Avatar Screenplay

AVATAR
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 Written by
 
 James Cameron
 
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 THE SOUND OF DRUMS, from a great distance, growing louder.
 
 ' FADE IN:
 ' 
 WE ARE FLYING through mist, a dimly glimpsed forest below.
 
 ' VOICE (V.O.)
 When I was lying there in the VA
 hospital, with a big hole blown through
 the middle of my life, I started having
 these dreams of flying.
 
 We are very low over the forest now, gliding fast, the drums
 BUILDING to a PEAK --
 
 ' VOICE (V.O.)
 Sooner or later though, you always have
 to wake up...
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' EXT. CITY - NIGHT
 ' 
 A SCREECH OF BRAKES as a vehicle WIPES FRAME, revealing --
 
 JAKE SULLY, a scarred and scruffy combat vet, sitting in a
 beat up carbon-fiber wheelchair. At 22, his eyes are
 hardened by the wisdom and wariness of one who has endured
 pain beyond his years.
 
 Jake stares upward at the levels of the city. MAGLEV TRAINS
 WHOOSH overhead on elevated tracks, against a sky of garish
 advertizing.
 
 ' JAKE (V.O.)
 They can fix a spinal, if you've got the
 money. But not on vet benefits, not in
 this economy.
 
 The traffic light changes and Jake pushes forward with the
 crowd, pumping the wheels of his chair. Most of the people
 wear FILTER MASKS to protect them from the toxic air. In a
 LONG LENS STACK it is a marching torrent of anonymous,
 isolated souls.
 
 ' INT. JAKE'S APARTMENT - NIGHT
 ' 
 The room is a tiny CUBICLE, prison cell meets 747 bathroom.
 Narrow cot, wall-screen droning away in the B.G. --
 
 ' PERKY NEWSCASTER
 The Bengal tiger, extinct for over a
 century, is making a comeback. These
 cloned tiger cubs at the Beijing Zoo
 are...
 
 ' 2.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 Jake laboriously pulls his pants off -- rocking to one side,
 pushing the fabric down past his hip, then rocking to the
 other, and so on.
 
 His legs are white and atrophied. Utterly useless. But his
 arms are tattooed and powerfully muscled. A "Born Loser"
 tattoo prominent on his shoulder.
 
 ' JAKE (V.O.)
 I became a Marine for the hardship. To
 be hammered on the anvil of life. I told
 myself I could pass any test a man can
 pass.
 
 Jake struggles with his pants a long time.
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' INT. ROWDY BAR -- NIGHT
 ' 
 Not the kind of place you'd bring your mom.
 
 We find Jake near the pool table, BALANCING his chair, front
 wheels off the ground, while holding a tequila shot on his
 forehead. ONLOOKERS, including some other disabled vets,
 CLAP and WHOOP.
 
 Jake grabs the glass, SLAMS down the shot as they cheer.
 
 A WALL-SIZED SCREEN filled with the World Cup game -- men
 RUNNING on antelope legs.
 
 CU JAKE, watching what he can't have. Expression stony.
 
 ' JAKE (V.O.)
 Let's get it straight up front. I don't
 want your pity. I know the world's a
 cold-ass bitch.
 
 Jake's eyes shift -- HIS POV, seeing the bar through gaps in
 the crowd. A MAN on a barstool SLAPS the WOMAN he's with.
 Hard. She cowers but he's got her arm, shouting, raising his
 fist. An eternal tableau. People look away.
 
 CU JAKE -- not looking away.
 
 ' JAKE (V.O.)
 You want a fair deal, you're on the wrong
 planet. The strong prey on the weak.
 
 TIGHT ON JAKE'S HAND as he starts pushing the wheel of his
 chair.
 
 TRACKING WITH HIM as he rolls forward.
 
 ' 3.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 ' JAKE (V.O.)
 It's just the way things are. And nobody
 does a damn thing.
 
 Jake stops, unnoticed, next to the bullying man. He leans
 down and grabs one leg of the man's barstool -- and YANKS.
 
 The chair flips. The guy goes down HARD and --
 
 JAKE hurls himself from the wheelchair, toppling on the guy,
 getting a grip on him like a pit bull and PUNCHING the crap
 out of him, right there on the floor.
 
 THE BOUNCER jumps in, trying to drag him off and it goes into
 SLOW MOTION, everybody yelling and pulling...
 
 ' JAKE (V.O.)
 All I ever wanted in my sorry-ass life
 was a single thing worth fighting for.
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' EXT. ALLEY BEHIND BAR -- NIGHT
 ' 
 THE BOUNCER hurls Jake out the door, sending him SPRAWLING on
 the pavement. A moment later, his chair CRASHES down on him,
 banging across the alley, landing in the trash.
 
 Jake struggles to rise on one elbow. He's bleeding and
 bruised, but still crazed and ready to fight.
 
 ' JAKE
 I hope you realize you've just lost a
 customer!
 
 He collapses onto his back, panting.
 
 ' JAKE
 (to himself)
 Candy ass bitch.
 
 He stares upwards at the levels of the city. MAGTRAINS ROAR
 overhead. It starts to RAIN. He just lies there, blinking --
 then shouts jauntily to no one in particular --
 
 ' JAKE
 If it ain't rainin' we ain't trainin'!
 
 CAMERA PULLS BACK high and wide, as Jake lies spread-eagled
 amongst the trash, getting drenched.
 
 TWO LONG SHADOWS enter FRAME, coming to rest across him.
 
 ' 4.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 Jake sees two pairs of SHINY SHOES stop next to him. He
 squints up at --
 
 TWO MEN. Matching suits. Their features unremarkable and
 blandly threatening in the way of FBI agents and auditors.
 
 ' AGENT 1
 Are you Jake Sully?
 
 ' JAKE
 Step off. You're ruinin' my good mood.
 
 ' AGENT 2
 It's about your brother.
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' INT. MUNICIPAL CREMATORIUM - NIGHT
 ' 
 DOWN-ANGLE on a large rectangular cardboard box. HANDS ENTER
 FRAME, pulling open the top to reveal a DEAD MAN'S FACE. He
 looks EXACTLY like a clean-shaven version of Jake. His
 IDENTICAL TWIN -- TOMMY.
 ' 
 ' JAKE (V.O.)
 The strong prey on the weak. A guy with
 a knife took all Tommy would ever be, for
 the paper in his wallet.
 
 WIDER, showing Jake and the two agents in a high tech
 CREMATORIUM -- a row of stainless steel furnaces. Jake
 stares down at his own face.
 
 ' JAKE
 Jesus, Tommy.
 
 ' JAKE (V.O.)
 The Suits' concern was touching.
 
 ' AGENT 1
 Your brother represented a significant
 investment. We'd like to talk to you
 about taking over his contract.
 
 The ATTENDANT closes the box and seals it with a tape
 dispenser, like it's a package for shipping. The cardboard
 coffin is rolled into the furnace.
 
 ' JAKE (V.O.)
 The egghead and the jarhead. Tommy was
 the scientist, not me. He was the one
 who wanted to get shot light years out
 into space to find the answers.
 
 ' 5.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 PUSHING IN ON JAKE as he watches, bathed in orange light.
 
 ' JAKE (V.O.)
 Me -- I was just another dumb grunt
 gettin' sent someplace I was gonna
 regret.
 
 INSIDE THE FURNACE the burners quickly eat away the
 cardboard; TOMMY'S FACE is, for a moment, wreathed in flame
 but not touched by it, as we --
 DISSOLVE TO:
 ' 
 JAKE'S FACE, in icy darkness. CLOSE ON his eyes -- they OPEN
 suddenly, and he takes a sharp breath.
 
 JAKE'S POV -- the inside of a metal coffin. A SERVO WHINE
 and we are moving, emerging into a large chamber --
 
 ' INT. CRYO VAULT
 ' 
 JAKE'S POV -- A TECH in medical scrubs FLOATS WEIGHTLESSLY
 toward us. Wherever we are, we're not on Earth.
 
 Jake squints as the lights flicker on, revealing --
 
 WIDE SHOT -- the multi-tiered CRYO VAULT. Hundreds of CRYO-
 CAPSULES are opening like morgue drawers, as med techs pull
 themselves about in ZERO-G, tending to their patients.
 
 ' JAKE
 (a hoarse whisper)
 Are we there?
 
 ' MED TECH
 We're there, Sunshine.
 
 TIME CUT -- SCORES OF PEOPLE emerge from their cryo-capsules
 in ZERO-G. Pale spirits of the dead rising from rows of open
 coffins.
 
 The MED TECH floats among them, using his announcement voice.
 
 ' MED TECH
 People, you have been in cryo for five
 years, nine months and twenty two days.
 You will be hungry, you will be weak. If
 you feel nausea, please use the sacks
 provided for your convenience. The staff
 thanks you in advance.
 
 ' 6.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 FOLLOWING JAKE as he pushes away from his capsule, gliding to
 the LOCKERS across the aisle, his paralyzed legs not an
 impediment in weightlessness.
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' EXT. SPACE
 ' 
 Against the cold infinity of stars glides an INTERSTELLAR
 SPACECRAFT -- ISV VENTURE STAR. As it moves past like an
 endless train, we realize this thing is ENORMOUS -- over half
 a mile long. PAN WITH IT 180 to REVEAL --
 
 A GAS-GIANT PLANET called POLYPHEMUS, ringed with dozens of
 moons which cast beauty-mark shadows on its vast face.
 
 The ISV diminishes away from us toward the largest MOON-- a
 blue and surprisingly Earth-like world called PANDORA. The
 ship dwindles to a speck against the BLUE MOON.
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' EXT. PANDORA ORBIT
 ' 
 ISV Venture Star drifts above a spectacular vista -- the
 sapphire seas and unfamiliar continents of Pandora.
 
 CLOSE ON ISV -- two massive "VALKYRIE" SHUTTLES are mated to
 a DOCKING NODE. One of them separates from the starship and
 moves away, its thrusters FIRING in short bursts.
 
 As the shuttle moves away, descending toward Pandora, we hear
 the sound of DRUMS, building, louder and louder until we--
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' EXT. RAINFOREST - TWILIGHT
 ' 
 FLYING OVER A LANDSCAPE of massive cliffs and towering mesas
 carpeted in rainforest. Great scarves of cloud swirl around
 the mesa tops. A primeval landscape, vast and forbidding.
 
 The trees are alien, the color too cyan. There are
 waterfalls, rivers, and distant flocks of WINGED CREATURES.
 
 Suddenly the carpet of virgin rainforest gives way to --
 
 AN OPEN-PIT MINE. A lifeless crater -- as if a giant cookie-
 cutter took a chunk out of the world. Down among the
 terraces are EXCAVATORS and TRUCKS the size of three story
 buildings.
 
 And beyond the mine is the HUMAN COLONY --
 
 ' 7.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 ' EXT. HELL'S GATE - TWILIGHT
 ' 
 HELL'S GATE is a cluster of squat concrete and steel
 structures surrounded by chain-link FENCE 10 meters high,
 topped with razor wire.
 
 At the corners are towers with automated SENTRY GUNS
 swiveling on servo mounts.
 
 Visible beyond the gun towers, the VALKYRIE SHUTTLE roars in
 across the treetops. VECTORING NOZZLES change angle,
 bringing the ship to a SLOW HOVER.
 
 ' EXT. RAIN FOREST - TWILIGHT
 ' 
 Through a screen of jungle canopy, we see the VALKYRIE
 thunder overhead. Camera TILTS with it until leaves block
 the view.
 
 A BLUE INHUMAN HAND reaches INTO SHOT, parting the foliage to
 reveal the shuttle hover-taxiing across the compound.
 
 REVERSE -- ECU of two intense, cat-like golden EYES watching.
 
 ' INT./EXT. SHUTTLE
 ' 
 The CREW CHIEF stomps down the aisle yelling --
 
 ' CREW CHIEF
 Exopacks on!
 
 Passengers don their EXO-PACK breathing gear with practiced
 moves. Everybody except JAKE, who's turning his this way and
 that trying to figure out the straps.
 
 ' CREW CHIEF
 Remember people, you lose your mask
 you're unconscious in 20 seconds and
 you're dead in four minutes. Let's nobody
 be dead today, it looks bad on my report.
 
 The crew chief stops by Jake long enough to bark --
 
 ' CREW CHIEF
 Exopack on, let's go!
 
 BENEATH THE SHUTTLE air blasts outward for a hundred meter
 radius as it settles onto its landing gear.
 
 INSIDE everybody is queued up in the aisles, with duffles
 ready. Rows of tense, expectant faces in breathing masks --
 and we DIP DOWN to find Jake, wheelchair putting him at the
 level of everyone else's WAISTS.
 
 ' 8.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 THE CARGO RAMP OPENS with a hydraulic whine.
 
 ' CREW CHIEF
 Go directly into the base! Do not stop!
 Go straight inside!
 
 HAND-HELD, running with the arriving colonists who double
 time down the ramp. They jog across the exposed apron toward
 a walkway covered in CHAINLINK which leads to the complex.
 
 Inside the chain-link tunnel are a couple of SEC-OPS
 TROOPERS, CORPORAL LYLE WAINFLEET and PRIVATE FIKE. Sec-Ops
 is the colony's private security force. These guys are laid
 back, hardened, and haggard.
 
 ' WAINFLEET
 Look at all that new meat.
 
 THEIR POV -- Jake rolls down the ramp.
 
 ' FIKE
 Check it out, man. Meals on wheels.
 
 ' WAINFLEET
 That is just wrong.
 
 Jake, pumping his chair, looks around as --
 
 A huge TRACTOR, taller than a house, ROARS past on muddy
 wheels. He notices something sticking in the tires --
 ARROWS. The neolithic weapons are jarring amid all the
 advanced technology.
 
 Beyond the tractor, two VTOL vehicles take off. Armored and
 heavily armed, they are AT-99 "SCORPION" GUNSHIPS.
 
 MITSUBISHI MK-6 AMPSUITS -- human operated walking machines 4
 meters tall -- patrol the perimeter. They are heavily
 armored, and armed with a huge rotary cannon called a GAU-90.
 
 Beyond the outer fence stands a black wall of forest hundreds
 of feet high. A SENTRY GUN OPENS FIRE from a tower. TRACERS
 light up the twilight. A shadowy SHAPE SHRIEKS and drops off
 the fence. It is an armed camp in a state of siege.
 
 WAINFLEET and Fike give Jake and his chair the hairy eyeball
 as he approaches.
 
 ' JAKE
 What're you two limpdicks starin' at?
 
 As Jake rolls past, SOMETHING SWOOPS down behind him and --
 
 ' 9.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 K-KRASH! SMASHES against the chain-link right next to his
 head.
 
 A vicious AERIAL PREDATOR a meter across gnashes glass fangs
 against the steel. It STABS at him through the chain link
 with a tail ending in a glistening stiletto. A STINGBAT.
 
 WAINFLEET casually BLASTS IT with his PISTOL. It drops off
 the fence, tail still lashing.
 
 ' WAINFLEET
 Seen a lotta guys leave this place in a
 wheelchair. Never seen anybody show up
 in one.
 
 Jake stares at the gnashing fangs of the dying alien.
 
 ON A WALKWAY of the OPS CENTER, seen from above, a UNIFORMED
 FIGURE grips the railing, watching Jake pump his chair
 through the tunnel below.
 
 The hair is clipped short. The scalp is etched by long
 parallel SCARS where some Pandoran denizen's claws raked
 across it. The bare arms, below tightly rolled sleeves, seem
 hewn out of some hard tropical wood. Criss-crossed by scars.
 
 The MAN raises his masked face to look at the sky. He eyes
 are an icy steel gray.
 
 HIS POV -- the mighty POLYPHEMUS seems to fill the sky,
 beyond the clouds.
 
 ' MAN (V.O.)
 You are not in Kansas any more...
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' INT. COMMISSARY - TWILIGHT
 ' 
 THE MAN from the balcony -- COLONEL MILES QUARITCH -- is the
 HEAD OF SECURITY for the Hell's Gate colony. A hundred new
 arrivals watch raptly as he paces like a panther across the
 front of the large cafeteria. He stops, stance wide.
 
 Without his mask, we see that Quaritch's features are rugged
 and handsome, except for the SCAR, which runs from scalp to
 jaw down one side of his face. On one hip he carries a very
 large PISTOL.
 
 ' QUARITCH
 ... You are on Pandora, ladies and
 gentlemen. Respect that fact every second
 of every day.
 
 ' 10.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 JAKE ROLLS IN, watching from the back.
 
 COLONEL QUARITCH raises his hand and points out the window,
 toward the dark treeline.
 
 ' QUARITCH
 Out beyond that fence every living thing
 that crawls, flies or squats in the mud
 wants to kill you and eat your eyes for
 jujubees.
 
 The room gets very quiet.
 
 ' QUARITCH
 We have an indigenous population of
 humanoids here called the Na'vi. They're
 fond of arrows dipped in a neurotoxin
 which can stop your heart in one minute.
 We operate -- we live -- at a constant
 threat condition yellow.
 
 PAN ACROSS the solid faces of miners, Cat-machine drivers,
 engineers, geologists, as they take that in.
 
 ' QUARITCH
 As head of security, it's my job to keep
 you alive. I will not succeed --
 (pausing for effect)
 -- not with all of you. If you wish to
 survive, you need a strong mental
 attitude, you need to follow procedure...
 
 PUSH IN ON JAKE, watching as the briefing continues.
 
 ' JAKE (V.O.)
 Nothing like an old-school safety brief
 to put your mind at ease.
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' INT. CORRIDOR
 ' 
 People are roaming in both directions, looking for rooms,
 lugging duffels and cases.
 
 An eager young XENOANTHROPOLOGIST, staggering under an
 overpacked duffel, runs to catch up to Jake.
 
 ' NORM
 Hey, you're Jake right? Tom's brother?
 You look just like him.
 (off Jake's wary look)
 Sorry, I'm Norm Spellman, I went through
 avatar training with him.
 
 ' 11.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 Norm offers his hand and Jake shakes it.
 
 ' NORM
 He was a great guy -- funny. It was a
 big shock to all of us.
 
 ' JAKE
 Yeah.
 
 Jake pumps the wheels of his chair, rolling on. Norm walks
 with him.
 
 ' NORM
 And duh! -- obviously you look like him.
 I mean, if you weren't genetically
 identical, you wouldn't be taking over
 his avatar.
 
 ' JAKE
 That's why I'm here.
 
 ' NORM
 So -- you want to go check it out?
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' INT. BIO-LAB - DAY
 ' 
 JAKE AND NORM enter the BIO-LAB -- a large lab complex with
 many adjoining rooms.
 
 ' MAX
 Me and Norm were out here to drive these
 remotely controlled bodies called
 avatars. They're grown from human DNA
 mixed with DNA from the natives here.
 
 A scientist, DOCTOR MAX CULLIMORE, is supervising the
 uncrating of two SHIPPING CONTAINERS. The nearer has the
 sides removed, revealing -- a ceiling-height acrylic TANK.
 
 Norm stops to stare, and Jake rolls past him as if drawn by
 some unseen force, toward --
 
 THE AMNIO TANK. There is a FIGURE floating lanquidly inside,
 which looks like a man. A very large, very blue, man.
 
 Blood circulates through a synthetic UMBILICAL in the
 abdomen. As the figure turns in the amniotic fluid, we see
 that it has a lemur-like TAIL. The skin is cyan-blue. Long
 black hair drifts, graceful as seaweed.
 
 ' JAKE
 Damn. They got big.
 
 ' 12.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 ' NORM
 Yeah, they mature on the trip out.
 (to Max)
 So the proprioceptive sims worked pretty
 well.
 
 ' MAX
 Yeah, they've got great muscle tone. Give
 us a few hours, you guys can take them
 for a spin.
 
 THE FIGURE'S sleeping face turns toward us, and the features
 are -- despite feline ears and a long feral snout --
 definitely JAKE'S.
 
 ' JAKE
 It looks like him.
 
 ' NORM
 No, it looks like you. This is your
 avatar now, Jake.
 
 ON JAKE, mesmerized as he stares into the tank.
 
 ' JAKE (V.O.)
 The idea is -- every driver is matched to
 his own avatar --
 
 STEREOCAM VIDEO SHOT OF JAKE -- facing the camera, talking
 directly to the lens. JAKE'S VOICE-OVER up until now has
 been part of this VIDEOLOG.
 
 ' JAKE
 -- so their nervous systems are in tune.
 Or something. Which is why they offered
 me this gig, because I can link with
 Tommy's avatar, which was insanely
 expensive.
 (looking off camera)
 Is this right? I just say whatever in
 these videologs?
 
 WIDER, showing Norm working nearby with Max.
 
 ' NORM
 Yeah. You just need to get in the habit
 of documenting everything -- what you
 see, what you feel -- it's all part of
 the science. Good science starts with
 good observation.
 
 ' 13.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 ' JAKE
 Right.
 (to camera)
 So, whatever. Here I am. Doing science.
 (looks around)
 Never been in a lab before.
 
 ' MAX
 Log off. It's time to meet your boss for
 the next five years.
 
 He leads Jake and Norm through the short corridor to the --
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' INT. LINK ROOM - DUSK
 ' 
 The LINK ROOM contains a dozen PSIONIC LINK UNITS, which look
 like coffins crossed with MRI scanners.
 
 ' NORM
 Grace Augustine is a legend. She's the
 head of the Avatar Program, and she wrote
 the book -- I mean literally wrote the
 book -- on Pandoran botany.
 
 ' MAX
 (low, over his shoulder)
 That's because she likes plants better
 than people.
 
 DR. GRACE AUGUSTINE sits up in her link, stretching and
 cracking her neck after a long session. She's fifty, with a
 strong face and fiercely intelligent eyes.
 
 ' GRACE
 ' (YELLING)
 Who's got my goddamn cigarette?!
 
 A TECH scurries to bring it to her, already lit. Around here
 they jump when Grace barks.
 
 Grace stands, scowling, as Jake, Norm and Max approach.
 
 ' MAX
 And here she is, Cinderella back from the
 ball. Grace, I'd like you to meet Norm
 Spellman and Ja --
 
 ' GRACE
 Norm. I hear good things about you.
 How's your Na'vi?
 
 ' 14.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 ' NORM
 (Na'vi, subtitled)
 May the All Mother smile upon our first
 meeting.
 
 Grace nods approvingly, taking a drag on her cigarette.
 
 ' GRACE
 ' (SUBTITLED)
 Not bad. You sound a little formal.
 
 ' NORM
 ' (SUBTITLED)
 There is still much to learn.
 
 Jake waits while they ignore him, chattering in fluent Na'vi.
 
 ' MAX
 Uh, Grace, this is Jake S----
 
 ' GRACE
 (turning to Jake)
 Yeah, yeah, I know who you are, and I
 don't need you. I need your brother.
 (to Max)
 You know -- the PhD who trained three
 years for this mission.
 
 ' JAKE
 He's dead. I know it's a big
 inconvenience to everyone.
 
 ' GRACE
 How much lab training have you had? Ever
 run a gas chromatograph?
 
 ' JAKE
 No.
 
 ' GRACE
 Any actual lab work at all?
 
 ' JAKE
 High school chemistry. But I ditched.
 
 Grace wheels on Max.
 
 ' GRACE
 You see? You see? They're pissing on us
 without even the courtesy of calling it
 rain.
 (turning away)
 I'm going to Selfridge.
 
 ' 15.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 She shoves past Jake.
 
 ' MAX
 Grace, that's not a good idea.
 
 But she's already out the door and clomping down the
 corridor. Max turns to Jake with a pained look.
 
 ' MAX
 Here, tomorrow, oh eight hundred. Try to
 use big words.
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' INT. OPS CENTER - DUSK
 ' 
 It looks like an air-traffic control tower, with lots of
 screens and bay windows showing the whole complex.
 
 ADMINISTRATOR PARKER SELFRIDGE takes a ball from a newly
 opened case of TITLEISTS and sets it on the floor. Selfridge
 is young, charismatic, focused. Some would say ruthless.
 
 He assumes the stance and lines up his putt, toward a
 practice cup across the control room floor. He glances up as
 Grace strides toward him.
 
 ' GRACE
 Parker, I used to think it was benign
 neglect, but now I see you're
 intentionally screwing us.
 
 ' SELFRIDGE
 Grace. You know I enjoy our little
 talks.
 
 ' GRACE
 I need a research assistant, not some
 jarhead dropout.
 
 Selfridge looks down and hits the ball.
 
 Grace kicks the practice cup aside, and the ball rolls past.
 Selfridge looks at her with a sigh.
 
 ' SELFRIDGE
 Actually, we got lucky with him.
 
 ' GRACE
 Lucky? How is this in any way lucky?
 
 As Selfridge saunters over to retrieve the ball --
 
 ' 16.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 ' SELFRIDGE
 Well -- lucky your guy had a twin
 brother, and lucky the brother wasn't an
 oral hygienist or something. A Marine we
 can use. I'm assigning him to your team
 as security escort.
 
 ' GRACE
 The last thing I need is another trigger
 happy asshole out there!
 
 ' SELFRIDGE
 Look, you're supposed to be winning the
 hearts and minds of the natives. Isn't
 that the whole point of your little
 puppet show? If you look like them, if
 you talk like them, they'll trust you?
 
 Selfridge crosses to his office, behind a glass wall nearby.
 Grace follows.
 
 ' SELFRIDGE
 But after -- how many years? -- relations
 with the indigenous are only getting
 worse.
 
 ' GRACE
 That tends to happen when you use machine
 guns on them.
 
 On Selfridge's desk is a magnetic base, and hovering in mid-
 air, in the invisible field, is a lump of METALLIC ROCK.
 Pure UNOBTANIUM. He grabs it and holds it up between thumb
 and forefinger, in front of Grace's eyes.
 
 ' SELFRIDGE
 This is why we're here. Unobtanium.
 Because this little gray rock sells for
 twenty million a kilo. No other reason.
 This is what pays for the party. And
 it's what pays for your science.
 Comprendo?
 
 He places it back in the magnetic field.
 
 ' SELFRIDGE
 Those savages are threatening our whole
 operation. We're on the brink of war and
 you're supposed to be finding a
 diplomatic solution. So use what you've
 got and get me some results.
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' 17.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 ' INT. LINK ROOM - DAY
 ' 
 NEXT MORNING, GRACE, NORM and JAKE approach their link units.
 
 Jake glances through a PRESSURE WINDOW. In an adjoining
 chamber (the AMBIENT ROOM) JAKE'S AVATAR lies on a gurney,
 breathing slowly in PANDORAN AIR. NORM'S AVATAR is on a
 second gurney. Both are attended by med techs in exo-masks.
 
 Norm slips into his LINK CHAIR, expertly donning biometric
 sensors.
 
 ' GRACE
 How much link time have you logged?
 
 ' NORM
 Five hundred and twenty hours.
 
 Grace looks pointedly at Jake.
 
 ' JAKE
 Like -- an hour.
 
 ' GRACE
 Tell me you're joking.
 
 Grace opens the hood of Jake's link unit. Jake starts
 hauling himself across from his wheelchair. She reaches to
 help him but --
 
 ' JAKE
 Don't! I got this.
 
 Grace steps back, hands raised. He drags himself into the
 unit.
 
 ' GRACE
 So you just figured you'd come out here
 to the most hostile environment known to
 man, with no training of any kind, and
 see how it went? What was going through
 your head?
 
 He meets her eyes with a defiant glare.
 
 ' JAKE
 Maybe I was just tired of doctors telling
 me what I couldn't do.
 
 Grace watches him laboriously pull his inert legs into the
 link chair by hand.
 
 ' 18.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 Jake settles into the warm fluid gel packs lining the unit.
 It seems to enfold him. Grace adjusts his biometric sensors,
 then lowers the UPPER CLAMSHELL --
 
 ' GRACE
 Relax and let your mind go blank. That
 shouldn't be hard for you.
 
 ' JAKE
 Kiss the darkest part of my lily white --
 
 But the SLAMMING HOOD muffles the rest.
 
 ' MAX
 Initiate link.
 
 The LINK TECH touches some controls.
 
 ON A LARGE MONITOR a 3D SCAN of Jake's brain appears.
 Regions of activity flow with complex shifting colors.
 
 ' MAX
 That's a gorgeous brain. Nice activity.
 
 ' GRACE
 Go figure.
 (walking away)
 Alright, I'm going in.
 
 ' TECH
 Phase-lock at forty percent. He's in
 transition.
 
 Max watches a display showing the avatar's nervous system
 aligning with Jake's -- two ghostly networks of light
 merging.
 
 ' MAX
 That's it. Find your way home.
 
 ECU JAKE, inside the link unit. His eyes move under the
 lids, like a dreamer in REM sleep as --
 
 INSIDE JAKE'S MIND -- radiant streamers coalesce into a
 pulsing TUNNEL OF LIGHT and --
 
 THE SCREEN FLARES WHITE -- ZZZWHAP! -- resolving into an
 overexposed, out-of-focus image -- two BLURRY FACES wearing
 masks, looking down.
 
 ECU JAKE'S AVATAR -- two very intense eyes FILL FRAME, the
 pupils contracting. Golden irises pulse with life.
 
 ' 19.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 ' MAX
 He's in.
 
 ' TECH
 Phase-lock ninety nine percent. The link
 is stable.
 
 Blinking, Jake slowly sits up on the gurney. He looks down
 at his AVATAR BODY, touching his chest with one hand.
 
 ' MAX
 Take it slow, Jake. We need to check
 your motor control. Try touching your
 fingertips together --
 
 But Jake isn't listening. He's staring at his legs. He
 eases them off the gurney and --
 
 HIS BLUE FEET touch the concrete floor, taking his weight.
 
 JAKE STANDS, feeling the strength in his legs. His
 expression is child-like with wonder.
 
 HIS POV -- looking down at the med techs, who seem the size
 of children next to his 9' tall frame.
 
 He sees something like a blue tentacle curl across his arm
 and he JERKS AROUND in alarm. HIS TAIL.
 
 As he turns to see it, the tail sweeps instruments off a
 table with a crash. Jake laughs and grins at Max.
 
 ' MED TECH
 Easy, Jake, I need you to sit down --
 
 But Jake takes a step, then another. The wires to the bio-
 monitors pull taut, and he yanks them off his chest.
 
