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Kyle Spencer is 19 year old, previous member of the Kappa Lambda Gamma fraternity at Tulane University who later serves as butler at Miss Robichaux's Academy. He is a character in American Horror Story: Coven portrayed by Evan Peters.

Background[]

Kyle Spencer is the charismatic leader of Tulane University's Kappa Lambda Gamma chapter. A native of New Orleans' Ninth Ward, Kyle has spent the years since Katrina supporting his single mother, who began sexually abusing him after his father estranged from the family.

Personality and Appearance[]

Prior to his death, Kyle had a very caring and outgoing personality. He seemed like the usual, good-looking frat boy but was actually active in charity and had a scholarship. He instantly took a liking to Zoe and told his frat brothers to behave at the party, though he seemed well-liked by his friends despite the rules he set up for them. When they raped Madison he became extremely angry, chasing after them and trying to set things right before being killed by Madison's magic, along with most of his frat brothers.

After being brought back from the dead, Kyle acted with little conception of the world around him, displaying almost primitive features. In addition to a lack of physical coordination (due to his head being the only body part of his own), he initially could not speak, merely grunting in order to communicate. His emotions soon turn wild and it is found that he has a hard time controlling them while remembering certain things were dangerous for Kyle since it made him act out wildly. Fiona somehow "restored" Kyle's sanity so that he was able to become less animalistic and coordinated. 

His reconstructed body has been shown to have a tattooed left arm and right ankle, both of which previously belonged to his fraternity brothers. Since his resurrection, Kyle has gained advanced physical strength (much like Frankenstein's creation), killing a man within seconds and easily breaking the neck of a full grown German Shepherd, all barehanded.

Story[]

Kyle is introduced as a promising university student on a scholarship. He and his fraternity. Kappa Lambda Gamma, attend a party, also attended by witches Madison Montgomery and Zoe Benson. He is instantly smitten with Zoe, even if she cryptically tells him that she likes him but cannot be with him (since her Black Widow powers would kill him if she tried having intercourse with him). He helps Zoe look for Madison and finds her gang-raped by his fraternity brothers. Stumbling onto the scene, Kyle angrily pulls them away from Madison and chases them onto their bus before being knocked unconscious by Archie Brener, the orchestrator of the gang-rape, when he attempts to make them stay. Distraught, Madison telekinetically causes the bus to flip over and crash. Her actions result in the death of Kyle and six others.[1]

After finding out that Zoe killed Archie during his recovery, Madison takes Zoe to the morgue to resurrect Kyle. After finding finding his dismembered body, much to Zoe's horror, Madison begins to pick the best "bits" of all the crash victims to build Zoe the physically perfect boyfriend. The resurrection ritual seems to fail and Madison leaves Zoe at the morgue when she encounters a security guard. When the guard begins to question Zoe, Kyle reanimated and violently kills the guard. Zoe then takes the security guard's car with Kyle in tow. 

As he begins to become aware of his resurrected status, he begins banging his head against the window whilst screaming and wildly thrashing about, nearly causing Zoe to swerve off the highway overpass. Resurgence witch Misty Day then suddenly appears in the backseat, startling both Zoe and Kyle, directing the pair to her bayou shack. Whilst there, Misty begins treating his makeshift stitches with a homemade poultice of native moss and alligator faeces. Although Misty promises Zoe that she nurse him back to health. Kyle clings to Zoe, not wanting her to go. Zoe promises to return for Kyle before returning to Robichaux.

Kyle and Misty are in each other's company while Kyle is still recovering and gaining some sense of clarity. Zoe arrives and opts to take Kyle home, back to his grieving and suicidal mother, as she believes it will not only comfort her but also give Kyle a slice of his old life back. Misty, however, demonstrates intense reluctance at Kyle's departure, making it quite clear she wants him to stay with her. Zoe manages to convince Misty to let her take Kyle back to his home, assuring her that it is better off this way, for not only Kyle's mother but for Kyle as well.[2] 

