Red Sonja: Queen of Plagues (2016) - full transcript

Victory!

Victory!

Glory comes at a wet
crimson cost, My Liege.

Sorry, Sire.

I does go on a bit
after a red morn.

It is not a day for diplomacy, Apos.

Be at ease.

Where is the butcher,
the Zamoran King?

Reports from the ranks
seem a bit muddy, Lord.

They somewhat say he fell in battle,

and somewhat say he made escape



in the garb of a Patreon,
one of our dead.

There ain't no body, that's certain.

And my son, Lieutenant.

What of Tiath?

Please tell me my son showed
valor befitting his station?

Uh, well,
not in the traditional sense,

King Dimath.

I hear as he, that he...

Spew the words so poisonous
to your tongue, Soldier.

He were...
He were harassin' the fallen, Lord.

Father, Father!

Praise the stars you yet live!

Yes, and where were you son,
who should have been at my side?

Oh, I was collecting
humored specimens, Father.



I'm sorry.

Truer words were never uttered.

One day,
I shall make you proud, Father!

Survivors in the keep, Apos?

Women, children, no soldiers,
no men at arms.

Well, only...
Yes?

It's the dungeons, Sir.
It ain't pleasant.

They kept 80 prisoners down here,

like dogs in the mud.

Worked 'em as slaves all day,

made 'em fight to the
death at night for sport.

Only two still standing.

They ain't human no more, Lord.

Two survive the dungeon and
the arena?

Let me see these fierce men.

Yes, Sire.
Only, about that.

They ain't quite men, Sire.

Don't know what they are, exactly.

But they definitely ain't men.

By the secret scrolls!

They don't seem to speak.

Maybe their tongues is cut,

or maybe they don't
recollect as to how.

Let me dispatch 'em, Sire.

Kindest thing, poor souls.

I can't...
I can't bear their eyes, Lord.

No.
Give them food and a bath.

Then, give them each a horse

and free passage away from here.

We fought for our freedom today.

It would be unjust
indeed to deny that

to whoever these
creatures used to be.

Mm, 'sjah.

Hm?

My name is Red Sonja.

Shh, shut up!

Don't wake her!

Take what we want and go.

She doesn't smell like a lady.

She brooks no saddle.

Bags on the horse yet, Tevius.

Food, gold, maybe.

Take the food if you need it.

The gold as well,
there's little enough.

Try to touch my sword and you die.

Try to touch me and you die fingerless.

There are three of
us and we are armed.

And your sword is stuck
in the dirt, Girl.

True, but I keep a throwing dagger

under my pillow, always.

Are you a gambler, Cutthroat?

I think you're a liar, Girl.

If you had such a blade,
why would you not slay me

as I stole your goods?

Because I am drunk, Scavenger.

My aim could be off a bit.

I might get your blood on my horse.

I believe her, my friend.
Let us leave.

Tevius, what little
life I have left,

I don't want it to end tonight.

Please, we go.

No, I will run from a blade
no more!

Well, well, Pursesnatch.

Turns out you are a
wagering man after all.

Pity.

We shall save you
from these craven dogs,

your Radiant Ladyship,

for Patra and for honor!

Wonderful, whoever you are.

Could you rescue me a
bit more quietly, please?

Fire, Sister, fire!

I can't.

Enough!

You threaten children,
you leave with nothing.

I won't say it again.

You don't frighten me, Witch Woman.

You said it yourself, you're drunk.

Yes.

But I'm not that drunk.

And what to do with the third

of a matched set of bunglers,
I wonder.

No, please, I'm sick.
Please help me.

What in the name of the goddess?

It's the plague,
your Radiant Ladyship.

The King begs you come, please.

No King summons Sonja, Children.

And your Radiant Ladyship isn't
quite herself at the moment.

Run along, please.

It's King Dimath,
oh Majestic Blade Mistress.

He requests, nay, he begs you come.

Dimath.

The first King I ever
saw show mercy to anyone.

Damn.

Boil me a brew, Couriers.

The stem of a Durcetta apple,
crushed fern bracken,

and ash from the fire.

At once, our Glorious Sword Princess!

Will this help her Radiant
Ladyship's hangover?

No, but the taste is so repulsive

it'll make me angry enough to forget.

Wash my boots in the
stream while you're at it.

Burn the bodies.

And you, you have my sympathy.

I can leave a blade if you
need it.

Or, Sonja can promise
you a painless end.

Leave me a blade.

I will do what must be done.

You don't die a thief.

Remember that.

You die a soldier.

You needn't follow me, Ladies.
I know the path.

Uh, we're not couriers,

oh she of the excellent cleavage.

We're your bodyguards.

My...

Are you certain you
understood your orders?

Oh yes, Radiant Mistress!

We have slain hundreds
with these bows.

Did you?
Men, were they?

Well, more along the line of rabbits.

They were very large rabbits.

This bodes unwell.

It's all the wine I have left
to give you.

You take a journey further
than the land will allow.

Tiram keep you, Soldier.

♪ I fought for King,
I fought for land

♪ I fought for beer and
maiden's hand

♪ I fought my life, but now I sleep

♪ And so I stand to guard the keep

I owe you my life, Dimath.

More importantly,
I owe you my dignity.

I will repay you, if I can.

Why are there no guards?

Where stands the garrison?

I feel it's best

if the King counsels you, Mistress.

My heart is not big enough, I fear.

Nias, Ayla, welcome!

Bless you, Mistress.

Mitra bless you!

What nonsense is this?

They have waited for you, Mistress.

There is to be a party.

Oh, no.

This is madness.

Oh, forgive me, Mistress.

I'm sorry, Mistress.

Make me wear a foppish gown?

I will when the King will.

Mistress, it is the last
state dinner of our people.

It is tradition.

Please.

You look like a Goddess.

It's the most beautiful
thing I've ever seen.

Well, it itches.

Dimath.

You will not kneel.

You do not call me Sire.

On your last day,
I may call you Sire.

This is not your last day.

Your father must be proud,
Sword Daughter.

