THE LION KING 3: PENYA SAHALA
("to make one's way into the light")
AN ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
BY
AMBER TREADWAY
Dedicated to the wonderful humans at the TLK-L mailing list; for proving that TLK is in no way "just for kids", for making me laugh, cry, and visit pages with names like First Church of Simba, and for adding words like "anthropomorphic" and "canon" to my personal dictionary. Special thanks to Brian "5 Million Hits" Tiemann for hosting the bloody thing, and to the writing team of Burkitt/Morris, for producing beautiful fanfiction and inspiring me to write my own. (Now look what you've done! =) You guys rock. Mungobarikie!!! (God Bless!!!)
-- __________ 2003
LEGAL STUFF--
The Lion King and its characters are property of Walt Disney Pictures. Used without permission.
The characters of Mavunde, Chaka, Mholi, Maabu, Amani, Fabibi, Ibala, Huku and the various lionesses are property of *ME* and do not appear anywhere without my prior permission. They just don't, period.
If you like this screenplay and wish to link back to it, (please please please =), email me at the following address (all comments, criticisms, complaints, and large bags of cash should be sent here as well): ElBiggleSpam@aol.com.
This thing isn't copyrighted, but should it appear anywhere it isn't supposed to, I will not play nice. So please don't be a jerk, ok?? Ok.
"Grudges come back to haunt us/Your oldest allies are your long-lost enemies..."
-Green Day (from the Warning album, c2000)
PROLOGUE
FADE TO: PRIDE LANDS-THE DISTANT PAST
NARRATOR:
Once, many, many moon-cycles ago, when the sun still bore its cubhood spots, before the dawn of king and kingdom, on the very ground upon which we now live our lives, something extraordinary happened.
The sky was young then, and very curious about the ground-creatures below him. One day, he foolishly came close to the earth to see them more clearly--and cut himself on the crest of a mountain! The sky quickly retreated, but not before a great deal of star-magic had fallen to the earth, pouring from the sky's wound. The creatures were afraid, and many scattered in fear. But the brave few who remained accepted the magic, and divided it between them. As they developed their powers, they became known as the Great Sorcerers.
The Sorcerers determined that magic must only be used for the good of others, and each of them was careful to uphold this code. All of the Sorcerers, that is, except one; a jackal with a selfish heart.
As his expertise grew, so did his foolishness. He cast terrible curses upon those who displeased him, and through his hatred released a million unspeakable evils into the world. He became so powerful, so fearsome, that even the other Sorcerers were forced to flee. Dark magic settled over the earth like an inescapable shadow.
But with great power often comes restlessness. After one sleepless night too many, the jackal went to visit a young shaman who lived nearby, a mandrill. Now this mandrill was young, but very clever.
The mandrill shaman mixed a powerful sleeping potion for the jackal, and cautioned him not to swallow it until he had returned to his den. Of course, the jackal scoffed at his warning, and drank it right away. In a flash, he fell into a deep slumber. And as the fearsome sorcerer slept, the mandrill shaman danced around him, singing rhymes and collecting every bit of his evil magic into a gathering-stone. In this way, dark magic was trapped forever, and the earth sang once more.
Now, the mandrill shaman knew that such terrible power must never fall into the wrong hands. With this in mind, he guarded the stone for the rest of his life. When he passed from this world, his son accepted the task, and so it has been passed on, from generation to generation...
DISSOLVE TO: UNDER AN ACACIA-MODERN DAY-NIGHT
Voice of NARRATOR becomes that of MAABU, an elderly secretary bird. His apprentice, a young striped hyena, watches distractedly as MAABU ties various dried herbs into bundles.
MAABU: ...and so on, until this very day.(turns to the hyena) That is a true story, Mavunde. It is now guarded by a fellow named Rafiki, though I'm sure it's of no interest to you, what with your commencement next moon and all.(smiles)
MAVUNDE is a striking creature, with unusual eyes; one brown, the other a startling ice blue. He turns both on his teacher with indignance.
MAVUNDE:
Hey, I was paying attention! Really, I was...
MAABU:(knowing smile)
Don't worry, I'm sure Ibala will be proud to see you win top honors.
