American Horror Story |
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Topics |
Production |
American Horror Story is dedicated to exploring classic horror tropes, but it has other themes unique to the show or carried over from the oeuvre of its creators.
Murder and Violence
Otherwise known as the meat and potatoes of American Horror Story.
Rape
Whether through force, drugs or deception the real-life horror of non-consensual sex is an often-recurring theme.
- Moira is nearly raped by Hugo when Constance interrupts and murders them both. [1]
- Believing him to be Ben in the rubber suit, Vivien succumbs to Tate.
- The unconscious Black Dhalia was raped by Dr. Curran.
- Arden unsuccessfully attempts to rape both a prostitute and Shelley. [2][3]
- Leigh Emerson is gang raped in prison.
- Lana is raped by Thredson under the watchful eye of Shachath.
- Sister Demon Eunice "rapes" the only netherly willing Monsignor.
- Madison is gang-raped by a fraternity. [4]
- Zoe satisfies her murderous vengeance on the comatose Madison's rapist. [4]
- Gabriel is violently raped by the Addiction Demon.
- Matt was raped by Scáthach through concilium.
- Jack attempted to rape Winter, but ends up being murdered by her.
Rape Babies
On American Horror Story, the progeny of unwanted coitus tend to be a bit touched.
- The "nannicidal" Michael Langdon was born of Tate's deceptive rape of Vivien.
- After being given up for adoption by Lana, Johnny Morgan grew to favor his father Oliver Thredson, aka Bloody Face.
Copycats, Re-Creationists, and Tours (Oh My!)
The American fascination with transcendent violence and just plain weirdness was an inspiration to show creators Murphy and Falchuk while developing the series[5]. It has been reflected in every season so far.
- The Eternal Darkness Tour is a disruption to the Harmons' lives, but also a path to understanding the strange events in their home.
- The Harmon's home is invaded by fans of R. Franklin, a multiple murderer.
- Leo and Teresa Morrison spend their honeymoon touring "the twelve most haunted places in America and screwing their brains out in every single one".
- Devon leads his brothers in the dark lark of roaming the ruins of Briarcliff Manor, each dressed as Bloody Face, and things get really fun when they discover the Morrisons.
- Johnny Morgan takes up his father's mantle as the true Bloody Face copycat of his era.
- Visitors and residents of New Orleans can tour the LaLaurie Estate, once home to a very violent and evil woman.
- The American Morbidity Museum exhibits (deceased) human oddities procured with few questions.
- Dandy Mott, while developing his own MO, pays homage to his inspiration by wearing the clown's prosthetic fright mask during kills.
- John Lowe takes up his mentor's mantle as the Ten Commandments Killer to finish his works in the present day.
- My Roanoke Nightmare and Return To Roanoke are TV re-creations of the events at the Roanoke House.
- Kai Anderson plans a "Night of 1000 Tates" (later downgraded to 100) inspired by Charles Manson's murder of Sharon Tate.
- Three weird townies dress up as Mr. Jingles and invade Camp Redwood to prank people.
Masked Assailants
Nothing creates mystery like a hidden face.
- A full rubber suit hides the identity of Vivien's rapist and the killer of Chad and Patrick.
- Two generations of men and a couple of impostors terrorize a community as Bloody Face.
- Who is the hooded figure that threw acid in Cordelia's face?
- The Zodiac Killer makes an appearance on Devil's Night.
- Some sort of man with a pig head (or a man wearing a pig's head) appears on the home movie footage.
- All the members of the cult dress up in clown clothes.
- Butchy May dresses up as The Zodiac Killer while committing SCUM murders.
- A man wearing a rubber suit haves sex with Gallant, and also spied on Emily and Timothy.
- Keith, Larry and Pete had put Mr Jingles masks on to scare people.
- Big Daddy scared a lot of people all over New York City.
Suicide
On American Horror Story people are as likely to die by their own hand as fall prey to a murderous ghost/psychopath/witch.
- Violet intentionally overdoses on sleeping pills, not without previously having thought about slitting her throat.
- Nora Montgomery follows the murder of husband and son with a bullet through her own head.
- Tate's "suicide by cop".
- Lorraine Harvey's suicide/infanticide by fire.
- The deaths of Chad and Patrick were incorrectly deemed a murder/suicide.
- Hayden and cohorts make Ben's death appear as suicide by hanging.
