It is amazing how complete is the delusion that beauty is goodness.
A woman, Summer Blake, is trying makeup at a store with her friend Aimee Diaz. A photographer, Malcolm, Caulfield, comes over and compliments Summer on her amazing look. He introduces himself and offers to take some test shots. Aimee tries to get Malcolm interested in her, but he gives Summer his card for her website so she can confirm that Malcolm is legit.
At the bunker, Nick is holding Kelly and tries to get him to talk. Adalind comes in from the shower as Nick’s phone rings. She answers it and Eve says that she needs to talk to Nick. Nick takes the phone and Eve tells him that she has more information. She asks him to come to the HW HQ immediately and Nick agrees. Once Nick hangs up, Adalind says that she understands.
Summer goes to Malcolm’s studio and he shows her some of his photos. He checks the clothing she brought and says that it’s great, and has her change. Once Summer does, Malcolm takes photos of her and puts her through a variety of poses and clothing changes. She finally complains about the constant flashes and Malcolm gets her some water. He assuresSummer that she’s doing fantastic and could have a career as a model, and they go back to work. Summer soon feels woozy and Malcolm offers her a seat on the couch. She passes out and Malcolm makes sure that she’s unconscious. He then woges into his Musasat Aish-Shabab form and digs his beetle-like mandibles into her face.
Eve leads Malcolm into the HW command center and shows him video of Marwan near the scene of Andrew’s assassination. She explains that she injured Marwan so he’d go to the hospital, then hacked his phone to get his contacts. Eve explains that Renard was supposed to kill Marwan because he was tipped off. She tells Nick that Renard is going to run for mayor, and they need to know who he’s involved with. Nick warns that he can’t make a move against Renard without giving away what they know, and Eve says that she only wants Nick to tell her where Renard is going to be. She then dismisses Nick.
Malcolm wakes Summer up and says that she fell asleep. He shows her the shots and sends them to her. Later, Summer shows them to Aimee. Aimee notices that Summer has a little wrinkle. Summer confirms the wrinkle in the mirror but Aimee assures her that it’s nothing. She then heads out for drinks with her boyfriend Colin Jones, and Summer goes into the bathroom to apply moisturizer. The wrinkling gets worse, spreading over her body, and she collapses.
Malcolm meets with Dr. Eugene Forbes and hands over a jaw of liquid. Forbes wants to know where Malcolm got it, and Malcolm refuses to tell him for fear of the secret getting out. The doctor wants to take it to the next level, and Malcolm realizes that he’s using the liquid. He warns against it, and Forbes promises that he won’t use it again. He hands over the money and Malcolm says that he’ll get more of the liquid when he’s ready. Once Malcolm leaves, Forbes applies a bit of the liquid to his own wrinkled face.
Aimee returns home and finds Summer’s corpse on the floor, aged beyond recognition.
Nick arrives at the station and tells Hank what Eve told him. As they discuss it, Renard comes in and calls both detectives in. He explains that Andrew’s campaign organization has asked him to run for mayor, and wants their opinion. Nick points out that if Renard wins, his replacement wouldn’t know about the Wesen. The Grimm says that they’ll back him, just as Wu calls about Summer’s death. As they go, the partners wonder if Renard is working with Renard. Nick figures that until they know for sure, they don’t say anything.
Eve lies in her cell and remembers her investigation into Andrew’s murder. She also remembers Adalind using the spell to take her place and steal Nick’s powers, and gets the hat Adalind used from her secret cache.
In his office lab, Forbes mixes the liquid extract and his nurse, Madison, informs him that they have a dozen patients who are desperate to see him. Madison escorts in the waiting women and Forbes watches them in satisfaction.
At the apartment, Wu tells Nick and Hank that Aimee doesn’t know the woman dead on her floor. Summer is missing, but her purse and car are still there. Aimee has confirmed that the corpse is wearing Summer’s clothing and jewelry, even though Summer is 24. Wu figures that Wesen are involved and Nick has him check the fingerprints. The detectives interview Aimee, who confirms that she wasn’t there the night before. She figures that the dead woman has something to do with Summer’s disappearance, and shows them the fashion photos that Malcolm took. Wu talks to the detectives privately and shows them that the dead woman’s fingerprints match Summer’s from a DUI arrest.
