notes: To pop everything into place... set top margin at 0.5", bottom margin at 0.5" (or minimums) left margin at 1", right margin at .25 (or minimum) (I had to tell the program that my primitive printer was using legal-size paper) NOTES: on front page LOIS & CLARK is in large, bold, underline The New Adventures of Superman is in not so large, italics "Barbarians at the Planet " is in same size font, not italicized EPISODE 19, (and) Written by: Dan Levine & Deborah Joy Levine are somewhat smaller All other text on first page and the script is in courier 10 (or a nonproportional, 10 characters per inch font) The "*" in use in the text probably means "this line changed from previous version." page 15.: unusual cut off at "Mrs." at end is in original page 39.: Lois is "(exhasperated)". exasperated spelled wrong in original --page break-- _LOIS AND CLARK_ The New Adventures of Superman "Barbarians at the Planet" EPISODE 19 Prod. #455319 Written by: Dan Levine & Deborah Joy LeVine WARNER BROS. TELEVISION Production Draft February 15, 1994 Blue FULL 2/22/94 Pink Rev. 2/24/94 Yellow Rv. 2/25/94 Green FULL 2/28/94 Gold Rev. 3/7/94 --page break-- _LOIS AND CLARK_ "_Barbarians at the Planet_" Green Revision 2/28/94 _CAST_ CLARK KENT/SUPERMAN LOIS LANE PERRY WHITE JIMMY OLSEN LEX LUTHOR _________________________________________________________________ JONATHAN KENT MARTHA KENT JACK MRS. COX DEVANE STEVEN SANCHEZ CHIP PETERSON SANDRA ELLIS FIRE CHIEF --page break-- _LOIS AND CLARK_ "_Barbarians at the Planet_" Green Revision 2/28/94 _LOCATIONS_ _INTERIORS_: _EXTERIORS_: Daily Planet Daily Planet The Pit Street Perry's Office Lobby Kent Farm Elevator Area Park Outside LNN Printing Plant Inkroom Construction Site Storeroom Salome Restaurant Main Cabin - Jet Lp-x Tower Lois Lane's Apartment Luthor's Balcony Kent Kitchen North Pole Sky Luthor's Penthouse Outdoor Cafe Luthor Network News Outside Storeroom Studio Newsroom Lois' Office Salome Restaurant Hallway Dining Area Metropolis Youth Detention Center Devane's Car --page break-- _LOIS AND CLARK_ "_Barbarians at the Planet_" Green Revision 2/28/94 _CHRONOLOGY_ SC. 1 - 4 DAY 1 SC. 5 - 14 DAY 2 SC. 15 - 19 DAY 3 SC. 20 - 21 NIGHT 3 SC. 22 - 41 DAY 4 SC. 42 - 46 DAY 5 SC. 47 - 48 NIGHT 5 SC. 49 - 55 DAY 6 SC. 56 - 75 NIGHT 6 --page break-- _LOIS AND CLARK_ _The New Adventures of Superman_ "_Barbarians at the Planet_" _TEASER_ FADE IN: 1 INT. STOREROOM - (DAY #1) 1 No light; stacks of crates and file cabinets loon out of the darkness. Then, the heavy door is POUNDED from the outside. It SPLINTERS, breaks. Three men enter the room and, waving flashlights, begin to ransack it. All cabinets, crates and files are stamped "Bureau 39." Cabinets are torn open and contents either dumped on the floor or stuffed into sacks. The leader of the trio, DEVANE (mid-thirties, a CIA type with cold, hard features), crowbars open a crate. Inside, carefully packed, are a variety of mineral and metal fragments. He sorts through them until he comes to a leather pouch. He opens the pouch and empties its contents into his hand. He holds a green-glowing chunk of crystal: _Kryptonite_. * CUT TO: 2 EXT. SKY OVER ATLANTIC OCEAN - SUNSET/DAY 2 A private jet, setting sun glinting off the polished metal fuselage. 3 INT. JET - MAIN CABIN 3 Richly appointed. LUTHOR pops the cork an a bottle of champagne and pours half a glass for LOIS. In the background, a violinist PLAYS. LOIS When you said Italian I had no idea we were actually _going_. LUTHOR My favorite restaurant in Milano. Magnifico. LOIS (fondly) What am I going to do with you? (CONTINUED) --page break-- BARBARIANS AT THE PLANET Full Green Rev. 2/28/94 2. 3 CONTINUED: 3 LUTHOR Spend the rest of your life... I hope. LOIS (embarrassed, assuming he's kidding) Lex. LUTHOR I'm serious. Luthor smoothly drops to one knee and produces a large ring case. He opens the case to display a tastefully enormous diamond ring, offers it to Lois. Lois takes it, impressed with it's beauty, but more impressed with the importance of this moment in her young life. LUTHOR (Cont'd) Lois Lane, will you marry me? LOIS (stunned, after a pause) I don't know what to say. LUTHOR There are only three possible choices: Yes. No. Maybe. Lois isn't prepared to opt for any of the above at the moment, but is obviously flattered. LOIS It's not that simple. What about * my life at the Daily Planet? * Clark, Perry, and Jimmy are like family. I... LUTHOR I believe in families. Large ones. LOIS (struggling to explain) The past few weeks have been * wonderful, but... I hardly know * you. * LUTHOR (With complete * sincerity) * The only thing you need to know * about me is that I love you. * Lois can't meet his eyes. * (CONTINUED) --page break-- BARBARIANS AT THE PLANET Full Green Rev. 2/28/94 3. 3 CONTINUED: 2 3 LUTHOR (Cont'd) Is there something else? Some other hesitation? She still doesn't answer. LUTHOR (Cont'd) (gently) Would it have anything to do with Superman? LOIS (evasive) I... this is a lot to take in. LUTHOR But you'll give it some thought? LOIS Yes. LUTHOR So, it's 'maybe', for now. LOIS _Maybe_ 'maybe'. She hands back the ring. LOIS (Cont'd) It _is_ beautiful. LUTHOR Without you, it's just a chunk of rock. On your hand, it's priceless to me, more important than any other object in my life. The co-pilot approaches along the aisle, hands Luthor a mobile phone. LUTHOR (Cont'd) (to Lois) Excuse me. 3A EXT. STREET OUTSIDE STOREROOM - SUNSET - DAY 3A Devane and his henchmen approach their car, get inside. --page break-- BARBARIANS AT THE PLANET Full Green Rev. 2/28/94 4. 4 INT. CAR - SUNSET/DAY - INTERCUT 4 DEVANE (into cellular phone) Your information was accurate, Luthor. I have the Kryptonite. LUTHOR When can I expect delivery? DEVANE I'll call you when I get back to Metropolis. (beat) The price is five million. LUTHOR Done. He hangs up, smiles at Lois LUTHOR (Cont'd) Priceless. We go CLOSE on the ring. FADE OUT. _END OF TEASER_ --page break-- BARBARIANS AT THE PLANET Full Green Rev. 2/28/94 5. _ACT ONE_ FADE IN: 5 INT. DAILY PLANET - LOBBY - (DAY #2) 5 Lois and CLARK, mid-conversation, enter the building and walk toward the elevators. LOIS (frustrated) How many is that? CLARK Six. LOIS (counting on her fingers) Dancer, Prancer, Comet, Blitzen, Dasher, Cupid... Donner... CLARK That's seven. (singsong) One more. LOIS Donner... CLARK You're stuck. LOIS I am not stuck. (thinking, then giving up) I'm stuck. CLARK Five bucks. 'Bucks', get it? LOIS Okay, okay. Just tell me the name. Clark puts his arm around Lois. CLARK Vixen. They've arrived at the elevators. A Businessman is already waiting, standing beneath a 'No Smoking' sign. Oblivious, he begins to light up. With a covert blast of _SUPER BREATH_, Clark blows out the lighter flame. As they wait... (CONTINUED) --page break-- BARBARIANS AT THE PLANET Full Green Rev. 2/28/94 6. 