INT. DOCTOR FATE'S LABYRINTH
An incredible mass of bodybuilder weights lifts up into the air and then back down again as an impressively hulked up Henry bench presses well over 300 pounds, more than twice his own body weight.
HENRY STRONG
Seven... Eight...
Stepping around yet another turn in the labyrinth, Clark finds the source of the counting, not to mention grunting, and clanging together of metal plates.
HENRY STRONG
Nine...
Henry comes down and tries to push up for ten, but barely makes it half way before the bar starts back down.
CLARK
Henry!
Clark rushes to help Henry before it comes down on his neck, almost effortlessly lifting the bar back onto its restraints with one hand.
Henry lays there for a second on the bench, bright red, breathing heavily and infuriated.
CLARK
Are you all right?
Henry's nostrils flare and he lets out an enraged scream from the pit of his gut, erupting from his prone position and all at once dismounting and toppling the bench and free weights over.
Clark has to quickly jump out of the way to avoid being clipped by one end of the benching bar.
HENRY STRONG Bloody weakling!
Taking a deep breath, holding his knees with his hands, Henry takes a moment to compose himself before looking up at Clark.
HENRY STRONG
Sorry, Clark... didn't mean to flip out on ya like that. I didn't get ya, did I?
Clark looks over his shoulder as the last free weight spins to the ground like a quarter.
CLARK
::shakes head:: No, you didn't get me.
Henry lets out a gruff sigh and shakes his head as he starts cleaning up his mess.
HENRY STRONG
Pathetic... Can barely even bench twice my body weight. How the heck am I ever gonna push that thing? What I wouldn't give for one lousy protein shake right about now.
Henry looks up at Clark as he frees bench from the weights that toppled on top of it. He turns it upright.
HENRY STRONG
Do you have any idea how hard it is to build muscle without the proper diet? It's true what they say, you know. If you don't eat right, you can exercise all you want, you hit that wall and... BAM... You're just not going to get any bigger.
Henry turns his attention skyward.
HENRY STRONG
But heaven forbid any chickens should come waltzing in around that corner.
Henry goes back to cleaning up the weights.
HENRY STRONG
Or we get a freaking pond with some freaking fish in it. No, barbells, that he gives me. You want a tuna on toast? Well, that's just too damn bad.
CLARK
You know you should be more careful. You're lucky I came around when I did. You could've really hurt yourself.
Henry laughs as he picks up the bar and lays it back on the bench unit.
HENRY STRONG
Yeah, right, like he'd let that happen. Fate would never risk letting anything happen to his favorite pet lab rat.
Henry pauses and thinks for a minute.
HENRY STRONG
Although, I might've been stuck under that bar, at a fairly odd angle I might add, for longer than I'd care to think about. I guess I should thank you for that.
Henry laughs again.
HENRY STRONG
You know, in here, I never get tired, I never get old, I never get hungry, I never get thirsty... I'm a regular, every day, run of the mill immortal...
Henry walks up to Clark with a dark, almost sinister, expression on his face.
HENRY STRONG
But do you know what it's like, Clark? Do you know what it's like to lift up a weight that's just a little heavier than what you can handle, have it slowly bear down on you, coming closer and closer to your neck as your arms shake under the strain? There's that one instant, that one moment of realization, that second where you have just long enough to realize what's coming and that there's nothing you can do about it. You think you're strong? You think you're powerful? That's power, Clark...
Henry picks up a barbell by his feet and shows it to Clark.
HENRY STRONG
It's the power of an insignificant mass of molecules, smashed together to form a dead lump of metal, to shut off a human soul in the blink of an eye, like the flip of a switch, or the press of a button. Then, you give in. You're just... overpowered. That weight comes smashing down on your neck, crushing the flesh and snapping the bone.
Henry shrugs.
HENRY STRONG
Nope, it's not a comfortable feeling at all. Had it happen to me once...
Henry starts replacing the weights on the benching bar.
HENRY STRONG
I was stuck under this damn bar for weeks.
CLARK
Weeks?
HENRY STRONG
Well, I told you. I don't need food, no water, blah blah blah... I was stuck underneath it after trying to lift a little more than I could handle. It all came crashing down on me, SQUISH!
Henry makes a squishing sound.
HENRY STRONG
I actually had to wait for my muscles to start shrinking again. As soon as my chest got small enough, I could slip underneath the bar thanks to these puppies.
Henry motions towards the large, fifty pound, plates on the benching bar.
HENRY STRONG
They propped it up for me. I'll tell you, though, those were not fun times. I'm never going to let that happen again.
CLARK How long have you been lifting weights?
