The reviewer of superhero movie

INT. METAHUMAN OPERATIONS – TOP FLOOR OFFICE – NIGHT

(Rain slides gently down the high-rise window. Neon glows from flying cars flicker against the sleek interior. Inside the glassy office sits MANAGER ELIRA STRYNE, mid-30s, cold eyes, sharp suit, terrifying IQ, and a desk so obsessively organized it looks like it belongs in a crime scene drama.)

(She's seated at her console, surrounded by holographic files. Her fingers flick through documents. Her eyes stay locked on one file: "JOHN RICK – NON-META CLASS B (ADMIN).")

ELIRA (V.O.)

John Rick.

(A video loop plays on the corner — John fumbling with coffee cups, smiling awkwardly, signing documents like he was born with a pen in hand.)

ELIRA (V.O.)

Paperwork monkey. That's why he was hired. Quiet. Efficient. Knew all five color codes of document priority. Even replaced ink cartridges without asking.

God, I hate people like him. Remind me that my entire life is run by folders.

(She flips through more documents. Finger taps impatiently as scanned files from HR and BioCheck load. Blood results, brainwave charts, personality scales...)

ELIRA (V.O.)

But now he's punching through mid-tier trainees. With grace. With instinct. With reflexes that would make my telepathic ex need a nap.

Did he awaken… last week?

(The data from his medical scan lights up — no markers for dormant genes, no neural activity spikes — flatline average. Too average.)

ELIRA (mutters)

No... impossible.

(She replays his old footage again. John in the breakroom. Laughing with the janitor. Organizing shelves. Accidentally catching a falling clipboard like he knew it was going to fall.)

ELIRA (V.O.)

There's always a sign. Even with late bloomers. Something glitches. A scan hiccups. They get nosebleeds or hear things or… freak out at pigeons. But this?

Nothing. Just… John.

(She clenches her jaw and rewinds his hiring form. The page highlights: "Family: None | Orphanage: Archived | Emergency Contact: — | References: —**")

ELIRA (V.O.)

No family. No friends. No trail. It's like the universe delivered me a stray golden retriever that does taxes.

(She breaks her third pen since starting this thought spiral. Ink leaks onto her finger. She curses and wipes it on a tissue — then notices her hand is resting on John's printed ID photo.)

(He's smiling. Slightly crooked. Slightly hopeful.)

(A beat. The office is quiet. The only sound is the rain outside.)

ELIRA (V.O.)

I should scold the medicine team for slacking. I lost a perfectly good pet to Mid-tier. He even refilled my coffee without saying a word. That's... hard to find.

(She sighs, her fingers brushing the corner of his photo. Slowly. Gently. Almost like a pet owner realizing the cat they ignored has gone missing.)

ELIRA (softly, to herself)

…He was cute, though.

(She straightens up. The coldness returns. Her eyes now glow faintly — a sign her cyber-enhanced mind is searching something far deeper now. She reopens the files.)

ELIRA (V.O.)

Fine. If there's a secret... I'll find it.

(The camera slowly pulls back from the glass walls of her office as the city lights dance. On her screen, John's face remains. Still smiling.)

FADE TO BLACK.

[SFX: distant thunder. Rain intensifies.]

INT. METAHUMAN TRAINING DOME – LEVEL 3 – DAY

The dome is massive — high ceilings, echoing boots, reinforced walls covered in holo-screens. A digital jungle glows into existence as the training sim loads. Five recruits, all mid-tier potentials, stand in a loose circle.

INSTRUCTOR KRELL

Your objective: Retrieve the core module from the heart of the simulation. You have 20 minutes. Teamwork is non-optional.

(He glares at each of them like he's trying to make their DNA sweat.)

INSTRUCTOR KRELL (cont'd)

If one of you fails… all of you fail.

JOHN (V.O. – inner monologue)

Ah. The classic "team test" arc. Solid choice for Act 2 development. Stakes are just right. Krell's doing his best impression of every gym teacher I hated.

(He watches Krell turn and walk away — slowly, dramatically. Cloak fluttering.)

JOHN (V.O.)

Okay that's a 5/10 walk-off. Too much cape. Not enough menace. Could've used a hard cut to silence there.

(The sim jungle comes alive. Fog rolls in. Vines sway. Weird chirps echo. The others start arguing almost instantly.)

---

RECRUIT #1 (Braggart, bulging arms)

I go in first. I'm bulletproof and handsome. That makes me leader.

JOHN (V.O.)

Ah yes, Chad-ius Maximus. Every ensemble cast needs a loud meat shield.

---

RECRUIT #2 (Edgy, shadow cloak girl)

We shouldn't move until I scan for temporal distortions.

JOHN (V.O.)

Ooooh and here's Miss Plot Device. Bet she has trauma. Or a dead sister. Possibly both.

---

RECRUIT #3 (Nervous gadget guy)

I brought drones! Should we — I mean — I can fly them, maybe, or—

JOHN (V.O.)

And Comic Relief™️ has entered the chat. You can always tell by the voice crack and shoulder tension.

---

RECRUIT #4 (Silent, tall, stares too much)

…

JOHN (V.O.)

Ah. My favorite. The wildcard. Doesn't speak, definitely kills people. 10/10 casting.

---

JOHN (out loud)

Okay, fine. While we all figure out who's the main character here, I'll go scout the west path. Just say my name if you die or something.

(He casually walks off, no powers, no shield, just a satchel of tools and confidence like buttered toast.)

---

JOHN (V.O.)

Note to self: Act like background character until the moment to go full protagonist. Peak screenplay move.

(Camera follows John stepping lightly through roots. He crouches behind a rock. Watches as a digital panther beast prowls into view. Then suddenly—)

RECRUIT #1 (off-screen)

CHAAAAARGE!

(The sound of explosions. Screams. Plasma. Chaos.)

---

JOHN (V.O.)

Aaaaand cue the disaster. Predictable pacing. Honestly, the director of this training sim has zero chill.

(He sighs, pulls out a small mirror shard, uses it to bounce light signals across trees — silently guiding Recruit #3 out of danger. Then tosses a rock to mislead the panther. Then subtly drops a sonic trap he borrowed from the supply cart.)

JOHN (V.O.)

Rule of cool: save the day without bragging. Let them think it was luck. That's how you farm long-term loyalty.

---

LATER – END OF TRAINING – OUTSIDE SIM

All five stand in a line. Sweaty. Confused. Alive.

INSTRUCTOR KRELL

…Not bad.

(He looks straight at John, then at the silent one who says nothing. Krell grunts.)

INSTRUCTOR KRELL

Team succeeded. Barely.

---

JOHN (V.O.)

Wow. A grudging compliment? That's rare. Man's dialogue tree must've glitched.

(As they walk out of the training room, Recruit #2 taps his shoulder.)

RECRUIT #2

Hey. Did you… coordinate us back there?

JOHN (smiles awkwardly)

Me? Nah. I was just trying not to die.

---

JOHN (V.O.)

And cut to credits. Nice. Got laughs, foreshadowing, tension, and subtle leadership. I give this episode a solid 8.4/10. Needs better sound design though.

(He glances at the mirrored glass of the hallway. Smiles at his own reflection.)

JOHN (V.O.)

…Next time, we raise the stakes.

FADE OUT.