-~"""'--- ..

, , '

"'; '--~~ .. "'_

'-'" "---._--_. -_, '-- ,_ .

---7 .. -"",~,~""'.~"'~1"';;""~':":':? "

L,

.' .' :.: . . .. ,

.' \,~ .... 7'" ",' ... ,. - :

Ift. EDDJtD BLAlCB'S AP~' '_2 '~I~ ~- RIGa

1

1

FADE IN ON: A LAPEL PIN ... Y~llow, rpund, depieting the ., Have , A Nice Dar' HAPPy FACE. SHOD rises bef:ore the pin.-,

. , No. Not smoke... st.elUD.

A MAN -- Early sixt~es, though you couldn't ~ll by his

solid, stockY build. ~he HAPPY-PACE PIN adQrns'~ lapel of a t~i16red SLLI HOUSECOAT. This is·EPWARD BLAKE,.but we will * come to know him better as 'J!BE COMEDIAN. Cable TENDONS flex

in his forearm as, he lifts ~e kettle' from the flame. '

, .

Bis gray moustache ruffles, blowing the steam ~ff his tea.

tft. EDtmRD 8LJLKE' S APARDCEft -.. LIVING ROC»I -- JllGll'1'

2

The wide, CURVED WINDOW-~ of Blake·s Penthouse looks out over the park. Be lives Well;' if alone. 'B~ puts his feet up. He clicks a remote. An a:ma~inq SOUND'SYSTEM begins to play a RICH' TENOR VOICE· at great volume'. He closes his eyes.

CRASH -- The FRONTOOOR 'EXPLODES, splintered by a powerful

kick. '

* *

, FIG ~: on the INTRUDER'S FEB'!' entering_ Deliberate, slow. *

" .

Edward Blake starids. We see his entire face for the first -*

time. " Be is tanned and fit, handsome but for A LONG SCAR' .

'that runs from the right corn,er. of his mouth· to. his ear,

giving htm the imPression of an impOssibly wide smirk. ,Be sees the intruder·',e face -- though we never do -- and nods.

EDDIE

Figured you'd come here eventually.

MoVing with'sudden, blinding speed, Eddie WHIPS the SAUCER from under his 'cup, 'sending it FLYING like a saw-blade. The intruder BATS 1'1 out of the. air wit.h an 'even more dazzling. display of cas~al reflexes, but it buys, Eddie time to pull a Teak Indonesian ~LOW-GUN .from it's ,wall-mount.

Eddie BLOWS A DART into the LEG·of the 'approaching intruder, who pulls t~e dart out and flicks it INTO EDDIE'S CHEST.

Bddie fights. Not like an old man, but like a seasoned,

. Special-Forces vet for w~am brawling if a practiced bus~ness.

But the intruder is 'much, much, faster •• Younger. Dead11er.

*

" ".~.t';7 : .. , t. I:·

.,-,- r : .. ~

WATCHMEN ~- 3r4 Draft '-- David Bayter

9/26,03 2

struck over his, EYE __ BLOOD blurs Eddie's vision. Bis -rBROA'r _ Breath' ,WBIS'.rLES ~broUgh his swelling ';ind~pip8. Eddie falls against the curved plate-window, wheezinC) badly.

" "BODD

You'll' never pu~l it off.' *

,THE INTRUDER LOOMS CLOSER, FACE hidden in shadow, whispers, •

"

" ,

INTRUDER

watch me.

The intruder KICKS EDDiE IN THE SOLAR PLEXUS. With incredible strength, he LIFTS EDDIE 0VEll BIS HEAD -- AND 'rBROWS HiM, SMASHING THROUGH THE PLATE-WINDOW, easily clearing the

balcony out over the abyss. Eddie never makes a sound,.

3

3

CAMERA PANS: Along a tree-linedoowntown street. 'All is

quiet, peaceful afte~ what we've just Witnessed. •• •

So why are the yawning streetlight shadows so unsettling?

RORSCHACH (V .0. ) Rorschach'S Journal" october 12th, '11:48. It,'s gettin9 cold. The ice is closing in. october. That's

when it starts.

NOW~, we see a MAN is walking the street; integrated with the • shadows. Be wears a FEDORA and TRENCJiCOAT. We can' t see his •

'face. can't',even tell if he's got one.

RORSCHACH (v.O.) (cont'd) It didn't used to be like this. once, heroes walkecl these streets.

A hwmR1ng GIRL approaches from the otb_r direction. In a good'mood, back from a hot date. She goes to nod at the approaching stranger, a gesture of urban camaraderie.

But when she really looks at him, ,her face slackens. In terror? Shock? Either way, she RUNS off across the ,street.

, RORSCHACH (V.O) (cont'd)

But tbey outlawed us. Called us the criminals. So we retired~ Grew old, complacent' and soft. 'And· it ~ all just ••• came to an end. •

ANGLE ON: THE HAPPy FACE PIN, now fraaed by mpoD which runs

into the gutter. A BLOOD SPLOTCB mars the grinning face. /'-,

../

4

5

.• r"

. ~

. 9/26/03 3

RORSCBACil. (V.O.:) (con"; ~~) For ·most of ·us; anyway.

3

Rorschach's GLOVED BAND picks it. uP_. Be eyes the BODY,

Eddie' 8 muscled chest r~e~led .~ his· fl:apping· housecoat.

Rorschach looks up the building •. In the. ·B/Gi waUing SIltENS ·approach. Not muoh t.ime~ Rorschach pulls-a GRAPPLING GUN froa his . coat , and FIRES the HOOK AND c,ABLE mIRTY S'lOlUES UP - where it LATCHES onto Blake', smiu~hed WINDOW.-SILL.

Pressing .. a Btrr'l'ON, Rorschach FLIES 'l'O !.'BE THIRTIETH FLOOR.

. . .' . . . .

1ft. ED'KAJU)-8LAKE'SAPA:Ia'MERT -- LXVUtG·RQOM '-- 1fIGB'l"

4

ANGLE ON: THE SHATTERED WINDOW-WALL -- HOWLING WINDS shriek as RORSCHACH CRAWLS OVER THE SILL. Fina~ly, we can see his '''face- -- A MASK of silver-white. ,material -- within which E\1ER-SBIF".l'ING 9LOBS OF B~CK create flowing PAftERNS.

Silent, he ,investigates. Rorscbach notes the BLOW-GUN, re- * mounted on the wal~, ~ied saliva on the mouth-piece. *

1ft. 81.AKE' S APAR'l'MBIft' -- BEDROOM CLOSB'r -- HI(;Jft

5

l!;ddie"s clothing hangs in military rows. Rorschach runs his fingers along' the wall-seams. Be pauses, presses on the hangar BAR, which SLIDES BACK to re~eal a RED BU'l"l'ON.

pressing it, the BACK ~ of the ·closet SLIDES OPEN,

revealing a SECRET COMPARTMENT. on the wall is an old FRAMED * -PHOTO of EIGHT PEOPLE IN COSTUMES. Their hair and photo-

style indicate the· photo was taken in the~arly 1960·s.

WEAPONS of all kinds adorn the walls in here. TEAR-GAS, GRENADES, RIFLES, PIS'l'OLS --. if it can ~ll you: Eddie's got it. But. that's not what draws Rorschach's attention.

PUSH IN ON: "!'ItE BAeR WALL, dead center, is a' COS'l'UME. Black leather armor, gloves, boots. Ban9~g over it all like a vacant, grinning face ••• a black leather MASK.

Rorschach stares. Stunned.·

From the other room, the FRONT DooR SMASHES OPEN. Rorschach

CLOSES the secret hatch, and turns.. *

6

6

1ft. BLJUCE' S APAR.'l'MEIft! -- LIVING RCX»I -- CONTINUOUS Two uniformed COPS stand in the doorWay, 94ns drawn • •

COP 1 watch the door.

*

*

COP 1 (0.5'.) . Clear I . Get in here.

. !

....... _---_ ... -, .:... -----

--------~~-----

The "first COP enters the, crime scetie~ While: t'he sborter' of

. the tWo stands guard in ~e -ball. Cop. 1. enters-, th,' ,~.

~_ON: COP 2, standin9 guard, nervous. From the ~I

. ,

cop 2 turns to ente~ the flat •••

And c~ faf?e to "face" with RO~CBACB,_ standin9'.just inside. . The Cop's face goes slack with childish terror· Be goes to. yell .••. but Rorschach ra,ises two FINGBIlS, ·Slibh ••• •

. The fingers JAB INTO THE COP'S WINDPIPE. The cop HISSES'-ancl falls silently as Rorschach brushes past htm like a _~isper.

7

1ft. BlAKE'S BUILDING -- JIA1,1AfAY -- CC)ftllftJOUS

CLOSE ON: ELEVATOR DOORS, CLOSING acroSS Rorschach's MASK.

BOLLIS (V.O.)-

I'll never know what possessed me

to put that mask on the first time~

1ft. BOLL'lS ,JGSOB'S AP~ -- N'lGft

CLOSE ON: A FRAMED PHOTO -- identi~al to the one in Eddie Blake's clOset., AS BOLLIS . MASON speaks, we PAN ACIlOsS, var~OUs FRAMED MEMORABILIA: -The first is a~SPAPER

CLIPPING dated 1953: MYSTERIOUS MASKED MAN CLEANS UP WBMFS 1

8

HOLLIS (V .O.)

It started with the villains. people, forget _ that. pirate

outfits, ghosts; ~9s that t,bougbt it was funny to dress up and pull

heists, crap like that.

PAN ACROSS: Another FRAMED CLIPPING, - dated 1960: NX'rE OWL FOPS MINUTEMEN __ COSTUMED HEROES COMBINIBG FORCES l ,MW4!' re

going to clean up this town! II says costumed crusader'.·

, BoLLxS (y.O.) (cONT'D)

So a few cops, we decide it might

be funny to mask up too. Be anonymous. 'l'aketbese guys on at the street level, right? W~ll that, worked out pretty good. Solved ;, quite a' few old grudges. •

9

. ~. BO'LLIS MASOK'S AP~ -- JIII~

9

.' - .. _ -

........ ----- .. -~-.-~,.- _,_--------~

. - _ -:.. .. - ~._-- - -.,-- '--""' -.~ ..

. ~--~------~---=~

wA~ . _.. 3rd Draft --: David Bayt~

9/26/03 5

~ ..

1:::": :"

PAN ACROSS: A,GoLl;) STATUE --. of NlTB c::ML:3,.n bi.S Sixties-era cOstume. The plaque below read$1 xJ1. ;~ITPDE, 1969. '. . Another CLIPPING: 'HERO RETIRES -- apen.· own·auto ·business.'

ANGLE ON: HOLLIS MASO~ -- 10' S r though his eyes spark1e. with strength ~d his facestil~ shOWS the edges of a born~~ro.

HoLLIS ( Com" D)

That was the beginning. Of the fads, the pretender~,· all the men in suits. For better or worse.

ANGLE~ON: DAN DRElBERG -- Late 30's, handsome though he has let himself go the past few years. His edges have 90ne soft.

DAN For better •

'Bollis aees Dan to the front door of his run-down apartment oVer an auto-mechanic's shop •. :.Dan· .picks up his PAPER. The

HEADLINE reads ~ lIBl~ HOUSE RESETS iftJCLEAR CLOCK, "TWELVE MIIRJ"l'ES '-'0 MIDNIGJrr· PRESlDEft SAYS.

DAN Is this today's?

Hollis nods, eyeing Dan's reaction to the paper.

HOLLIS

You miss it, don't you? The life.

Dan looks up, surpriaed. Be pulls on his coat.

DAN

All that silliness? No. I was glad when they put an end to it. Passing the Keene Act was the best thing that ever happened to us.

HOLLIS

Well, it·s a shame. YOU were a far better Night OWl than :t. ever was.

DAR

That's why I took the name.

BOLLIS

. That's why I gave it to you,

smartass.

,..

10

•

.~-.-"---.-~-----.........._._,,------

•

WA'rCBMEN . ~- 3rd Draft. -- David Uayter.

··.9./~6.103· 6

. .: . ,:,":' ':

De,n l.augbs. descenCUng. the stairS· h p.d1&, up his ~ against t.he ~ld and .yalk& down. an alley;, CAMERA .. UMUNS·. OD Dm.'sback, while in the ·F/G: we ·PAN DOIftl to a ··Sl:GRI imS(M AU'1'O REPAI~ __ II Obsolete models a specialty J. .

. 10

DETECTIVESGALLAGtm.R (22) " FINE (43), search Blake's place. Gallagher leans out tb~ penth~use wind~·, freaked ..

GALLAGHER· •

Sleeman actually saw Rorschach?

FINE

So it seems. 'rough to question a

cop with a creased·windpipe.

GALLAGHER

You see the victim· s body? Edward Blake? Guy was built like a truck •.

A GUST OF WIND makes him SLICE HIS FINGER an the glassy rail.

GALLAGHER

ssl __ He'd've put up a good fiqht:.

Detective Fine examines a framed PHOTO of Blake shaking bands with the PRESIDEN't OF 'l'BB UNITED STATES. Be ~OO1tB around.

FINE· (V.O. ) Let's talk outside.

11

11

~ •. EJJMJUU) BLM.tE' S BUILDING -- NIGfi

Gallagher and Fine walk into the· cold October night.

GALlAGHER What. do you think?

FINE

A rich guy, doing "Diplomatic"

work. What does that mean?

GALlAGHER .

. You think Rorschach's ·our killer?

A filthy HOMELESS MAN sits aga.inst a building- Greasy hair obscures his face and he is sheltered between a doorway and a

discarded BOARD-SIGN reading erBB END IS· m:y: •

•

FINE

Who else could it be?

. .'

ED. Clift S~ -- RIGS

12

.... _~ _.,_ .. _ " __ "'_'';'~,:"",,,___ __ , _--------III!I_!II!I!I!I ... ",I_ .• ~·.'fl.~::tm$!i •. ~':k

.. .:_ _: __ .. - - --~ .. -~__.........._~....,;''' ; .. ._ _...--~-~---~--~:~.~.:-~-~.-r-.:.;.-

1IA'J.'CIIIIER""- 3rd Draft __ David Hayter. 9/26/03 7 . ·jHI :: ..

13

14

D~ walks' the' empty streets to his upscale -rowNBOUSE. Be stops. •• suddenly alert. Bis fro1it. door hangs' sliqhtly . ajar.

'lheLOCK has been SMASBED. A ·LIGft burD.s insid.e~ '"

13

Dan quietly approacbes his kitchen. ~be LIGHT is coming from in there _- and odd, metal scraping SOUNDS ..

1ft. DAR' S KI~ -- COltTlRUOUS

14

xt is· clear by Dan's stunned·reaction that be wOuld have ~X'eferred a burglar. Dan enters ·the kitchen wary, careful.

DAN Rorschach.

Rorschach sits at the table. Be pulls his mask down, tossing aside a cold can of BEANS he's just polisbed off.

RORSCHACH

Bello Daniel. I helped myself to some beans. You don't mind?

DAN

No, of course not. You ·uh, want me

to beat some up for you?

Dan circles the table, 'watching his old friend. cautious. BE~IND H1S BACK: Dan silently p/u a SILVER STEAK KNIFE.

RORSCHACH

No need.

DAN

Bow have you been keeping?

RORSCHACH

out of prison. s.o far. Take' a

look at this.

He tosses the SMILEY-FACE PXN onto the table. Dan picks it up, rUns his fingers over the RED-BROWN SPLOTCH.

DAN.

This little stain -- Is·that bean

*

juice, ·or •••

t

!

j

I

is

_ .....•........ ~ .... ~. . .... -" _-_ .. _--._._-----.~.-........___----~

•..•. ~. ~ ••• ._a •. : • ..,,; ..... _.· ....... _ .... • __ .. _· · _ _...._

.-~----~==:::":

3rd Draft

David'Hayter

9126/:03 8 "

RORSClJACB

That's right .. 'Buman bean juice •. The badge belonged to the comedian. Blood too. Be's dead.

~

lIhat? The C~di8n'l (glancing out the windOW)

Let's talk downstairs.. .

Dan sliP!' the KN1FE quietly into the back of bis balt, as:

15

The twO men descend into Dan'S .. WOlUtSROP" -- The dusty remnants of a superherO'S LAB -- Old compaters and on OWLCOS'l'llllE in a glass. display case· 11> . the center, ali. OVAL VEBICLII the size of a aubMay' car is' covered by a dusty 'IAlIP.

. .DAN ..

youbaven't ·been down here in a

while.

RORSCHACH

Neither bave you. .Lot of dust.

DAN

Yeah .... well, doesn't. seem 1ll\lch point since I retired. 'Listen, about the comedian; It was probably, just a burglary. Maybe the killer didn' t ~ow who Blake was.

RORSCBACB

An ordinuY burglar. Kill the

comedian? Ridiculous.

'DAN

I guess it doesn't seea too~likely.

__ ~at were yOU doing there?

Rorschach turns.. HiS shif-,::,in9 face betrays notlling •

. RORSCBACB

My Thursday-night, patrol.

DAN

.... " I'd beard Blake had been working for, the government since

they passed. the Keene ACt· Maybe it was a political killing.

.-

* *

16

Troubled. DaD sits at. t.he !titcben t,able. an ADDlU!SS BOOK open

to a ~5'l'ING -- AD1UJIlI TIE1M' ()!aJIIeSes1) •

..

17

.... - ............ --_ .. __ . __ ...... -~ ....... -

_______ .. ._-.---.-----.-.--.-.- ..... --- .. --=-.-~-c- .. --==============

_~. '__ 3rd Draft -~ 1)av:~d Ba~~'

. .... ., .'. -.

9/.26/03 9

ROtlSCBACB .

Kaybe. •• or JDBybe. someone 'sltilUn9'

off masked heroes.

*

..

~rschach leans heavily against a display case.

DAN

'You don't thipk that'., a little

paranoid? . .

Lost.

JlQrscbach snapS out of it •. Be abrUPtly ·turn&. and CIA1'S A

BAND TO DAN' S SHoULDER. startling nan badly. *

RO~CBACB' (CaNTID)

Anyway. Thougbt If d let yOU knOW,

in case someone-'s ~11i~9~skS.

JlQrschaCh walks into the GAl'ntG. BLACK M01JT8 OF A "l'UNNBl>.

RORSCBACB

16 that what they're saying abOut me nOW, that I'. paranoid? 1 feel our enemies gathering;' Old· ghostS.

* *

- DAN

Oll, yeah thanks. The tunnel lets out in tbe warehouse on Fleet •••

RORSCHACH .

I remember. used to come here a lot,. back when we were partners.

DAN

Oh yeah... yeJib. Those were great

titoeS, ROrschach. Great times. Whatever happened to them?

Rorschach disappears into the inky blackness.

RORSCBACB (0. s, )

You quit.

PAN ))01111: BElUNil DAN. to reveal that the lOIXFE is GONE·

16

.~

.11 .

BX't •. VElDT ERTPPJUSBS -- SUlfSB'f

A..."....,th. shining SJ\YSCDPER· At the 50t.h-floor there is a BtlGE V-SHAPED HOI;E where WA-rER FALLS·

..

..... _ -----~ --

........ ~- .. ,-. - .. ~-- "":~. --__:-:-----~-- __ - -- - - _- -~-::-=-=-

: - ~: . "

WATCmmR ~_ 3rd praft '-- David BayteJ;!. -:.;:

Dan B1IACBS B1MSEIo1!' as the Ele'l1ator RI)CI<E'fS to the toP. £1oOr. r-

The ddort5 OPEN. letting in a -n.ooo. of m.l>Z111G S1l11L1GB'r·

·18

8

1.. V£l~ ElttBaPIllSBS - LOaD'" -..SUN~

.. " "

~ JIIBIIIIIII>I;h LOIiBY. me deCOX is Egyptian. and .arble• Dell approaches ~ BEAzyrUUL RECEPTIONIST behind an ilIIpOBiD9 deSk·

. . .

RECEPTIONIST "e~come to veidt Enterprises. . BOW

may 1 assist' you?

DAN

1 need to see ~ian Veidt.

RECEPTIONIST·

I'm sorry. Mr. Veidt :may only be 5een by advance appointment.

19

" DAN

Ri9ht~ bUt 1 ••• It'S uh •• • RBJneses?

.RECEl'TIONIST

••• TOP floor, sir.

Behind the secretarY. a Tl\PESTitY R1511S111'rO THE CEn,IJIG. revealing. a GOLDEII J!LEI7A'J'OR· The oOORS open . noiselessly •

~. QOU)BlI BLE\1M'OJl -- CQltTlNUOUS

19

20

20

11ft. ADRDR VElDT' s OFFICE -- COJI'l'IWOUS

Dell shields. hi .. eyes and enters the ER(llUtOUS OFFICE. AJ)RlA11 V£11lT __ Blond. bands'-' . in a cost- of scul.pted purp1e and

gold. standS stoically against his 30-foot w:rJ1DOWS. fr8Ded by

tbe city be practicallY _. A PB(l'l'OG1II'PIIE snaps shots all

Adrian speakS to' a JOURNALIST named DQUG ROTH'.

. .

DOUG ROTH .

So your description as -The world'S Smartest Man- is an accurate one.

•

ADRIAN'

(laughs)

well, lOOk. -- While 1 have discovered methods' to expand my mental capacities, I'd prefer that

yOU not quote m¥ rather ove~- .

enthusiastic PR men... <t

..

lIdrian trails off. spotting 1)l,II. I)all nods darkly to hila.

*

.. ~~~

*

.~ ( .... ~.

21

•••••••••• __ - .. _ •• Jo, _. __ ".,;...a.~ ••••

.... ~ '," .,., .:.:....0.\:. .......... ,'to, ""w .n° to, .. 1 S

... _._._-.,--------

WA-rcBMEN .-- ,3rd Draft -r: .. ,Dav~d Hayter

.9/26/03 .11

ADRIAN

Ah, (ieBtlemen'1. -:- Let.' B ~ake five.

21

1ft. AMW\B. V£ID'!'S OFFICI -- ·RIGP

Dan examines an ACT~ON-F1GURE. 9£ Adrian as OZYHAND~AS.

AUJUAN Rorschach. •• You saw him?

DAN·

. Yeah, the light.r·s pretty good in my kitchen •. -- He said that someone's murdered the Canedian. .

. ADRIAN What? Why?

bAN .

Well, you're . the world's smartest . Man, Adrian. YOU·, tell me.

ADRU\N

Given the comedian'S Government work, I'd assume 'a political killing- The North Koreans maybe

·DAN .

. 1 said the ~ame thing, but ••• Rorschach suspects ~ mask-killer. some old enemy with a grudge.

ADRIAN

Rorschach lives in the past. Be's a ~omantic -- and a psychotic. The - comedian had plenty of enemies.

Tbe man was practically a Nazi.

·DAN

Either way, someone should tell Jon and Laurie... warn them, maybe.

Adrian laughs and stands, leading Dan back to the elevator.

ADRIAN.

warn. •• Jon? Tell the indestructible man that someone plans to murder him? I'll take care of it. Nice to see y~u, Dan.

. ~

22

·t

22

1ft. GOLDER ~ -- BIGBT

Door closing, Dan pulls the SMILEY-FACE P7N frOltl his pocket.

. '.' .. ,:.

" , .... ';.': ... ,'.. :.,' ~.:.. ..,., .:' ..... ~ .' , .

, "

;", . '-;,'

WATCJiMEN' __ ' 3rd Draft .~- David Bayter

,23

,DAN .

sure. Have a nice day.

'Ed. ~ MILIBll'l USB -- RIGS

23

A sroTLIGB'r. f~";sheS over .• ·SXGR posted on a .RASOIl-lIIU?IIRCB' ~ HIL1TARY ~ CI!II'lBR •. II!> JIl.6 .. totin9 smma .

,walks past A ~GAR labelled SPECIJ\L 'rALEN'!' QUARTERS.

, 24.

