(no subject)

[camwyn]

APPROXIMATE FIRST DRAFT OF 'RISE OF THE FALLEN' PLOT OUTLINE
THIS IS NOT EVEN ALPHA TESTING YET

Elements of movie plot to be kept: ancient enemy, Matrix of Leadership, a reason for Autobots to stay on Earth, more 'bots on both sides, Megatron coming back

Bots I'd like to see: All the first movie survivors, Soundwave, Ravage, Shockwave, Arcee, Hound, Jetfire, Silverbolt, Grimlock, the Lambo Twins (not necessarily as Lamborghinis if we can find a hotter car), the Seekers, others as necessary

Scenes I'd like to see, in approximate order:

TWO YEARS AGO - Starscream, leaving Earth to look for other mechs, encounters Shockwave on the trans-Neptunian object Varuna. (Varuna is a god of the ancient Vedic religion, and was originally a god of the celestial ocean, omniscient, with the stars as his thousand-eyed spies catching liars in his snares.) It is revealed that both of them were Megatron's lieutenants. Shockwave was delayed in his arrival because of more methodical searching techniques and a different priority set- this should demonstrate his devotion to the scary side of logic. Starscream fills him in on events on Earth, slanted to favor Screamer's POV, but Shockwave is not fooled and calls him on his mine tailings. There is a colossal battle and Starscream eventually ends up with Shockwave's hand around his spark chamber. Screamer surrenders at that point because he is a bootlicker and untrustworthy, but he likes to not die. Must include Shockwave giving the line "Even in death there is only his command, Starscream" in response to Screamer's justifications. When the fight ends Shockwave announces that they will return to Earth, but when they do, nothing will stop them. Not even death. (That may be changed, but I want his last words to be dramatic as hell.)

OPENING CREDITS

TODAY - Scene of Autobots arriving on Earth, including Arcee & maybe Perceptor. They're greeted by the existing bots; Bumblebee practically beside himself with joy over Arcee's arrival. Arcee reports on who's dead and who's not, and thanks the local humans for providing scannable vehicles, but says the Twins split off on re-entry and she's not sure where they are. Cue honking noises; two SSC Ultimate Aero TTs come in, one gold, one red. (Holograms: Alexander Skarsgard and Jet Li. They're not real clear on how human twins work.) Bee definitely beside himself with joy. Best Day Ever? Not quite; where is Sam?

New scene: Sam with parents, getting ready to leave for college. Should be sentimental and can include separation anxiety humor, as this will make later scenes good call-backs, but nothing as ridiculous as in the movie. Although the flirting/buttslapping thing from the movie should still be there, for great 'ohmyGOD I am so glad to be getting away' from Sam. The elder Witwickys' vacation needs to be near whatever impact site we end up choosing. Silverpit would allow for a Norwegian cruise, Shiva would require a trip to India. (Note: Shiva is described as oddly shaped and unusually rectangular; weird craters imply aliens, don't they?) Can't really justify Boltysh unless the Witwickys are visiting where Ron's ancestors come from, which is the town of Vytvytsa... anyway, Sam's going to college and they're going to miss him, etc. Parents finally say all is well, and tell him to say his other goodbyes.

Mikaela goodbye scene may take place on her motorcycle. She'll be driving him to Autobase. There will be some discussion of LDR status and so on. I realize this plot is meant to be about the giant robots but damn it, I want to redeem the perception of humans in Transformers, so giving people a reason to care about the human characters before going back to giant robo fights is the least I can do. Anyway, they have their convo on the motorcycle and then get to the base, and they greet the various soldiers incl. Major Lennox before reaching Bee. There is the heart-rending little scene of 'can't bring you, campus won't let me have a car until next year, it's fine, I'll stay in contact, you don't have to protect me any more'. NB: Bee will NOT spew anything from his optics for this. Kicked-puppy look yes, weeping, no. Sam then goes to bid the other mechs goodbye and in the process needs to come into contact with the Allspark fragment in Optimus' possession. Visual contact is enough, frankly. All we need is the mandatory Movie Stare of Great Significance With Shaking of Head and Going of "Huh?" At The End to establish that something weird is going on. Sam then makes his other goodbyes and heads out; Mikaela will be hanging around with the bots for that, and Bee will drive him home. Sad times all around.

Cut to adaptation scene. Bee out driving with the Twins. There should be racing and speed and showing off and so on and so forth. Possibly giant robot wrestling as someone tries to throw a spanner into the race. It is in quite good fun, however, and the racing is punctuated with conversation about the Allspark search and everything else that's happened. Somewhat tempted to have one of the Twins give Bee a noogie when it comes out that Optimus tagged him for the next Prime.

Cut to Ratchet and Perceptor engaged in conversation. Would like this one to eventually go into competitive mode- who's discovered more/accomplished more/overcome more challenges. Nothing like a scientific size contest, and Ratchet's been the only Autobot scientific type on Earth for a while now.

Cut to Lissar and Arcee. Not sure what I'd like to see done with this one but there may be questions re: Ironhide here. 'Hide is not on the scene because he's outside with Grimlock, talking with the Destroyer about the newly arrived mechs, and how they got off lucky so far, and how they can't count on that, and then both of them stop and look to the same part of the sky in perfect synchrony. There will then be a mad race to get to Optimus first. I am inclined to have Grimlock deliver the news: "HIM SHOCKWAVE! HIM COMING!"

Comments

[mephron]

Starscream felt a chill deeper than that of space as Shockwave, with a voice filled with a terrible certainty that was half logic and half fanaticism, spoke.

"We must prepare. And we will return to Earth, Starscream. And when we return, our only method of departure will be the dissolution of our sparks."

[camwyn]

*insert eeee hee hee hee noises and the clapping of the heels of one's hands here*

[ebony14.livejournal.com]

"We live for the Lord; we die for the Lord"?

[camwyn]

My feeling was that Megatron's single best line in the movie was "Even in death there is only my command, Starscream." It takes on a whole new level of creepy when it's put in someone else's mouth, esp. when it's Shockwave.