1 EXT. SKY, blue. About noon. A somewhat futuristic Boeing 797
Super Jumbo Jet, El Al Flight 369 flying in over Israel.
2 INT, 797: Sitting in the back of the plane, CLOSE IN on a large
man dressed in black, TEMPLAR 327, seeming to be a businessman at
work with a laptop computer, but looking very fit and very
dangerous.
COMPUTER SCREEN readout:
EL AL FLIGHT 396 LEBANON-TEL AVIV
20/3/2000
PASSENGER LIST
(names by seat numbers run down the screen page)
TEMPLAR 327 finishes studying the list. Loads another program
onscreen.
COMPUTER SCREEN graphic & text:
(photo of a beautiful but totally androgynous 13-year-old
with long black hair, peaked eyebrows, and catlike eyes.)
Text scrolls up under the picture.
TARGET SUBJECT/MAXIMUM PREJUDICE
name: TAZIO DELLATERRA
titles: "Beast of the Apocalypse",
"Antichrist"
photo taken Saudi Arabia 1995, age 13
no photos or description at present age 18
born: 21/3/1982, La Destinazione, Italy
height, weight: Unknown
coloration: Golden skin, black hair, yellow eyes
sex: None--neuter, but variables possible
race: Avatar
psi factor: Maximum, Limits Unknown
physical deformities: Catlike eyes, prehensile tail
(CU of TAZIO's EYES, COMPUTER ZOOM-IN by steps. Then another
picture: b&w drawing showing full-figure & tail)
fathers: Multiple, undetermined, may include Avatars;
Grand Master Anton, Ulfo, 400 Templars.
mother: Mariangela
location: probably attempting to enter Israel before
21/3/2000
COMPUTER SCREEN changes program again:
(only briefly seen, a hint of danger)
WARHEAD STATUS: Ready
TEMPLAR 327 closes his laptop computer and stands up, taking it
with him as he strolls toward the front of the plane, as if going
to the toilet. He is obviously looking for someone among the
passengers, but doing so surreptitiously, casually looking at
faces.
3 TEMPLAR POV moving down the aisle, passing hundreds of
seated passengers. An international assortment of businessmen, young
tourists, fat Arab ladies, bearded Hassidic Jews, children, etc.
Some are talking, some sleeping, no one stands out...
...although one passenger in an aisle side seat is just a blur,
some visual distortion makes it impossible to clearly see
him/her.
The TEMPLAR passes on without noticing.
4 TEMPLAR 327 returns to his seat and opens his computer again,
begins to type.
COMPUTER SCREEN:
Agent 327 to Op HQ
No Sign of Antichrist on El Al Flight 396 to Tel Aviv
No action required.
TEMPLAR 327 (to himself)
Thank Satan.
COMPUTER SCREEN: Graphic of TAZIO rolls up again--B&W
DRAWING showing catlike eyes looking off to the right, tail curling
up behind like a question mark. TEXT: "An artist's rendition"
TEMPLAR 327 (studying picture)
You're weird: sexless, but you've got a tail...and eyes
like Lord Anton...
A BLURRED, OUT-OF-FOCUS SOMEONE sits down in the empty chair
beside the TEMPLAR, who does not notice, looking at his
computer, which suddenly "beeps"..
COMPUTER SCREEN: The picture of TAZIO changes from B&W to
COLOR, then animates--TAZIO's eyes move, looking out of the screen
at the TEMPLAR, a cold smile.
TEMPLAR 327 rocks back in surprise. Then notices the BLURRED
SOMEONE sitting beside him. Does a double-take, frowns, mouth
open.
The BLURRED SOMEONE comes suddenly and sharply into focus. A
young man wearing sunglasses and a light sports jacket, long hair
pulled back in a neat ponytail, a quite presentable airline
passenger.
Facing TEMPLAR 327, he removes the sunglasses to reveal catlike
eyes, peaked eyebrows, and the androgynous, emotionless,
beautiful face of TAZIO.
TEMPLAR 327 (realizing)
Satanas! It is You: Antichrist! Beast!
TAZIO
Just Tazio; I don't accept those other titles.
The TEMPLAR ATTACKS: sudden left elbow karate blow aimed at
TAZIO's face.
TAZIO does not flinch or seem to move, but his TAIL whips up
around the arm, instantly stopping the elbow and holding the
TEMPLAR fast.
TEMPLAR 327 gives a cry of disgust/fear, and tries to pull free,
but the serpent-like TAIL is stronger than him. Suddenly he
snatches a long plastic KNIFE out of his left sleeve and thrusts
it at TAZIO.
An effortless backhand wave; the knife disappears, and TAZIO has
it weaved between the fingers of his left hand. Then his fingers
flex, the plastic knife shatters and is gone.
TEMPLAR hasn't given up, he has his computer on his lap, and he
frantically punches it.
COMPUTER SCREEN:
WARHEAD STATUS: Ready.
(beep)
IGNITION SEQUENCE ENGAGED (beep)
SYSTEM FAILURE (beeeeeeeeeeeeeeep)
IGNITION SEQUENCE ABORTED
TEMPLAR (amazed, confused)
What? It can't...
The COMPUTER starts beeping rapidly. The TEMPLAR looks at it in
even greater wonder.
COMPUTER SCREEN:
Templar:
I deactivated your bomb before we took off, as well as
the 49 other bombs hidden around the Beirut Airport.
You're all so busy looking for me--but you can't see me
if I don't let you.
TEMPLAR 327 looks over at TAZIO with horror.
TAZIO (easy, not angry)
Look, Templar: I know you guys have orders to keep me from
entering Israel, but now you're going too far. I won't
allow you to blow up an airplane full of passengers just to
slow me down. So you're taking orders from ME now.
The TAIL withdraws; the TEMPLAR's arm is free. He rallies enough
nerve to sound arrogant.
TEMPLAR 327
No, Antichrist! I am a Noble Knight of the Dark Templars,
carrying out a sacred mission, dedicated and faithful to
The Great Satanic Plan. Did you believe I would be like
any other man, subject to your psychic domination?
Untrained to deal with it? Ha!
TAZIO
Hand me your other knife.
The TEMPLAR trembles with resistance, but his flesh obeys and
pulls another long plastic knife out of his right sleeve and lays
it on TAZIO's palm.
TAZIO
And let's unload that pen.
TEMPLAR 327 withdraws a weapon disguised as a writing pen from
his breast pocket and it comes up aimed at TAZIO. The TEMPLAR
summons enough free will to fire. Snap of gas, zing of dart...
TAZIO
Thank you.
Perfectly ready for it, TAZIO has caught the tiny dart nicely
between forefinger and thumb. Looks at it closely and FRIES it
with some telekinetic power. Sizzle, ash.
TEMPLAR 327
You may be too powerful for me, Avatar, but The Grand Master
Himself, Lord Anton Artemis, awaits you yet. He too is an
Avatar, but with 500 years of experience to your 18.
TAZIO
Yes, I expect his attack in Megiddo. Anton somehow knows
that's where I'm to meet Immanuel. He also knows that none
of you comic book villains can stop me, and that neither can
he.
TEMPLAR 327
Our Grand Master has bested you before: we all know how he
made you into this sexless...thing which you are--(sneers)--
without emotions, or desires or passions. Ha!
TAZIO
Is that how Anton tells it? Actually, I chose to be negasex and
used Anton's sorcery to make me so. Then I made him OLD.
I suppose he's still angry about that.
TEMPLAR 327
The Grand Master always speaks of you with affection, and
regrets that you will not join us, so that we have to kill
you according to the Great Satanic Plan.
Slowly, strenuously, the TEMPLAR is trying to stretch out the
garrote-wire hidden in his wristwatch. He is trying to lift it
toward TAZIO's neck but cannot.
CU: TAZIO looking TEMPLAR 327 very closely in the face with his
catlike eyes, very calm, emotionless, inhuman.
TAZIO
You can't kill me, Templar. Even if you could, by
blowing up this plane and everyone else on it, including
yourself, my flesh would heal when it hit the ground, and
the Very Life-Force of the Planet, the URR, would flow up
and resurrect me because I am an incarnation of the Earth's
Own Soul. Got that? Give up.
TEMPLAR 327 wheezes with the effort of resistance, then
collapses, giving up as ordered.
TEMPLAR 327 (defeated, whining)
I'm not afraid of you, "Lord" Tazio! We all know about
your little "promise to your mother". You can't hurt me!
TAZIO
Ah, yes, my "Promise". Well, I've got to go hijack the
plane now. Templar: you just trance out and drool for a
while.
The TEMPLAR's face goes slack, and he slumps down into his seat.
5 INT: Control room, view of pilots and door behind them, which
opens. TAZIO enters. Co-Pilot turns to look.
CO-PILOT
Hey! Passengers aren't allowed in...
TAZIO
Relax.
CO-PILOT (visibly relaxing)
Oh, okay, lord.
PILOT
Yeah, sure, lord.
TAZIO
I command you to deviate 15 degrees, fly 22
kilometers southeast of Haifa, then continue on your
scheduled flight to Tel Aviv.
PILOT
Sure, lord. You want us to pass over Nazareth?
TAZIO
Megiddo.
6 EXT: View of airplane banking and flying SE.
7 INT: Back in the main passenger lounge, TEMPLAR 327 is still
drooling. Tazio returns to him and speaks.
TAZIO
All right, Templar, snap out of it, stop drooling and come
with me.
TEMPLAR 327 (awakening from trance)
Hunh? Uh...uh...where am I?
TAZIO
We've just crossed into Israeli Air-space.
TAZIO starts walking toward the back of the plane, the
TEMPLAR comes stumbling after him, confused but driven to obey.
8 INT: CORRIDOR. Computer-locked doors spring open for TAZIO's
telekinetic powers.
9 INT: CARGO BAY. They descend a ladder to the cargo
bay, to an escape hatch on the floor. TAZIO opens it.
TAZIO
I'm going out through the hatch. You're going to seal
this airlock door behind me.
TEMPLAR
Out? But...at 8 miles up? At 600 miles per hour?
Without a parachute?
TAZIO
Concerned, Templar? I have an affinity with the Earth: it
absorbs the inertia of my fall.
TEMPLAR
But the wind-impact, the decompression...
TAZIO
I'll black out for 23 seconds, but recover before I hit.
TEMPLAR 327
But, Lord Tazio, why are you jumping out at all?
TAZIO
Because we're about to pass over Megiddo, Israel, and if I'm
really supposed to be "The Beast", the LAST place I'd choose
to make my stand is that Biblical "Armageddon". I've been there
before, and learned that it's a trap for me: it's the only place on
the earth where I can't call up the URR to give me limitless strength.
Handy for Anton and his army of Templars. There's also a gargoyle
of semi-living stone waiting to attack me. But Megiddo is where
Immanuel arranged for me to meet him.
So I'm going in with enough inertia--enough impact-- to let
the URR know where I am. Ciao, seal the hatch.
TAZIO descends down into the floor hatch.
10 WHEEL BAY. Dark, rumbling with unmuffled engine noise, giant
landing wheels tucked up. TAZIO descends the ladder as the hatch closes,
fading TEMPLAR's voice.
TEMPLAR 327
Yes, lord...
ELECTRONIC RELAY BOX beside the ladder, usual high-voltage
warnings, closed panel, no switches. TAZIO looks at it: a relay
clicks. The great bay doors begin to OPEN.
ROAR of wind and jet-drives become vastly loud, darkness lit up
from the open floor, TAZIO is buffeted by violent wind, hair and
clothes flapping wildly.
TAZIO releases his hold on the ladder, DROPS from the wheel bay.
11 EXT. Under the belly of the plane. TAZIO falls into the
wind stream at 600 mph. Camera travels with him as the impact
shreds his clothes apart, his hair undone, and sends him falling-
spinning through the sky, as the jumbo jet recedes into the
distance.
12 INT. FLYING HELICOPTOR, equipped for war and manned
by a crew in black, obviously Dark Templars. A RADAR OPERATOR
sees a blip on his screen and turns to report.
RADAR OPERATOR
Grand Master Anton! Something observed dropping from a jet
liner--could be him!
ANTON (offscreen)
Oh, it is him. Let's see...it'll take about three minutes
to fall that far...yes, just enough time to pick him off
with a salvo of missiles, before he can reach the earth.
ANTON ARTEMIS, Grand Master of the Dark Templars, the earthly
incarnation of Satan's Self, is revealed: gigantic, physically
powerful, menacing. But old; his hair and pointed beard are
white, he is very wrinkled. He seems to be quite calm, perhaps
even unconcerned.
13a EXT. BLACK HELICOPTER flying, seen from beneath.
ANTON'S VOICE
Templars: Attack!
TEMPLAR VOICES
Yes, Grand Master! Ave Satanas!
HELICOPTER swings sharply around and up into a climb.
TEMPLAR VOICES
Computer lock-in: engaged and fire!
13b EXT. PANORAMA: HELICOPTER pitched over sideways, the
land of Israel beneath, a distant 747 jet plane upper left corner, a tiny spot
upper right falling out of the sky. Rockets blast away from the
HELICOPTER toward the spot.
13c CU TAZIO falling upside down, eyes closed.
He OPENS his EYES just in time to see the rockets honing in on
him. They are incredibly fast, he is falling and helpless.
There is no way out of this mess.
The ROCKETS converge and explode, but TAZIO's fall is deviated by
some external force, he swerves to the left around the missile
trajectories, and falls on past the explosions.
TAZIO/mv
What did that?
14 INT. HELICOPTER. Templars are enraged that they missed.
RADAR OPERATOR
Grand Master, how could we miss?
ANTON (dramatically)
Because Tazio is under protection now.
(shrugs and grins) So that's it: we've lost this turn of
the game. Oh well.
RADAR OPERATOR
Protection? But who...?
ANTON
Yes. Who indeed? (sly, evil grin, looks into camera with
his golden catlike eyes just like Tazio's, hinting to us
that it may have been himself)
15 EXT. TAZIO FALLING to earth, viewed from above, land rushing
closer. Ruins, tents, many people below.
16 VIEWED FROM EARTH: TAZIO is a streak of speed that falls to
the ground but INSTANTLY STOPS at impact, posed balanced like a ballet
dancer, more or less naked, his clothes shredded into a few fluttering rags.
SFX: Rainbow Shockwave Flashes of TAZIO's transferred inertia
radiate from his feet over the ground. The EARTH QUAKES AND
GRUMBLES, as if suddenly stressed, jiggling, buckling under
TAZIO's feet. He maintains his balance, energy waves visibly
churn around his feet and ripple the ground.
TAZIO suddenly bends forward and plants his hand on the earth
before him, and behind him, his tail. Sparks, subtle flashes.
TAZIO (quietly)
I call up the Urr!
THE EARTH SPLITS OPEN under his hand and a silver light streams
up from the earth and charges his body with the URR, so that
TAZIO also GLOWS.
TAZIO
Well, it worked.
Okay, now I can take on Anton and his Templars, the
Gargoyle, Immanuel, anything or any...(looks up, surprised
at what he hears and sees)...one.
THUNDERING APPLAUSE (Cheers)
Bravo! Ave! Yea!
Tazio, Tazio, Tazio!
17a TAZIO sees the MEGIDDO SCENE: Ruins of an ancient Israelite
culture, fallen stone buildings, a temple, located among dry rolling hills. And
FULL of people, of flags and signs, of great tents flying banners, of some
enormous event, a gathering resembling a religious or a rock festival. Rows
and rows of people facing TAZIO.
> FOREGROUND: the HEAD OF BAPHOMET is perched upon its stand, a
white stone goat's head with high pointed horns and a pentagram
carved upon its brow. Glowing eyes. When it speaks the mouth and
expressions will seem mechanical and slightly out of sync.
> NEXT LAYER: THE 3 HELLMEN, identical servants of the Satanic
Plan, overcoats and hats under the hot sun, slightly shining in
negative colors, smiling like lunatics.
> THIRD LAYER BACK: The soldier-priests of the DARK TEMPLARS, in
a vast military formation, all dressed in black, resembling Nazi
SS, saluting Tazio.
> ANOTHER LAYER BACK: Ruins of a great alter-like temple. Upon
the base MICHAEL, a huge fat half-naked Sumo-Oriental applauds;
three WOMEN stand in hooded robes.
> BACKGROUND: A million shouting, waving, cheering people.
ANTON's black helicopter swoops in for a landing.
VOICE IN CROWD
Look! He...she...it really has NO SEX!
TAZIO is standing naked but for some tattered rags, revealing his
sexlessness. A Templar runs up to him, kneels and hands him a
black robe, which TAZIO accepts and dons.
HEAD (voice of stone)
Welcome to Megiddo, Lord Tazio.
Your army stands ready for battle.
TAZIO
You are not my...(he is surprised to notice the 3 WOMEN up
on the base of the temple)...hey! Cindy! Mother! Jytte!
17b CU of each of the three hooded women, as they are named.
> CINDY, red hair, freckles, American, 23 years old, expression
of hopeless love.
> MARIANGELA, Tazio's Mother, wild black hair, dark around her
eyes, Italian, in her 40's, stern expression of an enemy.
> JYTTE, blonde, Danish, 30's, expression of serene wisdom.
HEAD
You may not approach them, Lord Tazio, they are with
Immanuel.
TAZIO
Fine. So am I.
18a TAZIO begins to ascend the STAIRS to the Temple.
MICHAEL (stepping in the way)
Stop, Lord Tazio. Sorry but The Head spoke true, it is
against the Rules for you to speak with your opponents.
TAZIO
Rules? Stand aside!
MICHAEL
Ha ha ha ha. Not so easy to dominate fellow Avatars,
sexless one. Yes, even you must play by the rules
TAZIO
I'm here to meet Immanuel, not to play the game--and I
don't know what all of this is about, but I'm going to
see my mother and...
MICHAEL
Oh ho ho, no no.
TAZIO looks up and they are gone.
TAZIO
...never mind.
MICHAEL
You will see Immanuel tomorrow.
TAZIO
Yeah, that's what I figured: the vernal equinox.
In background ANTON approaches from the landed helicopter.
ANTON
Hey, kid, maybe I'd better brief you before you make a total
fool of yourself.
MICHAEL
Yes. Go along with Anton, where you belong.
TAZIO
I do not "belong" with Anton Artemis, nor with the Head of
Baphomet, nor with the Dark Templars.
MICHAEL
Very sorry again, but according to the rules you do: you are
the Antichrist.
TAZIO
I have not accepted that destiny.
ANTON
Come on, kid, I'll explain--urk!
As ANTON steps forward TAZIO points down, the URR flows from his
fingers and the ground splits open before ANTON, creating a
crevasse, stopping him. The crowd goes "Ooooo!"
TAZIO (calmly, in total control)
As you attempt to kill me again?
ANTON
No, that's done with, kid. We were to test you to the
absolute utmost. And we did. Heh heh.
But now you've made it through to here, and now we serve
you.
TAZIO
Anton, the last advice you gave me--before I made you old--
was "never to trust or forgive".
ANTON
Indeed: sound advice--nor have I changed, but the situation
has. Now we are team-mates in the Game of the Gods--and
don't say you won't play, because here you are, on time, in
place, in accordance with your chosen destiny.
TAZIO
I came here on instinct, and a hint that Immanuel was ready
to meet me. Otherwise I don't know what's going on here.
Some sort of ceremonial event?
18b TAZIO turns and walks toward the tents. The crowd melts away
before him. ANTON springs over the crevasse to follow him.
ANTON
Well it's the Apocalypse, kid. The winning of the game. The
ending of the world. Judgment Day. Doom. Finitissimo.
Avatars and their initiates gather for Armageddon. The
ceremony begins tomorrow.
TAZIO
Tomorrow?
How can that be? If Revelations is the Rule-Book, there are
certain conditions, signs...
ANTON
Oh, they've been met--
--the revelations of "Saint John"--whom we know to have been
The Ulfæ--was not simply a prophecy, but rather a history of
what was, is, and will be; a symbolic overview of God's
mistreatment of Man. Mostly old news.
TAZIO
Yes, Ulfo told me how the catastrophes and plagues of the
"Seven Seals" destroyed Poseidonus fourteen thousand years
ago, and the "Seven Trumpets" blew Atlantis away seven
thousand years ago--but the "Seven Bowls of Wrath" should
plague worshippers of The Beast before the armies are
gathered at Har Megiddon. And if I am the Beast, as they
say, I have no worshippers, I rule no nations, nor have I
placed my "mark" upon any foreheads.
ANTON
You've won the trials of the Dark Templars; they worship you
now.
TAZIO
Merda.
ANTON
Look, kid, I don't know--it's all a mystery to me too. Why
not ask a real authority: the Head of Baphomet?
TAZIO
That ancient evil machine? I'm more inclined to destroy it.
But sure, why not ask first. And if you attack me I'll just
make you even older.
19 TAZIO walks back toward the HEAD,, ANTON follows respectfully
behind at a little distance, hands in his pockets, very non-aggressive.
20 EXTREME CU HEAD
HEAD
O Master, it has been so long.
TAZIO is studying the stone head closely.
TAZIO
(mental voice) An interesting artifact of "stone age"
technology: a cybernetic crystal matrix, more like a brain
than a computer.
(spoken) All right, Baphomet, tell me how long it's
been.
HEAD
You made me half a million years ago, before you and all
the Godmen departed Earthlevel forever, as a device to
organize your Great Satanic Plan. And now the end is nigh.
The Great Satanic Plan is working perfectly--and we are
together again, You My Lord and I.
If I could feel an emotion, I wonder what it would be?
TAZIO
You've confused me with someone else, Baphomet. I'm not
Satan.
HEAD
You have confused yourself. But that is all part of the
Plan to win the game. Your Plan, Lord: Reincarnation as an
evil monster, vain Theron; Transformation to the good hero,
selfless Tazio; Rejection of the Lust, denial of all desire,
feeling, emotion; Ennui, disdain for Games--
--and here you are, ready to surrender to Immanuel
tomorrow.
TAZIO
And why not? The prophecy says "the Beast" will lose the
battle anyway.
HEAD
Tell me.
TAZIO
Beast and False Prophet thrown into the Lake of Fire, Dragon
into Bottomless Pit.
HEAD
"And the rest were slain by the sword of him who sits upon
the horse." Revelations 19:21.
ANTON
"The Rest" being those who have the "Mark of the Beast on
their foreheads".
HEAD
You do know what the Mark of the Beast is, don't you, Tazio?
TAZIO
Well, no, not exactly.
HEAD
Didn't Ulfæ teach you anything? But then he/she was under a
compromise, wasn't he/she? Being both demonic and angelic,
serving two masters. But I shall enlighten you.
Look upon Anton's brow: behold the Mark of the Beast.
TAZIO
I see...no mark.
HEAD
It is quite visible.
TAZIO
Just some...wrinkles.
HEAD
Yes.
TAZIO
But everyone has wrinkles--when they get older.
ANTON
Not everyone.
HEAD
The angelic breed does not age.
Six hundred and sixty six: "a man's number". The number of
months in an average life during the time Revelations was
written--fifty five and a half years.
The "sons of the beast" aged faster than the "sons of God",
like Noah who lived 950 years. Thus were those marked
recognized as abomination, as blasphemy.
After the Great Flood the sons of Noah should have had the
world to themselves and their 12 tribes. But no, many sons
of the beast had survived--they too had boats--and they were
of seven races from ten nations...
TAZIO
The beast from the sea with seven heads and ten horns.
HEAD
And the sons of God and of beast had wars, had sex, had
babies, the races became impure, and now there are only 144
thousand with God's Name on their foreheads out of a world
population of five and a half billion people.
TAZIO
Then those slain by the sword will be almost everyone in the
world.
HEAD
Yes.
ANTON
You got it, kid.
TAZIO
So I ask again: why not just surrender? Avoid a war, save
them all.
HEAD
No! They cannot be saved. Nor do they matter, it is the
144 thousand we want--annihilate them and we win the Game!
TAZIO
To kill everyone, then? That's the Great Plan?
HEAD
Yes! Everyone, everything! At last you have the power to
absolutely destroy the very Planet: end of Earthlevel, end
of Game.
TAZIO
Mm-hmmm, I see. And do you really believe I would help you
do that?
HEAD
It is we who help you, O Highest Lord.
You are the Seventh Incarnation of Satan's Self: you have
his Eyes, his Tail--for in each life you have displayed some
bestial aspect of Our Lord; horns or fangs or claws--but you
have no memory of those incarnations.
You believe you are Tazio only because you have not yet had
the Spiritual Awakening which every adult Avatar experiences,
when the sleeping Oversoul becomes super-conscious, and when
you do--you shall remember everything:
--The first six incarnations, the Original Godself, the
Beyond Between where the Gods Play the Game, the Challenge
of Jahve--and your Vow to Win!
TAZIO
And I suppose that this "spiritual awakening" is scheduled
for tomorrow?
HEAD
Yes. March 21st, the Vernal Equinox, Judgment Day, your
18th and final Birthday.
TAZIO
Mm-hmmm. (very calm, almost unconcerned) Well, I guess
we'll see what happens. I'm going to take a walk, check
things out.
TAZIO turns from the HEAD and motions the Templars to get out of
his way, which they do.
ANTON (calling)
Do you have any commands...Master?
TAZIO
Yes. Don't hurt anybody.
THE TEMPLARS (suddenly very agitated)
Yes Master. Jawhol! Yes!
Oh no, not...yes, Lord! Si, Si! Hai. Oui.
But we're the Dark Templars! We...(sob!)
21 TOUR OF ARMAGEDDON FESTIVAL.
TAZIO walks alone among the tents and people, tents for different
religious groups and clubs; the Masons are there, the Vatican secret
service, the Hell's Angels, IBM, shamans, monks, shaolin, sufi, brujos,
voodooists, Golden Dawn, Hari Krishna. Food stalls, beer tents,
drugs, gambling, whorehouses. Warriors practicing, Bibles being
sold, musicians playing every kind of music in the world.
VOICES IN CROWD
(as TAZIO walks by) It's him! The Antichrist!
I hear he's not a him, but a neuter.
That little guy?
Psst--look, he does have a tail!
Doesn't look evil.
Glows! Wow! His eyes...
Then it's true, it is the Apocalypse!
22 TAZIO is surveying the multitude. AHAZVERUS, the Wandering
Jew, a tiny wrinkled old man with a cane, speaks to him from behind.
AHAZVERUS
Quite a circus, eh Tazio?
TAZIO (without turning to look)
Shalom, Ahazverus. Yes quite. Are all these people
really here to play the game?
AHAZVERUS
Yes, but most of them don't realize it this side of the
veil. Their participation was arranged long ago in the
Beyond Between.
Over there are the military tents, and beyond them, the Big
Finance Camp.
TAZIO
Finance? At the Apocalypse?
AHAZVERUS
It's only the end of this world. Ja, there's a lot of money
changing hands, bets being made--redeemable on the next
level.
TAZIO looks out over the hills of Megiddo, toward the road from the
mountains. People; walking, on mules, in cars, busses, airplanes,
helicopters, coming as an endless stream into the growing city of tents.
TAZIO
I sense at least 300,000 people, and they're still coming in.
AHAZVERUS
By tomorrow they'll be over a million.
TAZIO
Ahazverus, can you tell me what happens tomorrow?
AHAZVERUS
The ceremony begins at noon: it's a passion play of the
Apocalypse; the Court of God Almighty has Christ open the
scroll; 7 seals, 7 angels, all that symbolic dum-diddly-doo-
doo.
Probably kind of dull until sunset--that's when the
fireworks actually begin. That's when the First Angel pours
his bowl of wrath upon the earth.
TAZIO
The Plague of "foul and evil sores"--you seem to be glad
about it.
AHAZVERUS
I'm glad it's almost over-I'm tired of this one life after
2000 years. And yet, there's something about being near
you--you're like a blazing bush, Tazio!--that makes me feel
150 years younger. Oh!
(backs away from TAZIO's URR-glow)
But O, if I could be young again I'm afraid my perspective
would change. I don't want that. Not now.
Do you have to show off your power all the time?
TAZIO
In Megiddo I do, but my URR is defense, rather than offence.
AHAZVERUS
Defense? But there is truce today. A time-out in The Game.
Enemies meet one another for a beer and a song. Tomorrow,
though...who knows, already?
They wander through the crowd as the SUN IS SETTING, in the dimming
light TAZIO's glow attracts attention, people notice them, point, stare.
A COMMENTER
Look, it's the Antichrist with the Wandering Jew!
TAZIO
Perhaps so, but if I slip the URR away, I can't be sure I
can call it up again here in Megiddo.
Nor do I trust the Templars, nor forget the angry stone
gargoyle which hangs out here...
AHAZVERUS
Do you mean THAT dragon over there? The prop they'll use to
symbolize the Dragon in the passion play, that is.
23 AHAZVERUS indicates a statue upon a nearby hillside, depicting
a ferocious gargoyle about the size of a VW Van which young people are
painting red.
TAZIO runs to it with inhuman speed, shouting to the young people.
TAZIO
Get AWAY from that Gargoyle, it's animate and DEADLY!
The young people look up at him, surprised, but do not obey.
YOUNG WOMAN
But Lord, it's only a statue.
TAZIO
I said to GO!
YOUNG MAN
But Immanuel commanded us to paint it red.
TAZIO
Then I'll remove it from you.
TAZIO lifts the statue weighing many tons up over his head with a whiplike
motion, paint cans go flying, the young people spring back.
THE ARCHANGEL MICHAEL comes running and shouting, a ridiculous
jiggling sumo, but also amazingly fast.
MICHAEL
No, Tazio, do not violate the truce.
But TAZIO's attention is for the gargoyle, which he balances over his head
with one hand, the other pointing a glowing finger up toward the stone belly.
TAZIO
All right, Gargoyle, I've got the URR this time! If you
attack me or anyone here, I'll crack you in...
MICHAEL
Tazio! This will not DO! Put that gargoyle down AT ONCE!
You're breaking the RULES!
TAZIO
Don't interfere, "fellow avatar", this thing is dangerous!
MICHAEL
It observes the Truce, as you must.
TAZIO
I don't have time to argue, now stand back!
MICHAEL
Oh, but we shall not argue: *&^%$#@!
TAZIO's URR-glow fades out, and the gargoyle becomes heavy for him,
he trembles.
TAZIO
Uuunh...too heavy...look out, it's falling!
TAZIO loses control and the statue topples, but MICHAEL catches
it effortlessly and puts it down gently.
MICHAEL
Not to worry: I'll just take it from here.
TAZIO
All right, just who are you, Avatar, and why are you messing
with me?
MICHAEL
(bowing oriental-style) Oh, I am but a humble guardian
angel assigned to enforcing the rules here.
AHAZVERUS (arriving)
Humble, my ass! Tazio, this is the Archangel Michael:
you've been arch-enemies in previous incarnations. He's
on the committee, just like me.
MICHAEL
Oh, cranky old Ahazverus, you know how I'd rather keep
things POLITE.
I bear you no ill will, Tazio, but I AM here to control the
Antichrist-- and if necessary, to force IT to play by the
Rules: no cheating this time.
AHAZVERUS (to TAZIO)
There's a lot of betting going on that you'll make a sudden
and dramatic personality change, from neutral to NASTY--
and that you'll attempt terminating this world to Win
the Game.
TAZIO
The Head says that. I don't believe it myself. But we'll
see...oh, by the way, which tent is Immanuel's?
MICHAEL (holding up hand)
So sorry, you may not approach the Christ until the ceremony
calls for it.
AHAZVERUS looks beyond MICHAEL at a gigantic white tent glowing
with light, a cross atop it.
TAZIO (also looking beyond MICHAEL)
Ah, that tent there.
TAZIO steps to go around MICHAEL, who steps in his way again.
MICHAEL
No no no, RULES...
TAZIO
Your rules are not my rules.
MICHAEL
Oh, but they are--
TAZIO springs over MICHAEL, who also leaps up and catches him in
mid-air.
--you see? Sorry.
TAZIO
Actually, it is I who should apologize--for this little
trick: (c)(r)þ€µ¡ø¶[°]
As he calls out the spell, TAZIO connects the tip of his tail to MICHAEL's
throat. MICHAEL's eyes widen in surprise and shock and he passes out,
falling to the earth like a ton of meat.
TAZIO
He'll be all right in a while. Now, excuse me.
TAZIO calmly walks on toward the white tent as AHAZVERUS admires
the fallen angel
AHAZVERUS
Hee hee--ja, ja, sure, anyway, I'm going to wander over to
one of the gaming tents to collect on a little bet.
24 The white tent looms as TAZIO approaches. It is as tall as a four
story building, and is full of light and song, a great neon cross can be seen
inside the open flaps and many people singing in chorus.
A MIGHTY CHORUS
Holy Holy Holy
is the Lord God Almighty
who was and is to come
Holy Holy Holy
25 ENTERING the great tent: hundreds of white-robed devotees singing
in bleachers, and many technicians installing and setting up amplification
equipment, lighting, scaffolds. TAZIO is noticed.
COMMENTERS
1) Hey, isn't that...?
2) 2) ...the Antichrist?
3) Holy cow, it's the BEAST!
4) 4) Sacrilege!
5) Oh no.
6) 6) Gasp.
7) 7) Eeek!
8) But it can't come in HERE!
A DEACON of the Church, tall, blonde, handsome, wearing
white robes with gold trim, comes forward to stop TAZIO from entering
deeper into the tent.
TAZIO
Where is Immanuel?
DEACON
You may not meet him yet, Beast.
MARIANGELA (off camera)
He's not here; he went out into the hills to pray.
TAZIO turns to see his mother, who is wearing a red hooded robe,
and who does not have a friendly expression on. She glares at
him coldly and says nothing more to him.
TAZIO
Hello mother.
Won't you speak to me?
Well, anyway, it's good to see that you're alive. What
about Ulfo? And Buffone?
Receiving no answers, TAZIO turns away. Her face softens into sorrow
when he's not looking.
Well, see you.
26 EXT. NIGHT. Out in the hills, away from the tent city, TAZIO
walks alone. The moon is almost full. A lone hooded figure is kneeling
upon a large boulder atop the hill, clearly seen in the moonlight. TAZIO
walks up from behind.
TAZIO
Hello...Jytte.
JYTTE lowers her hood and turns toward TAZIO, she smiles.
JYTTE
Hello, Tazio, my love. Immanuel's not here now. He's gone
down to the Jezreel Valley, you know, Esdraelon: the
Battlefield.
TAZIO
Well, at least you dare speak with me?
JYTTE
I may say some things to you because I'm your cosmic mate--
"love you", things like that.
TAZIO
Do you? Even as I am: sexless and passionless, and with no
love to give in return?
JYTTE
Oh, you're strange right now, but it's just a phase, like the Ulfæ's.
By the way, I have become an angel, so we are more equal now
than we were before.
TAZIO
But the angels are AVATARS. How could you be one of them,
Jytte?
JYTTE (CU)
Your presence "adjusts" people; I lived with you three years.
Physically, I'd BECOME an avatar.. And genetically...well,
I had our child.
TAZIO (CU) surprised
Our...child?
JYTTE
We finally had sex once, remember? She's five years old
now...but has no name yet. She's perfect, and an oh-so-
beautiful vehicle of incarnation, but no soul has yet been
assigned to her. She sleeps and does not dream.
But I may not say more, secrecy is the root of magical power
and we need all we can muster.
We have arranged your forbidden meeting with Immanuel--down
in the valley: now go!
TAZIO goes toward the valley, turns to see JYTTE waving goodbye.
And good luck, Tazio! Oh, how I still love you! I hope we
get to be lovers again someday!
He waves back to her but says nothing. Then turns toward the valley and runs
down the mountain, leaping from cliffs and dropping great distances easily.
27 But as he flashes down past a rocky formation a short shadowy
someone shoots out at him with blurring speed, a hand grabs his tail with
superhuman accuracy, deftly flipping TAZIO head over heels, to crash into a
large boulder, which absorbs the impact, then crumbles apart.
TAZIO (still laying upon his back)
Buffone?
BUFFONE the Dwarf steps forward into the moonlight, grinning
like a glad fool.
BUFFONE
Ciao, Tazio! Let's play, just like we used to.
TAZIO
Not you too, Buffone?
BUFFONE
Whaddya mean? I've always been playing The Game with you,
remember?
TAZIO
I'd really rather not play right now: I'm on my way to meet
Immanuel.
BUFFONE
Just like we always played: "Hero-on-Quest". I usually got
to be your faithful companion and/or all your adversaries.
(CU) But this time let's play that I'm the Hero! I get to be
Alpha-Omega, that Cosmic Warrior who defends Christ from
the Antichrist.
I never got to play that one, remember?
TAZIO stands and dusts himself off.
TAZIO
Yes, I remember: because you died when I...look, Buffone...
BUFFONE
...when you called yourself THERON, yes. But I don't fear
his name any more.
Not since I realized that I'm actually God.
TAZIO
Uh...right... Buffone, I'd feared I might have killed you
and the others, and here you are, part of the Apocalypse.
Everyone knows what's going on but me. Will you tell me?
BUFFONE
Sure, but first we have to play. That's the Rules.
TAZIO
(sighs) Okay, okay. So I'm the villain?
BUFFFONE
The Antichrist: sneaking through Armageddon Pass, stalking
after Christ, who is walking alone in the wilderness.
TAZIO
Okay, well, here I come.
TAZIO starts forward.
BUFFONE
Oh boy! At last! Ahem...
HALT, BEAST! Thou shalt not pass me!
CU: BUFFONE has TAZIO pinned face down in the dirt, both looking
slightly surprised.
BUFFONE (disappointed)
What's wrong with you, Tazio? You used to be better at
this. You're not really trying.
TAZIO
All right, let's try it again.
Three times TAZIO approaches BUFFONE and is tossed to the earth
and pinned. TAZIO is clearly unable to pass him.
TAZIO
Well, we've always been physically matched, Buffone. I
can't get past you...without hurting you, and I won't do
that.
BUFFONE
Oh no, Tazio, you can't give up! Come on!
TAZIO
Why? I don't really care about this...game. The outcome is
fixed anyway.
BUFFONE (earnestly)
Fixed? No, it's not! This is an honest game! I should know! It's
my vocation, after all. There's even some betting going on that you
could win it!
Of course, the odds are not in your favor--many bet you'll
never get past me to meet Immanuel.
TAZIO
Oh, I'll get past you--I'm just not "playing" any more. I
guess I'm going to cheat.
TAZIO holds his hand out over the earth and the Urr begins to
flow up into him.
BUFFONE
No, that's fair: you call up your godly powers--and I call
down mine...
BUFFONE raises his right hand and the night sky is full of solar
fingers and comets and fireworks of a cosmic nature.
...but of course, we might destroy this world if we play at
these energy levels.
TAZIO
You said you were God? Which one?
BUFFONE (glowing)
THE ONE. Jahve. The Jew's Jehovah. God of the Bible.
Surprised? I certainly was. But I'm incarnate as a silly
dwarf because anything else is vanity, I guess.
I'm only here so we could be Playmates. Remember how we
Used to play Sinbad, Tarzan, David and Goliath? You played
good then!
TAZIO
I was just a kid then...but, yes. My memory's quite
perfect. It was kind of...fun to play then.
Okay, let's give it one more shot.
BUFFPONE
Atta boy, Tazio!
They take their positions.
HALT, Beast! Thou shalt not pass me!
TAZIO (arrogant voice)
Oh yeah? Do you know WHOM you challenge? Fool! I'm Evil
Incarnate!
BUFFONE
Ha ha! Yeah, well, I am Alpha-Omega, the Champion of Good!
TAZIO
You are but a silly dwarf: a creature I made. Ha ha, I love it!
