MAGIC: THE GATHERING Chapter Two OUTLINE –12 May 2020 EXT. AIRSHIP DOCK – RAVNICA - EARLY MORNING An AIRSHIP BUS floats from the sky toward a raised PLATFORM on the ground. TITLE CARD SUPERS: “RAVNICA” The airship’s FEMALE PILOT tosses out a line that magically locks onto the dock, anchoring the ship in place. A gangplank extends from the blimp and the Pilot walks down it, only to encounter a distraught CHANDRA on the dock, blocking her way. “Please, I really need your help,” Chandra begins, pouring out the details of her worst night ever. She was attacked, she’s lost, she needs a ride but she doesn’t have any money… The Pilot retracts the gangplank, unimpressed. “Wow. Never heard a sob story before. You wanna fly, you buy a ticket.” Chandra stubbornly follows – can’t the Pilot make an exception just this once and take her to the floating clock tower? It’s an emergency. The Pilot pauses, looking to the sky island in the distance. “You’re not from around here, are you, kid? Nobody’s stupid enough to fly an airship over the Rubblebelt.” Shaking her head, the Pilot walks toward a ticket kiosk, where a few PATRONS wait. Chandra scowls after her. MOMENTS LATER, a shout goes up! A patron gapes, pointing toward the airship. REVEAL: Chandra is determinedly climbing the blimp’s tether line. The Pilot yells and races toward the dock. Realizing she’s been spotted, Chandra reaches down and uses magic to burn through the rope, freeing the airship… Also setting the line dangling below her on fire. “Shit.” Chandra quickly shimmies up the rope to the airship, pulling herself into the gondola just in time, as the airborne blimp’s nose tips downward. INT. AIRSHIP BASKET – CONT. Chandra scans the controls – there are way more than she expected. She spins the wheel, yanks various levers, pulls on cords – piloting by trial and error with an emphasis on the error. The airship pitches and rolls alarmingly as she grabs yet another handle… EXT. AIRSHIP DOCK – CONT. The airship is now gaining speed and headed for the kiosk below. The patrons scatter, screaming. The Pilot stands her ground as her beloved ship heads toward her on a collision course, finally throwing herself to the ground as the airship explodes through the kiosk! Then the blimp finally angles upward, lifting toward the sky. Below, the Pilot chases Chandra, yelling furiously for the Arrestors. 2 INT. AIRSHIP BASKET – CONT. Chandra grins with exhilaration – she can’t believe she pulled this off! She calls down to the Pilot: “I’ll bring it back!” A few flying (REUSE) CREATURES screech as the airship nearly knocks them out of the sky, speeding toward the floating clock tower in the distance. ROLL MAIN TITLES - MAGIC: THE GATHERING EXT. STREET – SAME TIME JACE and KAYA are working on retracing Chandra’s path through Ravnica. It’s an indirect route. Jace holds up his hand to PASSERS BY, but after taking a look, they shake their heads. When Kaya asks what Jace is doing, he reveals he’s using his mind powers to show people the image of the girl he took from Gideon’s memory (basically a magical headshot “projected” onto his palm). Kaya notices a well-dressed SHADOW ELF (SIVERIL, from #101) with a burned hand – a recent encounter with a fire mage, perhaps? But before she can question the elf, Jace tries to steer her past. Kaya shakes Jace off, explaining that they’re best served talking to everyone/anyone. Jace, frustrated, gallantly gestures for her to go ahead, and they approach. Siveril checks out Chandra’s image on Jace’s palm, then leers at Kaya and says he hasn’t seen that particular girl, but if that’s what Kaya is into, he has a couple more just like her around the corner. Kaya stomps off, then fumes to a smiling Jace, “you’d already mind-read him, hadn’t you?” Jace gives a “sue me” shrug – “I didn’t want you to have to talk to a creep.” We see Kaya soften for a moment; that’s actually kind of a nice impulse. But mindreading without permission isn’t. Kaya reminds Jace that he promised that if she agreed to help him, he’d play by her rules. You want inside someone’s mind, you ask first. “Absolutely. From now on,” Jace agrees. “But that singed elf did see the girl, and she went this way. Don’t hate me ‘cause I get results.” Kaya quips that she has plenty of other reasons to hate Jace. EXT. SKY ABOVE RUBBLEBELT – SOON Chunks of rock float in the sky surrounding the giant clock tower island. Covered in