, . lIlT. SPSCDl- TALER't ~ -- RIGJrr

PAN ACIlOSS: A HuGE' ROOM, which contains technol.ogically advanced M:ILITAR'Y DEVICES., Distorted' in sections of GLASS r we see the REFLECTION of a MAR, GLOW1NG BllIGft BLUE •

. PAN PAS'l'. C(lIIl'Il'l'SR CIRCIIXTS l'LQI'.'rING· in the air. ref i tting at the unseeil man's mental caamands., Then •• • they stop.

CLOSB ON. A BLUB Em. ·tbe iris sPAJUaoI!Ii with inteDUll light. closing as the _n sighs deeply. RAClt rot A PBOI!1B. 'rile blue hand reaches for it, just moments before it RINGS., '

25,

DR.. MANJlA'.l'TAN (0 • s . ) Adrian. It's been.a lon9 time·

1ft. &P£CUL DLEJ1't ~ - GDl -- l.AT8ll

25

: LAUR1E JllPI'rER. alta SLINGSBO'I. glareS through strends of sweat-soake"" hair. In her late 20' B; her beauty and strength are fueled bY inexhau&tiI>le fury· . She ATTACKS a PURCBDIG

IIJINNEQUllI with an iJDpOSsible series of kic1<S and strikes.

BBBllID HER. the door opens. I!LIIB. L1GB'r . noodS thIi GlH. FOr

the first t~. _ see DR. JWUIA'l"l'AlI (aka JCR osT£IIMIINl· Be •

is naked bUt for his shifting. flaring L1GB'r. 10 a ,oorlcl of superheroes. he isa 1;hoI1sand ~teps beyOnd -- nearly ·a god. Before s~e can strike again, Jon puts a hand on her shoUlder.

DR. MA'NBA'l'TAN

SQ1lleOne murdered the COJDedian.

She takes this -. in. . Nods. tlhe holdS up TWO FDIGB1IS in a .eeodng. "peace" sign. A GL(llnNG llLUZ· LUiB OF ENBRGY APPBIIRS between them. LaUrie !lIIIIIiS TIlE L11lB BACK like a SLlIIGSIIO'l.

,LAURIE

GoOd·

Sbe lets 90~ Firing a BALL of BLUE ENERGY· ~ cAMERA· t

•

. .'~.

"

,

-,

r:

26

-_ ... _-_

-~-~_-'~~~-----~

... -~~~~~- ~~~...:::==

WATCBMEN _.:.. 3rd Draft .... -. D.vi4_ 'aayt~ --9}26/03. 13

. - .

CLOSB OR. The s_ floatin9 CQIIPONEN'lS. DR. IIIIlIIIAftd'S pOV. The Floa~ing pieces PIXILlAft and we see the .wor.ld as Jon ........ it. nlLL10RS 1lPOR nIIUJRS OF pllft1CL11S. usiDq ~ miDd. Jon subtly ~S 'tbe micro-strUcture of his· .piece~. .

Laurie appears in thebatbrODlJl., weariDq ·Il uD SILlt CNIlSOUl· She looks very good. Jon n~er lookS up. She sighs, enters.

LAUlUE

• •• ~hat are yOu working on?

- DR. MANHATTAN come. LoOk.

The floating pieces suddenly sNAP TOGETHER, creating wbat looks like a HAND MIRROR •

. LAURIE

You • ve invented the mirror.

DR. MANHATTAN

watch.

He reaches toward her forehead. She backs a~ay.

DR. MANBA'rrAN I need a brain cell.

LAURIE Will it hurt?

His hand I'lISSES 'l'IIllOUGB JiER FOJIElIEIID. COJIin9 out with a ornu GLOW BETWEEN his fingers. A cell, encased in energy. Be inSertS the cell intO the mirror. Be holds up the deVice.

DR. MANHA'1"l'AN Of c6~r6e not.

DR. MANBA'l'"l'AR NOW think of s~thing •.

she Jooks at bbl, confused. ~ Then, the mirror projects an IMAGE. Laurie, in a black leather COSTUME, holdin9 a drink.

LAURIE .

That'S •• ' ten years ago --

..

~e younger Laurie'S image turns. COSTUMES and politicians in SUITS.

;-

We see other people in 9

-.

WA~

3rd Draft -~ D~vid Hayter,

9/26/03-14

lAURIE

••• - BOW did yOu - do this?

DR. MA1U1AftAN

Tachyons. particles which travel_

backWards -throUgh time· 'that, coup1.ed with the limitless ;aemo.ry of a human brain cell, and you may see any memory you've ever had - as it actually took place~ Should st?lve qUite a few arguments, no? -

LAURlE -

Jon, this is ••• terrifying-

DR. MANSA'l'TM

It needn't be, if used pro~rly.

Laurie is both """,d and .repelled. She puts the mirror clown.· . •

LAURIE

lOU said Adrian spoke- to Dan?

Hmm?

LAURIE

Dan Dreiberg. What's he up to?

DR. KANBA'l"r2\N

He's. •• reading a boOk. on birds,

t believe-

-LAURIE

I think maybe I' 11 call him. If

you don't JDi,nd, that is --

BUt be doesn't answer. FrUstrated. Laurie exits. Jon looks

up for a..-nt. watching her go. sadly" • knowingly. •

27

INT. 1l()CKEFElaU!R MlLIWJl'f BASB -- .108 LAURIE on the phone, grateful for buman conversation.

DAN (V.O.)

Laurie Jupiter? God, it'S been forever. BOW's Jon?

PAil'S BOUSE: Dan puts hiS JI(JOIt. aside -- .an, OWL on the cover • •

LAURIE can see flasheS of rippling BLUELIGBT down the hall.

* * * * * *

27

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*

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28

29

.. ,.' .

~ -- 3rd Draf~ -- DB:!i.d_Jlayt"U:·

9/2f;t/03 lS

LAURIE .

Jon? :Oh, yOU ~ow!t •• Be's ~ect.· SO what about· ~yoU? -- HOW are you spending your nights?

Eft.· Clft' StiCBETS -- RIGU .

.28

VARIOUS SBO'l'S; OF THE CITY. For the fir~t time, we see just: how different it is .from the America we know. Framed by towering DECO SKYSCRAPERS, blimp-style ~IRSHIPS silently ferry commuters to the outer boroughs. ELECTRIC CARS zipb)'"

. with no .more sound than a 'hornet' s buzz. BILLBOARDS

adve~lse products we've not beard of: Candies, PERFUME ADS *

for a scent called NOS'rALG'IA, body-building systems --. at the bottom of most are the' words, VElDT EN'l'ERPRISES. Collar up, *

hat pulled low r RORSCHACH. walks the streets. .

RORSCHACH (V. o, ) Rorschach's Journal, october 13th. pickinq over the case, I walked·the streets of the city ~ once loved. The city that had turD~d on us.' A rare jewel turned to cheap glass.

A HOOKER approaches him ••• until she sees bis uface-.

RORSCHACH (v.O.) (cant. 'd) I was offered. French love, Japanese' love. •• But no American love. . Jmlerican loVe. . Just like Coke in green glass bo~tles •••

1ft. SPECIAL TALENT QUARTERS -- BEDROOM -- LA'M R1G1l'r

. RORSCHACH· (V.O.)

They don't make it anymore.

Laurie lies in bed, ignored as Jon continues to work. Bis blue light ripples over Laurie as if·she were underwater.

30

lin. BANQUET BALL -- R1Gft

Ten years ago. The MEMORY Laurie sa" in the mirror. EDDIE BLAKE· talks with a group of men on a dark, secluded BALCONY.

EDDIE BLAKE

So I told him, uLook pal, I have rio idea who killed the Sbah -- just don't ask me where 1 was when I ~

heard aboUt·JFK.- .

f

The Politicos laugh uproariously and puff their cigars.

29

30

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. ',-.9/26/03 16

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WA'.rCIDiEN _'_. 3rd Draft :- David Bayter

CIGAR, pUFFING MAN

'!"he President'11 love ·that. You're. okay, Ed. NOt. like Mr. Speck over there r givin9 everyone the creeps.

Tbe man gestures at' JON. who ,sits at a far table, only t.o ..

discover LAURXE standing .. behind him. 'Angx:y and ctrunk. ..

CIGAR PUFFING MAN (cant ',d) Miss Jupiter •••

, EDD:IE BLAD

It's good to see ~r kid.

..

LAUR:tE '.

I can't say I feel the same.

BOnm BLAD

y'knOW, I just have to look at you, X see your, mom. She was a peach.

LAURIE

~id you tell her that before you

tried to rape her?

Laurie says this loud. The people nearby go silent.

CIGAlt PUFFING MAN 2 ~ss Jupiter, please --

The man touches her shoulder. Without looking, Laurie TWISTS .' the hand, CRUSHING the cigar in a hai~ of sparks.

. .......

LAURIE

Before you broke her ribs? Before you choked her? Isn't that the way

you treat peaches?

CIGAR PUFFING MAN 3 somebodY. get her boyfriend.

EDDIE BLAKE

Kid. •• YOU sure you want to take

thi~ all the·way? .

LAURIE

You bet I do. What kind of man are you t,o force a woman into h~ving

sex against her will? ~

•

••

Eddie looks genuinely pained.

~---

I I

\

i

r. ~ ...

31

32

33

o

\iATCBMBN "" .... 3rd Draft--· David:-Bayt~-.·. '

.9f2.6-1.03 i'i·

EDD1E BlaM(E Bey. .. ·only once -.

oart-quick, ~he dIPS her DRIl1K in bis face.

IJB!. JIIICItEFIlLT.E~. -. -- 1IEIJIUieM- mLaurie awUes.She sh"dders. .:Jon ccnti_S to work.

31

32

~oong Detective Gallagber·carries bis BRIEFCASE f~the Gotbi~ stone building. Be breathes deeP. done for the night.

33

Err. cift sDEE'fS .;._ Nl~

Gallagher walks briskly through the empty. streets. His footStepS CLAC1I. off· the concrete wwers. suddenly. he S~S. A SECORD sE'r of F()(lTS"lEPS stops TIIO sTEPS LA'rER. shadoWing

him~ Gallagher steps forward again, then STOPS.

Again. the otber footStepS CL1CK·to a stop· WaS that a soft • cbuckle ••• or just the·shuddering wind? •

GAIoLAGHER

~o's there? -- Whoe~er you are .. ·

I'ma cop ..

Gallagher reacbes for his gun. Ilebind bU.. 1U)RSCHIICB:. APPEARS in the dark alley. GIUPPUIG ·H1S WR1S'£. spinning him.

Gallagher finds h!s GUN in his hODd. Be raises it •. bat ROrSchach simply snatches it away. flings it clattering into

the alley. with a twist. Gallagher. findS DM'I'S Sn.VBil S'J'EA1' ¥aIFB lodged against the bony joint of his indeX finger·

GALlAGHER please ... Please.

RORSCHACH

Be quiet. Be calm, and you ·will

likely survive the night. EdWard Blake. Tell· me w~at yOU found.

GALLAGHER

Blake? Routine homicide. Except

for yOU --

Rorschach sLI\IIS Gallagher against the· wall, bard.

11

RORSCHACH What •. Did you. Find?

*"

'.' _ •••• ~ •• · 4 _·

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9/2'/03,~8

:·1

..

3rd Dra~t:·

David, .11aytet: ' .. ,.

'MIIl\lIU'1I BX'BS into GaUagher's finger· A runner of blood.

GAUAGBER

X - X don't --

'. GALLAGBBll

waitt 'f'hat,', W.8 found that!" . :

Bis BlUBPCASE yES open on tlui! gxoUDd. A PBO'J'OCOPY baS sUd 'partiallY free.

GALLAGHER Be dreW that.· ••

The~batOCCPY is of a TORN SCRAP·OF PaPER ~th ~y drBWD pnIIIIIlllS, surrounding the wordS' -The end of the worlcl.·

•

GALJ,.AGBER

We don't knOW wha-t it means.

Rorschach no<IB, pOCkets it. For.a,.,,_nt, it s_ be· will let go. Then, he .."..,& cloBe;·.shifUng·,..,sk in the cap'" face. Bis . .aice ~s harsh with sodden. inexplicable fory.

RQRSCBACR

Why did you take my life aWay?

GALLAGHER

What. do' you mean? .

RoXscha,ch cannot hear hila nOW. Bis _thing· intensifies.

. . .

RORSCHACH

What ha~ X ever done, but idolize you?'And when your blackest desires for justice rose. in you, did X not

sbed blood for you? .

GALLAGHER

YOu're talking abOut tbe.Xeene Act?

X _~ I was· twelve.ye~S old •.

RoXscbach sighs long. knife cutt1n9 into :the :l;inger joint.

* * .*

*

RORSCHACH .

I knOW... 1 know who ·you ~e.

Be SLXCES upWAJU), 'quick, clean. Gallagher SHRXEKS.

.34

.' ' .

.... . - ... ' ...• " ' ._'.-.', ....

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BeavY rain. Day tuned to· black night.· 'tile. s_ filthY. ~cled BQIIE1.BSS !!lIN curies his SlG1l past the gates of a .,.".etery ... l'U~.hefore the ·.9ateS are a Une of .LDICJ!lSnms. l'lIlJ 1'AS'r' A S'rA~ - a stone ano;el. raiJlW&ter·_ . .. . streaming _ her cheeks -- oro jEI1Br.L' .. Dan. Jan, Md .......

&ad the other .,urners that Unetbe edge of an open grave •

sALLY tV .0.) so .•• What brtn9s my 'daughter' to

the city of the dead?

"lhrougb01lt this scene we l:N'i'£RCIl'I' J>i,tween TUB F1JNI!RAt. and.

35

35

Eft'. NEPt!ld'BB VISTA -- DA"f

Bright sunshine. california. An Ul"'cale condO faciUty· Laurie's mother. ~~ -- prohahly sixty bUt loo~·thirtynine __ recl.ines by. the poel.. She "as once the Sn.tt S1'ECTI1B'

JAUR1B

1 can't visit without the third

degree? I'. not a perp mom·

sALLY

Then pour yottrse1·f a Hargari ta.

Where' s the Atc;mdC LO\1er? .

Laurie pours herself a Margarita tram a pitcher on the tebl.e.

LAt1RXE

Please stop callinq hiln that. Just

because yOU chose a life without love'doesn't, mean I have to.

sALLY Me? HoneYf please. . love four tilDes.

I've been in

LAURIE

. .lon'S at' some funeral I didri· t feel

like attending, SO he teleported me here. I just got thrOUgh throwing

up in the ladies room·

sALLY

Eddie Blake's. funeral. right? •

The paper said he was lllUrdered.

9

QVEIIIIEAD AlIGLE' AS )':ddie' s coffin is remdved from the hearse.

: : ~ . ~ ;: .. ~. . .' .

. . .•..•• '".' .• '-c< .• ,,,· .•. _·"C' .. " .. ', ,. ,.". c. ,:,;. ;""._c~=-- """-"'_--'_" .~."': - 7' . ..

i·

••

36

,.·tt\'i'

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~/l6/0.3. 20

GreBMEN . _..:. 3rd Dxaft -- David ·Hayteri

~l. (cent'd) (V.o.) (CONT'D) Finally gQt bis puncbline, 1 guess~

poor Eddie.

*

~UP.XE .

poor Eddie? The ·man was •. scumbag.

SALLy

Laurie, you're young. What. happened, happened forty years ago.

It's history·

.

AJIGU!! 011: EDDU'S C(l!'FXN. car.ded past Jan.. lIdrian. Dan.

LA1J1U.E 50'S Dachau.

~y reaches into an oqersized. leopard-print purse. withdr""ing a .~ VERS1~ of the (lUi JIERC)ES PHaro·

SALLy

'rhat leaves just three of the old team. left. Me, Bollis Mason; poor ByrOn LeWis up in the bughOUse-

LAURIE

I'1\\. not saying yOU should curl up and whimper about it for the rest of your life~ I'm just saying- ••

SALLy

~at? l1b.at are you saying?

srr. ~'I ~- LM'B AFTSI\ROOIC LAURIE (v.o.)

Just. •• sanetl.meS· you need to see people for wbat they really are.

JI1IGLE mil DR •. ~. looking tbOUght£ullY into the grave.

36

31

p~ (0·.6.·) Most worthy judg~ et~al, Buffer us not at our final hour for any pains of deatb to fall from thee.

1ft. BAR -- SAIGON -- NIGJr.r

MA'1'CII l'lIDE TO' DR. I!IIlIBA'fTA1I. In the nigJlt skY. a BURST of nJlEWORKS. OI1uicle. a ciUlIID of Vietnam""e .people cBEE1l·

EDDIE SLAKB (o.s.)

Fireworks.

* *

'. ·-tr

-., ~

..

'It ..

37

(

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.................... ~.;.. ........... __ "..: ....... ~~---: __ .~ ..... _.;.~'-- ..... .: ............ -_, ........ _.",-;~,..,. ~,,", ............ __ Ilii· '.;Ij,}' .- .. -.;..- ...... ':':IioiI:·~·-·~-- ... - _- ~- .. - ----- ~- _- .. - _- .. -_- -- -- .. - _- _- .::::-:-

WA'iCBMEN ,..~ 3rd Draft.·~ David .Hayter .

·9/2.6/03 21

t>.

Eddie sits in a derelict Saigon bar. mean drUnk. Bis' f.ce~ thoU9n nOt quite ·young l1ere, ·is devoid his trademark SCAR,

. " .. " . .

EDDIE

You • d think this· .coUntry f d bad enough goddamD fireworks.

. DR. MANHATTAN

I suppose vietnaa.Victory Night must mean something to them.

EDDIE

Nah. Average vietnamese don't give a rat' s ass who wOn. Means plenty to us though. If we'd've lost this war ••• 1 think it inight have driven us crazy, y'know? AS a country· But we di4n' t. .. Thanks to you.

PR. MAN8AT'l'AN You sound bitter.

EDDIE

.Me? I think it's hilariQus.

LIAO LIN Mr. Eddie?·

-:rhey.both turn. A pretty VIE"rNAHESE GIRL stands in th~ door.

EDDIE

Fantastic. Just what I need.

LIAO LIN

The war is over now. we must talk..

EDDIE

Nothing to·talk about. I'm leaving. '

LIAO LIN YOU will ••• walk away?

EODlE As fast as I can.

..

LIAO LIN

But I can not walk away from this.

She places a 'hand delicately on her' abdome1\. Eddie S~ his glass down. He glares at her, drunk and dapgerous ".

. .. ._.. .

. :.: .'. . . '. ' .. :' .: ;:: .:. :: .:.:.. :!.'., ~ , : : :":: :~'. " ::.' .. :.'.:;.:..: :':':::'0;':.';:':", •. :.<.:~;:.:. <;':::;;j;i';;;""",., ='~::~=';'»'S"M'-;"j!;''''S'' Sjdii5P lJ't) i' 7

•

WAreBMBN ~._ '3rd Draft· _-David liayter" .

9126/03:.~2

. EDDIE .

"ell that· is a shame~ . 'cause that's exactly wbat I is gonna do. 1.'m 90nna forget 'you and your hor~ ible i sweaty little country·

Be turnS away. Ber eyes blaze with betX'a.yal and hatred.

LIAOL'IN

se , YOU will remmuber. YO\1 will remember me and JII.'j countrY forever.

Liao Lin SMASHES a bottle. Eddie SPiNS just as the broken sHARDS SLASB BIS FACE, slicing bimbis· jagged SCAR.

EDDIE

Godl YOU bitch! My' facel

.Be pusHES HER into tbf! bar and DRAWS HIS PIS'l'OL. lovers stare at eacb other across the gun barrel.

The former Silence.

DR. MANBA~AN' .

Blake... Don't.

~ _~ The girl SLAMS against the·fa~·wall. She drops, dead.

EDDIE

My face. Got to find a medic.

DR. MANHATTAN

Blake. She was pregnant. You gunned her dawn·.

Eddie turns on him, spitting fury.

EDDIE

That's right 1 precp1ant woman· Gunned her .down. Bang. And you

knOW what? YOU watched _l YOU *

could've changed the gun.into steam

'or the bullets into mercury or the

bottle into snowf.lakes, but you didn't. You don't giv~ a damn aboUt human beinqs. . l've been watching you. You're' drifting out of touch, DoC... God help us all ..

Eddie ~alks off sboating "Medici" Alane, Dr. Manhattan turns • to the girl' s body and regards it appraisingly. FADE '1'0:

38

38

. ~. CEJCE'lBU -- EaRL! EVSlIDIG

Dr. Manhattan looks doWn on Eddie's grave thoughtfully.

r

... - .. -.-.-.-.~ .. ---.~--.------~

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~_ _ . _ t!r>

3rd Draft

. 9/2'6/03 23

39

pREACHER (O_S~)

Earth to Eerth. . Asbes to ash~6. fr

pAN OVER '1'0: ADRIAN,' list.e~ing to EdWard Bl~er s. eul~. • • XIIT.aD4EB1JSTEIIS ~ __ IIx_39 EDDIE ~ (V.O.l

This is ·all bullsbit.

DAN·

What are you sayin9' comedian?

OlIN. fit and trim in ·fUU lIi9ht owl regalia. leads a meeting for a potential new "hero-team." JUlRSCBACII is there. and a uyr. old· u.1JlUE. dressed out .in LE!IIrIlBR punk-fashioned JI)II!OR. A younger JIDRlAlI VE1DT is dressed as OZnwu>lJIS. DJl.

HJUIIlA"l"l'AlI. his age unchaDged. stands with his girlfriend JARBY. though he casta occasiOnal glauces at young Lanrie •••

who' definitely glanceS back. .

I!ddie Blake. now in his forties •. sJllDkes a cigar. feet on the tab1e. a FlASK in hand. ~ PAPER in his hand reads; A1!AB

. LJ!ADERS CALL DR. MAlIHA"l"l'AlI. ~ l\IIEIUCA' s WBAPOlI OF SA'rAlI"·

EDDIE

What 1'~ saying Dan, is this whole idea, this "crimebusters" thing r is bullshi t. It didn't work twenty years ago, and it· ain't gonna work just because you want to keep on playing CowbOY~ and Indians.

DAN

Haybe'~ should agree on no drin)ting at meetings. LOOk, . Rorschach and 1 have made real headway on the· gang problem by pooling 9ur efforts.

II<>rschacliis "Dice is quiet. bUt not yet its tortured rasp. *

RORSCBACB

That's true. But something like this seems too big- TOO unwieldy.

AD1UAlI

Surely that'S just an organizational problem. with the

right person leading the group ~-

EDDIE -

.Oh, and who that. wou1.d be, veidt1.

I mean you are the smartest guy in

t.he world, right?

AJ)RD1t-

It doesn't take geniuS to see that

the world baS problems •.

EDDlB

And it. takes a roomful of morons to

. think they're small enough for you· guys to handle."'"7 'You people are ajolte. 'You bear Moloch '·8 back in town and think, "Oh- bOYt Let's go bUst. him'" You think that ma:tters?

R~CB

Of course it does. 3ustice matters.

EDDIE -

Justice. Bilarious~·- Let· me show

you something.

Be stands. ".",ing to a I!loP OF lIIIER1CA. on it are Dan' s L1>BJ!UI," reading GIINGS, "~, DRUGS. Eddie flicks his

ZIPPO and the MAP GOES UP m FLAMES.

DAN My . display •••

EDD1E

None of yOU get the joke, do you? We were set Up from the beginning.

By whom?

EDDIE

By God, Jon. WhO· else? Jews, Muslilns, Christians and Liberian Bind~ all cbuck~ in together; Killing each other for Bis amusement over the past 2000 years.

Eddie's gaze falls squarely on Jon.

•

EDDIB

E)tcept nOW we got Nukes, super~ "

. viruses, all sorts of fun things ..

The minute we got the ability to destroy ourselves,- it all just became. •• A· matter of time.

(MORE)

*

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• _', _, _.' _. _,_..:_ ~. _.....;.:.._._~ _ _.._ ....... 0.1.. ...... ;:::'

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.• _ ••• __ •. ~ _ ... ;_;.:.._ • ......o.:.:.. ' ------ ....... ~

. "',i 1 ."'y"., "ui •. ~" ... ' • ... 4i' .,«: • b 0 '( ••• '''' _= 3 a X

'9/26/03 2S

WA~CBMEN-~ 3rd Dr~ft ~~ David Bayt~r

.EDDIE. (cont t d) .

