CV Series Epilogue Version II

by &

We didn't change anything about the finale.

Not that I didn't want to.

A small orb of light exits the fortress and travels on and on and on and on. In descends into the river and travels through the material of the tarp. Cut to complete blackness aside from the small orb. It moves until its light faintly illuminates Clark's face. He is standing.

In the tarp?

It's his [forms quotes with her fingers to show she thinks TW's idea is stupid] "imagination". Jor-El tells Clark he can't bring him back so instead of training at the fortress how about settling for a correspondence course here at the bottom of the river until someone finds his body?

What?

Can we read the scene, Erica? I think it would help fill in the details.

Do we have to? It's stupid.

It is not stupid!

Fine. [ED clears her throat and imitates Jor-El's voice] "Kal-El."

"Where am I?"

[sighs] "You sit at the dividing line between life and death, my son."

Stand, actually.

Shut up. "I've failed."

Jor-El doesn't answer for a moment, "Yes."

At least he's honest.

"Can you bring them back? Can you help me set things right?"

Again a pause, [rolls her eyes at the corniness of the line] "No, Kal-El. Human life, like a snowflake is beautiful, unique, ... and fragile. A marvel to behold but short lived and gone forever in an instant."

Clark lets out a primal scream and falls to his knees. "Everyone I care about. Everyone I love. They're all going to die, aren't they?"

"You knew the day would come, Kal-El. You've seen it, in your dreams."

This is bad.

Don't tell me. Tell the sap master.

Can't you stand up to Tom?

It's his big scene. I didn't want to get in the way.

[irritated] You are now.

Excuse me.

"Why them and not me? I'm the one who failed! If only I'd made the right choices... I could have saved them. They would all be alive. I don't deserve to live!"

Pull out the freakin' violin.

[sighs again] "The hand of death, my son, is not influenced by such matters."

Would you stop sighing? It will sound great when Terrence reads it.

Whatever.

It will. Trust me.

Fine. But what about you?

Don't even go there, Durance. I don't think you even want to get near Pandora's box of who at this table has acting chops.

She's got nice tits, Tom. That goes a long way in this world.

[glares at KK] Of all the people to play the looks card.

[smirks]

You are so lucky Lana is already dead. Besides, I've got more going for me than just magnificent breasts.

Like a nice ass?

Michael, you noticed. I'm flattered.

How could I not notice? Seems like Al & Miles can't stop filming it.

Can we stop talking about T & A and get on with this?

Does that sort of talk make you uncomfortable, Tom?

Shut up. "If I'm on the threshold of death then let me die. That's what I deserve!"

[Trying to be serious] "Is that how you would honor the sacrifice of those willing to give their own life for yours, my son? Jonathan Kent, Chloe Sullivan, Lana Lang..."

"ENOUGH!"

"Do their sacrifices mean nothing to you?"

"ENOUGH!"

And Jor-El shuts up. You know, that's a hell of a way to talk to your dad.

Shut up. "If you're not going to let me die I need to find Lex. I need to make things right. Bring me back."

"You wish to exact revenge?"

"I wish to execute justice!"

"Be careful, my son. Justice is often a word one hides behind when one really means revenge."

"Are you going to bring me back or not?"

He's getting pissy.

"That is not within my power, Kal-El. I can only keep you alive until your body is found. Until then..." the darkness gradually fades to show Clark standing in the fortress. "... you may complete your training if you wish."

"What does it matter after what I've already lost? Knowing I will continue to lose?"

"That question, my son, you must find the answers to on your own." The lights begin to fade.

"Wait. I'm ready."

Thank god that scene is over.

It used to be a lot better.

It was better but not a lot better. It was pretty cheesy to begin with.

What do you mean it used to be a lot better? Why did you change it?

We didn't change it. Our original was totally kick ass but Tom didn't make a back-up copy.

Now hold on.

So we had to re-write the whole damn thing.

[Gives MR a guilty smile]

From scratch?

Well, not exactly from scratch.

[A bit nervous] You had an old draft to work from?

Sort of.

Sort of? You either had and old draft or you didn't. How can you "sort of" have an old draft?

I think that's going to be obvious soon enough.

Cue card, "Seven years later."

Graveyard. A man in black stands in front of a tombstone. The tombstone reads Lana Lang. From whenever she was born to 2007. "Loved by All"

You too?

I thought she was still in the tarp? There's no body!

Didn't stop Lex having a tomb stone.

Besides, Lex is reasonably sure she's dead.

As a door knob.

Funny.

