Season eight of American Horror Story, rightfully titled Apocalypse, is the most anticipated season yet. Even before it was announced, fans begged creator Ryan Murphy for a season like this one. A season which included a crossover between Murder House and Coven, two of the show’s most intricately thought out seasons. Apocalypse is centered around a group of survivors that reside in Outpost 3, a place created to keep civilization from the destruction of humanity. This group includes a talented selection of actors, including returning faces like Evan Peters and Sarah Paulson. Peters plays a flamboyant and opinionated hairdresser named Mr. Gallant, while Paulson plays the strict and mysterious Outpost 3 leader, Wilhemina Venable.
The first episode of the season, The End, introduced us to the characters and gave viewers a backstory for the season. It is much different from each season that came before, yet has the same AHS aesthetic. It takes place in the near future, during the middle of a nuclear winter. Most of humanity has been wiped out, not including the few who were able to purchase spots in the secretive Outposts. This includes a young socialite, Coco St. Pierre Vanderbilt, and her family. In the midst of the chaos, Coco’s family dies and leaves three spots free. She brings along her assistant Mallory, her hairdresser, Mr. Gallant, and his grandmother. When they arrive at Outpost 3, they meet Timothy and Emily. Two young adults who were saved by the Outpost creators, the Cooperative, because of their perfect genetic makeup.
Many fans were confused during this episode seeing as the creator of the show has promised the much-anticipated crossover, and up until the last minute of the episode there were no familiar faces or themes. After being introduced to the characters and their situation, Murphy decided to throw in the one thing that all fans were waiting for. He introduced the character Michael Langdon, who originated in Murder House. He is the child of two of the main characters, Tate Langdon and Vivien Harmon. Langdon arrives at Outpost 3 claiming to be a leader of the Cooperative. He informs Venable that he will be observing each of the survivors in order to choose who will come back with him to a place called The Sanctuary. He states that all who do not seem worthy will be left to die in the Outpost, just like all of the others who have been wiped out.
It is not until episode three, Forbidden Fruit, that the plot begins to pick up pace, and viewers see hints of how the two first seasons will intertwine. The episode begins with Langdon questioning Coco’s assistant, Mallory. At first, it appears to be no different than every other time he has talked to an Outpost guest. Yet, viewers get a surprise when Langdon angers Mallory and we see her push him down using telekinesis, a power used by the witches in Coven. Mallory is shocked when this happens, leading viewers to believe that she never knew about her abilities.
However, that is not the only piece of Coven that we see in this episode. Venable and her assistant find that a box had been delivered to the Outpost, filled with fresh apples. They decide to poison each of the guests by injecting snake venom into the apples and serving them to the survivors, eliminating their chance to migrate to the Sanctuary. Their plan works, and they kill each of the guests. At the end of the episode, it pans to the outside world and three hooded figures that enter the Outpost. This includes Cordelia Goode, also played by Paulson, Madison Montgomery, and Myrtle Snow. All were main characters from the show’s third season. Fans are left on a cliffhanger after hearing Madison Montgomery’s iconic line, “Surprise bitch. I bet you thought you’d seen the last of me.”
From this episode alone, it is certain that both Murder House and Coven will take their hold on the new and unique season of American Horror Story.
