Episode Title: “Go to Hell”
Writers: Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Jessica Sharzer
Director: Alfonso Gomez-Rejon
Previously on “American Horror Story: Coven”:
Episode 3.10: “Protect the Coven”
Once again, I’ve been fooled into thinking the next episode of “American Horror Story: Coven” will pick up the pace and be awesome, but this time, I wasn’t let down. “Go to Hell” actually accomplishes a few things and progresses the story, setting us up to find out who the next Supreme is in next week’s hopefully insane finale.
Last week, Zoe and Kyle drove off into the sunset together to live happily ever after. Well, they return almost immediately, so all of the crap we sat through last week was a total waste of time. The only thing we got out of the ordeal was a little bit of a hint that Zoe might be the next Supreme. Boo! Do something interesting, Zoe!
Unlike her dull pal Zoe, Cordelia finally steps up this episode and does something. After going blind yet again (this time by her own hands) Cordelia regains her psychic sight in time to see that Fiona still plans to kill every single one of the other witches. So, to prevent this witchy massacre, she decides to take matters into her own hands and visits the Axeman. During her visit she drops a knowledge bomb on the Axeman and informs him of the many head games Fiona has been playing with him.
Cordelia also finds and rescues Misty Day (with some help from Queenie), and Misty Day then proceeds to find the woman who imprisoned her, Madison, and throws down with great vengeance. Let me be clear when I say that Misty Day’s brawl with Miss Madison is nothing short of spectacular; she beats the bajeezus out of her for a good while before, sadly, the fight does get interrupted. Seeing Misty Day go berserk is a great contrast to her normally docile demeanor, and, after seeing her take a fair share of crap over the season, it’s nice to see her finally stand up for herself.
Queenie is a witchy all-star this episode. In her attempt to master one of the Seven Wonders and step up her game as a witch, she has to visit hell. Not the fire and brimstone variety, but a personalized hell consisting of her having to work at Chubbies Chicken every day- which is an interesting look into Queenie’s mind. She uses a bit of the ol’ cleverness to take out Madame Laveau by approaching Papa Legba and convincing him that, since Laveau’s in several, dismembered pieces, she can’t fulfill her end of her bargain with him. Legba agrees and de-immortalizes Marie Laveau, which, in turn, causes Delphine to lose her immortality, too.
And, of course, our girl Queenie doesn’t miss an opportunity like that. She gives Delphine a chance to change- something she’s been trying to incite this entire season- rather than just running up to her and stabbing her for all the things she’s done in the past . Madame Delphine responds in true Delphine fashion by laughing at Queenie and saying that she’s not sorry at all…. And then something weird happens. Then we get a cutscene of some real-life buttheads like Paula Dean confessing to their wrongdoings and explaining themselves. It’s wonky, it pulls you completely out of the scene, and it just flat-out doesn’t work.
Anyway, when Delphine fails to repent for her horrible acts, Queenie stabs her in the heart, not only with one of her own torture instruments, but in her own torture room from so long ago. After Delphine kicks the bucket, we get treated to what her hell is. Here she wakes up in her own attic, trapped in one her sadistic devices, with Laveau as the torturer. Rather than torture Delphine, she has to torture Delphine’s daughter instead as punishment to both of them. Laveau doesn’t want to do it, and Delphine doesn’t want to see her baby get tortured. Yes! A heaping helping of pain all around for these two awful ladies. This seems very fitting for both of them. Not an especially clever ending, but fitting, nonetheless, so put me down as a happy camper.
Back at the witches’ school, after Misty Day happily beats up Madison and we happily watch, the Axeman shows up with blood in his eyes and vengeance on his lips. Uh, Axeman? This is a house full of witches, dude. You might want to employ a little subterfuge. Maybe next time, though, because the witches easily take him out and kill him. Madison hits him with his own axe, and everyone else grabs a knife and gets ready to join in. When deciding if they should kill him or not, Madison says what everyone in the audience is thinking: “He’s a psycho mass murderer.” Myrtle, who is probably my other witchy all star this week, responds with a statement that sums up this entire season succinctly: “Is there anyone here of whom that cannot be said?” Myrtle! Snappin’ to it, girl! Love it!
So, if you’re keeping track, The Axeman is gone, Laveau and Delphine are dead and in their own hells, all the witches are together…except Fiona. The Axeman finally got fed up with her lies, so he took an axe to her back. He didn’t even do it to her face! That’s cold, man. He tells everyone he fed her to the alligators, but color me skeptical. That chick never does what others want her to do, even die.
With Fiona supposedly dead, they decide to find out who the next Supreme is once and for all. FINALLY! I’m so sick of all this Supreme talk that I kinda don’t care who it is, although, if “American Horror Story” busts out another quality episode like this one you won’t hear me complaining about all the Supreme talk.
