grabs his KEY CARD and runs to the cell. Swipes the card.
The door is rolling open when --
ANOTHER TROOPER rounds the corner. Trudy takes him down with
a sharp BLOW to the windpipe and a THAI KNEE to the ribs.
Meanwhile the first TROOPER is getting upbut Max CLOCKS him
heartily with a coffee urn. He goes down and stays down.
MAX
That was unexpectedly satisfying.
Trudy plants a kiss on Norm as he runs out of the cell.
NORM
Babyyou rock.
Jake wheels outgrabbing the sidearm from the fallen trooper
as Trudy binds his wrists.
JAKE
(to Max and Trudy)
Thanks.
Jake faces his motley groupchambering a round.
JAKE
So what do you say? Time for a
revolution?
GRACE
I’m free.
Trudy grins and taps his fist.
JAKE
Come on.
CUT TO:
INT. UTILIDOR
In the utility corridor under the baseJake pumps the chair
furiouslyas the others jog. They reach an AIRLOCK and start
donning EXOPACKS.
112.
JAKE
(to Trudy)
Get your ship fired up.
Trudy nods. She grabs Norm and enters the airlock. Jake
turns to Max.
JAKE
Stay here. I need somebody on the inside
I can trust.
Max nods. Jake grips his hand tightly.
CUT TO:
EXT. AIRFIELD - NIGHT
IN THE SAMSONNorm is helping Trudy race through the
preflight checks as the turbines spool up. A LIGHT hits
them.
An armored TROOPER approachesaiming his AR at them.
TROOPER
I need you to shut down and step out of
the vehicle! Now!
JAKE rolls up behind himaiming his pistol.
JAKE
Take it nice and easytroop.
The trooper turnssees the gun.
JAKE
On the groundface down. Hands behind
your head.
The trooper hesitates.
GRACE
Do what he goddamn says!
He does. Norm jumps down and grabs the trooper’s rifle and
side-armcovering himwhile Grace helps Jake from chair to
the back bay of the chopper. She throws his chair inand
jumps in herself.
JAKE
Go! Go! Go!
113.
INT. OPS CENTER - NIGHT
QUARITCHwatching a monitorsees what’s happening down at
the airfield. He slams his palm down on an ALARM BUTTON.
He draws his PISTOL. Strides toward the EMERGENCY DOOR. He
undogs it.
EXT. OPS CENTER/AIRFIELD - NIGHT
HOLDING HIS BREATH Quaritch yanks the hatch open and strides
onto the outer landing. Inside people scramble for MASKS.
THE SAMSON lifts off in a blast of rotor-wash just as --
QUARITCH OPENS FIRE and --
ROUNDS rake the ship. Trudy banks hardusing the bottom to
shield them. Bullets WHACK into the ship as she climbs-out
over the tree-line.
Jake’s fist pumps the air exultantly.
JAKE
Oh yeahbaby!
GRACE
Aaahhcrap. Not again.
He looks over at Grace and freezes. She is looking down at a
BLOODY HAND. She clutches her abdomencovering the
spreading stain. Looks at Jakewide-eyed.
GRACE
This is gonna ruin my whole day.
JAKE
Hang onGrace.
CUT TO:
EXT. SHACK / SITE 26 - NIGHT
NORM’S AVATARwith an AR slung over his shoulderstands on
the roof of the LINK MODULE. He gives a thumbs up signal.
The lift cable goes taut and --
The shack LIFTS OFF THE GROUND.
Trudy’s Samson beats the grass of the mountain meadow
straining to lift the module on a long-line sling. The shack
sways as Trudy banks across forested slopes and heads deeper
into the HALLELUJAH MOUNTAINS.
114.
INT. SAMSON CABIN - NIGHT
Outside the windowsclouds and cliffs pass bylit by
Polyphemus.
Jake is yanking stuff out of the Samson’s trauma bagwhile
Grace lies curled across two back seatshugging her blood-
soaked abdomen. She is pale and shocky.
Trudy is flying on visual onlyby the light of Polyphemus.
Her instruments are showing gibberish.
TRUDY
Wellat least they won’t be able to
track us up here. Not this deep in the
vortex.
JAKE
It’s strongest at the Well of Souls
right?
TRUDY
Yeah.
JAKE
Good‘cause that’s where we’re going.
TRUDY
Copy.
He gives Grace an ampule of morphine for the pain.
JAKE
I’m gonna get you some helpGrace.
GRACE
Forget itit doesn’t matter.
Jake grabs her shoulders.
JAKE
No! The People can help you. I know it.
CUT TO:
EXT. WELL OF SOULS - AERIAL - DAWN
Dawn light paints the massive ARCHES of magnetic rock above
the Well of Souls.
Tiny as an insectthe SAMSON passes.
115.
JAKE (V.O.)
The Well of Souls. The heart of the
forest. I knew the People would go
there.