5 CONTINUED: 5 LOIS Double or nothing? CLARK Okay. (beat) The Seven Dwarves. LOIS You're on. Piece of cake. The Businessman again tries to light his cigarette. Clark _BLOWS_ it out. CLARK Go. LOIS (reciting) Happy, Dopey, Doc, Sneezy, Sleepy, Grumpy... CLARK That's six. LOIS Sleezy? (Clark's shaking his head) Dippy, bippy, sloppy, wheezy... Joe, Steve... CLARK Time's up. That's ten you owe me. The Businessman has been shaking his lighter. Again he tries, again Clark _BLOWS_ it out. Lois reaches into her purse and hands Clark a bill as the elevator arrives. LOIS I hate this, I hate this. Tell me. CLARK It's so obvious. The Businessman cuts in front of Lois, heading for the elevator. She snatches the cigarette out of his mouth, breaks it in half, dumps it in a trash bin. He stops, astonished. LOIS Can't you read?! She points to the 'No Smoking' sign. She and Clark step into the elevator, the Businessman stays where he is.' As the doors begin to-close... (CONTINUED) --page break-- BARBARIANS AT THE PLANET Full Green Rev. 2/28/94 7. 5 CONTINUED: 2 5 CLARK Bashful. CUT TO: 6 INT. DAILY PLANET - PIT - DAY 6 Lois and Clark exit off the elevators to a rebellion in progress. PERRY, tired and exasperated, faces a sea of nervous and angry faces, including JIMMY and STEVEN * SANCHEZ, a man in his late fifties. JIMMY So when will we be paid? PERRY They didn't say. I guess when there's money to pay you. He holds up his hands to quell the PROTESTS. PERRY (Cont'd) I'm just the messenger, boys and girls. I can only repeat to you what I've been told. And that's not much. SANCHEZ What are we doing to resolve this? I mean, what is the paper doing? Perry tries not to let-his personal bitterness show. PERRY I have no idea. They haven't asked for my input. Lois and Clark have moved to Jimmy's side. LOIS What's going on? JIMMY Have you tried to cash your paycheck? LOIS I deposited it. JIMMY Rubber. LOIS Again? (CONTINUED) --page break-- BARBARIANS AT THE PLANET Full Green Rev. 2/28/94 8. 6 CONTINUED: 6 CLARK They said last week's problem was a clerical error. JIMMY Yeah, like being broke. (beat) There's a rumor the paper's going under. PERRY (overhearing) Jimmy, there's always a rumor. LOIS And it's usually true. CLARK Anything else, Chief? Any _more_ surprises? PERRY (reluctantly) They talked about layoffs. The PROTESTS get so loud Perry has to again raise his hands for quiet. VARIOUS That's not fair. What about the union? They can't do that. PERRY All I know is if we don't find * ways to save money around here, we're gonna be out of business. The room quiets. LOIS So they haven't been paid upstairs either? PERRY I'm not sure about that. Another groundswell of disapproval, DROWNING OUT everything. 7 INT. DAILY PLANET - PIT - LATER - DAY 7 Lois, Clark, Jimmy and Jack drift toward Lois' desk. (CONTINUED) --page break-- BARBARIANS AT THE PLANET Full Green Rev. 2/28/94 9. 7 CONTINUED: 7 LOIS (reading from a typed list) 'No business lunches, no payments for sources, no cabs... * (looking up) We might as well hang up our word processors.. CLARK We'll adjust. Hopefully it's only temporary. LOIS Clark, we're newspaper people. We're supposed to have the resources to write the news _as_ _it_ _happens_. Old news isn't news, it's history. JIMMY Well _I_ think it's a scan. The pinstriped pinheads upstairs only _want_ us to think the Planet is broke. JACK Why would they do that? LOIS I've seen this before. Management pretends there's this big crisis to panic everyone into cutting costs. CLARK I heard some people talking about a strike. JIMMY Strike? No way, not me I feel like I just walked _in_. JACK Tell me about it. JIMMY Besides, this is the Daily Planet. A messenger comes by and hands Jimmy and Jack envelopes. They tear them open as Jimmy continues. (CONTINUED) --page break-- BARBARIANS AT THE PLANET Full Green Rev. 2/28/94 10. 7 CONTINUED: 2 7 JIMMY (Cont'd) We may be down, but we're not out. Things could be a lot worse. At least we're still... He and Jack pull out pink slips. JACK Unemployed. JIMMY (staring at the slip) * Amazing. They really are pink. * CUT TO: 8 EXT. LUTHOR'S PENTHOUSE BALCONY - DAY 8 Luthor sits at his table, sets down a copy of Metropolis Business Magazine. 9 CU - MAGAZINE COVER 9 A picture of the Daily Planet building. Caption reads: Financial Woes Mount. 10 LUTHOR 10 is joined by MRS. COX, a beautiful African-American woman in her mid-thirties. She pushes a tea service cart. MRS. COX Shall I pour? LUTHOR Let me. He does the honors for both of them. Mrs. Cox takes a chair, puts her feet up on the desk. MRS. COX (re the magazine) Should we begin to switch some of the LexCorp advertising accounts to other papers? LUTHOR (happily) Not yet. We need to preserve the _illusion_ of loyalty. (beat, philosophically) Metropolis won't be Metropolis without the Daily Planet. (CONTINUED) --page break-- BARBARIANS AT THE PLANET Full Green Rev. 2/28/94 11. 10 CONTINUED: 10 MRS. COX How will this affect your proposal to Lois Lane? LUTHOR It's _designed_ to help. If you expect to utterly defeat a battlefield opponent, you must destroy their support system, their allies, and any avenue of retreat. MRS. COX Lois Lane? 'Battlefield Opponent?' LUTHOR Figuratively speaking. A CHIME sounds. Luthor and Mrs. Cox exchange a significant glance. Both rise and move inside to Luthor's office. 10A INT. LUTHOR'S OFFICE - CONTINUOUS - DAY 10A On the desk is a two-way television monitor. It lights up with the image of Devane. LUTHOR Mr. Devane. DEVANE I'm ready to make delivery. Are the funds available? LUTHOR Have you authenticated the item? DEVANE (cold smile) It's genuine. (beat) Don't jerk me around, Luthor. It'd take me about ten seconds to find an alternate buyer. LUTHOR Aren't you forgetting whose sources turned up the existence of the stone in the first place? DEVANE No, I'm not forgetting. That and five million dollars'll get you your stone. (beat) Do you want it or not? (CONTINUED) --page break-- BARBARIANS AT THE PLANET Full Green Rev. 2/28/94 12. 10A CONTINUED: 10A LUTHOR May I see it? Devane produces a lump of something wrapped in black velvet cloth. He removes the cloth to reveal the Kryptonite. LUTHOR (Cont'd) (wetting his lips) I want it. 11 INT. DAILY PLANET - PIT - DAY 11 Lois and Clark are commiserating with Jack and Jimmy. CLARK I could talk to Perry. LOIS We both could. JIMMY Nah. It's not his fault. He would have prevented it if he could. He probably feels bad enough. JACK I guess it's back to a life of crime for me. Off their looks... JACK (Cont'd) It's always nice to have something * to fall back on. JIMMY This could turn out to be a good thing. LOIS How? JIMMY Remember my friend Buzz? We've * been talking about going into * business together. * CLARK Buzz, your reform school roommate? * JIMMY He got a bum rap, too. The guy is * a marketing genius. * (CONTINUED) --page break-- BARBARIANS AT THE PLANET Full Green Rev. 2/28/94 13. 11 CONTINUED: 11 LOIS He's a con man. * JIMMY Same thing. * JACK What kind of business? * JIMMY We had this great idea: 'A Day in * the Life of... You.' Anyone can * do a wedding or a bar mitzvah, but * _we_ go into your home and capture * an ordinary day on video. Kind of * like your own personal 'Truth or * Dare.' * CLARK Wouldn't that take equipment and * capital? JIMMY I've got money saved. Not that much, but enough to get us started. Once it catches on, we'll be * rolling in it. * LOIS That's what I'm afraid of. JIMMY (waxing optimistic to Jack) Maybe you'll come work for me. JACK A little breaking and entering? JIMMY No. I'll make you a vice-president. (to Lois and Clark) You, too. Sanchez, in a daze, walks by. CLARK Steve, are you all right? SANCHEZ I've just been laid off. I've been with the Planet twenty-five years. Where am I going to go? Sanchez walks off. (CONTINUED) --page break-- BARBARIANS AT THE PLANET Full Green Rev. 2/28/94 14. 