Phoenix

Trivia Contributor
The actor who played Dennis also portrayed the sniveling sidekick to the villain in Destiny
 Monica Sztybel
Bo Svenson also directed Only The Strong Survive

He called Kate Trotter "Yummy".
 Monica Sztybel
Robert Carradine shows up again, this time as Taige.
 Monica Sztybel
Feng-Huang is the Chinese term for Phoenix. I haven't seen an actual "myth of Feng" yet:-)
 Monica Sztybel
Demeter was also in Prism
 Monica Sztybel
Script differences  
Jody is only in the scene of the first murder. She is not in the rest of the script.
 Monica Sztybel
I loved the script, because there was so much more dialog that never made it to the episode. In fact, they tried so hard to squeeze in the dialog, that they sometimes spoke too fast.
 Monica Sztybel
In Delancey's when Peter complains about Demeter and Claire says he's not "Joe Friday", she continues with, "Bending the rules. Insubordination. A hotheaded cop who cares more about danger instead of a career."

This is when Strenlich introduces them. After Peter says, "Charmed", Claire says, "You and your father are quite famouse at the bureau. Theteam who proved the great Bud Demeter wrong.

Peter: "Captain Simms was no murderer. We believe in loyalty. Which is more than I can say for your predecessor."
Claire: (on edge) "Carrie Egstrom was a sociopath. Demeter should have seen through her game."

This is when Captain Simms says, "...don't sqabble." Before she informs them about working together to protect the Dalai Lama, she says, "I've forgiven Agent Demeter for his overzealousnes. I'm sure you can do the same, Detective."

After she wanders to Demeter's table, Strenlich says, ironically with a smile, "I think I'm developing a taste for strong-willed women."

Blake: "Are there any other kinds?"

After Simms interrupts Demeter's duck speech with "as innocent as a swan," he fills her in on what he was discussing about Carrie Egstrom and how she doctored the video tape.

Simms: "Since then I don't believe anything I see on television."

This is when she offers him the drink and they toast. After Claire says that Demeter is there to be sure she doesn't screw up, he says, "You kidding?" (to Simms) "Claire here is the best counter-terrorism expert in the bureau. This protection detail will go off without a hitch."

Simms: "Seems the prospect of retirement has mellowed you, Bud." (to Claire) "This operation _will_ go smoothly, provided you work with my detectives. Especially Peter Caine. No one knows Chinatown better than him." (ironic) "Except perhaps his father."

This is when we see Peter on the phone. The only difference is he actually tells the someone what's happened. It makes better sense than him leaving without a word and them showing up at the scene right after him. He goes up to Claire and takes her aside.

Peter: "Local news flash: Freshly dead body found in alley outside a building the Dalia Lama is visiting."
Claire: (all business) "Let's roll."
Demeter moves up to them.
Demeter: "Don't mind if I tag along?" (off their looks) "I may be old, but my hearing's as sharp as a wolf. Lead the way, Detective."
 Monica Sztybel
The script notes that the alley scene should be done with a sense of "chaotic urgency". It was a little too chaotic for me:-)
 Monica Sztybel
The dialog is shared more by the actors. Jody is not giving all the explanation. Demeter fills in some lines here and there.

When Jody says Nickie isn't positive about the cause of death, Peter doesn't protest like in the episode.

Rather than have the dead body be off camera, it's in plain view. Peter and Demeter move to where Nickie is with the body. The dialog is slightly different. Nickie makes more sense.

Nickie: (to Peter) "Before you hit me with a thousand questions, let me tell you what I do know. Guy's dead."
Peter: "Thanks, Nickie. How did it happen?"
Nickie: "Officially: asphyxiation." (troubled) "But it makes no sense,
Peter. This man's body temperature is over _one hundred and fifty degrees_.
Demeter crouches down and touches the body. He draws his hand back inpain.
Demeter: (wincing) "Corpse is on fire."
Nickie: "That's what I'm trying to tell you. This is impossible. With his body temperature and his skin surface heat...It's like he caught on fire from... the _inside_."
Peter: "Come on, Nickie. That makes no sense."
Demeter: (rising; softly to himself) "Yes, it does."
Peter: "What?"
Demeter: "The Phoenix. Only guy who can kill you with heat."
Nickie: "Who is the Phoenix?"
Demeter: "World's most elusive contract assassin. I've got a file on him dating back ten years. He's kind of a hobby of mine. Never been caught. Never been photographed. This is his trademark kill. I've seen it before. Heat. Fire."
Peter: "How? It's like he's starting a fire _inside_ them."
Demeter: "This is just the beginning."
Peter: "If you're right, then his next target must be..."

Dalai Lama's voice: "Me."

Instead of the next part of the scene being at Caine's, the Dalai Lama and Caine come down and stand by the body.

