Howard Lovecraft and the Kingdom of Madness (2018) - full transcript

[narrator reads]

[thunder rumbling]

So, um... who are you?

Hello, Howard.
My name is Randolph.

I'm the son of John
and Augusta Lovecraft.

I received word
that Butler's Sanitarium

was destroyed.

And that your father,
Winfield had passed.

What? Dead? Poppycock!

You're... you're alive!

It seems the reports of my death
were greatly exaggerated.



But how?

Ho, ho, ho, if I told you,
you'd probably drag me

to the loony bin yourself.

Father, you know this man?

Well, I don't recall
John and Augusta

- ever having children--
- Oh, come now.

How could you forget me,
Uncle Winny?

My memory's not
what it used to be.

Good, then. Hmm, yes.

Don't just stand out there
all day. Come in, Robert.

- Randolph.
- Randolph.

I can't say I've had
the pleasure.

[chuckling] Well, come in.

- You must stay with us.
- Stay?



It'll be Howard's birthday soon.

A time for family
to come together.

Yes.

We'll be glad of the company.

We'll get you all settled.

[thunder rumbling]

[creature growling]

[chanting spell]

[Howard]
I had never believed in magic.

Not before I met you, Spot.
[gasps]

[stirring]

[Howard] Easy. Stand down.

[Spot grunts] Can anyone help?

Give me your word as a...
uh, a fish thing,

that you won't hurt me.

- [Spot] Pull!
- Hold on.

[Spot grunting]

[Spot] Saved life, Master.
Me, Thu Thu Hmong.

I'm gonna call you... Spot.

[Spot] Spot.

- Master Howard.
- Hey, you promised.

Master cold. Spot makes warm.

[Howard]
We discovered the untouchable.

Saw the invisible.

I showed this horrible monster
that thing in my pocket,

- and it froze in fear.
- Thing?

- [Howard] This.
- [Spot yells]

[both groaning]

[Spot]
Elder sign has great power.

- [chants spell]
- [grunts]

[Spot] Careful.
Book also has power.

None of these words make sense.

[chanting spell]

[all grunt]

- [Spot] Huh?
- [Howard shudders] No.

You cannot control
the dark magic in these pages.

I've done it before,

and to save Mother and Spot,
I'd do it again.

[chants spell]

[Howard] And together,
we mastered the unbelievable.

[chanting spell]

[stuttering] Mother.

You're back with us!

I love you, Mother.

I was so scared we'd lose you.

I'm here, Howard.
I love you, too.

- [Sarah] Howard...
- [whispers final word of spell]

I wanted to wish you
a happy birthday.

- Thank you, Mother.
- Are you feeling all right?

- You're so pale.
- No, I-- I feel fine.

It's possible to spend
too much time indoors, Howard.

- You should get outside more.
- I will.

[sighs]
I love you, son. Very much.

I can't tell you
what it means to me

to have the whole family
together under one roof.

And you, my special boy,

you'll be a young man soon.
I just hope you'll let your...

goodness flourish.

Your father made some
questionable choices

in his youth.

I won't make Father's mistakes,
Mother.

I'm glad to hear it.

I want you to know something
important, Howard,

something your father's books
can't teach you.

Howard...

I love you.

You'll remember that, won't you?

- I will.
- Good, good. Now, make a wish.

[Randolph hums
"Happy Birthday To You"]

Well, I haven't met our guest.

Great Aunt Mary.

You say you're family?

I'm Augusta and John's boy,
Randolph.

Well, I don't remember
any Randolph.

But there is something familiar
about you.

- Is there?
- Yes.

Surely you remember me.

I was at our last reunion
with Aunt Cordelia,

Aunt Emily, Aunt Mary-Louisa.

They were all so happy
to see each other.

You do look like someone
I know, or knew.

- Well, you kind of look like--
- Randolph!

Don't overthink it.
You'll wind up a kook,

like Dear Uncle Winfield.

[squawks]

Hmm.

[gasps]

The walls between worlds
are breaking.

Uncle Randolph,
what are you doing?

Oh, hello.

Actually, I wanted
to talk to you.

What about?

You may find this hard
to believe,

but I was very much like you
when I was a boy.

- Oh?
- Yes.

I studied all sorts of things
in my spare time. Things...

not of this world.
Tell me, Howard.

You wouldn't be practicing
the dark arts

- in your spare time, would you?
- What?

[stuttering]
What makes you say that?

I can't help noticing the fabric
of reality has been...

- spread a bit thin.
- What do you mean?

You grow attuned to these things
with training.

I've had some training
from Armitage.

From Miskatonic University?
I've heard of him.

But by using magic,
there are consequences.

What kind of consequences?

[thunder rumbles]

What's happening?

[creature growling]

Hmm? Danger. Danger!

- [Randolph] Night-gaunts.
- [night-gaunt growling]

- Howard, with me.
- Thanks, Uncle,

- but I know a thing, or two.
- Howard, stop!

