‘American Horror Story: 13’ Just Connected ‘Murder House,’ ‘Coven’ & ‘Asylum’ With a Wild Family Reveal

Episodes 9 and 10 of American Horror Story: 13 revealed that Mr. Nas (Paul Anthony Kelly) is not only the Devil but also the father of Constance Langdon (Jessica Lange) and Ben (Joey Pollari). Meanwhile, Papa Legba (Orlando Jones) revealed that God and Satan made a wager: If the Devil lives among humans for 100 years, he wins control of Heaven, Hell, and Earth. The Devil being the Devil, though, is cheating by speeding up the process through the murder of groups of 13 women. And he’s had his eye on the coven ever since Mallory (Billie Lourd) murdered his son. The coven also learns that Mallory is the next Supreme, while Ben is destined to rule Earth. The episodes end with Ben arriving at the coven’s doorstep. All caught up? Good.

Episode 11, “Madison’s Happy Ending,” begins with Madison Montgomery (Emma Roberts) welcoming Ben with a knife. However, Ben now has a few nifty new powers of his own and sends her flying across the foyer. However, he’s not there to fight; he’s there to help.

Ben reveals to the coven that accepting Nas’ terms unlocked his dormant powers and exposed how Satan manipulated his childhood, prompting him to turn his newfound abilities against his father.

Naturally, the coven is skeptical of the Devil’s son. So, Ben offers a peace offering from the underworld: Myrtle Snow (Frances Conroy), who’s been trapped in her own personal hell of working at a JCPenney in Branson, Missouri.

Yet, Cordelia Goode (Sarah Paulson) remains unconvinced. After all, the Devil is known for his tricks. “I am not the devil that you know,” Ben tells her. “I am the devil that you need.” With a snap of his fingers, Myrtle returns to Miss Robichaux’s Academy for Exceptional Young Ladies, screaming her signature catchphrase: “Balenciaga!”

While the coven celebrates Myrtle’s return, Madison steals a private moment with Ben. “Did you like throwing me around?” When Ben confirms he did, Madison finds herself falling head over heels for the Devil’s son.

Madison then takes over the narration, breaking the fourth wall to explain her history with bad boys while pleading with her Coven fangirlies to understand her struggles: She lost her hot-girl years to COVID and political unrest, and despite all her magical abilities, “love defied her witchcraft.” Madison decides to freeze her eggs, but the warlock gynecologist is only able to retrieve a single egg, leaving Madison devastated.

Three months later, Ben arrives. Cute, nice, and with a Satanic bloodline to boot.

While the coven go ga-ga over Myrtle’s return, the two escape to Italy for a little nosh, courtesy of Ben’s newfound powers. And as they get to know each other, Ben reveals what happened to Ashley (Elle Chapman), who was secretly working with Constance and Nas.

While confronting her about her manipulation, Ben loses control and decapitated her in a fit of rage. Oops. “It’s not my finest hour,” he admits. Madison sympathizes, recalling the time she flipped a bus full of frat bros in a similar fit of rage.

She admits there’s a darkness inside her that often dictates her emotions, something Ben admires. Now that his own darker impulses are running hotter than ever, he’s finding the experience strangely invigorating. Still, he believes redemption is possible. “Maybe wanting to be good is enough.” For Ben, being good is a direction you choose, even if you don’t know how to get there. Then, they kiss… and more.

Later, during pillow talk over a Nat Sherman cig, Madison asks whether Nas is connected to Ben’s mind, which Ben pushes aside. Instead, Ben compares his situation to Jesus being tempted by Satan, when the Devil offered him dominion over the world. Jesus’ response, according to Ben? “F*ck you” (possibly paraphrasing here). “Maybe you’re my temptation,” Ben tells Madison.

And just like that, Madison Montgomery is in love with the Prince of Darkness.

Episode 12, “Sisters in Arms,” begins with Myrtle reuniting with her former frenemy Fiona Goode (also Lange), who has some rather shocking family news. Fiona has a sister — an identical twin, to be exact — and both are daughters of the Devil.

