diff --git a/graph/iterator.go b/graph/iterator.go
index bb1faba..d28f43e 100644
--- a/graph/iterator.go
+++ b/graph/iterator.go
@@ -14,8 +14,7 @@
 
 package graph
 
-// Define the general iterator interface, as well as the Base iterator which all
-// iterators can "inherit" from to get default iterator functionality.
+// Define the general iterator interface.
 
 import (
 	"strings"
@@ -86,19 +85,10 @@ type Iterator interface {
 	// All of them should set iterator.Last to be the last returned value, to
 	// make results work.
 	//
-	// Next() advances the iterator and returns the next valid result. Returns
-	// (<value>, true) or (nil, false)
-	Next() (Value, bool)
-
 	// NextResult() advances iterators that may have more than one valid result,
 	// from the bottom up.
 	NextResult() bool
 
-	// Return whether this iterator is reliably nextable. Most iterators are.
-	// However, some iterators, like "not" are, by definition, the whole database
-	// except themselves. Next() on these is unproductive, if impossible.
-	CanNext() bool
-
 	// Check(), given a value, returns whether or not that value is within the set
 	// held by this iterator.
 	Check(Value) bool
@@ -145,6 +135,25 @@ type Iterator interface {
 	UID() uint64
 }
 
+type Nexter interface {
+	// Next() advances the iterator and returns the next valid result. Returns
+	// (<value>, true) or (nil, false)
+	Next() (Value, bool)
+
+	Iterator
+}
+
+// Next is a convenience function that conditionally calls the Next method
+// of an Iterator if it is a Nexter. If the Iterator is not a Nexter, Next
+// return a nil Value and false.
+func Next(it Iterator) (Value, bool) {
+	if n, ok := it.(Nexter); ok {
+		return n.Next()
+	}
+	glog.Errorln("Nexting an un-nextable iterator")
+	return nil, false
+}
+
 // FixedIterator wraps iterators that are modifiable by addition of fixed value sets.
 type FixedIterator interface {
 	Iterator
diff --git a/graph/iterator/all_iterator.go b/graph/iterator/all_iterator.go
index 8394a0e..ff1a869 100644
--- a/graph/iterator/all_iterator.go
+++ b/graph/iterator/all_iterator.go
@@ -31,7 +31,6 @@ import (
 
 // An All iterator across a range of int64 values, from `max` to `min`.
 type Int64 struct {
-	Base
 	uid      uint64
 	tags     graph.Tagger
 	max, min int64
diff --git a/graph/iterator/and_iterator.go b/graph/iterator/and_iterator.go
index ba7b70b..902b9a1 100644
--- a/graph/iterator/and_iterator.go
+++ b/graph/iterator/and_iterator.go
@@ -22,10 +22,9 @@ import (
 	"github.com/google/cayley/graph"
 )
 
-// The And iterator. Consists of a Base and a number of subiterators, the primary of which will
+// The And iterator. Consists of a number of subiterators, the primary of which will
 // be Next()ed if next is called.
 type And struct {
-	Base
 	uid               uint64
 	tags              graph.Tagger
 	internalIterators []graph.Iterator
@@ -60,7 +59,7 @@ func (it *And) Tagger() *graph.Tagger {
 	return &it.tags
 }
 