When Claire says the Dalai Lama should have bodyguards with him during public appearances, he replies, "The public will then perceive me as a politician, instead of a simple monk on a quest."

When Claire protests about Caine being the protector and that Caine doesn't know the first thing about protecting a VIP, Peter *does* get a line in unlike the episode.

Peter: "He's a Shambhala Master. There's probably very little he _doesn't_ know."
 Monica Sztybel
When Caine tells Peter how long it's been since he's seen the Dalai Lama, he says, "We have not seen each other since you formed your own Dragonswing, my son."

Peter: (regarding the bodya as it is taken away; soft) "Nice reunion."
 Monica Sztybel
The dialog in the flashback is slightly different, not focusing on Dennis as much. Also, the painting doesn't show the phoenix until the end of the flashback.

Young Peter: "Father, I thought vengeance was wrong. Are we not supposed to walk away from our enemies?"
Caine: "Ah. You have found the _exact_ reason why we study this story. When is it right to seek vengeance?"
Young Peter: "Never. Always walk away."
Caine: "Perhaps."
Young Dennis: "When there is too much at stake. When walking away is the crime."
Caine: "Yes..."

Caine continues to say that the Shaolin would have died if Feng did not reclaim the temple. The camera moves in on the painting at that moment and the phoenix rises behind Feng. Then Caine ends the flashback by saying that Feng "vanquished his enemies."

Back in the present, Peter doesn't ask why his father was reminded of Feng. Instead, after he says it was a cool history lesson, Claire calls him on the radio to get moving.

Caine: (as if to himself) "The fires of vengeance give off a distinct heat."
Peter: (moving off) "Pop, I gotta go. When you feel like being less cryptic, call me."
 Monica Sztybel
The next scene starts right in Kermit's office with Peter telling Claire about the mercenary. Again, dialog is different.

Peter: "He's not exactly your ordinary detective. Not Kermit. Gone to study the ruins of Jakarta. Captain forced him to take some vacation time he had coming. Too stubborn to go on his own volition."
Claire: "Sounds like another man I know."

Demeter sticks his head in. This is when he tells Claire to gather info on the Phoenix off the computer. She tells him they're on it.

He leaves. Peter says wryly, "Your boss isn't the easiest Fed to work with."

Claire: (defensively) "But Demeter is the best agent I've ever worked with. He gets the job done. His instincts are perfect."
Peter: "Almost perfect. Like the rest of him, right? I sense a little more than a working relationship between you two."
Claire: (after a beat; softly) "Bud's divorce became final three months ago. I've waited a long time for him to become...available."
Peter: "And is he?"
Claire: "We're working on it. _Privately_.
Peter: "I'll keep it to myself."

This is when he asks her for the password. They scan the files.

Peter: "Lots of info, but nothing concrete. Why the Phoenix? Why now?"

This is when Claire explains Bud's suspicions that the Phoenix was sent by the Chinese Government to "terminate the Dalai Lama".

Claire: "He never misses a taget. No one lives to give a real description."
Peter: "But..." (presses a button) "Here. Two witnesses recalled the same thing. Something worn by the man they thought was the Phoenix. A chambermaid in Stockholm and a concierge in Paris both saw this..."

That's when the drawing shows up.

Claire: "Dead end. It's just a composite of what they described. We couldn't find a source for it. Chalked it up to the killer's sense of dramatic style. His symbol."
Peter: "Waitaminute. I've seen this before."

Right here they go to a subliminal shot of the Phoenix pendant around "_someone's_" neck. Too fast to make out anything else but the pendant.

Peter shakes his head.
Peter: (softly) "It's so familiar. Yet I can't place it."
Claire: "Dectective?"
Peter: (recovering) "Let's download this stuff and distribute it to our people. Get an idea of this guy's M.O."

The ending of this scene is better than in the episode, since Peter walks off at the end of this scene, telling her he needs to find his father. Then in the next scene she's with Peter.
 Monica Sztybel
The scene in the temple with Caine and the Dalai Lama is the same through to Caine's confrontation with Taige. Dialog slightly different.

Taige: "His kind of scum ain't worth saving. You know the type. Ruthless. Evil. Like the man _you_ killed, Caine. Like Tan."
Caine: (softly) "You know me?"
Taige: "Better than you think. Stay out of my way, Caine."

Taige moves off before the Stealth shows up (no honking horn). Peter runs after Taige, but he's gone.

When Claire chews out Caine for letting Taige go, she doesn't walk off, nor does Peter tell Caine she's right. Instead, Caine says (to Peter) "We must talk." (to Claire) "And you must listen."
 Monica Sztybel
The next scene is of Peter, Caine and Claire in the cafe. Caine tells Peter that Taige is a mercenary. Claire shows Caine the printout of the pendant. (In the episode, Peter tells Caine that Demeter gave it to him, when we know that it was printed out *after* he left the office).

