EXT. NAZI GERMAN CONCENTRATION CAMP - DAY (1940's)
A little boy named MAX LENSHERR (who will become MAGNETO, leader of the The Brotherhood) is being taken off of a train along with his family.
The German soldiers separate him from his parents. Max screams. The men are placed with the men, women with women, and the children are dragged away kicking and screaming.
As he is pulled from his parents, little Max gets heavier and heavier. Suddenly barbed wire from the fences uncoils and the steel tentacles slowly inch toward the soldiers.
The soldiers freak out. One
of them realizes what is happening so he hits Max in the head with the
butt of his rifle. Max falls to the ground unconscious and the barbed-wire
coils back into its original position.
EXT. SAMLL VILLAGE IN KENYA - DAY (1978)
A little 12 year-old African girl with white hair named ORORO MUNROE (who will become STORM, one of the X-Men) is playing a game of tag using sticks with other kids in her tribe in a sandy field.
Ororo is tagged and then shunned by the other children, who begin to tease and taunt her. Their cries begin to turn increasingly cruel until they begin to hit her with their sticks.
The little girl's eyes go white and it suddenly begins snowing copiously. The tribe's adults are terrified by this spectacle... even more so when the snow turns into large hail.
Ororo falls to her knees and
begins to cry. The tears run from her solid white eyes. We see that the
hail falls around her and does not touch her. The image of the circle of
hail, which pummels the ground while leaving her within a safe 10-foot
radius, is striking.
INT. HIGH SCHOOL IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA - NIGHT (1986)
A man named SCOTT SUMMERS (who will become CYCLOPS, one of the X-Men) is at his high school senior prom.
Scott argues with his girlfriend, who then runs into the women's bathroom. He tries to follow but is stopped by a teacher.
Scott goes into the men's room and sees that everyone is smoking pot.
Scott sits on the toilet and covers his eyes. Tears flow like a tap from between his fingers. The guys in the bathroom ask him what he has been smoking...
SCOTT
My eyes are killing me.
Another boy offers Scott some
Visine... but it is too late. Scott raises his head and reveals his eyes,
which glow like embers. A red beam shoots out from his eyes and blasts
through several walls, including the school gymnasium.
EXT. CONGRESSIONAL HEARING - DAY (present day)
A woman named JEAN GREY (member and spokeswoman for the X-Men) is speaking at a podium and briefing the audience about the "mutator gene" that exists in all humans and has remained dormant until recently. She says that mutants are the next evolution of mankind and that they should not be feared.
SENATOR KELLY then stands and announces that mutants are dangerous and that they can not be trusted. He riles up the crowd with frightening claims of what mutants can do: There is a girl in Indiana who can walk through walls - she would be a perfect thief. There is a mutant who can disrupt computers, possibly threatening Wall Street. The list goes on and on.
Kelly then talks of a secretive school for mutants in Westchester, New York. Kelly believes that the school is a cult that trains mutants how to use their aberrant powers against mankind.
Kelly then pushes his Mutant Registration Act. The crowd is obviously on his side, not even listening to Jean.
Jean then tries to calm Kelly and the crowd, when suddenly a bottle of water comes flying toward her head from the press gallery. Jean freezes the bottle in mid-air with her telekinesis and says...
JEAN
Mutants are not the
ones mankind should
fear.
The bottle then falls to the
floor. The press and the senators erupt at the demonstration of mutant
power.
Professor CHARLES XAVIER (founder and father figure of the X-Men) sits in the audience shaking his head in disappointment at Jean. She should not have used her powers.
Xavier suddenly senses a "disturbance in the room." He turns and sees a man in shadow at the far end of the room in the doorway. The man abruptly turns and walks out.
Xavier, in wheelchair, follows the man out. The man, with his back to Xavier, stops in his tracks.
[Notice how the architecture in the in the background forms a series of "X's". A bit of symbolism?]
XAVIER
Max please, give them a chance.
Max Lensherr (Magneto), in an expensive suit, turns around and expresses that it is too late for compromise. The war has begun and Max guarantees that he will win.
XAVIER
Consider what we're
trying to accomplish
here.
Max is unconvinced. He then winces in pain and shakes it off.
MAX
Are you trying to sneak around
in my head
Charles? What are you trying
to find?
XAVIER
Hope.
Max walks away and leaves Xavier there alone.
The dynamics between the two
characters is awesome. The dialogue between Max and Xavier crackles, even
though they are briefly together onscreen.
