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Green With Envy By Eddie MountainGoat Author’s Note: I felt that the Double Dragon cartoon had a lot of potential. It could really have been a lot more accurate, but some episodes of the first season were quite fun. Then, unfortunately, came the second season. I decided to try my hand at writing some fan-scripts, for an alternative second season. This is basically what I would rather have seen. Forget the Shadow Kahn, the Dragon Claws, Daj and the losses of Jawbreaker and Countdown. I’ve tried to stay in-line with the first series, keeping things kid-friendly, portraying the characters as they were on TV, and even fitting in a meaningful message. I don’t know how professional scripts are properly formatted, but I think the reader will get the idea. I was curious about how characters from the games would have been portrayed, if they had made it into the series. This story features one such character. (A Double Dragon cartoon fan-script. This story is set in an alternative second series of the cartoon.) SCENE 1: The sewers, through which BILLY and JIMMY escaped from the Shadow Dojo in Episode 2: The Legend Continues. The view pans across, as low-level “Blade” Shadow Warriors are searching the area. SICKLE looks on with ICEPICK slightly behind him. When SICKLE is in centre-screen, the view stops moving. SICKLE: (barking at the Shadow Warriors) Find it! Nobody rests until we get the sword back! ICEPICK: (snidely, to SICKLE) If you had simply picked it up, hedge-cutter, we wouldn’t be in this mess. SICKLE: I was busy pursuing the Dragon Masters! ICEPICK: Because you let them escape. SICKLE: I didn’t LET them do anything! ICEPICK: Oh, I see. You were just too incompetent to keep them imprisoned. SICKLE: Now listen here, popsicle…. (TRIGGER-HAPPY emerges, holding the Shadow Sword [Jimmy’s black-bladed one, from when he was Shadow Boss, in Eps. 1 & 2], in his non-blaster hand.) T.HAPPY: Quit arguing, I found it! (Blue flame cut to next scene) ___ SCENE 2: Shadow Dojo Interior Corridor SICKLE, ICEPICK and TRIGGER-HAPPY march through the corridor, followed by several “Blade” Shadow Warriors. TRIGGER-HAPPY is still holding the Shadow Sword. SICKLE: Let me get this straight. A Dragon Warrior is supposed to be on our side? ICEPICK: Not just a Dragon. A Shadow Dragon. T.HAPPY: And what exactly is a Shadow Dragon? ICEPICK: Didn’t you ever wonder why the Shadow Master raised Jimmy Lee as his own son? T.HAPPY: Not really. (ICEPICK closes his eyes, and puts his right palm over his face) ICEPICK: And you wonder why none of you have been appointed the new Shadow Boss. (The group turns a corner and is joined by COUNTDOWN and JAWBREAKER as they head down another corridor.) ICEPICK: The legend of the Shadow Dragon says that one day, a warrior with the skill of a Dragon and a heart of Shadow will unleash the power of the Shadow Sword and play a central role in the war between the Dragon and the Shadow. SICKLE: So that’s why the Shadow Master raised Jimmy Lee! It was all a plan, to fulfill the legend! ICEPICK: Exactly. Who better to be the Shadow Dragon than the son of a Dragon Warrior, trained in the Way of the Shadow? T.HAPPY: But Jimmy Lee became a Dragon Master. (SICKLE, ICEPICK, COUNTDOWN and JAWBREAKER all stop and glare at TRIGGER-HAPPY.) SICKLE, ICEPICK, COUNTDOWN and JAWBREAKER (in unison, unimpressed): Yes, we know. __ SCENE 3: Shadow Master’s Throne Room SICKLE, ICEPICK, COUNTDOWN, JAWBREAKER and TRIGGER-HAPPY enter through the portal. They walk towards the throne. SICKLE: But if this warrior is both a Shadow and a Dragon, how can we be sure he won’t take the Dragons’ side? SHADOW MASTER: (off-screen, but his voice is heard) That is why it is integral that I possess the Sword of the Shadow. (The