American Horror Story Season 13 is doing something unusual: it is spending its early episodes on trivia. Episode 4 and Episode 5 spend significant time listing the 13 women sacrificed at Mr. Nas’ “Jezebel Ball,” and Episode 6 brings back Piggy Man, the pig-masked killer from “Murder House” and “Roanoke,” before introducing Seth Gabel’s Jeffrey Dahmer. The show has always loved its lore, but this season leans harder into it than most.
The Sacrifices of the Jezebel Ball
The episode opens in the basement of the Apollyon, aka “the portal hell,” where Wilhelmina Venable (Sarah Paulson’s “Apocalypse” character) guides a very confused and very scared Elizabeth Short (Mena Suvari) to her final unrest. Venable is quick to remind Elsa Mars (Jessica Lange’s “Freak Show” persona) that the ball exists for a purpose beyond entertainment. Elsa performs Peggy Lee’s 1969 hit “Is That All There Is?” with a band that includes Mat Fraser as Paul, the Illustrated Seal, on drums.
Then comes the list. Elsa announces the 13 women being sacrificed, each described as a “bad girl” taken before reaching her full potential:
- Hypodermic Sally (Paulson’s “Hotel” character)
- Eva Braun, the “Gestapo gal pal”
- Wallis Simpson, the “dynasty-busting divorcee”
- Ayn Rand, the “selfish writer”
- Brigitte Bardot, the “vegetarian man-eater”
- Catherine the Great, the “f**ker of horses”
- Mamie Eisenhower (Paulson from “Death Valley”)
- Elena Ceausescu, the “sneaky Romanian tyrant”
- Jezebel, the “original sl**ty princess”
- Tuberculosis Karen (Paulson from “Red Tide”)
- Margaret Thatcher, the “union-busting b***h”
- Elizabeth Short, whose sin was sucking the world dry with her “hopeless dreaming”
Wait, that’s only 12. Venable steps forward to complete the count, offering herself up with a hearty “hail Satan!”
Constance Explains Her Deal With Mr. Nas
The next morning, Constance has a conversation with Mr. Phibes (John Waters). She asks why Mr. Nas dug up 12 women only to kill them again. Mr. Phibes explains that when Mr. Nas finally let his son drink from the chalice, he wanted “a little extra sauce.” The Antichrist question hangs over the scene, but answers on this show only lead to more questions.
Constance then explains how she became Mr. Nas’ caretaker. As his “favorite sinner,” she received a personal invitation to his penthouse. He offered her one thing she always wanted: to be a mother again, only this time to get it right. She sealed it with a kiss, and her soul belonged to Mr. Nas. Tate and Addie were back among the living.
Mr. Phibes checks the biomarkers in Mr. Nas’ blood. He is only four points from his awakening goal of 100. The new dawn is near.
Piggy Man Returns and Dahmer Joins the Party
Ben gets a break from hell in Episode 5, but not from trauma. Ashley, a friend of Kira’s played by Elle Chapman, visits to cheer him up. Ashley survived a plane crash that killed Kira, and she has her own brush with death: a pandemic wedding in 2020 where a pig-masked serial killer murdered 13 attendees. Both she and Ben share a fear of the number 13.
Ben shares his own horrors, including his father’s death while driving drunk and his foster mother dying on his 13th birthday. Shared trauma works wonders in this universe, and he and Ashley soon find themselves hitting the sheets. The next morning, Ashley notices the number 616 branded on Ben’s lower back.
Episode 6 brings Seth Gabel back as Jeffrey Dahmer. James March (Evan Peters) picks him up off the street during a Waymo ride, heading to Ace Hardware. They marvel at the technology of 2026, from self-driving cars to Grindr, which Jeffrey can’t get enough of.
At Miss Robichaux’s Academy, Cordelia is horrified by how fast her new recruits develop powers. Morwenna (Alex Consani) turns a dead frog back into a living tadpole. When Morwenna refuses to explain when she got the power, Cordelia throws her against the ceiling, a callback to Fiona pulling a similar move on Zoe and Madison in “Coven.”
What This Means for the Season
The trivia-heavy approach may not appeal to everyone, but it is certainly a bold choice for a series that has never shied away from boldness. American Horror Story has always leaned on its history, but this season seems unusually eager to remind viewers of past characters.
The Piggy Man return and the Dahmer cameo in Episode 6 offer a change of pace. The show has a long history of bringing back its monsters, and Piggy Man’s appearances in “Murder House” and “Roanoke” give him a built-in audience.
The Antichrist angle is also worth watching. Answers on this show only lead to more questions, and the season’s habit of planting seeds in earlier seasons means Ben’s role may grow larger as the season continues.
Here is how the season’s episodes stack up so far, in order of broadcast:
- Episode 4 introduces the Jezebel Ball and its 13 sacrifices.
- Episode 5 focuses on Ben’s trauma and Ashley’s visit.
- Episode 6 brings back Piggy Man and introduces Dahmer.
The trivia-heavy approach may not appeal to everyone, but it is certainly a bold choice for a series that has never shied away from boldness.
Source material: “American Horror Story Season 13: A Beloved Character Makes The Ultimate Sacrifice In Week 2,” TVLine.
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