Todd McFarlane's Spawn (1997–1999): Season 1, Episode 1 - Burning Visions - full transcript

WHAT WOULD YOU DO
IF AT THE MOMENT OF DEATH

A VOICE FROM THE DARKNESS

OFFERED YOU THE CHANCE
TO LIVE AGAIN?

HAVE YOUR ANSWER?

THERE'S NO TIME
TO THINK ABOUT IT.

YOU'RE A HEARTBEAT
AWAY FROM FLATLINING.

QUICK, WHAT'S THE ANSWER?

I'M TODD McFARLANE,
AND I CREATED "SPAWN."

I HOPE YOU'LL CONSIDER
THE QUESTION I'VE JUST POSED,

BECAUSE A MAN NAMED
AL SIMMONS DIDN'T.

WHEN THE QUESTION
GOT POPPED ON HIM,



HE SIGNED,
LIKE SOME STUPID ROOKIE, IN BLOOD.

SEE, AL HAD QUALITIES HE
DIDN'T EVEN KNOW HE HAD,

A SPECIAL KIND OF WIRING THAT
MALEBOLGIA THE DEVIL LOOKS FOR.

AND WHEN HE SAID YES TO THAT VOICE,

HE SIGNED ON FOR A LOT MORE
THAN HE EVER BARGAINED FOR.

SO BEFORE YOU FIND
YOURSELF IN A SIMILAR SITUATION,

AND A VOICE CALLS TO
YOU IN THE DARKNESS,

THINK OF AL. OR, AS YOU MAY SEE,

YOU'LL HAVE ALL ETERNITY TO
THINK ABOUT YOUR MISTAKE TOO.

AND NOW, "SPAWN,"
SO TURN OFF YOUR LIGHTS.

400 YEARS HAVE PASSED.

ONCE AGAIN, IT IS TIME

FOR A NEW WARRIOR TO EMERGE

FROM THE DARKNESS.



THROUGHOUT TIME,

THE BATTLEFIELDS HAVE CHANGED.

BUT THE PRIZE HAS
ALWAYS REMAINED THE SAME:

THE HUMAN SOUL.

TAKE OUT YOUR PRESS I.D.

I WANT HIM TO SEE WE'RE LEGIT.

THIS IS SOME UGLY SHIT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT,
BENNETT.

WE GET VERIFIABLE INFORMATION

AND WE GOT THE
BYLINE OF THE DECADE!

I KNOW.

THIS WAY.

YOU KNOW WE'RE SCREWED
IF HE DOESN'T SHOW.

RELAX. HE'S A GOOD SOURCE.

NOW DO ME A
FAVOR: TAKE A VALIUM.

YOU'RE MAKING ME CRAZY.

MR. STEVENS?

I'M DAVE BENNETT.

THIS IS KENNY HAYES.

WE SPOKE ON THE PHONE.

LOOKS LIKE...

YOUR MEETING'S BEEN CUT SHORT.

GOD!

OH GOD!

GOD AIN'T HERE, BOY.

I'LL TAKE THE
MESSAGE.

AHH!

NOW,
DO I LOOK LIKE I'M IN THE MOOD

TO RUN A MARATHON?

DO I?

OKAY ASSHOLE, NEXT QUESTION:

WHO ELSE KNOWS?

I'M WAITING FOR YOUR ANSWER,
SMART BOY.

NO ONE. I
DIDN'T TELL ANYBODY ELSE.

DON'T LIE TO ME, SMART BOY.

DON'T YOU PISS ME OFF

BY TRYING THAT CRAP WITH ME.

EACH WARRIOR
IS BORN AS A CLEAN SLATE,

KNOWING NOTHING.

THE ONLY INSTINCTS
WHICH THEY CAN ACT UPON

ARE DRAWN FROM THEIR PAST.

SO?

HE'S SEE NO EVIL,
HEAR NO EVIL, SPEAK NO EVIL.

COOL. LET'S DO
THIS THING AND GO.

DON'T DO THIS.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO.

I WON'T SAY ANYTHING. I SWEAR,
PLEASE.

I GOT A FAMILY, KIDS.

AND FOR THEIR SAKES,

I HOPE DECENT LIFE INSURANCE.

LET HIM GO.

- JESUS! -

WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU?

STAY BACK!

YOU DON'T WANT TO DO THAT.

HELP ME!

I LOVE YOU, AL.

OH NO!

I CAME BACK FOR YOU!

WHERE ARE YOU?

HELL DOES NOT
ALLOW ITS WARRIOR CHILDREN

TO ROAM UNCHECKED.

AND SO EACH IS GIVEN
THEIR PROPER ESCORT.

OH MAN, I LOVE IT,

ESPECIALLY THE GENT WITH
HIS HEAD ON BACKWARDS!

THAT IS SWEET.

CHECK HIS SHORTS.