Upon being reunited with her son, Kyle's mother is very emotional at the sight of him, seeing as she had been in the midst of grieving his death. But as she attempts to settle him back into their home, she begins to notice significant physical differences, stating that this is not him. While Kyle is in bed trying to sleep, she visits him and lies down next to him, saying that she has seen the scars and the obvious dissimilarity to his previous body, despite his face contradicting such a fact. She then proceeds to place a light kiss on his lips which then intensifies and trails her hand down to his crotch while Kyle cries, revealing that she has been sexually abusing him.[3]

Later on, an anxious-looking Kyle is sitting cross-legged on his bedroom floor, rocking back and forth. His mother visits him once more, demanding to know why he will not talk to her (at this point Kyle cannot speak or communicate with anyone). She then gives a speech trying to justify her abuse (which visibly angers Kyle) and begins to make sexual advances towards him. An enraged and overwhelmed Kyle shoves his mother away from him and manages to say his first word since being resurrected. He grabs a trophy from his shelf, repeatedly screaming "NO!" as he bludgeons her to death with it.[3]

Later that evening, Zoe visits the Spencer house having been previously invited to dinner. She enters the house after knocking and, having nobody answer, she enters and it is then that she stumbles upon the mutilated and bloodied body of Mrs. Spencer. She screams in horror and spins around to reveal a blood-caked and wide-eyed Kyle.

Kyle is next seen sitting in the bathroom of his house, rocking back and forth as he repetitively bangs his head against the bathtub. Zoe appears and tells him to stop. Kyle then very quietly whispers his own name, repeating what Zoe had said: "No, Kyle." Zoe is close to tears and Kyle reaches out to touch her cheek, but Zoe pulls away, saying he must be hungry. She goes to the kitchen to make him food and notices rat poison in the cabinet. She reaches for it, but whether she actually puts it in the food is left ambiguous. She returns to the bathroom with the food to find Kyle missing.[4]

Kyle is back in the swamp where Misty is tending to a burnt Myrtle Snow in her garden. Surprised to see him again, she asks him where he has been, and taking in his ragged appearance, tells him he needs a bath. Kyle is sat in a metal wash basin as Misty attempts to bathe him, but as she washes him he has flashbacks of his mother's molestation and becomes extremely agitated. He starts grunting and crying, clearly in distress and Misty shushes him, quickly finishing up, and holds a towel to remove him from the tub and dry him off. At this point Kyle throws a violent tantrum, smashing Misty's things and finally her radio, which causes her to cry as well. Before the issue can progress, they are interrupted by Zoe, who Kyle immediately runs to, clinging to her like a scared child. Misty tells Zoe to take Kyle out of there, upset because "he broke Stevie". Zoe says she needs both of them to come with her.[5]

Back in the greenhouse, Zoe chains Kyle to the wall by the wrist. This upsets him, but Zoe has a calming effect on him. Zoe convinces Misty to bring a rotting Madison back to life, though Misty is reluctant to do so. Later, Zoe offers for Misty to stay and she refuses, also telling Zoe that she will not take Kyle back.[5]

In the greenhouse, Kyle discovers that his limbs and body are not his own by the tattoos he knew belonged to his friends which worsens his trauma. Zoe later brings Madison's handgun to the greenhouse in an attempt to end Kyle's life. Kyle is aware of what is about to happen and snatches the handgun from Zoe, but then puts it in his mouth to attempt suicide with it. He fails to take his own life due to interference from Zoe who cannot bear to lose him and they cry in each other's arms.[6]

Zoe brings Kyle into the school building, and to her and Madison's bedroom. Using flashcards, she tries to teach him how to communicate but he interrupts the lesson with bursts of violence. Madison cuts their lesson, delivering the message that Cordelia's asking for Zoe. Madison offers to look after Kyle while Zoe leaves the room. In the short time, Zoe is gone, Madison and Kyle connect on the fact that they are both undead. She cries, and Kyle lets her pull him into a heartfelt embrace. Zoe returns after talking with Cordelia to find Kyle having sex with Madison up against the girl's chifferobe.[6]

Madison confronts Zoe while she is in the shower about what she saw and Madison states that Zoe obviously likes Kyle and that they should be together as Kyle would now be immune to her "Black Widow" power. Zoe considers this, though Madison makes it clear that she does not plan on giving Kyle up, explaining to Zoe that having sex with him was the first and only time she has felt anything since her resurrection. Zoe offers to take turns, but Madison proposes they share. Taking Zoe by the hand, Madison leads her to their bedroom where Kyle is sitting expectantly on the edge of Zoe's bed. Zoe drops her towel and the trio engages in a threesome.[6]