 ' MAX
 Jake! Wait, we have to run some tests --
 
 But Jake pushes past the protesting med techs, toward the
 door and --
 
 ' EXT. AVATAR COMPOUND - DAY
 ' 
 Jake emerges, blinking in the morning sun. He finds himself
 in the AVATAR COMPOUND -- a living and training area.
 
 Nearby, a couple of AVATARS are playing one-on-one in front
 of a (non-regulation height) basketball net. Others go about
 their daily activities around the compound.
 
 ' 20.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 Jake flexes his legs -- JUMPS -- and lands a little
 unsteadily, but his expression is joyful.
 
 He takes a few steps and breaks into a RUN. People are
 calling to him, somehwere, but he doesn't hear them -- he's
 running. RUNNING!
 
 He finds himself in the COMPOUND GARDEN, and stops amid
 neatly tended rows of ALIEN PLANTS. He looks down, wiggling
 his toes in the warm soil. Then inhales deeply -- revelling
 in the alien smells -- earth, plants, the nearby forest. He
 looks at his bare footprint in the soil of an alien world.
 
 ' GRACE (O.S.)
 Hey Marine!
 
 Jake turns at the familiar voice to see --
 
 A statuesque FEMALE AVATAR walking toward him. AVATAR GRACE
 is magnificent, with panther thighs, flat muscular stomach
 and firm athlete's breasts. She wears shorts and a T-shirt.
 In human years she would be about 35.
 
 ' JAKE
 Grace?
 
 ' GRACE
 Well who'd you expect, numbnuts? Think
 fast!
 
 She throws him a piece of Pandoran fruit, which he catches.
 
 ' GRACE
 Motor control is looking good.
 
 Jake bites into the fruit, the juice running down his chin.
 
 ' NORM (O.S.)
 Hey, check it out.
 
 Jake turns to see NORM'S AVATAR posing like a bodybuilder --
 chest shot, back shot, bi's.
 
 ' NORM
 I am a living god.
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' EXT. MINE PIT - DAY
 ' 
 A WIDE SHOT of the terraced crater of the UNOBTANIUM MINE. A
 quiet beat, then --
 
 ' 21.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 K-WHOOOOM! The entire face of one terrace is blown skyward
 in a chain of EXPLOSIONS. The "shot" blasts hundreds of tons
 of rock loose.
 
 LONG LENS ANGLES of enormous WHEEL-LOADERS shovelling up ore-
 rich rock and dropping it into DUMP TRUCKS.
 
 ' EXT. RAINFOREST - DAY
 ' 
 A wall of steel FILLS FRAME. The DOZER BLADE crushes
 everything in its path, reducing trees to kindling.
 
 WIDER, showing the CLEAR-CUTTING operation near the mine, as
 a road is cut through the jungle. Remotely operated DOZERS
 three stories tall rip into the tree-line.
 
 One of the dozers has rotating SLASH-CUTTER, a vicious
 spinning head, mounted on a hydraulic arm, that hogs through
 the enormous tree trunks in a spray of wood-shrapnel.
 
 The heavy machines are escorted by AMPSUITS. COLONEL
 QUARITCH, on foot, leads a squad of troopers wearing
 breathing masks and carrying almighty big AUTOMATIC WEAPONS.
 
 A BANSHEE -- a fearsome aerial predator -- HURTLES from
 above, diving toward them on wings 3 meters across. We get a
 glimpse of glassy fangs before --
 
 P-P-POOM! Quaritch cranks off three rapid SHOTS with his
 massive sidearm, and the creature drops with a SHRIEK.
 
 It crashes near them and Quaritch FIRES two more well placed
 rounds. The newbies stare at the thing's barracuda teeth.
 
 ' QUARITCH
 For you pogues, this is a banshee. A
 small one. See, they like it when I
 bring fresh meat out here. And this
 clearcutting really stirs up the hornet's
 nest. So keep your head on a swivel. If
 it moves, shoot it. If you're not sure
 it's moving -- shoot it! If it looks like
 a bunch of flowers you want to take home
 to Sally Rottencrotch -- SHOOT IT!
 What're you gonna do?
 
 ' TROOPERS
 Shoot it, sir!
 
 ' QUARITCH
 Outstanding. Let's roll.
 
 ' 22.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 Quaritch leads his squad into the gloom of the forest, his
 eyes scanning. Flanking the squad, LYLE WAINFLEET drives an
 AMPSUIT, his massive feet CRASHING through the underbrush.
 
 As his gaze comes down, he sees something ahead of him on the
 trail -- an intricate TOTEM of woven sticks, bones and
 feathers hanging across the trail like an orb-weaver's web.
 
 He tears it down with the barrel of his rifle, and stomps it
 into the mud as he moves on.
 
 ' INT. AVATAR LONGHOUSE - DUSK
 ' 
 Jake sits on a wooden bed in a long hut of tropical-style
 construction -- beamed ceiling, open sides covered by screen.
 
 Around him the other avatars are bedding down for the night,
 pulling insect netting around their cots. In one hand, Jake
 holds the end of his long braided QUEUE of hair.
 
 CLOSE ON the queue -- the ends of the hair writhe slowly with
 their own life, like tendrils of a sea creature.
 
 ' JAKE
 That's kinda freaky.
 
 GRACE switches off the overheads.
 
 ' GRACE
 Lights out amigos. See ya' at dinner.
 
 Jake sits in the twilight, listening to the SCREECHES and
 HOOTS from the forest. Finally he lies down, CLOSING HIS
 EYES and --
 
 ' INT. LINK ROOM - NIGHT
 ' 
 ECU HUMAN JAKE -- his eyes OPEN.
 
 Jake blinks, disoriented, as Max opens the upper clamshell of
 his link unit.
 
 In the next chair Grace sits up, yawning and cracking her
 neck as the scared tech runs to her with a lit cigarette.
 
 ' GRACE
 (looking down)
 Damn. Same old sack a' bones.
 
 JAKE struggles with the dead weight of his legs as he hauls
 himself out of the unit.
 CUT TO
 ' 
 ' 23.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 ' INT. COMMISSARY - EARLY MORNING
 ' 
 JAKE sits with GRACE, NORM and the other avatar "drivers",
 while around them miners, troopers and other base personnel
 wolf their breakfasts. Grace is engaged in a heated
 conversation with another SCIENTIST.
 
 Jake, isolated from the conversations around him, notices --
 
 PILOT TRUDY CHACON approaching, dressed in her flight suit.
 She's a rock-hard former Marine with thousands of flight
 hours out in the badlands.
 
 ' TRUDY
 Sully -- Colonel wants to see you in the
 Armor Bay.
 
 Jake gives Norm a puzzled glance and pivots from the table.
 He wheels away, led by Trudy.
 
 TIGHT ON GRACE, scowling as she watches him go.
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' INT. ARMOR BAY - MORNING
 ' 
 JAKE AND TRUDY enter the ARMOR BAY, passing TILT-ROTORS under
 repair. There are the heavily armed SCORPIONS as well as
 several SA-2 SAMSON work-horses outfitted with door guns and
 rocket pods.
 
 ' JAKE
 You guys're packing some heavy ordinance.
 
 ' TRUDY
 Yeah, `cause we're not the only thing
 flyin' around out there. Or the biggest.
 I'm gonna need you on a door gun, I'm a
 man short.
 
 ' JAKE
 Yeah, no problem.
 
 She extends her fist and he taps it with his.
 
 ' TRUDY
 See ya on the flight-line, zero nine.
 (she points)
 He's down there.
 
 Jake rolls his chair along the central gallery of the Armor
 Bay, passing rows of AMPSUITS standing in service racks.
 Techs clamber over the `suits, loading ordinance with cranes
 and lifts.
 
 ' 24.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 At the end of the row is a makeshift GYM area. QUARITCH is
 bench-pressing massive plates.
 
 ' QUARITCH
 This low gravity makes you soft.
 (pushing the last rep)
 You get soft, Pandora will shit you out
 dead with zero warning.
 
 Quaritch racks the bar and sits up, sweating but not winded.
 
 ' QUARITCH
 I pulled your record, Corporal. Venezuela
 -- that was some mean bush. Nothing like
 this here, though. You got heart kid,
 coming out here.
 
 ' JAKE
 I figured -- just another hellhole.
 
 Quaritch chuckles appreciatively, claps him on the shoulder.
 The CHIEF MECHANIC yells from the nearest AMPSUIT --
 
 ' MECHANIC
 That servo's in, Colonel, if you want to
 try it.
 
 Quaritch crosses to the `suit, with Jake following.
 
 ' QUARITCH
 I was in First Recon a few years ahead of
 you. More than a few. Two tours in
 Nigeria, not a scratch. I come out here
 and --
 
 He points to his scarred face.
 
 ' QUARITCH
 They could fix this if I rotated back.
 But you know what? I kinda like it.
 Reminds me every day what's out there.
 Besides, I can't leave --
 
 He looks out, as if he can see through the wall to the tree-
 line.
 
 ' QUARITCH
 This is my war, here.
 
 Quaritch climbs the `suit and reaches into the cockpit,
 throwing some switches. The `suit's gas-turbine spools up
 with a rising WHINE.
 
 ' 25.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 ' QUARITCH
 The avatar program is a joke -- buncha
 limpdick scientists. But we have a
 unique opportunity here, you and I. A
 recon Marine in an avatar body could get
 me the intel I need, on the ground, right
 in the hostiles' camp.
 
 The WHINE is now a roaring WHOOSH as the `suit trembles with
 power. The air boils above the exhaust vents.
 
 Quaritch reaches in and operates the controls, flexing one
 huge hand. He nods to the waiting mechanic --
 
 ' QUARITCH
 Looks good.
 (to Jake)
 I need you to learn about these savages,
 gain their trust. Find out how I can
 force their cooperation, or hit `em hard
 if they don't. Maybe you can keep some
 of my boys from going home like you. Or
 bagged-and-tagged.
 
 ' JAKE
 ' (NODDING)
 That sounds real good, Colonel. So -- am
 I still with Augustine?
 
 ' QUARITCH
 On paper. You walk like one of her
 science pukes, you quack like one, but
 you report to me. Can you do that for
 me?
 
 Jake nods. Quaritch brings the `suit to life. He steps
 forward and pivots smoothly.
 
 He balances the two ton machine on one foot while sweeping
 the arms in strong, graceful arcs. Jake realizes he is doing
 a WU-SHOO KATA. A flawless display of strength and control.
 He's impressive, and Jake is impressed. Quaritch is the kind
 of man he respects -- focused, hard. Determined.
 
 ' QUARITCH
 Look, son -- I take care of my own. Get
 me what I need, I'll see you get your
 legs back when you rotate home. Your real
 legs.
 
 He raises the `suit's hand, and slams the canopy shut like
 the visor of a helmet. Jake watches Quaritch walk past, huge
 feet CLANGING -- KUNG! KUNG! KUNG!
 
 ' 26.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 ' INT. BIO LAB - DAY
 ' 
 GRACE is on the move, gulping coffee, in a hurry to get their
 FIRST SORTIE started. She hands a clipboard to MAX.
 
 ' GRACE
 Start calibrating. We're on the flight
 line in ten minutes.
 
 Max nods and jogs ahead toward the LINK ROOM. JAKE and NORM
 fall in with Grace as they enter the CONNECTING CORRIDOR.
 
 ' GRACE
 What did Atilla want?
 
 ' JAKE
 Just Marines comparin' tattoos.
 
 ' GRACE
 (not buying it)
 Yeah. Well, listen to me, Marine --
 
 She stops, turning to drill him with a look.
 
 ' GRACE
 -- you're driving an avatar, now. That
 means you're in my world, got it?
 
 ' JAKE
 Got it.
 
 She turns and enters the LINK ROOM.
 
 ' INT. LINK ROOM
 ' 
 Grace crosses to the controls of Jake's LINK UNIT. As the
 others catch up --
 
 ' GRACE
 That son of a bitch has screwed up this
 program enough. All this --
 (indicating link room)
 -- exists so we can go out there and
 build a bridge of trust to these people,
 who could teach us so much. But thanks
 to Quaritch and his thugs the Na'vi won't
 even talk to us anymore.
 
 ' JAKE
 Then how's this supposed to work?
 
 ' 27.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 ' GRACE
 We have a new face.
 (turning to Norm)
 You're fluent, you've studied the
 culture. You're non-threatening. The
 ones we know best -- the Omaticaya clan --
 may give you a chance. Maybe you can get
 them back to the table before things go
 tits-up for good.
 
 ' NORM
 This is failing as a pep talk.
 
 Jake hauls himself across from wheelchair to link.
 
 ' JAKE
 How do we contact them?
 
 ' GRACE
 We don't. They contact us. If they see
 us taking our samples, treating the
 forest with respect --
 (pointedly to Jake)
 Not trampling everything in sight --
 they may reach out to us.
 
 ' JAKE
 Or they may skin us and make a drum.
 
 Jake lies back, lowering the sensor array over his body.
 
 ' GRACE
 Just keep your mouth shut and let Norm do
 the talking.
 
 She closes his clamshell, HARD, and we --
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' EXT. RAIN FOREST / AERIAL - DAY
 ' 
 FLYING over a carpet of rainforest, past sheer cliffs and
 cloud-wreathed mesas. TRUDY'S SAMSON TILT-ROTOR chases its
 shadow across the treetops. Though big as a Blackhawk, it is
 tiny in the vast primeval landscape.
 
 ANGLE THROUGH the open side doors of the Samson. Trooper
 WAINFLEET, in exo-mask and body armor, leans on his door gun,
 scanning for aerial predators.
 
 In avatar form JAKE, GRACE and NORM watch the forest
 unrolling beneath them, the wind blasting their clothes.
 Jake mans the other door gun, his feet propped on the skids.
 
 ' 28.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 TRUDY flies from a pressurized cockpit. She banks to follow a
 shallow river.
 
 ' TRUDY (INTERCOM)
 Sturmbeest herd, one o'clock.
 
 Norm grins and points, excitedly. Jake looks in time to see--
 A herd of STURMBEEST -- massive six-legged creatures
 reminiscent of buffalo -- thundering across the river.
 
 ' GRACE
 Looks like a bull, six cows and some
 juveniles.
 
 ' NORM
 The bull has the red on the dorsal armor?
 
 Grace nods approvingly.
 
 TIME CUT -- Hundreds of purple winged creatures take flight
 from a lake, startled by the Samson. They skim the water
 above their own reflections. TETRAPTERONS.
 
 TIME CUT -- the ground drops away as the Samson flies over a
 WATERFALL hundreds of feet high. Trudy banks hard, rolling
 in on the gorge below like it's a gun-run.
 
 Wainfleet WHOOPS while Norm looks like he's about to puke.
 
 ' WAINFLEET
 Yo Chacon! Get some!
 
 Jake grins into the airstream.
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' EXT. CLEARING - DAY
 ' 
 A small meadow among towering trees. The fern-like "grass"
 is beaten down in waves by the rotor-wash as the Samson
 settles to the ground.
 
 Jake pulls the massive door gun off its pintle mount and
 hefts it like an assault rifle.
 
 He and Wainfleet leap out to secure the LZ, scanning the tree-
 line warily, weapons aimed.
 
 Grace jogs forward to the cockpit, motioning Trudy to shut
 down. Trudy kills the Samson's TURBINES.
 
 Grace, towering over Wainfleet, motions him to hang back.
 
 ' 29.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 ' GRACE
 Stay with the ship.
 (for Jake)
 One idiot with a gun's enough.
 
 ' WAINFLEET
 Whatever you say, Doc.
 
 Jake takes point as they enter the jungle.
 
 ' WAINFLEET
 ' (LAUGHING)
 Ya'll have fun out there.
 
 ' EXT. RAINFOREST - DAY
 ' 
 The forest engulfs JAKE, GRACE and NORM in cyan gloom. The
 shadows are alive with the CHITTERING sounds of unseen alien
 wildlife.
 
 TRACKING WITH JAKE as he moves through the foliage, hyper-
 alert -- looking around like a tourist in Hell.A monkey-like
 PROLEMURIS leaping from limb to limb overhead, flashing
 through the sunlight streaming down in shafts.
 
 A PLANT with swaying tendrils which reach toward Jake as he
 passes.
 
 This forest is more alive than any on Earth, with plants that
 react and move like animals. Jake white-knuckles his rifle
 as if every shadow conceals razor-fanged death.
 
 ' GRACE
 Relax, Marine. You're making me nervous.
 
 She pushes ahead of him on the trail, forcing him to lower
 his muzzle as he follows her. Grace moves nimbly on the
 path, seemingly unconcerned.
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' EXT. FOREST/ GLEN
 ' 
 WIDE SHOT as the party moves between the huge trees, tiny as
 ants. The trail has gotten steeper, the going tougher.
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' EXT. SCHOOL RUINS - DAY
 ' 
 They enter a clearing with an OVERGROWN BUILDING made of
 timbers cut from the local trees, with a thatch roof. It is
 covered with vines as the jungle reclaims it.
 
 ' 30.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 ' NORM
 How will they know we're here?
 
 ' GRACE
 I'm sure they're watching us right now.
 
 Norm gulps. Jake looks behind him as they approach the
 school, feeling unseen eyes.
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' INT. SCHOOL RUINS
 ' 
 TRACKING WITH JAKE'S BOOTS as he steps among dried leaves and
 a few moldering CHILDREN'S BOOKS. Floorboards CREAK.
 
 ' GRACE (O.S.)
 The kids were so bright, so eager to
 learn... they picked up English faster
 than I could teach it to them.
 
 WIDER as Jake explores the room. Grace and Norm are selecting
 INSTRUMENTS from storage cases on a wooden table.
 
 ' GRACE
 Bring the soil probe -- right there,
 yellow case.
 
 Jake looks up at a RUSTLING among the dark rafters. Roosting
 STINGBATS eye him warily, fluttering their wings.
 
 Grace picks up a moldering copy of "The Lorax" by Dr. Seuss
 from the floor and puts it back on a shelf.
 
 ' GRACE
 ' (WISTFULLY)
 The stingbats knock them off. I guess I
 always hope somebody will come back and
 read them.
 
 ' NORM
 Why don't they come back?
 
 ' GRACE
 ' (GRIMLY)
 The Na'vi learned as much about us as
 they needed to know.
 
 Jake sees something, and approaches the blackboard -- reaches
 out to touch a pattern of holes blasted into the slate.
 Unmistakably BULLET HOLES.
 
 ' 31.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 ' JAKE
 (turning to her)
 What happened here?
 
 ' GRACE
 ' (SHARPLY)
 Are you going to help with this gear?
 We've got a lot to do.
 
 She turns away. Jake watches her as he jams equipment into
 his pack.
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' EXT. RAINFOREST - DAY
 ' 
 CLOSE ON Grace's blue hand gently brushing away soil,
 exposing a tangle of ROOT TENDRILS.
 
 ' GRACE
 See, right here where the roots of the
 two trees interact.
 
 WIDER -- GRACE and NORM crouch among enormous octopoidal
 roots. She takes a tiny sample using a needle-like probe.
 Norm uses a digital DEVICE to scan the roots.
 
 JAKE, bored, scouts ahead a few meters.
 
 He comes to a GLADE filled with shoulder-high SPIRAL PLANTS
 called HELICORADIANS.
 
 He BRUSHES one and SHTOONK! -- it SUCKS DOWN into a tube in
 the ground so quickly it seems to simply vanish.
 
 Curious, Jake touches another -- SHTOONK! And another --
 like popping balloons after a party. SHTOONK! SHTOONK!
 SHTOONK!
 ' 
 A chain reaction begins and the whole colony pulls down into
 the ground, REVEALING --
 
 A HAMMERHEAD TITANOTHERE. Like a six-legged rhinoceros, but
 twice that size. Its massive, low-slung head has projections
 of bone giving it the look of a hammerhead shark.
 
 Its baleful eyes lock onto him. Jake raises his rifle.
 
 Grace, alerted by the creature's SNORTS, runs to where she
 can see the tableau. She presses her THROAT MIKE.
 
 ' GRACE
 Don't shoot. You'll piss it off.
 
 ' 32.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 The bull HAMMERHEAD bellows and lowers its 3 meter wide
 sledgehammer of a skull.
 
 ' JAKE
 It's already pissed off!
 
 ' GRACE
 Jake, that armor's too thick. Trust me.
 
 Jake starts to back away. The hammerhead bellows again,
 pawing the earth.
 
 ' GRACE
 It's a territorial threat display. Do not
 run, or he'll charge.
 
 ' JAKE
 What do I do?
 
 ' GRACE
 Hold your ground!
 
 The hammerhead SLASHES its head sideways, splintering
 saplings. It bellows again, lowers its head and CHARGES --
 
 Jake SCREAMS at the top of his lungs, spreads his arms wide
 and runs straight at the thing.
 
 It STOPS abruptly, with an oversized BLEAT.
 
 ON JAKE -- amazed the gambit worked.
 
 ' JAKE
 Oh yeah! Who's bad?! That's right.
 
 SOMETHING rises up behind him out of focus --
 
 A THANATOR. The most awesome land predator the universe has
 ever conceived This thing could eat a T-rex and have the
 Alien for desert.
 
 It is a black six-limbed panther from Hell, with an armored
 head and massive distensible jaws.
 
 JAKE, unaware of the advancing thanator, is still bracing the
 hammerhead --
 
 ' JAKE
 That's what I'm talkin' about, bitch!
 
 The bull wheels around, TRUMPETING in fear, and CRASHES away
 through splintering undergrowth.
 
 ' 33.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 ' JAKE
 That's right motherf--
 
 A guttural SNARL behind him. Jake spins in time to see --
 
 THREE TONS of rippling thanator LAUNCH over him, landing
 between him and the hammerhead. The ground shakes.
 
 The thanator emits an earsplitting ROAR, enraged that the
 hammerhead got away. It twists on itself, turning to face
 Jake, and bares its fangs with a lethal HISS.
 
 ' JAKE
 What about this one? Run, don't run?
 What?
 
 ' GRACE
 Run. Definitely RUN!
 
 Jake BOLTS as --
 
 The thanator LEAPS after him and --
 
 Jake launches himself between two large trunks, forcing the
 beast to claw its way around to the side while --
 
 Jake scrambles up -- around -- over a tangle of roots and --
 
 SK-RASH!! CLAWS SLASH the air behind him, EXPLODING bark off
 a trunk as --
 
 JAKE wills himself forward in a frenzy. With rippling muscle
 the beast is airborne again, blacking out the sun but --
 
 JAKE dives under a massive root system, and --
 
 CRASH! Kindling rains around him as the beast tears into the
 root-trunks above him. Claws SLASH down next to him as he
 rolls and crawls --
 
 Glistening jaws SMASH and SNAP against the barrier trunks,
 sending chunks of wood flying. It's spittle sprays across
 Jake, jaws inches away as --
 
 He rolls onto his back, and FIRES his AR point blank but the
 rifle is SNATCHED out of his hands. The beast SCREECHES an
 ungodly WAIL of pain and rage and -- RIPS the ENTIRE TRUNK
 away. Jake scrambles to escape but --
 
 GLISTENING JAWS lunge downward, SNAP SHUT and --
 
 The creature rips Jake out of the tree, shaking him like a
 junkyard dog with a rabbit, only --
 
 ' 34.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 It has him by the BACKPACK, so Jake unlatches it and --
 
 He FLIES FREE as the thanator crushes the pack with its
 teeth. Giving Jake a moment to sprint away, but --
 
 With a hideous BELLOW the thanator crashes after him,
 splintering trees.
 
 JAKE RUNS in a blur, dodging between trunks as a glistening
 black tornado shreds the forest behind him and --
 
 He sees WATER ahead and DIVES OUTWARD with all his might --
 
 The thanator's jaws SNAP SHUT inches behind him as he flies
 out into open space and --
 
 JAKE SPLASHES down into a swiftly moving river.
 
 The thanator LEAPS DOWN AFTER HIM, pursuing from rock to
 rock, its claws swiping like a grizzly fishing for salmon.
 
 Jake ducks under as -- FWHOOSH! -- black claws SLASH past
 his face amid turbulent bubbles.
 
 A WATERFALL ahead. Jake is swept over the falls, with the
 thanator SWIPING at him from a rock, just MISSING and --
 
 Jake disappears down the throat of the thundering cataract.
 
 ' EXT. RIVER BELOW FALLS - DAY
 ' 
 The water boils below the cataract. Jake's head bursts
 through the surface, and he gasps for breath.
 
 He is carried along by the current, but manages to grab a
 limb on a fallen tree. He weakly pulls himself up, and just
 lies there gasping on the trunk.
 
 Above him, on the cliff, the THANATOR BELLOWS, a roar which
 echoes across the jungle.
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' EXT. RAINFOREST - DAY
 ' 
 JAKE, wet and bruised, crouches under a screen of giant
 leaves. He hacks manically at the end of a cut sapling with
 his knife, forming a crude but sharp tip.
 
 ' EXT. RAINFOREST - DAY
 ' 
 TRACKING with Jake as he walks through the forest like it's a
 minefield, carrying his SPEAR white-knuckled. He is freaked
 and hyper-alert.
 
 ' 35.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 The trees here are a hundred meters high, blocking out the
 sky. A few pencil beams of sunlight filter down into the
 cyan gloom.
 
 POV FROM ABOVE -- looking down through leaves we watch Jake
 move warily through the forest.
 
 ECU -- TWO GOLDEN EYES, bright in the shadows.
 
 DOWNANGLE as Jake passes under a tree limb. Invisible to
 him, draped on the limb like a leopard, is a striking NA'VI
 GIRL. She watches, only her eyes moving.
 
 She is lithe as a cat, with a long neck, muscular shoulders,
 and nubile breasts. And she is devastatingly beautiful --
 for a girl with a tail. In human age she would be 18. Her
 name is NEYTIRI(nay-Tee-ree).
 
 Jake passes less than 2 meters beneath her, oblivious.
 
 NEYTIRI rises soundlessly. In one fluid, sinuous movement
 she NOCKS an arrow to her BOW and DRAWS, aiming RIGHT AT
 JAKE. Utterly silent.
 
 Below her Jake is totally unaware of the arrow aimed at his
 THROAT.
 ' 
 ON NEYTIRI as she follows him with the bow, muscles tensing
 for the shot --
 
 -- and SOMETHING drifts down in front of her, F.G. She
 hesitates.
 
 RACK FOCUS to the tip of the arrow -- where a single
 WOODSPRITE floats down to land on the arrow-head.Like a
 dandelion seed, but larger, the WOODSPRITE waves its silky
 CILIA, feather light, as it balances on the deadly point. It
 glows faintly in the dark shadows.
 
 NEYTIRI frowns, puzzled, and LOWERS her bow slowly. The
 woodsprite WHIRLS away into the gloom.
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' INT./EXT. SAMSON - SUNSET
 ' 
 GRACE and NORM peer down into the shadowed forest as TRUDY
 banks in a search pattern.
 
 ' TRUDY (INTERCOM)
 I'm going to have to call it, guys. We're
 not allowed to run night ops. Colonel's
 orders.
 
 ' 36.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 Grace looks to the west. The sun setting behind alien trees.
 
 ' GRACE
 Shit.
 
 ' TRUDY
 Sorry, Doc. He's just gonna have to hang
 on `till morning.
 
 ' GRACE
 He's not going to make it till morning.
 
 Grace stares into the dark forest as the Samson banks hard,
 thundering away toward the setting sun.
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' EXT. RAINFOREST - NIGHT
 ' 
 LONG LENS-- POLYPHEMUS. The giant planet rises behind the
 black trees.
 
 Jake's got a new problem. He sees shapes moving with liquid
 grace in the NIGHT shadows behind him. He is being stalked by
 a pack of VIPERWOLVES.
 
 Jake catches only glimpses -- a glint of eyes, a slinking
 black movement -- then nothing. Darkness.
 
 TIME CUT -- TIGHT ON Jake's hands as he knots his T-shirt
 around the butt end of the spear.
 
 ANGLE ON THICK SAP trickling down a tree-trunk. Jake jams
 the makeshift torch into the sap, soaking the shirt with it.
 
 A WATERPROOF MATCH from his survival kit lights the torch.
 
 The torch creates a pool of light surrounded by pulsing,
 leaping shadows. Jake turns warily as he moves along the
 trail.
 
 Behind him are several pairs of reflective green EYES.
 Another pair flanking him beside the trail. Black-on-black
 SHAPES which seem to flow like liquid.
 
 He looks up -- sees one cross a limb overhead. Another on
 his opposite flank.
 
 Then a hideous sound, like a hyena's psychotic LAUGH.
 
 The VIPERWOLVES can run like a dog and climb like a monkey.
 They are hunting Jake from the ground and the trees.
 
 ' 37.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 JAKE RUNS by torch-light, on the edge of panic. He reaches a
 steep banked stream and -- without thinking -- runs across it
 on a horizontal trunk --
 
 -- and STOPS DEAD on the other side. The torch illuminates
 GREEN EYES cutting ahead of him across the trail. The
 viperwolves have him encircled.
 
 The psychotic BARKS become more intense as they signal each
 other, getting excited. ONE MAKES A RUN at him, angling on
 his legs from behind but --
 
 JAKE WHIRLS, jamming the torch in its face. It yips and goes
 past, but ANOTHER moves in --
 
 He jabs it with the business end of the spear and it SNARLS,
 retreating, baring its fangs.
 
 Now half a dozen are circling him in the open, and he sees
 what he's up against. The VIPERWOLVES are six-limbed with
 shiny chitinous skin, their paws leathery BLACK HANDS.
 Intelligent eyes. Glistening black teeth in dead white gums.
 
 Jake realizes that he is making his final stand. He whirls
 the torch in an arc, keeping them at bay --
 
 And feels a rush of adrenaline. It goes through him like a
 lightning bolt and the fear is gone.
 
 ' JAKE
 ' (SCREAMING)
 I don't have all goddamn night! Come on!
 Come on!
 
 With snarls and a blur of motion THEY ATTACK.
 
 Jake CRACKS the spear down on one, then SPINS as --
 
 ANOTHER LEAPS at him and he plants the spear in it, striking
 true, but --
 
 Its momentum wrenches it from his hands, and the torch goes
 flying. Left in semi-darkness, Jake draws his KNIFE as--
 
 A WOLF LUNGES, sinking its teeth into his arm. He YELLS in
 pain and fury, SLASHING with the knife which --
 
 CUTS deep into the beast's shoulder and it lets go.
 