Your magic only increases
the tears between dimensions.

Quick, to the house!

[Winfield yells and grunts]

[night-gaunts growling]

[growling continues]

[Winfield] No, no, no!
[groaning]

- [night-gaunt growls]
- Randolph grunts]

- No, no, no, no, no!
- [Howard grunts]

[all grunt]

My runes will stop them
from entering.

- Thank you, Randolph.
- Yeah.

- Thank you, Uncle Randolph.
- No thanks necessary,

but that shows me we need
to see your Dr. Armitage.

There are walls between worlds,
Howard.

Magic draws on the energy
and the fabric of reality.

I believe your magic is wearing
a hole in those walls.

Professor Armitage
never warned me about that.

[Randolph]
He knows what you've been up to?

It takes considerable power
to tax the barriers.

Just what have you been
getting up to, Howard?

We are safe, right?

Until we know more
about why this happened,

we shouldn't assume
that the danger has passed.

But who should we see?

We should see Dr. Armitage.
This is serious.

He would be
at Miskatonic University.

Do you know how to... to...

[sighs] Can you take us there?

I don't want to use
any more magic

and I've actually
never walked there.

I've no idea where it is.

Yes. Yes, I can.

- Come, Howard.
- [Howard] Just one minute.

- Howard?
- [Howard] I'll be right back.

So... you know magic?

Where did you learn?

Miskatonic University.

Come on, let's go.

[laughs] Just some food.

- [Howard] Dr. Armitage!
- Who on Earth?

[Henry] Howard?
[chuckling] What a surprise.

What brings you to Miskatonic?

Night-gaunts came from a portal
on my front lawn.

They tried to attack our house.

Night-gaunts!

I know what night-gaunts are
but slow down.

I'm Dr. Henry Armitage.

This is my Uncle Randolph.
He went to Miskatonic.

He said, you'd know
what was causing it.

The walls between worlds
wear thin, Professor.

You believe that the barrier
between worlds is thinning?

Hmm. This theory isn't accepted
by many.

However, a group
of my colleagues and I

believe this to be true.

If the barriers, the walls,
as you put it were to break,

it would mean the destruction
of our planet.

But no one has reported
a breach yet.

This would be the first.

Assuming that is what happened
on your lawn,

this situation
has gotten much worse.

- Follow me.
- Where are we going?

This is a university, young man,

the leading institute of magic
and the dark arts.

You are about to meet
a collection

of the greatest authorities
on the arcane and mystical.

Together, we will come
to an informed decision

on how to proceed.

[thunder rumbling]

[Henry] Dr. Jaswald Atwood,
Dr. Ellen Ellery,

Dr. Warren Rice,

and my teaching assistant,
William Dyer.

You all know
why I've summoned you here.

There's a distressing amount
of activity in the ether.

Young Howard tells me
there's already been a breach.

[Randolph] That's correct.
A quartet of night-gaunts

clawed their way
through to our world.

- Who is this?
- This is my Uncle Randolph.

He saved me. He used to go here.

Howard has had a lot
of experience recently

- with the occult.
- Howard, you saw the breach?

I'm studying to be a geologist
and most of my focus

is on the signs of stress
to the Earth's mantle.

Something is putting
undue pressure

on The Plateau of Leng.

And you think this pressure
created a crack

releasing night-gaunts
from below?

I do believe it's a theory
of tectonic plates.

Undue stress or pressure
on one plate

affects the one surrounding it.

Too much stress
and it can shatter,

sending out shock waves.

- Like an earthquake.
- Exactly.

Maybe the night-gaunts came
from below our Earth's core.

[Dr. Rice]
Ah, you booming parsley.

No, I don't believe your theory
and I do not believe

that night-gaunts
are from our world.

If they're
from another dimension,

this could be a symptom
of a far greater problem.

- Another dimension--
- The power is escalating

exponentially,
creating these cracks.

I do think most of us believe
these creatures could be

- from another dimension.
- Agreed.

This kind of change
doesn't happen naturally.

Something is supplying
that pressure.

Either on this side,
or the other.

Shouldn't we exhaust
all other options first?

Yer bum's out the window.

When everything comes as black
as the Earl of Hell's waistcoat,

you'll be at the coo's tail.

My first kilt is older
than you.

No, literally. It is.

Say they are
from another dimension.

Then it is safe to assume, um...

he is behind this. Agreed?

- Who?
- I don't think it's him.

I hope it's not him.

What we do know of him
is he is not allowed

to directly interfere
on another plain.

- Who?
- Right. And in line with that,

he hasn't interfered.
It's been night-gaunts

and maybe there are minions
doing his bidding.

- [exclaims unintelligibly]
- Who are we talking about?

They're talking about Az--

- [thunder rumbling]
- [all] Shh!

Oh, come now.
The boy has to know

- what we're up against.
- We do not say that name.

