PREVIOUSLY: VENGEANCE OF THE CULT OF KHONSHU #3 - (Script)

"Ghost Rider V Khonshu" - Rated M

Page 1

1.1

Ketch as the Ghost Rider, standing on a mooncopter, holding it with chains, as if he was driving a horse-drawn carriage. The mooncopter is “tricked out” in the style of hell-possessed Ghost Rider vehicles. They’re hovering over the same building that another mooncopter is parked on top of, the one Khonshu and Marc were in.

CAPTION: GHOST RIDER: I can feel you, Marlene.

CAPTION: GHOST RIDER: I know your pain.

CAPTION: GHOST RIDER: It’s like mine.

1.2

Ghost Rider Marlene looking at herself.

CAPTION: GHOST RIDER: Use it, Marlene.

CAPTION: GHOST RIDER: TEACH THEM THE BURNING AGONY OF THEIR SIN!

GHOST RIDER MARLENE: Kkk…

GHOST RIDER MARLENE: Yy…yesss…ssss….sssiiinnnnn…..

1.3

Khonshu approaches Marlene Ghost Rider.

KHONSHU: Sharing what remains of the spirit will only weaken you!

KHONSHU: YOU IDIOTS!

GHOST RIDER MARLENE: Nnnno.

1.4

Ghost Rider Marlene holding out her open palms.

GHOST RIDER MARLENE: OUR PAIN

GHOST RIDER MARLENE: MAKES US STRONG

1.5

Chains lash out from Marlene’s palms.

GHOST RIDER MARLENE: YOUR SIN

GHOST RIDER MARLENE: FUELS OUR PAIN

1.6

Ghost Rider on top of the mooncopter, it’s diving down toward the building.

GHOST RIDER: THAT’S THE WAY!

Page 2

2.1

Khonshu is impaled with chains. The wounds are actually bleeding.

KHONSHU: This

KHONSHU: It…

GHOST RIDER MARLENE: HURTS?

2.2

Marlene Ghost Rider, screaming.

GHOST RIDER MARLENE: GOOD!

GHOST RIDER MARLENE: YOU’VE ONLY BEGUN TO HURT!

2.3

Shot of the skyscraper from outside. The top is exploding.

2.4

Khonshu’s eyes. Half open, as if awakening.

KHONSHU: no…

KHONSHU: This cannot…

Page 3

3.1

Ghost Rider and Ghost Rider Marlene stand among the wreckage of the building’s top floors. The building has settled here, the sky is wide and open above the smoke. Khonshu is on his talons and knees, looking up.

KHONSHU: You two… hurt me…

KHONSHU: I

KHONSHU: Blood?

KHONSHU: I AM OMEGA-GOD!

KHONSHU: HOW?!

3.2

Ghost Rider with his head cocked to the side, he’s mocking Khonshu.

GHOST RIDER: Forget the rules to your own game?

GHOST RIDER: You’ve never actually fought.

3.3

Khonshu in a shocking moment of clarity.

GHOST RIDER: You only ever used those around you.

GHOST RIDER: You never killed any gods.

GHOST RIDER: On your own, you’re worthless. Your powers are so focused in manipulatin’ that you have no idea how to use ‘em in a fight.

3.4

Khonshu holds his talon out.

KHONSHU: I can LEARN!

Page 4

4.1

Both Ghost Riders are thrown back, out of the building.

4.2

Chains lash out, toward the side of the building.

4.3

Khonshu hovers above the wrecked part of the building.

KHONSHU: It’s true. I never practiced my skills for fighting.

KHONSHU: But it doesn’t matter.

KHONSHU: I’ve called the remaining mercenaries, the remaining children.

4.4

Both Ghost Riders hanging on to the side of the building with the chains, standing up on the side using their weight to keep themselves up.

KHONSHU: For now, I will use MYSELF as the pawn in the game of Omega-God.

KHONSHU: I will take your power and end you myself.

KHONSHU: Though… I had planned to torture the three of you together by Marc’s hand.

4.5

Marlene Ghost Rider and Ghost Rider are surrounded by fire.

GHOST RIDER: You really need…

Page 5

5.1 Splash Page

Both Ghost Riders are in a car made from hellfire and metal from the broken parts of the building that’s assembled around them, rushing toward Khonshu, running up the building.

GHOST RIDER: TO SHUT UP!!!

Page 6

6.1

Flashback. Rob, Frenchie’s boyfriend, answering the door to his apartment. Moon Knight (Marc) stands there, angry, eyes glowing red.

CAPTION: MARLENE: My life is burning.

CAPTION: MARLENE: My hair is plasma.

MOON KNIGHT: I’ve come for my woman.

6.2

Moon Knight walking in, casually shoving Rob’s head through the wall, a bloody, gorey mess shows with the impact.