MAVUNDE turns away, blushing profusely.
MAABU:(good-natured chuckle) Ah, she is a nice female, my boy. Perhaps she thinks you are a nice male.
MAVUNDE:(eagerly)
You really think so?
MAABU pats his apprentice's cheek fondly.
MAABU:
I know so.
segues sharply into--
DARKNESS--A chilling female scream, tapering off into sickening silence-- heavy, almost convulsive breathing...
MAVUNDE:(desperate) ...I didn't mean to kill her. I just wanted to teach her a lesson, you know? I didn't want her dead! But when I saw him with her...and the way she laughed at me...It's all her fault! I couldn't help it! She MADE me kill her!!! Dear Mungu...(dissolves into sobs)
FADE TO: A JUDGEMENT COUNCIL-DAY
The horrified faces of thousands of onlookers, like stone statues, listen to MAVUNDE'S spiel with a mix of pity and hatred. The king, unmoved, is a regular Judge Dredd to the trembling hyena at his feet.
MAVUNDE: My god, please don't exile me! I've worked all my life to be a shaman!!
It's everything I have-
KING:(ignoring him completely)
By the power invested in me...
MAVUNDE:(sobbing)
My God, please...I beg of you...
KING:
I hereby sentence you to permanent exile.
The words echo in MAVUNDE'S brain. "EXILE...EXILE...EXILE..."
FADE TO: OPEN GRASSLANDS-MIDDLE OF NOWHERE-NIGHT
MAVUNDE, sweat-soaked, exhausted, stumbles aimlessly towards the horizon, miles and miles from the home that has rejected him.
SUDDEN VOICE:
Hey, punk.
MAVUNDE whirls in surprise. And is SOCKED.
He cries out. The shadowed figure kicks him in the ribs. MAVUNDE is too weak to fight back. Tries, pawing pathetically. Jaws CLAMP onto his neck, shake him like a rag doll. Finally dropped, he cowers beneath his assailant--a male striped hyena, shuddering with anger.
MAVUNDE:(pitiful)
Please don't kill me...
OTHER HYENA:
So you thought you'd teach my girlfriend a lesson, did you?
KICKS MAVUNDE in the head. He recoils.
OTHER HYENA:(taunting)
What kind of a lesson? A biology lesson, maybe?
MAVUNDE:
I didn't mean to hurt-
OTHER HYENA:(explodes) WELL, YOU DID!! She's dead because of you. Dead!! Don't you know what that means, ya little punk???? (KICKS again) I was gonna have cubs with her. We were gonna be real happy together. You killed her!!! What do you
have to say for yourself??? HUH???
MAVUNDE weakly raises his head. His fur is matted with blood.
OTHER HYENA:
She never would've loved you anyway. Ibala didn't go for no trash like
you.
This really gets to MAVUNDE. He closes his eyes.
Sensing an opportunity, the OTHER HYENA kicks him in the jaw. There is a brief spasm, then MAVUNDE is still. Satisfied, the attacker wanders off, leaving MAVUNDE completely alone in a pool of his own blood.
FADE TO: BLACKNESS
The cheery sound of a female voice humming. MAVUNDE wearily opens his eyes--revealing the dewey face of the most lovely spotted hyena female he has ever seen. He blinks twice, but she is no dream.
LOVELY FEMALE SPOTTED HYENA:
Well, good morning, Sunshine! You've had quite a nap.
MAVUNDE squints against glaring daylight, and attempts to turn his head. He is surrounded by hundreds and hundreds of disheveled spotted hyenas, gnawing on bones, playing, chatting, relaxing with their families. A refugee camp.
The LOVELY FEMALE nurses MAVUNDE'S wounds.
LOVELY FEMALE:
You're lucky to be alive, sir. What's your name?
MAVUNDE:(smiles, utterly charmed by his caretaker)
My name's Mavunde.
LOVELY FEMALE:
Good to meet you. I'm Mholi.
MAVUNDE:
Mholi, huh? Are you the Alpha of this clan?
MHOLI:(shakes head modestly)
Oh, no. Shenzi is.
MAVUNDE:
You can be my Alpha anytime.