You can call him: "It".

- The nuclear chaos.
- Or the Blind Idiot God.

Before recorded time,
there were creatures

of such inestimable power
and ferocity

that they defied description.

Bigger than life,
older than the universe.

To even try to capture
their full might

in your mind at once
is to invite madness.

[thunder rumbling]

The very oldest of these,
the stuff that nightmares

are made of,
watches all in the beyond.

I joined what is now called
The British Indian Army

back in '84.

I have seen war,
I have seen death.

After a decade with the army,
I was responsible to search

for who was behind
the darkest deeds.

Behind the most
horrific murders,

behind the supernatural sins.

This is the monster
that profits from them.

- I've seen him before.
- [chuckles] You couldn't have.

I did. But, well, you know,
kind of, uh...

I closed my eyes
and then I saw Azathoth--

Stop.

Um... I saw his eye.

Whoa, his...

- You saw him?
- Yeah.

- Impossible.
- But the sight of him

- would drive you to madness.
- I did see him. I really did.

Nyarlathotep showed him to me.

- [thunder rumbling]
- [all gasp]

Howard,
this is critically important.

- Nyarlathotep, are you positive?
- Yeah.

Spot even confirmed it.

- Spot?
- It's a... you know.

- The Sleeper of R'lyeh.
- Henry!

You mean Cthulhu,
the Destroyer of Worlds.

Yes, I've been keeping an eye
on The Sleeper.

"Keep your friends close"
and all.

- [Howard] And Spot is my friend.
- Cthulhu is not your friend.

Oh, laddy, you're the wee hen
that never layed away.

- He is my friend.
- Settle down, everyone.

Back to Nyarlathotep.

If the boy is telling the truth,
and all of these scriptures

are real, and Nyarlathotep
has shown himself...

this changes everything.

Why?

Nyarlathotep cannot directly act
against our universe.

Then I guess it's a good thing
that I wasn't in this universe

when I met him.
This happened on Yuggoth.

Oh, come on!
You've been Yuggoth?

If I may, if what you're saying
is true,

and Nyarlathotep cannot directly
affect this plain of existence,

then he could be
applying pressure

to one of our
neighboring dimensions.

This is all theory, though.

[chuckles]
It's just theoretical. Right?

- Vhrool.
- [Howard] What?

A world where the laws that bind
matter together don't apply.

Time, gravity,
the conservation of energy.

They are simply random variables
on Vhrool.

There is no constant.
Up is down.

Seconds can feel like centuries.

It's a place of... madness.

If the stresses on that plain
could be interrupted,

then that should mean
our own universe

- would be safe once more.
- What are you suggesting?

- Trying to go to Vhrool?
- Most definitely.

- We have no other--
- The fact is,

we lack sufficient data
to plan any course of action.

Even if we identify the cause
of these fractures,

we cannot be certain
of the proper solution.

- I completely disagree.
- [groans]

Only one of our number
has the expertise

- to know for sure.
- Ah, don't say--

Dr. West, no one knows
more about the walls

between worlds than he.

I do agree. I think we all do.

But Butler's Sanitarium
is condemned.

- Where would he be?
- He has a facility

- in Antarctica.
- Antarctica?

- As in the South Pole?
- That's the one.

- And if he's not there?
- If we are actually

facing the breakdown
of dimensional barriers

and the possible destruction
of our world,

simply stated,
there's no one else to consult.

[Dr. West chuckling]
You can't be serious.

As a heart attack.

Howard, uh, Randolph, was it?

Thank you for bringing this
to our attention.

It's a long journey
and we will leave immediately.

We'll drop you three off
at the Lovecraft home.

- Excuse me?
- I cannot allow civilians

to venture
into some strange dimension.

[Randolph chants spell]

[Randolph] I am far
from a regular civilian.

Like I said,
I attended Miskatonic University

and I know a lot
about the dark arts.

- I do not remember him.
- The dangers are too great.

This is not happening
on my watch.

Dr. Armitage,
when did the school get... this?

[Henry] This is
a dirigible balloon, William.

And it's on loan.

This is bleeding-edge
technology.

It can reach speeds
of over 25 kilometers per hour.

- Well that's pretty quick.
- Indeed.

I've made some improvements

on the original design,
and I can now beat

- the Le France record.
- Wouldn't a portal

- get us there faster?
- It's far too dangerous.

If the walls between words

are indeed waning thin,
then we will dare not

put any additional stress
upon it.

This will get us there
safe and sound.

Now, we haven't a moment
to lose. Full speed ahead.

[stomach growling]

What?

[Henry] Oh, leave it. Not now.

- [William] This is incredible.
- [Henry] Yes.

[Howard] This is crazy.

At 25 kilometers per hour,
uh, 15 miles per hour,

and it looks like Antarctica's
around 8,700 miles away.

Is that right?