1'.ea~ the books. Y 'knoW,. the 'old boqks? They bad it' rigl;1t. BY pestilence r . famine or: fire.... - :

everybody dies ~ -- AJicS· then ozymandlas here is gonna be the smartest man'on the cinder.

Be sneers __ and walk.s out. Silence.' uncomfortable in the wake of truth,. the others pack up to go, muttering apol09ies to Dan. EVeryone but ~ianr wh~ ~pproaches the burning map.

DAN .

please don't alt leave. This '"just makes what we do that mUch more i.JnpOrtant lDoesn ' t anybody' see?

CLOSE ON: AJ>RlAN, flames' flickering acrosS his face.

DAN

SamebodY's got to save the world.

MATCH FADE. TO:

40

40

ADnAN, pANNING OVER '1'0: DAN DI~EIBERG as we FADE ro:

EB. cx~ ~ __ ·RIGll'r

Ten years ago: .A NEWSPAPER· ~X. The headline: COPS sAY: "LET THEM'DO IT." Senator Keene proposes ~rgency vigilantism bi11.' . PAN UP '1'0 REVEAL: The streets are JAMMED with ANGRY PROTESTORS, wavinC] signs deCrying vigilantes. .

ANGLE Olh All.OVAL AIRSHIP', its forward windOWS 'sculpted like the eyes of ~ great OWL. Dan. in costume, pilots the ship-

DAB

(over loudspeakers)

EVERYONE, PLEASE CLEAR THE sTREETS. WE ARE TRYING TO RETAD ()lU)ER UNTIL THE pOLICE S'rlUKE IS OVER·

A 40'S era· BLACK sEDAN SCREECHES TO A HALT. SMILEY-FACE IJtlB(:AlJS SPIN pEm'EClLY INTO FRAME. The comedian exits the

car, COCKING a ~arge-bore RI~.

EDDIE

Listen you overfed sheep! Get back

in yer holes ):)afore you get "burt1-

•

MAN IN CROWD

WE WANT 'REGULAR COPS. NO MORE

VIGILANTES I

41

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.•.• ' •.. ""'"~.~"'_" .i: i.. •.• ,~"'.; .. "'.,.-~"".:.:,c, ..' """""""...;.:;:..:::::.~--m-. ~: tr";';~'-"'n"'" ""!""'-"F-~-j-W-II--~ -7'-5-77-'---

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. .

WATCHMEN '-- 3rd Draft -- David Hayter

*

'9/26/03' 26

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WOMAN IN'CROWD .

MY SON ~S A COP,' ASSBQL1!: l

_ ()OIIIedi.an turns at this --i.n'U- to be Bl'J! IN TIIB !IEIID by a flying SODA CNI. SIoili"ll9 grilaly, he Fll<BS.-.rENt G!IS

. CANNlS'rERS IlftO· HE . CROWD •.. CLOSE ON i DAt' ..

DAN

Oh God.

(over speakers)

LOOK~. I'M SORRY. YOU 'VB LEFT US NO CHOICE.. pLEASE CLEAR TBB s'l'lUZTS 1 .

'J'he Comedian DIVI!S into the crOwd. knocldng rand .. people aside with hiS r~fle butt. A LARGE MAN takes a swing at Eddie. Eddie. BEATS' the man unmercifu~~y unti~ ~ ELBOWS 'EDDIE Xl' 'raE NECK.: The beaten man looks up at Dan, dazed.

DAN (cont'd)

What are you, an idiot I? RUIn

The' .. man scatters into the choking fog along with the reat of the crowd •. Eddie rises, rubbing his neck, cbuckling-

EDDIE

pretty good shot, Dreiberg. I didn't even hear you come up.

DAN

comedian, .tbis is a nightmarel The

Whole city is eruptingl

The s~ke clears enough for Dan to see a message SPRAYpAIN'l'BD ·on a brick wall: ·WIlO WA!'CBBS ftJB WA!l'CHHEN7

£ODn: (cont ' d) .

'1' ve seen that allover. They

don't like us and they don't trUst

us •. Where tbe hell are the others?

EDDIE Bah 1 'Y' seen this'i

..

DAN

Jon and Laurie are handling the

riots in washington. Rorschacb' & holding the LoWer East side. Be. • • mostlyworkEi on his own these days.

. ~

EDDIE •

Rorschach'S been nuts ever since that kidnapping three years back.

44

1ft. MOLOdl' S BaolmS~ -- R1GB

Th'" darlt milD. r""""es his hat and coat. Be is old. withered. Be is EJ)GIUt J1ICOB1. In y"""ger clays. he was - as J!OLOCII.

45

00.· .... • ;.. ••• , ........ ,.,_ •• _ -~ _. • •. • ..••.• -_ ••••• - .~-,-.~"', .

... ~ __ ~~'~'_-~-. '~m .... " ..... ",:=:.~::,:""!'"~;--~"'. - .. -,-. -rn-------I!II: .• ~ •.. ;.~:.~ ..... '!I.~

- \ ..

. ..

WA'fCBMEN .-- 3rd Draft ~- David ilayter

~. oan.loo1<s .,.,.... the SIIIOkY. deBertedsueet•

DAN .

BOW long can we· keep this up'l

EDDIE

My gOvernment cont_cts t~l.~ me·

tbey're pushing some new ~t . through congres.. until then, we're society's only protection.

DAN·

Who are we protec1;ing them from?

Eddie l.aogbB. exultant in th8 bl..,.,ill9 smoJ<e. Tlie chaos. Distant screams ·lace the ~og.

42

EDDIB

Are you kidding~ From themselves-

.EX~. CEMftSIlY -- EVEN·IRG

42

As the Preacher. continues. Dan fingers the SMrLBY FACE PIR.

43

PREACHER

.LOrd have merCY upon us. Amen.

Dan DROPS the pin into Eddie f s grave.

CAMEn FOLLOWS: A lone DARK· MAN, as he walks away.

~. C£METER~ ~S -- NIGB'!

'1'htO DII1I1t _ ""its. Be~ hila. a second 61LB()1JE'l"iE·

JINGU! OR' 'l.'II1I B(lMELBS6 HJ>1I .with bis 6ign· 'l.'II1I END 16 _.

43

44

45

Jacobi goes to the JIE!'lUGEAA'l'Olt· 0pellS it. Then stoPS. staring. There is a scr""loed 1IO'fE in bis FP.:tDGB. CLOSS OR'

Spiky handWriting -- ·LOOK BEHIND YOU.

OVER Jacobi's' shoulder; Rorschach'S hat_brimT1UTS up. tmrschacb lungeS end pllIS Jacobi's ARM behind biB back·

•

.

·i

•

•

a'1'CilMEN .;.._ 3rd Draft· :. J:?avid Baytex :

.9/.26/03 28

Rcm.SCBAcs . . . e :?l ,~: .: i':~!"L· Si

Edgar 19i11183 Jacobi •. Also ltilcnm'

a& Edgar William' Vaughn. Also

known as William Edgar Brigbt. -

AlsO known as Moloch.

JACOBI

Wbat are yoU talking abOUt? I.'lIl a

retired business ma~l

~ch TWl~S the man'S arm baCk vicioUslY·

RORSCHACH

Lie again ••• I. wll break your axJll·

.,' ." . ','

JACOB1

OhGOd •. p1-ease. 1: spent the eighties in jail. 1'. not MOloch anymore. What do yOU want from me?

Jl<)rSChach lets hila go. Jacobi's bollow eyes follOW hila •

. RORSCHACH

you attended a funeral toda~. ~y'?

JACOBI.

The funeral"l 1 don't )moW why 1 went. 1 just felt 1: should. I'd been tbinking about tbe'C~ian

Rorschach sLAMS JACOBI against the wall.

JACoB): (COnt' d 1 What? 1Ihat did. 1 say?l

ROIlSCJmCB

BO\f did yOU know that EdWard· Blake

waS the comedian?

JACOBI.

Be broke in here 1 A week ago 1 He

had. his Bask off. Be waS drUnk.

RORSCBACB

yOu were enellies for forty years.

Why should he visit you?

JACOBI

I don' t know 1 . Be was upset I 1

thOUght be was goin9 to kill ~

FLASH CJ.'O:

. ..,'" .. ~ . ~ ... --.,- . " - ..... ._ " .

ill

r

~ --'-~-""

., ;-" .. ,.".;.,:.~:.,""","_,,~:::,.,, ;.;.~.""""""~.;:':'..:.w~ •. ' ••..• q , .,.'<.~ ·;~"'¢Em ·Z)·········y: X------~

~ ...; 3xd Draft ~:navid Hayter 9/Z6/0329

....

46

.. r··· ~

1-. ~'S BSDaocii -- R1"

. .

SDDll1 BLl\d, in cost'- l:>Ut for his mask, sits .. on· j:.heedge of Jacobi' 6· bed. Be ""ilJll froll a bottle; distr .... gbt. •

. EDDD .

lfbat a joke •. Just oneroutin~'

check' on the "hero" .~ty. ~'YOU think the GOVer~nt.· s

forgotten usi They haven't. .Not yOU, not ROrschach,' not any of US. SO every couple' a years they 'have

_ run a check on. everyone still living- And there it was, bUried in the files •. Just one little' discrepancY, bUt. that was enOUgh •• •

I got th~ joke.

Be stareS into Jacobi, red-rtomeO eyes blazing wildlY·

'EDDIB (cont' d)

'You're a part of it'MolOCh, y'knOW tbat? 1. saW your name on that

list. YOU, Wally lIJeaver. -- 'Course

if 1. thought yo\1 did knOW, if X thought you might be in on it. - • •

~'d \till'YoU, Y'Unde%stand? l.

mean, you. fouqht that biq blue freak. YOU· knOW what bis bead'S like. Wbo knOWS 'which way he'll jump .if anybodY messes with'h~? 1.

don't want to think abOut it. 1 don' t know. Maybe l' can stop it.

But maybe- _. 1: shouldn't - GOd·

ee _ the bottle. pres!> tearS stream dooR' his face.

. .

EDDIE (cont'd) 1. mean, live done some bad things.

t ' ve done bad things to women:' 1

shot kids in "ietnBBl- BUt I never did anything _ • ~ : anything like this.

Eddie falls to his knees before a CRDCIPI1 on tb8 wall.

mmJE' (cont'dl oh GOd. Forgive me···

Be WB1.PS tbe bottle.

It sMAsHES against the croSs.

e .

..

." -, .. '.: . ? ··0J'

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r

WA'fCBMEN ..:_ 3rd Draft _;_ David Hayter

.7

m .: ~~s ta~ -- BIGB'l . .JACOBY

Md then he left. ·1 don't knOW

wbat the bell it was abOUt·

1l01lS~CB

Bln. Funny· story. sounds unbelievable e. p.robably true.

JACOBI

SO that'S it? 1'm clean?

RORSCBACII

C1ean.. .. 'You? 1 .searcbed your house. Found il1ecjal· drUgs •

JACOBI:

111e9a1 __ 1: don '.t u~e drUgs.

RorschaCh pollS a ~~ ~.from his coat. llO'RSCBACB

LaetJ:i1. Phony medication made from apricot pits. 1:11e9a1•

J:ACOB~

Ob c __ come on. LOOk, p1.ease

don't confiscate tl,\at. 1'111 trYin9 anything. • • I haVe cancer.

RO~cBACB· l(bat kind of cancer?

J:ACOBI

Heh. YoU knoW th,e kind Y()u eventually get better fram? ~- That

ain' t the· ·ltinc;1 I've got.

llORSCBACli

Fine. I wrote doWn the name

of tbe company. :10u' re off the book. for nOW. If you remember anything .else, leave De 0. note in

the trasbcan opposite the GUDga Diner at Fortieth and seventh. . Keep out of trOuble, Molocb~.· 1'.11

be seeing you.

48

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48

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SlllE ANGLE Olh ~. BTJlSTlNG '1'IIR01JGIl '1'IIE NIGII'l' AlII as

the city sue ..... by. ~is close. he appears to be n,nNG. f

49.

. . RQJU;csAcB (V .0. ) .

'thOUght abOUt Kolocb'. ;storY· q11 my "'.Y to 1:he .,."...teEY. coald aU 1>8. l.ie&. A sc:b8ll". for re"'en9" p].&D1l8c1 dUring his years· behind baX:s •.

CUT "lOB' "l'O revee.1 be is act""Uy pZRCBED A'fOP All ~ SIlJIIlAY CAll. JUst. ~ .,.;.y be gets around· .

Ro}U;CBACll (v .• O.) (com' D)

BUt if it' s t,rUe •. then what? puzzling reference to Dr·

Manhattan. C()\lld ~e plssibl.y be at

risk? SO many questions.

IlOrscbecb ~ IN'l'O FJIl'MB. l'XLlotllG 1'r lIX"lB B1S J<AS1<-BLO'fS'

i

I

49

~scbacb standS al.QDe aver Eddie'" fresh grave.

l\ORSCBACB . tV .0. ) Edward Blake. BOrn 194'. bUried in the rain. -rhe.t' s what happens to

us. violent l.ives endin9 violentlY-

FU\SB oro. 11;DD1I1 BJAl'l!'. ·turuin'.! as hiB DOOR i.s KIcKED nt.

RO~c~B (v.o~) (cont'd)

lie never die in beel •

. nJISlI 'lO' "l'BI! BURN1NG tW! OF Jll<BlUCA

.ROllSCBACB (V .0.) (cant' d)

Blake. understoOd. Be saw the· 11 ttle men in .. eks tryi:n9 to ho];c:1 it all toget.beI'. tEeated it like a joke.

~ OF' 1!IlD11! bein\! beaten in hiS. apartnoe"t.

ROllSCBACJl· (V. 0.) (cant' d) :I heard a joke once. Men goes to a doctor, says 1:le's depressed. Life

seems harsband cruel-

r'.

EDDIE is KICKED· in the stomach.

RORSCHACB (V. 0.) _( cont · d 1 says he feels all alone in a.

threatening world. ~

•

• ' EDIl1B standS alone .i» 1:he blmrin9 tear gas smoke.

.. ---~--==- _- _- _- _--=:-=-

-: , ...•• _ ••. " . .:..:~ .• ,-~~, _ _,;:" ~ _ .: •• _ ,'.:_. :_:~~~.~~~.~.~: •• _ .•.•. ;_,~.: ..• :~;;.;.:..; "" •.• _'~~~"t ~;I';;o\:''''§~·'f''''i:j'''''''''.F~')''''''''~'_~lii:.lIj;jj;i=:Ul~flr'~"ei'iilii- DfIIM __ ~ .. r_~"i.''''4~~-IiIoi-~'' -

~ __ 3rd Draft '-' David Baytex .9/2.6/113 31 " •• iI_P', ~

RO~CB- (V.O-~) (COnt'd) 1)OC'tor'says, .tbe.-ueatment is' .'

silllPle• 'fhe 9reat cl""" l'a9tiac<:i •

is in _ toDi9bt•. GO and see \:,:,

bia. "rbI!t sbOllld ¢.Ok you up." -, -.

1II>DU is ~F'J$D tiP by his a&sau.ant• 6· bands·

llo~CBACB fV.O. 1 (cont I d)

'rbe _nbUrsts into tears.

EDDIE, .crYin9 before. the crucifix-

RORSCBACB (V .0.) (,cont' d)

"But doetor •. ·• he .~ays •

IJLTRA-SLOII. EDDU QUISlIlIS 'fIIIlOIJGB BIS pSt1'fB01lSE 1IlJIIlOII:.

curtains.

50

•

Bddie. FLIES ~ F1INIS on bis silent trip to the ~ •..

RORSC~CB (V.O.) (cont'd) GOod joke. EVerybOdY ~au9h •

Eddie BLACKS OUT TaE FRAME·

RORSCHACH (V.O.)

llORSCHACIl (V. 0.) ( cant t. d 1 -1 ell\ pa9~iacci.·

50

~. ALL£I -- Rl~

. .

A 'fAGGER s~-PAltftS graffiti on a .tall. TbS· SJW)OW of a MAN 11'1 A FEIlONd'aUB over him "ud be turDS. terrified.

RORSCHACB (V.O.)

A comedian died on Friday night. --

NObOdY c~es. :- .

~ ALl$l. secondS latex. 'fhe ugger lies """"",,,ciOQs. m.ooD tric1<les frca hiS nose as PAIII'f trickles ~:the can he's _ brained with. .1U)RSC1lIICB wall<S awaY • <:leariD!l

fr-' we see tl1e GIUIFl'l'fl scrawled over· the 1ne~ !><>dY.

It reaos IiBO Ii'ATCBES Till! .IIA!'CJDIBII' In driPPin9 red·

RORSCHACH (V. O. 1 "( CONT I D)

NObody car,?s bUt me· '. •

•

~ __ -,

(

•

___ .,.-.--, .. _, __ ~M'---'-~~~~"~--"""'-'--~' ~,~,.~~-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ _'

~.~_ 3rd Draft ~- D&Vi~.~~~~

... r:;~:'::~

: 9/261.~.3 33

, .

~. ~ .m.xSll't BlISS _ .__. .... EVIlRlIIG 51

CLOSB 011' J,lID1UE, eyes closed with pieallce, Dr. KaDbattall' 8 GLOWING BLUE BANDS caresS her face.

. LAURIE,

MIDDl. Wbat time's your intervi~r

DR. MAlQIATTAN (O.S.)

We have all the ttme in the world.

I!Jes sqll closed, abe d.oes not see a 'I.'IIIBD BL1lB HlIND trl!ce a line Gown her cheek. She kisses it.

LAURIE Rey, youx: fiugu. licking a battery.

It's 'like rt's all --

She opens her eyes. They widen in shoCk and horror. CU'l" WIDE TO REVEAL: TWO OR. lQNBAT"l'ANS in bed with her.

LAURIE (cont • d)

Oh Godl That's horrible I stop itl

Laurie,jumps up. The two Jons stand, confused.

Oil. MANHATTAN '1 please don't be upset.

, DR. KANUAT'l'AN 2

I thought you'd enjOY it.

'*

LAURIE (CONT I D)

I'm sorry, I -- You startled me.··

na, MANHATTAN 1 '

I don r t knOW ~hatst:imulates you

anymore.

LaUrie backS into the ball, trYing to get a grip.

LAURIE

please, Jon drop it. I overreacted.

It was just, strange to see ~

Laurie can noW see into the kitchen, where yet ~ THIRD DR. MANHATTAN ~s working on an experiment. Ber eyes blaze.

LAURIE (cont' d)

How lonq have you been work.iilg in

here?

DR. MAN8A'l'TD 1 Laurie, trY to understand." --,

LAURIE

Living with him ••• Dan, you don't

knOW what it's like.

,,- -,

.:~ .. .:.. ... ~ .. :

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WA~.-~ 3xd Draft.-- David uayter

.. '/~610334

••

. a..URIE .

understand I ? You'.xe working in here

at. the same tilDe we're in bed1?

e~'·:·

-

-

., __ ".

DB..~3

My work's at 81\ important stage.

7t se~d unnec~ssary to --

·IAURIB-. .

Shut up I JUst SB11.rYOOR MOUTH 1

Laurie WHIPS a full ·BEADR ·at Jon ]'S chest. xt PASSES THROUGB HIM to SMAS~ IN THE KITCHEN SXNI(. Laurie stm:m8 out.

DR. MAN8A'l'TAN 1

Laurie, please·:'-:·· xf you think there' s ~ problem with my attitude,

I'm pr-epared to discuss it.

AS .he speaks, the s~shed BEAKER and its cont~nts RId ~ ~ AIR, REASSEMBLING perfectly.1n the palm of JON 3'8 h~d.

52

52

1ft. DAR'S ~ _ .. Rlmrr

CLOSE ON: DAN, polishing a pair of 901d-r~d GOGGLES with rose-tinted lenses. OlDinous music. Be· focuses on the woxk. We get t,he impresBi~n that be is purposefull.y not looking· up •

But finally, he is compelled. Be l.ooks up.' '*

CUT WIDE: Dan is sitting on a. crate before THE DISPLAY CASE. Bis NIGB'l'-OWL cosTUME'S empty, hooded eyes· stare into him.

BOOM __ The SOUND ~hoeli through the dark cbamber.·

BOOK. •• BOOM. so_thing coming for hiJD? Maybe. • •

No. The upstairs door.

su. DA11 DJtElBERG'S, BOUSE _ .. 81GB

53

;'.

..

53

Laurie is on the step •. Kneeling beside her, a L()CRSMITB '*

. installs a NEW DOOR LOCK. She turns to ban, in tears. *

LAURIE

X left Jon. . *

54

54

Dan pours Laurie a glass of RED WINE.

She ~ipes her ey.S. t

,~ .. . .~:~ .'

. ~ -.~., ~- "- ~~ --~ .

wA~' . .:.,._ 3J:d Draft. -_-. -D-a-~ .... i .... d.- .. ua-: ._~~yter~~ .. --':"'--'9-'2-6-'-0-3- .. -35~·:-"':'=::··~:r;::.:~~~:/V:~~~.

. '

Staring.

l~cm -rol DIl. HANBA"l'TAll, holdin1J Laurie's B1$.

LAUlU'S (V~O.) (col1\:'dl

'l'he way be looks .at things;· Like he . can' t remember what they are rand . doe.n't. really, .care·. 'thiS world •••

. 'the real·'WQrld •. -ro him it's·.like walking through a mist, and' all the people are just... shadows.

DR. MANHA'l'TAN lowers his head. A sHADOW FALLS OVER HIM •. He lookS "P to see a 'rBREE pIECE SUrf standing on its own before

the closet -- waiting for its wearer .•

, .

. UUlUE looks up at Dan through wet lashes.

LAURIE (cont 'd)

Oh God. lou were .probably getting dressed to go out When ~ sbOwed up.

DAN

Liste.n, I just wisll-:' .you'.d stop by more often. As for tonight, I.'Dl only calling on Bollis. And hell --

CUT TO.: DR. MANHATTAN, stepping THROUGH and INTo the empty, 'floating suit. Bis 'l'.IE knots itself.

DAN (v.O.) (COft"D)

Be doesn' t care bow people dress.

. Dr. ~attall looks around the ~y room sadly -- and ':'. D:tSAPPEARS IN A BURS'f OF PARTICLES.

lAUR":tE downs her wine, straightens' herself out.

LAURIE

come on, I' 11 walk you over.

55

55

BU .. DAR'DBEIBERG'S BOUSE -- RIGIR

They exit past. the LOCKSM~':l'B. Be atends.

L()C1(SM1TH

'l'here y'go. Safe as houses. What happen~ anyway? Y'getrobbed?

Dan pa:ys him. Laurie feels the night wind.

DAN ...

NO" uh _ ... A friend called when l' wesn' t expecting hill.

51

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',. ~.; ." ..

. ... : .... ;',' ':: ..

9./.?-6/03 36

56

~.:'

Ba 1 1 got bUddies ·like that.. Always turnincl \1P cb:1mk.".

llft~ . ~6I,* S'1'UDIO - 111_

56

.'

. ~TR (V.O.)

completely out. of t.he ·blue.

sudOenly. Dll. JIAlI1IA'rTl'1' Afl'EI\1'S in a ~ OF mmaGJ· "tile rec~ist SBlUEKS.· A S"flIGE JUINAGER ~OOl<S out biB office.

'.

S'rAG!;' ~GE1\ 'l'errific. Dr. osterman arrives and

no_one.thinkS to tell me1

. REC£P'll.ONl.S'1'

Be _- Be just -- .

s-rAGE MANAGER

All geez• we dOD f t have tiJ&e for

tOIlke-up. That blue is far tOO .1ig)1t. fox television.

'file L:IGB'l' from Jon' s SKDI l)lIlUOlNS to a nEE1'I!R BLUE.