I BET THEY'RE BRIMMIN' OVER!

I SO ENJOY THE SHAMEFUL DETAILS.

NOW THIS IS VERY TASTY.

I MEAN,
YOU LOOK AT HIM. YOU LOOK AT YOU.

YOU'RE A MATCHED SET.

WHAT DO YOU THINK, SPAWN?

SPAWN?

YEAH, AS IN HELLSPAWN.

HEY, IT'S WHAT YOU ARE, BABY.

SO GET USED TO IT.

DID I DO THIS?

INSTINCT, SWEETHEART.

YOU'RE A KILLER!

BORN AND BRED.

YOU SEE VIOLENCE, YOU ACT.

IT'S A GIFT.

THAT'S WHY HE PICKED YOU.

I CAN'T REMEMBER ANYTHING.

WHAT'S WRONG WITH ME?

TOO LONG UNDER THE TANNING BOOTH,
BY THE LOOK OF IT.

IT'S ME!

WHAT'S HAPPENED?

WHO AM I?

HEY, BOBBY,
I THINK HE'S COMIN' AROUND.

WANDA...

JESUS CHRIST ON A CRUTCH,

WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?

I DON'T KNOW.

BUT HE MIGHT NEED HELP.

HEY MISTER, ARE YOU OKAY?

YOU'VE BEEN SCREAMING
FOR 10 MINUTES.

WANDA... SHE'LL KNOW WHO I AM.

MAYBE YOU SHOULD LIE DOWN OR SOMETHING,
YOU KNOW?

SLEEP IT OFF. I
KNOW HOW I GET...

TOO MUCH THUNDERBIRD AND I'M
DANCING NAKED IN TIMES SQUARE.

SHE'S... MY WIFE.

WANDA.

ARE YOU CRAZY, GAREB?

YOU SAW WHAT HE DID
TO THOSE POOR BASTARDS!

PROBABLY SPEEDING
ON PCP OR SOMETHING!

MAYBE WHAT YOU NEED IS A
LITTLE HAIR OF THE DOG THAT...

GET AWAY FROM ME.

JUST TRYING TO HELP, OKAY?

I DON'T WANT YOUR HELP.

WHAT YOU WANT
AND NEED AREN'T THE SAME.

THIS PLACE IS A REFUGE
FROM THE MAELSTROM.

GET OUT OF MY WAY, OLD MAN.

YOU DON'T REMEMBER.
IT DOESN'T MATTER.

IT'S WHAT YOU LEARN
NOW THAT'S IMPORTANT.

I JUST WANT TO GO HOME.

NOW MOVE OR BE MOVED.

LISTEN, WE ALL WANT TO GO HOME,
MY FRIEND.

BUT IT'S WAR GETTING THERE.

AMAZING...

YOU MAFIA DIRTBAG PIECE OF SHIT.

YOU NEVER LOOKED BETTER.

SIR, I DON'T THINK THE C.S.U.

IS GOING TO APPRECIATE YOU
SPRINKLING DOUGHNUT CRUMBS

ONTO THE DECEASED.

I HATE EARLY MORNING.

NOTHING HUMAN UP AT THIS HOUR.

NO SIR, JUST US CIVIL SERVANTS.

AND DEAD MOB SCUMBAGS.

NICELY PUT, SIR.

TONY TWIST IS GONNA
NEED SERIOUS DRUGS

WHEN HE FINDS OUT.

THESE THREE BOZOS
WERE HIS BEST HITTERS.

SO...

ONE OF THESE THINGS
IS NOT LIKE THE OTHERS.

WHAT'S HIS STORY?

DAVID BENNETT...

JOURNALIST WITH "THE
WASHINGTON POST."

SAME AS THE ONE AT
THE ALLEY'S FAR END,

EXCEPT BENNETT'S WON A PULITZER

FOR HIS INVESTIGATIVE PIECE

ON THE CONGRESSIONAL
SCANDAL THREE YEARS AGO.

IF IT AIN'T ON ESPN I
COULDN'T GIVE A SHIT.

NO, SIR.

OKAY, SO WE GOT TWO DEAD
REPORTERS FROM WASHINGTON,

THREE DEAD HITTERS
FOR TONY TWIST.

WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER STIFF?

HOMELESS, NO I.D. YET.

HIS PRINTS CAME UP NIL.

PROBABLY
JUST AN ALLEY MUSHROOM

POPPED UP AT THE WRONG TIME.

ANOTHER VERBAL ACE, SIR.

- TWITCH? - SIR.

FIND ME A CONNECTION
BETWEEN ALL THESE TOE TAGS.

BUT FIRST,

FIND ME SOMETHING WITH
CHOCOLATE SPRINKLES.

TWO DOZEN, SIR?

HALF THAT. YOU
KNOW I'M ON A DIET.

BEST FRIEND...

