EXT. CITY STREET - DAY
CAROL FERRIS (14) walks up to the majestic daily planet building.
CAROL
wow. the daily planet building! it's so majestic.
she starts to take pictures. suddenly, a malfunctioning unmanned weather zeppelin, displaying error messages, crashes into the giant daily planet globe on top of the building. the globe snaps off its base and rolls off the roof.
it plummets to the streets below, set to crush carol, who is only now looking out from behind her camera lens.
just then, SUPERMAN (tom welling) shows up.
SUPERMAN
pardon me, miss. it's awfully dangerous to stand beneath falling planets.
carol gasps. superman chuckles.
SUPERMAN
not to worry. i'll just fly up... and...
something comes over superman. he drops to his knees.
SUPERMAN
your... necklace...
carol's necklace has a green rock in the middle, just like lana lang's kryptonite necklace from smallville season one. she's paralyzed with fear. just as all seems hopeless, a MYSTERIOUS BOY (14) runs in, lifts her in his arms, and takes her inside the daily planet building. he then runs back and pulls superman to safety as well. the planet crashes down safely on the empty street.
the boy rips off carol's necklace and tosses it into a sewer drain. in a moment, superman is upright.
CAROL
you saved me! and superman!
SUPERMAN
young man, i've never seen such a fearless act of heroism. maybe i should consider having a sidekick. what's your name?
the boy is about to speak when a voice cuts through the scene.
PRINCIPAL WALLER (O.S.)
jordan!
EXT. JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL - DAY
the boy is standing on the front lawn of coast city junior high school as a bus pulls away. a heavyset black woman approaches. this is PRINCIPAL AMANDA WALLER.
PRINCIPAL WALLER
hal jordan! just because your father's a hotshot fighter pilot doesn't mean you have license to walk all over my grass.
HAL
sorry, principal waller.
PRINCIPAL WALLER
get back on the sidewalk. and get your head out of the clouds. your destiny's not just gonna fall out of the sky.
INT. JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL - DAY
SINESTRO, hal's weirdo best friend, runs up and sticks his fist in front of hal's face.
SINESTRO
scope the new class ring, bro!
sinestro is wearing a class ring with a green synthetic emerald stone in the center.
HAL
whoa! sinestro, i thought you were gonna hit me.
SINESTRO
(intense)
i would never hit you, hal. you're my best friend.
HAL
anyway, i didn't order one.
SINESTRO
what? i thought you were so excited to get this ring!
HAL
i was. but everyone was saying how it was lame to get a class ring, so i never ordered it.
SINESTRO
by everyone, do you just mean carol ferris?
HAL
(looking down)
i don't remember.
SINESTRO
you gotta stop being afraid of what other people think. fear is weak, bro.
HECTOR, a big jock, walks up with his arm around carol. they're both wearing class rings.
HECTOR
what's up, maggots?
HAL
come on, leave us alone, hector.
HECTOR
what did you say, jordan, you loser?
HAL
nothing.
CAROL
(bitchy)
hi hal.
HECTOR
hey jordan, where's your class ring?
HAL
i didn't get one, okay!
HECTOR
no, that's not okay. i can't believe you don't want to show pride in your graduating junior high school class. you won't amount to a thing if you don't learn to be a part of something bigger than you.
hector punches hal in the stomach. hal drops some school papers and falls to the ground, gasping.
HECTOR
you're such a lame-ass, jordan. come on, carol, let's bail.
hector and carol walk away while making out.
SINESTRO
i can't believe you're in love with that rich snob carol.
HAL
(catching his breath)
shut up, dude!
principal waller happens by.
PRINCIPAL WALLER
hal jordan, pick up these papers! how do you ever expect to make something of yourself? you can't just sit around waiting for someone to die and bequeath you a great power.
waller storms away. hal gathers his papers and stands, watching all the students of coast city junior high walking past wearing their new class rings. he is the only one without one.
HAL
i'm never gonna have a cool ring.
SINESTRO
(admiring his own ring)
it's nice, but i wish they went with a yellow stone.
HAL
that doesn't make sense. the school color is green.
SINESTRO
i know, but i just think we should have yellow rings, that's all.
HAL
okay.
INT. HAL'S BEDROOM - DUSK
the room is decorated with airplane stuff, outer space stuff, and a big hot wheels track with car launcher.
hal walks in, tosses his backpack on the floor, and sprawls on his bed. he stares up at the glow-in-the-dark plastic stars glued to the ceiling. hal's father JACK pokes his head in.
JACK
hey hal. everything okay?
HAL
yeah.
JACK
good. remember, i'll always be here.
jack leaves. hal sighs and stares at the plastic stars while dht's "listen to your heart" plays.
end credits.
