If there's one episode to haunt our dreams this season, it will probably be "The Axeman Cometh." Similar to last season's scary Santa Claus killer, The Axeman was actually based on the New Orleans serial killer who murdered numerous people with an ax during the year 1919. Much like the character we saw in tonight's episode, the Axeman was fond of jazz music and did in fact write these words: "They have never caught me and they never will. They have never seen me, for I am invisible, even as the ether that surrounds your earth. I am not a human being, but a spirit and a demon from the hottest hell. I am what you Orleanians and your foolish police call the Axeman."
Unfortunately, Miss Robicheaux's Academy and witch coven didn't really lure him to their house with jazz music and stab him to death. But in tonight's episode, the Axeman (Danny Hutson) was trapped in the Academy as a spirit. And Zoe (Taissa Farmiga) even promised to free him! But only because she wanted to get Madison (Emma Roberts) back. Zoe finds a spirit board and convinces Nan (Jamie Brewer) and Queenie (Gabourey Sidibe) to try and connect with Madison if she is a ghost. Instead, they get the Axeman! Nan and Queenie, however do not want to bring the Axeman back into the world, so behind their backs Zoe embarks on a solo mission. In exchange for the Axeman's freedom, he tells Zoe to look in the attic. And low and behold she finds Madison's dead corpse fashionably dressed!
Spalding (Denis O'Hare) attempts to go all kung-fu on Zoe, but instead falls right to the floor when Zoe escapes his arms. The girls tie him up to a chair and question him (Nan reading his mind since he can't speak), wanting to know who killed Madison, but of alas he keeps Fiona's secret. He instead claims he killed her and had sex with her. The girls know he's a weird guy, but for some reason Zoe doesn't quite buy his story, and obviously neither do we.
Meanwhile, Fiona's (Jessica Lange) health is getting worse and worse. She's undergoing chemotherapy treatments for the sake of Delia (Sarah Paulson). She tells the doctor that she doesn't want to do the treatments and that all she wants to do is fall in love again. Oh, just you wait, Fiona!
Back at Miss Robicheaux's Delia comes in with her walking stick accompanied by her dear husband Hank (Josh Hamilton). Right when he touches her, she gets flashes in her brain of him having sex with a red-head, Kaley (Alexandra Breckinridge). Fiona ushers him to leave calling him a jughead which we all know he is, and goes over to comfort her daughter. But as soon as Fiona touches her, she gets a glimpse of Myrtle (Frances Conroy) burning! Will she ever forgive Fiona if she finds out the truth?
Now we shift back over to Hank approaching....Marie Laveau (Angela Bassett)! We never could have seen this one coming! Obviously, Hank is bad news but it was revealed in tonight's episode that he is bad news and a professional witch hunter! Better yet (or worse, much worse), he's killed 9 white witches for Marie -- which explains why he killed Kaley! It was revealed that she came to Miss Robicheaux's because she could light things on fire using her mind, but never joined the Coven because she wanted a normal life. So Hank is working for Marie, and Marie means business. She's still not over Fiona executing her minotaur lover, so she asks for Hank to behead all the witches in Miss Robicheaux's Academy.
In the midst of the drama, Misty Day (Lily Rabe) is hanging out by the swamp healing Myrtle, when Kyle (Evan Peters) finds her. She takes him inside to give him a bath but he has flashes of his mother abusing him and goes absolutely crazy on Misty -- throwing things like her stereo and "breaking Stevie!" Zoe comes to the rescue and he hugs her. She locks him up while she talks to Misty about bringing Madison back to life. The two witches work together to bring her back to life and it works! In typical Madison fashion the first thing she utters is: "I need a cigarette."
Back at Miss Robicheaux's Delia is in her room in peace, but then the Axeman appears, claiming that one of her girls promised his freedom. He starts to attack Delia but she hides throughout the room. Amidst the commotion, Zoe, Nan, and Queenie say a spell which unfortunately made things worse. Even though he vanished from Delia, he reappeared walking out of the house and wandering the streets of New Orleans to the nearest bar.
And at the bar, who better to meet than the sad love-sick Fiona? He sits next to her and begins to flirt, and clearly Fiona is indeed flattered. We can't wait to see what's in store for Axeman and Fiona next week!
Image: Fox