11 CONTINUED: 2 11 JACK It's a massacre. LOIS It's all happening so fast. CLARK Maybe not. Maybe management's been having serious money problems for months. (beat) The employees are always the last to know. LOIS We've got to strike back. I've been polling: we have the people from printing, maintenance, distribution, administration, news staffers, even accounting. JACK Sounds like a party LOIS Only drastic action will convince * the Board we're not fooling around. CLARK You're talking about a full-scale walkout? LOIS If that's what it takes. (beat) I, for one, refuse to accept these indignities lying down. Jimmy knows a straight line when he hears one, but Lois cuts him off. LOIS (Cont'd) Don't even think about it. 12 OMITTED 12 13 INT. DAILY PLANET - PIT - LATER - DAY 13 People talk in whispers, drink coffee, try to cope with * the tension in the air. --page break-- BARBARIANS AT THE PLANET Full Green Rev. 2/28/94 15. 14 LOIS AND CLARK 14 LOIS Clark, do you think much about the future? CLARK All the time. You? LOIS A lot lately. I mean, if the Planet goes under, I'd be lost. CLARK (a compliment) Not you. You'd be back on your feet in no time. LOIS Maybe. (she hesitates, then plunges) Something happened recently. CLARK What? Something bad? LOIS No. Something that made me think. I've wanted to tell you, but... CLARK Tell me now. LOIS It's not something I can just blurt out. It requires... delicacy. CLARK You're in trouble there. LOIS Clark, you may find this hard to believe, but in my life no one has ever actually asked me to be his... Lois tails off as Perry approaches. CLARK What's up? PERRY Your guess is as good as mine. I * got a call from upstairs to expect * an announcement right about... now. The elevator doors open. Lex Luthor, leading several men in suits, emerges. Mrs. (CONTINUED) --page break-- BARBARIANS AT THE PLANET Full Green Rev. 2/28/94 16. 14 CONTINUED: 14 Cox, smartly attired in a suit herself, is by his side. The room quiets. LOIS (surprised) Lex? LUTHOR For those of you who don't know me, my name is Lex Luthor. (beat) I, no less than you, have been greatly distressed by the sea of troubles that has mired Metropolis' one great newspaper. I don't know why your advertisers have deserted you and circulation is down. I don't know why the banks have shut off your credit lines. And I don't know why you depleted your cash reserves through unnecessary expenditures. (glares at the "suits" with him) Though I have my suspicions. (beat) I do know that the problems can be solved with strong leadership and fiscal responsibility. LUTHOR (Cont'd) Therefore, I have taken the one * step that would guarantee the * future well-being of this * newspaper: I bought it. * (beat) I am the new owner of the Daily Planet. CHEERS erupt. Lois CLAPS wildly. Clark looks sick. * LUTHOR (Cont'd) Today begins a new era. I promise you no interference, only a few minor modifications, and _no_ layoffs. Why tamper with greatness?! CHEERS drown out everything. JIMMY Happy days are here again! * (CONTINUED) --page break-- BARBARIANS AT THE PLANET Full Green Rev. 2/28/94 17. 14 CONTINUED: 2 14 LOIS (to Clark) Isn't it wonderful? CLARK It's a disaster. LOIS Clark, can't you give up this ridiculous idea you have that Lex Luthor is the root of all evil in Metropolis? CLARK Why should I give it up? It's true. LOIS It's not true. Give him some credit. Lex Luthor has just saved our jobs, not to mention... CLARK Not to mention what? LOIS Not to mention... he's also asked me to marry him. On Clark's stricken expression we... FADE OUT. _END ACT ONE_ --page break-- BARBARIANS AT THE PLANET Full Green Rev. 2/28/94 18. _ACT TWO_ FADE IN: 15 INT. DAILY PLANET - PIT - (DAY #3) 15 Business as usual, except someone is hanging a picture of Lex Luthor on the wall. 16 INT. PERRY'S OFFICE - SAME TIME - DAY 16 Perry enters his office. To his annoyance, Luthor is sitting behind his desk, speaking to someone whose back is to Perry. LUTHOR 'Morning, Perry. I hope you'll forgive this intrusion, but my office won't be ready until tomorrow and I needed a quiet place to make some calls. PERRY Uh, well, no problem. Now, if you'll excuse me... LUTHOR I don't believe you've met Chip Peterson, have you? The man Luthor was facing turns around. CHIP PETERSON is an asp in yuppie's clothing. PERRY No. CHIP A pleasure to meet you, sir. I'm a great admirer of your work. You've had such an illustrious career. PERRY Thank you, I... 'Had?' LUTHOR Chip is just out of Harvard Business School. Top of his class. He's very interested in journalism. PERRY Well, son, it's a fine profession. 'Course it takes a lot of hard work and dedication. It's not what you'd call a fast track. (CONTINUED) --page break-- BARBARIANS AT THE PLANET Full Green Rev. 2/28/94 19. 16 CONTINUED: 16 LUTHOR Chip is our new Supervising Editor-in-Chief. Perry takes a moment to digest this. PERRY Supervising... !? CHIP Don't worry, Mr. White. We'll make the transition as smooth and painless as possible. Perry puts his hand on Chip's shoulder. PERRY Son, will you excuse us? CHIP That won't be necessary. PERRY I think it is. Perry hauls Chip out of the chair and propels him out the door. LUTHOR (feigning shock) Perry! PERRY Did you or did you not just make that featherbrained, snot-nosed, pimply-faced, under-aged cow 'chip' my boss? LUTHOR That's one interpretation. PERRY Here's another. Get the hell out of my office, and stay out! Luthor doesn't budge, instead settles back in Perry's chair. LUTHOR (reasonably conciliatory) Perry, you're overreacting. My management style may not be exactly what you and the Daily Planet are used to, but give it time. (MORE) (CONTINUED) --page break-- BARBARIANS AT THE PLANET Full Green Rev. 2/28/94 20. 16 CONTINUED: 2 16 LUTHOR (cont'd) We'll _learn_ to adapt, compromise, work together. Maybe even to love each other. Think of this... as our honeymoon period. PERRY Think of this as our divorce. Period. Perry SLAMS the door on his way out. A moment later he re-enters, grabs his Elvis picture from the wall, exits with another SLAM. Luthor sighs. 17 INT. DAILY PLANET - ELEVATORS - MOMENTS LATER 17 Lois, happily humming to herself, emerges to find Perry, picture in hand, face a thundercloud, waiting to leave. LOIS Perry, are you going somewhere? PERRY (grimly) Home. LOIS (concerned) Are you sick? Is everything all right? PERRY No, I am not sick, and no, everything is not all right. LOIS But... PERRY If you have any problems, take 'em up with our new owner and his new Supervising Editor-!In-Chief. Perry steps onto the elevator, the doors close. LOIS What? Jimmy passes carrying a full box. LOIS (Cont'd) What are _you_ doing? JIMMY Cleaning out my desk. (CONTINUED) --page break-- BARBARIANS AT THE PLANET Full Green Rev. 2/28/94 21. 17 CONTINUED: 17 LOIS (protesting) But I thought you got your job back. Jack, too. JIMMY We got jobs back. But not the ones we had. (beat) We report downstairs to the printing plant tomorrow. (sadly) I'm having a tough time thinking of this as a lateral career move. Jimmy continues on. Lois, head spinning, sits down on one of the chairs. 