• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • About Towleroad
  • Towleroad on Social Media
  • Privacy Policy

Towleroad Gay News

Gay Blog Towleroad: More than gay news | gay men

  • Travel
  • Sports
  • Law/Justice
  • Celebrities
  • Film/TV/Stream
  • Republicans
  • Madonna
  • Books
  • Men
  • Trans Rights
  • Tech/Science
  • Royals
  • Monkeypox

‘American Horror Story: Coven’ RECAP – ‘The Sacred Taking’ [Spoilers]

Bobby Hankinson December 5, 2013

AHS_0598

Welcome back! Here's hoping your Thanksgiving spread was better than Fiona's styrofoam and raisin stuffing. Since we last left our witches, Fiona (Jessica Lange)'s health has continued to deteriorate, but her relationship with the Axeman (Danny Huston) keeps blossoming. Her daughter Cordelia (Sarah Paulson) is fired up by the loss of Queenie (Gabourey Sidibe) to the Voodoo Queen (Angela Bassett) and recommitted to uniting the coven under a new Supreme. Despite all her rage, LaLaurie (Kathy Bates) is still just a racist in a cage at Laveau's salon. 

After spending the first few episodes unfurling these multiple storylines, tonight's episode, "The Sacred Taking," starts to bring some of our disparate plots together and forces our characters to make some pretty big decisions.

How will their choices play out? Read on to find out who lives, who dies, who's undead and who's lost their head, AFTER THE JUMP …

Let's start with Fiona's lament. And oh how she laments. Look, I'm not trying to be insensitive to her plight, but, I don't know, it's just not the most compelling viewing. All the writhing and hair clumps and solemn looks in the mirror are like the antithesis of all the fun villainy and drama that viewers fell in love with during this season's first few episodes. It's all so bleak. And it's not like she's having any heavy-hitting emotional epiphany. She's just sad she wasn't a better mother to Cordelia, and sad that her looks have devolved from Samantha to Endora (which isn't even that great of a read, since everyone knows Endora was amazing). Anyway, I could go on about Fiona and the drudgery and the empty promises from the Axeman she's continuing to schtup, but you get the idea. She's sad. Sad and dreary.

The rest of the coven doesn't have the luxury of moping. They've got a murder to plot. Before they work out the details, they're visited by none other than Misty Day (Lily Rabe). Misty was awakened one night by a mostly rejuvenated Myrtle Snow (Frances Conroy). They were visited by Delia's witch-hunting hubby (Josh Hamilton), who was stepped on Myrtle's face while circling the cabin with a shotgun. Off to Miss Robichaux's Myrtle and Misty flew in a flash, and now here they are seeking asylum. (And Myrtle is dishing on her North Korean bulk wig hook-up.)

With the appropriate quorum or whatever, the witches, including Myrtle and Misty, invoke the Sacred Taking — a ritual designed to transfer powers to a new Supreme when the former Supreme volunteers to kill herself. It was first invoked by the Salem witches when the Supreme had the consumption and couldn't lead the coven away from the trials in Massachusetts. She drowned herself in a well, and the new Supreme led the witches to New Orleans (as Myrtle reminds us, "Without a proper charcuterie platter or a bidet, absolutely savage!"). But however will they get Fiona to volunteer her life?

What follows is sort of like a Dickensian visit from three spirits, trying to show a weakened Fiona what a scrooge she's become.

First, our ghost of Witchmas Present, Madison (Emma Roberts), reveals herself to Fiona as being very much alive and ready to claim her place as Supreme. She convinces Fiona that she resurrected herself before laying out how this is all going down. Either Fiona will be burned at the stake for what she did to Madison, or she could just peacefully take this handful of pills and drift peacefully off to sleep. Her call.

Our second "spirit," Myrtle is next to appear with a glimpse into Fiona's future. Fiona might think she can run off to a secluded island with the Axeman as he diligently caters to her every whim at her side, but Myrtle paints a different picture. "You will die the same way you lived your life: Alone and disappointed by everyone," she tells Fiona. Yikes. That's enough for Fiona to be inspired to dress up in her best Norma Desmond turban and ready herself to die. She takes the handful of pills and lies down, drifting off into that eternal sleep …

… Until she's awoken by an important figure from her past (and the only real spirit in the mix) Spalding (Denis O'Hare). He fills her in on what's really at play. Madison is not the Supreme, it's Misty the swamp witch who has been bringing back the dead. This was all a conspiracy to take her down. So he gives her some ipecac and she vomits up all the suicide pills. She vows to avenge his murder, once she's done avenging her own, of course.