-// Overrides Base TagResults, as it needs to add it's own results and
+// An extended TagResults, as it needs to add it's own results and
 // recurse down it's subiterators.
 func (it *And) TagResults(dst map[string]graph.Value) {
 	for _, tag := range it.tags.Tags() {
@@ -161,7 +160,7 @@ func (it *And) Next() (graph.Value, bool) {
 	var curr graph.Value
 	var exists bool
 	for {
-		curr, exists = it.primaryIt.Next()
+		curr, exists = graph.Next(it.primaryIt)
 		if !exists {
 			return graph.NextLogOut(it, nil, false)
 		}
diff --git a/graph/iterator/and_iterator_optimize.go b/graph/iterator/and_iterator_optimize.go
index 06def9f..20a4771 100644
--- a/graph/iterator/and_iterator_optimize.go
+++ b/graph/iterator/and_iterator_optimize.go
@@ -145,14 +145,14 @@ func optimizeOrder(its []graph.Iterator) []graph.Iterator {
 	// all of it's contents, and to Check() each of those against everyone
 	// else.
 	for _, it := range its {
-		if !it.CanNext() {
+		if _, canNext := it.(graph.Nexter); !canNext {
 			bad = append(bad, it)
 			continue
 		}
 		rootStats := it.Stats()
 		cost := rootStats.NextCost
 		for _, f := range its {
-			if !f.CanNext() {
+			if _, canNext := it.(graph.Nexter); !canNext {
 				continue
 			}
 			if f == it {
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ func optimizeOrder(its []graph.Iterator) []graph.Iterator {
 
 	// ... push everyone else after...
 	for _, it := range its {
-		if !it.CanNext() {
+		if _, canNext := it.(graph.Nexter); !canNext {
 			continue
 		}
 		if it != best {
diff --git a/graph/iterator/fixed_iterator.go b/graph/iterator/fixed_iterator.go
index 2caa8e9..6bfebb5 100644
--- a/graph/iterator/fixed_iterator.go
+++ b/graph/iterator/fixed_iterator.go
@@ -30,7 +30,6 @@ import (
 // A Fixed iterator consists of it's values, an index (where it is in the process of Next()ing) and
 // an equality function.
 type Fixed struct {
-	Base
 	uid       uint64
 	tags      graph.Tagger
 	values    []graph.Value
diff --git a/graph/iterator/hasa_iterator.go b/graph/iterator/hasa_iterator.go
index 8d9ab46..e6060b7 100644
--- a/graph/iterator/hasa_iterator.go
+++ b/graph/iterator/hasa_iterator.go
@@ -46,7 +46,6 @@ import (
 // a primary subiterator, a direction in which the triples for that subiterator point,
 // and a temporary holder for the iterator generated on Check().
 type HasA struct {
-	Base
 	uid       uint64
 	tags      graph.Tagger
 	ts        graph.TripleStore
@@ -159,7 +158,7 @@ func (it *HasA) Check(val graph.Value) bool {
 // another match is made.
 func (it *HasA) GetCheckResult() bool {
 	for {
-		linkVal, ok := it.resultIt.Next()
+		linkVal, ok := graph.Next(it.resultIt)
 		if !ok {
 			break
 		}
@@ -198,7 +197,7 @@ func (it *HasA) Next() (graph.Value, bool) {
 	}
 	it.resultIt = &Null{}
 
-	tID, ok := it.primaryIt.Next()
+	tID, ok := graph.Next(it.primaryIt)
 	if !ok {
 		return graph.NextLogOut(it, 0, false)
 	}
diff --git a/graph/iterator/iterator.go b/graph/iterator/iterator.go
index e290dc3..e80b56c 100644
--- a/graph/iterator/iterator.go
+++ b/graph/iterator/iterator.go
@@ -14,8 +14,7 @@
 
 package iterator
 
-// Define the general iterator interface, as well as the Base which all
-// iterators can "inherit" from to get default iterator functionality.
+// Define the general iterator interface.
 
 import (
 	"strings"
@@ -30,14 +29,6 @@ func NextUID() uint64 {
 	return atomic.AddUint64(&nextIteratorID, 1) - 1
 }
 
-// The Base iterator is the iterator other iterators inherit from to get some
-// default functionality.
-type Base struct {
-}
-
-// Accessor
-func (it *Base) CanNext() bool { return true }
-
 // Here we define the simplest iterator -- the Null iterator. It contains nothing.
 // It is the empty set. Often times, queries that contain one of these match nothing,
 // so it's important to give it a special iterator.
@@ -88,8 +79,6 @@ func (it *Null) DebugString(indent int) string {
 	return strings.Repeat(" ", indent) + "(null)"
 }
 
