The Six Million Dollar Man (1974–1978): Season 4, Episode 21 - To Catch the Eagle - full transcript
An Indian Chief who is also a trained scientist discovers an ore on the reservation that can be a great source of power. So Oscar sends two men to check it out but they vanish. So he sends Steve to find them. But the tribe's medicine man who is very traditional refuses to grant Steve permission to go there because it's sacred ground. But there's a test which is very grueling, if he passes he can enter. But the medicine man has other plans.
FLIGHT COM:
It looks good at NASA One.
B- 52 >PILOT:
Roger.
BCS Arm switch is on.
FLIGHT COM:
Okay, Victor.
B-52 PILOT: Landing Rocket Arm switch
is on. Here comes the throttle.
Circuit breakers in.
STEVE:
We have separation.
B-52 PILOT:
Inboard and outboards are on.
I'm comin' forward with the side stick.
FLIGHT COM:
Looks good.
PILOT:
Ah, Roger.
STEVE:
I've got a blowout in damper three.
SR-71 PILOT:
Get your pitch to zero.
STEVE:
Pitch is out. I can't hold altitude!
B-52 PILOT: Correction. Alpha Hold is oil“.
Threat selector is emergency.
STEVE: Flight Com. I can't hold it!
She's breaking up! She's breaking...
ANNOUNCER:
Steve Austin. Astronaut.
A man barely alive.
Gentlemen, we can rebuild him.
We have the technology.
We have the capability
to make the world's first bionic man.
Steve Austin will be that man.
Better than he was before.
Better, stronger, faster.
(MAIN TITLE THEME)
(EAGLE CALLS)
I hope we can keep these suits in one piece
on the way back out of the cave.
Get down! Get down!
(COUGHING)
We're trapped.
We think that they're here, Steve.
Somewhere in this area.
That's a lot of territory, Oscar.
300 square miles of high and low
desert... bad mountains.
How long since you've heard from them?
Over 24 hours.
What were they doing
on the Indian reservation?
Look at this ore sample.
Now listen...
(GEIGER COUNTER CLICKS)
That's enough radioactive material
to power my bionics for a year.
That's why we sent Marsh and Swanson
to the Indian reservation.
Where did the O.S.I. get a hold
of this ore sample?
Silver Cloud, the leader of the
Mogoyon Apaches sent it to us.
He's a Harvard graduate of science.
And he recognized it when he saw some
kids playing with a sample of the ore.
If this deposit's on Indian land,
they could become a very rich tribe.
If we could find the source.
But they've thrown
every obstacle in our path...
ever since we arrived
at the reservation.
The Indians wouldn't try to stop a search
and rescue operation, would they?
They would and they have, Steve.
They simply don't want the Army trampling
over their religious forbidden grounds.
That's why I'm sending you
as a consultant and advisor.
You'll be a guest
of Silver Cloud.
Well, what's my limitations?
Where can I go, what I can do?
Anywhere you want...
except the forbidden lands.
Unfortunately, that's probably where
Marsh and Swanson disappeared.
OSCAR:
Good luck, pal.
Now if we can find you a guide,
you can start your search immediately.
I'd like to cover
the forbidden territory.
No, no, no.
I'm sorry, that's off-limits.
That's even off-limits
to the tribe shaman.
Come on!
Hurry, Sunrise,
you can beat him.
(SPEAKS IN NATIVE LANGUAGE)
Lone bear,
you're the strongest, come on!
The men are proving they're strong
enough to take care of the women.
Tonight, we'll do the
Crown Dance for the women.
I can break in now.
My people.
You know there are two white men lost
in the places of death and ghosts.
SILVER CLOUD:
This is Steve Austin.
He has been sent
to help us search for them.
I'm going to need one man
to act as a guide.
SILVER CLOUD:
Who will volunteer?
You desecrate our ceremonies,
Silver Cloud.
This man does not belong here.
Colonel Austin is my guest.
All the same, he will not
have any of our men.
They belong here.
This is a contest,
not a ceremony, Iron Fist.
The men may leave if they so choose.
Then let us see if they choose.
All right, I'm gonna
need one good man.
SILVER CLOUD:
Lone Bear, will you go?
Evidently, they do not choose.
That was Little Deer,
Iron Fist's daughter.
Iron Fist doesn't like outsiders?
He's the shaman of our tribe,
the medicine man...
And he's very well named.
He rules this tribe with an iron fist.
Yeah, but you're the chief.
In name only, I'm afraid.
Like British royalty,
I have very limited power.
Will no one accept
this man's challenge?
Perhaps the stranger would like to try.
This man doesn't have to prove
anything to our people, Iron Fist.
Only that he is worthy to be
treated as a man by our tribe.
