his. He kisses her on the mouth. They explore each other.
Then she pulls backeyes sparkling.
NEYTIRI
Kissing is very good. But we have
something better.
She pulls him down until they are kneelingfacing each other
on the faintly glowing moss.
Neytiri takes the end of her queue and raises it. Jake does
the samewith trembling anticipation. The tendrils at the
ends move with a life of their ownstraining to be joined.
MACRO SHOT -- The tendrils INTERTWINE with gentle
undulations.
JAKE rocks with the direct contact between his nervous system
and hers. The ultimate intimacy.
They come together into a kiss and sink down on the bed of
mossand ripples of light spread out around them.
THE WILLOWS swaywithout windand the night is alive with
pulsing energy as we DISSOLVE TO --
LATER. She is collapsed across his chest. Spent. He
strokes her face tenderly.
JAKE
Neytiriyou know my real body is far
awaysleeping.
She raises upplacing her fingertips to his chest --
NEYTIRI
This body is real.
(she touches his forehead)
This spirit is real.
Her eyes are luminoushonestinfinitely deep.
NEYTIRI
When I was first your teacherI hated
all Sky People. But you have also taught
me.
(whispering)
Spirit is all that matters.
90.
She lays her head downagainst his chestlistening to his
heartbeat.
NEYTIRI
I am with you nowJake. We are mated for
life.
JAKE
We are?
NEYTIRI
Yes. It is our way.
(innocently)
Oh. I forgot to tell?
He rouses upmaking her look at him.
JAKE
Reallywe are?
NEYTIRI
We are.
Jake considers this.
JAKE
It’s cool. I’m there.
He lays his head downand her arms enfold himsheltering
him as he sleeps.
INT. SHACK - NIGHT
Jake’s eyes open in the darkness. He just lies there
thinking. In his coffin. In another world.
CUT TO:
EXT. WILLOW GLADE - DAWN
DAWN BREAKS in the sacred glade. Shafts of orange morning
light. Jake and Neytiri asleep in each others' arms. Maxfield
Parrish painting. But then --
THE ROAR OF ENGINES. Neytiri awakens with a start. The
SPLINTERINGCRACKLING of forest being crushed under enormous
treads gets louder.
SHE WATCHES in growing horror as the BLADE of a bulldozer
becomes a dark wall behind the sheltering ring of willows.
She shakes Jakeshouting at him in Na’vi to wake up.
91.
NEYTIRI
Jake! Wake up! Where ever you arecome
back to me now. Jake!
INT. SHACK - DAWN
HUMAN JAKE is in a hurry to get back to the link. GRACE
still groggychases him with coffee and microwaved eggs.
GRACE
Here -- eat this. I’d hate to have to
force-feed a cripple.
She slams the lid shut before he can enter and sticks the
plate under his nose.
GRACE
(grinning)
She’s not going anywhere.
He sighs heavily and starts wolfing the eggs.
EXT. WILLOW GLADE - DAWN
Neytiri SCREAMS as --
The willows begin to fall before the bladeto be ground
under the treads. AVATAR JAKE is directly in the path. She
tries to lift himbut he is too heavy. She is screaming at
himfrantically trying to wake himas --
INT. SHACK - DAWN
Jake adjusts himself in the link chair. He hands Grace the
empty plate.
GRACE
And when was the last time you took a
shower? JesusMarine.
Jake pushes her hands away and pulls the lid down.
EXT. WILLOW GLADE
AVATAR JAKE wakes up to see --
NEYTIRI dragging himscreaming. He leaps up as --
THE DOZER pushes inexorably into the gladesplintering the
treesplowing the earth before it.
JAKE RUNS into the path of the bulldozerwaving his arms.
92.
JAKE
Hey! Heeeey! Stop! Stop!
He positions himself where the camera-eyes of the robotic
juggernaut will see him.
INT. OPS CENTER - DAY
CLOSE ON MONITOR -- Jake shouts but there’s no sound feed.
WIDER as the TRACTOR OPERATOR sees him and pulls back on the
remote throttles. He yells to his SUPERVISOR.
OPERATOR
HeyI got one of the natives blockin’ my
blade here.
This attracts the attention of Selfridgewho comes over to
the workstation.
ON THE SCREEN -- Jakein his Omaticaya loincloth and
ceremonial body paintis unrecognizable.
SUPERVISOR
(to Selfridge)
What do we do?
SELFRIDGE
Roll on. He’ll move. These people have
to learn that we don’t stop.
TIGHT ON THROTTLES as the operator pushes them forward.
ON THE SCREEN Jake stumbles backtrippingdisappears below
the blade for a second -- reappearsrunning to the side.
EXT. WILLOW GLADE
JAKE grabs a rock and LEAPS onto the dozer. He climbs
quickly to the CAMERA MAST.
SMASH! The rock crashes into the lens of the camera. Jake
beats the rock furiously against itpounding it to junk.