HERE'S TO AL SIMMONS,

THE BEST FRIEND A POOR
NUMBER-CRUNCHING JERK LIKE ME

COULD EVER HAVE.

DAD!

- WAIT, HONEY.
- DADDY.

SOMEONE WANTS TO SAY GOODBYE.

BYE-BYE, DADDY.

SEE YOU LATER, SWEETNESS.

PERHAPS YOU CAN DO THAT WITH ME LATER,
MISTER.

BYE-BYE, SWEETIE.

BYE-BYE.

BYE-BYE.

OKAY, CYAN,
LET'S GET YOU OFF TO DAYCARE.

AS THEY TEAR
AWAY EACH NEW LAYER,

THERE'S ALWAYS AN
AGONIZING PRICE TO PAY.

HOW LONG HAS IT BEEN?

WHERE HAVE I BEEN?

GOD DAMN IT,
WHAT'S HAPPENED TO ME?

IT'S HELL'S PLAN

TO KEEP THE NEW
RECRUITS CONFUSED,

HOPING TO DISCOURAGE
THE WARRIORS OF ANY

PERSONAL MISSION.

OH, PLEASE.

DON'T TELL ME YOU'RE
GETTING ALL BENT OUT OF SHAPE

OVER A WOMAN.

OKAY,
SO SHE WAS THE LOVE OF YOUR LIFE

AND THE ONLY THING
THAT MATTERED TO YOU

IN THIS WHOLE DISGUSTING,

PUTRID LITTLE UNIVERSE.

OKAY,
SO NOW YOUR FORMER BEST FRIEND COMES IN

AND THE AMIGO IS
PUTTING IT TO HER

ON A REGULAR BASIS.

OKAY, SO SHE WANTED KIDS

AND YOU WERE
OBVIOUSLY FIRING BLANKS.

WANT A LICK?

IT'S ROCKY ROAD.

GET AWAY FROM ME.

YOU CAN'T BLAME HER, THOUGH.

AFTER ALL,

YOU'VE BEEN DEAD
ALMOST FIVE YEARS.

YOU'RE LYING.

IF I'M LYING I'M DYING,

WHICH WOULD BE
KIND OF REDUNDANT.

ANYWAY, SPAWN,

YOUR FORMER SELF,
MEANING ONE HELLBENT-FOR-LEATHER,

KICK-ASS,
TAKE-NO-PRISONERS GOVERNMENT ASSASSIN

BY THE NAME OF AL SIMMONS,

IS DEAD.

IT'S NOT TRUE!

SURE IT IS, AND YOU KNOW IT.

HEY, TOUGH GUY,

WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING?

I HAVEN'T GOTTEN TO
THE BEST PART YET.

DON'T YOU WANT TO
KNOW WHERE YOU'VE BEEN?

YOU DID ASK,
SO YOU MUST WANNA KNOW.

LOOK, BACK OFF,

BEFORE I PERMANENTLY
INTRODUCE YOUR FACE

TO YOUR COLON.

YOU KNOW, YOU'RE KINDA CUTE

WHEN YOU GET ALL
INDIGNANT LIKE THAT.

YOU GOT NOWHERE TO GO, SPAWN.

DON'T YOU WANT TO KNOW
WHERE YOU'VE BEEN ALL THIS TIME?

I'LL GIVE YOU A HINT:

WHERE DO YOU THINK SOMEONE
WHO SLAUGHTERED PEOPLE

FOR A LIVING

WOULD END UP AFTER HE'S DEAD?

YOU CAME BACK FOR HER, SPAWN.

YOU CAME BACK FOR WANDA.

SHE'S GOT A LIFE NOW.

SHE'S GOT A CHILD
YOU COULDN'T GIVE HER

AND A HUSBAND WHO'S
STILL WEARING HIS FACE.

WHAT DO YOU GOT, CHAR-BABY?

WHAT DO YOU GOT?

NOT ME! I'M ME!

GOD DAMN IT, I'M NOT DEAD.

I'M NOT HERE.

THE NEW SPAWNS

EACH TRY TO DENY
WHAT THEY'VE BECOME,

HOPING THAT A
SMALL SPARK OF TRUTH

WILL AWAKEN THEM
FROM THEIR NIGHTMARE.

WITH THIS RING,
I THEE WED.

OH, GOD!

WHY, GOD?

WHY?

HOW DID THIS HAPPEN TO ME?

YOU MADE A DEAL,
YOU STUPID SON OF A BITCH.

YOU MADE A DEAL WITH MALEBOLGIA.

YOU CUT A DEAL FOR YOUR SOUL.

YOU SEE WANDA

AND THEN BECOME HELLSPAWN...

A RANKING OFFICER
IN THE DEVIL'S ARMY.

WELL, NOW YOU'VE SEEN HER.

TIME TO PAY THE PIPER.

GET OFF ME!

