Loki Prince of Mischief: Act II Scn I

LOKI: Prince of Mischief
A screenplay


By j3px

ACT II SCENE I






































(ACT TWO, SCENE ONE)

MIDGARD
CUT TO
NEW YORK SKYLINE, late spring, about midnight,
as a couple watch a movie on the top floor.

WOMAN
You wanna turn it up a little?
ANGLE
on MAN reaching to get the control.

STILL
as clouds violently fold back on themselves in background,
emptying a bolus of emerald light and loud of screech.

HOLD
as the two look on, quiet.

ZOOM
ON COUNTRYSIDE
as light strikes a barn, inset, destroying a third of it,
but leaving its residents unscathed.

CUT TO
a man in bed with his wife, rising to hear barn noise.
Rising to reach for his shotgun.

MAN
Get the kids to the basement outside.
I’m gonna go have a look-see.

WOMAN
(nervous)
…

MAN
Mabel-
REVERSE ANGLE
As the spindly lady hurries through the house.






13

MOVING
As man crosses house threshold…walks firmly across yard
…reaching barn only feet away.

REVERSE ANGLE
STILL MOVING
on LOKI in barn. We see him covered in hay. And cow manure.
Lying motionless.
INSET
We hear shotgun cocking.

MAN
Back up mister.
SHIFT TO
LOKI
LOKI
(mumbling)
What… is that awful smell?
CLOSE SHOT
of LOKI slowly coming to his senses.
Stands up.
LOKI
Is it me?
(smells)

MAN
(fire-ready)
---
LOKI
Oh my. It is.
(Turns to gaping hole)
Not since the depths of that cursed tree have I caught a
stench so-
(distracted)
Did I... did I fall from…(looks up) I must have.
It can’t be.

(to stars, pacing out)
FATHER, WHAT HAVE I DONE?
I... WOT YOU CAN HEAR ME UP THERE!

(frustrated)
You… What realm is this? Is it Niflheim? What is it?


14

MAN
(cocking shotgun)
I said back up!

LOKI
(sardonic)
You would order ME?
I will have you know that I-- AM A KING

SHIFT TO
MAN lifting butt of gun, fast

LOKI
OF

A sudden WHACK! sends LOKI back into the manure knocking
him unconscious.
PAN
to see WOMAN standing at threshold.

WOMAN
(startled)
Fred…

MAN
Call the police.

WOMAN Nods.
CUT TO
POLICE PRECINCT, near Adirondacks.

Seated we see a BURLY MAN, looking like Volstagg but clean
shaven, sitting with farmer. LOKI sits behind bars, droning
away.
FOCUS
On MAN
MAN
And a loud noise, an’ then I got up. Saw ‘bout half m’barn
gone. Nothin’ else around. Think he’d done it.

LOKI
(background)
You will let me bathe, will you not?
I think it unjust for me to rot away in this (disgust) pit of filth.

15

BURLY COP
(to LOKI, short)
Quiet, mister. We’ll get to ya in a bit. Hold your horses.

LOKI
(looks about, miffed)
I… don’t see any steeds about.
(under breath)
Albeit an ass afore me.

BURLY COP
(annoyed, pointing)
That’s the fourth time, goth boy, and my patience is thin
with ya. One more and we’ll keep ya in there… wit’ no
shower.

LOKI
(taunts)
Ooh… tough talk… would that you would unchain me…make it
more… fair?

STILL
as suddenly LOKI'S throbbing headache returns.
(a little louder)
This jarring in my head...what caused it?

SHIFT TO
The MAN catching wind of LOKI'S muttering, smirking.

LOKI
(touching forehead)
A flesh wound?

BURLY COP
Travis?

COP 2
Ray?

BURLY COP
Take Roland back home.
Gonna find out how come this guy doesn’t have ID.

COP 2
Roland?
EXT
as COP 2 escorts man to police car, outside.

BURLY COP
Gonna take you down to the precinct.
Find out why you ain’t got an I.D.

REVERSE ANGLE
of LOKI leaving cell, toward door, and car,
moving ahead, as is custom. Locking up.


16

BURLY COP
Don’t try nothin’ mister. Believe it or not…
I’m one ‘a the good guys.
CUT TO
INT. of CAR
as COP turns ignition. DRIVING through misty fog.

LOKI
Oh really? I like good guys.
Have a bit of fun with them, really.

BURLY COP
(focusing on road)
You got no license… no ID. No relatives.
Where’d ja come from?

LOKI
(grins)
Heh. You would have me committed to the cesspit your kind would call a holding chamber...would I inform you.

BURLY COP
(miffed)
My kind?

LOKI
Should I lie?

BURLY COP
(regroups)
Try me.

LOKI
I am LOKI, Norse God of Mischief.

BURLY COP
(tongue-in-cheek)
Yeah? I am Officer Roman, North guard of the Adirondacks.

LOKI
(dour)
And you would make sport as well.

BURLY COP
Hey, don't look so down. So you got no folks around. Could
be worse. You coulda been disowned like me.

LOKI
(looks skyward, sighs)

MOVING SHOT OF CAR
across the highway beyond mountains to the city below.


17

CUT TO
ASGARD, PALACE CHAMBER
INT
ZOOM
on ODIN, reclining with Frigga.

MOVING on THOR
Entering the chamber.
THOR
Good even, mother.

FRIGGA
Thor.

