Warning: This article contains spoilers for American Horror Story season 13, episodes 1-8.American Horror Story has never shied away from weird and wonderful storylines, but season 13 has gotten so outrageous, I’m not sure even the writers remember what the plot is. Every season, FX’s hit horror show returns with a new idea, and the anthology series can’t be faulted for being creative, regardless of the end product.

For 15 years, it has repeatedly reinvented itself, and the latest outing, simply known as 13, is perhaps its most chaotic entry yet. Unlike most other installments, American Horror Story season 13 has featured countless returning characters, including icons from several previous stories, such as Constance Langdon, Cordelia Foxx, James March, and Twisty the Clown.

Regardless of whether they lived or died in their respective storylines, these characters have all come back, leading to mixed results. While AHS: 13 went straight to the #1 spot on Disney+, the season has set an all-time low Rotten Tomatoes score among viewers, proving this gamble hasn’t paid off entirely.

However, the recent shift in direction between episodes 6–8 has been a step in the right direction, albeit at the expense of everything that came before it. American Horror Story season 13’s premiere episodes created plenty of questions, with episodes 4 and 5 loosely following up on them.

We got confirmation on who Mr. Nas really is as well as an insight into his true plan, but the importance of Ben remained a mystery. Rather than following up on this, episodes 6, 7, and 8 have focused mainly on the new coven after the events of season 8, as they try to stop whatever dark storm is brewing.

As a result, they’re currently gearing up to try and take down Satan — Mr Nas’ true identity — yet this story feels extremely far removed from everything that has come beforehand.

The Witches Vs. The Devil Storyline Feels Completely Different To The Rest Of Season 13

With so many characters involved in 13‘s storyline, it’s not too surprising that some aspects would feel disjointed, but the witches taking on the Devil is essentially a different plot entirely compared to the rest of season 13. The working title of this installment was Penthouse, which makes sense when looking at the first five episodes.

Following Ben, a plane crash survivor with a fear of the number 13, he secures a job as a hospice caretaker for Mr. Nas, with much of the story taking place inside this penthouse. These initial episodes are presented as a regular man coming across a demonic entity and trying to piece together the truth while the Devil resurrects old characters.

Even the sacrifice scene in episode 4 still ties into this, but the switch to Cordelia’s coven changes things significantly. Now, the plot plays out like a direct sequel to Coven, as the story revolves around Cordelia and her attempts to stop whatever Satan is planning, with the help of her fellow witches.

Her girls have even fought against revived serial killers, while Cordelia’s mother and former Supreme of the coven, Fiona Goode, has also returned. We’ve watched new witches like Morwenna and Ophelia get some early character development, while established names like Madison, Queenie, and Mallory are all back in the spotlight.

Sure, Satan is still involved in the background, but with Papa Legba and Marie Laveau also returning, season 13 is now fully in its Coven era. While it’s great to see American Horror Story connect these former seasons by putting Fiona Goode and James March on-screen together, first-time viewers may be completely confused by what’s going on.

Watching episodes 1–5 followed by 6–8 feels like two different shows being meshed together, or at least different seasons, and while there is obviously some overlap through Satan’s presence, it’s still a major deviation. Even if things do eventually align towards the end of 13, the narrative shift between “Date Night” and “The Return of Devil’s Night” is undeniable.

American Horror Story Season 13 Needed To Focus On The Coven

Image via Everett Collection

For as much as we want to see American Horror Story trying new things, season 13 desperately needed something to spice things up, and focusing on Coven‘s witches was the perfect move. The past three episodes are far from peak AHS, but they are a significant upgrade on whatever was going on before.

Even by the show’s standards, season 13 started out pretty absurd, with a man who is afraid of the number 13 dating a woman who is obsessed with it, but from there, the plot never really got moving. American Horror Story season 13 suffered serious pacing issues early on, as the first three episodes could’ve realistically been combined into one.

Episode 5 was the final straw, with the entire episode taking place inside Ben’s apartment other than flashbacks, highlighting how badly a fresh direction was needed. Fortunately, Cordelia’s coven provided this, and while the recent outings are far from perfect, it’s been much easier to follow the story and connect with characters.

The witches are much more compelling than Ben and Ashley, and with long-term fans already caring about the likes of Cordelia and Madison, it was genuinely concerning when they appeared to die. Additionally, this makes the newer witches far easier to buy into, especially when they have distinct traits and powers.

The witches having a deep understanding of supernatural elements and a way to fight back against Satan indicate that the plot is actually going somewhere, rather than just watching Mr. Nas creepily lurk around the penthouse while a bunch of old faces are brought back with no threat of opposing him.

The coven facing Satan right from the start would’ve been the best way to go, and while I remain hopeful about Ben and Ashley providing some importance as the season rolls on, it’s far from guaranteed. Thankfully, the latest episodes have made things a bit more exciting, but I’m concerned it may be too late to salvage this messy story.

What Is American Horror Story Season 13’s Plot Actually About?

Image courtesy of MovieStillsDb

Eight episodes in, it’s still extremely difficult to fully understand what American Horror Story season 13 is actually about. At its core, the plot centers on Satan, AKA Mr. Nas, trying to usher in a new era of darkness, hence why he brought back serial killers like James March, Jeffrey Dahmer, Richard Ramirez, and the Zodiac Killer.

For a while, it seemed like this was something he’d do unopposed, with Ben potentially playing a part in his plan, but now, the coven’s witches are at least standing against him. Using Papa Legba and Marie Laveau to fight back, 13 looks like it will end with the witches and whatever allies they can recruit facing off against Satan and his army.

Although the Devil’s motivations are explained in a behind-the-scenes video, the exact motivation for why he is sacrificing people and how it plays into his plan hasn’t been properly explained on-screen. Similarly, how Ben factors in is also unclear, since he survived a plane crash unscathed, presumably due to Satan’s intervention.

Finally, outside of being a number known for bad luck, why there is so much emphasis on the number 13 is also still guesswork. Satan has sacrificed 13 people at a time, there are 13 witches in the coven, and the number has been symbolic throughout the season, but without a clear explanation as to why it specifically is so pivotal.

At times, 13 has held the viewers’ hand when it comes to unveiling its plot, but on other occasions, it has been nothing short of confusing and open-ended. With American Horror Story season 13 having just five episodes remaining, it’ll be really intriguing to see whether it sticks the landing or misses the mark entirely.

Release Date

October 5, 2011

Directors

Alfonso Gomez-Rejon, Jennifer Lynch, Michael Uppendahl, Loni Peristere, Gwyneth Horder-Payton, Ryan Murphy, David Semel, Howard Deutch, Michael Lehmann, Angela Bassett, Jeremy Podeswa, Max Winkler, Michael Rymer, Paris Barclay, Axelle Carolyn, Anthony Hemingway, Craig Zisk, Elodie Keene, Jennifer Arnold, Jessica Yu, John Scott, Laura Belsey, Liz Friedlander, Maggie Kiley

Writers

Halley Feiffer, Ned Martel, Crystal Liu, Charlie Carver, Kristen Reidel, Adam Penn, Douglas Petrie, Todd Kubrak, Reilly Smith, Jay Beattie, Dan Dworkin, Joshua A. Green, Akela Cooper, Asha Michelle Wilson

• 

• 

  Sarah Paulson

  Tuberculosis Karen / Mamie Eisenhower