I'm back with another one. Like Moon Knight, this is designed as a comic script but for the sake of easy reading, it is not written in a page/panel format. Let me know what you think in the comments and thanks for reading!
DOCTOR STRANGE: MISTRESS OF THE MYSTIC ARTS
PART ONE
INT. CASINO – NIGHT.
A magician unfolds a deck of cards and spreads them across a table in front of two women, STEPHANIE STRANGE and her sister, BECKY.
MAGICIAN
Pick a card. Any card.
BECKY
Ooh. I love these.
Stephanie rolls her eyes. Becky notices.
BECKY
Okay. What.
STEPHANIE
It’s a trick.
BECKY
What?
STEPHANIE
This. The card thing. The magician.
It’s all a trick.
BECKY
We’re adults, Stephanie. I didn’t
Think it was actually magic.
She looks back at the magician.
BECKY
No offense.
But the magician is focused on Stephanie now, taking an interest.
MAGICIAN
Excuse me.
STEPHANIE
No, really, I’m not interested.
MAGICIAN
Do you know how I do it?
STEPHANIE
What?
MAGICIAN
The magic trick. Do you know how I
Do it?
Stephanie shifts, almost uncomfortably.
STEPHANIE
No, I guess I don’t.
MAGICIAN
Then how do you know? For certain,
I mean. How can you be sure it’s
Not magic?
Stephanie smiles thinly, seeing nothing but naiveté and ignorance in this person and eating it up.
STEPHANIE
Because magic doesn’t exist.
EXT. CASINO – NIGHT.
The two girls walk away from the casino, Becky looks drained, but Stephanie looks wired.
STEPHANIE
I bet there are some after hours
Places around here.
BECKY
You’ve got to be kidding me.
STEPHANIE
What?
BECKY
Nothing.
STEPHANIE
We don’t do nothing. What.
BECKY
Really? After hours? We didn’t
Spend enough hours already?
STEPHANIE
You’re not having fun.
BECKY
Oh, now you notice.
STEPHANIE
You could have said something.
BECKY
I say something every time you bring
Me someplace like this and I’ve said it
Ever since we started sneaking out
When we were kids. You just never
Listen.
STEPHANIE
You’re starting to sound like mom.
BECKY
Well, there’s no need to be
Hurtful.
STEPHANIE
If you don’t want to come, don’t
Come.
BECKY
I like seeing you, doofus. If I have
To endure a casino to spend quality
Time with my sister, then that’s what
I’ll do.
STEPHANIE
I appreciate that.
BECKY
You better. This is not my kind of
Place.
STEPHANIE
I’m picking up on that.
BECKY
Plus, don’t you have to perform surgery
Tomorrow?
STEPHANIE
Removing a tumor. Nothing hard or
Anything.
BECKY
Oy. You’re already drunk.
STEPHANIE
Oh, I so am not.
BECKY
How many fingers am I holding up?
STEPHANIE
Four.
BECKY
I haven’t put my hand up yet. Anyway,
You were drunkenly mean to that
Magician.
STEPHANIE
He’s a Vegas magician, Becky. He’s
Heard worse. Plus, that guy was obnoxious.
Playing cards are not magic, Becky.
These hands are magic.
BECKY
Still no need to be rude.
STEPHANIE
Wait, were you crushing on him?
BECKY
I… no. What? Mildly at best.
STEPHANIE
Oh God, ew. A magician? A magician
On the strip? You do not want to
Go home with that.
BECKY
Thank you for your concern.
STEPHANIE
Don’t mention it.
BECKY
Look, let’s call it a night. You still
Have to catch a plane back, sober up
And prep for surgery.
STEPHANIE
It’s my plane, Becky, it’ll wait
For me.
BECKY
Which patient is it?
STEPHANIE
Roger Sterns.
BECKY
Roger Sterns? The senator?
STEPHANIE
Yeah, I think so. We haven’t talked
About too much personal stuff. You
Know, tumor notwithstanding.
BECKY
You’ve seen his whole education reform
Campaign, right? Don’t you have any
Patients who are… you know, nice
People?
Stephanie turns back and smiles before getting into the car.