HENRY STRONG
Eh, long as I can remember, long as she's been there...
Henry motions over Clark's shoulder to another corridor off-shooting the one they're in.
CLARK
As long as who's been where?
HENRY STRONG
The hot blonde in the bathing suit and cape.
Clark looks confused and Henry picks up on it as he finishes locking the plates on the benching bar.
HENRY STRONG
Oh, you haven't met her yet, have you? Oh well, you're in for a treat then, let me tell you. She is smokin'! Woo! And, oh yeah...
Henry puts out his hands in front of his chest, cupping them inward, obviously hinting that the woman is generously proportioned.
HENRY STRONG
Va... Va... Voom. If you get my picture.
Having finished cleaning up, Henry sits back down on the bench and prepares to start over.
HENRY STRONG
Heck of a temper, though, that one. You see, ever since she got here, no one's been able to get through the doors.
CLARK What doors?
HENRY STRONG Don't worry, you'll know 'em when ya see 'em. They're big freaking doors. Unfortunately, they're locked.
CLARK
Then how do you get passed them?
HENRY STRONG
You tell me. How do you unlock a big freaking door?
Clark thinks for a moment...
CLARK
A big... freaking key?
HENRY STRONG
You betcha, buddy, the only problem is she won't let anyone near it. That would be a problem.
CLARK
She's some kind of guard?
HENRY STRONG
Nah, Fate threw her in here just like the rest of us, but she's got this, like, complex or something. I don't know what it is. She insists on doing it herself. Ya see, the key's so big that it's on wheels. Ya gotta push it, but she don't want no help.
CLARK Well, she's not going to have a choice. I have to get through those doors.
HENRY STRONG
Well, you can take that up with her. I already tried once and she didn't take too kindly to it. I know better than to try again.
Clark laughs.
CLARK Is that why you're bulking up?
HENRY STRONG Heck no, son. I just figure she's gonna get tired at some point.
CLARK ::nods:: And then you'll push it yourself.
HENRY STRONG
::laughs:: Right, like I could ever push that thing. It's like a tragillion pounds. But when she gets tired and goes to lay down, I intend to be laying next to her, ya feel me, playa?
Henry winks at Clark and lays back down on the bench. Placing his hands back up on the bar, he grabs a hold and pushes upward.
HENRY STRONG
One... two...
Clark shakes his head and heads for the corridor.
An incredible mass of bodybuilder weights lifts up into the air and then back down again as an impressively hulked up Henry bench presses well over 300 pounds, more than twice his own body weight.
HENRY STRONG
Seven... Eight...
Stepping around yet another turn in the labyrinth, Clark finds the source of the counting, not to mention grunting, and clanging together of metal plates.
HENRY STRONG
Nine...
Henry comes down and tries to push up for ten, but barely makes it half way before the bar starts back down.
CLARK
Henry!
Clark rushes to help Henry before it comes down on his neck, almost effortlessly lifting the bar back onto its restraints with one hand.
Henry lays there for a second on the bench, bright red, breathing heavily and infuriated.
CLARK
Are you all right?
Henry's nostrils flare and he lets out an enraged scream from the pit of his gut, erupting from his prone position and all at once dismounting and toppling the bench and free weights over.
Clark has to quickly jump out of the way to avoid being clipped by one end of the benching bar.
HENRY STRONG Bloody weakling!
Taking a deep breath, holding his knees with his hands, Henry takes a moment to compose himself before looking up at Clark.
HENRY STRONG
Sorry, Clark... didn't mean to flip out on ya like that. I didn't get ya, did I?
Clark looks over his shoulder as the last free weight spins to the ground like a quarter.
CLARK
::shakes head:: No, you didn't get me.
Henry lets out a gruff sigh and shakes his head as he starts cleaning up his mess.
HENRY STRONG
Pathetic... Can barely even bench twice my body weight. How the heck am I ever gonna push that thing? What I wouldn't give for one lousy protein shake right about now.
Henry looks up at Clark as he frees bench from the weights that toppled on top of it. He turns it upright.
HENRY STRONG
Do you have any idea how hard it is to build muscle without the proper diet? It's true what they say, you know. If you don't eat right, you can exercise all you want, you hit that wall and... BAM... You're just not going to get any bigger.
Henry turns his attention skyward.
HENRY STRONG
But heaven forbid any chickens should come waltzing in around that corner.
Henry goes back to cleaning up the weights.
HENRY STRONG
Or we get a freaking pond with some freaking fish in it. No, barbells, that he gives me. You want a tuna on toast? Well, that's just too damn bad.
CLARK
You know you should be more careful. You're lucky I came around when I did. You could've really hurt yourself.