Suddenly the man turns to look behind him. It's Lex Luthor. He looks around suspiciously and then turns back around to lay a single rose on the grave site. Cut back to show Clark Kent in a suit hiding behind a nearby tree. He's wearing glasses. Lex walks off.

Did you just copy off of us?

Well if Tom hadn't burned his laptop.

I didn't....

You locked yourself out and it was on fire. How in the world do you explain that?

That was Allison!

You set Tom's laptop on fire?

[Avoids ED's eyes] I don't know what you're talking about.

You're "old draft" is our script?

Sometimes you do what you've got to do.

Cut to outside the DP. Chloe is on her cell phone headed into the building. She's wearing the "LL" pendant Lois gave her. The camera follows her conversation as she enters, gets on the elevator and then gets off. "Sorry, Bruce. I'm going to have to bail on you for lunch." Pause, she smiles, "So now you know how I felt the last three times we were supposed to meet." Another pause, "An old friend is in town." She looks irritated, "You promised to stop breaking into my email!" The elevator doors open back up, "Gotta go!"

You fucking plagiarists!

Shut up. You're laptop wasn't reduced to a lump of charred plastic! Chloe strides in and sees Perry White.

"Good to see the resident big shot occasionally chooses to grace us with her presence.", it's Perry.

"I wouldn't miss today for the world. Let me know as soon as he comes in."

Wait does this mean you killed off Lois too?

They better have if they copied our story!

"Well..."

She sighs, "You can show him around and let him meet all the appropriate people first, if you must."

"This guy better be as good as you say he is."

"Better. He's going to be one of your best reporters. Trust me."

"Better than the Pulitzer Prize winning Lois Lane?" he looks expectantly at Chloe.

Chloe smiles mischievously, "I said one of your best, Perry."

WTF? I can't believe what I'm hearing! You just stole our version wholesale!

Get over it. She exits. He takes a look at the front page of the paper. The headline reads "LexCorp: Metropolis' upstart finally makes it big." the by line is Lois Lane. Underneath it reads "Lex Luthor claims the corporate buying spree has just begun." Perry shakes his head to himself.

Cut to Lex at his desk.

He's on the phone. "I'm not going to wait. Let me know the minute he arrives. I need to know if it's really him."

We hear Mercy object.

"I understand your objection but if he were going to move against me he would have already done it. I'm perfectly safe for now." Lex hangs up and brushes his figures across an ornate box on his desk. A picture of Lana sits beside it. He opens the box to reveal the kryptonite ring.

If you're going to copy them at least get rid of the picture of Lana.

You think? I thought Lex's Lana love was the best part.

Stuff it, Welling.

And just so John knows, we didn't steal wholesale. We cut out Clark's visit to Lana's grave.

But you kept the picture of Lana on Lex's desk? Supermope is the one who should still be hung up on Lana.

Supermope wasn't the one who killed her.

Besides, maybe his dad talked some sense into him while he was in the tarp.

Maybe he got enough of Lana stuck in a tarp with her body for seven years.

That's just plain gross!

That's why we didn't show Clark getting pulled out of the tarp.

Are you sure about cutting the graveyard scene? Your version is definitely not going to get picked if you do that.

What the hell, woman? You're encouraging them to plagiarize us now?

Just pointing out realities. You don't seriously think they'll chose your version if you don't have some Lana pimp-age do you?

I don't know.

Hold the line Tom.

You sure?

Friends don't let friends pine over Lana.

Especially if she's dead.

You just want our version to lose!

Am I that transparent?

Michael's right, Tom. No Lana pimping.

But...

If our version wins because we pimped Lana have we truly won or have we just fallen to their level?

Says the woman who plagiarized her entire script.

Not the entire script! We cut out the graveyard scene.

Maybe we should put it back in?

No Tom. We don't want to do that. Trust me.

Maybe no speech, he just lays down a flower.

Tom, he's already been there once spying on Lex. Can we leave it at that?

I don't know.

What if we show Clark holding a flower as he hides behind the tree.

Maybe....

Great! End of discussion.

Perry in his office.

His secretary buzzes him, "Mr. Kent is here."

Perry answers, "Send him in." He stands as Clark enters.

"You must be Clark Kent!"

"Yeah."

He glances at Clark's cane.

"Old injury. Don't worry, I'll still be able to run down a story with the best of them."

"You better. Let me show you to your desk."

Surprised, "My desk? I thought I was here for an interview."

"Not only does your reputation precede you, you come highly recommended. And when I say highly I mean it doesn't come any higher." They arrive at a desk, "Here you are."