view moves to the SHADOW MASTER’s throne, where he is seated, unarmed. He fades into Shadow and reappears in front of the five Shadow Warriors. There is some fear on their faces as he does this.) S.MASTER: I must be able to give the sword to whom I will. That way, I will ensure that the Shadow Dragon is loyal to me, and the greatest of foes to the Dragons. (TRIGGER-HAPPY hands the Shadow Sword to the SHADOW MASTER. It then glows, with blue energy.) S.MASTER: Ah. The sword on which I based my own weapon. I thought that Jimmy Lee had destroyed it when he left me. He was a fool. SICKLE: How did you discover that it was not destroyed, Shadow Master? S.MASTER: I felt its call. The hour of the Shadow Dragon is almost at hand. We must be ready for my choosing. ICEPICK: Why not keep it and become the Shadow Dragon yourself? S.MASTER: I am too far gone into Shadow to be any kind of Dragon. No, I must select another. COUNTDOWN: Are you going to choose one of us? T.HAPPY: But which one? (SICKLE draws his weapons, and twirls them a couple of times) SICKLE: I am by far the most skilled Shadow Warrior! (TRIGGER-HAPPY loads his blaster, with an appropriate SOUND EFFECT) T.HAPPY: Well I’m the only one packing serious heat! (COUNTDOWN, visibly offended, opens his rocket blasters and glares at TRIGGER HAPPY) COUNTDOWN: Hey! ICEPICK: And clearly, I’m the only intelligent one. JAWBREAKER: (angrily garbles some unintelligible nonsense at ICEPICK.) ICEPICK: Exactly. (The five Shadow Warriors bicker amongst themselves. The SHADOW MASTER glares at this, unimpressed, then interrupts them, the sword again glowing.) S.MASTER: (fuming hiss) Silence. (The Shadow Warriors, wary of the danger, shut up. As the SHADOW MASTER continues, the weapon stops glowing.) S.MASTER: None of you are skilled enough to unleash the Shadow Dragon. You have all failed me against the Double Dragons. Go and bring me a warrior who will be a match for their ability. ___ SCENE 4: Wide shot of the Event Center (exterior, day) [the same place where the “ALL CITY MARTIAL ARTS TOURNAMENT” was held, in Episode 1: The Shadow Falls]. The “ALL CITY MARTIAL ARTS TOURNAMENT” banners from Ep.1 are back in place, over the Center’s walls. A large crowd excitedly waits in front of the Center, waving, cheering and holding up posters. One poster clearly reads “DRAGONS GO!” The crowd is parted down the middle, leaving a clear pathway to the Center’s entrance. The view zooms in on this pathway, and the screen moves with BILLY, JIMMY and MARIAN as they make their way along it. BILLY and JIMMY do not have their swords. In the background, the crowd cheers them on. BILLY and MARIAN are calm while JIMMY is loving the attention, pumping his fists in the air and grinning wildly. SOUND EFFECT: (The crowd cheers.) WAAAGH! GO DRAGONS! (etc.) JIMMY: (calling to the crowd) Yeah! Dragon Dojo Number One! BILLY: Calm yourself, Jimmy. MARIAN: I can’t believe you let Jimmy talk you into entering the Dragon Dojo in this tournament. AGAIN. JIMMY: Take it easy, you two. Things are different, this time. BILLY: All the same, don’t let all this attention get to your head. JIMMY: C’mon. I’m just havin’ a little fun! ___ SCENE 5: Event Center entrance corridor. BILLY, JIMMY and MARIAN enter through the main entrance and move along the corridor. JIMMY: I’m tellin’ ya, Bro, there’s nothin’ wrong with a little glory for bein’ the best! JEFF: (off-screen, menacingly) That glory should be MINE! (BILLY, JIMMY and MARIAN look up to see where this aggression came from. The viewer then gets their first look at JEFF, glaring at the screen and the heroes.) (CHARACTER DESIGN: JEFF’s height, build and clothes are essentially the same as the Lee brothers’. His shirt and pants are green, his undershirt is white, and his wristbands and leg