IRON FIST:
A man might find a guide.
Lone Bear is a very strong man.
You lose and you'll
never get a guide.
Well, I'm not doing so well
myself right now anyway.
I may as well try.
Who will challenge this man?
He's won.
Nobody challenges.
You must give him the
Eagle's Touch, Iron Fist.
Before I do that,
I will fight him myself!
Left hand! My right hand
is for medicine only!
(CROWD MURMURS)
I need a guide.
Two men's lives may be at stake.
STEVE:
Will somebody help me?
I'll take you... now.
The Eagle's Touch, Iron Fist.
He's earned it.
(TRIBAL DRUM BEAT)
Well, I want to
thank you for coming.
You earned a guide.
Since I caused the shame,
it was up to me to go.
Doesn't anyone around here
want to help those two men?
We offered them guides.
They refused.
They deserve to become lost.
Do they deserve to die?
If they went into
forbidden territory... yes.
Which way now?
That way.
Why that particular direction?
They were seen driving
that way two days ago.
We'll search for their tire tracks.
That makes sense.
LONE BEAR:
It should.
The Indian's always
been a tracker.
(BIONIC EYE SOUND EFFECT)
LONE BEAR: An Indian can see things
you wouldn't even know were there.
We can see longer and
sharper than any white man.
No disrespect intended.
None taken.
By the way,
what is that out there?
LONE BEAR:
There's nothing out there.
Listen, I'm not trying to prove anything,
but I thought I saw someone out there.
Would you mind if we drove
over and took a closer look?
You couldn't have seen her
from back there.
Well, I have one eagle eye.
It keeps me out of trouble...
or gets me into it.
Oh, Lone Bear, help him,
please get him up!
His leg's probably broken.
He'll have to be destroyed.
No!
Get in the Jeep.
LONE BEAR:
We'll have to go back for a gun.
But you can save him!
I'll stay here with her
until you get back.
Don't leave this area,
Mr. Austin.
There are tribal grounds that are
off-limits to white and Indian alike.
Yeah, where are they?
If you don't move,
you won't run into them, will you?
You don't much like me, do you?
STEVE:
Well, I guess I understand.
It's not much fun
seeing your daddy beaten.
(BIONIC SOUND EFFECT)
(BIONIC SOUND EFFECT)
(EAGLE CALLING)
The eagle follows you.
STEVE:
Maybe he's just tired.
You have the spirit of an eagle.
All that matters to you right now
is you got your horse back.
He looks okay to me.
Why don't you go on back.
I'll wait here for Lone Bear.
(GUN FIRES)
Iron Fist, it's me!
Steve Austin.
Hold your fire!
You're on forbidden ground!
You're standing on
forbidden ground.
Our men are in there somewhere.
I followed their Jeep tracks this far.
Why did you bring him near here?
After he beat us,
somebody would have helped him.
I figured it better
if I kept an eye on him.
We cannot let him
find those men.
Iron Fist, hold your fire.
I'm coming over.
That's as far as you're going
to go right there!
No! Not now! Look!
For a minute there,
I thought you were serious.
I could have shot you
anytime back there...
and the vultures would have
picked at your bones in an hour.
I warned you to
stay with Little Deer.
Well, once we got
her horse on his feet...
there wasn't much
point hanging around.
How did you manage that?
Anything's possible
if you want to do it.
Look, I want to get into those mountains
and look for those two men.
If they're back there,
they'll stay there.
I can promise you that.
Get in the Jeep!
I told you, tribal law
forbids treading that ground.
Then you've got to bend
that law a little or break it.
I can't.
Those two men may be hurt
or dying in those mountains.
There's got to be a way to get to them.
They were warned
not to go into that area.
Now they must
accept the consequences.
Look, they were told to look
for a source of radioactive material.
Now the country needs that fuel.
If it's in those mountains,
then there it must stay.
Silver Cloud, it's life or death.
Can't you go?
No one can...
except the one that tries
to capture Itza-Chu, the eagle.
No!
That is for our men only.
That is for the council
to decide, not you.
Tell me about this
capturing the eagle.
It's an ancient custom of the Apache,
a test of manliness.
If a man passes the first three tests...
then he is given the right to enter
the sacred, forbidden land...
and live there with the spirits of death...
until he either captures the eagle
and is given its life, or dies.
Has it been done recently?
Not in my lifetime.
But if someone attempted it, they'd be able
to cross into the forbidden area?
Of course, here are limitations.
The man is given no food nor water.
He is forced to live by his wits.
And according to the stories
handed down by the elders...
usually never makes it
back to the village.
Silver Cloud,
I want to capture the eagle.
I'll call the council tonight.