 JAKE SPRINTS, trying to escape, but a snarling viperwolf
 leaps, GRABBING him by the ankle with its fore-hand. Jake
 tears away, sprawling, SCRAMBLING to get up as --
 
 ' 38.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 THREE WOLVES charge at once. The nearest LEAPS at his throat
 just as --
 
 THUNK!! -- an ARROW appears in its chest.
 
 The wolf lands on him, already a dead weight. He pushes it
 off in time to see --
 
 A BLUE AMAZON emerge from the trees, nock another arrow, draw
 and FIRE in one fluid motion. AN UNEARTHLY YOWL as another
 wolf falls.
 
 NEYTIRI LEAPS right over Jake, and CRACKS her bow down on the
 skull of a circling wolf.
 
 ANOTHER SPRINGS at her and she drops under its weight, but
 rolls, coming up on top of it with a knife in her hand.
 
 Her knife FLASHES down, buried to the hilt in its chest.
 
 SNARLING, a wounded wolf attacks Jake, and he KICKS it away,
 but --
 
 It SPINS and leaps back onto him, and Jake barely catches its
 throat in time to keep the SNAPPING JAWS away from his face.
 
 MEANWHILE Neytiri swings her bow in a big arc, CRACKING IT
 across the heads and shoulders of two remaining wolves.
 
 ' NEYTIRI
 Rrreeyaaah! Hyaaaah!!
 
 The wolves slink and circle, yelping as the bow whistles past
 them. Finally they break and run, with Neytiri chasing and--
 
 They bound away through the foliage as she SHOUTS after them--
 
 ' NEYTIRI
 Raaaarrrr!
 
 Jake has his adversary pinned and is choking it with all his
 weight. Finally it stops thrashing. Panting, he releases it
 and looks up at --
 
 NEYTIRI. Her tail LASHES as she scans the forest, listening
 to the fading YELPS of the wolves. Satisfied the attack is
 over, she turns.
 
 She regards him coldly for a second, then walks past him.
 Neytiri picks up the torch and extinguishes it in a stream.
 
 ' JAKE
 Wait, don't --
 
 ' 39.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 Jake blinks around at the darkness -- realizing he can still
 see. In fact, with the blinding torchlight gone, the forest
 is transformed.
 
 The jungle has come alive with BIOLUMINESCENCE -- spots and
 patterns, ghosts and galaxies of blue-green light.
 
 Jake scrambles to recover his spear. Neytiri kneels beside --
 
 A DYING WOLF. It's CRIES are pitiful. It paws the air,
 trying to raise its head. She pulls her KNIFE from its
 chest.
 
 ' NEYTIRI
 (in Na'vi)
 Forgive me, my brother.
 
 She cuts its throat, ending the pitiful cries. She touches
 its head gently, regarding it with sadness.
 
 Neytiri wipes the knife and returns it to the sheath at her
 waist. She crosses to another slain wolf and kneels, pulling
 the arrow from its heart.
 
 ' JAKE
 Look, um, I know you probably don't
 understand this. But -- thanks. Thank
 you. I owe you.
 
 Neytiri ignores him, assuming a prayer posture over the dead
 animal.
 
 ' NEYTIRI
 (in Na'vi)
 Forgive me. May your spirit run with the
 Great Mother.
 
 ' JAKE
 I would have been screwed if you hadn't
 come along --
 
 She rises and walks away without looking at Jake.
 
 ' JAKE
 Hey, wait. Wait! Where you goin'?
 
 He crashes through some plants, catching up to her.
 
 ' JAKE
 Slow down a second will you. I just want
 to thank you for killing those --
 
 He makes the mistake of grasping her shoulder and --
 
 ' 40.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 WHACK! She WALLOPS him upside the head with her bow in a
 fierce backhand swing, laying him out flat.
 
 He looks up to see a FURY standing over him. A Fury who
 speaks English -- accented, halting, angry English.
 
 ' NEYTIRI
 Don't thank! You don't thank for this!
 This is sad. Very sad, only.
 
 ' JAKE
 Okay, I'm sorry. Whatever I did -- I'm
 sorry.
 
 She gestures at the bodies of the viperwolves.
 
 ' NEYTIRI
 All this is your fault! They did not need
 to die.
 
 ' JAKE
 They attacked me. How'm I the bad guy
 HERE--
 ' 
 She silences him with the tip of her bow at his throat.
 
 ' NEYTIRI
 Your fault! You are like a baby, making
 noise, don't know what to do. You should
 not come here, all of you! You only come
 and make problems. Only.
 
 Jake gets up, slowly, facing her.
 
 ' JAKE
 Okay, fine, you love your little forest
 friends. So why not just let them kill
 my ass? What's the thinking?
 
 CU Neytiri -- looking away. Finally, reluctantly, her eyes
 MEET HIS for the first time -- a riveting gaze with those big
 gold orbs.
 
 ' NEYTIRI
 Why save you?
 
 ' JAKE
 Yes, why save me?
 
 ' NEYTIRI
 You have a strong heart. No fear.
 
 She leans closer --
 
 ' 41.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 ' NEYTIRI
 But stupid! Ignorant like a child!
 
 She turns away, stalking off, but Jake goes after her.
 
 TRACKING WITH Neytiri as she climbs nimbly along a huge ROOT.
 
 WIDER as she trots with perfect balance along the root, which
 forms an elevated walkway.
 
 Jake runs to catch up, realizing suddenly that he is far
 above the forest floor. Throughout the following they move
 through a GLOWING PHANTASMAGORICAL FOREST.
 
 ' JAKE
 If I'm so ignorant, maybe you should
 teach me.
 
 ' NEYTIRI
 Sky people can not learn. You do not
 See.
 
 She leaps to another elevated root. Jake follows, surprised
 that he made it.
 
 ' JAKE
 Whooaa.
 
 He runs to catch up with her easy jogging pace.
 
 ' JAKE
 Then teach me to "see."
 
 She stops and he almost runs into her.
 
 ' NEYTIRI
 No one can teach you to See.
 
 Then she turns and trots on.
 
 ' EXT. GORGE - NIGHT
 ' 
 They run across the elevated root of an enormous tree -- a
 horizontal trunk big as an oak.
 
 WIDE SHOT as they cross a DEEP GORGE. A waterfall shimmers
 silver in the Polyphemus-light. Vines hang down a hundred
 feet into the gorge, and among them swoop stingbats and other
 night flyers.
 
 ' JAKE
 Hey, slow down. Look, I think we just
 got off on the wrong foot and --
 
 ' 42.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 Jake looks down, suddenly aware of the height.
 
 ' JAKE
 --you just have to get to know me. I'm
 Jake. Jake Sull--
 
 A vine catches his spear and spins him off balance. He drops
 the spear and almost falls off the root.
 
 ' JAKE
 Whooaaa -- shit!
 
 Neytiri catches him with one hand, gripping his bicep. He
 watches the spear cartwheel down to splash in the river.
 
 She pulls him upright. Shouts at him in English and Na'vi.
 
 ' JAKE
 I need your help.
 
 ' NEYTIRI
 You should not be here.
 
 ' JAKE
 So take me with you.
 
 ' NEYTIRI
 No. You go back.
 
 DOWN ANGLE FROM FAR ABOVE -- several WOODSPRITES float down
 through the trees. FOLLOW THEM as they descend silently
 toward Jake and Neytiri.
 
 NEYTIRI, sensing a presence, looks up to see --
 
 The WOODSPRITES, PULSING with purpose, float right towards
 Jake. They dance gently around his shoulders and head.
 
 ' JAKE
 (off her amazed look)
 What?
 
 More woodsprites gather around him. Several ALIGHT on him.
 
 Jake holds still, knowing he should be afraid -- but somehow
 he's not. He spreads his arms. More sprites come, landing
 all over his arms, hands, body.
 
 ' JAKE
 What are they?
 
 CU NEYTIRI -- reacting with a mixture of wonder and dread.
 
 ' 43.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 ' NEYTIRI
 Atokirina'. Seeds of the Great Tree --
 very pure spirits.
 
 Jake -- now a pulsing, glowing, fluttering MASS OF LIGHT --
 moves one hand slowly, not wanting to break the spell. He
 studies one of the sprites dancing on his palm until --
 
 -- WHOOSSHH! the woodsprites whirl up and away, scattering
 into the darkness.
 
 ' JAKE
 What was that all about?
 
 Neytiri seems shaken. She seizes his hand and pulls him
 after her.
 
 ' NEYTIRI
 Come!
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' EXT. RAINFOREST - NIGHT
 ' 
 TRACKING WITH JAKE as he gazes about him in growing wonder.
 He touches leaves as he passes, watching the bioluminescence
 shiver through them.
 
 Jake looks down as -- they cross a bed of purple MOSS which
 reacts to the pressure of their footsteps. Rings of green
 light, like ripples on a pond, expand outward from each
 footfall. Exploding rings of light where his feet touch
 down. Dream-like, surreal beauty.
 
 WIDE ON THEM as they run over a large root, across a mirror-
 like POOL at the base of a WATERFALL.
 
 Jake follows Neytiri, running along a raised root-trunk.
 
 ' JAKE
 What's your name?
 
 JAKE hears WHOOSH-WHOOSH and snaps a look as a BOLO flies at
 him, spinning end for end and --
 
 SHWHAP!! -- tangles around his legs. He topples off the root
 and crashes into the foliage below.
 
 JAKE untangles himself, getting up to run just as --
 
 SEVERAL NA'VI RIDERS thunder toward him. They are riding
 DIREHORSES -- six-legged, armor-skinned alien Clydesdales.
 
 ' 44.
 ' 
 ' 
 We see that the riders' QUEUES are connected to the horses'
 long moth-like antennae -- a neural-link with which they can
 command the horse, leaving hands free for weapons.
 
 The riders aim bows and spears at Jake as they approach. Jake
 turns to bolt, but --
 
 NA'VI HUNTERS melt out of the shadows, weapons aimed --
 blocking his retreat.
 
 Neytiri drops to the ground next to Jake and confronts the
 LEAD RIDER. She shouts sharply in Na'vi --
 
 ' NEYTIRI
 ' (SUBTITLED)
 Tsu'tey, what are you doing?! He is my
 captive!
 
 TSU'TEY(tsu-Tay)is young and powerfully built, with sculpted
 features and a proud jawline, piercing eyes. Tsu'tey swings
 off his mount with fluid grace.
 
 ' TSU'TEY
 ' (SUBTITLED)
 These demons are forbidden here. I will
 kill this one as a lesson to the others!
 
 Tsu'tey draws his bow but Neytiri leaps between him and Jake,
 confronting him warrior to warrior.
 
 ' NEYTIRI
 ' (SUBTITLED)
 Stop! There has been a sign. This is a
 matter for the Tsahik.
 
 Tsu'tey clenches his jaw with frustration -- frustration with
 her as much as the situation. He turns and angrily remounts
 his direhorse, barking a command to the HUNTERS.
 
 ' TSU'TEY
 ' (SUBTITLED)
 Bring him.
 
 They grab Jake and haul him to his feet. Encircled by spears
 and bows, he is shoved forward along the trail, as Tsu'tey
 and the others ride ahead.
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' EXT. HOMETREE - NIGHT
 ' 
 JAKE is hauled roughly toward Neytiri's village, which is
 sheltered inside one of the GREAT TREES. HOMETREE is 250
 meters tall, with a trunk four times the diameter of the
 largest Sequoia, and a base of massive mangrove-pillars.
 
 ' 45.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 TSU'TEY rides inside the columns at the base of Hometree,
 shouting an ululating WARNING.
 
 Jake is force-marched through the pillars into --
 
 ' INT. COMMONS/HOMETREE - NIGHT
 ' 
 An open CENTRAL AREA. The villagers gather to see the
 arriving hunt party. We see the people of the tribe --
 mothers with babies, old women, young hunters.
 
 They gawk at the alien, expressions ranging from curiosity to
 outright hostility. The huge eyes of the children follow
 him.
 
 Jake is amazed at the size of HOMETREE inside. By the light
 of the COOK-FIRES he can see up into a vast cylindrical
 gallery -- a living cathedral.
 
 Clear membranes -- sturmbeest bladders -- filled with
 fluttering bio-luminescent insects, act as area lighting.
 
 The central space is dominated by the SKULL of some enormous
 creature, mounted with much embellishment on a TOTEM.
 Standing in front of this, awaiting their approach, is --
 
 EYTUKAN (AY-too-kahn), the Clan Leader. Eytukan has deeply
 chiselled features and a long chest mantle of THANATOR CLAWS.
 His normally stern features are clouded further by anger.
 
 ' EYTUKAN
 ' (SUBTITLED)
 Why do you bring this creature here?
 
 Neytiri addresses Eytukan in Na'vi.
 
 ' NEYTIRI
 ' (SUBTITLED)
 I was going to kill him, but there was a
 sign from Eywa.
 
 He glowers at her as he responds, pointing at Jake.
 
 ' EYTUKAN
 ' (SUBTITLED)
 I have said no dreamwalker will come
 here, to offend our home! His alien
 smell fills my nose
 
 Neytiri stands her ground, answering in a respectful but not
 submissive tone.
 
 ' 46.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 ' NEYTIRI
 ' (SUBTITLED)
 Father, many atokirina came to this
 alien.
 
 ' JAKE
 What's going on?
 
 ' NEYTIRI
 My father is deciding whether to kill
 you.
 
 ' JAKE
 Your father!?
 (to Eytukan)
 Uh, good to meet you, sir.
 
 Jake steps forward, offering his hand, and the hunters JUMP
 to restrain him, shouting. But they all FREEZE as --
 
 A commanding FEMALE VOICE echoes through the chamber.
 
 ' MO'AT
 ' (NA'VI)
 Step back!
 
 Everybody looks up.
 
 MO'AT (MOH-aht) stands on the second level, looking down.
 She is a severe woman in her 50's. Her bearing is haughty,
 her expression friendly as a hanging-judge. Her outfit is
 elaborate, denoting her rank as CLAN MATRIARCH.
 
 ' MO'AT
 ' (SUBTITLED)
 I will look at this alien.
 
 There is an expectant hush as Mo'at descends the helical core
 of Hometree, a kind of natural spiral staircase.
 
 ' NEYTIRI
 That is Mother. She is Tsahik -- the one
 who interprets the will of Eywa.
 
 ' JAKE
 Who's Eywa?
 
 Neytiri kneels before her like an acolyte as Mo'at passes.
 
 The villagers stare silently as the Matriarch circles slowly
 around Jake, examining his tail and the end of his queue.
 
 ' 47.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 ' MO'AT
 (thick accent)
 What are you called?
 
 ' JAKE
 Jake Sully.
 
 She produces a long THORN between her fingertips. With a
 flourish she strikes his chest.
 
 Jake flinches. RED BLOOD wells up and Mo'at rubs some
 between her fingertips. She tastes it.
 
 ' MO'AT
 Why did you come to us?
 
 ' JAKE
 I came to learn.
 
 ' MO'AT
 We have tried to teach other Sky People.
 It is hard to fill a cup which is already
 full.
 
 ' JAKE
 My cup is empty, trust me. Just ask
 Doctor Augustine. I'm no scientist.
 
 ' MO'AT
 What are you?
 
 ' JAKE
 I don't know. I was a Marine -- uh, a
 warrior. Of the Jarhead clan.
 
 ' TSU'TEY
 ' (SUBTITLED)
 A warrior! I could kill him easily!
 
 ' EYTUKAN
 ' (SUBTITLED)
 No! This is the first warrior
 dreamwalker we have seen. We need to
 learn more about him.
 
 ' JAKE
 What's going on? What are they saying?
 
 ' MO'AT
 (to Neytiri, subtitled)
 Daughter. You will teach him our way, to
 speak and walk as we do.
 
 ' 48.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 NEYTIRI looks shocked, then angry.
 
 ' NEYTIRI
 ' (SUBTITLED)
 Why me? That's not fair! I only--
 
 ' MO'AT
 ' (SUBTITLED)
 It is decided!
 
 Neytiri subsides, turning to glare at Jake.
 
 ' MO'AT
 (to Jake)
 My daughter will teach you our ways.
 Learn well, Jakesully. We will see if
 your insanity can be cured.
 
 She turns to Neytiri, her expression stern --
 
 ' MO'AT
 ' (SUBTITLED)
 He is your responsibility.
 
 Neytiri nods, accepting, but she's not a happy camper. She
 grabs Jake's arm and pulls him roughly away.
 
 ' JAKE
 So it's all good, right? You and me --
 
 ' NEYTIRI
 Do not speak.
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' INT. SECOND LEVEL/HOMETREE
 ' 
 LATER, Neytiri leads Jake up the spiral to the SECOND LEVEL.
 He now wears only a ratty LOINCLOTH. His wounds are bound
 with plant-fiber bandages.
 
 THE ENTIRE CLAN is squatting at dinner in a huge circle. They
 stop talking and turn to gaze at Jake as he enters the
 circle.
 
 ' JAKE
 Don't get up.
 
 Neytiri crosses the circle to the cook pit and returns with
 several large leaves heaped with food. She kneels next to
 Jake, placing the food in front of him almost DEFIANTLY.
 
 ' JAKE
 You never told me your name.
 
 ' 49.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 ' NEYTIRI
 Neytiri te Ckaha Mo'at'ite.
 
 ' JAKE
 Okay, again, a whole lot slower.
 
 ' NEYTIRI
 (exaggerated slowness)
 Neytiri. Nay-TEE-ree.
 
 Jake knows she's baiting him. He smiles in response.
 
 ' JAKE
 Nay-TEE-ree. That's nice. Nay-TEE-ree.
 
 ACROSS THE CIRCLE, Tsu'tey, Mo'at and Eytukan sit together,
 glancing up occasionally from their food to the stranger.
 
 ' TSU'TEY
 ' (SUBTITLED)
 These aliens try to look like people, but
 they can't.
 
 ' MO'AT
 ' (SUBTITLED)
 He seems dim to me. And his eyes are too
 small.
 
 NEYTIRI motions for Jake to take portions from the serving
 leaves onto his own leaf.
 
 ' JAKE
 Your mom likes me. I can tell.
 
 MO'AT, watching Jake and Neytiri, leans over to Eytukan.
 
 ' MO'AT
 ' (SUBTITLED)
 Neytiri will test this "warrior." Hey may
 learn nothing -- but we will learn much.
 
 ' EYTUKAN
 You speak truth. We must understand
 these Sky People if we are to drive them
 out.
 
 Jake munches on a white shrimp-like thing.
 
 ' JAKE
 These rock. What are they?
 
 ' NEYTIRI
 Teylu. You call beetle larvae.
 
 ' 50.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 Jake blanches. She heaps some more onto his leaf -- a
 CHALLENGE -- and Jake meets her eyes, takes a handful, and
 starts munching enthusiastically.
 
 ' JAKE
 That's some damn fine teylu. That's like
 grandma's teylu.
 
 CU TSU'TEY, warily eyeing Jake --
 
 ' TSU'TEY
 ' (SUBTITLED)
 I say she will kill him.
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' INT. THIRD LEVEL - NIGHT
 ' 
 The sleeping level -- families nesting in groups on woven
 hammocks the size of trampolines. The hunters sleep along
 SPOKES joining the inner trunk to the tree's outer shell.
 
 Jake lies awake in a hammock, people rustling in the darkness
 around him. Neytiri is nearby, curled up like a little girl.
 She stares at him for a moment, then closes her eyes.
 
 Jake watches the glowing bugs fluttering inside a night-
 light, a pulse of life energy. A strange peace spreads
 through him. He closes his eyes and --
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' INT. LINK ROOM - NIGHT
 ' 
 GRACE is over JAKE in the Link, SLAPPING him, as Max and NORM
 hover.
 
 ' GRACE
 Come on back, kid, that's it.
 
 ' JAKE
 Wha --? Oh.
 
 He looks around, blinking. Reality crashing in.
 
 ' GRACE
 Damn, you were dug in like a tick.
 (she helps him sit up)
 Is the avatar safe?
 
 ' JAKE
 (huge grin)
 Yeah, Doc -- and you are not going to
 believe where I am.
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' 51.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 ' INT. COMMISSARY - MORNING
 ' 
 BREAKFAST the next day. The other drivers lean forward,
 hanging on Grace's re-telling of the tale.
 
 ' GRACE
 -- so the kid's out there one night and
 he's got the Queen Bitch herself offering
 him the spare room and the car keys.
 Unbelievable.
 
 ' JAKE
 It's not something you can teach.
 
 Some of the other scientists clap Jake on the shoulders in
 congratulation.
 
 ' MAX
 That's awesome, Jake.
 
 NORM chomps his bacon, fuming.
 
 ' GRACE
 (to Jake, getting serious)
 For reasons I cannot fathom, the
 Omaticaya have chosen you. God help us
 all.
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' INT. OPS CENTER - MORNING
 ' 
 JAKE has reported to SELFRIDGE and QUARITCH. Quaritch turns
 from gazing out at the wall of forest, displaying a feral
 grin.
 
 ' QUARITCH
 Jarhead clan?
 (he laughs)
 And that worked?
 
 ' JAKE
 ' (GRINNING)
 Yeah. They want to study me. See if I
 can learn to be one of them.
 
 ' QUARITCH
 That's how you seize the initiative. I
 wish I had ten more like you.
 
 ' SELFRIDGE
 Look, Sully -- find out what these blue
 monkeys want.
 (MORE)
 ' 
 ' 52.
 ' 
 SELFRIDGE (cont'd)
 We try to give them medicine and
 education. Roads! But no -- they like
 mud. I wouldn't care except --
 
 Selfridge turns to a large 3D GRAPHIC DISPLAY, pointing. A
 road runs from Hell's Gate to a proposed new mine miles away.
 
 ' SELFRIDGE
 Their damn village is sitting right over
 the richest unobtanium deposit for a
 hundred klicks in any direction. Which
 sucks -- for them -- because they need to
 relocate.
 
 ' JAKE
 (taking that in)
 Does Augustine know about this?
 
 ' SELFRIDGE
 Yeah, she does, and she's on the next
 ship back if she tries to cock-block me
 on it.
 
 ' JAKE
 So -- who talks them into moving?
 
 ' QUARITCH
 ' (TURNING)
 Guess.
 
 ' JAKE
 What if they won't go?
 
 ' QUARITCH
 ' (ICY)
 I'm betting they will.
 
 ' SELFRIDGE
 Killing the indigenous looks bad, but
 there's one thing shareholders hate more
 than bad press -- and that's a bad
 quarterly statement. Find me a carrot to
 get them to move, or it's going to have
 to be all stick.
 
 Jake is shaken by the enormity of this new responsibility.
 
 ' QUARITCH
 You got three months. That's when the
 dozers get there.
 
 ' JAKE
 I'm on it.
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' 53.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 ' INT. BIO LAB - MORNING
 ' 
 JAKE pumps his chair across the lab, flanked by GRACE and
 NORM. Grace holds STEREO STILL PICTURES in front of him, one
 at a time -- images of clan members she has shot over the
 years -- a kind of flash card drill.
 
 ' JAKE
 Tsu'tey.
 (next photo)
 Mo'at.
 (next photo)
 Eytukan.
 
 ' GRACE
 He's the clan leader --
 (indicating Mo'at)
 -- but she's the spiritual leader. Like
 a shaman.
 
 ' INT. LINK ROOM
 ' 
 The dialogue is continuous as they enter.
 
 ' JAKE
 Got it. So who's this Eywa?
 
 ' NORM
 Who's Eywa? Oh, only their deity. The
 Great Mother. The goddess made up of all
 living things. You'd know that if you
 had any training whatsoever.
 
 He hauls himself from wheelchair to Link.
 
 ' JAKE
 Who's got a date with the chief's
 daughter?
 
 ' GRACE
 Knock it off. Jesus, it's like
 kindergarten around here.
 
 As Jake settles into the soft embrace of the link, Grace
 inputs commands at the control station.
 
 ' GRACE
 Neytiri was my best student. She and her
 sister Silwanin. Just amazing girls.
 
 ' JAKE
 I didn't meet the sister.
 
 ' 54.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 ' GRACE
 ' (QUIETLY)
 No, she's dead.
 (turning to him)
 Okay, let's go -- village life starts
 early.
 
 ' MAX
 Link is ready.
 
 Grace lowers the bio-sensor array over Jake's chest.
 
 ' GRACE
 Don't do anything unusually stupid.
 
 She closes the clamshell and we --
 
 ' INT. HOMETREE/ THIRD LEVEL - DAY
 ' 
 CU JAKE'S AVATAR, blinking awake, staring up at --
 
 HOMETREE, like a gothic cathedral overhead. Sunlight streams
 down through gaps in the towering vault.
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' INT. COMMONS - DAY
 ' 
 JAKE walks among the villagers, who go about their daily
 tasks.
 
 -- young girls sit together, weaving and SINGING. They look
 up as he passes, then go back to work.
 
 --two men clean the fish they've caught.
 
 -- a young mother pounds seeds into meal, while nursing an
 infant.
 
 --children chase each other and climb like monkeys. One bold
 LITTLE GIRL runs up to Jake, stops -- staring -- then shrieks
 with laughter as she runs back to her playmates.
 
 GRINNING, Jake turns to see NEYTIRI cantering toward him on a
 DIREHORSE. She leads a second horse, an old sway-backed
 MARE. His grin drops.
 
 ' EXT. RIVER NEAR HOMETREE - DAY
 ' 
 JAKE nervously grips the surcingle of the mare. Neytiri holds
 its nose-ring while Jake clumsily mounts.
 
 Jake bends one of its ANTENNAE down to the tip of his queue.
 He hesitantly touches them together and --
 
 ' 55.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 TIGHT SHOT -- the tendrils INTERWEAVE.
 
 Jake's PUPILS DILATE and his mouth drops open. The horse's
 eyes also go wide and it HONKS nervously. Neytiri touches her
 fingertips to the neural interface.
 
 ' NEYTIRI
 This is shahaylu -- the bond. Feel her
 heartbeat, her breath. Feel her strong
 legs.
 
 Jake closes his eyes, nodding. One with the horse.
 
 TSU'TEY and another young hunter come out of the forest
 leading TWO DIREHORSES. The magnificent animals drink from
 the edge of the pool. Tsu'tey watches Jake's riding lesson
 with disdain.
 
 ' NEYTIRI
 You may tell her what to do --
 (she touches her head)
 -- inside. For now, say where to go.
 
 ' JAKE
 Forward.
 
 The horse LAUNCHES into a GALLOP. Jake flops around, with no
 idea how to sit the animal, and is promptly THROWN OFF. He
 lands painfully in the mud.
 
 He gets up, brushing mud off knees and ass, as Neytiri leads
 the horse back to him.
 
 ' NEYTIRI
 Again.
 
 SERIES OF JUMP CUTS -- Jake falls off the horse in various
 ways, seemingly landing harder each time.
 
 ON JAKE, face down in the mud of the riverbank. He painfully
 rises to hands and knees. Which is when he sees --
 
 TSU'TEY and another HUNTER thundering across the shallow
 river on their direhorses. Spray blasts up from their
 hooves.
 
 Jake stands, covered in mud, as Tsu'tey stops his horse next
 to him, looking down with disdain.
 
 ' TSU'TEY
 You should go away.
 
 ' 56.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 ' JAKE
 (to Neytiri)
 I knew this guy could speak English.
 
 Tsu'tey turns to Neytiri, who is leading the old mare back.
 
 ' TSU'TEY
 ' (SUBTITLED)
 This alien will learn nothing. A rock
 Sees more.
 
 She sighs in agreement. Tsu'tey and the other hunter wheel
 their horses around and THUNDER OFF into the woods.
 
 NEYTIRI gestures to Jake's horse.
 
 ' NEYTIRI
 Again.
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' OPS CENTER - NIGHT
 ' 
 Grouped around a table are JAKE, COLONEL QUARITCH, SELFRIDGE
 and few ENGINEERS and OFFICERS. Jake is talking them through
 plans he's made of Hometree's inner structure.
 
 ' JAKE
 You've got outer columns, then a
 secondary ring here, and an inner ring.
 Then a core structure, it's like a
 spiral, that's how they move up and down.
 
 ' QUARITCH
 I'm going to need accurate scans of all
 these columns.
 
 ' JAKE
 Roger that.
 
 ANGLE ON MAX, at the stairwell. He's been watching Jake
 talking rapidly to Quaritch, but can't hear him. Frowning,
 he backs away, down the stairs.
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' INT. BIO LAB - DAY
 ' 
 JAKE, GRACE and NORM are packing science gear and supplies.
 
 ' GRACE
 I'm not about to let Quaritch and
 Selfridge micro-manage this thing.
 (she looks pointedly at Jake)
 We're going up into the mountains.
 (MORE)
 ' 
 ' 57.
 ' 
 GRACE (cont'd)
 There's a mobile link up at Site 26 that
 we can work out of.
 
 ' NORM
 The Hallelujah Mountains?
 
 ' GRACE
 That's right.
 
 ' NORM
 Yesssss!
 (off Jake's look)
 The legendary Floating Mountains of
 Pandora? Heard of them?
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' EXT. RAINFOREST - AERIAL - DAY
 ' 
 A SAMSON THUNDERS over the rainforest, climbing into the mist-
 shrouded mountains.
 
 In the SEALED COCKPIT, Norm is up front, sitting left seat so
 Trudy can talk him through the flight controls. Jake and
 Grace are behind them, in the jump-seats.
 
 Grace and Norm's UNCONSCIOUS AVATARS ride in the open back
 compartment.
 
 ' TRUDY
 It only takes tiny inputs. Here, put
 your hand on the cyclic --
 
 She points to the stick between her knees. Norm hesitantly
 reaches over and rests his hand on hers.
 
 ' TRUDY
 Feel how small the moves are? You barely
 have to think it, and the aircraft
 reacts.
 
 ON NORM -- reacting to tiny inputs from the hot lady-pilot.
 
 THE SAMSON is dwarfed by enormous ARCHES OF ROCK.
 
 ' GRACE
 See these magnetic formations. We're
 getting close.
 
 ' TRUDY
 Yeah we are. Look at my instruments.
 