EXT. WELL OF SOULS - DAWN
The WELL OF SOULS is a deep caldera 100 meters across. It is
ringed with enormous WILLOWS whose roots seem to pour down
the sheer rock walls like candle wax.
AT THE BOTTOMin a natural amphitheaterthe Omaticaya
refugees are clustered around a central rock outcropping
which forms a kind of dais and altar.
Shafts of dawn light reach to the bottom of the grotto
lighting a single willow -- the MOTHER TREE. Ancient and
gnarledit grows in the center of the rock.
Its ROOTS spread down to the grotto floorwhere they merge
with the roots of the willows ringing the Well -- forming a
braided mat resembling the surface of a brain.
Mo'at stands on the daisleading them in a CHANT.
MO’AT
(subtitled)
Wise ancestors who live within Eywa
guide us. Give us a sign.
CUT TO:
EXT. FOREST CLEARING - DAWN
The shack descends from the sky like a gift from the gods.
It bumps to the ground.
CUT TO:
INT. SHACK -- DAY
Grace liescomatosein her open link. Trudy gives Jake a
look that says “not much time.” Jake feels Grace’s cold
foreheadthen crosses to his own link.
As Trudy helps him inNorm rapidly preps the system.
NORM
(low)
Tsu’tey is Olo’eyctan now. He’s not
going to let you get near that place.
JAKE
I’ve gotta tryNorm.
116.
Jake pulls the clamshell down and we --
CUT TO:
EXT. RUINS OF HOMETREE - DAY
CU JAKE’S AVATAR -- HIS EYES OPEN. He sits up. The forest is
silentshrouded in smoke that the sun can’t penetrate. The
animals have fled. Ash blows on the wind.
JAKE (V.O.)
Outcast. Betrayer. Alien. To ever face
them againI was gonna have to change
the rules.
DISSOLVE -- JAKE reaches the top of a rise. The forest
beyond is utterly DEVASTATED. The trees burned and fallen.
Small fires still flicker across a landscape in Hell.
JAKE stares. It is his visionmade real.
He stumbles
through the dark wastelandsparks and ash swirling around
him.
A SCREECH. Jake looks up as --
HIS BANSHEE -- bonded for life -- flaps down to a landing in
front of him. He steps to itand strokes its head. It
nudges his chest like a horse.
JAKE (V.O.)
Sometimes your whole life boils down to
one insane move.
JAKE
Come onboy. Time to fly.
OMIITED
EXT. MOUNTAINS - DAY
THE GREAT LEONOPTERYX glides effortlessly along the ridge
where Jake and Neytiri first encountered him.
It scans for prey belowits magnificent indigo-crested head
cocking leftthen right.
JAKE (V.O.)
The way I had it figuredToruk is the
baddest cat in the sky. Nothing attacks
him. So why would he ever look up?
FROM ABOVE -- THE SMALL SHADOW of Jake’s banshee falls across
the back of the mighty Toruk.
117.
JAKE (V.O.)
But that was just a theory.
JAKE DIVES and WE RUSH DOWN toward the great beast and our
own shadow then --
CUT TO:
EXT. WELL OF SOULS - LATE AFTERNOON
The Omaticaya people lift their voices in a SONG filled with
tragic loss and yearning for deliverance.
CLOSE ON NEYTIRIsinging. A SHADOW CROSSES HER FACE. She
looks upand her eyes go wide as --
A TERRIBLE CRY echoesturning all eyes skyward. AN ENORMOUS
SHADOW covers the crowd as --
TORUK comes out of the sunbeating its huge wings to slow
its descent. Its crimson and black wingsbacklit by the
sunseem to glow from within.
The People CRY OUT in alarm and scatter as the dreaded beast
alights in their midst. And that’s when they see --
JAKEriding high on its shouldersplugged-in to its
antenna. It folds its wings and stands calmly amid the
paralyzed Na’vi.
Toruk lowers its body. They stare in awe as Jake dismounts
and strokes the magnificent animal’s flank.
NEYTIRITSU’TEY and MO’AT watch in stunned amazement as the
legendary Rider of Last Shadow walks toward them.
NEYTIRI
(breathing the words)
Toruk Macto.
Neytiri raises her arms.
NEYTIRI
(shouting)
Toruk Macto!
ON THE FACES of the Omaticaya -- new hope dawning in their
eyes. WHISPERS flow among themthe words REPEATED --
CROWD
Toruk Macto... Toruk Macto...
118.
Jake walks through the crowdstraight to Neytiri at the foot
of the dais. He looks into her enormous eyesand the
emotion between them is powerful and pure.
NEYTIRI
I See you.
JAKE
(a hoarse whisper)
I See you.
Neytiri’s eyes brim with tears.
NEYTIRI
I was afraid Jake -- for my people. I’m
not any more.
Jake takes Neytiri’s hand and climbs the steps of the dais.
MO’AT steps back in awe as he approaches. He turns to
Tsu’teywho stares at him with fear and incomprehension.