As Caine looks at the picture, Peter asks, "Where have I seen this before, Pop?"

Caine: (looking at the printout; softly) "At the temple..."

After the flashback, Caine tells Peter that Dennis arrived at the temple *before* Caine and Peter arrived there. The part about him being left with Ping Hi is in the script. Though I'm wondering if they forgot to change that when they got to the final draft of the script, since both Peter and Dennis have a flashback that shows Taige leaving him there.

So Claire hears about the Phoenix just as Peter realizes it, not later.

There is not flashback by Peter about the temple destruction and Dennis walking through the fire. The scene ends with Peter and Claire reacting to the revelation.
 Monica Sztybel
At the Chinese market (outside instead of inside), Claire tries to convince Caine to wear a bulletproof vest.

Caine: "I cannot."
Peter: "Pop, keep your eyes on the rooftops. Scan the crowd in thirty second intervals."
Claire: "Stay right with the man. Not more than one foot away from his body. Don't listen to his speech. Focus on teh danger."

This is when the Dalai Lama says, "Shall we enlighten this crowd, my friend."

No, "Why not's" from Caine. No filmmaking quips from Blake (I got a kick out of that). No scene of them mapping out procedure. No romantic moment in the elevator.
 Monica Sztybel
Instead they go to the 10th floor of a nearby building, in a "washroom" (Canadian for restroom <g>). Dennis apparently kills someone in there who had fireworks, and was sneaking them to the roof. Once outside, he joins three other men who are setting up the fireworks. They don't see him.

Frankie: "Gonna be like Fourth of July here. Mayor said to light the place up as soon as the old dude's finished his speech."
Frankie gestures to Dennis.
Frankie: "Hey, Rodney. Bring that igniter over here!" (looking more closely) "You're not Rodney."

Dennis takes out the trio with some kung fu moves. He stands at the endge looking down at the Dalai Lama's stage.

Dennis: "Light the place up. Hell of an idea."
 Monica Sztybel
No cameras. Everyone is positioned in different spots. Claire and Peter are near the platform, while Demeter is "two o'clock. Three hundred yards."

Demeter: "Got a nice view of the man. Snipers sit-rep says everything's quiet."
Claire: (into mike) "Calm before the storm. Isn't that what you taught me, Agent Demeter?"
Demeter: (a smile) "Stay sharp, Agent Lightman.

Demeter spots Dennis, but because he doesn't know what he looks like, says he's going to do a perimeter sweep.

When Dennis spots Peter in the crowd, he has a couple of subliminal flashes to himself and Peter in the past. Then Demeter breaks his reverie, busting the door to the roof open.

Demeter tells him to freeze, calls a squad, but Dennis fries him.

Peter and Claire still stand near the stage as Claire tries to reach Demeter. She is obviously unsuccessful. Peter says, "He's in trouble.Let's move."
 Monica Sztybel
Caine suddenly senses danger. He calls to Peter psychically, "My son,
the rooftop. You must go there!"

Peter reacts. "The roof! He's on the roof!"

Meanwhile, Dennis turns and sets fire to the stage. Same reaction as in the episode.
 Monica Sztybel
Taige is there when Claire and Peter burst onto the roof. Peter keeps his gun trained on Taige, Claire orders him to move away from the body.

Peter: "Keep your hands where I can see them!"
Taige: "I ain't armed, son. You can put the gun down."
Peter: "I'll decide when I holster my gun. (to Claire; re: Demeter) "How is he?"
Claire: (turning to him; tears blinding her eyes) "He's dead."

This is when Taige insists he must go after the Phoenix.

Peter: "Just stay right where you are."

Strenlich and Jody show up. Strenlich reacts to the sight, "What a mess." Jody tells Peter that the Dalai Lama is safe thanks to Caine.

Claire cuffs Taige. He asks if she will read him his rights. She says hollowly that it's not required by federal law to do so with serial killers.

Taige: "Sorry about your partner." (as he's hauled to his feet) "But I didn't kill him."
Peter: (to Strenlich) "Get him out of here."

Strenlich and the others push Taige along. As he passes Peter he says, "You know I'm not the Phoenix. But you'll need me to catch him. We'll talk later."

Strenlich: "Move, scumbag."

Peter turns to Claire and says, "Claire...I..."

Claire: "We got him. Hollow victory. Need some space."

The description follows: "She moves away. Camera pulls back as she moves to Demeter's body, touching his head lightly, her tears falling strongly now. Peter moves to the edge of the roof and looks down on the Market Square."

"Peter's view of the chaos below...We see the Dalai Lama being hustled into a waiting limo which speeds away with a police escort. Then find Caine as he stands on what is left of the platform. He turns and looks up at Peter. A small nod between them.

Peter: (softly) "Well done, Pop."
 Monica Sztybel