 On the dash, many of the displays are fritzing out.
 
 ' 58.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 ' GRACE
 Yup. We're in the flux vortex.
 
 AHEAD, a cloud bank parts, revealing --
 
 THE HALLELUJAH MOUNTAINS. Right in front of them.
 
 ' NORM
 Oh. My. God.
 
 Jake leans forward between the seatbacks for a good look out
 the front canopy.
 
 JAKE'S POV -- enormous islands of rock are hovering a half
 mile above the ground. They are overgrown with rainforest,
 and straggly beards of vines hang down beneath them.
 Waterfalls stream down the sides and dissolve into spray at
 the bottom.
 
 ON JAKE, staring in amazement. It is both awe-inspiring and
 disturbing.
 
 Trudy turns, grinning at Jake.
 
 ' TRUDY
 You should see your face.
 
 WIDE AERIAL -- the Samson is tiny as it approaches the
 floating islands of rock. An archipelago among the clouds,
 they cast great shadows over the forested slopes below.
 
 ' JAKE (V.O.)
 Yeah, so what does hold them up? Grace
 explained it to me -- some kind of maglev
 effect because unobtanium is a
 superconductor, or something. At least
 somebody understands it. Just not me.
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' EXT. SITE 26 - DAY
 ' 
 A remote RESEARCH STATION -- TWO SHACKS and a few clusters of
 instruments perched on a promontory near the Hallelujah
 Mountains. The shacks are AIRLIFT MODULES the size of buses.
 
 THE SAMSON LANDS, beating the grass with its rotor-wash. The
 humans hop out, wearing MASKS.
 
 They move toward the Shack, taking in the spectacular
 panorama.
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' 59.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 ' INT. SHACK - DAY
 ' 
 NORM and TRUDY assist JAKE with his chair as they cycle in
 through the AIRLOCK. GRACE is already inside, starting the
 GENNY. She turns on the lights and equipment.
 
 There are 4 bunks, a clutter of science gear, and -- through
 a short connecting corridor -- THREE LINK UNITS in the second
 module.
 
 As Grace powers up the Link equipment, Jake stops to look at
 STEREO STILL PICTURES which are taped and tacked up around
 her workstation.
 
 CLOSE ON PICTURES -- Grace posing at the school with various
 grinning children. There is one of her with two lanky girls,
 a younger Neytiri and an older girl who looks much like her.
 
 ' GRACE
 Jake, take number two, it's the least
 glitchy. Norm, I need you to operate
 Jake's link.
 
 Norm glares at Jake as he passes.
 
 ' JAKE
 Hey. You got a problem?
 
 Norm turns to Grace, his frustration boiling over.
 
 ' NORM
 I trained three years for this mission.
 I speak the language fluently.
 (he points at Jake)
 He falls off the frickin' turnip truck
 and all of a sudden he's cultural
 ambassador!?
 
 ' GRACE
 It's not our choice, Norm.
 
 He glowers at Jake.
 
 ' NORM
 Yeah, well I didn't come out here to wash
 the dishes while you're on some
 interspecies booty call.
 
 He stalks off.
 
 ' GRACE
 He can't go far.
 
 ' 60.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 She points to Jake's link.
 
 ' GRACE
 Let's get you in.
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' INT./EXT. HOMETREE - BANSHEE EYRIE
 ' 
 LOOKING DOWN the central shaft of Hometree, 80 meters to the
 ground. Villagers are ant-like.
 
 Jake tries to keep up with Neytiri as she leaps up the core
 trunk like a lemur. He climbs the last section, arriving out
 of breath beside her. She leads him OUTSIDE, onto --
 
 A large branch. Through gaps in the foliage Jake can see
 other Great Trees scattered across the landscape, like
 enormous umbrellas above the rainforest.
 
 NEYTIRI strides out across the branch toward some kind of
 STRUCTURE -- a WEB made of thick woven fiber. DARK SHAPES
 clinging to it stir with a leathery RUSTLING SOUND.
 
 Neytiri makes a series of TRILLS and CLICKS. One of the
 shapes MOVES toward them, emerging into a shaft of sunlight.
 
 A huge MOUNTAIN BANSHEE. Much larger than the forest
 banshees, this thing is taller than a Na'vi with a 10 meter
 wingspan. A leathery FWHOOP, like the crack of sails, as it
 alights on the branch right in front of her.
 
 ' JAKE
 Holy shit.
 
 ' NEYTIRI
 Do not look in her eye.
 
 Neytiri feeds it a large scrap of meat, which it SNATCHES and
 gulps down. She murmurs to it and strokes its NECK.
 
 It lets out a signature SHRIEK, and some of the others in the
 shadows nearby answer.
 
 Neytiri flip-catches her queue and gently connects it to the
 Banshee's ANTENNA. It shivers and stretches its wings as the
 neural connection is made.
 
 ' NEYTIRI
 Ikran is not horse. Once shahaylu is
 made, ikran will fly with only one Hunter
 in the whole life.
 
 She climbs smoothly onto the animal's back.
 
 ' 61.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 ' NEYTIRI
 To become taronyu -- Hunter -- you must
 choose your own ikran. And he must choose
 you.
 
 ' JAKE
 When?
 
 ' NEYTIRI
 When you are ready.
 
 The BANSHEE shivers with anticipation.
 
 ' NEYTIRI
 Heeyaaahh!
 
 Jake ducks as the great wings EXPLODE OPEN and the banshee
 DROPS off the branch. It swoops down across the forest
 canopy, banks hard, lets out a CRY and beats its wings in a
 power climb.
 
 Completing the bank, Neytiri directs the banshee into a close
 SWOOPING FLYBY, and Jake instinctively ducks.
 
 ON NEYTIRI -- flying in perfect fusion with her winged mount,
 the rainforest rolling beneath her.
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' INT. SHACK - NIGHT/EXT
 ' 
 STEREO VIDEO-LOG IMAGE -- Jake has just switched on the
 camera. He looks tired.
 
 ' JAKE
 Do I have to do this? I need some rack.
 
 GRACE, behind him, looks up from her MICROSCOPE, scowling.
 
 ' GRACE
 No -- now, when it's fresh.
 
 ' JAKE
 Yeah, yeah.
 (to camera)
 The days are starting to blur together.
 The language is a bitch, but I figure
 it's like field-stripping a weapon.
 Repetition.
 
 ' THIS THROWS US INTO A TEACHING MONTAGE:
 ' 
 JAKE AND NEYTIRI kneel together inside Hometree. Neytiri
 touches her lips with her fingertips.
 
 ' 62.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 ' JAKE
 Seyri.
 
 She touches her nose, her ears, her eyes in quick sequence.
 
 ' JAKE
 Ontu, mikyun, nari.
 
 NEYTIRI stands next to him, correcting his position as he
 draws a longbow.
 
 BARKING commands, she SMACKS him on the shoulder, then the
 elbow, repositioning him roughly.
 
 ' JAKE (V.O.)
 Neytiri thinks I'm some kind of retard.
 
 HUMAN JAKE emerges from the LINK to see --
 
 TRUDY and NORM caught IN THE ACT on Norm's bunk. Norm blushes
 and Trudy waves, pulling the blanket over their heads.
 
 ' JAKE (V.O.)
 Norm's attitude has improved lately.
 
 NORM works with JAKE at the small table in the SHACK kitchen.
 
 ' NORM
 Thank you?
 
 ' JAKE
 Ireiyo.
 
 Norm comically exaggerates the pronunciation.
 
 ' NORM
 Irrrreiyo. Irrrreiyo. You've gotta roll
 the R, r-r-r-oll it.
 
 Norm makes Jake repeat the word, getting more frustrated.
 
 ' JAKE (V.O.)
 It's good he's back on board, but he
 thinks I'm a retard too.
 
 TRACKING WITH JAKE'S FEET as he runs over rocks, leaping onto
 a thick root, running on across the rough bark.
 
 ' JAKE (V.O.)
 My feet are getting tougher. I can run
 farther every day.
 
 ' 63.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 Neytiri leads him along a massive root, and soon they are
 running 30 meters above the ground.
 
 He sprints with her through the trees, trying to keep up.
 She CLIMBS and LEAPS with the ease of a spider monkey.
 
 ' JAKE (V.O.)
 I have to trust my body to know what to
 do. With Neytiri it's learn fast or die.
 
 Neytiri LEAPS off into space, falling, falling until --
 
 She catches an enormous palm leaf and, gripping it, allows
 its DROOP to slow her fall. She lets go, plummeting, and
 catches another.
 
 JAKE FOLLOWS in a leap of faith. THE CAMERA PLUNGES with
 him, from leaf to leaf, down and down in a dizzying kinetic
 rush.
 
 He drops down from the last leaf, landing next to her on a
 game trail. He is exhilarated to still be alive.
 
 Neytiri is surprised -- that he followed. That he lived.
 
 TIGHT ON HUMAN JAKE, in the shack. Thinking as he looks at
 the pictures of Grace with the laughing kids at the school.
 
 IN THE COMMONS -- AVATAR NORM formally greets MO'AT. The
 Matriarch looks on as GRACE kneels to hug children she knows.
 Grace's eyes sparkle as she chats with them in Na'vi.
 
 ' JAKE (V.O.)
 I sweet-talked Mo'at into giving Norm and
 Grace a hall pass. Now Grace even makes
 me coffee before link every morning.
 
 Grace looks up to see Neytiri approaching. It is an awkward
 moment between them. Grace makes the formal gesture of
 greeting.
 
 ' GRACE
 (Na'vi, subtitled)
 I See you, Neytiri Mo'at'ite.
 
 ' NEYTIRI
 I See you, Doctor Grace Augustine.
 
 ANOTHER DAY -- NEYTIRI kneels on a game trail, pointing out
 the tracks in the mud to Jake. She touches the edges of the
 plants around her, and sniffs the air.
 
 ' 64.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 ' JAKE (V.O.)
 I'm learning to read the trails, the
 tracks at the water-hole, the tiniest
 scents and sounds.
 
 JAKE AND NEYTIRI watch through a screen of leaves as --
 
 A HERD of huge, armored STURMBEEST walks through the shallows
 of a lake. In the middle of the herd, the babies are
 sheltered from predators among their parents' legs.
 
 One of the BULLS trumpets, and a flock of TETRAPTERONS takes
 flight, an explosion of purple wings.
 
 Jake stares at the strange and wild alien tableau.
 
 ANOTHER PLACE -- NEYTIRI STANDS utterly still, except for her
 ears, which move with a life of their own. Her eyes are
 closed. She speaks very softly to Jake --
 
 ' NEYTIRI
 When you hear nothing, you will hear
 everything. When you see nothing, you
 will See everything.
 
 ' JAKE (V.O.)
 Sometimes I have no idea what she's
 talking about.
 
 Jake and Neytiri creep quietly, stalking a large male
 HEXAPEDE -- a six legged deer-like creature.
 
 Jake expertly nocks an arrow and draws his bow as Neytiri
 watches. He takes a bead on the hexapede -- tracks it for a
 beat with the drawn bow, then RELAXES his arm. Zen archery.
 
 ' JAKE (V.O.)
 It's been a month and I'm still not
 allowed to make a kill. She says the
 forest hasn't given permission.
 
 ' OMIITED
 ' 
 NEYTIRI and JAKE crawl through the undergrowth. She points
 and he parts some leaves to see --
 
 A MOTHER VIPERWOLF bringing meat to her cubs, which frisk
 around her legs. She licks their faces.
 
 ' JAKE (V.O.)
 There's a lot of crap like that. She's
 always going on about the flow of energy--
 the spirits of the animals and what not --
 
 ' 65.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 VIDEO-LOG IMAGE -- HUMAN JAKE talks into the lens. He's
 changing -- un-shaven, cheeks hollow. Pale.
 
 ' JAKE
 ' (SMIRKING)
 I just hope this treehugger shit isn't on
 the final.
 
 Visible behind him, Grace is hunched over her samples.
 
 ' GRACE
 (without looking up)
 This isn't just about eye-hand
 coordination out there. You need to
 listen to what she says. Try to see the
 forest through their eyes.
 
 ' JAKE
 Excuse me -- this is my video-log here,
 okay?
 
 NEYTIRI AND JAKE move through the NIGHT FOREST, surrounded by
 galaxies of shimmering bioluminescence. They move
 gracefully, soundlessly -- two forest spirits.
 
 CU JAKE -- the pupils of his cat eyes dilated. The night
 forest floods his brain with its million bio-sources.
 
 NIGHT SHOT, from overhead -- Jake and Neytiri bow-fishing
 from a dugout canoe over huge glowing ANEMONES at the bottom
 of a pool.
 
 A large fish swims silhouetted against the pastel glow. ZAP!
 Jake drills it. He holds up the fish, triumphantly.
 
 ANOTHER DAY -- Neytiri stands close behind Jake, adjusting
 his position as he draws his bow. Only now her hands are
 GENTLE as they move on his arms, his shoulders.
 
 Aware of her touch, Jake's focus is broken. Their eyes meet,
 and she pulls away quickly.
 
 NIGHT -- they enter a CLEARING filled with chest-high ferns.
 Neytiri signals him to move slowly. They approach a creature
 on one of the ferns. An ugly, stick-like LIZARD-THING
 perched on a frond. As he approaches --
 
 SNAP! A long spine whips in a circle, unfurling a
 bioluminescent membrane -- a disk a meter across, opening
 like a Chinese fan. It FLIES OFF, a living Frisbee.
 
 THE FAN LIZARD FLOATS across the clearing.
 
 ' 66.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 Neytiri plunges among the ferns with a SHARP CRY. An
 EXPLOSION OF COLOR as dozens of FAN LIZARDS take flight.
 
 Grinning widely, she hops around like a little girl, until
 they are all flying. And for the first time, she is
 unguarded and joyful, totally herself with him.
 
 INSIDE THE LINK -- Jake's eyes open in the darkness. He
 doesn't know where he is. He weakly pushes open the lid,
 blinking at the light.
 
 ' JAKE (V.O.)
 Everything is backwards now. Like out
 there is the true world, and in here is
 the dream.
 
 TIGHT ON AVATAR JAKE silently drawing his bow, his eyes
 focused in intense concentration. A beat -- the arrow flies.
 
 JAKE PULLS the arrow from the twitching body of a hexapede.
 He dispatches it with his knife.
 
 He speaks haltingly, but with feeling, in Na'vi.
 
 ' JAKE
 ' (NA'VI)
 I See you Brother, and thank you. Your
 spirit goes with Eywa, your body stays
 behind to become part of the People.
 
 NEYTIRI watches with approval.
 
 ' NEYTIRI
 A clean kill. You are ready.
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' INT. SHACK - NIGHT
 ' 
 Lying in the link, Jake looks exhausted, pale, thin. Norm
 helps Grace get him to his chair.
 
 ' GRACE
 You're still losing weight. Here --
 
 She hands him a microwaved burrito. He looks at the now alien
 food. Bites into it without enthusiasm.
 
 ' JAKE
 I made a kill today. We ate it. I know
 where that meal came from.
 
 ' 67.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 ' GRACE
 Other body. You need to take care of
 this body.
 
 ' JAKE
 Yeah yeah.
 
 ' GRACE
 Jake, I'm serious -- you look like crap.
 You're burning too hard.
 
 Jake takes the cigarette out of her mouth and stubs it out.
 
 ' JAKE
 Get rid of this shit, then you can
 lecture me.
 
 ' GRACE
 I'm telling you, as your boss and someone
 who might even consider being a friend
 someday, to take some down time.
 
 ' JAKE
 Not now. Tomorrow we leave for Iknimaya.
 
 GRACE walks past Jake, starts making herself coffee.
 
 ' GRACE
 Yeah -- you're gonna go ride a banshee.
 Or die trying.
 
 ' JAKE
 That's right, Grace. This is what I've
 been working for.
 
 ' GRACE
 And this is your check up from the neck
 up, Marine. You're getting in way too
 deep.
 (she turns away)
 Trust me, I learned the hard way.
 
 Jake scans the pictures tacked up around Grace's workstation.
 
 ' JAKE
 What did happen at the school?
 
 GRACE looks up from making coffee. Her eyes track across the
 pictures of the laughing children. Finally --
 
 ' 68.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 ' GRACE
 Neytiri's sister -- Sylwanin -- stopped
 coming to school. She was angry about
 the clear-cutting.
 
 GRACE sips her coffee, grimaces at the taste.
 
 ' GRACE
 One day, she and a couple of other young
 hunters came running in, all painted up --
 they'd set a bulldozer on fire -- I guess
 they thought I could protect them.
 
 GRACE'S voice stays oddly CALM as he tells this terrible
 story, while getting MILK out of the refrigerator.
 
 ' GRACE
 The troopers pursued them to the
 schoolhouse.
 
 MACRO as she pours the milk -- her hand is SHAKING.
 
 ' GRACE
 They killed Sylwanin in the doorway.
 Right in front of Neytiri. Then shot the
 others.
 (MILDLY)
 I got most of the kids out, before they
 shot me.
 
 ' JAKE
 Jesus.
 
 ' GRACE
 Yeah.
 
 Jake realizes that Grace is on the verge of tears and
 desperately trying to hide it.
 
 ' GRACE
 A scientist stays objective -- we can not
 be ruled by emotion. But I poured ten
 years of my life into that school. They
 called me sa'atenuk. Mother.
 (turning to him)
 That kind of pain reaches back through
 the link.
 
 GRACE sits down at the table, looks intently at Jake.
 
 ' GRACE
 It's a job. Learn what you can -- but
 don't get attached.
 
 ' 69.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 GRACE looks at him with real PAIN in her eyes.
 
 ' GRACE
 It's not our world, Jake. And we can't
 stop what's coming.
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' EXT. MOUNTAIN TRAIL - DAY
 ' 
 TSU'TEY leads three direhorse riders up the trail -- two
 TEENAGE HUNTERS and JAKE, who's riding well enough to keep
 up. The horses' hooves CLOP right next to a sheer drop into a
 misty canyon.
 
 ' JAKE (V.O.)
 Iknimaya translates roughly as stairway
 to heaven. It's the test every young
 hunter has to pass.
 
 TSU'TEY signals a stop.
 
 UP-SLOPE AHEAD is an astounding formation. Thick vine-like
 trees have trapped large FLOATING BOULDERS of UNOBTANIUM in
 their gnarled grip.
 
 A hundred meters above them more boulders are WOVEN into the
 twisted vine-trunks. This is some sort of freak natural
 occurrence -- like the mythical beanstalk, going up into the
 clouds.
 
 There is a THUNDERING ROAR, like an artillery barrage, and
 the ground SHAKES. Jake looks around at --
 
 One of the FLOATING MOUNTAINS grinding against the flank of a
 nearby mesa. A huge rockfall is set loose. The mountain is
 drifting toward them, filling half the sky.
 
 The Hunters dismount.
 
 JAKE looks up at the beanstalk going into the clouds. He
 turns to Tsu'tey, who is checking the young hunters' gear.
 
 ' JAKE
 We doin' this?
 
 Jake leaps to catch up as Tsu'tey and the hunters swarm up
 the base of the beanstalk.
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' 70.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 ' EXT. BEANSTALK - DAY
 ' 
 200 METERS up the BEANSTALK, the hunters nimbly climb along
 the vine-trunks. They clamber over one of the unobtanium
 BOULDERS which is lifting this incredible tree.
 
 JAKE looks down -- the massive trunk dwindles to the size of
 a licorice stick. A chunk breaks off a boulder as he climbs
 over it -- it floats upward.
 
 They reach the upper branches of the beanstalk. Above them,
 the craggy underbelly of MONS Veritatis looms. Spray from
 one of the waterfalls hits them.
 
 Some of the HANGING VINES are brushing over the upper
 branches of the beanstalk with a crackling hiss.
 
 One by one the hunters grab onto vines as they pass.
 
 Jake shrugs and leaps to a passing vine, his feet dangling
 over nothingness. They climb toward the floating islands
 above.
 
 ' EXT. MONS VERITATIS - DAY
 ' 
 TINY FIGURES cross a causeway of vines connecting a small
 island of unobtanium to the main mass of Mons Veritatis.
 
 WIDE SHOT looking down a rock face bigger than Half Dome --
 the sheer side of Mons Veritatis.
 
 Banshees circle next to the cliffs, flashing in shafts of
 sunlight. Waterfalls dissolve into nothingness below.
 
 ' EXT. GROTTO/BANSHEE ROOKERY - DAY
 ' 
 A waterfall THUNDERS down into the void like a faucet of the
 gods. Jake looks down the sheer cliff at the world far below
 -- a view from Olympus.
 
 A SHRIEK and the THWAP THWAP of leathery wings -- NEYTIRI'S
 BANSHEE swoops in to perch at the edge of the grotto. She
 dismounts and, like a falconer, covers its eyes with a woven
 HOOD. It waits, docile, as --
 
 She joins Jake and the hunter party. Tsu'tey leads them
 through the cave until they emerge onto a CLIFF FACE. And
 Jake sees --
 
 The BANSHEE ROOKERY. HUNDREDS of banshees huddle on rock out-
 croppings as far as the eye can see. They cling to the walls
 with the fore-claws on their wings, or perch on ledges.
 
 ' 71.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 ' TSU'TEY
 Jakesully will go first.
 
 Tsu'tey smirks at Jake, a challenge in his eyes. The two
 teenage Hunters are scared but trying to act tough.
 
 Tsu'tey scowls when Neytiri leads Jake out onto the ledge.
 
 ' NEYTIRI
 ' (WHISPERING)
 Now you choose your ikran. This you must
 feel -- inside. If he also chooses you,
 move quick, like I showed. You will have
 one chance.
 
 ' JAKE
 How will I know if he chooses me?
 
 ' NEYTIRI
 He will try to kill you.
 
 ' JAKE
 Outstanding.
 
 Out of sight of Tsu'tey, Neytiri takes his hand and squeezes
 it. Jake feels a rush of emotion, but she breaks away like
 it didn't happen. He is on his own, on the ledge with --
 
 The BANSHEES. They eye him as he approaches. Several SHRIEK
 and take flight. Others flap their wings and yawn, showing
 rows of fangs, in a threat display.
 
 Jake unrolls a weighted leather strap, like a one-ended BOLO.
 
 A LARGE MALE spreads enormous wings, SHRIEKS, and glares
 straight at him.
 
 Jake looks directly into its eyes -- and strides toward it.
 
 ' JAKE
 Let's dance.
 
 The challenged banshee HISSES and leaps at him, jaws wide as--
 
 Jake times the lunge, swinging the bolo, feinting and then
 slipping aside as the banshee's jaws miss him, SNAPPING SHUT.
 
 Jake WHAPS the bolo across its snout. The weighted thong
 whips twice around its long jaws, tying them shut. A MUFFLED
 SCREAM and it SLASHES at his stomach with razor talons but --
 
 ' 72.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 Jake is already leaping, over the talons and tackling the
 banshee around the neck. It topples on its side, and he
 SWARMS IT -- arms around its thrashing head.
 
 Jake grabs its whip-like antenna and brings it toward his
 queue but --
 
 The bony head SLAMS sideways, and BAM! -- clocks him right in
 the face, almost knocking him out and --
 
 IT WRITHES, flinging him to the ground. He slides on the
 rock and almost goes over the edge as --
 
 NEYTIRI gasps. Tsu'tey laughs and yells mockingly.
 
 The bolo is coming loose as the creature shakes its head, way
 pissed off now, but --
 
 Jake scrambles up and leaps straight at it. Claws rake his
 leg but he gets his arms around its head and CLAMPS DOWN
 HARD. They flop to the ground and he scrambles on top,
 pinning it and --
 
 Grabs its whipping antenna, locks it under his arm, and jams
 the end of his queue into it. They FUSE together and --
 
 The banshee stops struggling. It lies there panting. They
 are locked together, literally eye to eye.
 
 ' JAKE
 That's right! You're mine.
 
 ECU BANSHEE -- the pupil like a deep black well.
 
 Jake relaxes his grip and slowly, warily, slides his leg over
 the creature's back.
 
 Neytiri runs to him.
 
 ' NEYTIRI
 First flight seals the bond. You cannot
 wait.
 
 Jake sits astride the creature, feeling its power. He grips
 a hank of the beast's main, and --
 
 ' JAKE
 Heeeyyyaaaah!
 
 THWAP! THWAP! The banshee is off like a shot. Jake SCREAMS
 as they PLUMMET off the cliff -- the banshee WAILS and --
 
 ' 73.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 They fall together, spiralling out of control, and he is
 almost tossed lose. The thing is SQUAWKING and SHRIEKING so
 much he can't think.
 
 ' JAKE
 Shut the hell up!!
 
 It does.
 
 ' JAKE
 Level out! Fly straight!
 
 It levels out. Jake cocks his head, only thinking "bank left"
 and the animal complies. He settles the banshee into an easy
 loping beat of its huge wings, while he catches his breath.
 
 NEYTIRI'S BANSHEE falls into formation with him. She signals
 "follow me" and DIVES.
 
 Jake guides his banshee clumsily after her. Neytiri's
 banshee moves with precise movements of its wingtips, while
 Jake's wobbles and dips, almost falling out of the sky.
 
 THE CAMERA SWOOPS after them as Neytiri leads an arcing DIVE
 around the flank of Mons Veritatis. The scenery is stunning.
 They pass waterfalls and swoop between hanging vines.
 
 Neytiri leads Jake in a sharp bank, skimming close to the
 cliffs. They punch through streamers of cloud and emerge
 into sunlight.
 
 Jake is getting the hang of it. He jinks left, then right,
 then dives, tucking himself tight against the animal's back.
 He's reckless, fearless. Half in control and LOVING IT.
 
 Neytiri dives next to him as he lets out a long WHOOP of joy.
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' INT./EXT. GROTTO/MONS VERITATIS - DAY
 ' 
 ' FLIGHT MONTAGE:
 ' 
 NEYTIRI squats with Jake, using her hands to explain flight
 principles like one fighter pilot to another.
 
 LOOKING DOWN a sheer cliff. SWOOOSH! Jake and Neytiri dive
 their mounts STRAIGHT DOWN PAST CAMERA, pulling out and
 soaring into a series of aerobatic turns.
 
 ' JAKE (V.O.)
 I may not be much of a horse guy. But I
 was born to do this.
 
 ' 74.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 THEY FLY in close formation with TSU'TEY and the young
 HUNTERS, 5 banshees flashing through scarves of mist.
 
 ANOTHER DAY. Jake dives, playing hide and seek with Neytiri
 among the clouds. They are wild and free in a wild world.
 She grins and banks hard, diving -- catch me if you can. He
 DIVES after her.
 
 IN THE GROTTO, by firelight, JAKE'S BANSHEE snaps at a piece
 of meat which he playfully pulls back. He's teaching it to
 take the food more slowly. He strokes its long head.
 
 TSU'TEY is nearby with the young hunters. He eyes Jake with
 frustrated hostility.
 
 ANOTHER DAY -- Jake and Neytiri fly abreast, soaring easily.
 She points and Jake sees --
 
 A BIZARRE GEOLOGICAL FORMATION. Arches of magnetic rock form
 rainbows of stone above a deep CALDERA. In the center of the
 caldera is a single, enormous WILLOW TREE, gnarled and
 ancient. This, we will be told, is THE WELL OF SOULS.
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' EXT. RIDGE
 ' 
 JAKE flies with Neytiri along a forested ridge. She is
 teaching him to hunt from his banshee. They carry their bows
 at the ready, scanning below them for prey.
 
 A HUGE SHADOW covers him and Neytiri SHOUTS a warning. Jake
 looks up to see --
 
 A LEONOPTERYX in a delta-dive, whistling straight at him.
 
 Like a banshee, only several times larger, it is the king
 predator of the air: the GREAT LEONOPTERYX. Striped
 scarlet, yellow and black, with a midnight blue crested head
 -- it is both gorgeous and terrifying.
 
 The hunter has become the prey. JAKE snap-rolls and dives
 toward the forest canopy. He plummets into the gloom as --
 
 K-CRASH -- the leonopteryx tears through foliage, following
 him down, both diving like missiles and --
 
 JAKE yanks into a hair-pin bank, right through a gap between
 two huge branches --
 
 Forcing the leonopteryx to brake with a loud FWOOSH of wings.
 It banks away with a frustrated SHRIEK. Two flaps of its
 mighty wings and it is gone, back above the canopy.
 
 ' 75.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 CLOSE ON THE LEONOPTERYX, as its fanged mouth opens in a
 bloodcurdling SCREECH which echoes among the mountains. The
 lord of its domain.
 
 ON JAKE, shaken. Neytiri flies up, her expression the Na'vi
 equivalent of Oh my God. A beat -- they both crack up.
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' INT. SHACK - NIGHT
 ' 
 Jake ponders images Grace has called up at her workstation--
 science graphics of the Leonopteryx. Trudy and Norm are
 crowded around as well.
 
 ' GRACE
 The Great Leonopteryx is the apex aerial
 predator. Not only rare, but the
 sightings tend not to get reported.
 
 Trudy makes a clicking motion with her thumb.
 
 ' TRUDY
 There usually isn't time to key the mike.
 
 ' JAKE
 The People call it Toruk.
 
 ' NORM
 ' (TRANSLATING)
 Last Shadow.
 
 ' JAKE
 Last one you ever see.
 
 ' TRUDY
 I saw one take out a gunship once --
 WHAM! Total frickin' yard sale. Ate the
 crew like peanuts.
 
 TIME CUT -- Grace is scanning through images and Jake stops
 her on one -- a 3D aerial shot of the strange arched
 formation.
 
 ' JAKE
 That's it.
 
 ' GRACE
 Vitraya Ramunong -- The Well of Souls.
 It's their most sacred place.
 
 She moves the virtual camera, and we seem to fly around the
 Well of Souls, catching only a glimpse of the interior.
 
 ' 76.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 ' GRACE
 Something big is going on in there,
 biologically. I'd die to get samples, but
 outsiders are strictly forbidden.
 
 TIME CUT -- Jake looks through the pressure window at HUMAN
 GRACE and NORM outside. Wearing masks, they are taking
 readings from some time-series experiments Grace has set up.
 
 As TRUDY watches, JAKE works fast to download Grace's images
 of the Well of Souls onto a memory chip.
 
 ' TRUDY
 They're coming back.
 