elaborate time-keeping pieces (tracking time on other planes), it looms above Ravnica’s surface. Below, the Rubblebelt is a wasteland, strewn with craters and crumbled buildings. Chandra does her best to steer around the sky-rocks, with a few gondola-shaking collisions, as she angles to dock with the clock tower. But when she reaches for the anchor rope, she pulls up a scorched, frayed end. So much for that plan. Too late, she notices the sharp, spinning chunk of rock angling through the sky toward the airship. It slams into the blimp, MTG 102 – OUTLINE 5/12/20 3 piercing the canvas and sending the gondola plummeting. Chandra has no choice – jump for the floating island, or crash messily below. She leaps for the clock tower… And nearly misses. One hand grabs the edge of the island, the rest of her dangling over nothingness. Chandra swings and blasts fire with her free hand, using its rocket-like “push” to flop onto safe ground. She looks down and winces as the blimp crashes. Oops. Guess she won’t be returning that airship after all… EXT. TEFERI’S CLOCK TOWER – CONT. MOMENTS LATER Chandra knocks on the massive door of the ornate tower. A beat, and then the door opens. Chandra has to shift her gaze down to see KFFNK, a small, blue HOMUNCULUS (Teferi’s butler). He waits mutely, eyebrow raised. Chandra: “Are you…The Fairy?” Kffnk points to a plaque outside and slams the door in her face. Chandra reads the plaque – meetings by appointment only. A pffft of angry steam issues from her regulator. INT. TEFERI’S CLOCK TOWER – CONT. The door blasts open in a fireball, revealing a determined Chandra: “I’m here for my appointment!” Kffnk gapes, but TEFERI (50s, but much, much older) looks at Chandra with annoyance. “And bursting in like that is absolutely going to get you what you want,” he observes. Chandra brightens – really? “No.” Teferi raises a hand. Chandra raises her own to defend herself, but too late. Teferi’s magic has immobilized her in a magical TIME BUBBLE, freezing her like a bug in amber. EXT. MARKET SQUARE – SAME TIME An upside-down A is graffitied on a wall near the marketplace. Jace doesn’t notice, flipping Gideon’s COIN across his fingers as he and Kaya move through the market in search of Chandra. Jace – hand raised -- scans the crowd, probing the nearest minds (as evidenced by our signature sound and visual effect) despite his promise to Kaya. After all, what she doesn’t know… As Jace tries to sort through the cacophony of thoughts (“Bastard raised the price because I’m a goblin.”/ “Would she notice if I poisoned her a little each day?” / “I hate that fat prick.”), it’s clear why his empathy for others is nil. Kaya elbows him out of it; the VENDOR (from #101) she’s just questioned is nodding, “sure I remember that girl. She was here last night, asking about some clock tower.” Kaya smiles at Jace. “See, sometimes, you can just talk to people to get information.” Jace nods, “yeah, but people always lie.” He turns to the Vendor, “not you. About this, I mean.” Jace winks to the Vendor, who looks unnerved. Kaya shakes her head and walks away. Jace calls after Kaya, “what? I didn’t say anything!” She tells him to just follow her. She knows where they need to look next. MTG 102 – OUTLINE 5/12/20 4 As Jace and Kaya move off, they don’t notice one of Tezzeret’s DRONES scuttle up a building nearby. A small, creepy amalgamation of metal shards, the drone’s “eye” swivels to follow Jace, before its skeletal wings lift it to buzz after the duo. INT. TEFERI’S CLOCK TOWER – CONT. Teferi walks around the bubbled Chandra, frowning at her. He looks to Kffnk, who shakes his head. Teferi sighs and releases his magic, freeing Chandra. But as she returns to normal time, so does her frozen action… And a fireball blasts from her hand. Kffnk ducks as the blast shatters a vase. “I’m here to see the Fairy!” Chandra demands. Teferi closes his eyes, mastering infinite patience. “My name is TEFERI. Mystery solved. Now you can go.” Chandra winces at the vase, “sorry, that was from…before.” Kffnk smothers remaining flames as Teferi points to the door icily: “OUT.” Chandra balks. “Or do I have to carry you there?” Teferi asks, hand raised to cast more magic. Chandra backs up, still adamantly making her case – she’s supposed to be here! A knight in shining armor saved her from monsters and told her with his last breath to find this clock tower! And that wasn’t easy, by