INT. A BASEMENT IN EDMONTON - EVENING
A 17 year-old girl named ROGUE (who will become one of the X-Men) is with her boyfriend in the basement of his home. They are watching the news conference we were just at.
The boyfriend leans over to kiss her and their lips suddenly lock in a death embrace, as she begins to suck the life from him (on accident). The boy suddenly drops in front of Rogue and the boy's parents.
Rejected by her family, Rogue
runs away from home.
EXT. JUST OUTSIDE A LOG CABIN BAR IN ALBERTA, CANADA - LATER THAT NIGHT
A pick up truck sits axle-deep in the snow outside the bar. It is snowing heavily.
Inside the bar are a few drunk truckers and locals. Rogue enters the bar completely covered from head to toe and asks the bartender for a Coke and some chips. She has obviously run away from home.
A rugged man named LOGAN (who will become WOLVERINE) sits at a bar watching a different newscast of the mutant press conference. He tells the bartender to give the poor girl what she wants. She then proceeds to sit down in the corner and have her snack.
As Logan watches the newscast it says that at the upcoming U.N. World Summit Conference all the world's leaders will meet in a few weeks at Ellis Island in New York to discuss, among other things, the mutant phenomenon.
One of the drunk truckers then goes over to Rogue and begins to talk to her. She ignores him and this causes the trucker to get pushy, grabbing her hand. There is a sudden flash of light and he passes out.
The trucker's friends realize
that she is a mutant and so they close in on her ready to get revenge until...
the local named Logan speaks up.
They push him out of the
way and then find themselves in a heap of trouble. Logan, who is wearing
a gleaming metal dog tag, knocks out one of the truckers and a fight ensues.
He then puts his fist against
one of the trucker's legs and we hear a sound that is described as "SHOOK"
in the script (like the sound of sharp claws quickly emerging). The trucker
howls in pain. Logan retracts the claw and we see three deep holes in the
trucker's leg.
CUT TO Logan's truck as Logan and Rogue drive away. The truck door reads "Firewood for sale."
As Rogue and Logan are driving, Rogue tells Logan that he should wear a seatbelt. Before he can answer they suddenly hit something and Logan goes flying through the windshield.
He then gets up... unharmed. Rogue is amazed to see the large wound on his face heal before her eyes.
Logan looks at the obstacle in front of the truck: a tree has been felled in their path, intentionally, from the looks of the cut.
Logan is inspecting it, when suddenly a big furry hand slashes across his face. A furious battle ensues between SABRETOOTH (Magneto's lead henchman) and Logan. Rogue, who can not undo her seat belt, watches on.
Sabretooth takes Logan and slams him into the side of the roadside cliff. Logan's dog tag comes off on Sabretooth's claw. Sabretooth then tosses Logan's unconscious body in front of the truck... where two odd figures now stand silhouetted. Both wear strange, form-fitting uniforms.
One figure is a black woman with long white hair and the other is a man with a strange glowing visor on his face.
A rising gale wind created by STORM begins to push Sabretooth back.
But the feral mutant charges, only to be met by an optic blast of red energy from CYCLOPS. Sabretooth is blown off the hill. Cyclops and Storm then turn toward a frightened Rogue.
INT. ODD LABORATORY - NIGHT
TOAD (a member of The Brotherhood) is hard at work in the laboratory.
In a nearby office Sabretooth tells Magneto that he lost Logan to Cyclops and Storm. He shows Magneto that all he got was Logan's dog tag. Magneto fondles the dog tag while his Holocaust serial number tattoo is clearly visible on his arm.
Magneto reads the odd word "Wolverine" on the tag. He realizes this is a strange dog tag... it won't bend.
MAGNETO
It's just enough for
my test.
INT. THE X-MANSION - NIGHT
The severely injured Logan and Rogue are rescued and brought back to the X-Mansion.
Inside one of the laboratory rooms Logan lies on a bed, still unconscious.
His x-rays show an odd skeleton that almost appears to glow. There is a strange, almost machine-like bone structure, especially around the forearms and knuckles.
Jean then enters and prepares to stick an IV in his arm. Logan suddenly snaps out of it and begins to choke her. He eventually drops her and as she gasps for air on the floor, Logan realizes that his dog tag is gone.
He rushes out of the lab in a hurry.
As he wonders through the
mansion, he finds himself in a locker room type area with odd black uniforms
along the wall.
He finds his clothes and continues
to wonder through the underground facility.
Logan then ducks into a hangar
with an odd-looking black jet in it.
He finds an elevator and takes it to the ground level where he finds himself in a stately corridor of the mansion. He hears a voice from a nearby door and peaks in to see Storm teaching a class of very unusual teen-agers about the rise of Christianity.