AHS_0085While all this plotting and planning is taking place, Nan (Jamie Brewer) begins to wonder if maybe she's the next Supreme. The other girls are less convinced, so she heads over to Luke (Alexander Dreymon)'s house. Go on, girl, you don't need those jealous witches.

Luke hasn't had a great day. First his mom gave him some sort of Ajax enema, and then she locks him in the closet. (A call back to Brewer's season one character Addie and her mother's closet of horrors?) Nan uses a previously unseen ability to open the neighbors' door with her mind. Then she unties him, and the two lovebirds head out to the door, only to be stopped by Luke's evil mother (Patti Lupone). Before she has the chance to cause any more damage, she's shot by the witch hunter outside, who then shoots Luke as well. Oh no! He's too pretty to die!

The shots attract the attention of the witches next door. Fiona gets Misty close to Luke's mother's body so she can demonstrate her power. Misty brings the mother back, but then immediately passes out. Maybe there's more to Miss LuPone's character than it originally seemed. Luke's handsome fate is less clear as Nan rides along with him to the hospital.

Madison and Zoe (Taissa Farmiga) aren't much luckier in love. Their undead teenage polyamorous triad with FrankenKyle (Evan Peters) isn't 100 percent a success. While Zoe is breaking ground with her innovative Zombie Hooked On Phonics program to get him to speak, Madison seems content to just use FrankenKyle for the sexytimes. That's why she shouldn't be so surprised when she overhears FrankenKyle telling Zoe that he loves her.

AHS_0409

Meanwhile, things don't seem all cheery for Queenie (Gabourey Sidibe) over with Marie Laveau (Angela Bassett). First, Queenie is sent out to retrieve a dark heart, so she heads under the freeway overpass to stone cold murder a vagrant who has been raping young girls. Zoe and Madison catch her in the act and don't know how she do the voodoo that she do with all the murder and heart-snatching. Queenie explains to them that a war is coming and she's sticking with the voodoo witches who promise her more power.

She goes back to Laveau's base with a special fast-food treat for the captive LaLaurie (Kathy Bates). It appears that Queenie is still feeling a little torn between her former friendship with LaLaurie, and her allegiance to the Voodoo Queen. Laveau doesn't exactly appreciate her generosity. LaLaurie gives Laveau a little sass about how, really, what's Laveau going to do, kill her? So Laveau chops off LaLaurie's hand. Just because she can't die, doesn't mean she can't suffer.

Back at Miss Robichaux's, Cordelia and Fiona are bonding, which may sound strange given the recent events and the murder plot and all that. You see, Fiona is impressed with Cordelia and the girls' cunning, and Delia is happy to have her mother around to deal with the witch hunter that's after them. See? Good communication is all it takes to make a relationship work. And murder plots. Lots of murder plots.

Their sunny little chat is interrupted by a delivery. Fiona grabs the box, and opens it to find not a tasteful bouquet of fruit arranged like flowers. Oh, no. Instead it's the severed head of Madame LaLaurie! And it's still speaking!

Next week: The Salem witches ask for Laveau's assistance, and Cordelia's husband is running out of time to complete his mission.

What did you think of tonight's episode? Are you as excited to see Fiona become a less mopey Head Witch In Charge? Who do you think is the next Supreme?

American Horror Story: Coven airs Wednesdays at 10 p.m. Eastern on FX.

Topics: Film/TV/Stream, towleroad More Posts About: American Horror Story, American Horror Story, Kathy Bates, Kathy Bates, Television

Related Posts
  • Chase Chrisley Posts Cryptic Message About ‘Getting Through’ Tough Situations After Todd Allegedly Paid Blackmailer
  • ‘RuPaul Drag Race’ Finale Finally Crowns a Winning Season 14 Queen
  • ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ Plays a Game of “Catwalk” and Mouse with Willow Pill
  • Campaign Banner Defaced With Homophobic Slur,  Stolen Over July 4th; Out Kansas City Candidate Justice Horn ‘Not Backing Down’

    Campaign Banner Defaced With Homophobic Slur, Stolen Over July 4th; Out Kansas City Candidate Justice Horn ‘Not Backing Down’

    Not Backing Down Kansas City political candidate Justice Horn is currently on the home stretch of a Jackson County Legislature campaign that could make him the only out LGBTQ county official in the state, but the …Read More »
  • Georgia grand jury in Trump election probe subpoenas Giuliani, Senator Graham

