Witches, Celebs, and Bloody Mary: American Horror Story Season 12 Episode 4 Review

This season of American Horror Story takes a supernatural plunge into a spine-chilling narrative that wavers between the horror of historical witchcraft and the satirical take on modern celebrity culture.

In last night’s episode, ‘Vanishing Twin,’ we embark upon a genre-melding journey that kicks off during the reign of Mary Tudor (Bloody Mary) in the Hampton Court Palace of 1555.

Mary confronts a horrifying revelation: instead of a baby, she has birthed a monster – the consequence of a deal struck with Satan to produce an heir in exchange for a prosperous reign.

Credit: FX

The curse’s latest victim is Anna (Emma Roberts), whose chaotic life strongly echoes elements of a devilish origin. Her world, bound with diabolical influences, paints a bizarre picture where the dreams of a starlet become entwined with dark, malevolent forces.

Anna develops an eerie obsession with a decomposing raccoon, who she believes can be resurrected through maternal care, blurring the line between maternity and madness. She winds up chowing down on the poor creature’s rotten insides, indicating a severe lapse of sanity amplified by the evil lurking just below the surface.

Credit: FX

After Anna’s supposed miscarriage, viewers learn that she is in fact still pregnant due to the ‘vanishing twin syndrome.’ Laden with dark forebodings, devilish practices, and a potentially cursed womb, this revelation brings forth an unsettling uncertainty about her fate and that of her unborn child while also shedding light on Anna and Dex’s strained relationship.

Despite the encroaching darkness, this season’s tale ventures into satirical territories with its portrayal of modern public relations and celebrity image resurrection, primarily through the eccentric Ashleys.

They conjure up an absurd PR stunt that proves to be a riotous success, thrusting Anna back into the limelight, highlighting society’s oblivious consumption of celebrity propaganda.

Credit: FX

Meanwhile, Dex, Anna’s husband, seemingly supportive of Anna through the miscarriage and her disturbing actions, sparks a subtle curiosity. Is he involved with the unfolding demonic spectacle? Exactly how much does he know?

This spirals when Dex’s mother, Virginia, makes an unexpected visit and reveals a dark history of satanic ritual abuse at the hands of Dex’s father, casting a shadow on Dex’s possibly sinister inheritance.

Anna’s terrifying pregnancy, bizarre maternal acts with a raccoon carcass, anachronistic journeys to the era of Tudors, and the unceremonious blend of celebrity satire somehow form a mosaic – enchanting yet perplexing. Who knows what next week’s episode will bring? Certainly, a narrative that’s as bewilderingly chaotic as it is darkly captivating.