Hearing footsteps, Logan turns
and hides in a nearby office. In this office he is surprised to be welcomed
by a man who introduces himself as the founder of the school... Charles
Xavier.
Xavier explains to Logan his own mutant gifts and how he telepathically "lead" Logan to this office. He also explains the conflict that the X-Men have with Magneto.
Xavier then proceeds to tell Logan about the X-Men and how each of them have codenames and what they mean - Cyclops, Storm, etc. Logan the rudely asks...
LOGAN
What's yours --- "Wheels?"
Logan then wants to get the hell out of there. But Xavier says that Logan's cabin in Canada has been destroyed by Sabretooth and he no where to go.
He appeals to Logan to stop hiding because of the terrible things that have been done to him.
XAVIER
If you leave now, then
what's to stop them
from killing you?
LOGAN
Me.
Xavier says he knows that deep down Logan is a good man and continues to explain more about the reason for Logan being there...
XAVIER
Nothing right now can
change what's
happening. It's how we deal
with what's
around us that helps things
feel right.
That's why you're here."
Jean then enters the office with Rogue.
Xavier says that Rogue is
looking for a place to belong and that this school is just the place she
has been looking for. He briefs her about the school and explains what
the mutant's purpose is...
XAVIER
We're not what you think.
Logan says that he will give
the place 48 hours... after that he's gone. Xavier agrees.
INT. A LIMOUSINE IN WASHINGTON D.C - DAY
Senator Kelly is in the limousine complaining to his assistant, HENRY GUYRICH, about how the president won't see his position.
Guyrich then suddenly transforms
into the real identity of MYSTIQUE. She kicks Kelly in the face, knocking
him out.
INT. THE X-MANSION - DAY
Jean shows Logan to his room at the school. It is a basic dorm room with a simple bed and a desk. She asks if he needs anything...
LOGAN
A case of beer and some cigars.
She lightheartedly tells him no and then proceeds to asks him how he got his skeleton and who gave it to him. He says he does not remember.
Jean then suggests that Xavier could help him with that by reading his thoughts. He looks at her with interest and replies...
LOGAN
What if they're naughty?
Jean just smiles and starts out the door.
She then turns and only then does she realize that Cyclops is standing there.
JEAN
Scott... I ---
Cyclops starts down the hall. Jean follows.
CYCLOPS
He shouldn't be here.
JEAN
What are you talking about?
CYCLOPS
He's dangerous. You
heard what happened at
that bar. There's no telling
what a guy
like that is capable of.
This is a school,
for God's sake.
JEAN
If Magneto is planning
to use this man for
some terrible purpose, it's
our
responsibility to do something.
Jean stops Cyclops from walking.
JEAN (cont.)
What's wrong? There's
something else
bothering you.
Cyclops gets closer to Jean.
She affectionately places her hands on his chest.
CUT BACK TO Logan's Room. Logan's sensitive hearing has picked up the whole conversation between Cyclops and Jean.
CYCLOPS
I have a bad feeling about this.
Logan shrugs.
JEAN
That's the difference between
you and him.
INT. THE X-MANSION - LATER THAT NIGHT
Jean shows Logan's x-rays to Xavier, Storm, and Cyclops.
She explains that Logan's skeleton is made of Adamantium, which she believes has been grafted onto his bones by someone. Adamantium is the strongest substance known to man.
Xavier says that Logan has
no memory of who did this to him and that he is pretty sure that it is
not Logan the man that Magneto actually wants... it is his skeleton.
INT. THE X-MANSION - THE
NEXT MORNING
Scott approaches Logan and
tries to introduce himself to try to get off on the right foot. But Logan
is not feeling too friendly. Logan tells Scott to stay out of his way until
he leaves.
A MONTAGE OF SCENES THEN FOLLOW...
We witness the daily events at Xavier' School for the Gifted: Students study, play sports with their powers, etc.
[This is probably where a
lot of young mutant cameos will take place.]
EXT. THE X-MANSION - LATER THAT AFTERNOON
Storm explains the school's mission to Logan. Logan wonders why a simple school needs high-tech labs, special battle uniforms, a stealth jet, etc.
Storm says that Xavier inherited a great deal of money as a young man and established the school to protect mutants while humans adjust to their presence.
As they walk, they come across Scott and Jean, wearing their costumes while practicing their powers. Some of the other students, including Rogue, watch on.
Scott is blowing the caps off Coke bottles on a fence. Jean catches them and sets them up again.