17A BY CLARK'S DESK - SAME TIME 17A Luthor leans over the desk. His manner is friendly, but firm. LUTHOR Excellent piece of writing, Clark, but I think we'll hold off on running it. CLARK Why? This is a hot topic. LUTHOR 'Controversial' would be a better word. CLARK Allegations of excessive rate hikes at Metropolis Electric is controversial? LUTHOR That _necessary_ rate hikes are 'excessive' is _your_ opinion, not the opinion of this paper. * CLARK This wouldn't have anything to do with your being on the Board of Metropolis Electric, would it? LUTHOR That inference is insulting and unprofessional. I expected more from you, Kent.' (CONTINUED) --page break-- BARBARIANS AT THE PLANET Full Green Rev. 2/28/94 22. 17A CONTINUED: 17A Jack passes, looks at Luthor, says something under his breath. LUTHOR What was that, young man? Jack stops. JACK I said: 'Who died and made you king?' Jack continues on. Luthor stares after him darkly. LUTHOR That boy has courage. I hope it doesn't get him into _too_ much trouble. Lois approaches, overhears the following. CLARK Is this how it's going to be, Luthor? The 'free press' free only to do your bidding? LUTHOR (angrily) If you don't feel 'free' enough around here, Kent, you're 'free' to leave. Luthor turns back toward Perry's office without seeing Lois or realizing she's overheard. She crosses to stand by Clark's desk, looks after Luthor. CLARK (bitterly) 'Why tamper with greatness?' Lois looks at him, then follows Luthor. 18 INT. DAILY PLANET - PERRY'S OFFICE - DAY 18 Luthor is just about to sit when Lois enters. LUTHOR Lois. Just the woman I wanted to See. LOIS Lex, what's going on? Did you fire Perry? (CONTINUED) --page break-- BARBARIANS AT THE PLANET Full Green Rev. 2/28/94 23. 18 CONTINUED: 18 LUTHOR (astonished) What? No, of course not. I just hired another fellow to work with him. Take some of the load off. LOIS But Perry wants the load. He won't accept this. He'll quit. LUTHOR I sincerely hope not. It would be a great loss to the paper. If he only weren't so resistant to progress. (pausing, worried) If I've made a mistake, I better talk to him. I'll apologize. LOIS And Jimmy and Jack? And Clark? What were you two arguing about? LUTHOR I gave Jimmy and Jack jobs. The only ones available. I'll have then back up here as soon as humanly possible. I promise. (beat) As for Clark, he seems to have this unreasonable hostility toward me. I don't know why. I have nothing but respect for him. (beat) * Lois, I'm working to save the * Planet. Give me a chance. Trust me. Everything will turn out fine. Lois finally succumbs, smiles. 19 INT. DAILY PLANET - LOBBY - DAY 19 Lois and Clark sit at the espresso counter, sipping cappucinos. LOIS It's going to work out fine, Clark. Just give it time. Lex will turn things around. CLARK Incredible. LOIS What? (CONTINUED) --page break-- BARBARIANS AT THE PLANET Full Green Rev. 2/28/94 24. 19 CONTINUED: 19 CLARK You. Prize winning investigative journalist. LOIS Is there a point? CLARK How you can be so blind? I mean, you look right at the guy and you don't have a clue who he really is. LOIS Who? CLARK _Luthor_. LOIS Look, Clark, I'm not naive. I know Lex didn't reach his station in life by being a nice guy. But look at the _good_ he's done. Luthor Hospital, Luthor Home for Children, Luthor Foundation for the Arts. * Not to mention employing hundreds * of thousands of people in Metropolis and, most recently, saving our jobs. CLARK A cover. It's all a cover. LOIS Why? If he's such a rotten human being, why bother? CLARK Because _that's_ the part he enjoys most: getting away with it. He's more than just evil. He's a _monster_. LOIS I'm not going to listen to this anymore. (beat) Especially not now. CLARK (stunned) You're not actually considering his proposal? (CONTINUED) --page break-- BARBARIANS AT THE PLANET Full Green Rev. 2/28/94 25. 19 CONTINUED: 2 19 LOIS I don't know, Clark. I'm thinking about it. That's all. Just... thinking about.it. Clark looks down, opens his palm: he's crushed the spoon he was holding to a lump of shapeless metal. CUT TO: 20 EXT. KENT FARM - (NIGHT #3) (ESTABLISHING) 20 21 INT. KENT FARM - KITCHEN - NIGHT 21 Clark and his folks. CLARK I don't believe she'd actually do it, but the fact that she's even thinking about it... Jonathan and Martha exchange a glance. They know he's in pain. MARTHA You have to prevent it, Clark. Knowing what you know about Luthor. CLARK Maybe it's time to do more than that. Clark is momentarily silent. JONATHAN What is it, son? CLARK Remember when you asked me what I wanted, when I first moved to Metropolis? JONATHAN Yes, I do. CLARK I said I wanted a normal * existence, to meet someone, raise * a family, settle down. (MORE) (CONTINUED) --page break-- BARBARIANS AT THE PLANET Full Green Rev. 2/28/94 26. 21 CONTINUED: 21 CLARK (cont'd) (beat) I know now that Lois is the woman I want to spend the rest of ray life with. MARTHA (amused) And you just figured this out? Dad and I have known from the first time you spoke about her. CLARK Maybe I did too, but I couldn't let myself... JONATHAN You love her? CLARK Yes. JONATHAN Then tell her. CLARK What? That I'm Superman? JONATHAN That's got to be up to you. MARTHA At least tell her how you feel. If she feels the same, well... (chuckling) ... it shouldn't take her _too_ long to figure out you're no ordinary man. JONATHAN It's a chance. (beat) I took that same chance thirty years ago. Paid off. Clark looks at his mom and dad as we... CUT TO: 22 INT. DAILY PLANET - PIT - (DAY #4) 22 Clark enters, puts his coat down, takes a deep breath, heads straight for Lois, who is on the phone, and holds a catalogue. * (CONTINUED) --page break-- BARBARIANS AT THE PLANET Full Green Rev. 2/28/94 27. 22 CONTINUED: 22 CLARK Lois, I need to talk to you. LOIS Give me a minute. This is important. * (into phone) * Lane. L... A... N... E... E, as * in 'edgy.' Catalogue number * B2C9141. I.D. number 77466L. * Work number 217-555-9241. Home * number 217-555-2364. Yes. Card * number 9236-7249-3820-6423. * Expiration 1-1-95. * (beat, looking at * Catalogue) * Item number L as in 'lame,' C as * in 'comatose,' 2, 4, D, as in * 'dim-witted.' Color code: wheat. * Size: 6B. * (beat) * What do you mean 'discontinued?' * No I _don't_ have another * selection. You mean I just told * you every intimate detail of my * life for nothing?! Yes, I _would_ * like to speak to your supervisor. * Clark realizes it's going to be more than a minute. CLARK I'll catch you later. Lois waves to acknowledge. CUT TO: 23 INT. DAILY PLANET - PRINTING PLANT - DAY 23 Jimmy and Jack, dressed in rough work clothes-and carrying lunch pails, are in line to punch in. Neither is thrilled to be there. JIMMY Where did they stick you? Jack refers to a slip of paper. JACK Ink supply room. JIMMY Beautiful. I'm a 'utility person.' (beat.) Whatever that means. They punch in. With a ROAR the presses start up. --page break-- BARBARIANS AT THE PLANET Full Green Rev. 2/28/94 28. 24 BEGIN MONTAGE 24 Over ROAR of the presses: 25 JIMMY 25 vigorously plying a mop. 26 JACK 26 refilling ink cartridges. It's a messy job. 27 JACK'S LUNCH PAIL 27 set aside next to shelves full of ink containers. 28 JIMMY 28 wiping his forehead, leaving ink stains there. 29 JACK 29 glancing at the clock. 30 JACK'S LUNCH PAIL 30 A gloved hand switches it for a duplicate. 31 JIMMY 31 dragging heavy, filled trash bags. 32 JACK 32 being yelled at by a Supervisor. We can't hear them over the NOISE. 