‘American Horror Story: Apocalypse’ Better Answer These 13 Questions Or I Will Lose It

This is diving back a bit, so bear with me. Before there were witches or Satanists, Apocalypse started with a story about the end of the world and the select group of people who chosen to survive it. Most of Outpost 3 was composed of uber wealthy snobs who were able to buy their survival during the end of the world. But at least two characters —Timothy (Kyle Allen) and Emily (Ash Santos) were selected for their superior genetics.

Since those optimistic sci-fi beginnings, AHS has nosedived into at least five other major twists, one of which ended with the deaths of all of Outpost 3. So what’s the deal? Were these kids really important? Or are they just a dead loose end that will forever haunt my dreams?

It turns out that AHS‘ deeply disturbed school shooter ghost Tate Langdon (Evan Peters) never left Murder House. And since Murder House and Outpost 3, aka the site of the former warlock academy, exist in two different locations, there’s almost no way Tate was the one who had sex with Mr. Gallant. That’s good for our sanity, but confusing in a hundred new ways. Who was actually in the suit? Was it the embodiment of evil as a living thing? Was it another sex-obsessed demon that exists in the AHS universe? Was it Langdon (Cody Fern) or even — dare we say it — Satan?

Speaking of weird loose ends, let’s talk about Ms. Venable (Sarah Paulson) for a second. Episodes 8 and 9 reveal that the terrifying head of Outpost 3 used to be a secretary for a Silicon Valley robotics company. But Ms. Venable didn’t work for any company — she worked for the same company that specially made a robotic version of Ms. Mead (Kathy Bates) for Langdon.

She was good at her job, so she presumably saw this robot multiple times. And we know she met Langdon at least once before the Outpost. Why does she seem shocked to discover Ms. Mead is a robot? Why doesn’t she recognize Langdon? Speaking of Outpost 3…

We know that at least one other Outpost exists after the apocalypse. Recruiting members for the Cooperative / Illuminati from failing Outposts is the whole reason why Langdon appears in the first place. Also, thanks to some snooping from forgotten YA hero Timothy, we know the Outposts are able to use the internet at least in some way.

So what gives? Where are these other Outposts and who’s in them? Are there other witches or warlocks there? Where did our favorite witches Cordelia (Sarah Paulson), Myrtle Snow (Frances Conroy), and Madison (Emma Roberts) even come from in the first place?

And does the existence of some kind of intranet mean the Silicon Valley bowl-cut bros (Peters and Billy Eichner) are alive and well? If someone can get me a 20-page outline on the logistics of the Outpost system, I would be incredibly appreciative.

Most of this season has darted between two distinct timelines: the past when Cordelia’s coven discovered the existence of Langdon and the present day, which takes place after the apocalypse. But there’s still a lot of questions surrounding those timeframes.

Exactly how long did it take for Cordelia to go from meeting Langdon to losing her coven as she planned his murder? Are we talking days? Weeks? And on the other end of the spectrum, what have our favorite witches been doing between the last time Langdon ruined their lives and when they met him again after the end of the world? I’ve got a cork-board, thumbtacks, and time. We can figure this thing out.

While we’re on the subject of those timelines, let’s talk about broomstick-toting elephant in the room. Though Madison and Myrtle have been fearlessly flanking Cordelia as she confronts Langdon in present day, two of her favorite witches have been conspicuously missing — Queenie (Gabourey Sidibe) and Zoe (Taissa Farmiga).

Last episode we learned that these two pillars of spell-casting were murdered by Ms. Mead on Langdon’s orders. However, when Cordelia tries to bring them back to life, she can’t. Their souls have disappeared. Does that mean they’re really gone for good? And is time travel really the only way to revive these brave characters?

Episode 9 featured the craziest twist this series has seen in a while, but it’s unclear what it will mean for the finale. In a desperate plan to save her girls, Cordelia sent her coven’s next Supreme back in time. The fact that this spell typically kills anyone who attempts it shows just how dire things have become. Though Mallory (Billie Lourd) is unable to save Anastasia (also what?) from certain death, she is able to travel to 1918 and back to present day without injury.

