Devil's Advocates (Series Pilot)

DEVIL'S ADVOCATES

Pilot

written by Cassidy Haynes

cassidyhaynesscripts@gmail.com

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Wesley is a street smart kid on the run after accidentally killing a duke. The first place he takes refuge is an elite monster hunting academy. Problem is, Wesley’s a vampire. His only two options are to maintain his identity and pretend to be the duke he’s just killed or to join the kids in defending the school against an even bigger threat.

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THE CHARACTERS

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WESLEY - Boisterous. Bold. Fresher than Febreeze. The new kid in school. Also: secretly a vampire. Trying to keep a rather low profile.

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ARCHDUKE BRAGANZA - Royal, rich, and ruthless. Hunts monsters for sport, specifically vampires. Seeking revenge for the death of his son.

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GENEVIEVE - CHIPPER. PERKY. Type A. Black barbie and Student Body President. Doesn't need an excuse to wear a plaid mini skirt.

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ZARA - Ambitch-ious. Cold. Weirdly intense. The head of Leudwinus's Silver Sword Society. Can trace her ancestry all the way back to Feudal Japan.

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URIEL - The muscles from Brussels. A bro, but cultured. His family owns the school. Itching to kill a monster.

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EDUARDO - The Nerd. Treasurer of the student body. Low on the totem pole. Fending off a disgraceful family legacy of monster-allyship. He’ll do anything to join the kids at the top.

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HEADMASTER ALISTAIR - Claude Frollo, but Transylvanian.

Believes his school’s legacy is almost as important as his collection of floor length cloaks. Shrouded in mystery and wrinkles.

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CA

SUMMMARY

YN HA

Y ID

SS

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ES

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2. *

Snow blankets craggy hills. A barren forest, a maze of dead trees.

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The sounds of a struggle.

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In the distance, two dark figures grapple.

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A sharp CRACK.

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One’s head whips to the right.

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CA

EXT. AUSTRIAN ALPS. FOREST. DAY

SS

He drops to the ground.

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The young man left standing, WESLEY YORK (19, Black, doeeyed) leans over the body.

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He pants, guilty and bloodied.

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Y ID

Shit...

WESLEY

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From far off, ARCHDUKE BRAGANZA (50’s, bulky, European royalty in the heat of the hunt) cries out in a guttural rage.

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ARCHDUKE BRAGANZA (O.S.) YOU BEAST. WHERE ARE YOU?!

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YN HA

Wesley searches frantically for the speaker. His fangs emerge.

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He kneels. Wrestles the coat off the body.

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It’s thick and navy, a vibrant CREST sewn into the breast.

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The voice echoes between the trees.

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ARCHDUKE BRAGANZA (O.S.) (CONT'D) WESTLEY?! WESTLEY! Wesley throws on the coat. He looks over his shoulder at the body.

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ES

He flees.

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In The Hall of the Mountain King by Edvard Grieg plays over this sequence.

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Heavy, brass buckled boots stomp across the snow. The Archduke is in pursuit.

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Wesley’s worn sneakers sprint across the slush.

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3.

The heavy boots move with urgency. He’s close.

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Wesley’s sneakers run faster.

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CA

The boots match his pace.

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Wesley’s sneakers stop. He kneels to tie his shoe.

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The boots move even FASTER.

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Wesley leaps up and runs.

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SS

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A massive stone archway looms in a clearing.

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It’s iron gate is ajar.

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Wesley ducks inside.

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Above, a brass plaque reads ‘LEUDWINUS ACADEMY OF THE ARCANE.’

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A gust of wind blows snow from the cracks of the archway.

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Beneath the plaque, in relief, the school’s crest:

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A winged dragon being SLAIN by four knights.

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YN HA

Y ID

EXT. LEUDWINUS ACADEMY OF THE ARCANE. ARCHWAY. DAY

EXT. AUSTRIAN ALPS. FOREST. DAY

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Archduke Braganza falls to his knees in the snow, over the body of his son, COUNT WESTLEY BRAGANZA (19, short, brunette, deceased.)

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The young man’s tongue hangs out of the side of his mouth.

His arms are splayed out awkwardly.

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The Archduke beats his son’s chest with both fists. He wails.

Westley’s arms fly up with each THUMP.

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Music ends.

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ES

ARCHDUKE BRAGANZA YOU’LL PAY FOR THIS, YORK! YOU’LL PAY!!!

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INT. LEUDWINUS ACADEMY OF THE ARCANE. HALLWAY. DAY

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Two massive oaken doors at the end of a wide corridor.

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4. *

A high ceilinged corridor of rich velvet and dark wood stretches before him.

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The walls are hung with ancient weaponry and portraits.

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He looks over his shoulder once more. He steps forward.

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The doors shut behind him. He jumps.

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CA

They swing open. Wesley stands between them, bedraggled.

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SS

ALISTAIR (O.S.) Welcome. To Leudwinus Academy of the Arcade.

Wesley stares up at the paintings curiously.

