The Insults that Made a Man Out of Mac

Silently, we see the action of the above comic, up to the FIFTH PANEL.

We can see as MAC flexes in the mirror, MAC has gained some muscle. However, his progress is more realistic.

MAC sees BETTY with BIG BULLY and other girls, laughing at the beach. It is clear that BIG BULLY has equal contempt for all the girls around him, particularly BETTY. MAC challenges BIG BULLY. BIG BULLY easily trounces MAC and humiliates him, pulling down his trunks, in front of the laughing girls.

MAC[VOICE-OVER]

Of course, I could not transform overnight. I had a lot to learn.

We follow MAC as MAC goes up to BETTY and BIG BULLY again,who is sitting with a group of girls in an ice cream parlor. MAC challenges BIG BULLY to a fight. During the fight, MAC whips out a knife he has strapped to his wrist. He cuts BIG BULLY. There is blood. This makes BIG BULLY furious and he beats MAC quite badly.

The girls watch, horrified.

MAC, in bandages, is interviewed and charged by the POLICE.

MAC[VOICE-OVER]

I had to learn that your friends are not your friends. That the “good” guys aren't good.

MAC is berated by his parents.

MAC[VOICE-OVER]

That you could trust no one. You were alone.

Shut alone in his room, MAC turns out the light. Injured MAC begins, quite painfully, to do push-ups from his knees.

MAC[VOICE-OVER]

You had to count on yourself.

MAC sees BETTY and BIG BULLY. BETTY is actually telling BIG BULLY she is pregnant, but MAC does not see this.

MAC goes to an ARMY recruitment office. They laugh at him.

MAC[VOICE-OVER]

Neither God nor country could help you.

MAC looks in the window of a jewelry shop.

MAC[VOICE-OVER]

To get what you want you must smash all barriers, eliminate all hesitation. It is hesitation that defeats you.

MAC goes away.

MAC comes back with a rock and smashes the window.

POLICE ring at MAC's house. MAC'S MOM answers the door.

MAC is in his room making a rather unrealistic diorama with the stolen ring in it when the POLICE bust in on him.

MAC is escorted by POLICE out of his house.

MAC[VOICE-OVER]

Everything that happens, happens for a reason.

MAC in court.

MAC[VOICE-OVER]

It was all part of my destiny.

MAC's attorney is emphatically trying to explain something to MAC. MAC ignores hum. The JUDGE looks at MAC very sympathetically. The JUDGE motions MAC to rise.

MAC[VOICE-OVER]

I could beg like a coward, but it would still be the same. If I did it, then it was me. Why let someone take that away from me?

MAC gives his sentencing JUDGE the finger.

MAC[VOICE-OVER]

So I chose to stand up like a man.

The JUDGE looks shocked and disappointed. The JUDGE sentences MAC to the maximum penalty and slams his gavel. MAC'S MOM weeps.

MAC goes to prison.

MAC[VOICE-OVER]

I had to go deep inside myself to find out what was wrong.

MAC is forced to strip out of his civilian clothes.

MAC[VOICE-OVER]

I had to lose everything that defined me as a loser.

MAC in his cell. It's lights out. As before, MAC starts doing push-ups in the dark.

MAC[VOICE-OVER]

I had to work on myself. Rip myself apart from the inside out.

MAC working out in the yard.

MAC[VOICE-OVER]

I had to destroy all weakness inside myself, cut away everything that was rotten, diseased and sick.

MAC in the prison dining hall.

MAC[VOICE-OVER]

I had embraced fear and weakness. I allowed others to insult and disrespect me.

SPITTING CONVICT spits in MAC's food.

MAC in a prison common area.

MAC[VOICE-OVER]

The only way to be sane, be healthy, was to expel it at all costs.

[MAC deliberately gets in a violent fight with much bigger prisoners]

MAC[VOICE-OVER]

The old god was mercy and pity and disgusting weakness. The old god hated and feared strength.

The new god was pain. It asked nothing.

MAC in another fight.

MAC[VOICE-OVER]

It gave without end.

MAC corners SPITTING CONVICT

MAC[VOICE-OVER]

And when you embraced this new god, you got up off your knees.

MAC drops SPITTING CONVICT to his knees and beats him.

MAC looks down at SPITTING CONVICT

MAC[VOICE-OVER]

And you became him.

MAC unzips his fly.

Sound of SPITTING CONVICT screaming.

MAC[VOICE-OVER]

When you worship pain, you become pain.

MAC in the yard, massive, tattooed, fearsome.

MAC[VOICE-OVER]

And it's beautiful, because it's a fire that never goes out.

MAC before his PAROLE BOARD.

MAC[VOICE-OVER]

They asked if me I was ready to rejoin society. I was. I knew I was.

INT- BETTY and BIG BULLY'S SUBURBAN HOME – BEDROOM -NIGHT

There is the sound of muffled struggle. BETTY stands up in bed and turns on the light.

MAC is in bed with BETTY and BIG BULLY. MAC has his arm around BIG BULLY'S neck. MAC wears a mask, but is otherwise naked.

MAC

Don’t scream. Don’t move.

BETTY

Ohmigod who are you?

MAC

You know who this is.

BETTY

Mac, please, it’s been years now. We have kids.

BIG BULLY

Please man, leave her out of this. Just let her go.

MAC

No, I want her to see. I want your kids to see what a tough guy their daddy is.

KIDS

Mommy, daddy! What’s happening?

MAC

Here's something I owe you...

Outside the house, the strobing flash of police cars. A SWAT TEAM is there. Tear gas canisters are shot through the windows as the door is rammed by the SWAT TEAM

Flashes of gunfire are seen through the windows.

A multiply cuffed MAC is carried out of the house by a phalanx of SWAT officers, who have difficulty controlling him. MAC is covered in blood.

MAC [VOICE OVER]

And so you might ask me, is it worth it?

Stretchers exit the house: One adult body and two smaller forms, sheets over heads.

BETTY sits in an ambulance, wrapped in a blanket, beyond tears and shock.

MAC as BETTY [VOICE-OVER]

[BETTY touches her breast beneath her shirt]

Oh Mac, you are a real man. After all.