The Elixir of Youth

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Episode 46 of The Trigan Empire

The Elixir of Youth
aka The Youth Serum
Het elixer (Dutch title)
The Elixir (Dutch title, translated)

Written by Mike Butterworth
Illustrated by Philip Corke

The Elixir of Youth was originally published in 8 instalments in issues 645 (25 May 1974) to 652 (13 July 1974) of Look and Learn magazine.

It is reprinted in Volume 4 of The Rise and Fall of the Trigan Empire (Rebellion).

Plot summary

Mallo wins the imperial games as a wrestler. Because he is also a promising young scientist, Trigo asks him to become Peric’s assistant. Peric is working on rejuvenating an old rorn, his favourite laboratory animal. During an experiment, there is an explosion and Peric is unconscious for some time. When he regains consciousness, he is twenty years younger.

Peric tells Trigo, Janno, and Mallo that a green liquid had formed in his test flask, which exploded immediately. Together with Mallo, he wants to recreate the liquid. Mallo works hard on creating the substance and succeeds without Peric knowing. He goes to the old champion Narrod. Narrod had broken the speed record when he was young and wants to do it again, but he is now too old. Mallo offers to make him young again for one million thullars. Narrod pays, drinks the green elixir, and becomes young again. He once again breaks the speed record with a fast jet craft.

One morning, when Narrod wakes up, he realises the rejuvenation process is continuing: he is now a young boy again. Mallo then goes to the old champion Crillus, the greatest sword fighter of all time. For one million thullars, he also offers to make him young, but the elixir has the opposite effect on him—he rapidly becomes old. When Mallo checks on Narrod, he has already become a baby.

Mallo goes to the Caton embassy. He offers them, for a lot of money, to make Trigo drink the elixir. That way, Trigo will either become very old or a baby again. In Cato, they agree to this, because then they can invade Trigan City. During a reception hosted by Trigo, Mallo puts the elixir into one of Trigo’s drinks. But Janno sees this and forces Mallo to drink the beverage himself. Mallo rapidly ages.

Peric works tirelessly to find an antidote. After much effort, he succeeds. He regains his original age and also restores the age of the others. Crillus and Narrod watch with satisfaction as Janno breaks the speed record.