the way. But by now Chandra’s over the threshold, and Teferi closes the door. EXT. TEFERI’S CLOCK TOWER – CONT. Defeated, Chandra rests her forehead against the closed door. “He died for me. And I don’t know why? I don’t even know his name.” Silence. INT. TEFERI’S CLOCK TOWER – CONT. Teferi has turned away from the door. Kffnk just looks at him. Feeling the weight of unwanted obligation, Teferi slowly opens the door again. “Gideon,” he tells Chandra, “his name was Gideon.” He motions for her to come back in. Teferi gestures for Chandra to sit. He sighs, then calmly explains: ”You are one of an extremely small group of people born with a special power deep within, an EMBER that sparks to life in response to an extreme emotional state. Once ‘sparked,’ you have the ability to travel between various worlds.” Teferi points to the paintings on his walls, examples of what he means (including Dominaria, Zendikar, and Regatha). “We call them ‘planes.’ Gideon was a Planeswalker. And you are too.” That produces even more questions from Chandra. She always believed there was something special about her but… Travelling to other worlds? Is this one of them? Which one? What else can Planeswalkers do? Teferi says they’ll take the questions one at a time. First, to tackle the cosmology of the multiverse. He nods to Kffnk, who is sweeping up the pieces of the vase, and takes them from the Homunculus, tossing them into the air. He freezes them in time, mid-fall, so the MTG 102 – OUTLINE 5/12/20 5 shards hang in the air, a visual demonstration of the many planes that together make up a whole multiverse/vase. As Teferi speaks, he becomes more animated, betraying colorful hints of personality behind his austere façade. But Chandra, though deeply impressed, is having trouble digesting all the revelations. “The best way to understand is to experience it,” Teferi says. Chandra brightens, “Can you show me? You’re a Planeswalker too, right?” Teferi darkens: “No.” EXT. TOP OF A BUILDING – SAME TIME Kaya points off in the distance, where Teferi’s island floats above Ravnica’s skyline. Biggest clock tower she knows, and it’s at least a good place to start. Jace asks who lives there, but Kaya shrugs, “no idea.” That’s when something catches Jace’s eye, and he pulls Kaya into hiding behind a spire. He silently points out Tezzeret’s drone; it looks like it’s tailing them. “Tezzeret? You’re doing business with him?” Kaya asks. Jace explains he’s trying not to. But if the drone is watching them, then the dangerous Artificer has other plans. “So we ghost him,” Kaya shrugs. She grabs Jace’s shoulder, surprising him as they both turn IMMATERIAL and plummet through the roof into the building, traveling via the spirit realm. The drone comes around the spire, “eye” swiveling in all directions. It has lost its prey – for the moment. INT. TEFERI’S CLOCK TOWER – SAME TIME “So this ‘spark,’” Chandra asks, “how do I…use it?” Teferi tells her that mastering her power requires patience and practice. Like making the perfect *** of tea (which he is doing). First the brewer must find his center, the right herbs must be selected, the water must take its time to boil… Chandra impatiently shoots a jet of fire at the teapot. It whistles and she looks to Teferi. “It doesn’t have to.” Teferi doesn’t hide his annoyance. Sure, it’s easy if one doesn’t care about results. “You could get lost in the Blind Eternities, or materialize into a mountain. To Planeswalk, you must first have adequate space to move forward, then focus on where you are going with deliberate purpose—“ Chandra cuts off his lesson impatiently – why doesn’t she just take him with her, and he can show her what he means. Teferi shakes his head. It doesn’t work that way. A Planeswalker can’t take another living thing through the Blind Eternities, at least, not if they want it to stay living. Sensing another lecture on its way, Chandra says she’s going to try Planeswalking right now. Kffnk looks to Teferi in alarm, but Teferi’s frustration with his unwilling student has reached a peak. She’s welcome to try. Glancing at the paintings of planes on Teferi’s walls, Chandra girds herself… And with a five-pointed blaze… She’s gone! Kffnk takes in surprise, which Teferi shares, but tries to hide. “Yes, that was fast. But impulse and bravado will get her only so far.” MTG 102 – OUTLINE 5/12/20 6 INT. BLIND ETERNITIES -- TIMELESS We’re with