- Your point?
- Hold on, it's going to take...

five-hundred-and-eighty...

well... divide by 24,
carry the zero, 21...

[gasps] three weeks?

[William] Who's back there?

[chants spell]

- Hold on.
- Explain yourselves.

Uh, we... we snuck on.

I said, you were not welcome
on this journey.

Look, my father, a Lovecraft,
is responsible for most of this.

I am the only one
who has seen Nyarlathotep

- and Azathoth.
- [gasps]

Yup, both of them.

Look, I know my spells
and I've been

on these journeys before.

Dr. Armitage, I know the risks.

And I need to do this.

- [Henry] And you?
- I will look after the boy.

[scoffs] Strap yourselves in.
It will take a while.

[Randolph]
Howard, what if I told you

that us meeting
wasn't entirely a coincidence?

Oh, uh, really?
What do you mean?

I arrived when I did
for a very specific reason.

With training, Howard,

you'll learn to read the signs,
as I have.

I knew something
like this was coming.

I only came to make sure
you were in the right place

at the right time
with everything you need.

- Really?
- Yes.

All I want is to ensure
you have a long

and healthy future, my boy.

- Thank you, Uncle Randolph.
- You're welcome.

Randolph, you say you went
to Miskatonic University.

- What year was that?
- Oh, it feels like ages ago.

Well, I'm the class of '81.
I've also--

- Dr. Armitage?
- Yes, my lad?

- How do you know, Dr. West?
- Dr. West looked after

your father
in Butler's Sanitarium.

Either out of duty
or guilt, sir.

Winfield has always had a...
unique sensitivity

to the darkness.

Symbols kept appearing
in your father's visions,

in his nightmares.

To prevent these visions
from driving him mad,

he needed to continually
scribe them.

He wrote down every symbol,
every word, every rule.

As a man of science,
West studied and experimented

in the dark arts.

He wasn't a doctor yet.

Jeffrey West
and Winfield Lovecraft

pushed on the barriers
until they ripped

through dimensions
and came face to face.

With Jeffrey's
scientific methods

and your father's special, uh,
connection with the darkness,

together, they learned lots.
[chuckles] Maybe too much.

I've always been fascinated
with books of the arcane,

so I was thrilled
when West invited me

to read Winfield's journal.

Uh, less thrilled
when I found out his lab

- is in Antarctica.
- [books thud]

[Henry] He knew the symbols
in this journal had power.

- [electricity zapping]
- We were not prepared

for the horrors
that were about to come.

Lovecraft,
this is extraordinary.

We stand on a precipice,

an entire new world to explore,
right at our fingertips.

The planet Vhrool.
Incredible!

What do you see?

I... I can't describe this.

Winfield, what do you see?

[growling]

Winfield, get in here!

- [growling intensifies]
- [Winfield grunts]

- Jeffrey, close the portal.
- Close it?

[chuckles] I plan to swing
the door open wide.

You don't know
what you're doing.

[Jeffrey]
Well of course I don't know.

That's what it makes this
so exciting.

Shut it down. We had a deal.

Well, I won't ring the deal.

This is too important
to pass up.

Don't you see this is bigger
than either of us?

[growling]

Shut it down!
You'll doom us all.

[Jeffrey] No, no! [stutters]
what are you doing?

Stop, you'll ruin everything!

What have you done,
you blasted fool? [grunts]

[wind howling]

[sighs] I just wanted to...

understand, to explore the...

- Now that... is Cthulhu.
- What?

The writings from my journal!
That is the Destroyer of Worlds.

Winfield, are you sure?

[Winfield] Cthulhu is on his way
to R'lyeh right now,

to destroy our world.

- Where is R'lyeh?
- Very, very close.

Oh, Lovecraft,
don't be like this.

Don't give in
to your simplistic emotions,

there's so much
we can still learn together.

We shouldn't deny science,
this advancement.

Think of what we'll learn.

- What have I done?
- This journal brought

that demon here.
Let's hope it can send it back.

That was how your father
first ended up in R'lyeh.

So it was that journal
that stopped Cthulhu.

It put Cthulhu to sleep.

That's why Spot
is The Sleeper of R'lyeh.

If Spot wakes up,
he would be Cthulhu,

the Destroyer of Worlds.

That spell
also froze the kingdom,

but I heard you stole back
that journal from a Shoggoth

- and freed R'lyeh.
- Yeah, I did.

[shudders]

A blizzard is coming.

Long time no see, huh?

We hoped that after
Butler's Sanitarium closed,

you'd be here.

Been a long time.
I see you've rebuilt it all.

Yes, better than it was,
actually.

With the residue
from the other side,

we have made massive leaps
in understanding.

We come with dire news.

We believe the walls
between worlds is thinning.

Cracks have formed,
they've been, uh,

interlopers, night-gaunts.

Oh, we analyzed what remained
after Winfield's abduction.

We stripped down the residue
to its base elements

and even identified
a few new ones.

