Categories > Movies > X-Men: The Movie > Original of the Species
INT. XAVIER'S OFFICE-DAY
Several STUDENTS sit around Charles Xavier’s desk, KITTY PRYDE right up in the front row.
XAVIER:
Orwell wrote that power corrupts, and that absolute power, corrupts absolutely. This is lesson that every one of us must learn, and live. Why?
Several hands go up, Kitty’s included. Charles smiles.
XAVIER:
Kitty, how about you?
KITTY:
Because we’re mutants.
XAVIER:
I’m disappointed, Kitty. I’d have thought you’d see the flaw in Orwell’s generalization.
Kitty raises an eyebrow.
KITTY:
How d’you mean?
XAVIER:
Well, unfortunately, students, there are no absolutes when it comes to the issue of ethics. For psychics like myself, it presents a particular dilemma. Our power is, by its very nature, an invasive one. When is it okay to use it, and when do we cross that invisible line?
KITTY:
Well, Professor, if the line is invisible, then how do we know we’ve crossed it?
The class chuckles. Two TWINS look at each other, smirking in agreement. Xavier himself smiles a bit.
XAVIER:
Despite her cheek, Miss Pryde does have a point.
He turns on a monitor.
XAVIER:
This case was forwarded to me by a colleague of mine, Dr. Moira MacTaggart.
Everyone begins to take notes. Kitty glances over at WEEZIE, whose power transcribes words with just the wave of her hand. Kitty makes a face, wishing she could do that. Instead, she pulls out her pen and writes MOIRA MACTAGGART on the heading of her paper.
On the screen, MOIRA stands next to a patient completely covered in bandages. She turns to face the screen.
MOIRA:
The man you see here was born with no higher level brain functions. His organs and nervous system function normally, but he has no consciousness to speak of. This has been confirmed both by the most advanced medical scans available on Muir Island, and of course by your telepathic examination, Charles.
Moira smiles a bit. Xavier pauses the transmission.
XAVIER:
What if, class, what if we could transfer the consciousness of one person, say, a father of four with terminal cancer, into the body of this man? How are we to decide what is in the range of ethical behavior, and what is best left…
Xavier trails off and looks out the window, where the sky is quickly turning black.
XAVIER: (cont’d)
…to God. Excuse me, class, we’ll continue this tomorrow. Miss Pryde, I expect fervent debate.
KITTY:
You got it.
EXT. VERANDA-DAY
Though it is ostensibly afternoon, the sky is dark. Ororo Munroe stands on the veranda, looking up to the sky, seemingly oblivious to it all. Xavier wheels out to join her.
XAVIER:
The forecast was for sunny skies.
Ororo turned.
ORORO:
Oh...
She looks up to the sky and her eyes go white. The clouds part, the sky returning to normal.
ORORO:
I’m sorry…sometimes I just lose track. More, since I've been made team leader.
XAVIER:
I know. Something’s bothering you, Ororo. Not just that.
Ororo shook her head.
ORORO:
Where I grew up, in Kenya, my powers were seen as a gift. But here, in the land of freedom, of tolerance, we hide our gifts. In shame. You don’t see a problem with that?
XAVIER:
Why don’t we talk inside?
INT. HALLWAY
Ororo and Xavier walk through the hall, students all about them.
ORORO:
I just don't understand...why are we still hiding?
XAVIER:
We’re not hiding, Ororo.
ORORO:
Charles, we live behind stone walls, we keep our identities a secret—
XAVIER:
Not by choice. We still have enemies out there, and I have to protect my students, you know that.
ORORO:
We can’t be students forever, Charles.
At this Xavier laughs.
XAVIER:
Ororo, I haven’t thought of you as my student in years. In fact…I was hoping that you and Scott might one day take my place.
ORORO:
Professor, that day is a long way off.
XAVIER:
Perhaps not as long as we think. You of all people know how fast the weather can change.
Ororo looked at him strangly as Xavier smiled.
XAVIER:
We have company.
INT. STUDY
Henry was staring a picture on the wall. It was of him, Scott, Jean, and Ororo, all in their X-Men uniforms. It was taken years ago, right before he left. Suddenly, Ororo ran into the room.
ORORO:
Hank!
Henry spun around and laughed heartily.
HENRY:
Ororo!
Ororo then played with his hair.
ORORO:
I love what you've done with your hair.
HENRY:
You too.
Henry then shook the Professor's hand.
XAVIER:
It's nice to see you again, Henry.
HENRY:
It's nice to be back, Charles.
Unbeknownst to them, the reunion was being watched by Logan, standing by the other entrance of the room.
LOGAN:
Who's the furball?
