“SAMANTHA”


FADE IN:

INT. HOUSEHOLD LIVING ROOM  – DAY

SAMANTHA sits in a large recliner facing a television and holds a remote control.  She is a thin, pre-teen girl, completely bald and appears weary.  MOTHER stands near the door outside, which faces the back of the recliner.  Mother is holding her car keys and some other items/paperwork, preparing to leave.

MOTHER
Come on, honey, we need to get going.  You know the doctors don’t like us being late.

Samantha gives a wry grin, pressing pause on the remote and setting it down before turning in her seat and leaning over to look around the recliner’s back.

SAMANTHA
(soft-spoken, but cheerful)
But mom, the guide said that this is supposed to be the last episode of Princess Starlight and the Zodiac Warriors.  I’ve seen every show; I don’t want to miss the last one.  Besides, you know we’ll just sit in the examining room for an hour, anyway.

Mother looks at her with pursed lips for a moment, then nods slowly.  She is troubled and hesitates a few seconds longer before speaking.

MOTHER
Okay, honey, but as soon as it’s done–

SAMANTHA
(softly)
Just another five minutes, mom.  I promise.

Mother exits through the door as Samantha collapses back into the seat, her strength drained, and takes a couple of deep breaths.  She raises a hand as if to smooth back her hair, stopping as she touches her head, and lowering it to pick the remote back up.  She holds off on restarting her program as MICHAEL, her teenaged brother, enters the room.

MICHAEL
Hey, squirt.

SAMANTHA
(softly)
Are you going with us today?

MICHAEL
(holding up an iPod)
Yup, just making sure I’ve got something to listen to while we’re waiting.  And mom said she might let me drive us home, too.

Samantha makes a face as though scared at the prospect to tease him.

MICHAEL
(folding his arms and feigning indignance)
Hey!

Michael’s act only lasts a few moments before he breaks into a smile.

MICHAEL
(continuing)
You know I won’t let anything happen to you.

Samantha nods twice, returning the smile.

MICHAEL
(continuing)
Anyway, aren’t we supposed to be leaving?

SAMANTHA
(softly)
I need to watch the end of Princess Starlight first.  It’s the big finale and they said it’s got a surprise ending that no one could predict.

Michael rolls his eyes at the show’s mention, then shrugs.

MICHAEL
As long as it’s ending.

Samantha sticks her tongue out at him and he grins, then rubs her bald head for a moment.

MICHAEL
(continuing)
Don’t take too long, squirt.  You know how worked-up mom gets before these appointments.

SAMANTHA
(softly)
I won’t, don’t worry.  Better leave now, before you have to listen to them “preaching”.

MICHAEL
Ugh!  Call me when it’s over!

Samantha giggles quietly as Michael exits through the door, then curls up in the recliner before pressing play.


ANIMATED EXT. BARREN LANDSCAPE  – SUNSET

The lead character of the animated show, PRINCESS STARLIGHT, and the ZODIAC WARRIORS gather in preparation for an assault on the warlord HAYNUS’ castle.  There are thirteen Zodiac Warriors (not counting Starlight) but only three have speaking roles.

Each of the Warriors are dressed in a motif matching their respective zodiac sign; SCORPIA has a scorpion motif, LEO has lion and OPHIUCHA has serpent.

PRINCESS STARLIGHT
This ends today, Haynus!

Princess Starlight raises her wand of power and moves forward, the Zodiac Warriors spreading out around her.  Leo is immediately to her right while Scorpia is on her left.  Ophiucha follows a short distance behind her.

There is a flash of green light as a powerful energy beam erupts from Ophiucha’s eyes, striking Princess Starlight in the back and throwing her to the ground.

The Warriors are stunned by the attack and even Ophiucha seems confused by her actions.  Leo hurries to Starlight’s side while Scorpia retaliates by shooting a reddish energy beam from her hand which strikes Ophiucha in the chest.

SCORPIA
Betrayer!

