Theseus and the Minotaur (transcript)

This is the transcript for Theseus and the Minotaur
(In a dark room, the camera pans onto an old-looking book.)
Narrator: For thousands of years, there have been great sagas of brave heroes who battle hideous monsters for untold rewards. Of journeys into the unknown. These stories are told over thousands of years.
(The book flips open and the scene changes to the marketplace of Crete. Citizens are going about their business)
Narrator: In ancient times, the island of Crete was ruled over by the noble King Minos.
(Suddenly, everything grinds to a halt. The citizens bow down as King Minos, a portly, brown-haired, bearded man in a blue and white robe and a gold crown, is carried through the streets on a sedan chair by his guards)
Guard: (to a man who is still standing) Bow down before your King!
(Terrified, the man does so. Minos laughs as the guards proceed)
Minos: Ah, I love the sound of grovelling subjects in the morning.
(The scene changes to reveal the Athens marketplace. People who are going about their daily routine scatter as two of Minos' guards approach)
Narrator: The lands around Minos' kingdom feared his power, no more so than the Athenians. After the death of the king's son, the people of Athens lived in fear of the wrath of Minos.
(The king's son, a young, blond man is ambushed by a pair of other men armed with knives. His limp hand drops to the ground. The scene then changes to reveal the Labyrinth)
Narrator: To prevent war being waged on Athens, the king placed an ultimatum. Every seven years, fourteen men and women would be taken to Crete and trapped inside a giant maze called the Labyrinth. There, lived an evil monster called the Minotaur. It had a man's body, a bull's head and a lion's fangs. Minos kept it for one evil purpose: for innocent prisoners to meet their death.
(The Minotaur steps out of the shadows roaring. He charges and off-camera, the screams of a prisoner are heard as the Minotaur mauls him to death. King Minos sits on his throne, listening on emotionless. His daughter, Ariadne, a young, barefoot, dark-haired girl in a pink crop top and skirt and a necklace, recoils in horror)
Ariadne: Dad, please. This has to stop.
Minos: Ariadne, in case you haven't noticed, I have to do this.
Ariadne: But why?
Minos: Because my son, your brother, was killed by the Athenians. Now, they will pay the price!
Ariadne: But, dad, that was years ago! Can't you just put the past behind you?
Minos: Never! I will get revenge on Athens for my son's death, come hell or high water! 
(He exits the room)
Ariadne: (sadly) I understand.
(The scene changes the streets of Athens. Theseus, a tall, muscular, dark-haired, shirtless young man in a red loincloth, sandals and armed with a sword, walks through the streets)
Narrator: Meanwhile, in Athens, a young man was in the city. It was Theseus, the son of both King Aegeus and the sea god Poseidon.
(Suddenly, the sound of a struggle attracts Theseus' attention. He races up to find two of Minos' guards forcibly taking a young woman from her home as her parents try to stop them.)
Young woman: What's going on? Put me down, now! Let go!
Mother: Please! Not our only daughter!
(Theseus steps in, only for one of the guards to push him to the ground. He approaches the man and his sobbing wife.)
Theseus: What's wrong? Why were those men taking your daughter? 
Mother: She is innocent! She has done nothing wrong!
Father: (sighs) This is Minos' doing. After the death of his son, he's been sending our children to their deaths in the Labyrinth.
(Suddenly, the mother looks up at Theseus)
Mother: Wait, who are you?
Theseus: My name is Theseus. And I am here to see my father, King Aegeus.
Father: Pardon us, your majesty. Please, you may proceed.
Theseus: Thank you. (he continues on his way)
(Cut to the palace of King Aegeus. Theseus enters the throne room. Aegeus, a middle aged man with brown hair streaked with grey and sporting a white and gold robe, greets him)
Aegeus: Theseus, my son! 
Theseus: Father! It's so wonderful to see you.
Aegeus: Where have you been all these years? We have much to catch up on.
Theseus: Father, there are more serious matters at hand. Soldiers from Crete have been coming to our shores and sending young men and women to die!
Aegeus: (sighs) This is all down to King Minos. After his son was killed, he's been doing this as a form of revenge.
Theseus: Why not just end these senseless killings?!?
Aegeus: Because if we stopped, Minos would wage war on us. It would be a battle we couldn't win.
Theseus: (thinks for a moment) Father, when the next ship arrives, I will sail to Crete.
Aegeus: (appalled) Absolutely not! I will not allow my only son to sail to his death.
Theseus: But, father. If I don't, then Minos will continue this needless killing! Someone has to stop him!
Aegeus: (stammers) Well...
Theseus: How long can Athens carry on suffering? How long will Crete carry on demanding sacrifices? Someone has to make a stand and if no one else will, I shall!
Aegeus: (sighs in defeat) You speak the words of a warrior...you may go.
(The scene changes to the Athenian docks. Theseus is preparing to leave on a ship from Crete.)
Narrator: The next morning, as Theseus prepared to sail to Crete, his father Aegeus gave him an important order. 
Aegeus: Remember this before you go. If you have survived the Labyrinth, you must sail back to Athens on a white-sailed ship. That way, I will know you are safe. (hugs Theseus)
Theseus: I will, father. Wish me luck.
(He gets on the ship and waves goodbye as it sails away.)
Aegeus: May the gods protect you, my son.
(The ship approaches the docks of Crete. Minos and Ariadne are standing on a palace balcony, watching it arrive.)
Minos: (chuckles cruelly) The next ship from Athens...full of fresh sacrifices for my dear pet. Quite skinny, but then, the Athenians never had much meat on their bones.
(He turns to Ariadne, who is looking upset)
Minos: Cheer up! I only ask for sacrifices every seven years. The Athenians should count themselves lucky. If they don't keep their side of the bargain, next time I might not be so lenient. 
(He walks away. Ariadne looks down at the prisoners and sees Theseus. They gaze at each other, spellbound, as he follows the other prisoners)
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