Henry laughs as he picks up the bar and lays it back on the bench unit.
HENRY STRONG
Yeah, right, like he'd let that happen. Fate would never risk letting anything happen to his favorite pet lab rat.
Henry pauses and thinks for a minute.
HENRY STRONG
Although, I might've been stuck under that bar, at a fairly odd angle I might add, for longer than I'd care to think about. I guess I should thank you for that.
Henry laughs again.
HENRY STRONG
You know, in here, I never get tired, I never get old, I never get hungry, I never get thirsty... I'm a regular, every day, run of the mill immortal...
Henry walks up to Clark with a dark, almost sinister, expression on his face.
HENRY STRONG
But do you know what it's like, Clark? Do you know what it's like to lift up a weight that's just a little heavier than what you can handle, have it slowly bear down on you, coming closer and closer to your neck as your arms shake under the strain? There's that one instant, that one moment of realization, that second where you have just long enough to realize what's coming and that there's nothing you can do about it. You think you're strong? You think you're powerful? That's power, Clark...
Henry picks up a barbell by his feet and shows it to Clark.
HENRY STRONG
It's the power of an insignificant mass of molecules, smashed together to form a dead lump of metal, to shut off a human soul in the blink of an eye, like the flip of a switch, or the press of a button. Then, you give in. You're just... overpowered. That weight comes smashing down on your neck, crushing the flesh and snapping the bone.
Henry shrugs.
HENRY STRONG
Nope, it's not a comfortable feeling at all. Had it happen to me once...
Henry starts replacing the weights on the benching bar.
HENRY STRONG
I was stuck under this damn bar for weeks.
CLARK
Weeks?
HENRY STRONG
Well, I told you. I don't need food, no water, blah blah blah... I was stuck underneath it after trying to lift a little more than I could handle. It all came crashing down on me, SQUISH!
Henry makes a squishing sound.
HENRY STRONG
I actually had to wait for my muscles to start shrinking again. As soon as my chest got small enough, I could slip underneath the bar thanks to these puppies.
Henry motions towards the large, fifty pound, plates on the benching bar.
HENRY STRONG
They propped it up for me. I'll tell you, though, those were not fun times. I'm never going to let that happen again.
CLARK How long have you been lifting weights?
HENRY STRONG
Eh, long as I can remember, long as she's been there...
Henry motions over Clark's shoulder to another corridor off-shooting the one they're in.
CLARK
As long as who's been where?
HENRY STRONG
The hot blonde in the bathing suit and cape.
Clark looks confused and Henry picks up on it as he finishes locking the plates on the benching bar.
HENRY STRONG
Oh, you haven't met her yet, have you? Oh well, you're in for a treat then, let me tell you. She is smokin'! Woo! And, oh yeah...
Henry puts out his hands in front of his chest, cupping them inward, obviously hinting that the woman is generously proportioned.
HENRY STRONG
Va... Va... Voom. If you get my picture.
Having finished cleaning up, Henry sits back down on the bench and prepares to start over.
HENRY STRONG
Heck of a temper, though, that one. You see, ever since she got here, no one's been able to get through the doors.
CLARK What doors?
HENRY STRONG Don't worry, you'll know 'em when ya see 'em. They're big freaking doors. Unfortunately, they're locked.
CLARK
Then how do you get passed them?
HENRY STRONG
You tell me. How do you unlock a big freaking door?
Clark thinks for a moment...
CLARK
A big... freaking key?
HENRY STRONG
You betcha, buddy, the only problem is she won't let anyone near it. That would be a problem.
CLARK
She's some kind of guard?
HENRY STRONG
Nah, Fate threw her in here just like the rest of us, but she's got this, like, complex or something. I don't know what it is. She insists on doing it herself. Ya see, the key's so big that it's on wheels. Ya gotta push it, but she don't want no help.
CLARK Well, she's not going to have a choice. I have to get through those doors.
HENRY STRONG
Well, you can take that up with her. I already tried once and she didn't take too kindly to it. I know better than to try again.
Clark laughs.
CLARK Is that why you're bulking up?
HENRY STRONG Heck no, son. I just figure she's gonna get tired at some point.
CLARK ::nods:: And then you'll push it yourself.
HENRY STRONG
::laughs:: Right, like I could ever push that thing. It's like a tragillion pounds. But when she gets tired and goes to lay down, I intend to be laying next to her, ya feel me, playa?
Henry winks at Clark and lays back down on the bench. Placing his hands back up on the bar, he grabs a hold and pushes upward.
HENRY STRONG
One... two...
Clark shakes his head and heads for the corridor.