Ophiucha crumples to the ground, dead.


INTERCUT WITH:

INT. HOUSEHOLD LIVING ROOM  – DAY

Samantha watches the animated events in a state of shock, her head shaking back and forth in disbelief at what she’s seeing.  She can feel her chest tightening as she nears a state of panic.


ANIMATED EXT. BARREN LANDSCAPE  – SUNSET

Leo holds Princess Starlight in his arms, her hooded, eyes unfocused as they gaze skyward.

LEO
Starlight, hold on, I’ll carry–

Leo is interrupted by Starlight’s fingertips against his lips.  He takes her hand in his.

PRINCESS STARLIGHT
Not this time, my love.

Tiny specks of light begin to rise from Starlight’s body, drifting upwards.


INT. HOUSEHOLD LIVING ROOM  – DAY

SAMANTHA
(sitting on the edge of the recliner seat, yelling as best she can)
No!  You can’t die!


ANIMATED EXT. BARREN LANDSCAPE  – SUNSET

The specks of light are appearing rapidly from Princess Starlight’s body and swirling upwards.

PRINCESS STARLIGHT
(Weakly.)
Sometimes... even the stars burn out.

Starlight’s body completely disperses into points of lights, vanishing into the sky.

LEO
(quietly, with an unsteady voice)
Go, my love, join the stars above and light the way for those who follow.


ANIMATED EXT. CASTLE WALL – SUNSET

The evil warlord Haynus and his monstrous minions are silhouetted as they line the castle walls, cheering the deaths.


NARRATOR (V.O.)
Princess Starlight has fallen but the battle is far from over!  Find out the fate of the remaining twelve Zodiac Warriors as they face Haynus for the final time in–


INT. HOUSEHOLD LIVING ROOM  – DAY

SAMANTHA
(talking over the narrators voice)
That’s not how it’s supposed to end!

NARRATOR (V.O.)
(continuing from TV)
the direct-to-DVD feature film “The Zodiac Warriors: Retribution”!  Available soon in–

Samantha presses a button on the remote, cutting off the narrator’s spiel.


ANIMATED EXT. BARREN LANDSCAPE  – SUNSET

The animated sequence is shown in reverse as the recording rewinds, then begin to replay.

PRINCESS STARLIGHT
This ends today, Haynus!


INT. HOUSEHOLD LIVING ROOM  – DAY

Samantha watches the television intently, teary eyed as the scene repeats before her.

SCORPIA (O.S.)
(filtered)
Betrayer!

LEO (O.S.)
(filtered)
Starlight, hold on, I’ll carry–

PRINCESS STARLIGHT (O.S.)
(filtered)
Not this time, my love.

SAMANTHA
You can’t do this!

Samantha rewinds the show again as she wipes her tears away then pauses it.  She glares at the screen, her expression hardening into one of absolute determination.

SAMANTHA
I won’t let you.


ANIMATED EXT. BARREN LANDSCAPE  – SUNSET

The scene is paused just prior to the beginning of the Zodiac Warriors advance, then begins to play.

PRINCESS STARLIGHT
This ends today, Haynus!

Princess Starlight raises her wand of power and moves forward, the Zodiac Warriors spreading out around her.  Leo is immediately to her right while Scorpia is on her left.  Ophiucha follows a short distance behind her.

There is a flash of green light as a powerful energy beam erupts from Ophiucha’s eyes, but the instant before Princess Starlight would be struck, a small CHILD appears from nowhere to leap into its path.   The child – an animated version of Samantha – is struck by the blast and thrown to the ground.

Princess Starlight hurries to the girl’s side while Leo hovers over her protectively.  Scorpia turns on Opiucha, preparing to blast her.

SCORPIA
(snarling)
Betray–

CHILD
(interrupting)
No!

The child still lays on the ground, struggling to speak.

CHILD
(continuing)
She didn’t... want to do it.  It was the– the writers.