THOR
Father, if I might speak with you-

ODIN listens expectantly.
THOR
First... is the Frost Giants. I have spoken with them and they
would have their casket returned to them.

ODIN
Do they yet await that object? I do not know that they will use it for any good. Laufey is no
longer king...and the old truce is all but null. (pause)
Tell them... no.

THOR
I gave them my word-

ODIN
How can we trust them?

THOR
We are diplomats, father. Is not our word deed?

ODIN
(sigh, pacing a little)
Very well...I will... consider their request. What is next?





18

THOR
Concerning the genocide of their men, the Frost Giants
would see justice for the one responsible.

ODIN
Your brother. (labored breathing)
No. They would destroy the boy.

THOR
They would.

ODIN
We... are handling that matter, now,
aren’t we? Tell them such.

THOR
You have sent my brother to Earth... without power,
without magic. He will fall a bird of prey in that realm.
(deliberate)
He will die there, Father, just as I did. Is that a fitting
punishment for my brother?

ODIN
You seem to forget, Thor, your brother’s cunning and
adaptability. He is self-aware. I could have- nearly did… banished him to
Realm of Mist. (reflects)
No, my son, Midgard is a suitable place of discipline for
Loki. (beat) It is my hope…that he learn the value of
humility…perhaps other virtues as well.

THOR
(hearty chuckle)
Ha,ha ha Ha ha. You would that Loki bow on his own? Why,
mother would sooner bend the unyielding roots of Yggdrasil.

FRIGGA
(amused)
Why, Thor-

ODIN
My son, your brother must learn when to stand firm… and when to bend…
Just as you have.




19

THOR
(not missing a beat)
True. Well I should at least be granted passage to Earth.

ODIN
(folding arms)
What would You do? You know well... that to tamper with his fate in any way... will
send him to Helheim indefinitely.

THOR
Yes, father, I know. (clear) There are also good friends on that realm I would see.

ODIN
Oh? The mortal? Why do you court dirt?

THOR
Father?

ODIM
You know of whom I speak. You have Sif here waiting for your taking.
She is right for your queen, Odin/s son. You will bring no mortal to the thr-

THOR
()
Father, Jane is... like no one I've ever met.

(ODIN appears to tune out Thor)
THOR
She is quite special. These friends are special to me.
While there is peace on the Nine Real-

ODIN
(interrupts)
Relative peace-

THOR
(continues)
...I would live there for a time-

ODIN
As a mortal? Inconceivable! Let the filth govern themselves.

THOR
Unless… I’m needed otherwise. (pensive) While I’m there,
I’ll work there, sleep there… live… as humans do. I ask you
to permit me to do this. It’s my duty… and honor… as
Earth’s guardian.

ODIN sits pensively, as if weighting cosmic matters. After
some deliberation, he looks to FRIGGA, who nods in
affirmation.

ODIN
(relenting)
Thor...You DO realize the delicate balance of justice
in which you tread, son… Do so cautiously.
FOCUS
on THOR, considering the gravity of such a task.

THOR nods.

ODIN
Then I cast my magic which will conceal your identity… such
that no one… not even your brother… will be able to
recognize you. Take your hammer Mjolnir... wield it
responsibly.





20

ODIN
It is at once a weapon of destruction… and a tool

THOR
……to build.

ODIN
(grin)
Go now.
ZOOM IN
on THOR, embracing his mother and father.

MOVING
As THOR walks, Mjolnir in hand, to the Bifrost chamber.

EXT
ON WAY TO BIFROST CHAMBER
Appear SIF and the WARRIORS THREE.

THOR stops a moment.
THOR
Good eve, Sif… Hogun… Fandral. Volstagg.

SIF
Thor. Is all well?

THOR
It is Lady Sif. I leave for Earth presently.

FANDRAL
(surprise)
You... you’re… you’re going back?

VOLSTAGG
(rubs belly)
What for? Haven’t you fought the good fight there already?

THOR
I would keep an eye on my brother.

SIF
(half-hearted)
He’s a big boy. He can take care of himself.

THOR
No… , friends... this is different. My brother’s magic’s gone, his charm is gone as
well. You well know, do you not?

FANDRAL
Let the punished serve his due.

THOR
He cannot be trusted, I know.

VOLSTAGG
You care too much...you are not his nanny.

THOR
I love my brother, but… in truth… he has no chance without these.

The GROUP stands in silence.



21

(plainly)
Comrades...Loki does not fight very well.

HOGUN
(nodding in agreement)
Yes… but he is… still… a good liar.

THOR
Yes, Hogun... the best. But, as we sadly know, lies catch up…
even to the most clever of wordsmiths.

HOGUN nods.

VOLSTAGG, jostling to and fro, twiddles his thumbs
at the thought of an early goodbye.

FANDRAL
Would we pay you a visit if we wish?

THOR
(smile)
Of course, brothers. Sister.

THOR
(to friends)
Well, friends…take care of yourselves… and of your own.
(pause) Farewell.

EXT
THOR walking to the Bifrost chamber, approaching its passageway.

THOR
Heimdall, I am ready for Midgard.

INT
as HEIMDALL slides the key through the Bifrost panel.
Lights dazzle as the machine wheels turn… loud of gears hum as the
Bifrost needle points Midgard-ward, that brilliant azure tractor beam
sending THOR

EXT DARKNESS
PAUSE
LOUD of QUIET
fleeting through galaxies…

(END ACT TWO, SCENE ONE)





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