Note: This story contains spoilers from “American Horror Story: 13” Episodes 11-12.
“American Horror Story: 13” is setting the stage for a big showdown between the witches and the demons. But not before one fan-favorite character found a surprise love connection, and others learned a shocking family lineage — that of course involves Satan himself.
It all kicked off after Ben (Joey Pollari) embraced his lineage as the son of Satan (Paul Anthony Kelly), which gave him immense powers to bend time and space just in time to encounter the “Coven” witches at Miss Robichaux’s Academy in New Orleans. But rather than going into a heated battle, the hospice care nurse/Antichrist came with an interesting proposition.
That meeting set off an avalanche of big returns, including the beloved Myrtle Snow (Frances Conroy), as well as concrete answers for how the first three seasons of “American Horror Story” were connected in a way fans had long speculated — and now it’s officially Murphyverse canon. Those answers armed the witches with what they needed to potentially stop Satan from ascending to rule Earth, until a last-second ambush changed everything once again. Look below for highlights from Episodes 11-12 of “AHS: 13.”
Episode 11: “Madison’s Happy Ending”
Picking up right where Episode 10 left off, this week’s installments kicked off with Ben coming into Miss Robichaux’s to find Cordelia (Sarah Paulson), Coco (Leslie Grossman), Madison (Emma Roberts) and Mallory (Billie Lourd) ready to fight. Ben fought them off handily, but assured them he wasn’t there for battle — he wanted to join their side.
Ben recalled how accepting his father’s deal to rule the world as his emissary, should he win his bet with God, granted him new powers. That included reading Satan’s mind and discovering how he devised Ben’s terrible childhood and morbid job, as well as the plane crash that set off his misery at the start of the season. That realization gave him the unexpected desire to partner with the witches to stop him.
Knowing that he wouldn’t be trusted on the spot, Ben descended to hell to find the one person who would present the ultimate peace offering: Myrtle Snow. After being burned at the stake in “Coven,” Myrtle was sentenced to spend eternity in her personal hell — as an attendant in a department store in Middle America where customers would never heed her fashion advice. Ben took her out of her miserable fate and brought her back to the Academy.
As Cordelia and the other witches celebrated their beloved mentor’s return, Madison stayed behind and bonded with the handsome son of the devil. The episode then shifted to focus on the witch’s connection with Ben — unlocking a dark but tender love story.
That involved chronicling Madison’s unfortunately hilarious dates with looksmaxxing Hinge dates, soap opera stars, podcasters and even a Mamdani campaign employee with “Equinox abs.” She got so hopeless with love that she considered freezing her eggs via her personal warlock gynecologist — and receiving news that her magical prowess impacted her fertility.
But Ben changed all of that, wooing her with magical dates in Italy and incredible chemistry in the bedroom. Turns out the bastard Antichrist makes for the perfect soulmate for a problematic but loving witch.
“I’ve always had a thing for bad boys with a twinkle in their eye,” Madison said.
Episode 12: “Sisters in Arms”
This episode was packed with big reveals, including a Satanic connection between three of the most beloved characters in the “AHS” franchise.
Myrtle reunited with her longtime rival Fiona Goode (Lange) to deliver an earth-shattering message from hell. Fiona has an identical twin sister, both the product of an unwilling union between Satan and their mother. That sister is none other than Constance Langdon (Lange) from “Murder House”; and their mother? Sister Jude Martin (Lange) from “Asylum.” It’s certainly a shocking reveal, albeit one with considerable plot holes for fans who remember those early seasons.
Jude’s lineage, Myrtle revealed, went all the way down to the Salem witches and unlocked the massive power that Fiona eventually inherited to rise to become Supreme. The devil came to Jude after she had been imprisoned at Briarcliff, the asylum she used to run as a tyrant, and impregnated her with the twins. Upon their birth, baby Constance was sold to a couple in Virginia wanting to pocket the childcare benefits; while Fiona was taken by “Asylum” patient Pepper to Miss Robichaux’s.
“Hardly an immaculate conception, but a desperate one,” Myrtle said.
After the big reveal, Myrtle brought together Constance and Fiona. That set the stage for an acting tour de force from Lange, bringing to life the conflicting emotions of both beloved characters as they came together to reflect on their different life trajectories — and the misfortune that led them to being on differing sides in this latest apocalypse. But Fiona suggested helping Constance develop her own magic, and using that in the epic fight ahead. Could they be the key to stopping Satan?
Things then shift to Cordelia, heartbroken once again by the reveal that she also has Lucifer’s blood in her hands. But Marie Laveau helped her snap out of the funk, and after Ben rescued Queenie (Gabourey Sidibe) from hell, the witches got to work on the plan to unite white and Black magic to stop the devil once and for all.
The plan involved a mysterious potion that would be triggered by mixing with a hair from Mr. Nas, Satan’s aging human form who would mark his ascent to power should he reach 100 years old. Cordelia and Queenie had to work together to ambush the old man at his penthouse at New York City’s Apollyon, and cast a spell to reverse his age and keep him a baby forever — and the coven would be tasked with guarding the baby until the end of time.
But you know what they say about best laid plans. Upon arriving in New York, Cordelia and Queenie considered what life could be like with the devil permanently benched, before admitting to being terribly frightened about their mission. Then they arrive at the Apollyon, where Ben escorted them to Mr. Nas’ bedroom.
Just as they began the ritual however, Cordelia and Queenie were ambushed themselves by Mr. Phibes (John Waters) and the Rubber Man who violently kill them. Ben also got knocked out by his father. Is all hope lost? Will Mallory rise to finish what Cordelia couldn’t, or will the twins save the day in the end?
The “American Horror Story: 13” finale airs Thursday, Oct. 29, on FX and streams the next day on Hulu.