At the Forbes Clinic, Forbes gives his special cream to his patient. Ultraviolet light activates the formula, dissolving their wrinkles.
The medical examiner tells Hank and Nick that the only answer she has for the rapid aging is Progeria. However, she points out that it is typically only found in kids and never happens so fast.
Malcolm is on the phone when he sees Forbes’ TV ad for his clinic.
Madison tells him that they’re booked up six months in advance, and Forbes sends her home. Malcolm calls and reminds him that their agreement was to go slow. The Wesen says that he can’t get more and refuses to provide Forbes with the liquid, even when Forbes offers him a partnership. When Forbes offers him a million dollars in three months, Malcolm says that he’ll see what he can do. Once he hangs up, Malcolm looks at his face in a mirror and applies more of the unadulterated extract.
At the spice shop, Nick and Hank tell Rosalee and Monroe what happened. There’s a journal from an Egyptian Grimm about the Musasat Aish-Shabab. The Grimm tracked the creature and killed it, and discovered that it sucked “Yanbue” from its victims and aged them to death overnight. However, the Grimm never found the man the Wesen was providing the Yanbue to. The Yanbue is highly addictive, making monsters of its users.
Malcolm finds a young man, Brian Grady and suggests that he get into modeling. He is soon taking photos of him, drugs him, and sucks the Yanbue from his face. Malcolm then discharges the Yanbue into a bowl.
At the station, Nick discovers that there are a half-dozen cases in the Portland area of rapid aging. Wu tells them that a driver went off the road and he appears to be in his 90s even though the driver’s license says the man is 19. At the crime scene, the detectives find Malcolm’s card on the floor of the truck. Nick remembers that Aimee said that Summer met with a photographer before she died, and the detectives go to Malcolm’s studio. Malcolm confirms that he shot photos of Summer and Brian, and seems surprised when the detectives say that they’re dead. Nick says that they have to backtrack where the victims are and Hank gives Malcolm his card as he goes.
After the detectives leave, Forbes calls Malcolm and demands more of the Yanbue. Malcolm tells him that the cops were there, but Forbes demands the Yanbue immediately. As Forbes admires himself in the mirror, Madison says that they have more patients waiting. Forbes snaps at her and says that he’s coming.
At the station, Nick and Hank check Malcolm’s phone record after Brian left his place, and discovers that he called Forbes. They figure Forbes is Malcolm’s buyer and need someone to check him out. The detectives go to the spice shop and tell Rosalee and Monroe what they’ve learned. Rosalee agrees to go in undercover and get a sample so that they can determine if it’s human-based.
Rosalee goes to Forbes’ clinic and claims that she made an appointment three weeks ago. Nick, Hank, and Monroe are outside listening as Rosalee convinces Madison to squeeze her in. Rosalee sits down to fill out the paperwork and an older woman says that it’s her first time there and her friends look amazing.
In her room, Eve makes the shapechanging potion and adds a man’s hair.
The older woman comes out after her treatment and Rosalee is amazed at how young she now looks. Madison takes Rosalee in to see Forbes, his last patient. He sends Madison home and introduces himself, and Rosalee realizes that his face is horribly distorted. She asks about the cream’s ingredients but Forbes insists that it’s a secret. Forbes examines her face and offers to treat her immediately.
Listening in, Monroe insists that they can’t let her put the cream on her face. Malcolm arrives and goes inside, and Nick and Hank agree that it’s time to arrest both men.
When Rosalee refuses to take the treatment, Forbes puts the cream on his face and insists that Rosalee see how young he looks. Malcolm comes in and Forbes eagerly asks if he brought more. Rosalee tries to leave, and Forbes grabs her. Monroe bursts in and struggles with Forbes, and the jar of cream shatters. Malcolm woges and attacks Nick and Hank, while Forbes tries to smear the cream on the floor onto his face. Monroe woges and attacks Malcolm as well, and Rosalee clubs him with a pan. Forbes stabs Monroe in the neck, killing him, and then asks Rosalee how old he looks. As his face distorts, Forbes says that he’s 61 years young and then collapses.
Later, Renard gives a statement in his office that he is taking Andrew’s place. Nick, Hank, and Wu are in the crowd and applaud with everyone else.
Eve takes the shapeshifting potion and transforms into... Renard.
Written by Gadfly on Apr 3, 2016