I expected to wear this when the tribe
brought forth new life in the young girls...
like Little Deer.
Instead I may be wearing it
to send a man to his death.
(TRIBAL MUSIC)
Who is this man?
One who wishes to capture the eagle.
How do you come to this council?
As one who has been touched
by the eagle's feathers.
And if you die?
It is the will of the mountain spirit.
And if you live?
It is good.
COUNCILMAN #1:
We will talk.
(MURMUR)
You sponsor an outsider
for this important ritual... why?
He has requested
to enter the sacred land.
This is the only way.
I do not see why we should let this man
laugh at the customs of our fathers.
I am opposed to this.
Iron Fist, how do you
feel about this?
He's a hunter making
a mockery of our ancient rites.
It is a strange man who
tries to mock us...
by going through our most
strenuous test of endurance.
He won't pass the test.
He will walk on our land
looking for his people.
But if they have
crossed into the forbidden land...
they are dead.
Silver Cloud?
We have no choice.
We are ordered by
ancient rules and customs.
I believe this man will die
trying to save his friends...
but we have no right
to prevent his trying.
What is the word?
Tonight you fast.
At dawn, we begin.
Iron Fist, prepare him.
Take this.
Run that horse down,
break him and ride him back here.
Your braves could actually
run down a horse like that?
SILVER CLOUD:
A horse can only run 40 miles a day.
An Apache brave can run 70 miles.
That's why an Apache would eat his horse
if there was no other food around.
That way he knew he could run to where
he wanted to go, if his belly was full.
Well, I don't qualify on that count.
You haven't fed me since last night.
You're gonna get an awful lot hungrier
than you are now and thirstier.
And at night,
those hills are very cold.
(DRAMATIC MUSIC)
(BIONIC SOUND EFFECT)
You just sent him to his death,
Silver Cloud.
Maybe he won't die.
He's not an Apache.
He's a brave man,
and a strong one.
(BIONIC SOUND EFFECT)
(BIONIC SOUND EFFECT)
You went away from the reservation
to the white man's school.
You were an Indian!
You came back a white man.
You'd let our culture die and
take on his if you had your way!
Is it so difficult for you to realize
that there is more to medicine...
than your herbs and rattles?
And there's more to the life for the Indian
than scraping out a meager living...
with cattle that the
Federal government sends in.
We can improve on what we have.
I'll see you and your
white friends gone first...
especially this last one.
SILVER CLOUD:
Not this time.
In olden times,
we fought with bow and spear.
A man learned to avoid dying by either.
In this test, our strongest men
will throw spears at you.
You must not allow the
spearheads to touch your body...
and you must not go out of that area.
So move swiftly... and well.
SILVER CLOUD:
Lone Bear, bring me the spears!
Just nick him.
Whatever it takes...
touch him.
He'll be dead by nightfall.
Not a word, Little Bear.
Not a sound.
I know what is best.
Then let the test begin.
(BIONIC SOUND EFFECT)
(BIONIC SOUND EFFECT)
Congratulations.
You move fast for a...
White man?
I was going to say big man,
but both are true.
LONE BEAR:
I'm sorry, are you all right?
Yeah, it's just a scratch.
Two smears are dishonorable enough,
but you deliberately cut him!
Get out of my sight.
I don't want to see you!
SILVER CLOUD:
How strong do you feel?
Why? What's next?
Well, in a moment,
two men will begin to chant a song...
which takes exactly
one-half minute.
That's as much time as you
will be allowed to get up that hill.
Well, that's easy.
Not while you're carrying
a ZOO-pound totem in your arms.
SILVER CLOUD: That's the weight
equivalent to an injured man.
STEVE:
I figured it sounds too easy.
When do I get to go
into the mountains?
As soon as you reach the top of the hill,
you'll be on your own.
Until you catch the eagle
and return.
Good luck to you, my friend.
I shall pray that
you find your friends.
Thanks.
(BOTH CHANTING)
(BIONIC SOUND EFFECT)
(BIONIC SOUND EFFECT)
(DRAMATIC MUSIC)
(EAGLE CALLS)
(BIONIC EYE SOUND EFFECT)
Lone Bear!
We've got to find Austin.
Why? He'll die of our snake poison
in the middle of the forbidden land.
In a month, we'll be rich!
Little Deer's gone after him.
She took my snakebite cures.
We've got to bring her back
before she can help him.
Let's go.
You saved my horse.
I came to bring you medicine...
but the horse is gone
and so is the medicine.
What medicine?
To stop the snake poison.
But I haven't been bitten.
Yes, you have,
by Lone Bear's spear.
It was poisoned.
You could die.
Don't you worry.
I'm not gonna die of snake poison.