The day you mentioned
is close at hand, Sonja.

The Zamorans have
marked us for the fire.

We have been touched by plague.

It hit my army first.

Even the vultures
would not touch them.

The Zamorans,
they have a terrifying General

who brought unclean
allies from the coast,

beasts of the sea who walk
like men.

They attack the city states
hit by the plague.

They say they do it
for the good of all.

They kill everyone,
they burn everything.

We have mostly farmers and
craftsmen, no soldiers.

Sonja, I need to ask
you to teach them.

Let them die fighting.

Will you do this for me?

Gather every babe and child.

Bring them to me at dawn.

Dimath says we may have a week

before the Zamorans come,
perhaps less.

It's nowhere near enough.

Look, Conscripts.

Drink deeply, for it is their blood

that will mingle with
yours if you fall.

It is their bodies that will
blacken the earth with ash.

And if any of you lowers
your sword in combat,

I will cut your craven
head off myself.

Say what you will about her manners,

she does know how to motivate people.

Hold your sword in front
of you, Useless Woman.

Perhaps a soldier will
trip and impale themselves.

We lack complete sets of armor.

If separated, let your comrade
be the shield at your back.

Ugh, swords out, Fools!

It's hopeless.

Of course it's hopeless.

Just think of them as
fierce rabbits, Ladies.

I can teach them tactics.

I can't teach them war.

But they have heart, and
they have nowhere else to go.

Good, better.

They approach!
The Zamorans are here.

Too soon.
Far too soon.

We have sent couriers

to all the city states of Corinthia.

The senators say we are
plague touched,

and already lost.

There will be no reinforcements.

I am sorry.

I've failed you.

We all die sometime, My Child.

The sun rose today,
and will do again tomorrow.

We were never meant for
lingering in sickbeds, we two.

They come!
Sire, they're already here.

So many.

I didn't know there'd be so many.

No, more's the pity.

Well, are you my General,
Daughter of the Sword?

I am, Sire.

Then, conduct war,
Red Sonja of Hyrkania!

Yes, I was just thinking
along those very lines.

I can't buy their lives,
but I can buy them time.

Come, Men Dogs!

Slavers, Conquerors of Children.

Face one educated blade,
if you have the courage.

Sonja, how I've waited for
this day.

All valances,
spill guts and split bone!

Tiram's blood, that voice.

The terror of the blades,
the butcher of all men,

is the woman I call Dark Anisia,

my sister from the Zamoran
Slave Pit!

For four score, slaves forced
to fight for our lives,

knee deep in dirt made muddy

with the blood of our fellow prisoners.

Only two survived, myself

and this goddess of
death in front of me,

Dark Anisia.

I considered her my sister.

In that inescapable hell,
we fought and slayed

until we remained.

Next morning, we were
scheduled to fight,

friend to friend, savage to
savage, sister to sister.

For Zamora!

She's trapped!

Kill the filthy plague whore!

Two very fierce rabbits, indeed!

We're coming, Radiant Mistress!

Well, are we going to let children

fight our wars for us?

March, Wretches!

Unclean beast.

Where are you, Sister?

Where are you?

For a moment, for a moment,
we are eternal.

We are every warrior
forced to kill and die

for a cause no one will
remember in years to come.

Every adversary who ever
felt blade cleave into bone,

every crimson stained
fighter who died for nothing.

I imagine the first
beings left here

by the gods died thus,

and when the sun sets on our race,

the last two men will have

their brother's blood on
their blades.

And for a moment, I consider
putting my weapon down

and praying, but just for a moment.

The promise of every soldier
in war,

"If I live, I'll pray tomorrow."

Tomorrow, the dawn comes early,

does it not, my guests, my challengers?

Yes, yes, not much time now!

Eat hot gruel tonight.

A special treat for the champions,

and champions you are,
muck covered little minx.

So lovely, so filthy,
so wonderfully filthy.

Oh, would but you both could live,

to be Toda's special pets,
his dirty mice!

Alas, as of daybreak,
Toda shall have

only one mud covered bosom to admire.

Such a waste of female flesh.

I must leave, my dirty trinkets.

I have wagers to place.

Rest, and dream of
death's cleansing glory!

I won't fight you, Sonja.

I will not raise my sword.

You'll have to.

You'll have no choice.

I won't.

They'll kill you, Anisia.

Then they kill me.

Why?

Do you not know?

No such display of tender emotion

makes an appearance today.

One might even say there's a whiff

of enmity on her behalf.

You dishonor the dead!

You shame us both.

What in Tiram's name
does she even mean?

For our lives.

For our people.

And for Sonja!

We'll win.

You know we'll win.

We have five times your number.

Perhaps.

But my side has the devil, myself.

Always the peacock, Sister.

So proud, so vainglorious.

I rebuke you!

Come to taste my arrow, Meat King!

Fool!

Not to kill,
do you not remember orders?

For Patra!

For our city!

Die, Zamoran scum!

If I live, I'll pray tomorrow.

These people have
caused you no ill, Sister.

Leave them.

Leave now or I will kill you.

Yes, that is what I expect of you,

and why it is my hand

that will end your
selfishness and betrayal.

We were thrown into Hell,
you and I.

Forced to fight our fellow prisoners

in the Zamoran Arena.

We alone survived, Anisia,

but survive we did.

I never betrayed you.

Me?

You think I meant you
betrayed me?

Do not mock me, Devil!

Who, then?

Who?
Them!

Do you not see them?

They follow me always.

The sorrowful ghosts of
the slaves we killed.

Can you not hear their
endless grief and hate?

Goddess, she's gone mad with guilt.

Anisia, Sister, there is
not but air around you.

Liar!

We killed them all.

They yearned for death in spite.

Every waking moment,
they accuse me

of the crime of living,

while they walk as these grotesques.

They are alone, so alone.

They want hell to be full of souls

to ease their solitude.

You have forgotten them.

You pretend not to see them.

So it is left to me to bring
them companions and solace.

Leave my city, Demoness!

By the thousands.

By the tens of thousands.

Dimath!

