This episode starts off in possibly the most cryptic way it has all season. This is because it uses real news clips and actual stories about cults from United States history: Marshall Applewhite, leader of the Heaven’s Gate cult, David Koresh, the Branch Davidians, and Jim Jones, the Peoples Temple and responsible for what is known as the Jonestown massacre.
And Evan Peters plays them all and it’s fabulous. He also plays Jesus. Like his predecessors, Kai begins asking if his followers would make “the ultimate sacrifice” for him, handing all the men cups of Kool-Aid and, well, Ivy, Ally, Winter, and Beverly (who totally gives Winter a well-deserved punch to the face) are also presented a cup and pretty much forced to drink. But, as expected, nothing happens. Because Kai is running for Senate and needs his team, to which all the men annoyingly howl and cheer. Seriously. These guys are supposed to be intimidating or whatever but I just find them dumb and annoying.
Last episode Kai was all about trying to conceive a messiah with with own sister, now he is convinced that Oz is actually his son. Which is possible because he is a sperm donor at the very clinic where Ally was inseminated. He claims “I keep track of all my children”, but I don’t know if I totally believe that because this is JUST now coming up. Seems awfully convenient if you ask me.
It’s enough to convince Oz though, who now insists Kai is his “daddy.” Kai also says some sexist stuff as usual, along the lines of how Oz can’t be taught how to be a man if he only has moms and how they just can’t possibly understand him. I do love how Kai is fighting this “terrible world” but he is actually the embodiment of everything that’s terrible about the world. I see what you did there, American Horror Story.
I thought I was going to start liking Ally again in this episode. In the beginning she seemed like she was going to be just badass from here on out. But no…no…she’s still mostly just well…a bitch, for lack of a better word. She and Winter are just neck and neck on my shit-list. As I’ve said before, amazing performances by both actresses, but God, their characters are so frustrating. Winter is weak. She’s so weak. Kai is brother, I get it, but he also MURDERED THEIR BROTHER right in front of her. Without hesitation. Without a second thought and without remorse. She claims she knows he doesn’t care about her and yet here she is, bending to his every whim still.
I understand that she has been brainwashed to an extent, but she isn’t mindless like the male drones in his cult and she calls out his bullshit, so murdering your sibling should be enough to make you leave. Unlike Ally and Ivy, Winter has no other ties to the cult other than Kai. She could easily get away. She could get away and get help. But no. That clearly isn’t going to happen.
Back to Ally though. I know she was crazy due to her clown phobia, but now she is like…REALLY crazy. And basically proves Ivy right when she says “I want Oz all to myself”. I know what Ivy did was shitty, it was unforgivable. But poison? Really? Killing her so you can make Oz think she abandoned him? The hell is wrong with you? Even Ivy didn’t do that. And Ivy was doing things because she was being manipulated, Ally is doing things because she’s throwing a temper tantrum and she’s selfish. That’s how it feels to me at least.
Speaking of temper tantrums, Kai throws quite the big one when Oz continually casts doubt into his stories by looking up real facts. It’s honestly really amusing to watch Oz remain calm and tell Kai he’s wrong to a point where Kai takes his phone and stomps on it while screaming. And Oz just sits there, a bit confused but he doesn’t look afraid. Guess two moms can do a pretty good job, huh Kai?
OVERALL SCORE: 7.5 / 10
All the crap I gave Ally, I will say, she did pull that sperm donor report swap off really well. It was quite the plan. Thing is, what if he totally made up donating? That would have totally thrown a wrench in her plan. What if he knew his donor number? He didn’t, but what if. Also, Vincent being in the bed between their mother and father was a nice, subtle touch.