MHOLI blushes.
MAVUNDE:
So...this is your territory, I presume?
MHOLI:
Oh no, we have no territory. We just roam around, you see, staying
wherever until we get thrown out. We did have a territory once, but...
(sighs)
MAVUNDE:
Lions?
MHOLI stamps her foot as if MAVUNDE had just mentioned the devil himself.
MHOLI:
YES!! Horrible, awful, vicious brutes!! (shudders in rage) They attack
now, and ask questions later!!
A glint comes into MAVUNDE'S bicolored eyes.
MAVUNDE:
I'm afraid I know that all too well...
MHOLI:(gasps and clutches her heart in horror)
You mean a lion did this to you?? Oh, you poor thing!!
MAVUNDE:(laughs)
"Poor thing"?? You should've seen what I did to the lion!!
MHOLI swallows the bait whole.
MHOLI:(squeal)
You took down a lion??? By yourself???!!!!
Other hyenas, overhearing, begin to gather around him, asking eager questions.
MAVUNDE:(mock modesty)
Oh, now, really, there's nothing to it...
MOTHER HYENA:
You must be very brave!
CUB HYENA:
Betcha had that mean old lion runnin' for his life!!
THRILLED HYENA: Maybe he can get our old kingdom back for us!! (clan whispers excitedly)
MAVUNDE ponders this momentarily. Encouraged by the hopeful faces surrounding him, he sits up.
MAVUNDE:
We-ell, I suppose it wouldn't be too much trouble...
The clan EXPLODES.
Some distance away, the noise reaches the ears of another spotted hyena--a small but sturdy female with a toughened stance. It's SHENZI, the alpha female. She tosses her mane out of her eyes, and peers over the ridge to investigate.
MAVUNDE is no longer the trembling invalid--he is a messiah, with eager creatures swarming at his feet, cheering his name. He is the eye of the storm, calmly smiling at his audience. There is something deeply disturbing about the picture, about the way the clan flocks to him like paper clips to a magnet. Something akin to fear passes over her, but SHENZI says nothing.
(end of PROLOGUE)
("to make one's way into the light")
AN ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
BY
AMBER TREADWAY
Dedicated to the wonderful humans at the TLK-L mailing list; for proving that TLK is in no way "just for kids", for making me laugh, cry, and visit pages with names like First Church of Simba, and for adding words like "anthropomorphic" and "canon" to my personal dictionary. Special thanks to Brian "5 Million Hits" Tiemann for hosting the bloody thing, and to the writing team of Burkitt/Morris, for producing beautiful fanfiction and inspiring me to write my own. (Now look what you've done! =) You guys rock. Mungobarikie!!! (God Bless!!!)
-- __________ 2003
LEGAL STUFF--
The Lion King and its characters are property of Walt Disney Pictures. Used without permission.
The characters of Mavunde, Chaka, Mholi, Maabu, Amani, Fabibi, Ibala, Huku and the various lionesses are property of *ME* and do not appear anywhere without my prior permission. They just don't, period.
If you like this screenplay and wish to link back to it, (please please please =), email me at the following address (all comments, criticisms, complaints, and large bags of cash should be sent here as well): ElBiggleSpam@aol.com.
This thing isn't copyrighted, but should it appear anywhere it isn't supposed to, I will not play nice. So please don't be a jerk, ok?? Ok.
"Grudges come back to haunt us/Your oldest allies are your long-lost enemies..."
-Green Day (from the Warning album, c2000)
PROLOGUE
FADE TO: PRIDE LANDS-THE DISTANT PAST
NARRATOR:
Once, many, many moon-cycles ago, when the sun still bore its cubhood spots, before the dawn of king and kingdom, on the very ground upon which we now live our lives, something extraordinary happened.
The sky was young then, and very curious about the ground-creatures below him. One day, he foolishly came close to the earth to see them more clearly--and cut himself on the crest of a mountain! The sky quickly retreated, but not before a great deal of star-magic had fallen to the earth, pouring from the sky's wound. The creatures were afraid, and many scattered in fear. But the brave few who remained accepted the magic, and divided it between them. As they developed their powers, they became known as the Great Sorcerers.