NOW CAST FROM HELL,

THE WARRIORS CROSS PATHS

WITH THEIR OWN
DEMONS IN HUMAN FORM.

Those scumbag,
douchebag-eating,

motherfucking,
cocksucking shits!

Motherfucking prick!

I'll take your fucking
head and chop it off!

CALM DOWN, TONY.

JUST TELL ME WHAT WENT WRONG.

What went wrong?

Somebody took
three of my best guys

and threw them into
what must have been

a walking wood chipper!

This was supposed to be a simple gig,
Wynn!

WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TRYING TO PULL ON ME,
HUH?

I MEAN WE'RE TALKING

about my best hit men

GETTIN' MERCILESSLY
WHACKED OVER HERE!

NOW HOW AM I SUPPOSED
TO DEAL WITH THIS?

THEY WERE AMBUSHED,
SNIPERED, WHAT?

THEY'RE NOW WEARING THEIR
GODDAMN HEADS ON BACKWARDS

IS WHAT I'M SAYING.

Their bones got pretzeled
by somebody who knows

how to do it right.

I SEE.

YEAH, I SEE TOO.

I SEE YOU ASKING ME
TO DO YOU A FAVOR

and suddenly my cleaning crew
gets taken out by some asshole

WHO THINKS HE'S THE TERMINATOR.

I'M SENSING AN ACCUSATION HERE,
TONY.

ALL I'M SAYING IS

THIS SMELLS LIKE THE WORK

OF A GODDAMN
GOVERNMENT-TRAINED ASSASSIN!

AND THAT JUST HAPPENS
TO BE YOUR STOCK IN TRADE.

IT WASN'T ANY OF MINE.

AND IF I WERE YOU,

I'D BE VERY CAREFUL
ABOUT THE NEXT TIME

I MADE SUCH STRONG IMPLICATIONS

WITHOUT THE FACTS.

SO, WHAT ABOUT THE JOURNALISTS?

Tomorrow's a bitch.

GOOD.

YEAH FOR YOU.

THIS SHIT'S COST ME, BIG-TIME.

YOU'LL BE AMPLY
COMPENSATED FOR YOUR LOSS.

LET ME KNOW

WHAT YOU FIND OUT ABOUT
THIS MYSTERY ASSASSIN.

I'LL SEND YOU HIS LIVER AND
MAYBE A COUPLE OF FINGERS.

Hello.

THE NEWSMEN HAVE
BEEN DEALT WITH.

Who did you use?

MAFIA ELEMENTS.
NOTHING TRACEABLE.

Good. Thank you.

AND AS WE DISCUSSED...

The appropriations
are already in place.

As of now you've
got unlimited credit

with the Department of Defense.

I APPRECIATE THAT, SENATOR.

Believe me, it was worth it.

I'll feel free to call

if there are any
further complications.

OF COURSE, BUT TELL ME...

HOW LONG DO YOU
INTEND TO COVER FOR HIM?

As long as I have to.

HE'S A CHILD KILLER.

Look,
we've been through this before.

You don't have a son,

let alone one you
can't give your name to.

So what he does is my problem,
understand?

THESE JOURNALISTS
WON'T BE THE LAST.

YOU CAN'T KEEP
THIS QUIET FOREVER.

Yes I can. You see,
the dead keep their secrets.

OKAY, MAN. WHAT'D I DO?

SHUT UP AND GET YOUR
ASS ON THE GROUND NOW!

WHAT'D I DO, MAN?

IF IT ISN'T OFFICER HECTOR
FROM INTERNAL AFFAIRS.

YOU KNOW,
WORD IS YOU TOLD THE CAPTAIN

WE'RE SKIMMING OFF THE TOP.

LISTEN,
IF YOU CAN'T KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT

WE'LL SHUT IT FOR YOU!

WHAT KIND
OF SHIT IS...

OW!

WHY IS IT THAT
PEOPLE WITH AUTHORITY

ABUSE THEIR POWER?

- - WORD OF ADVICE,
OFFICER:

RETIRE.

THAT'S IT,
SPAWN. LET YOURSELF GO.

GET PISSED. DO SOME DAMAGE!

DON'T TAKE SHIT FROM NOBODY!

AND,
OH YEAH... THE BIG BOY DOWNSTAIRS.

'CAUSE THIS IS THE
WAY THE WORLD ENDS.

NOT WITH A BANG,

BUT WITH A LOT OF
BLOOD AND TORN FLESH

AND BROKEN BONES!

AND I JUST LOVE IT.

AND SO THE
GAME HAS BEGUN AGAIN.

AFTER 400 YEARS,

A NEW WARRIOR
TAKES CENTER STAGE,

PREPARING FOR THE GREAT BATTLE.

AND WITH HIM COMES PAIN, DEATH,

AND THE VILE STENCH
OF BRIMSTONE.