JON

Is this dark enou9h?

sTAGE~

Uhf yeah. yeah, that'S fine •

51

. S1'r •. Clift 5~ -- flIGHT

DaD and Laurie _ilt in silence· 'theY CIlt -gb an r.Ia.EY. AlIGI>E 011' A GANG of pIlDkB in ~..roP hairdoS.· following -

.~ the darknesS of the alley. .

S'l'AGE MANA.GBR (V. o. )

That r s du;:k enough fox my purPOses.

1ft. TELEV1610t1 STUDIO -- CORT1RUOUS .

58

58

.'i

A sunglas.-vearing ~.AGBRT approaches Jon's other side •

.-

•

· .. ' .' .~ ... --. . .

• __ ... _ ..... ._ ......... __ .= :~ .......... _..: •.. ~ __ ..:. •• _:.....::..:.:...:.:,;...;.: .. in ...... ~.,..;. •.••. ~',,;:.'~:o:i:>:'c~~~=,.~. MIi:ii··~·S~""'~;Qi7_$ _r ... _..-_~ -

~"':- 3rd Draft-':' DBVid".J!a~; 9/26103 l'< ~m'"

, ,~,FOPES' '

Dr. ostexsaan· MY name is Forbes"" .. ArUlY Intelligence. Bere ue a list

of no-go areas. If th~Gelleva Convention c0JD8& up, our official

position' i:,s that talltS will not' res'\l1ll8 until the Chinese ,a9~ '. ~

exclude you from the. agenda.

'lI1e s_ is called pllESSlIA'lC1l. bo&ted by a glossy ,.an by the

...... of CALVIB MlILEll· 'lI1e LIGHTS .,.... up. ' .

CALVIN taIaLER

Be'S been called many things; Hero r

lfeapon, linchpin of our security.

CUT '1'0 DA1I and LAUIUE. turning as the gang ...".bers BLOCK 'l'BE JIL1,l:YWAY. one of the 'l'C)UGIIS flips open a B\n!TERFLY lIIl1n·

I ... urie and Don eXcl1ange 8 look. 1l8n x-"' his glasses.

CALVIN KlLl,tER (COnt' d) ~ut for the next sixty Dinutes. presswatch h~s got h~. please

welcome the former Dr. Manhattan--

Dr. Jonathan ostermanl

The audience APPLAUDS furiously as Jon takes hiS seat.

DR. ' MANSA'l.'"rAN Thank you.

CALVIN lUUS

Thank yoU for joining ~ Dr ~ oster:1l\811. Since we ann(1)Dced this,

our pbones have been .jumaed.I'd like to skip the prelbdnaries and

get right to some callS.

DR. MANUA'l"l'AB

ANGLE oN' IlI'I!I 1iIID LAUIllII. surrQUllded by punltS.

CALVIN MllJ- (V.O.) Let's get down to·it,. shall we?

Dan 'and Laurie DIVE INTO the gBD9. fighting like the beXOBS theY once were. '!'he punk' s l\lIIn goes SpntNING A1IAY.

Fine.

~ PUSH' IN ON: CALVIN MILLER' S call-in PHONE. "

: . ~ :. "", .;".

DOUG ROTH (v.-o.)

Dr •. osterman,. ~. name is .. Doug .Ro~,

'I'Dl a reporter. for "Nova Express.· I wonder if you' remerober the name Wally Weaver. 11\. your early dayS, the papers" .:::al:).ed . him ··Dr.

Manhattan' s bu~."

. DR. MAN8A'l'TAN Wally was a good friend.. I attended his ~.~~r~l.·

DOUG ROTH (V .0 .. )

Yes. Be died of cancer·ten years ago, wasn't it? I believe :it was quite sudden ~ painful.

ANGLE ON: LAURIE, driving a FIST into a gang JDe1Qber'a NOSE. She spins, 'FIR:tNG balls of ENERGY with her SLl:NGSB~ power.

AN~ ON: A GANG MEMBER, as he draws a PISTOL "ON HER. DAN· SEES '.l'BB GUN. His eyes·' narrow, he.rd~.

' ..

*

ANGLE ON: CALVIN MILLER.

DOUG RO'l'B (V. 0.) (CO1ft" D)' BOW . about Edgar Jacobi, alta Moloch? 'Isn't it ~e that you encountered him :in vario~e b~ttles, conflicts ~-

AN~ ON: DAN, snapping the GUNMAN'S wrist back and up -Barrel aimed at the thug' B CHIN. In the' last fraction of a second, Dan SHIFTS the gun two inches left as it FmS, . deafening the gunman, but leaving him alive.

OOUG ROTH (V .0.) (cont.· d) Whatever it is you super-people do.

ANGLE ON: DR. MANHA'l'TAN, wary.. Where is this going?

CALVIN HILLER

What " s your point r caller?

ANGLE ON: THE AUDIENCE, where a BLOND MAN.with a CELk-PBONB . stands. DOUG ROTH is' m '.I'BE AUDIENCE. Bis voice DOUBLES,

. emitting from the phone and the. stands at the same tilDe.

DOUG ROTS

Dr •. ostennaD., did you know that M;. Jacobi also has ~erminal cancer? •

·DR.MANBA'l"l'AR

Moloch? NO, I -- didn .. t know •••

•

.....

. . .... :. ~.,...... .

1' •• _ _ ••• .:.: • ....:... .. _~. ' .. ~ -: ...:...:. • .r..~~ :....,. J Iool> • • ..a;b·.')I~etllliaf?!!:al~liiiliO·) ~ .. ·#I;ol",.-.>· I)~;· ~,¥:';';i : .010' 'iaOl'1iIill.rn_"..,-.SiOIiIz_-_lIIItr .. · •. ~~ .. ~;: J~':~' ~:::~~-~

.K

: ·r .. ~: .. ~··:

WA~ . .:,_ 3~d. DJ::aft --: .Davi~ .. Hayter

~/26/03 39

r

~GLE ON: A~ENT' FOllBES, in t~e· wings. -Get:ting uncomfortable'.

CA'LVXN JaLLER

Hr. Roth, we don't normally take questione from the ~ud--

. DOUG R~ ..

Janey slater ,. Linked· ·rc::mtr.nticallY .

~ you in tht sevent~es _pd el.ghties. caucer as' wel~ DoCtors

haV.~ given ht11; six montJif·

::. ::~

The AUDiENCE begins to~. calvin Hiller notes the Dr. MAnhattan'S BLUE LIGHT'on his. skiD. and backs away.

DR.· MANBA'l"lAN'

Janey? I wasn't told. Are you

Suggesting. ~ • ."

Agent Forbes walks ontothe's~t, stands. before Jon.

r

ANGLE ON: THE ALLEY, littered with .. the .unconscious BODIES of * GANG MEtmERS ~ Laurie and Dan lean bac;:k on the. wall, panting. ...

The audience ROARS, angry. Doug ROth· yellS over it.

AGE11ft' FORBES

That. s . it 1 Intervitnr's Over 1

DOUG ROTH .

I have reports of two dozen past associates, stm!larly afflicted.

-

A WOMAN in the croW starids.

TINA PlUCK

Dr. ostenoanl 'rina Price, wasbingtonPost. Are these allegations' true?

A9 .... t ForbeS tries to drag Jon away.. 'rbe ",udien<:e spi11s out of the stands. Dr. Manhattan is INUNDATED by reporters,

questions, FLASHING cameras ... _ sudden madness. . .

·REPOR'mR

l)id you give Mis. Slater cancerby'

sleeping with her?

DR. MANBA'l'T~

NO. please let me thrOUgh •••

...

A

\::<-;

. - .... __ ...

.. :.,"-", ..... , . ..... .' .... .' .'--" -----

_ e , ';;'._'., •• '_ '_: ;;~:_ -, :~ •• ~~ •• :·j,;~:_:L_~~~··::":,:':.;·~l:':'.::'::'/:;-:'':':~·::;·~:·::":',' -..". ::::" :. ..- ..

. . .. , .. ' .. ~~ ;; •. ; .. '.,"'"'"·· .. !W"',~' " ..

... ;., .. , .' ..

WA'rCBMBN'':'- 3rd Draft.: -- David "Hayter . 9./26/03 40

1. "-

Agent Forbes hears thE7 note· of liD.rtiing in Jon's voice •.

AGEft FORBES

i think it would be safest not to pursue this iine of questioning- ••

DoUG ROTS

BOW 'dOes it feel. to .know that you uy have doosneQ h~eds of people?

. Olt. _MMlBAftAN

Ple~,e ~ . Xf everyone would just go away'and leave me alone.

4J'XNA PRICE

Dr. Manhattan,-.hoW often did you

and Kiss Slater --

FAST PUSH nt ON: DR.. MANfIA'l'TAN, as he f:inally SNAPS. IUS VOI.c;:E sLAMS THROUGH THE S'l'UD:IO.

DR. MANHATTAN

I said LEAVE HE 'ALONEI *

EVerY :Last person BtJBS'lS DI'1'O PART1CLES and l>:I~' Jon stands in the 'N studio. snclclenly alcme·. Be bangs 1dB head.

* *

59

S9

£B.. AU..EI -- RIGB'r

nan and Lam'ieeXitthe quiet alley. trying to play it off.

LAURD

:1 should find a botel. God. X_gine, . us C)ett.ing mU9ged•

Dd

\'fby don't yOU' come by Bollis'S with

me? Shak:e off the adrenaline.

60

LAUUE

No, :1've had enough hero stuff for

one night., thanks.

(walking away) .

You take care, Dan •• • It's'a tough

world .out.· there'.

IR'r. ROCK£FELLER J&lLl~Ad BASS -- NIGII'I

60

A young SOLDIER S'fENC:IL-l'lU1l'rS A RAD:IATIOIl snmoI. on the doOr to Jon' s quarters"- the ""rdS' DANGBR ~- (lIJIIRAII'l'Dl AlUlA·

DR. MANSA'l'"l"AN (0. S. )

What are you doing?

........ --- ........... ----------~

................. -.-~-- •. -.--~- ....... - ........... ...,,_,. .. ~~------~-~~ .

. . '. . . . " .

~ :., .:

61

62

.' :

~iDmN _ ... 3rd .Draft -- DaVid :Hayter.

9/26/03 41

. :.' .\-

..

'sOLUmR .'.

Abhl Dr. OsteXJDal\. Uh, 1 was painting up this safety .notice •••

As ordered •

. DR. MANUAftAN

A warning. .J: see·. It seems' ·"1·'Ul incapable of· cohabiting )1ith people either emotionally or physically. you'd best tell MS •. Jupiter aDd your. superiors that I am leaving.

SOLDIER sir? Leaving?

*

DR. MANUA'rrAN

yes. For Arizona first, I think.

And then Mars.

SOLDIER

Ba, Mars. I get it. B~y, you know,

you're. a regular guy' after &1.1 -- .

Jon BURSTS INTO PARTICLES. The kid raises his radio.

.*

SOLDIER (cant' d) Bo1y Christ... serCjeant?

1ft. RcnBL aOCII -- RIGa

61

Laurie lies down on. the cheap hotel bed. She palms a trickle of . blood .. frOlll her lip. She sighs, closes her eyes.

. . .

ar. LAUl\lB'S DIlDM -- ~SftRS &au. -- Rlmr.r

62

outside the crtmebUsters meeting, the ~SB~P rises out of view. RQrschach skul.ks off. into the . shadOWS • Jon and Janey ~ into .. 'lOIftl car. Young· Laurie watches Jon frclOll the path.

EDDIE BLAJtE (O.S.) Laurel7 Laurel Jane?

startled, Laurie turns. Eddie walkS out 9£ the shadows.

EDDIE BIJOOt (cont' d) You're Sal~Y Jupiter'S kid.

*

YOUNG I.J\URXE

Laurie. -

She points at him, as if trying to place tbe·neme.

m

.' ,-", _.

, .

WATCHMEN ._:_ ,3rd Draft .:-- David Bayter

.. ,

••

. 1:QUNG LAURIE

••• The co~dianr right?· YOU· were -.

pretty cool. in there.

JIddie fl.ickB a batte,:ed, slIIU.ey-face-etcbe'i ll- -s~pPIi! .

EDDXB BtaAKE

p.ssbol.es•

\ .

LightinCJ his smoke, be l.00ks her over.

EDDlE BUaKE YOU got your JI\01l\' s eyes. EVen that

. funny 1i tt1.e mo1.e.

LAURlE

Have yo~ got a light?

EDDIE

She was one of the a1.1-t:ime . cbelllPion beauties, your 1lI0II\.

lAURIE

She leans ""er the U-gbt""'S fl .... • The wind snuffS it out·

Still is.

. BDDU BLAd she talk abOUt·me much?

LAURIE NO. 'Not much·.

Laurie tDUCbes-]lddi.e's bBD6 to ~ the lighter fraa the

wind. She 1.00~ up at ~. slY·

LAURIE .

DOes she .have a reason to?

SALLy (0.8.) TAQ yOUR BANDS OFF HER·

Laurie nearly )_8 ant of her .kin' SI\Uo'J...,rche8 toWard

th .... frOlO a 1""', waitin9 at the sic}eWell<· -

EDDl.E BlJUtE

Bey Dol.l- . Long time no see.

SALLy ..

NOt long enough in lIlY bOOk, Eddif·

She eyes ~aQrie with cool death.

•

.: ..

pm m

..... : ....

9/26/03. 43

~. l .'

SALLy·

put that out.· . Get· i,n tbecar ..

llISlDE i'IIE LIMO' Laurie. pushes tWO!I1I'l"II08s1 One to put up the PrivaCY WindOW. the second to crack beJ:.~ windOW an inCh. ser JUOtbeJ:'s barSb r . loor tone driftS clearl.y baCI!:.

sAlLY

Are there no' depths you won't sink

to?

EDDIE BLl\d

Christ, we were just tal.ldn91

can I t a guy talk. to .nis, you knO'll.·

old friend' 5 dau9hter'? What· .the hell do you think. 1.. alii?· .

sALLY

1 knOW what yOU are I Eddie. 'I've known what you were for twenty-five years. DOn't ever forget that.

Driving off. x,aurie watches Eddie _gb the .. indo,,, sad.

63

63

P'

DR. MANiIA'J.'TAN'S plII'fiCLBS JIEFOl'M in the Arizona desert. Be wal.ks tbrOU9h a lon9-ciead milituY. facil.ity. Nestled behind

a twisted fence i6 the.empty busk of a dereiict BhR·

64

64

: Dr~ lIaJli>e.ttan enterS tile dil. ... pidated Par. illUllinating dustcoked corners .nth Ilia bOdY' s l.igbt. . over the bar is a C(lR1t-

BOPD with 014 _.,toll. photoS. yel.l.<Ned .,..rtoOIlB. Be

removes· a PHaro from the board.·

A phOtO 'of a yQlD1G COIJPLEI The _'s bair sug9"stirul the late sixties. The man 1& JOII QS'lBIUIAlI. Dr. ·Manhattan• - he ..... still onlY human •. In the phOtO. be ,.,nle&with young

love I while the s __ -, regarding it. y.ears 1_ look. nostalgin __ ~.e oeyond hiS God-given rigbt.

. .

-65

outside again. Jon looks up at the dark. cloUd-filled sky a. BI!A'r J,lGJl'l'\UNG xud>les """"bead. Jon gestures and the CJ,()IlIlS SEPARJI'l'B. """"aring a twinkling. red star. Mars. Be smiles.

And in a BURS'I' or PAR'rlCLllS - Be·1& gone. •

9

66

~. ",:' ...:..

I'm •.

65

.;:, .

. l:'

"::~-

..

e,

66

.0 •• ' ••••• _ •• _ ....... _-

•.• ~.,=: ,,',- ~.: ,.:': ::::::===------_ .... _-

.' ...•. : ::.: .. : ...•.. ~.: .; ,:,.: .: .• ~:: ..••.•••• : . .:~.~ ;:..:.;., ~ .. _ ,O;j.~ .. ;w;.;j'~:.;,;;.".~~.iri' .• aon'_ 'lSl's'~, .;~71"7~7~~.~1 ~~-~~:: .. : .':':::

~ ~ 3rd nraft ~_ DaVid Ba~ '9J~6t03 44

~ _y looks tIP. bUt the _. is eJ,ready wal1dn9 away.

LAURIE (V .0.)

lfb,at. do you mean be'S gone?

Xft. ~ Mn.tDU ..uS - BBJ>ROCiM -- m-

61

.. ' . "

. . .

AUGI£ ON' A ~ in his 1\!.stieB. Be is talltiJli!J: ~ ~ yaw>9 BO'l. blaclt. maybB twe1ve -- deePly enoJXO"aed ill-a, C(IIIIic boOk. A sHlIDO" falls acroBS ldm· Be loo'kl' up with a chill·

l19MELESS'~ .

Is it here yet?

JIIIGI.D tiP ON' 'fIlE uC)IIEUIss JmII. "Ud eyes starinIJ fXCJIII his filthY. beucied face. the da<JIISIiaY S:IGR on his s~·

.' ~(O.S.)

11e r 6 gone. 'New Frontiersman says

it was tbe Chinese.

NEWSVENDOR 'rhe NeW Front.iers'JlDll? yes, six • GOt ~t xigbt bere, like alwayS.

u()MELESS tGl'

:t • ~l take a paper as well..

*

m:wSV£NDOR' .

BoW're yoU doin r "I 1 see the world

didn't end yesterday.

HOMELESS MAN' . Are yOU I;>ure?

*

.r-

61

SOLDXERS io !UID:tA~OS SUX~ go abOUt the bedXOOl'· ba99in9 Jon and Laurie'S persoaal effectS •. ~.}'OlUIBS.",.,rs ...... it all.

AGENT FQl(BBS

1 _BJl be had a _ltdown ·:e.nd teleperted a whole studio full. of people into a paXltiuCJ 'lot' .ow he's gone. MS. Jupiter, did you place Dr. osterman under any emotional

streSS last nig~t?

LAURIE

Are you trYing to blame me" for' --

*

..

AGEN'r FORBES •

Ma' am, I'll trying to ascertain --

•

68

> .. \.

. .

~n.6'03 45

p-\ ..

,.:,: .... : ..

. .

. Sbe grabS the "~".i%ior" - an irltBd.· red-sui-ted· soldier. l'oJ:be& ,,_ bill otf; "Let- -. !>,ave it." .

AGEN-r ·l'()R'BBS .'

Ms. Jllpiter. if """ ps~· bdY" are right. "J""'" is quite possiblY

~ .,...;.ng baclt; 'r\1e lincbPin of.

~ics's str~.~iaritY hAS apparentll CJone' to }Ulr6.

uri. 1)lIlC UllElB$1lB' S JI(IUIiB - ~ -- I)111III

J,AUtllB

Je""'" 1 """'" had itl ,._ JoIIl gets baCk. ..... x:e lea"lin'J t!>iS rat-

.... sa tor _- BeY. that's.my ,p,x:x:ox:.1

6&

I)aJ1 sleePs peacetullY in hitl bed· A N&lRSl'APER is dJ:OpP"'I on idS lap, ...,Jdn9 him With a gaap. ~ loOJDS ~ hiJa·

~oRS~

GOod ll\Ornin9 r Daniel: ~

ne.n """dS the head1.~ne. I)P.. ~ LEAVES EAR'ftI.

ROp.SCSACR \ ccnq'r '1»)

'rhe cotnedien tUQrdered. .Dr. MaJll>attall ."dled; .,..., Of "" gone .iithin a.oeeJr.. 11\10' s nest' veidt'

Ms- JupiteX'1 *'1 •• ;'l0u?

P<>J:&_ch t"""" tor the d<JOE as Dan readS tbe storY'

. ~~B ~Cont'dl

BY the.wa!' 1;bat'- loeIt prol<e after one sbove-

..,. ..,.

I •

69

D~ MY n_ .lpcltl

RO}lSCiIACB

Get a suon9"" one, 1)a1li.el. YOU

can•t be toO seenx:itY· consciOUS

. these days.

uri. WB1~ aouSB - 1Glt ~ _lIP RORSC1:1AC1i (V. o, )

Tbese dayS _ •• NobOdY' B safe.-

*

69

.fI)

A !lUGE AA1' at 'rIlE 1IOJG.Il. projec;t8d via c&opu.tSX "",to the ,,""room screens. 'file PJlISlllSlft and bis ~SORS look up at it. we dO not see faces, t.bB! are bidde1l in sb"-' . 30St "oices·

. 1·

PJ(£SIDmqir

All this, beC.ause of. one man···

NA'flONAL SBCUlUft ADV1S01l

. All due respect. sir, we .are nOt tal-king a,bOOt a man.' We axe talking abOUt a the sing1e-most siCJUifican:t s~l"' of our: nat.ion's

superiority -- whose de~' bas

pr~ a world~wide .opPOrt-unity.

to grind long-bUried axes. At this

rate, 1 believe. we'll see an' exchange of nucle~ firepower .. •• Witbin the nest tWO weeks.

pille, the nesideJrt. taJ<e8 tbi.& in. pUSII 1N 011: 'r8£ - • PRESIDENT (v.o.i

I 'UI. afraidbtDlUlnity is in the bands of a big~ pawerthan mine~ ••

~. MPS -. RlG1l'f

r:

..

__ ~rd Draft· ~- David s-.yter· .

_'"

NA'll()1GL SECURITY AJ)V1Soa 'rhe Chinese are' fortifying ~ ... to the East and 1IIest" . North .~oreen tankS are on the. move in forCeGround fighting bas eJ:Upted .011 the

1sraeli bOrder~.· And Egypt is t,breateninCJ to enter the .'

bostilitie~. .

PPSIDEN'l

.. ':;?J

JesUS.

NA'fl<mA'L sBCURiTY· ADVISOR Yes, Mr. pxetoident• Russian forces are' .1t1Dbilizing to the south. India and pakistan are si:m\lltaneous1y conducting shOW_of-strength nuclear

tests" .

\

I·

.. _,

'*

70

10

PRESIDENT (V.O.}

Let'S j~st hope he' & on our side.

lINGLE 011: '!'BE ElI1\'IIl. ~ pOL'LS JmCK, at 1IIill.i0Dll of IIlUes an II<>UJ: to. DR. MYftIA'J."l')Il1, looltin9 UP. at .. bat can .- on1y be seeD aa a twinJ<l.iD9 star - to DS at least,· JoD walkS the endless waste1allCi• t.he Arizona pBO'fO in bin b8,nd.

Be stopS walking ~ LookS down·

•

(

72

'l'be phOtograph·. crisP. frozen in the Hertian air.

DR. MANHA'l'TA11 (V. 0.) "

Four seconds nOW. '!'bree. ..

*

. .

AT 8XS. ~: A:·MARS EXPLORA-rXON aOVBll· A· U.S. ·FLAG is

prin~ on ita &ide. beli.icle·tbe iXOnic,phi:_i "~ of

the Um. ted states of A1aUica." Jon ·scowl.. . .

lDiI ANGUI' On the LA11DBR. a& JOJi walkS off. the I.aDdeJ:

PB'flUnBS. turning .to Jll!D .. S'l'OBE end· ~ "WAX ro DIIS'l'.

DR. ~A1I(V.O.) ~ere.is a photograph in·~ hand.

In twelve seconds tiJRe, 1. will droP it. to the sand and .walk ·away. It • s . already lying there, twelve seconds

.. into my future. 'ren seconds· nOW-.

Jon . ~ookS at the photo, eyeS hol~ow and alone.

DR. MANBAT'lAN (V .0.) (CONT··D)

l.t' s october, 2004. 1 'm on Mars. .

It's 3uly, 1999. X'm in "our old apartment. We're arguing again.

Jon "1'Il1INII. the l.igl>.t on his face changing. brightening to.

*

11

71

l~. AP~·-- sn ySdS AGO --Dd

Jon holds Laurie' & face in his bands. SIle is Yl"""9 •. CA1ID5 on the tabl.e indicate her EXGB'J'EElI'ftl BXRTBDJIl!· BLUE J!IIPG! fl.""" fXOlll him. shi"""" tbX0119b her bodY. Changing her·

LAUR]:E

What ... wbat did you do?

. DR. MANHATTAN

Hold up your hand. .

