Nightcrawler – The Book of Wagner – MK Stangeland Jr.

(6 Panels)

Panel 1: NIGHTCRAWLER sits on a cliffside overlooking an ocean, while MAGNETO floats above the ground behind him – the location is probably on UTOPIA.

MAGNETO: Tell me, Nightcrawler, how do you do it?

NIGHTCRAWLER: Was?

MAGNETO: Your faith. In spite of all you face, even from those of the same beliefs, how do you maintain it?

Panel 2: NIGHTCRAWLER ‘bamf’s so that he’s standing next to MAGNETO, with one hand on MAGNETO’s shoulder. MAGNETO has turned his head a little – the impression the image should give is that MAGNETO was startled by NIGHTCRAWLER’s change in position, but is doing his best to hide this.

SFX: BAMF

NIGHTCRAWLER: It is because my beliefs and my faith are not in those who follow it, but in who I follow.

Panel 3: NIGHTCRAWLER backs off a little as MAGNETO brushes NIGHTCRAWLER’s hand off his shoulder.

NIGHTCRAWLER: Who am I to let misguided followers of my religion dictate what I believe?

Panel 4: NIGHTCRAWLER, upper body.

NIGHTCRAWLER (1): Who knows, perhaps they even have it backwards.

NIGHTCRAWLER (2): Rather than being an affront to God, perhaps Mutants are instead meant to be agents of God.

NIGHTCRAWLER (3): Is it truly any greater stretch of faith to believe that our powers come from God than to believe that humanity has grown from Neanderthal to Human to beings with such amazing and vast powers simply by genetic mutation?

NIGHTCRAWLER (4): Nein, sage ich.

Panel 5: Panel is positioned behind NIGHTCRAWLER and MAGNETO as they look out across the ocean.

NIGHTCRAWLER (1): The Old Testiment speaks of Judges, humans gifted as to protect God’s people from harm.

NIGHTCRAWLER (2): Perhaps, in truth, we Judges for the modern era – sent to protect others.

Panel 6: Close up on MAGNETO’s head as he contemplates what NIGHTCRAWLER has said.

MAGNETO: Not entirely unlike what Charles believes.

NIGHTCRAWLER (1): (Off-panel) Ja.

NIGHTCRAWLER (2): (Off-panel) Perhaps.

END PAGE

(My apologies if Kurt comes off as off-character and getting too philosophical here. Admittedly, part of this script was me taking advantage of part of Nightcrawlers character - specifically his own faith - to write about some of my own philosophical thoughts on the whole matter of mutants and other science-based heroes and how they relate to religion. And if any character were to present such an opportunity, Nightcrawler seemed like the best opportunity to do it/the character who such thinking would seem most natural to come from.

But again, apologies if Nightcrawler's character seems to suffer and the script seems too 'preachy' as a result. Believe me, I try and will try not to make this a regular thing.)