INT. OPS CENTER
CLOSE ON MONITOR -- as Jake’s demonic face is replaced by
noise.
OPERATOR
I’m blind.
He pulls back on the throttles.
93.
EXT. WILLOW GLADE
THE JUGGERNAUT grinds to a stop. But the ROAR of engines
continues because --
MORE DOZERS and TRACTORS advance nearbycrushing the forest
before them. Trees are slashed down by the PLASMA CUTTERS.
Terrified animals flee before the onslaught.
POWERSUITS and TROOPERS stride through the ravaged forest
blasting anything that moves. A trooper sees Jake on the
dozer. He rips off a BURST and --
Rounds CLANG into metal as Jake dives off the machine. He
grabs Neytiri and they run into concealing foliage. From
behind a screen of leavesthey watch as --
THE DOZERS advanceobliterating the sacred siteleaving
only mud and wood splinters in their path.
CU NEYTIRIstunned by the nightmarishunfathomable
wrongness of it. She sobs as the willows die.
INT. OPS CENTER
MINUTES LATERthe operator is playing back the CAMERA’S FEED
for Quaritch and the others.
QUARITCH
Freeze itright -- there.
ON MONITOR -- the image expandsuntil Jake’s face is clear
frozen in an animal snarl.
SELFRIDGE
Son of a bitch!
PUSH IN ON QUARITCH as his jaw clenches in cold fury.
He turns and strides toward the doorshouting to his WATCH
COMMANDER as he passes.
QUARITCH
Get me a pilot!
CUT TO:
INT. COMMONS/HOMETREE - DAY
A RAIDING PARTY of hunterstheir bodies paintedraise
weapons overhead. AVATAR GRACE watches with growing alarm.
94.
EYTUKAN
(subtitled)
Tsu’tey will lead the war party!
Tsu’tey steps forwardface full of hateraising a war cry
among the hunters.
GRACE
(subtitled)
Please -- this will only make it worse --
TSU’TEY
You do not speak here!
JAKE and NEYTIRI cross the commons toward them. Jake feels
all eyes turn toward him. He takes her armstopping her.
JAKE
(to Neytirilow)
Okaylisten. There’s something I have to
tell you. It’s gonna be hard. I just
need you to --
He sees TSU’TEY striding toward themhis face a mask of
fury.
TSU’TEY
You!
Tsu’tey walks right up and SLAMS Jake in the chest with both
hands. It is so unexpectedthat Jake topples on his ass.
TSU’TEY
You mated with this woman?!
GRACE
Oh shit.
Jake stands. He reaches out for Neytiri. She goes to him
clutching his hand.
MO'AT
Is this true?
NEYTIRI
(subtitled)
We are mated before Eywa. It is done.
Tsu’tey turns to Mo'at and Eytukanhis face anguished.
95.
TSU’TEY
(subtitled)
Neytiri was promised to me! Everything is
changing. Everything is being destroyed!
Tsu’tey points at Jakehis pain shifting to rage.
TSU’TEY
(subtitled)
These aliens kill everything they touch
like poison.
MO'AT
Neytiri! If you choose this pathyou can
never be Tsahik. Your life will be
wasted.
Neytiri looks at her mother -- sees the grief in her eyes.
NEYTIRI
I have chosen.
Tsu’tey draws his knife and --
TSU’TEY
Yeeeeeaaa!
LUNGES AT JAKEwho’s ready this time -- he sidesteps
blocking the knifeand elbows Tsu’tey HARD in the face.
Tsu’tey reels backnose bleeding. He starts forward on a
second attack but --
Eytukan grabs his arm and spins him around.
EYTUKAN
(subtitled)
Stop! This is not a proper challenge.
Tsu’tey glares at Jake while sheathing his knife.
TSU’TEY
I challenge you.
GRACE
Jakedon’t --
JAKE
I accept.
CUT TO:
96.
INT./EXT. SAMSON - DAY
QUARITCH rides left seat as Trudy pilots through the
mountains. She glances at himthen toggles the aircom.
TRUDY
Loveshack this is Samson One Six inbound
hot to your pos. I have Colonel Quaritch
with me and --
But Quaritch SLAMS the switchcutting her off.
QUARITCH
Did I tell you to announce us?
TRUDY
Sorry sirit’s procedure.
INT. SHACK
Norm punches buttons on the comms console.
NORM
Samson One Six? Trudy?
(no answer)
Crap.
He looks helplessly at Jake and Grace’s link units -- no way
to warn them.
INT. HOMETREE - DAY
TSU’TEY AND JAKE square off. Each holds a longsolid staff.
The entire clan crowds around them in a circle.
GRACE
What the hell are you doing?
JAKE
It’s the only way to get him to goddamn
listen.
TSU’TEY LEAPS at Jake with a sharp cry and Jake parries with
his staff. The staves CLACK off each other as the two
combatants LEAPDUCK and STRIKE furiously.