Want a drink of water?
Oh, not that water.
Nothing lives in it!
You didn't drink it, did you?
Yeah, well, I'm afraid I did.
You better sit down!
Stay quiet.
No, no, no, Little Deer,
you don't understand, I'll be fine, really.
In a few hours,
your head won't belong to you.
It'll belong to the spirit people.
Then I'll see things?
Well, if that's gonna happen,
I'd rather not see them here.
Come on. Let's go, we'll just
go until we find us a Jeep...
and then we'll stop, come on!
(BIONIC SCRATCHING SOUND EFFECT)
Hey, where'd you find that?
Not far.
Oh, that's good.
What's the matter?
Are you all right?
Oh, sure.
You're not still worried
about that water I drank, are you?
The spirit pains will come.
You could die.
Well, I hope not.
(COYOTES HOWLING)
You know, I don't think your mother
would like you being out here.
I don't have a mother.
She died when I was small.
Well, that couldn't have
been too many years back.
How old are you?
15? 16?
16.
I was to leave childhood behind last
night at the Corn Pollen Ceremony.
But I interrupted the rites.
I'm sorry.
Finding your friends
is more important.
You're much wiser than
your years, Little Deer.
My father doesn't think so.
Well, give him time.
Perhaps if you catch the eagle,
he'll change.
Yeah, what if I don't catch it?
Well, you must catch it.
It's the spirit of our tribe.
It needs to be with the people.
Things will be better then for us.
Yeah, but you can't
keep an eagle caged.
When it's time to fly again...
it'll leave a little of it's spirit
and happiness with us.
You must catch it.
What is it?
LITTLE DEER:
What's wrong?
I don't know, I feel warm.
Dizzy...
(MOANS)
(MUTTERS INCOHERENT)
I guess the spirit pains
finally got to me.
What a night.
It's all right, Little Deer.
I know what happened.
I won't hurt you.
I'm afraid of you.
I don't blame you.
I'm afraid of myself sometimes.
Well, you're not a man.
You're some kind of machine.
You mean my arm?
What happened?
It doesn't matter, does it?
You saw what that
bad water did to me last night.
It couldn't have done that
to a machine, now could it?
No, I guess not.
Come on down.
I'm not going to hurt you.
We gotta get going.
Where?
Well, we gotta catch us an eagle.
STEVE:
Come on.
They were here.
And Little Deer was with him.
Those are her tracks.
When they left,
she was walking beside him.
(BIONIC EYE SOUND EFFECT)
(DRAMATIC MUSIC)
LITTLE DEER:
What is it?
It's a Jeep, come on!
Must be Marsh and Swanson's Jeep.
They've gotta be
around here somewhere.
There's no keys.
It's theirs all right.
Hey, look!
(DRAMATIC MUSIC)
(BIONIC SOUND EFFECT)
You caught it.
You caught the eagle!
You're a great man!
(BIONIC SOUND EFFECT)
Marsh, you all right?
Steve?
Yeah.
For a minute there, old buddy,
I thought you were an angel.
Not yet.
Come on, we're gonna
get you out of here.
IRON FIST:
I don't think so, Colonel Austin.
(COCKS GUN)
Get away from him, Little Deer.
IRON FIST: These men have
entered the forbidden land.
They must not leave this place alive.
But it's all right now!
He caught the eagle!
Little Deer, there's some
valuable ore on this land.
I got the feeling your father
made a private deal for it.
He wanted to keep this area forbidden
so that no one else would know about it.
You're too clever
for your own good, Colonel.
If you kill us, what are you
gonna do with your daughter?
I don't think she's gonna go along with it.
She will obey her father.
She is an Apache.
Maybe, but she's also a human being.
Little Deer... come.
No!
Killing people is wrong,
whatever the reason.
Then you're going to have
to die with the others.
No!
We made an arrangement
with some very powerful men.
LONE BEAR:
We took their money.
They wanted this ore.
What do you think's going
to happen to us if we fail?
(BIONIC SOUND EFFECT)
(GUN SMASHING)
Iron Fist, you can stop this.
Let me get those men out of here
and back to the village...
and I'll see what I can do to help you.
Little Deer...
(TRIBAL MUSIC)
Little Deer's going to make
quite a catch.
She keeps waiting for you
to say grow up fast.
I wouldn't have a chance against
some of the young men in this tribe.
SILVER CLOUD:
I don't know.
She keeps saying you're special,
something very special.
She just won't say how.
Well, that's our secret.
Well, you caught the eagle...
and that does make you something
very special to our tribe.
SILVER CLOUD:
Come!
We have another ceremony to perform.
What's this all about?
You get to release him.
Well, he's yours as much as mine.
