'American Horror Story' finale recap: And then there was one
After a season with five official television shows, countless murders, two court cases, and at least one pickled ear on record, only one official occupant of the old Roanoke mansion survives, and spoiler alert: it’s not Lee Miller.
In a flashback to a Paley Center screening of My Roanoke Nightmare, the cast is reunited in front of a crowd of superfans, but the real takeaway is this: Superfans are insane and every cast member is a narcissist. And without a cast reunion, superfans take to YouTube to pay respect or express hatred. Either way, everyone has feelings about Lee Miller.
And naturally, it’s documented in a new television show, Crack’d. After quite a rundown of Lee’s past and some testimonials (#PickledEar), the jury acquits Lee, but one determined prosecutor wants her to pay the price for Mason’s death. His main witness is Flora, who actually saw Lee kill Mason. You think she’d be upset about it, but nah—she was with Priscilla, who honestly was an awesome best friend in retrospect. With everything against her, Lee Miller was found not guilty.
Following all of those murders/trials, Lee wrote a book and become a public speaker, but that’s not enough. Lana Winters comes out of retirement to chat with Lee, and Lee reveals she agreed to the interview because Lana Winters killed her own son. Mind you, she never addresses that Lana Winters, um, is the same actress that played Audrey. SUSPEND YOUR DISBELIEF I GUESS.
Lana reveals that Flora went missing an hour before they went live, but as Lee tries to escape to find her, Brother Polk breaks in with an assault rifle and shoots up the place, leaving him in a standoff with Lana and Lee. He knocks out Lana, and just as he’s about to open fire on Lee, police break in and shoot him on live TV.
Throwing all coherency out the haunted mansion window, AHS: Roanoke introduces a fifth show: Spirit Chasers, with special guest Ashley, who played Cricket on the original show. They return to the house, only to find Lee searching for Flora, who she assumes came back for the worst play date ever. The whole cast is massacred by the Murder Gang we’ve come to know this season.
But when we return, the police are surrounding the house and for all intents and purposes, we have a slew of new shows in the form of news reports about Lee’s hostage Flora in the house. Inside, Lee and Flora chat about how Flora just thinks it stinks the settlers were so inconvenienced by all the visitors, and you know what? Maybe she has a point.
Flora wants to stay behind as a ghost for Priscilla, to protect her from the butcher, but Lee won’t allow her daughter to die. She offers her the next best thing—Lee burns down the house from the inside, and has Priscilla kill her, while Flora is free to go home and visit when it’s NOT a blood moon. Or a school night. You know the drill.
And with that, the house is burned down, Priscilla has a cool new mommy who’s missing an ear and most of her humanity, and Roanoke is restored to its typical bonkers ways.
Was American Horror Story: Roanoke just commentary on human ignorance? A portrait of the Southern Gothic? A metaphor for all the television we’re expected to take in as consumers? No matter what it is, you’ll never enjoy a pork chop again.
Catch up on Season 6 in the recaps below.
The 'American Horror Story 6' premiere and theme, explained
'American Horror Story' recap episode 2: Hamming it up
'American Horror Story' recap episode 3: Cricket, The Butcher and Gaga
‘American Horror Story’ recap episode 4: Roanoke folks should stick together
'American Horror Story' recap episode 5: The fabulous life and death of Evan Peters
'American Horror Story' recap episode 6: Brand new show, same old pigs
'American Horror Story' recap episode 7: The art of curing and tenderizing meat
'American Horror Story' recap episode 8: And then there were three
'American Horror Story' recap episode 9: The problem with Millennials