TAZIO pulls his hair back and lowers his face into shadow, only his eyes and
teeth shining. The effect is very sinister.
BUFFONE (suddenly worried)
Y-y-you? Hey, Tazio, no fair! You can't be...
TAZIO
Ah, ha ha...but I AM! Boo!
BUFFONE (shocked)
(gasp) THERON! (urk!)
BUFFONE collapses backwards as if dead and lays still.
TAZIO
You're a consistent player, Buffone. At least, I hope
you're playing dead.
TAZIO steps over BUFFONE and passes on.
28 Running down the slope, which is beginning to level out.
TAZIO m/v
Now down into the valley...what's that? A burning bush?
He passes a bush glowing with a spectral flame, like the one Moses saw, but
continues on.
(to himself) Merda: don't fall for it! Keep going!
29 Camera looking up, TAZIO running with moon overhead.
THREE BRIGHT DISKS OF LIGHT streaks across the sky from one
horizon to the other at hyperspeed..
TAZIO
UFO's? Or--Solar Fingers!
He stops, looking up into the sky in wonder.
30 EXT: Valley floor, TAZIO stopped, standing in the middle of a
road that crosses the valley. It is perfectly still, there is no movement, no
sound, he is surrounded by wheat fields, but there are no houses, no cars,
no people, he is completely alone.
TAZIO m/v
Jezreel Valley. It's all vineyards and wheat fields now, but
it's been a battleground throughout history. Where Prophecy
says that Christ and Antichrist must meet. So where is he?
He turns around completely, looking, listening, sensing.
There's absolutely no one here.
The Camera is facing TAZIO straight on, he fills the screen. He
draws a deep breath.
(Calling out) IMMANUEL!
IMMANUEL (voice offscreen)
Seek and ye shall find.
The camera moves slightly to one side, revealing IMMANUEL just behind
TAZIO. TAZIO does not seem surprised and does not overreact.
TAZIO
So they say.
IMMANUEL
Hi, Tazio.
TAZIO turns to face Christ. They stand there a meter apart, both relaxed,
hands behind their backs, very casual and cool.
TAZIO
Yeah, hi.
Suddenly IMMANUEL sits down upon the middle of the road, in one fluid
motion, also revealing a bottle of wine he'd had behind his back, and deftly
opening it with a corkscrew he'd had in his other hand.
There is a succulent POP!
IMMANUEL
And that was THAT historic moment. I brought along a
bottle of wine to break the ice. Come. We can pretend that
it's a symbolic communion.
TAZIO (also sitting)
Uh...I do not drink wine. Only water--(a little
embarrassed)--sorry.
IMMANUEL (smiling)
Oh, that's okay. I'll just--ha ha!--turn the wine into
water. Hocus pocus.
He touches the bottle with a finger. A spark of light inside the bottle. A
sweet PING rings.
There. Have some?
TAZIO takes the bottle, sniffs it.
TAZIO
Pure water. Heh heh. Pretty cute. What the hell.
He swallows. And is astounded..
Wow! That's GOOD water.
IMMMANUEL
Water of Life.
TAZIO
So we're supposed to be cosmic... adversaries?
IMMANUEL
Enemies, Tazio, mortal foes, Good and Evil, Right and Wrong.
(swallows) Mmmm, you're right, that IS good water.
TAZIO
And if you're supposed to be the present Incarnation of
Christ, then I must be the "Wrong"?
IMMANUEL
Oh, I know you aren't Evil, Tazio. Nothing is as it's
"supposed" to be--ha, nothing ever is!
TAZIO
Good, then let's call off the Apocalypse tomorrow, Immanuel.
IMMANUEL
I wish we could, Tazio, but it is our cup to drink More water?
TAZIO
Thanks, but I'm not thirsty.
IMMANUEL
Hearken: you thirst like no one I've ever met, Antichrist.
You thirst for Emotion, Passion, Love.
TAZIO
Doesn't everyone?
IMMANUEL
No one with such power to quench. Why have you become
what you are: Neuter, Unmotivated, Joyless? Why?
TAZIO
Because I could quench it all. So I refuse to be a slave
to the Lust. It made me ruthlessly selfish. I was involved
in a hundred projects to improve the world...but The Lust
always interrupted my concentration, so I made myself free
of it.
IMMANUEL
And what do you concentrate your godlike abilities upon now
that you are free of human desires and ambition?
TAZIO
Well, actually...nothing.
(As they have been speaking the night sky has become light and it is now
almost sunrise.)
But then, it seems you've also been hiding your light under
a bushel, unrevealed. The long-awaited Christ has come, but
it's a secret.
IMMANUEL
I've hardly been secretive: arrested lots of times, targeted for
assassination, committed as insane, ridiculed--which, if you know
your Bible, means that everything's going according to plan.
TAZIO
Luke 17: 20 to 30?
IMMANUEL
Ah, you're a scholar.
TAZIO
Once I was. But what about Mark 13:26? You're really
coming in on a cloud?
IMMANUEL
Well, it says so, doesn't it?
Say, I really enjoyed your theatrically dramatic arrival
yesterday--just the right symbol: falling from heaven--hah!-
-and everyone thought that Anton's Dark Templars HAD you!
A shooting star falls from heaven.
TAZIO
They HAD. I was unready. Some other power protected me.
Was it you?
IMMANUEL
Me? No, I may not--ah, look! Here comes God!
The moment of sunrise illuminates the valley.
"Let there be light."
TAZIO
Buffone told me HE was God.
IMMANUEL
Ha ha, that silly dwarf. He thinks so because he gets to
play Jahve in the Apocalypse at noon today.
Behold God: the author of the Cosmic Moment! The Big Bang.
Rebirth. A sunrise. The beholding of which is raw JOY!
TAZIO
Joy? Well, it's just a standard sunrise. No surprise.
IMMANUEL
You're kidding?
TAZIO
That "moment" happens non-stop as the planet turns.
IMMANUEL
Really, Tazio, why deny yourself the good things like Joy?
TAZIO
It's part of The Lust.
IMMANUEL
Maybe so, but there is no value in unnecessary sacrifices
when we must concentrate upon those great sacrifices
required of us.
TAZIO
I have not agreed to any sacrificing, it's just playing
the game. I am, in fact, morally opposed to the violence
and suffering it has caused throughout human history.
IMMANUEL
Some call it The Game, others call it The Work. It is the
same. It all leads to the Cosmic Achievement--which is
realized when The Work shall be done and The Game shall be
won.
As Christ, I do not play The Game, but do The Work.
TAZIO
But the semantics are no justification for plagues and
destruction and death. Where is your "Christian" love of
Man? Why do you participate in this...Evil?
IMMANUEL
Oh, come on, Tazio: surely I don't have to quote the Bible
to you? Or the laws of husbandry: the wheat must be
harvested or it goes to waste, the weeds must be culled out
or spoil the wheat. And now is the harvest!
TAZIO
I know the parable. But I am told that only the 144,000
"Elect" will be allowed to survive the Apocalypse, that the
basis for Man's salvation is neither Faith nor Good Works,
but Genetic: being born among God's Chosen People. That
everyone else is automatically doomed. I need to know: is
this true?
IMMANUEL
Do you question the "fairness" of God's Laws?
TAZIO
You bet I do.
IMMANUEL
You've been talking with the Devil, haven't you, Tazio?
And, as usual, it told some Evil "Truth".
Yes, only the Sons of God, of Adam, of Noah will remain on
Earthlevel. All others will die. After all, it IS the end
of the world. But what does that mean?
Souls are the crop we work to harvest, breeding a new kind
of god. That's the Achievement. The cycle continues,
there is Karma to be worked out, and they shall return to
Earthlevel later on: Second Resurrection, Book of
Revelations.
Of course, there are variations to that scenario. Such as
if Satan wins The Game...or perhaps even...You. And IF you
should win, you could write your own version--for the winner
judges Mankind, you know.
But to do that you'd have to wake up your competitive
spirit, wouldn't you?
TAZIO
Well, according to that same devil, that's exactly what's
supposed to happen--only not MY spirit, but...
IMMANUEL
...I'm sure it said you'll become Satan Himself. That may
be hard, but your personality can survive it, Tazio. Mine
did. I experienced my spiritual awakening when I was twelve
years old. Quite a shock.
30a FLASHBACK: INT: Young IMMANUEL in his bedroom in Mill
Valley, California. He is reading a Superhero comic book. His head jerks up,
mouth falls open in stupefaction, and his eyes become shining suns, the comic
book falls to the floor.
His eyes shine like headlights, a halo of energy surrounds him and he is lifted,
levitated by some cosmic force, his body stretched upright, arms spread out,
crucified within a swirling golden energy-field in the pattern of a cross. A
chorus of angels singing becomes louder, more intense, overwhelming, the
camera zooms back, revealing that the cross is of infinite dimensions, the
room has faded into a night sky full of stars and comets. From above,
the sun approaches, the screen whites out with blinding light.
30b BACK TO NOW:
IMMANUEL
Suddenly I remembered being Jesus! His entire life crashed
through my brain from 2000 years before. And others: Adam!
Enoch! Ra! Mithra! 16 Avatar Incarnations.
I'm still Immanuel, but I am more than I was, for they are
all parts of me, and I walk with their power. Remember
this: if Satan awakens within your mind, take his power,
but remain Tazio!
Otherwise, we must indeed do battle, you and I. For I know
the Great Satanic Plan.
TAZIO
I do not wish to battle against you, Immanuel. You're the
only person for whom I seem to feel...
IMMANUEL
Go ahead and say it, Tazio.
TAZIO
...anything.
IMMANUEL
Then let us hope we shall never be the enemies we're
supposed to be.
TAZIO
May we not be friends?
IMMANUEL
Do you DESIRE that?
TAZIO
Yes!
IMMANUEL
Good. At least you can feel a desire again.
IMMANUEL offers his hand to shake, and TAZIO takes it.
TAZIO (responding to the contact)
Oh! Why, you ARE Love!
IMMANUEL
You have said it.
IMMANUEL gets up, passing the half-empty bottle to TAZIO.
IMMANUEL
Well, duty calls. I have to get back to camp, the
Christians will go crazy if I'm not there for rehearsal.
And you too--the ceremony begins at noon.
TAZIO
Well, I haven't yet decided...
IMMMANUEL
Look, I HAVE to do it--and you need to start having some
FUN!
IMMANUEL waves at a tiny cloud in the morning sky, which begins
to drift their way.
TAZIO
Well...
IMMANUEL
Come on, please.. For me?
TAZIO
Well, okay.
IMMANUEL
Ha ha! I knew it! Once I turned on the charm you've
already lost the battle!
TAZIO
Oh yeah?
IMMANUEL
Check this out.
IMMANUEL points up at the cloud which is now over their heads.
A powerful light shines down from within the cloud, and a gleaming
MOTORCYCLE descends to the ground before him. It is a chopped
Harley shining of White and Gold: Gold instead of chrome; all
leather, trim, and even the tires, Holy White. Then the little
cloud zips off across the sky and is gone.
TAZIO watches it go, still holding the bottle.
TAZIO
Pretty good trick.
IMMANUEL
Power of God, old chap. Now, let us go to Megiddo.
IMMANUEL gets on, motions for TAZIO to do the same. The motor is
like thunder. They accelerate like lightning, TAZIO clinging to
IMMANUEL.
TAZIO (shouting over motorcycle roar)
Couldn't you teleport via that Solar Finger instead of
driving?
IMMANUEL
Sure, but the driving IS the journey! Wind in hair!
Expanding Vision! Quickening Senses! This is Life!
YA-HOOOO!!!
TAZIO
Ha ha ha! You're a fun guy, Immanuel!
IMMANUEL
Well, well, I guess--when was the last time you laughed,
Tazio?
TAZIO
Oh...6 years ago: before I went negasex.
They roar out of sight over a hilltop at breakneck speed.
31 EXT. DAY, MEGIDDO
The rolling hills around the ruins of Megiddo are covered and
crowded with millions of people, thousands of tents and vehicles,
all gathered for the Armageddon Festival. Among the stone
wreckage of ancient civilizations is a new city of tents, people
hawking wares, signs advertising:
BIBLES--Get Them While They Last
LOANS, ODDS
Buttons, Stickers, Everything Must Go!
BEER, WINE, LOTTERY TICKETS
MARRIAGES, DIVORCES
DEN OF INIQUITY
A traditional MAD PROPHET is waving a cardboard sign: THE END
IS NIGH, shouting and waving his fists.
MAD PROPHET
Repent, Sinners! Repent for the Day of the Lord Has Come!
TAZIO and IMMANUEL slowly weave the motorcycle through the
teeming masses, but it is slow going.
TAZIO
Millions of people! It'll be a miracle if you can drive
your motorcycle into the center of all this.
IMMANUEL
Hey, miracles are what I DO. But we have to split up here,
Tazio. We're stationed in enemy camps, remember?
TAZIO
I'm not so enthusiastic about being on the side of Evil--
Anton, the Head, Dark Templars--they're a pretty shitty
bunch of guys.
IMMANUEL
Ah, but you command them now. Ha ha! Don't you see any
possibilities for fun in that?
TAZIO
I guess. Well, okay. (sighs) See you.
IMMANUEL
Later alligator.
IMMANUEL waves, roars the engine, miraculously drives easily off
through the crowd, and is gone.
32 TAZIO begins reluctantly to move through the tightly packed
mass of people. Then he is recognized and the crowd makes way for
him.
VOICES IN CROWD
It's The Beast!
Oh, eek!
It's IT!
Evil!
Look, the Antichrist!
TAZIO (to himself)
Merda.
A PUSHER
Lsd? Grass?
PETER (as a yet unseen voice in the crowd)
Tazio! Tazio, wait for us!
YUZBASHI (unseen)
[Arabic] Wait, Lord!
ADRIAN (unseen)
Tazio, it's us! Your disciples!
TAZIO turns just as the three disciples wriggle their way through
the crowd to join him:
ADRIAN, British Archaeologist, age 58, stocky and stout,
glasses, walrus moustache. Rumpled hat, khaki shirt.
PETER, also British, age 29, tall and thin,
crew-cut blond. T-shirt, jeans.
YUZBASHI, Arab, Captain in the Egyptian Military, age
43, swarthy with classic little moustache, middle
stature, in good shape. In uniform.
TAZIO
Well hello; Adrian, Peter, Yuzbashi. Disciples, eh? But how did
you ever find me in all of this?
PETER
It bloody wasn't easy, mate! We've been trying to reach you
for days--and suddenly, you're here!
ADRIAN
We tried to get into the Dark Templars Camp, but they
wouldn't let us. So we've just been watching for you.
TAZIO
Why would you wish to be MY disciples? I'm supposed to be
the Antichrist! Do you even know what's going on here?
ADRAIAN
Of course. I'm a Freemason--we have a tent over there.
YUZBASHI
By "coincidence" we three met here, and agreed that you
deserve better friends than the evil Dark Templars and their
ilk.
TAZIO
Well.. all right. And thanks. Let's go, Disciples.
TAZIO turns to lead the way and the three smile and silently
cheer and embrace one another in congratulations.
They move through the tent city. More signs:
SOUVENIRS
WEAPONS DEALER, MONEY EXCHANGE.
McRONALD'S HAMBURGERS
BIBLES--Read "Em 'n' Weep!
Sold Out
FALAFEL
DISCOUNT BIBLES
Whorehouse of Babylon
TACO TIEMPO
VAST ROAR
HALLELUJAH!
ADRAIAN
Hear that? The Christ must have showed up in his camp.
YUZBASHI
They were worried that "The Beast" had ambushed him.
PETER
They're also hungry: he's supposed to do the old
Fish'n'Loaves trick for breakfast. Food is a problem now:
supply trucks can't get through this crowd.
TAZIO
What about water?
ADRIAN
Water's no problem: there are "Elders" going around smiting
stones with staves--there's one now.
They see a Moses-like ELDER with long flowing robe and hair
praying to the sky amidst the crowd. He strikes the ground with
his staff and water comes gushing up like a fountain.
CROWD
Ooooh! Aaaaah! Miracle, miracle!
TAZIO
Are there sanitary facilities for so many?
YUZBASHI
Ah...well...they're using the fissure you made yesterday
upon arriving. Christian infidels proclaim it appropriately
symbolic. Works, though: it's deep.
They pass a bus parked between tents, an Italian flag decorates it, around which
is a group of people preparing food; spaghetti, etc.
TAZIO
Say, that bus is from La Destinazione.
[calls out in Italian] Buongiorno Sindaco, come va?
33 SINDACO, the Mayor of Tazio's home town, standing among 20
others, turns to see who is calling him.
(following conversations all in Italian)
SINDACO
Huh? Qui eh?
Mamma mia! [It's you! Everybody, look: it's Tazio!]
OTHERS
[It's Him! There he is!]
GUISSEPPI
Ciao, Tazio!
They swarm forward to greet TAZIO, obviously glad to see him, some clap him
on the shoulder, he shakes hands with them.
TAZIO
[Guisseppi, Vito, Alfredo, Ciao everyone! What are you all
doing here?]
GUISSEPPI
[Hey, paisano, we are here to see you play!]
SINDACO
[Your uncle, Signore Ulfo, organized this charter bus for
our group from town.]
TAZIO
[Ulfo? Then he is alive?]
SINDACO
[Huh? Yes, of course! And he told me to tell you he'd meet
you here tonight.]
ALFREDO, holding a knife and wearing a butcher's vest splattered with
blood (he'd been cutting meat for lunch) comes up and questions
TAZIO intensely.
ALFREDO
[Have you seen my wife here, Tazio?]
TAZIO
[No, I've not seen Sophia in years, Alfredo.]
ALFREDO turns and wanders off, looking a little psychopathic, mumbling to
himself, holding the knife upright before him.
ALFREDO
[She's here somewhere, I know.]
SINDACO (to TAZIO)
[We're concerned about Alfredo--he's become quite obsessed
with her.]
GUISSEPPE
[Especially since she's become famous: novelist, movie star,
scandalous lifestyle.] (end Italian)
34 EXT. DAY: TENT of the DARK TEMPLARS, behind a compound fence
with rolled barbed wire, armed guards in black uniforms, a press of people
outside the fence, a black TANK blocking the entrance, ANTON's black helicopter
behind the tent.
TAZIO and his 3 DISCIPLES approach the entrance, a guard steps in the way but
TAZIO does not slow down.
GUARD
Halt! Who goes--oh, it's YOU! P-pas, Lord...but they can't...
TAZIO
Let them enter.
GUARD
Y-yes, Lord!
35 INT. TEMPLAR TENT. CU of HEAD, behind which the 3
HELLMEN and ANTON stand, behind them a formation of
DARK TEMPLARS at attention.
HEAD
Ave, Highest Lord Tazio. You have come to lead us into
destiny. Ave!
TAZIO
You'd just better obey, Head. Now: what are the Rules?
HEAD
The Rules cannot be told, they must be understood, remembered
from the Beyond Between, where the wager between
Jahve and Satan amuses the Gods.
ANTON
Although actually, they are coded into the Revelation of St
John. But Tazio--I mean "Master"--I must beg that you
release the Templars from your command to "hurt no one"...it
was a fine little joke, but there are intrigues, plots, evils crucial to
the Plan, and they must not be interrupted NOW, of all times!
TAZIO
That would violate my own promise.
ANTON
They'll lose The Game.
TAZIO
They'll survive.
ANTON
No, they won't.
TAZIO (walking on past ANTON)
Then that's their Karma, as I remember you once telling me.
ANTON
Ha ha! You're so predictable, kid. I like that!
36 EXT. DAY, ARMAGEDDON FESTIVAL, camera starting down in
crowd with the TENT of CHRIST in background and ascending and moving back
for an overview of the people and tents, scene platforms, massive audio
amplification towers, rolling hills, sky. A dark cloud begins to rise beyond
the horizon.
NUN #1
Does anyone really know what's going on here?
NUN #2
Why, it's the APOCALYPSE, Sister.
NUN #1
Yeah, yeah, I heard that too, but isn't that just media PR?
BACKGROUND VOICES
A: Why are you here?
B: I just followed traffic.
C: It's getting dark!
D: Look at the sky!
E: Speed? Coke?
A: What time is it?
B: Almost noon...hmmm, weird cloud!
As THE CLOUD rolls up into the sky, like smoke, and on over the sky, over
the ARMAGEDDON FESTIVAL, a band of black from the north horizon to
south horizon, rumbling and thundering powerfully. There is blue day sky on
each side of the cloud, but the noon sun above is obscured as if by night, and a
great shadow covers the valley. There are flashes of LIGHTNING glimpsed
within the boiling cloud, more rumblings.
At noon a GREAT THUNDER CRACK, the cloud is split open by a
LIGHTNING BOLT that strikes a CONICAL SPIRE on the ground, the
clouds part to reveal a night sky, twinkling with stars, at the
apex of which is manifest the THRONE OF GOD.
VOICES
1: Ooo!
2: Aaaah!
3: In nomeni patris, et filii, et espiritu sancti...
4: Alla hu akbar!
5: Om Shanti!
6: Hari hari kriiiiiishna...
THE THRONE OF GOD corresponds to the description in Revelations
Chapter 4: an emerald edifice set upon a luminescent cloud, rainbow all
around, and a great manlike being of pure light sitting there.
DIRECTLY BELOW is the CONICAL SPIRE, the earthly base of the throne,
at the center of a field of concentric circles containing the thrones of 24
ELDERS in white robes and golden crowns. Seven lamps burn brightly
before the CONE. The crowd of people forms the outermost circle.
A SMALLER CLOUD circles around the THRONE in the sky, upon which
the 4 BEASTS chant (Lion, Calf, Man, Eagle), their voices amplified over the
gigantic amp towers.
CHANT
Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,
Who was and is and is to come.
ANGELIC VOICE (amplified)
Worthy art thou, our Lord and God...
The BEING upon the throne spreads his hands out, a silvery scroll
in his right hand.
ANGELIC VOICE
WHO is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?
DOWN IN THE CROWD, people are reacting in different ways to the
spectacle.
4 MEDIA FANS
1: What a show! Great special effects! How're they
dangling that throne up there, anyway?
2: I've heard it's a remnant of Poseidonian technology--but
that night sky is just a hologram, of course.
3: Well, I heard it's from Atlantis.
4: You don't believe that "Ancient Astronauts" crap? This
is Mass Hypnosis, man.
BELIEVERS
OLD MAN: Behold the power and glory of God the Father
Almighty!
WEEPING WOMAN: (kissing a crucifix) Dios mio!
WEEPING MAN: Oh, I DO repent!
SWEATING FAT MAN: (removing sunglasses) Why, this is
REALLY happening!
BEARDED FANATIC: Mine eyes have seen the glory...
BACKGROUND VOICES
A: Acid? Pot?
B: Who needs it?
3 ELDERS IN WHITE ROBES bring a young LAMB to the CONE, from its
leash hangs a white banner with pictures of 7 horns and 7 eyes.
BACKGROUND VOICES
X: Look! It's The Lamb. Just like in Revelations.
Z: Aw, isn't it cute? Wait! They're not...
X: Of course they are.
ELDERS lay LAMB down to sacrifice it. We see only their backs
but hear the animal bleating. A huge knife is raised, then
stabbed down, LAMB screams, blood spurts.
Z: (gasping) How gross! How...SAVAGE!
X: Well, it's a very old religion.
ELDERS walk away from the dead LAMB lying before the CONE. A
powerful lightning bolt zaps down from the THRON CLOUD and the
LAMB is instantly burned into ash.
Up upon the THRONE CLOUD, before the Emerald Throne, at the feet
of GOD, a MAN rises standing half out of the white froth, wearing
a luminescent LAMB-Mask, and a white robe with pictures of 7
horns and 7 eyes.
Z: Hey, that's not really The Lamb, just some guy wearing a
neon mask.
X: Ever heard of "symbolic", guy?
Z: The "24 Elders" don't look so old.
X: Well, they are.
ELDERS SINGING (vastly amplified)
Worthy art thou to take the scroll and open its seals, for
thou wast slain and by thy blood didst ransom men for God
from every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and has
made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall
reign on earth!
GOD hands the scroll down, the LAMB-MAN reaches up and takes it.
Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and
wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and
blessing!
CU LAMB-MAN, who holds up in his right hand the silver scroll
with red ribbon and seal, and who peels off the mask with his
left hand, revealing himself to be IMMANUEL. Lightning flashes
behind him.
VOICE OF THOUSANDS
A M E N !
View of IMMANUEL full-figure before the throne, GOD above and
behind. rainbow radiating, changing colors constantly.
IMMANUEL's white and golden robe and long hair wafting in a
breeze. He hooks his finger in the red ribbon of the scroll.
IMMANUEL
The Seven Seals have already been broken, for this is not
the First Apocalypse, but the LAST. The First and Second
Woes have passed. Now comes the Third Woe.
As the generations of Poseidonus and Atlantis fell--so too
must fall this generation of Babylon with the breaking of
the Seal put upon the Secret of the Seven Thunders.
CU IMMANUEL's hands. He breaks the Seal.
In a dark place on some stage, before a large old-fashioned
microphone, the gigantic, beautiful, muscular ARCHANGEL GABRIEL,
wearing only a great bush of hair and a loin cloth poses ready to
blow an enormous and exotic trumpet.
VOICE (off camera)
Gabriel, blow your horn.
GABRIEL BLOWS.
THRONE OF GOD, IMMANUEL standing on the cloud to the right.
Flashes, explosions of light, lightning bolts, swirling colors,
loud thundering, clanking sounds, shrieking winds.
37 EXT. CONTROL PLATFORM below: a DIRECTOR studies a
SCRIPT in front of him, there are OPEN BIBLES on the desk. Beside him a
TECHNICIAN wearing mike-headphones operates lightshow and audio
controls. It is very dark and beginning to hail.
DIRECTOR
Lightning: check. Loud noises: check. Thunder: check.
Hail:--ow!--check. Earthquake:...?
TECHNICIAN
Oh no!
DIRECTOR
Where's the earthquake?
38 The DIRECTOR runs to TAZIO, who is watching the show with
the DARK TEMPLARS. TAZIO has changed from his ragged clothes, now
wearing a t-shirt and jeans, shoes, all black. His hair is pulled once again back
into a ponytail. And he is, by the way, still holding on to that empty wine
BOTTLE which IMMANUEL gave him.
DIRECTOR (waving his script)
Hey, Beast! There's supposed to be an Earthquake now--
that's your CUE, dammit!
TAZIO
Me?
DIRECTOR
Well, who else makes them?
TAZIO
I'm not making an earthquake here among all these people.
DIRECTOR
Look, uh...Lord, it doesn't have to be a BIG one--just a
tremor--to fit the Prophecy.
TAZIO
I don't believe this!
TELEPATHIC IMAGE superimposed above TAZIO's head: IMMANUEL's
face, half smiling.
IMMANUEL (mental voice)
Play along, Tazio, for me.
TELEPATHIC IMAGE: Behind IMMANUEL, the sun-like face of GOD on
the THRONE; a mask which is removed, and BUFFONE's face is revealed,
eyes pleading.
BUFFONE (mental voice)
And me! C'mon, Tazio, please!
TAZIO (to DIRECTOR)
Oh, all right, a little one...ooops, no Urr in Megiddo, as
usual. (shrugs) I can't make earthquakes without Urr.
DIRECTOR
No problem. Here comes a Guardian to take care of that.
ARCHANGEL MICHAEL comes lumbering heavily through the crowd and
hovering up behind TAZIO, glowering angrily down upon him.
TAZIO cannot see him, but senses that he's there.
TAZIO (turning only his head slightly)
Hello, Michael. Sorry about last night.
MICHAEL
Hmpf! You have ten seconds of Urr! (he points his finger
and says an unpronounceable magic sound-word) &*^(%)$_#+@|!
TAZIO puts out his hand and the Urr zaps up out of the earth to connect
with him. He concentrates, and a gentle EARTHQUAKE is generated; a
trembling, rumbling that gets stronger and louder. The CROWD becomes
more and more frightened, as the quake intensifies, until they are about
to panic..
CROWD VOICES
1: Earthquake!
2: EeeeeK!
3: Praise the Lord, the Bible is TRUE!
4: We're all doomed!
TAZIO snaps his hand up and the earthquake shuts abruptly off. There is
total silence, especially in the CROWD. They look at TAZIO with real fear
for the first time.
Then some Hell's Angel BIKERS start clapping, and some others, revealing
that The Beast does have some fans out in the CROWD.
39 CUT TO: ANTON standing among the TEMPLARS, talking with
Tazio's three DISCIPLES. ANTON is now wearing a black suit & tie with
chromium lapels.
ANTON
Now, gentlemen, comes the Pageant wherein St. John's
"Portents" are revealed--do you know the Bible?
PETER
Saw the Movie.
YUZBASHI
I know only the Koran.
ADRIAN
I know it, and the Book of Revelations, but I don't
understand it.
ANTON
Then allow me to explain: the visions of St. John called
"Portents" are misinterpreted as pure prophecy, when they
are in fact also Historic, for they symbolize a constant
cycle of Realization.
40 HOLOGRAM IMAGES are cast up into the sky, visible against
the black background of the Night Cloud that passes from north to south
overhead. They originate from a great scene-platform perched above the
CROWD. Technicians operate odd oversized TV cameras.
A beautiful mature blonde PREGNANT WOMAN stands upon the scene
before the cameras, wearing a Crown of 12 Stars, naked but glowing like the
Sun, standing upon a half-globe moon model. A computer monitor merges
that image into a Full-Moon version. The final image is projected overhead,
filling the sky. The CROWD goes Ooooo and Aaaaah.
ANTON (offscreen)
Here is the "Woman Clothed in Sun""--the Solar Mother
of us all, and "The Child", who is to be Mankind Itself.
The woman who plays her in the Pageant, by the way, is
Evangeleva, queen of the Angelic Race, and Mother to
Immanuel.
On SCENE, cameras zoom in around the STONE GARGOYLE, painted
red. That image too is projected above. A computer trick
distorts the GARGOYLE image threateningly toward the WOMAN.
ANTON (offscreen)
And the "Great Red Dragon" threatens her: the spirit of the
Old Master Race of Earth, the de-realized Dinosaurs, who
resent Mankind's ascent to power. Oh, yes--that painted
statue symbolizing the Dragon is an artifact of the age of
dinosaurs...Tazio insists that it's actually "alive"
somehow.
Jahve rescues her, Michael casts the Dragon out of Heaven;
exiled to earth.
THE SHOW IN THE SKY; Big fat sumo-MICHAEL grabs the GARGOYLE
and tosses it. A meteor crashes flaming and explosively to earth.
Up out of the smoking crater come 7 manlike monsters
ANTON (offscreen)
So the Dragon populates earth with 7 tribes of Beast-Men,
who also breed among the Sons of God...
41 ANTON now onscreen, lifting the horned ceremonial hood of a
Templar Grand Master to his head.
..culminating in ultimate Tribal Masters: Beast, 2nd Beast,
False Prophet...you'll have to excuse us--come on, Tazio,
we're on scene.
TAZIO
On scene? You're kidding! I'd rather not encourage this
burlesque by advertising myself as your "Beast".
ANTON
Look, kid--I mean, Master--there are ceremonies, traditions,
symbolic magics; the Show is part of The Game.
All sporting events have bands, cheerleaders, parades,
pomp, circumstance! That's what makes it Fun.
TEMPLAR BUTLER (offscreen)
Lord Tazio, your headdress.
TAZIO turns to see BUTLER and another TEMPLAR holding up a gaudy
headdress-cape of 7 brass masks connected by a Medusa-like tangle
of horns and glittering crowns.
TAZIO
I'm supposed to wear that?
BUTLER
Oh, yes, Lord! It was designed exclusively for you by a
major Hollywood studio, which has an interest in the movie
rights. All the symbols are there; heads, horns, diadems,
names of blasphemy...
TAZIO
Forget it, I'm not wearing that.
BUTLER
...but, but Lord Tazio, the symbolism...
TAZIO
Not.
BUTLER
Yes, Lord.
ANTON stands ready, his headdress on, taking the HEAD OF
BAPHOMET by its perch-rod in his left hand, and looking back at
TAZIO.
ANTON
Are you going to play the game or not, Tazio? It's now
or never.
TAZIO
Then I'll play along for now--but on my own terms.
LOUDSPEAKER (EVANGELIST)
...let him who has wisdom reckon the Number of the Beast,
for it is a man's number...
ANTON
Come on, kid, we're gonna make you a Star! Ha!
42 TAZIO, ANTON, and THE HEAD pose before the cameras, the
TEMPLE behind them. TAZIO looks up to see their images repeated
gigantic in the sky above them.
LOUDSPEAKER (EVANGELIST)
...Number is Six Hundred and Sixty Six...
CROWD Booos and Hisses, a few arrogant cheers.
43 Down in CROWD an American TOURIST couple in their 50's:
fat HUSBAND with cigar holding a video camera up high and filming over
the heads of the mob; a thin WIFE, agitated and frustrated.
WIFE TOURIST
End of the world and I can't see a THING!
HUSBAND TOURIST
Aw, relax, relax, I'm getting it all on video.
44 A handsome golden haired EVANGELIST in white robe speaks into
the microphone, images of a flaming Reaper of Death fill the sky above him.
EVANGELIST
The hour to reap has come for the harvest of earth is fully ripe.
7 DISCS OF LIGHT pass across the sky along band of darkness.
CROWD gasps, etc.
VOICES IN CROWD
1: (astounded) My God! UFOs!
2: (knowingly) Solar Fingers.
7 FEMALE ANGELS, Hooded and caped, sculpted breastplates of brass,
glowing eyes, exit from the TENT of CHRIST and are given 7 brass bowls
with large handles, which they carefully bear toward the TEMPLE.
3: (trembling) Oh Oh! This is IT!
4: (awed) The Seven Angels!
UP on the THRONE CLOUD, GOD rises from His seat, stands raising
his fists as if in anger, face blindingly bright, and speaks for
the first time in majestically cosmic voice.
GOD
Go and pour out on the earth the Seven Bowls of the Wrath of God.
45 BELOW, looking up: TAZIO, ANTON, HEAD, DISCIPLES,
standing before Templars.
ADRIAN
Just what ARE the Seven Plagues?
HEAD
One: Foul Sores. Two: The Sea Dies. Three: Water Becomes
Blood. Four: Scorching Sunfire. Five: Technological
Darkness. Six: War of the Demons Here at Megiddo. And
Seven: The Ultimate All-Finishing Earthquake and Hailstorm.
TAZIO
Anton, are those bowls symbolic, or...
ANTON
Definitely symbolic--as the signal to fire off nuclear and
biochemical weapons all over the world.
TAZIO
Man-made weapons? Aren't the plagues from God?
ANTON
Well, yes, but via Mankind: even God must obey the Rules of
Play. And God's Rules...well, refer to the Story of
Isaac, the Book of Job.
TAZIO
This is evil. I can't allow it.
So: how do I play this stupid game?
ANTON
That will be made clear to you exactly now.
46 Atop the TEMPLE, EVANGELIST speaks
into his microphone with theatrical flourish and holds his hand out toward the
ANGELS, ready with their Bowls of Wrath..
EVANGELIST
...great and wonderful are thy deeds, O Lord God Omnipotent,
just and true are thy ways, O King of Ages! WHO shall not
fear and glorify thy name? WHO shall not accept the
authority of God, the Father Almighty in all things?
EVANGELIST staggers back a step, as TAZIO lands before him,
having sprung up from the ground two stories below.
TAZIO
I shall not.
EVANGELIST
(recovering, even more theatrical)
And WHO dares to challenge the Judgments of Jahve?
TAZIO
You know who.
EVANGELIST (in mock fear)
Saints preserve us! It's the fearsome, awful, evil B-B-B-
Beast!
CU: EVANGELIST offers the microphone to TAZIO, speaking
secretly.
Ok, your turn. Just put a little drama into it, ok?
TAZIO
Sure. I hereby challenge God's right to murder us.
47 CUT TO CONTROL PLATFORM. AHAZVERUS is sitting,
smoking his eternal cigarette and speaking into a mike. Behind him busy
technicians are at work, MICHAEL is in the background handing
papers to the DIRECTOR.
AHAZVERUS (into mike)
The Committee recognizes Lord Tazio DellaTerra--Antichrist,
Beast of Revelations, Ultra Master of the Dark Templars,
Seventh Incarnation of Satan, etc--and acknowledges your
challenge. And now we address Lord Immanuel Godson, PhD,
Lamb of God, Messiah, Guru of the Army of Peace, 17th
Incarnation of Christ, etc...do you accept this challenge?
48 CU IMMANUEL's profile, looking down upon the TEMPLE from
the THRONE CLOUD.
IMMANUEL
Yea, verily, I do, and counter-challenge: Seven Tests of
Power.
49 AHAZVERUS (over loudspeakers)
The Committee concurs: 7 contests of power, each at noon for
7 days, or until 4 contests are won by either opponent. The
Apocalypse is therefore On Hold until the outcome of The
Game, which begins tomorrow.
Lord Immanuel, you may designate the first contest.
50 VIEW OF ENTIRE MEGIDDO SCENE
IMMANUEL (over loudspeaker)
Let it be a soccer match--European Football.
CROWD (vastly)
H A L L E L U J A H !
1: Doom has been averted--at least for today!
2: And tomorrow, The Game!
3: Let's party...
4: Bets?
5: Odds?
3: ...under the Full Moon!
51 INT. TEMPLAR TENT: A decadent party, rock & roll band
playing on a stage, people dancing, drinking, carousing, flashing lights.
In the foreground TAZIO is sitting at a sumptuous dinner table with his
3 DISCIPLES. That WINE BOTTLE is still with him, set upon the table.
A WAITER approaches with a covered silver platter.
ADRIAN
Good Lord, what a party!
WAITER
Food, drink, Lord?
TAZIO (bored)
Nothing.
WAITER nods worriedly, leaves.
PETER (helping himself to more food)
Eat, drink and make Mary, for tomorrow...
YUZBASHI
You're still into asceticism, Tazio?
TAZIO
I'm not ascetic. I simply have no cravings.
PETER
Still eating rocks?
TAZIO
Once in a while, for elemental mass. But it's the Urr which
sustains me.
PETER (shaking head, eating)
To each his own. M-m-m-m!
Several TEMPLARS come up behind TAZIO's chair, bowing
subserviently, supplicating.
TEMPLARS
1: Lord Tazio: if you can use me tomorrow--I was in die
Deutsches Fussball Mannschaft...
2: And me!
3: Please!
4: Et moi!
TAZIO (not even looking back at them)
Not now. I'll choose a team tomorrow.
TEMPLARS (all)
Yes, Lord.
TEMPLARS retreat, defeated. ADRIAN sips his wine, comments.
ADRIAN
Odd that Immanuel chose Soccer--I've heard that you were a
formidable player when you were younger.
TAZIO
I quit at 9 years old because I was too good. It was
neither fun nor fair anymore.
YUZBASHI
You cannot be too good tomorrow, Tazio. Inshallah! You
will play against Angels and Avatars!
TAZIO
Yeah, and what have I got? The Dark Templars.
PETER
Hey, you've got US, mate! I've played the game--and you've
turned us into supermen before. You could even make those
bloody Templars into something better.
ADRIAN
But doesn't that rankle, Peter? Those Templars are bona
fide Men of Evil--they don't deserve Tazio's power.
PETER
No, they don't, but...if the fate of the entire world
is...Cor Blimey: look!
