Kubo and the Two Strings Page #8

MONKEY:

Tread carefully, Kubo. This isn’t

one of your stories.

Kubo doesn’t like hearing this. He lags behind, clambering up

the broken nose to the eye socket of a wind-worn face. *

KUBO:

How do you know? Maybe it is. And

I’m the valiant hero. And you’re

the mean monkey. *

Her back to him, Monkey just continues walking.

MONKEY:

You may think you’re the great

hero, but heroes come and go. Any *

moment, something terrible could

come out of nowhere and...

She turns her head to confront Kubo and trails off. The huge

eye socket is empty and Kubo is nowhere to be seen.

KUBO (O.S.) *

MONKEYYY! *

Hearing Kubo in danger, Monkey gives a YELL of primal fury, *

and darts across the rocks toward the statue. *

MONKEY:

Kubo! *

She peers down into the hollow head, catching a glimpse of *

Kubo, twenty feet below, being dragged down a sheer bank of

ice descending into the shadowy bowels of the earth. *

Monkey doesn’t hesitate and jumps down into the darkness *

after him. *

(1800 MEB) MEET BEETLE

INT. UNDERGROUND TUNNELS - CONTINUOUS

Monkey slides down the incline into a series of ancient

caverns carved with the faces of gods long since forgotten.

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Spotting Kubo and kidnapper in the distance, she takes off

again, a breakneck pursuit through a dank, crumbling

labyrinth that hasn’t heard footfalls for hundreds of years.

Eventually, Monkey turns a corner and skids to a sudden stop.

INT. BEETLE’S CAMP - CONTINUOUS

Crouching in front of her is the creature. Part giant beetle,

part human, shell mimicking the silhouette of samurai armor.

Monkey gives a furious ROAR and rushes toward the creature.

KUBO:

MONKEY! WAIT!

Kubo suddenly steps out of the darkness right in front of

her, hands raised, causing her to stop in her tracks.

KUBO (CONT’D)

He wasn’t trying to hurt me. He

just wanted... Hanzo.

Kubo motions down to the beetle and it becomes clear the

creature was not crouching low to fight, but to get a better

look at Little Hanzo, there on the ground.

BEETLE:

(muttering to himself)

Hanzo? Hanzo...

Monkey, still wild-eyed and catching her breath, glares from

Kubo to the creature.

MONKEY:

I still think I am going to stab

him.

They watch as Beetle, utterly transfixed, reaches out a claw

to gently touch Hanzo Origami. The figure seems to like him,

strolling right on to his arm.

KUBO:

Why must you always assume the

worst?

MONKEY:

Well, pardon me for misjudging this

giant, spiky, insect-monster that

just kidnapped you.

Kubo ignores her. He’s watching Beetle intently.

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BEETLE:

Hanzo! Yes! I remember him. I think

maybe... he was my master!

KUBO:

What? What did you say?

For the first time, Beetle appears to register Kubo and

Monkey’s presence. He looks up at them, and there’s something

a little unhinged about his eyes.

BEETLE:

We had a crest! A samurai crest!

He suddenly leaps up and enthusiastically digs into the pile

of scavenged objects, pulling loose the fabric which he

flourishes in front of Kubo and Monkey. It’s a large samurai

war banner, emblazoned with the familiar beetle emblem.

BEETLE (CONT’D)

Have you seen this crest before?

Wordlessly, Kubo turns to show Beetle the same crest on the

back of his robe. Beetle’s eyes light up with excitement.

BEETLE (CONT’D)

THIS IS A MIRACLE! YOU HAVE OUR

ROBES! YOU’RE WEARING OUR ROBES!

(suddenly suspicious)

Why are you wearing our robes?

Before Kubo can answer, Monkey interrupts.

MONKEY:

He doesn’t have to answer your

questions. Anyway, who are you?

BEETLE:

Many years ago I was cursed,

trapped in this cursed state.

Cursed to wander the Farlands.

Cursed! Or Cur-sed.

As Beetle talks, Kubo casts a curious eye over the scattered

objects. Many have the beetle crest on them. He admires a bow

and arrow leaning against the wall.

BEETLE (CONT’D)

No comrades. No master. Not even a

name or a single memory of the

noble warrior I once was.

KUBO:

You used to be a man?

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BEETLE:

Not just any man... a samurai! I

mean, I’m pretty certain. Look, I

have the stuff.

(trails off)

I mean, I’m either a samurai or a

really bad hoarder.

(rallies)

Either way, inside my thorax beats

the heart of a warrior!

MONKEY:

(still suspicious)

If you have no memory, how can you

be certain of anything?

BEETLE:

Because I get... flashes. They come

about from objects I find on my

travels. Or sometimes it’s a sound.

Or a smell.

Monkey SNIFFS the air.

MONKEY:

(mutters)

You must get a lot of flashes.

Beetle looks sadly at Little Hanzo on his shoulder.

BEETLE:

But the memories, they fade, and

all I’m left with is the sense that

I was once part of something much

greater.

Kubo looks up at Beetle sympathetically, and then turns to

Monkey with a pleading face.

KUBO:

Monkey! Can I tell him?

MONKEY:

I really don’t think that’s a good

idea...

RAPID CUTTING between Kubo and Monkey:

KUBO MONKEY (CONT'D)

He has a right... Absolutely not!

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KUBO MONKEY (CONT'D)

But... No buts!

KUBO MONKEY (CONT'D)

I... No!

Kubo opens his mouth. Monkey holds up a finger.

BEETLE:

What? Tell me what?

Kubo turns very deliberately to face Beetle.

KUBO:

Hanzo was my father.

MONKEY:

KUBO!

Beetle’s eyes are wide.

BEETLE:

Ha! This is a miracle! I HAVE FOUND

THE SON OF MY MASTER!

Beetle scoops Kubo up into an ecstatic hug, dancing him

around in a circle, then goes to do the same with Monkey.

MONKEY:

Don’t even.

He decides against it and goes and hugs Kubo again instead,

then abruptly drops to his knee in front of the boy.

BEETLE:

Whatever brings you to these lands,

whatever your quest, it is now my

quest too. I will join you. I’ll

give my life for you if necessary!

KUBO:

Wow. You will?

BEETLE:

(nodding vigorously)

What? Do you think that’s possible?

I mean, I know how quests go.

People die all the time. They drop

like flies. But that doesn’t

matter, because I have a feeling *

this... is my destiny!

DRAFT:
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KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS

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MONKEY:

No it isn’t! We can’t trust

anything you say, because you can’t *

trust anything you say! We don’t

know anything about you!

Kubo plucks a few notes on his shamisen and a paper bird

flies in between Monkey and Beetle to get their attention.

KUBO:

Monkey, you said it yourself, our

quest is a difficult one. A

samurai, even a cursed one with no

memory that looks like a bug, could

be helpful.

BEETLE:

Yes, I am certain I could be

helpful! Indispensable!

MONKEY:

In what way?!

Snatching up his bow & arrow, Beetle suddenly launches an

arrow into the wall.

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