Clark notices a name plate on the office next to his desk. It's labeled Lois Lane. ""Wow. Who'd have thought."

Perry notices Clark reading the name tag, "Yeah. She put in a pretty good word for you. If she ever finds out I told you that you're fired."

Clark smiles, "Is she here now? Can I see her?"

"I've got orders to send you upstairs first."

Clark gives Perry a questioning look.

Shrugging, "The publisher wants to meet you. You've got friends in high places, my friend. Made a special trip to the office just for today. Let me tell you, that doesn't happen too often."

[Rubs his hands together] Lionel did survive!

Clark half smiles, "Really?"

"Rumor has it the two of you go a long way back. Not that anybody is talking." He points towards an elevator and hands Clark a key, "Private elevator. Top floor."

Clark heads for the elevator and inserts the key. A grown up Jimmy is making copies nearby.

"You're here to see Luthor, huh? That can't be good."

Clark looks nervously at Jimmy and gulps. "Lex Luthor owns the Planet?"

Jimmy grins, "You don't know who owns the Planet? Have you been hiding under a rock?"

"I've been out of town."

"Have we met?"

Clark says, "I don't think so, name's Clark. Clark, Kent."

"You're Clark Kent?"

The elevator doors open.

Jimmy sticks out his hand, "Jimmy, Jimmy Olsen." They shake hands. Clark enters the elevator, "See you around, C. K. Good luck [whispering] upstairs. The only person who doesn't shake in their boots when they get on that elevator is Lois."

Clark chuckles. "Figures."

Jimmy whispers again, "Rumor is they're somehow related."

Clark gets a quizzical look and starts to ask Jimmy a question but the elevator doors close on him.

Cut to a computer monitor on a fancy desk showing a security video feed from the elevator.

Cut to Mercy on the phone.

She's at the Planet building. "He's arrived."

We hear Lex ask her if she thinks it's really him. Mercy explains she didn't get a good look.

The elevator opens to reveal a secretary's desk right outside. He looks at Clark expectantly.

"I'm Clark. Clark, Kent."

"You're expected, Mr. Kent."

Clark enters through double doors reminiscent of Lex's study from the mansion.

Cut to show a huge desk. The chair behind it is swiveled facing away from Clark.

Clark swallows. Stiffly, "I must say of all places I never expected to see you here."

There's no response.

Clark continues, "All these years, I never knew you had the slightest interest in the Daily Planet."

The chair begins to turn.

Cut to Clark. His jaw drops.

A female voice answers, "I'm disappointed, Clark."

You gave Lionel a sex change?

Yes. He's named Lioness now.

Shut up!

He and Martha are lesbian lovers.

Shut up!

Cut to Chloe.

Chloe? What the hell?

Sweet! Why settle for reporting for the Planet when she can fucking own it!

She smiles, "I thought you paid better attention." She eyes his cane, "The cane is a nice touch."

Shocked, "Chloe?"

"Chloe Sullivan is no more. I go my Lena now. Lena Luthor."

Lena Luthor? What the hell?

That's Lex's sister's real name. See? You're not a "made up" character anymore!

Erica, all our characters are "made up".

Yeah, but...

I hate to break it to you but Clark Kent is not a real person.

[irritated] You know what I mean.

Yeah. It doesn't change anything. You're still a traitor. Know what I mean?

I wouldn't take any of those pilots if we get renewed.

Coulda, woulda, shoulda... we're done.

Done, huh?

Can we, you know, get on with the script!?!?

Sure.

You mean the traitor's script?

Don't call me that. Tom, can we turn Chloe into a street bum?

No, Erica.

How about a mental patient at Belle Reeve?

Benedict Arnold!

No...

How can you call Erica that! You're the one who brought Al and Miles back!

Me? You begged them!

Meow!

Shut up Michael!

Allison, Erica, Kristen, hush.

The nerve....

Don't you start with me Tom...

Zip it sisters! [Silence]

Thank you Annette. "You're the publisher of the Daily Planet?"

"Lionel named me his heir. After you went MIA for a few months...." On second thought can we just kill Chloe off?

No. Just read the script we brought in. Please?

Tom, she's really pissing me off!

Join the club. Maybe we should have written the final toge... [AM elbows MR] ow!

You see what she's doing?

Just read the script, OK?

Fine. "After you went MIA for a few months I figured maybe it was safe to move back to Metropolis. I tried to get re-hired but even under a pseudonym Perry made it clear I would have to re-prove myself somewhere else first. With the paper already flagging from the 33.1 scandal," She smiles devilishly, "I decided why go to all that trouble when I could just waltz in on the top floor? It took years of hard work but together Perry and I eventually restored the paper to its former sterling reputation. And now LuthorCorp runs a paper in most every major city with a free press in the world."

