Nothing Lasts Forever
"I want to be beautiful, like you."
Written by Karen Nielsen
Directed by James Wong
Directed by James Wong
"This victim was murdered by these two, who in turn were murdered by someone else in a style familiar to fans of Hammer horror films, of which I am one... guilty. The question is, why were the organs harvested?"
— Fox Mulder
An organ theft and the death of a surgeon involved lead Mulder and Scully to a bizarre cult in the Bronx. But they're not the only ones digging into this case.
Tropes:
- As the Good Book Says...: Juliet's ass-kicking mantra, "Those who love me I will deliver," comes from the Psalms.
- Big Damn Heroes: Juliet arrives to save the day when Mulder and Scully are swarmed by the loyal cultists.
- Body Horror: For starters, young people are stitched to the backs of older people who feed on them.
- Immortality Seeker: Both Barbara and Dr. Luvenis, the latter of whom echoes the anti-aging rhetoric of Real Life outfits like Ambrosia. Their followers may be hoping for eternal life too, but will willingly embrace death to serve their leaders.
- Impaled with Extreme Prejudice: Iron bars are Juliet's method of murder towards anyone associated with the cult.
- Informed Flaw: Barbara Beaumont tries to get in a dig at Scully's age, despite A.) not knowing how old Scully actually is, and B.) the fact that Gillian Anderson (and thus, Scully) could easily pass for someone ten years younger. It serves to highlight how shallow Beaumont is.
- Our Vampires Are Different: While this "life extension cult" relies on surgery and other bits of tech, most of the vampire tropes apply.
- Unwanted Glasses Plot: Mulder is self-conscious about needing glasses, although most people are younger than he is when they start needing vision aid.
- Fridge Brilliance: Mulder was seen with glasses frequently in the original run, including in the pilot. Does this episode imply he wore them just for aesthetics?
- Slashed Throat: The fate of the first girl (Kayla) attached to Dr. Luvenis, thanks to Barbara.
- Vampires Are Sex Gods: There's a lot of writhing and necking going on at the cult's fourth floor compound.
- White-Dwarf Starlet: Barbara Beaumont, big time. She hasn't accepted that while the blood drinking and organ harvesting can keep her looking young, the world has still moved on.
♫ Amen. ♫
