Like many a big budget movie, this year’s Oscars telecast ended with a “bonus scene”—one that boded well, and then not-so-great, for two-time host Conan O’Brien.

With the One Battle After Another cast still on-stage reveling in their Best Picture win, and the closing credits music about to swell, Conan waved to the camera and shouted a heartfelt, “We love you, Marty Short!” (Actor/comedian Martin Short’s oldest child, Katherine Short, died March 9 at age 42.)

The telecast then cut to a pre-taped bit, where O’Brien was seated in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ reception area, still tuxedoed and looking a bit anxious. An Academy bigwig played by Jim Downey—the former, longtime SNL writer who became O’Brien’s mentor—arrived to welcome the ceremony’s host, shaking his hand and saying, “Great show, Conan. Just terrific.

“In fact,” the tuxedoed exec continued, “we liked it so much, we’ve decided to make you Oscars Host for Life.”

“Host for Life?!” a joyous Conan marveled. “I don’t know what to say.”

Downey’s character led O’Brien down a long hall, noting, “Your efforts have pleased the Academy greatly. People have not stopped talking about your performance. It was really something.”

Conan responded, “Coming from the Academy, that’s a real honor, sir.”

A moment later, they arrived at Suite 55 aka Conan’s new office, complete with a brass “CONAN O’BRIEN Host for Life” nameplate on the door.

“This view is incredible,” O’Brien remarked, entering the sleek office space, as we spied a “Got Crabs? Get Tested” billboard outside the office window.

Downey’s character claimed to have forgotten the office keys and excused himself, saying, “I’ll be right back.”

What happened next was a direct callback to the lauded Paul Thomas Anderson film One Battle After Another—spoiler alert!—as Conan kicked back in his snazzy ergonomic desk chair…and an ominous gas started spilling out of a ceiling vent. Hazmat-suited men came to claim O’Brien’s lifeless body, his face frozen in a smile, and drag it down the hall to an incinerator chute.

The Suite 55 nameplate was then promptly changed to read, “MRBEAST Host for Life.”

Conan shared the full Oscars tag on X, with the message: “An honor to be reunited with my mentor, Jim Downey.”