STEPHANIE
Nice people can’t afford me.
INT. SURGERY ROOM – DAY.
Doctor Stephanie Strange is hard at work, and while she’s here, she’s all business. Concentrated. Delicate. Precise. Everyone in the room is just watching her work. Simple cuts. She makes it all look easy.
And then she’s done.
STEPHANIE
We’re good.
She cleans off some of the tools, glancing between the patients and the other doctors and nurses in the room.
STEPHANIE
And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how
It’s done.
She looks back at the patient.
STEPHANIE
I wouldn’t operate any heavy machinery
For awhile, senator.
EXT. STEPHANIE’S HOUSE – DAY.
It’s large, very close to a mansion if it’s not already there. Inside the house, an argument.
BECKY (VO)
They’re not good people.
INT. STEPHANIE’S HOUSE – CONTINUOUS
They sit in he parlor, beside a large window overlooking a large, well-kept garden.
STEPHANIE
Boy, this conversation sounds
Familiar.
BECKY
I get that the best doctors have
Rich patients, but the people you
Work on…
STEPHANIE
Don’t deserve to die, no matter how
Bad they are, so I don’t know why
We’re talking about this. Again.
BECKY
Obviously, they don’t deserve to
Die. But does that mean that you
Have to be the one operating on
Them?
STEPHANIE
Look at this place, Becky! This is
Not what we grew up in. Look at the
Lifestyle I am fortunate enough to
Lead.
She holds up her glass of wine.
STEPHANIE
Do you know how old this wine is,
Becky?
BECKY
Um…
STEPHANIE
It’s older than God. And I’m just
Drinking it. Just because. I’m
Not even saving it for a special
Occasion. Because I don’t have to.
BECKY
Yeah, it’s great, it’s… more than
I ever thought I’d ever get to see in
My lifetime. But is it enough?
STEPHANIE
If we’re going to debate, I’m going to
Need another bottle of ancient wine.
BECKY
I’m serious.
STEPHANIE
Oh, trust me, so am I.
BECKY
Do you even know how good you are
At what you do? Oh, I know your ego’s
Inflating every day and you know you’re
The best. But do you actually know how
Good you are? How smart?
STEPHANIE
I know it’s what pays for the wine.
And the house. And the plane.
BECKY
Steph, you could be doing something
Great?
STEPHANIE
Pretty sure I am.
BECKY
No, I mean you could accomplish great
Things. Spectacular things. If you
Just, I don’t know… if you just
Wanted to.
Stephanie pours herself another glass.
STEPHANIE
I saved a wealthy senator today,
Becky. Something in his body was
Killing him and I took it out. Do
You know what that means?
BECKY
I…
STEPHANIE
It means that he’s going to recommend
Me to all of his very wealthy, very
Successful friends. Save another guy
Like this, I might afford another plane,
Just for decoration. I think I’m doing
All right.
BECKY
You’re the best surgeon in the
United States. Maybe even the world.
You could take a university position,
Help people become like you, become
As good as you.
STEPHANIE
A magician never reveals her
Secrets.
BECKY
I thought doctors became doctors
To help people.
STEPHANIE
Yeah, Becky. That’s how it starts.
That’s always how it starts.
BECKY
And then?
STEPHANIE
You do it. And then you’re able to
Do whatever you want to do,
Probably for the rest of your life.
Then the sky’s the limit. And the
Helping people… that just becomes
The boring part.
She looks down into her empty glass.
STEPHANIE
Now, I’ve got to pack.
BECKY
Don’t tell me Vegas again.
STEPHANIE
This is business, sadly. Conference
In Italy.
BECKY
Oh, sure, that sounds tragic.
STEPHANIE
We’ll talk more about this when I
Get back.
Becky smiles coyly at her. She knows her sister a bit better than that.
BECKY
No, we won’t.
STEPHANIE
You’re right. We really won’t.
Stephanie gets up, taking her glass with her.
STEPHANIE
See you in a week.
INT. DEN – NIGHT.
It’s a small and low-lit room, we can barely make out where we are. There’s an old man sitting with his back to us, silhouetted by a small fire. There’s smoke filling up around him, helping to obscure him. He speaks without turning around.