Logan makes another suggestive comment to Jean and this makes Scott a bit jealous. Angry, Scott completely obliterates one of the bottles.
We PAN BACK to see that Toad
has been watching all along.
EXT. FOREST CLEARING - LATE THAT NIGHT
Senator Kelly awakens to find himself strapped to a metal chair. Magneto, wearing his costume and helmet, is there, still fingering Logan's dog tag.
Magneto tells Kelly that Guyrich has been dead for some time and has been impersonated by Mystique, who then shows herself.
Kelly tells Magneto that his actions are only proving Kelly's views about mutants correct. Magneto replies...
MAGNETO
I hope so.
Magneto then turns on some
lights to reveal a large, flamboyant-looking Machine.
He then explains his war plan to Kelly while mentally moving chess pieces on a chess board.
MAGNETO
Humans invented God to explain
away their
fears. Now humans fear us...
so we must be
Gods.
Magneto is completely insane.
He and Kelly continue to spar over the "intentions" of the Mutant Registration Act. Magneto says he intends to help humans "understand" mutants better.
He then inserts the dog tag into the Machine and raises his arms, using his magnetic powers to activate it. Rings of light form around the dog tag, spinning faster and faster. The Machine begins to work on its own and Magneto leaves.
Light begins to "ooze" out
of the machine, covering Kelly.
The light spreads out into
the forest and into the night sky, shining like a beacon for miles around.
We see that we are on an island and the light that engulfs the island grows
to about five miles in diameter and then vanishes.
We find that the dog tag has been reduced to ash by the machine.
Kelly appears healthy, pink, and somewhat different.
MAGNETO
Welcome to the future.
INT. THE X-MANSION - LATER THAT NIGHT
Logan sleeps fitfully in his room at the mansion.
He then discovers that he is an old lab with 1950s era equipment in it. He notices that his body is covered in incision marks that match his skeleton.
Faceless doctors take notes and prepare the dog tag marked "Wolverine". The doctors with scalpels prepare to cut as Logan screams at the top of his lungs.
Logan wakes from his nightmare to see a figure standing over him. This startles him so he reacts instinctively and aggressively.
Cyclops, Jean, and Storm then rush into the room to find Logan's claws deep into Rogue's chest. Logan pulls out the claws and Rogue, who is fading, reaches out and touches him. Logan trembles and howls in pain as Rogue absorbs his healing power. Her wounds then close.
She then takes on Logan's persona and begins to smash things, raking the walls as though she has claws. After a moment she finally reverts to her normal self.
She then runs from the room
and Storm follows. Jean tends to the unconscious Logan while Scott fumes.
INT. MAGNETO'S ISLAND - THE NEXT DAY
Senator Kelly is in a cell on a cliff on Magneto's island. There is nothing but rock and bars that surround him as he faces the ocean. The entrance at the rear of the cell enters into a dark chasm, with a retracted catwalk providing the only access.
Kelly puts his face against the bars and presses. His head cracks like an egg and slips through. He is more in shock than he is in pain... especially when his head snaps back into place. He hears someone approaching.
Magneto arrives to find Kelly pushing his broken and rehealing body through the bars. Magneto sics Sabretooth on him and Sabretooth grabs Kelly's skull and squeezes. The Senator's head collapses and he slips through Sabretooth's grasp and falls into the ocean.
Sabretooth looks apologetically at Magneto.
INT. THE X-MANSION - LATER THAT DAY
Logan walks through the halls of the school. Everyone is keeping their distance from him after hearing about the previous night's incident.
[This could possibly be the rumored scene where KITTY PRYDE walks by Logan in the hall and proceeds to walk strait through a door to the astonishment of Logan]
He then enters a gym with unusually large weights and finds Jean working out. She is wearing a large engagement ring.
She has some trouble with the weights but refuses Logan's help ... and his invitation to go get a beer.
She spots herself, using her
powers to lift the weights back on to the rack.
EXT. A PUBLIC BEACH - DAY
At a crowded public beach,
a strange object moves through the water. As it gets close, it appears
to transform from a dolphin-like creature to a human as it nears the shore.
Its fins morph into arms and feet as... Senator Kelly searches for some clothes to wear.
The crowd flees in fear and a child asks...
CHILD
Mom, is that a mutant?
INT. THE GYM AT THE X-MANSION - LATER THAT DAY
Jean and Logan continue talking. She explains that she is engaged to Scott. She then asks if that's why Logan's interested in her. He doesn't reply.
She asks Logan if he would have killed the men in the bar.