Curse it, no!

Father!
It's over.

Please.

Old Man.
Foolish Old Man.

Pretending to be a fighter yet.

Goddess, help these people.

Help this one good man.

I'm going to take your
life for that, Anisia.

We are no longer in the pits.

Your end is near.

No, Child.
No, you won't.

You will stand down.

And why, in Tiram's name,
would I do that?

Because you have the plague,
you stupid fool.

No.
Yes.

Yes, you god cursed fool!

Sonja, mighty Sonja,
invincible Sonja.

General, Warlord, Queen.

I can't even bear to look at you.

You, who fear no man, beast,
or demon.

You will die on your knees,

like an old, beaten washmaid.

Alone and afraid will
you meet your gods.

Unaware even that you are
puking your own guts out!

They say you will have waking dreams.

You will speak to loved
ones long in their graves.

That, at least, might be a comfort.

For this, for this useless group

of scribblers and basketweavers?

They aren't worth your dung,
let alone your blood.

I would have done anything
for you.

Because of who you are,
because of what we shared,

I will make of you a bargain

no afflicted town has received.

I will offer it once,
and only once.

For what time they have left,
they will live.

They will build a fence
around this living cemetery.

No one will be allowed in or out,

under penalty of death.

The ghosts will have them all eventually.

You said a bargain.

What price for this, this mercy?

Again, do you not know?

Your sword, betrayer.

In defeat, for your crimes,
devil, you will kneel,

and you will surrender
on your honor.

Oh, Radiant Mistress!

The great Sonja,
the undefeatable Sonja,

is your pride worth
more than these people

you claim to protect?

I surrender.

You are to be exiled

to the snowy mountains of the north.

You are to speak to no one,

to avoid all humankind
until you die.

You are no longer Sonja, The Devil.

You are nothing.

You are no one.

Someone mark this wretch.

You are banished, cursed one.

Go walk your final walk,

until the sickness takes you.

Sonja is dead.

You carry her corpse
in every footstep.

Get thee gone, leper, outcast,
shunned woman.

Get thee gone!

Two fortnights.

Two fortnights since my exile.

Every day, the brook is
more ice and less liquid.

The plague runs through my blood.

Even in the snow,
sometimes I am so fevered

that my skin burns against my pelts.

My horse, Charger.

Every day he withers.

And yet, I cannot turn him loose,

because if I didn't
need to care for him,

I would forget to care for myself.

And then, I would fall

and be as cold as the
mountain and snow.

Soon, you will be free, My Friend.

An enemy?
No, a stag.

A white stag.

It's the most beautiful
thing I've ever seen.

You'll feed me for an age,
Majestic One.

I'm sorry.

No, I am no poet.

But I can't end this beast's life

to prolong the finite
thing that is my own.

I failed.

More than that, I surrendered.

The Devil, Sonja, surrendered,

on her knees, in the dirt.

Get up, Sonjita.

Little one, your
father calls you.

No one calls but death.

To die like this,
empty handed, I am sorry.

Those who loved me,
you are all long gone,

and I lived on.

That was my sin.

Little One, your father calls you.

But you are cold, Child.

Do you want to catch your death.

Father?

Oh, but you've gotten
big while I was away!

Father!
It's all right, Sonja.

Let me warm you.

It's all right, Daughter.

Father...

Father...

I killed, Father.

So many.
Hush, Child.

If my daughter killed a man,

I'd swear on my life's blood

that he deserved his death
and more.

How odd.

Sonjita, I have something to
say to you.

I no longer feel the cold.

You can let go, Daughter.

You can let go and walk with me,
with your mother.

I can't watch you
struggle in pain like this,

daughter of my beloved.

I can't, Father.

I don't know how!

Then you have one last chore
to attend to, Daughter.

You know the ways of our village.

You know what you must do.

Wake up and do it, Sonja.

Sleepy...

Sonja, you imbecile, wake up.

What?

Oh!

It's getting away, you
ridiculous tomato head!

Get away?
It's getting away!

Oh, my first hunt.

I remember.

Not stinking likely, Brothers!

I may be young, Father,

and I may be no man's son,

but there's not a man
nor boy in the village

who can match my speed
when I choose to fly.

And choose to fly I shall!

I'm coming,
old great god of the wood!

You'll be stew this time tomorrow!

I see your tack and spoor, Stag.

Tonight, Sonja feeds her village!

I can't find her trail.
Which way did they..

Just a moment to catch my
breath, Boys.

Wait, I hear her.

Sonja?

Sonjita!

Where is the white stag?

Gone, Father.

Well, the beast wants to live, Daughter.

And he's slippery.

There's no shame in being outrun.

He does have a pair
of legs more than you.

He didn't outrun me, Father.

I had him in sight,
he was at ease.

Sister, you really
are the dimmest thing.

I let him go.
I don't know why.

I don't know.

Sonja, you're better with a bow

than anyone in our village.

You know every bit of
woodlore we can teach.

No one tracks or shoots better.

I want to weep from shame.

Instead, I swallow the taste
of the hot, salty tears.

But tonight,
you cost us all the food

that keeps us alive.

You are not yet ready for the hunt.

Perhaps you never will be.

This was a mistake.

It would only bring
my father more pain.

Father!

Fire!

The village! Marauders!

Sonja, stay here.

Do not follow until one
of us returns for you.

Swear you will.

What? No, our village!
Mother!

Do as I say, Foolish Child!

Father!

Screams.

I hear screams.

I'm sorry, Father,

but I never actually did
get around to swearing.

Kill as you like,

and take as you desire, Brothers!

These farm scum are
not really men at all.

Their women smell more of the barn

than fine perfume!

Not really fit for Cortian
males in their prime!

Poor sport they make, I'll admit.

Still.

My father is, for all
of his skills of the hunt,

a gentle man.

He's never raised a
hand to any of us.

I thought him a bit of a
pushover, to be honest.

I may have misjudged him
to some small degree.

Erik, find your mother!

Hmm, seems one of these useless
stoneherders has a spine.

Give me your axe, Felick.