The eagle, Itza-Chu,
has honored our people.
He has given us prayer plumes
and sacred tail feathers.
We are free from our forbidden
land and our spirits soar.
Is there any richer
people in all this world?
I don't think there could be.
(END THEME MUSIC)
It looks good at NASA One.
B- 52 >PILOT:
Roger.
BCS Arm switch is on.
FLIGHT COM:
Okay, Victor.
B-52 PILOT: Landing Rocket Arm switch
is on. Here comes the throttle.
Circuit breakers in.
STEVE:
We have separation.
B-52 PILOT:
Inboard and outboards are on.
I'm comin' forward with the side stick.
FLIGHT COM:
Looks good.
PILOT:
Ah, Roger.
STEVE:
I've got a blowout in damper three.
SR-71 PILOT:
Get your pitch to zero.
STEVE:
Pitch is out. I can't hold altitude!
B-52 PILOT: Correction. Alpha Hold is oil“.
Threat selector is emergency.
STEVE: Flight Com. I can't hold it!
She's breaking up! She's breaking...
ANNOUNCER:
Steve Austin. Astronaut.
A man barely alive.
Gentlemen, we can rebuild him.
We have the technology.
We have the capability
to make the world's first bionic man.
Steve Austin will be that man.
Better than he was before.
Better, stronger, faster.
(MAIN TITLE THEME)
(EAGLE CALLS)
I hope we can keep these suits in one piece
on the way back out of the cave.
Get down! Get down!
(COUGHING)
We're trapped.
We think that they're here, Steve.
Somewhere in this area.
That's a lot of territory, Oscar.
300 square miles of high and low
desert... bad mountains.
How long since you've heard from them?
Over 24 hours.
What were they doing
on the Indian reservation?
Look at this ore sample.
Now listen...
(GEIGER COUNTER CLICKS)
That's enough radioactive material
to power my bionics for a year.
That's why we sent Marsh and Swanson
to the Indian reservation.
Where did the O.S.I. get a hold
of this ore sample?
Silver Cloud, the leader of the
Mogoyon Apaches sent it to us.
He's a Harvard graduate of science.
And he recognized it when he saw some
kids playing with a sample of the ore.
If this deposit's on Indian land,
they could become a very rich tribe.
If we could find the source.
But they've thrown
every obstacle in our path...
ever since we arrived
at the reservation.
The Indians wouldn't try to stop a search
and rescue operation, would they?
They would and they have, Steve.
They simply don't want the Army trampling
over their religious forbidden grounds.
That's why I'm sending you
as a consultant and advisor.
You'll be a guest
of Silver Cloud.
Well, what's my limitations?
Where can I go, what I can do?
Anywhere you want...
except the forbidden lands.
Unfortunately, that's probably where
Marsh and Swanson disappeared.
OSCAR:
Good luck, pal.
Now if we can find you a guide,
you can start your search immediately.
I'd like to cover
the forbidden territory.
No, no, no.
I'm sorry, that's off-limits.
That's even off-limits
to the tribe shaman.
Come on!
Hurry, Sunrise,
you can beat him.
(SPEAKS IN NATIVE LANGUAGE)
Lone bear,
you're the strongest, come on!
The men are proving they're strong
enough to take care of the women.
Tonight, we'll do the
Crown Dance for the women.
I can break in now.
My people.
You know there are two white men lost
in the places of death and ghosts.
SILVER CLOUD:
This is Steve Austin.
He has been sent
to help us search for them.
I'm going to need one man
to act as a guide.
SILVER CLOUD:
Who will volunteer?
You desecrate our ceremonies,
Silver Cloud.
This man does not belong here.
Colonel Austin is my guest.
All the same, he will not
have any of our men.
They belong here.
This is a contest,
not a ceremony, Iron Fist.
The men may leave if they so choose.
Then let us see if they choose.
All right, I'm gonna
need one good man.
SILVER CLOUD:
Lone Bear, will you go?
Evidently, they do not choose.
That was Little Deer,
Iron Fist's daughter.
Iron Fist doesn't like outsiders?
He's the shaman of our tribe,
the medicine man...
And he's very well named.
He rules this tribe with an iron fist.
Yeah, but you're the chief.
In name only, I'm afraid.
Like British royalty,
I have very limited power.
Will no one accept
this man's challenge?
Perhaps the stranger would like to try.
This man doesn't have to prove
anything to our people, Iron Fist.
Only that he is worthy to be
treated as a man by our tribe.
IRON FIST:
A man might find a guide.
Lone Bear is a very strong man.
You lose and you'll
never get a guide.
Well, I'm not doing so well
myself right now anyway.
I may as well try.
Who will challenge this man?
