Every question ‘American Horror Story: Apocalypse’ Episode 6 answered

“I’m Constance Langdon. And this is my fucking house.” 

It has been almost four years since Jessica Lange last graced the American Horror Story universe as Elsa Mars in Freak Show. Fortunately, the horrendous, Lange-less dry spell was squelched last night when, in Episode 6 of American Horror Story: Apocalypse, she returned to the series’ roots in a single episode appearance as Constance Langdon. 

The restoration of Murder House and the resurrection of Lange’s second most iconic AHS role (all hail Fiona Goode) was everything fans could have dreamed. From a majestic descent down a grand staircase to a drunken solo dance, each Constance moment was pure gold. I couldn’t have been happier.

(Okay, she didn’t see “Jesus H. Christ” and that would have made me a little more happy. But, I’m more than fine.)

Aside from being a monumental treat, Episode 6 also helped to fill in a lot of plot holes from this and past seasons. 

Here’s a run down of every major question the return to Murder House answered about Apocalypse. 

How did Constance Langdon die?

Fans have known to expect Lange back for some time, but everyone was in the dark on how the plot would take us back to Constance Langdon. Obviously, her actual return really cleared that up. 

Turns out, Constance joined the legion of ghosts residing in The Murder House. However, unlike most of the other spectral inhabitants, Constance began “living” there on purpose. 

As we saw at the end of Murder House, Constance took care of Michael following the death of his mother, Viven Harmon. However, by the time credits rolled on Season 1, it was clear Michael was no ordinary baby. Perhaps you recall seeing him covered in blood, sitting on a rocking chair with his dead babysitter on the ground?

Evidently, that homicidal pattern with Michael continued. Constance recounts finding dead animals all over her home as well as covering up the death of a priest Michael murdered. The violence continues to escalate until one night Constance wakes to find Michael choking her saying, “You don’t tell me what to do anymore.” 

Concluding that she could not be a mother to Michael at that point, Constance goes to the house and subsequently dies by suicide. She is reunited with her three children—Tate, Beauregard, and Rose. Notably, Rose, a young girl with no eyes, had never before been seen on AHS although a mysterious fourth child was previously mentioned.

Constance ends her stunning tale with one major takeaway: “I was born to be a mother, why not die to be one too?” 

A standing ovation was then heard round the world.

What happened to Moira?

The real victory of “Return to Murder House” came in the form of some much-needed resolution for Frances Conroy’s first AHS role, Moira O’Hara.

Those who watched the inaugural season will recall the heart-wrenching subplot focused on Moira, the ghost maid of The Murder Hose, and her to struggle to reunite with her mother in Heaven. Held captive by the evil magic of the house, Moira attempted to have a living being unearth her bones so that her spirit might be set free. However, once an unfortunately placed gazebo took root, she was out of luck on the mother-daughter get-together.

And yet, thanks to Billy Porter and Emma Roberts (aka the witchiest dream team since The Sanderson sisters), all was not lost! At the mean-spirited behest of Constance—have I yet mentioned how much I love Jessica Lange?—the two dig up Moira’s bones and bury her with her mother in a nearby cemetery. The two ghosts then walk hand-in-hand into eternity.

It is the perfect ending for one of AHS‘s original and most innocent victims. If only we could have seen Alexandra Breckenridge one last time. I mean.

What happened to the Harmon family?

Turns out, Vivien is still a badass and Ben is still crying/masturbating while looking out windows. Business as usual. 

Mr. and Mrs. Harmon aren’t exactly experiencing marital bliss and Violet has a whole lot of her own problems—more on that later—but the events of “Return to Murder House” make things look cheerier for the family of three than originally expect. 

At the end of Murder House, we saw the Harmons in shambles, desperately trying to figure out their future “existence.” In Apocalypse times, we see them grappling with Michael’s powers/Satan status, but having some success finding happiness from the gaping mouth of Hell. Ben and Vivien are working on their marriage. Michael’s non-demonic twin seems fine. Violet still has great sweaters.

It’s not a perfect ending, but anytime we get Connie Britton, Dylan McDermott, and Taissa Farmiga in the same room—I am happy.

What’s going on with Violet and Tate? 