The Sorcerers determined that magic must only be used for the good of others, and each of them was careful to uphold this code. All of the Sorcerers, that is, except one; a jackal with a selfish heart.
As his expertise grew, so did his foolishness. He cast terrible curses upon those who displeased him, and through his hatred released a million unspeakable evils into the world. He became so powerful, so fearsome, that even the other Sorcerers were forced to flee. Dark magic settled over the earth like an inescapable shadow.
But with great power often comes restlessness. After one sleepless night too many, the jackal went to visit a young shaman who lived nearby, a mandrill. Now this mandrill was young, but very clever.
The mandrill shaman mixed a powerful sleeping potion for the jackal, and cautioned him not to swallow it until he had returned to his den. Of course, the jackal scoffed at his warning, and drank it right away. In a flash, he fell into a deep slumber. And as the fearsome sorcerer slept, the mandrill shaman danced around him, singing rhymes and collecting every bit of his evil magic into a gathering-stone. In this way, dark magic was trapped forever, and the earth sang once more.
Now, the mandrill shaman knew that such terrible power must never fall into the wrong hands. With this in mind, he guarded the stone for the rest of his life. When he passed from this world, his son accepted the task, and so it has been passed on, from generation to generation...
DISSOLVE TO: UNDER AN ACACIA-MODERN DAY-NIGHT
Voice of NARRATOR becomes that of MAABU, an elderly secretary bird. His apprentice, a young striped hyena, watches distractedly as MAABU ties various dried herbs into bundles.
MAABU: ...and so on, until this very day.(turns to the hyena) That is a true story, Mavunde. It is now guarded by a fellow named Rafiki, though I'm sure it's of no interest to you, what with your commencement next moon and all.(smiles)
MAVUNDE is a striking creature, with unusual eyes; one brown, the other a startling ice blue. He turns both on his teacher with indignance.
MAVUNDE:
Hey, I was paying attention! Really, I was...
MAABU:(knowing smile)
Don't worry, I'm sure Ibala will be proud to see you win top honors.
MAVUNDE turns away, blushing profusely.
MAABU:(good-natured chuckle) Ah, she is a nice female, my boy. Perhaps she thinks you are a nice male.
MAVUNDE:(eagerly)
You really think so?
MAABU pats his apprentice's cheek fondly.
MAABU:
I know so.
segues sharply into--
DARKNESS--A chilling female scream, tapering off into sickening silence-- heavy, almost convulsive breathing...
MAVUNDE:(desperate) ...I didn't mean to kill her. I just wanted to teach her a lesson, you know? I didn't want her dead! But when I saw him with her...and the way she laughed at me...It's all her fault! I couldn't help it! She MADE me kill her!!! Dear Mungu...(dissolves into sobs)
FADE TO: A JUDGEMENT COUNCIL-DAY
The horrified faces of thousands of onlookers, like stone statues, listen to MAVUNDE'S spiel with a mix of pity and hatred. The king, unmoved, is a regular Judge Dredd to the trembling hyena at his feet.
MAVUNDE: My god, please don't exile me! I've worked all my life to be a shaman!!
It's everything I have-
KING:(ignoring him completely)
By the power invested in me...
MAVUNDE:(sobbing)
My God, please...I beg of you...
KING:
I hereby sentence you to permanent exile.
The words echo in MAVUNDE'S brain. "EXILE...EXILE...EXILE..."
FADE TO: OPEN GRASSLANDS-MIDDLE OF NOWHERE-NIGHT
MAVUNDE, sweat-soaked, exhausted, stumbles aimlessly towards the horizon, miles and miles from the home that has rejected him.
SUDDEN VOICE:
Hey, punk.
MAVUNDE whirls in surprise. And is SOCKED.
He cries out. The shadowed figure kicks him in the ribs. MAVUNDE is too weak to fight back. Tries, pawing pathetically. Jaws CLAMP onto his neck, shake him like a rag doll. Finally dropped, he cowers beneath his assailant--a male striped hyena, shuddering with anger.
MAVUNDE:(pitiful)
Please don't kill me...
