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Note: This story contains spoilers from “American Horror Story: 13” Episodes 9-10.
“American Horror Story: 13” isn’t too concerned with an ongoing plot that ties together all the exciting moments from the season so far — but we still have some interesting answers as we get closer to the end.
After successfully bringing together lead witches Fiona Goode (Jessica Lange), Cordelia (Sarah Paulson) and Marie Laveau (Angela Bassett) to stop Satan from rising, Thursday’s batch of episodes saw both sides in the war learn a little more about what brought them to this moment in the first place.
On one side is Mr. Nas (Paul Anthony Kelly), aka Satan, his loyal servant Constance Langdon (Lange) and nurse Ben (Joey Pollari), establishing an even stronger bond for the battle ahead. In the other one are the witches, who have to learn about events from a previous season that could unlock the key to stopping this new apocalypse. Who will rise to defeat these forces again? Watch below for highlights from Episodes 9-10 of “AHS: 13.”
Episode 9: “The Devil’s in the Information”
This episode took us back from Miss Robichaux’s in New Orleans to the action at the Apollyon in New York City. Constance and Mr. Nas have a two-person gala full of dancing, monologues and blank scenes.
Constance is over the donor’s fake appearance as an old man and wants him to show his real, handsome face. She expresses her frustration at always being forced to side with the weaker – including Satan himself – despite being the most cunning and cunning of them all.
She shares some requests: Nuclear weapons and destruction are not involved in his plans, a woman president in the White House and employment for her children, “Something to keep them busy and feel necessary.” He accepts the requests, before sharing some of his own truths.
He calls Constance’s bluff on her believing that he has always been a good man, and always blames men for her bad actions. When she asks why he chose to be his emissary in his evil plans, he pulls out a long list of bad deeds she has done over “Murder House” and the past, including stealing Michael Langdon’s baby. He tells Constance that she was born bad, but not so upset about it. “The devil made you do it.”
To cheer her up, he changes the appearance of the lighthouse and dresses her in a beautiful red gown; a call back to her days as a teenage party girl. While they dance, Constance offers to make things official by offering herself as his mistress or wife. But Nas said he can’t for a darker, worse reason: It’s his father!
The revelation stops her in her tracks. Just in time to get back to Ben (Pollari) and his friend Ashley (Elle Chapman) who survived a plane crash. He studies the “616” branding that appeared on his back, until it triggers memories of the Satanic rituals of his youth – which launched his fear of the number 13.
He wakes up to an AI giving him some answers to the mystery. 616 refers to the passage in the Book of Revelations talking about the Beast. Ben then remembers that he was picked up by a band of Satanists and Nas was there. Back at Nas’ lighthouse, Ben runs into Mr. Phibes (John Waters) hoping to look at his card. After the doctor resists, Ben asks the mysterious AI for answers about his old patient. It seems he is finally connecting the dots about him being the devil.
Meanwhile, Ashley surprises a disgusted Constance, who tells her that she thinks Ben might have been involved in their scheme against him. Meanwhile, Ben sneaks into Nas’ bedroom while he’s sleeping, apparently intending to kill him with a spiked drink. He forces him to drink and seems to have killed him, but as Ben points to the star of David on the old man’s heart, the real Nas appears and is ready to tell him the truth.
Episode 10: “The Magical Son”
The action picks up back in the Vatican in 1939, as a nun delivers a secret package to the Pope. He prays before touching it. It must be something important!
Back in New Orleans, the witches gather with Papa Legba (Orlando Jones) to analyze the best way to defeat the devil. This involves an elaborate ritual led by Papa and Marie Laveau, which creates a powerful barrier for them to speak freely without demonic ears. Through his magic, Papa reveals that 1939 marked the beginning of the tragedy with the box from the beginning of the program.
There was a truth passed down from the popes in the past about God and the devil making a bet that if the devil could live as a man for 100 years in a row, he would have all the Earth, Heaven and Hell. At the time, the Pope believed that the devil was Hitler. He performed a set exorcism to stop the dictator from rising – but he was wrong. The devil was already living among us in America.
We then go back to the Mountain in New York, now at the mercy of Nas as he explained his side of the story. Nas admits to being present in Ben’s childhood when Satanists destroyed the world to do his bidding, Ben tries to kill him but is unsuccessful. Nas tells him that Ben is also his son, and he needs to listen to what he has to say. Nas, 96, is Satan in human form, and if he makes it to 100 he will gain control of the world. He is determined to win the bet to finally win back against God.
In New Orleans, Papa revealed that Nas had 13 years to go left, and the soul sacrifices of 13 women allow him to age faster. The witches, a contract of 13, are the last sacrifice to give the devil his wish – and they aim for revenge, since one of them killed the Anti-Christ.
That’s right! This is the moment when Mallory (Billie Lourd) admits that he will reverse the events of “Apocalypse” and turn back time and kill Michael Langdon to save the world. But she was wrong, she only replaced Satan’s new plan. Cordelia realizes that’s why she’s never been able to read Mallory’s mind like she can others – and Fiona says it’s because Mallory’s going to be the next Overlord.
So how do the witches stop the rise of Satan? He says that when the devil wins the bet against God, he himself must return to hell and leave his only living son on the throne of Earth. They must find that boy and stop him from claiming his father, because if he does, all hope will be lost.
That level is mostly happening in New York. Nas puts Ben on the side of the devil and the glory, pleasure, and happiness that awaits him. He is very interested in the offer, as long as he can do good things if he wants to. Nas tells him that he is not good at all and that he will be corrupted by full power. “The prodigal son will return,” Nas said, seemingly claiming victory before Ben fully agreed.
In New Orleans, Cordelia praises Mallory for saving the world before and with a weapon hopes they can do it again. Madison (Emma Roberts) is impatient to join the battle, before their peace is disturbed by another threat. It’s Ben!
“I believe you’re looking out for me,” he says as the episode ends. Time to fight!
“American Horror Story: 13” airs new episodes Thursdays on FX and streams the next day on Hulu.
