Flash Gordon Page #12

Season #8

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They come upon a grated VENTILATION shaft. THUN puts his paws up to it.

THUN:

Feel that? Air being vented out of the palace. This is how we get in.

THUN removes the grate and he and FLASH enter the VENTILATION SHAFT.

WHIPE TO:

INT. LOWER LEVELS – MINGO CITY

The HIGH PRIEST stands in front of the statue of Tao with arms outstretched.

HIGH PRIEST:

Oh mighty Tao, destroyer of worlds, creator of the infinite, bless this alien and consummate the wedding between Emperor Ming the Merciless and the earth girl, Dale Arden. Bring forth your dark shadow and reveal to us if this wedding shall bear fruit in your all-seeing eyes.

DALE is being strapped into the SINISTER-looking MACHINE. Needles, probes, and thick black cables surround its dull chrome chassis.

DALE:

Let me go, you bastards! I’m not marrying him!

TORGO activates the “de-humanizer”. It emits a low hum followed by clicks and whirs. Enormous bolts of electricity arc around DALE as TORGO adjusts the CONTROLS. From an ELECTRODE, a pulsating beam of light ENTERS DALE’S FOREHEAD.

TORGO reads spinning dials and flashing buttons.

TORGO:

By the Shades, her resistance is amazing!

DALE:

Fla...Flash...

HIGH PRIEST:

Crank it up to ten!

TORGO turns a dial and the tesla-like electricity along with the strobing beam INTENSIFIES as incandescent rings of light strobe up and down DALE’s body a la Fritz Lang’s robot scene from METROPOLIS. DALE screams!

WHIPE TO:

INT. MING’S LABORATORY – MINGO CITY

ZARKOV and a WHITE COATED SCIENTIST work on some bubbling test tubes. Suddenly, the GRATE on the wall CRASHES off and FLASH steps through followed by THUN.

FLASH:

Zarkov!

ZARKOV:

Mein Gott! Flash! You’re still alive!!

FLASH:

That’s right. I had some help.

(to THUN)

This is Thun, a friend.

ZARKOV nods at THUN, then grabs FLASH by the arm.

ZARKOV:

Flash! The course of this planet has been altered! The earth will not be destroyed.

FLASH:

Finally some good news out of this nightmare. Dale! Where’s Dale?

ZARKOV:

Ming has ordered her prepared for some ordeal. The High Priest came here to report to Ming and I believe Ming is going to force Dale to become his wife.

FLASH:

What?! We have to find her at once!

They hear a SOUND as the large monitor on the wall comes to life. A b/w static image of TORGO appears. Behind him, we can see a hypnotized DALE as light rings strobe up and down her torso. The HIGH PRIEST is in front of the altar, gesticulating and babbling incoherent religious prattle.

TORGO:

The earthgirl is stubborn. However, inform his majesty she will fully succumb to the transformation in a matter of a few more minutes.

Ballistic at seeing DALE in her state, FLASH leaps onto the MINGO SCIENTIST and begins to throttle him in a choke hold. The sickly-looking SCIENTIST gags.

FLASH:

Take me to the High Priest!

SCIENTIST:

I will not! The passage to the Temple of Tao is guarded by Gorgoth!

FLASH tightens his grip. THUN roars threateningly in the SCIENTISTS’ terrified face.

FLASH:

Goddamn it! Take me there, now!

SCIENTIST:

I will lead you to the tunnel, but shall not enter!

ZARKOV:

I will join you!

FLASH:

No, Thun and I will go. That air vent is our only secure way out of here. You stay here and we’ll be back.

FLASH, THUN, and the SCIENTIST exit the lab.

WHIPE TO:

INT. TUNNEL OF TERROR – MINGO CITY

FLASH, THUN, and the captured SCIENTIST creep down a flight of stairs. The SCIENTIST leads them to a large STEEL DOOR.

SCIENTIST:

(to FLASH)

What strange manner of mutant are you? And in league with a lionman? You are like nothing I’ve experimented on.

THUN:

And, you’ve experimented on every living thing, haven’t you?

SCIENTIST:

Only those test subjects who furnished me with the scientific knowledge I require. Like you and your lionmen, Prince Thun.

THUN:

So, you know who I am.

SCIENTIST:

Indeed. And your attack on Mingo City and allegiance with this alien mutant will only bring down Ming’s wrath upon your kingdom like a death hammer.

THUN:

Ming and I will settle our differences in due time.

SCIENTIST:

(to FLASH)

And who are you? Whence you came?

FLASH:

From earth.

SCIENTIST:

Ah, yes, indeed, Ming’s current conquest. I look forward to dissecting your people. To see what interesting altercations I can devise with your alien DNA.

(the SCIENTIST stops at a HUGE STEEL DOOR)

Who you seek lies beyond this door. Beware! The tunnel is guarded by a foul beast who devours man-flesh! The Gorgoth! I will not enter!

THUN growls, lifts his ray rifle, and CUTS the SCIENTIST in half. FLASH watches in disgust as the two halves of the corpse slide to the floor.

THUN:

Then your usefulness has expired!

FLASH:

Damn. Remind me to never piss you off.

THUN glances nervously at the HUGE, STEEL DOOR.

THUN:

I have heard talk of a savage beast who prowls these foul catacombs, earthman. With teeth like six-inch daggers that can rip through the strongest of armor.

FLASH:

I won’t judge you if you fall back.

THUN:

And leave you the glory of striking a blow at Ming alone? Where you go, I follow, earthman!

FLASH nods. He pulls a lever on the wall and the large door slides open. THUN and FLASH stand at the entrance. It is VERY DARK. From the gloom, we see it is a vast HALL OF COLUMNS. At the far end is another hallway leading to a HUGE SET OF DOUBLE DOORS.

INT. HALL OF COLUMNS – TUNNEL OF TERROR – MINGO CITY

ANGLE ON:
A LONG SOLEMN HALL with ROWS OF BLACK MARBLE PILLARS. Between the pillars stands a silent company of STATUES carved in cold STONE. FLASH and THUN run across the dimness of the hall. Out of the SHADOWS jump six ARMORED MEN.

ARMORED MAN CAPTAIN:

There they are! Take the blond-haired savage alive! Kill the lionman!

Four of the ARMORED MEN rush THUN. They draw their swords. THUN fires the rifle and kills one of the ARMORED MEN. One knocks the rifle out of his grip. THUN spins and claws at the ARMORED MAN. The other two attack from BEHIND. THUN throws the mutilated man at them. THUN roars and leaps at the two, knocking the sword out of one’s hands.

FLASH punches one ARMORED MAN and he goes down. He drops his sword. FLASH retrieves it and fights the other ARMORED MAN in a sword fight.

In an expert move, FLASH cuts down the ARMORED MAN he is fighting, runs over to THUN, and slices at one of the ARMORED MEN who is attacking THUN. THUN grabs one of the ARMORED MEN, lifts him above his head, and glares at FLASH.

THUN:

Go on ahead! I can handle them! Save your friend!

FLASH races with a sword in hand to the set of huge double doors. HE can hear the muffled sound of popping electricity and the screams of DALE from the other side. FLASH sees a lever jutting out of the wall. He pulls it. The double doors open. He enters.

INT. TUNNEL OF TERROR – MINGO CITY

FLASH stumbles blindly down the ANCIENT STAIRS, reckless.

CLOSE ON:
FLASH'S FOOT slips... SUDDENLY, as if the ground has given way beneath him, FLASH is slipping and sliding dangerously OUT OF CONTROL.

ANGLE ON:
FLASH thudding into the BONE-COVERED rock floor, which saves him from tumbling headlong over a PRECIPICE.

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