New Mutants
Screenplay by Sean Mulligan
Based on MARVEL comics
Story: AMARA AQUILLA discovers her powers for the first time and is thrown into a world of people who hate mutants like her. She meets an X-man who takes her to the safety of the Xavier Institute for Gifted Youngsters where she meets XI’AN MANH and SAMUEL GUTHERIE, two fellow mutants. These three fall under the tutelage of SKIDS, a teacher at the institute with a mysterious past. AMARA is approached by a member of the Hellions, DUST, and is forced to make a decision on which side to the mutant struggle she truly feels is right.
New Mutant roster: MAGMA, CANONBALL, KARMA and SKID
Hellion roster: DUST, MERCURY, ROCKSLIDE and HELLION
EPISODE STORY: Amara slowly discovers her powers. When they are revealed to her, she is frightened by what she is. Her friend abandons her and even her own father tries to detain her. Her mother stands by her for who she is though and is arrested in the process. AMARA spends the night in a cell before being visited by Professor Xavier and then freed by Nightcrawler.
INT SCHOOL CAFETERIA – DAY
A blonde girl sits at a table with her friends. They are all eating lunch, casually making conversation with each other. The television set has CNN playing live footage with “BREAKING NEWS” flashing. The entire cafeteria looks up at the TV.
REPORTER
We’re now showing footage of an active mutant in the streets of Boston. He’s threatened to level an entire square block if his demands of 40 million dollars are not met. Law enforcement is on the scene but there is very little to be done right now.
On the screen is a young man with wild long hair. He raises his hand and the cars parked on the street shake. The streetlights teeter back and forth.
The girls are still looking up at the screen.
TAMMY is a realist. She very smart but she has a very narrow point of view, not being able to empathize with people very well.
TAMMY
It’s crazy that the government lets these people walk around. Like they’re obviously dangerous.
AMARA AQUILLA tries to see the good within everyone. She is quick to defend someone but is also still just a teenager and very susceptible to others opinions. As confident as she appears, there is always a trace of doubt that she feels about herself.
AMARA
They can’t all be bad. No one wants to mention the good some of them do.
TAMMY
Like what?
AMARA
In 1973 that mutant saved Nixon.
TAMMY
From another mutant! My dad says they should be kept separate from normal people.
AMARA
How would you know which were mutants? He looks pretty normal to me.
TAMMY
That’s the scary part; Mar. Anyone here could just lose it and blow us all up.
AMARA
You’re paranoid.
REPORTER
Wait, something’s happening. He’s… he’s…
The girls look back up at the screen. The mutant is raising his arms and yelling. The earth quakes. Cars shake and buildings sway. The buildings around the man begin to break apart. A fissure begins to form in front of where the mutant is standing. The camera starts to shake as the camera crew searches for an escape.
TAMMY
Paranoid. Yep.
TAMMY gets up from the table and walks to throw away her trash, leaving AMARA alone at the table to stare up at the screen in disbelief.
EXT WHEAT DREAM SEQUENCE – DAY
AMARA is in a field of wheat. She walks through the field stroking the stalks of wheat as she goes. She looks up at the sun and smiles knowing she is in peace. Smoke starts to creep up towards the sky however and AMARA notices it. She sniffs the air and turns around. The field is on fire behind her. Every stalk she had touched is now ablaze. She backs up scared. As she goes she touches more of the wheat and sees it go up in flames as well. Soon the fire surrounds her. AMARA goes to her knees inside of the inferno. The flames consume her.
INT BEDROOM – NIGHT
AMARA’s eyes burst open. She’s sweating from the intense nightmare she just endured. She sits up quickly. She inspects the room. Nothing is out of the ordinary. AMARA breathes heavily for a little, her eyes darting across the room. She takes one final big breath before collapsing back into her pillow.
INT CAFETERIA – DAY
AMARA and TAMMY walk together in the cafeteria, trays in hand. They get to their table and sit down.
TAMMY
So you heard about Boston right?
AMARA
Tammy, I was sitting right next to you.
TAMMY
No, after that; the mayor’s statement?
AMARA
No, what did he say?
TAMMY
He said mutants are a new menace to the city and is calling for police to use “potentially deadly force” if one confronts them.
AMARA
Can he do that?
TAMMY
I don’t see why not. Obviously they’re dangerous.
AMARA
But they’re not animals.
TAMMY
Why do you always defend them?
