Entertainment

This 'AHS' Twist Theory Could Explain The TV Show

by Caitlin Flynn

As the plot thickens on American Horror Story: Roanoke, my main question is why these characters keep heading out into those uber-haunted woods by themselves into the middle of the night. OK, that's a bit of an exaggeration because I have many questions, such as how does it connect to AHS: Murder House and when will Evan Peters finally grace us with his presence? But, now that it's been confirmed there will be a major American Horror Story twist in Episode 6, I've shifted my speculation and online sleuthing to what the aforementioned twist could possibly be. There's been a lot of speculation that the fourth wall will break, but I'm not sure it'll be that simple. (Although nothing on this show is ever actually simple.) I may be way off track, but I think that the docuseries depicted in AHS: Roanoke is fake, and this will be the major shake-up in Episode 6.

It's been indicated that the twist will change the entire course of the season, and the revelation that My Roanoke Nightmare is fictional would certainly do the trick. And, it raises the question of who is in on this scheme. Aside from the producers, Matt, Shelby, and Lee would likely be in on it — but that doesn't mean other characters are aware that they're being used as pawns in a purported docuseries. There have been several hints that certain characters know My Roanoke Nightmare is fiction. For example, after Lee's recent meltdown with producers in Episode 3, they brought her water and she quickly calmed down before asking if the cameras were still rolling — it was a strange shift from her initial reaction.

As MTV pointed out, the interview subjects are younger than the actors in the reenactments. Therefore, it's plausible that they're actors as well. So, that leaves us with the eerie scenario that the real protagonists suffered a fate worse than what's depicted in My Roanoke Nightmare — similar to the Harmon's story in Murder House. If this is the twist, the last half of the season could shift entirely to the mystery of what happened to the real protagonists.

It seems deliberately meta that we're watching a docuseries within a show — and it would be just like Ryan Murphy to take it to the next level and have the Episode 6 twist be that My Roanoke Nightmare isn't the documentary it claims to be. Another Episode 6 possibility is that filming will wrap up and the directors and producers will head home. What if the actors decide to stay behind in the mansion for a few days and begin to experience frightening, paranormal events? That would really be meta.

In short, the "real" story of this season has probably not even started yet. If My Roanoke Nightmare is revealed to be a sham in Episode 6, there are numerous avenues the show could pursue — whether it's discovering the grim fate of the "real" protagonists, or turning the tables on the actors, I have a feeling this season is about to get a whole lot creepier.

Images: FX; a-h-story/Tumblr