pads are black. Unlike the Lees, he has no shoulder pad. JEFF’s face somewhat resembles Ivan Perschitsky (the villain played by Jean-Claude Van Damme in “No Retreat No Surrender”). His hair is brown, in a Bruce Lee-like mop. His eyes are green.) (BG MUSIC: Fast-paced and confrontational) JEFF: When I defeat the famous Dragon Dojo, everyone will know that I am truly the best! JIMMY: (returning the aggression) Oh yeah? Well, when I…. MARIAN: (interrupting, as she places a hand on JIMMY’s shoulder) Easy, Jimmy. Remember what Billy said about calming yourself. BILLY: (to JEFF) Well, you sure seem to know who we are, stranger. JIMMY: Yeah! And just who are you? JEFF: I am Jeff, champion of the Serpent Dojo. But more importantly, I’m the guy who’s gonna take you down! JIMMY: Ha! When I’m done with you, you’ll be begging to take my class! JEFF: When I’m done with you, you won’t be taking any classes for a looooong time. (JEFF turns his back and walks away laughing. Jimmy glares after him, fuming, while MARIAN and BILLY look on, worried.) (BG MUSIC: Comes to a climax with three or four sinister notes.) The view pans to the right, to a closed door, in one of the corridor walls. A sign on the door reads “COMPETITORS ONLY.” ___ SCENE 6: Event Center changing room. The other side of the closed door just seen is clearly visible; it is obvious that this scene is inside that room. TRIGGER-HAPPY, ICEPICK and a few “Blade” Shadow Warriors look on as SICKLE ties a purple bandanna over his head. SICKLE is wearing a purple bodysuit exactly like his usual one, except that it does not carry the symbol of the Shadow. T.HAPPY: Are you sure this is a good idea? ICEPICK: Of course it isn’t. It was Sickle’s. SICKLE: This tournament will be the perfect way to prove that I am a greater warrior than the Double Dragons! T.HAPPY: But what if you lose? SICKLE: Ha! No one beats me! ICEPICK: If Sickle cannot win, we only need to wait and see who can. T.HAPPY: (brandishing his blaster) And then, we take them to the Shadow Master! SICKLE: I will win this tournament, and then as Shadow Dragon, I will lead you all in destroying the Dragons! (SICKLE ties another purple bandanna over his mouth and nose.) ___ SCENE 7: Event Center main arena [where Billy fought the Tiger Sensei, in Episode 1: The Shadow Falls]. A wide shot, showing packed stands, surrounding the competing floor. The crowd is ecstatic. The view zooms in on the competition floor. THE ANNOUNCER (the guy in the karate gi, from Ep. 1) stands in the middle of the floor, speaking into his microphone. ANNOUNCER: Welcome to the All City Martial Arts Tournament! SOUND EFFECT: (The crowd cheers.) WAAAGH! ANNOUNCER: And now, let the tournament begin! (What follows is an homage to “The Karate Kid”; a montage of JIMMY and JEFF working their way through the tournament. JIMMY beats his first opponent easily, and smirks at JEFF, who is glaring on. JEFF then beats his opponent easily, and points at JIMMY. It goes back and forth between them, and each time their opponents are harder to beat, and they use more complex moves to win. They’re both clearly more focused on one-upping each other than on their immediate opponents. Eventually, JIMMY beats a returning Tiger Sensei, and JEFF beats a disguised SICKLE, finishing the bout by throwing him out of the ring. SICKLE lands on his bottom in a secluded entryway at the edge of the competition floor. Two figures in long, hooded cloaks rush up to him as he angrily pulls the bandannas off his head, scowling. The hooded figures lean in, revealing themselves to be “Blade” Shadow Warriors. Back in the middle of the competing floor, THE ANNOUNCER stands on the central mat, still speaking into the microphone.) ANNOUNCER: And now, the final bout! SOUND EFFECT: (The crowd cheers. Yet