| CUT SCENES |
| The Attack at the Crossroads |
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This scene occurs just after the Nelwyn expedition meets Madmartigan, and just before
Burglekutt and the warriors head for home. Ferocious people called Pohas (or Picts) pass
through the Daikini Crossroads, and set fire to Madmartigan's cage just
for fun.
This scene was most likely sacrificed in order to keep the movie from running too long. I can't identify any other reason for it being cut, and it would have been nice to have this scene in the movie. It would have provided some action at a time when the plot development mostly takes the form of conversation. It illustrates just how dangerous a place the Daikini Crossroads is, and how much courage it takes for Willow and Meegosh to stay there after the other Nelwyns leave, as well as indicating how difficult it might be to find a Daikini who's fit to take care of Elora. It would have paid dividends later on, too. Some of the people in the tavern scene are Pohas, including the man who threatens to cook Willow, and a previous demonstration of their savagery would have made the tavern seem all that much more dangerous. |
| Late Script Excerpt |
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WILLOW: But he tried to strangle me! BURGLEKUTT: I wanna go home! Meegosh points in the distance. MEEGOSH: More Daikinis! The Nelwyns look up hopefully. Torches appear. A horsedrawn wagon clatters full-speed toward them. They hear loud drunken voices. The Nelwyns all dive into the bushes. Four boorish PICTS, with tattooed faces and arms, thunder past. They set fire to the skeleton cage then jab torches at Madmartigan. MADMARTIGAN: No! Help! Stop! The Picts laugh and ride away. Madmartigan frantically beats out the flames. His sleeves ignite. MADMARTIGAN: Thanks for your help, Pecks! All the Nelwyns, including Willow, jump out of the bushes and shower Madmartigan with handfuls of dirt. MEEGOSH: Are you alright? MADMARTIGAN: Me? Never better. They set me on fire! (spits out dirt) You wanna give your baby to them? They eat babies. Madmartigan rubs his sore burned arms. BURGLEKUTT: That's it. We've got to get out of here. We're giving him the baby. MADMARTIGAN: Good decision. WILLOW: No, Burglekutt! We should wait. BURGLEKUTT: Are you challenging my authority? |
| Graphic Novel Illustrations |
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| Novelization Excerpt |
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"Look!" Meegosh shouted.
Torches suddenly appeared a short distance down the road. They heard the clatter of hooves and the rumble of wheels coming fast, accompanied by raucous singing and laughter. "Take cover!" Vohnkar hissed. "They're Pohas!" the caged man shouted as the Nelwyns scurried into the bushes. "Don't leave me here! They're a bunch of scurvy Pohas! They'll roast me alive!" A mud-caked wagon clattered up at full gallop, scattering dust and sparks from several torches. The driver hauled the sweating horses to a halt and four half-naked drunks tumbled out, carrying torches. All were bald. All wore sleeveless jerkins. All were wildly tattooed with bizarre signs and creatures. They lumbered around the crossroads, scavenging debris, looting fresh bodies. One of them soon discovered the cage, and his shouts brought the others. Roaring and hooting, they smashed the skeleton apart and played a reeling game of football with the skull. The man in the second cage had vanished under the heap of rangs, but the Pohas discovered him, prodded him out with torches, and set him and his cage on fire. Lurching and roaring in glee, they left him wreathed in smoke and piled back into their wagon, galloping off to other places, other random brutalities. When they had gone, the Nelwyns scrambled out of hiding and flung dirt on the flames. The Daikini was prancing on the hot rags, yelping, beating at his smoldering clothes. Even Willow felt sorry for him. "What'd you do?" he asked, cradling the baby while the others beat out the last embers. "Why are you in there?" "Why? Why?" The Daikini rubbed his singed arms and spat out dirt. "Who knows? Who has to do anything? Might as well ask why those Pohas came just now. Argh! How I hate them! Give me one good sword and I'd tattoo them right through their fat bellies!" "That settles it!" Burglekutt said, peering down the road where the Pohas' torches had dwindled to a dot. "We're not staying here! We'll let him out and give him the baby." "Bravo, Burglekutt! Good fellow! Open this door!" Willow backed up, holding the child close. "No. I don't trust him. He nearly strangled me." |
| Junior Novelization Excerpt |
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"I wanna go home!" Burglekutt whined, looking and sounding less like a leader all the time.
Meegosh pointed down the road. "More Daikinis." The Nelwyns looked up hopefully as torches flickered in the distance. A horse-drawn wagon was careening down the road toward them. As it neared they heard voices - loud, drunken voices. They dove back into the bushes as the wagon thundered up to the crossroads. Four wildly yelling, tattooed Pohas hung out of the wagon. Waving their torches, they set the cage that held the skeleton on fire. Then they turned and jabbed their torches into the other cage. "No!" the prisoner yelled. "Help! Stop!" The cage burst into flames. The Pohas drove on, howling with laughter. He beat frantically at the blazing wood with his bare hands; his sleeves caught fire. "Thanks for your help, Pecks!" he screamed at the Nelwyns. Willow and his companions scrambled out of hiding and began to throw dirt on the flames - and on the prisoner - under the fire was out. "Are you all right?" Meegosh asked, looking up at him with concern. "Me?" the prisoner said sourly. "Never better. They set me on fire!" He spat out a mouthful of dirt. "You wanna give your baby to them? They eat babies." He jerked his head at the retreating Pohas, rubbing his sore, burned arms. "That's it," Burglekutt said. "We've got to get out of here. We're giving him the baby." The prisoner nodded. "Good decision." "No, Burglekutt!" Willow said. "We should wait." Burglekutt stiffened. "Are you challenging my authority?" Willow spoke up. "As far as this baby's concerned - yes." |