Zoe and Kyle are next seen in the girls' bedroom, a laptop held between them. She is again attempting to teach Kyle how to talk with a "Speak 'n' Spell" app on her computer. Though Madison would prefer to merely use Kyle as a sex toy, Zoe is determined to get him functioning again "so he can communicate and maybe even rejoin society". Seeing as they will be busy all night, Zoe leaves a contented Kyle with some preschool computer games to keep him occupied. Later that night, the coven discovers that they are under attack. Zoe tries to take Kyle away from the danger, but he refuses and says his first turn of phrase: "This road goes two ways", which he had learned and repeated from the computer game. He then confesses he loves her, which she reciprocates. Madison, who overhears the confession, is visibly hurt.[7]

Kyle is discovered in Zoe and Madison's bedroom by Fiona, her new guard dog having sniffed him out. Kyle says another new word, "dog", as the animal approaches him. Kyle happily pets it as it licks his face. Fiona is upset by the presence of this outsider and demands Kyle to leave. She turns to leave the room, and Kyle, whether out of anger or just simply playing, roughly nuzzles the dog, wrapping his arms around it in a tight embrace. The dog lets out a whimper and a startled Fiona turns back around at the sound of its neck being snapped. Later on in the day, the girls return from the hospital to find Fiona and Kyle sitting at the kitchen table playing a card game. Kyle and Fiona go back and forth in game-related banter. Zoe and Madison watch on in awe. They are amazed that Kyle is actually speaking in full sentences, seemingly back to his old self. Fiona does not say exactly what she has done to Kyle, only stating that the Coven needs a new guard dog; one that can attack on command.[8]

Now lucid, but still traumatized, Kyle and Zoe grow closer, and comfort each other at Nan's funeral. When Zoe discovers that Nan was murdered and Madison shows no concern, Zoe calls her out on her behavior and remarks, “we should have just let you rot." Madison begins sexual advances on Kyle to spite Zoe to which she acts nonchalant but Kyle angrily denies her and proclaims his love for Zoe. Madison becomes enraged and uses her telekinesis to attack them, hitting Zoe in the back of the head with a lamp and the scuffle is broken up by Myrtle Snow. Madison threatens the three of them when she becomes the next Supreme and that she will undo Kyle.[9]

Later that night, Zoe and Myrtle talk in Cordelia's greenhouse. Myrtle tells Zoe to escape with Kyle while she still can; giving her a unique and expensive piece of jewelry to use for money, but Zoe will not leave due to her commitment to the Coven and her belief that she is the next Supreme. Myrtle reminds her that she has enemies everywhere, specifically Madison and Fiona, and must leave. Zoe decides to run away with Kyle and asks him to pack, but Kyle is afraid of leaving because of his rages and tells her that his leaving is not her decision to make. Zoe lovingly assures him that she is not afraid of him and they gleefully flee to the bus terminal headed to Orlando.[9]

At Orlando, a homeless man verbally accosts them for stealing his spot under a tree and Kyle kills him, Zoe then revives him with Vitalum Vitalis and concluding she must be the next Supreme. They return to the Coven in the middle of a conflict between Misty and Madison. Kyle stops the fight between Misty and Madison and separates the two right before the attempted attack of The Axeman. The witches disable the Axeman and discover he had killed Fiona, Kyle decides to do his duties and kill him while dragging him away, kicking. The witches affirm that they "don’t need a man to protect them" and kill the Axeman themselves.[10]

Kyle begins doing tasks Spalding would do, like hanging up Fiona’s portrait, lighting candles and serving drinks.[10]