 Jake pulls the chip, then hesitates. Torn by what he is
 doing.
 
 ' TRUDY
 If you don't give him something, he's
 gonna shut us down.
 
 He hands her the chip and she slips it into a pocket of her
 flight-suit just as Grace and Norm enter from the airlock.
 
 ' JAKE
 Hey, guys.
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' INT. HOMETREE - NIGHT
 ' 
 JAKE STARES up at the TOTEM SKULL, which we now recognize as
 that of a GREAT LEONOPTERYX. NEYTIRI watches as he reaches
 up to touch the tall indigo crest.
 
 ' NEYTIRI
 My grandfather's grandfather was Toruk
 Macto -- Rider of Last Shadow. Toruk
 chose him. It has only happened five
 times since the time of the First Songs.
 
 ' JAKE
 That's a long time.
 
 Neytiri takes his hand, because that's what the Na'vi do when
 they're telling you something important.
 
 ' NEYTIRI
 Toruk Macto was mighty -- he brought the
 clans together in a time of great sorrow.
 All Na'vi people know this story.
 
 ' 77.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 PUSH IN SLOWLY on the skull totem, then --
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' EXT. RIVER BED - DAY
 ' 
 JAKE, NEYTIRI and other FLYING HUNTERS swoop low above a HERD
 OF STURMBEEST -- a rapids of thundering muscle. Dust rises
 from this living river like steam from a python's back.
 
 TRACKING WITH the herd. A HUNTER appears in FG, astride a
 direhorse at full gallop. The sight is breathtaking. He
 hurls a 3 meter spear and one of the sturmbeest CRASHES down,
 flipping twice from momentum.
 
 JAKE ROLLS IN like a fighter jet, his banshee screaming. He
 draws and fires his bow. The arrow strikes true, in the
 plexus between the armored shoulders and --
 
 THE BEAST crashes to the ground. Skids to a stop in a cloud
 of dust.
 
 NEYTIRI swoops in next to Jake, arms raised and grinning
 wolfishly.
 
 CU TSU'TEY, banking around Jake's kill. Jake looks up, and
 Tsu'tey SALUTES in grudging admiration.
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' INT. COMMONS/HOMETREE - NIGHT
 ' 
 The central space is lit by a BONFIRE, around which the HUNT
 FESTIVAL is in full swing. Wild dancing. People gnawing on
 massive sturmbeest ribs. A bowl of some kava-like intoxicant
 is passed around.
 
 NEYTIRI dances in a flowing costume as the BANSHEE SPIRIT.
 NORM is dancing seductively with his own tail.
 
 JAKE, surrounded by young hunters, acts out the leonopteryx
 attack with his hands. The leaping fire-light plays across
 the eye sockets of the TORUK SKULL, bringing it to life. It
 seems to watch Jake.
 
 TSU'TEY squats next to Jake, the usual scowl on his face.
 
 Jake braces himself -- and Tsu'tey holds up the KAVA BOWL,
 offering it to him. A challenge or an olive branch?
 
 Jake takes a long, hearty drink as some of the young hunters
 hoot and clap hands in a fast rhythm.
 
 ' 78.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 ' GRACE
 Watch that stuff. It'll knock you into
 next week.
 
 Jake offers the bowl back to Tsu'tey. They lock eyes.
 Tsu'tey drinks.
 
 LATER -- AN EMPTY BOWL drops, landing on a pile of empty
 bowls near the fire.
 
 WIDER ON JAKE and TSU'TEY, sitting amid the rowdy hunters.
 Tsu'tey looks a little blearily at Jake. Finally, he GRINS.
 
 ' TSU'TEY
 I thought -- enough drink -- you would
 not be so ugly.
 
 ' JAKE
 Sorry.
 
 Tsu'tey looks deep into the fire.
 
 ' TSU'TEY
 Your warriors -- hide inside machines --
 fight from far away.
 (he looks at Jake)
 I did not think a sky person could be
 brave.
 
 Before Jake can answer, NEYTIRI'S lithe shape runs through
 the circle of silhouetted dancers toward them. She takes
 Jake by the hand and pulls him up --
 
 ' NEYTIRI
 You must dance! It is the way.
 
 TSU'TEY watches as she leads him away, his face darkening --
 the moment of connection to Jake lost to anger.
 
 The hunters WHOOP and CHEER as Jake joins the circle of
 dancers.
 
 Jake takes Grace's hand and pulls her up, protesting.
 
 JAKE lets the DRUMS and CHANTING flow through him. He lets
 himself go, dancing from the inside, channeling the primal
 energy.
 
 GRACE is rocking out, grinning. We see the young girl, so
 repressed, who lives within her.
 
 Jake and Neytiri flow amongst the dancers, but they are
 looking only at each other.
 
 ' 79.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 A couple of the young girls watching from outside the circle
 are giggling and talking about them. Mo'at and EYTUKAN
 follow their look, seeing the obvious connection.
 
 ' MO'AT
 ' (SUBTITLED)
 We cannot let this seed grow. Her path is
 with Tsu'tey.
 
 ON JAKE, dancing with abandon to the primal beat, eyes locked
 with Neytiri.
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' EXT. RAINFOREST - DAY
 ' 
 WIDE VISTA -- mist blowing through the treetops as the
 morning sun burns it away. A spectacular panorama of a vast,
 primeval land.
 
 UP ANGLE TRACKING among the trees, the sunlight shafting down
 like light in a cathedral.
 
 ' JAKE (V.O.)
 It's hard to put in words the deep
 connection the People have to the forest.
 
 HIGH IN THE BRANCHES of a tree, Jake watches as Neytiri
 gently bends a large pitcher-like flower toward her, sipping
 nectar which is sweet and thick as honey. An incredibly
 sensuous image.
 
 ' JAKE (V.O.)
 They see a network of energy that flows
 through all living things. They know that
 all energy is only borrowed--
 
 MACRO SHOT of a purple flower, beaded with raindrops. A blue
 hand picks the flower.
 
 ' JAKE (V.O.)
 -- and one day you have to give it back.
 
 LOOKING DOWN into a hole dug among tree roots. The body of
 an old Omaticaya WOMAN lies curled there like an unborn baby
 in the womb of the earth. The purple flower is gently placed
 on her body, joining flowers, totems and beads.
 
 Mo'at recites a prayer as Neytiri, acting as acolyte, places
 a WOODSPRITE, a seed of the Great Tree, on the body.
 
 Earth is poured over the LENS and we CUT TO --
 
 ' 80.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 JAKE WAKING UP in the Link. DARK as a coffin. He pushes the
 lid off, letting in light, and lies there. He looks pale and
 haggard, with a scraggly beard.
 
 ' JAKE (V.O.)
 Hard to believe it's only been three
 months.
 
 JAKE SITS in front of the video log camera, late at night. It
 is many log entries later. He has lost a lot of weight. He
 looks like a junkie watching a test pattern.
 
 ' JAKE
 (to the lens)
 I can barely remember my old life. I'm
 not sure who I am anymore.
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' EXT. COMPOUND - DAY
 ' 
 Under a sky of thunderheads, the forest is a dark wall beyond
 the fence. SELFRIDGE, wearing an exopack, TEES UP while GRACE
 and JAKE approach from the direction of the Ops Center.
 
 ' SELFRIDGE
 Good of you to stop by. How's it going
 out there? Our blue friends all packed
 up yet?
 
 Selfridge swings his DRIVER with good form.
 
 ' SELFRIDGE
 See, I keep hooking it. It's the damn
 pack.
 
 THE BALL drops into the mud just past a marker which reads
 220. A TROOPER walks over to retrieve it.
 
 ' SELFRIDGE
 The low gravity and the high air density
 cancel out so --
 
 ' JAKE
 You called us back to report -- you want
 to hear it or not?
 
 ' SELFRIDGE
 Go ahead.
 
 ' GRACE
 Jake is making incredible progress, years
 worth in just a few months. But -- we
 need more time.
 
 ' 81.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 ' SELFRIDGE
 Not what I was hoping to hear.
 
 It starts to rain. Selfridge calmly pulls an umbrella from
 his golf bag and snaps it open.
 
 ' GRACE
 Parker, it's their ancestral home.
 They've lived there since before human
 history began. You can spare them a few
 more weeks.
 
 ' SELFRIDGE
 This thing is inevitable. What does it
 matter when it happens? I'm sorry, Dr.
 Augustine. You're out of time.
 
 He leaves them standing there to get drenched.
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' INT. ARMOR BAY
 ' 
 A break table, under a harsh overhead light. Quaritch pulls
 up a chair, turns it around, and sits astride it facing Jake.
 He studies Jake's pale, sunken face. The scraggly beard.
 
 ' QUARITCH
 You're not gettin' lost in the woods, are
 you son?
 
 Jake can't meet his eyes.
 
 ' QUARITCH
 Your last report was two weeks ago. I'm
 starting to doubt your resolve. From what
 I see, it's time to terminate this
 mission.
 
 Jake eyes flare with alarm.
 
 ' JAKE
 No. I can do this.
 
 ' QUARITCH
 Look, you've given me plenty of usable
 intel. Like this "Well of Souls" place --
 I've got them by the balls with that,
 when it turns into a shit-fight. Which it
 will.
 
 Jake feels hollow inside, knowing what he's done.
 
 ' 82.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 ' QUARITCH
 So you'll get your legs back, like I
 promised.
 (puts his hand on Jake's
 SHOULDER)
 It's time to come in.
 
 Jake ponders this. Isn't this what he was doing all this for?
 
 ' JAKE
 I've gotta finish this thing. There's
 one more test -- the Dream Hunt. It's the
 final stage of becoming a man. Then I'm
 one of them. They'll trust what I say...
 
 It's hard for him to even form these words --
 
 ' JAKE
 ... and I can negotiate the terms of
 their relocation.
 
 ' QUARITCH
 Then you need to get it done, Corporal.
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' EXT. HALLELUJAH MOUNTAINS - NIGHT
 ' 
 Strange horizontal LIGHTNING branches through the floating
 mountains, twisted by the magnetic fields. The sky is black
 and heavy with clouds.
 
 ' INT. SHACK KITCHEN - NIGHT
 ' 
 Jake is gulping black coffee like a tequila shot, looking
 pretty STRUNG OUT. GRACE is smoking furiously.
 
 ' GRACE
 Jake, I can't allow this. You're just
 not strong enough.
 
 ' JAKE
 It's the last door -- I'm going through
 it. You can help me or get out of the
 way.
 
 Jake pushes past her toward the corridor --
 
 ' GRACE
 (grabbing him)
 Will you listen to me? Sometimes the
 Na'vi themselves die in these vision
 quests. The venom takes you to the edge
 of death.
 (MORE)
 ' 
 ' 83.
 ' 
 GRACE (cont'd)
 And the psychoactive alkaloid in the worm-
 - we have no idea what that'll do in an
 avatar brain.
 
 Jake breaks free and wheels away, down the corridor.
 
 GRACE follows JAKE as he crosses to the Link. A sheet of
 LIGHTNING flashes across the sky outside.
 
 Norm is initializing the Link.
 
 ' NORM
 Calibrating. Thirty seconds.
 
 She puts her hands on his shoulders.
 
 ' GRACE
 No matter what you prove out there-- you
 are still in here.
 (shaking him)
 Right here.
 
 ' JAKE
 I have to go all the way -- become one of
 THEM--
 ' 
 ' GRACE
 ' (FURIOUSLY)
 Goddammit, Jake, you can never be one of
 them!
 
 Norm looks up, startled at the VEHEMENCE in GRACE' voice.
 
 ' GRACE
 Our life out there takes millions of
 dollars of machinery to sustain. You
 visit -- and you leave.
 
 During this, Jake pulls himself from his wheelchair, levering
 himself into the Link, hauling his useless legs inside.
 
 ' GRACE
 ' (SOFTENING)
 You can never truly be with her.
 
 Jake stops, pinioned by the truth. He seems suddenly very
 lost.
 
 ' JAKE
 You know why I'm here? Because Quaritch
 sent me.
 
 ' NORM
 What?
 
 ' 84.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 ' JAKE
 That's right -- to embed with the
 Omaticaya. To find out how to screw them
 out of their home. By deceit or by
 force, he didn't care. And if it turned
 out to be force, then how best to do it.
 
 Norm is in shock. But Grace is eerily calm.
 
 ' GRACE
 And what about now, Jake?
 
 ' JAKE
 I'm not that guy any more.
 
 Grace nods. She's been on his journey every step of the way.
 
 ' GRACE
 I know.
 
 ' JAKE
 But if I tell Quaritch the truth, he
 yanks me out -- I never see her again.
 And if I tell her the truth, the clan
 throws me out -- that's if they don't cut
 my heart out and show it to me.
 
 Jake looks hopelessly at the two of them. In his own perfect
 Hell.
 
 ' NORM
 They won't understand what you've done.
 
 ' JAKE
 They don't even have a word for "lie" --
 they had to learn it from us.
 
 Grace sees he is on the verge of tears. Lost and alone,
 between worlds.
 
 ' GRACE
 I know. I taught it to them.
 
 ' JAKE
 ' (PLEADING)
 Grace. I've gotta go. They're waiting.
 
 ' NORM
 Link is ready.
 
 Grace stops him as he tries to close the lid.
 
 ' 85.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 ' GRACE
 Jake. You can't carry this burden much
 longer.
 
 ' JAKE
 (smiling wanly)
 It's okay. Mo'at says an alien mind
 probably can't survive the Dream Hunt
 anyway.
 
 Grace closes the lid. It feels like closing a coffin. She
 watches his psionic patterns aligning to his avatar,
 somewhere out in the night.
 
 ' GRACE
 (to Norm)
 Prep my link. I'm going in.
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' INT. COMMONS/HOMETREE - NIGHT
 ' 
 JAKE SITS, eyes closed, as Neytiri and another young hunter
 paint his face and body in preparation for uniltaron -- the
 Dream Hunt.
 
 ' NEYTIRI
 When your Spirit Animal comes, you will
 know.
 
 Their eyes meet with emotion neither can conceal any longer.
 
 TIME CUT. GRACE stands with the crowd at the ramp to
 HOMETREE'S LOWEST LEVEL. Jake barely sees her as he goes down
 the spiral. She tries to follow, but is barred by a hunter.
 
 BELOW, seemingly in the womb of the earth, Jake walks slowly
 into the center of a tight circle of seated elders and
 hunters. An ELDER is slowly rapping a large WATER DRUM.
 
 TIME CUT -- MO'AT purifies him with smoke from burning herbs,
 CHANTING in a low monotone. Jake, squatting, washes the
 smoke over himself with his palms.
 
 MACRO - MO'AT'S FINGERS unwrap a piece of wood riddled with
 holes. She catches the end of a glowing purple WORM, and
 draws it out of the wood.
 
 ' MO'AT
 ' (SUBTITLED)
 Oh wise worm, eater of the Sacred Tree --
 bless this worthy Hunter with a true
 vision.
 
 ' 86.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 MO'AT places the worm on Jake's out-stretched TONGUE. It
 twists on itself, lighting his mouth before he closes it. She
 indicates he should chew. He does.
 
 MACRO -- AN EARTHEN JAR is opened. EYTUKAN removes a
 writhing black ARACHNOID, the Pandoran equivalent of a
 scorpion.
 
 He places it against the back of Jake's neck and presses. The
 insect drives its stinger into Jake's skin and --
 
 Jake grimaces. Mo'at and Eytukan step back, leaving Jake
 alone in the circle.
 
 Neytiri watches intently, joining in the low chant.
 
 SLOW DOLLY IN on Jake. His eyes OPEN. He looks around at the
 faces -- they seem to TRANSFORM, becoming threatening.
 
 Jake looks down at the palms of his hands.
 
 JAKE'S POV -- his hands recede, his whole body, the ground
 and --
 
 INSTANTLY the circle of Na'vi recedes, as if to a distant
 horizon, leaving vast ground in between. SPACE is utterly
 distorted, and SOUND as well -- echoing, THUNDEROUS.
 
 ECU JAKE -- pupils DILATED black. He looks around and --
 
 The onlookers are gone, replaced by a ring of glowing trees,
 which seem miles high. The whole image is bathed in spectral
 radiance. Jake looks down --
 
 JAKE'S POV -- his body and hands transforming -- fingers
 stretching into tendrils, legs becoming roots which spread
 outward across the ground, a thousand glowing dendrites which
 connect to the roots of the trees and --
 
 CUT TO REALITY -- Jake is on his hands and knees, PUKING in
 the dirt. He contorts, crying out in agony as the venom
 contracts his muscles but --
 
 IN HIS VISION Jake stands serene on a FLOATING MOUNTAIN
 CLIFF. A GREAT BLACK SHADOW covers him, the unmistakable X
 silhouette of a diving LEONOPTERYX. The LAST SHADOW.
 
 CAMERA SCREAMS down on him as the shadow grows larger -- WE
 RUSH into his face, into the blackness of his pupil which
 FILLS THE UNIVERSE and --
 
 ' 87.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 REAL JAKE writhes in the dirt, his back arched as his muscles
 seize. He foams and thrashes, his eyes rolled back in his
 head, while inside --
 
 TIME ITSELF HAS ACCELERATED -- clouds scream around the
 mountain tops, mist boils through the forest. He feels the
 wind of time blowing through him as --
 
 REAL JAKE claws the ground, moaning, staring blindly while --
 
 INSIDE, IN POV he FLIES over the landscape of Pandora --
 
 --but the forest is BLASTED. Fires flicker among trees that
 are BURNED black and lifeless in a smoky twilight.
 
 A great WINGED SHADOW is cast below, rippling over the
 devastated ground. AVATAR JAKE looks down at the shadow.
 Realizes HE is casting it, and we RUSH IN to his PUPIL and --
 
 PULL BACK from the eye of a GREAT LEONOPTERYX, flying lordly
 and terrible over the land. It lets out an almighty SHRIEK
 which seems to echo to eternity and --
 
 SLAM CUT to Jake, on his back, GASPING -- back in his body.
 He weakly rolls up to one elbow and looks around the room.
 
 ' MO'AT
 It is finished.
 
 Neytiri's face is flooded with relief. The faces of the clan
 elders look at Jake expectantly.
 
 ' EYTUKAN
 ' (SUBTITLED)
 Did your Spirit Animal come?
 
 Jake looks from Eytukan to Mo'at, Tsu'tey and the elders. How
 can he tell them what he has seen?
 
 Mo'at puts her splayed fingers against his face, seeming to
 peer into his troubled soul.
 
 ' MO'AT
 (to Jake)
 Something has come.
 (to the others, subtitled)
 It will take time for the meaning to be
 clear.
 
 She steps back, and Eytukan motions for Jake to stand. He
 gets up, weakly.
 
 ' 88.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 OUTSIDE THE ENCLOSURE -- Eytukan emerges with Jake and the
 others. The entire clan is gathered, waiting to hear what
 has happened. Jake looks up at the Leonopteryx Skull Totem,
 which seems to stare down at him.
 
 GRACE watches, her eyes brimming. Proud. Relieved. Amazed.
 
 Eytukan places both hands on Jake's chest and holds them
 there.
 
 ' EYTUKAN
 ' (SUBTITLED)
 You are now a son of the Omaticaya. You
 are part of the People.
 
 All the members of the clan press forward, crowding around
 and putting their hands on Jake's shoulders, back, chest --
 hands upon hands, until he is connected to everyone.
 DISSOLVE TO:
 ' 
 ' EXT. RAINFOREST - NIGHT
 ' 
 JAKE and NEYTIRI run silhouetted in the night. Behind them
 waterfalls cascade down in the silvery light. POLYPHEMUS
 RISES behind the trees.
 
 NEYTIRI DIVES from a rock, slicing into a mirror of water.
 Jake follows her and --
 
 UNDERWATER, they swim over glowing ANEMONES.
 
 They seem to float in a cosmic dance above a luminous garden
 of waving shapes. Tiny purple fish swirl around them.
 
 Their hands come together, fingers twining, as they float
 weightlessly, as if between worlds.
 DISSOLVE TO:
 ' 
 ' EXT. WILLOW GLADE
 ' 
 Laughing, they run together into a stand of WILLOWS. Their
 trunks are as gnarled as bonsai. Long faintly glowing
 tendrils hang straight down in pastel curtains.
 
 Underfoot, a bed of moss glows faintly. It REACTS to their
 footsteps with expanding rings of light.
 
 It is an exquisitely beautiful spot.
 
 The willows stir, responding to their presence. She holds up
 her hands, letting the TENDRILS caress her.
 
 ' 89.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 ' NEYTIRI
 This is a place for prayers to be heard.
 And sometimes answered.
 
 Jake puts out his hands and the tendrils play over his
 fingers, his palms, his forearms. His eyes go wide. We hear
 the WHISPERING of ancient Na'vi VOICES.
 
 ' JAKE
 It's like -- a sound you feel.
 
 ' NEYTIRI
 We call this utraya mokri -- the Tree of
 Voices. The voices of our ancestors, who
 live within Eywa.
 
 A few WOODSPRITES circle around them, some alighting on their
 shoulders and arms.
 
 They stand, very close together now. Her eyes are intense,
 almost luminous. He feels drawn into them.
 
 But she pulls back a little.
 
 ' NEYTIRI
 You are Omaticaya now. You may make your
 own bow from the wood of Hometree.
 (she looks away)
 And you may choose a woman.
 
 The Amazon warrior trying so hard to sound casual. Jake
 suppresses a smile.
 
 ' NEYTIRI
 We have many fine women. Ninat is the
 best singer --
 
 ' JAKE
 I don't want Ninat.
 
 ' NEYTIRI
 There is Beyral -- she is a good hunter --
 
 Jake puts his fingers on her lips to stop her.
 
 ' JAKE
 I've already chosen. But this woman must
 also choose me.
 
 She takes his hands and their fingers intertwine, moving
 gently over each other.
 
 ' 90.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 ' NEYTIRI
 She already has.
 
 He puts his face close to hers. She rubs her cheek against
 his. He kisses her on the mouth. They explore each other.
 
 Then she pulls back, eyes sparkling.
 
 ' NEYTIRI
 Kissing is very good. But we have
 something better.
 
 She pulls him down until they are kneeling, facing each other
 on the faintly glowing moss.
 
 Neytiri takes the end of her queue and raises it. Jake does
 the same, with trembling anticipation. The tendrils at the
 ends move with a life of their own, straining to be joined.
 
 MACRO SHOT -- The tendrils INTERTWINE with gentle
 undulations.
 
 JAKE rocks with the direct contact between his nervous system
 and hers. The ultimate intimacy.
 
 They come together into a kiss and sink down on the bed of
 moss, and ripples of light spread out around them.
 
 THE WILLOWS sway, without wind, and the night is alive with
 pulsing energy as we DISSOLVE TO --
 
 LATER. She is collapsed across his chest. Spent. He
 strokes her face tenderly.
 
 ' JAKE
 Neytiri, you know my real body is far
 away, sleeping.
 
 She raises up, placing her fingertips to his chest --
 
 ' NEYTIRI
 This body is real.
 (she touches his forehead)
 This spirit is real.
 
 Her eyes are luminous, honest, infinitely deep.
 
 ' NEYTIRI
 When I was first your teacher, I hated
 all Sky People. But you have also taught
 me.
 (WHISPERING)
 Spirit is all that matters.
 
 ' 91.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 She lays her head down, against his chest, listening to his
 heartbeat.
 
 ' NEYTIRI
 I am with you now, Jake. We are mated for
 life.
 
 ' JAKE
 We are?
 
 ' NEYTIRI
 Yes. It is our way.
 (INNOCENTLY)
 Oh. I forgot to tell?
 
 He rouses up, making her look at him.
 
 ' JAKE
 Really, we are?
 
 ' NEYTIRI
 We are.
 
 Jake considers this.
 
 ' JAKE
 It's cool. I'm there.
 
 He lays his head down, and her arms enfold him, sheltering
 him as he sleeps.
 
 ' INT. SHACK - NIGHT
 ' 
 Jake's eyes open in the darkness. He just lies there,
 thinking. In his coffin. In another world.
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' EXT. WILLOW GLADE - DAWN
 ' 
 DAWN BREAKS in the sacred glade. Shafts of orange morning
 light. Jake and Neytiri asleep in each others' arms. Maxfield
 Parrish painting. But then --
 
 THE ROAR OF ENGINES. Neytiri awakens with a start. The
 SPLINTERING, CRACKLING of forest being crushed under enormous
 treads gets louder.
 
 SHE WATCHES in growing horror as the BLADE of a bulldozer
 becomes a dark wall behind the sheltering ring of willows.
 She shakes Jake, shouting at him in Na'vi to wake up.
 
 ' 92.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 ' NEYTIRI
 Jake! Wake up! Where ever you are, come
 back to me now. Jake!
 
 ' INT. SHACK - DAWN
 ' 
 HUMAN JAKE is in a hurry to get back to the link. GRACE,
 still groggy, chases him with coffee and microwaved eggs.
 
 ' GRACE
 Here -- eat this. I'd hate to have to
 force-feed a cripple.
 
 She slams the lid shut before he can enter and sticks the
 plate under his nose.
 
 ' GRACE
 ' (GRINNING)
 She's not going anywhere.
 
 He sighs heavily and starts wolfing the eggs.
 
 ' EXT. WILLOW GLADE - DAWN
 ' 
 Neytiri SCREAMS as --
 
 The willows begin to fall before the blade, to be ground
 under the treads. AVATAR JAKE is directly in the path. She
 tries to lift him, but he is too heavy. She is screaming at
 him, frantically trying to wake him, as --
 
 ' INT. SHACK - DAWN
 ' 
 Jake adjusts himself in the link chair. He hands Grace the
 empty plate.
 
 ' GRACE
 And when was the last time you took a
 shower? Jesus, Marine.
 
 Jake pushes her hands away and pulls the lid down.
 
 ' EXT. WILLOW GLADE
 ' 
 AVATAR JAKE wakes up to see --
 
 NEYTIRI dragging him, screaming. He leaps up as --
 
 THE DOZER pushes inexorably into the glade, splintering the
 trees, plowing the earth before it.
 
 JAKE RUNS into the path of the bulldozer, waving his arms.
 
 ' 93.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 ' JAKE
 Hey! Heeeey! Stop! Stop!
 
 He positions himself where the camera-eyes of the robotic
 juggernaut will see him.
 
 ' INT. OPS CENTER - DAY
 ' 
 CLOSE ON MONITOR -- Jake shouts but there's no sound feed.
 
 WIDER as the TRACTOR OPERATOR sees him and pulls back on the
 remote throttles. He yells to his SUPERVISOR.
 
 ' OPERATOR
 Hey, I got one of the natives blockin' my
 blade here.
 
 This attracts the attention of Selfridge, who comes over to
 the workstation.
 
 ON THE SCREEN -- Jake, in his Omaticaya loincloth and
 ceremonial body paint, is unrecognizable.
 
 ' SUPERVISOR
 (to Selfridge)
 What do we do?
 
 ' SELFRIDGE
 Roll on. He'll move. These people have
 to learn that we don't stop.
 
 TIGHT ON THROTTLES as the operator pushes them forward.
 
 ON THE SCREEN Jake stumbles back, tripping, disappears below
 the blade for a second -- reappears, running to the side.
 
 ' EXT. WILLOW GLADE
 ' 
 JAKE grabs a rock and LEAPS onto the dozer. He climbs
 quickly to the CAMERA MAST.
 
 SMASH! The rock crashes into the lens of the camera. Jake
 beats the rock furiously against it, pounding it to junk.
 
 ' INT. OPS CENTER
 ' 
 CLOSE ON MONITOR -- as Jake's demonic face is replaced by
 noise.
 
 ' OPERATOR
 I'm blind.
 
 He pulls back on the throttles.
 
 ' 94.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 ' EXT. WILLOW GLADE
 ' 
 THE JUGGERNAUT grinds to a stop. But the ROAR of engines
 continues because --
 
 MORE DOZERS and TRACTORS advance nearby, crushing the forest
 before them. Trees are slashed down by the PLASMA CUTTERS.
 Terrified animals flee before the onslaught.
 
 POWERSUITS and TROOPERS stride through the ravaged forest,
 blasting anything that moves. A trooper sees Jake on the
 dozer. He rips off a BURST and --
 
 Rounds CLANG into metal as Jake dives off the machine. He
 grabs Neytiri and they run into concealing foliage. From
 behind a screen of leaves, they watch as --
 
 THE DOZERS advance, obliterating the sacred site, leaving
 only mud and wood splinters in their path.
 
 CU NEYTIRI, stunned by the nightmarish, unfathomable
 wrongness of it. She sobs as the willows die.
 
 ' INT. OPS CENTER
 ' 
 MINUTES LATER, the operator is playing back the CAMERA'S FEED
 for Quaritch and the others.
 
 ' QUARITCH
 Freeze it, right -- there.
 
 ON MONITOR -- the image expands, until Jake's face is clear,
 frozen in an animal snarl.
 
 ' SELFRIDGE
 Son of a bitch!
 
 PUSH IN ON QUARITCH as his jaw clenches in cold fury.
 
 He turns and strides toward the door, shouting to his WATCH
 COMMANDER as he passes.
 
 ' QUARITCH
 Get me a pilot!
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' INT. COMMONS/HOMETREE - DAY
 ' 
 A RAIDING PARTY of hunters, their bodies painted, raise
 weapons overhead. AVATAR GRACE watches with growing alarm.
 
 ' 95.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 ' EYTUKAN
 ' (SUBTITLED)
 Tsu'tey will lead the war party!
 
 Tsu'tey steps forward, face full of hate, raising a war cry
 among the hunters.
 
 ' GRACE
 ' (SUBTITLED)
 Please -- this will only make it worse --
 
 ' TSU'TEY
 You do not speak here!
 
 JAKE and NEYTIRI cross the commons toward them. Jake feels
 all eyes turn toward him. He takes her arm, stopping her.
 
 ' JAKE
 (to Neytiri, low)
 Okay, listen. There's something I have to
 tell you. It's gonna be hard. I just
 need you to --
 
 He sees TSU'TEY striding toward them, his face a mask of
 fury.
 
 ' TSU'TEY
 You!
 
 Tsu'tey walks right up and SLAMS Jake in the chest with both
 hands. It is so unexpected, that Jake topples on his ass.
 