    Georgia grand jury in Trump election probe subpoenas Giuliani, Senator Graham

    Published by Reuters By Kanishka Singh WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A special grand jury in Georgia probing former U.S. President Donald Trump’s alleged attempts to overturn his 2020 election defeat there issued subpoenas to Senator Lindsey Graham …Read More »
  • Bette Midler denies being ‘exclusionary or transphobic’ after backlash over ‘erasure of women’ tweet

    Bette Midler denies being ‘exclusionary or transphobic’ after backlash over ‘erasure of women’ tweet

    Published by BANG Showbiz English Bette Midler didn’t intend to be “exclusionary or transphobic” with her tweet about the “erasure” of women. The 76-year-old actress has responded after backlash over a tweet in which she said …Read More »
  • New documentary exploring Victoria’s Secret sex scandals to drop on Hulu

    New documentary exploring Victoria’s Secret sex scandals to drop on Hulu

    Published by BANG Showbiz English A new documentary about‘ Victoria’s Secret’ sex scandals will debut later this month. ‘Victoria’s Secret: Angels and Demons’ is set to follow the stream of sexual assault and harassment allegations following …Read More »
Previous Post: « Judge Hears Challenge to Utah’s Gay Marriage Ban; Will Rule Early Next Year
Next Post: Rep. Randy Forbes (R-VA) Crusading Against Gay Republican Candidates »

Primary Sidebar

News

  • Brad Pitt suffers from prosopagnosia

    Brad Pitt suffers from prosopagnosia

  • Margot Robbie & Ryan Gosling Skate Through A Day Of Filming ‘Barbie’ In Venice Beach: Photos

    Margot Robbie & Ryan Gosling Skate Through A Day Of Filming ‘Barbie’ In Venice Beach: Photos

  • Six killed in shooting during US July 4 parade

    Six killed in shooting during US July 4 parade

RSS Partner Links

  • OMG, his butt: German actor Lion Wasczyk in ‘In aller Freundschaft – Die Jungen Ärzte’
  • A shirtless Orlando Bloom showed us his workout routine and it set the Internet on fire!
  • Khloé Kardashian Is Reportedly Done With Tristan Thompson (Again) And Is In A New Relationship
  • Wednesday Round-Up: Dan Benson; Angela Davis; Cynthia Erivo; Macy Gray & Bette Midler & more!
  • Monkeypox Cases On Rise In NYC + Florida School's Barbaric New Rule About Notifying Parents + Santana Scare + Red-Hot Robin + MORE!
  • OMG, Ray J gets his sister Brandy’s face tattooed on his leg: ‘I had to start with my best friend’
  • OMG, WATCH: Wendy Williams back catalogue of shows removed from Youtube after bizarre TMZ interview

Most Recent

  • Jon M Chu to produce Beauty and the Beast live special

    Jon M Chu to produce Beauty and the Beast live special

  • Campaign Banner Defaced With Homophobic Slur,  Stolen Over July 4th; Out Kansas City Candidate Justice Horn ‘Not Backing Down’

    Campaign Banner Defaced With Homophobic Slur, Stolen Over July 4th; Out Kansas City Candidate Justice Horn ‘Not Backing Down’

  • Georgia grand jury in Trump election probe subpoenas Giuliani, Senator Graham

    Georgia grand jury in Trump election probe subpoenas Giuliani, Senator Graham

  • Bette Midler denies being ‘exclusionary or transphobic’ after backlash over ‘erasure of women’ tweet

    Bette Midler denies being ‘exclusionary or transphobic’ after backlash over ‘erasure of women’ tweet

  • New documentary exploring Victoria’s Secret sex scandals to drop on Hulu

    New documentary exploring Victoria’s Secret sex scandals to drop on Hulu

  • Russia: detained U.S. basketball player Griner may appeal, ask for clemency

    Russia: detained U.S. basketball player Griner may appeal, ask for clemency

  • Beyonce ‘is running MeToo checks’ on potential collaborators

    Beyonce ‘is running MeToo checks’ on potential collaborators

  • How Republican-led states are targeting Wall Street with ‘anti-woke’ laws

    How Republican-led states are targeting Wall Street with ‘anti-woke’ laws

Most Commented

Social

Twitter @tlrd | Facebook | Instagram @tlrd
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • About Towleroad
  • Towleroad on Social Media
  • Privacy Policy
[towleroadmr] [towleroadtn]

Footer

Copyright © 2022 · Log in