by Ian Doescher
THANOS
Where do you think he brought you, pompous one?
STRANGE
A guess I’ll proffer—this must be thy home? 10
THANOS
Once, yea, it was. And lo, ’twas beauteous.
[Thanos uses the Reality Stone to return Titan to its full glory.
Like many planets, Titan had its problems—
Too many mouths, too little food to give.
When we were facing our extinction certain,
I offer’d a solution to my people. 15
STRANGE
Thou offer’dst genocide.
THANOS
—Yet randomly,
Dispassionate, for rich and poor alike.
To be dubb’d madman was my recompense.
Then, what I had predicted came to pass.
[Thanos returns Titan to its current state.
STRANGE
Congratulations! Thou a prophet art. 20
THANOS
Nay, a survivor.
STRANGE
—Who would murder trillions.
THANOS
With all six Stones, my fingers I could snap,
And in a flash they would cease to exist.
’Tis quick, ’tis simple—mercy is the word.
STRANGE
Thereafter, what dost thou imagine, eh? 25
THANOS
I’ll gladly rest from ev’ry harsh endeavor
And watch the sun rise on a universe
That bursteth forth in joyful melody,
The gratitude of all giv’n unto me.
The hardest choices need the strongest wills. 30
STRANGE
Methinks thou shalt find our will equals thine!
THANOS
What means this our?
[Stark emerges, dropping a pylon on Thanos.
STARK
—Indeed, a piece of cake
Was here serv’d with a steely cherry top.
QUILL
But only if thy goal was anger new,
For this cake eater’s not so simply stopp’d. 35
[Thanos turns the pylon into flying creatures and sends them swooping toward Stark, who is knocked away. Parker flies toward Thanos and hits him in the eye with webbing, while Drax appears and cuts Thanos’s leg. All fight Thanos, who throws them aside. Quill jumps and places a bomb on Thanos’s back, which explodes and knocks Thanos down.
STRANGE
[to his cloak:] Go quickly, let the brute shut not his fist!
[The cloak flies and wraps itself around Thanos’s hand. Helped by Strange’s portals, Parker appears in various places, striking Thanos.
PARKER
[to Thanos:] I magic use to hit thee, filthy villain!
A magic kick, and then a magic—ah!
[Thanos grabs Parker and slams him to the ground.
THANOS
You insect vile!
[Thanos throws Parker into Strange and rips the cloak from his fist. Stark reappears, shooting bombs at Thanos.
STARK
—Incineration, ha!
Mayhap a pyre shall be thy rightful end! 40
[Thanos gathers the fire around him into his glove and shoots it back at Stark.
A SHIP APPEARS, KNOCKING THANOS OVER. ENTER NEBULA, EXITING THE SHIP.
THANOS
Well! Daughter traitorous.
NEBULA
—Thou shouldst have kill’d
Me when thou hadst the chance, thou villain rank.
THANOS
It would have been a waste of useful parts!
[Nebula begins striking him.
NEBULA
Where is Gamora? I would see my sister!
[Thanos tosses her aside. Strange shoots beams around Thanos’s glove, pulling at it.
STRANGE
My beam around thy glove, to hold it still! 45
[Drax kicks Thanos from behind, bringing Thanos to his knees.
DRAX
My kick in thy backside—fall to thy knees!
[Quill shoots at Thanos, subduing his non-gloved hand.
QUILL
A force electric binds thine other hand.
[Parker shoots a web at Thanos, trying to hold him in place.
PARKER
Thou shalt yet lose this battle, wretched fiend.
[Stark tries to pull the gauntlet off Thanos’s hand.
STARK
I’ll wrest the gauntlet off thy wicked hand.
[Mantis dives onto Thanos’s shoulders, holding the sides of his head.
MANTIS
Thy pate I shall confuse and make thee sleep! 50
STARK
Is he beneath thy spell? Release him not!
MANTIS
Make haste, I beg thee—he is passing strong.
STARK
Immediately, Parker, help me here.
She cannot hold the brutish man for long,
Thus help me quickly to remove the glove. 55
QUILL
[to Thanos:] At one time, villain, I believ’d it would
Be difficult to catch thee. For the record,
Defeating thee in this way was my plan.
Art not so strong and mighty, art thou, fiend?
Gamora—where is she now?
THANOS
[in a daze:] —My Gamora. 60
QUILL
Bull’s dung! She is not thine. Where is she, rogue?
MANTIS
He writhes, as one in anguish.
QUILL
—Good! Deserv’d.
MANTIS
He mourneth, verily.
DRAX
—The monstrous man!
What could he have to mourn?
NEBULA
—Methinks Gamora.
QUILL
Can this be true?
NEBULA
—To Vormir took he her, 65
And with the Soul Stone he return’d, yet she
Did not.
STARK
—I bid thee, Quill, remain thou calm.
Dost understand? Do not engage with him—
The gauntlet we have near enow remov’d.
