Once Upon A Time Pilot Page #4

Season #1 Episode #1

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CONTINUED:

HENRY:

We could stop somewhere.

ANNA:

This isn’t a road trip. We’re not

getting snacks. We’re not singing songs and we’re not playing I-Spy.

HENRY (pouty)

Fine.

He takes out his BOOK. Opens it to a picture of Snow and Charming. Anna notices the thing is OLD and HUGE.

ANNA What’s that -- ?

Henry looks up from the book. Oddly CAUTIOUS here.

HENRY:

If I told you -- you wouldn’t

believe me.

ANNA Why not?

HENRY:

I’m not sure you’re ready.

Anna looks over his shoulder, glimpses SNOW and CHARMING --

ANNA:

Ready for some fairy tales?

HENRY (SERIOUS now --)

They’re not fairy tales. They’re real. Every story in this book is true. It actually happened.

ANNA Of course it did.

HENRY:

Use your “super power” and see if

I’m lying.

Anna looks at him. Sh*t. He does seem awfully CONVINCED.

ANNA:

Just because you believe something

don’t make it true.

19.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

HENRY:

That’s exactly what makes it true.

And you should know that more than anyone.

ANNA Why’s that?

HENRY Because you’re in it.

Anna shoots him a look. Oooookay.

ANNA:

Kid, you’ve got problems.

HENRY:

Yup. And you’re gonna fix them.

Anna just shakes her head. Turns up the music on the RADIO. Henry shrugs. Returns to his book, which WE PUSH INTO AND --

INT. DUNGEON - JAILER’S OFFICE - FAIRY TALE LAND

We’re in the “office” of the dungeon’s JAILER. Lit by torches, we see the old JAILER, a serious man ravaged by years of terrible responsibility. He wears a hooded robe and looks distressed as he greets Snow and Charming.

JAILER M’lord, M’lady. In good

conscience, I must advise against this.

SNOW:

Your objection is noted.

Her meaning is clear. Whatever they’re here for, they’re DOING. He hands over TWO HOODED ROBES.

JAILER:

Put these on. We can’t have him

see your faces.

SNOW Why not?

JAILER:

We must take every precaution. The

first line of defense is anonymity.

As they put the ROBES on over their clothes, the jailer pulls up his own hood, obscuring his face, as he explains --

20.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

JAILER:

When we approach the cell, stay out

of the light. And whatever you do, do not let him know your name.

(ominous)

If he knows your name, he will have power over you.

Charming looks to Snow at THAT --

CHARMING:

Why did I let you talk me into

this?

SNOW Because you love me.

CHARMING My fatal flaw.

The Jailer levels Snow with a serious GAZE --

JAILER:

He is right to be wary. None have

been filled with more regret than those who have spoken to Rumplestiltskin.

And now we know who they’re going to see... RUMPLESTILTSKIN. Snow is undeterred.

SNOW:

I’ll take my chances.

INT. DUNGEON - FAIRY TALE LAND

INKY BLACKNESS. Silence. And then a CLANKING SOUND. Like a MASSIVE LOCK being turned. And then we hear the creaking of ancient wood being pulled. Moonlight spills in and we see we’re in a dark, dank hallway. TORCHLIGHTS enter. The flames light the musty air, illuminating a narrow cobblestone passageway beneath the castle. Charming steps in, Snow at his side. They move through the long hallway, escorted by the jailer. As they move, we hear OMINOUS WHISTLING. Snow tries to mask her fear, but this IS getting to her.

They reach a CELL at the end of the hall. Bathed in darkness except for a ribbon of MOON LIGHT that streams in from a lone window. The ribbon of light forms a dividing line outside the cell, where Snow and Charming wait. The whistling STOPS.

21.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

JAILER:

Rumplestiltskin. I have a question

for you.

And then an eerie, deranged, VOICE speaks out of the darkness.

VOICE (O.S.) No you don’t.

From behind the bar, a FIGURE steps forward into the LIGHT, revealing RUMPLESTILTSKIN. Gnomish, intense, and CRAZY.

RUMPLESTILTSKIN They do. Snow White. Prince

Charming. You insult me. Step into the light and take off those ridiculous robes. If I wanted to harm you, it would have already happened.

Sh*t. Snow and Charming step forward. Lower their hoods.

RUMPLESTILTSKIN Ah, much better.

CHARMING:

We need to ask you about --

RUMPLESTILTSKIN:

-- Yes, yes, yes. I know why

you’re here.

Rumple leaps up to his feet with surprising agility. Slinks to the bars. Snow steps back. Charming tenses.

RUMPLESTILTSKIN:

It’s about the Queen’s threat. You

wish to know if it’s empty, yes?

SNOW:

Tell us what you know.

RUMPLESTILTSKIN:

Aren’t we tense? Fear not, for I

can ease your mind. (beat)

But it will cost you something in return.

CHARMING:

No. You’re never getting out of

here.