ANCIENT ONE
Come in.
The person who enters is thin, almost sheepish looking, but wholly committed and loyal. There’s a reserved quality to him as he steps into the room. The young man’s name is WONG.
WONG
You wished to see me, master?
ANCIENT ONE
Yes. Hurry in. We have much to talk
About.
WONG
Has something happened?
ANCIENT ONE
Oh yes, you could say that.
WONG
Master… is everything all right?
ANCIENT ONE
It may be, Wong. If we hurry. It
May yet be.
WONG
What is it?
The ancient one turns with a blind smile.
ANCIENT ONE
Can’t you see it in the smoke? We’ve
Found her.
WONG
Her? You mean…
ANCIENT ONE
I mean what I say. I always do.
WONG
It’s never been a woman before.
ANCIENT ONE
At one point, any woman in any position
Of power could say the same.
WONG
How do we find her?
ANCIENT ONE
Finding people is easy. Everyone leaves
A trail. But finding her means little.
Wong looks confused.
WONG
Why?
ANCIENT ONE
For this to work, for things to
Happen as they must happen, she will
Need to find us.
WONG
And what if our enemies find her
First?
The ancient one smiles.
ANCIENT ONE
I trust you will not let that
Happen.
INT. BALLROOM – NIGHT.
Stephanie is dressed up and extravagant in a room full of extravagant people. Mingling. Doing the professional scene.
An older man approaches Stephanie. American. Salt and pepper hair and a southern drawl. Stephanie seems to vaguely recognize him.
The man’s name is JUSTIN HAMMER.
HAMMER
Well. If it isn’t the renowned Stephanie
Strange. I hear you’re the most brilliant
Surgeon in New York.
STEPHANIE
In the country.
HAMMER
Modest. I like it.
STEPHANIE
I’m flattered.
HAMMER
You shouldn’t be surprised. You come
Highly recommended to me. Not an easy
Line of work to get into for a woman,
Is it?
STEPHANIE
No line of work is.
HAMMER
Still, just don’t see a lot of lady
Surgeons, do you?
STEPHANIE
I don’t, I don’t need one. Healthy
Living, Mr. Hammer.
HAMMER
You know who I am. I’m flattered.
STEPHANIE
You were on the cover of the magazine
I read in the lobby, you shouldn’t
Be surprised.
Hammer smiles, gesturing for another drink.
STEPHANIE
Is there something you wanted to
Talk to me about?
HAMMER
As it happens, yes. I’ve been having…
Headaches lately. Probably nothing.
But better safe than sorry, right?
STEPHANIE
You want to be my patient?
Hammer takes a drink from a passing waiter, his smile fading a little.
HAMMER
Is this a problem, doctor?
STEPHANIE
No, I just. I heard about…
Hammer watches her very carefully.
STEPHANIE
Nothing. Just rumors, really.
I’d be happy to take a look at
Those headaches for you. Just call
My office to make an appointment.
HAMMER
I certainly will. You take care
Of yourself.
STEPHANIE
I certainly will.
EXT. STREET – SHORTLY
Stephanie is decked out in some fine and expensive Italian leather and sitting on top of a motorcycle. There’s a lineup of people here.
An Italian guy, looks much more of a professional at this kind of thing, looks over at her skeptically.
ITALIAN GUY
You sure you know how to ride bike
Like this, princess?
Stephanie smiles.
STEPHANIE
You kidding me? Bike like this was the
First present I bought myself when I
Became filthy Tony Stark rich.
ITALIAN GUY
How lucky for you.
STEPHANIE
Trust me, luck had nothing to do with
It.
She puts on her helmet.
STEPHANIE
Princess.
She revs up the bike. The other guys around her start up and they get ready to race. These people know these streets a lot better than she does, but it doesn’t look like her confidence falters one bit.
A guy, all leather and tattoos, Italian punk, whistles and the race begins.
Stephanie’s doing good right out of the gate. As determined as she is during surgery. It’s no different to her. It’s about being the best, it’s about winning.
She’s keeping up with the guys around her, but the guy who called her princess is just starting to pull ahead.