52 SOPHIA is approaching their table, long black hair flowing, hips
swaying in short shorts, big breasts freely bobbing under a thin silk blouse:
TEMPLARS are turning around to watch her pass, all men stunned by her
beauty. One of them reaches aggressively after her, but another stops him.
TEMPLARS
A: Hands off THAT one.
B: But..
53
PETER
What a fantastic, beautiful Woman, coming this way...
SOPHIA comes up behind TAZIO, putting her hands on his shoulders and
pillowing his head between her large breasts.
TAZIO (without looking)
Buonasera, Sophia.
SOPHIA
Darling Tazio.
TAZIO
Alfredo's here, looking for you.
SOPHIA
Yes, he wants to kill me again. Oh, thank you (to PETER,
who frantically offers her his chair beside TAZIO).
The 3 male DISCIPLES are obviously quite stunned by SOPHIA, almost
drooling. But she is quite used to that, nods and smiles to them, then
addresses TAZIO.
SOPHIA
Not all men like a woman to be what you made me, my beloved
Lord Tazio.
PETER (leaning toward her)
Oh I do, I do!
SOPHIA (friendly grin)
I can tell.
TAZIO (unaffected but friendly)
I've heard that you are a successful media celebrity, and
now an up and coming politician. Very impressive, Sophia.
SOPHIA
As you have made me. Have you read my novels? I wrote both
of them to you.
TAZIO
No. I've read nothing in years.
SOPHIA (frowns)
You used to read everything.
TAZIO
I was interested in learning then. Now I know it all, so I've
lost reading.
SOPHIA
You've lost TOUCH, darling Tazio...(she pulls a BOOK out
of her large shoulder bag and hands it toward TAZIO)...here.
You're a fast reader.
TAZIO
Not now, Sophia.
SOPHIA
Ho ho, yes, yes! As your loving disciple I so
COMMAND you.
TAZIO gives her a wry look, accepts the book.
CU BOOK: Titled "Putanna di Babylonia".
TAZIO begins to fan through the pages rapidly, as if not really
willing but too polite to deny SOPHIA her wish. The camera
slowly moves in on him as he slows down a little, eyes stopping
and registering little tics of interest. We can hear the others
speaking, but the camera remains on TAZIO, moving in closer to
his eyes...
PETER (offscreen)
Um..so--you're a disciple, Sophia? Hey, I'm Tazio's
disciple too.
SOPHIA (offscreen)
Oh: let's embrace!
YUZBASI (offscreen)
Uh--we're disciples too--uh, Sophia, all--uh--Three!
TAZIO (camera still moving closer in)
Hmmmm...(definitely intrigued now)
ADRIAN (offscreen)
Yes, yes. Oh my! Ha ha!
TAZIO's eyes fill the screen now: they widen, narrow--emotions
long dead work across his face; anger, pity, then horror.
TAZIO (mumbling)
O no...they...can't do that...to her...
TEARS roll down from his eyes as he turns the pages, and then, as
the screen is full of one eye, it widens in shocked surprise--
then closes as TAZIO begins to laugh.
TAZIO
Ha ha ha! Of course! Ha ha ha!
DISCIPLES
(offscreen, echoing TAZIO's laugh)
Ha ha ha!
Full Scene: TAZIO is holding the closed book up in front of his
face, looking at it in genuine astonishment. Behind him SOPHIA
is ending a wild rock & roll dance with all 3 of the other
DISCIPLES.
TAZIO
Wow. What an ending!
SOPHIA approaches, TAZIO turns to her enthusiastically.
TAZIO
Beautiful meaningful book, Sophia--I'm proud to have
"made" you.
He kisses her on the cheek, like a brother. She smiles but looks
at him wistfully, longingly.
SOPHIA
Oh, Tazio: it's a SHAME you're negasex!
TAZIO
Maybe so. Now, I'm going for a walk--alone--I'll see you
all later.
SOPHIA
Oh, it's a Full Moon night, so romantic! Take me...
TAZIO
No.
SOPHIA
Yes, Master. But won't you have a drink with us before you
go?
TAZIO
No thanks. I've got my water bottle.
TAZIO leaves. The 3 male DISCIPLES, still sweating from their
dance, are watching SOPHIA, who watches TAZIO go.
SOPHIA
I thought it was a wine bottle.
ADRIAN
The way he always has it with him, you'd think it was the
Holy Grail.
PETER (to SOPHIA)
I'm not negasex!
YUZBASHI
(handing SOPHIA a glass of wine)
Nor I!
SOPHIA laughs, accepts the wine, then starts to wiggle as another
rock number starts up.
54 CUT TO: EXT. NIGHT. Camera low, looking up at the dark
silhouette of TAZIO against the Full Moon, which is telephoto-
enhanced. The BOTTLE in his left hand sparkles in the moonlight.
TAZIO walking through the tent city, past parked vehicles, stacks
of materials, sounds of voices, music, laughter, weeping. There
are few other people out and around but several tents are lit up.
TENT VOICES
Religious: We pray for deliverance...
Beer Garten: Trink, trink, bruderlein trink, lass doch
deine sorgen zu haus...
Music Scene: ...oh, woe, oh, Jokerman (Dylan song)
He walks toward the center, where there are no tents and it
becomes very quiet. He passes the THRONE OF GOD, neither
floating nor shining, but sitting dead upon the ground, leaning
against a stage, obviously a machine, wires trailing over to
battery chargers, maintenance hatches open for repairs. No one
is around.
55 He comes to the very center, the CONE-ALTAR, before
the TEMPLE. All is still, but one shadowy figure is waiting there. TAZIO
approaches.
ANTON
Great minds think alike, eh, kid?
TAZIO
Is Ulfo here?
ANTON
I'm not certain, but I bet he shows up quite soon, and this
seems the most likely place--apexing Full Moon smack dab in
the middle of Armageddon.
TAZIO
So why are you here? You aren't friends with the Demon
either.
ANTON
So that you don't have to take on the Demon alone, kid.
TAZIO
The Demon in front and you behind me? No, thanks.
ANTON
I know, you think this old devil is just smiling and
scheming for a glorious revenge, but I swear by all that is
Satanic to serve you faithfully, kid. You've won me. And
you know I'm tricky, but I never lie.
Anyway, every time I got revenge on you it backfired:
when I broke your legs you made me OLD; when I killed your
Cindy she reprogrammed my Achmet. Hey, I respect
that...someone coming here.
TAZIO
Yes.
ACHMET approaches in his holy turban and robes, eyes shining.
Behind him three ARABS in burnooses holding a dark manlike brute
struggling in chains.
ACHMET
Leyltak sa'idah, Tazio, Anton.
TAZIO
Yes, good evening, Achmet. I see you have Ulfo in tow.
CU ULFO/DARKBEAST: hairy, long toothed, foaming at
the mouth, growling, a man-beast with no human mentality functioning.
ARABS lock one of the chains to a metal ring in the stone floor,
with great difficulty as ACHMET and TAZIO converse, then they
release the other chains and run, obviously frightened.
ACHMET
He surrendered himself to me three days ago, while he could
still think, and asked me to contain him and bring him here
at this time: intfaddal!
TAZIO
Even though it serves the Demon.
ACHMET
No, because it serves Allah's will, as do I. Good luck,
Lords. We wish no part of this.
ACHMET waves and retreats back into the night. ULFO/DARKBEAST
roars and screams as if in pain--then staggers, coughs, and flops
prone to the ground and is still.
TAZIO
Well, that's it: Ulfo just died once again.
An eldritch red glow surrounds the corpse of ULFO, then it starts
to burn, flames flicker higher, and then up from out of the blaze
rises ULFO's DEMON: Huge, muscular, yet insubstantial, burning,
with "horns" of energy radiating out of his head, and an evil,
evil smile.
DEMON
Yes, this is it: the moment I have arranged and awaited over
10,816 Full Moons--and here are both my "boys" to share it
with me...but alas, I know you each will defy me, vex me, so
I spurn you both.
Spurn and burn.
A charge of magical energy gathers around the DEMON's upraised
left hand, it holds the right hand in a threatening gesture.
ANTON
Hold on, Demon, you're forgetting the part wherein the
villain boasts about his nefarious scheme--and we, after
all, are part of it...
DEMON
Villain? I? Anton, have you forgotten: YOU are the
villain, I am the Angel Ulfæon, your sweet mother Ulfa.
ANTON
...to what PURPOSE did you "mother" us?
DEMON
Purpose? I am a demon--I abhor purpose.
I just like to meddle.
TAZIO
Then you have no plan to "win The Game", or "dominate the
world"?
DEMON
I seek only to be worshipped, feared and sacrificed to.
You were both supposed to fulfill those functions...and
both failed. No matter, for now I've got other Gogs to my
Magog: the War Computers will sacrifice to me.
The cybernetic networks of every automated weapon
system in the WORLD have been linked up for this very
Apocalypse--which is on Standby.
That network has become a single data-log ENTITY, which
will obey when I give the command to Fire.
A COMPUTER GRID comes onscreen, showing trajectories and targets
of various missile systems, text rolls up:
TEXT: nato ready failsafe
7665ØØ await instruction
usaf/conelrad ready failsafe
sat/com 5 ready failsafe
DEMON
So I have no more use for either of you--nor time, the moon
slides so swiftly and I thirst for my blood sacrifices,
therefore I dispatch you both with a curse of utter
disintegration...
TAZIO
Wait. I do have a blood sacrifice for you.
TAZIO raises the BOTTLE. Blood drips from its mouth. The DEMON
draws back in surprise. TAZIO swings the BOTTLE and blood sprays
out upon ULFO's burning corpse.
TAZIO
In the name of Christ, and by his Blood, I exorcise, thee,
Demon.
ULFO's corpse jerks upward violently, the DEMON is tossed loose,
showing a glimpse of cloven hooves, and then like a burning
balloon set free, it flies circles around itself until pressure
and gas are expended, shrieking loudly at first and fading away
to silence: FEEEEEEOOOOooooeeeeeeooooeeee..... And the DEMON is
gone.
ANTON
Well, kid, I must admit that was neatly done...but "Blood of
Christ"?
TAZIO
Immanuel insisted I take this bottle. I figured it
contained whatever I needed.
ANTON
But what about Ulfo?
TAZIO
He should become Ulfa in a few hours.
ANTON (investigating corpse)
I don't know, kid...I've never seen him/her do this before--
he's melting away!
Flesh is dripping from the corpse, which more and more resembles
a skeleton.
TAZIO (alarmed)
But--but Ulfo can't really die...can he? I didn't mean
to...I'll raise him/her to life!
ANTON
Better do it fast, because soon there won't be anything
left!
TAZIO kneels and lifts ULFO's rotting head, he waves his hand
over the body to pull the Urr up through it, but cannot.
TAZIO
MERDA! I can't pull up the Urr here in Megiddo...
Behind TAZIO an object is shooting up into the sky from the tent
city, arcing toward him, coming closer very rapidly. ANTON sees
it, but there is no time for warning.
ANTON
Kid! The...gargoyle...
TAZIO senses it, turns, but it is too late: the wide open jaws
of the GARGOYLE are already upon him. The jaws close upon him as
tons of living stone come crashing down upon him. Blood sprays.
ANTON charges forward to help TAZIO.
CU TAZIO's face, dying, blood running out his mouth, then image
goes negative, screen FLASHES TO:
56 HELLSCENE, otherwise same CU TAZIO's face, now being strangled
by a right hand. BACKGROUND, HELL: Flames, black asteroids, gliding
serpent-creatures, distant explosions, etc.
THERON (gloating)
Oh, give up, Tazio--you ARE defeated!
Upon one of the asteroids, THERON is easily strangling TAZIO
with one hand, in his left hand he holds the SOULSTONE he has
just taken from TAZIO. Their bodies are semi-translucent, for
they are actually spirits here.
THERON
You are too weak to keep our soul! So I'm taking my
Earthlevel incarnation back. And you can abide here in
Hell forever.
TAZIO manages to kick THERON in the head, ineffectively.
Ah? A little spark of will-power? But too late, Tazio.
You have neglected your appetites too long...
THERON delivers TAZIO a smashing blow to the face.
...you should have accumulated energy by eating pain, as I
did. (kicks)
TAZIO (struggling with THERON's foot)
We don't have time for this, Theron--Ulfo is disintegrating
back on Earthlevel--I've got to get back and...
THERON
Ha ha! Oh, you're just so selfless, Tazio!
THERON kicks TAZIO away, then turns from him to look into the
SOULSTONE, which is black with a golden spermatozoa of light
swirling slowly around inside it.
THERON
But I shall not waste my Earthly incarnation upon
others: I shall indulge and wallow in my glorious self! I
love it! --Now, just how does this thing work, anyway?
Camera moves in to THERON's eyes peering into SOULSTONE, closer,
closer.
THERON
Swirling energy patterns...what do they...? Reminds me of
something...awakens...memories...of... --Oh my God.
CU THERON, morphing scene: THERON's face changes as he speaks,
beginning as himself with a tragic expression, tears streaming
down his face.
THERON
I...remember, Tazio. It's not fair!
(THERON's face changes to that he was born with; the
hairy, scaly reptilian mammal.)
I'm nothing...nor were my other six reincarnations...
(MONSTER FACES changing with each name.)
..Ba'al, Abaddon, Abraxas, Beelzebub, Belial, Lucifer..
(His hand comes up to cover his eyes, obscuring the
final change, long horns, thick neck muscles hinted
at.)
...for now I can remember my Original Godself: Satan.
And HE is the only one who matters...
The hand comes down, revealing the FACE OF SATAN. The Camera
moves back, filling the screen with the majestic monster: great
swooping horns, a gigantic frame, bulging muscles, a serpentine
tail. SATAN SMILES with wicked pointed teeth.
SATAN
...for all the others are gone--as Theron went, and as you
shall go--thus only Satan remains.
My Great Satanic Plan is going to win The Game after
all, now that I can operate on Earthlevel--as you, Tazio.
CU TAZIO, looking worried.
TAZIO
Merda!
SATAN
I am so eager to experience incarnation as my true self at
last! Let me eat your pain now, so that you may become ME!
TAZIO
N-no!
SATAN
"No"?
SATAN reaches out his hand and TAZIO is simply sucked into it
with an irresistible magic force. SATAN's gigantic hand closes
around TAZIO's little neck.
SATAN
Who do you think you are?
TAZIO punches SATAN in the face with all his strength, and no
effect except that SATAN smiles and closes his hand tighter.
In the BACKGROUND a vast shape slowly comes up over the horizon,
huge like a planet, not yet recognizable.
TAZIO
I'm Taz--erk!
SATAN
"Tazio" is only my game-piece. My pawn. My toy.
DRAGON (a vast voice from behind)
No, Satan, he's MY pawn now!
THE DRAGON'S EYE is up over the horizon, as big as a moon. The
camera sweeps back swiftly and dramatically away from the
asteroid until it becomes tiny, in order to reveal the entire
head of the DRAGON.
DRAGON (smiling?)
Breathe in my spirit and be delivered by my power, Tazio,
both in Hell and on Earthlevel. Then you may discard Satan!
The camera continues on back to show the entire DRAGON floating
in the flaming soup of Hell. The asteroid is a tiny speck beside
it. Blazing meteors crash into it unnoticed.
SATAN (tiny voice)
Discard ME, Dragon? Go back to your bottomless pit!
DRAGON
Never! I am FREE now and I shall have Tazio manifest the
return of the Dragons!
SATAN
Back off, lizard, Tazio is mine!
DRAGON
Not so, ape-devil, I have his Earthlevel meat in my gargoyle
jaws right now! If I bite down...and swallow...you'll have
only pieces of him!
SATAN
So? I need but the tail to call up ALL the Urr, and release
it as the ultimate death-spasm. The planet will go into
shock, explode, and fall into the sun. Thus may I take the
field, and Win The Game.
DRAGON
Hear that, Tazio? Now hear me: I don't wish to Win and End
the Game--I will allow a third of humanity to endure,
they'll war with my Dragons--we'll wallow in The Game, and
Save the World! --If you will but breathe in my Spirit!
QUICK!
CU TAZIO being choked, unable to breathe anything at all.
SATAN
Ah, but Tazio is indisposed to breathing just at present,
reptile. --And I am ill disposed to interference from my
de-realized former self: your day is done, Dragon! You
don't even realize that you became me to Win The Game.
Because if there's no winner...
SATAN lifts TAZIO's body up to his mouth, preparing to Eat His
Pain, pointed teeth shining.
...then it's all just pretend.
SATAN bites into TAZIO's side. TAZIO stiffens and writhes in
pain, lightning zaps out of the bite as well as his mouth and
eyes.
57 DARKNESS, broken by sparks, zaps, crackling energy.
TAZIO (mental voice)
Ggg gggot to STOP IT!... helpless...help
Help! Immanuel!
SPARKS STOP. Total blackness.
TAZIO (mental voice cont.)
...Urr...
MICHAEL'S VOICE (Magic Word)
&*^(%)$_#+@|!
Blinding whiteness.
TAZIO (actual voice, shouting)
Urr!
58 EARTHLEVEL: TAZIO's face comes up into the screen, bloody, eyes
wide, tongue sticking out, but glowing with the Urr-charge.
He is still in the GARGOYLE's jaws. ANTON is pulling one way,
MICHAEL pulling the other, but the stone monster is stronger than
them.
MICHAEL
You're back? Then kindly take over here--we can't hold it!
TAZIO
Huh? Oh...sure.
Almost effortlessly, TAZIO jams the GARGOYLE's mouth open, then
takes another hold and swings the monster over his head and to
the earth with a thunderous body-slam.
Before the GARGOYLE can move, lying upon its back, TAZIO
straddles its neck and grabs a huge forepaw and twists it
backwards, holding the monster down with one hand while his other
hand is pulling up Urr.
TAZIO
Gargoyle: I can shatter you like glass! I don't want to,
but I'll do it unless you surrender.
Other people are approaching, drawn by the noise. SOPHIA and the
3 DISCIPLES, some TEMPLARS, and a CROWD forms around the scene.
CU ANTON, shaking his fist.
ANTON
Tazio, you've already told it what you would do if it
attacked you again--keep your word, kid: SMASH IT! You've
got to learn to be ruthless!
CROWD VOICES
1: Look! It stopped moving!
2: It's become a statue again.
MICHAEL
You may not harm it now, Lord Tazio: it is obeying the
rules.
ANTON
That's not surrender--it'll just attack you again later!
MICHAEL
Anton, you know the Rules...
ANTON
Screw the rules!
TAZIO sets the now static statue upright.
TAZIO
Enough. The Dragon serves me now. (turns swiftly)--But
never mind that--what about Ulfo?
TAZIO runs to where Ulfo lay. SOPHIA kneels there, but there is
no body: just the empty collar and chain, and a figure drawn upon
the ground in ash.
SOPHIA
He-he's gone, Tazio. He simply disintegrated. There's just
that...dust...
A slight BREEZE scatters the dust away and it is gone..
TAZIO
NO! Maybe I can reconstruct his body with the Urr...
MARIANGELA (offscreen)
No, Tazio. Let it be.
MARIANGELA, JYTTE and CINDY are here, in formation, arms crossed,
like 3 hooded sisters of fate.
MARIANGELA
The Ulfæ has chosen to move on to a new incarnation..(CU:
tears flowing)...free of the Moon and the Demon. Let him
have it, please. If you must reconstruct someone, there's
Anton, who is severely wounded from your struggle with the
Gargoyle.
ANTON is lying on the ground in pain, up on one elbow, holding
his belly, blood runs out of his mouth.
ANTON
Should have (groans) broken it apart...as it did me.
He rolls over onto his back as TAZIO approaches, smiles weakly.
ANTON
I'm not as fast as I was before you made me old, kid. Don't
(cough) heal so well any more, either. So how about making
me YOUNG again while you're at it?
TAZIO
Young? So that you can continue sacrificing a human life
each day for the next 500 years? Causing wars? Doing evil?
--Morally, I should let you die.
ANTON
MORALLY? Hey, kid..uh, master..I'm hurt defending your life!
In your service...
TAZIO
No. You serve Satan, remember? And Satan plans to destroy
this world to win The Game, so I oppose him. --But Anton,
I'll heal you if you renounce your vows to him.
ANTON (extreme CU)
No (moan) NEVER! (cough)
TAZIO (indifferent)
It's your karma. Let me know if you change your mind. Take
him to the tent.
ANTON
Ha ha, kid. At last (gag) you're learning to be ruthless!
TEMPLARS bear ANTON away on a litter. TAZIO, still glowing with
the Urr-power, faces MICHAEL.
TAZIO
Thanks for your help, Archangel Michael.
MICHAEL
My duty. The Gargoyle was breaking the Rules.
TAZIO
Perhaps, but without the Urr...
MICHAEL
Ah, yes: !|@+#_$)%(^*&
The Urr-glow fades away.
TAZIO
Gone again. Well, thanks anyway.
CINDY (approaching)
Tazio! Anton also fought the Gargoyle for you--you will not
thank him?
MICHAEL
Excuse, Angel Cindy--the Rules do not allow speaking with
the Adversary, so sorry.
CINDY
Oh, Tazio's not really "the Adversary" and we all know it!
MARIANGELA (touching CINDY's shoulder)
But DO we know that, Cindy? The Evil Dark Templars have
boasted that today was to have been the Advent of Satan's
Awakening. Perhaps he has indeed already BECOME Satan. How
would we know?
TAZIO
I did encounter Satan, but I've not become him...I'm not
sure what happened, it's a little confusing...
MICHAEL (shouting)
Basta! Enough! You opponents are NOT to engage in
conversation! The Rules! RULES! Everyone leave for their
respective tents!
EVERYONE leaves at once, except for TAZIO, who stands there
alone. He looks down at the ash that was ULFO, picks up the
chained collar that had been around ULFO's neck and regards it
sadly.
The sound of a MOTORCYCLE starting somewhere.
TAZIO does not react, continues to study the collar, full moon
above. The MOTORCYCLE revs up, then clunks into gear and becomes
louder as it approaches. Shifts, accelerating rapidly.
TAZIO releases the collar and turns and springs just as IMMANUEL
comes accelerating past on his MOTORCYCLE.
IMMANUEL
Let's go!
59 TAZIO lands behind IMMANUEL, leaping onto the
MOTORCYCLE as it passes at high speed, and they continue to accelerate.
TAZIO
Where to?
IMMANUEL
To the funkiest bar in Haifa.
They rocket down the road, out of Megiddo, and over the horizon
at incredible speed, shifting and winding through more gears than
any motorcycle ever had.
60 CUT TO: EXT. NIGHT. HAIFA. BETH BAR, run-down, one
battered lamp over the door. Jewish music can be heard. IMMANUEL
and TAZIO pull up in front, park the bike.
TAZIO
"The funkiest bar in Haifa"? Is this going to be "Christ
hanging out with the sinners night"?
IMMANUEL
That's every night. At least it's open.
61 INT. BETH BAR. Large room, warm colors, lots of people,
young and old, a happy place. Rousing music, 3 piece band playing
"Hevenu Shalom", people dancing, clapping, having a good time.
TAZIO and IMMANUEL enter. A friendly waiter (GURI) waves and
smiles to IMMANUEL.
GURI
Shalom, Yeshua.
IMMANUEL (smiling and waving back)
Shalom, Guri. (to TAZIO) Authentic Jewish music.
On stage, the violinist, plump and jolly YAHUDI, who resembles
Santa Claus, dances like a wild man. Bass player and pianist are
also cooking.
62 IMMANUEL and TAZIO sit at a little table with one candle.
IMMANUEL
Still drinking water only? They have a nectar of the gods
here I think we'd enjoy sharing.
GURI arrives with a bottle and two glasses on a tray.
TAZIO
Enjoy? (shrugs) Sure, why the hell not?
63 CUT TO: LATER, same table, bottle between them, candle
burned down halfway.
TAZIO
...and all that happened within 20 minutes, from full moon
midnight until you scooped me up. Merda!
IMMANUEL
Natch: cosmic moments are supposed to be intense. But as I
recall, you don't FEEL emotions, or...do you?
TAZIO
You know, I HAVE been feeling emotions since...since I met
you. --I've been reacting to old...friends, lovers,
enemies, angels, demons... I have felt fear of Satan,
sorry for Anton, sadness for Ulfo...I even "enjoyed" a book!
IMMANUEL
But you don't need to feel sad for Ulfo: he's soon to be
reborn as my little brother.
TAZIO
What?
IMMANUEL
Perhaps you noticed in the Pageant that Evangeleva--my
mother--is pregnant. By Ulfo himself in one of his semi-
divine phases. So he'll be back on Earthlevel in 3 months.
But from what you told me about Satan I fear HE could be on
Earthlevel right now: within YOU. Are you certain you have
none of his memories?
TAZIO
Yeah, pretty sure. I saw those memories transform Theron,
but I'm still me. Satan bit into my pain--although nobody
else in Hell ever could--then I awoke to my Earthlevel pain.
IMMANUEL
Ever see the movie "Alien"? The incubating monster that
breaks out of your chest later on? You may be incubating.
TAZIO
Right, or maybe I'm simply lying and pretending to be Tazio?
IMMANUEL (CU)
Oh no, you're not lying. As Christ I can see into your
pure, pure heart, Tazio. Satan isn't there...yet.
YAHUDI, the violinist approaches enthusiastically, violin in
hand.
YAHUDI
Yeshua! Good to see you here again!
IMMANUEL
Shalom, Yahudi.
YAHUDI
O please, please, PLEASE, will you not give us the GIFT of
your music and play us a song or two?
IMMANUEL stands and accepts the offered violin.
IMMANUEL
You sure know how to ask, Yahudi, and so shall ye receive.
(to TAZIO) Come, play with me, Tazio.
TAZIO
Me? But I don't play music.
IMMANUEL
Ah, NOW you're lying! I heard about you on the Spanish
Steps: the magical musical Casanova.
TAZIO
Ok, I was driven by The Lust, but even then I never related
to music.
IMMANUEL
"Relate"? Here, just let me "tune" you in.
IMMANUEL draws the bow across the violin and generates a tone so
perfectly beautiful that TAZIO's mouth falls open and he is entranced.
TAZIO
Wow! That's a nice TUNE!
IMMANUEL
This fiddle is fine for me. What'll you play?
TAZIO
Well, I once learned to play the piano.
63a They take position on stage, IMMANUEL confidant, TAZIO unsure.
IMMANUEL
We'll start easy. Do you know "Hava Nagila"?
TAZIO
Sure. I once studied music as an academic insert to my
encyclopedic memory, I think I know everything.
They PLAY. Simply at first, then warming up, hotter and hotter.
The crowd begins to bob and clap along.
SMILING MAN
Oy veh, that Yeshua really plays a divine violin!
SMILING WOMAN
And now it sounds like the piano player is getting inspired.
TAZIO is sweating, eyes closed, head back, becoming ecstatic,
playing like a virtuoso. So is IMMANUEL. The music becomes more
energetic.
EVERYONE is dancing, twirling & swirling, lost in the best music
they've ever heard. Then it is over. Roaring applause, waving
arms, etc.
VOICES
l: Wonderful! Amazing! More!
2: Please, more!
3: Wheee!
IMMANUEL
Bless you all.
TAZIO (reeling slightly)
Whew! What was in that nectar?
IMMANUEL
That's the music you're feeling. So now let's jam some
Blues in the key of B Sharp.
64 CUT TO: EXT, NIGHT, outside the BETH BAR. Music is filtering
out and people are coming from everywhere, drawn by the sound.
VOICES
1: My God, what music!
2: It's coming from here. Let's go in!
3: Oh, listen!
2 ARABS (in Arabic)
A: Who could play such music? We must see!
B: Yes, it's like the voice of Allah!
65 EXT. JUST BEFORE DAWN. Hills overlooking Haifa, lights
of the city, moon setting upon the sea, a lonely road, headlight and
sound of a MOTORCYCLE approaching at high speed.
TAZIO (voice)
Wow, that was...fun, Immanuel!
IMMANUEL
It certainly was. Sorry to drag you off the scene, Tazio...
MOTORCYCLE approaches and fills up screen.
...but I've got duties back at camp. And so do you, in
fact, if you want your team to win our cosmic battle today.
TAZIO
Why soccer?
IMMANUEL
To give you at least a chance. I've heard you used to be
rather adept. Besides, it's a big crowd pleaser, just like
the music was.
Anyway, the loser gets to choose the next contest--so think
of a good one.
TAZIO (grinning)
Hey, I might win, you know.
IMMANUEL
Not a chance! Haven't you noticed that I dominate our
relationship, o sexless one? Ha ha ha! You've already
lost!
TAZIO
You're trying to psyche me into believing that. But I've
also noticed that you enjoy Earthlevel, and are not eager
to destroy it...why, it could be you'll just let me win..
IMMANUEL (suddenly quite stern)
No. --No, please do not delude yourself, I am the obedient
Son of God: I serve only HIS Will.
They are driving into the tent city of Megiddo now.
TAZIO
But do you even KNOW the Will of God?
IMMANUEL
Oh yes! That's what being Christ is all about: it is the
Will of God that I defeat The Beast in battle, so that
Judgment may close the book on this world.
66 EXT. DAWN. TEMPLATR TENT
VOICES
Many: AVE! AVE! Ave Lord Tazio!
He's back! Thank Satan!
67 INT. TEMPLAR TENT.
Frantic TEMPLARS are facing TAZIO, supplicating desperately.
TEMPLARS
1: Lord! Let me serve!
2: Me too, me too!
3: Choose me! I'll DIE for you!
CAPTAIN JERZY calmly approaches TAZIO, bows.
JERZY
Lord Anton has been asking for you.
CU ANTON. Hurting, sweating, looking older than ever.
ANTON
(cough) We must discuss strategy, kid...not much
time...I've assigned a team for you...
TAZIO
A team of Dark Templars?
ANTON
Yes (cough) of course.
TAZIO (turns & walks away)
I'll choose my own team.
ANTON
Don't be a ...(groan)...yes, master.
68 CUT TO: INT. Private tent. TAZIO spreads the curtains of and
looks into a bedroom. Upon the bed, SOPHIA and the 3 DISCIPLES,
all sprawled naked and unconscious.
TAZIO (loudly)
My faithful disciples, totally debauched. (louder, to wake
them) Ahem!
PETER (groggy)
(snork) Huh? Whodat?
69 CUT TO: EXT MORNING. Outside the BUS from La Destinazione,
the TOWNSPEOPLE gathered in conversation with TAZIO. GUISSEPPI is
shaking TAZIO's hand. The 4 DISCIPLES are there, looking
sleepy, but dressed and ready. (Conversation in Italian.)
SINDACO
[Certainly we'll play with you if you want us, but are
we...good enough?]
TAZIO
[You will be.]
70 CUT TO: EXT. DAY. Looking down over Megiddo. BLACK
HELICOPTER ascending, leaving TEMPLAR TENT.
TAZIO (voice)
Now let's get out of Megiddo for some special training.
71 CUT TO: EXT. DAY. The TEAM of 11 men: TAZIO, PETER,
ADRIAN, YUZBASHI, GUISSEPPI, VITO, SINDACO, TICO, ARTURO,
ALFREDO, BARTOLOME.
They are standing in a little valley among barren hills, gathered
into a circle holding hands. TAZIO is pulling up the Urr and
they are all glowing with the power, shaking with the energy,
stunned by the feeling.
TAZIO (in Italian)
[...the energy you feel flowing through you is the Urr--life
force of the planet itself--feel it healing, tuning,
strengthening your bodies...]
GUISSEPPI (Ital)
[Cazzo! This is better than sex!]
TICO (Ital)
[What a rush!]
SINDACO (Ital)
[It's raw power!]
ADRIAN (English)
I remember this feeling!
YUZBASHI (Arabic)
[It's like becoming a god!]
72 CUT TO: EXT. NOON. MEGIDDO. A European football field
set amidst the thronging masses of the Armageddon Festival. The
CROWD is ready, expectant.
LOUDSPEAKER (AHAZVERUS)
...let the First Test of Power commence! In black, the
forces of The Beast...
73 CUT TO: BLACK TEAM standing ready, TAZIO in the middle.
CROWD
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!
PETER
I don't get it: how can we be the Bad Guys if we're playing
to save the world?
GUISSEPPI (in English)
Well, I don't feel bad, I feel GOOD!
SINDACO (in English)
We'd better BE good, look what we're playing against!
74 CUT TO: WHITE TEAM, 11 golden muscular men with glowing eyes
and halos of light around their heads.
LOUDSPEAKER
...in White, Champions of the Son of Man.
CROWD
H A L L E L U J A H ! ! !
PETER (offscreen)
Shit o dear! Those guys are all ANGELS!
ADRIAN (offscreen)
But it looks like Immanuel's NOT playing!
75 CUT TO: TV CAMERAS, REPORTERS, interviewing IMMANUEL.
JOURNALIST
Lord Immanuel, "The Beast" is playing along with his team,
but it appears you are not?
IMMANUEL
It is a fool's strategy for the Coach to chase his own ego
in the melee, when his duties are rather leadership and
spiritual support.
My strategy is to pray to My Father in Heaven for Victory.
IMMANUEL closes his eyes, bows his head, touches his brow with
two fingers of his right hand, and reaches his left hand up
toward the sun.
LOUDSPEAKER
Play Ball!
76 CUT TO: BLACK TEAM [conversing in Italian]
GUISSEPPI
[Christ is praying against us? Dio mio!]
VITO
[We don't have a chance!]
TAZIO
Telepathic lock-in, as rehearsed. Let's go.
ENTIRE BLACK TEAM
Si, patron. [end Italian] Yes, Lord.
TAZIO KICKS THE BALL OFF, which flies across the entire field to
the opposite goal, but is caught. The 2 TEAMS charge the field..
LOUDSPEAKER
The Beast kicks off and--wow--what a kick, Fans! From
center field directly to the goal...but it can't get past
Archangel Raphael's defense.
77 SCENES from the game. Both TEAMS running, BLACK sweating,
WHITE laughing. And TAZIO flying across the field, cartwheeling,
kicking or blocking the ball.
LOUDSPEAKER
Again and again The Beast drives perfect goal shots--to no
avail. This game is clearly determined by who has the best
defense. And Raphael seems to be... absolutely infallible.
RAPHAEL, angelic eyes glowing, stands in the center of the goal,
does not move. The balls flying toward the goal swerve, turn,
and dive into his open hand. They never get past him.
LOUDSPEAKER
Can the same be said of the Black Team's defense?
78 CUT TO: YUZBASHI as Goalie. He is sweating, trembling.
VOICE SOMEWHERE (offscreen)
But he's only human!
79 CUT TO: TAZIO kicking ball over heads of White Team, PETER
calls to him.
PETER
Tazio! We're running out of steam--how about more Urr?
TAZIO
Sorry. I can't pull up Urr in Megiddo.
LOUDSPEAKER
Goal! Score one to zero, White!
80 CU YUZBASHI weeping, beating his head.
YUZBASHI [Arabic]
I've FAILED Tazio!
LOUDSPEAKER
It's been a very fast, very intense game so far, and yet
the White Team still dances across the field: serene, calm,
perfect, like Angels charged with the Spirit of God.
WHITE TEAM effortlessly leaping in formation, like ballet
dancers.
81 CUT TO: IMMANUEL sitting cross-legged, hands folded before
him, head bowed, eyes closed, praying.
IMMANUEL
Ommmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm....
82 BLACK TEAM, dragging their feet.
LOUDSPEAKER
But now we can see the Black Team beginning to wear down...
PETER (tired)
Oh fuck off!
LOUDSPEAKER
...except for Tazio, who is coming on even harder, even
faster...
83 TAZIO moves blindingly fast, running, leaping, flipping,
turning. He leaps over the heads of the White Team again and again,
kicking the ball while in the air, and makes a charge for the goal, right
up into RAPHAEL'S face. Putting himself into a perfect set up, he
kicks the ball from a meter before RAPHAEL, it has to go in.
RAPHAEL gestures, his halo shimmers, sparks fly, and the ball
swoops up toward his hand.
CU TAZIO's eyes. Sparks, energy patterns, waves of light.
The BALL swerves again, away from RAPHAEL'S hand and back toward
the Goal Net. It almost makes it.
Powerful sparks of magic light flash just as the BALL should
hit, and it is shot back.
84 CUT TO: OVERVIEW of the field. The BALL shoots out of the
White Goal, across the entire field like a cannonball, and straight
into the Black Goal. It hits with a loud WHUMP! The players
have to leap out of the way.
LOUDSPEAKER
Score! For White, two to zero.
85 BLACK TEAM, the men are shaken, look at each other.
SINDACO [Italian]
[That would kill a man to be hit by that!]
ADRIAN (rattled)
It ju-just missed me!
LOUDSPEAKER
The game is over: two to zero.
86 CUT TO: TV INTERVIEW of IMMANUEL
JOURNALIST
White wins the first contest. How do you feel about that,
Coach Immanuel?
IMMANUEL
Yea, verily, it was the Will of God.
87 CUT TO: AHAZVERUS on the CONTROL PLATFORM, speaking
into a microphone, smoking his cigarette.
AHAZVERUS
The Committee awards the First Test of Power to Lord
Immanuel. Therefore would Lord Tazio please designate the
Second Test of Power?
88 CUT TO: TAZIO surrounded by TEMPLARS, frantically calling out
suggestions, begging.
TEMPLARS
1: Lord: personal combat!
2: Large scale!
3: Use us!
4: Let us HARM again!
5: Lord, please give us a WAR!
TAZIO (ignoring them all)
Chess. Immanuel and I, one on one.
AHAZVERUS (over loudspeaker)
The challenge is acknowledged.
89 EXT. DAY. TAZIO & his 3 DISCIPLES approach the TEMPLAR
TENT, where TEMPLARS stand in ranks. YUZBASHI walks with head
down, as if disgraced. PETER and ADRIAN have taken off their black
t-shirts and are soaked with sweat.
PETER
Chess? Against GOD? I hope you're bloody good at it, mate.
TAZIO
Never played the game in my life.
ADRIAM
WHAT? But...then...why...?
TAZIO
It seems God cheats. A lineal, logical board game might
keep Him honest.
ADRIAN
But if you've never played it...he won't NEED to cheat!
TAZIO
Oh, I read some books on it years ago.
90 INT. They are inside the TENT now. SOPHIA looks at TAZIO with
sympathy. CAPTAIN JERZY offers TAZIO fresh (black) clothes, but
no sympathy.
JERZY
Books? Ever read about "hubris", Master?
TAZIO
Why does everyone ask me that? It's not "pride" that I can
recite, by page number, anything I've ever read or heard or
seen. I know the theory and applications of the classic
games. Now I must simply learn to play it in practice.
Captain Jerzy, procure me a chess computer and gather your
best players.
JERZY (bowing slightly)
It is already done, Master, by order of Lord Anton, 100
boards and players await you.
91 CUT TO: TAZIO sitting down before a computerized chessboard.
JERZY
It's a Mephisto B 2950, very smart, very fast.
TAZIO touches a square on the board, it BLEEPS.
TAZIO
Fine. Now leave me alone for a while.
92 FADE TO LATER: Chessboard viewed from above, TAZIO's hands.
JERZY (offscreen)
Are you ready for the players, Master?
TAZIO (offscreen)
Not quite. This machine is good, I only beat it less than
half the time...ah, but of course, now I see...yes, that's
better. I'll be ready for them in half an hour.
93 FADE TO: EXT. SUNSET. Outside TEMPLAR TENT, a crowd
surrounding a long table with 100 chessboards, but only TAZIO and
ANTON are playing. ANTON in a bathrobe, looking sick.
ANTON
Well, you beat your other 99 opponents, kid--(cough)--you're
pretty good, but I can beat you!