She does. separating her fingers in the "peace" gesture. B loUIE OF sm:JIGY FOIUIS bet- -- Be'S ·given her power.

. DR. MANSA'l"fAN

SapPY birthday.

She smil.eB. entranced- Jon slllileB. then lo!lOKS lJiIlJ. ~ ligbt on his face ~BS as· he TORRS BNCE roo

Err. MARS -- "1GB!!

72

·75

WALLy

Tiloe-1OCk test vault. So no radiation get.& out. It'S a safety feature. COIII8 on, l' 11 sbOW you where the real action happens •..

1m. _ BEtrl'u.at· (GIlA f'LATS BAll) - pU

'7S

WA~ __ 3rd Draft·~- David ~ayt8r

9 n,~~.O~ . 4.~.

. CLCiSB. 0111 ;]OIII'S FD1GJ!RS. opening. SLOII - ~ ~ falls. Jon stands and _lks away,.

DR. ~AN (v.o •. ) (COftIO)

1 am going· to 'l.OOk at the s~s.·

They are so ~ar away, and the~

light takes "&9 1on9to reach us.

All we ever see· of stars are their

old photOgraph ••

x.ooldJ1CJ. up at the starS. :c;:AHBRA pANS arouud JOU's face. the LXGB'I- CBANGxNG as his l'loC£ CHANGES to bee""'" 1IIlJIAII again.

73

Buman Jon stares up at the gates of the Gi1a FLats base.

73

74

DR. MANsA'l'TAN (V.O.) It is MaY 12th. 19~9. My firSt day at the Gila Flats Nuclear facility-

A young research assistant named

wally Weaver shows me·around:

~. lRTRIltSIC FIELD ~R ROOM -- ~ImJOUS

74

Wl\LLll WEAVER. pud9Y. genial., weJ.k& wtth Jon into a wareboUse- like rQOll\ cont.aining. a single lead-l.ined Cfi,AMBEll.

Dll~ MANHATTl\N (v.c.) I am . thirty years old.

wA'[,'LY

They' redoing -.l:ntrinsic Fieldexper:ill\ellts in here. Like what if

there.'s sa.B : energy field hol.ding stuff together apart from gravity •

. yOUNG JON What'S this'

'the dCelict Arizona BAR we sa". stin f""sh and ...,....

f

wALLY

Janey Slater, l' d like you to me·et

Jonathan osterman -- The neW guy.

11

CI.OSE ()111. 'l'BB. OU<CJO!D FJICE of the WA'l'CH· pULL. ovr 'l'O JmVI!1>L. ,JOII. BDCI ~. lying in bed tog¢her. Deeply in love.

'!heir eyes loCk. I.nsunt fitlectricity •.

JANEl SlATER

Hi.

16

:t'

Janey sits at the bar talking to the shY young scientist. CLQ6E ()111. orBBlR· B!IlIDS as ·she pa ..... s him a HOG OF Bl'!Bll e '

DR. M]OO1A'l'TA11 (V .0.)

She bUyS me a beer. It is the first tXme a woman has ever done this for me. AS she· passes 1D8 the .cold 91~Sr ~fingers. touch •••

QO:tCit FLl\SBES ~_ . various ~. laviD9. fighting.

DR. MANBA"rl'd (V.O.) (CONT"D) It's 1983, we're .aki~9 love· after.

an argument. :It'S 1986,. she's

packinC), careless ldth anger·

ANGLE .(>11: -mE PSOTOGlU\PS in the Martian sand.

. DR. MANBA'l"lAN (V.O.) (CONT".D)

'].'Wenty udnutes a90 r t.he photograph

lies at my feet. .

pUSH.l1i ON. 'l'BB PBmO -- and fx<8 there. :tll'l'O :tor.

Err- PALlsADBS pAlS tUM .lEuS! r: DP

fUISB; a pliatogJ:apbe" SNAPS 'l'BB paoro. "the young lovers

laugh end wander tbrOUgh thepaxk.

OR. MANBAftP (V~O.)

She takes me to an amusement park. ~y the shooting gall~'. ~aney's watchband snaps. Before I can get to it, a fat 1O&D. stePS on it. MY father· waS a watchmAker. 1. tell

her I can fix it.

11

18

19

Ift. G~ FLd8 -- CAF£TERU -- ~

..

Janey BDCI tOl!1'g JOD hold hanIIs in the cafeteria.

16

·::'1·"·

. .:. ~

:.":- -, ~

'.

18

19

'9/26/03 SO

i !

i

I .,

80

"

....................... _ .... _ ..... ===---_..,__---=

.. . '. :. :: .. :: ~

... ",_,. '_', "-.'*;"""-"',',~,,.,_ ...... >_""' • .._--

.. ~. ".:. " ..

.' . mi'. MANBA'l'TAB· (V .~. )

August, 1969. Sbe asks if 1. have fixed her. watch. :t've left it in my lab coat while resett.in9 the Intr~ic Fie1ei ChaI\\be1:. -- The accident· is almOSt 'upon~me' now.

.18. Jll'!llXR&iC rri:LD'~ -- - Did 80

Jon ent~rs the' 1. F •. RooM, spots· his eM'!! hanging on a CIND£lII!LlicK INSIDE -nm CBJOO!BIl.Entering. .the door SWDIGS

SBU'r,. ~G him i~. A MOBXroR flickers on; OPERATING.

DR. JmNBA"l."rd (V. O •. ) people return ~ram ·lunch. 1. uk them to' let me out, laughing at my st.upidity. -- No-One else laughs.

Horrified faces look through. the glass at Young Jon.

DR~ ~ (v.o.) (COm'D)

. Dr. Glo,ss explains ·that. the door has locked automatically as the generators warm up for today's

eXperiment;·

pAD DOWN '1'0: A C1NDBRBloOClt painted ~ith a M1:L1T~Y 115.

DR. ~ ·(V.o.) (CONT'D) ••• RemoVing the 1.lltr·insic Field

from cinderblock n~ 15. 1: ask

what happened to the other f~en ••• and he tellS -.

pUU. 00'r FRIlH' JOIIl. thiaogb the g1&88. stunned. terrified.

DR. MANBA'l'ftN (v.o.) ( CONT' D.' '!'be time .lock en the doOr cannot be opened. It's a safety feature.

puSII 111 011'. 3ANEY. outside the glass. watching in horrO%" •

.. ,."

*

111 -nm CIIl\MIIBR' SJUELDS slide back frail 'l'IIO PI\R~1a,B CAllIIORS.

DR. MANBA'l'TAN (V.O.) (CONT'D) The air grOWS t..oo·warm, tOO fast.

I want very much for a beautiful

woman to b8.nc1 me a' glass of very

cold beer. And suddenly the lig}lt ••

'the pl\R"rICLBS ill the air be"""'" cBABGJ!ll. Gx.ow1lIG.

*

'A SItELE'l'ON hoWls at the sky before two terrified Gate Guards.

DR. MANBA'1'TAB (V.O.) ..

Nove1l\ber 14th. A partially muscled skeleton stands by the perimeter fence, screaming for thirty seconds

before vanishing.

ANGLE m1l _-reB-COGS, laid out on black velv~ .•

DR. MANHATTAN (V.O·.) (CONT'D) Really it's just a matter of

reassembling the components in the

proper sequence.

1ft.. GILA FlA"IS -- CAf'E'l'EIlIA -- RlGlB'

•

Ir_. .... ~ .... '.' ".:- .. ' ..... ~ --'-.-- ' __ "'_"';"'~'_"":"'''''':''::'.N.~_ .• _.~~.,:..;:_:==~:'::~~'=-'~---"'"'~----------------

. . ""' .' ,. ·~..,.·~w,· .. ..,;~ .. olOii>a'~.,.,,:ioI·¥IiII· 'Mi'XIililllllIlllllili_m.'sllllo _

I ~

WA'l'CBMEN -- 3rd Draft -- David BaytU

-9/26/03 51

. ~ ...

. . :: .. ' . ~

..

DR. MANHATTAN' (V.O.)· (COft'D)

The light is t~g me tQ. pieces •

The PARTICLE CANNONS FIRE. Young Jon is BLOWN' APAR~ in a blinding FLASB. Janey tu~n~ away, tears streaming.

Itr.r~ 'l'BB BSSnARY -- Rl~

81

::

81

'!'BE PHOTOGRAPH of Janey and Jon. weeping. Ja~ey pins it to the cork-board' behind the bar.· '

82

DR. HANSA'l'TAN (v.o.) A token funeral service is held. There is nothing left to burY.'

1ft. GIlA FIATS -- BA'J.'IDtOOII -- NIGJn!

82

wally Weaver washes his face in the bathroOm sink. A DISEMBODIED BRAIN,' sp:xNAL C~UMN AHD EYES, stare at him from the mirror, GLOWING ~IGBT BLUE. ,Be turns. ~., But it is gone.

83

1_. GUA FlAft -- KI'-'!BBR -- NIGft

83

I '

A COOK SHRIEKS ata NETWORK OF VEINS in the shape of a man.

DR. MANHATTAN (V.O.) November lOth. Adisembocliec:l circulatory system is walking through the cafeteria kitchen.

84

84

su. GIlA F1A'tS -- cm'l'BS -- mGB'l

85

85

Wally eats qui.-t1y with Janey. Sbe cries !5oftly. Wally reaches for her hand •. S'rA'rIC spAJU(S snap IM!tween them. All' over the cafeteria, the METAL UTENSILS' begin' to SPARK·

86

In,tIle center of.tIle roQ!ll. GiDIIl'RG BLUS', p)IR'fiCLES begin to co1.1ect, SLJOOlING 1~ BACH O'1'BBll wi~ amazing force.

In a BLJRDlNG FIJ\SlI. 'rIlE l'N\'fiCLES FOlUl UIl. Ml\NBAriIIN. aOVERDIG OVER THE ROOM l.ike a newbOrn god.

PUSl! ~11 ON: JANEY SLA'tBR· .

JANEY. SLM'S oh Got\;,.. Jon?

I •• .lOR AND olr.Bft·'S aP~· -- RIOU NEWSCAS'rER (v.o. 1

I repeat: The supersnan exists r and

~ iii MCriean· .

86

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• _ .... _ ..... _ ••• M ._.~.~ •• ~::.-~~: ••• ~ .. =-=:-~.=: :=:: :==:=-:--: _. ----===

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. . . .9/26/03 S2

WA~·-- 3rd Draft. __ Davi~ Hayter.

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DR. MANBA"l'"rAN· ('1.0.) .

I find that 1 can ·alter tbe fabric of reality in any way ~ see fit.

3011 end 3o.De1 watch tile _. 011 'rIlE 'J.'V: B&W xH1lGBS OF 3011 - _ 1IE!ITALIi' DISJINI'1'LIRG A lUFLE', ~lNG A TANK A'f. A -,lAVE •

. DR.MAlU!A'r'rAl' ('1.0.)

I enter into pUblic service~ Initially as something the· public refers to as a criJaefiCJhter. Later in a 1DDre... laili tary ~nteltt.

ANGLB 011: lIQRTl1 V1E'tl1l\MESE SOLDIBRS. crouching UI>IieJ' a night 1;ky anddst a smoking village. aearing something, one J,OClIIS "l'O mil BOI<1ZOR• out of tile dar)tDeBS. a BLUS L1GBT DAWNS.

followed by .lOR whO rises into vieW- 0lIB lIlJlIDRlID ]!'EB'l 'BLlo.

The viet cong run' in religiOUS terrar· 'rile BLUS JmBIIGY fran 3OU'S bOdY floWS off him in lIAWS - Jll)LL1~ BLUB P1P WB1CB n.ooDS '!!1E DDl'! lIOIID •• " ENG1JI81IIG aDd DBSTRI)YDIG them all·

. DR. MANBAftlaN .( V .• 0.) ( COm'· D)

In vietnem, 1 meet the comedian.

Bis real name is Edward Blake.

30n shekes hands with Eddie in tile saigon b.r - saw thelll jn earUer. IJ.ao Lin balIg- off biB axm. kissing his neck.

DR. MANBAftAB ('1.0.) (Com· D)

Blake suits the clbaate here. The .

madness, the pointless bUtchery. Be uuderst&nds it, and ·finds it comic.

"

A}1GLE OR' EDDIE ~_ using a ~0liBR dl a V.C. EnCampIIIIIIlt, bis mad, avid smile lit up by flame. Be laughB wildly·

F

r-

..... ' ... ..:..

.,' _'

.:. '.' .•... :: ... ::.. . . .;. ........ '"" ,.~;"": •. ~·.;.i.':,,",,"_'':;~·';':''·:i·: .:' -: .. ; ::·>'i·a'·;f"'5;~ffl'S'·9~ 7773FES: 2 •

"

.1

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WA'l'CBMBN _,;,. 3rd Draft "-~ David Ha~

·DR •. MANBAftAH·· (v.·o. )····(cOm·,D) I meet· others t . 'l'he new Nigbt : OWl,

wbo retires' quietly wheJ;l the anti-

vigilantisabill is passed.. .

~ ORE1:BERG pul~s'a'~' over bis OWL-SHIP.

. . DR. MANBA~AN (V.o.) (COm'D)

Rorschach, who expresses his

feelings toward compulsory

retirement in a note left outside police headquarters ~ pinned to the . body of ·a dead multiple ~apil5t.

PAN UP: A SIDEWALK, to find a broken, twisted BODY with a nOte pinned to its chest which reads: NSVER·

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ANGLE ONI THE CRlMEBUSTER,"S MEETING, as Eddie L1:GBTS THE MAP OF AMERICA, Jon, arms linked with.a now-older Janey' slater·.

stares directly into the eyes of'a sly, 17 ~~ LAURIE.

DR. MJOOW1'1'AN (V.O.) (CONT' D) And Laurie, of course. Laurie ... •

DR. MANHATTAN (V. 0.1 (CO~ • D)-

. ozymandias is the only other socalled .he~" with whom I sbare any kind of rapport. Bis .real name i.s 'Adrian Veidt, a .self-_de . billionaire. After' his public retirement, be invites Laurie and 1:

to his" retreat in the Antarctic.

CLOSE 0111 A' HUGE JUNGLE CAT, like no other we have ever seen •

.

I ,

LAUlUE

What is it? It'S so beautiful.

CUT WIDE: Jon., Laurie and Adrian stand in the HAMMOTB FOYER of Adrian'S monol-itbic home. MUSIC plays., NIGB'f' OWL and RORSCHACH stand in the BIG. A party just for heroes ..

ADRIAN

That'S Bubastis. She'S a genetically altered Lynx.

. LAuRIE

I hadn't realized bioen9ineering

bad advanced so far. ~ i'

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. WA'tCBMEB _~ 3rd· Draft _ .~- --~a-vj,d 'Hayter

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!ldrian flickS a maall BLUBD-S1l1!FACB lmIS on his deft •.. ]:~ CA'l'CIIBSa BIlAH OF sURLl:GB'f frolll a stta~g~caUy-placed .

. sliyli.gh~,prod11cin9 an DftEIISII· Ll\SBR, ,mich lights his. cigar.

ADRIAB (cont • d)

Solar powu.. ...- And we - awe it all to Jon. With your he1p, our scientists are· limited only by

their ~9inationsoo'

DR.' MAimATTAN

And ~Y their consciences, surely?

!ldrian walks to a 3G-foot wind"", ""tching the blowing snoW· ADR'IAN

Let'S hope so.

, '

ADRIA1I.

~t' s leapt forward m' the past twenty years. Everyt.bingba., from quantum physics to transport to •• •

:.

81

87

ED. MARS - NI-

JOB sits in the red Martian sand bef~ avast,. eq>tY vista. OOSS-LEGGED. Be taSJ<S 1M'l'O -rBB Am. The reel sand begins to FIISB roGJITIlBll D1 A C(lHl'IBlt l'A'rTBJIR. R1SYdG F1<OH -rBB SJIRD·

DR.. MAN8A'l'TAN

without -r the world would have been different. If the fat man

hadn' t -crushed the wli1;.ch, - if I hadn't left it in the chamber- .. •

The intricate streams of glass FUSE, creating a huge. CLQCKwORll S'fRUCT1I1OI of glaSS bal.cOnies and varying levels.

The tasDlG GL&SS CAS'lLE """ I)lIAl<FS the blue figure ·bef~ it.

DR. MANBA'J."l'AN (v.o.) (CONT'D) Who makes the world?

DR. MANBAT'l'AW (V.O.) (CO)1ll'P) Am i to blame· then? or the fat man? or fIf!:i father for choosing my

career?

I .

88

IW:.. GUNca DIRBIl - lUG8

woefUlly h-. IlIII1 bites a hunk of chicien· from a bone· He sits across a diner bOOth from Laurie.

90

RORSCHACH'S pOV:' Den and Laurie exit the Gung& Diner.

RORSCBACB(V .0. )

Saw Dreiber9 and Jupiter at' Fortieth and seventh. They didn't know _. AD affair, perhaps? Did

Laur~~ Jupiter engineer Dr.'. Manhattan'S departure to make room for Dreiberg? Also, she helted the comedian. Must investigate further ..

91

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~.

~ --'3rd Draft -~ David B~~

9/2_6/03 5S

. LAURIB

NOW that Jon f s. gone, . they tell me .X

can't live at the base' anymore •

89

. DA11

we~l , uh .. ~. you' )mOw.... 'l'here' s

always -my place.

1ft. RORSc;.PCB ~ S APAJl'1"M&ft --' MORRl-

89

ANGLE: THROUGH THE wnmow', where a GANG of ~ys are gathered.

. .

ASPRA'!-PAINTED I __ GE. A HIROSHIMA SILBOUE'l"rB of two lovers.

RORSCBACB (V.o.) (cont td)_ Disturbed to find X had fallen

asleep without removing: jmy face. I

must be more careful.

RORSCHA~ (V.O.) .

Rorscbacb'S journal, october .21st. Awoken. today by Kno~-topS defacing the building acr~sB-the street.

-.

RORSCHACH t S POV: Be x-emoves the RORSCHACH MASK and bolds it in his' bands, face hidden from us.

RORSCBACB (V~O~) (CONT'D) without JAY face, .nobodY. knows.

Nobody knOWS .who 1· am.

EB. G1JII(a D1_ -- DO

90

91

om 'l'HE WINDOM, we can see the _ TRASH CAN across the street.

ROdCBACB (V~O.) - ~

I boUgbt &. coffee in the diner aI\d watched Ja.Y mail drop. I sat waiting 'for an answer.· •• and the city . opened its heart to me.

"

ADJUAN .

All ·the old villains are all dead.

••

:_""~~"""~"'''O"",_._.~.~_",=,~~:~=::'''''':~'~0-:~: ..... ,'; :-::-~::--'-m-7--:--' .. - 't''''I;

lIMCIIIIBN'~ 3rd Draft _;_. D~vid'~ .' 9/26/03 56 "*:'0:

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, .

Rorschach's HA1U>S use a KETCHUP CYL~p to draw' a QUEST10R

!WIlt in the men'" llorschach FOLDS' ~,)IEIIU. open8. it. '!be

question ,...,,1< is nov a ..,....xed. syunetrical RIlR5CBJICB mm.

1_. VBIJn 1:JI'1"EIIPIIl:- - fVIIIII. - DU 92

pERSONAL ASS1S~, (Y.O •. )

Time'S running out, ·Hr. Veidt;~

you'd better hurry·

Adrian walks into the foyer beSide his pxetty. ASSlS'l'AN'I'·· The foyer !s decorated in the 8 ...... Egypti .... style as the officeS.

ADRlJ\N

1'm meeting the toy people ryes?

~ 1"":'::"

pERSONAL ASSIS'l'AN't Eleven-thirty. 'they want' to talk to you abOut same new villains for

the -ozymandias· line.

PEItSOlGL ASSISTANT What'S with everybody today? EVeryone' s on this dea't;h trip.

ADRIAN .

1 suppose the·threat of nuclear incineration has that effect.

PERSONAL ASS~S~~

I' say it'S. ~ decor around here. All this Egyptian stuf.f;· SO . obsessed with d~th. I.t's morbid.

ADRIAN

Death wasn't morbid to the Egyptians.. It was a VOl'.age of, spiritual.disCOVery~ Don't you find that a comfort.iJi9 thought?

A MAN in a TRENCBCQAT approaches the pair. Be DRAWS A GUN. pERSONAL ASS7S'l'ANT

Please. LOsing ten pc:>U!l~8, that's

a ••• comforting .... 18 that .a gun?

. 'I

BANG __ The man ~BoarS THE ASSIST~. in' t~e gut. Adrian lDOves with unbe11eiTable speed, grilbb1.n9 a velvet JlOPBSTANCHION. Jl&FLBC'rnIG ~ SJ!COND BULUI'l' with it. and ,SIIl\SBBS IT :tR'i'O -rm;: FACE oF 1'IIlI ASSA5SllI. knOCking him into a fountain.

94

INT. DAR DRElBERG'S BOUSE -~ GUEST N)(K -- HIGH

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WA'rCBHEN _...; 3rd Dratt -- David B~yter ..

9/?-6/03 57

SECUlU1Y GUARDS ~, gu~s drawn, t~ard tbe:fountaiD wb~

Adrian GRAPPLES· with the da~ed. man. .

SECURITY GUARD

Hr. veidtS· Let us ·handle itl

ADRXAl' .

Be's got a poison

Back offl capsule!

Be jams his fingers· into the assassin's mouth.

ADlUAlI (cont 'd)

Don't bite down, you scuml 1 want to know who sent you I

ANGLE O~ :TBE ASSASSIN, eyes wide wi tb fear.

ADlUAN (cont' d) .

I want to know who's behind this I

'rile man CHOKES ••• and dies. Adrian DROPS him, unanswered •

. I·

93

Eft. FORTIE'l'B S'l'REE'I -- RIGa 93

RORSCBACB (v.O.) ltorschach' 6 Journal, OCtober 21st.. Someone tried to kill Adrian Veidt today, prov,ing my lIUk~k111er theory. The murderer, is closing in. Checking my mail drop, ·t· receive a message fram Moloch.

RORSCHACS'S POV: Bis· gloved hands pull a WHITE ENVELO~ marked ... " out of ~e trash can. The envelope· contains a NOTE which reads: -R - come by tonight at 11:30. Bave

information. yBqm. - 3aoobi"

•

. RORSCHACH (CONT' D) ..

At last ••• Someone has an a~swer.

Laurie unpacks in Dan'S guest roam. She removes· the "mirror.-

DAN

It's not much, ·but it's comfortable •. What'S that?

LAURIE It'.s a ~xy mirror.

i

e Jon made it.

I .. . -.-.

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WA~ . _;.;. 3rd Draft. -- Dav~d . Hayter -.

. 9/2.6/03 58

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.. ' . ..•..

In the MIRROR, a SIX YEAR OLD LAURIB descends a s1:Jli~case •.

·lAURIE·

Bo. I suddenly realized how ·much it would suck for the·GoVernment to own all your memories.

DAN

One last souvenir?·

*

DAN ~

Tbat never occurred to Jon?

Laurie doesn't answer. Shekilows it never did •

. DAN

well, If· you wake up and ••• need anything, 1:' 11 be down the heJ.1. :-Aspirin, coffee, stuff like that.

LAURIE

It's perfect. sweet ·dreams.

She kisses his cbeek. Dan pauses, then turns away.

l.ft. DAR DREIBERG'S ROUSE -- DAR'S BEDItOOM -- RI.GU

95

('\ ·95

RAU begins to spatter the windoWs. Dan stares up at the ceiling and sighs deeply with frustration.

1ft •. lAURIE'S DREAM -- SALl.'i's HOUSE - NIGft

96

96·

. SIX-YEAR-OLD lAURIE creeps dawn the stairs in the middle of the. night. 'Ber parentI! are fighting in the next room.

SALLy (O.S.)

When I shouted at. him, he. vas shocked. Be couldn't imagine why I'd bear a grudge, and 1 j1:lst courdn't sustain the anger~

In the darkened DEN now, Laurie peeks thrOugh an open door ... In the LIVING ~M, SALLY Jupiter fights with LAWRENCE SBEXNEYDBR, Laurie's button-down accountant stepfatJ\er.

