Kubo and the Two Strings Page #17

Kubo reaches in the rubble and frees the helmet. *

KAMEYO (O.S.) *

Kubo? Is that you? *

The voice surprises him. He turns around. *

From somewhere across the other side of the main street, a

soot-stained face peeks out from the charred ruin of a house.

It is Kameyo, and she watches the unfolding scene with wide

eyes. *

Behind Kameyo are Hosato with Mari, and other familiar faces *

looking at him with awestruck curiosity. *

KUBO *

You have to leave this place. The *

Moon King, he is coming. *

The survivors see the look on his face and don’t ask

questions. They hurry through the market place toward the

gate out of town.

Kubo waits a moment for them to leave, puts on the helmet and *

then takes a deep breath. His hand tightens its grip on the *

sword hilt, and he looks up at the full moon hanging *

ominously in the sky. Unblinking. *

KUBO (CONT’D)

GRANDFATHER! IT’S ME! KUBO! I KNOW

YOU CAN SEE ME!

There’s a moment of silence as the echoes of his shout

dissipate, and Kubo whirls around to confront the BLIND OLD

MAN from his dream. Now he wears regal robes that glow in the

moonlight.

GRANDFATHER:

Hello, Grandson. It’s so good to

see you at last. So to speak.

He CHUCKLES. Gentle. Winsome. Utterly insincere. *

Kubo picks up a rock. *

DRAFT:
01.05.16

KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS

82/92

GRANDFATHER (CONT’D) *

And I see you found the armor.

Seems your mother had a reason to *

bring you to this dreadful place

after all.

Kubo throws the rock at Grandfather. *

Grandfather’s hand snatches the rock out of the air as it *

comes at him. *

GRANDFATHER (CONT’D) *

I see. *

His face still placid, he calmly squeezes up his fist and *

crushes the projectile to dust. *

KUBO:

I know you do. That’s how this all

began. You finally saw me. That was

my fault. I should have listened to

my parents. *

GRANDFATHER:

Kubo, we both want the exact same *

thing.

KUBO:

You want to take my other eye.

That’s what you want.

GRANDFATHER:

Well, yes, but do you know why I

want it?

KUBO *

Because you’re old, and mean, and *

cruel. *

He takes a breath and smiles affably.

GRANDFATHER:

Oh now, that’s a little harsh. As *

long as you cling to that silly,

useless eye, you can’t come up to

live with me in the heavens.

Grandfather keeps moving closer to Kubo as he speaks.

GRANDFATHER (CONT’D)

You’ll be stuck down here in this

hell. Staring with that lonely eye

at hate and heartache and suffering

and death.

(MORE)

DRAFT:
01.05.16

KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS

83/92

GRANDFATHER (CONT’D)

Where I want to take you we have *

none of those things. It will just

be you with your family. Where you

belong.

KUBO:

My family is gone. You killed them. *

GRANDFATHER *

No! They brought their fates upon *

themselves. They disgraced me and *

upset the order of everything.

KUBO:

That’s how your story goes.

GRANDFATHER:

Oh, Kubo. When you’re up there with

me you will be beyond stories. You

will be immortal. You will be...

infinite. *

KUBO *

No, you’re wrong. Not infinite. All *

stories have an end. *

Grandfather narrows his eyes. We get the sense he will only

play this game so long. He’s starting to look a little pale *

and more... wrinkly... than before. Grandfather’s skin is *

slowly taking on the appearance of a milky cataract-like

shell. Cracks on his face splinter across the surface like

shattered glass. *

GRANDFATHER:

Is that right? And how does this *

story end? *

Kubo fixes his grandfather with a look filled with fire.

KUBO:

I kill you!

Kubo raises up his sword, ready for battle.

GRANDFATHER *

Oh, very well. Is this your wish? *

To do battle with the hideous *

monster who ruined your life? To *

prove your worth like your doomed *

father? How mortal. *

(3400 SHO) SHOWDOWN

DRAFT:
01.05.16

KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS

84/92

EXT. CENTRAL AVENUE - NIGHT

Grandfather throws open his arms and his entire body breaks

apart like a cocoon. We see the blur of a hideous head

trailing a long serpentine body as it launches a hundred feet

into the air. Seeming smaller than ever, Kubo stands there

looking up at this towering beast.

The Moon Beast LAUGHS, shaking the very foundation of the

devastated village.

Kubo YELLS, and runs at the beast, sword held high.

It lunges down at him, fangs bared. Kubo leaps, spinning over

its head and slashing at its pearly white flesh. The sword

connects with a flash of sparks, like metal on metal.

The beast recoils, but whether it’s out of pain or surprise

is not immediately clear. Kubo is upon it again, a dazzling

barrage of blows forcing the monster further back.

Gaining the advantage, Kubo lunges with his sword, slicing

deep into the creature’s vast white eye. The beast ROARS and

thrashes, its enormous tail decimating a scorched building

behind it.

Furious, the beast twists around and comes at Kubo. He ducks

through a charred doorway and somersaults out of a window,

the creature bulldozing the entire building behind him.

Kubo jumps and weaves as the monster lashes out. Each time he

evades its claws or maw, he scores a hit with his sword.

The beast relentlessly pursues him through the blackened

shells of ruined homes. Despite his agility and tenacity,

Kubo is running out of breath. It seems he’s fighting a

losing battle.

Exhausted, he stumbles, and the beast’s jaws lock down around

his body. The armor buckles and cracks around him, and Kubo

is spat out, SMASHING through the remains of a wall.

Painfully, Kubo crawls back onto his feet, bruised and

bloodied.

The creature snaps its tail like a whip, coiling around

Kubo’s body and pulling him up in front of its terrible face.

The spiky tip of its tail hooks under the lip of Kubo’s

helmet and flips it off his head.

Giant tendrils of saliva fly out of its mouth as it hisses...

DRAFT:
01.05.16

KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS

85/92

MOON BEAST:

You want to be human? Then share

their weakness!

The tail around Kubo squeezes tight, crushing him.

MOON BEAST (CONT’D)

Suffer their humiliation!

The spiky tail tears the patch off Kubo’s face.

MOON BEAST (CONT’D)

Feel their pain!

The beast throws Kubo contemptuously to the ground. He lands

in the dust beside the Sword Unbreakable.

As Kubo goes for it the Moon Beast strikes him with its

enormous tail, flinging him like a rag doll through the air.

(3500 T2S) THE 2 STRINGS

EXT. CEMETERY - CONTINUOUS

Kubo CRASHES through branches and bushes, cartwheeling

through the undergrowth leading down to the riverside

cemetery outside the village.

He eventually comes to a stop, barely conscious. His bag

lands nearby, its contents strewn around him.

In the distance we hear the Moon Beast ROAR as it smashes

through the village on its way to finish Kubo off.

Kubo blinks. Slowly pulls himself off the ground.

He reaches out for his sword. From beneath his robe sleeve

the two bracelets around his wrist are exposed. His mother’s

hair and Beetle’s bow string.

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