- The Monsignor falsely claims that Sister Jude committed suicide.
- Arden joins Sister Mary Eunice in the incinerator.
- Alicia Spencer is about to put her neck in a noose when she gets a call from Zoe.
- Encouraged by hallucinations of Ethel Darling, Dell Toledo attempts to hang himself in his trailer due to his regret from murdering Ma Petite, but is cut down by Desiree Dupree.
- John Lowe attempts to hang himself due to his regret from murdering Martin Gamboa but is cut down by James March.
- Shelby slits her own throat because of the remorse she felt for killing her husband, Matt.
- After killing her husband, Julie commits suicide.
- Meadow shoots herself in the head during her attack on Kai's rally.
- Tripod commits suicide to avoid being arrested.
- Constance commits suicide so she can be with three of her children for eternity.
- Cordelia commits suicide to let the new supreme rise.
- After killing his friend and his fianceé's father, Joey shoots himself in the head.
- Donna's father stabbed himself after she discovered that he was a serial killer.
- Benjamin follows his mother's advice and ends his own life.
Murder within the Family
Family members can be just as deadly as anyone else in American Horror Story.
- An angry Nora shot her husband in the head.
- Constance didn't like to see Hugo cheating on her with the maid.
- Both Margaret and Angela died on a fire caused by their mother.
- Moira ended her mother's misery.
- Michael is indirectly responsible for the death of his mother and twin brother.
- Grace supposedly murdered her father and step-mother.
- The Devil is cast out from his host by Shachath.
- Alma murders her sister-wife.
- Lana Winters killed her son in premeditated self-defense.
- Kyle killed his abusive mother.
- Joan was responsible for the death of both her son and her husband.
- Marie Laveau unintentionally caused her baby daughter's death.
- Eudora was a victim of her daughters.
- Not even Gloria was able to escape her son's madness.
- Chester Creb's alternative personality caused his wife's death.
- Ramona drowned her father to end his suffering.
- The bloodthirsty Max fed himself on his own parents.
- Iris unintentionally shot her son.
- The Countess orchestrated the murder of her husband.
- Tomasin sacrificed her son to the Old Gods.
- Mason found his end on his ex-wife's hands.
- Shelby smashed her ex-husband's head in an anger attack.
- Julie shot her husband before committing suicide.
- Ally showed no mercy after poisoning her wife.
- Kai was manipulated into murdering both his siblings.
- Gallant thought he was stabbing the rubber man but it was his grandmother instead.
- Little Benjamin stabbed his own mother in self-defense.
- Margaret didn't like to have her plans frustrated by her husband.
- Trevor helped put an end to his wife's madness.
- Ray's unappreciation for his wife's work made her a bit mad... and hungry.
- Alma decided that ending her father's life was better for her future.
Let's Talk About Sex
It's not all "death death devil devil evil evil" on American Horror Story. OK, actually it is, but often it is specifically directed at those doing the nasty.
Deadly Sex
On American Horror Story, it is rare for any relationship to reach the post-coital cuddling stage.
- Constance makes both Hugo and Moira pay dearly for her husband's infidelity.
- Hayden practices her after-sex stabby stab on the already dead Hugo before using it to deadly effect on Travis.
- What started with a nice BJ ended badly for Joe Escandarian.
- Does it count if they're already dead? Ask most sexual partners of Oliver Thredson.
- Zoe Benson has an uncontrollable ability to kill whomever she has sex with. RIP Charlie.
- Kaylee is the second Alexandra Breckenridge character to catch a bullet after a sexual encounter.
- Troy, Bonnie's boyfriend, didn't even make it to third base before he was murdered by Twisty.
- Averted by Elsa Mars's survival of a snuff film.
- Ditto the spooning scene between Jimmy and Maggie.
- Donovan and The Countess engage in occasional deadly sex with other people for their nourishment.
- Tristan Duffy has a scene with another man and the Countess almost after he is turned.
- Shelby Miller goes all Gordon Freeman on Matt upon discovering him hooking up with Scáthach.
Infidelity
This may not be peculiar to American Horror Story, but a standard trope for any drama.
- Ben's affair with Hayden is the impetus that brings the Harmons to California and the Murder House.
- Hugo's affair with Moira spells death and a ghostly eternity for them both.
- Patrick's infidelities lead Chad to attempt spicing things up with a certain rubber suit.
- Larry's dalliance with Constance leads his wife to take her life and that of their children.
