Abhiroop Das
Co-created by Ryan Murphy and Matt Hodgson, FX’s ‘The Beauty‘ explores a world where people can transform into an aestheticized version of themselves by simply taking a shot of the eponymous drug. However, as FBI agents Cooper Madsen and Jordan Bennett discover over the course of their investigation, this drug has a series of fatal side effects, all of which can push the world to the brink of chaos. Many of these effects are physical and biochemical in nature. Franny Forst shines a light on the moral and ethical sins that a product such as the Beauty enables. This directly puts her at odds with her husband, Byron, and in the season finale, this dynamic reaches its climax, though not in a manner that Franny expected. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Franny Survives Her Suicide Attempt, But is Now Trapped in a New Body
The ending of ‘The Beauty’ season 1 confirms that Franny is alive and stable after her suicide attempt, but still unconscious. While that may be the end, her transformation is effectively irreversible, and how she reacts to this turn of events upon regaining her senses cannot be predicted. From the start, Franny is shown to have the strongest sense of self and is the only one to repeatedly stop Byron dead in his tracks. That dynamic, however, takes a major hit with her transformation, as she is now stripped of almost all agency and uniqueness, the two things she cherishes the most. Her attempts at taking her own life, as such, can be interpreted as her last stand against her husband, and with her eventual survival, Franny must concoct a new course of action to take revenge against everyone who has wronged her.
While Franny remains unconscious for the time being, many changes appear to be underway at the Forst household. The biggest of these is the role reversal between Byron and his son, Tiger, as it is now the latter who wants to expand on the Beauty’s market reach and capabilities. Byron, on the other hand, is shaken to the core following Franny’s suicide attempt, and no longer wishes to fund the Beauty’s proliferation. This means that, if and when Franny opens her eyes, she must make a difficult choice: join hands with Byron, who is on course for a redemption arc, or join her two children, Gunther and Tiger, who are set to not just repeat, but add to the sins of the past. Incidentally, Franny also has a third option: to contact Cooper and Jordan and join their camp, as has been foreshadowed in episode 10 of the show. In either case, all of these developments hinge on her regaining her consciousness and coming back stronger than ever.
Nicola Peltz Beckham is Most Likely Taking Over as Franny
Although there is a good chance of Franny opening her eyes sooner rather than later, it is very much possible that it will be actor Nicola Peltz Beckham stepping into the role, and not Isabella Rossellini. Because of Franny’s transformation in the finale, Rossellini’s version of her character is unlikely to return to the screen anytime soon. This is not the first time this has happened in ‘The Beauty,’ as it is also the case for both of the main characters, Cooper and Jordan. However, it is important to note that Franny’s case is closer to Cooper’s in that both characters prefer their original body to the new, transformed one. In the event that a cure is truly manifested, there is a chance that Franny takes a shot, in which case fans can expect Rossellini to reprise her role once again.
While Rossellini may have to say goodbye to the show for the time being, her impact is still very much visible. The veteran actor, known for her work in ‘Death Becomes Her’ as Lisle von Rhuman and in ‘Blue Velvet’ as Dorothy, is the creative heart of the show, be it through her signature fashion across the episodes or her subtle mannerisms and sharp dialogue delivery. Many of these characteristics are reimagined in Beckham’s performance, as her take on a younger, transformed version of Franny brings in elements of betrayal and insurmountable grief. As such, both versions of the character serve a specific purpose in the narrative, and while it appears for now that Rossellini’s journey with ‘The Beauty’ is over, only time can truly tell.
Read More: Is The Beauty a True Story? Is the Beauty Based on a Real Drug or Virus?
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