Batman Page #35

JOKER (cont.)

Why, Bruce...

Then he hears ticking.

Looks down at the flashing digital display on BRUCE's belt.

0:
26 seconds. 0:25 seconds.

He SHRIEKS HORRIFICALLY and DROPS THE RAZOR.

BRUCE won't let go of him. Finally he manages to lurch

convulsively away, sprawling on the floor of the belfry.

BRUCE is wearing a great big Joker smile.

JOKER (cont.)

IT'S NOT FUNNY!!!

BRUCE:

No... sense... of humor?

The JOKER reaches out for the ticking time bomb. Thinks

better of it and retracts his shaking hand.

He can see the copter approaching now, slicing through the

clouds. He screams, waves a flashlight in the air: his

signal beacon. 0:20 and counting.

The JOKER scans the belltower frantically. His eyes fall on

the trapdoor. He races over, flings it open, starts down

the stairs in a frenzy.

There are no stairs. They've collapsed. 0:16 and

counting.

Screaming insanely, the JOKER vaults through the door and

makes for the open stone archway. The copter is directly

overhead now. A rope ladder drops from its belly.

EXT. BELLTOWER - THAT MOMENT

The helicopter descends, its whirling blades stirring up a

windstorm on the roof of the old abandoned cathedral. DEAD

LEAVES rise and swirl in the churning air.

INT. BELLTOWER

The JOKER makes a futile grab at the rope ladder, almost

losing his purchase on the archway parapet. He gestures

wildly for the copter to make another pass. 0:12 to go.

EXT. BELLTOWER

A maelstrom of swirling leaves. And now, among the leaves

-- roused from their resting place in the rotten rafters of

the old cathedral --

-- A HORDE OF SQUEALING, CHITTERING BATS!! Filling the air

like a black cloud, HUNDREDS OF THEM, taking flight in

blind uncomprehending fury --

INT. BELLTOWER

The JOKER leaps into empty space, grabs hold of the ladder,

cackles in mad triumph --

-- AND SUDDENLY THE BELLTOWER IS FULL OF BATS. A SCREECHING

SWARM, HIDEOUS, BLACK-WINGED -- SWOOPING THROUGH THE

ARCHWAYS DIRECTLY AT THE JOKER --

-- WHO SCREAMS IN TERROR -- LETS GO OF THE LADDER --

-- and plunges into the night.

TIGHT ON BATMAN. Six seconds remain. There is still time if

he makes his choice now.

Surrounded by the flapping of leathery wings, his body

working on pure adrenalin, he unbuckles the belt. Lurches

into position. Heaves it out into the darkness.

It snags on the bottom rung of the dangling rope ladder.

INT. HELICOPTER - POV CO-PILOT

The CO-PILOT is hanging out one side of the copter, just

enough to see what's going on.

CO-PILOT

PULL UP!! PULL --

EXT. CHURCHYARD - OVERHEAD ANGLE

It's as if time has stopped. The world has grown suddenly

silent. We're looking down at the JOKER, whose body lies

splayed and broken on the flagstone surface of the

churchyard. Slowly, elegantly -- we have all the time in

the world, now -- we DRIFT DOWNWARD, closer, until his FACE

FILLS THE SCREEN, the familiar chilling grin still intact.

Sad clown, A-one crazy boy, staring aimlessly at the stars.

Suddenly his face is bathed in a brilliant gasoline GLOW.

POV JOKER:

Looking up he sees a beautiful display of fireworks,

bursting and burning, spirals of color snaking through the

sky as the helicopter explodes in eerie silence.

REVERSE ANGLE - THE JOKER'S FACE

It's all so lovely. The JOKER's expression is happy, almost

childlike, as he gazes up at this private show. Gradually,

though, the bright colors fade; and the JOKER's face begins

to relax, the twisted grin dissolving at last as darkness

sets in.

FADE THROUGH TO:

INT. TELEVISION STUDIO - NIGHT

AN ANCHORWOMAN delivering an oncamera EDITORIAL.

ANCHORWOMAN:

As the details of the Joker's

heinous plan become known, a city's

gratitude goes out to the mysterious

Batman. His whereabouts remain

unknown, but Batman -- if you're

alive -- if you're listening --

thank you.

EXT. CEMETERY - DAY

VICKI at a fresh gravesite. She places a FLORAL ARRANGEMENT

in the urn at the head of the grave; stands back to examine

it; then bends once more to reposition the drooping

flowers.

VICKI:

I loved you too.

As soon as the words come out, she begins to CRY. Then she

gets hold of herself; rises; turns up her collar; and goes.

The headstone reads: "ALEXANDER KNOX, 1956-1987."

INT. WAYNE MANOR - STUDY - DAY

ALFRED, in his apron, on the phone.

ALFRED:

No, Mr. Wayne is in Thailand. I'm

afraid he's quite unreachable.

INT. WAYNE MANOR - DAY

The glass-enclosed room which houses BRUCE's Olympic-sized

SWIMMING POOL. Outside, snow is falling.

In the pool, on an inflatable rubber raft, is BRUCE WAYNE.

Beside him, waist-deep is the water, is VICKI -- helping

him rehabilitate his leg and shoulder.

VICKI:

I don't know why I'm doing this. I

half wish you'd stay a cripple.

BRUCE:

Ohhhh... you don't mean that.

VICKI:

(grasping for words)

I don't, but... I do. It's just... I

love you, Bruce. I --

BRUCE:

(taking her hand)

Vicki. Do you love half of me? Or

all of me?

A hard question for VICKI to answer. She thinks it over for

several beats, then SMILES... SLOWLY, SADLY.

VICKI:

I guess you did it, didn't you. You

saved everyone.

(pause)

Almost.

For a moment he stares deeply into her eyes. Then he pulls

her over, takes her in a tight embrace.

BRUCE:

I don't know how to explain this so

it makes sense... but you saved

me.

INT. BATCAVE - THAT MOMENT - DAY

DICK GRAYSON stands at the brink of the bottomless pit and

looks up at the GYMNAST'S RINGS suspended overhead. He sets

his jaw and then -- with only a moment's hesitation --

LEAPS INTO THE VOID.

His hands find the rings. He launches himself HIGH INTO THE

AIR and does a spectacular TRIPLE SOMERSAULT, catching the

rings on his way down.

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