AMARA
I don’t know… They don’t deserve all of the hate they get.
TAMMY
Boston would disagree.
AMARA
I don’t wanna talk about this Tam.
AMARA gets up from the table to throw out her trash.
TAMMY
Where are you going?
AMARA
Nurse’s office. I have a chem test next period.
TAMMY
You know you’re gonna have to take that test at some point right?
AMARA
As long as it’s not now, I’m fine with it.
TAMMY and AMARA laugh together. AMARA walks away. TAMMY’s smile slowly fades until it is back to neutral. TAMMY goes back to eating.
INT NURSE’S OFFICE – DAY
AMARA sits on the green white couch while the nurse looks for some supplies in the cupboards and drawers. AMARA rocks back and forth casually, hoping for enough time to be wasted. The nurse pulls out a thermometer from a drawer.
NURSE
Amara Aquilla. Nine visits to the nurse’s office in the past two months of school. If your past visits are any indication, I’m pretty sure I know how this’ll go.
The nurse puts the thermometer in AMARA’s mouth and waits. The beep goes off and she pulls it out to look at the temperature.
AMARA
It’s more a splitting migraine than a fever I th—
NURSE
I’ll be damned. 105?!
AMARA
What? Really?
The nurse leans over to feel AMARA’s face.
NURSE
I have to call your parents.
AMARA
They’re at work right now.
NURSE
I still have to call. Lie down, sweety.
AMARA swings her legs onto the bed and lies down. She’s confused. She tries feeling her own forehead. When she doesn’t feel anything she says to the nurse—
AMARA
You know I feel fine. Really I do.
NURSE
I can’t let someone with a 105 fever walk out of here. I really should just be calling an ambulance.
The shot goes directly over AMARA’s face. AMARA lies still on the couch and sighs.
INT BEDROOM – NIGHT
The shot is still directly over AMARA’s face. AMARA is lying in the exact same position as she was on the couch. She sits up in bed.
AMARA
Mom, I’m fine. You can go back to work.
MOM
No way. You’re very sick, Amara.
AMARA
But I feel fine.
MOM
I still need to be here. God knows your father wouldn’t miss work for anything. Boston beefs up its police force now he thinks he needs to the same with New York’s.
AMARA
Mom, go to work. I’ll call you if I need anything.
MOM
You can’t get rid of me that easily. I’m gonna get you a fresh towel.
MOM leaves the room. AMARA grabs the remote and turns on the television. CNN is on playing footage of mutants retaliating against law enforcement. One shot has a large white man, backed in an alley corner, swinging a broken STOP sign at advancing police. The next shot has a girl hovering over the edge of the Golden Gate Bridge as law enforcement try to convince her to come back to the bridge. The headline reads “MUTANTS GONE MAD”.
AMARA, horrified by what she sees, turns off the television. MOM comes back into the room. She places the wet rag on AMARA’s head. Steam immediately rises off of the rag.
MOM
Oh god, you’re getting hotter. I think we have to go the hospital.
AMARA
Mom, I swear I don’t feel hot at all.
MOM
But—
AMARA
If I don’t feel well tomorrow morning, we can go to the hospital.
MOM smiles as she takes in the moment that the two are sharing together.
MOM
Your father always says you have my stubbornness. Okay, get some sleep. I’ll check on you later.
MOM kisses AMARA’s forehead and leaves the room, shutting the door behind her. AMARA puts her head back down on the pillow and shuts her eyes.
EXT BOSTON STREET – DAY
AMARA is walking down the street, gazing up at the buildings. She looks down further and sees the man from the Boston earthquake on his knees in the middle of the street.
AMARA
Hello? Are you okay?
QUAKE is a troubled mutant. He died in the earthquake that he caused, but in this dream sequence, he is purely sadistic and aggressive.
QUAKE
Get away.
AMARA
You caused the earthquake. Didn’t you?
QUAKE
Get away from me.
AMARA
Why did you do it? It did no good for you mutants.
QUAKE
Us mutants.
AMARA
What?
QUAKE
US mutants.
AMARA had been walking towards QUAKE the entire time and is now very close to him. QUAKE gets up and turns to face AMARA, inches from her face.
QUAKE
Don’t pretend to be something you’re not.
AMARA
I’m not a mutant. I don’t have powers.
QUAKE
LIES!