OTHER HYENA:
So you thought you'd teach my girlfriend a lesson, did you?
KICKS MAVUNDE in the head. He recoils.
OTHER HYENA:(taunting)
What kind of a lesson? A biology lesson, maybe?
MAVUNDE:
I didn't mean to hurt-
OTHER HYENA:(explodes) WELL, YOU DID!! She's dead because of you. Dead!! Don't you know what that means, ya little punk???? (KICKS again) I was gonna have cubs with her. We were gonna be real happy together. You killed her!!! What do you
have to say for yourself??? HUH???
MAVUNDE weakly raises his head. His fur is matted with blood.
OTHER HYENA:
She never would've loved you anyway. Ibala didn't go for no trash like
you.
This really gets to MAVUNDE. He closes his eyes.
Sensing an opportunity, the OTHER HYENA kicks him in the jaw. There is a brief spasm, then MAVUNDE is still. Satisfied, the attacker wanders off, leaving MAVUNDE completely alone in a pool of his own blood.
FADE TO: BLACKNESS
The cheery sound of a female voice humming. MAVUNDE wearily opens his eyes--revealing the dewey face of the most lovely spotted hyena female he has ever seen. He blinks twice, but she is no dream.
LOVELY FEMALE SPOTTED HYENA:
Well, good morning, Sunshine! You've had quite a nap.
MAVUNDE squints against glaring daylight, and attempts to turn his head. He is surrounded by hundreds and hundreds of disheveled spotted hyenas, gnawing on bones, playing, chatting, relaxing with their families. A refugee camp.
The LOVELY FEMALE nurses MAVUNDE'S wounds.
LOVELY FEMALE:
You're lucky to be alive, sir. What's your name?
MAVUNDE:(smiles, utterly charmed by his caretaker)
My name's Mavunde.
LOVELY FEMALE:
Good to meet you. I'm Mholi.
MAVUNDE:
Mholi, huh? Are you the Alpha of this clan?
MHOLI:(shakes head modestly)
Oh, no. Shenzi is.
MAVUNDE:
You can be my Alpha anytime.
MHOLI blushes.
MAVUNDE:
So...this is your territory, I presume?
MHOLI:
Oh no, we have no territory. We just roam around, you see, staying
wherever until we get thrown out. We did have a territory once, but...
(sighs)
MAVUNDE:
Lions?
MHOLI stamps her foot as if MAVUNDE had just mentioned the devil himself.
MHOLI:
YES!! Horrible, awful, vicious brutes!! (shudders in rage) They attack
now, and ask questions later!!
A glint comes into MAVUNDE'S bicolored eyes.
MAVUNDE:
I'm afraid I know that all too well...
MHOLI:(gasps and clutches her heart in horror)
You mean a lion did this to you?? Oh, you poor thing!!
MAVUNDE:(laughs)
"Poor thing"?? You should've seen what I did to the lion!!
MHOLI swallows the bait whole.
MHOLI:(squeal)
You took down a lion??? By yourself???!!!!
Other hyenas, overhearing, begin to gather around him, asking eager questions.
MAVUNDE:(mock modesty)
Oh, now, really, there's nothing to it...
MOTHER HYENA:
You must be very brave!
CUB HYENA:
Betcha had that mean old lion runnin' for his life!!
THRILLED HYENA: Maybe he can get our old kingdom back for us!! (clan whispers excitedly)
MAVUNDE ponders this momentarily. Encouraged by the hopeful faces surrounding him, he sits up.
MAVUNDE:
We-ell, I suppose it wouldn't be too much trouble...
The clan EXPLODES.
Some distance away, the noise reaches the ears of another spotted hyena--a small but sturdy female with a toughened stance. It's SHENZI, the alpha female. She tosses her mane out of her eyes, and peers over the ridge to investigate.
MAVUNDE is no longer the trembling invalid--he is a messiah, with eager creatures swarming at his feet, cheering his name. He is the eye of the storm, calmly smiling at his audience. There is something deeply disturbing about the picture, about the way the clan flocks to him like paper clips to a magnet. Something akin to fear passes over her, but SHENZI says nothing.
(end of PROLOGUE)