Warehouse 13 Wiki
Register
Advertisement


"Age Before Beauty" was the sixteenth episode and the fourth episode of the second season of Warehouse 13, airing on the Syfy Channel on July 27, 2010.


Short Synopsis

The team investigates the death of a Russian model who rapidly aged. They head for New York City to go to a model show where Pete Lattimer witnesses another model rapidly age. Meanwhile Claudia goes on a date with Todd which doesn't end well.

Cast

Main Cast

Recurring Cast

Guest Cast

Full Recap

Click to show

In Milan, models are participating in a fashion show. As they go down the runway, an elderly woman grabs one of the models and talks to her in Russian. The guards restrain her and the woman collapses.

In Cardiff, Pete and Myka are taking on a criminal armed with Excalibur. Myka uses the rock to phase the sword immaterial and then defeat the man. They contact Artie, who congratulates them and then asks them to go to Milan. They check on the elderly woman, who has died and has no identification. The local inspector notes that the woman had silicone breast implants and shouted, "They stole me" in Russian. Pete gets an idea and tracks the serial numbers of the breast implants. They belong to Anya Verdikov, a nineteen-year-old Russian model in Milan for the fashion show. She was reported missing two days ago and the partners figure that the elderly woman is Anya.

When Pete and Myka return to the warehouse, Artie and Claudia confirm that models have gone disappearing in cities across the world, and unidentified elderly women have turned up dead. It's fashion week in Manhattan and Artie sends the agents there to talk to Anya's agent, Sutton Harris. Meanwhile, Claudia starts an artifact search but gets a cell phone page. She refuses to tell Artie what it's about at first, and Claudia finally admits that Todd the hardware clerk is texting her. When she ignores him, Artie suggests she get together with him and things turn awkward.

Pete and Myka arrive at Harris' office and spot Isabella Fuentes, who is leaving because she's not feeling well. They talk to Miss Harris, the owner, who is just finishing a meeting with another model, Romana. They tell her that Anya is dead. Miss Harris says that Anya was coming down from the flu, and Pete remembers Isabella showing similar symptoms. He runs after her and tries to convince her she's in danger. She starts to glow and then collapses, and Myka arrives to discover that Isabella is now almost a hundred years ago. She's taken away by the EMTs while Pete briefs Artie. Pete blames himself and Artie tells him to snap out of it and get a sample of her blood. There's no sign of the artifact on Isabella's clothing, and they figure she was zapped by something. Pete figures they have to go undercover, looks at Myka, and gets an idea.

Pete convinces Miss Harris to help, and she provides Myka with a fashion makeover. She then takes Myka to the runway and shows her off to Damian Jardin, the top designer. He reluctantly agrees to see Myka, dismisses Pete, and has his assistant Jenny set up for taking photos. Gunther, the photographer comes over, and does her first photoshoot. Romana takes offense and notes that they just got rid of Anya, and then warns Damian that she's the star.

Under Artie's instruction, Claudia puts Isabella's blood sample in the mass spectrometer, but is interrupted when Todd calls again. She admits to Artie that she's meeting Todd for pie and coffee, but insists it's not a date. As she goes, Artie tells her to be herself.

Myka goes over the photos from her shoot and freelance photographer Perry comes up behind her. She knocks him down and then apologizes, and Perry compliments her. Pete checks in and reports that he's confirmed that Romana hated Anya, and goes to search her dressing room.

Claudia and Todd eat and talk, and he asks her about her past. Claudia ducks the question and they order, and he notes that she ordered onions and won't be getting a goodbye kiss. Things get awkward as they discuss kissing or the lack thereof. As Claudia realizes things are going wrong and starts to leave, she bumps into the waitress, who spills her food on Todd.


Myka goes to Romana and asks for advice, luring her out of her dressing room so Pete can search. As he looks around, Jenny comes in and puts a bronze Buddha statue on the dresser. Meanwhile, Romana says that Anya should have stayed in Russia, and hints that Myka may soon be sharing Anya's fate. As they talk, she receives a bouquet of flowers which she immediately throws away. Once she leaves, Pete hauls Jenny into the dressing room and accuses her of aging the models. She has no idea what they're talking about, and explains that she sells black market diet pills that she smuggles in via the Buddha statue. Myka tells her to go home and stay there, and she quickly leaves.

An elderly woman meets with a man, who hands her a photo of Myka. The woman says that Myka is perfect.

Claudia returns and Artie explains there were traces of silver nitrate in Anya's blood. She is less than enthused, and blames Artie for telling her to be herself when she can't talk about her work and she's a freak. Artie isn't sure what to say.