Chandra as she falls, flies, and tumbles through the Aether, screaming yet exhilarated. A plane rushes toward her and… EXT. VOLCANIC PEAK - REGATHA – NIGHT High on a peak, Chandra blazes into existence. Her jaw drops as she takes in the scene, looking out over a gorgeous view of a volcanic plane. TITLE CARD SUPERS: “REGATHA” She laughs in joy and spins – she did it! She planeswalked! And that’s just the beginning! INT. TEFERI’S CLOCK TOWER - RAVNICA – SAME TIME Kffnk is fixing the broken lock on the door as Teferi sits, reading and drinking tea. There’s a knock at the door. The Homunculus looks back at Teferi with raised eyebrows. Sighing, Teferi time-bubbles his tea to keep it warm and moves to answer Two ARRESTORS (from #101) stand in the doorway. They apologize for the interruption, but has Teferi seen a young female fire mage? She stole an airship and was heading for a clock tower… “No.” Teferi says. Suspicious, one Arrestor asks what caused the scorch marks on the door. “An error in judgment,” Teferi tells them dryly. EXT. JUNGLE - ZENDIKAR – DAY Chandra races through the verdant green of the untamed plane, chased by a rampaging BALOTH (or other REUSE creature native to Zendikar). TITLE CARD SUPERS: “ZENDIKAR” She runs off a cliff, leaping into the air as she summons her energy and disappears mid-fall in her trademark sigil… INT. BLIND ETERNITIES – TIMELESS And she’s once more travelling the Aether, only this time, she’s more in control and loving it. EXT. ROOFTOP - DOMINARIA – DAWN Chandra planeswalks and lands on a rooftop. The sun is rising over a beautiful cityscape. MTG 102 – OUTLINE 5/12/20 7 TITLE CARD SUPERS: “DOMINARIA” A tree overhangs the roof, with something akin to CHESTNUTS on its branches. Chandra pulls down a handful and roasts them in a burst of flame from her palm. Smiling as they crack open, she sits and takes a bite, proud of her power and reveling in the wonder of it all. Her face is lit with joy. INT. TEFERI’S CLOCK TOWER – BELLS – RAVNICA - LATER A blur as Chandra reappears on the plane, high in the belfry of the tower. She caroms off the massive bells, ringing them with each collision. INT. TEFERI’S CLOCK TOWER – CONT. Teferi, reading, looks up toward the source of the ringing and comments dryly. “Oh good. She’s back.” Kffnk rushes for the belfry just as Chandra steps out, a little worse for the wear, but still grinning. That was amazing, unbelievable! Did Teferi know that there are still dinosaurs on some planes? And like three different kinds of elves, and hey, does Teferi have anything to eat? She’s starving! Teferi is clearly getting annoyed as Chandra rummages through his pantry, alternately asking questions and enthusing about her adventures with her mouth full. His responses get more terse. Planeswalking is not a game. It’s a privilege, a responsibility. And it’s dangerous! Chandra bristles – what does Teferi know about it? He’s never done it. Not surprisingly, things quickly devolve into an argument. Chandra’s enthusiasm for her new powers rubs salt in Teferi’s old (but still raw) wound. Meanwhile, Teferi’s strict rules and reticence toward magic presses all the old buttons Chandra’s mother did. Her anger getting the better of her, Chandra’s temper flares in the form of fire, nearly setting Teferi’s sanctuary ablaze. While he manages to freeze the fire in time and protect Kffnk, he’s had enough. He demands that she go home, immediately. Happy to oblige, Chandra angrily planeswalks away. EXT. NALAAR HOME - KALADESH – NIGHT Chandra appears among familiar surroundings. TITLE CARD SUPERS: “KALADESH” She smiles, actually happy to be home, and runs toward her house yelling, “Mom! Mom, You’re not gonna believe what just—“ Chandra stops short. The door of the house hangs by a hinge, an all-too-familiar three-toed talon mark visibly raked in the wood (the same scar the Hellhound left on Gideon’s shield in #101). The words die on Chandra’s lips and she starts toward the door, shaking. MTG 102 – OUTLINE 5/12/20 8 INT. NALAAR HOME – CONT. More claw marks scar the floor, furniture smashed and overturned. Chandra slowly extends a palm, a curl of flame lighting the room for her to see— OTS, the gruesome image mostly blocked by Chandra’s body: Her MOTHER’S ARM, splayed lifeless across a pool of blood. ON CHANDRA for her horrified reaction – guilt, loss, rage, fear… EXT. TEFERI’S CLOCK TOWER - RAVNICA – DAY A GRIFFIN