33 JACK'S LUNCH PAIL 33 explodes. END MONTAGE 34 INT. DAILY PLANET - PIT - DAY 34 Clark hears the _EXPLOSION_. The building is rocked, people start racing for exits. Clark peers through the floor with _X-RAY VISION_. --page break-- BARBARIANS AT THE PLANET Full Green Rev. 2/28/94 29. 35 CLARK'S POV 35 Flames. 36 CLARK 36 looks at Lois. CLARK Get everyone out! Lois nods, hurries toward the exit. Clark rushes toward the storeroom door. Smoke is in the room. He loosens his tie, removes his glasses, enters the storeroom. 37 JIMMY 37 has been knocked down by the force of the explosion. He gets up. ALARMS begin to sound. People run past him. 37A STAIRWELL 37A More EXPLOSIONS, flame, smoke everywhere. One of the metal struts supporting the staircase snaps, but, before anyone falls, Superman is there to hold it together as the workers pass in safety. When all have gone, Superman looks around to see... 38 JACK 38 On his hands and knees, he pushes through a door into the stairwell and begins to crawl toward the stairs, but it's too far and the smoke is too thick. Then Superman is at his side, scooping him up in his arms. 39 OMITTED 39 40 EXT. STREET IN FRONT OF DAILY PLANET - DAY 40 People gather on the street and watch smoke and flames curl around the building. Fire trucks arrive and hurry into action. Superman emerges from the building, sets Jack down next to Lois and Jimmy, begins CPR. A tense moment, then Jack COUGHS, tries to sit up. SUPERMAN He'll be okay. (to Lois) You'll watch him? (CONTINUED) --page break-- BARBARIANS AT THE PLANET Full Green Rev. 2/28/94 30. 40 CONTINUED: 40 LOIS (Eyes shiny with love) Of course. Superman now turns to the FIRE CHIEF. SUPERMAN How's your water pressure? FIRE CHIEF Good, but we'll never get our lines in there. SUPERMAN Yes you will. Superman grabs several hose ends, begins to _LEVITATE_ up out of sight. A moment later... SUPERMAN (Cont'd)(O.S.) Now! The Fire Chief signals and water is turned on. The firemen APPLAUD, Jimmy and Lois join in. JIMMY (leaning into Lois) Incredible. How many times has he * just stepped in and saved our lives? What a guy. * On Lois, we... DISSOLVE TO: 41 EXT. DAILY PLANET BUILDING - LATE DAY 41 A soggy, fire-blackened ruin, but the blaze is out. * Lois, Clark, Perry, Jimmy, and Jack stare at the ruins. * They're in shock, none more than Perry. * PERRY Gone. All... gone. LOIS (firmly) We'll rebuild. JIMMY (not quite believing it) Sure we will. * (CONTINUED) --page break-- BARBARIANS AT THE PLANET Full Green Rev. 2/28/94 31. 41 CONTINUED: 41 PERRY This is about the worst thing I can imagine. LUTHOR (V.0.) _Not_ the worst. They turn to see him approaching. He's accompanied by several police officers and the Fire Chief. LUTHOR (Cont'd) (grimly) The worst would be that one of our * own employees set this fire * deliberately. * (points to Jack, to Cops) That's him. JACK (horrified) No. He takes a step backward, but is grabbed by the cops. JACK (Cont'd) No! Let me go. I didn't do _anything_. CLARK Luthor, this is a mistake. LOIS (pleading) Lex... LUTHOR No mistake. The incendiary device that did this was in _his_ lunch pail, and the police found the explosives he used to make it hidden in his room. (beat) We're all familiar with his criminal past. Luthor motions and the police haul him off, still protesting his innocence. LUTHOR (Cont'd) A sad day for all of us. (CONTINUED) --page break-- BARBARIANS AT THE PLANET Full Green Rev. 2/28/94 32. 41 CONTINUED: 2 41. PERRY A historic day. Tomorrow, for the first time in two hundred nineteen years, there will be no edition of the Daily Planet. On their expressions we... FADE OUT. _END OF ACT TWO_ --page break-- BARBARIANS AT THE PLANET Full Green Rev. 2/28/94 33. _ACT THREE_ FADE IN: 42 EXT. DAILY PLANET - (DAY #5) 42 Lois, Clark, Jimmy, and Perry are gathered on the street to watch the famous Daily Planet globe come down and the building inspectors post notices that the building is condemned. Perry is trying not to get emotional, but tears form in his eyes. Lois hugs him. LOIS It's okay, Chief. We'll bounce back. PERRY I'm afraid the Planet and I are all bounced out. 'Will not-reopen in the foreseeable future' was the phrase Luthor used at the press conference. JIMMY Come on. I'll buy you guys a cup of coffee. (beat, sadly) I always wanted to be a reporter for the Daily Planet. Now I guess * I'll just have to be satisfied with being a video tycoon. That's the * way it goes sometimes. CUT TO: 43 EXT. SIDEWALK CAFE - DAY 43 Lois, Clark, Jimmy and Perry sit over steaming cups of coffee. Perry drains his, gets up to grab the pot and freshen all of theirs. A waitress moves toward him, but he waves her off. PERRY I got it, Candy. (as he pours) I was only seventeen years old when I came here. I had an interview with Krebbs -- assistant copy boy -- and I was already late. But I stood under that globe and just stared at it. I knew that my future was in that building. (CONTINUED) --page break-- BARBARIANS AT THE PLANET Full Green Rev. 2/28/94 34. 43 CONTINUED: 43 CLARK It was barely a year ago that I interviewed with you. (beat) Thanks for giving me the best year of my life. JIMMY And for giving me a chance to work * with you, Chief. They all look to Lois. _Her_ turn. LOIS I refuse to sit here and cry in my cafe au lait, or deliver testimonials to my wonderful but short-lived career at the Planet. (beat) That life is _not_ over. We'll be back. All of us. Together. The rest of the group isn't so sure. JIMMY Anybody seen Cat? PERRY She had an interview with Newstime Magazine. LOIS She's supposed to _catch_ rats, not desert the sinking ship with them. CLARK She's entitled to look for another job, Lois. We may all have to. PERRY Not me. I don't want another job. Alice and I were up all night talking. (beat) I'm going to take early retirement. LOIS You? JIMMY I give it a month. No. I give it a week. CLARK Chief, you're too young to think about retiring. (CONTINUED) --page break-- BARBARIANS AT THE PLANET Full Green Rev. 2/28/94 35. 43 CONTINUED: 2 43 PERRY Maybe, but I'm also too old to start interviewing with runny-nosed kids with more diplomas than good sense. (beat) I'll fish. I'll read. I'll travel. I'll collect stamps. Life will be... JIMMY Dull? PERRY Relaxing. (beat) I've got to go. I'm meeting Alice at the realtors. LOIS Chief... PERRY Whatever happens, I want you people to know you're the best I've ever worked with. Perry leaves. The others wait with Jimmy as he pays at the register. JIMMY I've never seen him like this. We have to do something. LOIS Only one thing _to_ do. He saved the Planet once. He'll do it again. CLARK Luthor? LOIS Don't start, Clark. It's worth a try. I do have a certain influence with him, you know. JIMMY What about Jack? Is he going to help him? Lois remembers, turns snidely to Clark. (CONTINUED) --page break-- BARBARIANS AT THE PLANET Full Green Rev. 2/28/94 36. 