LOGAN
They shouldn't step
up if they're not
prepared to pay the price.
JEAN
That's a pretty steep price.
Jean adds that that is the difference between Logan and Scott.
Cyclops then enters the weight room, still dressed in full uniform. Logan takes him in, obviously amused by the dramatic outfit.
CYCLOPS
(to Jean)
Would you excuse us,
please? I'd like to
talk with Logan for a moment.
JEAN
(beat)
Sure.
She exits.
CYCLOPS
(walking up to Logan)
I just want to make
you clear on
something. Personally, I
don't care what
Magneto wants with you. He
can take those
claws of yours and use them
for barbecue
skewers. What I do care about
is the
safety of this group. So,
for the
remainder of your time here,
you're going
to keep that killer instinct
of yours
locked down so no one else
gets hurt.
Logan looks at Cyclops appraisingly.
LOGAN
(smirks)
You know, I've served
with men like you
before. Methodical. Systematic.
---
Naive. You know what happens
to those
men in a real fight?
CYCLOPS
You better just ---
LOGAN
Shut up. Who are you
talking to? I got no
interest in you, Xavier,
He points mockingly at the
X's on Cyclops' uniform.
LOGAN (cont.)
or your... X-Men.
Logan takes him in for a moment.
LOGAN (cont.)
And you know what? I
don't think this has
anything to do with my "killer
instinct".
I think you just don't like
the way I'm
looking at your girl. ---
or maybe you
don't like the way she's
looking back. And
maybe you think you're man
enough to do
something about it.
Cyclops is enraged. A red light begins to glow around the edges of his visor and the ruby-quartz lens brightens. We can faintly hear the low hum of immense power that is now barely contained.
Before Cyclops can even react, Logan puts his right fist against Cyclops' throat. "SHOOK!"... Logan extends one claw up the side of Cyclops' neck. He smiles
LOGAN (cont.)
C'mon sport. You think
you can blow the
meat off my bones before
I gut you? Let's
find out.
The air is now charged with
tension. We hear nothing but the sound of Logan's enraged breathing. Then...
Cyclops turns away.
INT. XAVIER'S OFFICE - MINUTES LATER
WHAM! Logan slams open the door of Xavier's office and storms in.
LOGAN
I have a question for
you, Chuck ---
What's the point? Making
yourselves into
some sort of "team" of super-powered
freaks. Teaching wayward
mutants about
classical literature. For
what?
XAVIER
Logan, when I ---
LOGAN
Yeah, I know, I heard.
You were a rich
young mutant and the injustices
of
society and blah, blah, blah.
Xavier tells Logan that Magneto is right... humans will come after mutants.
XAVIER
But the choice is fight
and be destroyed
or fight for understanding.
Xavier believes the latter response is the more worthy.
Logan says they differ on that because if the people who put the claws in his arms were standing right there, he would kill them ... again. Logan then says the 48 hours are up.
Xavier says he knows that Magneto wants the Adamantium in Logan's bones... but he doesn't know for what purpose.
Storm then abruptly enters
and says that Rogue has vanished.
Logan, Xavier, Storm, Cyclops, and Jean then walk down a high-tech subterranean corridor to a big vault door. Xavier says they will use the device within to find Rogue the same way they found Logan. The device is... Cerebro.
A retina scan clears Xavier to enter.
Once in, he puts on the chrome skull-cap.
Xavier says that Magneto helped him build the device back when they were allies.
Xavier then activates the
machine. We see the Earth from space, approaching quickly. We then hear
the voices of everyone on the planet, skimming through entire towns and
countries until we see... Rogue in a train station.
We close in on the back of
her head until the screen goes black and we hear her voice...
ROGUE
I don't belong ... there's no where to go.
Xavier's eyes pop open and he says that Rogue is at the train station and doesn't know where she's going.
Logan wants to help her and
asks to go along.
INT. ANOTHER PART OF THE X-MANSION - MINUTES LATER
Scott and Storm get into one
of Xavier's Bentleys, but Logan chooses a Harley from the garage and roars
off ahead of them to the train station.
INT. THE SOLARIUM OF THE X-MANSION
Jean is in the solarium treating a small cut on a student when... Senator Kelly suddenly appears. He says he has always known about the school. But he is hurt badly, barely making it. Water is oozing off his body.
Jean takes him to the lab, where she and Xavier examine him. Kelly is barely coherent.
Xavier then enters his mind
and we see a quick recap of the movie's events as seen from Kelly's point
of view.
EXT. THE TRAIN STATION
Scott and Storm enter the train station, going past Logan's parked cycle.
