’Twas much ado when thou wert found in ice, 35
Thy chances dim. Methought our Coulson swoon’d.
Hath he ask’d thee to sign his trading cards,
Which bear the face of Cap’n America?
ROGERS
Art serious? They did make trading cards?
ROMANOFF
A vintage product of a dreary time— 40
Of his collection Coulson’s passing proud.
ENTER BRUCE BANNER.
ROGERS
Good Doctor Banner, I presume?
BANNER
—Well met.
A great report was made of thine arrival.
ROGERS
’Tis said thou art the man to find the Cube.
BANNER
Yea? Are no broader whispers spoken of me? 45
ROGERS
’Tis only that about which I do care.
BANNER
My thanks. It must be wondrous strange for thee,
These mighty vessels, this technology.
ROGERS
Of aught I’ve seen, this is the most familiar.
ROMANOFF
My gentles, ye may find it prudent to 50
Take shelter in the shadows of the hull.
Our fortune on the sea is out of breath—
To put it plain: soon breathing shall grow harder.
SOLDIER 1
[on speaker:] Flight crew, secure the deck for our ascent.
[The helicarrier begins to change shape.
ROGERS
Is this a submarine?
BANNER
—They’d trust my bulk 55
Submerg’d in metal, pressuriz’d containers?
ROMANOFF
[aside:] Their suppositions dimly grasp the matter.
ENTER CHORUS, ON BALCONY.
CHORUS
Too limited, the powers of our stage—
Imagine engines, from the sea, engage!
Such wonders scientific ye shall see, 60
Transforming massive vessels instantly.
Envision how the ship lifts to the sky—
Upon its bulk and strength S.H.I.E.L.D. doth rely,
As it becomes a mighty, flying den—
I’d draw it for ye, if I’d but a pen. 65
[Exit Chorus.
BANNER
Nay, this is vastly worse than I imagin’d.
EVERYTHING ON DECK IS SECURED. ALL RETREAT INSIDE THE SHIP. ENTER NICK FURY, PHIL COULSON, AND MARIA HILL.
HILL
All systems operating fully charg’d,
Emergency decorum in effect.
[To Fury:] We are at level, sir.
FURY
—’Tis well. Now vanish.
HILL
Engaging our reflection panels, sir. 70
[The ship is cloaked, taking on the appearance of the sky around it.
FURY
Good gentlemen, I bid ye welcome both.
[Rogers hands Fury a ten-ducat bill.
ROGERS
[aside:] Just recompense for wagers swiftly won.
FURY
Wise Doctor Banner, many thanks for coming.
[They shake hands.
BANNER
And thanks to thee for asking with great tact.
How long, then, shall I stay?
FURY
—Once we acquire 75
The Tesseract, your wings are free to fly.
BANNER
How goes the massive search?
COULSON
—Each instrument
Available—created by keen minds,
The innovation of the human race
Now brought to bear within technology— 80
We do employ for our most earnest search.
E’en now we sweep each camera that may
Be access’d wirelessly across the globe
To find the thing—wherever they are found.
If ’tis connected to a satellite, 85
It hath become our newfound eyes and ears.
ROMANOFF
We have not time enow to find them in
Whatever murky corner they have hid.
BANNER
Your search is too enormous, verily—
The search must focus, be more limited. 90
Spectrometers—how many do ye have?
FURY
How many are there?
BANNER
—Call the largest labs
And have them place spectrometers on th’roof
And calibrate their search for gamma rays.
I shall create a tracking algorithm 95
With basic cluster recognition in’t.
We may, at least, rule out one place or two.
Is there, pray, somewhere I may sit and work?
FURY
I bid thee, Agent Romanoff, take thou
The doctor to his lab’ratory, please. 100
ROMANOFF
Thou shalt enjoy it, Doc—the finest toys
Would lighten e’en the gloomiest of moods.
[Exeunt Natasha Romanoff and Bruce Banner.
COULSON
[to Rogers:] Resuming what I ask’d of you before—
I would request you sign my trading cards
If ’tis no trouble—
ROGERS
—Nay, I do assure thee. 105
COULSON
A vintage set, near mint, which I amass’d
For some two years ere I acquir’d them all.
Slight foxing round the edges, yet a trove—
SOLDIER 1
The sensors, Agent Coulson, have found Loki!
A hit—percentage sixty-seven, sir. 110
Nay, cross-match—sev’nty-nine.
COULSON
—Location, sirrah?
SOLDIER 1
Near Stuttgart, Germany. The address is
On Königstrasse, number twenty-eight.
It seems he hides not.
FURY
[to Rogers:] —Captain, you are chos’n.
ROGERS
To Stuttgart, then, upon my first assignment— 115
Where hope shall be unshackl’d from confinement.
[Exeunt.
SCENE 2
Stuttgart Museum, Schäfer Sicherheitdienst, and the S.H.I.E.L.D. helicarrier.