CAPTION: MARLENE: My eyes are white-hot-diamond. My skin is…

MOON KNIGHT: My crescent jewel.

CAPTION: MARLENE: Gone. Just gone.

CAPTION: MARLENE: All I feel is burning.

6.3

Marlene looks up from bed, she was just sleeping.

CAPTION: MARLENE: The burning doesn’t compare to the FIRE.

MOON KNIGHT: I MUST PROTECT HER!

6.4

Marlene screams as Jean Paul (Frenchie) is tossed through her bedroom door, broken and bleeding.

MOON KNIGHT: KEEP HER CLOSE!

CAPTION: MARLENE: The HATE.

6.5

Khonshu stands behind Moon Knight as he walks toward Marlene.

MOON KNIGHT: There, there.

MOON KNIGHT: No one will ever hurt you again.

CAPTION: MARLENE: The DESPAIR.

6.6

Moon Knight grabbing Marlene by the throat, a crescent dart in his other hand.

MOON KNIGHT: Except me.

CAPTION: MARLENE: The FEAR.

Page 7

7.1

Khonshu is hit in the midsection by the front of the hellfire-car. Marlene Ghost Rider is leaning out, firing chains at Khonshu’s head.

MARLENE GHOST RIDER: DIE!

7.2

Close up on Khonshu’s talons. He’s gripping the hellfire-car’s burning, metal grill.

KHONSHU: HRRR

7.3

Khonshu tosses the car down at the building.

KHONSHU: RRAAA!!

7.4

Another explosion rocks the top of the skyscraper.

Page 8

8.1

Overhead shot of the entrance to the underground middle-American training camp. It’s a ramp that comes out of the ground. A team of MK Mercs are leading several “children of Omega-God” Moon Knights to a swarm of mooncopters.

CAPTION: MIDDLE-AMERICAN TRAINING CAMP

SUB-CAPTION: FUTURE “SECOND SON OF THE TRINITY” MEMORIAL TRAINING CAMP

MK MERC 1: HURRY!

8.2

Close up on the Moon Knights and a few MK Mercs boarding into mooncopters.

MOON KNIGHT 1: Father needs us!

MOON KNIGHT 2: Omega-God-Father!

MOON KNIGHT 3: Praise Khonshu!

MK MERC 1: Get in! Get in!

MK MERC 2: Omega-God Khonshu needs us!

MK MERC 3: WE WILL ASCEND

MK MERC 4: WE WILL ASCEND

8.3

Close up on two MK Mercs talking. They stand at a crossroads. One stands in front of the fleet of mooncopters, the other stands in front of the facility’s entrance.

MK MERC COPTER: You must watch the children.

MK MERC FACILITY: It is as Omega wishes.

8.4

The MK Merc in front of the copters runs off to join the others.

8.5

Back shot of the MK Merc for the facility. He’s running toward the entrance.

Page 9

9.1

Khonshu stands among flaming wreckage. His semi-human form is no longer hidden by a cloak of shadow. He stands there in royal Egyptian robes that cover his lower half, the rest of his shadows burning off. His body is a mix of a bird and a man, the feathers are puffed up and made of blades, the muscle super-human in tone, for obvious reasons. His eyes burn red.

KHONSHU: Enough games.

KHONSHU: I will fight now.

9.2

Ketch Ghost Rider looks up, a large piece of metal on top of him.

GHOST RIDER: Hide it behind the muscle, but

GHOST RIDER: You’re a pansy-ass bird-man

9.3

Khonshu, enraged.

GHOST RIDER: Who never learned to fight for himself

9.4

Khonshu runs toward Ketch, screaming and angry.

KHONSHU: HRRAAAAAAA

9.5

A chain lashes out from underneath wreckage.

9.6

Side shot. Khonshu’s mid-section is impaled by the chain.

KHONSHU: KKKGHH

Page 10

10.1

Marlene Ghost Rider risen from wreckage, the chain in her grip.

MARLENE GHOST RIDER: You… ruined… my life…

10.2

Khonshu looking down at his wound.

KHONSHU: I… yes.

KHONSHU: Yes I did.

MARLENE GHOST RIDER: … why?

KHONSHU: Look at you.

10.3

Side shot. Khonshu’s looking at Marlene now.

KHONSHU: Look at what you’ve become.

MARLENE GHOST RIDER: What…

KHONSHU: A mistress of vengeance…

KHONSHU: A goddess of hate…

10.4

Ketch Ghost Rider looks over toward Marlene Ghost Rider from the wreckage.

KHONSHU: I’ve put you through emotional torment… and Marc through physical torment… you two were … two sides of the same coin.

KHONSHU: But your pain is stronger than his now.

10.5

Khonshu’s eyes.

KHONSHU: Take Ketch’s power. Give up your own.