- With so much temptation in the house (Moira, Hayden and Elizabeth), Ben must constantly resist straying again from his vows.
- Vivien restricts her cheating to fantasies of Luke (unless you count her "willing" coupling with Tate).
- Regardless, Ben is convinced by Hayden to believe that Vivien's relationship with Luke is more than just a wet dream.
- Shelley's constant affairs lead her husband to have her committed to Briarcliff Manor for nymphomania.
- His belief that Alma is still alive with the ETs doesn't stop Kit from planting his seed in Grace.
- Even if unmarried, Carl's trysts with Shelley break a trust not dissimilar to infidelity.
- Though not in control of her body, Sister Mary Eunice's rape of Timothy Howard was cheating on her marriage to Jesus.
- It is unknown whether Pope Paul VI would have pardoned the Monsignor's tumescence, without which the rape wouldn't have been possible, or if it would have been considered a violation of the priest's own vow of celibacy.
- Josephine LaLaurie forces Bastien to cheat on his beloved Marie Laveau.
- Hank cheats on Cordelia with Kaylee before putting a bullet through her head.
- Paul has a secret affair with Elsa and a secret-secret affair with Penny.
- It is unlikely that Desiree is the first wife on whom Dell has cheated or that Andy is the first man with whom.
- Desiree is no stranger to cheating either.
- The Ten Commandments Killer strikes on an extramarital couple in another hotel. He deliberately kills the wife by impaling her, and chops off the man's eyes and tongue alive.
- John Lowe kills his ex-partner after finding out he had sex with his wife Alex.
- Even after being raped by Scáthach, Matt Miller willingly goes back for round 2 - something Shelby is none too happy about.
- Not even a president is safe from having his wife cheat on him.
- Patrick Read was not the most faithful partner neither to Barbara or Gino.
Masturbation
American Horror Story doesn't have anything against showing this common but rarely-seen-on-TV activity.
- Ben witnesses Moira masturbating and retreats to his bedroom to do the same. [6]
- Vivien's masturbatory fantasy of security guard Luke is interrupted by thoughts of Ben and Rubber Man. [7]
- Rudy, a chronic masturbator, can be seen engaging in his favorite activity throughout the second season.
- Shelley steals a cucumber from the kitchens, and later hints it is not because she is hungry.
- Dr. Thredson encourages Lana to masturbate in front of Daniel as part of her aversion therapy. [8]
- Queenie masturbates in an effort to either seduce or magically soothe The Minotaur. [9]
- Winter masturbates Ally in the bathtub.
- Kai masturbates in front of Harrison Wilton.
- Margaret Booth believes that "self-abuse" stain the soul.
- Barbara Read had an intimate moment thinking about her ex-husband.
Troubled Wombs
On most shows, pregnancy usually means a cute new cast member to boost ratings. On American Horror Story it always portends trouble.
- When your husband cheats on you with one of his students, a miscarriage is not so strange to happen. Vivien Harmon knows.
- During Vivien's heteropaternal pregnancy, Michael "murders" his twin antepartum.
- Constance's cursed uterus produced at least three "abnormal" children.
- Pregnancy for both Alma and Grace results in an unscheduled visit to the extraterrestrial gynecologist.
- Fearing what may come of the product of her rape by Thredson, Lana attempts a "home abortion" with a wire coat hanger. [10]
- Cordelia's infertility leads to her dabbling in forbidden magics.
- Desiree Dupree suffers a miscarriage that leads to the discovery that she is all-woman.
- As if being attacked by a street gang was not enough, Shelby Miller suffers a miscarriage shortly after.
- The extraterrestrials swept four people up in their decades long hybrid conspiracy.
- Delicate has this as its central plot.
Three-Way Relationships
Either as a one-time thing or as an actual romantic polygamous relationship, three-way relationships are featured in multiple seasons of American Horror Story.
- Young Moira O'Hara tricks Elizabeth Short into seducing Ben together.
- After arriving back home with Grace Bertrand and their son Thomas, Kit finds out his presumably dead wife Alma is still alive, and so is their newly born baby. And they all end up living together in an apparently happy polygamous marriage.
- As neither Zoe nor Madison are willing to give up on their reincarnated lover, the girls decide to "share" him.
- As Penny can attest, the denizens of Fraulein Elsa's Cabinet of Curiosities take it well beyond a cozy trio.