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INT. LEUDWINUS ACADEMY OF THE ARCANE. AUDITORIUM. DAY

Y ID

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ALISTAIR (60’s, imposing and stoic, hawkish features) stands on a stage behind a podium. He wears a blood-red, floor length cloak, the very same crest emblazoned on the breast.

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Silent students fill the rows of seats: stiff, pressed and posh in scarlet uniforms.

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ALISTAIR Before you begin your next four years here, I will remind you...

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YN HA

A massive, dim lit theatre, grey stone walls hung with velvet tapestries.

INT. LEUDWINUS ACADEMY OF THE ARCANE. HALLWAY. DAY

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He passes behind a a massive cistern. He dips a finger inside but quickly yanks it out.

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He winces in pain, shakes it.

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A plaque beneath the cistern reads: HOLY WATER.

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ES

INT. LEUDWINUS ACADEMY OF THE ARCANE. AUDITORIUM. DAY ALISTAIR (O.S.) It is your duty...

URIEL (20’s, Blond and brawny, muscles from Brussels) rests his hand in his chin in the auditorium, gaze drifting around the room.

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5.

ALISTAIR (O.S.) (CONT'D) ...your birthright...

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CA

ZARA (20’s, graceful and stone-faced) sits beside him, surveying the freshmen around them, disdain in her features.

ALISTAIR (O.S.) (CONT'D) ...to go into the world and extinguish...

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EDDIE (20’s, Urkel as a Spaniard) sits at the back of the room, by the door. He is hunched low in his seat, scowling.

SS

ALISTAIR (CONT'D) Every disgusting, reprobate, abominable creature that crosses your path!

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Wesley leans in to study a painting. GENEVIEVE (20, black barbie) appears beside him.

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Y ID

INT. LEUDWINUS HALLWAY. CONTINUOUS.

Excuse me!

GENEVIEVE

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Wesley jumps back. He throws his hands up.

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WESLEY

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...Yes?

YN HA

GENEVIEVE (CONT'D) Westley, right?

GENEVIEVE You’re late! C’mon.

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Genevieve herds Wesley quickly down the hall. He trots to match her pace.

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They make a sharp turn. A stone corridor. Down a stairwell.

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ES

WESLEY Oh, no, sorry, I don’t think--

GENEVIEVE It matters? Well it does! Though I suppose if anyone gets a pass, it’s you.

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She pulls open a door. She ushers him through.

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6. * *

Alistair’s voice drones on, muffled in the distance.

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CA

The room they enter is lit by a series of candles. Curtains surround them.

WESLEY Look, I really shouldn’t--!

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GENEVIEVE Late? I know! I would’ve thought the Archduke taught you better, but I’m not here to judge.

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SS

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WESLEY What?! Listen, I’m not--!

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GENEVIEVE Are you alright? You look terrified. Just take a deep breath.

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Y ID

Wesley pulls away from her, raises his hands.

Wesley tries to catch his breath.

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Genevieve puts a hand on his shoulder and moves closer to him.

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He freezes. Meets her gaze.

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YN HA

GENEVIEVE (CONT'D) Your first time, huh? I know all of this might be...stressful. But you’ve got this, okay? Don’t worry.

She smooths his jacket’s lapels, hand lingering on the crest.

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For a minute, Wesley relaxes at her touch. He’s almost reassured.

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In the distance, muffled applause.

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ES

ALISTAIR (O.S.) (muffled) And now, please welcome the son of our most affluent benefactor, Count Westley Braganza!

Genevieve snatches a curtain aside and shoves Wesley forward.

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INT. LEUDWINUS ACADEMY OF THE ARCANE. AUDITORIUM. DAY

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Wesley stumbles out onto stage, eyes wide.

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7. *

He shakes Wesley’s hand with an iron grip. The applause heightens.

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The tail end of Hall of the Mountain King plays.

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TITLE CARD: DEVIL’S ADVOCATES

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INT. LEUDWINUS AUDITORIUM. DAY.

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Students file out.

SS

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Wesley stands by the stage and Alistair looms over him.

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Tense beat. Wesley all but shrinks into his coat.

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CA

Alistair hesitates when he sees him. His nostrils flare.

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Y ID

ALISTAIR It’s a pleasure to put a face to the name, Your Excellency...

You must take after your mother.

ALISTAIR (CONT'D) And without an accent, too. A shame your...travels kept you from orientation week, but we’ve arranged for our honor students to provide you a tour of the campus.

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YN HA

Eddie watches subtly from his seat, peering over the top of a notebook.

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As if summoned, Genevieve, Zara and Uriel appear beside Headmaster.

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Genevieve promptly takes Wesley’s hand in both of hers. He offers a half hearted smile.

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GENEVIEVE Where were my manners? Genevieve Atwood, Class President and Silver Swords Society Vice President.

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WESLEY Oh, hey. It’s fine.

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URIEL (proudly) Uriel Frosch. Sixteenth Secretary of the Silver Swords Society. The Frosch family founded this school.

ES

Uriel shakes his hand.

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