The earth behind QUAKE begins to break open like it did in Boston. AMARA starts walking backwards, then turns and starts running. She runs for her life with the fissure right behind. Finally she falls into the endless chasm.
INT BEDROOM – DAY
AMARA once again juts awake in a sweat. She breathes heavily for a couple of seconds.
INT KITCHEN – DAY
AMARA walks through the kitchen. She is dressed for school and has her backpack on already. She begins pouring herself a cup of orange juice. Her dad is sitting at the table.
DAD (COM. AQUILLA) is a gruff and very unattached man. His job as the police commissioner has worn on his emotions through the years and as a consequence he is not very personable.
DAD
How do you feel?
AMARA
Fine. Where’s mom?
DAD
The hospital called her in for night shift. She’s going to be back by nine.
AMARA
Ok… How was work yesterday?
DAD
The same. People are worried about mutants.
AMARA
Are you?
DAD looks up from his breakfast and newspaper for the first time.
DAD
Yes. It’s a serious issue that needs to be dealt with.
AMARA
Okay… I’m gonna go. School starts in twenty minutes.
DAD
Do you want a ride?
AMARA
I’ll be fine.
AMARA downs her juice and heads out the front door. DAD goes back to reading his paper and eating.
INT CHEMISTRY CLASS – DAY
AMARA sits in chemistry alone at her lab table. TAMMY walks in and immediately goes over to AMARA.
TAMMY
Mar! What happened yesterday? I heard you had to leave school but when I called you last night you didn’t answer.
AMARA
It was just a fever. I just fell asleep pretty early. I’m fine now.
TAMMY
Well I was trying to tell you that the test got moved back a day.
TEACHER walks in waving several packets of paper.
TEACHER
Books away, pencils out. 45 minutes on the clock.
AMARA turns to TAMMY in disbelief. Of all the bad luck. She gets her packet and starts flipping through it. She doesn’t know a single thing on this test. She starts looking around at other people.
TEACHER
Head down, Miss Aquilla.
AMARA puts her head down and looks at the test. She starts to fidget. She taps her pencil on the desk. Somebody “shhh”es her and she stops. She puts the pencil down. She starts tapping her finger on the test. As she taps it, a black circle starts to form. It gets darker and darker. She keeps tapping and soon an orange glow appears at the center of the circle and begins burning a hole in the test. TAMMY looks over at AMARA’s paper and sees the burn. She is perplexed. She gets up out of her chair and starts to walk backwards.
TEACHER
Tammy what is the matter?
TAMMY
Her test is burning!
The class shifts to see that AMARA’s test is, at this point, on fire. They get up and start to back away from her.
AMARA
It’s not me, I swear!
She swings her arms out in front of her and flames erupt from her hands. Her hands are on fire right now. Students start to run out of the room. TEACHER runs back into the lab room. The flames work their way further and further up AMARA’s arm until her shoulders to her fingers are all on fire. AMARA is panicking now. She swings her arms back and forth trying to extinguish the flames. The desk in front of her catches fire. TAMMY is still in the room. AMARA turns to her, now desperate for help.
AMARA
Tammy, help me please!
TAMMY doesn’t say anything. She stares at AMARA like AMARA is some kind of alien that she has never seen before. She keeps backing away from AMARA. TAMMY then runs out the door.
AMARA screams and shouts for help but no one comes. A fire alarm sounds which only adds to the noise. AMARA screams and the flames burst forward from her body towards the wall. She screams louder and they grow fiercer. AMARA is now sitting in her own ring of fire like the one from her first dream. She drops to her knees and cries. The flames on her arms fade, but the ones around her rage on. She runs out the door in need of some kind of safe haven.
INT KITCHEN – DAY
AMARA bursts into the kitchen, no longer on fire. She slumps to the floor and cries.
MOM
Mar? Is that you?
AMARA
MOM!
MOM comes into the kitchen still in her scrubs.
MOM
What happened, baby?
AMARA
I’m so sorry! I’m couldn’t help it! It just happened! I swear!
MOM
What happened?
AMARA
I burned down the school. I did it!
MOM
What? What are you talking about?
AMARA
I’m a mutant! I-I burned my test and I burned the room and the school.
MOM is speechless for a second. She just holds AMARA in her arms, stroking her hair, not knowing what to think.
MOM
It’s okay, Mar. You’re going to be alright. Nothings going to happen to you.
INT BEDROOM – DAY
AMARA is in the bed. MOM is sitting beside her. They are not talking just resting together in peace. There’s a crashing noise from downstairs.