QUILL
[to Thanos:] Divulge the truth to me—this news is false. 70
Ass, tell me thou didst not thy daughter slay.
THANOS
[in a daze:] ’Twas necessary.
QUILL
—Fiend, ’twas never so.
[Quill starts hitting Thanos in the face, forcing Mantis to remove her hands.
STARK
Imprudent man, cease now!
PARKER
—’Tis almost off,
So nearly that methinks our vict’ry comes.
[Thanos regains his senses and knocks everyone away from him. Using the power of his glove, he destroys a nearby moon and sends its rubble hurtling toward Stark and the others. Gravity is further disrupted.
STARK
Impossible, to move the heav’nly spheres! 75
[Parker shoots webs at his allies, affixing them to objects so they do not float away.
PARKER
You shall not die—I’ve got thee, I’ve got thee!
Apologies, I can’t recall your names.
[Strange and Thanos begin shooting beams at each other. Strange splits himself into many copies. All of them shoot beams toward Thanos, binding him. Thanos uses his glove to remove all but the real Strange, then pulls him close and grabs him by the throat.
THANOS
Of tricks you have a bounty, wizard, yea,
Yet never once employ’d your greatest weapon.
[Thanos pulls the Time Stone amulet from Strange’s chest. He crushes it and lets the pieces fall through his fingers.
A counterfeit! This you shall soon regret. 80
[Thanos tosses Strange aside. Stark throws a device onto Thanos’s gauntlet.
STARK
I was not angry since I came to Titan
Until the instant thou threw’st moons at me.
THANOS
Stark.
STARK
—In the flesh. Dost thou know me, thou beast?
THANOS
I do indeed. You’re not the only one
Who is with knowledge curs’d.
STARK
—I’m curs’d with thee 85
And nothing else.
THANOS
—Lay on, then, Tony Stark,
And damn’d be him that first cries, “Hold, enough!”
[Stark shoots rockets at Thanos, then approaches him and strikes him. Thanos pushes Stark aside and shoots beams at him, which Stark blocks with a shield.
STARK
I’ll drop thee if it is my last endeavor!
[Stark turns aside his shield and flies toward Thanos, stomping Thanos’s gloved hand to the ground and hitting him in the face. Thanos wipes a drop of blood from his cheek.
THANOS
Such effort vast to spill a drop of blood.
[Thanos flips Stark over and pummels him. Stark fights back, attempting to stab Thanos with a blade attachment on his suit, but Thanos breaks it off and stabs Stark.
STARK
[aside:] Insanity! Methinks I am undone. 90
THANOS
Your courage has my deepest admiration.
When my task is fulfill’d, shall fully half
Of all humanity survive. I hope
They will remember you with fondness, Stark.
STARK
[aside:] I die, alack! Forgive me, Pepper, for 95
I came not home when thou expected’st me.
[Thanos points his glove at Stark.
STRANGE
Stop! Spare his life and I’ll give thee the Stone.
THANOS
No tricks or ruses, ploys or schemes this time.
STARK
It must not be!
[Strange lifts his fingers and, with a flourish, produces the Time Stone. He releases it, and it flies into Thanos’s hand. Thanos drops it into his gauntlet.
THANOS
—One more, and it the last.
[Quill flies at Thanos, attacking him, but Thanos exits in a cloud of smoke.
QUILL
Fie, where’s the villain gone? Have we, then, lost? 100
[Stark sprays his wound, sealing it.
STARK
[to Strange:] I pray, why didst thou give the Stone to
Thanos?
We would have stopp’d the horrid man somehow.
STRANGE
’Twas too late. We are in the endgame now.
[Exeunt.
SCENE 2
Wakanda.
ENTER NATASHA ROMANOFF, BRUCE BANNER IN THE HULKBUSTER SUIT, T’CHALLA, SAM WILSON, OKOYE, AND BUCKY BARNES ON THE BATTLEFIELD. ENTER STEVE ROGERS AND VISION. ENTER WANDA MAXIMOFF SEVERALLY. SHE RUSHES TO VISION’S SIDE.
WANDA
My love, art well? Thy wound fills me with dread.
[He shrieks as the Stone in his head pulses.
What is it?
VISION
—Thanos cometh presently.
O, beat away the busy meddling fiend
That lays strong siege unto this wretch’s soul.
ROGERS
[into radio:] Each ally, mark you my position well. 5
We have a vicious, rank incoming foe.
ROMANOFF
The air doth shake with murky, awful portents—
What hound of hell shall strike us at our heels?
ENTER THANOS, STEPPING THROUGH A PORTAL.
BANNER
[into radio:] That giant man, Cap—this is Thanos come.
ROGERS
[into radio:] Eyes up, stay sharp. Th’Avengers shall arise! 10
[All attack Thanos, but he uses the Infinity Stones’ power to fight them off easily.
VISION
O Wanda, ’tis time. Thou must kill me straight;
Kill Vision, and be honor’d in his death.