22.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

And he laughs a maniacal laugh.

RUMPLESTILTSKIN Out!?! OUT? It’s too late for

that. What I want -- what I need -- is something for a rainy day.

CHARMING:

This is a waste of time --

But Snow is determined. Stares right at Rumple.

SNOW What do you want?

Rumple grins -- the bait is taken.

RUMPLESTILTSKIN:

The name of your unborn child.

CHARMING Absolutely (f***ing) not!

But Snow -- she needs to know.

SNOW Deal. Now tell us.

Charming shoots her a look as Rumple leans up as close to the bars as he can get. Presses his face between the narrow slit. Bares his blackened, jagged teeth as he speaks --

RUMPLESTILTSKIN:

The queen has created a powerful

curse. And it’s coming. It won’t just affect this land. It will touch all the lands... Soon there will be no more magic. Soon you’ll all be in a prison. Just like me. Only worse. Your prison -- all of our prisons -- will be time.

CHARMING He speaks nonsense.

RUMPLESTILTSKIN:

If only it were nonsense. Time

will stop and we will all be trapped. Suffering for eternity as the Queen celebrates. Victorious at last.

(beat; sinister) No more happy endings.

23.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

SNOW What... can we do?

RUMPLESTILTSKIN We can’t do anything.

SNOW Then who can?

Rumple reaches his hand through the bars. His long, dirty, fingernails heading for Snow’s STOMACH --

RUMPLESTILTSKIN:

That little thing growing inside

your belly.

Charming SWATS his hand back with the butt of his sword.

CHARMING Next time I cut it off.

RUMPLESTILTSKIN:

Your infant is our only hope. Get

the child to safety and...

Rumple CLOSES his EYES. CONCENTRATES HARD. Sweat pouring down his brow -- he’s LOOKING INTO THE FUTURE.

RUMPLESTILTSKIN ...and... on its twenty-eighth

birthday... the child will return. The child will find you and...

Rumple’s eyes FLY OPEN. Bloodshot and insane.

RUMPLESTILTSKIN The final battle will begin.

Let that sink in. Digest it. Believe it. But Charming shakes his head --

CHARMING:

I’ve heard enough, we’re leaving.

He starts to pull Snow away from the cell. Rumple starts bouncing up and down.

RUMPLESTILTSKIN:

Our deal! We had a deal! Her

name! I neeeeeeeed her naaaaaaaaaame!

Charming stops short, shakes his head.

24.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

CHARMING:

Her? You’re mistaken. It’s going

to be a boy.

Rumple ignores him, stares at Snow.

RUMPLESTILTSKIN:

Missy, you know I’m right. What’s

her name?

As Charming pulls Snow down the hall she stops. Holds her belly. And deep down she does know he’s right. She stares at him and answers --

SNOW:

Anna. Her name is Anna.

OFF THAT, SMASH CUT TO --

INT. ANNA’S CAR - HIGHWAY - NIGHT

ANNA. Listening to the SONG on the radio. Driving down the dark highway. Henry sits with his book. ON a PICTURE of Snow White and Rumplestiltskin. He closes the book. Looks up through the window. Then at Anna. He SMILES.

Anna feels the smile, looks down at him.

ANNA:

What’re you grinning about?

Henry’s smile widens even further. As if he alone possesses a secret he is just ITCHING to share. And then, JOYFUL --

HENRY We’re here.

OUTSIDE -- ON THE HIGHWAY.

The car WHIZZES by. CAMERA HOLDS ON -- a sign by the edge of the road. Wooden. Old. And reading:

25.

“Welcome To Storybrooke”

END OF ACT TWO:

CUT TO BLACK.

ACT THREE:

INT. CASTLE - WAR ROOM - FAIRY TALE LAND

CLOSE ON a wood table. A FIST slams down on it. It shudders mightily as we ARM UP TO Charming. FULLY AMPED.

CHARMING I say we fight!

WIDEN TO REVEAL a “War room.” A council has been assembled. KNIGHTS. The DWARVES. The HUNTSMEN. JIMINY CRICKET (CGI or animated). Snow sits next to Charming, holding her belly. Looking terribly worried. The cricket shakes its head.

CRICKET:

Fighting never accomplished

anything.

CHARMING:

And how many wars has a clear

conscience won?

CRICKET:

Fighting is not only wrong. It’s

futile. Perhaps we can negotiate --

CHARMING:

Clearly you haven’t met the Queen.

We need to take her out before she can inflict her curse.

MURMURS rise up. Blood is boiling. Snow speaks up.

SNOW:

Jiminy’s right. We can’t win.

DOC:

Can we even trust Rumplestiltskin?

CHARMING:

I sent my men into the forest. The

animals are all abuzz with the Queen’s plan. It’s going to happen. To deny it would be the end of us all. There must be something we can do. Good can’t just... lose.

SNOW Maybe it can.

26.

(CONTINUED)

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