I'll take the one

with his horse's mane
down his back, at least.

If I'm to die tonight,
let me die a fighter.

Oh, dear!

Look what I found, I has.

A lovely bit of veal!

Are these your people, Child?

Are these your kin,
your heart of heart?

Oh, dear, oh, dear,
how very sad that is!

What a wee, sparky bit of tragedy.

And I see it all.

They burn all the buildings.

I don't understand why.

All our winter stores are in there.

What few precious valuables
we have will be ash.

And then, I realize,

they don't want anything we have.

They're burning out
those who can't fight.

That's our leader, whelp.

He made us what we is.

Ryshack the Grand.

Gonna be a great warlord someday.

And them what does with him

will live like kings, see?

Oh, they will.

He ain't the tenderest of
fellows, as I grant you.

My eldest brother, Erik, dies first.

I never knew how much I loved
him until I saw him fall.

I find I've lost my ability
to hear for a few moments.

Perhaps it's Tiram's mercy
I can't hear my father scream.

I can't hear my mother and father

shout each other's names in terror.

I can't hear the dull arrows

that pierce the meat of my
younger brother's flesh,

nor the sound of an axe

cleaving the kindest
heart I have ever known.

But I know this.

My father uttered the
curse of the Hyrkanians

at that moment, and that
means hell for these men,

someday, somehow.

No!

Why?

Why, Pig Farmer?

Husband of a cow and father
of sheep?

You ask Ryshack the Great why?

Well, I'll tell you.

It's because we were bored, Hyrkanian!

Father!
There, see?

That weren't so bad, were it?

And now, we're alone, Veal.

Seems only right I should
take care of you.

Teach you the proper
education and like that.

I hear my father's
voice in the silence.

"Be the stag, Sonjita.

"Be slippery."

Stop your wrigglin', Girl.
Time for that soon enough.

Wait, what have you done to me?

You've gone and killed me!

You...

I'm going to pass out,
I can feel it.

And so, it turns out I can
kill when called upon.

Ye Devil!

Yes.

For you, Marauder,
I am the Devil!

And then, I remember no more.

Wake up, Sonja.

You know the ways of our people.

You have one last
chore to attend to.

I hear you, Father.

And this is how Sonjita,
just 12 years old,

Daughter of the Chief,

dug the graves for everyone
she had ever loved,

'til her hands bled in
the warm autumnal sun.

And then, I, Sonja of Hyrkania,

truly hunted for the first time.

All I'm sayin' is,

we always seem to forget to
keep any of the women alives

for those cold nights on the roads.

Pure thoughtlessness, that is.

Pig farmers and dirt tillers?

We did them all a favor.

Excuse me, Gentle Ladies,

but your fearless General
has a bladder to expunge.

My father said I was
not ready for the hunt.

Who's there?
I hear you, Stalker.

He may have misjudged me,
to some small degree.

Think of it this way, oh
great Ryshack the Invincible.

I'm really doing you a favor.

There were 20 of them,
hardened killers all,

and only one small girl
against them.

Ryshack, you've been gone an age.

Where are you?

They were murderers, ravers, criminals.

But they don't know the forest.

And they are not hunters.

We're under attack!
It's a trap, Boys!

Make a run for it!

They got us away from the camp,
away from our bows!

No bows, precious little
light for them to see,

and they were far too
heavy to climb up after me.

By the time they realized
what was happening,

I'd sent three more to the underworld.

There was nothing they could do.

They couldn't reach me.

Meet the curse of the
Hyrkanians, Marauder Scum!

Some ran, some prayed, some begged.

It made no difference.

I slaughtered each and every one.

It took four hours in the dark,

and I found I had a new
name that suited me.

Just kill me!
Kill me, you Devil!

And now, I wake up,

more exhausted than before I slept.

The horse is gone.

It's for the best.

One last chore, Sonja.

The way of our people.

Then, you may stand down, Soldier.

I know it's the illness.

I know this stag can't speak,
but it comforts me,

and so I believe.

♪ I fought my life, but now I sleep

♪ And so I stand to guard the keep

The way of my people.

The way of our people.

We bury our dead.

I'm sorry, Father.

This will have to do.

Come, Wolves, take your fill.

Radiant Mistress, it is us,

Ayla and Nias!

Your bodyguards!

We searched for you everywhere.

It's the King's Son, Mistress.
We all thought him a fool.

He's found a cure!

A cure for the plague, Mistress!

Misstress?

She's dead, Sister.

Red Sonja is dead.

I joined her Ladyship's Army

as I were promised gold and manflesh.

And what does she have us do?

What is our lot?

Fence menders and pole hole
diggers, we.

Cease your prattling, Felth.

She'll hear you!

I ain't afraid of the lady, Grufo.

Then you are addled or stupid.

How fares the watch,
men of the sea?

Your Ladyship,

I mean, your worshipfulness,

we are, all is well, I mean.

Fools!

One of the cursed Patrons
tries to flee as we speak!

Hurry, Dunces!

If one escapes, all may die!

Peasant, you know your
city is quarantined.

You know the penalty for
leaving your city is death.

What under the gods' own
eyes is your thinking?

Lady!

Get on your knees before
her Ladyship, Patron.

This is Dark Anisia,

and your death sits before you.

I'm sorry.

A hungry man has poor manners.

There's no food, Lady.

Your men burned our livestock.

They said they could be infected.

Most of our field lay
untended and fallow

outside the quarantine fence.

My granddaughter is with child.

She is starving.

She needs food.

You carry the plague.

You all do.

Your selfishness could doom everyone.

Lady, there is no plague.

None have died of sickness in
the city.

None!

Not since...

Not since...

Since when, Soil Tiller?

Since you killed our King
and sent away our savior,

the Devil, Red Sonja.

Your savior?

I see.

I will ask the ghosts if
you deserve mercy, Peasant.

Do we grant this addled man,

who believes there is no
plague, mercy,

specters of death?

Who does she speak at?
There is no one.

Hush, Fool.

No mercy!

No mercy!

No mercy!