again.) WOOOO! ANNOUNCER: Jeff Green, of the Serpents…. (JEFF steps onto the mat, glowering) ANNOUNCER: Versus Jimmy Lee, of the Dragons! (JIMMY steps onto the mat, glowering right back, and assumes a fighting stance.) JIMMY: I’ve been looking forward to this all day. JEFF: Me too. Finally, I’m going to take away the reputation of the mighty Dragons! JIMMY: The only thing you’ll be taking is a good beating, courtesy of me! Hyah! (JIMMY attacks. They fight. The bout intensifies, and JEFF starts showing off for the crowd, using a number of showy techniques. They don’t defeat JIMMY, but the crowd is impressed, and starts chanting for JEFF.) SOUND EFFECT: (The crowd chanting.) GO JEFF! GO JEFF! (etc.) (JEFF gestures to the crowd with both hands, and smirks at JIMMY) JEFF: You hear that, Dragon? They are calling for ME. The end of the Dragon draws near! JIMMY: (desperately) No! No! JEFF: This is called the Cyclone Kick! (JEFF performs a Double Dragon II–style cyclone kick, leaping into the air, and hovering on the spot, one leg out. Jimmy blocks the repeated attack, but the force sends him skidding backwards, grunting. Again, the crowd is impressed, and chants louder, in a higher pitch.) SOUND EFFECT: (The crowd chanting.) YEAH! WOOOO! GO JEFF! (etc.) JEFF: Heh! Can’t do that, can you? JIMMY: I’ll show you! I’ll show EVERYBODY! (Time goes into slow-motion. As JEFF smirks, JIMMY falls right into his trap; jumping up and performing a cyclone kick, well out of striking range. As the maneuver ends and JIMMY begins to land, JEFF takes a couple of running steps towards him. As JIMMY touches the ground, JEFF hits him with a Double Dragon II (NES)–style high jump kick/flying knee with an appropriate, echoing SOUND EFFECT. JIMMY falls flat on his back. Time goes back to normal speed. THE ANNOUNCER walks up to JEFF, and raises his hand in victory.) ANNOUNCER: THE WINNER is Jeff! Of the Serpents! SOUND EFFECT: (The crowd cheers. All over again.) YAY! GO JEFF! WOOOO! (etc.) JEFF: Yeah! I’m the best! I’m the best! (JIMMY, still on his back, bunches his hand into a fist, hits the ground with it, and gets up. Grimacing, he takes a couple of steps towards JEFF, but is cut off by BILLY and MARIAN.) MARIAN: You did well, Jimmy. JIMMY: That Jeff thinks he’s such hot stuff! I’d like to…. BILLY: (interrupting) I warned you about letting this get to your head. JIMMY: But now everybody thinks he’s better than me! BILLY: That doesn’t matter, Jimmy. As the code of the Dragon says, “Do not seek glory. True honor lies within.” MARIAN: Please, let’s just go. Don’t turn a competition into a real fight. JIMMY: Yeah, you’re right. I need to cool off. ___ SCENE 8: Event Center rear exit (exterior, afternoon) The Center’s exit door leads into a back alleyway with a series of lined-up, open dumpsters. MARIAN and JIMMY, with BILLY following behind them, walk out of the door and through the alleyway. As MARIAN and JIMMY walk off-screen (but BILLY is still visible), JEFF emerges from the door. JEFF: Hey, you! The other Dragon! (BILLY turns around, puts his right fist in his left hand, and bows respectfully) BILLY: Congratulations on your victory, Jeff. JEFF: What? That won’t work on me! (BG MUSIC: The same fast-paced, confrontational theme, from the argument with JIMMY) JEFF: I’m gonna beat you like I beat your brother! Hyah! (JEFF launches into a flying kick, which BILLY dodges) BILLY: There’s no need for us to fight! JEFF: I told you, everyone will know that I’m the best when I defeat the Dragon Dojo! BILLY: But you won the tournament! Isn’t that enough for you? JEFF: Not yet. One Dragon Master down, one to go…. BILLY: So be it. (They fight. While JEFF gets angrier and angrier, BILLY keeps a level head, often simply avoiding JEFF’s attacks.) JEFF: Stupid Dragon! The cyclone kick