American Horror Story: 13 has officially gone from mysterious to completely unhinged. The latest three episodes finally reveal what Mr Nas is doing inside the Apollyon, why Constance has been working for him, and what Ben’s connection to the supernatural really is. Then Episode 6 takes the story somewhere even more dangerous.
The witches are back. James Patrick March is back. Jeffrey Dahmer is back. Richard Ramirez is back. And Cordelia Goode finds herself facing a group of resurrected killers who appear to be working for the Devil. But before we get to that brutal cliffhanger, there is a lot to unpack.
Episode 4 explains Nas’ plan and the importance of the 13 sacrifices. Episode 5 introduces another huge mystery through Ben’s childhood and the strange 616 brand on his back. Episode 6 then shifts the focus to Cordelia and her Coven as the supernatural war finally arrives at Miss Robichaux’s.
Here’s everything that happened in American Horror Story: 13 Episodes 4-6 and what the ending could mean.
What Happened In American Horror Story Season 13 Episode 4?
Episode 4, titled “Is That All There Is?”, picks up with Ben still under Constance’s control. He wakes up and finds Mr. Nas in the dining room, surrounded by an eerie red light. Nas is drinking from a goblet and appears to be vomiting a strange black substance. When Ben tries to approach him, Nas uses telekinesis to pull him across the room. He then forces Ben to drink from the same chalice. The moment Ben consumes the liquid, everything changes.
The room turns blue and Ben sees Nas in a completely different form. Instead of the elderly man he has been caring for, Nas appears young and blonde. Ben eventually loses consciousness. When he wakes up, Nas has returned to his elderly appearance. So, the strange physical changes Ben has been seeing were never hallucinations.
The episode then moves to Club Hell, where Elsa Mars is hosting a bizarre ceremony surrounding the Hellmouth beneath the Apollyon. The ritual requires 13 legendary women to be sacrificed.
Among them are familiar American Horror Story characters and resurrected historical figures, including Sally McKenna, Eva Braun, Catherine the Great, Ayn Rand, Brigitte Bardot, Margaret Thatcher and Elizabeth Short.
But there is a problem. There are only 12. Wilhemina Venable ultimately volunteers to become the 13th sacrifice, completing the ritual. The Hellmouth erupts in flames. And Nas begins to recover.
Why Does Nas Need 13 Sacrifices?
Constance and Phibes explain that Nas’ body is being restored through a series of rituals. Phibes reveals that Nas is currently 96 years old in the supernatural process and that something significant will happen when he reaches 100. The sacrifices are helping him get there. But there is an even bigger revelation.
Nas is not simply some ancient supernatural being. He is Satan’s son and the new Antichrist. That explains why the Hellmouth, resurrected historical figures and demonic rituals have all been connected to him. Constance is also not helping Nas for free. She made a deal with him years earlier after he promised to bring her children back. Her children, including Tate and Adelaide, are therefore part of the bargain that she made with the Devil.
Phibes has his own reason for serving Nas. He wants the resources to finally make the biker movie he never got to make while alive. So everyone around Nas has something to gain.
What Happened To Ben In Episode 5?
Episode 5, “Date Night,” takes a brief step away from the Apollyon. Ben reconnects with Ashley, another survivor of the plane crash. The two bond over their trauma, survivor’s guilt and the people they lost.
Ashley reveals that she had survived another horrific incident in the past involving the Piggy Man, adding yet another strange connection to the wider American Horror Story mythology. Actor Elle Chapman later confirmed that Ashley remains part of the story, while keeping quiet about what comes next for her character.
Ashley and Ben eventually become intimate. The following morning, however, Ashley notices something disturbing on Ben’s lower back. There is a 616 brand on his skin. And Ben has no idea how it got there.
What Does Ben’s 616 Mark Mean?
The number 616 is connected to an alternate reading of the biblical “number of the beast,” traditionally associated with 666. The show has deliberately placed that number on Ben’s body. Ben has already been surrounded by the number 13 throughout his life.
He was born on Friday the 13th. His mother died during childbirth. His father later died in a car accident. He went through a series of troubled foster homes before finding some happiness with Martha, who died on his 13th birthday.