WANDA
Nay, never. Be no varlet, lover sweet.
VISION
They cannot stop him, Wanda, but we can.
Look thou on me: thou hast the power to 15
Destroy the Stone. Thou must, O Wanda, please.
Defer no time, delays have dangerous ends.
WANDA
I cannot raise a finger gainst thy head.
VISION
Thou canst and must, for if he gets the Stone,
Half of the universe shall be destroy’d. 20
Accursèd man! Accursèd fatal hand
That hath contriv’d this woeful tragedy!
It is not fair—should not be thou, but ’tis.
Be thou not sad, for never couldst thou hurt me.
I feel thee only—nothing else, my love. 25
[Wanda raises her hand toward Vision. She beams magic at the Stone in his head. Meanwhile, Thanos continues to advance and subdue the Avengers. Thanos reaches Wanda, who points another beam at him. The Mind Stone begins to crack, and there is an explosion as Vision dies and the Mind Stone shatters. Wanda’s beams fail as she falls.
THANOS
[to Wanda:] I understand, my daughter, better than
Another—any other—ever could.
WANDA
Thou never couldst, thou demon fed by hate!
THANOS
Today, I lost far more than you can know,
Yet now is not the time for mourning, nay. 30
Now is no time at all, for I hold time.
[He uses the Time Stone to reverse time and bring Vision back.
WANDA
Nay, thou shalt not invade my lover’s head!
[Wanda tries to attack Thanos but he swats her aside. Thanos lifts Vision and plucks the Mind Stone from his head. Vision dies. Thanos drops the Mind Stone into his gauntlet.
THANOS
All power now is mine, and it supreme!
Omnipotent and undefeatable,
My purpose plain and soon shall be fulfill’d! 35
ENTER THOR, ATTACKING THANOS. THOR THROWS STORMBREAKER AT THANOS, EMBEDDING THE AXE IN HIS CHEST.
THOR
I promis’d thee and now my words prove true:
For that, thou shalt most certainly be slain!
The power of Nidavellir is strong,
And overcometh even one as thou.
[Thor presses the axe further into Thanos’s chest.
THANOS
You should have aim’d your weapon at my head. 40
[Thanos snaps his fingers. All but Thanos freeze. Thanos hallucinates.
’Tis done. My task is now accomplishèd,
Yet where am I? What vision comes to me?
My gauntlet is no longer on my hand,
And here before me stands a single soul.
Is this my daughter as a girl—Gamora? 45
She turns to me, inquires if it is finish’d.
“Yea,” I must answer. She asks at what cost.
’Twas ev’rything—my mission claimèd all.
All folk are flesh and blood, and apprehensive;
Yet in the number I do know but one 50
That unassailable holds on his rank,
Unshak’d
of motion: and that I am he,
Let me a little show it, e’en in this,
That though so many tried to block mine aim,
I constant did remain and made it so. 55
[All unfreeze. Thanos’s gauntlet smokes.
THOR
What didst thou do? O, fiend, what hast thou done?
[Exit Thanos through a portal. Rogers approaches Thor.
ROGERS
Where hath he gone? Thor, dost thou know? Canst say?
[Barnes approaches, but as he does his body begins to vanish.
BARNES
Steve, what is happening?
[Bucky Barnes vanishes and dies.
T’CHALLA
[to Okoye:] —Nay, Gen’ral, up!
Die not in this place meager.
[T’Challa vanishes and dies.
GROOT
[to Rocket:] —Groot—’tis I?
[Groot vanishes and dies.
ROCKET
Nay, Groot, my loyal friend and true! 60
[Wanda Maximoff and Sam Wilson vanish and die.
RHODES
Sam, where art thou? Art fallen? Speak to me!
ENTER TONY STARK, DOCTOR STEPHEN STRANGE, PETER QUILL, DRAX, MANTIS, PETER PARKER, AND NEBULA ABOVE ON BALCONY.
MANTIS
Something is happening. Farewell, adieu!
[Mantis vanishes and dies.
DRAX
Quill! What is this?
[Drax vanishes and dies.
STARK
—I prithee, steady, Quill.
QUILL
Alack, all this thou seest is but a clod
And module of confounded champion. 65
[Peter Quill vanishes and dies.
STRANGE
Hear, Tony, this: there was no other way.
[Doctor Stephen Strange vanishes and dies.
PARKER
It was our best, our fight gainst him, was’t not?
Yet, Master Stark, I am not feeling well.
STARK
It shall be well.
PARKER
—But I am sore confus’d—
What’s happening to me? I would not leave! 70
Pray, Master Stark, please, please—I would not go!
Forgive me, for I turn once more to sod.
[Parker embraces Stark, then Parker vanishes and dies.
NEBULA
He did it.
[Stark collapses to his knees. Below, Rogers and Romanoff look at Vision’s body.
RHODES
—What is happening?
ROGERS
—O, God.
[All freeze.
ENTER CHORUS.