launches itself from the floating island. Jace sneezes and grimaces as he and Kaya approach the door of the clock tower. He grouses to her, “you know I’m allergic to griffins.” Kaya shrugs – she didn’t hear him coming up with a faster way to get through the Rubblebelt. By the way, their airfare is going on his bill. Jace knocks on the huge door, and Kffnk answers. Jace starts to shove past the little guy, but Teferi bars the way. “This island is private. Go away.” The door starts to swing shut as Kaya, with a glimmer of recognition, asks, “Are you Teferi?” The door slowly eases open again. Teferi looks at them, still guarded. Jace gapes. “He is!” Teferi’s voice is neutral, “indeed. Goodbye.” Jace takes on a respectful tone, blocking the door with his foot. “Actually, we’re here because we’re looking for a girl, a red-haired fire mage.” Before Jace can raise his palm, Teferi answers, “haven’t seen her.” Jace’s eyes narrow and he reaches out with his magic to read Teferi’s mind, only to draw back as though mentally slapped. “You are not welcome here, ” Teferi says, then taps his own temple, “or in here, mind mage.” He slams the door. Kaya gives Jace a look. “What did we talk about?” Jace shrugs, “Teferi was lying.” “It’s still a dick move,” Kaya retorts, grabbing Jace and turning them both incorporeal, only to let go as she phases through the door. Suddenly solid again, Jace slams face-first into the closed door. “So was that!” He yells after her. INT. TEFERI’S CLOCK TOWER – CONT. Teferi turns to confront Kaya, but she earnestly appeals to him, “honored Teferi, please. We’re very sorry to disturb you. But that girl may have been involved in a murder.” Before Teferi can respond, Jace kicks the door open. “Kffnk. Remind me to order a stronger lock.” Teferi raises his hands, magic surging around them. Kaya gapes at Jace. “That’s not how you get answers.” “That’s not how you get answers. But, it’s precisely how I get answers. The old man’s lying.” “ Stay out of my mind, leech,” Teferi growls, hurling magic. Kaya grabs Jace and phases him away before Teferi’s time bubble can hit. Jace’s eyes fill with anger, and then… MTG 102 – OUTLINE 5/12/20 9 Chandra appears, planeswalking in between them and collapsing in sobs. “That’s her,” Jace whispers to Kaya, and starts forward. Kaya grabs his arm and hisses, “Don’t. I know you’re an emotional void, but this is what real grief looks like.” Meanwhile, Chandra is bereft, frightened, overwhelmed. “My mother’s dead,” she chokes out to Teferi, “and it’s all my fault.” EXT. ALLEY – NIGHT Siveril magically drags LEMNO (a young ELF of 18), behind him, hands bound. Siveril hurls him against a wall and studies Lemno sadly, “so beautiful. Such a shame you ran away. We can’t have that again. Our guests pay half for the crippled ones, so you’ll have to work twice as hard.” Behind Siveril, a few HOODED FIGURES (CULTISTS) dart into the darkness. Siveril turns to look, but sees only shadows. He opens an unmarked door in the alley. Crying issues from within. Siveril pushes the elf inside, calling to someone behind the door, “take the left leg.” Suddenly, one of the cultists is behind him. He slits Siveril’s throat with a dagger. Other cultists rush inside, a familiar sign smudged on their foreheads – an upside-down “A”. A few screams are cut-off suddenly from within, and then the cultists exit, leading out Lemno and other fearful, shell-shocked YOUNG RAVNICANS, their hands bound. Lemno speaks for them all as he tells a cultist, “We are grateful to be freed, but it will only make us prey for even worse masters. Can you offer us protection?” “We can offer you everything,” a hooded cultist says, extending a hand. “Join us, and you will never be hungry or alone again.” There are flickers of hope in the former-prisoners’ eyes, and Lemno takes the hand, accepting the cultists’ bargain. INT. TEFERI’S CLOCK TOWER – LATER Chandra’s no longer weeping and now appears to be in shock, sitting with a blanket around her. Teferi moves to hand Chandra a *** of tea, and Kffnk pats her shoulder. “Still think she could have killed Gideon?” Kaya softly asides to Jace. He glares. “The murderer is out there. I need to know what she saw.” “Be gentle,” Kaya warns. Jace turns to Chandra, awkwardly attempting ‘gentle’ “Please… young lady. Tell me again. Everything you remember.” “I already did,” Chandra insists, wounded. “This is a waste of time,” Jace