In “Unholy Night,” the eighth episode of American Horror Story-Asylum, things are looking pretty grim for our friends in Briarcliff. Sister Mary Eunice unleashes a killer Santa during the institute’s Christmas celebration. Sister Jude returns in hopes of confronting the possessed nun. Meanwhile Dr. Arden has an extraterrestrial encounter while disposing of Grace’s body.
We’re five episodes away from the series finale, and I don’t know about the rest of you, but I am foaming at the mouth to find out what is up with these aliens. They’ve thus far made appearances at decisive moments in the story, but as yet, their roles are unclear. Do they have something to do with the devil inside Mary Eunice? Are the events of this show part of some game they’re playing with mankind? It’s going to be very interesting to see.
I like the way Sister Jude’s arc has played out over the course of the last few episodes. In last night’s episode, she seemed to take on the role of a redeemer of sorts, as she tried to free Briarcliff from the clutches of the diabolical Mary Eunice. What’s cool about this development is that the writers don’t let the sins of her past go forgotten during the course of the episode. As she struggles with the killer Santa, the closet full of canes that she used to flog inmates comes open, spilling the tools of torture across the floor. Whether she’ll finish out the show as a transformed character and a catalyst for good or if she’ll rely on her old ways to reach her goals remains to be seen.
Meanwhile, Thredson returns to Briarcliff to finish off Lana. He’s upset that she escaped him as the fact of her escape forced him to destroy the evidence of his crimes that decorated his home. He almost overcomes her, but Kit comes to the rescue, smashing a fire extinguisher over his head. Lana proposes that they kill him, but Kit insists that they need him so Kit’s name can be cleared of the Bloody Face murders. For their sake, I hope sparing Thredson doesn’t come back to bite them in the ass. Knowing the devious nature of the show’s writers, I’m sure it will.
Unholy Night is a fast-paced episode and as a viewer, it’s pretty clear that the show is building to its climax and conclusion. The character’s goals are much clearer and it looks as if very soon shit is going to hit the fan. The best part of this episode was the use of the Christmas tune “Carol of the Bells,” as a tool for building suspense. Still not sure about these aliens, but since I’m a UFO freak, I’m definitely intrigued. Next week, the madness continues with the unpleasantly titled, “The Coat Hanger.”
1. Ian McShane!!!! The idea of a rape-y, murderous Santa Claus seems a little too tongue in cheek at first, but Ian “The Man Who Is Al Swearengen” McShane looked like he had so much fun playing him that I easily found myself just going with it (and who better to deliver the line “He only comes once a year,” really?).
2. Sister Judith is dangerous because she is a true believer. She’s shown remorse for her crimes, and honestly believes in what she’s is doing as pure and good already. She may eventually be a transformed catalyst for good but from a character standpoint transformation isn’t necessary. She may be cruel and sadistic, but ultimately she sees purity in her own actions. She’s the real wildcard here. If we’re to draw a line in the sand here on the side of good we’d have Kitt and Lana (the wrongfully accused paragons) and on the side of bad we’d have Dr Arden and the demon that’s possessed Sister Mary Eunice (one is a Nazi Doctor and the other is literally from hell. I don’t need to spell it out for you), and right in the middle with one foot on each side, we have the walking, talking gray area that is Sister Jude. She is the edge of the coin: neither heads nor tails. And if the coin is thrown and it lands on that edge all the laws of probability get thrown out the window and chaos ensues. Freaking. Awesome.