Henry slowly turned his head to look at Logan.
HENRY:
Henry McCoy
ORORO:
Henry, this is Logan.
Henry nodded a greeting as Logan walked over to sit on the desk.
HENRY:
I'm sorry for just sprining in on you like this.
XAVIER:
It's no problem at all, Henry. You're apart of this place.
LOGAN:
Oh yeah? How's that?
XAVIER:
Henry was one of my first students, along with Scott, Jean, and Ororo.
ORORO:
How long are you staying?
HENRY:
Unfortunately, not long. This is not a social call. I have news.
ORORO:
Good or bad?
HENRY:
Both.
XAVIER:
Why don't we hear the good news first.
HENRY:
The good news is, I've just come from a meeting with the President. After my television appearance, he asked to meet with me and offered me a job in his cabinet. And I accepted.
ORORO:
Henry, that's wonderful.
XAVIER:
It seems the President has become much more acceptant of mutant kind.
LOGAN:
What's the bad news?
Hank sighed.
HENRY:
The President gave me a report on something that a company called Worthington Industries is working on. It can supposedly suppress the mutant x-gene. They're calling it a cure.
Ororo looked to Xavier and they stared at each other for a moment, taking in the news before Ororo looked back at Henry.
ORORO:
That's ridiculous. You can't cure being a mutant.
HENRY:
Well, scientifically speaking—
ORORO:
What is there to "cure", Henry?
XAVIER:
Xavier looked towards the television.
XAVIER:
They're announcing it now.
INT. STUDENT LOUNGE
Bobby and Rogue walked into the student lounge and sat down on the couch, in front of the television. Bobby kept turning the channels until he reached a news broadcast and a reporter began speaking.
REPORTER:
We are now about to go to Warren Worthington Senior, who has made a breakthrough discovery about a possible cure for mutation.
Bobby and Rogue look at each other before turning their attention back to the screen. The broadcast cuts to a shot of outside Worthington Industries.
INT. WORTHINGTON INDUSTRIES
Warren Worthington Senior stood at a podium. Seated to his left was Dr. Kavita Rao. He began to speak.
WORTHINGTON:
They've been called saints and sinners. They've committed atrocities, and been the victims of atrocities themselves. They've been labeled monsters, and not without reason. But these so-called monsters are people, just like us. And we want to help them. Dr. Rao.
Kavita stood and takes the podium.
KAVITA:
Ladies and gentlemen, thanks to generous funding of Mr. Worthington, I and my team at Rao Labs have made a breakthrough discovery. Like Mr. Worthington has told you, mutants are people. People like us. People with a disease. The mutant gene is nothing more than a corruption of healthy cellular activity.
INT. STUDENT LOUNGE
Rogue continued watching the television with other students.
KAVITA:
Ladies and gentlemen…we have found hope.
Rogue's gaze intensifies.
KAVITA:
Finally, we have a cure.
INT. STUDY
Ororo and Henry were sitting down on the couch, just finishing watching the same broadcast. Logan sat on the desk. They all were quiet for a moment before Ororo finally spoke.
ORORO:
A 'disease'? Since where are we a disease?
LOGAN:
Bet our government boy knows all about it.
HENRY:
I can assure you, the government had nothing to do with this. Worthington Industries is a private venture.
ORORO:
Who would want this cure, anyway? What kind of coward would give up their powers just to fit in?"
HENRY:
I understand your concerns, Ororo, for God's sake, it's why I'm here. But not all of us have such an easy time fitting in as you, you know. You don't shed on the furniture.
Ororo closed her eyes.
ORORO:
Oh…I'm sorry, Hank. It's just—
XAVIER:
Believe me, I understand. Forget the personal crises—this is a veritable Pandora's box. I'm not so worried about what the cure can do, as I am about what the government can do with it.
Rogue suddenly ran into the room.
ROGUE:
Hey! Is it true? They can cure us?
XAVIER:
Yes, it appears to be true, Rogue.
ORORO:
No, Professor. It's not true.
Ororo stood up and walked over towards Rogue.
ORORO:
They can't cure us because there's nothing wrong with us.
HENRY:
I don't think you're qualified to make that statement, Ororo!
Hank himself got to his feet.
HENRY:
There are plenty of mutants who-
ORORO:
What do you want me to think, Hank? Our powers are part of who we are, for better or worse! It's part of our identities!
ROGUE:
You think I want this to be part of my identity?
Everyone in the room looked at Rogue.
ROGUE:
Sorry, Ms. Munroe, but if that's the case, you gotta think again. I don't care what you say. Something's wrong with me, and I wanna fix it. And it's my choice
Logan frowned as Rogue slowly turned around and left the room.