Myka prepares for her first fashion show and Pete suggests that she not go out because it's too dangerous. She quickly agrees and finally admits that she doesn't have Romana's attitude and it's not her. When Pete wonders why it isn't, Myka admits that her sister Tracy was always the pretty one. Pete asks her to tell around, and then turns around himself because he can't say it directly to her, and then admits that he finds her a stunning woman. Psyched up, Myka heads out as Pete realizes that his plan backfired.

Myka gets on the runway and goes out, and Romana realizes that Myka is wearing her dress. Pete figures that the dress is the artifact and Damian admits that he did it to get revenge on Romana for her dismissive attitude toward him. In the audience, Perry and the other photographers take their shots, while the elderly woman watches Myka intently. Myka returns back and Pete and Damian congratulate her. Once they're alone, Myka notes the woman was wearing ruby earrings that seemed to glow. They go out only to discover the woman has left. As the agents go, Gunther watches them intently.

The elderly woman meets with the man from earlier and transfers $10 million to his account. He then develops her photo and Myka's in his darkroom, and Myka's face on the photo ages while the elderly woman becomes young.

Backstage, Myka starts aging and collapses in Pete's arms. The elderly woman regains her youth and is thrilled.

Artie and Claudia travel to the hospital in New York to visit Myka, who is barely alive. Pete warns Artie that Isabella died an hour ago, and gives Artie Myka's blood samples. They go to work and confirm that the silver nitrate is in Myka's blood. Pete realizes that silver nitrate is used in the development of film. Artie remembers a rumor of a camera that belonged to Man Ray, a photographer in the 1930s, but it was never found. Claudia goes over the security footage and spots Perry, who has an antique camera.

Pete, Claudia, and Artie go to see Perry and find the camera and the aging photos. They spot the woman with the earrings and realize that she gained Myka's youth. Under duress, Perry explains that he double-exposes the two photos, and he chose models because they bare their souls and Manny's camera captures them. He then tosses a cigarette lighter into developer fluid, causing a fire so he can escape.

Artie checks on Myka, who apologizes for being hard on him. Pete insists that she not give up. Claudia checks Perry's records and discovers he had flowers delivered to someone, and Myka remembers that Romana received flowers. As he prepares to go, Claudia wonders what happens if Perry doesn't tell them how to reverse the process, and if they have to use the camera on someone else. Pete assures her that he'll get Perry to tell them how to reverse the process. Once he's gone, Artie remembers that Perry referred to Man Ray as "Manny."

Perry confronts Romana and tells her that he now has the money he needs so that they can be together. Pete arrives and jumps Perry, but drops his Tesla gun. Perry grabs it and prepares to shoot Pete, but Artie arrives and takes his photo. He then explains that Perry has been using the camera on himself since the 1930s when he obtained the camera from Man Ray. Perry realizes that Artie double-exposed his image and looks at himself as he ages decades in seconds.

Later, Myka is restored and everyone congratulates her. As they go, Myka thanks Pete for his pep talk before the show, but Pete insists they don't have to discuss it ever again.

Claudia meets Artie at the diner at his invitation and he insists that she's not a freak. He hopes that she can find someone so he isn't stuck with her. When Claudia admits she's relieved that Artie didn't set her up with Todd again, Todd comes in.[1]

Artifacts and Gadgets

  • Man Ray's Camera: Transfers youth between two subjects taken by the camera. Usually the process is instantaneous but when double exposed with another photo in a chemical dark room, the youth is transferred from one person to the next more slowly. It is the main artifact of the episode.
  • Excalibur: The sword is laced with certain minerals that allow phasing properties when it comes into contact with a rock of a similar composition.
  • Holy Grail: Effects unknown; hinted to exist but not outright mentioned.
  • The Original Ray's Pizza: Effects unknown; mentioned but not seen.
  • Portrait of Dorian Gray: Precise effects unknown, but from what Pete told Myka, the portrait possibly has enrapturing capabilities.

Quotable Quotes

For full list of Quotable Quotes from this episode, see Age Before Beauty/Quotes.

References

Warehouse 13  :  Season 2
#01 "Time Will Tell" #07 "For The Team"
#02 "Mild Mannered" #08 "Merge With Caution"
#03 "Beyond Our Control" #09 "Vendetta"
#04 "Age Before Beauty" #10 "Where and When"
#05 "13.1" #11 "Buried"
#06 "Around The Bend" #12 "Reset"
"Secret Santa"   (Christmas Special)
Advertisement