Tsu’tey sweeps Jake off his feet with a roundhouse hit to the
anklesbut --
Jake ROLLS out of it and catches Tsu’tey in the belly with
the blunt end.
97.
EXT. SITE 26 - DAY
TRUDY’S SAMSON lands. QUARITCH and a posse of troopers jump
down and rush the Shack.
INT. COMMONS
TSU’TEY wades in with a series of shortsharp blows. Jake
swings with equal fury. Both fighting from the heart.
The staves whistle through the airand CLACK together like
gunshots. Jake presses hardand Tsu’tey staggers back
stumbling as --
Jake lands a SOLID HITdropping him to his kneesjust as --
INT. SHACK
THE INNER DOOR bangs open and QUARITCH stomps toward Grace’s
Link controls.
NORM
Heyhang onyou can’t interrupt a link
in progressit’s dangerous --
wait!
Quaritch shoves him aside and SMACKS his fist down on the
POWER switch. Grace’s unit goes dead and --
INT. COMMONS
AVATAR GRACE’S eyes roll back and she keels over. NEYTIRI
barely catches her before she hits the ground.
JAKE parries as Tsu’tey swings but then --
Jake's eyes go blank just as -- K-RACK! Tsu’tey puts one
alongside his head. Jake sprawlscompletely inert. Tsu’tey
pokes him with his staffthen raises it and lets out a
piercing VICTORY CRY.
INT. SHACK - DAY
JAKE SLAMS OPEN the Linkamped from the fightfurious --
JAKE
Are you out of your goddamn mind?!
QUARITCH
You crossed a line.
Quaritch PUNCHES HIM HARD. Jake flops backdazed. The
troopers yank him out and ZIP-TIE his wrists.
98.
INT. COMMONS
TSU’TEY draws his KNIFEand bends downgrabbing Jake by the
hair.
TSU’TEY
(subtitled)
This is a demon in a false body. It
should not live.
He puts his knife to Jake’s throat but --
NEYTIRI BLIND-SIDES him at full tilt. Tsu’tey sprawlsrolls
comes up to see --
Neytiri crouched like a lioness over Jakeher KNIFE and
teeth baredher ears flattened. She SNARLS with primal
fury.
Tsu’tey stands panting. He pushes through the crowd and walks
awaycalling for his hunters.
CUT TO:
INT. OPS CENTER - DUSK
TIGHT ON MONITOR -- showing JAKE’S AVATAR FACE on the dozer
cameraas he pounds a rock into the lens. The shot FREEZES
on Jake’s ANIMAL SNARL.
WIDER -- HUMAN JAKE sitsbruised and bleedingwatching
himself on the monitor. GRACE and NORM stand nearbyrubbing
their wrists where the zip-ties bit in. SELFRIDGE and
QUARITCH watch with disdain.
QUARITCH
You let me downson. You got a little
local pussy and completely forgot what
team you play for.
Jake meets his gaze with a defiant glare.
GRACE
Parkerlistenthere may still be time
to --
QUARITCH
Shut your fucking hole!
Grace is momentarily stunned by Quaritch’s fury. But she
meets it with her own intensitynot backing down an inch.
99.
GRACE
Or whatRanger Rick? You gonna shoot
me?
(to Selfridge)
You need to muzzle your dog!
SELFRIDGE
Can we just take this down a couple
notchesplease.
JAKE
(to Quaritch)
You say you want to keep your people
alive. Start by listening to her.
Jake nods to Grace to continue.
GRACE
(to Selfridge)
This is badParker. Those trees were
sacred to the Omaticaya in a way you
can’t imagine.
SELFRIDGE
You know what? You throw a stick in the
air around here it falls on some sacred
fern.
GRACE
I’m not talking about pagan voodoo here --
I’m talking about something real and
measurable in the biology of the forest.
SELFRIDGE
(frustrated)
Which is what exactly?
Grace’s nerve fails. A rush of conflicting emotions -- the
need to actto
do somethingcolliding with her scientific
rigor.
GRACE
(to Jake)
I can’t do this. How am I supposed to
reduce years of work to a sound bite for
the illiterate?
JAKE
Just tell him what you know in your
heart.
She turns to Parkersteeling herself.
100.
GRACE
Alrightlook -- I don’t have the answers
yetI’m just now starting to even frame
the questions. What we think we know --
is that there’s some kind of
electrochemical communication between the
roots of the trees. Like the synapses
between neurons. Each tree has ten to the
fourth connections to the trees around
itand there are ten to the twelfth
trees on Pandora --
SELFRIDGE
That’s a lot I’m guessing.
GRACE
That’s more connections than the human
brain. You get it? It’s a network -- a
global network. And the Na’vi can access
it -- they can upload and download data --
memories -- at sites like the one you
destroyed.
SELFRIDGE
What the hell have you people been
