“The Axeman Cometh” American Horror Story: Coven (Season 3) Episode 6

The students release the ghost of a serial killer in their search for Madison.

**CONTENT WARNING: Violence, death, torture, disturbing images**

Synopsis

In 1919, a jazz loving axe murderer (Danny Huston) haunts New Orleans. After gaining a reputation, he leaves a note in the paper instructing the town to play jazz in every home on a certain night or else he’ll pick one of the houses that doesn’t to be his next victim. The current class of witches refuse, but when he comes to prey on them, they murder him instead.

And this is why Jazz gets a bad rap …

In the present, Cordelia comes home but kicks Hank out because she’s seen visions of the affair. Hank goes to Marie Laveau and we learn he is a witch assassin hired by Laveau, and he’s been using his connections with the school to track down witch bloodlines and end them. He killed the woman from the earlier episode because she was a witch. Laveau is unsatisfied with the progress he’s made and demands the heads of all the witches at the school.

Fiona starts chemotherapy but isn’t happy about it. She’s just not ready to die and wants one last shot at love.

Zoe finds a ouija board and gets the other two girls to help her use it to find out what happened to Madison. The spirit controlling the board turns out to be the Axeman, so Queenie warns Zoe to stop meddling, but Zoe promises to release him if he tells her where Madison is. He directs her to the attic, where she finds Madison’s body in Spalding‘s trunk. The girls torture Spalding for information, with Nan reading his thoughts since he can’t speak, but he lies and claims blame for killing Madison. Zoe doesn’t believe him.

The Axeman really needs to give it a rest

Kyle returns to Misty, but he panics and breaks her beloved radio. Zoe shows up and makes Misty return Madison to life. She offers for Misty to stay at the school but Misty senses bad vibes there and leaves, refusing to care for Kyle anymore either. Madison doesn’t remember much about how she died.

The Axeman is upset that Zoe didn’t keep her word, so he attacks Cordelia until the girls cast a spell to release him. He leaves the school and finds Fiona at a bar where he begins to flirt.

The Students

Wow, seriously? They straight up tortured someone now? I mean, Spalding is a creep and all, but come on. They burned his face! What the heck? Queenie started out criticizing Madison for acting like a psychopath, but now she’s moved to framing Myrtle and enjoying herself while torturing Spalding. That’s so hypocritical.

Also, why did they release the spirit of a serial killer to roam the world once more? I get that he was attacking Cordelia, but they just put so many more people in danger.

Madison is back, which isn’t a surprise considering three other people have been brought back from the dead already, not including the tons of zombies or Madame LaLaurie who was believed to be dead but wasn’t. But she can’t point the finger at Fiona because she doesn’t remember what happened.

I see dead people!

The Staff

Cordelia’s second sight is going to clue her in on a bunch of secrets this place has. While it’s good to air these things out, it might put her at risk from those who don’t want her to learn things.

Others

At least now we know why Hank was so shady, though things are even worse than they seemed. 

Misty is right not to trust the school, but I’m not sure I trust her either.

Conclusion

Literally last episode the students were frightened after the witches burned one of their own alive, but now they don’t even hesitate to torture someone? Plus it’s getting redundant that no one can stay dead. My interest is waning again. Thank god I’m about halfway through already.

Score: 4/10

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