-func (it *Null) CanNext() bool { return true }
-
 func (it *Null) Next() (graph.Value, bool) {
 	return nil, false
 }
diff --git a/graph/iterator/linksto_iterator.go b/graph/iterator/linksto_iterator.go
index fa7cf29..e5f86cc 100644
--- a/graph/iterator/linksto_iterator.go
+++ b/graph/iterator/linksto_iterator.go
@@ -40,7 +40,6 @@ import (
 // for each node) the subiterator, and the direction the iterator comes from.
 // `next_it` is the tempoarary iterator held per result in `primary_it`.
 type LinksTo struct {
-	Base
 	uid       uint64
 	tags      graph.Tagger
 	ts        graph.TripleStore
@@ -155,10 +154,10 @@ func (it *LinksTo) Optimize() (graph.Iterator, bool) {
 // Next()ing a LinksTo operates as described above.
 func (it *LinksTo) Next() (graph.Value, bool) {
 	graph.NextLogIn(it)
-	val, ok := it.nextIt.Next()
+	val, ok := graph.Next(it.nextIt)
 	if !ok {
 		// Subiterator is empty, get another one
-		candidate, ok := it.primaryIt.Next()
+		candidate, ok := graph.Next(it.primaryIt)
 		if !ok {
 			// We're out of nodes in our subiterator, so we're done as well.
 			return graph.NextLogOut(it, 0, false)
diff --git a/graph/iterator/optional_iterator.go b/graph/iterator/optional_iterator.go
index 7b9435f..bc6899c 100644
--- a/graph/iterator/optional_iterator.go
+++ b/graph/iterator/optional_iterator.go
@@ -30,8 +30,6 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"strings"
 
-	"github.com/barakmich/glog"
-
 	"github.com/google/cayley/graph"
 )
 
@@ -78,16 +76,6 @@ func (it *Optional) Clone() graph.Iterator {
 	return out
 }
 
-// FIXME(kortschak) When we create a Nexter interface the
-// following two methods need to go away.
-
-// Nexting the iterator is unsupported -- error and return an empty set.
-// (As above, a reasonable alternative would be to Next() an all iterator)
-func (it *Optional) Next() (graph.Value, bool) {
-	glog.Errorln("Nexting an un-nextable iterator")
-	return nil, false
-}
-
 // DEPRECATED
 func (it *Optional) ResultTree() *graph.ResultTree {
 	return graph.NewResultTree(it.Result())
diff --git a/graph/iterator/or_iterator.go b/graph/iterator/or_iterator.go
index db323ed..13f28b8 100644
--- a/graph/iterator/or_iterator.go
+++ b/graph/iterator/or_iterator.go
@@ -29,7 +29,6 @@ import (
 )
 
 type Or struct {
-	Base
 	uid               uint64
 	tags              graph.Tagger
 	isShortCircuiting bool
@@ -156,7 +155,7 @@ func (it *Or) Next() (graph.Value, bool) {
 			firstTime = true
 		}
 		curIt := it.internalIterators[it.currentIterator]
-		curr, exists = curIt.Next()
+		curr, exists = graph.Next(curIt)
 		if !exists {
 			if it.isShortCircuiting && !firstTime {
 				return graph.NextLogOut(it, nil, false)
diff --git a/graph/iterator/or_iterator_test.go b/graph/iterator/or_iterator_test.go
index 3b52ccd..78742eb 100644
--- a/graph/iterator/or_iterator_test.go
+++ b/graph/iterator/or_iterator_test.go
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ import (
 func iterated(it graph.Iterator) []int {
 	var res []int
 	for {
-		val, ok := it.Next()
+		val, ok := graph.Next(it)
 		if !ok {
 			break
 		}
diff --git a/graph/iterator/query_shape.go b/graph/iterator/query_shape.go
index acdbfa8..8af4a09 100644
--- a/graph/iterator/query_shape.go
+++ b/graph/iterator/query_shape.go
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ func (qs *queryShape) MakeNode(it graph.Iterator) *Node {
 	case graph.Fixed:
 		n.IsFixed = true
 		for {
-			val, more := it.Next()
+			val, more := graph.Next(it)
 			if !more {
 				break
 			}
diff --git a/graph/iterator/value_comparison_iterator.go b/graph/iterator/value_comparison_iterator.go
index ab5e698..2dfae3f 100644
--- a/graph/iterator/value_comparison_iterator.go
+++ b/graph/iterator/value_comparison_iterator.go
@@ -46,7 +46,6 @@ const (
 )
 