TAZIO
No. The best you can do is a draw, Anton.
ANTON
Ah, that's the best YOU can do against Christ; you can hold
him off, but you won't win. He doesn't even need to know
the game, all his moves will be (cough) "inspired". And if
you only tie the next 6 contests, then he has already won
The Game.
94 FADE TO LATER: INT, ANTON's TENT, ANTON lying upon
his bed with a chessboard between him and TAZIO. TAZIO stands up out
of his chair.
TAZIO
That's 47 draw games. I've learned what I can. It's
midnight. Enough.
ANTON
Wait, kid, I KNOW I can beat you...but I'm in pain, hard to
concentrate...however, if you healed me, made me like young
again---Master--I used to win against Ulfo in wise-phase.
TAZIO (exiting)
Sure, I'll heal you, after you renounce your vows to Satan.
Good night, Anton, and thanks for the games.
95 CUT TO: EXT. NIGHT. CONICAL SPIRE, no one around.
TAZIO walks up to where ULFO's chain still lies, and just stands there
waiting. Nothing happens, no one comes.
TAZIO
Hm!
He looks toward the TENT OF CHRIST, which is brightly lit, music
can be heard, but nobody to be seen.
TAZIO (mental voice)
Maybe he's busy tonight. (sigh)
A little telepathic probe...
TAZIO closes his eyes, The TENT is seen superimposed with his
face, little flashes of light.
...so he's not there...he's...
MENTAL PICTURE of MICHAEL, angry, sparks and energy-zaps
radiating out.
MICHAEL (mental voice)
Stop that, Tazio! It's against the Rules!
TAZIO is smitten by some invisible impact, flips backwards with a
loud GRUNT.
But continues into a complete flip, landing on his feet again.
TAZIO (angry)
Ok, that's IT! I'll...
Stands poised for action, hands spread out to pull up the Urr--if
he could. About to lose his temper, but he controls himself.
TAZIO (mental voice)
...I'll...hm...more emotions: anger, frustration. Next I'll
be feeling The Lust again. While now is the time for logic
and cool.
(now calm) Anyway, no Immanuel to confuse me tonight.
Perhaps that's for the...(notices someone coming)...ah, but
she's coming instead.
TAZIO turns as CINDY arrives. She is wearing her mysterious
cowl, but lays it back to reveal her face in the moonlight.
TAZIO
Good evening, Cindy.
CINDY
Hi, my love.
TAZIO
You and Jytte call me that, but isn't Immanuel "your love"
now?
CINDY
Oh, but EVERYONE loves him. Don't you?
TAZIO
Sure...just where is he, anyway? I sensed an emergency.
CINDY
Saigon: Trouble with the Khmer Rouge.
TAZIO
What? But why didn't he call me? I'd have helped him!
CINDY
Because you were practicing for your contest tomorrow, that
was more important. Don't worry, he's quite capable of
taking on the Khmer Rouge alone.
TAZIO (to himself)
Merda!
(then, relaxing, to CINDY)
Last time we met, your Cindy-self had been burned away by
Anton and Achmet. I healed your body and brain, but you
Weren't YOU any more, just your angelic soul-entity.
CINDY
Yes, well, that soul-entity joined Immanuel's group, to be
one of your angels, and he healed me into me again.
TAZIO
My angels? Don't you mean his?
CINDY
Three angels among the Host of the Lord must pray for The
Beast; that his sins be forgiven, that he receive some mercy
at the end--sorta states advocates, that's us.
TAZIO
But...also Mariangela?
CINDY
Immanuel commanded her to it.
TAZIO
Does she still hate me?
CINDY
No. But she fears you. We all do. You're supposed to
become Satan's Self.
TAZIO (amused)
If I was Satan I wouldn't let myself get pushed around like
this.
CINDY (reaching to him)
Oh, I know, my love. --CAN you win tomorrow?
TAZIO
Hey, I might, who knows? I'm pretty super...although that's
no big deal in this crowd.
CINDY (now hugging him, cheek to cheek)
No: you're especially super, Tazio. Remember the "Aids
Antivirus" you developed, using me for inspiration through
The Lust? --Well, you generated it inside ME--and made me
horny--so I spread the Antivirus well. You've changed the
world. --Now you've got to save it from Jahve's Judgment.
TAZIO gently detaches himself and turns slightly away.
CINDY
Oh, too close? I'm...sorry...
TAZIO
Not your fault, I'm just reacting to you in a way I'm not
ready for right now.
CINDY
The Lust?
TAZIO
No. Tangled emotions.
CINDY
Oh, well, Jytte and I agreed...
TAZIO
It's not Jytte. -Look, I'll see you later, Cindy. I need to be alone
awhile.
TAZIO walks away, but turns and waves to her.
TAZIO (to himself)
Away from Megiddo. Get some Urr.
CINDY watches him go, then turns and heads back to the brightly-lit TENT
OF CHRIST. As she comes nearer the cries of worship become louder, and
as she enters the tent they become overwhelming.
96 INT. TENT
WORSHIPPERS
Hallelujah, Hosana! Holy holy holy! Glory!
Praise! Holy holy holy!
She passes the vast choir which sings beneath a towering shining
cross, past stacks of amplifiers and scaffoldings, roadies
attending to the ropes and cables and equipment, finally to a
tent within the tent.
MARIANGELA (from inside the tent)
Mea culpa. Mea culpa...
97 INT. WOMEN'S TENT. JYTTE is nursing the GIRLCHILD,
who seems asleep, MARIANGELA is praying obsessively before a curtained
altar adorned with small crosses, pictures and statuettes of the crucifixion,
candles. EVANGELEVA is sitting in a chair, drinking herb tea.
CINDY enters.
JYTTE
Did you find Tazio?
CINDY
Yeah. --He's out there mooning over Immanuel.
JYTTE
Nå, poor Tazio.
MARIANGELA (breaks off praying)
...mea culpa, mea karma--you mean "weak" Tazio! See how
easily Immanuel seduces him? Won't he also fall when SATAN
comes to claim his earthy incarnation?
JYTTE
Be reasonable, Mariangela, it's not the same. We know he
will resist Satan.
CINDY
Besides, I once fell in love with Immanuel, way back in Mill
Valley High School. We ALL did. And it made me strong:
that perfect hopeless love--as karmic as you can get.
MARIANGELA
"Perfect love", our Tazio? You forget The Lust!
CINDY
But he's negasex. And he only liked girls, he's not gay.
JYTTE
You never met the Ulfæ, Cindy, but he/she began that
incarnation negasexed. Yet constantly transformed from
Woman to Man, Angel to Demon--and we think Tazio has all
those same potentials.
MARIANGELA
Oh, he has--it's just that his demon is so much
(throwing head back, arms wide)
BIGGER than Ulfo's.
JYTTE (remaining calm)
You know, when Ulfo de-incarnated last night, I half
expected Our Child to awaken (looking at the sleeping
GIRLCHILD and laying her down in a crib), even though we
knew that Evangeleva is to mother him this time.
EVANGELEVA
Got the little stinker tucked away right here. (pats her
pregnant belly)
CU GIRLCHILD's angelic sleeping face, JYTTE's hand strokes her
cheek.
JYTTE
Yes, well, we don't really know it all: WHO shall Our Child
BE? Or even if she's Tazio's child...or Ulfo's? Or a
hybrid, like Tazio.
EVANGELEVA
Our agent among the Dark Templars reports that Anton may be
dying.
JYTTE (worried)
Er du gal? She might just awaken as "Antonia Artemis"?
EVANGELA (kidding)
Hey, maybe some other Avatar will die first.
MICHAEL (from outside, commanding tone)
Angel Cindy! Come out here!
CINDY opens the curtain. MICHAEL stands there imperiously,
dwarfing her.
CINDY
Yes?
MICHAEL
You spoke with The Beast again: you've broken the Rules.
CINDY (shrugging)
Well, sorry.
MICHAEL
And I too am sorry, but I must punish you. --HE must be
taught a lesson. (smirks)
CINDY (angry now)
You mean like when you ATTACKED him tonight? You're
breaking the "Rules" yourself, big boy!
MICHAEL
I deemed it wise to check if he'd become Satan yet.
CINDY
Oh, great. What if he HAD?
MICHAREL
Oh, I have battled Satan before, long ago. But now, Cindy,
I fear this is going to hurt...
EVANGELEVA
Michael! You are overstepping your authority!
MICHAEL
Ah, but that is for ME to determine, Holiest Mother.
EVANGELEVA
We'll see about that...
MARIANGELA
You're not punishing any...
MICHAEL (amused)
Oh, ladies, do not threaten me with your sons--I enforce the
Rules for the committee, which even they two must obey.
(wiggles finger) Come, Cindy
EVANGELEVA
Come, girls.
MARIANGELA
Take hands.
JYTTE & CINDY
Amen.
The 4 WOMEN hold hands, forming a square with EVANGELEVA and
MARIANGELA face to face, JYTTE and CINDY back to back, then chant
a spell in unison.
4 WOMEN
In the name of Mary, Hecate, Diana, Venus, Aphrodite,
Ishtar, Artemis...
98 CUT TO EXTERIOR: MICHAEL is smitten by some invisible
impact, just as Tazio had been, grunts and goes flying backwards to land
sprawling on his rump ten meters outside and away from the Women's Tent.
EVEANGELEVA (from inside tent)
"Sons" indeed. Hmpf!
The other women are heard giggling.
MICHAEL (lying there, waving fist)
Accursed WITCHES!
AHAZVERUS dodders up, rests upon his walking-cane, looking down
upon MICHAEL with amusement.
AHAZVERUS
Really, Michael--what about the dignity of our committee?
Hee hee!
99 CUT TO: INT Women's Tent.
AHAZVERUS (from outside)
Ladies? DARE I approach?
EVEANGELEVA (opening curtain)
Ahazverus! What's a Wandering Jew doing wandering around so
late at night?
AHAZVERUS
Shalom, Evangeleva. Lots of time to sleep after the end of
the world. I'm out making and taking wagers--you girls
interested?
MARIANGELA
Hardly. We're gambling enough as it is.
JYTTE
Wait. I'd be interested to know how the odds are going.
AHAZVERUS (knowingly)
Depends on which Game: 7 to 1 Immanuel wins the contests in
4 events; 3 to 1 Satan makes a play; 2 to 1 Jahve wins The
Game and the Apocalypse happens.
As for tomorrow's chess game, there are no odds...everyone
knows it's...er...
CINDY
Fixed?
AHAZVERUS
...predetermined. And it's too early in The Game to bet on
Satan yet.
CINDY
Hey, it could be TAZIO who wins it.
AHAZVERUS
Want to bet?
JYTTE
Bet? That the world ends? Whatever for?
CINDY
Yeah, there's nothing to win and everything to lose. Great.
AHAZVERUS
Are you mad, my dears? If I win my bets it'll be Money, Sex
and Power on Jupiter level 3.
EVANGELEVA
O, Ahazverus, I'll bet you end up a War-shark slave in
deepest Saturn.
CU AHAZVERUS' SMOKING CIGARETTE, obscuring his mouth
with smoke.
AHAZVERUS
No, I CAN'T lose, I've bet upon all possibilities...except
one--that either Tazio or Immanuel can save the world, in
which case the Next Level doesn't matter to me: the
Wandering Jew can't die..oh, God forbid another 2000
years...but the signs, and the odds, are with me. Just
listen to all the news networks. Hee hee..
100 CUT TO VIEW OF EARTH FROM SPACE
NEWS VOICES
1. ...ex-soviet civil wars are totally out of control now...
2: guerra
3: Krieg! Krieg!
4: ...thermonuclear threat...
5: ...hot off the wire--my God! SWITZERLAND has just attacked...
101 CUT TO WTV NEWS BROADCAST, a dignified and mature
Newscaster, John ANCHORMAN, sits before a backdrop of broad slanted
stripes with a WTV logo and a back-screen, upon which roll film-clips of
combat and destruction, with "WAR" texted in large red letters.
ANCHORMAN
...reports of wars and mass violence are coming in from
everywhere since yesterday. And all peace negotiations
anywhere have been cancelled. Scientists say it's SUNSPOTS,
others say it's ARMAGEDDON.
The back-screen changes: an aerial view of a crowd of millions of
people around a checkered field, text: ARMAGEDDON FESTIVAL?
Accordingly, in Megiddo, Israel, there appears to be an
"Apocalypse" happening going on: no one knows who is
sponsoring this event, but it seems to be EPIC. Satellite
pictures indicate a crowd of millions of people...
CAMERA moves into the TV picture, into the back-screen, into the
aerial view of Megiddo, down toward the checkered field, then
flattens out to reveal a vast CHESSBOARD, built upon a platform
the size of a football field.
There are two TOWERS at each end of the chessboard, a WHITE and a
BLACK, in which TAZIO stands alone.
102 CUT TO: 3 DISCIPLES & SOPHIA among TEMPLARS, watching.
PETER
I thought they'd just sit across a board from each other.
SOPHIA
So did Tazio.
SWISHY TEMPLAR
Oh, my, no! Where's the SHOW in THAT? This is big-time
spectacle! You see? The pieces are hologrammed and it's
all projected into the sky.
A mirror-image of the chessboard floats above the platform so
that all can see the play. The pieces are also giant animated
holograms.
103 CUT TO WHITE TOWER. It has a cross atop it and Immanuel inside
it. Four white banners furl in a gentle breeze.
LOUDSPEAKER
White makes the first move.
IMMANUEL (amplified)
Pawn King 2, 2 squares forward.
104 CUT TO chessboard, the PAWN steps forward. It looks like a
soldier with a skull-face. The image is mirrored above.
105 CUT TO TAZIO.
TAZIO
Pawn F2 one square forward.
106 CUT TO CROWD. 2 CHESS ENTHUSIASTS, one holding a book:
"Classic Chess", the other smoking a Meerschaum pipe.
TAZIO (amplified voice)
...Black Knight takes Rook.
SMOKING ENTHUSIAST
Looks like the Petrosjan Maneuvre.
107 CUT TO T-SHIRT SELLER holding up shirt with "Apocalyptic
Chess" across the chest.
IMMANUEL (amplified voice)
White Castles Queenside.
SELLER
T-shirts! Pounds, Dollars, Deutsch Marks, Yen accepted!
108 CUT TO CU TAZIO.
TAZIO
Black Knight takes Bishop. (then looks surprised) Hey,
that wasn't my move! Knight takes...the board's responding
incorrectly!
SFX:A giant hologram of the Black Knight glides across the
chessboard, but does not take the White Bishop.
110 IMMANUEL
(in tower) White King checks Black King.
(over loudspeaker) White King checks Black King.
111 TAZIO
(in tower) I protest! The board is wrong.
(false voice over loudspeaker) Black King forward.
(in tower) No! King NOT forward.
112 CUT TO KING moving forward.
113 CU TAZIO, frowning, then resolute.
TAZIO (mental voice)
So the "good guys" are cheating again? Well, I can also
manipulate electronics.
Energy waves emanate from his head.
114 CUT TO CONTROL PLATFORM. TECHNICIAN at board,
DIRECTOR referring to a script.
TECHNICIAN
The board's going haywire!
DIRECTOR
Right on schedule.
115 CUT TO VIEW from behind Black Tower, TAZIO facing
CHESSBOARD, where the pieces are spinning out of control.
THREE BRIGHT STARS appear among the pieces. Charges of energy
zap out of them, joining into one ball of sparkling brightness
which shoots at TAZIO, hitting him in the face with violent
force, knocking him backwards.
116 CUT TO TECHNICIAN
TECHNICIAN
Wow, was THAT a power surge! But the board's on again!
117 CUT TO TAZIO, staggering, holding his head in pain, nosebleed.
TAZIO
Ohhh... That wasn't Michael!
(mental voice) Immanuel: are YOU doing this to me?
IMMANUEL's face superimposes with TAZIO's.
IMMANUEL
(mental voice) No, Tazio.
118 CUT TO 3 DISCIPLES & SOPHIA in the CROWD.
IMMANUEL (over loudspeaker)
White Bishop takes Black Queen.
TAZIO (false voice over loudspeaker)
Black King forward.
PETER (wincing)
Oh, no!
SOPHIA
Why is Tazio playing so BADLY?
ADRIAN
Yes, I could play better than that.
119 CUT TO ARIAL VIEW of board, showing White winning.
IMMANUEL
Checkmate. (loudspeaker echo) Checkmate.
TAZIO
What?
AHAZVERUS (over loudspeaker)
And the winner of Second Contest is...Lord Immanuel.
CROWD
H A L L E L U J A H !
Good guys win again, HOORAY!
120 CUT TO AHAZVERUS on CONTROL PLATFORM.
SCOREBOARD visible, showing a Cross with 2 points,
a Pentagram with 0.
AHAZVERUS
...the Third Test of Power is to be determined by this
committee, to be announced tomorrow at noon.
TAZIO (offscreen, distant, feeble)
Wait! I protest!
121 CU TAZIO, speaking into microphone..
TAZIO
...this "game" is a fraud! I never...they've turned off the
mike!
TAZIO leaps out of the Tower to the ground. He walks resolutely
toward the CONTROL PLATFORM. Although it is crowded, people
scramble out of his way, perhaps in fear.
CROWD VOICE
Better get out of his way--it's The Beast--and he might
just be pissed off!
TAZIO leaps 4 meters up to the CONTROL PLATFORM in one easy
move, landing balanced upon the railing before AHAZVERUS and
MICHAEL. TV CAMERAMEN in background rapidly turn their cameras
on him..
TAZIO
I demand a rematch: the moves on the board were not mine.
MICHAEL (smirking)
Rematch? O, ho ho, so sorry, no such thing here.
AHAZVERUS (also smirking)
These are tests of POWER, Tazio, and you lost...again. What
did you expect? After all you challenged "God's right to
murder us all", remember?
MICHAEL
Big words, little sexless one. Now leave us. (wiggles
fingers dismissively) We must devise tomorrow's contest.
TAZIO walks away through The CROWD in silence. One man dares to
get up in his face to take a photograph.
GROUP OF BIKERS watch TAZIO pass.
BIKER # 1
I thought THE BEAST was supposed to be some bad dude--this
guy ain't shit.
BIKER # 2
Yeah! "I wuz robbed." Boo hoo!
BIKER CHICK
And some chess master: maybe he shoulda chose checkers
instead.
BIKER #2
What for? He'd lose anyway.
OTHER VOICES
A: ...loser...
B: ...failed again...
122 INT. TEMPLAR TENT, all TEMPLARS gathered, silently
watching as TAZIO walks in alone.
CU TEMPLAR FACES, anxious, worried.
TEMPLARS
1: Lord...uh...we've got to know--which side are you on?
2: How could you lose SO badly?
3: It's just that we're Satan's Templars...if you're
serving CHRIST...
TAZIO
I didn't throw the game, the board was rigged. I didn't
even get to play the game.
TEMPLARS
5: What? Outrage!
6: Kill!
7: What an insult!
8: Those...villains! Oh, please, Lord: allow us to PUNISH
them!
9: Yes! To avenge this foul indignity!
CU HEAD
HEAD
Silence, fools. Our Lord will issue his commands as he sees
fit. (to TAZIO) Oh, Master, we know these mortals cannot
fathom your Great Satanic Plan, but I know that when your
chosen moment arrives, Satan shall rise and strike the
winning blow...
TAZIO (walking past)
Uh, yeah, sure. (signaling) Disciples: let's go in to
Anton.
123 INT. ANTON's room, ANTON bedridden now, an IV stuck
in his arm, blankets drawn high up over his chest. A beautiful NURSE
waiting beside him with cups and pills. 3 DISCIPLES & SOPHIA look
on sympathetically, but TAZIO ignores the pathos.
ANTON
...there's only one way you can win a power struggle on this
level, kid...(cough, cough)...like the Head says, you'll
have to access Satan's power.
TAZIO
I want to save the world, not destroy it.
ANTON
Satan doesn't necessarily want to destroy the world, he only
wants to Win The Game. I know, I've had my (cough)
spiritual awakening, I have remembered being Satan.
TAZIO
Yes, I've wondered about that: how can we both be
reincarnations of Satan's only soul?
ANTON
Only soul? Satan is in everyone--as is Christ--genetically
descended from The Beginning. But WE are Avatars of the
Satanic Race, focal points. And you even more so because
of your tail
Knowledge is (cough) power, kid, and if you tap Satan's
memories you'll expand your own knowledge by six Avatar
Incarnations and a million years of experience. Counting
your own--heh--you'd be The Beast With Seven Heads.
TAZIO
Evil incarnations. I saw Theron consumed by them in Hell
until only Satan remained. I am not eager for that
experience.
ANTON
But if that's the only way to save the world...(groan)..
TAZIO
Well, then...there's someone I must discuss it with.
A MENTAL IMAGE of IMMANUEL suddenly superimposes over TAZIO's
face, surprising him.
IMMANUEL (mental voice)
Nazareth.
TAZIO
I'd like to borrow your helicopter, Anton.
ANTON
(groan) Sure, what's mine is yours.
TAZIO & ENTOURAGE are on their way out of the tent.
ANTON
Oh, hey, kid, if I should (cough cough hack hack) die before
you get back...my agent among the angels tells me I might be
reincarnated as your 5-year-old daughter. Heh heh.
124 EXT. DAY. SKY, BLACK HELICOPTER ascending.
CUT TO CU MAP of Israel, PETER's hand pointing to NAZARETH.
PETER (offscreen)
It's only 12 miles to the North.
ADRIAN
Yes, but flying is the only way out of this crowd.
125 INT. HELICOPTER CABIN. TAZIO is piloting, a city can be
seen out the windscreen below.
TAZIO
There's Nazareth below.
YUZBASHI
Do you know where to find him?
TAZIO
Not exactly, but...
PETER
Hey, what's that sign down there?
126 EXT. DAY. HELICOPTER descending towards a large walled
villa with many vehicles parked around it, lots of people. A banner
decorates the main entrance with the text: "WELCOME IMMANUEL"
127 EXT. DAY. HELICOPTER is landed in front of the villa. GUESTS
look on apprehensively from a distance except for two old Jewish
KABBALISTS, one of them RABBI AMOS, who wait to confront those
inside the HELICOPTER. PETER exits first.
KABBALIST (challenging but afraid)
Is...is it Anton Artemis and his evil Templars who invade
us?
PETER
No, no! It's Tazio and his disciples--we're friends of
Immanuel.
AMOS
Oh, well then welcome! Shalom! Shalom!
ADRIAN
What is this gathering?
AMOS
We celebrate the impending marriage of The Lamb.
ADRIAN
Immanuel's getting married? To whom?
CU TAZIO, looking concerned.
AMOS
Well, no one knows until after the Apocalypse.
TAZIO
Shalom, Rabbi Amos. Glad to see you're all right again.
AMOS
Oh, yes, thank you, Tazio. Immanuel healed me years ago.
TAZIO
And where is he?
AMOS
He is receiving guests in the garden.
128 CUT TO THE GARDEN. It is full of people surrounding
IMMANUEL, who is sitting on the brink of a well with children sitting on
his lap, clinging to him, a copy of that very Bible Illustration.
Tazio is making his way through the crowd toward IMMANUEL.
A MOTHER
There's something about this scene that gives me a sense of
déjà vu.
IMMANUEL
...we are all the children of God.
GUESTS walk across the screen, each expressing emotion.
WEEPING MAN WITH BLUE EYES
(holding sunglasses)
I can see! It's a MIRACLE!
MAN DROPPING CRUTCHES
And I can walk!
FAT MAN IN BUSINESS SUIT
My sins have been forgiven! O joy!
WOMAN WITH WISE EXPRESSION
Why, I have become Enlightened!
NUN (to BOY)
You have been kissed by the Messiah, child: do you realize
how blessed you are?
BOY
Does that mean I can get a Play Station now?
TAZIO (to IMMANUEL)
Quite a show.
IMMANUEL
Must be getting better at it. Used to be the folks in
Nazareth wouldn't buy it. --But at that time I was just a
local boy, now I'm a hot-shit prophet from exotic
California.
TAZIO
We need to...
KABBALIST (interrupting)
Lord, the six stone jars are ready.
IMMANUEL
Oh, it's time for my big trick..
129 EXT. DAY. COURTYARD inside the villa. GUESTS surrounding
6 large clay pots, empty. A stuffy-looking STEWARD in tuxedo formally
asks questions as IMMANUEL steps into position behind the pots.
TAZIO hangs back in the crowd to watch.
STEWARD
Are the jars authenticated?
KABBALIST
Indeed: inspected and analyzed; simple earthen pottery
selected at random.
STEWARD
And the water source?
KABBALIST
City water supply--to be analyzed before, during, and after
filling.
IMMANUEL
Fill the jars with water--then draw some out and take it to
the Steward of the Feast.
CU STEWARD carefully tasting a glass of wine.
STEWARD
Oh! What a...wonderful...what a GREAT wine! --Audacious,
bold, and yet, playfully elegant!
HANDS filling screen, some holding up wine glasses, others
applauding.
VOICES (offscreen)
1: Fantastique!
2: Mmm, good!
3: Bravo!
STEWARD (offscreen)
Let the feast begin!
CU IMMANUEL'S HAND reaches across screen foreground and takes
TAZIO'S, gently tugging it offscreen.
IMMANUEL
C'mon, Tazio, let's take a walk.
130 EXT. DAY. On a footpath, TAZIO & IMMANUEL walking away
from the villa, which is now half a kilometer behind them.
TAZIO
Why the magicians act?
IMMANUEL
Because I am a magician.
They are walking into the town of Nazareth, and pass the monument
of MARY'S WELL.
TAZIO
So you're...getting married?
IMMANUEL
Of course: Revelations 19:5 "...for the marriage of The
Lamb has come, and the bride has made herself ready..."
TAZIO
"...and I saw the Holy City, New Jerusalem, coming down out
of Heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her
husband..." But are you really marrying a city? --Or a
woman?
IMMANUEL
I'm marrying my Cosmic Mate--at last.
TAZIO
On Earthlevel?
IMMANUEL
Yes. In this incarnation we get to be man and woman again.
It is not often we are allowed that pleasure, our lives on
Earthlevel are usually Duty and Sacrifice.
Last time was 2000 years ago. When I was Jesus and she
was Mary Magdalene. My apostles couldn't admit I was human and
tried to cover it up in their scriptures, making me into
some kind of untouchable god-monk. But I was not a
Catholic Priest, I was a Jewish Rabbi.
TAZIO
Who...who is she now?
IMMANUEL
Well--ha ha--I don't know! --It's a surprise. But we have
more important things to discuss, don't we?
TAZIO
I guess. I am considering a confrontation with Satan. I
need his memories to, save the world from God.
IMMANUEL
And you come to me?
TAZIO
If I lose the confrontation and Satan takes possession of
me, he--I--must be stopped by someone with enough power to
do so. I do not trust the Templars. I trust you.
IMMANUEL
I'm sorry, Tazio. I cannot defeat that devil for you except
in the context of the Apocalypse. As the Instrument of the
Judgment of God, I must play by His rules.
TAZIO (suddenly angry)
RULES? Do you really call that swindle of a CHESS game
playing by the Rules?
IMMANUEL
Not "the rules", HIS Rules--being God's, who may, by
definition, write His own.
TAZIO
You mean He can CHEAT because He has the power to!
IMMANUEL
Was it cheating when the Pharaoh's armies were drowned? Or
when the walls of Jericho fell to a trumpet blast? Or when
Daniel was not eaten by the lions? "Acts of God" are even
written into insurance policies as exceptions to rules.
TAZIO
But how could YOU betray me like that?
IMMANUEL faces TAZIO and gently puts both hands on his shoulders.
IMMANUEL
Oh, Tazio, may I not relieve you of your anger?
TAZIO
You can try to, but I don't thmbf...
IMMANUEL gives TAZIO a chaste kiss upon the mouth. TAZIO is
frozen by surprise, looks up to see a halo glowing around
IMMANUEL's head.
TAZIO (confused, amused, relaxed)
What...? (sigh) Tee hee.
131 They continue on into Nazareth. Stopping before the huge BASILICA
OF THE ANNUNCATION. IMMANUEL points in that general direction.
IMMANUEL
You know, I remember this street from when I was young
Jesus. Helped Joseph build a house over there...of course,
it's gone now. but I can still see it.
TAZIO
Yes, so can I.
TAZIO
Oh yes, you can scan back in time: must be interesting.
TAZIO
Can't you?
IMMANUEL
No. My visions are mostly forward in time. --Come on up
the hill, I'll show you where I grew up back then.
132 EXT. DAY. View of ST. JOSEPH'S CHURCH.
IMMANUEL (offscreen)
We lived in a two-story house, my parents and I, right up
here somewhere.
TAZIO
There--where St. Joseph's Church is now.
IMMANUEL
We lived simply, although my mother, Mary, had money--she
was of the Angelic Race, you know.
133 FLASHBACK TO TIME OF CHRIST: house, carpenter Joseph
hammering on some project, a shadowy Mary in the doorway, young Jesus
playing ball with some kids offscreen. Sky is half-cloudy with Godlike rays
of light shining down upon the house.
IMMANUEL (offscreen)
We were a respected family. Joseph was an elder in the
synagogue and a skilled carpenter. No one knew that mother
and I were Avatars, but they responded to our power by
loving us, so I had a nice childhood. Even had friends,
playmates, instead of disciples and worshippers, before I
awakened to Who I was.
There were ancient ruins over...there, where we'd play
children's games--"Jews and Philistines"--I'd be Samson
sometimes because I was so strong. Until they became
frightened about just how strong I really was, being an
Avatar, even as the original Samson had been. But I grew up
fast, putting aside childish things, working with my
"father", studying scriptures, looking to the future...
134 Now we see TAZIO and IMMANUEL, but also JESUS as a boy,
tears running down his face, gasping, in shock.
TAZIO
Yeah, and there you are, seeing the future. Must be about
twelve years old.
IMMANUEL
Hey, you're skipping ahead!
135 FLASHBACK OF DESERT. Young JESUS walking away toward
the horizon. A light effect in the sky resembling The CROSS.
IMMANUEL (offscreen)
The fun was over after that. I went off to the desert to
join the Essenes. And ended up crucified. Poor Jesus.
136 RETURN TO NOW.
TAZIO
"Poor Jesus"? You knew you were the Son of God, the Cross
couldn't kill you, you'd rise again anyway.
IMMANUEL
You're saying I made no real sacrifice? Bullshit. I LIKED
being Jesus. --And I was with my Cosmic Mate, the
Magdalena, with whom I wished to marry. Instead I was
obliged to martyr myself. But I was not some holy
machine. Jesus was a MAN.
Perhaps you forget what that's like in your negasex state--
wanting to be with someone.
CU TAZIO
TAZIO
Actually, I think I have a pretty good comprehension of
that. I... (suddenly turning, telepathically
aware)...soldiers are about to attack the feast!
IMMANUEL (also aware)
Yes, Israeli troops!
They run back through town at incredible speed. But being
superhuman Avatars, they have breath for conversation:
TAZIO
And I suppose you know what this is about?
IMMANUEL
The Israelis don't like my Army of Peace.
TAZIO
What IS the Army of Peace?
IMMANUEL
An anti-military revolution to outlaw war.
TAZIO
Yeah? Good luck and fat chance!
IMMANUEL
Well, I've been meaning to talk to you about that.
137 CUT TO VILLA, surrounded by 80 armed soldiers, jeeps, APCs
with machine guns mounted and ready. Their commander, CAPTAIN STEIN,
is standing atop an APC and calling out with a bullhorn.
STEIN (over bullhorn)
Attention in the villa: you are surrounded by a task force
of the Hagana--if you offer any resistance we will open
fire!
137a EXT. Within the VILLA walls, KABBALISTS are reinforcing
the main port. GUESTS are afraid. SOPHIA & 3 DISCIPLES stand
together, concerned but not in panic.
STEIN (over bullhorn)
Send out the man called Immanuel. We know he is in there.
You have 30 seconds to respond.
137b EXT. OUTSIDE VILLA. CAPTAIN STEIN looks forward, does not
notice IMMANUEL & TAZIO walking up to his APC.
IMMANUEL (up to STEIN)
No need to bother all those people, Captain Stein. We meet
again, Shalom.
STEIN (looking down, surprised)
Huh? --It's HIM! How did you...? I mean...COVER HIM, MEN!
(to IMMANUEL) You are under arrest for terrorism,
smuggling, illegal entry, and sedition against the State of
Israel. And you'll not escape this time!
(to TAZIO) And who are YOU? Never mind, you're under
arrest too!
TAZIO
What for?
STEIN
For all the same things! (to soldiers) Arrest EVERYONE in
the Villa! We'll make a clean sweep!
TAZIO (hypnotically)
Just a moment, Captain, let's DISCUSS this.
Telepathic sparks flow between TAZIO and STEIN. The Captain
staggers back and goes into a trance...then into shock, convulsing.
STEIN
Can't discuss...can't discuss...can't discuss...
IMMANUEL
He's been previously commanded by some other Avatar, Tazio!
If you conflict those orders with you psychic powers...
TAZI
Yeah, I know: I'll fry his brains.
(to STEIN) Hey, Captain: cancelled, snap out of it.
STEIN
...cant...can't...hunh? Hey! They resisted! SHOOT THEM!
SOLDIERS assume combat poses, aim rifles, and open fire upon
TAZIO and IMMANUEL, who casually join hands. Lots of bullets,
smoke, noise, etc.
RELUCTANT SOLDIER
Kill them? But I...
TOUGH SERGEANT
OBEY, private! Orders from VERY high up!
But TAZIO has already pulled up the URR and he and IMMANUEL glow
with the power of the earth. The bullets cannot reach them,
inertia nullified, dropping harmlessly to the ground.
IMMANUEL
Usually, I just surrender, then escape later on. Looks like
they're tired of that.
TAZIO
Well, I'm tired of being pushed around, and I'd rather it be
they who surrenders. --First, a little diversion.
Soldiers! I don't countermand your previous orders,
but I DO command you each to...SHIT, right now!
THE SOLDIERS OBEY, unable to resist TAZIO's power of authority.
Horror and disgust show in their eyes as they each and every man
uncontrollably cramps up and poops in his pants. Their rifle
fire becomes very sporadic, discipline weakens. Many cry out in
alarm and shame, drop to the ground and roll around.
TAZIO
Then I disarm them by an application of the Urr.
TAZIO tunes the Urr, the glow changes color slightly. Then he
points his finger and describes an arc with it.
All the METAL the soldiers have responds; guns, knives, bullets,
jeeps, APCs--all goes flying in that same arc, and smashes down
into one spot on the earth with such violence that a crater is
formed.
SILENCE. Only TAZIO & IMMANUEL are standing before the VILLA.
The SOLDIERS are lying down, still jerking to bowel cramps, smoke
and flames roll up out of the crater.
STEIN (on his knees)
Sh..shooOOOt them...
CONVULSING SOLDIER
(grunt) Can we please stop shiIIIIitting now?
TAZIO
All right, soldiers, listen up: cancel shitting. VOMIT for
a while instead.
SOUNDS OF 80 SOLDIERS VOMITING.
CU STEIN, lying in the dirt, his lips dripping and his beret
filled with vomit. He looks miserable, almost crying.
STEIN
All right, all right--urb--we give up already! (barfs) May
we go home and clean up now?
TAZIO
Please do.
Behind TAZIO, the villa port opens, Rabbi AMOS waves, knowing the
danger is over.
AMOS
Lords, lords, please come back to the feast!
IMMANUEL
Well, all of this certainly has whetted MY appetite.
138 INT. LONG BANQUET TABLE, sumptuously laden with
traditional Jewish foods. There are many guests seated. At the head of the
table stands IMMANUEL. TAZIO sits just to the left. An
American evangelist, REVEREND SHAME, stands and speaks.
R. SHAME
May we offer the first toast to our Guest of Honor--the
Cosmic Groom Himself, Lord Immanuel. LOCHAIM!
GUESTS
Lochaim! Cheers! Prosit! Skål¹
IMMANUEL
Thank you, friends...but we would not be continuing this
celebration were it not for my good friend Tazio--as you all
have seen. Let us toast Lord Tazio DellaTerra: SALUTE!
GUESTS
Salute! Mazel tov!
(whispered) Kid doesn't know what's going on...
CU TAZIO taking a sip of wine, hearing the whispers.
WHISPERS
1: So that's the Antichrist Immanuel is peddling.
2: Seems quite capable...
1: But he's not Immanuel!
3: They say he's a sexual neuter and in love with Immanuel.
IMMANUEL
Won't you break bread with us, Tazio?
TAZIO
But you know that I don't eat. Haven't in years.
IMMANUEL
Ah, but you were becoming more human, remember?
TAZIO
Humans NEED food, nor can they taste the Deaths of what they
eat, as I can: the butchered flesh, the ravaged grain.
IMMANUEL
Ah, but I say that taste is of Sacrifice, which is to be
appreciated. --But here, if you must be a fussy eater...
IMMANUEL points to a spot just above his open right hand. There
is a flash of light out of which a round bun materializes and
drops into his hand.
IMMANUEL
...MANNA from Heaven. No death-taste in this. Try it,
you'll like it.
GUESTS
A miracle! Miracle, miracle!
TAZIO (looking at the manna suspiciously)
Are you "tuning" me again, as you did with the music?
Playing me like a violin?
IMMANUEL
Yes, Tazio. Don't you want me to? Come on, eat it.
TAZIO accepts it, tastes it, his eyebrows go up in pleasure.
TAZIO
Mmm! And now everything else smells so good.
IMMANUEL (leaving)
Well, I'd better mingle. Later.
TAZIO
Maybe I will try some of the fish.
139 INT. Away from the table, IMMANUEL is surrounded by a group
of men talking business. In the background a waiter can be seen
serving TAZIO more food.
OFFICER
Who tipped off the Hagana that you'd be here, Lord?
PRIEST
Yes, who is Judas this time?
ATHELETE
Oh, Lord, who dares betray you now?
IMMANUEL
Never mind. I know who and I forgive him.
R. SHAME (piously)
Forgive his SIN, perhaps, but not his STUPIDITY: you come
this time in power and glory, to wreak vengeance...
IMMANUEL
That has yet to be determined, Reverend Shame.
R. SHAME
Oh, I have faith in YOU, Lord, and I've seen how you handle
that "Antichrist" in Megiddo. You'll win ALL the Tests of
Power, and then...(hands in prayer position)...Apocalypse!
IMMANUEL
Actually, I'm quite impressed by Tazio. You saw how he
mastered those soldiers without harming any of them. He'd
be an ideal leader for the Army of Peace.
OFFIVER
NO, Lord! YOU are our leader!
PRIEST
Only you!
IMMANUEL
But if something happens to me; if I LOSE the ultimate Test
of Power...
R. SHAME
Impossible! You're the Son of GOD!
IMMANUEL
...IF I lose, I want Tazio to take over. Got that?
OFFICER
But...but, how can we follow the damned Beast?
IMMANUEL
Just as you have followed me. I have spoken.
PRIEST
But Lord, for you to lose, that little shit would have to...
R. SHAME
Not so loud--he'll hear us.
IMMANUEL (smiling as he moves on)
Oh, he's already heard every word, Reverend: get used to
that.
140 LATER. TAZIO is sitting alone on a sofa, holding his tummy.
SOPHIA comes over to him, looking concerned.
SOPHIA
Are you all right, Tazio?
TAZIO
Guess I'm not used to eating --urp-- food. But I'm ok.
141 LATER. SOPHIA and PETER are standing together, each has a
glass of wine. SOPHIA is looking wistfully offscreen.