Quite something
when one discovers raw matter,

unbound by the laws
of conventional physics.

- Unbound by the laws?
- Life, it's about life.

I've dedicated my life
to studying the arcane,

but with the materials
we've analyzed from R'lyeh,

we've been able
to prevent decay.

It is essentially immortal.

Speaking of which,
you opened a portal to Vhrool

from his lab, right?

Right here.
Are we able to go back?

- [chuckling] Oh, yes, I--
- That is great research Jeffrey.

Can you help us
seal the breaches, or-- or not?

Ah... yes.

Yes, I believe we can.

- [screams] What is that thing?
- [Jeffrey] He was a... a...

a friend of mine and was...

around
during the first experiments.

He also might have been
an early test. [chuckles]

You re-animated your staff?

[Jeffrey] No, no.
My son re-animated him.

May I introduce you to, uh,
Herbert West.

Hello, I'm Herbert West,
and this is Captain Obed Marsh.

I gave him life.

Sadly the Captain's afterlife

is something more
of a half life.

It's not a perfect experiment,
but he's loyal.

Uh, yeah, progress.
Not perfection.

Uh, excuse me?

Sir?

Uh, Obed? Captain?

Uh, hello.
Captain Marsh, sir?

Ugh, here's your... hand.
[chuckles]

[roars]

Huh?

[growling]

You don't scare me.

[stuttering]
Okay. That scares me.

[chants spell]

[Howard grunts]

[chants spell]

[chants spell]

That was great, Howard.

[creature growls]

That was terrible.
Howard, that was a death spell.

On top of that,
by using that magic,

you've torn a hole in the walls
big enough for an army.

[stuttering] I was trapped,
and they were too many.

And I needed something
more powerful.

Howard, you're no longer facing
mere servants of evil,

but evil itself.

Do not become the same evil
you're trying to fight.

I am so sorry.

We will not win this fight.
Anyone have any ideas?

- Maybe the Plateau.
- Yeah.

We can go
to the Plateau of Leng.

We can walk them out.

- Lead the way.
- Let's go.

[creatures growling]

[panting]

[Herbert grunts]

Well, we're not going back
that way.

Come on, come on.
What are we waiting for?

There's nothing to fear here.

[Howard] Wow. La-di-da!

[Jeffrey] What did I tell you?
What did I tell you?

Forces like nothing
on this Earth.

Evidence of intelligence

far beyond anything
we've ever known.

Here, beneath the ice.
Resting, waiting for us.

[sighs] Waiting for me.

We've only explored down here
a couple of times,

but my father thinks
he's translated the runes.

If I'm reading these
ancient hieroglyphics correctly,

which would be
frankly astounding...

they actually welcome us
to this place.

From the look of it,
they pre-date the great flood.

My father's
a very determined man.

Yeah, I can relate.

How does one discover
how to go to other planets?

Well, once upon a time, Howard,
your father crossed over

to some distant place,
an entire world

locked in unending ice and snow.

- [Howard] R'lyeh?
- [Jeffrey] Yes, R'lyeh.

I theorized
that these other worlds

you and your father
have visited,

these dimensions in space
and time...

what if they're not
so impossibly far away?

What if they're all occupying
the same space?

Parallel to one another.
Like dinner plates,

stacked one on top of the other.
Imagine it.

These portals that your father
has found and opened,

that you have found.
They're simply places

where the walls
between dimensions are thinnest.

And at those spots,
the worlds can be crossed.

But these doorways
need a key to activate.

You need a catalyst,
that small singular spark.

The Necronomicon.

I think The Necronomicon
could be a key

if one has mastery
over the arcane,

but I believe
an even stronger key is you,

the blood of a Lovecraft.

Oh, this is the portal.

Jeffrey, are you sure?

- [Jeffrey yells]
- [Herbert] Dad.

Dad, are you okay? Speak to me.

[grunts]

- Are you all right?
- [sighs]

- It's a dead end.
- You are a Lovecraft.

- You will open the portal.
- What?

- Howard... touch that door.
- Howard, no.

Funny enough,
I've actually done this before.

Look who I found.

Spot! You're okay.

I couldn't find you.
I missed you.

Good to see you again,
Thu Thu Hmong.

Is he-- That's Cthulhu. Right?

This is Thu Thu Hmong.
Or as Howard calls him, Spot.

I am okay now, Sir Howard.

But I do not know
how I got here.

Cthulhu lies dormant, asleep
deep within Spot.

But I assure you,
our friend here

is no Destroyer of Worlds.

Come on, I'm about to open
another portal.

- You'll burn!
- [footsteps approaching]

[sighs]

Nothing happened.

By the stones of thunder.

[Howard] That symbol.
It looks like Earth.

It is. And that's Mercury,
Venus, and these are the rest

of the planets
from our solar system.

These other symbols.
We assume they're planets,

but we're not sure
which solar system.