. ~

Little Laurie looks aromid the Den. Her ~the~'s CLIPPINGS, POSTERS, arid other- PUBLICITY adorns the walls. Ber COS'l'UME hangs. on a headless _nnequin. Laurie feels its hem.

. SALLY (O.S.)

You wanted to hear it, so I'm

telling you!

.....

. ~y (O.S.)

1ft childl . "rhat' s what this is all

abOut; r~~

The .globe SLIPS .froa J,aur.ie' s bandS, SMASBING to the floor •

. , .,

lAlGlY· SCBEXNEYDER

Laurel Jane? .

aer pJIREIITS ent:eJ:, loOk· doom at the uttle girl. '!'ears run

down ber cbeeks as she looks up at. them.

SIX YR. OLD LAURIE 1 'm sorry I daddy •

Lightning CJUISIIBS. Th8 S(lI1RD ~l'rlO'l1S '1'0'

18. POLICE DEP~ -- ·OFFICB· -- lGaa

97

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WA'rCBMEN -_. 3rd Draft -_- David'sayter

9/26/-03 59

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. lJ\1UlY SC;::BEXNElDER (o.s.) YOU need analysiS I yOU' knOW that?

. Laud'" picks IlP a S'fIOII-GLOBB with a llliniature BJI1l'lIl inSide it. She shakeS it, watching the - f~l on the planet.

. SALLy (O.S.).

MagiC i oreBllS 1. That's what 1 had before yOU turned it into s01D8thing cheap and' tawdrYl pUblicity I

appearances, shopping. _11 .

openings 1 X aIIl a hero God bamn it 1

~SC~(O.S •. ) Just because you say it, doesn't make it so, sal •. I'm putting food on the table for our child •

~y (O.s.) (cont'd) And. he waS gentle.. YOU knOW wbat gentleness means in a guy like that"ll:t means Y011· reacbed somethingl some of that. _gic and

rOJD8Dce tbeypromise yoU when you're· a kidt

••

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97

Fat JlAXN DROpS b8!1in to hit the windoW. FllIE sits at his desk, snokiu9, esandDiU9 a realistic ~IST'S sKBTCB of the SlLVBR. S'1Plt lII1D'i! that r_ed his partner's finger.

FINE

YOU 9at~ get ·over it ldd·,.

something . like that. It'S traumatic r sure.. BUt 1if.e 9~ on.

.(

RORSCHACH

Somebody tried to shoot the world's smartest man today, Jacobi.'

Moloch s1 ts at the kitchen table. CLOSE ON; MOLOCS' S BAND. An ignored CIGARE'l'TE smolders. I~ his other hand, a NOTE.

RORSCHACH (cont' d) Somebody's killing _su, Moloch. somebodY wants, us all dead •••

Rorschach turns.. A sOLE gapes between Jacobi's staring eyes.

A p~STOL lies on t:hetable. Rorschach cu:efully pulls the

NOTE from Jacobi's hand. In Rorschach's own hand·writing,

over the odd Double-R symbol, it reads: LOOK BEHIND roue

BEHIND RORSCHACH, BLINDING LIGHT GLARES THROUGH Tim WINDOW. *'

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__ 3rd Draft' -- ' David· ,"e:y;t.er"

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I'~': ::.~,

Gallagher stands ~t the filing cabinet, ignoring 'I'ine, ~ilin9 sullenly 1 Bacik at work,. -despite, the, fact 'that he,'looks bo~loved,. ten years older. ~be phone RmGS. . F~ne' picks up.

Y.Dm ' '

Fine. speaking. A tip? ,Ob, an anonymous ~ip~ Okay, give it. ~

me. Raw what? NO, you·' re breaking

up. Did you say sbark? lIby woul.d

I want to know where ,to find'--

Galla9h~ listens,-- his hollow eyes WIDENING.

FINE RaW shark •••

*

98

SLOlhTBE PAPERS FALL FROM GALLAGHER'S MANGLED, HANO. ld. MOLQC8'S ItITCBEIt -- NIGer

98

CLOSE ON: MOLOCH'S EYE~ stare fearfully out the ralny window. Rorschach APPEARS in the darkness behind him.

FINE (O.S.,)

(over LOlJDSpEAJQ:RS) RORSCBACB, THIS IS ftfB POLICE J

RORSCHACB

No.

~.

FINE (O.s.)

WE KNOff YOU'RE IN TBBRB.

.' RORSCHACH

No. No no' no •••

t

~TCBMEN -_. 3rd Draft __ ·David·Hayter

.: .l ·.F~ (O.s.)

IF 2'BERE' S ANrONB. IN 1'BERB ta'l'B YOU~ SEND TBBH··Otr.r. JllDlAMEP.

Jacobi's corps·e stareS at Rorschach. Rorschacb TEARS ;OPBN

. the cupboards, pulling i t.ems" off the sbel ves. . .

RORSCBACR

Fremecl. ·set up. .walked right. into

it. ·Stupid, ·stupid, stupid.

. * ..

FYNE . (O.S.)

LE"r'S HAXB THIS A NICE, CLEAN

SURRENDER. .

RORSCHACH

Hehn. •• Never. Never surrender.

Rorschach takes an AEROSO~.CAN and a PEPPER SHAKER.

FINE (o.S.)

ALJUGBf'. I BOPS YOU!RE: J;mAD1' HE~.

Rorschach'S mask DISAPPEARS back into darkness •

99

RORSCHACH

When you are •••

1ft. MOLOCB'S BROlmsro- -~FOtBR. -- CORrI~

CRASH __ Moloch's door is SMASHED opEN. Armed SlVA'!' cops swarm in, though no more than three can. fit in the narrow entryway. 'I'HE FRONT DOOR LOCK is twisted and smash~.

SO" COP 1

1t's a bum tip, I'm telling you.

99 .

•

SWAT COP 2

Keep your eyes open. Sere there

Be says the .rest too QUIETLY to be heard~ swat Cop 1 turns, . a dark DOORWAY yawns bebin~ him.·

SlIAT COP 1

What?

SWAT COP 2

I said "Here there be tygers. II

...

SWA'l' COP 1 •

What. the hell does that mean?

Shoot •••

The HOOK BLOWS ~ BODY-AMORED COP OVER THE RAI:LING •

. £B. ~'S B~St'OB -- _1GB!'

101

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9/26/03 62

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SB.lIm BIM, :Rors~hach APPEARS ·out -·of the- dark ha11. Be IGNlUS the ~SOL cAR' S sTJUWi.,., SPRAYING 'tBB. COPS WIft· F~ •. They fall back, screaming,. firing. RorschaCh BOL'fS upstairs, IGNITIRG the staircase .. behind him. PandesapniUll.

- _.SWAT COP 3 Where' d h~ 9~?

SWAT COP 2

Upstairs 1 Be's upstairsl Got

100

." .

1ft. HOJ.OC'" S BRcnmsTORB -- SECOND FLOOR -- CONntruQUS

100

. -

SWAT COPS top the 2nd floor landing. already lit by fire.

SWAT COP 3

Where is, be? All this smoke --

SWAT COP 1

Be once broke a guy's index fingerin six places. How do you even --

. SWAT COP 2

- Relax, the file says he never goes

armed.

Rorschach APPEARS, l?l.owing PEPPER INTO COP 2' S EYES.

SWAT cOP 2 (cant' d) AHHI I CAN"r SEE!

SWAT COP ·1

Get out of the way 1 I don't have

rOom·to --

swat cop 1 CI..EARs his line of fire, '1'0 find Rorschach AIMING

'l'BE GRAPPLING GUN AT ·B1:S CBBST. -

. -

&WAif COP 1 (cont' d)

-101

Gallagher and Fine watch from behinci a LINE OF COP CARS. The house is DOW BLAZING. Smoke and men's screams drift out.

-I

FINE

We've got. him. There' B no way o\lt. ..

••

.: ..•

: ..

~TCBMEN -- 3rd Draft -~ David.Bayter

9/~6/03 63

ANGLE UP ON' -raE .rowtmOUSE, a8 Rors~cb, snarl~g . like a

. rabid' dog, SMASHES '1'BROUGB TBE· ltlNDOW r . landing ·bara·twO . stories bel"". ~B ankle" '!'IIlS'rS," droppiII9 hila to "the ilroUnd.

CLOSE. ON: RORSCHACH, looking. ~. standing.

P1JLt, BlICJ( ~ REVEl\L' Flrrt SlIA'l' COPS Ill" A "Sl!MX-cn<CLB before him. A loaded, pre~ant pause. The cOPS RUSH FORlIARD.

But Rorschach holds up 'a gloved· BAND. ~ they all S'fOP, unsure' what this lunatic will do next.

. .

RORSCBA<;B

Ten years. I've waited 'for this.

Be beckons them forward. The cops PILE INTO B:tM. Rorschach brutally disables six cops before he is OVERWBELHED·

RORSCHACH

No pain. Get up.

A cop ,KICKS HIM in the throat.' ROrschach dropS a9ain•

FINE

Get that mask off himt

COl' 1

I 90t it •. BoY, be stinksl

RORSCHACH No no no NO NO NOI

'·102

'The cop peels back the shifting mask to reveal the signcarrying HOMELESS MAN •. B~ screams at them wil~lY~'

RORSCIlACIl (cont· d)

My facel Give it back to mei'

WIDE ANGLE: The beaten Rorschach, surrounded by cops, a6 Moloch'S house blazes merrily in the background.

RORSCBACB (cant' d)

GIVE lIB Mat: IIY FACB I

THE CROwD OF COPS .: pARTS, as a grim, toughened GALLAGHER step' t,broIlgh _ and nas }lORSCIIIICB III 'ftIB FACE. SLAK oro. BLAClt·

1ft. Dill'S CJIIL-:CIIIIIIB -- IIU 102

. 41'

CLOSE ON: THE NIGtrr-OWL UNIFORM, staring lilts blank, empty

stare. Not at Dan" this time. bUt LAlIIUB· •

".:~;,~'::.: .. ::'.:.

(

. .

f"\

Dan pours SUGAR CUBES into a jar. oown~tairs, be hears

LAURIE sCREAM. RORSCBACB FLASHES THROUGH DAN ··S MIND.

RORSCHACH·

Who's next1 Adrian'· JIB. Jupi ter?

He? -- raul

Dan BOLTS for the basement door.

11ft ~ DU1' S mu.-CIWGIEIl -- DAY

lOS

WA-re~' _.:.. .3rd Draft --" David 'Saytex

- .. _-,'._._

.. -.----~--~-------..-

.--------.- .. -.----.---~~~~==!i!

't.; ;

. 9126/03 64 ' ..... : . ~+~;r~

A..... ;~ .'. , : .

..

Fascina~d W1th·~e co~tumer t.he gadgets, the whole. place, .

~h~ wanders'to the ~SHIP, whose ·tarp has been' pulled back. • She runs her finger through· the· DUST ca1f.ed c;m the ~indshield.. *

'103

103

1ft. OML-SUP -- 1$t

Inside the· ship, Laurie pulls· open a' BAreB f1.l.~ed with' *

l\LTERNATB COS'l'UMES; designed for· unde:rwe.~ ~rk, cold' conditions, heavy armor. She puts a -cigarette in her .mouth.

,.

LAURIE

Where's the damn dash light.er •••

She notes A BUTTON·with a FLAME etched into it. pressing it, the ship's FLAME'l'BROWERS FLOOD THE cSAMBER Wl:TB FJ:RE.

104

104

U"l. DAB' S ta'l'CBER -- J)A'!

-,

'10S

Moving with· effortless grace, Dan grabs a F1RE·EXTINGUISHER.

LAURIE!

nan sprays the fire. L.aurie stumbles from the smoke.

LAURD

I' m so sorry. I was looking for

the lighter.

DAN

1 don' t smoke. Are yoU hurt?

LAURIE

I'm fine, but your beautiful ship

DAN

All, that's mostly just soot. Archie's pretty resilient.

LAURIE

•

Archie? .

.. ;: ,;',-.._;,)--.

3rd Draft ~- David Hayter

9/.2~/03· 65

.' .

: DA1I

.( embarrassed) .

Short for Archimedes.' He was •• Merlin's Owl.' I'm just glad you're okay" 1. beard you scream and. well, you ~ow ~- after ·theCQllledian •••

LAURIE

Don't tell me .you~re buying into ROrschach' B mask-killer theory'~

DAN

NO... I don't knOW.

••

LAURIE

R.orschach is insane, Dan. Don't let him d~ the same to you.

DAN

I know, but... ~be comedian

murdered I Jon exiled; saaeonetries' to shoot Adrian J Rorschach gets arrested.. It makes me uneasy.

Dan goes to a ~ OP SWI'fCBES on the wall. Flicking them, the OWl-<:ha,mber LIGHTS UP. Bidden F~S dissipate the smoke.

lAUR1:E .

. BOW did you ev~r affor~ all. this?

DAlI

My Dad was in corporate banking. Be left me quite' a bit. Which'

always suxprised me.··

'IAURm BOW did .he die?

DAN

MU99i~CJ~ Be was shot.

LAUlUE

• •• It I S wonderful dawn here. Like

a magician's' . lair •

DAN

with all' these leaks and puddles? NO, _ybe ,it used to 'seem like that once- These days it'S sort ~f an. embarrassment. Why' d we ever do •

it, eh? .

•

••

,~
J
*
*
*
*
*
.*
*
*
*.
*
* * *

r" , .

il

I"

106

107

* * '*

*

--~ ... - .. ~- .

" __ ._ _~~.:._ .". _ __ ~ __ ~ ~:~: ~r::;.;?~.~::'P::":"··~c

WA~·:··;..- 3rd Draft ~ ~v'd.,'Bayter:·· " '9/26/03 66 .. : .: t;.f·:·~~T

LAtmD·· .

Because soDiet.imes· it ':8' better. to live on t.he edge of a razor than not at all. -- This is' cool.

She eyes a .beautiful METAL BOOMERANG. ~eflective. Tb~ wings

like an owl's, a seulpted OWL-PACE screem& from its center. *

She turns the OWL:-WING' S RAZOlt-EDGB in' the light. •

. DAN

Sure ft.' s cool. A perlectll'weighted boomerang. Problf!Dll was, first time I threw it at someone •••

He pulls up his pant-leg, rev~aling a nasty, JAGGED SCAR. Stifling a giggle.I Laurie examines a CASE of MEMORABILXA.

LAURIE

It must be great having a place nobody knows ~ut. watching you.

secret Nobody

DAN

Isn't there? These days I feel like someone's watching my every move.

SIDE ANGLE ON: THE OWL-COSTUME., .HUGE i.n the frame. waiting.

106

1ft. PRISOR CELL -- RIGft ANGLE 'ON: The back of a head, staring into a mirro:r •

. REVERSE ANGLE: Two large PRISON GUARDS· stand at the BARS of a CELL. One Guard reads off a CLIPBOARD.

PRISOH GlJARD

Walter Kovacs? -- ~acs, let's go!

PRISON GUARD 2 Rorschach.

RORSCHACH 1'tm.NS, clean-shayen, cold and frightening.

107

Rorschach walks, led by the two big guards. From the cells, PRISONERS shout insults, death threats. Rorschach stares

ahead. Silent. Calm.

108

1ft •. PRISON MESS BALL -- RlGU

..

lOB

..

";l'he MeSS hall is PACKED, hundreds of INMATES eat di~er.

,

•

• *

, -

ANGLE ON: THE MAN'S HAND,. removing a SHIV from his grays.

Rorschach doesn I t .reqister this. Be· waits for the .FRY-COOK *

behi.nd the counter to turn, away -- Then cas,ually reaches .

acrosS and lifts the,.DEEP-FR~ BAS~ from· its mount.

'!'he big Prisoner . JABS the shiv forward -- as Rorschach spins, GRIPPING the man's wrist and FLINGING the BOILING GREASE INTO

THE MAN I S FACE. "!'he man SHRIEKS _ like a FIRE WBIS'lLE and .

CRASHES - '1'0 ~ GROUND. The Guards DESCEND OR· Ror'schach.

PAN WI.TH; RORSCHACH as be is DRAGGED BACKWAlIDS FROM 'l'BE BALL. As tbe injw:ed man's screams fall away to'weak;~ bubbling hitches, the room once again goes silent. Rorschach 'eyes the fearful, hateful eyes of the room, marking each one. And in

. the· sil,ence he speaks, his icy voice carrying easilY·

RORSCHACH

None of you understand. 1'm not locked up in here- w1 th you.

*

..... -----.~----

••• ,'_ e'

••

~BMBN· -~ 3rd Draft -- David Ba~

,9/26/03 61·

. . .. ~

, .

ANGLE ON: '.rBE ENTRANCE ,as RORSCaACB is led. in by a tWo.;.man gu.ar~ .detail.. The. place goes instantly, heavl1y sn,mft. . A

WHISPER drifts, unidenti.fiable .across the room •• 0.. .

WHISPER· one more dead hero.

" .-

- .

:.

. .'

A cruel RIPPLE OF LAUGHTER --, and the mass conversation begins 8gain as Rorschach takes his place in the' food line.· A HUGE BLACK' PRISONER moves' in ~hind him. Be whispers:

PRISONER.

Bey, Rorschach. You're pretty famous, right? YoU know, 1: wouldn't mind a 1ittle fame myself.

<It <It

CLOSE ON: RORSCHACH, placidly dragged off INTO D~SS.

RORSCBACB ( cont' d) You're locked up in here wi. th me.

. 109'

lW. DAII' S LIVlItG JtOCIC - Bl~

109

ANGLE ON: DAN, as seen through GLOWING, INFRA~RED LENSES.

LAURIE

Dan, these are amazing 1

DAN ~

They ~rk pretty well as I recall.

*

........................ '-":~",;,., .. -,.~-.~ , :""" .. ::,,- ' ,...",.. --------~

..... : ~.-- .. "-. ------:---:....-.------~~--

.~. ~ ~.::; .

9/26/03 68

. ~ .. ~- 3rd Draft -- D.a'Y~d. Belyter·.

an WJDB: Laur1.e and Dan sit in the dark Uving .roc:a, the only light. caSt by the ~ing TV ~ ·Lauri~. wears Dan'1i special.ly designed OWL-GOGGLBS.

IA~'S POV: Gazing around the 'red-tinged, glow;"edged. rOOJll.

LAURIE

'!'bis must be· what· it· s . like to· have powers. It must be so strange ~ be· Jon. You know he can see Neutrinos~

. . .

DAN

I'll get some dr~ •

Laurie removes .. the g0991es, tuxns up the TV.

Dan gets up.

NEWSCASDR

Today, police allowed cameras .into the apartment kept by the vigilante Rorschach, whose real name baa been revealed as Walter Kovacs. . .

on the "N,' IMAGES of a til thyapariment.

NEWSCAS'l'ER (cont' d) Kovacs' landlady, Delores Shairp, described .Kovacs as a "Razi psychopath", pointing out stacks of right-wing literature, including back issues of the ultraconservative publicatiqu, the "New Frontiersman" • We asked "New Frontiersman" editor, Hector Godfrey for cODinent.

*

DAN

Be used to be something, Rorschach.

Tactically brilliant.

LAURIE '

That mask's eaten his brains away.

DAN ....

Still, sOmething aboUt this murder charge - ... 1 just' can't see him shoot.inq MOloch.

LAUR1:E'

Be shot a col' with a grappling gun.

A \.)

~ u .: ••• : ..... ~.", •• • •

WA'l'CBHBil. ~-:" 3rd. Dra~~:~~·.;.t . Dii~id Hayter: .

~/26io3 69

.'

DAN

DOn f treinind me, .' I made that thing

for him. But a regular gun just

see. too... ordinary. .

NEWSCASTER

Meanwhile, in pakistan, fighting continues. The St.ate Department warns that a nuclear exchangei~

. LAUJaB

This war. sometimes I wish 1 could just take off fore~r. Like Jon.

r

,

DAN

sure. The old Manhattan Transfer.

LAURIE

.'Now, that'S funny. That' s what you

call Jon's teleportation? .

110

DAN

well. •• not to bis face.

Laurie laughs easily as we FADE i'C): 1ft. DAR'S un- ROCJII -- 1AftI\

110

Deeper into the night, plus a feW bottles of Champagne. The mood haS grawn intimate~ On the TV, Adrian, dressed in' his full OzYMANDtAS COS'l'UME, LEAPS from a platform to' an intricate series of bars on a TV char~tY special.

DAN .

It wasn't ever about justice for me. I didn't do it to crush evil, like Rorschach. I just, wanted to

put a hand out to the people that *

needed it. The weak, the old.

Because that's the way the 'world'

sbouid be ••• isn't it? •

••

Be removes his .fogged glasses. and cl~ans them with his shirt, revealing a very handsome DU;lD ~ • Dan chokes up.

.,.

'.;' ...

111.. r:~

DAR j; •• ~.~.

And nOW the "bol~ world' Is goDe -tQ Bell. -- And I .never 4,id. anjthing.

LaliJ::ie takes his f~ce in her hands. She· kisses .bim~·:· .

DAN

Ub, Laurie, that's ••• I don't know.·

It's been·a long .~~ sinc~--

LAURl.

You know what your· probleJll is?

You're inhibited.

She kisses him deeply as we PUSB IN ON: The 'l!V. where Adrian flips, swings, spins and grabs like a.DaD of twenty-six.

ANNOUNCER (V .0.) .

Notice not one tremor of effort -just one seamless· flaw of motion.

DAN (O.s.)

um, Can you move a little t~ your

left? I can't -- .

AtmOUNCER (V.O.)

His natural grace·is extraordinary. ~his 8 man in. his fortiesl

LAURXE (O .• S.) Is that better?

DAN (O.S.)

Yeah. It's, DO... I just can't seem to ._ Ah, bell.

PUSH IN OR: DAN and Laurie, rmapled. . Dan sits on the edge of the couch r . puts his. face in his hands.

DAl1 (cont'd) I'm· sorry.

Don't ~.

Laurie pulls him back down onto the coucb,Snu991ing comfortably behind him. She closes hero·eyes, cc.ntent.

LAURIE (cont r d)" '. . .

I know how it is when somethinglis not right. .f

RORSCHACH -"811 order ..

r:

1tA~'-- 3rd Draft -- David 'Jia~

9/26/03 71

111

111

CLOSE ON: DAR, on his knees in the center of an IRFINI'lB FIELD OF BLAcKNEss. No corners, no' exits. I.n the DISTABCE, he sees a ~'FQRK. ~&p!rate, he lrUIlS to her. -

puss :IN ON: LAURIE' waiting for' him lR' COSTUME. They kiss.

She tears at him passionately. Sis SKm suddenly TEARS Ala!' lilte Christmas. wrapping. Beneath 'the - false skin, Dan, wears . his N:tGB'I'-owL COSTUME. confident, -he touches 'h~ face. She, smiles with palpable heat. Ifhey· kiss. '

in the' B/G,a NUCLEAR BJ..AStr ERUP"is. ' still kissing, the BEAT

~d WIND m.c;>W THEM INTO TWO EMBRACI.NG SKELETONS. .,..

.. y

112

1ft. DAR'S LIVIJIG ROell -- RI.Gft

112

Dan WAKES, sweat beaded on his forebea~. Laurie sleeps on.

113

IE. pRI:SOR CELL -- RIGft

113

Rorschach sits in his cell, s.'f.ar~g impassive1.y at the wall.

BIG FIGURE (O.S.)

·It's been.a long .tiDe, Rorschach.

UP ANGLE: on the PRISON BARS. Two HUGE PRISONERS stand side

by. side, one muscle bound, the other very fat. PAN DOWN: To • ...........

reveal· a DWARF between them. Bi,s . ,silver hair combed neatly f

bac1t, a big CIGAR perched in hi~ tiny mouth.

RORSCBACB .

Big Figure. Sma1.l world.

_ BIG FIGURE

(chuckles through smoke)

I like that. But you know, it is a small world in het'e. I' va been in it for --how long now, Bi11y?

BILLY ,

Twenty years, Mr. Figure,.