SOPHIA
Immanuel certainly is a beautiful man. Think he'd go for
me, mmmm?
PETER
ALL men bloody go for you, Sophia. --But I hope you're not
thinking of seducing CHRIST!
SOPHIA
I don't "seduce" anyone. But I can't help responding to
their lust.
IMMANUEL is now approaching them, smiling.
SOPHIA (to herself)
Mmm--or my own.
142 CUT TO CU TAZIO, sweating, holding his head.
TAZIO
Ohhh...what is this? I can't get sick!
IMMANUEL and SOPHIA come to TAZIO, where he is doubled over with
nausea on the sofa.
IMMANUEL
He needs to lie down. I have a guest room down the hall...
TAZIO (slightly delirious)
no...NO! I don't dare sleep...hell...
143 INT. BEDROOM. TAZIO is being laid upon a bed. He is naked,
revealing his sexlessness, just before SOPHIA covers him with a
blanket.
TAZIO (delirious)
...Satan waiting for me...if I sleep...
IMMANUEL
No, Tazio, you're safe--under MY protection.
144 EXT. NIGHT. VILLA viewed from outside. A bright star on the
horizon.
TAZIO (offscreen)
...under...protection...isn't that The LUST I smell? So
tired...
IMMANUEL & SOPHIA (offscreen)
Goodnight, Tazio.
FADE OUT.
145 WTV NEWS BROADCAST.
ANCHORMAN
...the political and economical upheavals of the last 3 days
continue to sweep the entire world: as of today, wars have
been declared by USA, Germany, Japan, Australia, Canada,
Lichtenstein...
TV MAP of ISREAL, which is an ISLAND now, texted "WTV WAR
REPORT" A sign showing "Israeli Attack" with an arrow pointing south
to Gaza.
...Israeli soldiers invaded the Gaza Strip today. This is
the first border conflict on the Arabic Mainland since
Israel became an ISLAND 5 years ago. Also in Israel
today, the Mysterious, flashy "Armageddon Festival"...
VIEW OF MEGIDDO, NIGHT. From the stage of a Rock Concert,
musicians going berserk, CROWD of millions also berserk, night
sky full of fireworks and solar fingers.
...continues into its 3rd wild night. It seems to be a
passion-play-rock-concert-sporting party! Gambling is
happening big here, and from all reports, drug abuse and
sex-orgies.
VIEW OF CROWD. Live coverage, night. Weeping, praying,
hysterical people.
There seem to be many who believe this event to be the REAL
Apocalypse...
ARCHIVE SHOTS, DAY: INDIVIDUALS: A Buddhist Monk, a
Rastafarian. A Hell's Angel with marijuana tattoos. A spy in trench
coat. Passing in the background unnoticed, TAZIO passing one
way, MICHAEL the other.
...and some very interesting personalities have shown up...
ARCHIVE SHOT of IMMANUEL.
...among them the 27 year old American who plays the part of
"Christ", Immanuel Godson. --Actor? Magician? Terrorist?
Messiah? Who is this enigmatic man?
LIVE COVERAGE. VIEW from in front of the VILLA. A TV reporter is
pointing at the crater, which is still smoking.
Word Television Network Reporter Todd Wiley found him at a
private party on the outskirts of Nazareth this evening...
146 INT. VILLA, Banquet Hall. IMMANUEL is seated on the sofa before
a WTV camera, a reporter points a microphone at him.
WILEY
...Mr Godson, do you actually believe yourself to be Christ?
The "Lamb"? The Son of God?
IMMANUEL
You have said it.
146a FADE FORWARD
WILEY
...well, so then, how can we change the world?
IMMANUEL
By changing yourselves.
146b FADE FORWARD
IMMANUEL
...die for your faith; it's strong
--kill for your faith, it's wrong.
WILEY (stunned, experiencing enlightenment)
Why, this guy IS Christ! Omigawd, is anybody writing this
stuff down?
147 FADE IN TO DAWN, EXT. VIEW OF VILLA. The black
HELICOPTER is still parked in front, but most of the cars are gone.
148 INT. BEDROOM, morning light. TAZIO still lying in the bed,
covered, just beginning to stir.
TIGHT CU TAZIO's face, eyes just awakening. Lying on the
pillow. Lots of hair. So much that TAZIO is tangled in it,
confused by it. There are also teeth lying on the pillow.
Eyes widen in surprise. Holds up hand: the fingernails are all 6
inches long.
TAZIO rises up from the bed, naked body shrouded in the hair that
has grown so long overnight, and looks into a full-length mirror.
Is amazed.
TAZIO has become female.
(As a girl, her name becomes TAZIA.)
TAZIA
Merda! This won't do! I'll change back to...to...
Although...(poses prettily before the mirror)...maybe
Immanuel will LIKE me like this.
Who knows? I might even BE his own Cosmic Mate.
149 LATER, same room, DOOR OPENS. YUZBASHI enters, followed
by PETER and ADRIAN.
YUZBASHI
Tazio, are you...? By Allah's balls!
ADRIAN
Who is that?
YUZBASHI
It's...or is it?
TAZIA has had a shower and is wrapped in a large terrycloth towel.
She is clipping her long fingernails short.
TAZIA
Yeah, I turned into a girl. Have you seen Immanuel yet?
ADRIAN
He...he's already gone into Megiddo, as we...should...
TAZIA (shaking the floor-length hair back)
Where's Sophia? Maybe she can help me with all this hair.
YUZBASHI
She...uh...went with Immanuel.
PETER
She's in love with him, you know.
ADRAIAN
Yes, we'll (sigh) miss her.
TAZIA frowns, turns from them and takes a pair of scissors to her
hair. She incautiously clips off huge chunks.
TAZIO
Has she...changed sides?
PETER (looking sad)
Who knows?
ADRIAN
Poor girl--can you imagine how confusing it must be to be in
love with CHRIST?
150 CUT TO HELICOPTER zooming almost recklessly into Megiddo.
151 INT. DAY. TEMPLAR TENT. The TEMPLARS are gathered, chanting as
TAZIA and the 3 DISCIPLES enter.
TEMPLARS
Ave! Ave! Ave Lady Tazia!
Captain JERZY bows to TAZIA. The HEAD is just behind.
TAZIA
You don't seem surprised by my transformation.
JERZY
It is as the Head foretold.
HEAD
All goes according to the Great Satanic Plan! --Templars,
Servants of Satan: can you feel the presence of The LUST?
JERZY is sweating now, breathing heavy, as are the TEMPLARS
behind him. They are all, in fact, getting pretty excited.
JERZY
Yes! The Lust!
TEMPLARS
1: Yes (groan)
2: I want...
3: We want...
4: We want her to...
5: ...to fuck us!
Many: The Lust! Of her! For her!
TAZIA
STOP that! --Templars: I COMMAND each of you not to feel
that for me!
JERZY (wiping sweat, clutching crotch)
Yes, Lady. --whew!
TAZIA
Now: Captain Jerzy, is Sophia here?
JERZY (calm now)
No, Mastress.
ADRIAN (sweating)
Uh, Tazio, maybe you'd better command US that too...you're
just so CUTE that...
PETER
Unless maybe you'd like us to...?
YUZBASHI
Please?
AFTER, 3 DISCIPLES looking relieved.
ADRIAN (wiping sweat)
(gasp) That's a relief!
YUZBASHI (shedding a little tear)
Although bitter-sweet.
PETER
Whew! Uh, any clue as to what that Contest will be?
JERZY
That is the Committee's secret until noon. But they have
sent this for you to wear, Mastress. (offering a stack of
folded black clothing)
152 EXT. NOON. At the CONICAL ALTAR.
The CROWD surrounds, but only TAZIA and IMMANUEL stand in the
circle, on opposite sides, facing away from each other. Each
wears a long cloak, one white, one black.
153 Upon the CONTROL PLATFORM, AHAZVERUS and MICHAEL
are ready.
AHAZVERUS (amplified)
The Third Test of Power as ordained by the Committee: an
overland obstacle race. West to the sea and back to
Megiddo. 56 kilometers.
154 TAZIA takes off her cloak and stands ready to run in black track
suit, shorts and sleeveless shirt, revealing her now-girlish figure.
CROWD
1: Look--he's a GIRL now!
Many: Girl? ...fille! ...madchen! ...mujer!
...flikka! ...woman! ...ragazza! ...bint!
TAZIA does the classic one-hand-up-to-the-hair female pose.
TAZIA (mental voice)
Has HE noticed?
IMMANUEL turns his head slightly. He hasn't looked at TAZIA yet,
but he's aware of everything.
IMMANUEL (telepathic voice)
Really, Tazio, I know you love me, but isn't this going too
far?
TAZIA (turning, insulted, telepathic)
What? --YOU did this to me, Asshole! Your manna, your
wine...
LOUDSPEAKER
Get ready, get set...
TAZIA (telepathic)
...your kiss.
LOUDSPEAKER
...GO!
155 TAZIA and IMMANUEL start RUNNING side by side down a
corridor through the CROWD that stretches away over the horizon. The
CROWD ROARS.
Racing into the camera, they pace one another.
TAZIA (telepathic)
Well, you're actually going to run against me? Or is this a
trick? A solar finger is waiting to...
IMMANUEL (tp)
No. I've insisted upon an honest game. But then you go
and...here's the first obstacle!
A high stone wall looms up before them.
TAZIA (tp)
An honest game? We'll see...
Without a pause, TAZIA scales the wall like a squirrel, leaving
IMMANUEL behind.
TAZIA (tp)
...especially as I EXIT Megiddo...
156 TAZIA runs alone now, the CROWD thinning out around her,
past the last tents. The ground begins to slope up into the hills.
TAZIA
...and can use the Urr!
A charge of Urr-light flickers beneath her feet, at first weak,
then very bright. She begins to glow as she runs.
TAZIA (shouting gladly)
Got it!.
Laughing, TAZIA accelerates like a rocket up the hill, a cloud
of dust in her wake. She tops a mountain and comes to an almost
sheer cliff on the other side. There is a panoramic view of a
valley. Helicopters follow above..
Without pausing, she leaps off the cliff and drops hundreds of
feet to the rocky ground below.
TAZIA
Wheeeee!
She lands easily and continues running across the valley.
157 CUT TO view from open helicopter. There is a PILOT and a
CAMERAMAN, tracking her with a TV camera. The motor and blades
make a lot of noise, they have to use an intercom to talk.
CAMERAMAN
Goddam! She's pulling away from us!
PILOT
That's impossible! (looks at instruments) We're doing 97
miles an hour!
157a TAZIA comes to another sheer cliff on the other side of the
valley, this time going up. She climbs as fast as she runs,
glowing with Urr-power.
At the top she comes to a ravine a hundred meters wide. There is
a checkpoint where several REFEREES wearing baseball caps and
dark sunglasses check off the time, then point to the next
obstacle.
A thick TIGHTROPE stretches over the span.
TAZIA
Oops. Can't use Urr here.
She senses something, looks over edge, down into the deep ravine.
Two men, half-hidden, wait with telescopic rifles.
TAZIA (mental voice)
And those snipers down there KNOW that. Another "obstacle"?
Well, I don't want them shooting me--or Immanuel...
She locates a huge BOULDER weighing many tons, lifts and balances
it effortlessly over her head, and walks to the edge of the
ravine with it.
The REFEREES step back in awe and fear.
TAZIA (calling down)
Hey, boys!
157b CUT TO VIEW FROM BELOW: She tosses the BOULDER, which
goes crashing down into the sides of the ravine, breaking smaller stones loose.
The two SNIPERS toss their rifles and run, even as TAZIA dashes
across the TIGHTROPE above.
158 CUT TO: UNDERGROUND, CAVERNS, tunnels running
every which way.
TAZIA runs through without slowing down.
WALKIE TALKIE #1 (offscreen)
Maze checkpoint: Beast is blasting through--seems to know
the way.
159 CUT TO: EXT. DAY. CROWDED STREET SCENE, town of Zikhron.
People waiting for sight of the racers. Helicopter overhead.
WALKIE TALKIE #2
Zikhron checkpoint: Beast passing over town fast...
FROM STREET BELOW, looking up, TAZIA is seen leaping across the
street from one building roof to another, and is gone.
WALKIE TALKIE #2
...avoiding crowded streets.
160 CUT TO: VIEW FROM SHIP OFFSHORE. Camera crews, referees.
TAZIA springs like a dolphin, out of the water and onto the deck.
She slaps the checkpoint contact and turns to leave. Food and
water are offered to her but she passes it by, leaps back into
the sea and swims toward shore.
WAKLIE TALKIE #3
Turnaround checkpoint: Beast Arrived/Departed, on way back
to Megiddo. As of yet, no sign of Immanuel.
161 EXT. DAY. CLIFFSIDE overlooking coastline.
IMMANUEL climbing down, deftly, athletically, but not with
TAZIA's speed.
TAZIA comes up to the same level with a spring.
IMMANUEL
Hi, Tazio.
TAZIA (stopping to talk)
You're just coming down?
CU IMMANUEL, sweating, breathing heavily. He's in good shape,
but also having a real workout.
IMMANUEL
Hey, I don't have the Urr, Tazio. gimme a break.
TAZIA
It's Tazi-A now, and no breaks; I'm out to save the world.
IMMANUEL
Well, may the best man win.
TAZIA
Very funny. Ciao.
162 EXT. DAY. VIEW FROM MEGIDDO. The CROWD is waiting,
looking toward the hills. Two helicopters are approaching.
WALKIE TALKIE #4
The Beast is already approaching Megiddo.
A corridor opens in the CROWD and TAZIA comes running at
incredible speed.
CROWD
1: Already? 52 kilometers?
2: Scheisse! Look how fast she runs!
3: Wow, she's a great looking chick now!
4: Yeah, dude!
TAZIA runs across the magic border of Megiddo and her Urr-glow
sputters and dies out. Her speed drops off at once, lacking the
power to drive it. She almost stumbles.
TAZIA (mv)
Whups! Just lost the Urr!
No matter, I'm only 5 kilometers from the finish. I could
WALK it from here and still win.
She runs at a more human rate of speed, still very fast, not
tired yet. Through the corridor of shouting, cheering, booing
people. REFEREES point the way.
There is a dark open doorway in an ancient ruined building, she
runs inside, as indicated.
163 INT. Half-dark STONE HALLWAY, turning to the right at the end..
TAZIA runs to the end.
TAZIA
But I'm not falling for that Tortoise & Hare trap, I'll run
all...oh oh!
When she turns at the end, she is stopped by a door of iron bars.
TAZIA
Merda.
163a VIEW FROM OUTSIDE. TAZIA comes to the bars and looks out.
MICHAEL is standing beside the door. The CROWD watches.
TAZIA
What is this?
MICHAEL
Obstacle.
TAZIA tries to bend the bars with all her strength.
TAZIA
Gnaaaaahh! No use--I can't budge it without the Urr.
MICHAEL (smugly)
I could...but then you're just a weak slip of a girl now.
Tee hee!
TAZIO
Really? Will you please evacuate this area?
TAZIA disappears back into the dark tunnel. MICHAEL frowns, then
calls after her..
MICHAEL
What are you going to do?
TAZIA
Simple: back-track to the Urr and send a little Earthquake
to rattle this building asunder.
MICHAEL (smiling wickedly)
Oh, allow me.
MICHAEL runs at the side of the building and crashes his shoulder
into it. His enormous bulk and strength buckle the stone wall.
INSIDE, the tunnel collapses in front of TAZIA as she would pass.
She leaps back to keep from being crushed by the great blocks of
stone.
Back at the barred door, she confronts MICHAEL.
TAZIA
Michael, you've trapped me here! Isn't interference against
your Rules?
MICHAEL
Not this time--the final obstacle you must pass is...ME!
TAZIO (shouting to CROWD)
I COMMAND you people to FREE me!
The CROWD reacts to TAZIA's power, surging forward.
CROWD
Yes, Lord-Lady! Ay-wa! Hai! Ja! Oui! Si!
MICHAEL (also shouting to CROWD)
And I command you NOT to!
The CROWD stops, staggers. People shudder, spin, drop, go into
convulsions.
TAZIA
Michael, you can't do that! You'll short out their brains!
MICHAEL (unconcerned)
Yes. You'd better save them.
TAZIA
I CANCEL my order!
People in CROWD are released from their conflict, stagger around
gasping, holding or shaking their heads.
CROWD
1: What just happened?
2: Holy shit, that was weird!
3: For a second I...but I'm all right now.
MEANWHILE, MICHAEL is watching the people, and TAZIA is
concentrating on a junction of the parallel and vertical bars.
Tiny sparks swarm from TAZIA's eyes, the junction begins to glow
red hot, then white hot.
MICHAEL turns, sees what is happening and shouts a magic curse.
TAZIO shouts a magic defense.
SPARKS fly around the doorway as magic forces clash, spells being
shouted each against the other, but neither able to break through
the other's defense. They both give up.
TAZIA
GARGOYLE! Come to me!
MICHAEL (giggles)
O silly girl, you've not even CONQUERED the Dragon yet.
TAZIA (determined)
I MUST not lose this test of power, Michael.
(concentrates) Hrrr.
MICHAEL
What? Was that supposed to be "The Lust", child? Ha ha ha!
--Ha! How cute, how innocent...
(reacting) Gnnnnah! --Do you know what you're doing,
Tazia? I'm a male AVATAR!
TAZIA
Yes, and I'm a female Avatar.
MEN IN CROWD are sweating, holding their crotches, groaning, and
leaning toward TAZIA.
MICHAEL
I'm not sure you know what that means. --I'll show you.
MICHAEL lunges for TAZIA inside her cage, smashing through the
iron bars. She moves back just fast enough to avoid his hand.
CU MICHAEL, sweating, eyes rolling up, out of control.
MICHAEL
It means angelic sex. Oh mm. (pant wheeze, drool, slobber)
TAZIA (dodging him again)
How can an Archangel be so disgusting?
MICHAEL
Angel, devil, all the same...
MICHAEL turns very fast, grabs TAZIA, rips her clothes away in
one sweep, and his own with another.
MICHAEL
...when it comes down to The LUST!
TAZIA is spread out naked on the ground and MICHAEL is ready to
rape.
ANTON (offscreen, behind MICHAEL)
Oh, Michael?
MICHAEL (glancing back)
Hrrr?
ANTON, dressed in a bathrobe, just out of his deathbed, kicks
MICHAEL's big fat naked butt.
MICHAEL
OYK! (sounds like a pig with a Japanese accent)
MICHAEL sprawls on his belly.
ANTON offers naked TAZIA his bathrobe, standing skinny and frail
in just shorts.
ANTON
Make your run, kid! I'll (cough) hold him off.
MICHAEL (getting up already)
Not likely, old one.
TAZIA
Anton, I...
ANTON (sweating)
Run, kid! Before I (sniff) start to rape you myself.
ANTON turns to take on the approaching MICHAEL, who is twice as
big.
MICHAEL
Oh, Anton, you old fart--you're no threat any more.
MICHAEL straight-arms ANTON and the older man crashes backwards
to the ground, and lies there, groaning.
Blocking the doorway, MICHAEL stands triumphantly over TAZIA,
who sits looking up at him, docile and pretty.
MICHAEL
Aren't you even going to TRY to run? --I'd like that.
TAZIA
Sure...(stands up close in front of MICHAEL)...but first
let's finish what we started. (moves even closer)
MICHAEL
Huh? (hopeful look in his eyes) You mean...?
TAZIA (seductively)
I mean old Anton was interfering. I wanted to get close to
you...
But then TAZIA spins around and jabs her tail into MICHAEL's
chest. Sparks fly. MICHAEL staggers backwards.
TAZIA
...so that I could zap you with my tail. Don't you know how
Anton GOT old?
MICHAEL reels, but recovers, holding his headache, squinting from
one eye. TAZIA faces him, with ANTON lying on the ground right
behind her.
MICHAEL
Clever bitch. --But not clever enough--I've prepared a
spell against that. All you've managed to do is make me
ANGRY!
TAZIA
I know that, but it gave me the chance to reach Anton--and
touch HIM with my tail. But this time I'm giving back the
Avatar-energy the tail took from him before.
Her TAIL touches ANTON's foot. Sparks.
ANTON's eyes suddenly open wide and he gasps as his old vitality
returns with the impact of an electric shock. His muscles bulge
with strength.
He rolls easily into a combat position, obviously full of power.
ANTON
Ha ha ha ha--I just knew you'd fix me up, kid. --Now,
Michael, where were we?
ANTON springs and straight-arms MICHAEL with a superhuman blow
that smashes the huge Archangel backwards off his feet, and the
battle of the giants is on, smashing the stone building in
superhuman ferocity.
TAZIA grabs Anton's bathrobe and heads for the door.
TAZIA
Have fun, guys--I've got a race to run!
164 EXT. SUNDOWN, outside the ruin. TAZIA comes out the
doorway as she ties the bathrobe closed and is about to really start running
when she notices IMMANUEL sitting on a block of stone beside her.
TAZIA
You're here! Have you already won?
IMMANUEL
No. I've been waiting for you.
I promised you an honest race: there's 4 kilometers to go,
no tricks, no Urr, just you and I. Are you game?
TAZIA
You're on!
IMMANUEL springs off the block and together they face the open
corridor through the CROWD. They NOD to one another and start
off slowly, pacing one another, then faster, faster.
CROWD (thunderously)
GO! GO! GO! GO! GO!
They are running flat out now, faster than humans ever could, two
Avatars at full speed. But IMMANUEL is taller, male, and begins
to pull ahead slightly. Half a meter...
165 CUT TO FINISH LINE: IMMANUEL, leading by one meter, breaks the
ribbon.
LOUDSPEAKER
Here they come! --And the Winner: Lord Immanuel!
165a CUT TO VIEW OF SCOREBOARD with the crowd hopping and
cavorting beneath it. Cross:(changes to) 3, Pentagram 0.
CROWD
All: H A L L E L U J A H ! ! !
1: We good guys win again!
2: Praise the Lord!
165b CUT TO CU TAZIO, looking defeated. Behind her we see IMMANUEL
being congratulated and interviewed up on the CONTROL PLATFORM.
IMMANUEL (telepathic)
I'm sorry , Tazia. If you hadn't become a girl you might
have had a chance.
TAZIA (telepathic)
I know. --And now if I lose ONE more contest the world will
be destroyed.
166 EXT. EVENING. Sun just set, glowing red against a dark blue
sky. tent city of Megiddo lighting up, CROWD milling. VIEW FROM
CONTROL PLATFORM. AHAZVERUS speaking to CROWD via
microphone & loudspeaker.
AHAZVERUS
The Fourth Test of Power is to be determined by popular
choice: The Committee will accept proposals until midnight,
to be voted upon at noon tomorrow. --Upon which, being the
Sabbath, there shall be NO contest until the NEXT day,
allowing for any elaborate preparations.
CROWD
1: Poker? 2: Billiards? 3: Hockey?
4: The $64 Question? 5: Charade?
6: Come on, something EXCITING, flashy...
7: Uh, war? 8: Did you say "war"?
9: Guerra? 10: Krieg? 11: Harp?
7: Yeah, War! MANY: War war war!
GUY LISTENING TO A GHETTO BLASTER
Hey, did anyone else hear that on the radio? About the
NUKE in Jerusalem?
167 INT. NIGHT. TEMPLAR TENT. TEMPLARS and HEAD waiting
for TAZIA and ANTON to show up. They are grumbling, morale is low.
JERZY
Lady Tazia must win ALL of the next four contests or the
Game is Lost.
TEMPLAR # 1
But as a girl, she's weaker, slower...
DISGRUNTLED TEMPLAR
Yeah, she'll LOSE them all.
HEAD
The Great Satanic Plan cannot fail! All this is to make our
"holy" opposition arrogantly overconfident.
DISGRUNTLED TEMPLAR
"Arrogantly Overconfident"? And why NOT?
JERZY
Sergeant, punish that Templar for irreverent speech against
the Head.
SERGEANT (shrugging, defeated)
Punish him? HOW? We may not HURT anyone!
SEVERAL TEMPLARS
She comes! And...and...the Grand..(incredulous)..Master?
ANTON ENTERS TENT ahead of TAZIA. He is swaggering with power
and pride, wearing only his shorts (TAZIA still has his
bathrobe), posing to show off his muscles, and grinning like a
fool. He has a black eye, but shows no other sign of battle.
TEMPLARS
MANY: Ave, Anton! Way to go! AVE!
1: He's back to supernormal!
2: Well, at last a good sign!
The 12 beautiful WOMEN of Anton's COVEN come rushing to ANTON
and fondle his muscles, giggling and smiling, pressing their
bodies onto his. They are glad to see their Lord back in sexy
form.
ANTON
Now calm down girls, must take care of business before
pleasure--Templars: arrange an orgy. (to TAZIA) Kid, we
have to talk.
TAZIA
I guess.
168 INT. ANTON'S TENT. Just ANTON and TAZIA changing clothes.
ANTON (lecturing)
Odds are the next contest will be a War between the forces
of Christ and Antichrist.
TAZIA
Yes, I picked up on that.
ANTON
By now it must be clear to you that your way isn't working,
kid. You've got to release the Templars--and me--from that
silly command not to "hurt anybody". --And then you've GOT
to get into Satan's head. --And stop messing around with
Immanuel!
TAZIA
I did not revitalize you to dominate me, Anton.
ANTON
Perhaps not, "Master", but it is my DUTY to advise. I have
had 500 years of experience; as Tazio you've had...12?
TAZIA
500 years of Evil expertise I can do without. My command
still applies, also to you--if you commit any more
sacrificial murders, I'll make you OLD again.
ANTON
So...you don't NEED me?
TAZIA (smiles a little)
I didn't say that. You were pretty handy against Michael.
ANTON (grins)
Yes, I saved your cherry, kid. Your Lust-trick backfired,
if I hadn't been there...
TAZIA
Oh, I projected the Lust TO you: I knew you'd roll out of
your "death bed" and crawl up behind me.
ANTON
Oh, you're THAT smart, eh? And how did you know I'd crawl
there in time? I WAS dying, you know.
TAZIA
You were faking.
ANTON (grinning, shrugging)
You seem to be handling The Lust better this time, kid.
Don't you feel it yourself?
TAZIA
Oh, I feel it, but control it. It's different as a woman.
It's more specific, more...exclusive.
ANTON (sweating, grinning seductively)
Exclusive...yes...to those worthy of our carnal glory, our
sexy new bodies. Oh, Tazia...?
TAZIA (amused)
Sorry, Anton. Not you.
ANTON (serious)
Immanuel is making a fool out of you. Seducing you into
being "his girl".
TAZIA
As you have tried to?
ANTON
Yes, well, at least I would have USED your sex, he won't
even do that.
TAZIA (shyly)
Maybe he will.
ANTON
Ha ha ha ha--no, it's too sad--haw haw haw! Poor Tazia. --
Well, I'm going to the orgy. Ta ta.
TAZIA
Remember my command.
ANTON (nonchalant)
Oh, sure, kid.
ANTON EXITS. TAZIA alone, now dressed in a snug black sleeveless
v-neck jump suit, kinda sexy. She turns her head as if hearing
something.
TAZIA (suddenly looking up)
What?
RADIO VOICES
...in Jerusalem today...nuclear bomb...
169 CUT TO TV BROADCAST. Video, poorly lit, of RAMUD,
a Palestinian Terrorist, face masked in bandana, sitting before an INTIFADA
poster and technical drawings of Russian H-Bomb, Cryllic text.
RAMUD
...we of the Fanatic Arab Coalition have positioned a 50-
megaton Hydrogen Bomb in Jerusalem, to be detonated in 48
hours if the State of Israel does not meet our demands:
immediate dissolution of the Jewish State and establishment
of Palestine Rule...
TV images of Israeli combat jets flying in formation.
NEWSCASTER
--The Israeli Air Force is on Red Alert, airborne and armed
with nuclear warheads intended for major Arab capitals if
the Tel Aviv bomb is exploded--Cairo, Alexandria, Beirut,
Algiers, Damascus, Tripoli, Baghdad, and Tunis are targeted:
if the Jewish world goes, so does the Arab world...
CU TAZIA, frowning.
TAZIA
That's too much! I'm butting in. Jerusalem is only 90
kilometers away...
(telepathic) Immanuel: do you telep?
TAZIA hurries into the main tent. The orgy is in progress, there
are bodies writhing everywhere.
TAZIA (mental)
Immanuel doesn't respond.
ADRIAN comes in from outside, very agitated, waves to TAZIA..
ADRIAN
Tazia: have you heard about Jerusalem...?
170 EXT. NIGHT. BLACK HELICOPTER just lifting off. TAZIA
and 3 DISCIPLES can be seen inside. We can hear their conversation
from outside.
YUZBASHI
But can we enter Jerusalem airspace? The Israeli Air
Force...
TAZIA
Nobody ever messes with Anton's 'copter.
ADRIAN
How do you plan to find the bomb, Tazia?
TAZIA
I sense radio waves: a critical mass of radioactive isotopes
is like a signal beacon to me.
171 ARIAL VIEW, NIGHT, directly over Jerusalem. Streets are brightly
lit and jammed with automobile traffic.
PETER
Will you bloody look at that traffic jam!
ADRIAN
Everyone wants OUT of Jerusalem!
171a INTERIOR VIEW OF HELICOPTER. Faces lit from beneath.
They all peer down.
TAZIA
You pilot, Yuzbashi. I need to concentrate on turning in on
the bomb.
YUZBASHI
[Arabic] Ay-wah. (yes)
TAZIA
There's something to the south...
They fly past a tall hospital building.
TAZIA
...no, just a hospital, medical isotopes...fly west.
Hey, Peter, turn on the radio, please.
RADIO BROADCAST
...the United Arab Front has threatened to shoot down
Israeli fighter jets circling over the Mediterranean, armed
with nuclear warheads...the United States has intervened for
Israel, offering to defend the fighters in the interests of
world peace...China has now declared that if the USA takes
action in the Middle East, they will support the Arabs with
nuclear weaponry for the sake of world peace...36 hours
remain until the deadline for the Tel Aviv bomb...
TAZIA
And I've only got 30 hours before the 4th test of power back
in Megiddo.
172 EXT. MORNING. ELEVATED VIEW OF JERUSALEM. The
BLACK HELICOPTER flies onscreen, pulls up hovering midscreen.
172a INT. HELICOPTER
TAZIA
I've got a feeling...drop me off in the Moslem quarter.
172b EXT. VIEW FROM ABOVE HELICOPTER down over tightly
packed rooftops and streets 80 meters below. TAZIA has the door open
and is looking down.
YUZBASHI (offscreen)
We can't land here.
TAZIA
This is fine--I'll call when I need you.
She casually springs out of the helicopter and drops the 80
meters to the street below.
173 CUT TO STREET LEVEL VIEW. There are several BYPASSERS:
Arabs & Jews, women shopping, men walking, talking.
TAZIA drops lightly to the street, falling fast but stopping instantly, the Urr
sending out waves of sparks as her inertia is neutralized by the earth.
BYPASSERS jump back, surprised, frightened, some crying out.
TAZIA
Pretend you didn't see me.
BYPASSERS (all)
[arabic/hebraic/english] Yes, Lady!
174 CUT TO a narrow street ending at an abandoned-looking shop building
with door and windows boarded up. TAZIA stops to regard the building.
TAZIA (mental)
The tape was recorded on this block...there!
175 INT. DAY. CELLAR, only light sunshine from upstairs, shadowed
by TAZIA descending.
RAMUD, the masked TV terrorist is tied to a chair, dead. On the wall
behind him are the Intifada poster and the Russian H-Bomb schematic,
revealing that the video recording was made here.
TAZIA
He WAS expendable. --Hmm, I can't seem to scan what happened
here... merda, just like LAST time I was in Jerusalem.
CU RAMUD. TAZIA pulls the bandanna mask open, revealing a dark bullet
hole in RAMUD's forehead, dried blood, tongue out, flies swarming.
[all following conversation between TAZIA and RAMUD is in arabic]
TAZIA (pulling up Urr)
I command your heart to beat, your flesh to heal...your
voice to speak.
RAMUD twitches as the Urr pulses through his dead body, then he coughs
and is alive, although still in bad shape.
RAMUD
...it(gag) ...it(cough) ..it(sob) ...itbah al JAHUD!
TAZIA
Where is the bomb?
RAMUD
...itbah al jahud, itbah al jahud, itbah...
TAZIA
Bomb.
RAMUD
...itbah...
TAZIA (mental, in english)
Lots of brain cells blown away. Being dead all day didn't
help either. --I'll have to rewire his neurons around and
hope not to scramble too much memory.
TAZIA touches RAMUD's head. Sparks. RAMUD continues to rave "Itbah
al Jahud" ("Death to the Jews") in a trance, then jerks as some brain relays
connect, and rambles madly. He stares zombie-like as tears run down his face.
RAMUD (arabic)
[Mama!! TUNIS...school...friends...? Oh, beautiful
Naimi! Oh, rejection, heartbreak...but then...the CAUSE:
I...I, Ramud of...Tunis, swear to MARTYR myself for
the destruction of Israel....]
TAZIA (arabic)
[Ramud: where is the bomb?]
RAMUD
[I don't know. It was supposed to be in Tel Aviv, but they
betrayed us. And...didn't they kill me? Mama! Naimi!]
TAZIA
[Who are "they"?]
RAMUD
[Mama...Naimi...conspiring...international intrigues between East
and West, Arab and Jew, Allah and Shaitan--"They" offered us a
bomb stolen from the ex-Soviet arsenal to use as Allah inspired us-
said they believed in the Fanatic Arab Coalition...but there were
problems--the bomb was delivered and assembled...but the Plutonium
core did not arrive...TONIGHT, they said.]
TAZIA
[When tonight? Where?]
RAMUD
[I don't remember. Tunis?]
TAZIA
[I command you to remember.]
RAMUD
[Yes, now I remember--I died a martyr--is this Paradise?
Are you one of my houri? --Oh, I hope so, I want you doggy
style--erk!]
Impatient, TAZIA pulls RAMUD to his feet by his bandana, shaking
and slightly choking him.
TAZIA
[The Plutonium!]
RAMUD (startled, frightened)
[A..a Russian-trained Lybian should bring it into Jerusalem
this evening--don't know how, where, when, why or for whom!]
TAZIA releases RAMUD, who staggers away, frightened and confused,
reaching inside his military jacket for something.
TAZIA (mental)
I have to wait for it to arrive tonight--then I can sense
it to track it down. --I can't get any more information
out of this clown...but what should I DO with him? He is
dangerous. I'd better rewire his persona...
RAMUD (mumbling)
[Mama, Naimi, in Tunis...]
RAMUD pulls a plastic bottle out of his jacket as TAZIA ponders,
screws off the cap, and DASHES A FLUID into TAZIA's face.
TAZIA (surprised)
...merda!--ACID!...
TAZIA concentrates her telekinetic powers upon the fluid spraying
into her face; and the droplets coagulate into a jello-y blob
floating just before her eyes. She looks relieved.
But RAMUD slaps the blob with his left hand and it explodes into
TAZIA's face.
HISSING, FUMES. TAZIA folds over, her head in a cloud of SMOKE.
RAMUD holds his left hand up, also smoking, and SCREAMS in pain.
RAMUD runs up the stairs and away, as TAZIA straightens up, revealing in
CU her horribly burned face, her eyes dissolved.
TAZIA (mental)
Cancel pain. Neutralize the acid. Now...merda, I'm blind.
She is quite calm. Turns her head calmly in the direction RAMUD went.
TAZIA (mental)
And he's escaping...now I've lost his psychic signal--what
have I done to his brain? --I'd better catch him.
(reaching out, she pulls up the Urr) Urr. Heal.
She glows with power, but does not heal. She becomes less calm.
TAZIA (mental)
What's wrong? I'm not healing! How can that be? --Heal!
HEAL!!
TAZIA drops blind to the floor in despair.
TAZIA (mental)
Oh no...NO! I'm blind...ugly...now I'll lose everything:
the Bomb...(boo hoo hoo)...the Fourth--and thus FINAL--Test
of Power...(sob)...and...and...
A shining mental image of IMMANUEL superimposes over TAZIA's
ruined face.
IMMANUEL (telepathic)
You called?
TAZIA
Immanuel!
176 CUT TO EXT. VIEW OF JERUSALEM.
(offscreen Telepathic conversation)
IMMANUEL (telepathic)
I sensed that you were nearby, Tazia.
TAZIA (telepathic)
Where are you?
IMMANUEL (telepathic)
Jerusalem. Apparently we've both traced the bomb
to...Tazia, are you HURT?
176a IMMANUEL stands regarding the abandoned shop with boarded
windows. The door is open and dark.
TAZIA (telepathic)
Yes.
IMMANUEL (telepathic)
I'll come to you.
TAZIA (telepathic)
No! I don't want you to see me...like this!
176a IMMANUEL descends the stairs to the cellar where TAZIA sits
holding her face away from him.
IMMANUEL (spoken voice)
It's only flesh, Tazia. I'll see beyond that.
He turns her around, holds her tenderly, looking into her ruined
face.
IMMANUEL
Oh, you poor thing. --Heal.
IMMANUEL passes his hand over TAZIA's face, and with the passing she
is healed--more than healed--she is more beautiful than before. She looks up
at IMMANUEL with her new eyes.
TAZIO (calm)
I can see again, thank you...how do I LOOK?
IMMANUEL smiles and offers her a hand to help her to her feet.
IMMANUEL
You look good, Tazia.
Her clothes are burned almost away by the acid, so she is only wearing the
flimsiest of rags, revealing her femaleness. Her tail swishes like a cat's as
she is pulled to her feet.
TAZIA (flirtatious smile)
Oh, do YOU think so?
IMMANUEL
Believe me, you're my kind of girl, you little bitch--now,
come on, we've got an H-Bomb to find!
177 EXT. DAY. Narrow street in the Old Town, Marketplaces,
Bazaars. IMMANUEL and TAZIA walking briskly.
IMMANUEL
...I knew somehow to come directly to Jerusalem--but
something prevents me from using all my powers here--as if
the place is CURSED,
TAZIA
For me too--I can't scan, I couldn't even heal myself. But
I do have that clue about the Plutonium this evening. --And
we'd better find Ramud as well, he's dangerous.
IMMANUEL
Maybe we'd better start with buying you some new clothes.
TAZIA (looking down at her near nakedness)
Oh, that. Doesn't matter, people can't even SEE me unless I
let them.
IMMANUEL
Well, you're letting ME!
TAZIA looks over at IMMANUEL. A single drop of sweat rolls off his brow.
She smiles, pleasantly surprised.
TAZIA (teasingly)
I thought you saw beyond flesh.
IMMANUEL
Well, yeah--here's a shop.
177a They enter a stall in the Bazaar with dresses hanging out. TAZIA takes
one down and inspects it.
TAZIA
Well, I am kind of bored with black--maybe some bright
colors...a cute top.
TAZIA comes out of a changing booth wearing a skimpy little skirt and halter
set. She does a photo-model pose, her tail waving.
TAZIA
Is this ok?
IMMANUEL
Too sexy.
TAZIA
I'll take it. Pay the man, Hon.
IMMANUEL
Yes, dear.
178 LATER, still in Old Town, they walk through crowded streets.
TAZIA dances and swirls a bit, to experience how her skirt flutters. MEN turn
around to watch her; Arabs, Hassidics, tourists, all are attracted to the sexy girl
in the skimpy clothes.
IMMANUEL
So how do you like being a girl, Tazia?
TAZIA
Oh, I like it, but I'm not sure how to react to it yet. --I'm
much more emotional: just before you healed me, I was as
afraid for my beauty as my vision...