 type Comparison struct {
-	Base
 	uid    uint64
 	tags   graph.Tagger
 	subIt  graph.Iterator
@@ -132,7 +131,7 @@ func (it *Comparison) Next() (graph.Value, bool) {
 	var val graph.Value
 	var ok bool
 	for {
-		val, ok = it.subIt.Next()
+		val, ok = graph.Next(it.subIt)
 		if !ok {
 			return nil, false
 		}
diff --git a/graph/leveldb/all_iterator.go b/graph/leveldb/all_iterator.go
index 673fbb9..b337748 100644
--- a/graph/leveldb/all_iterator.go
+++ b/graph/leveldb/all_iterator.go
@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@ import (
 )
 
 type AllIterator struct {
-	iterator.Base
 	uid    uint64
 	tags   graph.Tagger
 	prefix []byte
diff --git a/graph/leveldb/iterator.go b/graph/leveldb/iterator.go
index 9f9b0bf..0b56854 100644
--- a/graph/leveldb/iterator.go
+++ b/graph/leveldb/iterator.go
@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@ import (
 )
 
 type Iterator struct {
-	iterator.Base
 	uid            uint64
 	tags           graph.Tagger
 	nextPrefix     []byte
diff --git a/graph/leveldb/leveldb_test.go b/graph/leveldb/leveldb_test.go
index e2855fb..17c7ea7 100644
--- a/graph/leveldb/leveldb_test.go
+++ b/graph/leveldb/leveldb_test.go
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ func makeTripleSet() []*graph.Triple {
 func iteratedTriples(ts graph.TripleStore, it graph.Iterator) []*graph.Triple {
 	var res ordered
 	for {
-		val, ok := it.Next()
+		val, ok := graph.Next(it)
 		if !ok {
 			break
 		}
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ func (o ordered) Swap(i, j int) { o[i], o[j] = o[j], o[i] }
 func iteratedNames(ts graph.TripleStore, it graph.Iterator) []string {
 	var res []string
 	for {
-		val, ok := it.Next()
+		val, ok := graph.Next(it)
 		if !ok {
 			break
 		}
@@ -265,7 +265,7 @@ func TestIterator(t *testing.T) {
 	it.Reset()
 
 	it = ts.TriplesAllIterator()
-	edge, _ := it.Next()
+	edge, _ := graph.Next(it)
 	triple := ts.Triple(edge)
 	set := makeTripleSet()
 	var ok bool
@@ -433,10 +433,10 @@ func TestOptimize(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Errorf("Optimized iteration does not match original")
 	}
 
-	oldIt.Next()
+	graph.Next(oldIt)
 	oldResults := make(map[string]graph.Value)
 	oldIt.TagResults(oldResults)
-	newIt.Next()
+	graph.Next(newIt)
 	newResults := make(map[string]graph.Value)
 	newIt.TagResults(newResults)
 	if !reflect.DeepEqual(newResults, oldResults) {
diff --git a/graph/leveldb/triplestore_iterator_optimize.go b/graph/leveldb/triplestore_iterator_optimize.go
index f449e0e..9aab0f2 100644
--- a/graph/leveldb/triplestore_iterator_optimize.go
+++ b/graph/leveldb/triplestore_iterator_optimize.go
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ func (ts *TripleStore) optimizeLinksTo(it *iterator.LinksTo) (graph.Iterator, bo
 	if primary.Type() == graph.Fixed {
 		size, _ := primary.Size()
 		if size == 1 {
-			val, ok := primary.Next()
+			val, ok := graph.Next(primary)
 			if !ok {
 				panic("Sizes lie")
 			}
diff --git a/graph/memstore/iterator.go b/graph/memstore/iterator.go
index 4be57db..7ec913a 100644
--- a/graph/memstore/iterator.go
+++ b/graph/memstore/iterator.go
@@ -26,7 +26,6 @@ import (
 )
 