ENTER LOKI, DRESSED IN MODERN CLOTHING WITH HIS SCEPTER, AMONG MANY GALA GUESTS AND A SCIENTIST AT STUTTGART MUSEUM.
LOKI
Distraction was the word from Barton’s mouth,
Which I shall render to him in the height.
Appear in public dress’d like any other,
And S.H.I.E.L.D. shall go to any depth to seize me.
ENTER TWO GUARDS ASIDE, AT THE SCHäFER SICHERHEITDIENST BUILDING. ENTER CLINT BARTON WITH TWO SOLDIERS, HIDDEN.
BARTON
A flock of guards shall not impede my purpose. 5
[He shoots the guards with his bow and arrows, and they die. He places a device in front of the optical scanner on the doors of the building.
LOKI
Now let the revels start and waiting end.
[He strikes a security guard with his scepter. He attacks the scientist with an optical scanning device. Guests run in fear and dismay.
Ah, chaos! How I love thy jarring airs.
And havoc, thy twin brother, singing sweetly.
This strange device shall render this man’s eye
On that selfsame device that Barton hath— 10
One eyeball, here, unlocketh yonder doors.
[The door to Sch�
�fer Sicherheitdienst opens.
BARTON
The scan is made that we may make our entrance.
Fly, mighty men—iridium awaiteth!
[Exeunt Barton and soldiers. Loki walks outside the museum, transforming into his armor and helmet.
ENTER SEVERAL POLICE OFFICERS IN CARS.
LOKI
Ye peasants, kneel before me! Bend your knees!
[Guests slowly kneel.
Is not this simpler? ’Tis your nat’ral state. 15
Th’unspoken truth about humanity:
Unnat’rally you long for subjugation.
The lure of freedom lessens your life’s joy
As ye do madly scramble ’bout for pow’r,
Identity. Ye were made to be rul’d. 20
Eventually, ye shall always kneel.
[A man arises from his knees.
MAN
Nay, not to men like you. We must take sides.
Neutral’ty helps oppressors, ne’er the victim,
And silence aids tormentors, ne’er tormented.
LOKI
There are no men like me, and neither women. 25
MAN
There e’er were men like you, and e’er shall be—
Those who would ply their villainy and hatred
On those less pow’rful than themselves. It is
A story old and unoriginal.
You bring no revolution—you bring sameness. 30
LOKI
Look to your elder, younger citizens,
For he shall serve as mine example true.
LOKI ATTEMPTS TO SHOOT THE MAN. ENTER STEVE ROGERS IN HIS CAPTAIN AMERICA SUIT, BLOCKING THE BLAST WITH HIS SHIELD. THE BLAST FALLS BACK UPON LOKI.
ROGERS
When last I was in Germany, thou rogue,
And saw a man stand up above the rest,
The two of us were in grave disagreement. 35
LOKI
The soldier, come to save civilian lives.
Who was from ocean’s depth untimely ripp’d,
Man out of time—
ROGERS
—’Tis thee art out of time.
ENTER NATASHA ROMANOFF AND A PILOT INSIDE A S.H.I.E.L.D. SHIP.
ROMANOFF
I bid thee, drop thy fiery weapon, Loki.
[Loki fires at the ship. The pilot dodges his shot. Rogers throws his shield at Loki and attacks him.
ROGERS
[aside:] My shield hath struck, but barely makes a mark! 40
LOKI
A man too weak for one as strong as I!
[They fight.
ROGERS
[aside:] Alack, thus might I overpower’d be.
[Loki subdues Rogers.
LOKI
Resistance is most pitiful, indeed—
Upon thy knees in grave submission kneel!
ROGERS
Today it must not be! I’ve still some fight. 45
[Rogers jumps and kicks Loki. They continue to fight.
ROMANOFF
The dark god’s strength is ev’rywhere, it seems.
ENTER TONY STARK IN HIS IRON MAN SUIT.
STARK
Is it too late to join this merry party?
Mine Agent Romanoff, hast thou miss’d me?
[Loud music begins playing everywhere as Stark overrides the museum’s computer systems. Stark flies in, shooting at Loki and hurting him.
’Tis thy move, Reindeer Games. One thing is sure:
Thy beating shall go down in history. 50
[Loki transforms into normal clothing, surrendering.
Well chosen.
ROGERS
—Master Stark, thou art well met.
STARK
In faith, our meeting’s overdue, good Captain.
[They take Loki, who is silent, into Romanoff’s ship and bind him.
ENTER NICK FURY ABOVE, ON BALCONY, TALKING VIA RADIO.
FURY
The villain—hath he spoken to ye yet?
ROMANOFF
No word—his mien appeareth dark as soot.
FURY
Deliver him, for time is running short. 55
[Exit Nick Fury.