Several sweating MEN approach TAZIA. She waves them off.
...Nix, guys... but I really don't want all these men to lust
after me like they do.
IMMANUEL
Sounds pretty normal to me. But you were totally
promiscuous as a boy, why not now?
TAZIA
Was I? It's different now: I was the powerful male then.
But there are no mortal MEN who can be powerful to me.
Only another Avatar... like you.
IMMANUEL
Are you saying that you desire me sexually, Tazia?
TAZIA
I'm not sure. Maybe. How about yourself?
IMMANUEL
Maybe me too, but I am faithful to that Cosmic Mate of mine,
you know.
TAZIA (sly)
Found out who she IS?
IMMANUEL
No, but...I think it may be Sophia. There's something magic
there.
TAZIA (hurt)
Oh.
IMMANUEL
Sorry.
TAZIA
But...but Sophia's not been faithful to ANY "Cosmic Mate"!
IMMANUEL
Hey, I forgive sins.
TAZIA
Sins? But she's not even responsible for what she is--she
was just some poor, fat, murdered housewife I remade.
IMMANUEL
As was her Karma. Tell me, don't you love Sophia too?
TAZIA
Well, yeah,, sure. She's wonderful. I'm just...jealous.
IMMANUEL (taking TAZIA's hand)
Tazia, I love you as well.
TAZIA (looking down)
But you love everyone.
IMMANUEL
Oh, listen to yourself.
TAZIA
Yeah, pretty silly.
179 They come to a wider street.
TAZIA
We're on the Via Dolorosa. Can you remember this as Jesus?
IMMANUEL
You bet: "Way of Pain" it was indeed, I...Wow, I just
remembered something else..
...I remember seeing YOU here, through time, 2000 years into
the future; dressed as you are. It was one of my visions.
Then again, as I hung upon a cross... but you were male then,
dressed differently.
TAZIA
Well, I "spoke" with you on the cross years ago, on my first
trip to Jerusalem. It was the only place I could scan you.
IMMANUEL
Try now. It was down this way.
TAZIA
I have trouble scanning here...no, there it is; big crowd,
Roman soldiers, a man with a log on his back...yes, it's
Jesus, coming this way...
SCENE of JESUS bearing the cross superimposed over modern street.
IMMANUEL
It's hard to remember this part: I was in the Spirit.
TAZIA
Want to see it? Take my hand.
IMMANUEL
No.
A ghostlike JESUS passes before TAZIA, who watches..
TAZIA
He's here...stopping...looks at me...
IMMANUEL
What do I...what does HE say?
TAZIA
Nothing...he looks pretty out of it--wait...
JESUS stops in his procession and looks TAZIA. Roman soldiers
pull him along by a rope around his neck, the cross-spar seems
heavy, ancient disciples weep and wail beside him.
IMMANUEL (not seeing JESUS)
Now I remember, I--he said...
JESUS
I recognize you, o vision of the Apocalypse, for I am with
you even now. --And what must you sacrifice when..?...Oh
no! Not that!
(to MARYs; mother & Magdalene)
Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but for yourselves
and your children! For behold, the days are coming...
They are stopped before a shoemaker's shop, and out walks a young
AHAZVERUS, only 40 years old 2000 years ago. He is angry.
AHAZVERUS
Away from my shop with your ranting, Yeshua--you are a false
prophet.
JESUS
After so many signs and wonders you still doubt me,
Ahazverus?
AHAZVERUS
Illusions! Magic tricks! The TRUE Messiah would prevail
over this evil by the power of God. (indicates crucifixion
procession)
JESUS
As I shall.
ROMAN CAPTAIN
Come on, move along.
AHAZVERUS
LIAR! And I was a fool for having ever believed in you!
AHAZVERUS slaps JESUS, whose arms are bound upon the cross spar.
ROMAN CAPTAIN
Hey!
JESUS has had a hard day and loses his temper.
JESUS
Then YOU shall BE my proof! One last little trick to amuse
these bloodthirsty fans: (announcing) Ahazverus may NEVER
DIE, but shall wander the earth forever until the very
Apocalypse. (he is shoved) Amen.
The ROMAN SERGEANT who roughly shoves JESUS on his way also
pushes AHAZVERUS back and almost over.
ROMAN CAPTAIN
Back off, little Jew, you're interfering with Law and
Order.
AHAZVERUS (shaking fist)
Damn you, Yeshua!
JESUS turns, to speak to TAZIA, his cross spar bumping the ROMAN
CAPTAIN hard enough to knock him off his feet with a loud
"Ooof!"
JESUS (to TAZIA)
You know, I don't really HAVE to take this crap from them.
There is a difference between a victim and a sacrifice.
The ROMAN SOLDIERS are trying to pull JESUS along by the rope
they have around his neck, but although 5 men tug with all their
strength and weight, JESUS stands like a tree, totally
unaffected.
ROMAN CAPTAIN (getting up)
Sergeant, get somebody ELSE to carry the cross spar! He's
dangerous!
BACK TO NOW, TAZIA is watching the invisible procession walk on
down the Via Dolorosa.
TAZIA
...he's continuing on out to Golgotha...out of sight now...
IMMANUEL
Life is too short: we'd better find that bomb.
TAZIA
But Jesus said something about what I must sacrifice...what
did he..?...just a moment.
ADRIAN (radio voice)
Helicopter calling Tazia!
TAZIA (mental voice)
I read you, Adrian. Go ahead.
ADRIAN
Anton called; he needs the helicopter in Megiddo.
180 CUT TO INT. HELICOPTER. 3 DISCIPLES, ADRIAN
speaking into a mike, radio carrying TAZIA's voice.
TAZIA (radio)
Take it in, I'll be here all day anyway. Out.
PETER
Her voice sounds bloody weird.
YUZBASHI
Mu'akkad, that's not her voice, but brain waves on a radio
frequency.
181 CUT TO RAMUD, EXT. DAY, walking the streets in a modern
part of Jerusalem. He looks totally insane, lurching along, his acid-burned
hand stuffed into his jacket. People passing by turn to look at him.
He is mumbling.
RAMUD
Tunis Tunis. Jerusalem. Tel Aviv. Bomb.
182 EXT. DAY. TAZIA and IMMANUEL walking up on the old wall
that surrounds Jerusalem. They are passing before Al Aksa Mosque.
TAZIA
No sign of the bomb--or Ramud. We've been all over town
now.
IMMANUEL
Yes. It's odd: usually the Holy Spirit reveals whatever I
need to know.
TAZIA
Perhaps Jerusalem IS cursed--by all the religious conflict
over WHOSE Holiest of Holies it is. According to scriptures
the Temple of Israel must stand right there where Al Aksa
Mosque is, so actually the Dome of the Rock should be
removed before the Apocalypse can happen.
IMMANUEL
Actually, that's right. Let's take a break.
183 EXT. DAY. STREET CORNER. They are EATING falafel, standing
at a booth among others who pay them no attention.
IMMANUEL
Well, you seem to have all your appetites back.
TAZIA (enjoying, nodding)
Mm-hmm! Thanks to you. Mm!
IMMANUEL
We can only wait it out until evening. Some friends have an
apartment in the Christian quarter...
184 INT. DAY. MODERN APARTMENT, slightly expensive.
No one present.
The DOOR OPENS, ENTER IMMANUEL and TAZIA.
IMMANUEL
...I usually stay here when I'm in town.
TAZIA
Nobody home?
IMMANUEL
No, they're all in Megiddo right now. --One o'clock: let's
check out the news.
IMMANUEL picks up a TV remote control, aims and fires, and the TV
comes to life.
WTV's JOHN ANCHORMAN is reporting. A back screen shows fighter
jets in the air and the text: CRISIS.
ANCHORMAN (TV)
...no shots have been fired as yet but with 29 hours until
the Tel Aviv deadline, international tension is screwed up
to Apocalyptic hysteria. "A hell of a lot of firepower
going amok."
Meanwhile, that epic Armageddon Festival is still going
strong and reportedly preparing a symbolically appropriate
pageant of gargantuan proportions for tomorrow's event...
We are shown what seem to be Crusaders in armour, armed with
broadswords and crossbows, but their eyes glow with inhuman
light, for they are ANGELS. TEMPLARS also prepare primitive
weapons of hand-to-hand combat.
ANCHORMAN (tv)
...a biblical WAR between the forces of "Christ and
Antichrist": 12,000 combatants on each side armed with
ancient weapons, to be fought upon the historical
battlefield of Jezreel...local authorities are concerned
about the possibility of over eager participants...
IMMANUEL
So that's the Fourth Test of Power, by popular demand.
TAZIA
War. Merda. (then looks disbelieving at IMMANUEL) REAL
war? Killing?
IMMANUEL
Nothing else can satisfy the mob, I'm afraid. Thus is
Mankind.
TAZIA
But...but I won't DO that! --Nor can the Dark Templars:
I've forbidden them to harm anyone!
IMMANUEL
Then you shall LOSE the Fourth Contest--and the Apocalypse
must begin, for the time has come to judge the quick and the
dead.
TAZIA
Immanuel, what should I do?
IMMANUEL
Is it wise to ask your adversary for advice?
TAZIA
But I trust you, believe in you--help me, please.
IMMANUEL
I may only advise you to surrender to God's Will.
TAZIA (close to IMMANUEL, head bowed)
Then, may I surrender to YOU? Here and now, Lord?
IMMANUEL
Let us pray.
TAZIA
Pray?
IMMANUEL
You seem reluctant.
TAZIA
I suddenly recall how my mother invited me to pray, then
baptized me with petrol and set me on fire...she did it in
the Name of Christ, who would one day cast me into the Lake
of Fire.
IMMANUEL
Am I guilty of all the evil and insanity done in my name?
You said you trusted me. (holds out his hand)
TAZIA
Yes. Ok. (she gives her hand to him)
IMMANUEL
Let us go up on the roof.
185 EXT. NOON. ROOFTOP of a modern 5-story building. THEY arrive
up the stairs.
TAZIA
Do you actually pray to the Sun?
IMMANUEL
The Sun is the power-heart of the Solar Being, from which I
receive power, as you do from the earth; but I pray to the
All-Father, Jahve, through the medium of the Holy Spirit.
THEY sit upon the roof in lotus-like positions and chant "OM".
IMMANUEL (head bowed, eyes closed)
Father, please enlighten us as to your...(opens eyes, looks
over at TAZIA)...ah!
You're praying to the wrong god, Tazia!
TAZIA
How can that be?
IMMANUEL
You must turn from the earthly to the Solar.
TAZIA
But I am the Earth's persona.
IMMANUEL
Thus you pray only to yourself.
TAZIA (bowing head, trying again)
Our...Our Father, who art in...in...heaven...
THUNDEROUS NOISE, THE BUILDING SHAKES. All of Jerusalem
shakes. TAZIA and IMMANUEL roll around the roof.
TAZIA
...earthquake!
TAZIA plants her feet and tail solidly and pulls the Urr up
through the minerals of the building and then waves her hand over
the city of Jerusalem with great authority.
TAZIA
STOP!
The EARTHQUAKE STOPS immediately.
THEY look over the edge of the building. A large crack runs up
the wall now.
IMMANUEL
The earth is also a jealous god.
TAZIA
I guess this won't be easy.
IMMANUEL
No, it won't...His Will HAS been revealed to me: we two must
battle for the fate of the world...and when I win I MUST
cast you into the Lake of Fire, as written. --Still wanna
surrender?
TAZIA
And if I win?
IMMANUEL
Then there are no conditions upon you, the earth would be
yours. But IF you should win, I would ask a favor of you--
to please take command of my Army of Peace.
TAZIA
Why can't you just command it yourself?
IMMANUEL
Because for you to win, I would have to go to another level.
TAZIA covers her face with her hands and begins to cry.
TAZIA
No no no no no! This is HORRIBLE! I don't want to fight
you at all! --I only want to love you! Boo hoo hoo.
IMMANUEL takes her in his arms and comforts her, TAZIA weeping
into his neck. A brace of fighter jets roar across the sky
behind them.
IMMANUEL
There there, it's only Earthlevel. --Let's go downstairs
and just be together.
186 INT. DAY. APARTMENT LIVING ROOM.
TAZIA
I feel grubby. May I use the shower?
IMMANUEL
Sure. I'll fix us some tea.
186a SHOWER, water running, TAZIA's naked back, tail swaying.
186b APARTMENT LIVING ROOM. IMMANUEL is setting the table
for tea. TAZIA enters behind him, wrapped in a large towel.
TAZIA
Immanuel, I've decided to join battle NOW.
IMMANUEL (turning to look at her)
Oh?
TAZIA
Not against you. But FOR you.
She drops the towel and stands naked, very female.
IMMANUEL
Really, Tazia, don't be silly.
WAVES OF LUST ENERGY radiate from TAZIA.
TAZIA
Silly? I am a female Avatar with the power of the Lust,
baby.
IMMANUEL
You are the baby, one who's been a girl for ONE day, and I
am the 17th incarnation of the Son of Man, do you really
think you can seduce me?
TAZIA
My soul is as old as yours--and I've learned what girls can
do for a horny male Avatar while I WAS one.
IMMANUEL (beginning to sweat)
I do not want this, Tazia--it is wrong!
TAZIA
Wrong? Ah, rather war and world annihilation than sex and
love? Isn't THAT more wrong?
IMMANUEL (crossing arms, turning away)
You know WHO I am and WHAT I am! Now I command you
to stop this!
TAZIA (posing, radiating energy)
And I command you to KNOW me--in the biblical sense.
IMMANUEL (resolute pose)
I know you quite well enough already.
TAZIA
Oh, do you?
She does a HANDSPRING across the room, landing with IMMANUEL's
head between her thighs, toppling him to the floor where she sits
on his chest.
IMMANUEL (quite calm)
Is this rape?
TAZIA
Oh, I hope so.
IMMANUEL
This won't work, Tazia, I mastered The Lust long, long ago.
TAZIA
Maybe not, but I must try for the sake of the world...and my
own selfish inter-whooops!!
IMMANUEL flips her over his head with a deft flick of his legs;
TAZIA whips her TAIL around his feet; he is pulled along and ends
up lying atop of her, wrapped inside her legs.
TAZIA/IMMANUEL (simultaneously)
Fool! Do you not realize what I could DO to you?
TAZIA
You could un-heal me, or wither me with a glance, and I
could crush you with the Urr or--oh, Yeshua, we're both
cyclotrons of cosmic power, why can't we just generate
happiness and joy together?
IMMANUEL
Because...(turning suddenly)...hey! Do you sense THAT? A
wave of public horror...
TAZIA
Yes--something's just happen...merda! Tunis!
TV COVERAGE: Images of an Israeli jet being shot down, releasing
two rocket missiles at a city, a NUCLEAR EXPLOSION.
ANCHORMAN (narrating TV)
...an Israeli jet fighter was shot down by Tunisian air
defenses over the Mediterranean Sea just a few moments ago.
Before the plane crashed it fired two 5-megaton nuclear
missiles into the city of Tunis and the capital city of
Tunisia was disintegrated...
TAZIA and IMMANUEL are sitting on the sofa, both stunned. TAZIA,
still naked, is clutching IMMANUEL's shirt as they watch the TV.
ANCHORMAN (TV)
...this is the first time since Hiroshima in 1945 that a
populated city has been destroyed by a nuclear...
CU TAZIA's eye, a tear, TV reflecting mushroom cloud.
TAZIA
I'm too emotional as a girl--feel it's my fault because I
didn't find the Tel Aviv bomb in time.
CU TAZIA's EYE opens wide in amazement, reflects sunlight.
TAZIA
The Plutonium! I sense it!
She springs up off the sofa, and into action.
TAZIA
Let's go get--huh?
IMMANUEL has stopped her by grabbing her tail. He looks very
businesslike.
IMMANUEL
Not just now. We have to battle first.
TAZIA
Now?
IMMANUEL
You began. But anyway, it is Jahve's Will that we battle
for Jerusalem. THIS is the Fourth Test of Power: You to
destroy the city, I to save it.
TAZIA (scowling)
And if I refuse to destroy Jerusalem?
IMMANUEL
Apocalypse, of course.
TAZIA
What kind of cruel god are you serving, Immanuel?
IMMANUEL
All gods require sacrifices.
TAZIA
If I won't DO it, you can't SAVE it. We're even.
IMMANUEL
It's not that simple: the destruction is arranged for
sundown and is engaging even now.
TAZIA
"Arranged"? Oh oh--sundown; bomb; plutonium; Tunis--Merda:
RAMUD!
187 CUT TO CU RAMUD, looking really insane; shaking, sweating,
weeping, nose running. We hear other voices [speaking arabic]
but see only his face. He is making a rendezvous with the LYBIAN
who has the Plutonium..
RAMUD (mumbling arabic)
[Tunis. Jerusalem]
LYBIAN (arabic)
[Salaam, Comrade., where are the others?]
RAMUD
[Babylon. Babylon.]
188 CUT BACK TO TAZIA, getting dressed, angry.
TAZIA
I won't allow this! You tell "God" he can SHOVE His
Apocalypse--I'm not cooperating anymore! Next He'll
"require" that I eat babies! --I'm going to stop Ramud, and
you can't stop me!
IMMANUEL
If you do that you will fail the test: Apocalypse follows.
Jerusalem will remain, while a myriad of other cities
disappear--nuked, gassed, leveled: call it the "Fall of
Babylon".
TAZIA
That may happen anyway. At least I will have saved the
400,000 people in this one city!
TAZIA is dressed and stands at the door about to leave. She
looks over at IMMANUEL, who stands by the window, hands behind
his back.
TAZIA
Well, are you coming to help? It's supposed to be YOUR job
to save the city.
IMMANUEL
Verily, it is I who must save the city, but YOU may not
leave until we finish our battle.
She gives him a cold look. Reaches for the door handle.
TAZIA
Some Mister Wonderful you turn out to be. Ciao and
fuck you.
Her hand closes on the door handle. ZAP! Big charge of voltage.
TAZIA rocks back, hurt but still standing, holding her burned
hand. Then she swiftly turns to confront IMMANUEL.
TAZIA (angry now)
How do we do this? Physical violence? Psychic brain-burns?
--It's just that I've promised never to hurt anyone, and
you are supposed to turn the other cheek.
IMMANUEL (raising his hand to her)
YOU have chosen the battle: to possess me--physically,
emotionally, spiritually--and I have denied you. It's my
turn to counter-attack....
CU TAZIA, not moving, tears running from her eyes. IMMANUEL's hand
gently touches her cheek and wipes away a tear.
IMMANUEL
...which I do in Love, Tazia. You'll see.
TAZIA is slapped and zapped by some cosmic force. She winces, writhes,
her fingernails and hair grow rapidly longer, sparks, blinding light.
FADE OUT.
190 TV BROADCAST: Images of Arabs rioting in cities all over the
world, soldiers with grim expressions.
ANCHORMAN (narrating)
...the voices of reason are being drowned out by the voices
of rage. The Arab world wants to declare war upon Israel
immediately. Egypt and Lybia announce that they also have
nuclear weapons. Only the holy authority of Achmet Khaddam,
whom Moslems call their Mahdi, has prevented Arab
counterattack--speaking from the Armageddon Festival taking
place in Israel...
TV IMAGE EXT. AFTERNOON: ACHMET being interviewed at Megiddo.
His eyes glow even in daylight. Behind him we see the tent city
and millions of milling people. Among them, off to one side,
ANTON, watching the interview. On the other side we see BUFFONE
with the three priestesses, MARIANGELA, JYTTE and CINDY.
ACHMET
All of this is the Will of Allah being fulfilled--stand back
and watch, or cover your eyes. Do not interfere.
190a CUT TO JOHN ANCHORMAN in the WTV studio. Back screen
illustrating his words.
ANCHORMAN
Israeli spokesmen say the pilot of the downed jet was under
orders NOT to fire his warheads without official command,
but did so in an act of personal revenge. Israel's
Parliament feverishly debates the recalling of their air
force before there is a total holocaust. --But the Tel Aviv
Bomb clock is still ticking, and the sun soon setting on the
last 24 hours before...
192 CUT TO TAZIO in APARTMENT, lying unconscious on the floor
in the tangles of his own hair grown two meters long. Yes, "his" because TAZIO
is male now, which will soon be revealed. His fingernails have also grown 15
inches. He stirs, as if awakening.
TAZIO
Whew! Metabolism...slowing down at last...how long
have I...?
IMMANUEL is standing by the window, looking out at the sunset
over Jerusalem.
IMMANUEL
It's almost sundown.
TAZIO (sitting up fast)
WHAT? Have you neutralized the bomb yet?
IMMANUEL (turning to look at TAZIO)
No. We have to finish our battle, Tazio. --The bomb's part
of that.
TAZIO is standing. He looks at his long fingernails with a TELEKINETIC
glance, and they clip themselves off short. Then he
tears off the "cute top" he had worn as a girl, revealing a very
masculine chest.
TAZIO
I thought you'd already won.
IMMANUEL
Not quite: you were supposed to become negasex--but you
thrust on through to MALE.
TAZIO looks down into his little skirt, then smiles dangerously, as if snarling.
TAZIO
I thought I'd go for the aggressive edge testosterone gives.
IMMANUEL
Good move. But perhaps I have won after all: do you still
LOVE me?
TAZIO
Sure. As you love me: equal points!
IMMANUEL
Spiritually, then...
TAZIO (interrupting)
We don't have TIME for this!
IMMANUEL
This time IS this! Now, spiritually: do you have faith in
me? Accept me as your Savoir? --Will you OBEY me?
TAZIO (hesitating, then asking)
If I say "Yes", I lose?
IMMANUEL
Absolutely.
TAZIO
Then I say "No".
IMMANUEL (sly smile)
Then the struggle continues, ad infinitum.
TAZIO
We don't HAVE infinitum! It is sundown! ONE of us had
better get that bomb!
IMMANUEL
Not until you surrender to...
TAZIO
MERDA!
TAZIO loses his patience, pulls up the URR, and charges towards
IMMANUEL. But he continues on past and crashes out through the
window.
193 CUT TO EXT. VIEW of APARTMENT BUILDING. TAZIO
is diving out from the 5th floor.
IMMANUEL comes to the window looking down.
a SOLAR FINGER swoops into sight above the building and projects a
TELEPORTATION BEAM down at the falling TAZIO--
193a CUT BACK TO APARTMENT: the TELEPORTATION BEAM
shines down from the ceiling, dropping TAZIO to the floor on his back.
TAZIO rolls over instantly and plants one hand firmly on the tile floor. URR
flows up into him. He raises his other fist and cries out a loud sound.
ONE MIGHTY EARTHQUAKE JOLT instantly rattles the room. Furniture
scatters, windows shatter, cracks run across the walls and ceiling.
193b CUT TO EXT VIEW, building, streets of Jerusalem. The quake is over,
but glass is still falling, people are screaming, cars have rolled over in the streets.
VOICES
#1: Help! Help! #2: Boo hoo hoo
#3: I'm scared! #4: ANOTHER Earthquake!
#5: Mommy mommy #6: Anyone hurt?
#7: Run! #8: Where to?
IMMANUEL (offscreen)
Pretty sloppy way to do battle, Tazio!
TAZIO(offscreen)
That was for RAMUD, not you...
193c INT. APARTMENT, looking out over the city. TAZIO points into the
distance, still glowing with the URR.
TAZIO
...he's assembling the bomb right now, I can sense it over
there. I tried to rattle him, but if you prevent me from
getting to him I may have to FLATTEN all that part of town
from here!
TAZIO turns and walks to the door. IMMANUEL steps in front of
him, holds up his hand.
IMMANUEL
Sorry.
TAZIO
Me too. --I didn't want to use my Urr-Strength against
you...
TAZIO pushes IMMANUEL back with such power that IMMANUEL goes
flying across the room, landing in the sofa, which crashes over into book-
shelves. With his right hand TAZIO pushes the door, splintering it apart.
TAZIO
...it's equal to the mass of the planet itself.
TAZIO EXITS.
CU IMMANUEL lying in a pile of books. THE HOLY BIBLE is on one
side of his face, MEIN KAMPF on the other.
IMMANUEL (low, as if to himself)
Of course you're superior on the earthly plane--but that's
not what this is about: *^(%)$_#+@|! (urr-curse)
VIEW of DARK DOORWAY where TAZIO went out.
TAZIO (offscreen, distant)
What? You can't do that! This isn't Megiddo! --Give me
back my URR!
TAZIO comes charging back into the room, leaping it with one bound, and
grabs IMMANUEL by the shirt with both hands and drives him back down
to the floor.
TAZIO
This is madness! That bomb is almost ready to blow--neither
one of us will win this contest if we're both vaporized!
IMMANUEL (calm, knowing)
One of us will win.
TAZIO
You're committing suicide! And taking Jerusalem with you!
WHY? oops...
IMMANUEL flips them both up on their feet with one deft jerk.
Their hands are locked together, they struggle, pulling and
pushing one another.
IMMANUEL
A great sacrifice is necessary: whether mine or thine will
be the JUDGEMENT of mortal combat.
TAZIO
MORTAL? But...but I can't kill you!
IMMANUEL
Not even to save the world? --For if I die the Apocalypse
is cancelled--until I return, of course.
TAZIO
Asshole! And if I die, so does the world? Thanks a lot!
TAZIO kicks like a ninja, but IMMANUEL dodges it effortlessly.
IMMANUEL
You're an adroit fighter, Tazio, but you heart's not in it.
If you could remember your past lives, as I can; of having
been warriors and martyrs, battle skills, combat
experience..
IMMANUEL delivers three perfect blows that send TAZIO staggering
backwards.
They crash together again, TAZIO catches both of IMMANUEL's
wrists, but IMMANUEL raises one finger, which begins to glow with
a HOLY LIGHT.
194 CUT TO TV BROADCAST.
ANCHORMAN
...Europe is afraid: if the Mediterranean is afflicted with
nuclear war, Europe will certainly be contaminated by
radioactive fallout. The United States and China are both
ready to...just a moment...
...a special transmission? From a local TV station in
Jerusalem?
RAMUD comes onscreen, once again masked in his bandana. Behind
him the BOMB is assembled, an instrument panel is lit.
195 BACK TO TAZIO & IMMANUEL: They are sweating, straining
their superhuman bodies to the limit, TAZIO trying to hold back the finger
of HOLY LIGHT. Suddenly TAZIO looks up from their struggle.
TAZIO
Ramud is on TV!
IMMANUEL
Then he's going to do it NOW!
TAZIO releases IMMANUEL and steps back, closes his eyes, assuming
a defenseless position.
TAZIO
Save Jerusalem and yourself, Immanuel: DO what you have to
do.
IMMANUEL.
What I come to DO is end this world and raise a new one.
What have YOU come to do with this world? (whispered)
Pssst: God is listening.
196 CUT TO TV IMAGE OF RAMUD: He pulls down his mask,
revealing his weeping, insane face. He has a black glove on his acid-burned
left hand.
RAMUD
TUNIS! Mamma! Naimi! Boo hoo! --Itbah al jahud!
Jerusalem! Babylon!
195a CUT BACK TO CU TAZIO, who is surprised by
IMMANUEL's question.
TAZIO
DO? Me? --Why, to SAVE the world!
IMMANUEL
To what end?
196a CUT TO TV RAMUD. Now he has an evil expression on his face. He
is about to push a RED BUTTON on the BOMB housing.
RAMUD
Ku'us er-mah, Israel. ["your mother's cup"]
195b CUT TO TIGHT CU TAZIO.
TAZIO
If I were to DO what I should, there'd be an END to the GAME
as it is now played, by political oppression, economic
ruthlessness, and religious fanaticism. The GODS, as well
as Mankind, need to be taught to BEHAVE.
IMMANUEL puts his hand on TAZIO's shoulder.
IMMANUEL
Bless you, Tazio. Now I must cast you into the Lake of
Fire.
TAZIO
Better hurry...
IMMANUEL picks the unresisting TAZIO up in his arms and bears him
toward the window.
TAZIO
...I don't want YOU to die too. 'Bye.
IMMANUEL
For now.
IMMANUEL holds TAZIO outside the window, and opens his arms.
TAZIO drops toward the earth, looking confused.
IMMANUEL
It is done.
196b CUT TO TV IMAGE: RAMUD's finger PUSHES the BUTTON.
An LED indicator begins to flash and bleep a countdown at 59 seconds, 58...
195c CUT TO IMMANUEL looking down. His EYES LIGHT UP with
a HOLY LIGHT and he cries out--
IMMANUEL
!|@+#_$)%(^* (URR counter spell)
CUT TO TAZIO, landing easily on his feet. The URR surges up and
into him.
TAZIO
Huh! The URR! But why...? The BOMB!
196c CUT TO LED COUNTDOWN: 31...30...29...
197 CUT TO TAZIO on the street, running at impossible speed.
TAZIO (mental)
I sense it over there somewhere, but not exactly where. I
can't make it in time, there's only seconds! I'll have to
SMASH it before critical mass is attained.
But all the PEOPLE in the way: I've promised never to...
TAZIO stops, drops to one knee on the street, plants his tail,
raises his fist...hesitates a second.
TAZIO (aloud)
...a child's promise. Time to grow up.
He STRIKES THE GROUND with his fist.
THUNDEROUS EARTHQUAKE, Jerusalem moves, people cry out
everywhere.
VOICES
#1: Yet another earthquake! #2: Eeeek!
#3: This one's BIGGER! #4: Oh no oh no
#5: We're all going to die! Sob!
#6: God help us!
196d CUT TO RAMUD, in a CELLAR. Everything is jiggling
and crashing, the ceiling is giving, dust fills the air, RAMUD can't stay on
his feet, the BOMB is rocking.
CU LED: ...13...12...11...
197a CUT TO VIEW DOWN STREET, showing TAZIO kneeling
and glowing with URR, seismic waves buckling the asphalt before him,
rippling away from him into the distance. Buildings are falling apart, glass
is spraying everywhere, a tower falls, people rolling around unable to flee,
screaming, crunching concrete, explosions.
196e CUT TO LED: ...6...5...4...
RAMUD (offscreen)
Babylon
THE BOMB ROLLS over, crashing around the cellar, RAMUD tries to
escape, wires whip through the air, sparks, dust cloud.
CU LED: ...1...0 CLICKING SOUND.
A FLASH OF FIRE, brighter and brighter.
198 EXT. SUNSET. DISTANT VIEW OF JERUSALEM. Then it is
blown apart by a NUCLEAR EXPLOSION.
199 CUT TO SFX of TAZIO's perception: blazing light waves
streaming at the camera, and then a dark haze, a black hole that grows
and spreads until the screen is black.
(we hear TAZIO's thoughts)
TAZIO
Can even the Urr sustain me through this? No.....
200 CUT TO MEGIDDO: Scenes of characters turning to see the
powerful brightness in the eastern evening sky.
MICHAEL & AHAZVERUS standing together.
MICHAEL
Jerusalem.
AHAZVERUS
I should have been there.
KAPITAN HANS KLAUSER & WARRIORS OF THE MA'WAALUUKI,
just arrived from Africa.
KLAUSER (covers his heart)
Lord Immanuel.
THE 3 DISCIPLES standing in the crowd.
DISCIPLES(synchronously)
Tazia.
201 VIEW OF EASTERN HORIZON OF MEGIDDO. Beyond the
darkened tent city, beyond the hills, The Mushroom Cloud rolls up and up,
lit from within.
SOPHIA (weeping)
No. No.
202 CU ANTON in the TEMPLAR TENT, looking grim. The HEAD
just behind him.
HEAD
Excellent. The Great Satanic Plan is...
ANTON
Please shut up, Baphomet.
203 INT. WOMEN'S TENT. GIRLCHILD stirs, yawns. JYTTE comes
to her, stunned. Behind her, MARIANGELA and CINDY also turn in
amazement.
JYTTE
Look! Our Child is...is awakening!
204 CUT TO INSIDE NUCLEAR HOLOCAUST. A windstorm of fire,
the very ground shredding away, only one thing resisting that force--a
bubble of URR force, TAZIO inside. Or what remains of him, he
too is shredding away, bones showing, flesh disintegrating.
Finally only his TAIL remains intact, the URR flowing up it. But
as the body is ripped apart, the TAIL burrows down into the
ground.
Darkness, URR-glow, rushing silence.
205 SUDDENLY TAZIO is in the FLAMES OF HELL: CU of him
UPSIDE DOWN, SCREAMING in pain.
Then lightning bolts of energy zap out of his eyes and mouth as
the camera moves back, showing TAZIO in the clutches of SATAN,
who is biting TAZIO, eating his pain.
SATAN (stopping to savor)
Ah, the sweet savor of Thermonuclear Death: I love it. I
want MORE!
(then regarding TAZIO hanging limply in his hands) I accept
your sacrifice, Little Tazio, now accept mine: EAT MY PAIN!
TAZIO (struggling)
I made no sacrifice to you, Satan!
SATAN
Oh, but you did--and you shall.. For now you must
sacrifice Yourself so that I may take your Earthlevel
Incarnation, and Win The Game.
TAZIO
The joke's on you, Satan! There's no incarnation left to
take: I was Nuked.
SATAN
All part of My Great Plan, little fool: as your body burned
away, the tail burrowed deep into the earth, safe from the
blast. Thus your Avatar DNA has survived, from which I
am now already growing your new body.
206 CUT TO X-RAY VIEW INSIDE EARTH: TAIL burrowing
down. It stops, curls around. The URR is flowing mightily, and an
EMBRYO begins to form at the base of the TAIL.
205a RETURN TO SATAN pressing TAZIO's face into his belly.
SATAN
Now: eat my pain!
TAZIO
No--mbphf...
IN BACKGROUND: a vast out-of-focus shape has slowly filled the
screen behind TAZIO & SATAN. This is seen to be the DRAGON,
upside-down, filling up the cosmos of Hell, as big as a planet.
DRAGON
No! If I can't have Tazio, neither can you, Satan.
DRAGON swings its immense TAIL, smashing the Hellrock SATAN
& TAZIO stand upon.
SATAN & TAZIO go flying through Hell, driven by the blow, along
with the flaming Hellrock debris.
SATAN
Idiot lizard. Satan rules Hell!..
CU TAZIO, flying/falling helplessly--notices his AMULET falling
along with him, just beside his head. He reaches out, takes it.
Sees that it is now glowing.
SATAN looks to a corner of the Hell-Sky, and Hellrocks begin to
gather there. More and more, as if a planet is growing, which
builds up speed in the opposite direction, back towards the
DRAGON.
SATAN
...I must remind you of that, Dragon.
The PLANET of Hellrocks becomes huge, growing bigger and bigger,
getting faster and faster, flying through Hell like a "bat out
of".
It SMASHES into the DRAGON, coming from behind at colossal
speed, striking with cosmic force, folding the DRAGON over
backwards, breaking its back.
CU SATAN, smiling.
SATAN
I am the best at being the worst. (turning) Now Taz...
TAZIO calmly facing him, wearing the AMULET, which is glowing.
TAZIO
Yes, now..
SATAN
You don't really believe that "compass" will protect you
against me?
TAZIO
No. It only shows the way.
SATAN (as if amused)
My agents, the Hellmen, gave it to you...it's not a
weapon...
TAZIO
No, it's a tool. Come on, let's finish this.
SATAN
Wait...there's something wrong, I...
TAZIO
You commanded me to eat your pain: I obey.
TAZIO takes Satan's arm and bites deeply into it. Sparks.
207 FADE INTO collage of faces corresponding to TAZIO's
narration.
TAZIO (narrating offscreen)
His pain tastes infernally guilty, I don't like it, but I
swallow the Truth of it, which I may no longer deny. I
remember Who I Am. The horror of being evil.
Theron: that little shit--I really WAS him. Merda!
And those other six Satanic Incarnations, Avatar warlords,
playing The Game for keeps--Ba'al of Sodom and Gomorrah;
Abad'don of the Pit; Abraxas who destroyed Poseidonus:
Villains!
And the Demon Mages at the dawn of Man, possessing
forbidden powers--Be'elzebub; Belial; vain Lucifer:
Monsters!
They had each lived vast epic lives of pure evil intention.
Theron's guilt insignificant. --All that guilt, all that sin, and
all that experience: mine now; mine again. --As bad as I'd feared.
And there, millions of years back, when the Godmen
walked the earth, I remember being an arrogant and angry
young god Satan.
208 FADE INTO misty flashback scene, silhouette of SATAN walking
out the fog, into a fantastically lush GARDEN. There are various GODS
and GODESSES working on horticultural projects. ARCHANGEL
MICHAEL is there, and ARTEMIS, VENUS, etc.
SATAN comes to where JAHVE is tending a luminescent marijuana plant.
JAHVE is a silhouette of light in the form of a man, 7 chakras glowing in 7
colors and connected by an arc of lightning, an emerald aura around him.
JAHVE (without looking)
And here come Our old adversary, back on Earthlevel. We see
he has finally taken on an INSPIRED form--much like Our Own-
-except for those clumsy horns and that silly tail.
SATAN
Equipped to WIN The Game, Jahve: let's finish it!
JAHVE
Finish it? Come on, you LOST 30 million years ago, when
your dragons all died, like extinct. You've got nothing to
play with.
SATAN (showing a fist full of snakes)
Wrong! My SERPENTS have survived, and I can evolve them.
JAHVE
Oh? Well, then, you're on!
ARTEMIS walks by, holding a clump of earth with a flower growing out of it.
She is a classic bare-breasted goddess with long flowing hair and glowing eyes.
ARTEMIS
You guys may NOT play so wild this time! Earth was all but
disintegrated in the last game.
JAHVE
Artemis is right, we both should grow up a little: a little
less power, more finesse.
SATAN
Power's what it's all about, Jahve--why, if I had yours...
JAHVE
"If"? If you'd WON it you'd HAVE it, you know. --Anyway,
you challenged Us, so We call the play...hmmm...
...Two Races of "Man", Angelic and Satanic, made in Our
image, but mortal, weak, ignorant. They shall act out Our
interesting new concepts of Good and Evil.
ARTEMIS
And the good guys and bad guys slug it out, toe to toe.
That's REAL finesse, Jahve!
SATAN
Okay, but I get to be the BAD guy this time.
JAHVE (spreading his hands)
Amen.
MICHAEL (etching on a stone tablet)
Who's ready to play?
GODS OFFSCREEN
Yo! Yo!
VENUS
Damn! There goes the Garden!
ARTEMIS
Always the Game, what about The WORK?
SATAN
Butt out, Artemis.
GARDEN FADES into mist, SATAN turns toward camera, into CU.
Sly smile.
SATAN (to us)
So we play The Game again. Jahve, too proud of HIS "man-
design", could only see that I had copied it, not that I had
IMPROVED it: cased within my "clumsy horns" the greatest,
most powerful BRAIN ever, with which to plan outrageous
Evil. Kind of fun, really.
And with my great brain I calculate this moment, Tazio...
205b RETURN TO NOW IN HELL: TAZIO eating SATAN'S pain. He
releases his bite and throws his head back. Lightning arcs between his mouth
and SATAN's arm, but flickers out, the circuit now broken.
TAZIO
Whaouw! --EnoUGH!
CAMERA moves back, they are still flying (floating?) through the flaming void
of Hell, but now we see SATAN as a withered shell of his former self; thin
and frail.
SATAN (desperate)
E-enough? No! You can't stop now.. you have to take it
ALL!
TAZIO
I've had all I can stand--it's like eating dirty laundry.
SATAN (pleading)
You HAVE to take me in--I COMMAND you to be me! I...