- The Countess is infamous for having multiple partners at a time.
- Natacha Rambova doesn't step aside, rather seduces the female lover of her husband Rudolph Valentino.
- At Camp Redwood, a threesome between counselors can become very messy.[11]
- Patrick, Sam and Billy had a great time together... or maybe they didn't.
Can't We All Just Get Along?
Striving for acceptance and harmony while the body count rises.
Intolerance
It is practically a mission of co-creator Ryan Murphy to challenge the homophobic worldview and its predecessor in ignorance, racism.
- Marcy's comments reveal a touch of both racism and homophobia.
- Comments from Tate and Joe Escandarian regarding gay ghosts (ghaysts?) Chad and Patrick aren't exactly politically correct either.
- The Eternal Darkness Tour shows the death place of Sal Mineo, who was rumored to being murdered due his sexual orientation.
- Lana and her girlfriend Wendy suffer much for their homosexual love.
- Kit's interracial marriage to Alma suffers its own indignities.
- Cruel slave-owner Delphine has trouble reconciling her centuries-old worldview with a black president and serving as Queenie's personal maid.
- Cora's young son is lynched in objection to President Kennedy's integration of "blacks" into schools.
- It is perhaps the goal to work against the trope in Freak Show, as its gays have little to redeem them.
- Dell's fear of being outed is enough for him to murder a sweet little doll woman.
- Dell was extorted to kill by another member of the Disloyal Fellowship of Despicable Homosexuals, Stanley.
- Andy seems pretty cool for a detached gigolo, but he is either dead or residing limbless in the Magic Bus.
- Liz Taylor receives transphobic/homophobic comments from her former friends when they discover she is transgender.
- Matt Miller believes the raids and unreliability of the local police result of racism towards interracial marriage.
- Vinny makes Harrison cleans sperm from the sauna's floor just because he is a homosexual.
- Under the command of Mac Marzara, the NYPD did not care even a bit about the community, overlooking all the murders around New York City.
The New Abnormal
Another "mission" of Ryan Murphy and Co. is to redefine our perspective of those with birth defects or disabilities, both through their creation of characters and their hiring of actors.
- Jamie Brewer and Katelyn Reed are actors with Down Syndrome who respectively play the adult and child Addie.
- The monstrous Beauregard is actually a gentle and loving boy.
- The falsely accused "pinhead", Pepper, is "reborn" as an intelligent guardian of Grace.
- Jamie Brewer returns as Nan; a vibrant and sexually active clairvoyant.
- Acceptance of those with physical defects, both congenital and environmental, is a central theme of Freak Show, which featured many actors with no need for special makeup effects.
- Our favorite pinhead returns with a husband.
- Jamie Brewer makes another appearance as the living embodiment of Chester Creb's ventriloquist dummy.
- Bartholomew is the forever baby son of The Countess.
- Jamie Brewer makes her fourth appearance as Hedda.
- The lovely Beauregard makes another appearance in the crossover.
- Rose is presented to us alongside her siblings.
- Jamie Brewer returns as Nan in the crossover.
Fundamentalists and Fanatics
Religious beliefs can be quite problematic when brought to their extreme and fanatics thrive in the horror genre.
- Serial killers are often depicted as charismatic. Bloody Face, R. Franklin and the Ten Commandments Killer attracted a morbid fanbase.
- Cult leaders, prophets and founders of religions and spiritualities abound.
- From Marshall Applewhite and his cult about aliens to David Koresh and Jim Jones taking the lives of their followers.[12]
- Charles Manson and his Helter Skelter prophecy of a race war.[13]
- Despite feminist movements fighting for equality between men and women, Valerie Solanas and her SCUM Manifesto followers have a different vision with lesbian women in charge.[14]
- Kai Anderson and his "Fear Is Truth" clown-cult wreak havoc in Brookfield Heights, Michigan with their toxic masculinity ideology.
- Satanists thrive in the darkness but they have feelings too.
- Ms. Mead claimed religious freedom when she was denied to buy meat and bones for satanic rituals. She is also the mother figure of the Anti-Christ.
- The Black Pope, Anton LaVey himself shown up to praise Michael Langdon's rise to power.[15]
- Richard Ramirez, aka The Night Stalker, is a devout Satanist.
- The Illuminati and the New World Order are behind a nuclear apocalypse.
- Jesus Christ is a powerful source of inspiration, but some people filter his teaching through bloody lenses.