defeated your brother, and now YOU’LL taste it! (JEFF performs the cyclone kick. BILLY merely ducks, and JEFF’s leg sails repeatedly over his head, harmlessly. As the maneuver ends and JEFF begins to land, BILLY hits him with a Double Dragon II (NES)–style hyper uppercut, sending him flying into a dumpster. The BG MUSIC ends.) BILLY: (grittily) It shouldn’t have come to that. (BILLY turns his back, and walks out of the alley. JEFF’s head comically emerges from the dumpster, resentment on his face, and a banana peel on his head. Three shadows ominously rise over the dumpster.) JEFF: Who’s there? What do you want? (The view changes to JEFF’s point of view, revealing SICKLE, ICEPICK and TRIGGER-HAPPY leering over the dumpster.) SICKLE: We have a common enemy, Serpent Warrior. ___ SCENE 9: Establishing shot of the Shadow Dojo (exterior, night). Cut to Shadow Master’s Throne Room. SICKLE, ICEPICK, TRIGGER-HAPPY and JEFF stand before the SHADOW MASTER, who is on his throne, holding the Shadow Sword. S.MASTER: The Way of the Serpent. I have heard of the technique. It will be a powerful weapon in the armory of the Shadow. JEFF: You want me to become a Shadow Warrior? S.MASTER: I offer you much more than the rank of Shadow Warrior. Much, much more. I want you to take up the mantle of the Shadow Dragon. JEFF: And what’s in it for me? S.MASTER: (leaning forward, his eyes glowing) Everything you desire. Riches. Glory. And a chance to destroy the Dragons, who you so revile. JEFF: Destroy the Dragons? Count me in! S.MASTER: (getting up, and walking to JEFF) Good decision, Serpent Warrior. Your wisdom impresses me. And such wisdom must be rewarded. (The SHADOW MASTER offers the Shadow Sword to JEFF, who takes it. As JEFF touches the sword, it immediately pulses with incredible blue energy and black flame, unlike anything it’s done before. The Yin-Yang-like symbol of the Shadows appears on JEFF’s chest glowing blue through his undershirt. JEFF’s expression is one of utter confusion, while the SHADOW MASTER is pleased.) JEFF: Wha… What’s happening? S.MASTER: Yes, yes, the mark of the Shadow. You are indeed the one. Raise the Shadow Sword and repeat: “For power.” (JEFF lifts up the sword) JEFF: For … power. S.MASTER: For the Shadow. JEFF: For the Shadow. S.MASTER: Now, “I am the Shadow Dragon.” JEFF: I… am… the Shadow Dragon. ___ SCENE 10: Transformation scene BG MUSIC: “Shadow Dragon Theme” – Similar to the Dragons’ theme music, but with a definitively evil sound to it. This scene is similar to the one in Episode 2: The Legend Continues, where Billy and Jimmy first transformed. On a black background, JEFF transforms into the Shadow Dragon, as blue energy flows up and down him. CHARACTER DESIGN: The Shadow Dragon looks like an evil version of the Double Dragons. JEFF’s green clothes remain, but his undershirt disappears revealing the Shadow symbol on his bare chest. He gains silver gauntlets and black boots with silver shin armor. JEFF also gains a black, evil-looking dragon mask with green eyebrows. The face of the mask has some resemblance to that of the Shadow Boss and Shadow Master and has glowing, green eyes. Once the transformation is complete, JEFF roars with power, then repeats the final words with confidence and malice. JEFF: I AM THE SHADOW DRAGON! ___ SCENE 11: Establishing shot of the Dragon Dojo (exterior, day). Cut to Dragon Dojo interior. JIMMY is angrily hitting a punching bag, loudly grunting every time he connects. BILLY and MARIAN approach. MARIAN: I thought you said you were going to cool off. JIMMY: I’ll cool off when I show Jeff just how good I really am! BILLY: That’s how you were defeated, yesterday. JIMMY: What? My technique was perfect! BILLY: It wasn’t your style, but your mindset that let you down. JIMMY: Whattaya mean? Are