 type Iterator struct {
-	iterator.Base
 	uid       uint64
 	tags      graph.Tagger
 	tree      *llrb.LLRB
diff --git a/graph/memstore/triplestore_iterator_optimize.go b/graph/memstore/triplestore_iterator_optimize.go
index d7510e3..3dc2c2c 100644
--- a/graph/memstore/triplestore_iterator_optimize.go
+++ b/graph/memstore/triplestore_iterator_optimize.go
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ func (ts *TripleStore) optimizeLinksTo(it *iterator.LinksTo) (graph.Iterator, bo
 	if primary.Type() == graph.Fixed {
 		size, _ := primary.Size()
 		if size == 1 {
-			val, ok := primary.Next()
+			val, ok := graph.Next(primary)
 			if !ok {
 				panic("Sizes lie")
 			}
diff --git a/graph/memstore/triplestore_test.go b/graph/memstore/triplestore_test.go
index aa8f93b..80d9fdb 100644
--- a/graph/memstore/triplestore_test.go
+++ b/graph/memstore/triplestore_test.go
@@ -189,7 +189,7 @@ func TestRemoveTriple(t *testing.T) {
 	hasa := iterator.NewHasA(ts, innerAnd, graph.Object)
 
 	newIt, _ := hasa.Optimize()
-	_, ok := newIt.Next()
+	_, ok := graph.Next(newIt)
 	if ok {
 		t.Error("E should not have any followers.")
 	}
diff --git a/graph/mongo/iterator.go b/graph/mongo/iterator.go
index 3389e9f..f65b324 100644
--- a/graph/mongo/iterator.go
+++ b/graph/mongo/iterator.go
@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@ import (
 )
 
 type Iterator struct {
-	iterator.Base
 	uid        uint64
 	tags       graph.Tagger
 	ts         *TripleStore
diff --git a/graph/mongo/triplestore_iterator_optimize.go b/graph/mongo/triplestore_iterator_optimize.go
index 76c50d8..d2d1a05 100644
--- a/graph/mongo/triplestore_iterator_optimize.go
+++ b/graph/mongo/triplestore_iterator_optimize.go
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ func (ts *TripleStore) optimizeLinksTo(it *iterator.LinksTo) (graph.Iterator, bo
 	if primary.Type() == graph.Fixed {
 		size, _ := primary.Size()
 		if size == 1 {
-			val, ok := primary.Next()
+			val, ok := graph.Next(primary)
 			if !ok {
 				panic("Sizes lie")
 			}
diff --git a/graph/result_tree_evaluator.go b/graph/result_tree_evaluator.go
index e1588d2..e2feb33 100644
--- a/graph/result_tree_evaluator.go
+++ b/graph/result_tree_evaluator.go
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ func (t *ResultTree) AddSubtree(sub *ResultTree) {
 	t.subtrees = append(t.subtrees, sub)
 }
 
-func StringResultTreeEvaluator(it Iterator) string {
+func StringResultTreeEvaluator(it Nexter) string {
 	ok := true
 	out := ""
 	for {
@@ -59,6 +59,6 @@ func StringResultTreeEvaluator(it Iterator) string {
 	return out
 }
 
