‘American Horror Story: Roanoke’ Recap ‘Chapter 4’
This was an interesting episode and it was jam-packed with action, too. Here’s what went down:
The episode starts off with Matt and Shelby encountering a creature we’ll call Pig Man (half pig, half man) in their home. When they can’t outrun him, Elias Cunningham conveniently shows up and takes the Pig Man out.
After Matt and Shelby have calmed their nerves, Elias gives them a bit of history and an education. He was once the owner of the house and kept it to protect unsuspecting people like Matt and Shelby from being subjected to the same horrors he and countless other have. But he ultimately loses the home for neglecting to pay his taxes.
Elias spends a good chunk of time explaining the long history of the house to Shelby and Matt. Several families were murdered there, all at the hands of The Butcher and her ghostly cronies. Each October, during the six-day cycle of the quarter moon, the spirits of these families are given enough entity to kill. And it’s Elias’ job to make sure Matt and Shelby don’t meet terrible ends.
Elias prompts Matt and Shelby to leave but they refuse to do so without finding Flora first. This sets them on a path toward the woods.
Turns out, the not-so-crazy Elias knows where Flora’s friend Priscilla likes to play…which, of course, happens to be deep in the woods. When they arrive, a handful of spirits are taunting Flora, but because the six-day quarter moon cycle is already underway, none of them can retrieve her. This point is driven home seconds later when Elias is brutally killed by the spirits.
When Matt and Shelby arrive back home, Cricket is waiting for them. “You ready to do things my way now?” he says. And, in fact, they are.
Cricket explains that he has the ability to talk to The Butcher and that he knows she isn’t necessarily the one in charge. It’s the The Witch (Lady Gaga) who runs the devilish operation. So, Cricket sets out to speak with her.
What we learn is that The Butcher, at the urging of The WItch, kills her entire colony (including her son) to appease the ancient gods. It’s an offering so great that it consecrates the grounds, leaving anyone who dwells there vulnerable to the Forest Cult.
In the last quarter of the episode, Cricket leaves the home and spots Flora on the road. He runs after her and disappears. In the meantime, Matt is drawn to the cellar by The Witch only to be interrupted by Shelby calling for help.
We see the Forest Cult encroaching upon the house with Flora in tow. With some help from Priscilla, Flora is released to Matt and Shelby but she signals that Cricket has been left behind. From the window, Matt and Shelby watch in horror as Cricket is disemboweled by The Butcher and the rest of the Forest Cult.
Tara Martinez is a New York-based writer with a passion for pop culture and a penchant for analysis. She frequently covers film, television, and representations of women in the media.