Inside, Logan is tracking Rogue and spots her get on a train. He hops on a few cars and finds her sitting alone.
She explains to Logan how
her powers first appeared on her first date, on her first kiss. How she
nearly killed the boy and
how her parents rejected her.
Logan comforts her just as the train starts to leave. He says that they will get off at the next station and give Xavier's geeks another chance.
But the train suddenly stops... Magneto's boots can be seen walking down the aisle toward Logan. Logan pops out his claws.
Magneto reveals under his cloak five glass and metal syringes. He then levitates Logan.
Magneto uses his powers to
launch the syringes at Logan. They hit and the plungers depress.
Logan staggers, taking swipes
and cutting the seats in the train before he collapses at Magneto's feet.
INT. THE X-MANSION
Jean's tests reveal that Kelly's
cells can't handle the change his body is going through. His body is liquefying.
INT. THE TRAIN STATION
At the station, Scott and Storm spot where the crowds are fleeing from the car where the fight has occurred. They head for the action.
Sabretooth suddenly reaches out and grabs Storm by the throat. Toad then reveals himself, using his sticky tongue to steal Cyclops' visor.
Surprised, Cyclops directs
his beam up, away from the crowd before he can close his eyes. The blast
hits the ceiling and the
entire building shakes.
INT. THE X-MANSION
Xavier detects Storm's distress
telepathically. He and Jean race to join the battle.
CUT BACK TO THE TRAIN STATION...
Storm appears done... but
the hairs on Sabretooth's back rise and he is blasted away from her by
a bolt of lightning that she creates.
Storm is knocked out. Sabretooth is only stunned.
With his eyes closed, a blind
Scott stumbles through the crowd looking for Storm when a cop suddenly
stops him and puts a gun to the side of his head.
INT. THE X-MANSION
At the gate to the mansion, Rogue appears. She is admitted and finds her way to Cerebro. Rogue's eye morphs into Xavier's eye to gain access through the retina scan.
Once inside, Mystique resumes
her normal shape...
... and steals a small computer
chip from the device.
INT. THE TRAIN STATION
Cops are everywhere at the station. E.M.T.'s are examining Storm. Scott is handcuffed and refuses to open his eyes or reveal his name to the cops who are questioning him.
The cops are about to get rough with Scott when everyone in the station suddenly hears the word "STOP!"... in their minds.
Xavier and Jean reveal themselves and everyone one but the X-Men suddenly drop to the ground and go to sleep.
Xavier calls to Rogue, who
steps from the shadows scared stiff by what has happened.
INT. THE X-MANSION - LATER THAT DAY
Xavier and Jean explain to
the others that they know Magneto has built a Machine that will turn normal
humans into mutants and that it uses Adamantium as its core, much like
a light bulb uses Tungsten as a
filament. Adamantium is the
only known substance strong enough to contain the power the device emits.
Jean then insists that what has happened to Senator Kelly proves that the machine does not work. She believes that human genes can not handle the change. Meanwhile, Kelly is dying.
They believe Magneto wants to use Logan's skeleton to power a larger demonstration of his device. They realize the most likely place that Magneto could do this would be at the U.N. summit about to convene on Ellis Island.
Suddenly, Kelly's monitors
go berserk and the X-Men watch helplessly as Kelly's body liquefies before
their eyes. They realize they need to find out where Logan is being held.
Xavier then enters Cerebro again. But suddenly the machine goes berserk when he activates it. Xavier's back arches in incredible pain and he falls to the floor unconscious. He is taken to the lab and they monitor his coma.
Jean then examines Cerebro and realizes the neurofilter that allows Xavier to filter out the billions of minds on the planet in his search for one mutant, is gone.
They can't bring Xavier back
without Cerebro's help and they need to recover the filter for it to work
properly.
Jean then reassures a distraught
Cyclops that he is the leader for a reason, that he can live up to Xavier's
expectations.
INT. THE WAR ROOM IN THE X-MANSION - MINUTES LATER
Examining a map of the New York Harbor...
... they determine that the
only place Magneto could use his machine to maximum effect without being
detected is the Statue of Liberty.
Before leaving, Cyclops promises the comatose Xavier that he will look after the school and the students no matter what happens to Xavier.
Rogue then tries to talk the X-Men into letting her come along, but Storm says that it is too dangerous. Rogue will not take no for an answer.
Scott apologizes to Jean for acting jealous as they suit up and join everyone else aboard... the X-Jet.
The school's basketball court
in the yard opens up to reveal the jet. They then take off into the night
sky.
