James Knight: Teenage Superhuman S1 Web Series

Origin Story (Pilot) - S1 E1

INT. LABORATORY — DAY

YOUNG JAMES KNIGHT, a dark-blonde-haired and blue-eyed six-year-old, runs off as white sneakers crash along a dark, ash-gray tile floor.
The room widens, resembling clean, white structures and loads of experimental test tubes in a decent-sized laboratory. James runs. His eyes wander off to the many vials of neon liquids sitting in the middle of the room.

SAMUAL KNIGHT, early 20s, James's uncle, scientist, neurotic genius, brown eyes, dark blonde hair, stubble, sits beyond a computer screen, typing and adding to a mound of papers.

James stops in the middle of the path. Then, Samual huffs, leveling his eyes with James.

SAMUAL: James Everett Knight, you better be careful!

James thrusts his fists toward the sky. He runs off again. He stops at the table on the opposite side of the room and looks at Samual.

JAMES: Sam, I'm a superhero!

James' hips nearly bump the wide marble slab table multiple times as he hops on his toes.

Samual's eyes wander back to his computer screen. James whips around the corner, his sneakers squeaking across the floor, performing loops around the experiment table. Samual still cannot focus on James.

We hear a faint pulse of a heartbeat pounding in James's chest. James's fun-sized hand CLASPS one flask tight in his palm. A dark shadow lurks beyond the right corner of the room and recedes into view. The child's dark glare fades into focus.

YOUNG MAXIMUS KNIGHT, a six-year-old with brunette locks and brown eyes, bounces on his toes in the corner. The boy gestures to his mouth, urging James to drink the fluorescent fluids.

James's fingers pull to his lips. The liquid hits his tongue in one quick swoop.

The boy disappears while James's ocean eyes fade under the bright lights above. He collapses and plummets to the floor. Samual catches James in his arms in one swift motion. The sound of a pulse grows louder.

SERIES OF SHOTS
- JAMES FLUTTERS HIS EYES OPEN AND SHUT.
- SAMUAL CRADLES JAMES IN HIS ARMS.
- JAMES, PANIC ON HIS FACE, STUNNED IN CONFUSION — HIS FACE
PALE, PASTY, AND BLUE.
Return to scene.

Samual's screams muffle.

SAMUAL James... (beat) James... (beat) James!

Samual pulls James to his chest. The flask falls from James' fingertips, and his eyes cease to focus on Samual. James falls deeper into sleep. His eyes flutter one last time. The pounding pulse fades, hampering to a halt almost instantaneously.

Maximus wanders back into the room, studying James in Samual's arms. Samual looks at Maximus as anger and fear flood his emotional mind.

SAMUAL: Go, Max! Get out of here!

Max watches Samual with sad eyes as he cowardly wanders into the nearby corner, sliding his knees into his chest.

SAMUAL: James... (beat) James... (beat) James... (beat) JAMES!

Samual tries to shake James awake. He watches his nephew's skin turn pale. His lips turn blue. Heavy footsteps pound nearby. Out of desperation and hope, he stands, James in his arms, and he bolts out of the room with James, still cold in his arm, straight down the hallway and busts out the doors to freedom, all in a few seconds.

EXT. CITY STREETS - BURBANK, CA - DAY

The city streets go by in a blur. Samual barely recognizes anything since the last time he left the facility. Samual zooms, going up and down the main roads. A bus nearly hits him, but he pushes on.
Samual charges into a hospital emergency room. James slumps in Samual's arms, unconscious, his skin turning a deep blue.