tells Kaya pointedly. Kaya intercedes. She tells Chandra that they want to take down the monsters that murdered her mother and their friend. “But we need your help to do that.” Kaya explains that Jace is a mind mage – his magic allows him to view other people’s memories. “And sometimes he can find a clue we missed.” Would she let Jace in her mind to view everything she saw? Anxious for vengeance but wary, Chandra asks if Jace will be able to see all of her memories. “Yes, but he’s only going to look at the ones we talked about, isn’t he?” Kaya says pointedly to Jace. Jace agrees, and then really agrees as Kffnk holds a dagger to him. “Okay, okay, take it easy, blueberry.” And Jace reaches out to Chandra’s mind… MTG 102 – OUTLINE 5/12/20 10 INT. MINDSCAPE – NO TIME A maelstrom of visual fragments -- all events we’ve seen, but now from CHANDRA’S POV: The nightmare creature’s horrifying attack... the slavering jaws of the hellhound... Gideon’s heroic defense... Ashiok moving closer and closer to CAMERA, drooling, hungry mouth in an eyeless face, looming down for its profane feeding… INT. TEFERI’S CLOCK TOWER – RESUME Jace gasps as he pulls free of Chandra’s memory. Deeply shaken, he uses his mind magic to conjure an image of Ashiok for the group. Chandra scoots away from it in fear, “that’s the one. The thing all the others were working for!” The others study the fearsome illusion. “Not just a killer. A Planeswalker. Ever see anything like this, old man?” Jace asks. Teferi shakes his head: “Not even centuries could erase that monster from my memory.” Now that he’s seen inside Chandra’s mind, Jace can confirm that Chandra was a victim, not a suspect. That walking mouth in robes is his new target, once he finds it. “Once we find it,” Kaya says. After seeing what that thing’s minions did to Gideon’s spirit, she now has a professional interest in the hunt. Teferi: “Shouldn’t you speak to the Arrestors first?” Jace dismisses the idea, “they’re idiots.” Kaya offers a different perspective. “Something this powerful would slaughter them.” It takes a Planeswalker to defeat a Planeswalker – if the monster jumped to a different world, the Arrestors wouldn’t be able to follow it. “Fair,” Teferi acquiesces, before adding to Chandra, “by the way, they paid me a visit. Something about a stolen blimp?” Chandra reddens. Jace heads for the door, telling Teferi, “I’d say thanks, but it’s been like pulling teeth, so…” “I’m coming with you,” Chandra asserts. Jace dismisses her – she’s done her part, thanks. Chandra RIPS OFF HER REGULATOR … her hand burning with flame, her face all determination. That monster didn’t just kill their friend, it’s the reason her mother is dead. She wants payback. Besides, she has nowhere else to go, and that thing’s probably still hunting her! If nothing else, she can be useful as bait. Then, united in revenge, they can destroy the creature together. Kaya admits that Chandra’s flame throwing abilities would be useful in a fight. And she and Jace could keep the girl safe if indeed she is still a target. Jace looks not-so-thrilled. Kaya turns to Teferi – they could use a mage of his power on their side, as well. Teferi seems tempted, but refuses. “Coward,” Jace mutters. “Pragmatist.” Teferi corrects. “Also, not hard of hearing.” Jace has the decency to look embarrassed. The trio departs, Chandra leaving her regulator on Teferi’s table, much to his annoyance. But even with a target and a team, the three Planeswalkers have no idea where their quarry could be. Kaya points out that it could even have left Ravnica by now. But since that’s MTG 102 – OUTLINE 5/12/20 11 where they are, that’s where they’ll start. And Jace knows exactly where to go when you need information… EXT. TEZZERET’S CLUB – NIGHT Establishing… INT. TEZZERET’S CLUB – CONT. Chandra’s eyes are wide as she takes in the exotic ambience of the establishment. Kaya tries to move Chandra through the club as fast as she can, hoping to at least minimize the bad influence. Meanwhile, Jace is dodging the goblin he tricked back in 101, as well as a few other PATRONS he’s duped in the past. A svelte female ELF spins in an aerial hoop of Etherium, performing sexy acrobatics above the scene, and Chandra gapes, intrigued. The Elf winks at her. Kaya steers Chandra away, and the teen’s eyes fall on a similarly gorgeous male MINOTAUR performing in a metal cage. She likes this place! Kaya