OFFICER
POLICE!
MOM gets up and shuts the door in a panic. The officers come upstairs and knock down the door.
OFFICER
Ma’am, you’re under arrest for arson and attempted assault. Anything you say can and will be used—
MOM
NO!
MOM lunges at the officer swinging her fists and doing everything she can to protect her child. Her efforts are futile as another officer detains her. OFFICER straightens himself out and puts the handcuffs on AMARA. AMARA does not resist. She still is in such a blank state of mind that she cannot comprehend exactly what is going on. The two women are led out the door and downstairs to an awaiting cop car.
INT VISITOR ROOM (JAIL) – NIGHT
DAD sits in a chair in a large interrogation room, his hands clasped together. An officer leads MOM into the room. She is wearing handcuffs and an orange jumper. MOM takes a seat across from DAD.
DAD
MOM
Commissioner.
DAD
Don’t do this, Sarah. You could be released tonight if you just cooperate.
MOM
Will Amara be released tonight too?
DAD
No.
MOM
Then I won’t cooperate.
DAD
Stop being dramatic.
MOM
No. My daughter is being locked up because of how she was born. She didn’t mean to do any of that.
DAD
She’s still dangerous. We can’t have her out in the general public.
MOM
So jail is better? Find her help. Do that… as her father.
DAD
I can’t do that.
There is moment of silence between the two of them. DAD cannot meet MOM’s eyes out shame. MOM stares him down; disappointed with the man she once thought was everything.
MOM
I’d like to go back to my cell.
MOM gets up and turns to the officer who brought her into the room. The officer leads out of the room. The door closes. DAD is left sitting at the table, still looking down.
INT CELL BLOCK – NIGHT
AMARA sits in the corner of her cell wearing an orange jumper. She closes her eyes for a second, takes a breath and then opens them again. She stands up and walks to the door of her cell and looks out the small window in the door.
PROF XAVIER is a very wise man. He has studied mutations for a very long time and is considered to be one of very few experts on controlling mutations.
CHARLES
Amara?
AMARA turns around. CHARLES is sitting on the bed in the corner of the room. AMARA is scared and confused. Who is this man? How did he get in this room?
XAVIER
Don’t be scared. My name is Charles Xavier. I’m a mutant, just like you.
AMARA
How did you get in here?
CHARLES
Ha… Well you see, I’m not really here right now. I’m a telepath. I’m simply projecting my image in front of you to make you more comfortable and maybe feel a little less crazy.
AMARA
I still feel crazy.
CHARLES
That’s okay. You’re very strong, I can feel it.
AMARA
And dangerous…
CHARLES
Everybody’s dangerous when they don’t know how to control themselves. I can help you, Amara.
AMARA
How?
CHARLES
I run a school in northern New York, not far from here, for gifted young people like you.
AMARA looks around the cell, expecting some kind of trap.
AMARA
Why should I trust you?
CHARLES
Well you could stay here in this cell and await the almost certain guilty verdict the court will deem upon you OR I could wipe all of the witness’ memories and convince the officers that you in fact were never here. I seem to be your only option.
AMARA
What do I need to do?
CHARLES
You? Nothing. I have that handled.
NIGHTCRAWLER appears in a puff of smoke just outside of the cell. AMARA turns and sees him through the window. He waves at her and smiles. NIGHTCRAWLER then appears in the cell with AMARA and CHARLES in another puff.
NIGHTCRAWLER
Hold on to me.
AMARA looks at CHARLES who nods back at her reassuringly. She grabs on to NIGHTCRAWLER and they disappear in a puff of smoke. The camera pans upwards, scaling multiple levels of the jail before finally getting to the roof. NIGHTCRAWLER and AMARA appear on the roof still holding each other.
EXT JAIL ROOF – NIGHT
AMARA and NIGHTCRAWLER now stand on the roof of the jail. Wind is blowing.
AMARA
What about my mom?
NIGHTCRAWLER
Let the professor handle it. Our ride is here.
A jet engine starts to sound. The X Jet appears in the sky flying towards the rooftop.
NIGHTCRAWLER
Hold on.
AMARA grabs NIGHTCRAWLER again. When the jet is directly above them, they disappear into smoke.
END
Thanks for reading (if you did). If you liked it please comment and I'll continue the story. Any feedback is greatly appreciated!