The Kid Who Would Be King

A long time ago, Britain was ruled

by King Uther Pendragon.

But when Uther died without an heir,

the land was torn apart by war.

Many tried to claim the throne

and fought bitterly and endlessly.

People's hearts grew hopeless and hollow.

The country became lost and leaderless.

So the wizard Merlin

conjured a magical sword in a stone called Excalibur

and declared that only Uther's true heir

could pull it free.

Many tried,

but only one succeeded.

A boy named Arthur,

who had no idea he was Uther's long-lost son.

Arthur grew into a great king.

He turned his enemies into allies

and ruled at a round table, so that all were equal.

He and his knights lived by a code of chivalry,

their hearts pure and noble.

But their greatest foe

was Arthur's own half-sister, Morgana.

Convinced she was the rightful heir,

and desperate to possess Excalibur,

she turned to dark sorcery.

Arthur fought a fearsome battle against her,

and bound her into the bowels of the earth.

But not before she swore dark vengeance.

When you are long gone,

when hearts are hollow

and the land is lost and leaderless again,

I will return.

And so will the sword.

Alex, you're gonna be late.

Okay, okay!

I'm coming as fast as I can.

Your homework's all over the kitchen table.

You know, every time you sleep in

and skip breakfast, it's like...

... starting the day on an empty battery.

I know.

Maybe if you hadn't left that

till last thing the night before...

Damn.

Here.

It's not exactly the right color, but...

Maybe you can say it's a solar flare.

Thanks, Mum.

(on radio) You're listening to the BBC.

It's 7:30am, it's time for the news.

(on radio) BBC News at 7:30.

Experts are warning that

the world is becoming more unstable

than it has been for centuries.

With dictators and strongmen

gaining power in more countries

than ever before,

global divisions are increasing

at an alarming rate.

Oh, no.

Excuse me.

Sorry.

'Scuse me.

Bedders!

Has anyone seen Bedders?

Bedders! Where are you?

-Let go of me! Leave me alone! -(coins clinking)

Put me down!

No, no, and no.

You wanna survive in this school,

you gotta pay for the privilege.

You're cutting off my circulation.

I am going to pass out.

Keep your voice down

or I'll punch my PIN number into your legs.

My head's filling up with blood.

It's going to explode!

I feel weird.

Help!

-Somebody help me. -Hey! Let him go.

Oh, look. It's the Lego Minifigure boy.

I said, leave him alone.

Ooh. Why should we?

Because there's two of you,

he's half your size, and he's my friend.

-Aw. -Mm.

How many times do I have to tell you?

Don't be a hero. It's not worth it.

I'm the king around here.

Careful not to drown in that puddle.

See you later, girls.

-(school bell rings) -(panting)

Off me! Get off me, shrimp!

Break it up! Break it up!

Move aside, move aside!

Alexander Elliot!

I'll give you one last chance,

or I'll just have to give all three of you detention.

Who started it?

No one.

Your behavior here

directly affects the rest of your life.

You know that, don't you?

It's a tough world out there

and it's getting tougher all the time.

There's millions of kids in this country

with a better start in life than you.

And the world is not going to change.

It's you that has to change.

Alex, you saved my life,

and now I owe you my undying loyalty.

Like Frodo and Samwise

or Chewbacca and Han

or Donkey and Shrek.

We'll make sure we're on the same bus every morning.

And I'll wait for you at lunch break

and after school,

so if they ever dare try anything--

We already do that, Bedders.

Lance and Kaye rule the school.

There's nothing you can do.

There's nothing either of us can do.

This isn't junior school anymore.

We're nothings now.

We're the most insignificant,

powerless people in the school.

Hey.

Hey!

I learnt a new trick.

Hold out your hand.

Now squeeze as hard as you can.

Abracadabra!

Alakazam!

Open your hand.

Wait, that's not right.

You're supposed to have both of them.

It's a duplication illusion.

It's really good when it works.

Don't worry about it, Bedders.

I'm not in the mood for magic anymore.

Alex, are you okay?

It's not true, is it?

What would make you jump on someone

and start punching them?

Alex.

They were bullying Bedders.

I tried to stop them.

No one said anything about that.

Why didn't you say something? Why didn't you tell someone?

Alex, look at you.

Because it would just make everything worse.

How could telling the truth make everything worse?

You wouldn't understand.

Dad would understand.

Well...

he's not here.

But if he was, I know exactly what he'd say.

He'd say that telling the truth

and doing the right thing never makes anything worse.

You always used to believe that, Alex.

Yeah.

Well, not anymore.

I can taste it... Taste.

... in the rain.

-Sense it in the soil. Sense it.

What they once had...

is long lost.

Long lost.

They are divided. Divided.

Fearful. Fearful.

Leaderless. Leaderless.

Leaderless. Leaderless...

As they grow weaker...

Weaker... Weaker...

... I grow stronger.

Stronger.

Soon, darkness will dawn.

My time will come.

Come on, no doodling.

This is detention, not art class.

Concentrate.

Oi! Alex Elliot!

Wait for us. We wanna talk to you.

Where are you going? Don't run away.

What's the matter? What are you frightened of?

-(tires squeal) -(horn blares)

Go, go! Run, get him!

-(panting) -That fast as you can go?

We're right behind you!

You're dead now, you little snitch!

Alex Elliot!

Oi! Come here! Here, boy!

Hey, Lance! I've got him.