The dead decline, Farmer.

Well struck, my Lady Dark Anisia.

These people, they want a savior.

Don't call me "Dark"
anymore, Soldier.

Tell all I am now Red Anisia.

Yes, Mistress.

All hail her, Red Anisia!

I can't see.

I can't see!

It is the plague, Radiant Lady.

Most lose their eyesight before...

Before the end.

Are we too late, Sister?

I...

I don't know.

Her flesh is burning.

Father!
I tried, Father.

Hyrkanian custom!

My Lady, you were trying,

trying to bury yourself.

There was no one else here.

Do you not remember us?

We're your bodyguards.

I am Ayla, this is my sister Nias.

This blindfold will keep the
sun from damaging your eyes.

If you...

Try not to take it off.

The twins.

Did you remember to bring..

Yes, Mistress?

Food, weapons?

Anything you ask.

No, alcohol, you idiots!

Well, part of her hasn't changed.

The king's son, Tiath,
he created this, this elixir.

He says it might save
you, your Ladyship.

Or it might kill you on the spot.

Do you understand, My Lady?

He believes if you make it back,
he can cure you.

We've come to take you home,
Dearest Sword Princess.

And Nias, get the wine.

♪ I fought an age, I killed a throng

♪ There was no wage,
men sang no song

♪ Then at the gates
was stabbed and fell

♪ And so the keep can go to hell

♪ I bowed and knelt before my King

♪ It didn't mean a God cursed thing

♪ My guts now lay upon the grass

♪ And so the keep may kiss my

More wine.

Sister, I don't think
she's gonna make it.

She has to, Nias.
She has to.

These... These children.

They want to be killers.

They want to be like Sonja.

I can't allow that.

Her fever's worse now.

Dearest Lady, please.

Please come back to us.

Anisia is allowing
our people to starve.

Only you can stop her.

Come back and be our General.

General.

Do you know what it means
to be a general, Children?

It means to see the
people who trust you

as assets or liabilities.

One person lives,
another feeds the soil.

And we, General?
What of us?

Where do we fall in your accounting?

Kind hearted, loyal, spirited.

You will never be soldiers.

Well, you'll never be a soldier.

I believe most of these
slaves are soldiers,

and I believe some of them

are having impure thoughts of us,

you in particular, perhaps.

I have a name.

No one has a name in the pit.

They aren't allowed.
I do.

They'll send you out to fight first

for being willful.

Then they send me
out to fight first.

I have a name.
Can you fight?

Some.
Change your grip.

What?

Soldiers are taught to predict
their opponent's swing.

You can't fight these
men with their weapons.

Choose a smaller,
faster sword, one like you.

During the fight,
change your dominant hand.

Or, move the blade underhanded,

like a dagger opening
a sack of grain.

They always pause to take..

Your glorious new King requires

blood amusement, Slaves.

And you, being less than human

in the eyes of his God,
shall provide.

How lucky you are!

You may thank me, Toda,
for this kindness.

And you, little fleshlings,

little craveable minx,

today, he wants to see female blood.

Tell Toda you love him.

My friends, tonight we
feed the goddess of death!

Two frail, weak women shall fight

four brave, hearty soldiers

for the pleasure of our liege lord,

King Bazrat of Zamora!

He does prattle on, doesn't he?

Is tonight a cruelty or a mercy?

The gods and our brave
King Bazrat shall judge!

I won't be able to protect you,
Willful One.

Fine, and I have a name.

Begin!

I don't want to fight you, Soldier.

We're slaves.

What we want doesn't matter.

Death!

Yes, tell me again.

Death!

You... How did you?
Quiet.

My name is Red Sonja!

Are we fools, Ayla?

She's dying, nearly gone already.

How can she save us?

Our King believed in her, Nias.

At least she's resting.

She said we'd never be soldiers.

I know.
It broke my heart.

But we have our duty.

Yes, duty.

We men of the deep have
duty as well, Mammal.

We hunt those escapees from Patra.

Ayla!
Shut up, Meat Child!

You broke the quarantine.

Red Anisia has given us permission

to make of you an example.

Eh?

What do we do with them, Captain?

It must be memorable.
It should have style!

Bring them forward.

Cut though their spines
as they do with fish.

Pull out their bones, My Friend!

Clean and gut them!

Pull out the bones!

As you wish, Captain.

Hurry up and kill me, then!

I can't bear your stink anymore!

Ayla!

So, as they do to our kin,

so shall we do to their young!

I'm surprised I have to
actually say this to you once,

but those girls are not seafood.

Unhand my bodyguards.

I still have need of them.

Or I'll cut you and boil
you for our late supper

with herbs and lemon.

Her Radiant Ladyship!

She!
She should be dead!

She's blind!
Kill her, kill her!

She's tracking you in the water!

Quit splashing, you Cretins!

We're not all in the water, Devil!

No, but you are upwind,

and you do leave your
presence in the air.

No offense.

Never be soldiers, my rear end.

They don't know this has all been

bluster and reflex.

I'm still fighting through
the molasses of disease.

But I have people
who trust me here,

and my body won't seem
to let me ignore that.

Perhaps I can take this
last one with me as I go.

Naughty little fleshling!

You stink to us as well.

Do you know that, Meat?

Do you think you can
beat me in the water,

where I am a God?

Water falling.

Lots.

Close to the edge, aren't we,

my dirty little flesh pod?

I know who you are, creature.

Come on then, Creature.

If I'm to die, let me at
least have my companion.

He's as strong as three bulls,

but he's only shown
one attack so far.

He's a strangler.

Toda the tormentor,
the slave keeper,

the filthy coward who
smells of fish offal.

I hate stranglers.

Fish slayer.

It will be all right.

I have just one request.

Mercy!

Mercy for Toda the Pitiful!

Tell Sonja you love her.

No, no!

I owe the people of Patra nothing.

I have earned a quiet,
restful death, Terra knows.

But their King did me a kindness,

and they do not deserve
Anisia's heartlessness.

I'm coming, Sister!

Do you hear?

I'm coming for you, Anisia!