She kicks it into gear and pushes forward.
As she races forward, the world blurring around her, there appears to be almost some sort of shadow up ahead. Hanging in the air.
Stephanie’s eyes widen.
But she shakes it off, squinting to focus on what’s happening around her. To concentrate harder.
The other guy is pulling ahead of her now. There are other people in the race, but they’re behind her and she’s forgotten about them. It’s just down to the two of them now.
But he’s almost too far ahead for her to keep up.
So she veers down an alleyway.
It’s cluttered, clearly not used to motorcycles, but she maneuvers around obstacles like dumpsters and boxes that stand in her way. She gets around them no problem.
She pulls back onto the street. She’s beside the guy now. It’s neck in neck.
He leans forward with everything he has, but Stephanie has no problem keeping up now.
Her eyes turn away from him to concentrate on the road ahead. There’s another shadowy form in the road ahead of her.
This time she’s headed right for it.
There’s no turning back, and before she knows it, she’s barreling right into the shadowy cloud.
The darkness overtakes her and the race drowns out. All of a sudden it’s like she’s standing still.
There’s a flame burning in the center of this darkness. Growing in front of her.
Stephanie throws her hands up to avoid the fire as it rises.
In the center of the bursting flame, there is a black skull. It opens its mouth wide, as though lunging for her.
STEPHANIE
NO!
And then the flames and the shadows disappear as though they were never there.
WONG stands in the street up ahead, purple magic either emanating from his hands or drifting around them.
WONG
Zi Melakana Dazeem!
The shadow is gone. But Stephanie is still moving forward at high speed with her hands up in front of her face.
Disoriented, she looks up ahead and sees Wong.
STEPHANIE
Oh, sh—
Wong looks up ahead and sees her.
WONG
Oh, sh—
He tries to leap out of the way.
She tries to swerve to avoid him.
The bike just barely clips Wong, but it’s fast and hard enough to do some damage and knock him down.
Stephanie, however, completely loses control, slamming into an oncoming car.
She’s thrown. Hits the ground hard. Her hands make contact with the ground and we can hear the shattering sound.
Stephanie lies still in the street.
Everything around her goes dark.
INT. HOSPITAL – DAY.
Everything is blurry. Stephanie tries to reorient herself. She’s lying in a hospital bed. We can only see her from the neck up.
BECKY (VO)
Oh my God! Oh my—DOCTOR! She’s waking
Up!
Stephanie slowly rolls her head to see Becky sitting beside her.
BECKY
Oh my God, Stephanie.
STEPHANIE
What… what happened?
BECKY
Take it easy. You’ve… just take it
Easy, Steph. You’ve been in an
Accident.
STEPHANIE
Accident? I—what? I don’t remember.
Am I still in Italy?
BECKY
New York, Steph. You’ve been out
For almost a week.
The doctor comes back in.
DOCTOR
And you’re lucky it wasn’t a
Month.
STEPHANIE
I don’t get lucky, doctor.
DOCTOR
Yeah, well, we’ll get to that. What
Do you remember about the accident?
STEPHANIE
Almost nothing.
DOCTOR
That’s to be expected, I’d say. Don’t
Worry. It’ll start coming back in time.
Not that it’ll all be good.
STEPHANIE
But… I mean, I’m all right. I’m alive.
Becky sits back down, preparing herself. The doctor looks down at his paperwork.
DOCTOR
You’re alive, all right. And that’s
What’s important. But… there’s still
Some things you need to prepare
Yourself for.
STEPHANIE
What are you talking about?
BECKY
Steph…
STEPHANIE
Answer me.
BECKY
Steph, please, just calm down. You’ve
Been out for a week, you need to
Regain your strength.
STEPHANIE
And I will just as soon as somebody tells
Me what the hell is going on!
DOCTOR
Please. Just give me a chance. It’s…
STEPHANIE
What? Was there something internal?
DOCTOR
No. It’s your hands, Stephanie.
A look of fear consumes her. Stephanie’s eyes widen and she looks down at herself. Her hands are bandaged and mangled, red still showing underneath.
DOCTOR
We need to talk about your hands.
---END---