We still don't know how to stop
the dimensions from colliding.

Vhrool.

What? Vhrool?

Vhrool is where
we can stop everything.

Now that we have this
big fellow,

we should be able
to solve all our problems.

Thu Thu Hmong?

The ancient ones
cannot be fought.

Howard, you need to come
and bring Thu Thu Hmong.

- What?
- Azathoth cannot be beaten!

Spot, come here now.

Or I kill Howard.

You do not move.

No, Spot, stop.
Spot, you can't go to Vhrool.

You know, Howard,
I have a hard time believing

how simple it was to fool you.

I don't think I was
ever this dumb.

I do not wish to hurt you.

But I need to save
Master Howard.

[Howard] Spot, don't!

Vhrool is the birthplace
of Cthulhu.

Spot, you cannot enter.

Stay put!

Get back from the portal.

[chants spell]

[chants spell]

[grunts]

[screams in pain]

- Let him have it.
- [both chant spell]

- [both chant spell]
- [Spot grunting]

[grunts]

[roars]

[both chant spell]

[groans]

[Spot roars]

His body's healing faster

than the necrotizing fasciitis
can spread.

[Spot roars]

[chants spell]

[chants spell]

[both grunt]

I am sorry.

They're gone.

It's over.

[Howard] Spot.

- What do you want?
- Does it matter?

- You're not my uncle.
- No.

- [Howard] Who are you?
- I am you, Howard.

I-- I don't understand.

- We are the same person.
- How? You can't do this.

I already did.
I did what I had to do

- in order to save myself.
- You're lying. You have to be.

[Howard]
You were behind all of this!

[Spot grunts]

[chants spell]

[chants spell]

Enough.

[grunts]

[Nyarlathotep] As you see,

I'm a bit more hands on
in Vhrool.

I'm going to give you the gift

of the life you have
yet to live.

To re-capture my youth,
all my knowledge

and experience and power
inside of you.

Well... me.

As promised, I have brought you
The Destroyer.

The Necronomicon, [scoffs]
we don't need that anymore.

That is the book of the dead.
We're on Vhoorl.

This the planet of the dead.

This is the birthplace...

- of Cthulhu.
- [ground shaking]

This time,
everything is in place.

This time, The Sleeper's
going to be wide awake.

[Nyarlathotep chanting spell]

[spell continues]

[Spot groaning]

[Cthulhu roars]

One name for this ancient entity
is The Sleeper of R'lyeh.

But together, you and me,
we found a way to wake him.

Know what he's called now?

- The Destroyer of Worlds.
- [Cthulhu roars]

[Randolph] The future I come
from isn't very nice, Howard.

I no longer dream.

Nightmares bleed
into my reality.

I'm living in lucid nightmare
where Wunderwunt...

is gone.

I am...

so tired.

[Nyarlathotep] Father,
The Sleeper has awakened.

Your son Cthulhu is before me.

Nyarlathotep, I am asking
if you may bring us.

So we may watch
the Destroyer of Worlds.

[Azathoth growls]

[thunder rumbling]

[thunder rumbling]

That was...

the price Yuggoth had to pay
was terrible.

But it was necessary for me
to get The Silver Key.

[Nyarlathotep] Yes.
Here's your prize.

The lost key
to the gate of dreams.

[chuckles] Yes!

- Don't resist.
- [panting]

[chanting spell]

[Randolph] I'm in, Howard.

- I'm in your mind, now.
- I won't quit.

I admire your spirit.

So much like my own.

But Nyarlathotep
is beyond even us.

He cannot be fought.
He cannot be beaten.

The only way is surrender.

- So, you just gave up?
- I gave up far too late.

They're people in our life,
Howard,

people that would be with us,

protected and safe
from his power

if only we'd joined him sooner.

People you haven't
even met yet.

- There's no time anymore.
- I don't believe you.

You don't have to.

You just have to become me.

What happened to you?

You wouldn't believe me
if I told you.

- Show me.
- It's too horrific.

[explosions]

[Cthulhu growls]

[Randolph] It's not too late.

Don't you see?

We merge and become one.

Young and strong, and whole.

With time on our side once more.

[Howard] No.

What do you have
that's worth preserving?

Why do you resist?

[Sarah] You'll remember that,
won't you?

I want you to know
something important, Howard.

Something your father's books
can't teach you.

Mother?

You may have forgotten,
but I haven't.

Mother... Mother...

please... help me.

I'm so tired.

Please, Mother.

Tell me what you told him.

[Sarah] Howard...

I love you.

I love you, guys.

I love you, Mother.

I knew you could do it!

I will never forget you.

I can't...

I can't do it.

I can't rob you of what time
you have left with her.

With them.

Nyarlathotep is going
to destroy your Earth next.

- Destroy Earth?
- The more planets they destroy,

the stronger, Vhrool, Cthulhu
and the Ancient Ones become.