Several STUDENTS sit around Charles Xavier’s desk, KITTY PRYDE right up in the front row.
XAVIER:
Orwell wrote that power corrupts, and that absolute power, corrupts absolutely. This is lesson that every one of us must learn, and live. Why?
Several hands go up, Kitty’s included. Charles smiles.
XAVIER:
Kitty, how about you?
KITTY:
Because we’re mutants.
XAVIER:
I’m disappointed, Kitty. I’d have thought you’d see the flaw in Orwell’s generalization.
Kitty raises an eyebrow.
KITTY:
How d’you mean?
XAVIER:
Well, unfortunately, students, there are no absolutes when it comes to the issue of ethics. For psychics like myself, it presents a particular dilemma. Our power is, by its very nature, an invasive one. When is it okay to use it, and when do we cross that invisible line?
KITTY:
Well, Professor, if the line is invisible, then how do we know we’ve crossed it?
The class chuckles. Two TWINS look at each other, smirking in agreement. Xavier himself smiles a bit.
XAVIER:
Despite her cheek, Miss Pryde does have a point.
He turns on a monitor.
XAVIER:
This case was forwarded to me by a colleague of mine, Dr. Moira MacTaggart.
Everyone begins to take notes. Kitty glances over at WEEZIE, whose power transcribes words with just the wave of her hand. Kitty makes a face, wishing she could do that. Instead, she pulls out her pen and writes MOIRA MACTAGGART on the heading of her paper.
On the screen, MOIRA stands next to a patient completely covered in bandages. She turns to face the screen.
MOIRA:
The man you see here was born with no higher level brain functions. His organs and nervous system function normally, but he has no consciousness to speak of. This has been confirmed both by the most advanced medical scans available on Muir Island, and of course by your telepathic examination, Charles.
Moira smiles a bit. Xavier pauses the transmission.
XAVIER:
What if, class, what if we could transfer the consciousness of one person, say, a father of four with terminal cancer, into the body of this man? How are we to decide what is in the range of ethical behavior, and what is best left…
Xavier trails off and looks out the window, where the sky is quickly turning black.
XAVIER: (cont’d)
…to God. Excuse me, class, we’ll continue this tomorrow. Miss Pryde, I expect fervent debate.
KITTY:
You got it.
EXT. VERANDA-DAY
Though it is ostensibly afternoon, the sky is dark. Ororo Munroe stands on the veranda, looking up to the sky, seemingly oblivious to it all. Xavier wheels out to join her.
XAVIER:
The forecast was for sunny skies.
Ororo turned.
ORORO:
Oh...
She looks up to the sky and her eyes go white. The clouds part, the sky returning to normal.
ORORO:
I’m sorry…sometimes I just lose track. More, since I've been made team leader.
XAVIER:
I know. Something’s bothering you, Ororo. Not just that.
Ororo shook her head.
ORORO:
Where I grew up, in Kenya, my powers were seen as a gift. But here, in the land of freedom, of tolerance, we hide our gifts. In shame. You don’t see a problem with that?
XAVIER:
Why don’t we talk inside?
INT. HALLWAY
Ororo and Xavier walk through the hall, students all about them.
ORORO:
I just don't understand...why are we still hiding?
XAVIER:
We’re not hiding, Ororo.
ORORO:
Charles, we live behind stone walls, we keep our identities a secret—
XAVIER:
Not by choice. We still have enemies out there, and I have to protect my students, you know that.
ORORO:
We can’t be students forever, Charles.
At this Xavier laughs.
XAVIER:
Ororo, I haven’t thought of you as my student in years. In fact…I was hoping that you and Scott might one day take my place.
ORORO:
Professor, that day is a long way off.
XAVIER:
Perhaps not as long as we think. You of all people know how fast the weather can change.
Ororo looked at him strangly as Xavier smiled.
XAVIER:
We have company.
INT. STUDY
Henry was staring a picture on the wall. It was of him, Scott, Jean, and Ororo, all in their X-Men uniforms. It was taken years ago, right before he left. Suddenly, Ororo ran into the room.
ORORO:
Hank!
Henry spun around and laughed heartily.
HENRY:
Ororo!
Ororo then played with his hair.
ORORO:
I love what you've done with your hair.
HENRY:
You too.
Henry then shook the Professor's hand.
XAVIER:
It's nice to see you again, Henry.
HENRY:
It's nice to be back, Charles.
Unbeknownst to them, the reunion was being watched by Logan, standing by the other entrance of the room.
LOGAN:
Who's the furball?
Henry slowly turned his head to look at Logan.