KHONSHU: Feed me the spirit, forfeit the duel of omega-god.

KHONSHU: And you will be the MOON QUEEN.

KHONSHU: I will give you EVERYTHING… THE UNIVERSE…

Page 11

11.1

Marlene. She’s no longer a Ghost Rider. She’s holding the chain still, but it looks less powerful.

MARLENE: You...

MARLENE: You’re talking in his voice…

11.2

Ketch Ghost Rider braces himself.

GHOST RIDER: oh hell

11.3

The swarm of mooncopters are headed for New York City’s skyline.

11.4

A flash of bright fire.

MARLENE GHOST RIDER: YOU’RE

MARLENE GHOST RIDER: TALKING

MARLENE GHOST RIDER: IN MARC’S VOICE?!?!?!?!!!??

11.5

Marlene Ghost Rider rushes toward Khonshu, her arms wrapped up in chains with spiked hooks at the ends.

MARLENE GHOST RIDER: I’LL KILL YOU

MARLENE GHOST RIDER: SEND YOU TO HELL

Page 12

12.1

Khonshu’s talon holds up the stone from issue 1, a large norn stone.

KHONSHU: BACK!

12.2

Marlene Ghost Rider runs into an aurora-borealis force-field that surrounds Khonshu now.

MARLENE GHOST RIDER: AAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!! I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU I HATE YOU HATE YOU HATE YOUU!!!!

12.3

Marlene Ghost Rider slashing at the force field.

MARLENE GHOST RIDER: WHY

MARLENE GHOST RIDER: DID YOU DO THIS

MARLENE GHOST RIDER: I HATE YOU

MARLENE GHOST RIDER: I HATE YOU

12.4

The chain in Khonshu’s midsection is withering, we can see it was “cut off” by the force field.

KHONSHU: I can’t waste anymore of the stone’s power talking to you… my army, small as it may be… will ascend into Asgard, using the norn stone...

KHONSHU: Regroup…

KHONSHU: And when I take down the GODS THEMSELVES… I will come back.

12.5

Khonshu glaring at Marlene Ghost Rider.

KHONSHU: And kill you. Marlene.

Page 13

13.1

Khonshu holds the stone above his head.

KHONSHU: OPEN!

13.2

Ketch Ghost Rider looking at Marlene and Khonshu from behind.

CAPTION: KETCH: Pinned between the bones. Doesn’t matter. Recharged enough now from that hellfire-car…

13.3

The wreckage that was pinning Ketch down goes flying up, as he stands.

GHOST RIDER: MARLENE, is it?

13.4

Khonshu marvels at the beam of light that’s shooting out from the stone, toward the sky.

GHOST RIDER: ON THREE!

GHOST RIDER: ONE

GHOST RIDER MARLENE: TWO

13.5

Khonshu looks down, toward the Ghost Riders he was busy ignoring.

KHONSHU: No

Page 14

14.1 Splash Page

Both Ghost Riders use chain-hooks to crash through the force-field. The norn stone shatters in Khonshu’s hand.

GHOST RIDER AND GHOST RIDER MARLENE: THREE!!!

Page 15

15.1

Marlene Ghost Rider slashes down. Ketch Ghost Rider punches down. Chains cover the sky like clouds.

15.2

Khonshu’s eyes, blood dribbling down his forehead.

15.3

Marlene Ghost Rider stands over Khonshu, chains wrapped around her arms. She has a bladed chain at the ready. Chains are pinning Khonshu down, impaled through his body.

MARLENE GHOST RIDER: Khonshu… Omega-God…

KHONSHU: No… no…..

KHONSHU: This can’t happen… not to me…

KHONSHU: I am… I am…

15.4

Ketch Ghost Rider, looking on with sadistic joy, standing next to and Marlene Ghost Rider.

GHOST RIDER: Vengeance?

15.5

Marlene Ghost Rider slashes down with the bladed chain. Blood and feathers splatter.

15.6

The crescent dart that symbolized the power of the cult of Khonshu. It is now a pile of pieces, pieces that are leaking blood.

Page 16

16.1

Back shot of Marlene and Ketch Ghost Riders. The headless body of Khonshu bleeds out.

16.2

Khonshu’s head, rolled over on its side.

16.3

Khonshu’s head glows bright.

16.4

Khonshu’s body glows bright.

16.5

Marlene and Ketch Ghost Rider cover their faces with their arms, it’s so bright.

Page 17

17.1

Wide shot of the skyscrape. A storm of spirits of vengeance pour out from the wrecked top of the building. Burning skulls light up the sky.

17.2

Ketch Ghost Rider looking at Marlene Ghost Rider. The fires of the spirit of vengeance are swirling off of her, toward Ketch.

GHOST RIDER: Heh.