He's won.
Nobody challenges.
You must give him the
Eagle's Touch, Iron Fist.
Before I do that,
I will fight him myself!
Left hand! My right hand
is for medicine only!
(CROWD MURMURS)
I need a guide.
Two men's lives may be at stake.
STEVE:
Will somebody help me?
I'll take you... now.
The Eagle's Touch, Iron Fist.
He's earned it.
(TRIBAL DRUM BEAT)
Well, I want to
thank you for coming.
You earned a guide.
Since I caused the shame,
it was up to me to go.
Doesn't anyone around here
want to help those two men?
We offered them guides.
They refused.
They deserve to become lost.
Do they deserve to die?
If they went into
forbidden territory... yes.
Which way now?
That way.
Why that particular direction?
They were seen driving
that way two days ago.
We'll search for their tire tracks.
That makes sense.
LONE BEAR:
It should.
The Indian's always
been a tracker.
(BIONIC EYE SOUND EFFECT)
LONE BEAR: An Indian can see things
you wouldn't even know were there.
We can see longer and
sharper than any white man.
No disrespect intended.
None taken.
By the way,
what is that out there?
LONE BEAR:
There's nothing out there.
Listen, I'm not trying to prove anything,
but I thought I saw someone out there.
Would you mind if we drove
over and took a closer look?
You couldn't have seen her
from back there.
Well, I have one eagle eye.
It keeps me out of trouble...
or gets me into it.
Oh, Lone Bear, help him,
please get him up!
His leg's probably broken.
He'll have to be destroyed.
No!
Get in the Jeep.
LONE BEAR:
We'll have to go back for a gun.
But you can save him!
I'll stay here with her
until you get back.
Don't leave this area,
Mr. Austin.
There are tribal grounds that are
off-limits to white and Indian alike.
Yeah, where are they?
If you don't move,
you won't run into them, will you?
You don't much like me, do you?
STEVE:
Well, I guess I understand.
It's not much fun
seeing your daddy beaten.
(BIONIC SOUND EFFECT)
(BIONIC SOUND EFFECT)
(EAGLE CALLING)
The eagle follows you.
STEVE:
Maybe he's just tired.
You have the spirit of an eagle.
All that matters to you right now
is you got your horse back.
He looks okay to me.
Why don't you go on back.
I'll wait here for Lone Bear.
(GUN FIRES)
Iron Fist, it's me!
Steve Austin.
Hold your fire!
You're on forbidden ground!
You're standing on
forbidden ground.
Our men are in there somewhere.
I followed their Jeep tracks this far.
Why did you bring him near here?
After he beat us,
somebody would have helped him.
I figured it better
if I kept an eye on him.
We cannot let him
find those men.
Iron Fist, hold your fire.
I'm coming over.
That's as far as you're going
to go right there!
No! Not now! Look!
For a minute there,
I thought you were serious.
I could have shot you
anytime back there...
and the vultures would have
picked at your bones in an hour.
I warned you to
stay with Little Deer.
Well, once we got
her horse on his feet...
there wasn't much
point hanging around.
How did you manage that?
Anything's possible
if you want to do it.
Look, I want to get into those mountains
and look for those two men.
If they're back there,
they'll stay there.
I can promise you that.
Get in the Jeep!
I told you, tribal law
forbids treading that ground.
Then you've got to bend
that law a little or break it.
I can't.
Those two men may be hurt
or dying in those mountains.
There's got to be a way to get to them.
They were warned
not to go into that area.
Now they must
accept the consequences.
Look, they were told to look
for a source of radioactive material.
Now the country needs that fuel.
If it's in those mountains,
then there it must stay.
Silver Cloud, it's life or death.
Can't you go?
No one can...
except the one that tries
to capture Itza-Chu, the eagle.
No!
That is for our men only.
That is for the council
to decide, not you.
Tell me about this
capturing the eagle.
It's an ancient custom of the Apache,
a test of manliness.
If a man passes the first three tests...
then he is given the right to enter
the sacred, forbidden land...
and live there with the spirits of death...
until he either captures the eagle
and is given its life, or dies.
Has it been done recently?
Not in my lifetime.
But if someone attempted it, they'd be able
to cross into the forbidden area?
Of course, here are limitations.
The man is given no food nor water.
He is forced to live by his wits.
And according to the stories
handed down by the elders...
usually never makes it
back to the village.
Silver Cloud,
I want to capture the eagle.
I'll call the council tonight.
I expected to wear this when the tribe
brought forth new life in the young girls...
like Little Deer.
Instead I may be wearing it
to send a man to his death.
(TRIBAL MUSIC)
Who is this man?
One who wishes to capture the eagle.
How do you come to this council?