Throughout the past six AHS seasons, plenty of longtime fans have been pleading for some sign that Murder House‘s problematic star-crossed lovers would in fact end up together. (At the end of their season, the two were understandably on the outs.) The latest episode of Apocalypse finally delivered. 

In an unusual moment of seemingly well-intentioned behavior, Madison Montgomery spots the two lonely ghosts and convinces Violet to take Tate back. Madison claims the evil of the house made Tate behave so monstrously (aka the house made him rape Violet’s mother, commit a mass shooting, etc.) and that Violet should consider overlooking past indiscretions. 

Violet and Tate then kiss and seemingly ride off into the demonic sunset. 

All in all, that was a controversial choice. But at least we have answers?

What’s been going on with Billie Dean Howard since Hotel?

AHS‘s infamous psychic to the stars was last seen running from the Hotel Cortez during the Season 5 finale. So, we’re all wondering, who has she been scrying lately? 

We didn’t get tons of info on the day-to-day. But from what we did see, it seems like BDH just kind of hangs out at The Murder House as “one of the few live ones they let come and go.” 

Which, I guess is fine, but like… get a hobby? Join a gym? Start an Etsy shop? Direct the best episode of American Horror Story in years like Sarah Paulson did?! 

Here’s hoping BDH gets more screen time when Paulson isn’t busy in the director’s chair. But, honestly, I’ll take more of either. 

Who is Michael Langdon’s dad?

Tate. Wait. Ben. Wait. Neither. 

It has long been accepted that Tate Langdon is Michael Langdon’s father. (You know, because a ghost raping and impregnating a woman does that in the AHS universe.) But the timing of Ben having sex with Vivienne plus his connection to Michael after Constance dies could set up the argument that Ben is actually Michael’s father.

But, all of that gets cast aside when Michael’s mother, the woman who would definitely know her son’s parentage, disagrees and proposes a third option.

“Ben is not his father, nor is Tate. The source of darkness is his true father, and he is here to destroy the world,” Vivien says not at all ominously. 

This officially puts to rest any debate that Michael is not the literal son of Satan. Both Ben and Tate are off the table as baby daddies and that means our witchy friends are in for a hell of a fight to the finish.

Where did non-robotic Kathy Bates come from?

Miriam Mead is, unsurprisingly, a Satan worshipper. 

With the help of the Black Pope of the Church of Satan and Naomi Grossman in a non-Pepper role, Mead travels to The Murder House to help the son of Satan realize his true power. They hold a black mass during which Michael eats the heart of a really unlucky hitchhiker.

Then, with Constance out of the picture and neither Tate nor Ben interested in raising the little demon, Mead assumes the role of evil foster Mom and unleashes Michael on the world. 

The rest, as they say, is history.

How great are Michael’s powers?

Well, that scene was surprisingly reminiscent of Tom Hanks in Big. No, no—not the one with all the murdered animals. The other one.

The big question remaining as we go into the final episodes of Apocalypse is whether or not the coven has any chance of defeating the Antichrist. Based on the powers we saw Michael exhibit in the return to Murder House, I’m going to say not really. 

First, we established his rapid growing up process through a scene where his feet hungover his little bed like he was a Goldilocks bear. Then, we got his generally murderous tendencies depicted through a whole lot of bunny and kitty cat murders. And finally, we saw him rock the Rubber Man suit and completely vanquish a nice lesbian couple. 

This last one is the most worrisome. Previously, fans have been able to survive the series’ emotional events by recognizing that any beloved character who dies can always come back as a ghost. But if Michael can extinguish souls entirely, the stakes get raised a lot. 

If Michael is doing the killing, instead of fetching our favorite witches from their personal hells, we will be forced to accept their permanent retirement from the series.

So, yeah. Things aren’t looking great. 

What’s next? 

The next logical step in this post-apocalyptic wasteland is to see a bunch of witches and warlocks fight the antichrist. Simply, no other ending will do. 

How exactly is that going to happen? Fan theories are pretty sparse on this one, but all signs point to the return of Coven‘s Papa Legba. Next week’s promo promises lots Voodoo queen realness (you go, Adina Porter) and some surprising cooperation between magical folks. 

Here’s hoping that if the Robichaux Academy girls are going out, then they’re going out swinging. Except for Coco. She can just… lie down.