EXT. ELLIS ISLAND - NIGHT
At Ellis Island, all the political dignitaries are arriving to a grand display of pomp.
Away from the action, two
cops patrol the Island. Toad descends on them, incapacitating them with
a sickening crunch.
Two more cops are on patrol along the sea wall at nearby Liberty Island. One of the cops holds a lighter for the other's cigarette when all of the sudden the flame goes out of control and engulfs them.
A police boat then approaches
the island. A cop in the foreground waves at the boat pilot then contorts
in pain from Sabretooth taking care of him. The boat pilot shapeshifts
to reveal Mystique.
Magneto is standing on the
boat as it docks. He pulls back a tarp to reveal the unconscious Logan
and the Machine. Magneto prepares to "raise" the machine.
EXT. THE X-JET
On the X-Jet, Storm provides cover for their approach, creating a dense fog in the harbor.
INT. THE STATUE OF LIBERTY
Logan wakes in a strange, small room. Magneto is there. Logan's fists are strapped to his body so that if he extends his claws he'll puncture his vital organs.
Magneto explains he intends to make the mutant cause the world's cause in one fell stroke and Logan¹s life is small thing to sacrifice toward that goal.
Magneto prepares to drug Logan again, but Logan suddenly kicks the syringe out of his hand. Indifferent, Magneto leaves and locks Logan in the room.
Magneto then stands on the catwalk around the statue's torch, savoring the moment. Mystique then reports that the president is late.
Magneto spots the fog and
realizes the X-Men are coming. He warns his Brotherhood of Mutants.
EXT. JUST OFF OF LIBERTY ISLAND
The X-Jet lands in the water. The X-Men open the hatch and jump down onto Liberty Island.
Across the water at Ellis Island, the dignitaries are taking their seats for the opening of the summit. Storm looks up at the torch and sees it has been replaced by the bottom part of Magneto's machine.
Cyclops finds the charred
remains of a policeman's hat.
Inside the X-Jet, the hatch pops open again. A stowaway Rogue hops out, ready to join the mission and save her friend, Logan, who's kicked away the glass in the torch and can see out.
[At some point Logan gets his uniform because he is wearing it as all of this is going on. At this time I do not know how he acquires it.]
Rogue then heads past a 6-foot
replica of the statue outside the structure. The replica's eyes turn Mystique
red.
INT. THE STATUE OF LIBERTY
In a giant museum multi-level room that welcomes visitors to the statue, Scott, Jean, and Storm consult a map to figure out the best plan of attack and rescue.
Rogue rushes into the museum when she suddenly hears footsteps and turns to find Logan, who we see from behind is really Mystique, trying to lure Rogue away.
In the museum, Toad unexpectedly
enters the fray, leaping at Storm. Cyclops fires at him but misses.
Toad attacks Jean, using
his tongue-slime on her. It covers her mouth and nose and then hardens.
She is unable to breathe. Toad suddenly disappears.
Scott rushes to Jean and tells her to lay still.
He focuses his beam tightly
and cracks the adhesive on her face. He is then able to pull it off and
she can breathe again.
Meanwhile, Storm is looking for Toad. He quickly pops up again.
Toad then spots Cyclops and
Jean back on the lower level.
To Toad's surprise Storm appears
again.
She cranks up the wind to hurricane force, so Toad adheres himself to the deck until the deck finally gives way.
With the wind blowing harder, he grabs on to the seawall railing with his six-foot tongue and flaps in the wind. Storm zaps the railing with a lightning bolt and Toad is then blown into the harbor, sinking without a trace.
Scott, Jean, and Storm then find the stairwell to the torch is blocked by debris.
Instead, they head for the statue's crown. Once they arrive, they discover that the crown is empty, but from there they can see and hear Logan trying to escape from the torch.
Suddenly, the metal bracing in the room comes loose and wraps around Cyclops' neck. Storm and Jean are also caught. Scott is held facing Jean.
Magneto floats into the crown [this creates the hole in the roof of the crown] and tears off Cyclops' visor, leaving him unable to use his power without hurting Jean. Magneto then puts the visor on his belt.
Magneto takes the neurofilter from his belt and tucks it in a pocket on Jean's costume, saying they can try and save Xavier once this is all over.
Jean says that the machine does not work because Senetor Kelly is dead. Magneto says it does not matter and that he is the one holding the fates of the world leaders in his hands, not vice versa.
Sabretooth then radios in and says that the president has finally arrived. Magneto raises his arms and begins to power up the machine. Logan's skeleton begins to glow through his skin.