TAZIO
Oh, hush. Satan, I've got enough of your pain. I'm
stronger than you now.
(CU) But I've also got your sins! I hate myself. --How
could I have done all that cruelty and destruction and murder
in the name of a "game" between two cosmic BRATS?
TAZIO folds up into a fetal position, giving up.
TAZIO
I can't go on.
SATAN (jerking TAZIO by the tail)
Pull yourself together, fool, you've got to go Win The...
TAZIO (snapping)
I HAVE pulled myself together, damn it! --Now I want to rip
myself apart--starting with you, Satan!
Enraged, TAZIO grabs SATAN by the neck. SATAN smiles madly,
nods approvingly.
SATAN
Yes, yes, eat my pain!
TAZIO
No, wait! I'm NOT yet complete! Maybe there's hope...the
Dragon!
SATAN
Oh no, not the lizard!
TAZIO takes SATAN helpless by the horn and waves his hand at a
HELLROCK which is passing like a flaming comet.
TAZIO
Now I can control the Hellrockoids.
The HELLROCK swings from its trajectory to swoop in under TAZIO's
feet. Once landed, TAZIO points back in the direction he had come from.
TAZIO
Thataway.
The HELLROCKOID takes off, once again a comet, disappearing into
the distance with TAZIO & SATAN aboard.
209 CUT TO: DRAGON, broken upon the great rock SATAN had
cast after it. Millions of PAIN-EATERS of all sizes and shapes are
gorging upon the wrecked DRAGON, which seems unable to defend itself.
TAZIO's HELLROCKOID shoots past, tiny in comparison to the
DRAGON, and loops around.
TAZIO
All the gluttons in Hell are gathering for this feast of
pain. (calls out) BOO!
The PAIN-EATERS flee, frightened by TAZIO.
The HELLROCKOID flies past the DRAGON's huge eye.
DRAGON (weakly)
Tazz...
NOW LANDED UPON THE DRAGON'S HAND, TAZIO BITES.
Lightning flashes as TAZIO eats the DRAGON's pain.
210 FADE INTO: Prehistoric Earth, various species of dinosaurs
wander around, and several that resemble the DRAGON.
A SHAFT OF LIGHT beams down out of the sky. Where it touches the
earth a cloud of DUST explodes. The DRAGON-DINOSAURS look
upon this with surprise and wonder.
Up out of the Dust Cloud levitates the YOUNG JAHVE. He is just a
boy at this time, smaller, voice younger.
YOUNG JAHVE
Hi, Earth-God! I'm Zeus-Jahve, and I've come to play with
you!
DRAGON-DINOSAUR
Play? What are you babbling about, little Solar God?
YOUNG JAHVE
Don't you remember? We agreed to play for domination of
Earthlevel!
DRAGON-DINOSAUR
Oh, vaguely, but that was long ago. And aren't you kind of
SMALL to "play" with me?
YOUNG JAHVE (flying around)
I'm just RIGHT--light, agile, MUCH superior brain-to-weight
ratio, and look: (holds up HAND) prehensile thumb!
INSPIRED design, don't you think?
DRAGON-DINOSAUR
Not as inspired as the Classic Dragon form, masters of...
YOUNG JAHVE (interrupting)
Masters too long! AFRAID to compete?
YOUNG JAHVE flies around the DRAGON-DINOSAUR's head like
an irritating fly, tempting the monster to bite at him.
DRAGON-DINOSAUR
Dragons fear NOTHING, upstart!
211 SHIFT TO SCENE AT END OF WAR OF GODS.
Explosions, flames, mushroom clouds on the horizon, the world is
ruined. TWO wounded DRAGON-DINOSAURs exchange farewells.
FEMALE DRAGON-DINOSAUR
(dying)
The...the Godmen have breached our last defenses with their
Techno-Magic, Lord Tyfon! They've destroyed our culture,
killed all our children, and they'll soon be here to kill
us. Farewell, my beloved husband.
MALE DRAGON-DINOSAUR
(enraged)
All is lost for NOW, but I'll show Zeus-Jahve and his ilk!
I shall return to Earthlevel for a rematch--and revenge! But I
must redesign: next time I will have the superior brain.
Mists roll in, everything is clouded.
TAZIO (offscreen mental)
Is that it? No, wait--another set of memories--from way
back, long before Dinosaurs and Godmen, before LIFE! Slow,
dim, ponderous...
212 FADE TO COSMOS: Black sky, Stars, UNIVERSE. A newly-
formed planet EARTH, a MOON, the SUN.
MOON
Mbf?
EARTH
Uhh...who...calls...me? And...who...am...I?
SUN
Ah! You're conscious at last--want to play?
205c RETURN TO TAZIO IN HELL: His back is toward us. He is
finished eating the DRAGON's pain and is reflecting upon what he has
just experienced.
TAZIO
Poor Tyfon. Poor Satan. Merda: poor ME! --It's all a game
of cheat and dishonor played by KIDS who don't know better!
DRAGON (stronger now)
It'sss not too late, Tazio: breathe in my spirit! I will
give you power. We can take Earthlevel. Take revenge.
TAZIO
No, Tyfon. I have your power, and I do not want the rage in
your spirit. I sympathize, but it is infantile, to no avail.
DRAGON
It will avail the Dragons!
TAZIO
The Dragon souls became human souls long ago. They've all
changed--except you. It's all about change.
DRAGON
Yes! Change! Change BACK!
SATAN
No, it's about AVOIDING change, stupid lizard!
TAZIO
Grow up, you two.
SATAN & DRAGON (in chorus)
Yes, Lord.
TAZIO, who had been looking away from them, turns, surprised.
Both SATAN and DRAGON are bowing to him.
SUDDENLY TAZIO'S AMULET FLASHES.
TAZIO (looking at AMULET)
My compass is calling me to the Court of Dis in the City of
Hades.
213 EXT. HELL. Distant view of the CITY OF HADES; a vast
metropolitan skyscraper slum built upon the flat bottom of an upside-
down mountain balanced upon another mountain peak, steadied by two
colossal black wings slowly flapping against the eternal firestorm of Hell..
TAZIO'S HELLROCKOID flies to it and LANDS.
214 EXT. HELL. COURT OF DIS. TAZIO is facing a
gathering of HELL CREATURES.
TAZIO
Well?
The MINOTAUR points to his mouth.
TAZIO
Ah, yes. I can grant you all the power of speech again.
Speak, then.
ALL HELL CREATURES
(cacophonously)
ME! Me! me me me moi mich memememememememememe...
TAZIO covers his ears at the onslaught of noise.
TAZIO
STOP! Now I recall why the voices of Hell were
silenced! Minotaur: just you speak.
MINOTAUR
A challenger contends you for the Mastery of Hell.
You must respond, Lord.
TAZIO
Merda. No, no. Not interested. Forget it. No more
games! (crosses his fingers as if warding off a vampire)
--I've already lost them all!
ULFO-DEMON (offscreen)
You haven't lost ANYTHING yet.
TAZIO turns to see Ulfo's DEMON standing behind him.
ULFO-DEMON
Ah, but NOW you shall.
TAZIO
Merda: Ulfo's Demon! --But you have been defeated already,
Demon.
ULFO-DEMON
And cast into HELL, where I am--ha ha ha-- Master!
SATAN (shaking fist)
And what makes YOU Master here, Magog? This was MY
domain until Tazio took it!
ULFO-DEMON
It was I who first sent him here, as punishment. Remember,
Tazio? --I who interfered with Satan's Plan--and
reprogrammed Theron into Tazio, to defeat Satan, which I
could not. Tazio, of course, being designed to be defeated
by me! --I who constructed Tazio's Brain; a data-modern
advancement over Satan's overstuffed horns. Smarter,
faster, better.
--I, Ulfo, who was his mentor, who taught him and trained
him, who sent a GOOD Antichrist upon his Armageddon
Quest.
--And does anyone know WHY I did all this? Hmm?
TAZIO & EVERYONE IN HELL
No, why?
ULFO-DEMON
I don't know either! I was hoping you could tell me! ha
ha...reminds me of the Great Cosmic Joke! Heh heh ha
ha...ha...h-rr! Hm! But I can't quite ever remember the
punch line...
..hrRRR! No matter...this is all that matters! (leaps to
Attack TAZIO)--EN GARDE!
TAZIO punches ULFO-DEMON square on the jaw in classic hero style.
The DEMON is driven backwards.
TAZIO
Ah, you're substantial here in Hell, Demon. (punches again)
ULFO-DEMON (hit, but smiling)
It only seems that way. But actually all of this is
symbolic.
TAZIO
Oh, I know that.
ULFO-DEMON (lifted finger, lecturing)
Then you know how powerful "symbolic" can be--my "horns",
for example, symbols of my Evil Will emanating...
ULFO-DEMON turns his head and the horns of light shine right through
TAZIO's chest. TAZIO is taken by surprise.
ULFO-DEMON
...which pierces and penetrates.
215 CUT TO TAZIO's EMBRIONIC NEW BODY taking form
underground. It jerks and a light corresponding to ULFO-DEMON's horn
rays shines out of it. A bolt of URR lightning zaps out of the head toward
the earth's surface.
216 CUT TO CU COMPUTER SCREEN. A warning siren screeched
"HOOOGA HOOOGA!". In the background we see the interior of a
MILITARY BUNKER, red lights, technicians, other computer screens.
TEXT ROLLING UPSCREEN
worldwar cyberlink
standby data check
confirmation 23:58
usa: ready 7090
jpn: ready 9328
nato: ready 0007
cdn: ready 3434
confirmation 23:59
aus: ready 4835
chin: ready 9351
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
incoming order
24:00 27.03.00
code MAGOG
666 666 666 666 666
-----------
VOICE OFFSCREEN
O shit, it's the LAUNCH code!
217 CUT TO: Several Large Warhead Missiles LIFTING OFF.
218 RETURN TO HELL: TAZIO punching ULFO-DEMON again.
TAZIO
You've fired Earthlevel's worldwide ICBM network through
me!
ULFO-DEMON
Oh, only a couple dozen...now, if you'll
just...stop...squirming, I can set them ALL off!
TAZIO
No you WON'T!
TAZIO twists ULFO-DEMON around and gets a grip from behind. They
go crashing through a crowd of MINOR DEMONS & DEVILS.
ULFO-DEMON
You can't beat me, I made you!
TAZIO
The ULFÆ made me, and your holy phases taught me things you
don't remember; like the Great Cosmic Joke; like this hold!
TAZIO gets Full-Nelson.
ULFO-DEMON
HRRRRR!
TAZIO
YOU taught me how to fight demons: "Grab it and DO hang on
until it surrenders!" Remember?
THIS demon will never surrender! Can you hold me for an
eternity?
TAZIO
If I must.
ULFO-DEMON
If you CAN!
The DEMON cries out an ATTACK SPELL. TAZIO counters with a
DEFENSE SPELL. Sparks, fireworks.
TAZIO
I learned the defenses for Evil Magic from your very own
Hellbook, thank you.
ULFO-DEMON
You MOCK me! I'll...
TAZIO
Idiot! You don't even know...oh my God!...hah ha!
ULFO-DEMON
You laugh? This is serious!
TAZIO
Excuse me, I just...got...the (ha!) GREAT COSMIC JOKE!
(pshaw)...it's in the Hellbook...ha ha...oops..
ULFO-DEMON
Good! Laugh yourself silly! Laugh yourself WEAK!
I'm...slipping...free...
TAZIO
Demon: the punch line: hee hee hee---
ULFO-DEMON (suddenly interested)
Hellbook?
TAZIO
--it's (whispering in ULFO-DEMON's ear) pssst psst...
CU ULFO-DEMON: he gets the punch line. Smiles, snickers, guffaws. A
light flashes out of his mouth, brighter and his laughter becomes
louder.
When the light dims, Ulfo's DEMON has transformed into the ANGEL
ULFAEON, whose eyes (including Third Eye) glow with holy light,
and whose aura ripples outward in waves of color. He speaks with
a voice of many trumpets.
ULFAEON (wisely)
But a demon cannot realize that without becoming Realized.
Camera moves back from CU to show that TAZIO's Full-Nelson is now
an embrace, and THEY BOTH LAUGH heartily.
DEVILS & DEMONS shy away from ULFÆON's holy light, hurt and
blinded by it.
DEMON VOICES
Holy light! Ow!
ULFÆON turns to TAZIO.
ULFAEON
Tazio, beloved child, you have passed this penultimate test.
--There remains but one test for you to become the Master of
Earthlevel.
TAZIO
But I am unworthy. I have seen the depths of my own soul,
and I am indeed "the Man of Sin". --I am too Guilty to Walk
the Earth, much less Rule it. Let Immanuel do it.
ULFAEON
Immanuel is no longer on Earthlevel. He was Nuked.
TAZIO
WHAT? But one of us was supposed to survive!
ULFAEON
Yes, YOU: it is your Destiny. The Tail has regenerated your
body.
TAZIO
But...Immanuel dead? O such a SAD Destiny.
IMMANUEL (offscreen, behind)
The price of redemption, Tazio.
DEMON VOICES
Even HOLIER Light! Run! Run!
TAZIO turns to see the shining spirit of IMMANUEL, radiating Holy Light,
with halo and a CROSS OF LIGHT blazing behind him. DEVILS & DEMONS
stampede away, unable to bear the sight of Christ in Hell.
TAZIO
IMMANUEL?
IMMANUEL (spectral)
We have been him, and others. Even as you have been others.
TAZIO
Yes. To my shame.
IMMANUEL
As Tazio, do you repent of your sins?
TAZIO (surprised)
Yes...YES!
IMMANUEL
Then your sins are forgiven. And your Demons are exorcised.
IMMANUEL raises his hand and power flows out thereof. TAZIO goes
rigid, then trembles, caught up in a cosmic transformation.
TAZIO's mouth and eyes wide open become BLACK, and out of them
flows a BLACK SMOKE-ENERGY, which rolls behind him.
The BLACK SMOKE-ENERGY collects in the center of the Court of
Dis, and 7 FIGURES appear, indistinct at first.
When the flow STOPS, TAZIO turns to see what has happened and is
amazed: there stand HIS 7 EVIL INCARNATIONS, no longer a part of
him.
THERON
It's not FAIR!
ABRAXAS
They can't do this to us...can they?
ABAD'DON
...intrigue...
BE'ELZEBUB
Tazio, we'll get you for this!
BA'AL
...plot...
LUCIFER
Next time you come to Hell, Tazio--Look Out!
The 7 EVIL INCARNATIONS wave their fists at TAZIO, but dare not
approach IMMANEL or ULFÆON.
TAZIO
Hey, I do feel better now...unburdened.
219 And TAZIO begins slowly to LEVITATE, drifting up from
the Court of Dis. IMMANUEL & ULFÆON accompany him.
IMMANUEL
Good, for you are to bear other burdens, on Earthlevel. Go
and take them up!
TAZIO
But what about you?
IMMANUEL
I have borne my burden.
TAZIO
And got burned for it?
IMMANUEL
The choice was mine: to Reap the Harvest or buy more time
for a higher quality yield.
Now they are high above the City of Hades, and still rising into
the flaming sky of Hell.
TAZIO
But how could you take JERUSALEM with you?
IMMANUEL
I told you a great sacrifice was necessary. Three Cities:
Tunis, Jerusalem, and one more very soon--Ulfo's Demon has
arranged that.
TAZIO (comprehending)
A Trinity Sacrifice! Enough to open the portals of the
Beyond Between: a Major God could come into Earthlevel on
THAT energy wave!
ULFAEON
You've learned much from your Satanic Experience. Yes, or a
Goddess..
TAZIO
ARTEMIS!
ULFÆON
Clever.
IMMANUEL
A New Age begins--at least we all Hope so--it's time for
Mankind to grow up, or never get to. --As Satan has finally
matured through you, as even Jahve has changed from the
Wrathful and Jealous God to a God of Love, so must Man
mature beyond his own conception of maturity.
Now, Tazio: will you accept the Destiny God has
assigned you--to be The Beast?
TAZO
Yes. I accept my Destiny.
IMMANUEL
Good. Now here's the plan--bzz bzz (fade out)
220 LATER: The 3 of them floating far above Hades. ULFÆON
gives TAZIO's feet a gentle push upwards and TAZIO begins to
accelerate away from him and IMMANUEL.
ULFAEON
Now go! The missiles are flying! Wars raging! Evil is
afoot! Have a good time. --We'll meet again when I
reincarnate in three months.
TAZIO (calling down to IMMANUEL)
But when will...will I see YOU again?
IMMANUEL
When we conclude The Work--or maybe Play The Game. Who
knows?
TAZIO (disappointed)
Oh.
IMMANUEL
Tazio, I am the Spirit of Man, I am in Everyone. Love me in
them. --Bon Voyage, my friend, and the same to your
awakening Daughter.
IMMANUEL spreads his arms out in line with his CROSS OF LIGHT
and they are like wings, he does a flying loop.
221 Now TAZIO is accelerating faster and faster, FALLING UP
OUT OF HELL. He sees IMMANUEL wave his wings once, then fly off
in another direction. ULFAEON does a supernova effect and is gone.
TAZIO (calling out too late)
"Awakening daughter"?
His speed is very high now, streaking up through Hell's flaming
atmosphere, past gigantic SERPENT MONSTERS, PAIN-EATERS,
Hellrockoids, explosions, vortexes.
Suddenly TAZIO BURSTS UP THROUGH THE SURFACE OF THE
LAKE OF FIRE. He is out of Hell now, surrounded by blackness. The
Lake of Fire drops away rapidly, becomes a pinpoint of light.
He drifts upward offscreen except for his TAIL. SUDDENLY the
TAIL crinkles, as if TAZIO had slammed into something. We hear a
solid "OOF!"
222 X-RAY VIEW of TAZIO's BODY buried underground,
between rocks, immersed in sand, seemingly trapped.
TAZIO (mental)
Flesh! I'm alive again. But buried 200 meters underground.
Urr! --Ascend!
The URR fills his body and the rocks move aside for him.
223 EXT. EARTH SURFACE. FLAMING RUINS. Buildings
lying flattened and smashed, metal girders twisted, total destruction.
A HOLE appears in the ground and TAZIO climbs up out of it.
TAZIO
Huh? Am I still in Hell?
No, this is Jerusalem. Still burning 18 hours after
the blast, according to the radios.
All those people, all that history, gone. "Alas
Babylon". I won't let this sacrifice be in vain,
Jerusalem. I vow an END to terrorism and war. And out
of these ashes will arise a NEW Jerusalem.
I'll...wait a minute...what is this? (noticing he still has
his AMULET hanging from his neck) My Soulstone
Compass never existed outside of Hell before!
224 Camera moves into AMULET, which is black and sparkling,
like a night full of stars. We can see the EARTH and the MOON
pictured inside. We approach Earth.
TAZIO (offscreen)
A gift from Ulfæon or Immanuel? Hm, I wonder what it does
here on Earthlevel? --Well, I guess I'll find out
eventually, no time to play with it now...I've got a world
to conquer. Before they lay it ALL to waste.
EARTH almost fills the screen. We see a television satellite
orbiting above it. And we hear the voice of a WTV TECHNICAL
PERSONNEL preparing to broadcast the news.
TECHNICAL PERSONNEL
...satellite approaching Jerusalem window...stand by
reception: 3...2...1...
225 TV IMAGE of JERUSALEM viewed from TV SATTELITE in
orbit. Crater, smoke, buildings flattened. The voice of JOHN
ANCHORMAN is heard narrating the news.
ANCHORMAN (offscreen)
A vast flaming crater is what remains of the Holy City.
Destruction is total 23 miles from the detonation
epicenter. Survivor rescue impossible as millions flee
radioactive fallout...
Now we see ANCHORMAN. Behind him the WTV logo and a
back screen with the text "DOOM" under a picture of Jerusalem's
Mushroom Cloud. ANCHORMAN is slightly disheveled, tie loose.
ANCHORMAN (onscreen)
...an all-too-suddenly, all-too-familiar scene of horror as
of yesterday: 3 Cities in one day annihilated by nuclear
weapons; Tunis, Jerusalem, and now Seapolis in the USA...
CU ANCHORMAN, tears running out of eyes.
ANCHORMAN
...and each seemingly without Human Intention or Reason:
accidents, mistakes, computer errors! We ask "Why"?
--Ask "are we NEXT?" --But the only answers we hear are
cries of "Apocalypse!" "Ragnarok!" "Judgment!"
And in Megiddo, Israel, literally under the shadow of the
mushroom cloud that was Jerusalem, the Armageddon
Festival continues with fanatic resolution...
225a TV IMAGE of Megiddo: two armies are squaring off on the
battlefield, the WHITE and the BLACK. We see ANTON giving orders
to his TEMPLARS, and a POPE instructing the forces of Christ.
...where in a few moments a "mock Biblical War" will begin,
symbolizing a final battle between Good and Evil. --And
futile voices cry out in the wilderness: "Can no one stop
this madness?"
225b TV IMAGE of JOHN ANCHORMAN in the WTV studio.
Someone offscreen hands him a piece of paper.
Uh...just a moment...Jerusalem surveillance reports something
MOVING in the crater...
225c TV IMAGE: view of the flaming landscape that is JERUSALEM.
A shadowy FIGURE is seen moving through the flames. Image
magnification brings it closer, more in focus.
...it looks like...a...PERSON...walking through the molten
slag...wading across a Lake of Fire. But is that possible?
The heat! The radiation! --An impossible image,
flickering, disappearing, reappearing in the storm of fire,
apparently immune to the worst weapon on earth.
225d CUT TO a FAMILY watching the broadcast on TV, MAN,
WOMAN & CHILD. (this is the author's family, a little in-joke)
MAN
Oh my God! Why does that figure make me feel HOPE?
225e TV IMAGE: TAZIO now in black silhouette against the
flames. Coming closer, nearing the camera.
ANCHORMAN(offscreen)
...now emerging from the flames! We can only wait for him--
her?--to reach an area of lesser radiation to find out who
it is. At this moment no reporter could survive an
interview.
He's reached the remote-controlled television camera
unit...he seems to be...wait a minute...he's detaching the
monitor microphone! Perhaps he is going to speak!
226 EXT. DAY. TAZIO stands on the flattened outskirts of the
flaming city, facing a mobilized TV robot vehicle. He has the
microphone in his hand.
TAZIO
Testing, testing...ah, it works, good--hello out there in
Television Land. Now that I've got your attention I'd like
to make an announcement:
I, Tazio, hereby take command of this entire planet.
Of course, I'll have to show come clout to back that up--
three Earth Tremors, everywhere at once...Now!
227 VIEW FROM SPACE: Looking down upon earth. A nearby
NASA satellite goes gliding past in orbit. A gentle but huge THUMP
THUMP THUMP sounds, the EARTH SHIVERS visibly three times.
RADIO VOICES
God! Dios! Allah! Vishnu!
228 TV IMAGE of TAZIO against the background of flaming
Jerusalem.
TAZIO
You see, the Earth is ALIVE, incarnate in me. And I am here
to protect it from YOU. --Think of me as your new Landlord.
I hope to fix the place up so that everything works right at
last, instead of ending up like that CITY behind me: Hell on
Earth.
You guys have got to STOP doing this! So I shall
demonstrate that I do have the AUTHORITY to stop you.
229 INT. N.O.R.A.D. WARBUNKER. Red lights, several
MILITARY TECHNICIANS watching TAZIO on a large monitor.
TAZIO (on monitor screen)
You have an on-line nuclear weapons network which threatens
all life on MY world. DISMANTLE it now--because you can't
control it...
MILITARY TECHNICIAN #1
Hey, he's talking about US!
MILITARY TECHNICIAN #2
Who patched this in?
MILITARY TECHNICIAN #3
Is this guy for real?
MILITARY TECHNICIAN #4
I dunno, but he DID just walk out of Hell!
TAZIO
...someone like ME could break into the data stream, program
any target anywhere--say, MOSCOW--and shoot off some
missiles, easy as...(snaps fingers)...engaged.
The WARNING ALARM goes off with a loud "HOOOOGAAA!
HOOOOGAAA!"
MILITARY TECHNICIAN #3
Launch code!
OPERATIONS MONITORS flash "MAGOG" logos, code numbers roll
upscreen, then "MAGOG" becomes "GO".
MILITARY TECHNICIAN#4
(nose to monitor)
He...he's...DOING it!
TAZIO (on monitor)
...ah, a Big One: 250 Megaton ICBM out of NORAD. Better try
to stop it, guys.
230 EXT. DAY. MILITARY BASE. Horns are HOOOTING, lights
are FLASHING, MISSILE SILOS ARE OPENING. MISSILES are trollying
up from underground, giant scaffolds sliding back. Up in the TOWER, men
are frantically doing what they can to stop the process, but to no avail.
TOWER VOICE #1
Abort! Abort!
TOWER VOICE #2
We CAN'T! Something's overriding the controls!
TOWER VOICE #1
Oh, not again!
TAZIO (radio)
Who knows, if those working in the War Industry got very
BUSY, maybe they could stop it...
231 EXT. DAY. JERUSALEM. TAZIO speaking directly to us.
TAZIO
...maybe they could shut down the whole system before it's
too late.
To those in Moscow: I'm being FAIR--Jerusalem was nuked by
one of YOUR bombs.
It also killed my beloved friend Immanuel, a Christ once
again sacrificed for the Sins of Man. But Man still won't
follow a Christ, so they sent ME.
TAZIO turns from the camera toward the flaming ruins of
Jerusalem. He raises his hand and the URR flows brightly.
Behold: Jerusalem, The Holy City.
A WAVE OF ENERGY flows from TAZIO's hand and ripples along the
ground into the distance to Jerusalem. There is a great "SNUFF!"
sound, a last puff of smoke rolls up, and that vast fire is
simply extinguished.
232 VIEW OF TV FROM DARKENED ROOM. MAN and
WOMAN in silhouette against TAZIO's picture onscreen.
TAZIO (on TV)
I have effected an energy transfer: the heat and
radioactivity has been absorbed into the Earth's Mass.
Jerusalem is no longer dangerous.
WOMAN IN SILHOUETTE
Yaaay! He's neutralized the radiation! Uh...is that
possible?
MAN IN SILHOUETTE
Naw, got to be some kinda sci-fi hoax...(shifting
channels)...but how can it be on every station?
233 CUT TO DARKENED ROOM lit by TV light. Four men in
MILITARY INTELLIGENCE are watching the screen, a bushy-browed
and bespectacled LONG-HAIRED SCIENTIST and 3 GENERALS.
LONG-HAIRED SCIENTIST
I do believe he's just made a Black Hole, gentlemen.
GENERAL #1 (enthusiastic)
What a weapon!! Imagine it used upon a LIVING city!
GENERAL #2 (desperate)
We must HAVE him!
GENERAL #3 (sweating)
Or KILL him!
229a BACK TO N.O.R.A.D. WARBUNKER. The TECHNICIANS
are agitated.
TAZIO (over monitors)
Now, how about a status report on that Moscow Missile?
NORAD Control, confirm!
The monitors flicker and TAZIO's picture is replaced by that of
MILITARY TECHNICIAN #3, who is seeing his own profile on the
monitor, then up at the wall-mounted camera facing him, with its
little yellow light on.
MILITARY TECHNICIAN #3
Uh--what the fu...? We're on live TV!
MILITARY TECHNICIAN #1
Impossible! This is a closed circuit security system!
MILITARY TECHNICIAN #2
Well, SOMEBODY patched us in!
TAZIO (offscreen)
Status please, Lt...Jacoby?
MILITARY TECHNICIAN #3 looks down at his name tag, "JACOBY", then
up at the screen in fear.
MILITARY TECHNICIAN #3
O God...uh...uh..it...it's launched! We couldn't stop it!
Impact in 25 minutes!
234 CUT TO WTV STUDIO, where ANCHORMAN and his
broadcast crew are also watching all of this on their monitors.
TAZIO (on one monitor)
Okay, then: let's check in with the Moscow Defense bunker.
(in Russian) [Moscow Post 712, come in.]
A surprised RUSSIAN MILITARY TECHNICIAN appears on another
monitor.
RUSSIAN MILITARY TECHNICIAN
(on monitor)
Uh...da?
WTV TECHNICIAN
He's on our network, but WE'RE not doing this!
ANCHORMAN
HE's doing it--this "Tazio"--he's manipulating all
Telecommunications over the world--and doing it WITHOUT
equipment!
235 CUT TO INT. MOSCOW WARBUNKER, where Russian soldiers
are also seeing TAZIO on their monitors. (The following dialogue is in
Russian.)
RUSSIAN MILITARY TECHNICIAN
[Are you authorized to be on this channel?]
TAZIO (on monitor)
[You bet, Comrade--status?]
RUSSIAN MILITARY TECHNICIAN
[Classified.]
TAZIO (on monitor)
[Does that really matter just now?]
236 CUT TO MISSILE screaming through the sky, coming nearer,
so near we can see the graffiti written on the hull: "EAT IT RAW!"
RUSSIAN MILITARY TECHNICIAN
(offscreen)
[No...all secrets will be blown away soon--American missile
incoming Moscow. Retaliatory strike in progress. Shit,
we're ALL going to die!]
237 CUT TO TAZIO, facing camera outside Jerusalem.
TAZIO
[Oh, not yet. Your big computer just rejected the Strike
Command.] (then in English) Well, good luck, everybody.
(TV IMAGE CU TAZIO)
I guess you can see why I think we should get WAR off the
streets. --Anyway, I'm kind of busy right now, but I'll
address the United Nations in three days. Ciao.
TV IMAGE GOES BLANK.
238 CUT TO WTV BROADCAST CENTER. Frenzied activity.
The Broadcast Crew is trying to locate TAZIO, who has disappeared
from their monitors.
WTV TECHNICIAN
He's gone Northwest!
EDITOR
Follow him! This is the biggest story EVER!
WTV TECHNICIAN
If he'll let us.
COPY EDITOR
What about Moscow?
ANCHORMAN (to himself)
"Tazio"--sounds familiar. And I've seen him somewhere
before...hmmm...(to TECHNICIAN)...can you play back a tape
of that silly "Armageddon Festival"?
239 EXT. DAY. OUTSKIRTS OF JERUSALEM. No longer burning,
but a flat wasteland of molten and smashed stone ruins. TAZIO, still naked,
is walking briskly away from the city.
We almost don't notice A LITTLE WHITE CLOUD off in the distant
sky.
Something offscreen catches TAZIO's attention, he changes course.
He climbs a pile of rubble that had once been several buildings.
A sign hangs by one hinge, in Hebrew and English: "WHOLESALE
CLOTHING".
With URR-strength he brushes a broken timber aside and descends
into the pile of stones and steel. The weak voice of a JEWISH
MAN can be heard below.
JEWISH MAN (unseen at first)
Eli...eli...la'ma sabach tha'ni?
TAZIO finds him under a chunk of brick wall, which he thrusts
aside. The JEWISH MAN is burned black on his left side, hair and
clothing gone. The right side is that of an old Hassidic Jew,
with long white hair and beard.
CU TAZIO'S HAND: the URR flowing up into it.
The JEWISH MAN sits up, healed and amazed. His burns are gone
and he seems to be a younger man. He looks at TAZIO in wonder.
(Their conversation is in Hebrew.)
JEWISH MAN
[Are you the MESSIAH?]
TAZIO
[Whatever. Anyway, I need your help, so get up.]
The JEWISH MAN stands up, healthy and strong now. They climb up
out of the hole he was buried in. The JEWISH MAN looks around in
awe at the destruction.
TAZIO sees a pair of shorts among the clothing scattered around
the ruined shop and takes them.
TAZIO
[Find survivors--I've given you the power to heal them as I
did you. They will also receive the power.]
JEWISH MAN
[Yes, Lord, but what about you?]
TAZIO
[I've got to hurry to Megiddo and stop a war.]
240 EXT. DAY. HIGHWAY OUT OF JERUSALEM. Cars and
trucks lie about, smashed and rolled, the road is cracked apart, there is
no sign of life except for TAZIO.
He is now wearing shorts, and comes up a hill to the road at a
fast lope. He looks over several cars, but they are all junk
now.
TAZIO (mental)
Actually, I'm cutting it a bit thin--90 miles to Megiddo and
the war starts in a half hour.
241 CUT TO TV BROADCAST: Images of fighter jets chasing
the Moscow-bound ICBM, but it pulls away from them.
ANCHORMAN (offscreen)
...all efforts to abort or shoot down the runaway ICBM
targeting in on Moscow have failed. The 250 megaton nuclear
missile has already crossed the polar cap and is approaching
Russia at Mach 3. Impact is feared in 4 minutes...
242 RETURN TO TAZIO, who is rolling a car over, trying to find
one he can use. He finds melted tires, blown gas tanks. THE LITTLE
WHITE CLOUD seems to be getting nearer.
TAZIO
Nothing but junk! And time is running out. Also in Moscow.
Time for a miracle.
(bows his head, as if in prayer) Immanuel: if you read
me, I can't wait any longer for you to act...(puts out his
hand and pulls up the URR)...I know we need to scare them,
but...
RADIO VOICE (heard by TAZIO)
...the Moscow ICBM has dropped from radar surveillance--it
is believed there has been a malfunction! It's a miracle!
TAZIO (smiles, relieved and satisfied)
Ah!
Now THE LITTLE WHITE CLOUD moves quickly through the sky to stop
and hover over TAZIO. RAYS OF LIGHT shine down, and a gold &
white MOTORCYCLE descends out of the CLOUD, landing right in
front of TAZIO.
TAZIO (surprised)
Immanuel's motorcycle! (looks up at the CLOUD) Thank you!
243 EXT. DAY. HIGHWAY running through the dry rolling hills of
Israel, farther out of Jerusalem. The sound of TAZIO's
MOTORCYCLE approaching at 300 mph, then streaking past with a
loud "ZZZOWW!"
244 TAZIO's POV: Road rushing up at blinding speed, hills, curves,
motorcycle shaking, speedometer over 330.
TAZIO (mental, offscreen)
Bike's FAST: runs on the Power of God!
A road block on the horizon is suddenly approaching very rapidly.
245 TAZIO slides the motorcycle into a dramatic sideways stop
just before a striped barricade across the highway. There are Red
Cross tents and an entire Refugee Camp behind the barricade. MEN
IN RADIATION SUITS are waiting by the road. (They speak Hebrew)
MAN IN RADIATION SUIT #1
[A survivor!]
MAN IN RADIATION SUIT #2
[Looks in better shape than the others.]
MAN IN RADIATION SUIT #1
[We'll see: check him for radiation.]
MAN IN RADIATION SUIT #2 moves toward TAZIO with a Geiger
Counter.
TAZIO (from motorcycle)
[The radioactivity has been neutralized. You can forget
it.]
MAN IN RADIATION SUIT #2
(checking Geiger counter)
[He's right! How can that be?]
MAN IN RADIATION SUIT #1 (to TAZIO)
[Have you seen other survivors?]
TAZIO
[They'll be gathering on the outskirts of what was
Jerusalem. Go there.]
246 CUT TO: inside an open Red Cross TENT nearby where several
NURSES, a bandaged FEMALE PATIENT and a pretty young WOMAN
JOURNALIST from WTV are all watching TAZIO. The JOURNALIST is
talking on a portable radiophone.
WOMAN JOURNALIST (in English)
...on TV? Why, that must be HIM!
247 RETURN TO TAZIO, revving up his motorcycle.
TAZIO
[Now, clear the way! I'm in a HURRY!]
MEN IN RADIATION SUITS (spring aside)
[Yes Lord!]
The JOURNALIST comes running out after TAZIO, tape recorder and
microphone in hand, eager to do an interview.
WOMAN JOURNALIST
Oh, Mister "Tazio"? (coming nearer) Could I ask you a
few...(then stunned)...oh, what a beautiful man you are!
I...I've never...oh...(sweating, blushing)
TAZIO turns to look at her and he too is stunned.
TAZIO (mental)
Hrrr, nice girl! --Oops, The LUST is back!
CU TAZIO, wincing, sweating, struggling with The Lust.
TAZIO (mental)
No! I've just LOST the only one I really wanted!
(aloud, to WOMAN JOURNALIST, but without looking at her)
Uh, no time now--later.
WOMAN JOURNALIST
Ohh, YES Lord!
3 NURSES and the FEMALE PATIENT come running up, also affected
by TAZIO's Lust Power.
NURSE #1
Me too! US too!
NURSE #2
NURSE #3
Lord, we ALL want love...in the midst of this nuclear
terror...
TAZIO revs up the engine and does a motorcycle wheelie to escape.
TAZIO (losing patience)
Merda! ASIDE!
NURSES
Yes, Lord, boo hoo!
249 EXT. DAY. A CROWDED CITY. Lots of traffic, jammed.
TAZIO roars on through town down the center line between lanes,
passing the highway sign: "SHEKHEM & NETANYA".
250 EXT. DAY. Out in the country, traffic is stopped; people
who were fleeing the radiation. TAZIO drives off the road and roars
past them.
251 EXT. DAY. ROAD & ROADSIGN: "MEGIDDO". TAZIO
streaks past so fast we never see him, but the ROADSIGN quivers with
the windblast.
252 EXT. DAY. TAZIO has stopped the motorcycle and is
looking down on the valley of Megiddo from a hillside. The black belt
of night-cloud passes overhead from horizon to horizon. Distantly,
The THRONE of GOD can be seen floating above the crowd.
It is solidly packed with people, tents, cars, trucks, busses.
He can see the WHITE & BLACK ARMIES lined up and ready to begin
their war. But there is no way through the crowd in time.
TAZIO
Merda! I'll never get through THAT crowd! And the battle's
about to begin. --Or...wait a minute--IS it possible? This
road is aligned just right! (looking back and forth) If I
take the hill FAST enough...hm...HOW fast?
(CU TAZIO calculating, then incredulous expression) Six
hundred and sixty six miles an hour...is that a coincidence?
Or a joke?
Can this machine DO that? (turns motorcycle) Why even
bother asking? Better take a long run.
253 VIEW OF ROAD where the hill peaks. We do not see, but
hear the MOTORCYCLE shifting and winding through the gears,
absurdly overdriven, getting louder, coming our way fast.
TAZIO (mental, offscreen)
...6th gear, 333 mph... ...7th, 8th, 9th...where are all
these gears COMING from? 10th...555mph... 11th, 610.5...
12th gear...
The MOTORCYCLE is a blur, shooting past us and arcing into and
across the sky above the valley of Megiddo at 666 mph.
254 VIEW OF TAZIO MOTORCYCLE-JUMPING IN THE SKY.
The tires are burning, white-hot sparks and flames and smoke spray out
of the motor, which has exploded. And TAZIO is grinning like a fool.
TAZIO (shouting)
Wow! What a thrill! YA-HOOOO!
IMMANUEL (telepathic)
Enjoying your resurrection?
TAZIO looks around, sees that he is arcing past THE LITTLE WHITE
CLOUD.
TAZIO
Immanuel?
IMMANUEL's face appears superimposed before the CLOUD.
IMMANUEL
We could have transported you by Solar Finger, but I felt
that a little wind in your hair would do you good. Rekindle
your joie de vie.
TAZIO
My joie de vie is running full blast! Thanks for coming
through on that Moscow missile.
IMMANUEL
Oh, that went quite well: there are advantages to the Spirit
Form--I appeared to many people in many places, all
simultaneously, and led them in psychic anti-ICBM-prayer.
Now the physical part is up to you.
TAZIO
On my way. (raising a finger as he drops out of sight)
255 CUT TO: BATTLEFIELD. Under the night-cloud, the WHITE
and the BLACK ARMIES are lined up and ready. ANTON ARTEMIS, in
a black costume with horned headdress is drawing a shining broadsword.
