EXT. LARGE MAGELLANIC CLOUD – 2 HOURS AGO
We open on the cold, silent darkness of outer space–the edges of the Large Magellanic Cloud. it seems like all’s normal…
Until we see a bright light hurtling toward some unknown destination.
Getting closer we see the outline of a body…and a board…it’s none other than the SILVER SURFER, wanderer of the cosmos. But his face betrays his usual stoicism – wherever he’s going, he’s getting their urgently – his eyes filled with terror.
But what could terrify the wielder of the Power Cosmic?
INT. LAB – COUNTER EARTH – DAY – 2 WEEKS EARLIER
In sleek, dimly lit laboratory, The HIGH EVOLUTIONARY sits huddled over a computer screen. His face is cast in an unmistakable frown – the kind that knows doom is imminent.
We don’t see the projections he’s looking at; only the further hardening of his despair – even through his iconic helmet.
HIGH EVOLUTIONARY: Damn…
A door opens, and one of the High Evolutionary’s Counter-Earth New Men – CAROLUS, a humanoid with the head of a tiger – enters, bearing a tray of food.
He walks to the High Evolutionary’s desk and gingerly lays down the tray.
CAROLUS: Sir, you must eat.
HIGH EVOLUTIONARY: Thank you, my child. But I’m not hungry.
CAROLUS: You’ve been holed in here for three days…are things that dire?
The High Evolutionary turns around to face Carolus.
HIGH EVOLUTIONARY: I’m afraid so.
CAROLUS: There has been rioting in the Low Towns…there’s talk of the end–
HIGH EVOLUTIONARY: Send a platoon over to the Low Towns immediately. Quell any rebellions that you see…and eliminate any of the impure specimens you can capture…
The High Evolutionary notices Carolus looking at the computer screen. Carolus’ eyes are big as plates.
HIGH EVOLUTIONARY: Carolus.
CAROLUS: My apologies, sir. I just…now, with things as they are…are the Low Towns the best use of our forces?
The High Evolutionary’s face steels up. He stares at Carolus with daggers in his eyes.
HIGH EVOLUTIONARY: We can always make our planet better, Carolus. Perfection comes at a great cost. Your generation was only possible by the cleansing of your forefathers.
A beat.
HIGH EVOLUTIONARY: Now go.
CAROLUS: Yes, sir.
Carolus leaves. A beeping comes from a small device on the computer. The High Evolutionary picks up. On the screen is the blue visage of Hank McCoy, the BEAST.
HIGH EVOLUTIONARY: Have you any good news, Doctor McCoy?
BEAST (on the screen): I wish I did, Wyndham…
A beat.
BEAST: The core of your Earth…it’s…deeply unstable. Within weeks, your planet will no longer be inhabitable. Within months, the core will explode.
Another beat.
BEAST: I’m sorry, Wyndham.
HIGH EVOLUTIONARY: Save your hollow sympathies.
BEAST: We can get you and your people on transports. Give them asylum—
HIGH EVOLUTIONARY: And what becomes of me?
BEAST: You’ll have to answer for your crimes.
HIGH EVOLUTIONARY: I will not be made a monster by your savage courts.
BEAST: You’re dooming your people.
HIGH EVOLUTIONARY: A god does not doom. He provides salvation, even in death.
BEAST: You’re not a god. You’re a madman.
The High Evolutionary bursts from his chair.
HIGH EVOLUTIONARY: I CREATED THESE PEOPLE! THEY ARE MY CHILDREN, EACH GENERATION MORE PERFECT THAN THE LAST! AND I WILL DECIDE THEIR FATE, NOT YOU, AND NOT THE MISGUIDED HAND OF NATURE!
A beat, as Beast stares, shocked.
HIGH EVOLUTIONARY: I will solve this in my way, Dr. McCoy.
BEAST: You’re insane, let us h–
Before he can finish his thought, the High Evolutionary shuts off the computer. He clenches his fist–eventually, so hard that his metallic suit begins to crack.
EXT. LARGE MAGELLANIC CLOUD – 2 HOURS AGO
The Surfer continues his urgent trip. He moves faster, and faster, and faster still, sling-shotting from planet to planet in a matter of seconds…
EXT. COURTYARD – COUNTER-EARTH – DAY — 1 WEEK AGO
Carolus and the High Evolutionary walk through a courtyard. The sky has grown grayer, more ominous.
CAROLUS: Our scientists have confirmed the first few subjects have performed far above expectations, my lord.
HIGH EVOLUTIONARY: Excellent. Thank you, Carolus. I’ll be checking on our source materials now.
CAROLUS: Yes, sir.
The High Evolutionary enters a lab – Carolus follows.