Jake plays to the rapt crowd as he says --
JAKE
(subtitled)
Tsu’tey of the Rongloason of Ateyo. I
stand before youready to serve the
People.
(then just for Tsu’tey)
You are Olo’eyctanand you are the best
warrior. I can’t do this without you.
Tsu’tey struggles with his emotions. Finally --
TSU’TEY
I will fly with you.
JAKE
Ireiyo.
JAKE turns to the MATRIARCH.
JAKE
Grace is dying. I beg the help of the
Great Mother.
MO'AT
Bring herJakesully.
TIME CUT -- AVATAR JAKE carries Grace’s HUMAN BODYlightly
in his arms like a child. Jake walks through the crowd to
the daisfollowed by NORMwho carries GRACE’S AVATAR.
119.
JAKE
Look where we areGrace.
Her eyes flutter open. She looks up wonderingly at the Mother
Tree.
GRACE
(with a wan smile)
I need to take some samples.
Mo'at directs them to lay both bodies among the roots on the
altar-rock.
Mo’at touches Jake’s shoulder and he steps back.
MO’AT
(quietly)
The Great Mother may choose to save all
that she is --
Mo’at’s hand indicates Grace’s AVATAR --
MO’AT
-- in this body.
CU JAKErealizing the enormity of what she’s saying.
JAKE
Is that possible?
MO’AT
Possibleyes. She must pass through the
Eye of Eywa -- and return. But Jakesully--
she is very weak.
Jake kneels next to Gracetaking her tiny human hand in his
avatar hand.
JAKE
Hang onthey’re gonna fix you up.
Grace is barely conscious. She grips his hand.
GRACE
I -- always held back. But you gave them
your heart. I’m proud of youJake.
Jake feels his throat close with emotion.
Grace’s eyes blaze with intensity though her voice is faint.
120.
GRACE
Help them. You do whatever it takes. You
hear me?
JAKE
I will.
TIME CUT -- MO’AT stands in a kind of trance amongst the
tendrils of the Mother Tree.
NEYTIRI and the other acolytes dance hypnotically. All the
Omaticaya sway and chant to the rhythm of the drums.
MACRO SHOT -- finehairlike THREADS have emerged from the
roots and are gently spreading over Grace’s HUMAN skin.
JAKEstill holding her handwatches her body being fused to
the root-floor by a thousand connections.
GRACE’S AVATAR is gently connected by the same questing ROOT-
CILIA-- they entwine with the QUEUE and spread over the body.
The grotto is dark except for the spectral GLOW of the
willows. The CHANT continueshypnotically. MO’ATon her
knees beneath the Mother Treewrithes her arms in the trance
state. Her eyes are rolled backshowing only WHITE.
GRACE GASPS and her eyes SNAP OPEN. Her expression is AMAZED
as if seeing something so beautiful it can never be
explained.
ON HER HAND -- GRIPPING Jake’s convulsivelyas she tries to
anchor herself to this world for a few more seconds --
GRACE
I’m with her Jake --
(an amazed whisper)
-- she’s real --
Grace SHUDDERSas pain shoots through her. BLOOD seeps
through the silken white root-cilia growing across her
abdomen. Drowning WHITE in shocking CRIMSON.
She exhales a last shuddering breath -- and goes STILL.
JAKE
Grace!
He sees the roots falling away from her human body.
JAKE TURNS hopefully toward her AVATAR -- but the roots are
falling away from it as well. It sleeps -- VACANT.
121.
MO’AT stops the chant. She crosses to Jake and kneels with
himtouching his shoulder.
MO’AT
Her wounds were too greatthere was not
enough time. She is with Eywa now.
NEYTIRI removes Grace’s mask and gently closes her eyes.
Jake stands slowlybarely holding it together.
NEYTIRI comes to him and he sees the despair and hope
conflicting on her face --
-- and he raises his head. TURNS to face TSU’TEY and the
CROWD.
JAKE
With your permissionI will Speak now.
You would honor me by translating.
Tsu’tey gestures assentand they face the clan together.
JAKE SPEAKSthe pain of Grace’s death in the passion and
fury of his voice. Tsu’tey TRANSLATES beside him.
JAKE
The Sky People have sent a message that
they can take whatever they wantand no
one can stop them. But we will send them
a message. Ride outas fast as the wind
can carry youtell the other clans to
come. Tell them Toruk Macto calls to
them. Fly now with me brothers and
sisters! Fly! And we will show the Sky
People that this is our land!
TSU’TEY finishes with a bloodcurdling war-cryand the entire
CLAN respondstheir shouts echoing across the forest.
JAKE takes Neytiri’s hand and runs to the leonopteryx. He
vaults onto its back and pulls her up behind him.
THE HUNTERS run to their bansheesmounting quickly. Jake’s
leonopteryx rises on mighty wings into the night sky. With a
thunder of wingsthe banshees take off after it.
LONG LENS -- POLYPHEMUS. Across its facethe banshees rise
