs to the next pillar and slices through it. Creaks
and groans sound overhead, as the tremendous weight above
exerts pressure on the remaining weight-bearing supports.
Most of the ten thousand can't get close to Logan, but they
all want in on the first kill.
Whirling, slashing, stabbing, kicking, Logan scythes a circle
of devastation, spray-painting the floor with the black blood
of the Eleven.
He reaches a third pillar and chops through it.
Kayla eyes the ceiling nervously and hurries toward the exit.
STRYKER (cont'd)
STOP HIM, YOU IDIOTS! STOP HIM!
Even Logan can't hold back the tide for long. Talons rake his
face, his arms, his chest. But still he battles, slicing
through a fourth pillar, a fifth.
Tremendous fissures split the rock ceiling. Dust and rocks
fall onto the cavern floor as the fissures widen.
Logan sees that the cavern's collapse is imminent. He can no
longer hold off the Eleven's assault.
An instant before the clones can shred him, he jumps, using
his claws to scale one of the still-standing steel pillars
with the grace and speed of a leopard climbing a tree.
One of the clones follows, using his black talons in the same
fashion, grabbing at Logan's feet.
When Logan is forty feet above the throng of teeth-gnashing
clones, he severs the pillar below his feet. The clone
chasing him can climb no farther, can do nothing but roar and
hiss at his escaping prey.
Logan swings himself onto the steel staircase, where Kayla
waits beside the open door. He races up the stairs.
Stryker sees his dream in ruins. He runs for the nearest
exit.
Kayla and Logan are a few feet from the door, from safety,
when the cavern ceiling gives out. Thousands of tons of stone
and steel come crashing down.
Logan grabs Kayla and hauls her to safety an instant before
she would be crushed.
99.
EXT. ALKALI LAKE - DAY
The compound has essentially imploded, the major structures
falling into the massive pit created by the cavern's
collapse.
Severed gas lines and ruptured boilers have turned the crater
into a raging fire pit. Smoke billows up from the molten
core.
A few dazed survivors, SOLDIERS and SCIENTISTS, have escaped
the carnage, but Alkali Lake no longer exists as a military
base. Thousands of singed documents flutter in the wind.
Logan and Kayla walk away from the burning crater, never
looking back. They head through the woods toward the lake
that glitters in the sunlight.
KAYLA
One of them could have survived.
Logan glances at her.
KAYLA (cont'd)
The clones. They've got your
healing factor.
Logan looks back at the devastation.
LOGAN
Unless someone comes along who can
move a few million tons of steel,
they ain't going anywhere.
EXT. ALKALI LAKE - LATER
They stop at the edge of the lake. Paper from the destroyed
base drifts through the air, falling on the water and the
shore.
LOGAN
Almost looks peaceful from here.
KAYLA
There's something I want you to
know.
He looks at her.
(CONTTNt1F.fl
CONTINUED:
KAYLA (cont'd)
Maybe nothing I say matters
anymore. But I'm going to say it
anyway. I...
A blossom of blood opens up on her chest. She stares down at
it in wonder before sinking to her knees.
Logan turns and sees Stryker walking toward them.
KAYLA (cont'd)
No...
Stryker fires again. The adamantium bullet rips through
Logan's forehead with an unholy sound.
Logan falls to the ground. Stryker stands above him and fires
another bullet into Logan's head.
Stryker turns the gun on Kayla.
KAYLA (cont'd)
You don't need to waste another
bullet. I'm already dead.
Stryker blinks and hesitates. Kayla coughs, her strength
beginning to fade.
KAYLA (cont'd)
Maybe you should turn that gun on
yourself, Colonel.
Stryker nods, pointing the gun at his own head.
KAYLA (cont'd)
It would be good for the mutants if
I made you pull the trigger..
(BEAT)
Why do you hate us so much?
Stryker's finger trembles on the trigger.
KAYLA (cont'd)
Is it because your son is one of
us?
For the first time, perhaps, we see something human in the
cold blue of Stryker's eyes.
KAYLA (cont'd)
Enough killing, Colonel. Throw your
gun in the lake.
r (-nNTTNTTFT)1
101.
CONTINUED: (2)
Stryker does as he's told. The revolver sinks into the water.
KAYLA (cont'd)
Leave us. Keep walking till your
feet start to bleed.
Stryker turns and walks away.
Kayla crawls over to Logan. She lifts his head onto her lap.
He's unconscious but breathing. The bullet holes in his skin
have already healed. She strokes his jaw. and smiles sadly.
One of the scraps of paper from the base blows against her
leg. She takes it and looks down at the blank page.
She has no pen. She touches her chest, just above her heart,
wetting her finger with her blood.
She writes four words on the page, blows on it to dry it,
folds it once and places it in Logan's hand.
She kisses his lips and rests his head gently on the ground.
Fighting the pain, a dying woman, Kayla manages to stand.
KAYLA (cont'd)
If you ever remember what I did to
you, try to forgive me. I was a
fool. And you were right... I
always loved you.
She turns and walks toward the lake, never looking back,
never hesitating as the waters rise above her knees, above
her waist, above her shoulders, above her head.
EXT. ALKALI LAKE - SUNSET
Logan's eyes flutter and open. For a moment he squints into
the blue sky.
He sits up, looking around. The woods are empty.
He stands, completely disoriented, a stranger in the world.
He realizes that he's holding a piece of paper in his hand.
He unfolds it and reads the message written in blood.
You are my Wolverine.
He stares at it for a moment before folding it carefully and
putting it in his pocket.
f C ONTTNIIRD)
102.
CONTINUED:
He takes a deep breath of cold air and walks west, toward the
falling sun.
He doesn't know who he is. He doesn't know where he's going.
But the wind blows through his hair, the last of the sunlight
feels good on his skin. He is a free man.
He walks toward his destiny..
THE END
|