Clark notices a redesigned LuthorCorp logo. Impressed, "Bringing truth to the people."

"It's a living."

Clark chuckles, "It's good to see you."

"It's good to see you too, Clark." The betrayer comes out from behind her desk and hugs him. "I missed you so much. I thought I'd never see you again."

The betrayer?!?

You heard me.

"Me too."

The betrayer breaks the hug off. "You better get to work. The clock is running."

The betrayer?!?

"I, uh, I don't have any assignments yet."

The betrayer smiles,

Would you stop calling Chloe that!?!?

Stop calling me a traitor.

[Glares and thinks for a second] OK.

[Smiles triumphantly] Thank you. "You'll be shadowing one of my best.." Scratch that, " my best reporter until you get your bearings."

"Not..."

"Yes! And she can't wait to see you! But don't tell her I said so. There's something I have to show you first, though."

Cut to outside Lois' office.

She practically jumps into Clark's arms and gives him an enthusiastic bear hug, "I can't believe it's really you!"

"It is, Lois. It is."

"God! We all thought you were dead!" Realizing she's been gushing she tries to play things cool. "Of course it's going to be a pain in the butt dragging you around until you learn the ropes." Behind her in her office is a framed copy of the Planet. The headline reads, "Saved by Superman."

Clark looks skeptical, "You didn't request to be my mentor?"

Turning red, "Of course not! Where did you get that idea?" She gives Perry an annoyed glance.

Pull back. Mercy stands across the room.

Into her phone, "It is him."

Cut to Lex. "Are you sure?"

"Absolutely."

"Tell me something, Mercy. How does a man come back from the dead not once, but twice?"

"I don't know sir."

Jimmy rushes in, "Lois, there's a man about to jump off a ledge in the financial district!"

"That's our story! Clark, try to keep up, will you?" She turns around and Clark is gone. "Clark? I wonder where he went off to? Well, I'm not getting paid to babysit. Come on Jimmy. He can catch up."

Cut to Clark in the private elevator. Cue the Superman horns. He opens a hidden panel and presses a button inside.

He pulls open his shirt revealing the S symbol in red on a yellow background.

I told you to leave that out!

Oh, Tom. Lighten up!

I'm not wearing the suit! Cut back to Lex "Someone who's not a man at all."

Cut to the top of the Planet building. The elevator doors upon up out on the roof and Clark steps out in costume.

He does not! [Starts marking through his script. He tries to grab ED's script but she keeps it out of his reach.]

Cut to Chloe watching from her penthouse office which is level with the rooftop Clark stands on. She smiles.

[Annoyed] Cut back to Lex. He hangs up his phone and pulls the kryptonite ring out of its box. As he slips it on, "Welcome back to Metropolis,"

Cut to Clark as he leaps into the air. The superman music rises. Cut back to Chloe, softly, "Up, up, and away."

Down on the ground Lois and Jimmie are getting into a cab.

Lois looks up, "Did you see that, up in the sky?"

Jimmy, "See what?"

Three way screen split of Chloe, Lois, and Lex as they all utter the same word. Chloe with great affection, Lois with wide wonder, and Lex with cold determination, "Superman."

Cue William's Superman horns full blast. A final shot of a Clark flyby.

In costume.

No!

Go to black.

No Martha scene!?!

Damn straight there's no Martha scene, Lois killer.

I'm not wearing the suit!

Tom, you have to!

Tom, how could you not have a Martha scene?

Who gives a shit about Martha scenes? I'm not wearing the suit!

Come on, just this one time.

No!

Who gives a shit about the suit when there's no Martha scene?!?

Sorry, lady. You're running with the big dogs now. You kill off Lois you don't get a Martha scene. That's the breaks.

Erica, I swear I am this [indicates a quarter of an inch] close to body slamming you!

Tom, Please talk some sense into your co-worker.

I've half a mind to let her after you slipped in that thing about the suit.

[Grabs ED by the waist and lifts her over her head.]

Aaaaahhhhhhhh! Help!!! Tom, stop her!

I'm going to snap you like a twig, girlly girl!

Tom!?!

Do I have to wear the suit?

Don't do this...

[To AoT] She's all yours.

Wait!!!! We'll add a Martha scene! Just please put me down!

[Carefully puts ED back down] Smart girl.

What about the suit?!?

Suck it up and wear the damn suit, you big baby!

[To TW] Ha!

[In ED's face] Don't start, missy.