HENRY:
Henry McCoy
ORORO:
Henry, this is Logan.
Henry nodded a greeting as Logan walked over to sit on the desk.
HENRY:
I'm sorry for just sprining in on you like this.
XAVIER:
It's no problem at all, Henry. You're apart of this place.
LOGAN:
Oh yeah? How's that?
XAVIER:
Henry was one of my first students, along with Scott, Jean, and Ororo.
ORORO:
How long are you staying?
HENRY:
Unfortunately, not long. This is not a social call. I have news.
ORORO:
Good or bad?
HENRY:
Both.
XAVIER:
Why don't we hear the good news first.
HENRY:
The good news is, I've just come from a meeting with the President. After my television appearance, he asked to meet with me and offered me a job in his cabinet. And I accepted.
ORORO:
Henry, that's wonderful.
XAVIER:
It seems the President has become much more acceptant of mutant kind.
LOGAN:
What's the bad news?
Hank sighed.
HENRY:
The President gave me a report on something that a company called Worthington Industries is working on. It can supposedly suppress the mutant x-gene. They're calling it a cure.
Ororo looked to Xavier and they stared at each other for a moment, taking in the news before Ororo looked back at Henry.
ORORO:
That's ridiculous. You can't cure being a mutant.
HENRY:
Well, scientifically speaking—
ORORO:
What is there to "cure", Henry?
XAVIER:
Xavier looked towards the television.
XAVIER:
They're announcing it now.
INT. STUDENT LOUNGE
Bobby and Rogue walked into the student lounge and sat down on the couch, in front of the television. Bobby kept turning the channels until he reached a news broadcast and a reporter began speaking.
REPORTER:
We are now about to go to Warren Worthington Senior, who has made a breakthrough discovery about a possible cure for mutation.
Bobby and Rogue look at each other before turning their attention back to the screen. The broadcast cuts to a shot of outside Worthington Industries.
INT. WORTHINGTON INDUSTRIES
Warren Worthington Senior stood at a podium. Seated to his left was Dr. Kavita Rao. He began to speak.
WORTHINGTON:
They've been called saints and sinners. They've committed atrocities, and been the victims of atrocities themselves. They've been labeled monsters, and not without reason. But these so-called monsters are people, just like us. And we want to help them. Dr. Rao.
Kavita stood and takes the podium.
KAVITA:
Ladies and gentlemen, thanks to generous funding of Mr. Worthington, I and my team at Rao Labs have made a breakthrough discovery. Like Mr. Worthington has told you, mutants are people. People like us. People with a disease. The mutant gene is nothing more than a corruption of healthy cellular activity.
INT. STUDENT LOUNGE
Rogue continued watching the television with other students.
KAVITA:
Ladies and gentlemen…we have found hope.
Rogue's gaze intensifies.
KAVITA:
Finally, we have a cure.
INT. STUDY
Ororo and Henry were sitting down on the couch, just finishing watching the same broadcast. Logan sat on the desk. They all were quiet for a moment before Ororo finally spoke.
ORORO:
A 'disease'? Since where are we a disease?
LOGAN:
Bet our government boy knows all about it.
HENRY:
I can assure you, the government had nothing to do with this. Worthington Industries is a private venture.
ORORO:
Who would want this cure, anyway? What kind of coward would give up their powers just to fit in?"
HENRY:
I understand your concerns, Ororo, for God's sake, it's why I'm here. But not all of us have such an easy time fitting in as you, you know. You don't shed on the furniture.
Ororo closed her eyes.
ORORO:
Oh…I'm sorry, Hank. It's just—
XAVIER:
Believe me, I understand. Forget the personal crises—this is a veritable Pandora's box. I'm not so worried about what the cure can do, as I am about what the government can do with it.
Rogue suddenly ran into the room.
ROGUE:
Hey! Is it true? They can cure us?
XAVIER:
Yes, it appears to be true, Rogue.
ORORO:
No, Professor. It's not true.
Ororo stood up and walked over towards Rogue.
ORORO:
They can't cure us because there's nothing wrong with us.
HENRY:
I don't think you're qualified to make that statement, Ororo!
Hank himself got to his feet.
HENRY:
There are plenty of mutants who-
ORORO:
What do you want me to think, Hank? Our powers are part of who we are, for better or worse! It's part of our identities!
ROGUE:
You think I want this to be part of my identity?
Everyone in the room looked at Rogue.
ROGUE:
Sorry, Ms. Munroe, but if that's the case, you gotta think again. I don't care what you say. Something's wrong with me, and I wanna fix it. And it's my choice
Logan frowned as Rogue slowly turned around and left the room.
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