 ' TSU'TEY
 You mated with this woman?!
 
 ' GRACE
 Oh shit.
 
 Jake stands. He reaches out for Neytiri. She goes to him,
 clutching his hand.
 
 ' MO'AT
 Is this true?
 
 ' NEYTIRI
 ' (SUBTITLED)
 We are mated before Eywa. It is done.
 
 Tsu'tey turns to Mo'at and Eytukan, his face anguished.
 
 ' 96.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 ' TSU'TEY
 ' (SUBTITLED)
 Neytiri was promised to me! Everything is
 changing. Everything is being destroyed!
 
 Tsu'tey points at Jake, his pain shifting to rage.
 
 ' TSU'TEY
 ' (SUBTITLED)
 These aliens kill everything they touch,
 like poison.
 
 ' MO'AT
 Neytiri! If you choose this path, you can
 never be Tsahik. Your life will be
 wasted.
 
 Neytiri looks at her mother -- sees the grief in her eyes.
 
 ' NEYTIRI
 I have chosen.
 
 Tsu'tey draws his knife and --
 
 ' TSU'TEY
 Yeeeeeaaa!
 
 LUNGES AT JAKE, who's ready this time -- he sidesteps,
 blocking the knife, and elbows Tsu'tey HARD in the face.
 
 Tsu'tey reels back, nose bleeding. He starts forward on a
 second attack but --
 
 Eytukan grabs his arm and spins him around.
 
 ' EYTUKAN
 ' (SUBTITLED)
 Stop! This is not a proper challenge.
 
 Tsu'tey glares at Jake while sheathing his knife.
 
 ' TSU'TEY
 I challenge you.
 
 ' GRACE
 Jake, don't --
 
 ' JAKE
 I accept.
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' 97.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 ' INT./EXT. SAMSON - DAY
 ' 
 QUARITCH rides left seat as Trudy pilots through the
 mountains. She glances at him, then toggles the aircom.
 
 ' TRUDY
 Loveshack this is Samson One Six inbound
 hot to your pos. I have Colonel Quaritch
 with me and --
 
 But Quaritch SLAMS the switch, cutting her off.
 
 ' QUARITCH
 Did I tell you to announce us?
 
 ' TRUDY
 Sorry sir, it's procedure.
 
 ' INT. SHACK
 ' 
 Norm punches buttons on the comms console.
 
 ' NORM
 Samson One Six? Trudy?
 (no answer)
 Crap.
 
 He looks helplessly at Jake and Grace's link units -- no way
 to warn them.
 
 ' INT. HOMETREE - DAY
 ' 
 TSU'TEY AND JAKE square off. Each holds a long, solid staff.
 The entire clan crowds around them in a circle.
 
 ' GRACE
 What the hell are you doing?
 
 ' JAKE
 It's the only way to get him to goddamn
 listen.
 
 TSU'TEY LEAPS at Jake with a sharp cry and Jake parries with
 his staff. The staves CLACK off each other as the two
 combatants LEAP, DUCK and STRIKE furiously.
 
 Tsu'tey sweeps Jake off his feet with a roundhouse hit to the
 ankles, but --
 
 Jake ROLLS out of it and catches Tsu'tey in the belly with
 the blunt end.
 
 ' 98.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 ' EXT. SITE 26 - DAY
 ' 
 TRUDY'S SAMSON lands. QUARITCH and a posse of troopers jump
 down and rush the Shack.
 
 ' INT. COMMONS
 ' 
 TSU'TEY wades in with a series of short, sharp blows. Jake
 swings with equal fury. Both fighting from the heart.
 
 The staves whistle through the air, and CLACK together like
 gunshots. Jake presses hard, and Tsu'tey staggers back,
 stumbling as --
 
 Jake lands a SOLID HIT, dropping him to his knees, just as --
 
 ' INT. SHACK
 ' 
 THE INNER DOOR bangs open and QUARITCH stomps toward Grace's
 Link controls.
 
 ' NORM
 Hey, hang on, you can't interrupt a link
 in progress, it's dangerous -- wait!
 
 Quaritch shoves him aside and SMACKS his fist down on the
 POWER switch. Grace's unit goes dead and --
 
 ' INT. COMMONS
 ' 
 AVATAR GRACE'S eyes roll back and she keels over. NEYTIRI
 barely catches her before she hits the ground.
 
 JAKE parries as Tsu'tey swings but then --
 
 Jake's eyes go blank just as -- K-RACK! Tsu'tey puts one
 alongside his head. Jake sprawls, completely inert. Tsu'tey
 pokes him with his staff, then raises it and lets out a
 piercing VICTORY CRY.
 
 ' INT. SHACK - DAY
 ' 
 JAKE SLAMS OPEN the Link, amped from the fight, furious --
 
 ' JAKE
 Are you out of your goddamn mind?!
 
 ' QUARITCH
 You crossed a line.
 
 Quaritch PUNCHES HIM HARD. Jake flops back, dazed. The
 troopers yank him out and ZIP-TIE his wrists.
 
 ' 99.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 ' INT. COMMONS
 ' 
 TSU'TEY draws his KNIFE, and bends down, grabbing Jake by the
 hair.
 
 ' TSU'TEY
 ' (SUBTITLED)
 This is a demon in a false body. It
 should not live.
 
 He puts his knife to Jake's throat but --
 
 NEYTIRI BLIND-SIDES him at full tilt. Tsu'tey sprawls, rolls,
 comes up to see --
 
 Neytiri crouched like a lioness over Jake, her KNIFE and
 teeth bared, her ears flattened. She SNARLS with primal
 fury.
 
 Tsu'tey stands panting. He pushes through the crowd and walks
 away, calling for his hunters.
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' INT. OPS CENTER - DUSK
 ' 
 TIGHT ON MONITOR -- showing JAKE'S AVATAR FACE on the dozer
 camera, as he pounds a rock into the lens. The shot FREEZES
 on Jake's ANIMAL SNARL.
 
 WIDER -- HUMAN JAKE sits, bruised and bleeding, watching
 himself on the monitor. GRACE and NORM stand nearby, rubbing
 their wrists where the zip-ties bit in. SELFRIDGE and
 QUARITCH watch with disdain.
 
 ' QUARITCH
 You let me down, son. You got a little
 local pussy and completely forgot what
 team you play for.
 
 Jake meets his gaze with a defiant glare.
 
 ' GRACE
 Parker, listen, there may still be time
 to --
 
 ' QUARITCH
 Shut your fucking hole!
 
 Grace is momentarily stunned by Quaritch's fury. But she
 meets it with her own intensity, not backing down an inch.
 
 ' 100.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 ' GRACE
 Or what, Ranger Rick? You gonna shoot
 me?
 (to Selfridge)
 You need to muzzle your dog!
 
 ' SELFRIDGE
 Can we just take this down a couple
 notches, please.
 
 ' JAKE
 (to Quaritch)
 You say you want to keep your people
 alive. Start by listening to her.
 
 Jake nods to Grace to continue.
 
 ' GRACE
 (to Selfridge)
 This is bad, Parker. Those trees were
 sacred to the Omaticaya in a way you
 can't imagine.
 
 ' SELFRIDGE
 You know what? You throw a stick in the
 air around here it falls on some sacred
 fern.
 
 ' GRACE
 I'm not talking about pagan voodoo here --
 I'm talking about something real and
 measurable in the biology of the forest.
 
 ' SELFRIDGE
 ' (FRUSTRATED)
 Which is what exactly?
 
 Grace's nerve fails. A rush of conflicting emotions -- the
 need to act, to do something, colliding with her scientific
 rigor.
 
 ' GRACE
 (to Jake)
 I can't do this. How am I supposed to
 reduce years of work to a sound bite for
 the illiterate?
 
 ' JAKE
 Just tell him what you know in your
 heart.
 
 She turns to Parker, steeling herself.
 
 ' 101.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 ' GRACE
 Alright, look -- I don't have the answers
 yet, I'm just now starting to even frame
 the questions. What we think we know --
 is that there's some kind of
 electrochemical communication between the
 roots of the trees. Like the synapses
 between neurons. Each tree has ten to the
 fourth connections to the trees around
 it, and there are ten to the twelfth
 trees on Pandora --
 
 ' SELFRIDGE
 That's a lot I'm guessing.
 
 ' GRACE
 That's more connections than the human
 brain. You get it? It's a network -- a
 global network. And the Na'vi can access
 it -- they can upload and download data --
 memories -- at sites like the one you
 destroyed.
 
 ' SELFRIDGE
 What the hell have you people been
 smoking out there? They're just.
 Goddamn. Trees.
 
 ' GRACE
 You need to wake up, Parker. The wealth
 of this world isn't in the ground -- it's
 all around us. The Na'vi know that, and
 they're fighting to defend it. If you
 want to share this world with them, you
 need to understand them.
 
 ' QUARITCH
 We understand them just fine. Thanks to
 Jake here.
 
 Jake shares a look of alarm with Grace as Quaritch selects a
 NEW CLIP on the main monitor --
 
 TIGHT ON MONITOR -- VIDEO-LOG IMAGE of Jake, looking haggard
 and borderline deranged, rambling in a late-night monologue.
 
 ' JAKE (RECORDED)
 They're not going to give up their home --
 they're not gonna make a deal. For what?
 Lite beer and shopping channel? There's
 nothing we have that they want. We're a
 horror to them. We're the monsters from
 space.
 
 ' 102.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 JAKE watches with a growing dread as his words condemn the
 people he has grown to love.
 
 ' JAKE (RECORDED)
 They're never going to leave Hometree.
 
 Quaritch FREEZES the recording.
 
 ' QUARITCH
 Since a deal can't be made -- it gets
 real simple.
 (to Jake, icily)
 So thanks. I'm getting all emotional. I
 might just give you a big wet kiss.
 
 ' GRACE
 Parker, we have to talk, like rational
 people.
 
 ' SELFRIDGE
 Well, I'd cherish that, but unfortunately
 you're out of here on the next shuttle.
 All of you. I'm shutting down the Avatar
 Program, effective now.
 
 ON JAKE, GRACE AND NORM, speechless.
 SLOW DISSOLVE TO:
 ' 
 A WALL OF FIRE. Silhouettes of direhorse riders cross in SLOW
 MOTION, spears and bows held high.
 
 ' INT. OPS CENTER - MORNING
 ' 
 MONITOR SCREEN IMAGE -- WAINFLEET pans a camera across the
 smoldering hulks of BURNED DOZERS. The toppled remains of a
 charred ampsuit. Dead troopers bristling with arrows.
 
 ' WAINFLEET
 They hit with banshees first. Set the
 ampsuit on fire. Driver's toast.
 
 Quaritch and Selfridge look on grimly.
 
 ' QUARITCH
 The rest of the squad?
 
 ' WAINFLEET
 Six bodies -- that's all of `em. And the
 equipment is totalled.
 
 ' SELFRIDGE
 Christ.
 
 ' 103.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 ' INT. SELFRIDGE'S OFFICE - DAY
 ' 
 Selfridge is stares soberly as Quaritch outlines the plan.
 
 ' QUARITCH
 I can do it with minimal casualties to
 the indigenous. We'll clear them out
 with gas first. It'll be humane. More or
 less.
 
 Selfridge sighs and rubs his face.
 
 ' QUARITCH
 Hey, don't go limp on me now. This is
 exactly the incident we needed.
 
 ' SELFRIDGE
 Alright, let's pull the trigger.
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' INT. BIO LAB
 ' 
 MAX and the lab staff are glumly packing files and equipment,
 under the watchful eye of armed SEC-OPS TROOPERS. JAKE,
 GRACE, NORM stare bleakly at each other.
 
 ' GRACE
 They bulldozed a sacred site on purpose,
 to trigger a response. They're
 fabricating this war to get what they
 want.
 
 ' NORM
 I can't believe that.
 
 ' JAKE
 Yup. That's how it's done. When people
 are sitting on shit you want, you make
 them your enemy. Then you're justified in
 taking it.
 
 TRUDY RUNS into the lab, breathless. She's wearing full
 flight gear and carrying her helmet.
 
 ' TRUDY
 Sec-ops is rolling the gunships. They're
 gonna hit Hometree!
 
 ' JAKE
 When?
 
 ' TRUDY
 Now. We're spooling up now! I gotta go.
 
 ' 104.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 ' GRACE
 My God.
 
 Jake pumps furiously toward the door, Grace following.
 
 ' INT. OPS CENTER - DAY
 ' 
 SELFRIDGE surveys the airfield, where crews swarm over the
 gunships, loading ordnance. He turns as JAKE and GRACE
 charge toward him.
 
 ' GRACE
 Parker, wait. Stop! These are people
 you're about to --
 
 ' SELFRIDGE
 They're fly-bitten savages who live in a
 tree! Look around -- I don't know about
 you but I see a lot of trees. They can
 move.
 
 ' GRACE
 For God's sake, there are children in
 there. Babies!
 
 ' JAKE
 Look Selfridge, you don't want this kind
 of blood on your hands. Let me try to
 talk them out. They trust me.
 
 ON SELFRIDGE, considering this.
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' INT. LINK ROOM
 ' 
 SELFRIDGE and an escort of armed TROOPERS accompany Jake and
 Grace to the links. The two enter their units, as NORM and
 MAX prep the system.
 
 ' SELFRIDGE
 You've got one hour. Unless you want
 your girlfriend in there when the axe
 comes down, you get them to evacuate. One
 hour.
 
 Jake lowers the upper clamshell. Norm starts the sequence.
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' INT. COMMONS -DAY
 ' 
 The entire clan is gathered, with Eytukan and Mo'at
 presiding. Jake looks around, feeling the gaze of the People
 upon him. He steels himself, and speaks in clear Na'vi --
 
 ' 105.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 ' JAKE
 ' (SUBTITLED)
 Eytukan, I have something to say, to
 everyone.
 
 ' EYTUKAN
 ' (SUBTITLED)
 Speak, Jakesully.
 
 ' JAKE
 ' (SUBTITLED)
 A great evil is upon us. The Sky People
 are coming to destroy Hometree. They
 will be here soon.
 
 A murmur of fear and anger goes through the crowd.
 
 ' JAKE
 ' (SUBTITLED)
 You have to leave, or you will die.
 
 ' MO'AT
 Are you certain of this?
 
 ' JAKE
 They sent me here to learn your ways. So
 one day I could bring this message, and
 you would believe it.
 
 ' NEYTIRI
 What are you saying, Jake? You knew this
 would happen?
 
 He is unable to meet her eyes.
 
 ' JAKE
 Yes.
 (ANGUISHED)
 At first it was just orders. Then
 everything changed. I fell in love--
 with the forest, with the Omaticaya
 People --
 (he looks at her)
 -- with you. And by then, how could I
 tell you?
 
 Neytiri can barely breathe. She is shaking with the enormity
 of it, her voice cracking with rage and pain --
 
 ' NEYTIRI
 I trusted you, Jake!
 
 ' 106.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 ' JAKE
 Neytiri. Please, I only wanted to --
 
 ' NEYTIRI
 You will never be one of the People!
 NEVER!
 ' 
 TSU'TEY yells to his HUNTERS --
 
 ' TSUTEY
 ' (SUBTITLED)
 Bind them.
 
 They grab Jake, who doesn't resist. Others seize Grace.
 Both are driven to their knees, and their arms bound.
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' EXT. RAINFOREST - DAY
 ' 
 SCORPION GUNSHIPS darken the sky as they come over the tops
 of the trees. At the head of the formation is one much
 larger ship, a monster 150 feet long -- the GENERAL DYNAMICS
 C-21 DRAGON GUNSHIP.
 ' 
 Quaritch, next to the pilot of the Dragon, surveys the world
 below like Napoleon astride his horse.
 
 ' EXT. HOMETREE
 ' 
 JAKE and GRACE are lashed to posts at the front entrance to
 Hometree. The People look up as --
 
 THE DRAGON and its escort of GUNSHIPS arrive over the trees.
 The DOWN-BLAST from their rotors creates a maelstrom of
 flying leaves and debris.
 
 IN THE DRAGON COCKPIT Quaritch watches a targeting screen --
 a telescopic image of Jake and Grace tied to posts.
 
 ' QUARITCH
 Well, I'd say diplomacy has failed.
 
 TSU'TEY and another HUNTER hold knives to the throats of the
 two avatars, glaring defiantly at the gunships.
 
 ' QUARITCH
 I think they mean to cut their throats if
 we don't back off. Make sure you get a
 nice close-up of that. I can tack it onto
 the after-action report.
 
 JAKE YELLS to Neytiri, Tsu'tey, the others gathered nearby --
 
 ' 107.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 ' JAKE
 You have to get out of Hometree! Run to
 the forest! Please, I'm begging you!
 
 EYTUKAN scowls at Jake, then GRABS TSU'TEY and yells --
 
 ' EYTUKAN
 ' (SUBTITLED)
 Take the ikran! Attack from above!
 
 Tsu'tey grabs some hunters and runs up the roots of Hometree.
 
 IN THE COCKPIT Quaritch grows impatient.
 
 ' QUARITCH
 Alright, let's get this done. Give me
 forty millimeter gas rounds, right in the
 front door.
 
 ' GUNNER
 Roger. CS forties. Going hot.
 
 ' QUARITCH
 Fire.
 
 On the Dragon's stub-wings the 40mm ROCKET LAUNCHERS open up
 with a BARRAGE of leaping fire which FLASHES down and --
 
 K-WHOOM!K-WHOOM!K-WHOOM! -- the inside of Hometree ERUPTS
 with multiple EXPLOSIONS of TEARGAS.
 
 THE GAS rolls across the confused villagers. They begin to
 cough and gag.
 
 Eytukan and the remaining HUNTERS bravely fire at the
 gunships with their longbows.
 
 IN THE DRAGON'S COCKPIT, Quaritch laughs as arrows CLINK
 against the armored windows.
 
 AMID CLOUDS of teargas, the Omaticaya run, stumble, collapse.
 
 ' EYTUKAN
 (yelling/subtitled)
 Everybody outside! Go to the Forest.
 
 The villagers pour out of Hometree. Everyone is yelling.
 Piercing SCREAMS in the boiling gas.
 
 JAKE, eyes streaming, struggles with his bindings.
 
 KA-WHOOM! An INCENDIARY ROUND explodes inside the Commons.
 FLAMES ROAR through the base of Hometree.
 
 ' 108.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 INSIDE HOMETREE it is a burning smoky HELL. Flames roar up
 the inside like a chimney. STRAGGLERS scramble outside,
 coughing and dragging wounded with them.
 
 High up in the trunk, TSU'TEY and his hunters leap rapidly
 from spoke to spoke, climbing barely ahead of the fireball.
 
 OUTSIDE the fire is driven by the rotor-wash toward JAKE and
 GRACE who are still bound tightly to the posts.
 
 Out of the smoke, MO'AT appears in front of Jake. She raises
 a KNIFE and --
 
 SLASHES DOWNWARD. Jake looks down, surprised, to see his
 bonds falling away. He meets her eyes, which are filled with
 horror, but also something else. Call it faith.
 
 ' MO'AT
 You are one of us. Help us!
 
 Jake takes the knife and cuts Grace free.
 
 ' JAKE
 We've gotta move! He's gonna blow the
 columns.
 
 As Grace realizes what he means, he grabs her and they RUN.
 Around them the Omaticaya flee in horror and confusion.
 
 IN THE COCKPIT, Quaritch watches as the Omaticaya stream away
 from the Great Tree, running along roots and branches.
 
 ' QUARITCH
 That's how you scatter the roaches. Okay,
 switch missiles. Give me H-E's at the
 base of the west columns.
 
 ' PILOTS (V.O.)
 Copy, switching missiles.
 
 IN TRUDY'S SAMSON -- she hears the other pilots acknowledging
 Quaritch's order.
 
 ' TRUDY
 Screw it.
 
 She takes her finger OFF the fire-control and pulls her
 aircraft out of formation.
 
 PUSHING IN ON QUARITCH, the Hometree reflecting in his
 glasses.
 
 ' 109.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 ' QUARITCH
 Bring it down.
 
 MISSILES stream down from the DRAGON and the other gunships
 and --
 
 The base of Hometree VANISHES in a chain of HIGH-EXPLOSIVE
 BLASTS. The massive PILLARS fragment into matchsticks, and --
 
 The Omaticaya watch in horror as --
 
 HOMETREE GROANS and starts to MOVE.
 
 In a cacophony of cracking, splintering roots, the mighty
 tree TOPPLES with agonizing slowness.
 
 AT THE BANSHEE EYRIE, TSU'TEY and the other hunters spur
 their mounts into flight. They swoop among the branches as
 the tree, the one fixed thing in their lives, MOVES.
 
 It CRASHES DOWN through the forest canopy, crushing the
 lesser trees in its path, FALLING PONDEROUSLY.
 
 HOMETREE hits the ground like the end of the world, raising a
 great cloud of dust and pulverized debris.
 
 IN THE DRAGON cockpit, Quaritch surveys the destruction.
 
 ' QUARITCH
 Nice work people. Alright, let's light
 it up.
 
 INCENDIARIES launch from the gunships, EXPLODING into gouts
 of FIRE in the debris of Hometree.
 
 THE GUNSHIPS fan the flames through the trees like a fire-
 storm. The Omaticaya retreat as a WALL OF FIRE advances.
 
 JAKE SEARCHES for Neytiri amid swirling smoke and sparks.
 
 ' JAKE
 Neytiri! Neytiri!
 
 GRACE is gathering crying CHILDREN, and herding them away
 from the fire-storm.
 
 NEYTIRI stumbles through the burning wreckage at the edge of
 the INFERNO. She sees --
 
 EYTUKAN. A large shard of wood is driven through him like a
 spear. He recognizes her as she kneels over him.
 
 ' 110.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 ' EYTUKAN
 ' (SUBTITLED)
 Daughter -- take my bow. Protect the
 People.
 
 In his last living moment he places his bow in her hands.
 
 She collapses over him, her face crumpling in grief.
 
 JAKE reels out of the smoke. Kneels next to her.
 
 ' JAKE
 I'm sorry --
 
 She shoves him away and stands, screaming at him as tears
 stream down her face.
 
 ' NEYTIRI
 Get away from me, Jake. Go away! Never
 come back!
 
 Jake stumbles back as she slumps down by her father's body.
 Sparks and smoke swirl around him. He watches as --
 
 NETYIRI kneels, grieving. Slumped over, clutching her
 stomach. Keening like an animal.
 
 SLOW MOTION -- Jake staggers lost and alone through the
 burning forest. Utterly shattered. Eyes vacant.
 
 ' JAKE (V.O.)
 I was a warrior who dreamed he could
 bring peace. Sooner or later though, you
 always have to wake up...
 
 ' INT. LINK ROOM
 ' 
 SELFRIDGE watches a video feed of the destruction on one of
 the monitors. Max and NORM stare in shock.
 
 ' SELFRIDGE
 Pull the plug.
 
 A TROOPER crosses to the console and grabs the handle of the
 MASTER BREAKER --
 ' 
 ' EXT. RAINFOREST
 ' 
 The strings are cut. Jake flops to the ground, limp.
 
 Elsewhere in the smoky Hell, Grace slumps unconscious. The
 crying kids pull at her. Mo'at, leading a group of
 Omaticaya, comes upon the scene.
 
 ' 111.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 She grabs the kids and pulls them away, leaving Grace's
 avatar helpless in the path of the flames. She hesitates,
 then --
 
 ' MO'AT
 ' (SUBTITLED)
 Bring her.
 
 ' INT. LINK ROOM
 ' 
 BLACKNESS. Then the top clamshell of Jake's unit is yanked
 upward, and troopers grab him, zip-tie his wrists as we --
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' EXT. RAINFOREST - DUSK
 ' 
 ON A HILLSIDE -- a grieving Neytiri stands with Mo'at and the
 Omaticaya refugees. Two hunters pull Grace's avatar on a
 travois.
 
 They watch as the flames burn like a funeral pyre below. A
 great pall of smoke darkens the landscape.
 DISSOLVE TO:
 ' 
 ' INT. LOCK-UP - NIGHT
 ' 
 Jake, Grace, and Norm are in a common holding cell. They
 sit, staring in silence. Too wired to sleep, too emotionally
 drained to move.
 
 ' GRACE
 They never wanted us to succeed.
 
 AT THE DESK OUTSIDE, the lone TROOPER looks up as --
 
 TRUDY approaches along the corridor, pushing a stainless
 steel trolley.
 
 ' TRUDY
 Personally I think steak's too good for
 these traitors.
 
 ' GUARD
 They get steak? That's bullshit. Let me
 see that --
 
 The guard bends to look into the hot cart and --
 
 THE MUZZLE of Trudy's pistol presses behind his ear.
 
 ' 112.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 ' TRUDY
 Oops.
 (shoving him down)
 All the way down, pendejo.
 
 She WHISTLES and MAX trots around the corner.
 
 Trudy binds the guard with one of his own zip-ties as Max
 grabs his KEY CARD and runs to the cell. Swipes the card.
 The door is rolling open when --
 
 ANOTHER TROOPER rounds the corner. Trudy takes him down with
 a sharp BLOW to the windpipe and a THAI KNEE to the ribs.
 
 Meanwhile the first TROOPER is getting up, but Max CLOCKS him
 heartily with a coffee urn. He goes down and stays down.
 
 ' MAX
 That was unexpectedly satisfying.
 
 Trudy plants a kiss on Norm as he runs out of the cell.
 
 ' NORM
 Baby, you rock.
 
 Jake wheels out, grabbing the sidearm from the fallen trooper
 as Trudy binds his wrists.
 
 ' JAKE
 (to Max and Trudy)
 Thanks.
 
 Jake faces his motley group, chambering a round.
 
 ' JAKE
 So what do you say? Time for a
 revolution?
 
 ' GRACE
 I'm free.
 
 Trudy grins and taps his fist.
 
 ' JAKE
 Come on.
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' INT. UTILIDOR
 ' 
 In the utility corridor under the base, Jake pumps the chair
 furiously, as the others jog. They reach an AIRLOCK and start
 donning EXOPACKS.
 
 ' 113.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 ' JAKE
 (to Trudy)
 Get your ship fired up.
 
 Trudy nods. She grabs Norm and enters the airlock. Jake
 turns to Max.
 
 ' JAKE
 Stay here. I need somebody on the inside
 I can trust.
 
 Max nods. Jake grips his hand tightly.
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' EXT. AIRFIELD - NIGHT
 ' 
 IN THE SAMSON, Norm is helping Trudy race through the
 preflight checks as the turbines spool up. A LIGHT hits
 them.
 
 An armored TROOPER approaches, aiming his AR at them.
 
 ' TROOPER
 I need you to shut down and step out of
 the vehicle! Now!
 
 JAKE rolls up behind him, aiming his pistol.
 
 ' JAKE
 Take it nice and easy, troop.
 
 The trooper turns, sees the gun.
 
 ' JAKE
 On the ground, face down. Hands behind
 your head.
 
 The trooper hesitates.
 
 ' GRACE
 Do what he goddamn says!
 
 He does. Norm jumps down and grabs the trooper's rifle and
 side-arm, covering him, while Grace helps Jake from chair to
 the back bay of the chopper. She throws his chair in, and
 jumps in herself.
 
 ' JAKE
 Go! Go! Go!
 
 ' 114.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 ' INT. OPS CENTER - NIGHT
 ' 
 QUARITCH, watching a monitor, sees what's happening down at
 the airfield. He slams his palm down on an ALARM BUTTON.
 
 He draws his PISTOL. Strides toward the EMERGENCY DOOR. He
 undogs it.
 
 ' EXT. OPS CENTER/AIRFIELD - NIGHT
 ' 
 HOLDING HIS BREATH Quaritch yanks the hatch open and strides
 onto the outer landing. Inside people scramble for MASKS.
 
 THE SAMSON lifts off in a blast of rotor-wash just as --
 
 QUARITCH OPENS FIRE and --
 
 ROUNDS rake the ship. Trudy banks hard, using the bottom to
 shield them. Bullets WHACK into the ship as she climbs-out
 over the tree-line.
 
 Jake's fist pumps the air exultantly.
 
 ' JAKE
 Oh yeah, baby!
 
 ' GRACE
 Aaahh, crap. Not again.
 
 He looks over at Grace and freezes. She is looking down at a
 BLOODY HAND. She clutches her abdomen, covering the
 spreading stain. Looks at Jake, wide-eyed.
 
 ' GRACE
 This is gonna ruin my whole day.
 
 ' JAKE
 Hang on, Grace.
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' EXT. SHACK / SITE 26 - NIGHT
 ' 
 NORM'S AVATAR, with an AR slung over his shoulder, stands on
 the roof of the LINK MODULE. He gives a thumbs up signal.
 The lift cable goes taut and --
 
 The shack LIFTS OFF THE GROUND.
 
 Trudy's Samson beats the grass of the mountain meadow,
 straining to lift the module on a long-line sling. The shack
 sways as Trudy banks across forested slopes and heads deeper
 into the HALLELUJAH MOUNTAINS.
 
 ' 115.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 ' INT. SAMSON CABIN - NIGHT
 ' 
 Outside the windows, clouds and cliffs pass by, lit by
 Polyphemus.
 
 Jake is yanking stuff out of the Samson's trauma bag, while
 Grace lies curled across two back seats, hugging her blood-
 soaked abdomen. She is pale and shocky.
 
 Trudy is flying on visual only, by the light of Polyphemus.
 Her instruments are showing gibberish.
 
 ' TRUDY
 Well, at least they won't be able to
 track us up here. Not this deep in the
 vortex.
 
 ' JAKE
 It's strongest at the Well of Souls,
 right?
 
 ' TRUDY
 Yeah.
 
 ' JAKE
 Good, `cause that's where we're going.
 
 ' TRUDY
 Copy.
 
 He gives Grace an ampule of morphine for the pain.
 
 ' JAKE
 I'm gonna get you some help, Grace.
 
 ' GRACE
 Forget it, it doesn't matter.
 
 Jake grabs her shoulders.
 
 ' JAKE
 No! The People can help you. I know it.
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' EXT. WELL OF SOULS - AERIAL - DAWN
 ' 
 Dawn light paints the massive ARCHES of magnetic rock above
 the Well of Souls.
 