PRINCESS STARLIGHT
(placing a hand on Scorpia’s arm to calm her)
The girls speaks truly, Scorpia.  Look at her.

Ophiucha falls to her knees, staring in horror at the child she had just attacked.

PRINCESS STARLIGHT (O.S.)
(continuing)
Even Ophiucha doesn’t know why she did it.  These “writers” must have bewitched her somehow.

Starlight looks down at the child, anguish on her face as she can see the girls is dying.

PRINCESS STARLIGHT
Why?  Why would you sacrifice yourself for me?

CHILD
(smiling faintly)
I’m your biggest fan.  You give me hope.

PRINCESS STARLIGHT
(softly)
What’s your name, little one?

Starlight leans close to the child as the girl struggles to speak.  Starlight puts her ear to the child’s lips to listen to the whispered response even as tiny specks of light begin rising up from the child’s body.


INT. HOUSEHOLD LIVING ROOM  – DAY

Michael strides back into the living room, approaching from behind the recliner.

MICHAEL
(loudly)
Hey, squirt!  Isn’t that show done yet?  Mom says–

Michael’s words falter as he comes within sight of Samantha, who is slumped off to one side of the recliner.  He pays no attention to the voice speaking from the television.

PRINCESS STARLIGHT (O.S.)
(filtered)
She said that I gave her hope and she has given strength in return.  Today, my Warriors, we end Haynus’ reign of terror.

MICHAEL
(hesitantly)
Sammy?
(shaking the non-responsive Samantha and yelling)
Samantha!
(turning head towards door)
Mom!  Mom!!

Mother hurries into the room and rushes to Samantha’s side.  Michael steps back out of the way while the television continues to play, but still goes ignored by both Mother and Michael.

PRINCESS STARLIGHT (O.S.)
(filtered)
We do this for the sake of all that is good and just.  We do this for Samantha, whose sacrifice will not be forgotten, nor will it be in vain.

Michael turns abruptly to face the tv as he hears Samantha’s name, then watches in confusion.


ANIMATED EXT. BARREN LANDSCAPE  – SUNSET

PRINCESS STARLIGHT
(continuing)
No quarter will be given, no surrender accepted.

Starlight’s face is set with determination as a tearful Ophiucha stands next to her, holding the dying Child in her arms.  The Child rapidly dissolves into thousands of tiny points of light which swirl skyward, leaving Ophiucha’s arms empty.


INT. HOUSEHOLD LIVING ROOM  – DAY

Michael stares at the television, stunned by what he sees as he recognizes the girl whom he had just seen in the cartoon.  Behind him, Mother is on her cellphone with emergency services – her voice is frantic but muffled and often indistinct.

Michael slowly turns from the tv to look at Samantha, noticing for the first time that she has a faint smile on her lips and looks perfectly serene.

NARRATOR (O.S.)
(filtered)
A child has fallen to the plot of the merciless Haynus and his mysterious allies, the vile Writers, but Princess Starlight and her Warriors have sworn to avenge her loss!


Michael approaches Samantha even as the Narrator begins his spiel, then kneels in front of Samantha, resting a hand on her knee.

MICHAEL
(talking over Narrator)
You beat the odds just to make it this far, but this?  This is–
(hesitates, then begins again)
You did the impossible, squirt.

NARRATOR (O.S.)
(filtered, continuing in background)
See the final, exhilarating confrontation between good and evil in the direct-to-DVD feature film “Princess Starlight and the Zodiac Warriors: Retribution”!

Michael glances over his shoulder at the tv, then looks back at Samantha with a faint smile.

MICHAEL
(talking over narrator)
You really caused some trouble there, I bet.  I don’t know how you did it, but–

NARRATOR (O.S.)
(filtered, continuing in background)
Available soon in fine stores everywhere!

Michael purses his lips together and takes a deep breath.

MICHAEL
G’bye Sammy.  I’ll look for you in the stars; I know you’ll be lighting the way.

FADE OUT:

THE END