you saying Jeff is smarter than me? BILLY: No. He made the same mistake. As the code of the Dragon says, “Fight against envy, not through it.” JIMMY: Do you think I’m jealous of him? BILLY: Look at how angry he’s got you! Jeff didn’t beat you yesterday, your own resentful thinking did! JIMMY: You… You’re right. I got so caught up in trying to prove I was better than him, I forgot what you said. I really did let all that stuff get to my head. BILLY: And without a clear head, you had already lost. SOUND EFFECT: MARIAN’s radio buzzes. (MARIAN pulls the radio from her belt and answers it) MARIAN: Sergeant Martin here. POLICE DISPATCH: (off-screen, over the radio) We need all available units, Martin! The Shadow Warriors are attacking the glue factory! MARIAN: I’m on my way! (MARIAN rushes to the exit, putting the radio back on her belt as she does so.) MARIAN: You two better come, too. If the Shadow Warriors are involved, this could be a sticky situation. (MARIAN exits. BILLY and JIMMY walk toward the sword stand. JIMMY talks as they walk.) JIMMY: A sticky situation at a glue factory? Nah. (BILLY and JIMMY have reached the sword stand. As they draw their swords, BILLY replies.) BILLY: Whatever the Shadow Master is up to, it can’t be good. Swords! (BILLY and JIMMY hold their swords up and out, crossing each other) JIMMY: For might! BILLY: For right! (Green energy emanates from the swords, transforming BILLY and JIMMY into the Double Dragons) BILLY and JIMMY: We are Double Dragons! ___ SCENE 12: Establishing shot of the Glue Factory (exterior, day). A large, industrial building, resembling the building in the middle of Mission 2 of Double Dragon (NES) (the one which crosses the gap). A large sign says “Metro Glue.” The factory is surrounded by green chain-link fencing with an opening for the entrance. The Shadow Warriors have already taken over the factory and are standing with their backs to it in a firefight against the police. TRIGGER-HAPPY and COUNTDOWN lead a squad of “Blade” Shadow Warriors who are armed with Stalker vehicles and laser cannons (like the one in the episode “The Eye of the Dragon”). The Double Dragons arrive in the Dragon Cruiser. They pull up alongside MARIAN’s car, behind which she is firing a laser bazooka. The Double Dragons get out and take cover alongside her. BILLY: Marian, what’s the situation? MARIAN: They’re already inside! We need to take back the factory! JIMMY: We’ll take care of that. Cover us! MARIAN: Right! (MARIAN fires repeatedly as the Double Dragons sprint toward the factory. We see her cover fire hit a couple of cannons, which explode, causing chaos amongst the Shadow Warriors and allowing the Double Dragons to slip past them.) ___ SCENE 13: Glue Factory interior. The view pans up, revealing a large, multi-floored interior resembling the building at the end of Mission 2 of Double Dragon (NES). The top floor closely resembles the end of the arcade Mission 2 with stacked crates, a ladder, closed green elevator doors, an open floor lift with connecting tracks (currently stationed on the lower floors) and a moving conveyor belt leading to an open hole. The lower levels are filled with huge, open vats of glue. The view zooms in on the top floor where JAWBREAKER and SICKLE are laughing. JAWBREAKER sticks his hand into an open barrel of glue, removes a glob and throws it at the wall. It hits and slides down leaving a trail alongside other similar trails – they’ve clearly been doing this for a few minutes. JIMMY: (off-screen) What a mess! (JAWBREAKER and SICKLE look over their shoulders. The view then shows what they see: The Double Dragons, swords drawn.) BILLY: Time to clean it up! (JAWBREAKER takes another glue glob and hurls it at BILLY, who fires green energy from his sword, vaporizing the glob in