 Tiny as an insect, the SAMSON passes.
 
 ' 116.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 ' JAKE (V.O.)
 The Well of Souls. The heart of the
 forest. I knew the People would go
 there.
 
 ' EXT. WELL OF SOULS - DAWN
 ' 
 The WELL OF SOULS is a deep caldera 100 meters across. It is
 ringed with enormous WILLOWS whose roots seem to pour down
 the sheer rock walls like candle wax.
 
 AT THE BOTTOM, in a natural amphitheater, the Omaticaya
 refugees are clustered around a central rock outcropping
 which forms a kind of dais and altar.
 
 Shafts of dawn light reach to the bottom of the grotto,
 lighting a single willow -- the MOTHER TREE. Ancient and
 gnarled, it grows in the center of the rock.
 
 Its ROOTS spread down to the grotto floor, where they merge
 with the roots of the willows ringing the Well -- forming a
 braided mat resembling the surface of a brain.
 
 Mo'at stands on the dais, leading them in a CHANT.
 
 ' MO'AT
 ' (SUBTITLED)
 Wise ancestors who live within Eywa,
 guide us. Give us a sign.
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' EXT. FOREST CLEARING - DAWN
 ' 
 The shack descends from the sky like a gift from the gods.
 It bumps to the ground.
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' INT. SHACK -- DAY
 ' 
 Grace lies, comatose, in her open link. Trudy gives Jake a
 look that says "not much time." Jake feels Grace's cold
 forehead, then crosses to his own link.
 
 As Trudy helps him in, Norm rapidly preps the system.
 
 ' NORM
 ' (LOW)
 Tsu'tey is Olo'eyctan now. He's not
 going to let you get near that place.
 
 ' JAKE
 I've gotta try, Norm.
 
 ' 117.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 Jake pulls the clamshell down and we --
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' EXT. RUINS OF HOMETREE - DAY
 ' 
 CU JAKE'S AVATAR -- HIS EYES OPEN. He sits up. The forest is
 silent, shrouded in smoke that the sun can't penetrate. The
 animals have fled. Ash blows on the wind.
 
 ' JAKE (V.O.)
 Outcast. Betrayer. Alien. To ever face
 them again, I was gonna have to change
 the rules.
 
 DISSOLVE -- JAKE reaches the top of a rise. The forest
 beyond is utterly DEVASTATED. The trees burned and fallen.
 Small fires still flicker across a landscape in Hell.
 
 JAKE stares. It is his vision, made real. He stumbles
 through the dark wasteland, sparks and ash swirling around
 him.
 
 A SCREECH. Jake looks up as --
 
 HIS BANSHEE -- bonded for life -- flaps down to a landing in
 front of him. He steps to it, and strokes its head. It
 nudges his chest like a horse.
 
 ' JAKE (V.O.)
 Sometimes your whole life boils down to
 one insane move.
 
 ' JAKE
 Come on, boy. Time to fly.
 
 ' OMIITED
 ' 
 ' EXT. MOUNTAINS - DAY
 ' 
 THE GREAT LEONOPTERYX glides effortlessly along the ridge
 where Jake and Neytiri first encountered him.
 
 It scans for prey below, its magnificent indigo-crested head
 cocking left, then right.
 
 ' JAKE (V.O.)
 The way I had it figured, Toruk is the
 baddest cat in the sky. Nothing attacks
 him. So why would he ever look up?
 
 FROM ABOVE -- THE SMALL SHADOW of Jake's banshee falls across
 the back of the mighty Toruk.
 
 ' 118.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 ' JAKE (V.O.)
 But that was just a theory.
 
 JAKE DIVES and WE RUSH DOWN toward the great beast and our
 own shadow then --
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' EXT. WELL OF SOULS - LATE AFTERNOON
 ' 
 The Omaticaya people lift their voices in a SONG filled with
 tragic loss and yearning for deliverance.
 
 CLOSE ON NEYTIRI, singing. A SHADOW CROSSES HER FACE. She
 looks up, and her eyes go wide as --
 
 A TERRIBLE CRY echoes, turning all eyes skyward. AN ENORMOUS
 SHADOW covers the crowd as --
 
 TORUK comes out of the sun, beating its huge wings to slow
 its descent. Its crimson and black wings, backlit by the
 sun, seem to glow from within.
 
 The People CRY OUT in alarm and scatter as the dreaded beast
 alights in their midst. And that's when they see --
 
 JAKE, riding high on its shoulders, plugged-in to its
 antenna. It folds its wings and stands calmly amid the
 paralyzed Na'vi.
 
 Toruk lowers its body. They stare in awe as Jake dismounts
 and strokes the magnificent animal's flank.
 
 NEYTIRI, TSU'TEY and MO'AT watch in stunned amazement as the
 legendary Rider of Last Shadow walks toward them.
 
 ' NEYTIRI
 (breathing the words)
 Toruk Macto.
 
 Neytiri raises her arms.
 
 ' NEYTIRI
 ' (SHOUTING)
 Toruk Macto!
 
 ON THE FACES of the Omaticaya -- new hope dawning in their
 eyes. WHISPERS flow among them, the words REPEATED --
 
 ' CROWD
 Toruk Macto... Toruk Macto...
 
 ' 119.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 Jake walks through the crowd, straight to Neytiri at the foot
 of the dais. He looks into her enormous eyes, and the
 emotion between them is powerful and pure.
 
 ' NEYTIRI
 I See you.
 
 ' JAKE
 (a hoarse whisper)
 I See you.
 
 Neytiri's eyes brim with tears.
 
 ' NEYTIRI
 I was afraid Jake -- for my people. I'm
 not any more.
 
 Jake takes Neytiri's hand and climbs the steps of the dais.
 
 MO'AT steps back in awe as he approaches. He turns to
 Tsu'tey, who stares at him with fear and incomprehension.
 Jake plays to the rapt crowd as he says --
 
 ' JAKE
 ' (SUBTITLED)
 Tsu'tey of the Rongloa, son of Ateyo. I
 stand before you, ready to serve the
 People.
 (then just for Tsu'tey)
 You are Olo'eyctan, and you are the best
 warrior. I can't do this without you.
 
 Tsu'tey struggles with his emotions. Finally --
 
 ' TSU'TEY
 I will fly with you.
 
 ' JAKE
 Ireiyo.
 
 JAKE turns to the MATRIARCH.
 
 ' JAKE
 Grace is dying. I beg the help of the
 Great Mother.
 
 ' MO'AT
 Bring her, Jakesully.
 
 TIME CUT -- AVATAR JAKE carries Grace's HUMAN BODY, lightly
 in his arms like a child. Jake walks through the crowd to
 the dais, followed by NORM, who carries GRACE'S AVATAR.
 
 ' 120.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 ' JAKE
 Look where we are, Grace.
 
 Her eyes flutter open. She looks up wonderingly at the Mother
 Tree.
 
 ' GRACE
 (with a wan smile)
 I need to take some samples.
 
 Mo'at directs them to lay both bodies among the roots on the
 altar-rock.
 
 Mo'at touches Jake's shoulder and he steps back.
 
 ' MO'AT
 ' (QUIETLY)
 The Great Mother may choose to save all
 that she is --
 
 Mo'at's hand indicates Grace's AVATAR --
 
 ' MO'AT
 -- in this body.
 
 CU JAKE, realizing the enormity of what she's saying.
 
 ' JAKE
 Is that possible?
 
 ' MO'AT
 Possible, yes. She must pass through the
 Eye of Eywa -- and return. But Jakesully--
 she is very weak.
 
 Jake kneels next to Grace, taking her tiny human hand in his
 avatar hand.
 
 ' JAKE
 Hang on, they're gonna fix you up.
 
 Grace is barely conscious. She grips his hand.
 
 ' GRACE
 I -- always held back. But you gave them
 your heart. I'm proud of you, Jake.
 
 Jake feels his throat close with emotion.
 
 Grace's eyes blaze with intensity though her voice is faint.
 
 ' 121.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 ' GRACE
 Help them. You do whatever it takes. You
 hear me?
 
 ' JAKE
 I will.
 
 TIME CUT -- MO'AT stands in a kind of trance amongst the
 tendrils of the Mother Tree.
 
 NEYTIRI and the other acolytes dance hypnotically. All the
 Omaticaya sway and chant to the rhythm of the drums.
 
 MACRO SHOT -- fine, hairlike THREADS have emerged from the
 roots and are gently spreading over Grace's HUMAN skin.
 
 JAKE, still holding her hand, watches her body being fused to
 the root-floor by a thousand connections.
 
 GRACE'S AVATAR is gently connected by the same questing ROOT-
 CILIA-- they entwine with the QUEUE and spread over the body.
 
 The grotto is dark except for the spectral GLOW of the
 willows. The CHANT continues, hypnotically. MO'AT, on her
 knees beneath the Mother Tree, writhes her arms in the trance
 state. Her eyes are rolled back, showing only WHITE.
 
 GRACE GASPS and her eyes SNAP OPEN. Her expression is AMAZED,
 as if seeing something so beautiful it can never be
 explained.
 
 ON HER HAND -- GRIPPING Jake's convulsively, as she tries to
 anchor herself to this world for a few more seconds --
 
 ' GRACE
 I'm with her Jake --
 (an amazed whisper)
 -- she's real --
 
 Grace SHUDDERS, as pain shoots through her. BLOOD seeps
 through the silken white root-cilia growing across her
 abdomen. Drowning WHITE in shocking CRIMSON.
 
 She exhales a last shuddering breath -- and goes STILL.
 
 ' JAKE
 Grace!
 
 He sees the roots falling away from her human body.
 
 JAKE TURNS hopefully toward her AVATAR -- but the roots are
 falling away from it as well. It sleeps -- VACANT.
 
 ' 122.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 MO'AT stops the chant. She crosses to Jake and kneels with
 him, touching his shoulder.
 
 ' MO'AT
 Her wounds were too great, there was not
 enough time. She is with Eywa now.
 
 NEYTIRI removes Grace's mask and gently closes her eyes.
 
 Jake stands slowly, barely holding it together.
 
 NEYTIRI comes to him and he sees the despair and hope
 conflicting on her face --
 
 -- and he raises his head. TURNS to face TSU'TEY and the
 CROWD.
 ' 
 ' JAKE
 With your permission, I will Speak now.
 You would honor me by translating.
 
 Tsu'tey gestures assent, and they face the clan together.
 
 JAKE SPEAKS, the pain of Grace's death in the passion and
 fury of his voice. Tsu'tey TRANSLATES beside him.
 
 ' JAKE
 The Sky People have sent a message that
 they can take whatever they want, and no
 one can stop them. But we will send them
 a message. Ride out, as fast as the wind
 can carry you, tell the other clans to
 come. Tell them Toruk Macto calls to
 them. Fly now with me brothers and
 sisters! Fly! And we will show the Sky
 People that this is our land!
 
 TSU'TEY finishes with a bloodcurdling war-cry, and the entire
 CLAN responds, their shouts echoing across the forest.
 
 JAKE takes Neytiri's hand and runs to the leonopteryx. He
 vaults onto its back and pulls her up behind him.
 
 THE HUNTERS run to their banshees, mounting quickly. Jake's
 leonopteryx rises on mighty wings into the night sky. With a
 thunder of wings, the banshees take off after it.
 
 LONG LENS -- POLYPHEMUS. Across its face, the banshees rise
 like a swarm of bats. Groups of riders peel off in different
 directions.
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' 123.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 ' EXT. CLAN GATHERING - NIGHT
 ' 
 JAKE and NEYTIRI stand before the gathered members of ANOTHER
 CLAN. Jake speaks as she translates. We don't hear the
 words.
 
 TRACK ACROSS the faces of the clan, a sea of eyes in
 flickering fire-light.
 
 ' JAKE (V.O.)
 We rode out to the four winds. To the
 horse clans of the plain, to the ikran
 people of the mountains. When Toruk
 Macto called them, they came.
 
 VARIOUS ANGLES -- SLOW MOTION as riders vault onto their
 armored direhorses. Banshee riders raise spears and bows,
 spurring their mounts to leap skyward.
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' EXT. WELL OF SOULS - DAWN
 ' 
 With a WHOOSH and the crack of mighty wings, JAKE RETURNS.
 Jake and Neytiri alight from his legendary mount.
 
 Around them HUNDREDS OF BANSHEES are landing. A gathering of
 eagles.
 
 FROM ABOVE we can see hundreds of Na'vi streaming down into
 the Well of Souls and many hundreds more camped in the forest
 above it.
 
 DIREHORSE RIDERS are arriving along many trails.
 
 BANSHEE RIDERS circle and swoop, darkening the sky above the
 grotto.
 
 JAKE, standing next to the Leonopteryx, watches his army
 gathering.
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' INT. COMMISSARY - DAY
 ' 
 It's standing room only as all base personnel are crowded
 into the dining hall. A portable 3D GRAPHICS PROJECTOR has
 been set up, and the lights are down. QUARITCH stands in
 front of the display image -- a classic pre-mission briefing.
 
 ' QUARITCH
 People, you are fighting for survival.
 There's an aboriginal horde out there
 massing for an attack. First slide.
 
 ' 124.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 The display shows an overhead image of the Well of Souls. It
 looks like Woodstock in the jungle.
 
 ' QUARITCH
 These orbital images show the hostiles'
 numbers have gone from a couple of
 hundred to over two thousand in one day,
 and more are pouring in. By next week it
 could be twenty thousand. Then they'll be
 overrunning our perimeter here. We can't
 wait. Our only security lies in pre-
 emptive attack. We will fight terror
 with terror.
 
 TRACKING ACROSS the grim faces of the miners and troopers.
 Fear transforming to hatred in their eyes.
 
 ' QUARITCH
 Next slide. This mountain stronghold is
 supposedly protected by their deity.
 When we destroy it, we will blast a
 crater in their racial memory so deep
 they won't come within a thousand klicks
 of this place.
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' INT. ARMOR BAY - DAY
 ' 
 TROOPERS issue automatic weapons and magazines to a long line
 of mine workers. The miners lock and load like the red-
 blooded redneck NRA supporters they are.
 
 BLASTING TECHS are setting radio-detonated primer charges
 into two-ton stacks of EXPLOSIVE COMPOUND. The stacks are
 band-strapped together on pallets.
 
 TRACKING WITH SELFRIDGE, staring around him in growing dismay
 as he walks through the full-scale mobilization.
 
 He approaches Quaritch, who is barking orders amid a hive of
 activity around the ampsuits.
 
 ' SELFRIDGE
 This thing is completely out of control!
 
 Quaritch ignores him, turning away to focus on ordnance
 loading.
 
 ' SELFRIDGE
 Listen to me! I am not authorizing you to
 turn the mine-workers local into a
 freakin' militia!
 
 ' 125.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 ' QUARITCH
 I declared threat condition red. That
 puts all on-world assets under my
 command.
 
 ' SELFRIDGE
 You think you can pull this palace coup
 shit on me?! I can have your ass with
 one call --
 
 Quaritch grabs him and PINS him against the side of an
 ampsuit.
 
 ' QUARITCH
 You're a long way from Earth.
 
 Selfridge is paralyzed. Physical force -- against him?
 Quaritch releases him and walks away.
 
 ' QUARITCH
 (to his men)
 Get him out of here.
 
 Several troopers converge on Selfridge.
 
 ' SELFRIDGE
 You touch me you're so fired.
 
 He pushes through them and they escort him toward the door.
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' INT. SHACK - DAY
 ' 
 HUMAN JAKE, NORM and TRUDY are gathered around the comms
 monitor, talking to MAX.
 
 ' MAX
 I don't know how secure this channel is.
 
 ' JAKE
 Talk fast.
 
 ' MAX
 It's crazy here, Jake. It's full
 mobilization. They're rigging the
 shuttles as bombers. They've made up
 these big pallets of mine explosives.
 It's for some kind of shock and awe
 campaign.
 
 ' TRUDY
 Frickin' daisycutters.
 
 ' 126.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 ' NORM
 Holy shit.
 
 ' JAKE
 (to Max)
 Can you talk to Selfridge? Maybe we can
 cut some kinda deal before this thing
 goes all the way.
 
 ' MAX
 No, Quaritch has taken over. He's
 rolling and there's no stopping him.
 
 ' JAKE
 When?
 
 ' MAX
 Oh six hundred tomorrow.
 
 Jake takes that in.
 
 ' JAKE
 Thanks.
 
 Max signs off.
 
 ' NORM
 We're screwed.
 
 ' TRUDY
 You know he's gonna commit those bombers
 straight to the Well of Souls.
 
 ' JAKE
 That's right. Because I gave it to him
 on a plate.
 
 ' TRUDY
 We both did.
 
 ' NORM
 If he takes out the Well of Souls -- it's
 over. It's their main line to Eywa, to
 their ancestors -- it'll destroy them.
 
 ' JAKE
 Then I guess we better stop him.
 
 Jake looks like he's about to collapse. He's gaunt, eyes
 deeply shadowed, hands shaking.
 
 ' TRUDY
 You need to get some rack.
 
 ' 127.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 He grabs a packet of freeze-dried crystals and pours them
 directly into his mouth, chewing them up.
 
 ' JAKE
 Gonna have to settle for coffee.
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' EXT. BATTLE CAMP - DUSK
 ' 
 TRACKING through the warrior camp above the Well of Souls.
 Hundreds of hunters from many clans prepare their weapons.
 
 Hunters paint the wings of their banshees like war ponies.
 DIREHORSES are painted and ornamented with totemic streamers.
 
 The Na'vi paint and pierce themselves. Dance. Bathe in the
 smoke of cleansing herbs -- RITUAL PURIFICATION. HUGE DRUMS
 are beaten. A dark primeval energy. They are psyching
 themselves up for battle.
 
 ' JAKE (V.O.)
 I was a warrior who dreamed he could
 bring peace. But there was only one
 thing I was ever really good at. Ooh-rah.
 
 TIME CUT -- Jake, Neytiri a group of banshee riders squat
 around an animal skin on which he has drawn the silhouette of
 a Scorpion gunship -- like a hunt totem.
 
 ' JAKE
 (Na'vi/subtitled)
 Strike here and here.
 
 Jake splats red dye at the centers of the circles symbolizing
 the rotors. The Na'vi absorb the lesson eagerly, like kids.
 
 He sees TRUDY approaching and breaks off. Neytiri stays with
 the hunters, talking about what they've learned.
 
 ' TRUDY
 ' (LOW)
 You know our chances suck.
 
 ' JAKE
 Yeah.
 
 ' TRUDY
 Going up against gunships with bows and
 arrows...
 
 ' JAKE
 What's your point?
 
 ' 128.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 ' TRUDY
 ' (NODDING)
 Right.
 
 She taps his fist and walks away toward her SAMSON.
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' EXT. WELL OF SOULS - NIGHT
 ' 
 The cook-fires of the battle camp FLICKER like a
 constellation around the edge of the Well of Souls as --
 
 JAKE slips down into the darkened, empty amphitheater.
 
 He moves to the MOTHER TREE -- gnarled, ancient, MAJESTIC.
 The roots spread in all directions, like the center of the
 world.
 
 Jake steps forward. The willow-like tendrils SWAY toward
 him, moving in a breeze that isn't there.
 
 ' JAKE
 I've never done this in my life.
 
 He squats at the base of the tree.
 
 ' JAKE
 And I'm probably just talking to a tree
 right now. But if you're there -- I need
 to give you a heads up.
 
 He looks up into the tree. The hanging tendrils undulate
 softly. It's easy to imagine a presence.
 
 ' JAKE
 If Grace is there with you -- look in her
 memories -- she can show you the world we
 come from. There's no green there. They
 killed their Mother, and they're gonna do
 the same thing here.
 
 FROM UP IN THE TREE, looking down. WOODSPRITES float in
 silence, moving around aimlessly.
 
 ' JAKE
 More Sky People are gonna come. They're
 gonna come like a rain that never ends --
 
 Neytiri approaches silently behind him, listening.
 
 ' JAKE
 -- until they've covered the world.
 Unless we stop them.
 (MORE)
 ' 
 ' 129.
 ' 
 JAKE (cont'd)
 Look, you chose me for somethin'. And
 I'll stand and fight, you know I will.
 But I could use a little help here.
 
 Jake senses Neytiri and turns.
 
 ' NEYTIRI
 Our Great Mother does not take sides.
 She protects only the balance of life.
 
 She comes to him, intertwining her long fingers with his.
 
 ' JAKE
 It was worth a try.
 
 They lean in, foreheads touching, bodies pressed together.
 Holding each other -- in this, the last moment of peace.
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 TIGHT ON a turbine as it starts to turn. Its RISING WHINE
 carries over --
 
 ' A SERIES OF RHYTHMIC CUTS:
 ' 
 MAGAZINES are slammed into automatic weapons. AMMO BELTS are
 fed into rotary cannons. MISSILES are attached to gunship
 stub-wings.
 
 TIGHT ON BLUE HANDS sharpening wooden arrows. Stringing
 bows. Cinching direhorse harnesses.
 
 TROOPERS DROP into ampsuit cockpits. PILOTS close gunship
 canopies. TROOPERS run up shuttle ramps.
 
 LONG LENS STACK, tight and abstract on gunships as they rise
 in a swarm amid boiling turbine exhaust and blasting rotor
 wash.
 
 ' EXT. RAINFOREST/ AERIAL - DAWN
 ' 
 WIDE SHOT -- TILTROTORS fill the sky. Deadly armored beetles.
 
 The DRAGON leads the formation, flanked by SCORPIONS. Behind
 that is a wave of SAMSONS, and last, the two enormous
 VALKYRIE shuttles, packed with troops and ampsuits.
 
 INSIDE THE DRAGON, Quaritch surveys his armada as they skim
 over the tree tops.
 
 THEY SWEEP toward the Hallelujah mountains in a thundering
 wave.
 
 ' 130.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 ' EXT. MOUNTAINS/ AERIAL - DAWN
 ' 
 SQUADRONS OF BANSHEES darken the sky in waves, led by a
 single GREAT LEONOPTERYX. Jake sits astride his mount,
 flanked by Neytiri and Tsu'tey on their banshees.
 
 ' EXT. MOUNTAINS - DAWN
 ' 
 THE DRAGON DESCENDS on final approach to a large clearing --
 the LZ. The Samsons flair and touch down, disgorging troops,
 while the gunships hover protectively.
 
 THE VALKYRIES blast the ground with their powerful lift jets.
 They land. The ramps drop. Troopers pour out, weapons
 leveled, advancing in a cordon.
 
 UP ANGLE as AMPSUITS descend from the Dragon on cables.
 Their massive feet smash down, and they march forward,
 leading the army into the forest.
 
 LYLE WAINFLEET, walking point in his hydraulic suit, scans
 his cockpit screens. He sees movement on the FLIR display --
 ghostly THERMAL SIGNATURES.
 
 ' WAINFLEET
 Contact. Two hundred meters.
 
 A chilling SOUND echoes through the forest -- the ululating
 WAR CRIES of untold Na'vi. The troopers, look around,
 spooked. They can't tell where the sound is coming from.
 
 Then they feel it -- the GROUND ITSELF SHAKING. They grip
 their weapons, bracing themselves as --
 
 THREE HUNDRED NA'VI HORSEMEN charge through the forest at a
 full gallop, their hooves POUNDING the earth. It is an
 awesome sight.
 
 NORM SPELLMAN rides with the Na'vi hunters, carrying an
 assault rifle.
 
 THE NA'VI CHARGE thunders toward the human line. The hunters
 raise their bows as --
 
 THE AMPSUITS raise their GAU-90's.
 
 ON THE THERMAL IMAGERS target-cursors track the ghost riders.
 
 ' QUARITCH
 Fire for effect.
 
 The entire line of troopers opens fire. TRACERS riddle the
 jungle, blasting foliage into confetti.
 
 ' 131.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 CHARGING DIREHORSES crash down, flipping over. Riders are
 flung off. The withering fire continues, and the ranks are
 decimated as --
 
 RIDERS LAUNCH their arrows at a full gallop. A few hit their
 marks among the troopers. NORM FIRES his AR on full auto.
 
 TWO CHARGING DIREHORSES have a heavy log slung between them
 like a battering ram. At a full gallop they hit an ampsuit,
 FLIPPING IT onto its back with a blown-out canopy. Victory
 is short lived as the two riders are cut down.
 
 NORM'S HORSE is hit by tracer fire. He is flung off as the
 creature cartwheels. He hits hard, scrambling for cover as --
 
 A WARRIOR HURLS his spear a moment before his horse is cut
 down. It SLAMS through an ampsuit's canopy but --
 
 THE MERCILESS FIRE continues. Horses rear and collapse.
 Riders pivot their mounts to flee and --
 
 THE THERMAL SCREENS show the remaining ghost riders
 scattering.
 
 LYLE signals and the line advances, firing sporadically at
 moving targets.
 
 OVERHEAD, NA'VI HUNTERS stream through the trees, running
 along the branches.
 
 As the troopers advance into bow range, the NA'VI open fire
 and --
 
 TROOPERS SPROUT ARROWS in throat, legs, masks -- the targets
 Jake taught them, but --
 
 THE FIRING LINE aims upward, tracking the THERMAL TARGETS.
 TRACERS rip through the foliage and --
 
 NA'VI FALL while others retreat as bark and wood is blasted
 off the limbs beneath their feet.
 
 NORM sprints frantically through the woods, shouting into his
 HANDSET --
 ' 
 ' NORM
 Jake! Jake! We're falling back!
 
 SURVIVING NA'VI flee the horrific onslaught. It is a total
 rout.
 
 IN THE DRAGON, Quaritch catches glimpses of the figures
 streaming through the forest below.
 
 ' 132.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 ' QUARITCH
 Blue team, switch forties. Fire at will.
 
 Led by the Dragon, the gunships FIRE streamers of 40mm
 ROCKETS ahead of them. The jungle EXPLODES with HE bursts.
 Circular SHOCK WAVES flash outward through the jungle --
 
 STROBOSCOPIC GLIMPSES of terrified horses rearing, Na'vi
 leaping, as the jungle rocks with the concussive onslaught.
 
 HUNTERS LOOK UP as a dark shape hovers overhead. The
 downblast of the VALKYRIE'S lift jets shreds the forest.
 
 INSIDE THE SHUTTLE'S cargo bay, a row of DAISYCUTTERS are
 lined up. Troopers roll the first pallet down the ramp.
 
 THE PALLET falls into the jungle below and --
 
 BA-WHOOOOOM! -- an enormous high-explosive blast rips a huge
 hole in the forest. A white concussion wave flashes out
 across the ground for hundreds of meters in all directions.
 
 AT GROUND LEVEL it is an apocalypse. Running Na'vi are
 blasted out of existence by fire and shock waves.
 
 IN THE CARGO BAY the troopers WHOOP and high-five.
 
 ' TROOPERS
 Yeah baby! Get some!
 
 GROUND TROOPS ADVANCE, firing flamethrowers, AR's and GAU-
 90's.
 
 ' EXT. FLOATING MOUNTAINS - AERIAL
 ' 
 Quaritch's fleet flies into the shadow of the Mountain of
 Truth.
 
 ' QUARITCH
 Blue team, stay with the ground units.
 Red team, with me. We're punching for
 the main target.
 
 Quaritch glances up to see --
 
 A squadron of WINGED SHAPES, diving out of the morning glare
 like birds of prey.
 
 CLOSE ON JAKE, rushing straight down, SCREAMING a war cry as
 he leads the charge and --
 
 SCORES OF BANSHEES SLAM into the gunships and Samsons like
 falcons hitting fat turkeys. The air battle is joined.
 
 ' 133.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 JAKE'S GREAT LEONOPTERYX flairs into its signature crimson X
 shape just before --
 
 K-WHAM!! -- it knocks a Scorpion tumbling. It coils around
 the gunship, slashing furiously as they spin together. JAKE
 can barely hang onto the gyrating creature.
 
 The pilot of the Scorpion sees nothing but jaws slamming into
 his canopy. Jake releases the gunship and it careens into a
 CLIFF, tearing off one rotor -- then plummets into the trees.
 There is a satisfying FIREBALL.
 
 SCORPIONS fall out of formation to pursue individual banshee
 riders, FIRING cannons and rockets.
 
 JAKE BANKS as the cliff face next to him explodes with
 cannon rounds. SCREAMING down on him is another Scorpion.
 
 JAKE tucks and dives along the cliff, feeling the rounds
 splitting the air around him and --
 
 The Scorpions bank after the furiously jinking banshees as
 they head for cover among the floating mountains, or dive
 down into the trees.
 
 DOOR GUNNERS in a SAMSON are shooting down banshees like
 Messerschmidts from a B-17 as --
 
 WE FOLLOW TSU'TEY'S BANSHEE in a full delta dive. He swoops
 in from its blind spot and --
 
 THE GUNNERS SWIVEL too late as Tsu'tey flashes past them,
 SHOOTING ARROWS with deadly accuracy.
 
 A SCORPION gunship dives after a banshee. It fires an air-to-
 air missile and the banshee vanishes in an EXPLOSION.
 
 WIDE SHOT as thirty ships and hundreds of banshees wheel and
 dive, like the Battle of Britain. Banshees are hit by guns
 and missiles, falling out of the sky. The occasional trail of
 smoke and fire marks the demise of a tilt-rotor.
 
 IN THE CENTER the Dragon is pouring out hellacious fire --
 tracer rounds from multiple turrets and missiles from the
 stub-wing pods.
 
 NEYTIRI BANKS hard as TRACERS flash past her. A Scorpion is
 right on her ass as --
 
 SHE ROLLS inverted and dives under the edge of Mons
 Veritatis, then rolls out, zig-zagging through the dangling
 vines but --
 
 ' 134.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 THE GUNSHIP stays on her. It rips through the vines, and
 tracers FLASH toward us as --
 
 SHE JINKS the banshee around a thundering waterfall but --
 
 HER PURSUER explodes right through the curtain of water. It
 launches an air-to-air missile. NEYTIRI jinks hard, diving.
 The missile hits a rock outcropping, pummeling her with the
 shock wave.
 
