Arcane works with a photo of Linda Holland, figuring out how to recreate her via plastic surgery. He's determined to get the bio-restorative formula that Alec Holland created, and tells his subject to relax because she's going to put Swamp Thing where he wants him. Once he's done, Arcane takes off the bandages to confirm that he has succeeded once again. Satisfied, Arcane shows the woman her reflection and tells her to live up to his work. She recites Linda's background information and Arcane tells her that she's ready to acquaint herself with her husband. He hasn't told Linda what Alec looks like now, and Arcane merely says that he's big and unusual, and warns that Alec has all the wisdom of the swap and is therefore not easily fooled.
Later, Linda walks down the street to a minister's home. She says that after ten years she wants to hold a memorial service for Alec. She explains that she was severely burned and spent years recuperating, and is ready to lay Alec to rest. The minister says that he can hold the service the next day, and Linda admits that she and Alec didn't have many friends.
The next day, the minister holds the service and only Linda attends. Swamp Thing watches from the brush and recognizes the woman who is seemingly his wife. She goes home and makes herself up, and then leaves. Swamp Thing watches from the shadows. Obo sees her and calls to her, and reminds her that he was a young boy ten years ago. Linda feigns recognition, and Swamp Thing watches and remembers.
As they eat dinner, Alec tells Linda that he was too busy concentrating on her. Arcane and his foreman arrive and Arcane offers Alec a fortune for his bio-restorative fortune. Alec would rather see his work perish then let it get into Arcane's hands, and Arcane makes it clear that he'll get it eventually.
Linda goes on her way alone and Swamp Thing follows her. She turns and sees Swamp Thing approaching. He chases after her, saying that he's Alec, and finally corners her. Swamp Thing demands to know who she is, and the imposter insists that she's Linda. He says that he's Alec, the result of the explosion that apparently killed him, and Linda runs off.
Later, Linda goes back to Arcane. The next morning after sex, Linda tells Arcane that she was brilliant. Arcane warns her that they're only halfway there. Linda insists that Swamp Thing fell for it, and figures that once they have the formula they'll be young forever.
Swamp Thing hangs a necklace on a branch to determine if Linda is who she claims. Later, Linda comes out and sees the necklace. Swamp Thing emerges from the shadows and Linda claims that she was fascinated and had to find out if Swamp Thing is who he claims.
Alec and Linda go for a walk, and Alec says that he still has to do some work. He asks for five minutes and Linda agrees. Meanwhile, two of Arcane's men have broken into the lab. Alec and Linda come in and there's a fight. As Alec struggles with one of the intruders, they start a fire and Alec's opponent throws the bio-restorative fluid onto the scientist. The intruder knocks Alec down and runs, and Alec tries to beat out the flames as the bio-restorative fluid on his body catches fire. He runs out and falls into the swamp as an explosion consumes the lab.
Swamp Thing says that he thought Linda died in the explosion. He admits that it was torture losing her and finding her again, and Linda says that if she had the formula then she could restore Alec to his human form. Swamp Thing says that he moved all of his papers so that Arcane would find them. Linda offers to reproduce the work, and Swamp Thing tells her that he'll get it to her the next day. He then takes the necklace from the branch and takes out a photo of him and Linda together when he was human. He wonders how she can do it to him.
The next day, Swamp Thing watches as Jim and Obo go fishing at the site of Alec's old lab. A real estate salesman brings a buyer there to lock at the property, and Swamp Thing leaps out and scares them away. Arcane is watching in the distance, and sees Swamp Thing dig out the hidden papers with the formula. He then takes the m to Linda and hands them over. Linda says that it give him back his life and walks off.
Linda takes the formula to Arcane and he recreates it. He admits that Alec was a genius, but also a lovesick fool. Linda insists that he inject her with it first. She does and the imposter twitches and contorts. Arcane realizes that Swamp Thing has changed the formula so that it's speeding the aging process up. Linda ages into an elderly woman in a matter of seconds, and Arcane realizes that Swamp Thing was on to them from the start.
Swamp Thing looks at the photo of his human form and screams in anguish. Meanwhile, Obo is walking down the street and passes the now-elderly woman, and for a moment thinks that it's Linda.
Written by Gadfly on May 26, 2017