So, to hell with this plague.

To hell with it.

I have people to protect.

I don't like it.

It stinks.

You don't like fire, eh?

Afraid you'll wind up
in the stew pot, are ya?

You come to our camp, Flesh.

We'll show you how we
treat dinner guests.

All right, all right.

I meant no offense.

Come and sit as comrades.

Second watch will be here soon

and we can all get
drunk together, agreed?

Well, I have a jug
on my nag for this.

Perhaps we needn't
wait for second watch.

Don't be a fool.

Drunk on watch under
Dark Anisia's command?

Or Red Anisia,
as she calls herself now.

We'd be lucky to keep
our family jewels.

Gods, what is it?
Well, what is it?

I think it's second watch.

It's an ambush!

It has to be an army.
Who else would dare?

We shouldn't be here!

This isn't a merman's fight.

Well, you're in it now, Old Son.

We're all in the stew now.

Verdis, it's not an army.

It's the curse of the Hyrkanians!

It's the Devil, the Devil!

The Red Sonja!

Shoot her!
Hurry, shoot her!

Verdis, shoot who?

She's gone.

Sound the horn.

Call for reinforcements!

Yes, we should not even be here.

This is not a merman's fight!

Well, we wish to cross into Patra,

and we have no papers.

Perhaps you'd care to stop us.

They are competent,
perhaps a little better.

And the fever is still raging
in me.

I suspected as much,

but the day I can't dispatch
men of this low quality

is the day I choose a new name.

I surrender.
I surrender!

Wise choice.

I want you to convey a message

to your General, Man At Arms.

Tell her, tell Anisia,

that I will meet her in the
place where we were made.

And tell your army that
Sonja has returned,

still smelling of the dirt
from her own cold grave!

Go, tell them!
Tell them all!

Radiant Mistress, they're done.

You can put your sword down.

Do you know, that is a command

I often have difficulty following.

Mistress!

Nias, fetch the medicine!

Forgive me.

It seems my legs have
chosen to betray me.

It is unseemly to need
the King's Son's potion

to stand unaided.

The pri...
Well, the new King.

He says it isn't magic.

He says it's a curative.

He says it's science.

Well, it didn't save the King.

No.
No, it did not.

Come, we've something to show you.

Blessed Sword Mistress..

Please, Nias, call me Sonja.

Blessed Sonja of the Flashing Blades..

Not better. What is it?

You were barely able
to open your eyes.

You were blind.

Yet, when we needed you,
you became a destroyer.

The medicine.
Doesn't account, Radiant One.

Nias, kind hearted
Daughter of Patra,

you look at me with eyes that
see only honor and gallantry,

but the truth is darker yet.

Being Sonja means being
called to darkness and pain,

and knowing that you
have the power to alter

and take the lives of many,
a great many,

and praying to the gods

that you always choose the
right side.

Oh, Mistress.

We're here.

It's over the ridge.

What is this spectacle
that you so wish me to see?

It is the anonymous resting place

of our King, Mistress.

Your sword father lies
in this shallow grave.

Dimath, the only monarch
I ever met

worth a horse's ass.

How...

Why is your King in this
filthy hillside scrape?

How could you let them do this?

Have you no spine at all?

You shame him!

You shame us all!

It was Anisia, Mistress.

She ordered the body
burned on the bonfire

where she made us immolate
all our livestock.

She said he deserved no better.

But we defied her.

We buried him as best we could,

unmarked so his body
would not be stolen.

It is the way of our people.

We at least chose the
spot he loved the best.

The way of your people.

I've had some experience
with that myself.

Forgive me, My Loyal,
Faithful Bodyguards.

No word of the whereabouts

of the Zamoran butcher,
King Bazrat, Apos?

No, Sir.

We've men patrolling in
all points of the compass.

He must be brought to justice.

Torture, murder, slavery.

He seemed to love only those things.

Not a kind man, Sire.

Speaking of ill met situations, Sire,

the two women from the pit?

They've been bathed, shorn,
and shod, My Liege.

Ah, I'd like to speak
to them before they go.

Well, that might not be
the wisest course, Sire,

as the Stable Lord
got his nose broke

when he cut their hair.

They was infested, you see.

The Stable Lord?

Why on earth did you not
send them to a barber?

Well, we did, Sire.

We most certainly did.

The healer said his
bones should set right,

in a few weeks.

Ladies...

Forgive me, Gladiators,

I've arranged a horse and a
few coins for each of you.

You are free, free of the
butcher, free of the pit.

Go in peace.
We'll never be free.

Pardon?

I said, "We will never be free."

I see.

Daughters, my father was
King of my city state.

A good man, his brother, my uncle,

cut his throat with
a shard of glass

that had been dipped in dung.

My family, mother, sisters, cousins,

we were thrown in a gowel,
and forgotten.

Do not let the evil done to
you make you who are.

Go in peace, with my good wishes
for your future fortunes.

Sonja, we can go.

What are you doing?

I have never knelt
to man nor God.

I am in your debt,
King Dimath of Patra.

Red Sonja pays what's due, Sire.

She of the Majestic, Mistress,
we have to go.

We're exposed here.

Yes, I would rather
carry full plate armor

than memories sometimes.

Where are we to meet
Tiath for the rest

of this supposed cure?

In the village square,
near the stables, Mistress.

I know the area.

There was an excellent tavern
there, extraordinary beer.

We shall go there at once,

for purposes of rest,
not just for drinking.

Mostly for drinking.

Sadly, oh Queen of
all fermented beverages,

the hated Dark Anisia shut down

all the taverns and public houses.

She has forbidden all spirits
in Patra.

She says we should spend our time

in prayer and contemplation
of our sins.

She closed the Sundered Boar?

And I thought I was angry before!

You promised us death!

This entire city is touched
with plague, spirits.

Soon, many will accompany
you in the afterworld.

Lies!

The people of Patra
are not plague touched.

You deny the truth even
as your eyes see it all.

You and the She Devil
killed us in the arena.

You owe us deaths for company!