- Joan Ramsey disapproves of everything that is not in the "Good Book" and regularly cleans her son, Luke with enemas to purify him from sinful thoughts.
- Pastor Charles was very vocal about what he believed to be deadly sins and acted accordingly to rectify them.
- Margaret Booth believes that God can be used as an excuse to commit crimes. She also imposed rigid, religious-like rules at Camp Redwood.
Family Dysfunction
There's no "fun" being put into these dysfunctional American Horror Story families.
- Ben and Vivien are too tied up with their own issues to notice Violet's suicidal depression.
- Though extremely protective, Constance lacks compassion and competence in dealing with the physical and mental disabilities of her children. She is despised by Tate, she is emotionally abusive to Addy, and she allows Larry to kill the disfigured Beau.
- Nothing may have swayed Oliver Thredson and Johnny Morgan from a life of murder, but abandonment by their mothers certainly didn't help.
- Fiona and Cordelia had a love-hate relationship. Mostly hate.
- Kyle Spencer's mother was a little too hands-on.
- An infant Jimmy Darling was nearly killed by his father and spent his formative years with an alcoholic mother and a bunch of hedonistic human oddities.
- Penny's combative relationship with her strict father leads to a horrific punishment.
- Donovan hates his mother, Iris, as much as she loves him.
- The pain of a lost child has brought John and Alex Lowe to the brink of divorce.
- Lee Miller's addiction to painkillers and alcohol is not an easy pass to "mother of the year" award.
- We don't even know where to start with Mama Polk and her "babies"...
- Joining a clown cult for being angry with your wife can not be considered a good example for one's own child.
- The feeling of disdain between The Gallants cannot be hidden.
- Lavinia's love for her youngest son was evident, and so was her hate for her first-born.
- Alma didn't quite like her own mother.
Supernatural
The supernatural is one of the most common elements in the American Horror Story universe. There are numerous portrayals of supernatural and occult phenomenon on the show.
The Not-So-Sweet Hereafter
Haunted places are featured in almost every season, and killing the nasty people only makes things worse.
- Hellmouths are all over the USA!
- Residing at the so-called Murder House reflects the most morbid expectations.
- Soul collectors can be quite fussy. Ask Edward Mordrake, Papa Legba and Scáthach.
- No vacancy at the Hotel Cortez for the living.
- Roanoke colonists die hard. Or not at all. Possibly a Hellmouth.
- Camp Redwood brings the campfire ghost stories to another level.
Black Magic Woman
"Girl Power" takes a supernatural turn with these American Horror Story ladies - often with fatal results.
- A coven of Salem witches is at the center of an endless bloody feud with Voodoists in New Orleans until the witch hunters decide to (fail to) impose their patriarchal endorsement.
- Witches don't need any man to save them.
- Merging the Old Gods with the New World by one murderous witch causes mayhem for the colonists, and inhabitants of Roanoke, in North Carolina.
- Not even the AntiChrist can hinder a hellbent coven of witches.
- Warlocks have an old-fashioned idea about equal rights. But at least, they have style!
- Voodoo is much more than stick pins into dolls... Until it is.
Bring out the dead!
Dr. Frankenstein and his experiments have been very successful in the American Horror Story universe.
- Dr. Charles Montgomery sewed together a cute little monster from the remains of his son's body.
- Madison Montgomery, honoring the surname, sewed together a perfect boyfriend for her friend Zoe using pieces of frat boys - Franken-Kyle is alive!
- Marie Laveau needs no science to raise the dead. Old school necromancy will do the work!
- Misty Day has resurrected more dead than Jesus Christ.
- Zombie Apocalypse is a nightmare!
- Satan himself resurrected a few people through the series.
- The Mai Tai Killer wanted to create a Sentinel by using dead people's parts.
Vampires!
Oh yes. We have these classic bloodsuckers in American Horror Story too.
- They do not wear cloaks and have no fangs, but the afflicted at the Hotel Cortez have an insatiable hunger for blood.
- Delphine LaLaurie has a very vampiresque beauty routine.
- The search for greatness and success made bloodsuckers and flesh phantoms an epidemic in Provincetown.
Related Links
- TV Tropes: American Horror Story
- The Tropes of Ryan Murphy: 22 Hallmarks of Every Show He Makes
- The Mystical Pregnancy (Tropes vs. Women)
References
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