My plan was to go back in time
and, well...

replace you,
and then I'd be young again.

I'd stop the destruction
of Earth and relive my life

as a regular eight-year-old.

Well, we can still stop
the destruction of Earth...

together.

[Randolph] Together.

Cthulhu cannot be beaten
on Vhoorl.

The only chance we have
to stop him

from destroying Earth
is to confront him on Earth.

Each planet has a kingdom.

Yuggoth had Yl'glhuh,
Vhrool has Chigagonikeloy.

- And Earth has--
- [Howard] R'lyeh.

[Randolph] That's right. R'lyeh.
Each of these kingdoms

were constructed on their planet in an exact location

that aligns them
for intergalactic travel.

Cthulhu destroyed Yuggoth
above the Undisted Kingdom,

and he will destroy Earth
over R'lyeh.

We need to get back to Earth
and prepare

for the final battle.

Howard... this is yours.

- [chanting spell]
- It's okay, he's on our side.

Don't believe him,
he's wanting to release Cthulhu.

Well, yes. Wanted,
but we worked it out.

Worked it out?
You've been gone seconds.

Time on Vhoorl moves differently
than on Earth.

I am sorry. [sighs]
I was wrong.

- I am here to help.
- Yuggoth...

is destroyed... and Spot...

Cthulhu's coming here
to destroy Earth.

H.P. is giving us an opportunity
to save everyone.

We don't really have time
to argue.

So...

- how do we stop Cthulhu?
- It will be on R'lyeh.

It will take an army.

And it will take Howard.

I'll teleport us to R'lyeh.

I assume we don't care
about the tears

- between dimensions right now.
- [Henry] Ah, no.

- I will get the army.
- My dad is hurt.

- He can't go with us.
- I'll drop him off

at Miskatonic University.
Herbert and William,

go with Howard and Randolph.
Let us all meet at R'lyeh.

Thank you, Dr. Armitage.

[chanting spell]

[chanting spell]

This is crazy.

[indistinct muttering]

[creatures jeering]

[thunder rumbling]

[Howard] Squidkids!

[all] Howard!

How are you?
What brings you here?

It's bad.
It's really bad.

Spot is gone.

- Gone?
- What do you mean, gone?

Will Spot come back?

Spot is dead.

And it is Cthulhu
who's come to destroy Earth.

We think he's coming to R'lyeh.

- Right now.
- Cthulhu! He's awake?

The Destroyer.

Cthulhu will send his hoards
in before his arrival

to kill everything
in the kingdom.

- Cthulhu will appear thereafter.
- [indistinct muttering]

So our goal is not to die.
Got it.

Yet if we can hold off his army
long enough,

Cthulhu will appear.
It is at that point, Howard...

[creature mutters]

Howard, [stutters]
at that point, Howard does what?

You will use The Necronomicon
to kill Cthulhu.

[Howard] I don't know if I can.

Then ready yourself
for whatever comes next.

[creature growling]

[growls]

[roars]

[chanting spell]

[chanting spell]

[roars]

[Howard chants spell]

- [grunts]
- [chanting spell]

[chanting spell]

[all exclaim]

[chanting spell]

[chanting spell]

[grunts]

[chanting spell]

[chanting spell]

[chanting spell]

[creature growling]

[chants spell]

- [creature growls]
- [Herbert grunts]

[creature burps]

[Herbert] For the Earth...

[chanting spell]

[chanting spell]

[Herbert] Watch out!

[chanting spell]

[creature cackles]

For science.

- [creature growls]
- Whoa!

[chants spell]

[chants spell]

[chants spell]

[chants spell]

[chants spell]

[sighs]

[grunting]

[creature growls]

[chants spell]

[Howard] Professor--
Professor Armitage.

Howard, you've done great.
Now rekindle your courage

for we have come
to turn the tide.

All right, it'’s a braw bricht
moonlit nicht tonight.

[growling]

[grunting]

[Dr. Atwood chants spell]

[chants spell]

[William chants spell]

[Nyarlathotep]
Denizens of the dark,

I come bearing gifts.

This time
has been delayed enough.

[thunder rumbling]

[Dr. Ellery gasps]

Heavens!

[Cthulhu] I watch you,
as the final seal opens.

There is a great earthquake.

The sun turns black...

like a sack cloth
made of goat hair.

The whole moon turns blood red.

And the stars in the sky
are falling to Earth.

I see the kings of the kingdoms

and the great old ones,
and the rich,

and the powerful
and everyone, slave and free,

hide themselves,
calling to the sky:

"Fall on us and hide us
from the face of him,

for the great day of his wrath
has come.

And who can stand?"

[thunder rumbling]

[growls]

[Nyarlathotep] Cthulhu
will destroy this planet

and in the discord,

seeds of a new life
shall be sowed.

Father...

[Henry] Howard,
seek an audience with Cthulhu.

See if you can find your
old friend Spot deep inside.