sighs and just puts her hands over Chandra’s eyes, marching her forward. INT. TEZZERET’S CLUB – OFFICE – CONT. TEZZERET looks up in surprise as his CONSTRUCTS bring Kaya, Jace, and Chandra into his office. Stepping away from his latest artificing project, he eyes his visitors. “Jace, another visit so soon? To what do I owe the pleasure? Are your new associates looking for work? We could always use another assassin.” Kaya says she doesn’t work for slime. Tezzeret smirks re: Jace, “just sleep with it then?” Kaya looks murderous. Jace intercedes, telling Tezzeret they need a favor. Tezzeret appears bored – doesn’t Jace always? Meanwhile, Chandra has been staring at Tezzert’s artificing table since they walked in. “Are you using Mishra’s feedback parallel to dampen the gate interference?” she asks. He raises an eyebrow in pleased surprise, “ah, a fellow artificer. Kaladeshi, from your clothing. Did you study at the Builder’s School?” “I wish!” Chandra says. “Pity. I hate wasted potential,” Tezzeret muses, appraising Chandra. Jace, unnerved for reasons he can’t explain, interrupts – “we need to use your panopticon.” Tezzeret smoothly says he’d be happy to help. There’s just the small matter of payment. This favor now, for... a favor in the future? Kaya asides to Jace that Tezzeret is not someone to be in debt to. This is making a deal with the devil! But Jace accepts the bargain; what other choice do they have? Tezzeret presses a button and a wall slides aside to reveal the PANOPTICON (from #101). Chandra goggles at the invention, realizing from its Viewing Table and surrounding pin screens that it must be able to access images from thousands of sources. “My drones miss nothing on Ravnica,” Tezzeret agrees, “it’s just a matter of knowing what you’re looking for.” MTG 102 – OUTLINE 5/12/20 12 Taking the hint, Jace conjures the illusion image of Ashiok. Tezzeret studies it, then steps to the table. The screens shift, images blurring as the Panopticon searches for a match. A horned image is revealed on the viewing table. But it’s not exactly Ashiok – it’s a STATUE of the creature’s likeness. “Where is that?” Chandra asks. Kaya and Jace recognize the location, and neither seems too thrilled. The Undercity of Ravnica. So that’s where they’re headed next. “You do have an exciting day planned,” Tezzeret observes. “Try not to get yourself killed. Your debt to me will still stand, it’s just messier to collect.” Jace thanks him for the vote of confidence. EXT. TEZZERET’S CLUB – MOMENTS LATER As they leave, Chandra asks what’s so horrible about the Undercity. “Nothing, if you like rot, bugs, and sentient fungus,” Kaya says. “Not too late for you to go back to the clock tower,” Jace tells Chandra. She raises a middle finger at him. WE PUSH DOWN THROUGH THE STREETS OF RAVNICA TO: EXT. ASHIOK TEMPLE - RAVNICA UNDERCITY (TAG) The cultists lead Lemno and his fellow former captives into a vaulted chamber deep underground. Towering inside it is the statue of Ashiok we glimpsed moments prior, now in all its glory. TITLE CARD SUPERS: “THE UNDERCITY OF RAVNICA” One of the younger former captives is looking around in panic, clearly freaked out by the creepy surroundings. Lemno puts a reassuring arm around her shoulders, “ssh, we’re safe now.” He asks a hooded figure, “where are we going?” “To share in their peace and blessing,” the cultist says calmly. Lemno smiles at his young friend, and she gives a small smile back, feeling better. The hooded figures prostrate themselves on the ground before the statue of Ashiok and begin an eerie chant in the gloom. Lemno shares a confused look with his fellow prisoners as the chanting reaches a climax. A black mist coalesces. A shadowy form steps from the darkness as the faithful whisper a name in unison... “Ashiok.” Seen clearly for the first time. Tall, slender, dressed in robes that suggest ancient royalty. Genderless. Unknowable. Empty space where eyes should be, only horns rising above a cruel mouth. Shadows begin to churn in the space between its horns, rolling out over the cultists like an evil fog. MTG 102 – OUTLINE 5/12/20 13 Lemno screams, and he and his former captives run from the horror. Too late. As they are swallowed by the billowing blackness, we hear only their desperate cries and terrified wails. Above, Ashiok basks in their fear, smiling as it feeds – and grows stronger. END OF EPISODE MTG 102 – OUTLINE 5/12/20