As one who has been touched
by the eagle's feathers.
And if you die?
It is the will of the mountain spirit.
And if you live?
It is good.
COUNCILMAN #1:
We will talk.
(MURMUR)
You sponsor an outsider
for this important ritual... why?
He has requested
to enter the sacred land.
This is the only way.
I do not see why we should let this man
laugh at the customs of our fathers.
I am opposed to this.
Iron Fist, how do you
feel about this?
He's a hunter making
a mockery of our ancient rites.
It is a strange man who
tries to mock us...
by going through our most
strenuous test of endurance.
He won't pass the test.
He will walk on our land
looking for his people.
But if they have
crossed into the forbidden land...
they are dead.
Silver Cloud?
We have no choice.
We are ordered by
ancient rules and customs.
I believe this man will die
trying to save his friends...
but we have no right
to prevent his trying.
What is the word?
Tonight you fast.
At dawn, we begin.
Iron Fist, prepare him.
Take this.
Run that horse down,
break him and ride him back here.
Your braves could actually
run down a horse like that?
SILVER CLOUD:
A horse can only run 40 miles a day.
An Apache brave can run 70 miles.
That's why an Apache would eat his horse
if there was no other food around.
That way he knew he could run to where
he wanted to go, if his belly was full.
Well, I don't qualify on that count.
You haven't fed me since last night.
You're gonna get an awful lot hungrier
than you are now and thirstier.
And at night,
those hills are very cold.
(DRAMATIC MUSIC)
(BIONIC SOUND EFFECT)
You just sent him to his death,
Silver Cloud.
Maybe he won't die.
He's not an Apache.
He's a brave man,
and a strong one.
(BIONIC SOUND EFFECT)
(BIONIC SOUND EFFECT)
You went away from the reservation
to the white man's school.
You were an Indian!
You came back a white man.
You'd let our culture die and
take on his if you had your way!
Is it so difficult for you to realize
that there is more to medicine...
than your herbs and rattles?
And there's more to the life for the Indian
than scraping out a meager living...
with cattle that the
Federal government sends in.
We can improve on what we have.
I'll see you and your
white friends gone first...
especially this last one.
SILVER CLOUD:
Not this time.
In olden times,
we fought with bow and spear.
A man learned to avoid dying by either.
In this test, our strongest men
will throw spears at you.
You must not allow the
spearheads to touch your body...
and you must not go out of that area.
So move swiftly... and well.
SILVER CLOUD:
Lone Bear, bring me the spears!
Just nick him.
Whatever it takes...
touch him.
He'll be dead by nightfall.
Not a word, Little Bear.
Not a sound.
I know what is best.
Then let the test begin.
(BIONIC SOUND EFFECT)
(BIONIC SOUND EFFECT)
Congratulations.
You move fast for a...
White man?
I was going to say big man,
but both are true.
LONE BEAR:
I'm sorry, are you all right?
Yeah, it's just a scratch.
Two smears are dishonorable enough,
but you deliberately cut him!
Get out of my sight.
I don't want to see you!
SILVER CLOUD:
How strong do you feel?
Why? What's next?
Well, in a moment,
two men will begin to chant a song...
which takes exactly
one-half minute.
That's as much time as you
will be allowed to get up that hill.
Well, that's easy.
Not while you're carrying
a ZOO-pound totem in your arms.
SILVER CLOUD: That's the weight
equivalent to an injured man.
STEVE:
I figured it sounds too easy.
When do I get to go
into the mountains?
As soon as you reach the top of the hill,
you'll be on your own.
Until you catch the eagle
and return.
Good luck to you, my friend.
I shall pray that
you find your friends.
Thanks.
(BOTH CHANTING)
(BIONIC SOUND EFFECT)
(BIONIC SOUND EFFECT)
(DRAMATIC MUSIC)
(EAGLE CALLS)
(BIONIC EYE SOUND EFFECT)
Lone Bear!
We've got to find Austin.
Why? He'll die of our snake poison
in the middle of the forbidden land.
In a month, we'll be rich!
Little Deer's gone after him.
She took my snakebite cures.
We've got to bring her back
before she can help him.
Let's go.
You saved my horse.
I came to bring you medicine...
but the horse is gone
and so is the medicine.
What medicine?
To stop the snake poison.
But I haven't been bitten.
Yes, you have,
by Lone Bear's spear.
It was poisoned.
You could die.
Don't you worry.
I'm not gonna die of snake poison.
Want a drink of water?
Oh, not that water.
Nothing lives in it!
You didn't drink it, did you?
Yeah, well, I'm afraid I did.
You better sit down!
Stay quiet.
No, no, no, Little Deer,
you don't understand, I'll be fine, really.