We are so lonely, Swordswoman.

Yes, I owe you.

I promised you companions,

deaths you shall have.

General!
General Anisia, news!

News!

Out with it, Soldier!

You look like a foal about to bolt.

It's her, General.
She's back.

She wanted...
Wanted you to know.

It's the Devil.

She's alive,
she crawled out of the grave

by some ungodly means.

The grave, General!
Red Sonja!

We should flee.

How can we fight something
that can't be killed?

We should route the army.

We should leave for Zamora at once.

She returns.

She broke her word,
I'll not break mine.

Gather every Patron man,
woman, and child,

loyal sea warrior.

Lock them in the towers,
and burn them to the ground.

And soon, I find,
as it usually is,

the cure is worse than the disease.

This is going to sting again,
I'm afraid.

Excuse me?
Get on with it!

Oh, oh, of course!

Yes, forgive me, Sonja the Red.

I tell you, like I once
told your father the King,

my name is Red Sonja.

Sorry!

This timid little man
is the Son of Dimath?

And the only wizard who
can cure the plague?

It seems ill fitting, somehow.

You see,
once I detected that the disease

was blood borne,
it was a matter of generating

the proper anticoagulant
for my antidote to work.

That's where these
leeches come in, you see?

I don't understand
half of what he says.

Wizards.
I don't like them.

I met you at the King's
final party, did I not?

The party was my idea.

You were very beautiful that night.

My father thought you
were the sun and the moon.

I could see why.

I am no good at swordplay,
nor diplomacy,

mistress, my father had
little use for such a son.

I think you were the son
he always wanted, a hero.

If you genuinely have found a cure,

Son of Dimath, you will by default

be the greatest hero
Hyboria has ever seen.

And if you give me that
damn flagon of wine,

I'll build a statue of you myself.

They're taking everyone,
those fishmen!

They're locking them in the tower.

My own son saw it.
They're going to kill us all.

Ayla, Nias, tell us, is
it true that the General,

the She Devil, has returned?

Well, yes.

She is in the basement below,
receiving counsel.

But fear not, Good Women of Patra.

For it is time for us
to take back our city.

But Anisia rules with
fists of fire and blood.

Sonja will find her
and Sonja will tame her,

while we strike from the shadows

and destroy the Zamorans.

But without Sonja,
who will lead us?

Where is our General?

We will be your Generals, Goodwife.

We're doomed.

They get all sleepy when
they've eaten enough blood.

I make no guarantees,
but if you rest for a week,

you should recover.

I have perhaps half an hour, Princeling.

I have an appointment with the
woman who killed your father.

I see.

Well then,
I have something for you.

Best chainmail in the city,

and, well, the sword was my father's.

Will you avenge him,
as his son cannot?

You've done well, Prince Tiath.

Will you do me one more boon?

Anything.

Will you find me
something to scrub with,

so I can get this
damn bird off my face?

It is an odd thing about death.

When you are certain it is coming,

you become impatient for its embrace.

You said to come to where
we were made, the arena,

though Dimath long ago
outlawed bloodsport.

Pity.

When King Bazrat made
us slaves and fighters,

you hated spilling blood, Anisia.

I miss that woman.

Miss me? I loved you!
And you abandoned me!

You left me with the
ghosts of the dead!

Leave this city, Sister.

Return my sword and get out.

You are not the woman I loved.

You want this?

You want it returned?

So be it, Devil!

This time, I will make
sure you are properly dead!

Stronger than me.
She was always stronger than me.

But I am Red Sonja,

and I will fight the gods
above if I so choose!

You choose to stay, Anisia.
Remember that.

Friend or not, sister or not,
you chose to die.

Wait!
I hear something.

We are not alone.
What?

No, you are not alone, Foolish Girls.

Little children at play.
That voice.

I've come out of three
years of hiding for this,

to see the deaths that were
rightfully mine, Ladies.

I know that voice.

It is the Zamoran butcher,

the man who made us fight and
kill for his passing whimsy.

It is King Bazrat,
the man who made us slaves.

And now, as the city
of my conqueror burns,

I get to watch you both die,

as you should have three
years ago!

Come, Ladies.

Why do you not fight as
the gods clearly intend?

I waited three years to see
one sister kill another.

Do as Bazrat commands.

Amuse your King.

Anisia, did you know?

Did you know the Butcher
of Zamora was alive?

The man who put us in
the pits to kill and die?

I did not.

We were told my army was assembled

by a consortium of allied states,

to fight the plague, to
save as many as may remain.

Oh, dear, well.

True, we did deceive you
about that.

You see, it's not plague at all.

No, it's a poison.

You lie.
That's impossible.

Is it? Or did I fight a war
the way the gods do,

because only I had the courage?

Think, stupid child, think!

Who died of this plague first?

Armies, all the soldiers
who could stop me

in my vengeance,
and then it was a matter

of simply giving the formula
to anyone who vexed me,

while I myself hid in exile,
waiting for this moment.

Do you see this beautiful woman?

The wife of a trusted and
popular general in my own army.

A simple matter.

A loyalist gives the general
a drink,

and soon I simply take the
grieving, unprotected widow

as my plaything,
until I weary of her, of course.

I don't know if this is true.
It's evil!

I thought I had faced evil before.

It turns out I may not
have known what evil was.

But there were hundreds with
the plague!

We burned whole villages!

Oh, yes, well, you see,

it had to look convincing.

My sister from the pit,

Dark Anisia, she calls herself.

Her grip on this world
is very thin already,

and this may be the exact thing
that untethers her entirely.

I killed, I burned children!

Countless children!

Sister!
You were deceived!

Sonja, I am drowning.
Help me!

Sister, Sister!

No!
They're coming!

Sister!

You killed my husband!
You burned our land!

You took my children!
Murderer!

Murderer!
Murderer!

No!

She sees the ghosts again,

the ones that haunted
her to this state.

My sister is gone.

All of this, this madness,

because you lost a battle
to the Patron King.

Did you want to kill him so badly

that you would massacre countries?

Yes, well, isn't that the
most delicious thing of all?