BIG FIGURE"

That's right. i'Wenty years since you and that OWl fella put IDe away. __ That guy you burned is ,dying.

Couple of days, tops. When he does, this place is gaana explod,. Then you die by inches.

•

115

1ft. DAR'S 0tiL-cBAMBBR .-- 1fX0Ir.r

115

----~-~--~~~~------------------~

~ •• ~~~.~c •••• , ~~ •• ~. ~~~}:0

I ,'.'. . . '. .' . 'i:~~;;

n-rcBMBR 3rd D:t:aft·. -- bavid. Hayter :,.... 9/26'l03.·?2

~'-

1:::;: .

LLOYD

(SLAMS into. the bars) .

1'm gorin&. tear this '9UY a new bole I

BIG FIGURE

Relax, .Ll;.oyd •• '. '. ·Soon.

Chuckling, B·ig· Figure' walks of~ down the long,. shadowed corr;i.dor. Rorschach contin~es staring, ·.straight aheaci.

1ft. DAR'6 OHL-CIWIBBR -- RIGft

114-

11~

The QOOR opens. Laurie sta~ds IntlleSBAFT OF LI:GiI'r.

LAUIUE

. Dan... What is on your mind.

Descending the stairs, she finds Dan sitting on. the crate before his. costume, naked. Be fiddles with an OWL-1ID1G •

. DAN

Mask-killers ~ Nuclear Anni.hilation. I fee1 so powerless, so ••• ? I qame down here for my costume, or -I don I t know. I just want to take. the air.' Blow the cobwebs away ..

Be FLINGS the metal crescent, whizzing into the dark.

;; "_

LAURIE

So. Let I S take the ship out.

(off his lOok) .

,Who' 8 to know? I used to be a masked avenger too, remeJaber? I'm us'eel to getting up at, three in the morning to do·. something stupid.

Get re_ady. Can't. go' OUi; l:ike· that.

s~e jogs upstairs~ Dan turns to the empty, waiting suit. The. -OWL-WING THUNltS' into the. wall for punctullti~n. .

PAN ,.up: DAR'S COS'l'UMED BODY.. The Night OWl suit is . fantastic, in't;ric::ate, but above t.he belly -- Dan's. gut is too large to cl~se the' AB-LIKB STOMACH-PLATING. Be sucks in a HUGE BREATH, ~ely managing to CLICK it clo·sed.

Laurie a~ais at ·the door, decked in ber BLACK LEM'8ER. ARMOR. . SLINGSHOT, .looking every hit as good as. seventeen.

*

. .

I

1-16

117

118

. WATCBliEN· -- 3x;d Draft ~- David Hayter

9/26J.()3 13

LAU1UE I'~ r4!ady.

Dan turns. Except now... Be' sltI.GIrt CML.

DAN

Me too •

Xft. OML-SBlP - IIIGE

116

Laurie holds on as the OWl-Ship'·s ENGINES ROAR to ·life. The ship RISES INTO THE AXR and slips easily into the TUNNEL. Laurie watches the LIGftS of the. tunnel whiz by. At the end, two big S'J.'BEL DOORS open, allowing. a passaqe UP.

DAN

Let's have some cloud cover.

Ia. lIARBIIOUSB -- IIJOft

117

THICK FOG POURSFROH LOWER-DECK .lETS as the ship RISES into an ABANDONED WAREBOUSE, whose .·steel roof ROLLS BACK.

11B

Laurie touc;hes the window, the SPARKLING CITY laid out below.

LAURIE

It' s so beautiful. •••

Banq on.

Dan BARRS, wheeling the ·ship toward the VElDT .BUXLDING.

DAN (C()N!r' Dl

Got to clean ber up a bit. I'm sure Adrian. wouldn't want·to ~de tbe course of justice.

Beading STRAIGHT FOR THE SUXLDIRG, Dan JIGS at the last moment, flying the ship THROUGB 'tIlE V-SHAPED WATERFALL in the skyscraper's center. -rhe water WASHES CLEAN the years of dust. ·SIDE ANGLE: As the ship EMERGES, sparkling like new.

,1

Look!

Below, a '1'ENEME1ft' BUILDING is ENGULFED IN FLAME. Dan's jaw sets. Be WBEEi.S the ship around and down •• As they zoom closer, .they can see people sCREAMING from the windoWs.

' .... - ... __ . .... .... . _~ ..... --~-.-.~-.-;;. . .___......__----------~

',:',

,,' .' ~'. 4; -._4~.;. .. .,:,....;· __ ·_-.:. ~·--=~ .. WoihO 1'-' p' .• tbo, ",'. >tJ or. )=7' ''''W )'+' h,·at.'"SX -rCSUtt' ttr

WATcmmN -- 3rd Draf~·. ~~,. ~~i4--B~~; r • : • .~1~6/!~,.; 74

::

119

120

121

122

123

. LAURIE .( cent! d) : .

God,. there's' children in there!

. .. ~.

~. .

I'm putting the water cannons on ".

the lover stories.

. (over the LOtiDsPEADRS)' :

PLEASE RBH1UN CAUl. HE ARB SLOWING THE·· FIB. DOHN !"ROlf BBLON. CAUlLr HAKE YOUR. 'fAY ro !l'BB . ROOF •

. .( to .Laur~e,)

I'll. extend the ramp. Can you escort the people over?

She watches him move, quick, confident. Sbe Smiles.

LAUlUE

You got it. Night OWl. *

ED'. 'l'EREMElr.r BUILDDIG -- RI~

119

LOW ANGLE: The ship 'EXTENDS . AN . EScAPE RAMP. Laurie helps. the * panic-confused people cross over with some exasperation. *

ATOP THE SHIP: DAN latches the steering column into its roof *

socket'. Be stands; '.rakes a deep, chest-expanding breath. . *

Who has he been kidding? T~is is who he is. Flicking a *

switch; BILLIE HOLIDAY, "You're Ny. Thrill" .plays pleasantly. *

DT. OIIL-SBlP -- RICBr

120

. ~low, ~aurie hears the music and grins.

Eft. OItL-SBlP -- RIOft

*

121

FIRE rising 'behind, Dan. wings the ship STRAXGft Dft'O CAMERA.

m. S'.rRi:a' -- Hleft

122

The OWl-ship RISES, leaving a 9ratef~1 CROWD behind. In the BIG, FIRE TRUCKS are just arriving •. A FIREFIGBTBR looks up just in time to .see the OWL-SHIP.disappe~ into' the. clouds.

1ft. OIIL-SBIP -- HIGH

123

Dan skims the clouds like a man waking fr~ a dream.

DAN

I can't believe we did thatl They're qoing to lock us up' 'like ~ Rorschach 1 They're going to - "

r:

_. . _._ __ _.-.- .. ----_._....--:--~--------

WAtcHMEN· -- 3rd Draft -- David ·Ba~er

. 9/26/03 7S

Dan.

She puts a hand on his shoulder.

LAURIE (cant' d·) Who cares.

Be· kisses· her. Bard. Running her hands up his ~heeks, they slide each other's masks off. Their mouths melt together. .

124.

1ft. ·OML-SBIP -- RIGft

124

*

The in-ship SPEAKERS play the tail end of the Beatles' ABBEY ROAD. Dan and Laurie lie in· a heap of discarded costumes.

DAN

Do you know this album?

LAURIE

I was more of a sex pistols girl.

DAN

Abbey ROad. 'rbe Beatles' last record; And they knew it. So for the last line of the last track the

Beatles' ~uid ever sing, Paul

JlCCartney writ~s ••• Ber.e, listen:

From the speakers ,McCartney' s voice. P And in the end: 2'be *

love you take... Is equal to tbe ·love you make. If

*

*

DAN (cont'd)

The perfect sUIIIID8t.ion of human existence·. Amazing.

* *

LAURIE

It w8sg00d tonight, wasn~t it?

Dan I. s reaction indicates that i twas gOod indeed.

*

..

LAURm

Did 1;he costumes ~ All this... Make

it good?

*

DAN

••• Yeah •. -- I can't go back n~ •. Not to what I was. Not ever.

* *

LAURIE

Okay. So I what. do we do next?

•

*

.9i~6/03· ·16

• I. :"~.j

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DAR

I-'ve .been thinking about that. And I believe W8-have'certain obligations to our fraternity... I think we should spring Rorschach.

~. ONL-SIIXP -- COftnruOUS

Long beat. TJ:le ship hovers in the clouds.

*

'"

'"

LAURIE (V.O.)

'" '"

What?

125

125

SUNRISE: 'l'hrough an ominous ·haze . over the VElDT BUILDING.

126

1ft. ADRlAR VElDT'S OFFICE -- DAt

126-

Dan shields his eyes, enters .from the Golden elevator, trailing Adrien' s new, even more beautiful ASSlSTAJr.r.

ASSlSTAlft'

Sir, Mr. Dreiberg. And your Jet's been delayed= Something about-iceshears" in the upper· atmosphere •

*

. ADRIAN

Tell the pilots that I am not missing that window.

ASSISTANT

The Itinerary says you're -flying to Antarctica"?

. ADRIAN -- Carol, is it?

ASSISTANT Oh. Yes. S~.

ADRIAN

Wait for me outside, pleas ••

The Assistant runs ahead into the EXIT BALL.

ADRIAN -

What can. I do for you, Dan?

DAN You're leaving town?

r:

[IT"

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-lIM'c1Dm~f -- 3rd Draft -- David 'Hayter

9/26/03--77

_ AriRIAN

Take- SOllIe -advice-. Do the same.,

DAN

Do - you believe it then? That sameone's killing us o~f?

Adrian pulls on a Cashmere coat. Dan--follows him into:

"IE. EXI., IIA1..L TO COP.l'BR PAD .... DAX

.. ..

127

127_

A long, concrete hall, RAMPING UP. Dan follows Adrian.

ADlUAN

You're not still on that? Dan,tbe News Directors of- -my Media outlets have credible evidence that Barth's major cities -- all of them -- will be attacked by opposing Nuclear Forces within the next month. LOndon, Paris r Munich and

washington have already agreed: PreEmptive Strikes begin by Friday, Midnight at the latest.

(laughs)

Mask-killers. I mean, what- are you planning ~o do about it anYwaY~

DAN

I'm planning to •• ~ to investigate. It's a case. I thought you might want to help. For old times ....

"*"*

"* "*

ADRIAN

Dan I ~m forty-one. And so are you.

"*

DAN I'm thirty-nine.

ADRIAN -

And you want me to jump arou1)d town in my tights again. I never enjoyed it that much in the: first pla~e.

* ..

DAN Don't lie to me.

The ASSISTAN'l' appears, opening the OOOR TO THE ROOF, allowing the LIGIft' TO SPILL IN OVER ADRIAN.

"* *

ADRIAN Fine. I loved it.

•

1'. ..

~ian puts bisbands ftr.ly on.naD's sho~lders. "~y~ ADnAN'

Leave the city, Dan .. '-- They don't want UB· anymore.

Adrian pusbesthtough the DOOR, OUT Q~ '!'BE:

.'.

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12.8

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Dr.. BELlCOP.rBlt PAD -- DAY

128

Adrian walks. briskly to his idi~n9 COPTER.. Be SHOUTS back ....

ADRIAN

They never didl *

129

Ilft'. PRISOR BU",S -..; DAY

129

Rorschach is leaq once more down the balls between two guards .. This time, the INMATES stare at him SILENTLY from their cells" -- Bis time is cominq ",

130

1ft. PJaSOR PSYCH RDCIM -_- DAY' .. '

130

CLOSE ON: A RORSCHACH BLOT CARD.. DR. MALCOLM LONG, the

prison psychiatrist -~ black, amiable, a mite portly -- sits across the table from ~rschach.

LONG

I suppose I don't need to tell you

what· this is.

Long smiles at his joke. Rorschach dOes not ..

LONG (cont'd)

COIIIIe on., walter.· Will you at least look. at it1 -.rell· me what you see?

QUICK FlASHES: Of a dead DOG.. Blood.. Borror • RORSCHACH

A pretty butte~ly ..

LONG .

I see .. -- Bow abOut this one?

.In the second card, Rorschach SEES: ~IMSELF, as little bQy. Bis MOTHER looming over him', HUGE. Sbe SMACKS him hard in the face. Be sees CHILDREN, TAUN'lING BIM •. One of them calls his mother a WHORE. Young walter ATTACKS the much larger child, shoving the kid's own CIGARETTE int~ his eye.

RORSCHACH Same nice flowers.

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'.wA~ -- 3rd Dra~t -- David'Ba~r: -~.'.

. LONG .

Walter, I 'genuinely thiillt I can help you. But I can't do it alone.

Icy silence. LO~9 holds up the first card ag~.

LONG.

'l'ell me what you really see.

Rorschach examines the card. FLASHES of BLOOD, horror.

.~

~:J

RORSCHACH

A dog, with its head split in half.

LONG

And what do you think... did that?

RORSCHACH

I did.

LONG

Tell me about Rorschach,.

Walter. will you do that?

RORSCHACH

Why are you here with me, doctor?

. LONG

Because I want to make you well.

*

131

RORSCHACH

There's other men in. bere with behavior more extreme than mine.

Of. course. they' re not. faJllOUs. You don't want to make me well. You just want t.o know wbat makes me sick. I'll tell you something, Dr. I'll tell you about Rorscbach.

EU •. lIBUtFS -- DIE PAS'!' -- RIGHT

*

131

.A fog-banked night. The OKL-SHIP illuminates RORSCHACH and a younger, thinner NIGHT OWL, standing before a GANG of TOUGHS.

RORSCHACH (V.O.)

In the 80's, I wor"ked with a man called Night Owl, fighting crime.

LONG (V.O.) II

That's when you became· Rorschach? .f

The seediest., smokiest bar in history. ~e' DOOR opens, revealing Rors.cbach. F17ightened eyes turn.

RORSCHACH (V.O.)

1 visited .upderworld bars and be9an hurting people. Finally, one observant· junkie gave me the address of an old warehouse.

ANGLE ON: A MAN in an ALLEY, handing Rorschach. Ii slip of PAPER with TWISTED FINGERS, bent at odd angles.

.* * *

.~ ' ,_... .._"~ " .. _.~.: ," " .. , _~ __ ~ _~".:~.;,~ ~:.· .. ;=··-:-~~:5::·t . .-.~~:~ __ ):::-~-_-. --;-; --:-;-:- :----,--. -.: i-.~~~.!IIi:.,IIIIf;;:.:·

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132

RORS~ (v.·o.) ".

Don·t be stupid •. I wasn't .

Rorschach then.', ·i· was just Kovacs r pretending to be Rorschach.

ED. IIORDGB -- "10ft

'.,

132".

QUICK FLASHES of various .CRnm sCENE!S~ . CRnu:~, bound and gagged next to little cards bearing the RORSCHACH SYMBOL~

RORSCBACB (V.O.)

I was young then. . SOft. Too soft on criminals. .1 let them live.

133

Err. CIT! s-.rREB'lS-- RIGa'

133

CAMERA DESCENDS FAST: Coming to rest on RORSCBACJl, w~lking through th~ intermittent streetlights. CLOSE ON: RORSCHACH'S GLOVE, holding a PHOTO of an angelic. six year old GIRL·.

RORSc8AcB (V.O.)

In 1995 I ·investi9at~ a ·kidnap case, perhaps you rem8lJber. Blair Roche. Six years old. The kidnappers thought she was. the heir to the Roche chemical fortune. Stupid mistake. ~er father· was a bus' drive!;. No money at, all. ,1 thought of that girl, frightened, alone, waiting for sO'JDl!one to help. I decided to intervene •

134

. 1ft • HAPPy BARRY'S BAR -- RIGHT

134

135

Eft. WAREHOUSE -- IIIGU

A creepy, deserted-looking WAREHOUSE. Rorsch.ach peers

through a slatted fence at two fighting. DOOS.· .

•

-135

, RORSC8AcB (V.O.)

I arrived at dusk. No lights were on. In the back, two German , Sbepards were fighting ~r a knOb of bone. Dldn' t seem interested in _. So 1 decided to go in the·

fro~ like a resPectable'visitor.

M ~::;J

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~/26/03 81

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3rd Draft

136

136

CRACK· -- '!'he front door is KI~D; OPEN, smash,ing, the lock. Rorschach moves betw~n a line of headless imNNEQUIRS. In one corner rests an old WOOD-BURNING STOVE. Rorschach removes a BLACKENED scrap of' UNDERWEAR. from the stove.· Litt,le hearts and capering bears ,adorn the material.

137

1ft. ~OUSB ~ -- HIGH

131

Rorschach enters the kitchen. Bis pOwerful BEARTBEATcan be BEARD. Througb the window, the FIGHTING DOGS can also be

he.rd. Rorschach opens, a CUPBOARD to reveal a LINE OF *

DIVES, CLEAVERS and a HACKSAW on ,hooks. The HEARTBEAT *

QUICKENS. OUtside, the snarling dogs get LOUDER. *

Slowly now ••• Rorschach's gaze moves from the knives -- to

the counter. Be runs his gloved finger along RED, DEEP-CUT GROOVES ina THICK WOODEN CBOPPIN<; BLOCK. Bi.s HEARTBEAT RACES now. His gaze continues out the window ....

*

PUSH IN ON: The DOGS, still fighting over the bone, which *

from this angle, we now recognize as a small, BOMAN FEMUR.

,"lhe pounding, HEARTBEAT LURCHES TO, A S'l'OP. Silence. •• Then, it begins again, SLOW, calm~ The heart of a different man.

PUSH IN ON: RORSCHACH, as he reaches for a large CLEAVER.

138

EXT., WAREIIOUSE -- BACK YARD -- HIGIr.r,

138

The dogs snap and snarl. Neither one 'notices, RORSCHACH RISE * UP BEHIND THEM. Rorschach RAISES TBB CLEAVER high.

139

11ft. ,RISOR PSYCH' ROOM -- RIOB '

Dr. Long listens, entranced by the sheer horror.

139

RORSCHACH

A tremor of ~c1:: shOok, my arm. 'I War.m blood splashed M¥ ches~~, It. was Walte~ Kovacs who screamed and closed his eyes ••• It was Rorschach who opened them again.

142

1ft.. WAREBOUSE 1t1U!BER -- NIOft

142

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~140

140

141

RORSCBACB (V.O.)·

It was dark when the building's owner got back. Dark aBo it gets.

GRICE~ greasy and' fat, walks past the: now-silent fence.

GRICE

Boys? Who's got a bark for daddy?

1ft. 1IARBBOUSB -- RIGJr.r

141

. .

Se flicks a LIGHT SWITCH -- .Nothing. Grice draws a GUN.

Grice tries the light in here. Nothing again. Be tries to ' peer through the window, but all· he can see is his own reflection. He turns away as the BODY of .a GERMAN SHEPARD CRASHES THROUGH THE WINDOW INTO BXS BACK, knocking him down.

. . .

~iceRUNS through the warehOuse, falling over HEADLESS MANNEQUINS. He FIRES madly into the dark. The SECOND ~ SMAsHES INTO BIM FROM A' SECOND WINDOW.. The GUN, goes flying. Terrified, Grice scr8llbles backward ~gainst th~ STOVE.

GRICE

Who's out there? I baven' t done anything I I swear 1

FROM BEHIND,· Rorschach CUFFS THE MAN'S. WlUST TO '!'BE STOVE • . ,When Grice sees that "face", be loses his bladder.

GRICE (cant f d)

You think I had something'to do vith that little gi.i:'l~' Well, I didn't 1 Where' s your evidence, huh? WHERE'S YOUR EVIDENCE?

CCllm, deliberate, Rorschach's -finger pOints to the dog.

GRICE (cont'd)

Will you please just s~y something?

Rorschach splashes GASOLINE around tbe room.

GRICE (cant· d l

Okay I confess! I kidnapped her! I killed her I Arrest' me 1 '! ~

Rorschach tosses the gas can aside... and finally speaks.

r-

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-WA~ -- 3rd Draft

David HaYter .

9(26/03 83

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RORSCHACH Hen get arrested.

Rorschach LIGHTS A MA~.

RORSCiIACB Dogs get put down'.

Be '!'OSSES THE HATCH. on the BLOOM OF FIRE, we CUT ro:'

1ft. PRlSOR PSYCB ROOK -- HI~

143

143

The 'Silence reels out. Long is paraiyzed.

RORSCHACH

You know what lesson you might want to take from that story, doctor?

Long shakes his bead numbly. A GUARD steps in, startling him.

GUARD

Time's up, Rorscbach.

Rorschach pushes the BLOT-CARD back to Long and exits. Lang sees that at some point, Rorschach has borrowed bis pen to scrawl a spiky MESSAGE on the back of the ~ard:

Let sleeping dogs lie.

144

1ft. DAR'S OML-CBAMBBR -- 1IIlGU

144

ANGLE ON: A COMPUTER-SCREER MAP' OF THE CITY. MUSIC plays on a small RADIQ. Dan sits at the COMPU'l'E1t. Laurie smokes.

LAURIE

Do you think, it's a sign of the times that as young lovers, we're spending 9ur Saturday night planning- 'to spring a homicidal psychopath fraa prison?

DAN

I think that, four beroes attacked in eleven days is noJ& coincidence. something's going on. ' I vented Adrian's help, but I thought if I told him about the jailbreak, he migh:t- feel' obligated to stop, us. @

." ." ."

LAURIB

t feel obligated to stop us I

•

*

nreuMmt -- '3rd Draft -- David -HaYter - --.-

A f:~ --:'1

- -

,INFORMA!'IObl sTREAMS -acrosS the COBq)uter screen.

DAB

LoOk. I've been cross-checking

Jon's cancer- list. Bach victim at one time worked for various subsidiaries of a oompe.ny cil11ed· . Pyramid'DeVelopments •. janey· Slater,

Wally Weaver. They even 9aveMOloch a 'job when he got out of - prison.

LAURXE

Weird. What. does that mean?

DAN

If someone invented the cancer scare to drive Jon away -- !'hat someone may be planning to orchestrate world ~ar three·

LAUR~E You' re not serious';','

DAN

you didn't contract cancer ,from Jon. Maybe nobodY did. If i~~s all a lie to force Jon-off the pl.anet ••• What would you expect?

LAUR1E

Even 60, we're in enough trouble after the fire. Why risk springing

a liability-l-ike ROrschach?

DAN

Rorschach'S been the only one investigating this. _ ,lIitbo¢ him, ..

we' re start~n9 at the beginniDg, and 1 don't think anyone's got that kind of time. -- TUrn up the radio.

Silence.

- RADIO ~OUNCBR (V.O.) __ prison offici'ale c01lfixmiD9 that the prisoner scalded by the vigilante Rorschach died earlier this afternoon. Fearing a riot, - one p~ison spokesman said they're .staring into the jaws of Bell.«

t -

Then __ A harsh BUZZ rin9S through the chamber. ..

LAURIE

tplat ~e bell was that?

(

wA~" __ 3rd Draft -- David Hayter

145

DAN "" '!'he" "fro~t door.

1ft. DA1I PREIBDG'S BOUSS· -- ron:a -- lUGJIT

145

.,;.

"#if 'L

Dan opens the doox-. DE'r. FI~ is thue, display!J19 hls""ba •• FINE

Daniel Dreiberg?: Detective Steven

Fine. Hay 1 came in?

1ft. J)AlI'S Kl'l'CliER -- HIGH

146

146

Fine's eyes thoroughly scan the kitchen.

FINE

1 underatand you knew Edward BlaKe.

DAN Yes, vaguely.

Dan hands him a cup of" COFFBB.

FINE "

ThankS. You knew him well enough"

to attend his funeral. I saw the " .p~pers. "AdrianVeidt., Dr. Manhattan·. You keep some heavy

company. LOt of heroic figures.

DAN .

1 met Blake through Adrian. I donated money to" one of his cbarities a while back.

Fine examines the counter. Finds the BOX of SUGAR CUBES.

FINE

Bey, -sweet Chariot- sugar cUbesl These only come in catering packs,

don't they? Cigarette?

DMl 'l'hankS. I don't".