Now he has discovered that 616 has literally been branded onto his body. The episode does not reveal who put it there or when. That distinction is important. It could have happened recently at the Apollyon. It could have happened during his childhood. Or Ben could have been connected to Nas’ supernatural plan long before he ever met Constance.
Is Ben The Son Of Nas?
Episode 4 heavily suggests that Ben is Nas’ son. Phibes specifically reveals that Nas finally allowed his son to drink from his chalice. The timing makes it difficult to interpret that revelation as anything other than Ben. That would explain why Ben has been kept alive and why Nas seems particularly interested in him. It could also explain why Ben survived the plane crash when so many others died. But the show has not yet explained exactly what Nas wants from him.
What Happens In American Horror Story Season 13 Episode 6?
Episode 6, The Return of Devil’s Night, completely changes the direction of the season. It opens with Jeffrey Dahmer being resurrected and then picked up by James Patrick March. The two discuss modern technology, social media and how much easier it has become for killers to find potential victims.
March is assembling a group. And their target is the witches. At Miss Robichaux’s Academy, Cordelia is dealing with another problem. Several young witches have suddenly developed extraordinary powers. Morwenna is particularly powerful.
She can revive dead plants and even restore a dead frog to life, although she doesn’t simply bring it back in its original form. Instead, the frog becomes a tadpole. Cordelia senses it too. She tells Mallory, Queenie and Madison that the magic is preparing the Coven for something.
Three young witches developing once-in-a-generation powers at the same time cannot be a coincidence. Cordelia believes an unseen enemy is coming.
Why Does Cordelia Summon Fiona?
Cordelia fears that she is not powerful enough to protect the Coven. She worries about becoming like her mother, Fiona Goode. Eventually, the witches perform a ritual to amplify their collective powers. They attempt to summon Fiona.
The Ouija board responds. It spells out here. Cordelia then sends everyone away because she believes Fiona has come specifically for her. But there is another visitor waiting. James Patrick March walks through the door. Cordelia attacks him with a sickle. It should kill him. It doesn’t. March simply heals. That is when Cordelia realises that she isn’t dealing with an ordinary ghost.
March is essentially unstoppable. Then the other killers arrive. Jeffrey Dahmer. The Zodiac Killer. Richard Ramirez. And their target is the Coven.
Why Did James March Attack Cordelia And The Coven?
March and the resurrected killers appear to have been sent to eliminate the witches because they represent a threat to Nas’ larger plan. March himself calls it witch-hunting season. The implication is that Nas needs the Coven removed before they can interfere with the establishment of his new supernatural order.
Is Cordelia Really Dead?
This is the biggest question coming out of Episode 6. Cordelia fights back against March, but she is ultimately unable to stop him. When Ophelia is attacked, Cordelia tries to intervene. March throws his sickle. It strikes Cordelia in the back of the head. She falls. March then announces that the Cortez Devils have arrived to dine. The episode cuts away without giving Cordelia a traditional resurrection or recovery scene.
So, for now, Cordelia appears to be dead. But this is American Horror Story. Death has never been a particularly reliable concept in this universe. More importantly, Cordelia is a Supreme-level witch. She has already died and returned in previous AHS mythology through supernatural means. So the show has deliberately left enough room for her story to continue.
Who Are The Cortez Devils?
The Cortez Devils are essentially the resurrected killers assembled by James March.
The group currently includes:
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James Patrick March
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Jeffrey Dahmer
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Richard Ramirez
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The Zodiac Killer
Their job appears to be killing the witches. That makes them another weapon in Nas’ growing supernatural army.
What Is Nas Really Planning?
At this point, the season appears to be building toward a supernatural takeover. Nas wants to reach his full potential. His body is being restored through sacrifices. Constance believes he will establish a new world order. The Hellmouth gives him access to supernatural forces. The biggest remaining question is why Nas needs to reach 100.
Episode 4 confirms that the number is important, but it does not fully explain what happens when he gets there. One possibility is that reaching 100 completes his transformation and unlocks his full power. Another is that the older body is simply a temporary vessel and Nas needs the final ritual to transfer his power into a younger or stronger form.
