"Life before": The LEGO Movie 2

Chapter 1: "A Villain's Return"

All stories start with a beginning, however, this one starts with an ending. The ending of a hero, who turned into the universe's greatest villain.

The Systar System shimmered in the distance, as the evening sunlight reflected off the colorful glitter and dazzling confetti.

Across the stars, there was Undar. A dark, dusty planet in the Dryar system.

Emmet Brickowski lay on that planet, still, and completely unable to move. Negative thoughts seemed to forever plague his mind, as he watched the glittering kingdom from afar.

There he watched as his old friends, and once beloved girlfriend danced and partied. They were happy, and he was eternally in sorrow.

It was a cruel fate. No hero deserved what had happened to him. The pain in his heart overwhelmed him, and manifested into a deep rage. A rage that could break a world apart.

Suddenly, his expression changed, as his consciousness shifted to another version of himself. One trapped within the depths of his own mind, trying to piece his villain's backstory together.

He started to feel pain within his heart, as he frowned. The scene before him was strange, and sorrowful. His empathy shined through.

The Special, now aware of the situation, moved his eyes. He tried to look behind him, but remained frozen in place, despite his desire to move.

The air became hot, and the winds of the planets created a cloud of dust that shined in the yellow sunlight. The presence he felt grew more intense.

"Rex…" Emmet started, "I'm sorry you had to go through this. I feel bad for you. I do, but I-"

"Your pity won't be enough to fix this. Experience what I did, and maybe you'll finally understand."

Rex Dangervest, Emmet's alternate timeline self, stepped in front of him. His gaze was cold, yet filled with agitation. His steel-toed boot moved towards the Special, as if threatening to give him a kick.

"I know this is just a dream, Rex. This happens every night. I'm...honestly a little bit tired. There's no shame in telling the truth."

"Well, think about why you're having this dream in the first place." The Villain bent down, "It's because everything is your fault. The guilt is eating you alive. You let me die."

"No! No, I..." Emmet's voice wavered, "I thought we could save you too. Even if it was just the tiniest bit of hope. I wanted to be your friend."

"My friend? You should have realized by now that it was never my intention to be your 'friend'. I hated you, and I wanted to change you."

"I just couldn't be changed, Rex."

"No, you could have, but you refused. You refused, and you let me disappear. Like I meant nothing, and now...I really am just that. Nothing."

Rex stood upright, and gazed towards the outskirts of Undar. His hair moved with the harsh wind, and the smell of dust filled the air.

Somehow, the image of him was perfect. Even the tiniest of details weren't spared from the Villains unique features. Everything seemed real. As if it was really happening.

The Special cried, "I know that you deserved better. If there's anything I could have done to save you, you know I would have."

"You can't change the past. Not this time. With the path you took, this was inevitable."

The winds grew even harsher, and created a burst of dust so powerful that it dulled Emmet's senses. The air was now chaotic, and filled with the remnants of where Rex Dangervest met his end.