43 CONTINUED: 3 43 LOIS _Perfect_ example. Lex is convinced that Jack set the fire, but because I asked him to, he's gotten an excellent lawyer to defend him. CLARK Yeah, _perfect_. With Luthor's help I'm sure Jack will never again see the light of day. CUT TO: 44 INT. LUTHOR'S PENTHOUSE - DAY 44 Lois enters his study. Luthor is breakfasting in a high-back chair with a tray. Mrs. Cox is at his side. Lex stands as Lois comes in, gives her a kiss. LUTHOR Lois! What a surprise. (beat) I don't believe you two are acquainted. Lois Lane, Mrs. Cox. MRS. COX So pleased to meet you. She lays a hand lightly, possessively on Luthor's shoulder. Lois looks at it. LUTHOR Mrs. Cox is my personal assistant. LOIS And what, exactly, does a personal assistant do? MRS. COX Whatever's necessary. Mrs. Cox leaves. Lois turns back to business. LOIS Lex... I need your help. LUTHOR With what? LOIS With rebuilding the Daily Planet. (CONTINUED) --page break-- BARBARIANS AT THE PLANET Full Green Rev. 2/28/94 37. 44 CONTINUED: 44 LUTHOR Lois, there isn't an advertiser in this city that I could count on for revenue. Besides, the Planet was pitifully under-insured. Rebuilding makes no economic sense. (beat) I'd like to, but I can't. I have the other stockholders to think of. LOIS But everyone's so lost... No one knows where or if they'll find another job... Perry's threatening an early retirement. LUTHOR Is that all bad? Perry deserves retirement. He's worked too hard for too many years. Let him enjoy life for a change. LOIS His life was the Planet. Mine, too. LUTHOR Lois, I know you called the Planet home. But I can make another home for you. LOIS Lex, I couldn't just sit around organizing dinner parties. I need to work. LUTHOR I know that, my darling. That's why I have a job for you. At Luthor News Network. LOIS Television? LUTHOR The on-ramp to the information highway. The future is five hundred interactive channels of television viewing. Let me show you around this afternoon. LOIS I guess it won't do any harm to take a look. (CONTINUED) --page break-- BARBARIANS AT THE PLANET Full Green Rev. 2/28/94 38. 44 CONTINUED: 2 44 LUTHOR (beat) That's my girl. Speaking of which... Luthor removes the ring box from his pocket and sets it on the desk. LUTHOR (Cont'd) Have you reached a decision? LOIS Not... quite yet. Soon. There's something I have to settle first. (beat) I'll give you my answer tomorrow. CUT TO: 45 INT. LUTHOR NETWORK NEWS (LNN) - DAY 45 Luthor News Network is a high-tech maelstrom. On the live monitor: a correspondent (SANDRA ELLIS, attractive, early 30's) is speaking. SANDRA According to the latest Kelsey Survey only three per cent of American women have ever experienced... Lois stands with a group of people in the sparkling clean and bustling newsroom. Clark gets off the elevator. Lois spots him, waves him over. LOIS Clark! Thanks for coming. CLARK What's going on? LOIS Plenty. I've been here all * afternoon. * CLARK Lois, what am _I_ doing here, * exactly? LOIS I'm going to work here. I want * you to come work here, too. We can still be partners. (CONTINUED) --page break-- BARBARIANS AT THE PLANET Full Green Rev. 2/28/94 39. 45 CONTINUED: 45 CLARK I'm a _newspaper_ reporter. LOIS You'd _still_ be writing the news. * Copy for our reporters. Or, you could be a correspondent. Look around you: it's so _modern_. CLARK Sterile. LOIS Efficient. CLARK Soulless. LOIS Fast-paced. CLARK Superficial. LOIS (exhasperated) Clark, where's your open mind? * CLARK I can't believe you've given up so soon... on the Planet. Did it mean that little to you? LOIS The Planet meant as much or more * to me as it did to you. But it's gone. Even Lex can't put it back together again. (beat) This is good, exciting work. CLARK I will never work for Lex Luthor. LOIS What about us? What about 'partners?' CLARK (looking around) Is there someplace we can talk, alone? --page break-- BARBARIANS AT THE PLANET Full Green Rev. 2/28/94 40. 46 EXT. PARK OUTSIDE LUTHOR NEWS NETWORK - DAY 46 Lois and Clark walk in silence through the park. Clark spies an empty bench and they sit. It's hard for him to say what he must. LOIS What is it, Clark? CLARK Lois, when I thought about losing my job at the Planet, saying goodbye to Perry, Jimmy, everyone... I realized something. I realized I could lose all that and still go on. I realized there * was only one thing I didn't want * to live without... and that was you. Seeing you every morning, working with you, being with you. LOIS That's why you should... CLARK No. Lois, listen to me. I'm not talking about the partnership. I'm talking about us. (beat) I've been in love with you for a long time. Lois looks into Clark's eyes. CLARK (Cont'd) You must have known. LOIS I knew... well I knew that you liked me, were attracted to me, but... I'm sorry. I don't think about you in that way... romantically. (beat) Clark, you're my best friend, the only partner I could ever stand to work with. I admire you, respect you, and I do love you, but only as a friend. Clark is crestfallen.. CLARK And Luthor? Do you love him? (CONTINUED) --page break-- BARBARIANS AT THE PLANET Full Green Rev. 2/28/94 41. 46 CONTINUED: 46 LOIS I don't know. I do have feelings for him. (beat) I haven't said yes, yet. And I won't, until I've talked it over with someone else. CLARK Who? LOIS I think you know. If you see him, will you tell him I'm looking for him? CUT TO: 47 EXT. CONSTRUCTION SITE - (NIGHT #5) 47 A sign reads: Future Site of Lex Tower XVI. The Lex Limo slowly CRUNCHES along the dirt path and comes to a stop. Headlights switch off. The remaining light is from a single bulb attached to a construction trailer. Devane steps from the trailer. He carries a small case. The door to the limo opens and Luthor emerges carrying a thick attache case. He and Devane approach until they're five feet apart. DEVANE You have the money? LUTHOR Five million dollars. (beat) The stone? Devane taps his case. LUTHOR (Cont'd) My information suggested the stone had been tested extensively by a University laboratory. Who else knows about its properties? DEVANE There were some loose ends... but they've been trimmed. Bureau 39 was thorough that way. LUTHOR And the research? (CONTINUED) --page break-- BARBARIANS AT THE PLANET Full Green Rev. 2/28/94 42. 47 CONTINUED: 47 DEVANE Destroyed. LUTHOR Then I'll have to take your word for what it's capable of. DEVANE (sneering) You want a money back guarantee. LUTHOR Yes, I do. Luthor opens his otherwise empty attache case and takes out a .45 automatic. He motions with it and Devane raises his hands. LUTHOR (Cont'd) Put the case down and walk away. If it works, I'll pay you your money, with a bonus. DEVANE You double-crossing... LUTHOR Uh, uh... careful. Devane puts the case down, turns, begins to move away. Luthor bends to retrieve the case, opens it to find... an ordinary rock inside. Devane darts behind the trailer. DEVANE (yelling) Now! Two men appear and begin firing at Luthor with handguns. Luthor, firing back, retreats toward the limo. The limo driver leaps out to cover his retreat with a machine gun. Bullets PING off the limo, but it's armored and doesn't even dent. One of Devane's men vanishes, then the other. * Devane, trying to escape, is hit, but before he falls he shoots Luthor. Luthor crumples, Devane too. Suddenly, it's eerily quiet. The limo driver takes off his/her cap. It's Mrs. Cox. The other door of the limo opens and a man emerges, moves to the fallen body of Luthor. The man shines a flashlight on Luthor's face, then rips off the latex mask covering the face: it's not Luthor. The man holding the flashlight _is_. Mrs. Cox joins him. (CONTINUED) --page break-- BARBARIANS AT THE PLANET Full Green Rev. 2/28/94 43. 