ROGERS
[to Stark:] I like not this. Surrender came too swift.
STARK
Indeed, the Rock of Ages giving up
With unexpected ease?
ROGERS
—Tut, ’twas not easy—
In fisticuffs the man doth pack a wallop.
STARK
Impressive was it—for an elder thou 60
Art spry. Hurrah for senior citizens!
What is thy trick? Pilates?
ROGERS
—Pull-what-ees?
STARK
It is like calisthenics, with more gas.
Thou miss’d some trends whilst thou wert Capsicle.
ROGERS
[aside:] A man of constant jest, but wanting humor. 65
[To Stark:] Strange—Fury told me not he call’d thee in.
STARK
In time thou shalt discover, as have I,
That there is plenty Fury tells thee not.
[A storm arises.
ROMANOFF
How gloomy turns the weather, yet wherefrom?
[Loki flinches.
ROGERS
Art frighten’d of some little lightning, lout? 70
LOKI
’Tis not what leads—I do not like what follows.
ENTER THOR, ATOP THE S.H.I.E.L.D. SHIP. STARK OPENS THE BACK HATCH.
ROGERS
What art thou doing, Stark?
[Thor enters, knocking Stark aside. Thor grabs Loki and jumps out of the ship with him.
STARK
—In walks this fellow,
Now we must also deal with him anon.
ROMANOFF
Another bleak Asgardian, think ye?
ROGERS
The guy’s a friendly? Zounds!
STARK
—It matters not: 75
An he should free or murder Loki, either,
The Tesseract is lost to us fore’er.
ROGERS
We need a thoughtful plan to make attack.
STARK
[Stark jumps out of the ship after Thor and Loki. Rogers sighs and picks up a parachute.
ROMANOFF
Stand down for this encounter dang’rous, Captain. 80
ROGERS
Nay, I must not.
ROMANOFF
—These fellows fanciful
Are born of legend, nearly gods are they.
ROGERS
There is but one God, ma’am, and he doth not
Attire himself in such designs as those.
[Rogers jumps from the ship. Exeunt Natasha Romanoff and pilot, in ship. Below, Thor throws Loki to the ground.
THOR
[to Loki:] Foul Loki, speak: where is the Tesseract? 85
LOKI
I miss’d thee also, brother, e’en as much
As any sister, mother, father, child.
THOR
Doth it appear I’m in a jesting mood?
LOKI
Thou shouldst be thanking me. With Bifrost gone,
How much dark energy did the All-Father 90
Require to send thee here on wings of light,
Unto thy precious earth?
THOR
—I thought thee dead.
LOKI
And didst thou mourn or dance?
THOR
—We
all did mourn:
Our father—
LOKI
—Father thine, not mine, in sooth.
Hath he not told thee my true parentage? 95
THOR
We two were rais’d together, siblings full.
We play’d together, fought together too.
Canst thou remember naught of gladder times?
LOKI
A shadow I recall, but would forget—
Each day hid by the shade of thy renown. 100
Remember I how thou didst toss me down,
In an abyss, who was and should be king.
THOR
Tak’st thou the world I love as recompense
For all the slights thou dost imagine thine?
Nay, Loki, I shall e’er protect the earth. 105
LOKI
Ha! Thereon hast thou done most marv’lously.
The humans slay each other dreadfully,
Their death by droves, whilst thou dost idly fret.
I mean to rule them. Yea, why should I not?
THOR
Thou think’st thyself above them, verily? 110
LOKI
I do affirm it, and cannot deny.
THOR
How hast thou miss’d the truth of sov’reignty!
A throne, my brother, badly thee would suit.
LOKI
I have known worlds as yet unknown to thee!
Once exile had more terror in his look, 115
Much more than death: yet, banishèd, I grew,
Beheld the power of the Tesseract,
And when I wield it, Odinson, I shall—
THOR
Who show’d thee? Who controls the would-be king?
LOKI
Thou imp, I am a king!
THOR
—Nay, never here! 120
Give up the Tesseract and pois’nous dreams,
Which murder by their toxins. Come thou home.
LOKI
The Tesseract is not in my possession.
[Thor picks up his hammer to attack.
Thou need’st the Cube to bring me home, ’tis true?
Yet I have play’d thee false, have sent it off, 125
I know not where.
THOR
—O, brother, take thou heed—
ENTER TONY STARK, PUMMELING THOR AND KNOCKING HIM FAR ASIDE.
LOKI
[aside:] I listen, but mine ears thou dost ignore.
THOR
[to Stark:] Once was enow, wretch—ne’er touch me again.
STARK
If thou wouldst have me heed, take not my things.
THOR
In faith thou hast but little notion of 130
The matters that thou facest presently.
[Stark surveys the natural surroundings.
STARK
It seems it may be Marlowe in the Park?
“Doth Mother knoweth thou weareth her drapeseth?”