In a few hours,
your head won't belong to you.
It'll belong to the spirit people.
Then I'll see things?
Well, if that's gonna happen,
I'd rather not see them here.
Come on. Let's go, we'll just
go until we find us a Jeep...
and then we'll stop, come on!
(BIONIC SCRATCHING SOUND EFFECT)
Hey, where'd you find that?
Not far.
Oh, that's good.
What's the matter?
Are you all right?
Oh, sure.
You're not still worried
about that water I drank, are you?
The spirit pains will come.
You could die.
Well, I hope not.
(COYOTES HOWLING)
You know, I don't think your mother
would like you being out here.
I don't have a mother.
She died when I was small.
Well, that couldn't have
been too many years back.
How old are you?
15? 16?
16.
I was to leave childhood behind last
night at the Corn Pollen Ceremony.
But I interrupted the rites.
I'm sorry.
Finding your friends
is more important.
You're much wiser than
your years, Little Deer.
My father doesn't think so.
Well, give him time.
Perhaps if you catch the eagle,
he'll change.
Yeah, what if I don't catch it?
Well, you must catch it.
It's the spirit of our tribe.
It needs to be with the people.
Things will be better then for us.
Yeah, but you can't
keep an eagle caged.
When it's time to fly again...
it'll leave a little of it's spirit
and happiness with us.
You must catch it.
What is it?
LITTLE DEER:
What's wrong?
I don't know, I feel warm.
Dizzy...
(MOANS)
(MUTTERS INCOHERENT)
I guess the spirit pains
finally got to me.
What a night.
It's all right, Little Deer.
I know what happened.
I won't hurt you.
I'm afraid of you.
I don't blame you.
I'm afraid of myself sometimes.
Well, you're not a man.
You're some kind of machine.
You mean my arm?
What happened?
It doesn't matter, does it?
You saw what that
bad water did to me last night.
It couldn't have done that
to a machine, now could it?
No, I guess not.
Come on down.
I'm not going to hurt you.
We gotta get going.
Where?
Well, we gotta catch us an eagle.
STEVE:
Come on.
They were here.
And Little Deer was with him.
Those are her tracks.
When they left,
she was walking beside him.
(BIONIC EYE SOUND EFFECT)
(DRAMATIC MUSIC)
LITTLE DEER:
What is it?
It's a Jeep, come on!
Must be Marsh and Swanson's Jeep.
They've gotta be
around here somewhere.
There's no keys.
It's theirs all right.
Hey, look!
(DRAMATIC MUSIC)
(BIONIC SOUND EFFECT)
You caught it.
You caught the eagle!
You're a great man!
(BIONIC SOUND EFFECT)
Marsh, you all right?
Steve?
Yeah.
For a minute there, old buddy,
I thought you were an angel.
Not yet.
Come on, we're gonna
get you out of here.
IRON FIST:
I don't think so, Colonel Austin.
(COCKS GUN)
Get away from him, Little Deer.
IRON FIST: These men have
entered the forbidden land.
They must not leave this place alive.
But it's all right now!
He caught the eagle!
Little Deer, there's some
valuable ore on this land.
I got the feeling your father
made a private deal for it.
He wanted to keep this area forbidden
so that no one else would know about it.
You're too clever
for your own good, Colonel.
If you kill us, what are you
gonna do with your daughter?
I don't think she's gonna go along with it.
She will obey her father.
She is an Apache.
Maybe, but she's also a human being.
Little Deer... come.
No!
Killing people is wrong,
whatever the reason.
Then you're going to have
to die with the others.
No!
We made an arrangement
with some very powerful men.
LONE BEAR:
We took their money.
They wanted this ore.
What do you think's going
to happen to us if we fail?
(BIONIC SOUND EFFECT)
(GUN SMASHING)
Iron Fist, you can stop this.
Let me get those men out of here
and back to the village...
and I'll see what I can do to help you.
Little Deer...
(TRIBAL MUSIC)
Little Deer's going to make
quite a catch.
She keeps waiting for you
to say grow up fast.
I wouldn't have a chance against
some of the young men in this tribe.
SILVER CLOUD:
I don't know.
She keeps saying you're special,
something very special.
She just won't say how.
Well, that's our secret.
Well, you caught the eagle...
and that does make you something
very special to our tribe.
SILVER CLOUD:
Come!
We have another ceremony to perform.
What's this all about?
You get to release him.
Well, he's yours as much as mine.
The eagle, Itza-Chu,
has honored our people.
He has given us prayer plumes
and sacred tail feathers.
We are free from our forbidden
land and our spirits soar.
Is there any richer
people in all this world?
I don't think there could be.
(END THEME MUSIC)