We'll hold off
this demonic hoard.

[chants spell]

[creatures growling]

[Dr. Rice chants spell]

[grunts]

[creature growls]

[grunts]

[gasps]

[screams]

[Dr. Rice grunts]

[chants spell]

[all chanting spell]

[chants spell]

It'’s a lang road that's
no goat a turnin.'’

[grunts]

Oh, that will leave a wee mark.

[Dr. Ellery whimpers]

[Nyarlathotep] He is the Alpha
and the Omega.

He is the first and the last.

He that liveth, and was dead.

He has the keys of life
and of death.

Write the things
which thou has seen

and the things which are,
and the things

which shall be hereafter.

[creatures growling]

[Howard chants spell]

[chants spell]

[chants spell]

[chants spell]

[chants spell]

[chants spell]

[chants spell]

[chants spell]

[creatures growling]

Spot...

[creature growls]

[Howard grunting]

[Howard] Oh, no.

No. [yells]

[grunting]

[Howard yells]

[Howard gasps]

Spot, you must still be inside.

You listen to me, Spot.

You once gave me your word
that you wouldn't hurt me.

[Cthulhu growls]

I saved your life, remember?
And you swore I was your master.

I am your friend.

You're in there, somewhere.
You're my friend, Spot.

[Nyarlathotep] Get away
from him.

The deal is off.

[chants spell]

Everyone converge
on Nyarlathotep.

[all chant spell]

Now you look at me.
Look at me, Spot. Focus.

Listen to my voice.

I love you. [echoing]

[Spot] Master Howard.
Wait for me.

- [Howard gasps]
- [Spot grunts]

Are you okay?

[Spot grunts] I...

[Cthulhu] Howard...

[roars]

Spot... you have to stop.

Cannot... stop.

[Cthulhu] Howard...
Elder sign.

Elder sign has great power.

[both yelling]

No. No, no,
there's gotta be another way.

[Cthulhu] No.

[Cthulhu yells]

[Cthulhu pants]

- Spot...
- [Cthulhu] More.

More?

[thunder rumbling]

Necronomicon.

[Cthulhu mutters indistinctly]

[Nyarlathotep]
This is unacceptable. Cthulhu!

[Cthulhu roars]

[Cthulhu screams]

[Howard panting]

Spot...

No, no, no, Spot.

[Cthulhu roaring]

Spot!

Spot.

[screams in pain]

No, no, no, he's gone.

My best friend's gone.

[footsteps approaching]

Howard... you saved our planet.

You saved us all.

Amazing, Howard. You're a hero.

But, Spot...

[sobbing] I'm sorry...
but he's not coming back.

You know, matter is neither
created nor destroyed.

Nothing is ever really gone
for good.

And nothing good
is ever really gone.

Let me take you home, Howard.

[Herbert] Dad!
You had me worried.

You must be exhausted
after your journey, and cold.

You won't believe what happened.
They were night-gaunts,

shigots, and elder things.
I helped fight off

a monstrous hoard.
I even attacked a Cthulhu,

because he was going to destroy
the planet.

Howard stopped him.

[chuckling
and speaking gibberish]

Thank you for everything
you've done.

I don't think any of us
would be here if not for you.

- If not for Spot.
- Indeed. Still,

we are in your debt.
Both of your debts.

And we look forward
to continuing your education

when the time is right.

You want me to come
to Miskatonic?

Indeed. You have
a marvelous future ahead of you.

You don't have enough room
inside you for a rheumatic pain.

But we'’re a
Jock Tamson'’s bairns.

You'll do great at Miskatonic,
Howard.

Lang may yer lum reek.

Physics is a requirement here
and it would be my honor

to have you in my class, Howard.

I'd be happy to help you,
Howard.

Howard's test can be quite...
hard.

This is what I wanted to do.

Is this what you want, Howard?

[stuttering] Absolutely.
What about you?

I think I've done all the damage
I can, here.

I need to go back home.

What will you do?

I don't know.
Continuing writing, I guess.

Maybe see if I can get
something published. [chuckles]

Howard, you are a Lovecraft.
And this... is your destiny.

All things are possible
at Miskatonic University.

Oh, my. He certainly
didn't learn that here.

This was incredible.

I sincerely hope that we can go
on another adventure,

- Howard Lovecraft.
- I'm sure we will, Herbert.

Take care and thank you.

- I will see you soon, Howard.
- Good bye, Howard Lovecraft.

- See you soon.
- Haste ye back!

Howard...
thank goodness you'’re safe.

- [Howard sobs]
- What is it, darling?

- I just... I miss my friend.
- I'm sorry, son. Truly.

At least we have each other,
right?

We're all staying now, Howard.

I feel I could fall in love
with you all over again.

[all chuckling]

[growling]

[grunts]

[narrator] We live on
a placid island of ignorance,

in the midst of black seas
of the infinity.

[Narrator Reads]