 THE GUNSHIP follows her through a narrow slit between Mons
 Veritatis and a smaller floating island. They run this slot
 rolled up on their sides and --
 
 THE SCORPION GUNNER locks up Neytiri for a missile shot but --
 
 A SHADOW crosses his canopy. Out of the sun comes a crimson
 demon, shrieking over the roar of the turbines, and --
 
 K-WHAMMM!! The leonopteryx SLAMS the gunship, driving it
 downward in a dive. The leonopteryx lashes at it with claws
 and teeth as they fall together out of control.
 
 Jake kicks the gunship loose and it falls like a brick,
 breaking its back on a rocky promontory and EXPLODING.
 
 FLYING WITH A SAMSON as a SECOND SAMSON falls in beside it.
 This one has its pilot door off, and the PILOT is wearing a
 breathing mask. The door gunners wave at --
 
 TRUDY, her expression grim behind her mask. She holds the
 cyclic stick between her knees while she RAKES the other ship
 with BURSTS from an AR in her lap.
 
 The pilot slumps over and the craft tumbles out of control.
 
 ' TRUDY
 You're not the only ones with guns, you
 pricks.
 
 NEYTIRI JINKS her banshee hard, an enemy Samson right behind
 her. The pilot is a hotdog, following her down into the
 trees, under the canopy.
 
 They slalom among the trunks at high speed. The gunners hang
 half out the doors, firing. Bark and leaves explode around
 Neytiri as she zig-zags through the jungle.
 
 THE BANSHEE dives under a huge tree limb, and the pilot
 follows. He looks up at the last second, catching a glimpse
 of blue-skinned figures.
 
 THE HUNTERS drop a net of woven vines behind Neytiri and --
 
 ' 135.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 The SAMSON hits it hard. The net fouls the ship, FLIPPING IT
 backwards. It crashes upside down to the forest floor.
 KABOOM!!
 ' 
 NEYTIRI'S BANSHEE is hit by GROUND-FIRE. It folds up like a
 broken kite, crashing down through branches and --
 
 SHE SLAMS into the ground, stunned.
 
 IN THE DRAGON Quaritch looks ahead, seeing the WELL OF SOULS.
 He taps the pilot and points --
 
 ' QUARITCH
 There it is.
 (into his headset)
 Valkyrie One, this is Dragon. Target is
 in sight.
 
 IN THE CARGO BAY of Valkyrie One, the troopers ready their
 deadly loads.
 
 ' TROOPER
 Target in sight.
 
 CIRCLING ABOVE, Tsu'tey falls in beside Jake, who talks to
 him by AIRCOM HEADSET.
 
 ' JAKE
 We have to stop the shuttles, no matter
 what it takes.
 
 TSU'TEY nods. He signals, gathering other hunters, who fall
 in with him as he dives. Jake rolls in after them but --
 
 A GUNSHIP drops in behind him and he is forced to evade as --
 
 TSU'TEY LEADS the attack on the first shuttle. Hunters jink
 and weave through WITHERING FIRE from the escort ships.
 
 GUNNERS with jerry-rigged gun mounts ride the broad backs of
 the shuttles, picking off banshees who get past the escort.
 
 TSU'TEY is RAKED by a burst from the dorsal gunners. His
 mount crumples, plummeting with a dying scream and --
 
 WE SPIRAL DOWN with him, the forest rushing up and --
 
 A BLINDING BLIZZARD of green as he tears downward, catching
 at leaves and vines. He SLAMS to the ground, badly injured.
 
 NEARBY, ampsuits and troopers advance across the forest
 floor, firing their cannons and flamethrowers. The GAU-90s
 rip the forest to shreds.
 
 ' 136.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 Norm, firing as he retreats, is HIT. He collapses, his avatar
 body mortally wounded as --
 
 HYDRAULIC FEET approach, passing the bodies of direhorses and
 Na'vi hunters. Norm painfully tries to load another
 magazine, panting in fear and pain as --
 
 AN AMPSUIT stomps up. Aims its cannon point blank. B-BLAM!
 
 ' INT. SHACK
 ' 
 The top of Norm's LINK bangs open. He reels out, collapsing
 onto the floor, clutching himself as if he can still feel the
 pain of death.
 
 He sits, huddled, shivering -- crazed.
 
 ' EXT. RAINFOREST
 ' 
 TSU'TEY lies gasping, mortally injured. He looks up,
 grimacing, as an ampsuit looms over him.
 
 LYLE WAINFLEET reaches down and grabs Tsu'tey by his queue,
 lifting him painfully.
 
 ' WAINFLEET
 I hear this is worse than death for you,
 chief.
 
 WAINFLEET cuts Tsu'tey's queue off near the base. TSU'TEY
 SCREAMS in agony, his nervous system exploding on overload.
 Grinning, Lyle holds up the queue -- Tsu'tey's only
 connection to the world-consciousness which is his life.
 
 NEYTIRI -- bleeding, bruised -- staggers amid burning
 wreckage. AMPSUIT footsteps approach and she crouches behind
 a tree. Troopers are seconds from seeing her as --
 
 NEYTIRI knocks an arrow to HER FATHER'S BOW, and readies
 herself for a last kamikaze shot when --
 
 THE TROOPER on the far right of the firing line sees
 something on his screens.
 
 ' TROOPER
 Right flank -- something's coming! It's
 all lit up out there.
 
 The troopers become aware of the GROUND SHAKING. A slow
 building thunderous ROAR and --
 
 AN AMPSUIT comes FLYING out of the trees, cartwheeling past
 them, and the SHAKING BUILDS --
 
 ' 137.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 ' EXT. WELL OF SOULS
 ' 
 Mo'at opens her eyes in sudden realization as --
 
 ' EXT. FOREST
 ' 
 The troopers pivot to face --
 
 A WALL OF CHARGING HAMMERHEADS CRASHING out of the foliage in
 a shower of broken branches as --
 
 THE TROOPERS open fire but -- the stampede drives over them
 like a wave. Tree-trunk feet shatter the ampsuit cockpits.
 Troopers are crushed or asphyxiated.
 
 NEARBY the foot-soldiers see LIVING SHADOWS flow out of the
 gloom as --
 
 VIPERWOLVES race among them with flashing jaws. The troopers
 FIRE wildly as they go down, hitting each other as much as
 their attackers.
 
 The survivors break and run as more viperwolves bound out of
 the shadows.
 
 JAKE BANKS, watching as HUNDREDS of rider-less WILD BANSHEES
 converge on Quaritch's ships. They literally darken the sky.
 
 ' JAKE
 What the hell -- ?
 
 The wild banshees wheel among the ships, ripping into them.
 
 ON JAKE -- slowly getting it. EYWA is in the fight.
 
 ' JAKE
 ' WHOO-HOOOO!
 ' 
 A GUNNER fires from the door of a Samson. There is a CRASH
 and the head of a BANSHEE lunges in the open door, jerking
 him out. Other banshees tear at the pilot's windshield.
 
 NEYTIRI watches in awe as the ground troops scatter in
 disarray. The viperwolves flash past her, ignoring her.
 
 She senses something and turns slowly to see --
 
 A THANATOR emerging from the smoke behind her. A glistening
 black demon. She stands paralyzed before its stygian gaze--
 
 -- and the thanator lowers itself, until its head is just
 above the ground. It holds that position -- waiting.
 
 ' 138.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 Trembling, she approaches the waiting demon.
 
 ' EXT. FOREST
 ' 
 A smoky hell. Fires burn all around. The troopers are
 disorganized, falling back. Shooting at shadows. Panicked
 yelling fills the comm freq.
 
 WAINFLEET and another AMPSUIT are charging together through
 the smoky gloom.
 
 ' WAINFLEET
 A and C squads -- rally at my pos. I
 want --
 (screaming on the comm)
 Who's screaming God damn it?!
 
 ' TROOPER (ON RADIO)
 We gotta get outta here! Whoever's in
 charge, call for extraction!
 
 ' WAINFLEET
 Shutup you crybabies!
 
 SOMETHING slams into the other `suit, tackling it OUT OF
 FRAME. Wainfleet whirls to see his squad-mate missing. He
 moves through a screen of foliage to reveal --
 
 The AMPSUIT -- ripped open. Driver gone. Blood inside the
 cockpit. He WHIRLS at a sound in time to see --
 
 A THANATOR LEAPING straight at him -- WAINFLEET raises his
 cannon but--
 
 WHAM!! It's on him, slamming him to the ground. The cannon
 goes flying. He's face to face with its nightmare jaws,
 right outside his canopy--
 
 On its back is NEYTIRI, and it's a toss up which one looks
 more pissed off. The thanator rears back, muscles rippling
 as it poises to strike and --
 
 K-KRAAACKK! Slams its teeth right through his canopy.
 Wainfleet's SCREAM is brief.
 
 Neytiri's demon mount rears up and its triumphant ROAR echoes
 through the forest.
 
 ' INT. CORRIDOR
 ' 
 Max runs down the hall, leading the other scientists. He's
 yelling into an AIRCOM HANDSET --
 
 ' 139.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 ' MAX
 Rogue One, Rogue One, this is Max. Tell
 Jake we are in motion.
 (to the scientists)
 Get in there. Barricade the door!
 
 ' INT. LINK ROOM
 ' 
 The door is hurled open and the SCIENTISTS charge in.
 
 Science geeks barricade the door as AVATAR-DRIVERS scramble
 into their link units, pulling the clamshells down.
 
 ' INT. CORRIDOR
 ' 
 Max checks the door is secure from his side then runs down a
 connecting corridor.
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' EXT. SHACK
 ' 
 HUMAN NORM emerges from the airlock, wearing breathing gear
 and carrying an AR. He stumbles, dazed, toward the battle.
 
 ' EXT. MOUNTAINS/ AERIAL
 ' 
 JAKE SIGNALS and a formation of hunters rolls in, diving at
 the lead shuttle, which is already besieged by winged
 creatures.
 
 THE CARGO RAMP is the scene of a pitched battle. Na'vi
 hunters hurl themselves off their mounts in waves,
 overwhelming the troopers.
 
 HUNTERS are shot, falling out of the ship, as others fly in.
 They shoot arrows and spears from the end of the ramp, and
 troopers fall back deeper into the fuselage.
 
 The panicked CREW CHIEF slams a switch and the ramp begins to
 close, a second before he is cut down by a spear.
 
 JAKE'S LEONOPTERYX plummets at the shuttle from behind. He
 swoops down, flairs to reduce speed, rolls off his mount and
 lands, tumbling on the shuttle's broad back as --
 
 GUNNERS try to swing their guns toward him but he RAKES them
 with his AR, still running forward and --
 
 JAKE PULLS two grenades from his battle harness, yanking the
 pins out with his teeth. He hurls them down the intakes of
 the VTOL turbofans as --
 
 HIS LEONOPTERYX BANKS in a tight arc back toward him and --
 
 ' 140.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 HE SPRINTS ON as the grenades EXPLODE, shattering the
 turbines, which riddle the fuselage with shrapnel and --
 
 JAKE LEAPS INTO SPACE, landing on the back of his mount and
 reconnecting. They flap away, gaining altitude as fire
 BLASTS out of the bottom of the shuttle.
 
 ON THE FLIGHT DECK, the pilot feels the ship dropping.
 
 ' PILOT
 Mains to a hundred percent! Get me
 airspeed!
 
 The pilot and copilot slam the throttle levers forward and --
 
 The FUSION ENGINES BLAZE, thrusting the shuttle forward. It
 still falls, its remaining lift fans screaming, until --
 
 IT'S CLIPPING the tree tops when it gets enough translational
 lift to fly and --
 
 THE PILOT PULLS back on the stick, lifting the nose.
 
 ' PILOT
 We're good!
 
 BEHIND HIM, a surviving Na'vi hunter runs forward and --
 
 THOONK! ARROWHEADS sprout from the pilots' necks and chests.
 
 THE SHUTTLE CLIMBS out of control, at full acceleration. It
 SLAMS into the underside of MONS Veritatis. It EXPLODES, and
 hundreds of tons of flaming debris drop back into the forest.
 
 ON THE FLIGHT DECK of the other SHUTTLE, the pilots watch the
 wreckage falling.
 
 ' PILOT
 Valkyrie Two is breaking off. And if any
 of ya'll want to get off this piece of
 shit planet, you better cover our ass,
 `cause we're the only way back to orbit.
 
 ' GUNSHIP PILOT
 Roger that.
 
 FROM THE DRAGON COCKPIT Quaritch watches the shuttle bank
 away, with most of the remaining gunships following.
 
 ' QUARITCH
 Get back here you worthless pukes!
 
 ' 141.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 ' PILOT
 Are we breaking off?
 
 Quaritch draws his pistol.
 
 ' QUARITCH
 What do you think?
 
 He is over the edge-- no logic in his brain now. Only death.
 
 ' INT. OPS CENTER/CORRIDOR
 ' 
 Techs and troopers crowd around consoles, listening to all
 the yelling and confusion as they try to plot the
 disintegrating battle.
 
 ' SELFRIDGE
 (in growing alarm)
 What the hell is going on out there?
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' EXT. RAINFOREST
 ' 
 Regular troopers and volunteers FLEE through the jungle,
 scrambling to board SAMSONS as they touch down.
 
 ' INT. DRAGON COCKPIT
 ' 
 The pilot listens to comms from Hell's Gate.
 
 ' PILOT
 Sir, all ground units are falling back to
 the LZ.
 
 Quaritch's jaw clenches.
 
 ' QUARITCH
 Stay on target.
 
 ' EXT. WELL OF SOULS
 ' 
 Mo'at LOOKS UP as the DRAGON appears over the trees like the
 shadow of Death. Around her, the Na'vi mothers clutch their
 children to them. We see AKWEY'S BOY among them.
 
 ' INT. DRAGON COCKPIT
 ' 
 Quaritch sets the target cursor on the MOTHER TREE and what
 we recognize is the ghostly figure of Mo'at.
 
 ' QUARITCH
 Switch missiles. Arm all pods.
 
 ' 142.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 ' PILOT
 Arming.
 
 ' QUARITCH
 Let's see what these blue bastards do
 when I bitch-slap their goddess.
 
 ' EXT. MOUNTAINS/ AERIAL
 ' 
 JAKE'S LEONOPTERYX drops toward the Dragon like a Mig 29. He
 pulls out, skimming over the ship. Uncoupling, he rolls
 backward off his mount and --
 
 JAKE HITS, skidding, on the hull of the Dragon. He rolls to
 his feet, already running as --
 
 QUARITCH sees the leonopteryx WHOOSH overhead and flap away
 with no rider. He snap-looks aft to see --
 
 JAKE SPRINTING along the spine of the ship, yanking two
 grenades from his battle-harness, pulling the pins with his
 teeth, then --
 
 QUARITCH's hand shoots out and SLAMS the pilot's CYCLIC STICK
 hard over. THE DRAGON lurches sideways, rolling sharply with
 a ROAR of protesting rotors and --
 
 JAKE IS FLUNG off his feet. The grenades miss the TURBINE
 INTAKES. One bounces off the ship. The other lodges against
 a cowling and --
 
 JAKE SLIDES OFF the ship, falling as -- K-BLAM! The grenade
 blows a two meter hole in the hull --
 
 WHOOOSHH! Pandoran air swirls inside.
 
 ' QUARITCH
 (to the pilot)
 Put your mask on.
 
 Quaritch leaps out of his seat, heading aft as --
 
 JAKE GRABS the edge of a weapons pod, his feet dangling over
 open space.
 
 HOLDING HIS BREATH, Quaritch blows a RESCUE HATCH and leans
 outside. Jake sees him aim his massive PISTOL.
 
 K-WHAM! K-WHAM! Rounds clang next to Jake's head. He LETS GO,
 plummeting into the trees --
 
 Jake plunges through jungle canopy. He catches a HUGE LEAF,
 as Neytiri taught him -- it bends down, breaking his fall --
 
 ' 143.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 HE LETS GO, dropping again only to catch ANOTHER LEAF, and
 then another, and --
 
 WE RUSH DOWN with him through this green blur. Jake drops to
 the ground in a feral crouch. Unhurt.
 
 ' JAKE
 (into his headset)
 Quaritch is gonna take out the Well of
 Souls! He's got a clear shot. Hit him,
 anybody that can! Do it now!
 
 IN HER SAMSON Trudy Chacon is all business.
 
 ' TRUDY
 On it.
 
 SHE BANKS hard, pulling g's, coming around on the Dragon.
 She pours on the coal and the Samson leaps forward, straight
 at the WARSHIP.
 
 QUARITCH, DRILLS a stream of tracers at her, tearing through
 her canopy, ripping chunks off her fuselage.
 
 IN THE JUNGLE BELOW, Norm watches her kamikaze run --
 
 ' NORM
 No!
 
 ' TRUDY
 (clipped, pilot-like)
 Norm, I love you.
 
 TRUDY DIVES, raking through treetops and then, at the last
 instant, YANKS BACK on the stick and --
 
 THE SAMSON leaps straight up and -- K-KRASH!! SHEARS OFF THE
 COCKPIT of the Dragon as --
 
 QUARITCH THROWS HIMSELF aft along the aisle and --
 
 TRUDY'S SAMSON disintegrates, the wreckage burning as it
 tumbles into the jungle.
 
 MILES QUARITCH grips the bulkhead as he stares out the open
 front of the fuselage. Wind howls through wreckage where the
 pilot used to be. The forest rushes up to meet him and --
 
 THE DRAGON CRASHES through splintering trees, IMPACTING in a
 lake with a WHITE BLAST of water.
 
 ' 144.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 ' EXT. RAINFOREST - DAY
 ' 
 Norm takes a few steps and drops to his knees. Imploded by
 grief.
 
 ' INT. OPS CENTER/ HELL'S GATE
 ' 
 ON THE PLOTTING DISPLAY as Quaritch's TRANSPONDER ICON
 disappears.
 
 ' TROOPER
 Dragon is down. It's off the board.
 
 ' SELFRIDGE
 What do you mean, off the board?!
 
 Selfridge is stunned. Suddenly the ROAR of an ENGINE makes
 them all look up.
 
 OUTSIDE THE WINDOW, MAX sits in the cab of an enormous SLASH-
 CUTTER. Max flips Selfridge the bird and pushes a lever
 forward --
 
 ' SELFRIDGE
 Oh shit.
 
 Selfridge DIVES as --
 
 K-RASHHHHH! The SPINNING TEETH of the SLASH-CUTTER tear
 through the window in a blast of glass and lethal air. Alarms
 go off. The technicians dive for cover in a blizzard of
 glass and shredded debris.
 
 The slash-cutter head pulls back, and AVATARS SCRAMBLE
 through the gaping hole into the Ops Center --
 
 The TROOPERS look up to see blue giants aiming weapons down
 at them. The battle is over in seconds. The avatars are
 holding the Ops Center.
 
 Selfridge lies there gasping, in his emergency mask. In
 shock. How could this be happening?
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' EXT. LAKE
 ' 
 THE DRAGON lies half submerged. Out of the water FG, a shape
 rises -- a AMPSUIT. Inside -- MILES QUARITCH, his face
 bloody, his eyes burning.
 
 He slogs out of the water, covered with mud, then strides
 into the forest.
 
 ' 145.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 QUARITCH'S AMPSUIT THUDS relentlessly through the jungle. He
 sees something through the foliage ahead -- the SHACK.
 
 INSIDE THE SHACK Jake is oblivious under the link. Through a
 window we see Quaritch's AMPSUIT step into the clearing.
 
 QUARITCH levels his GAU-90 at the shack. His finger goes to
 the firing button--
 
 WHAM!! A six-legged BLACK DEMON tackles him.
 
 Quaritch pivots as he falls, FIRING the cannon. It misses
 Neytiri by inches. He grapples with the THANATOR as its
 razor claws SCREECH over his metal armor.
 
 THE TITANS twist and struggle. QUARITCH UNLEASHES a long
 burst from the cannon. Rounds tear into the creature, which
 SHRIEKS but --
 
 NEYTIRI wills it to SMASH the cannon hard against a rock,
 tearing it loose from the `suit's hand but --
 
 Quaritch SLAMS the thanator back against a tree-trunk, almost
 crushing Neytiri.
 
 CLOSE ON one hydraulic hand, as it draws the `suit's KNIFE
 and --
 
 QUARITCH TWISTS violently, ramming the knife up under the
 thanator's chest armor. The creature ROARS and Quaritch flips
 on top of it, stabbing.
 
 QUARITCH STABS DOWN AGAIN. The thanator slumps, pinning
 Neytiri's legs under its great bulk. She is trapped.
 
 Quaritch looks down at Neytiri. She glares back at him,
 panting, scared but defiant.
 
 ' JAKE (O.S.)
 It's all over Quaritch --
 
 Quaritch turns, seeing Jake DROPPING from a tree limb. The
 `suit rises slowly, knife glinting in the morning sun.
 
 ' QUARITCH
 Nothing's over while I'm breathing.
 
 ' JAKE
 Kinda hoped you'd say that.
 
 QUARITCH SURGES forward. JAKE closes fast, snatching up the
 broken CANNON as --
 
 ' 146.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 Quaritch SLASHES DOWN with the knife and Jake parries,
 blocking it with the cannon. He CLOSES faster than the suit
 can move and --
 
 K-CRACK! -- SLAMS the end of the cannon into the canopy,
 crazing it with a web of cracks as QUARITCH SLICES air with
 the huge knife. Jake ducks, coming up to meet the next slash
 and --
 
 SMASHES the knife hand with the cannon once -- twice -- again
 -- in a furious attack -- knocking the knife flying.
 
 QUARITCH catches him with the other arm, hurling him away.
 Jake rolls just before --
 
 THUDDD! -- the massive foot stomps down where he just was. He
 scrambles up as Quaritch CHARGES and --
 
 JAKE DUCKS another round-house, LEAPING forward to smash the
 canopy again -- then again -- until it is WHITE with cracks.
 Quaritch manages to GRAB the cannon barrel but --
 
 INSIDE THE COCKPIT, he sees nothing but the sun on the
 shattered glass. HE HURLS the cannon blindly, but Jake ducks.
 The massive cylinder cartwheels toward the shack and --
 
 FROM INSIDE we see it CRASH against pressure window, crazing
 it but not penetrating. Jake's link sits just inside.
 
 INSIDE THE COCKPIT, Quaritch yanks a yellow handle and --
 
 P-FOOM! -- the canopy BLOWS OFF, flying through the air.
 Quaritch can see again. He dons his breathing mask. Bends to
 pick up his KNIFE.
 
 NEARBY NEYTIRI struggles furiously, trying to get her legs
 free from underneath three tons of thanator.
 
 QUARITCH, panting, glowers at Jake.
 
 ' QUARITCH
 How does it feel to betray your own race?
 
 Then, inexplicably, he TURNS. Walks away.
 
 FROM INSIDE the shack, we see him charge straight toward us
 and --
 
 CRASH! -- he puts his hydraulic fist right through the
 window. He is reaching inside for the Link when --
 
 JAKE HITS in a flying tackle with every ounce of force he
 has, knocking the ampsuit sideways and --
 
 ' 147.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 JAKE REACHES around the suit, grabbing Quaritch's shoulder
 and, yanks him forward HARD, SMASHING his face into the edge
 of the cockpit but --
 
 QUARITCH flings him off with a sweep of his arm, and Jake
 slams to the ground.
 
 INSIDE THE LINK Jake is holding his breath as the toxic
 Pandoran air swirls in. GAS ALARMS SHRIEK.
 
 NEYTIRI shoves with one free leg, desperately trying to pull
 her other leg out.
 
 THE AMPSUIT charges, the knife flashing down and --
 
 JAKE just manages to catch it in both hands, but the force of
 the attack drives him to his knees as --
 
 QUARITCH pushes the knife down inexorably, until Jake is
 pinned against a rock, the blade now inches from his throat.
 
 INSIDE THE LINK Jake is straining to stay conscious, to stay
 connected as --
 
 THE KNIFE reaches his throat as --
 
 THWAP! AN ARROW APPEARS in Quaritch's chest. He looks up.
 
 NEYTIRI STANDS -- a FURY released. A classic archer figure,
 she NOCKS another arrow. Then draws and releases smoothly.
 
 TH-WHAP! The machine TOPPLES off Jake and lies still.
 
 QUARITCH STARES at the two arrows in his chest. He touches
 the feathers of the ancient weapon, then -- with an ironic
 laugh -- he dies.
 
 NEYTIRI runs up, another arrow nocked, bow drawn. Seeing
 Quaritch, she lowers her father's bow.
 
 JAKE sees her, then goes limp, his eyes rolling back, and --
 
 ' INT. SHACK
 ' 
 HUMAN JAKE EXPLODES out of the Link, slamming to the floor
 where he gags for breath. With his last strength, he claws
 toward an emergency breathing mask -- across the room.
 
 He scrambles toward it, on the edge of unconsciousness.
 
 NEYTIRI VAULTS through the shattered window, landing in the
 debris like a cat. She GRABS the mask and flashes to Jake's
 side -- puts the mask over his face and --
 
 ' 148.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 JAKE drags in breath after breath. He looks up at Neytiri,
 studying him as she holds him -- seeing his human body for
 the first time.
 
 Jake touches her face, his pale human hand against the blue
 of her skin. There eyes meet across the glass of the mask --
 together, separate. Worldless.
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' EXT. RAINFOREST - DAY
 ' 
 MO'AT tends to the mortally wounded TSU'TEY as AVATAR JAKE
 arrives with Neytiri. Mo'at has bound his wounds, but by her
 expression, it is clear he cannot be saved.
 
 Jake kneels and Tsu'tey opens his eyes. Through a haze of
 pain, he recognizes Jake.
 
 ' TSU'TEY
 ' (NA'VI)
 I See you, Jakesully.
 
 ' JAKE
 I See you, Tsu'tey te Rongloa Ateyitan.
 
 ' TSU'TEY
 Are the people safe?
 
 ' JAKE
 They're safe.
 
 Tsu'tey weakly clutches his severed queue.
 
 ' TSU'TEY
 I can never ride again, or bond with my
 woman -- or hear the voice of Eywa. I can
 not lead the People. You will lead them,
 Jakesully.
 
 ' JAKE
 No. I'm not officer material.
 
 ' TSU'TEY
 It is decided. Now do the duty of
 Olo'eyctan. Set my spirit free.
 
 ' JAKE
 I'm not killing you.
 
 ' TSU'TEY
 I am already dead.
 
 ' 149.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 ' JAKE
 No.
 
 ' TSU'TEY
 It is the way. And it is good. I will be
 remembered --
 
 Tsu'tey's voice is weak, but thick with emotion.
 
 ' TSU'TEY
 -- I fought with Toruk Macto, we were
 brothers -- and he was my last shadow.
 
 TSU'TEY'S HAND clasps with Jake's in a fierce grip. Jake
 draws his knife.
 
 TSU'TEY'S POV -- Jake leans forward, blocking the sun.
 HIS SHADOW falls across Tsu'tey.
 
 ' JAKE
 ' (NA'VI)
 Forgive me, my Brother. Go now to the
 Mother Spirit.
 
 By his movement, we know that he has ended Tsu'tey's pain.
 Jake's eyes well with tears as he continues reciting the
 prayer for the dead, and his Na'vi words carry over as we --
 DISSOLVE TO:
 ' 
 ' EXT. HELL'S GATE -DAY
 ' 
 Na'vi ride direhorses among the abandoned machines of Hell's
 Gate.
 
 Banshees roost on the roofs of the modules, and stingbats
 flutter about, unimpeded. The SENTRY GUNS are silent, and
 the GATES are open to the forest.
 
 ' JAKE (V.O.)
 A few chose to stay. Fewer were chosen.
 
 Max, Norm, and a few of the avatars hold AR's as the
 personnel of Hell's Gate file up the cargo ramp of the
 remaining shuttle. The evicted humans are sullen and angry,
 like POW's.
 
 JAKE and NEYTIRI stand together, watching the departure of
 the Sky People.
 
 PARKER SELFRIDGE shuffles up the ramp. His eyes -- the eyes
 of a lost soul -- meet JAKE'S. He disappears into the ship.
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' 150.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 ' EXT. SPACE
 ' 
 ISV VENTURE STAR hangs suspended against the dark side of
 PANDORA. The ISV's antimatter engines BLAZE to life and it
 accelerates out of orbit.
 
 What remains IN FRAME is a virgin, primeval world. Spanning
 the black continents is a vast reticulated lace-work of
 BIOLUMINESCENCE -- a ghostly WEB connecting all of Pandora.
 CUT TO:
 ' 
 ' EXT. RAINFOREST - DAY
 ' 
 The sun's rays shaft down through the layers of canopy.
 
 ' JAKE (V.O.)
 The forest will heal, and so will the
 hearts of the People. New life keeps the
 energy flowing, like the breath of the
 world.
 
 NEYTIRI, obviously pregnant, is bow-fishing in the shallows.
 Children jump and squeal with laughter in the river.
 
 ' JAKE (V.O.)
 This is my last videolog.
 
 ' INT. LINK ROOM
 ' 
 VIDEO IMAGE -- Jake sits in a chair, talking straight TO
 CAMERA. He is thin, pale. He looks around the high tech room.
 
 ' JAKE
 The science guys will keep the lights on,
 here. But I won't miss this place.
 
 ' EXT. WELL OF SOULS - NIGHT
 ' 
 THE WILLOWS glow softly. The entire Omaticaya clan is
 gathered, seated in a prayer circle around the Mother Tree.
 
 ' JAKE (V.O.)
 I better wrap this up. There's a funeral
 tonight, and I don't want to be late. It
 was someone very close to me.
 
 WIDE SHOT, moving in across the concentric rings of people,
 all plugged-in and softly chanting. MOVING toward the
 center, over the figure of Mo'at, to hover above --
 
 NEYTIRI, kneeling beside two FIGURES on the dais --
 
 ' 151.
 ' 
 ' 
 ' 
 JAKE and his AVATAR lie head to head. Human Jake is wearing
 an exomask. Both figures are still, hands folded, covered in
 translucent silken shrouds of ROOT-CILIA.
 
 CAMERA CLOSES IN as Neytiri removes the mask from Jake's
 human face. She gently closes his dead eyes with her
 fingertips. Then bends and kisses him.
 
 MOVE INTO CU on AVATAR JAKE as Neytiri's hand comes into
 frame, stroking his cheek. TIGHTENING slowly to--
 
 ECU JAKE'S EYES. Hold a beat, then --
 
 They open.
 CUT TO BLACK