Mystique arrives and walks over to stand next to Magneto. The machine is fully charged.
Jean pleads to Mystique to stop this.
MYSTIQUE
Don't listen to her. It's a trap.
MAGNETO
What is?
MYSTIQUE
This is.
Mystique then kisses Magneto deeply. Mystique is actually... Rogue [who has acquired Mystique's shape shifting ability], and she is sucking the power out of him. When Rogue does this, the immense power she gains from Magneto creates the famous white stripe down Rogue's hair.
Jean then tells Rogue to destroy
the machine, but Magneto is still conscious and begins to choke Rogue.
Rogue begins to lose consciousness
and makes eye contact with Wolverine from the torch. His skin begins to
smoke.
Seeing no other way out, Wolverine
extends his claws through his chest and roars in pain as he frees himself
and pulls the claws from his own body.
EXT. ELLIS ISLAND
The security on Ellis Island
notices the catastrophy and begins to investigate. They get in boats and
speed over to Liberty Island.
INT. THE STATUE OF LIBERTY
Enraged, Magneto chokes Rogue even harder.
Wolverine stands free and leaps down into the crown. He extends his claws and heads in to kill Magneto, who doesn't have enough power to defend himself.
Jean pleads with Wolverine not to kill him. So he retracts his claws mid-punch and merely knocks out Magneto.
From the stairwell though, Sabretooth grabs Wolverine and pulls him down. A knock-down fight occurs in the narrow confines of the stairs.
Wolverine uses his metal skull, head-butting Sabretooth with a sickening crunch.
But then Sabretooth tosses Wolverine through the whole in the roof onto the crown.
Sabretooth then climbs onto the crown, grabs Wolverine's body, and tosses him off of the head of the statue.
In mid-air, Wolverine grabs one of the spikes protruding from the statue's head...
...and slingshots himself back onto the spike.
Wolverine extends his claws, inviting Sabretooth to come and get him.
Sabretooth accepts the challenge with a roar.
They continue to fight and Wolverine even punctures Sabretooth with his claws at one point. But eventually Sabertooth knocks Wolverine unconscience.
Sabertooth is about to finish off Wolverine when... his hair rises, but this time Sabertooth knocks out Storm before she can strike again.
Sabertooth then goes for Jean... but Wolverine is there again, standing over Magneto. Wolverine takes Cyclops' visor from Magneto's belt. Wolverine tosses it in the air and Jean then uses her powers to quickly float it back onto Cyclops' face.
Wolverine and Sabertooth continue to fight in a logic-defying manner. But Sabretooth's death does not come from Wolverine, it comes from... Cyclops, who blasts Sabretooth through the forehead of the Statue of Liberty.
Sabertooth lands on Magneto's boat, still parked next to the island.
Rogue, who still has Magneto's powers, frees the X-Men and they flee the statue.
Mystique, who is tied up, takes the form of a cop to escape when the authorities arrive. They search Magneto's boat, but Sabretooth is gone.
[Something to remember... Sabretooth has the super healing factor just as Wolverine does.]
Magneto is then captured. The police do not notice the shape of the X-Jet flying off in the distance.
INT. THE X-MANSION
Back at the school, the neurofilter
is re-installed and, with Cerebro's help, Xavier comes to.
INT. THE X-MANSION - A FEW DAYS LATER
The school's students are watching the vote on the Mutant Registration Act in the Senate. The bill fails on a 51-49 vote. The deciding vote belonged to Senator Kelly... who now says that he fears the forces of fear and prejudice could tear the nation apart.
He then gets into a limousine
and he is revealed to be Mystique in yet another disguise.
INT. LOGAN'S ROOM IN THE X-MANSION
Logan opens the blinds in his room at the school to find a box. It is a case of O'Douls nonalcoholic beer and a card that reads "Welcome home X."
Xavier then appears and tells Logan that they will miss him. But as everyone prepares to say goodbye and thank Logan for what he did, he changes his mind, drops his duffel bag and asks...
LOGAN
Is there any real beer
in the place?
INT. A SPECIAL PRISON
In this special prison, where the walls and everything inside of them is made of plastic, Xavier is wheeled in a special plastic wheelchair into the cell where Magneto is being held.
Magneto is playing chess. He says that he would not have let Charles die and that soon he will find an escape and the war will continue.
Xavier says he and his students will be ready to meet him. Xavier then moves a piece on the chess board.
XAVIER.
Check.
Xavier then leaves, escorted out by a guard. Magneto smiles, and levitates another piece on the board.
MAGNETO
And mate.
.
The end.