Why the 'Apocalypse' Finale Twist Might Not Matter to the 'AHS' Series

Going into the American Horror Story Season 8 finale, there were several unanswered questions. The biggest one was whether or not the witches (specifically Mallory) would be able to stop Michael and save the world. However, in the finale’s final moments, we see that some things may just be inevitable.

Spoilers for the AHS Season 8 Finale below.

The beginning of “Apocalypse Then” catches us up to the present timeline. Myrtle makes sure Coco and Mallory (who’s under Cordelia’s identity spell) have spots at Outpost 3. Cordelia, Myrtle and Madison bury themselves to survive the apocalypse, and once above ground, bring back their sisters. The witches then face off against Michael and Robot Mead.

There are losses on both sides. Cordelia blows up Mead. Meanwhile, Michael kills Madison, Coco, and Marie Laveau (brought back in exchange for Dinah’s soul as part of a deal Cordelia made with Papa Legba). Cordelia sacrifices herself so Mallory can reach her full power as the next supreme and go back in time to 2015.

Back at the Murder House, Constance gives up on Michael after he kills a priest and kicks him out. Mallory makes sure to kill him with her car, backing over him and then running over the body a second time to be safe. Rather than bring him into the house so he can be with her forever, Constance leaves him in the street to die. Harsh.

Mallory’s the only one who remembers the future she prevented, and she lets most events play out as they did before. As she learns at Miss Robichaux’s Academy, Myrtle is dead. (Without the threat of Armageddon, Cordelia never brought her back.) But Zoe’s alive (again), as are Misty and Nan, thanks to those in hell doing Mallory her a favor for killing Michael.

Mallory changes Queenie’s future, encouraging her to stay closer to the beach rather than at Hotel Cortez. She even plans to (eventually) rescue Madison from hell.

However, some things, like the apocalypse, may just be inevitable.

Timothy and Emily — remember them with their “special DNA” at Outpost 3? — still meet, in 2020. A year later, they have a child together. Three years after that, they realize his anger isn’t just an extension of his “terrible twos.” They arrive home to find the three-year-old has killed his babysitter, just like Michael did in Murder House. Anton LaVey, Ms. Mead, and another Satanist come knocking at their door almost immediately to help.

american horror story apocalypse season 8 finale new antichrist
Meet the new Antichrist on 'American Horror Story' in the 'Apocalypse' Season finale "Apocalypse Then"

Does this mean that Timothy and Emily were brought to the Outpost as a backup plan just in case? But by whom? And why? (It’s doubtful it was Michael’s doing.) Would they still have given birth to a (potential) Antichrist if they hadn’t been killed? Or would they have given birth to a normal kid if they’d had a baby in that timeline?

Also, it looks like the apocalypse may still happen, just with a few changes, at some point in the future. There’s a new Antichrist, and if pieces fall into place for a similar apocalyptic outcome, there will likely be different players trying to stop him. Mallory could even still be involved, but perhaps in a role similar to Cordelia’s in Season 8.

FX has already renewed AHS for Seasons 9 and 10, and even if neither of those seasons (or the series) sees Apocalypse 2.0 play out, we could at least get hints that it will.

If the series wasn’t as popular or if this had been the final season, would it have ended the same? It very well may have, to show that some things are just unavoidable.

American Horror Story will return for Season 9 on FX.

Media via FX