GHOST RIDER: Ghooosst ridderrrsss in…. the skyyyyyy…

MARLENE GHOST RIDER: Good song.

17.3

An MK Merc inside the cockpit of one of the mooncopters.

MK MERC: WE’RE DAMNED

MOON KNIGHTS: WHERE

MOON KNIGHTS: PA?

MOON KNIGHTS: SPIDERS

MOON KNIGHTS: SPIDERS IN MY EYES

17.4

The swarm of spirits of vengeance head toward the fleet of mooncopters.

MK MERC: I-

MK MERC: oh my god, the rapture

MOON KNIGHTS: MOMMY

MOON KNIGHTS: DARK DEATH AND THE SUPERHERO

MOON KNIGHTS: KHONSHU IS SATAN

17.5

Fire in the sky. The mooncopters are completely vaporized.

17.6

Marlene, back to her old self, her scars all gone, her bruises healed, stands next to Ketch, who’s human again. They’re looking up at the sky.

MARLENE: Look at that…

KETCH: Victory fireworks.

Page 18

18.1

Flash forward a few months. Marlene is sitting in a new apartment on a couch, resting against her new lover’s shoulder. It’s night, and they’re watching a movie.

CAPTION: EPILOGUE

CAPTION: MARLENE: And that… was my life.

CAPTION: MARLENE: I was born again when the sky flashed with fire.

CAPTION: MARLENE: My wounds were healed. A thank-you from the spirit of vengeance.

18.2

Swarms of police surround the entrance to the middle-American training camp. Dozens of children are being evacuated into ambulances.

CAPTION: MARLENE: The shockwave from Khonshu’s death, or the spirits of vengeance, one of them, shut down the machines.

CAPTION: MARLENE: The children were saved. Only three of them were indoctrinated enough to need lasting therapy. I have no idea if they recovered or not.

18.3

The lone MK Merc who was in charge of the facility sits on a table, an executioner carrying a tray with lethal injection needles.

CAPTION: MARLENE: The families had their vengeance, like I had mine.

18.4

The MK Mercs and Moon Knights in the mooncopters on that night, burning into ash.

CAPTION: MARLENE: Khonshu’s men, I was told by Danny, lost their minds instantly when he died. The children-turned-adults, too. There was no chance for recovery. The spirits only put them out of their misery.
CAPTION: MARLENE: Well. I'm sure blowing them up also had something to do with vengeance. All of this did. All of this messed up nonsense did.

18.5

Ketch on a stretch of open road, alongside another rider.

CAPTION: MARLENE: Danny rides on. Occasionally gives me a call.

CAPTION: MARLENE: Johnny climbed out of a sinkhole last Tuesday, covered in ash.

CAPTION: MARLENE: The lonely spirits of vengeance found new hosts.

CAPTION: MARLENE: I’m glad for them. For all of them.

18.6

Marlene resting her head on her boyfriend’s shoulder.

CAPTION: MARLENE: His name’s Jack.

CAPTION: MARLENE: We met the week after I cut off an omega-god’s head.

CAPTION: MARLENE: It’s been six months. Wedding’s next year, once we save up enough.

18.7

Back shot of Marlene and Jack. The movie they’re watching is the original black and white version of “THE MUMMY”, with a shot of the title character and the damsel in distress.

CAPTION: MARLENE: Can’t wait to get back to work at the museum next week. I took a while off.

CAPTION: MARLENE: My life’s pretty good.

Page 19

19.1

A doctor and a nurse. The doctor is an older, Hispanic man. The nurse is mid-20s, of middle-eastern descent. They’re standing in a hallway in Ravencroft Aslyum.

CAPTION: RAVENCROFT ASLYUM

DOCTOR: You have to be.

DOCTOR: EXTREMELY.

DOCTOR: Careful.

DOCTOR: Do you understand me, Nurse Chons?

19.2

Nurse Chons, smiling, completely innocent.

NURSE CHONS: Of course.

19.3

A man sits alone in a padded cell. He has a straight-jacket on.

???: They found me in the river.

???: There was blood in my eyes.

???: My skin was burned.

???: My bones were broken.

???: All I could see was red.

19.4

Nurse Chons enters the cell. She carries a syringe in one hand, and a paper cup in the other.

???: Do you understand my pain?

???: It hurts to see red.

???: This is a red room.

???: You’re in a red dress.

???: Do you understand my pain?

19.5

Close up on the syringe Nurse Chons has in her hands.

NURSE CHONS: Oh, my darling.

NURSE CHONS: Of course I understand.

???: REALLY?

???: Oh, miss…

Page 20

20.1 Splash Page

The man in the straight-jacket is MARC, and his head is facing who he speaks to.

Nurse Chons is KHONSHU, holding the syringe.

MARC: I love you.

KHONSHU: And I love you, too.

THE END