midair. JAWBREAKER then charges at BILLY bellowing. BILLY throws JAWBREAKER over his shoulder and onto the conveyor belt. As the belt moves JAWBREAKER toward the hole, he gets up and comically tries to run away from the hole. He fails and falls down the hole. The view switches showing JAWBREAKER falling into one of the huge vats of glue. He then sticks his head out of the glue, looking bamboozled and stupid. (Back on the top level, JIMMY and SICKLE, both armed, exchange a series of parries. JIMMY, now next to the glue barrel, sheaths his sword and picks the barrel up, emptying its contents on SICKLE’s head. SICKLE quickly crouches, avoiding the glue. Just as quickly, JIMMY pounces down on SICKLE’s crouched form, trapping him inside the upside-down barrel and then sitting on top of it, arms folded. (The view then shows the Double Dragons, now unchallenged.) BILLY: I don’t get it. Why would the Shadow Master attack a glue factory? JIMMY: I don’t see anything here that he would want. Unless…. BILLY: This was all a trap…. JIMMY: And we walked right into it! SOUND EFFECT: The sound of the floor lift, menacingly moving up its tracks. (The Double Dragons spin around. The Shadow Dragon, with his sword drawn and eyes glaring, rises into view as the floor lift he’s standing on rises. Once it’s reached the top level, he just stands there, still glaring.) (BG MUSIC: Three or four alarming notes.) (Fade to black, for commercial break) ___ SCENE 14 (The big showdown): Glue Factory interior (Top floor). Exactly where we left off. Tension is in the air as the Double Dragons unsurely eye the sinister-looking Shadow Dragon (who is still on the floor lift). JIMMY: (aside, to BILLY) Any idea what we do now? BILLY: (aside, to JIMMY) Well, this guy looks like a Dragon Warrior. JIMMY: (aside, to BILLY) Looks like a SHADOW Warrior, too! BILLY: (calling, to JEFF) Ho, stranger! Whose side are you on? (JEFF’s sword charges with blue energy. He then points it at BILLY, blasting a continuous beam at him. BILLY lifts his sword, blocking the energy blast, but straining with the effort.) BILLY: (still blocking the blast) Well, that answers the question…. (JIMMY rushes over to JEFF with a war cry, leaping into the air and launching an attack. JEFF blocks the attack, and they begin to duel across the top level. After some skilled parrying and evading, BILLY rushes to JIMMY’s side.) JEFF: The Shadow Master told me who you truly are, Billy and Jimmy Lee. JIMMY: How about I tell you who the Shadow Master truly is? A filthy, low-down, ball of slime! JEFF: (lifting his sword, charging it with blue energy) Hraah! (JEFF again points his sword at the Double Dragons, blasting another continuous beam. BILLY and JIMMY do the same, charging and blasting green beams back at JEFF. The three beams meet and push against each other, blue against green. The green beams’ strength becomes evident as the two combined beams overpower the single blue beam, which they slowly repel. The green beams travel all the way to the Shadow Dragon, blasting him and sending him flying. He lands on his back and de-transforms back into JEFF. The Double Dragons are shocked by this revelation.) BILLY: Jeff! You’re a Shadow Warrior? JEFF: (getting up) More than just a Shadow Warrior. (JEFF lifts up his sword, which begins to glow blue.) JEFF: With the Sword of the Shadow…. (JEFF transforms into the Shadow Dragon) JEFF:… I’m the SHADOW DRAGON! JIMMY: Listen to me, Jeff. The Shadow Master is bad news. I know. JEFF: I don’t CARE about the Shadow Master! All that matters is destroying you! BILLY: But why? JEFF: Because your glory should be mine! JIMMY: You fight because you’re jealous? That’s crazy! JEFF: I am NOT JEALOUS! (JEFF charges at the Double Dragons. They both flip out of the way to either side, and JEFF