INT. CENTRAL LABORATORY – COUNTER EARTH – DAY
A hum can be heard, growing louder as they approach the center of the lab…
…where GALACTUS, THE WORLD EATER, IS CHAINED!
Tubes are hooked to Galactus’ suit – blood is being pumped into large vats. Galactus seems to be on the edge of death.
Carolus is shocked.
CAROLUS: I’m amazed it took you a week to extract a world-eater.
The High Evolutionary holds up a device that resembles Reed Richards’ Ultimate Nullifier.
HIGH EVOLUTIONARY: Even God has his tools.
He steps toward Galactus and smiles.
HIGH EVOLUTIONARY: And you say the other subject is merging well with this material?
CAROLUS: Yes, sir.
HIGH EVOLUTIONARY: I’d like to see.
EXT. COURTYARD – COUNTER-EARTH – DAY
Carolus and The High Evolutionary exit the lab and walk toward a massive power conduit. Something’s pulsating toward a generator at the bottom…
The High Evolutionary looks skyward and sees tendrils emerging from the generator…leading to…
EGO, THE LIVING PLANET – screaming in agony as the tendrils vacuum his soil into a base on Counter-Earth.
The High Evolutionary smiles…
EXT. LARGE MAGELLANIC CLOUD – 2 HOURS AGO
The Surfer continues, the stream of light dissipating as he arrives at his final, still-unknown destination.
He stares out into an unknown emptiness.
And he begins to weep.
EXT. THE SUPREME INTELLIGENCE’S CHAMBERS – HALA – DAY
Outside the chambers of the Kree’s Supreme Intelligence, RONAN THE ACCUSER – decked in his customary warrior’s armor – slowly looks around at the splendour of his home planet, Hala. Sentries take off from mighty warships, destined to claim more worlds for the ever-expanding Kree Empire. Children play in the courtyards as their teachers guide them through rows of statues of elite warriors of the Kree’s past.
Suddenly, a noise, and a rumble…and the sky turns pitch black.
A Kree sentry ship hurtles to the ground and explodes; one Sentry rockets out, injured. She hobbles over to Ronan.
KREE SENTRY: Sir, in the sky – look!
They look upward in sheer terror. Ronan grabs his massive hammer.
KREE SENTRY: What is it?
Ronan doesn’t answer – as if to say “it’s the end.”
RONAN: Get as many as you can on transport ships. Now.
The Kree Sentry hobbles off.
RONAN: If this is to be the dying of our light, let it burn so bright that the whole of the universe might know our strength.
EXT. LARGE MAGELLANIC CLOUD – PRESENT DAY
A ship emblazoned with the SWORD logo pulls up to the edge of what appears to be an asteroid field in the Large Magellanic Cloud.
A door opens; CAROL DANVERS, CAPTAIN MARVEL emerges and floats out. Director ABIGAIL BRAND and her beau – the Beast -are piloting the ship.
CAPTAIN MARVEL: Distress signal came from here…just outside Hala.
ABIGAIL BRAND: The fuck did all this debris come from?
Captain Marvel flies further into the field and gasps.
CAPTAIN MARVEL: My god…it’s gone!
ABIGAIL BRAND: What?
CAPTAIN MARVEL: These aren’t asteroids…they’re—
SILVER SURFER (o.s.): They’re Hala, Captain.
The Silver Surfer slowly emerges from behind an asteroid.
CAPTAIN MARVEL: How did this happen?
SILVER SURFER: I’ve no idea. Only that I’ve sensed…
The Surfer doubles over; he’s clearly sensing something dangerous.
SILVER SURFER: SENSE…a massive energy appearing across the universe.
A beat. Captain Marvel notices a foreign object out of the corner of her eye—it’s an escape pod!
She and the Surfer float toward the pod…inside, a brutally injured RONAN, THE ACCUSER and the Kree Sentry we met before lie unconscious.
INT. – S.W.O.R.D SHIP
Aboard the ship, Abigail Brand and Beast are examining Ronan and the Sentry’s injuries.
BEAST: They’re in bad condition – multiple broken bones, internal bleeding, a few concussions – but they’ll live.
SILVER SURFER: They may be the lucky ones.
A beat.
CAPTAIN MARVEL: What could have done this?
SILVER SURFER: Isn’t it obvious? There’s the unmistakable stench of my former master.
CAPTAIN MARVEL: Galactus.
At that moment, Ronan bursts awake and begins to rip off the wires and tubes connected to his body. He slowly lumbers toward the group of Brand, Surfer, Beast, and Captain Marvel.
RONAN: It was not Galactus, Surfer.
They look at him, puzzled.
RONAN: It was…a WORLD.
FADE TO BLACK.
Next month: Earthfall!