ANTON
TEMPLARS! Make ready for WAR!
ALL TEMPLARS
Ave, Grand Master!
256 CUT TO CU's of:
PETER
Bloody hell! I don't think our Tazio is going to make it in
time!
HEAD
The Satanic Master shall arrive at the perfect moment and
strike the Winning Blow.
ADRIAN
At least we know he's alive--he was just seen on TV.
YUZBASHI
And MALE now--thank Allah!--instead of a nymphet.
257 CU of THE THRONE OF GOD, hanging in the sky, glowing like
a Holy Rainbow. A FEMALE ANGEL stands upon the cloud beside the
THRONE, arms spread wide.
ADRIAN (offscreen)
It's noon. Look!
FEMALE ANGEL (amplified)
Come: gather for the Great Supper of God--to eat the flesh
of Kings and Captains and Mighty Men...
VIEW OF SKY filling with large birds, an endless stream of them
coming from the horizon.
PETER
Vultures! Millions of 'em!
258 CUT TO: the POPE'S HAND holding a chrome CROSS,
thrusting up as if it were a weapon--which it is.
Distantly, we can see TAZIO & MOTORCYCLE arcing through the sky
toward the BATTLEFIELD.
POPE
ATTACK!
259 ELEVATED PANORAMIC VIEW: the TWO ARMIES
charge across the battlefield towards one another--hundreds of
thousands of would-be-warriors.
TAZIO comes arcing down across this scene, his motorcycle
trailing burning behind him, both dropping towards the line where
the ARMIES will meet.
WHITE VOICES
Kill for Christ! No survivors!
BLACK VOICES
Ave Satanas! We Play The Game!
260 CLOSER IN, GROUND LEVEL: the ARMIES are just about
to collide. TAZIO easily drops to the ground between them, the URR
instantly flashing up into his body. Behind him the flaming motorcycle
crashes down with explosive impact.
TAZIO spreads his arms, in total control of the situation, and
speaks his command in a voice like a thousand trumpets.
TAZIO
S T O P !
The EARTH BUCKLES AND RISES UP beneath his feet, like two plates
being thrust together along the line where the armies would have
met. But they do not meet, they can't: an earthen ridge has
suddenly thrust itself up between them, and all those warriors
are toppled backwards.
And TAZIO, elevated 3 meters above them, is the only one left
standing. He walks along the ridge he has created, surveying the
shambles.
A TEMPLAR recognizes him and calls up to him.
TEMPLAR
What happened?
TAZIO
The war just ended.
261 CUT TO: a TEMPLAR and a CHRISTIAN are lying tangled
together on the ground, CROSS and SWORD lying unused around them,
both stunned and confused.
CHRISTIAN
Who won?
TEMPLAR
I think HE did! (pointing up at TAZIO.)
262 WALKING along the ridge toward the central temple of Megiddo,
TAZIO is confronted by the ARCHANGEL MICHAEL also walking the
ridge towards him. MICHAEL looks quite angry.
MICHAEL
Ta-A-azio! --Interference with The Game is against The
RULES! You're going to be PUNISHED for this!
&*^(%)$_#+@|! (anti-URR spell)
TAZIO, still glowing with the URR, brushes nonchalantly past the
giant sumo god, who is surprised.
MICHAEL
Oops! You've still got the URR?
TAZIO
Forget those old spells, Archangel, I remember the
Counter spells now.
MICHAEL (nervous)
Ah so, you've experienced your Satanic Awakening, then?
TAZIO (walking on past)
I've remembered my childhood, yes.
263 VIEW OF TEMPLE FROM THE CROWD. Up upon the flat
roof a PRIEST is posing for the hologram cameras. TAZIO scrambles
10 meters up the sheer wall and joins them there. The CROWD murmurs,
two young DUDES comment.
DUDE #1
Uh--she's a GUY again!
DUDE #2
WAS he a guy before?
264 UPON TEMPLE TOP. TAZIO has the microphone now.
PRIEST and ANGELS are standing back, afraid of him. The Hologram
cameras are trained upon him.
TAZIO
I have taken over the world today, and I'm cancelling
Armageddon, thank you.
PRIEST (excited)
But you can't just DO that, Antichrist! Not without having
won the Seven Tests of Power, as ordained by GOD!
TAZIO holds the microphone to the PRIEST and waits his turn. He
is obviously Playing The Game now.
265 CUT TO AHAZVERUS on the CONTROL PLATFORM.
AHAZVERUS (into microphone)
Yes, Tazio, the Fourth Test of Power was chosen by popular
demand, and it must be played out, or you will never have
the cooperation of the Avatars.
266 CUT TO CU TAZIO
TAZIO
The Fourth Test of Power HAS been played out--but it was
assigned by God, not Man: Beast to destroy the Holy City,
Son of Man to save it. --Jerusalem is gone. As is
Immanuel. It seems I have WON. Let us have a moment of
silence in respect for his sacrifice.
267 OVERVIEW OF SCENE from above & behind the CONTROL
PLATFORM & SCOREBOARD, looking toward the TEMPLE. The
CROWD is still, silent.
The SCOREBOARD shows Cross 3 to Pentagram 0, but CHANGES with a
ringing cash-register-like "KA-CHINK" to Pentagram 1.
268 On the CONTROL PLATFORM hologram cameras are taking in
everything, AHAZVERUS sits silently, as do the others of the
Christian Team and TEMPLARS. Suddenly REVEREND SHAME runs
forward to the microphone and breaks the silence.
R. SHAME
FOOLS!
(now CU) --Fools! Christ cannot die! He is already RISEN!
He led us in prayer not an hour ago, to destroy that missile
this BEAST fired at Moscow, after he'd MURDERED our hero,
Lord Immanuel, by ANNIHILATING Jerusalem! --Oh, hearken,
sinners: the Forces of GOD will prevail and WIN today!
REVEREND SHAME hands the microphone back to AHAZVERUS with a
smug expression on his face. The others on the Christian Team
clap him on the back, as if he'd played his part well.
AHAZVERUS (into mike)
Ah, thank you, Reverend Shame...now, Lord Tazio, the
Committee accepts that the Fourth Test is YOUR game.
And reallocates today's War to the Fifth Test.
TAZIO
Which I have also won. --Anton: what was the War's
objective?
ANTON, who is also on the CONTROL PLATFORM, steps forward,
smiling wickedly. AHAZVERUS swings the microphone up to him with
a well-choreographed flourish.
ANTON
Why, the same as in The Game, Master: to Take The Field.
TAZIO (CU)
Are there any who doubt that I have "taken the field"? (he
raises his hand, calling up the URR, and points to the
Battlefield) If so, I give you a SIGN.
269 VIEW OF BATTLEFIELD, where the newly-raised RIDGE
divides East from West of the great flat plain. A few stragglers are out
there, gathering up weapons, otherwise it's very still and empty.
There comes a RUMBLING SOUND, gentle at first, but growing in
intensity.
TAZIO (offscreen, mike)
Clear the area, please.
The ground begins to SHAKE. The few stragglers run away. Then
the RIDGE seems to COLLAPSE, the ground shakes harder, motion-
blurring, dust-clouding, the RUMBLE gets louder; overwhelmingly
loud. The field then buckles and RIPS IN HALF along the seam of
the RIDGE and a GREAT CREVASSE opens up in the earth. Volcanic
smoke belches up. Then all is quiet again except for the
bubbling hiss of the earth's exposed core down in that hole.
SEEN DISTANTLY, a TINY MAN runs to the edge of the crevasse and
looks down into it.
TINY MAN (distantly)
It's bottomless!
TAZIO (CU)
Revelations 13:4--"Who equals The Beast, and who can war
against him?" There's your Battlefield.
OFFSCREEN VOICES
#1 Not me, Lord.
#2 Count us out!
#3 You win, Lord!
270 ON THE CONTROL PLATFORM the members of the Christian
Team are rather agitated.
PRIEST
He used to be a pushover: promised his Mother "never to hurt
anyone"...but now--Jerusalem, Moscow--I don't know...
POPE
And all those missiles were launched earlier, including the
one that destroyed Seapolis--did he do that?
R. SHAME
There are still two more contests.
THE POPE is holding his chrome cross in a defensive position and
looking rather worried. ANTON is standing back and chuckling
evilly. AHAZVERUS pushes the microphone at the POPE.
POPE
Uh...oh well, we concede the battle.
SCOREBOARD changes again with that cash-register sound:
Cross 3/Pentagram 2.
AHAZVERUS
Moving right along, the Sixth Test of...
TAZIO
Stop. No more Games. There's Work to be done.
ENTIRE CROWD (thunderously)
B O O O O O O O O O O !
CROWD VOICES
Cheat! Chicken! C'mon, Taz--one more!
It's only two to three!
CU TAZIO smiling as if he has teased the CROWD, gotten the reaction
he expected, now Playing The Game. He holds his placating hands up.
TAZIO
All right then, just to even the score, ONE more little
test. --Ahazverus, go for the Sixth.
CROWD
Y A A A A A A A A A A Y Y Y Y !
271 CUT TO BIKER CHICK & GUY in the CROWD.
CHICK (snapping fingers, doing a dance step)
Wheeee! Viva la party!
GUY (swigging a beer)
Hey, maybe this "Beast" dude IS cool after all!
272 CUT TO HEAD. The 3 DISCIPLES in background.
HEAD
Yesss. Most excellent, Master. Almost all according to Your
Great Satanic Plan.
273 CUT TO CHRISTIAN TEAM. They are confused, in panic.
R. SHAME is looking through the Bible for something they can use,
the PRIEST is shaking his fists, the POPE is wringing his hands.
AHAZVERUS (offscreen)
Loser last game designates next game.
POPE (flustered, not ready)
Uh, we need half an hour to confer.
AHAZVERUS (offscreen)
Granted.
274 EXT. DAY. Outside TEMPLAR TENT. The TEMPLARS
stand in formation as TAZIO and ANTON arrive, walking briskly together.
But the TEMPLARS break with formality and spontaneously raise
their swords in salute, cheering and calling out in enthusiasm.
TEMPLARS
AVE! AVE! AVE! Welcome back, Lord!
Good show, Lord! Our Hero!
TAZIO waves to them offhandedly, conversing intently with ANTON.
TAZIO
Anton: I commanded the Templars to do no one harm--how
could they, or even you, go into battle?
ANTON
(smiling & waving to TEMPLARS) Well, since the enemy was
free to kill us, it was a suicide mission, of course...
(turning to TAZIO, not smiling now)...many of them chose
it. Those who would be Dark Templars cannot live under
that command of yours. They had lived for EVIL, now they
would sacrifice themselves for it.
TAZIO
They may not do that just now. I'm taking over the world,
so I'll need them.
They are passing CAPTAIN JERZY, who overhears this and turns to
his fellow TEMPLARS, announcing loudly:
JERZY
Did you hear that, Templars? Lord Tazio NEEDS us!
TEMPLARS
Us? He does?
At the entrance to the tent, the HEAD waits perched upon its
stand.
HEAD
Master! Awake at last.
TAZIO stops to regard the HEAD, as if he would have simply passed
it by if it had not spoken.
TAZIO
Yes, Head.
HEAD
Over five hundred thousand years I furthered Your Plan, and
now...
TAZIO (interrupting)
Indeed, Head, it has already been too long. But it's just
about over now.
HEAD
Yess yess yess.
275 INT. TAZIO's quarters inside the TEMPLAR TENT. His 3
DISCIPLES greet TAZIO as he enters alone.
PETER
Tazio! It's bloody good to see you alive!
ADRIAN
We'd feared you'd been killed in Jerusalem.
TAZIO
I was. No problem.
YUZBASHI
Tazio, there's some...er...one from....
TAZIO
I know.
TAZIO walks past YUZBASHI and the camera follows him to reveal
KAPITAN HANS KLAUSER, huge German with long blond hair and
handlebar moustache, wearing a faded and tattered soldier's
uniform.
YUZBASHI
...Africa...
TAZIO and KLAUSER meet in physical silence, but carry on a
telepathic conversation.
TAZIO (telepathic)
Well met, Klauser-Self.
KLAUSER (tp)
Wouldn't miss it, Tazio-Self. Nor would the Me'Waaluuki
warriors.
TAZIO (tp)
Good.
BOTH (simultaneous tp)
Let's correlate memories.
They shake hands: there is a spark show of psychic electricity.
Then KLAUSER turns and leaves the tent without a word. The
DISCIPLES watch him go.
PETER
Bloke doesn't say much.
TAZIO
On the contrary, we just updated mnemonic psyches--not much
to discuss after that.
PETER
Who is he?
TAZIO
Me. --Hans Klauser is a psychic copy of myself, thus will
be one of my HEADS in the world government.
ADRIAN
My GOD! If you can do THAT...Presidents, Kings,
Ayatollahs...you could turn them all into YOURSELF!
TAZIO
Sure, but I consider it murder to erase another's persona
with my own. It can only be those 6 others with that
specific Karma. --There are Rules. Got to go by the Book:
"7 Heads, 10 Horns..."
TAZIO turns, sensing a presence behind him. In the entrance to
his tent stand his 3 WOMEN; JYTTE, MARIANGELA and CINDY.
MARIANGELA is presenting in front of her the little GIRL-CHILD,
(ARTEMIS), who stands now awake, wearing a white sleeping gown.
ARTEMIS (CU, smiling)
Hi, Daddy.
TAZIO
Hello, Artemis.
ARTEMIS (offering her hand)
Is that who I am?
TAZIO (smiling, bowing to kiss her hand)
Yes, don't you remember?
ARTEMIS
Not yet. Just fuzzy stuff.
MARIANGELA (astounded)
How do you know she is...THE Goddess?
TAZIO
The Angel Ulfæon told me. And I recognized her...(looking
from ARTEMIS up to MARIANGELA)...from memories of my
Satanic Awakening.
--Yes, it's happened, mother, so you can stop worrying
about it now.
MARIANGELA
But you've not really BECOME Satan...have you?
TAZIO
Satan matured a million years to become me. And endowed
me with great power. But not even I can become the Child I
once was.
MARIANGELA (resignedly)
Who can? Theron. My son...really gone.
ARTEMIS looks up at MARIANGELA and tugs her sleeve.
ARTEMIS
Theron's Tazio now, and that's the son you've got. And he's
got ME, Grandma.
MARIANGELA
Oh, GODDESS, I can't be his mother now--after treating him
so BADLY; murdering him, maiming him...
TAZIO
I'll forgive you if you forgive me for having been Theron.
I remember all of that now: what he--I--did to you. Sorry.
Now, help me take over the world.
MARIANGELA (looking at TAZIO with a sad smile)
Ok.
Behind them, CINDY sniffs and wipes away a tear.
JYTTE steps forward, looking deep into TAZIO's eyes.
JYTTE
We've all come to help you, Tazio, if you'll have us.
CINDY (head bowed)
Please have us.
TAZIO is suddenly shaken by The Lust.
TAZIO (mental)
Oof! Here comes The Lust!
(aloud) Well, I'd love to...have you, girls.
JYTTE feels it too, steps aggressively forward and puts her hands
on his shoulders, pressing her body up against him.
JYTTE
Oh, Tazio! It's so nice that you're MALE again! Rruf!
Hmmmm! I can FEEL it. Can't you, Cindy?
CINDY (shy, hanging back)
Y-yes.
JYTTE
Don't worry, Cindy. We've got him by the balls now. He's
going to NEED us...
JYTTE is sweating. She thrusts her hand into TAZIO's shorts. He
RUMBLES, glassy-eyed with Lust.
JYTTE
...and LOVE us again.
TAZIO (sweating, breathing heavy)
I...ok, I NEED you, but I must be HONEST about love...I
still deeply love...someone else.
JYTTE
Oh, we ALL still love Immanuel, Tazio. But we can still love
you too. It's not so hard. --You always had a good memory:
can you remember how you once loved me?
TAZIO
MEMORY? Ha! I've got a million years of memories to sift
through now that...although, now that you mention it, I DO
remember...
TAZIO's eyes widen as Enlightenment hits. He takes JYTTE's head
in his hands and stares at her in happy wonder.
TAZIO
...that I did... JYTTE!
THEY KISS PASSIONATELY. Psychic sparks explode all around them.
ARTEMIS looks up at them with satisfaction.
ARTEMIS
Ah, young love.
TAZIO & JYTTE end the kiss and look at each other at arm's length,
sweating and squirming with The Lust. CINDY, also sweating,
finally steps nearer.
CINDY
Remember me too? You're going to need LOTS of wives, you
know.
JYTTE
Cindy's right: the Tantric powers within The Lust must be
developed.
TAZIO embraces CINDY, who weeps with relief.
TAZIO
Cindy, I remember you too.
CINDY
O, Tazio, it's been so long!
TAZIO
Yes, it has! Hrrr!
JYTTE
Tazio! There's just enough time!
CINDY
Yeah, come on!
TAZIO
Hrrrr!
The three of them EXIT, rushing into TAZIO's sleeping tent and
close the flap behind them.
MARIANGELA (taking ARTEMIS by the hand)
Better come with me, Goddess.
ARTEMIS is very interested in what's going on inside TAZIO's
tent, sucking her thumb, but allows herself to be led off.
Only the 3 DISCIPLES remain, looking comically abandoned, hands
behind their backs, not sure what to do. They observe the tent,
which jiggles every once in a while. Sounds like "oooo" and
"aaaahhh" can be heard.
ADRIAN
Well, I daresay, our Tazio does seem to have the world by
the...tail.
PETER
Well, as long as he WINS that bloody last test.
YUZBASHI
Inshallah! Otherwise: Apocalypse!
ADRIAN
Then it's good that he's relieving tension.
PETYER
Yeah, good.
YUZBASHI
Anyone seen Sophia?
277 CUT TO: INT. Another tent somewhere. SOPHIA is
passionately weeping, hands covering her eyes.
SOPHIA
Boo hoo hoo. Immanuel, my love.
Behind her, a curtain parts, and ALFREDO comes sneaking in.
He has a psychotic expression on his face and a butcher KNIFE in
his right hand. SOPHIA continues weeping as he approaches her
and raises his knife to stab her in the back.
SOPHIA (not looking)
Go ahead and do it, Alfredo. I want to die!
ALFREDO (angrily)
You DESERVE to die, untrue wife! Whore of Babylon!
Liberated woman. --But worst: you even seduced Christ
Immanuel!
SOPHIA
I didn't seduce him, only loved him absolutely and utterly.
And he DIED in a nuclear explosion.
Along with my also- beloved Tazio! Or "Tazia", as I heard
SHE called herself as a girl. She loved him too, poor
kid--at least she got to die with him. (sob) So kill me.
ALFREDO
Oh? Haven't you heard? Tazio is BACK! And a MAN now!
ALFREDO'S KNIFE has paused, trembling, but it raises for the
killing blow, and comes down hard at SOPHIA.
ALFREDO
Like I am a man now!
SOPHIA (eyes opening wide)
What? Tazio? I must go to him.
SOPHIA moves like an Avatar, too fast to be stabbed. In one deft
instant she is standing and is leaving, holding ALFREDO's wrist,
having effortlessly disarmed him, and drags him along.
SOPHIA
Come with me. He'll fix you up.
ALFREDO (helpless)
S-si, Sophia.
278 EXT. DAY. MEGIDDO. MARIANGELA and ARTEMIS
are walking through the tent city.
MARIANGELA
Whew! I had to get away from all that Lust!
ARTREMIS
Don't you like sex, Grandma?
MARIANGELA
Not with my son, thanks.
ARTEMIS
Oh.
ANTON (offscreen)
Mariangela?
MARIANGELA (turning)
Who..? Oh, it's YOU. Evil Lord Anton: hmpf!
ANTON (grinning wickedly)
Yesss, it is I--the SECOND most Satanic Guy Earthlevel. --
You're still desirable after all these years, Mariangela.
MARIANGELA
I AM an Avatar, after all.
ANTON
Hey, so am I! We should MATE sometime!
MARIANGELA (turning shoulder to him)
O, really? Why? Love?
ANTON
You don't feel the cosmic bond between us? Love, Lust,
Karma: I'll bet you're my Soul Mate.
MARIANGELA
Ha! Is that what you tell all your harem girls?
ANTON
No, I just tell them what to do with my...
ARTEMIS (innocently interrupting)
It's true. --He's telling the truth, Grandma! You were
born twins one time: progenitors of the Angelic and Satanic
races.
ANTON looks at MARIANGELA with a sudden confusion and wonder.
ANTON
Babylonia? Is that you?
MARIANGELA (shrugs)
I guess.
ARTEMIS
It is! And this time you two are going to have a baby. Tee
hee!
MARIANGELA
I thought you only remembered "fuzzy stuff".
ARTEMIS
Oh, my OWN lives are fuzzy, but it's like I've read about
YOUR lives in this really GREAT Comic Book.
ANTON looks down at ARTEMIS in total amazement, for he has just
recognized who she must be.
ANTON
Artemis? Is that YOU?
279 The camera moves back to show the whole panorama of the
Armageddon Festival; people making bets, snack bar tents selling
food, religious groups gathering in groups. Signs reading:
REPENT
TOILETTES, WC, BANOS, DOUCH --
BEST ODDS HERE
SNACK BAR, SOUVENIRS
LAST CHANCE PUB
GET IT NOW
280 INT. TEMPLAR TENT, EXT. TAZIO'S TENT. It is still jiggling. We
can hear sounds of passion getting critical now.
TAZIO (inside)
Ohhhh, Wives...
281 INSIDE, CU TAZIO above JYTTE & CINDY, obviously having
three-way sex, but not clear as to who is doing what.
TAZIO
Adesso!
JYTTE
Nu!
CINDY
Now!
The tent fills up with psychic sparks & lights as the three share
a cosmic orgasm. The screen whites out.
TAZIO (mental narration)
Upon release from the Chaos of The Lust comes Super-
Awareness.
The white becomes the Sun, the camera pans over to the planet
Earth, the Moon just beyond. Then the camera RUSHES down into
Earth's atmosphere. A WTV broadcast can be heard.
ANCHORMAN (offscreen)
...a total worldwide cease-fire has held for two hours,
since "Tazio's" appearance...
(now onscreen)...but it can't hold much longer; literally
ALL armies in the world are positioned and primed for
ATTACK! Could be the end, folks.
282 CUT TO INT. RED LIGHTING. N.O.R.A.D. WARBUNKER,
Tactical Office. A BLACK MAJOR rushes in to a 4-STAR GENERAL.
BLACK MAJOR
Sir, we've got to SHUT DOWN this "WorldWar System"--whatever
THAT is--we can't control it!
4-STAR GENERAL (gritting his teeth in fear)
We REMAIN on Red-Standby, Major. Orders from VERY high up!
283 CUT TO: EXT. DAY. MEGIDDO, CONTROL PLATFORM.
The Christian Team is looking more relaxed, smiling again. AHAZVERUS,
puffing his eternal cigarette, observes them from a few meters away.
POPE
I think we've got him boxed in with this one.
PRIEST
Yes, he LOSES no matter what he does!
R. SHAME
Hallelujah! The Day of The Lord has come!
AHAZVERUS
Yeah? Too bad he got killed.
284 CUT TO: EXT. DAY. MEGIDDO. CROWD. Bookmaker
taking bets, money being handed to him franticly.
BETTER #1
Tazio's gonna win this!
BOOKIE
Odds say NOT.
BETTER #2
Aw, he can't lose: he's the HERO!
285 CUT TO: EXT. NIGHT. ABOARD A SHIP. Two Japanese
people on deck in the moonlight, both wearing black, as if NINJA.
JAPANESE MAN is mature, looks serious. JAPANESE WOMAN is
weeping, trying to control hysteria. (They are speaking Japanese)
JAPANESE WOMAN
[It's true. They've got Enzyme Omega aboard ship!]
JAPANESE MAN
[I was afraid of that. If it gets loose at sea it could
turn ALL the oceans into a red organic plasma--like...]
JAPANESE WOMAN
[Hai: like BLOOD!]
286 CUT TO: EXT. DAWN SKY. A British Jet Bomber flying
standby. Text upon the fuselage reads: R.A.F. BIODEATH UNIT.
286a Inside, 3 men: a PILOT and CO-PILOT at the controls, behind
them a WING COMMANDER in arrogant military posture.
CO-PILOT
Bloody risky us flying about with wing tanks full of mutated
disease bacteria, isn't it, sir?
WING COMMANDER
Ours is but to do and die, Leftenant.
CO-PILOT
Oh, right, sir.
287 EXT. TAZIO'S TENT. TEMPLARS are waiting. The HEAD
is borne upon its pole by two men.
The TEMPLAR SWISH approaches the entrance flap and calls in.
TEMPLAR SWISH
Lord, the Committee is ready to announce the Sixth Test.
TAZIO (from inside)
Fine. I'm ready too.
The flap is thrown back and TAZIO stands ready in ceremonial
costume. He is wearing the MASKED HEADDRESS with 7 Heads and
Ten Horns that he had refused to wear before. Also his TALISMAN,
and black clothes with a Pentagram on his chest.
TEMPLAR SWISH (surprised)
You're going to wear that after all?
TAZIO (flourish)
All in playing The Game.
288 EXT. DAY. MEGIDDO. PASSAGE of TAZIO and the
TEMPLARS from the TEMPLAR TENT to the TEMPLE, along a
corridor through the CROWD of millions of people.
As they start, the CROWD is CHEERING. All their fans are at this
end. TAZIO, in the lead, waves as if it's all great fun.
His ITALIAN friends hold up a banner as he passes:
BUONA FORTUNA TAZIO--
LA GENTE DI LA DESTINAZIONE
SINDACO, GUISSEPPI, VITO (shouting)
Ragazze Nostro! Ragazze Nostro!
TAZIO
Eh. grazie, paisani!
On the other side stand the AFRICAN WARRIORS and KLAUSER.
WARRIORS
Ma'Waaluuki kana-Tazio mkungwa!
TAZIO
Hey, kowabonga, Ma'Waaluuki!
CROWD
H E R O ! H E R O ! H E R O !
But as they near the TEMPLE the CROWD changes in character.
CROWD
B O O O O O O O O O O !
BEAST! BEAST! BEAST!
A HYDRAULIC LIFT raises TAZIO up to the roof of the TEMPLE. The
CROWD roars and roars as he takes his place before the Hologram
cameras..
289 Up upon the TEMPLE stand the SEVEN FEMALE ANGELS
with the 7 BOWLS OF WRATH ready in their hands. And there is a
mysterious large OBJECT hidden under a canvas SHROUD.
290 FROM CONTROL PLATFORM, looking toward the TEMPLE.
The POPE holds his chrome cross upright and speaks into a microphone.
R. SHAME represses a giggle.
POPE
The Servants of God personally challenge The Beast
of the Apocalypse to a Test of Spiritual Power!
We already know and FEAR the Earthly powers that God has
allowed The Beast to command, but more we fear the spiritual
ABYSS of this creature who would avoid God's Judgment of
all you sinners, who would DENY God's Will that this earthly
coil now be ENDED in fire and brimstone.
CROWD
B O O O O O O O O O O O O O !
TINY VOICE IN THE CROWD
But...doesn't that mean The Beast is trying to save our
lives?
POPE (CU, malevolent)
BEAST: we demand that you SUBMIT to the Will of God!
--That is the Sixth Test of Power.
291 The hologram image of TAZIO's masked head (X7) appears in
the sky against the Night-Cloud.
TAZIO (amplified)
I already have. That's why I'm here. Look it up--
Revelations 13:7.
POPE (CU mouth & Mike)
Excellent! Now prove it with a sacrifice to God: by casting
the Dragon of Satan into the Bottomless Pit!
292 The SHROUD is pulled from the large OBJECT, which is now
seen to be the STONE GARGOYLE.
Down in the CROWD people discuss this.
GUY #1
Hey, that's too EASY! He's already made the pit! (points
toward the crevasse TAZIO had made earlier)
GUY #2
Yeah, and with his Urr Strength...
293 UP ON THE TEMPLE. TAZIO approaches the GARGOYLE
and regards it. Then turns back to the CROWD.
TAZIO
But this dragon is not mine to sacrifice. "Angel with
chain," Revelations 20:1. And besides, it is the last
remaining artifact of the Dinosaur-Folk, which were
exterminated by Jahve's Godmen.
294 CUT TO CONTROL PLATFORM.
POPE
It is demonic! I have seen it MOVE!
PRIEST
It is the symbol of EVIL!
R. SHAME
Hark! It gives The Beast great AUTHORITY. Revelations
13:2.
TAZIO (CU mask, eye & mouth, smile)
Oh, it's MAGICAL, yes. I definitely refuse to waste it as a
sacrifice.
295 VIEW OF NIGHT-CLOUD. There is a RUMBLING in the
heavens, and a rainbow light shines through the blackness, like the moon
coming from behind a cloud, and THE THRONE OF GOD is now
floating up there.
ANGELS CHANTING
Holy, holy, holy, the Lord God Almighty, who was and
is to come.
We see GOD closer than ever before, sitting upon the THRONE, his
figure translucent light, the shakras glowing with each their
color, his face blindingly bright.
VOICE OF GOD
BEAST: THOU SHALT SACRIFICE UNTO ME, OR THIS
WORLD BE JUDGED BY THE WEIGHT OF MY WRATH.
TAZIO (CU 7 Masks)
All right. Let's play that game.
296 CUT TO: view from TEMPLARS, looking up to TAZIO upon
the TEMPLE roof. They hold the HEAD's pole stand.
TAZIO
Templars: bring me the Head.
A TEMPLAR
We obey, Lord.
A TEMPLAR hands TAZIO the pole upon which the HEAD is fastened.
HEAD
O Master, it's now, isn't it? You're going to Win The Game
at last. Have I not been faithful to Your Plan?
TAZIO
You bet. And you deserve a moment of glory.
(to CROWD) Ladies and Gentlemen, may I introduce the TRUE
symbol of real evil, that mean machine of the Great Satanic
Plan--let's hear it for the Head of Baphomet!
ONE DISTANT VOICE
Yaaay!
HEAD
O Master, you honor me.
TAZIO holds the HEAD aloft, up before the open mouth of the stone
GARGOYLE, and spreads his arms theatrically.
TAZIO
Built and programmed a half a million years ago by the
historical "Satan", this crystal cybernetic brain still
functions, it still TALKS. Now that's engineering, folks.
Say something to the audience, Bapho.
HEAD
Ah, yess, time to gloat over the Victory.
Since the beginning, I have sold Men knowledge--secrets of
the power of destruction--at a price which would drive them
crazy enough to use it absolutely. --I thank you all for
your co-operation. In a moment the destruction will begin
and this planet falls into the Sun, and then Highest Lord
Satan Wins The Game.
TAZIO
Sorry, Head--THAT game is rescheduled until some "Christ"
returns. We're playing ANOTHER game now.
HEAD
You're not really going to sacrifice ME?
TAZIO
What did you expect of Satan?
HEAD
Winning.
TAZIO
It may happen yet. There's more than one way of winning...
TAZIO is holding the HEAD high upon its pole, beside the
GARGOYLE's head. Suddenly the GARGOYLE COMES ALIVE; EATS
the HEAD OF BAPHOMET in one mighty bite, then returns to its original
pose and is dormant again.
TAZIO
...a...oops.
TAZIO does a little comedy, where he peers at the mangled pole,
which is bitten off at the top.
TAZIO
Hey, it's gone! BAD Gargoyle! Merda, folks.
(shrugs) I guess that was the sacrifice, eh?
TAZIO tosses the pole away and takes off the 7-headed HEADDRESS
to reveal his grinning face.
TAZIO
Well, show's over.
297 CUT TO Christian Team.
POPE (offended)
Sacrilege! He has sacrificed to the Dragon!
PRIEST (enraged)
He MOCKS God!
R. SHAME (overjoyed)
That's it! He's LOST the Sixth Test!
298 CUT TO: Full view of the THRONE OF GOD. THUNDER
crackles and LIGHTNING zaps down from the cloud.
Closer CU of GOD, his face a bright light, with even brighter
lights shining from his eyes, mouth, and third eye. Colors swarm
over him, green, red. Angry, He waves his hand out over the
world.
VOICE OF GOD
I AM A JEALOUS GOD. POUR OUT ON THE EARTH
THE SEVEN BOWLS OF MY WRATH.
299 CUT TO: the 7 FEMALE ANGELS as they pour the bloody-
looking fluid from their 7 BOWLS. The nearest of them sheds a tear.
286b CUT TO: INT. R.A.F. BIODEATH Bomber Jet.
CO-PILOT
Sir! The...signal is...is...
WING COMMANDER (reading a Bible)
"A plague of foul sores"--blow the tanks.
285a CUT TO: EXT. NIGHT. MOONLIGHT AT SEA. JAPANESE SHIP.
UNSEEN VOICES (in Japanese)
[Captain-san: the signal!]
[Ah so, how unfortunate: we must turn the seas into blood.
Start the pumps!]
300 CUT TO: N.O.R.A.D. WARBUNKER. RED LIGHTING.
BLACK MAJOR
Signal coming...launch EVERYTHING! Oh no! What are we
going to do?
4-STAR GENERAL
Amen. Fire all Nukes.
286c CUT BACK TO: R.A.F. BIODEATH.
CO-PILOT
Computers won't respond to that command, sir. (ironic grin)
Some kind of virus.
285b CUT BACK TO: JAPANESE SHIP.
INTERCOM
[Pump room: why aren't you pumping?]
Two members of the CREW lie bound and gagged on the deck, while
the JAPANESE MAN & WOMAN are busy smashing the pump motors.
300a CUT BACK TO: N.O.R.A.D. WARBUNKER. The BLACK
MAJOR is pointing a pistol at the 4-STAR GENERAL, arresting him.
Other soldiers stand behind the MAJOR.
BLACK MAJOR
Been too many fired already, sir.
4-STAR GENERAL
This is treason!
BLACK MAJOR
No, sir, this is reason.
301 CUT BACK TO: Christian Team. REVEREND SHAME is listening to
reports on a portable telephone. He looks crestfallen. Then he
reports to the POPE and the PRIEST.
R. SHAME
Nothing is happening! WorldWar Cyberlink is KAPUT! They've
shut it down!
302 VIEW from TAZIO's position atop the TEMPLE, facing GOD
up in the sky. The THRONE OF GOD is surrounded with agitated rainbow
waves rapidly changing colors, lightning bolts zip and zap out in vast
energy displays.
TAZIO (calling up to GOD)
This is a test of POWER, remember? (then pulling up the URR)
Extreme CU GOD's face, three eyes like white-hot black holes,
angry sparks, rays blasting out of his mouth.
VOICE OF GOD
INDEED!
303 OVERVIEW of scene: TEMPLE, THRONE OF GOD, CROWD.
A great LIGHTNING BOLT flashes down at TAZIO. The TEMPLE is
shattered, splits in two.
304 VIEW of TAZIO, as the smoke clears, still atop the TEMPLE,
calm & cool, even though it is blown away right beside his feet. He
turns his head and speaks one word.
TAZIO
Gargoyle.
The GARGOYLE comes ALIVE again, LEAPING up into the sky with
colossal strength.
405 It grabs the THRONE OF GOD and takes the top in its jaws,
then RIPS it in half. Machine parts come sprinkling out. GOD leaps
out.
305a TAZIO (CU, looking up)
Well, a dragon DOES lend one a certain "authority".
305b OVERVIEW of entire scene, smoke in the sky, THRONE ,
GOD and GARGOYLE falling.
305c Now TAZIO is running on the ground. He catches GOD in
his arms. Behind him the THRONE crashes to earth with spectacular
pyrotechnics.
The GARGOYLE also drops to the earth but simply stops without
impact (just as TAZIO always does), once again dormant.
306 The figure who was GOD, lying in TAZIO's arms, is not
so impressive now. The costume is without special effects since the
electricity is shut off, the mask revealing four lamps.
GOD
Wow! That was really fun!
TAZIO
Yeah, it was kinda.
GOD
Can't we play some more?
TAZIO
Later, Buffone. Right now there's a lot of WORK to be done.
BUFFONE removes the GOD mask and smiles at TAZIO.
BUFFONE
Work? Oh boy! I'll help!
They look up at the SKY above Megiddo, as the Night-Cloud
dissipates and only blue sky remains.
Then their friends close in on them. ARTEMIS comes and embraces
TAZIO's legs. MARIANGELA, JYTTE and CINDY are there. ANTON
from the other side. Approaching we see KLAUSER and his WARRIORS,
SOPHIA and ALFREDO, the 3 DISCIPLES, followed by the entire town
of La Destinazione, and the thronging millions in the CROWD who
have just been saved from the Apocalypse.
307 Through the swirling CROWD we catch glimpses of spectral
figures: IMMANUEL & ULFO, both smiling and glowing with a holy light;
SATAN, not sure whether to be mad or glad.
308 TAZIO kneels to speak with ARTEMIS.
TAZIO
Guess I win?
ARTEMIS (touching his nose)
I KNEW you would, Daddy.
TAZIO
I'll BET you did, Artemis.
AHAZVERUS arrives, limping on his walking stick, shaking and
beating his head in misery as old Jews do.
AHAZVERUS
Oh, don't mention betting. Oy veh, oy veh!
ADRIAN (amused)
So how BAD did you lose, Ahazverus?
AHAZVERUS
Everyone lost to one BIG winner. Now we're all SLAVES! In
hock to the WITCHES who manipulated the odds!
CU: CINDY (who titters), JYTTE (who smiles silently) and
MARIANGELA (who chuckles and smirks)
JYTTE
It was an honest game, Ahazverus. We only placed the bets
for our star player.
CU of ARTEMIS (who giggles).
AHAZVERUS
2000 years and no end in sight--oh, I'm tired of all this
shit.
ARTEMIS
It won't be so bad, Uncle Ahazverus: you'll work for Tazio,
'n' he'll make you younger.
TAZIO looks at ARTEMIS somewhat surprised to hear her already
calling the shots.
309 EXT. DAY. UPON the CONTROL PLATFORM. TAZIO
is being applauded, holding a microphone, waiting for the noise to die down.
309a CROWD
W I N N E R ! W I N N E R ! W I N N E R !
309b TAZIO
Thank you, thank you. Now let's get down to business--this
world needs to be fixed right now. It's a big job. I'll
need help.
VOICES FROM CROWD
The Templars serve, Lord..
The Army of Peace'
Hell's Angels, yo!
The Cabbalists are with you!
Let's do it!
Us! us!
I! I!
Me!
JOURNALIST IN CROWD
Mister...er...Lord Tazio, are you really going to abolish
WAR?
TAZIO
I wish I could, but we'll never get rid of war because the
Gods LOVE it...
310 CUT TO: DARKENED SMOKE-FILLED ROOM. Heavy-set
men in military uniforms and expensive business suits are watching TAZIO
on TV. They have drinks and cigars.
TAZIO (on TV)
...so I've assigned Anton Artemis to organize War as a Media
Sport. Political and military THEFT, however, will no
longer be allowed. All armies answer to ME now.
FAT GENERAL
He won't get away with this! We'll battle him to the end!
CHINESE DICTATOR
Uh...I think this IS the end.
A fat CORPORATION MAGNATE is smoking a cigar as the tears run
down his face.
TAZIO (on TV)
I'll be presenting my New Laws to the United Nations in 3
days.
310a CUT BACK TO MEGIDDO.
A JOURNALIST
Lord Tazio: do you have a MESSAGE for the world?
TAZIO (CU)
The Armageddon Quest is done. Now we begin the Quest for
Paradise on Earth.
end of movie.
3R
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