That’s right. Fiona Goode and Constance Langdon are identical twins, daughters of Satan, with a shared penchant for booze, cigarettes, and wild men.

BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE.

While their father is Satan, their mother is a woman of God: Sister Jude Martin (still Lange), officially bringing Asylum into the AHS:13 fold.

Jude was impregnated during her imprisonment at Briarcliff, at one of her weakest moments, while reliving the guilt of killing a young girl in a drunk-driving accident. Nas visits her, calling her Judy Martin. At first, Jude prays for him to leave, but a gift of red lipstick and a kiss are apparently enough to send all that godliness packing. Soon, she’s pregnant. Menopause be damned!

With that revelation out of the way, Myrtle takes Fiona to meet Constance. It’s a shock for both women, who are completely identical except for a bouffant and a bob.

Fiona wants to know what Constance knows about their parentage. Constance explains that Myrtle told her about her long-lost sister and reveals that she was sold as a baby to a Virginia couple who wanted her for government assistance. The other baby was left at Briarcliff Asylum until a patient named Pepper (Naomi Grossman) had her whisked away to a “home for spinsters.”

Fiona explains that their mother’s bloodline carries magic dating back to Salem, and the sisters share a giggle over Constance’s story about poisoning a neighbor. The family reunion takes a bitter turn when Constance begins comparing their lives. Fiona became the “empress of New Orleans,” while Constance never received an ounce of magical power. And boy, is the envy deep.

Fiona refuses to believe her sister is powerless. “If I have it in me, then so do you,” she insists. The two take each other’s hands, marking their “first touch since the womb.”

Meanwhile, Cordelia is whining to Marie Laveau (Angela Bassett) over a cauldron about her newly discovered Satanic heritage. How can anyone trust her now that she’s learned the truth about her family? Marie encourages her to move forward rather than dwell on her bloodline. “Accepting every part of who you are is where true power comes from.”

Ben interrupts the pep talk with some urgent news: The Devil is approaching his 100th year on Earth, meaning he’s dangerously close to winning his wager with God.

Naturally, Ben and Marie clash. She doesn’t appreciate his insolence, and he doesn’t appreciate her slow-cooking skills. But Marie has a solution. If Ben can spring Queenie (Gabourey Sidibe) from Hell, she might be able to meet his deadline.

Next thing we know, Ben is at Chubbie’s Fried Chicken, rescuing Queenie from a gaggle of Karens. Soon enough, she’s back where she belongs, standing beside Marie. With the team assembled, Marie unveils her plan to defeat the Devil.

Ben must take the witches to the Devil’s bed, where they’ll collect a strand of his hair, add it to the potion, and feed it to the Dark Lord. If everything goes according to plan, the potion will strip away the Devil’s years until he’s reduced to a baby. At that moment, his life force will attempt to tempt the witches, so Queenie must absorb it into herself. Then, using red thread, Queenie must stitch her own hand. By the time she’s finished, she’ll be near death, but so will the Devil.

The result? Satan will remain an eternal baby, and the coven will be responsible for watching over him until the end of time.

With that, Marie sends the witches to the “rotten Apple” to grab the Devil by the horns, and the witches take Manhattan.

Ben takes them to Nas’ penthouse, where Cordelia explains their plan. If the Devil attacks, she’ll channel all her power into Queenie. Ben assures them that his father is unconscious, making this the perfect time to strike.

Everything initially goes according to plan. Cordelia collects a strand of Nas’ hair, adds it to the potion, and feeds the mixture to his mortal body.

Just as victory seems within reach, Tate Langdon (Evan Peters) attacks Queenie from behind. “I know what you did,” a voiceover tells Ben. “And you can do no more.”

Nas renders Ben unconscious, and Mr. Phibes (John Waters) stabs Cordelia from behind while Tate strangles Queenie. The plan appears foiled, and it looks like the witches are defeated.

“We did it,” Phibes declares. “Hail Satan.”

American Horror Story: 13, Thursday, 9/8c, Hulu and FX