-func PrintResultTreeEvaluator(it Iterator) {
+func PrintResultTreeEvaluator(it Nexter) {
 	fmt.Print(StringResultTreeEvaluator(it))
 }
diff --git a/graph/sexp/parser_test.go b/graph/sexp/parser_test.go
index bd9c13b..bd2b319 100644
--- a/graph/sexp/parser_test.go
+++ b/graph/sexp/parser_test.go
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ func TestMemstoreBackedSexp(t *testing.T) {
 		if it.Type() != test.typ {
 			t.Errorf("Incorrect type for %s, got:%q expect %q", test.message, it.Type(), test.expect)
 		}
-		got, ok := it.Next()
+		got, ok := graph.Next(it)
 		if !ok {
 			t.Errorf("Failed to %s", test.message)
 		}
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ func TestTreeConstraintParse(t *testing.T) {
 	if it.Type() != graph.And {
 		t.Error("Odd iterator tree. Got: %s", it.DebugString(0))
 	}
-	out, ok := it.Next()
+	out, ok := graph.Next(it)
 	if !ok {
 		t.Error("Got no results")
 	}
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ func TestTreeConstraintTagParse(t *testing.T) {
 		"(:like\n" +
 		"($a (:is :good))))"
 	it := BuildIteratorTreeForQuery(ts, query)
-	_, ok := it.Next()
+	_, ok := graph.Next(it)
 	if !ok {
 		t.Error("Got no results")
 	}
@@ -133,14 +133,14 @@ func TestMultipleConstraintParse(t *testing.T) {
 	if it.Type() != graph.And {
 		t.Error("Odd iterator tree. Got: %s", it.DebugString(0))
 	}
-	out, ok := it.Next()
+	out, ok := graph.Next(it)
 	if !ok {
 		t.Error("Got no results")
 	}
 	if out != ts.ValueOf("i") {
 		t.Errorf("Got %d, expected %d", out, ts.ValueOf("i"))
 	}
-	_, ok = it.Next()
+	_, ok = graph.Next(it)
 	if ok {
 		t.Error("Too many results")
 	}
diff --git a/graph/sexp/session.go b/graph/sexp/session.go
index 8d243f0..0fb4810 100644
--- a/graph/sexp/session.go
+++ b/graph/sexp/session.go
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ func (s *Session) ExecInput(input string, out chan interface{}, limit int) {
 	}
 	nResults := 0
 	for {
-		_, ok := it.Next()
+		_, ok := graph.Next(it)
 		if !ok {
 			break
 		}
diff --git a/query/gremlin/finals.go b/query/gremlin/finals.go
index 414d780..022a394 100644
--- a/query/gremlin/finals.go
+++ b/query/gremlin/finals.go
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ func runIteratorToArray(it graph.Iterator, ses *Session, limit int) []map[string
 		if ses.doHalt {
 			return nil
 		}
-		_, ok := it.Next()
+		_, ok := graph.Next(it)
 		if !ok {
 			break
 		}
@@ -187,7 +187,7 @@ func runIteratorToArrayNoTags(it graph.Iterator, ses *Session, limit int) []stri
 		if ses.doHalt {
 			return nil
 		}
-		val, ok := it.Next()
+		val, ok := graph.Next(it)
 		if !ok {
 			break
 		}
@@ -208,7 +208,7 @@ func runIteratorWithCallback(it graph.Iterator, ses *Session, callback otto.Valu
 		if ses.doHalt {
 			return
 		}
-		_, ok := it.Next()
+		_, ok := graph.Next(it)
 		if !ok {
 			break
 		}
@@ -249,7 +249,7 @@ func runIteratorOnSession(it graph.Iterator, ses *Session) {
 		if ses.doHalt {
 			return
 		}
-		_, ok := it.Next()
+		_, ok := graph.Next(it)
 		if !ok {
 			break
 		}
diff --git a/query/mql/session.go b/query/mql/session.go
index e5944d4..882c856 100644
--- a/query/mql/session.go
+++ b/query/mql/session.go
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ func (s *Session) ExecInput(input string, c chan interface{}, limit int) {
 		glog.V(2).Infoln(it.DebugString(0))
 	}
 	for {
-		_, ok := it.Next()
+		_, ok := graph.Next(it)
 		if !ok {
 			break
 		}