Kyle attends the “Trial of the Seven Wonders” as a servant, first at the “Trial of Telekinesis” but at the “Trial of Concilium” Madison uses him to show her power by controlling his mind and antagonize Zoe by forcibly controlling him to kiss her and lick her boot. Zoe retaliates by having Kyle passionately kiss her to which he does not fight. Madison then has Kyle choke Zoe but Cordelia Foxx telekinetically throws him aside and ends it. At the “Trial of Descensum”, Zoe’s experience of hell is an endless loop of Kyle saying he does not love her and them breaking up. When she returns she is distressed and is consoled by Kyle. Zoe, Queenie, and Madison turn the “Trial of Transmutation” into a game of “tag” to unwind, but Zoe accidentally transmutes to the top of the iron gate outside the house and is impaled, a distraught Kyle attempts to save her as she dies. In the greenhouse Queenie attempts to resurrect her to no avail (thus failing the test), and a crying Kyle is consoled and taken into the house by her. Cordelia and Myrtle request Madison to resurrect Zoe but she refuses.[11]

In the Greenhouse, Kyle cries over Zoe’s body saying, “You said you’d never leave me." In a rage, he strangles Madison for refusing to save Zoe. She states that she did it for them and that she loves him. Kyle dismisses this by saying that she is "not that good an actress," and kills her. The ghost of Spalding appears on the scene to help Kyle stating that he is “the Help” and telling Kyle to bury the body and pretend Madison had just left and that no one would wonder what happened to her as she had already said she was leaving and started packing.[11]

Zoe, however, is resurrected by Cordelia and becomes a member of the "Witches Council". Kyle stays with Zoe and becomes the new butler for the Academy. He is last seen welcoming the new students of the Academy.[11]

Powers[]

After he is revived, he possesses some superhuman powers.

  • Enhanced Strength - Kyle possesses a greater amount of supernatural strength than normal humans, allowing him to easliy kill someone.[2][3][10]
  • Enhanced Durability - Kyle possesses a greater amount of supernatural durability than normal humans.[4][11] He is also immune to the effects of Black Widow.

Quotes[]

  • To Madison Montgomery: "You let her die, why did you let her die?"
  • To Madison Montgomery: "You're not that good an actress."
  • To Zoe Benson: "Why'd you do it? You promised you'd never leave me... You promised."

Notes[]

  • He is the third character to be portrayed by Evan Peters. For a complete list of his characters, see Cast.
  • He is the second character with the name Kyle. The first was Kyle Greenwell, in Murder House.
  • Kyle Spencer has been absent in two episodes overall throughout the season. The first is "Burn, Witch. Burn!" and the second is "The Magical Delights of Stevie Nicks".
  • Kyle is immune to Zoe's black widow power because he already died once, which apparently negates it.
  • In both season one and three, Evan Peters' character dies as well as his lover (Tate and Violet in season one, Kyle and Zoe in season three). In season three, Kyle was reanimated by witchcraft and Zoe was resurrected by Vitalum Vitalis.
  • Evan Peters said that playing Kyle was fun but tricky because he had to figure out how Kyle will react on having to learn how to speak and move like a normal person once again, but with rage and frustration reflected in his actions.
  • As revealed in the third episode of the season, "The Replacements", Kyle has long been sexually abused by his own mother, Alicia Spencer. Alicia says she is “the only one who knows how to please [Kyle].”
  • It is unknown where Kyle is as of the events of Apocalypse. Along with Spalding, he is the only other main character from Coven whose current whereabouts are unknown. However, Zoe Benson mentions that she is aware that Madison was murdered, which may indicate that Zoe found out Kyle was responsible for Madison's second death and either broke up with him or reversed his resurrection as punishment for him inflicting bodily harm against one of her sister witches. Although given Madison's treatment of her, it isn't known if she cared.
  • “Pretty swell guy” was ranked #10 amongst the characters portrayed by Peters due to Franken-Kyle murderous inclinations.[12]
  • Kyle may have been inspired by Satoko Hōjō from the visual novel series Higurashi no Naku Koro ni, in terms of background and appearance. Like Kyle, Satoko is also a teenager who suffered abuse from one family member (her uncle Teppei), which was caused by her parents leaving him (along with his wife) in charge after they left, resulting in both Satoko and her older brother Satoshi to become traumatized, she would also lash out whenever Keiichi or her friends pat/touch her. Furthermore, the two share blonde and short hairstyles, including bath/shower scenes.

Gallery[]

References[]

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