I didn't kill King Dimath.

I specifically told the
soldiers not to kill him.

I had, let us say, more
brutal regard for the man.

Were you not his guard, hm?

Did not your sister's
blade cleave his neck?

Sonja, Devil of the
Hyrkanian Steps,

it was you two who killed
this King!

Bazrat, King of Zamora,

I care not which foolish,
venal man

claims to own which
grubby patch of sod,

but you will know this:

I place upon you the Curse of Hyrkania,

and soon there will
be no mawkish head

to hold your gaudy crown.

The last time I did this,

the last time I invoked
this deathless curse,

was the night I lost my tribe,

the night I became the Devil.

Footsteps...
You did this!

You made me into this monster!

I came here to kill her.

She's done unforgivable
things, atrocities.

But I was able to leave the pit

because of the kindness of a King.

I think the pit never left Anisia.

We were each other's only allies,

each other's only comfort.

She was the one living thing

in all of Hyboria I could
not imagine harming.

I wish, I wish for a better world.

Well, Little Minnow,

do you wager or not?

I shall win our duel, Manflesh!

Your species is arid and weak!

True, but we're also tricky.

Oh, that had to be painful!

Now, Friend, pay up.

We did specifically say
cheating was allowed.

Halt, I smell something!

Fire, it's fire outside!

Master, outside!

The barracks are burning, you laggards!

Hail, invaders.

I wonder if you might be so kind
as to drop any weapons or armor,

and come out one at a time.

Or, let us send you to your gods

in a most spectacular fashion.

Fist person who moves dies!

Fair warning.

Who are you?

Generals Nias and Ayla.

Soldier, we're going to need
your clothes, I'm afraid.

Sister, don't make me do this.

I've lost my taste for
killing you.

And with that error,
her death is inevitable.

I have taken my own
sword back from her.

Remember, Sonja,
what I did to Dimath?

Remember?

That she killed the only King

who'd ever treated me with mercy?

Remember, Sonja.

Remember what I did?

Does she want me to kill her
in revenge? She's mad!

Do you see, Alana?

You doubted that I could
make them kill each other.

When will you learn?
No mere woman can resist me.

Yes, Your Majesty.

No, not mad.

She's clever.
I remember, Sister.

And she didn't want death.

She wanted proximity.

What?

Archers, kill them both!

What in Tiram's name is she
doing now?

No, Sister, don't do this!

You will not die for me!

One last time.

One last time, I protect you, Sonjita.

No!

I have a bastard to cleave in twain!

No! She..
They were both supposed to die.

Three years I waited.
What is she doing?

Doing, My King?
She's coming.

The Devil comes for your soul,
Bazrat of Zamora.

Kill her!
She's an animal!

Protect your King!

Men of Zamora, you know who I am!

You know what he is!

I will say this only once.

Get the hell out of my way!

So be it.

So be it!

Shoot her!
Shoot the witch!

She's coming to harm
your King, you fools!

By the gods,
she's back from the underworld.

Bazrat!

Bazrat!

It's your men, Sire,

the hired army we stationed here.

Reinforcements!

Blessed men of the garrison,
avenge your King's honor!

To my side at once!

Well, yes, of course.

There's just one thing about that.

You are no King of ours.

Fire!
No!

I am the King!

You, Coward, are a dead King.

No!
She speaks the truth.

On your knees, Slaver.

Please, don't.

I am King.

No, please, Mistress.

Wait a moment.

You ask me to spare this thing

that murdered your husband,
that made you a plaything.

No, Mistress.
Your sister was right.

He's already dead.

He told the truth.

The plague was really a poison.

And one of my jobs was to ensure

that his goblet was always full.

One of many, many humiliations,

but one with an unexpected benefit.

I gave him enough to
kill him many times over,

this very night.

Right now, his organs
are burning him alive.

My husband says hello,
you cowardly son of a bitch.

He's almost pitiable.
Save your pity, Sister.

The foulest carrion eater
is more worthy of sympathy.

The Butcher of Zamora is gone.

Someone find a large
bucket to carry him out in.

I've done terrible things.

Yes, but you were deceived.

You can't take back
what you have done.

Go into exile, sister.
Do only good in the world.

I...
Sonja...

Sister...

No!
I killed her!

I killed the woman
who killed the King!

The son he was so shamed
by has avenged Dimath!

My Sister, I love you.

I will fight no more, Sonjita.

The ghosts, do you see them?

They surround us.

Come with us.

All is forgiven.

I see them.

They've come to keep you
company on your new road.

Goodbye, My Friend.
We must part now.

I have one last chore
to attend to, Tiath.

Wait, hold, she killed my father.

I, the Swordless Prince,

I simply did what was right.

I found my courage.

Tiath, the world's most brilliant

alchemist and scientist,

whose idea was the King's
last party?

Who served me the wine

the night before I caught the
false plague?

And who, in all the land,
could invent a poison

that looks just like
the black death?

Stop!
My father, he hated me.

He hated my weakness.

He treated the lowliest
soldier in his army

with more kindness, more love,
than his own son.

So you poisoned his army?

Yes, I had to.

Father said my science was unnatural.

Bazrat said the only way
my father and I could live

is if I cooperated with him,

killed the army, killed you, Sonja,

and then, she killed him anyway.

Please, I can change the world.

No more sickness.

I am days away from being
able to cure death, Mistress.

My like will never come again, Sonja.

You can't kill me.

I could conquer suffering
and death with my serums.

An end to death and pale and illness

if I let you go, Princeling?

The price is too high.
Ugh!

Well, that does leave us
without a leader, Mistress.

Will you..

No, I've had my fill of royals,
I'm afraid.

As acting regent of Patra,

I declare these two fierce Generals

to be the Queen of this city.

Any disagreements?

Keep your swords sharp, My Ladies.

You never know when I'll need

a pair of lethal bodyguards again.

Mistress, how can we repay you?

Anything you wish is yours.

Anything.

Reopen the taverns, Dear One.

Because I'm going to get
drunk in legendary fashion.