47 CONTINUED: 2 47 LUTHOR (re: his ex-double) The voice wasn't bad, but I never felt he got the mannerisms down. MRS. COX It's not easy playing you. LUTHOR Nonsense. I do it all the time. They move to Devane's body. He's still breathing, trying to crawl away. LUTHOR (leaning over him) Is that Kryptonite in your pocket, or are you just glad to see me? Luthor quickly frisks him, finds the leather pouch. Inside is the stone. LUTHOR (Cont'd) Pay him his bonus, will you,.Mrs. Cox? We FOLLOW Luthor as he moves away, admiring his acquisition. From near Devane's body, a burst-of GUNFIRE. 48 INT. LOIS LANE'S APARTMENT - NIGHT 48 Lois, in her nightgown, is curled up on the sofa watching TV. She bears a WHOOSH by her window, turns to see Superman standing by it. LOIS Superman! SUPERMAN I heard you wanted to see me. LOIS Yes. Please, come in. I'll just put on a robe. SUPERMAN Unless it's lead-lined, Lois, it's a waste of time. LOIS (red-faced) I guess so. Anyway, I'm just trying to figure out... (MORE) (CONTINUED) --page break-- BARBARIANS AT THE PLANET Full Green Rev. 2/28/94 44. 48 CONTINUED: 48 LOIS (cont'd) well, there've been a lot of changes going on in my life and I'm trying to make the right, decisions, but I can't until I know... how you feel. Lois walks up to Superman, puts her hand on his chest. LOIS (Cont'd) Superman, is there any hope for us? You and me? I'm so completely in love with you that I can't do anything else without knowing. SUPERMAN (shaking his head) Lois, I do care for you. But... there are things about me you don't know, that you may never know. LOIS It doesn't matter. I know _you_. And I don't mean you the celebrity * or you the 'superhero.' If you * had _no_ powers, if you were just an ordinary man leading an ordinary life, I'd love you just the same. Can't you believe that? SUPERMAN (heartsick) I wish I could, Lois. But, under the circumstances, I don't see how I can. Lois stares at him, tears forming in her eyes, then turns away. When she turns around again... LOIS Superman... He's gone. Only the flutter of the curtains remains. As the tears come freely now down Lois' cheeks we... FADE OUT. _END ACT THREE_ --page break-- BARBARIANS AT THE PLANET Full Green Rev. 2/28/94 45. _ACT FOUR_ FADE IN: 49 INT. INN - LOIS' OFFICE - (DAY #6) 49 The room is large, modern, sterile. Lois is finishing unpacking a box of her personal items. She removes her dead plant, places it on her desk. She takes out a photo album, sits in her chair. It's a scrapbook of all the articles/pictures of her and Superman together. 50 CU - PICTURE 50 Lois and Superman arm in arm. 51 LOIS 51 Sadly closes the book, puts it in her bottom drawer. She leans back in her chair, then sits forward to rearrange her pencil cup. Then, she hears a COMMOTION outside her office, gets up and exits into the... 52 LNN NEWSROOM - SAME TIME 52 A group of news staffers are huddled around a desk. They're excited, frustrated, talking a mile a minute. The center of the group is SANDRA ELLIS. * LOIS What's going on? SANDRA ELLIS Sources inside the courthouse tell us the Grand Jury may be about to come back with indictments against two City Councilmen. LOIS The Redevelopment Fund scandal? SANDRA ELLIS (nodding) Yep. We have a camera crew there, but they've been denied access. (beat) We don't know which two were named, or even if our information is accurate. LOIS Until you know that, there's no story. (CONTINUED) --page break-- BARBARIANS AT THE PLANET Full Green Rev. 2/28/94 46. 52 CONTINUED: 52 SANDRA ELLIS But we also hear CNN's about to go with it. So... LOIS So they know something we don't know. (beat, thinking fast) Let me make a few calls. I know some of the bailiffs. SANDRA ELLIS I'm on the air in four minutes. LOIS Not unless you've got something to report. Lois picks up the phone, dials quickly. All eyes on her, waiting as we... CUT TO: 53 INT. LNN NEWS STATION - STUDIO - DAY 53 Sandra is now at her console as she gets the signal from the director and the broadcast starts. SANDRA ELLIS The Grand Jury today handed down * indictments calling for the arrests of Metropolis City Councilmen Ferdig and Montang. Behind her, on the screen, is footage of the councilmen trying to hide their faces from the camera. Grinning bailiffs are not as shy. SANDRA ELLIS (Cont'd) As you can see from this exclusive tape taken outside the courthouse, * the councilmen have already been remanded into custody and we'll be covering their arraignment later this afternoon. For now, this is Sandra Ellis for LNN News. The Director signals and they sign off. The newsroom erupts in applause, turns to... 54 LOIS 54 She accepts the applause graciously, bows and smiles as we... CUT TO: --page break-- BARBARIANS AT THE PLANET Full Green Rev. 2/28/94 47. 55 INT. METROPOLIS YOUTH DETENTION CENTER - DAY 55 Clark is already seated in the visiting room when Jack, wearing "prison" coveralls, is led in, sits across from him at a long table. CLARK How are you? JACK Swell. The room's small and drafty, company's not much to speak of, but, on the other hand, the food stinks. CLARK Jack, I want to hear it from you. The truth. No matter what it is. JACK I had nothing to do with it. I swear to you. I mean, why would * I? I had a good job, people who * trusted me... it was all going great. * (beat) * You believe me? CLARK Yes. I believe you. Don't worry, we'll get you out. JACK I don't like that lawyer Luthor hired for me. He doesn't listen to me. He just says we should cop a plea. CLARK I'll get you another lawyer. JACK Any chance you could ask Superman * to bust me out of here? CLARK No. JACK I didn't think so. (changing the subject) What's going on? Everybody else all right? CLARK Everyone's fine. Don't worry about us. Just hang in there. * (CONTINUED) --page break-- BARBARIANS AT THE PLANET Gold Rev. 3/7/94 48. 55 CONTINUED: 55 JACK I'm cool. Another week and I'll be running this place. Clark and Jack share a smile. As it fades we... CUT TO: 56 EXT. RESTAURANT SALOME - (NIGHT #6) (ESTABLISHING) 56 Middle Eastern music comes from within. 57 INT. RESTAURANT HALLWAY - PUBLIC PHONE - NIGHT 57 Jimmy drops in some coins, waits for an answer, is relieved to hear Buzz's voice. JIMMY Buzz? Where've you been? I've been trying to get you all day. Yeah. Yeah. (beat) What do you mean, 'The deal's off?' You said it was a sure thing. I thought we had commitments! (angry) Well, what about my money? What about those loans I took out? Wait a minute, Buzz, you can't leave me like this. That was everything I had. Buzz? Buzz? Jimmy hangs up on the DIAL TONE, turns and looks back toward the party, putting,on his best face. We follow him into a large room where, seated on the floor, around the "table," are Perry, Lois, Clark and several other Planeteers. They're all sipping champagne, Perry slightly more than sipping. On the wall is a banner that says "Happy Retirement, Mr. White!" A belly dancer, CLANGING finger cymbals, gyrates wildly around the room. PERRY (making a toast) Here's to the Daily Planet! It's * gonna be hard to live without her. * But, you know, at one point Elvis * went thirteen years between Las * Vegas appearances. If you're not * careful, time'll sneak up on you. * CLARK Now there's time for everything. * (CONTINUED) --page break-- BARBARIANS AT THE PLANET Gold Rev. 3/7/94 49. 