FINE

very wise. -- Quite a few heroic figures· in" the" news lately. Adrian Veidt gets shot at. Rorschach,' Dr. Manhattan. Then this tenement tire the other night, bear aboUt that.?

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3rd Draft -,.. David Ba~, ...

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9t~~lO~. 86

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DAN

~ dOn't believe I did.

FINE

Craziest story. A man and a woman ill an· .airship hov~iDg· ~tweeD two buildings, rescue a bUnch of ·people . from a burning tenmaent house.

only ship X ever heard could do

that· belonged to one .of those

masked adventurers they outlawed. back in the nineties. 'Course, . it couldn't've been him. Be'd be in his forties by noW. Guys· like thati GUys our age, we wake .up every . morning coughing our lungs up. But then. ~. You don't smoke, do you?

DMI

No. What is this about?

Fine wanders the cOunter. ·Not. far from Dan's KlUFE BLOCK now.

FINE

Nothing, really. I'm not even on duty. Just# this vigilan1;e thing is kind of a hobby horse of mine. since I arrested Rorschach, the whole mess has· been on. ~ mind.

Fine checks his wa~ch, but doesn't move away just yet.

FINE (cont'd)

I mean,- rescuing fire·victims, nobody condemns that, but if it went any further... _11, you probably. remember those days as well as I· do. All those ' characters: That girl; ·Slingshot".

Where's she nOW, I wonder?

FINE

And Rorschach·l KnOW what he had in his pockets when I grabbed piDI.?

Fine. dl=aWs a STEAK KNIFE from the BLOCK -~ . IDENTICAL to the one Rorschach stole. Fine's HAND slips ilite his JACKET.

FINE SUgar cubes •••

BILLY

Be broke my god-damned fingers 1

*

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. WA'fCIDiBN. __ 3rd Draf.t -- David' Hayter' .~(26/03 '87 . '.'

Fine SPDS with the gun, but Dan is already BERIND :BDl. .7MY rIGHT r but Dan disarms him. pen sMACKS FIBB ~ S BEAD aga:inst

.~ecupbo~8. Be slumps •. Laurie runs in. ..' .' a

:',,:, :.. LAURIE

What are you dt)ingl? That' 8 a cop 1

. DAN

There '·8 duct tape in the second drawer~ W~'re leavinq ••• NOW.

1:47

1ft. DAR'S CML-CBAMBBR ~- RIGll'1!

The OWl-ship RACES DOWN 'mE' EXIT 'l't.JNNBL.

1£. RORSCSACB' S PRXS01t CBLL -- 111GB'

141

148

148

Down the dark co~idors, a ROAR. is building as ,fire FLICdRS. ALARMS ring. BIG FIGURE and his 1'WOTBUGS appear at the door.

B~G FIGURE

Bello Rorschach. we brought you something from the machine shop.

The FAT THUG wheels an ELECTlUCAL WELDER to. the doo!:. Rorschach sits, idly 'l'EARl:NG his PRISON SB1RT into stri})S .•

BlLLY

Bey BoSs~ Y'notice? None of that M~ll world, tall order- crap. "Cause be knows once we slic~ open this lock, he's next on the' block.

RORSCHACH Fat 'chance.

silly r~dens. He DIVES forward, HANDS SWIPING for Rorschach~ , BILLY

You i re dead 1 We got a jail fu~l of killers' out heret What've' you got?

Rorschach SPJ:NS, WRAPPING A SHIR'l'-S'l'JUP AROUND HIS :tm,XS'l'S.

RORSCBACB

Your bands. My psychosis.

Rorschach ,grips B).lly'S pmKIES and SNAPS them both. Be roughly binds Billy'S broken fingers :around the bars.'

•

151

Ift. PRIIdi c:zu. -- lUGR •

Lloyd WELDS, the lock GLOWS. RED. Neetrly through.

151

ia. r-'~

.Lloyd tries to reach-. the ~lder arO\1l)d B~lly' B .~y.

LLOYD

I can't reach the lock. Should I

cut the bars?

BIG FIGURE This riot won' t last •••

Big Figure nods to Lloyd, who grabs Billy's neck.

LLOYD

Sorry about this, Big Bill.

BILLY.

BoSS, you can't be seriousl Lloyd

LLOYD

Sey. Nothing' personal, man.

Lloyd SNAPS Billy'S neck. Lloyd pushes the corpse out o~ the

way to reach the lock. Big Fi~ grins in at Rorschach *

BIG FIGURE

Now you find out what the score is.

149

RORSCHACH

One nothing. Come· and· get me.

BU. PlnSOB' _ mGlft! 149

The OW;L-ship descends toward a hell of 'rEAR-GAS, FIRE and VI.OLENCE. The wall-guards begin toFIU on the ship.

LAURIB

prisoners below. We're in the occupied section.

150

DAN

pUt your ear-plugs in.

Err. pnSOM YARD - HIGII'l'

150

The ship eudts a PIERCING SHRIEK. WINDOWS sBAftBR.. lJ.'he warring prisoners fall to the ground, nervous-systems fried.

As Laurie descends·the ship'S LADDER, Dan simply,.joyously LEAPS . om, his wings SNAP WIDE to GLIDE. him throUgh the· air r

creating an OWL SILHOUETTE· against .the. pregnant moon. .

. ~.

I

. BIG FIGURE

Xt.s Hallowe'en, Rorschach. Time.

to face the old ghosts.

The lock' MELTS AWAY.' Rorschach climbs ontO bia' buiIk··. as Lloyd. enters, JABB:mG the electric welder at him menacinglY'; . .

Ror~chach drives his .HEEL into the 'porCelain TQn.BT BCML~ .. SHATTERING IT. WAftR SPILLS ACROSS mE' FLQ01l. CLOSE OR:

LLOYD'S BAND, sudden;Ly GALVANI~ED TO THE ~BR as the . PRISON'S EN'l'XRE POWER,SYS~ sURGES THROUGB BIK. Tbe LXGBTS FLIC}tER and die. LLoyd collapses, SDIOking and de~d.

RORSCBACB

Em ••• Never disposed of sewage with a toilet before.; Obvious I really. 'l'wO-nothing. • • Your move.

Big Figure looks very small and alone ~n the RED EMERGENCY LIGHTS. Herons. Rorschach. calmly follows him out.

A U

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" .:. to' .

WA~ . - 3r~ Draft -- 'David .11ayt~

~"26'03 '89

... ; ......

152

m. l'iuSCRf BAL'LS -- RIGJrr

152

Flickering FIRES burn in the cells. Gunshots ecbo.

LAURIE

:I didn't know it would be like this ••• Tbis horror and death

DAN

It's Rorschach. He draws this world

to him.

*

LAURIE

How do we even knOW if he·s a1ive?'

A SMOKl:NG CORPSE lies in a pool of wa~er in an open cell.' A fat, dead. man is tied to the b~& by his broken fingers.

DAN Be's alive.

153

lNT. ~soR DLLS - lIIGft'

153

Big Figure· runs, turns a ~orner, ducking intO the ~'S ROOM. ~rscha~h follOWS. The bathroOIll door is ju~t SWINGING CLOSED.

Dan and Lauri~ appear at the OTHER END OF ·.THE HALL.

LAURIE •

Tbat looks like his poBt~e

LAURIE oi

What. is that -- we· came here to rescue you f you ungrateful jerk!

*

9/2f,/03.90

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. DAN Rorschach? Rorschachl

RORSCHACH

Bello Daniel. Hs. ·Jupiter. ExCuse me. I have to ~is~~ the men·s rooa·

Be pushes the dOQr to.the dark bathr~open.

LAURIE

Ob for Christ's sake •••

..

DAN

Bey, it happens. ·:1 remember I lost a big arrest like that once.

LAURIE

•• _ I think I heard him flush.-

Rorschach exits tbe men's roOll., wiping: bis hands-

RORSCHACH· .

We can go now_

LAUR1;E .

. Really, you sure? Bey, let's not go diving bead first into things.

RORSCHACH .

BDL. I'm sur~ there are many wbo' d

agree wi~ you. .

.. ,

PAN DOWN: WATER FLOODS from under the bathroom door.

154

Eft. PJUSOII 1U)OF'l'OP -- RIGB'f

The trio· crosses the roof as Dan calls· Archie by REMOTE.

154

RORSCHACH

Good to see you in uniform, . Daniel.

What· happened? Finally taking the . mask-killer seriously?

lAURIB·

No. At least I'm .. Dot.

*

RORSCHACH

Of course you haven't been attacked yet. Funny, most ·everyone else bas.

DAR

Bey I sUrvive nOWI Ar9'1e later'l

The OWL-SBIP RISES TO THE ROOF. Laurie jumps ~n.· Qan paU~6 by. Rorschach, 10ving this. ·.EXPLoS:IONS ~ .. IN ~. B/q.

DAN (cont'd)

It' s 9000 to see you too, partner ...

~. PJllSOB ~-RIGBT

" ~:J

1

.•.. _ ...••..•• _._ .•.• _ .•• _ •..••. _._ •• •. _. __ ._. __ .~_ A.~~_"_C';'_.';":';· •. '-"-". ;,;,.:. ••• _,_..----------

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"

WA~. _- 3rd Draf~ -- David' BaYter.··

9/.2.6/03 . 91

155

155'

under. HEAVY FIRE the owl-ship ZOOMS OFF.

. .

1ft. DAR DREiBERG'S BOUSE -- n'.l'CilBR _;.. NlGB"l!

156

156

Rorschach, Dan and Laurie enter the house at a run, grabbing what they need. DET. FINE sits gagged on the kitchen floor.

DAN

Grab what you need and 1Ift!'re' ·gone.

Rorschach, don't hurt him!

Ror~cbach advances on Fine, threatening.

LAURIE

What will we do? As Dan Dreiber9 you'll be wanted. We all will.

one of Fine's pocKETS is INSIDE oUT. Rorschach steps closer.

DAN

I've set up alternate identities

for just this sort of occasion • . We'll be fine. Go.

LAUR:IE

I wish someone ~ould just wa.ve a wand, make everything all right.

Entering the BEDROOM, Laurie stops dead --

11tT.. DaR DUlBEilG' S BooSB -- GUES~ 1lOOM ~-. ccmnRUOUS

... ...

157

157 .

The room is FILLED with BLUE LIGHT. JON .sits on the bed.

DR. MANHATTAN

Bello Laurie. . *

158

158

•

ROrScbach notices a FLAP hanging open on Fine's TAPE-GAG.

Dan bears Laurie's,. voice, speaking to someone.

-. ..

-i-" » •••••••• -~.- ••••• -. ..~'"-"'----------------~

3rd Draft ._ ... ' DaVid"Ba~

":. -;

.. "w.

. .

912.6/o3~~~2

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~.

Laurie?

Dan runs to the .bedroom, as Rorschach CROUCHES besi~ Fine.

RORSCBACB .

Daniel.' something's wrong. , ••

Rorschach.sees a ~ PHONE IN FINE'S TAPED BANDS.

RORSCHACH DANIEL 1 They r re comingl

Just then, a BANG against the FRONT DOOR. Bard.

off

159

Ilr.r·. DAB DJm:tBERG' S BOUSE -- GOES!' ROCIM -- CORTlNUOUS

159

Dan stops dead at the sight of Jon ••• as stunned as Laurie.

LAURIE

They. •• They. said you were on MarS.

DR. MANHATTAN

I am. on Mars. You and I are about . to have a conversation there.

LAURIE

What kind of conversation?

DR. MANHATTAN

You are going to try to convince me to save the world.

Rorschach calls 9ut from the other rOom.

RORSCHACH

Daniell They're at the door!

DAN

Laurie, you can't go with himl

LAURm

1 knOW him. Be doesn't change his

mind. Maybe we .can filid some way out of this mess. I'm sorry, Dan.

Laurie and Jon BURST INTO PARTICLES. Rorschach enters.

RORSCHACH Theyire right on top of us Where's Ms. Jupiter?

. ~.:.~.: ~'.' ..'

. 160

161

162

163

164

165

. '

. . . . ..

WATcmmN -- 3rd Draft

DD .

She's. not coming wi'th' us •

*

1ft. DAII DRElBEIlG' S BOUSE: -- FROR'l' DOOR -- RI~

.160.

Gal,lagher SMASHES the door. down, followed by MANY cops. I1ft'. DAR' S KI~ -- COftIHUOUS

Gallagher rips: off Fine's gag.

FINE

Downstairs! They're downstairs 1

161

•.

Gallagher PELTS for the open SECRET DOOR, gun drawn. 1ft. DAR'S OML-CBAMBER -- ta~

·162

Gallagher runs down the stairs just in time t~ see the OWL- .

SHIP, RACING DOWN 'l'BE TUNNEL and away to free:dom. *

.163

1ft.; PRIVAm Jft -- AJl(."l'lC CIRCLE -- mGBT Adril(lll gazes out a window, SNOW HAMMERING the· small plane, which jumps and jigs, landing in a BLIZZARD.: Below, a narrow RUNWAY slices ~hrough a vast field of white. Be is concerned. •• but not about the landing.

1ft. KARIGIt -- NIGBT

164

A 20-ft. DOOR opens. Bis servant· ERIC,. 20's and suspiciously 'beautiful, takes his coat and' hands hiDi· a COGNAC.

ERIC

Welcome back, Mr. veidt. All your arrangements have been made.

ADRIAN

Activate the screens please,. Eric.

1ft •. KARRAIt -- DIKiNG ROOK -- RIGIr.l'

165

PAN DOWN ON: ·A· HUGE BANK OF PLASMA-SCJU:BN' ~SIONS, playing a hundred different programs from' around' the globe. Adrian sits at a MASSIVE TABLE'with a CONSOLE and ~.

ADRIAN

Note the sexual imagery, brutal violence, qppositethe fatuous, ~ almost childish visuals. The wor~ is reaching out for simpler,' yet simultaneously visceral input •••

The RADIO plays the news in the BIG. A.GANG·of THUGS with mOT-TOP hair-dos hangs around the stand, listening to the RADIO. ANGLE ON: DERF. 'Big, angry, high as the bej·eezus.

GIRL THUG

Ay r Derf I Some suPer-types just sprung that Blot-face guyl 'Some OWl-man busted him out.

*

------------------------ ..

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. ~,:;

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. ".

.BRIC What does it mean?

. 166 .

ADRIAN

War. Buy accordingly •

EXT. "SDIID -- RI~

166

DERF

~ose freaks just do what they please, don't they?

THUG 2 "

Night OWl? That quy. lives over a garage near here. We oughtta kick his ass I

Derf grins, puffs his smoke. Crushes it out.

DERF

Think you're right, pal.

167

1ft. HOLLIS MASON'S APAR.'DIEIr.r -- RIGB!r

167

. : CLOSE ON, A grinning JACK 0' LANTERN. Bollis watches CNN; Grainy, shaky CLIPS of the OWl-ship. Be is on the phone.

BOLLIS

Are you watching this?

SALLY

Just like old times, eh?

There is a KNOCK at Bol11s' s door •.

. HOLLIS

OUr days were simpler, ~ think. I better go. Got some trick or treaters at the door.

SALLY 4,l

Stay well, Bollis. •

Hollis opens the door with a boWl of candy.

~TCBHEN -- 3rdDraft -- David Ba~r·

9.(26/03 95

168

BOLLIS

Happy Ballowe'en kids

The gang PILES lNi'O BIM. And the picture SLOWS DOHB-... BoUis turns on them, mouth bleeding. ".·BOIiLIS'S pCJV., tB· SBP.tA 'l'QlmD. ' The gang appears as a COLLEC"l'ION of VILLAINS in·· cos'l'Uli'BS.

SLOW, B&W: BOLL.IS, young now, 28 -- . toned l'Ill1scl.e in an. oldfashioned COSTUME.. Be BITS Derf. The VOICES come from the present, while Boll1s is lost in the· past.

DERF

The old bastard.ohit mel

THUG 2

JesuS Derf, this·is an old guy •••

In his 810-$0 B&w.world, Bollis PAS~S Thug 2 in the mouth. ANGLE ON: DERF, present day. He picks up a GOLD SD'.J"QB of

Hol).is in costume whose base reads: 1N GRAn'l'UDE 1969·.

·DERF

PUt a brave face on this, Grandpa.

Bollis, old again, looks up. The sHADOW of.the statue -- his former silhouette -- DESCENI)S TOWARD BIS FACE. BLACK.

168

An endless red vista. JON AND LAURIE )U)PEAR atop a r;ise.

DR. MANSATTAN So. What do you think?

*

LAURXE

J -- hue? Bhhhhhh

LaUrie GRIPS her throat and ruMBLES dcnm the hill. Sbe rolls INTo JON, waiting fo.r her at the" bott<?Jll. She CLAWS at him.

DR. MANBA"rl'AN

Ob. Forgive me •. Thesf! things. sometimes slip my mind.

Be TOUCHES her mouth, forming a small ATMOSPHERE around her. She HEAVES in air, retching and choking at the same·time.

LAURIE

You stupid ·bastard 1 Listen, youe .better not forget this air supplj' or Whatever it ••• is ••• Oh shit.

. .

CUT WIDE: Laurie stands ~p before the huge· GLASS STRUC~. r

1ft. OML-SBIP ~- DRBOR. -- RIOft

169

. LAURXB (cont f d) X ' 1I\.on MarS. . .

The OWl-ship. is URDERMA~~ snaking through dock piiings.

RORSCHACH

1: hate· this. Bow long are we going to stay down here? -- DaDiell

Dan sits at the computer. Rorschach puts on· his· COS'rUME.

DAN

I don't know, God damn itl It's no picnic for me eitherl

RORSCHACH

Implying something? About my coat., perhaps? Old and :DI18ty. We can' t. all keep our hands clean. You're letting fear paraly~e you. And that woman •••

DAN

Bey 1 We took enough unnecessary· risks getting your outfitS We stay put until we figure out what to do.

RORSCHACH .

Unnecessary? cowering in the sludge, looking up file~, that's unnecessary •. Give De one finger on a man's hand ••• And this face.

Rorschach pulls his mas~· on, turns.

RORSCHACH

That's all I need. While we waste time, the· mask-killer gets.closer.

DAN

. What if there is no Bask-killer?

RORSCHACH Then ••• what?

. DAN

I don't know, something bigger than

just us. Something the comedian " uncovered. •• Look, the cancer plt»t against Jon comes first. . Blake was killed wbenhe discovered it.

DftN

Listen, 1 HAVE BAD 1'1'1'" Who the hell do you think you 'are? ,YOU live off peoplewbile' insulting them, and no one complains because they think you're a gOd~damDed lunaticl

Dan turns away" shaking. Be leans against the console.

r

. ~.

~/2,'/03 91

RORSCHACH

And Moloch knew, that Blake

suspected s~~n9·

, ~ ,

Moloch, worked for a company cal.led Pyran.dd Development.. ,EVexyone on the Cancer list did. Maybe Pyrmuid was watching him, had his place bugged. 'That would' explain how they framed you.

RORSCHACH What about veidt?

c

.

,

DAN

Mm. Adrian's a problem. That was a

straight. assassination att~.

RORSCHACH

E-xactly _ , 'so trace the killer. Go:

to bars, s'queeze people.YOU•ve forgotten how we do things. You've

bee~,lazing around too lODg-

DAN

I'm sorry.' 1 shouldn· t have said that. Maybe you ' re right, maybe --

RORSCBACB

Daniel •••

Dan turns. . Rorschach ho1ds out an open hand.

" ~

.,

RORSCHACH (cent' d)

You are •• _ a good friend •. 1'm sorry that it, is ••• sometimes difficult.

Touched, Dan shakes his band. An awkward, ,lovely moment.

. ~ .

DAN •

'Sey forget 'it ••• It'S okay,man •.

Releasing bis hand with some effort, Den sits, invigorated.

,

LAURIE

Jon, I am having enough problems right.now without getting into your predestination crap.

*

.. -"'-~'-~~---------_'

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_.

170 .

. DAN (c;:ont'd) . ' ....

You're right. ·It~s tiJle~ to head up. I· mean is this any place for the great Rorschach/NightOWl reunion?

ED'. OHL-SBIP -- BARBOR ..:- RIGIB'

The OWl-Ship BURSTS THROUGH THE SURFACE:. OF 'l'BE WATER.

171

DAN (V.O.)

Let's really start p~umbing the depths.

ErJ!: IGRS - NIGHT

*

171

i.

I,

Jon steps onto the uppermost platform of the glass strUcture.

DR. MANHATTAN'

our conversation commences when you surprise me with the info~tion that you and Dreiberg have been sleeping together. .

LAURIE

You. •• know about me and Dan?

:. __

DR. MANHATTAN

NO.t yet. But in a fewmDJBents, you're going to tell. me .•

DR. MARBATTM1

Why does my perception of time distress you?

LAURIE

Because -- If you already know the future, why were you surprised when X left·you, or when' that reporter ambushed you? Why even debat~ if you alr~ady know the outcome?

DR. MANBA'l'TAR

Because everything lapre-ordained.

Even ~ responses.

. .,

•

,.,4

I

LAURIE .

Agh 1. This. is 80 typical of you .. Do, you know what a relief it' is to

~ with somebc:dl' bUunr like Dan?

DR. ~Atq

••• You ,mean you're sleeping with

Dan Dreiberg?

contemplating .. thi·s , he steps to the balcony's edge.

•••••

,

, '

WA~CBMBN

3rd Draft -- David.~ayte~~

LAURIB

But you already know... You said --

DR. MANHATTAN

I said, often, that you were lIlY only remaining link with the world. NoW that link is shattered. Don't you see the futility of aski~9 me to save a.world that I no lODger have any stake in?

LAURIE

That's ridiculous. The Earth is too important to hinqe on one

relationship-

DR. JWtBATTAN

Not to me'. My ,red world. here means more to me than your blue one.

I'll show you around if you lilte.

The giant glass. structure begins to RUMBLE.

lAURIE

Aire you doing this? I'm not in the·

mood for jokes. .

DR. MANHATTAN

Nor I. selieve _, I fully

understand the gravity of the situation.

WIDE: The cloc~k GLASS S,TRUCTURE RISES F~ l;fi.'O ~ AIR.

172

1ft. HAPPy BARRY'S BAR -- RIGB'f

172

same old, seedy bar. The cr~ goes SILElft. as Dan and .

Rorschach enter. They approach a sweaty, tre:mbli~9 BARTENDER.

'f ' '.

HAPPy HARRY

Rorschacb. Bow -- Bow've you been?

. RORSCHACH

Ve~ well, Barxy ~ Yourself?

HAPPY BARRY

Oh God. Please don't" kill anybody.

*

.. --- ... - .. _._. _.-- .. --~----- ... -.---------- .........

. wA~BMBR':-- 3rd Draf~ ~- David .Hayter .

.9/2-6/03.' 100 .

Rorschach turns, voice carrying easily in the small bar.

RORSCBACB

Adrian Veidt waS shot at by. a man nemed Roy Chess. we want to know who. hired him. But don't worry, I won't .insult your ~egendary underworld solidarity by suggesting you give us the name without

torture. .

As one, the ·PATRONS CLEAR AWAY from ONE MAN at the bar. Rorschach approaches him.· The guy BRANDISHES his GLASS •

. INFORMANT

Stay away from mel You'll get this in your squidgy face I

Rorschach grabs the man's fist around the glass.

RORSCHACH

Roy Chess. How'S your game?

.Rorschach SQUEEZES, SHATTERING mE GLASS in the man's hand.

:rNFORMANT

ABB I I don't know anYthingl -1 just handled the envelopesl

·RORSCHACH·

What envelopes?

Dan notices a KNO'l'-'l'OP GANG MEMBER trying to slip away.

INFO»SA1ft'

One wi tb casb, one with

. instru.ctions. soine guy wanted a hit. Nobody mentioned ·Veidt's

. name. I'd never Knowingly cross one of you peoplel My boss offered it to me -- Pyramid Deliveriesl I figured on a little easy money, now anyone who was in on anything ~s getting Jd}.led I OVerdoses, . ." accidents, it's all bullshit1 My. boss fell under· a subway train1