All of this is to say that Mallory can officially time travel. Exactly how far back does she need to go to stop Langdon? And is she really the Coven’s next Supreme or has Cordelia been wrong this whole time?

If there’s one thing that Cult taught us it’s to never trust Adina Porter on this show. So far the newest Voodoo Queen has helped both sides of this war. She led Cordelia to Papa Legba (Lance Reddick) so the Supreme could ask the gatekeeper to the spiritual plane how to kill the antichrist. But she also assisted Langdon, worming her way into Miss Robichaux’s Academy for him in exchange for a promise of fame.

The last time we saw Dinah in the present timeline, she refused to get involved in Cordelia and Langdon’s fight. Is she going to stay on the sidelines, or can we expect a glorious reunion of magic and voodoo?

This one’s a bummer because I’m fairly certain the answer is no. “Fire and Reign” ends with Cordelia seeking out the help of the warlocks. However instead of finding her half-allies, half-subjects, Cordelia discovers that the warlock academy has been brutally murdered and their dismembered corpses have been arranged into a pentagram. Guess who did that.

Death is but a temporary state in American Horror Story, especially this season. But Langdon’s fury with the warlocks paired with his new super-cool ability to destroy souls doesn’t bode well for the most delightful surprise of this past season. Are our dreams of a Emma Roberts and Billy Porter spin-off series officially dead in the water?

Angel darling Misty, I love you. You are the light of my AHS life, and I understand that you don’t want to fight anyone or be in pain again. But for the love of god the stakes are too high and you’re too strong to sit this one out. Last time we saw Misty Day (Lily Rabe) she bowed out of the fight to recover from her personal hell to hang out with her personal heaven — Stevie Nicks. Only time will tell if Misty has stuck to her plans for R&R or if she’s willing to help out her sisters one final time.

We only got to see the gatekeeper to the spirits one time this season, but he made it count. In the past timeline, a desperate Cordelia called on Papa Legba to find a way to defeat Langdon. He agreed to help but only if she agreed to his deal. In exchange for a solution, she would have to give up some members of her coven. The request mirrored the deal Cordelia’s own mother (Lange) made with the beloved Nan (Jamie Brewer) in Coven.

Naturally the fiercely loyal Cordelia refused, a decision that indirectly led to at least two of her girls permanently disappearing. Is there some way Cordelia could ask the demi-god for another deal? And if so, what is he going to ask in return this time? Also, he’s an immortal being. Is he affected by time travel, or is it possible for him to stop Cordelia’s plans if he wants?

Apocalypse’s sixth episode was completely devoted to returning to creepy house where Langdon was born. The surprisingly optimistic hour wrapped things up nicely, showing the Harmon family finally getting some peace and Constance (Jessica Lange) finding something close to happiness thanks to an eternity spent with her children. But that can’t be the last we see of the legendary Lange. Someone think of a way for Constance or Fiona to save this whole fiasco because that will automatically be my new favorite fan theory.

There have been a lot of surprises this past season, but perhaps the biggest one was learning that Apocalypse wasn’t just a crossover between Murder House and Coven. It was a crossover between Murder House, Coven, AND Hotel. During the past timeline, Langdon saved Queenie by breaking into Hotel Cortez and pulling her back to Earth. It was a small moment, but with two witches down and a whole school of warlocks slaughtered, it seems like an important one. What if Cortez, the weird spiritual waiting ground that it is, is the key to all of this?

No matter how American Horror Story: Apocalypse ends, it’s going to be insane. After all this is the season that revolves around Kathy Bates being a cyborg and the most cheerful flock of Satanists you’ve ever met. Buckle up, bitches.

The finale of American Horror Story: Apocalypse premieres on FX Wednesday, November 14 at 10/9c. 

Watch American Horror Story: Apocalypse on FXNOW and FX+