57 CONTINUED: 57 JIMMY No more deadlines. * LOIS Just think, Chief. Maybe now you * can plan that trip to Graceland * and actually _go_. * PERRY (lifting his glass) * Ah, Graceland. Didja know Elvis * had a twin brother? Yep. Jesse * Garon Presley. Delivered * thirty-five minutes before The * King, dead at birth. * (beat) So sad. So sad. * Perry begins crying. He starts singing "Lonely * Teardrops" and then jumps to his feet. * PERRY (Cont'd) Jackie Wilson took ill while * singing 'Lonely Teardrops' at the * Latin Casino in Cherry Hill, New * Jersey. Elvis sent Jackie's wife * a check for thirty thousand * dollars. That's The King... * that's The King. * The Belly dancer moves in front of Perry, who dances * after her. * LOIS So much for the Chief not having a * good time. * The group stares after Perry for a moment, then turns * back to each other. JIMMY So, how's the new job, Lois? LOIS Great. Broadcasting is a whole new world. It's so exciting. CLARK (sharply) Not like life at the Planet, dull and boring? (CONTINUED) --page break-- BARBARIANS AT THE PLANET Gold Rev. 3/7/94 49A. 57 CONTINUED: 2 57 LOIS You know what I mean. Nothing could ever replace the Planet, but I, for one, am not sitting around obsessing about it. CLARK I'm _trying_ to figure out how the paper failed. What we know is only the tip of the iceberg. (CONTINUED) --page break-- BARBARIANS AT THE PLANET Full Green Rev. 2/28/94 50. 57 CONTINUED: 2 57 LOIS Clark, can I have a word with you, in private? The rest of the table quiets as Clark and Lois get up and retreat to the other side of the restaurant. LOIS (Cont'd) (accusatory) You're ruining Perry's retirement dinner. CLARK Me? I'm not the one gloating over my new job. LOIS Gloating? CLARK All you can talk about is your new life at LNN with Lex Luthor. LOIS And all you can do is sit around whining in your beer. Clark shakes his head in disgust. LOIS What? CLARK You're afraid. LOIS I'm not afraid of anything. CLARK Yes, you are. You're afraid of the truth. And the truth is that Lex Luthor may be hiding from you what really happened at the Planet. I've been doing some digging and... LOIS (interrupting) I know why you're doing this. CLARK You do, huh? LOIS Yes. You told me your feelings and you were hurt. (MORE) (CONTINUED) --page break-- BARBARIANS AT THE PLANET Full Green Rev. 2/28/94 51. 57 CONTINUED: 3 57 LOIS (cont'd) I'm sorry about that, Clark.. But all this is just sour grapes. CLARK Lois, what if I find evidence... LOIS Clark, you're talking about a man I trust and admire, who's always been completely truthful with me. * (beat) If you really cared about me, you'd let me... _help_ me be happy. I've gotten a good job and found someone who wants to spend the rest of his life with me. What's wrong with that? CLARK (very frustrated and angry) Okay. If that's what you want, then... fine. Get in bed with the devil. LOIS (equally angry) Fine. CLARK Let's get back to the party. LOIS And have a _really_ _good_ _time_. The duo head back toward the table only to see Perry now gyrating with the belly dancer as the others CLAP out the rhythm. CUT TO: 58 EXT. RESTAURANT SALOME - NIGHT 58 Perry, Jimmy, Lois and Clark exit. Perry, still * singing "Lonely Teardrops," is being helped along by * Jimmy. They file into the waiting Lex Limo. Before Jimmy gets inside, he leans into Lois... JIMMY Must be nice. Having a free car and driver at your beck and call. (CONTINUED) --page break-- BARBARIANS AT THE PLANET Full Green Rev. 2/28/94 52. 58 CONTINUED: 58 CLARK The word 'free' is not in Luthor's vocabulary. With him, you always pay. LOIS Will you stop? (as he walks away) Aren't you coming? CLARK I'd rather walk. LOIS Suit yourself. Lois watches him walk away, then turns to gaze at... 59 EXT. LEX TOWER - LOIS' POV - NIGHT 59 The huge building dominates the Metropolis skyline. 60 LOIS 60 climbs into the limo as we... CUT TO: 61 INT. LUTHOR'S PENTHOUSE - NIGHT 61* Lois enters Luthor's study. He stands to greet her with open arms. LUTHOR So... how was the retirement dinner? LOIS Painful. LUTHOR I'm sorry. I wish there was something I could do to help. Luthor takes Lois into his arms and she stares up at him. LUTHOR (Cont'd) What is it? LOIS Nothing. It's just... do I really know you? Know enough about you? (CONTINUED) --page break-- BARBARIANS AT THE PLANET Full Green Rev. 2/28/94 53. 61 CONTINUED: 61 LUTHOR My life is an open book. Shall I read it to you? LOIS Only the parts you wouldn't want anyone else to know. LUTHOR Okay. (beat) I started with nothing... orphaned at age thirteen. LOIS It must have been terrible. LUTHOR Yes. But it made me strong. (beat) I'm no saint, Lois. I've done questionable things in pursuing success. Unfortunately, that's the nature of big business. 62 INT. LUTHOR'S PENTHOUSE - NIGHT - LUTHOR REMEMBERS 62 Luthor meets with the "suits" who accompanied him to announce he had bought the Planet. LUTHOR Don't worry about the advertisers and the banks. They'll do what I tell them to do. The Board's decision to sell the Daily Planet to me must be immediate and unanimous. Naturally, your loyalty will be rewarded, or should I say 'compensated.' 63 INT. LUTHOR'S PENTHOUSE - SCENE CONTINUES - NIGHT 63 LUTHOR Sometimes, out of jealousy or frustration, I've over-reacted. 64 INT. LUTHOR'S PENTHOUSE - DAY - LUTHOR REMEMBERS 64 Luthor sets the timer on an explosive incendiary device, puts it in a lunch pail (identical to Jack's), hands it to the gloved Mrs. Cox. --page break-- BARBARIANS AT THE PLANET Full Green Rev. 2/28/94 54. 65 INT. LUTHOR'S PENTHOUSE - SCENE CONTINUES - NIGHT 65 LUTHOR I've been ruthless toward my enemies. 66 INT. LIMO - NIGHT - LUTHOR REMEMBERS 66 Luthor loads a full clip into his 45 automatic and places it inside the attache case. 67 INT. LUTHOR'S PENTHOUSE - SCENE CONTINUES - NIGHT 67 LUTHOR But, as God is my witness, I swear to you, from this moment on, I will change. I no longer want to hurt anyone. 68 ANGLE ON LOCKED CABINET 68 We can see flickers of a deadly green glow slipping through the cracks. 69 BACK TO LUTHOR 69 He walks over to his desk, takes out the box with the engagement ring in it, brings it back to Lois. LUTHOR Lois, I'm ready to devote my life to you, to commit to you utterly and eternally. Luthor is down on one knee again. LUTHOR (Cont'd) Will you marry me? Lois stares at him a moment. She thinks back to: 70 INT. LOIS' APARTMENT - NIGHT - LOIS REMEMBERS 70 LOIS Superman, is there any hope for us? Superman shakes his head "no." 71 INT. LUTHOR'S PENTHOUSE - SCENE CONTINUES - NIGHT 71 LOIS Yes, Lex. I will marry you. Luthor pulls Lois toward him and they kiss, passionately. --page break-- BARBARIANS AT THE PLANET Full Green Rev. 2/28/94 55. 72 EXT. LEX LUTHOR'S BALCONY - SAME TIME 72 Superman HOVERS, out of sight, but close enough to hear, and to see. He throws back his head in anguish and flies straight up. 73 EXT. THE NORTH POLE 73 Superman lands on the frozen tundra. Here, in the dark icy stillness he SCREAMS at the top of his lungs. The echo of his pain is so loud that a massive glacier breaks off into the sea. CUT TO: 74 INT. LUTHOR'S PENTHOUSE - SAME TIME 74 Lois momentarily parts from Luthor. Has she heard something? Maybe not. After a moment, Luthor pulls her back and they kiss again. 75 EXT. THE NORTH POLE - FROM HIGH 75 On Superman, now a speck upon the ice, his continuing ROAR of torment echoing, we see these words appear on the screen: TO BE CONTINUED and then... FADE OUT. _END ACT FOUR_