Thus far, American Horror Story: Apocalypse has been a confusing, yet exciting ride. Each episode built around the survivors of the atomic war above ground, tantalizing fans with tidbits of the crossover it has been promising. At the conclusion of “The Forbidden Fruit”, the Coven had finally arrived to rescue their sisters – and not a moment too soon. With such a powerful, intense and gratifying ending, “Could It Be…Satan?” came in this week with a whisper.

“Could It Be…Satan?” was dry, lackluster and, quite frankly, a filler. Understandably, every series has at least one filler episode per season, usually to bridge transitions, to drag a season out, or to provide viewers with information to tie up loose ends and mysteries, while setting up for episodes to come. Thankfully, this  filler was the latter. While not the most exciting episode of the season, “Could It Be…Satan?” provided a plethora of answers to questions fans have spent weeks theorizing on. While not all was revealed, and at times more questions were created, it was a necessary episode whose flashbacks hopefully provided the fuel for the rest of the season.

The Devil and the Angel

This was the first Michael Langdon (Cody Fern) centric episode of the season, the first in-depth look into the potential anti-Christ. After tonight’s episode you might want to call him the Alpha – but we will get back to that. The identity of Ms. Mead (Kathy Bates), technically the person she was based on, was swiftly explained before the opening credits. Having taken Langdon in during what appears to be his teenage years, she was the only one whom he truly trusted and was honest with.

A Satanist, Ms. Mead raised the boy in the ways of the devil, thanking him for the meals placed before them, before an alter decked out in his honor. While it is not revealed how Langdon came to live with Ms. Mead, you can instantly see the connection and the unconditional love Langdon has for her. She in turn understands him, exhibiting the same feeling of trust and honesty. The flashback is brought back to the present, Langdon becoming alert to the presence of the witches – as well as the sisters they have resurrected.

Confronting the Supreme (Sarah Paulson), there is a sense of not only animosity but also a familiarity – this is clearly not the first time these two have met. Acknowledging the Coven, and the recently resurrected sisters (who are still unbalanced from the lifting of both a resurrection spell and an identity cloaking spell), the Supreme swears her coven will defeat Langdon, his response seemingly confident in his ability to defeat the Supreme, her coven and create the world how he sees fit.

3 Years Before the Bomb

For the remainder of the episode, viewers will be plunged into the past. To put the AHS timeline into prospective, this is shortly after Cordelia has revealed the witching community in her Broadcast and after Queenie’s soul had become trapped in the Hotel Cortez. The Hawthorne School for Exceptional Boys (which is to become Outpost 3) is in full attendance with classes of potential warlocks. When word of a potential warlock exhibiting power stronger than any before him comes to light, the leaders of the school bring him into the fold, believing an ancient prophecy to have come true.

The prophecy states that one day, there would be a warlock as categorically strong as the Supreme, who would bring the coven into a new age, led by the Alpha. Believing Langdon to be the Alpha, he undergoes the three tests displaying exceptional skill and going beyond what is asked of him. With the prophecy coming to truth before their eyes, the high council calls on the Coven and the Supreme to convene.

It is at about this point in the episode that things start to pick back up again. Viewers are once again submerged into the world of Coven, returning to the home of the witches for the first time since season 3. Zoey (Taissa Farmiga) is teaching a new class of witches, Mallory (Billie Lourd) and Dinah (Adina Porter) among the students. It is Mallory’s power that interests Zoey the most, Cordelia’s amazement matching. Theories have been circulating the internet that Mallory could be an angel rather than a witch. Angels have appeared on the show before, with Frances Conroy playing the Angel of Death in AHS: Asylum. Maybe the theories are correct – Mallory is her counterpart, as Langdon may be Cordelia’s.

Arriving at Hawthorne, to the southern Voodoo music utilized in Coven, The Supreme is asked by the council to administer theist of the 7 wonders, as was undergone by Cordelia and the Coven at the end of season 3. Denying their request, Cordelia recalls the devastating loss of Misty Day (Lily Rabe) to the tests, vowing to never again force someone to undergo them if she felt they were unqualified. The council lashes out at her, accusing her of bigotry for her treatment and abandonment of Queenie (Gabby Sidibe).

With tears in her eyes, Cordelia admits the loss of Queenie was the greatest failure as the Supreme. She recounts tirelessly trying to save Queenie’s trapped soul (who is in an endless game of Gin with Evan Peter‘s James March), finally having to succumb to the revelation that the evil and darkness within the Hotel shuts out her abilities. She was powerless to save Queenie.

Does anyone ever really die on AHS?

When you are dealing with magic and the paranormal, can someone ever truly be dead? Not on AHS. Langdon, believing himself to be the Alpha, needs to prove to The Supreme he is ready to undergo the test of the 7 wonders. First, he travels to the Hotel Cortez, extending a hand to Queenie, James March responding “Ohhh, you better take that.” As Langdon exits the Hotel Cortez, the true depth of his powers, as well as the presumed evil within him, begins to fully show. He is not throwing knives anymore or creating snow, he is manipulating and controlling the evil and darkness around him.

Though Langdon does not stop there. Traveling to hell (which is one of the 7 wonders!), he finds Madison Montgomery (Emma Roberts) in her own retail driven horror. Managing returns and doomed to fold towels for eternity, Langdon offers Madison the opportunity to leave hell, proving he not only controls darkness, but also Papa Legba (Lance Reddick). Where Cordelia’s magic finds its strength in etherial power, Langdon’s comes from evil.

As the episode concluded, and a truckload of information unloaded on viewers, I found myself bored with the episode, dreading that I would have to wait another week to see where we are going with all this. I expect that the end game is an epic battle between good and evil – one that I feel Mallory will be detrimental to. Whether Angel or future supreme, Mallory will undoubtably be a vital player by seasons end.

Interestingly, I find myself distrustful of Madison Montgomery, primarily because she is Madison Montgomery, but mostly because I am not entirely sure what side she is on. As Cordelia faints at the sight of the girls returned to her, a task she had been unable to do herself, Queenie runs to her side, Madison hesitating before following. Also, it is interesting that Langdon only choose Queenie and Madison over Misty Day – Queenie who had turned against Cordelia previously and Madison who had darkness running through her veins. Can either of them be trusted?

Visions of the Future and “Boy Wonder”

With next weeks episode titled “Boy Wonder”, it will be interesting to see if Langdon is allowed to undergo the test of the 7 wonders, or if Cordelia’s visions will further keep him from fulfilling the prophecy. After this week, there are still questions that remain, the importance on Mallory being the biggest one. As we get closer to “Return to Murder House”, episode 6, answers will most likely be revealed to what happened between young Langdon and Constance Langdon (Jessica Lange) that resulted in him living with Ms. Mead.

I hope that we will also find out how Myrtle Snow (Frances Conroy) is alive, though I suspect that maybe the workings of Cordelia. Also, looking at the Hawthorne School for Exceptional Boys, the school is to be come Outpost 3 – where did everyone go? There were a lot of players introduced that ran the school, as well as leading Langdon to his presumed destiny. What happens to all of them, or do they become the mysterious cooperative we have heard referenced so much? Only time will tell.