runs straight through the middle.) JIMMY: (aside, to BILLY) You thinkin’ what I’m thinkin’, Bro? BILLY: (aside, to JIMMY) It might just work! JIMMY: (calling, to JEFF) Hey Jeff! Why are you tryin’ so hard to be me? JEFF: (as he charges, at JIMMY) I AM NOT! (JEFF takes constant swipes at JIMMY, getting angrier and angrier, while JIMMY merely dodges, constantly taunting JEFF.) JIMMY: Oh yeah? You spent the whole tournament obsessed with me! You fight for the Shadow Master, just like I did! You’re even using my old sword! Face it, you don’t wanna beat me – you wanna be me! JEFF: NOOOOOOOOOOOOO! (JEFF leaps into the air, performing the cyclone kick. JIMMY’s face shows hesitancy, as he recognizes the move that defeated him. (Time goes into slow-motion. The view constantly flashes from JIMMY’s view [The Shadow Dragon in focus, performing the kick against a factory background] to his memory [JEFF in focus, performing the kick against an arena background], and back. (Time returns to normal speed, and the view shows JIMMY’s face, going from hesitancy to determination. JIMMY rolls underneath JEFF, ending up behind him as the cyclone kick is about to end. Then, as JEFF begins to land, JIMMY jumps up and performs the cyclone kick, hitting JEFF and sending him flying into a pile of crates. (BILLY and JIMMY approach the disrupted crates. JEFF emerges from within, sitting up, dejected.) BILLY: It doesn’t have to be this way, Jeff. You’re not all Shadow. Come with us. (JEFF scowls. He produces a smoke bomb and throws it down, sending up an expanding cloud of smoke, which fills the screen. The view changes to BILLY and JIMMY standing in the smoke. As they talk, the smoke gets thicker, and their images fade into silhouettes.) JIMMY: He really sees us as the enemy, doesn’t he? BILLY: Jeff’s enemy isn’t another person. It’s his own envy. ___ SCENE 15: Glue Factory exterior (dusk) SICKLE and JAWBREAKER, both looking afraid and covered in glue, run from the factory and join the Shadow Warriors at the front. SICKLE: Shadow Warriors! Retreat! (COUNTDOWN fires a couple of rockets at the fencing, blasting a large gap. The Shadow Warriors run through the gap and into the sunset. The view then shows MARIAN and the police getting into their cars to pursue the Shadow Warriors.) MARIAN: After them! Arrest every Shadow you can! (Green flame cut to next scene) ___ SCENE 16 (Epilogue): Establishing shot of the Dragon Dojo (exterior, night). Cut to Dragon Dojo interior. BILLY, JIMMY (both now in the form of the Lee brothers) and MARIAN all sit around a low table, drinking Japanese tea. MARIAN: So Jeff holds the Shadow Sword, now? JIMMY: ‘Fraid so. One more bad guy. BILLY: You should be proud of the way you faced Jeff, today. JIMMY: Hey, I didn’t defeat Jeff. I just watched him defeat himself with his own envy. BILLY: As the code of the Dragon says, “Jealousy is a green-eyed monster that consumes its own keeper.” (Cut back to the Dragon Dojo exterior [still night]. The view pans down from the skyline, down to ground level. JEFF (de-transformed) is standing there just outside the Dojo grounds glaring at the Dragon Dojo. He turns and runs into the night.) (Fade to black) ___ SCENE 17 (Message): Establishing shot of the Dragon Dojo (exterior, day). Cut to Dragon Dojo interior. BILLY and JIMMY are leading a class of Junior Dragons in a kata. BILLY: Respecting the achievements of others is a noble thing to do. But don’t ever get jealous of what somebody else has. Being jealous only hurts you. Instead of being angry about what others have, focus on your own potential. As the code of the Dragon says, “Control your envy; don’t let it control you.” BILLY, JIMMY and JUNIOR DRAGONS: By the power of the Dragon! (Roll Credits)
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