How All The American Horror Story Seasons Are Connected
Sophia Edwards When “American Horror Story” premiered in 2011, audiences assumed the entire series would center on the Harmon family and their haunted house. Given their fate, however, we weren’t sure how this storyline could possibly continue. Shortly after the Season 1 finale, it was reported that Season 2 would revolve around new characters in a different setting, making “AHS” an anthology series. Ever since then, viewers have speculated that each season of the show may exist within the same universe. Throughout the first three seasons, though, there wasn’t much linking each individual story outside of the obvious horror theme, and some significant references to the state of Massachusetts.
Season 1, which was later subtitled “Murder House,” takes place in Los Angeles, but the Harmons are originally from Boston. Season 2’s “Asylum” is primarily set in Briarcliff Manor, which was constructed in Massachusetts. Although New Orleans is the main setting in Season 3’s “Coven,” the story is still very much inspired by the Salem Witch Trials, which occurred in the state’s colonial past. We guess you could say that Massachusetts is to “AHS” what Maine is to Stephen King’s multiverse. Of course, a common location doesn’t necessarily equal a shared universe. It isn’t until Season 4’s “Freak Show” that the dots really start to connect.
The larger universe was confirmed in the first episode of “Freak Show” where we encounter a familiar face. Among Fräulein Elsa's Cabinet of Curiosities is Pepper, who first appeared in “Asylum.” “Freak Show” notably starts off in the 1952 while “Asylum” begins in 1964. In between that time, Pepper is framed by her sister and brother-in-law for the death of her nephew. This results in her being committed to Briarcliff where we reencounter another major “Asylum” character, Sister Mary Eunice. The parallels don’t end there, as it’s revealed that the doctor who amputated Elsa’s leg is Hans Grüper, who’d later change his name to Arthur Arden… the same Arthur Arden who subjected his patients to unspeakable experiments in “Asylum.”
In addition to “Asylum,” “Freak Show” also has callbacks to “Murder House,” which is set in the present day. In “Murder House,” Detective Jack Colquitt of the L.A. Police Department is searching for Sally Freeman. In “Freak Show,” another detective named Jack Colquitt of the Jupiter Police Department is investigating a series of murders and kidnappings. Given the gap of nearly 60 years, it’s unlikely that this is the same Jack Colquitt, especially since they’re portrayed by different actors. Although we wouldn’t be surprised to learn that police work is in the Colquitt family’s blood. Either that or Jack Colquitt is like Doctor Who and regenerates every few years.
Season 5’s “Hotel” is more or less a self-contained story, but there are a couple obvious references to past seasons. Billie Dean Howard mentions that the Murder House isn’t far away from the Hotel Cortez. That might explain why both locations have the same realtor, Marcy. When the Hotel’s owner Elizabeth, aka The Countess, tried terminating her pregnancy, she went to Dr. Charles Montgomery, the Murder House’s original owner. As the season drew to a close, the witch Queenie, a main character from “Coven”, found herself at the hotel on vacation. This visit to the Hotel Cortez costs Queenie her life, but fortunately, her death isn’t permanent. More on that later…
Season 6’s “Roanoke” continued to expand upon the “AHS” universe in both subtle and distinct ways. The Piggy Man who haunts the Roanoke House is directly tied to the urban legend that petrifies Ben’s patient Derrick in “Murder House.” The immortal witch Scáthach is said to be the original Supreme, a concept that was first explored in “Coven.” Edward Philippe Mott, who constructed the Roanoke mansion, is an ancestor of Dandy and Gloria Mott from “Freak Show.” Following the “Return to Roanoke” bloodbath, sole survivor Lee Harris sits down to an interview with a now 86-year-old Lana Winters, the heroine of “Asylum.”
Lana resurfaces yet again in Season 7’s “Cult,” albeit off-screen. After Ally Mayfair-Richards finally overcomes cult leader Kai Anderson, it’s mentioned that Lana is one of numerous journalists who want to speak with her. So… that means actress Sarah Paulson would be interviewing Sarah Paulson? Yeah, apparently this universe is full of doppelgangers, as several cast members return throughout the seasons to portray different characters. It’s never been explained why so many people look alike, but who knows? Maybe somewhere down the line we’ll get a season about cloning. Twisty the Clown of “Freak Show” also makes a minor appearance in “Cult” on the cover of a comic Ally’s son has been reading. Among the comic’s cast of characters are Pepper, Jimmy Carling, and Meep, all of whom appeared in “Freak Show.”
While a shared universe had been well established by Season 8, “Apocalypse” marked the first time that several major characters returned in a significant way. Rather than starting from scratch with a brand-new story, this was a crossover season between “Murder House” and “Coven.” Since “Apocalypse” directly continued multiple storylines from past years, this season was forced to switch from the Limited Series categories to the Drama Series races at the Primetime Emmys. This season revolves around Michael Langdon, the antichrist Vivien gave birth to at the end of Season One. “Murder House” left things open-ended with Constance Langdon wilfully adopting her hell-raising grandson. In “Apocalypse,” we discover that Constance commits suicide after the events of “Murder House”, and a fully-grown Michael is ready to make his father proud.
The only ones capable of stopping Michael are the witches from Miss Robichaux’s Academy, who first appeared in “Coven.” Among the returning witches are Cordelia Foxx and Zoe Benson. The coven even resurrects a few fallen witches to join the fight, including Myrtle Snow. To test his powers, Michael also brings back several dead characters, such as Madison Montgomery, Misty Day, and Queenie, which prompts a return to the Hotel Cortez. Not even the sadistic James March can prevent the spawn of Satan from taking Queenie. While Michael does succeed in his mission to bring about the end of days, it’s nothing that a little magic and time travel can’t resolve.
Thanks to the witches of “Coven,” the future is looking bright for this universe… or at least as bright as “American Horror Story” can get. Before we see what the future holds, however, Season 9 is taking us back in time, back to 1984 to be precise. How will the latest season connect to the larger universe? Since the story takes place in 1984, this may be an opportune time to reveal what exactly happened to “Asylum’s” Kit Walker, who was taken by aliens in 1980. We could also see the return of Liz Taylor, who had been closeted prior to arriving at the Hotel Cortez in 1984. Of course, for all we know the season really takes place in a different time period and the subtitle is just a red herring. Whatever awaits us, this universe will need to make room for more bodies.
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