Every AHS Episode To Rewatch Before American Horror Story Season 13

Image via MovieStillsDB Published Sep 19, 2026, 11:15 AM EDT Adrienne Tyler is a movies & TV features writer, with a focus on horror. She has written for Netflix, FanSided, & more. She was a regular guest on the Netfreaks podcast and was a YouTuber at some point. Guillermo del Toro said “hi” to her once. Sign in to your ScreenRant account Warning: spoilers for various American Horror Story seasons & episodes American Horror Story is coming back with its 13th season and a massive crossover, for which there are some past episodes that must be revisited. One of the most popular horror TV shows of all time is American Horror Story, created by Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk. Each season of American Horror Story covers a different story, but thanks to references and Easter eggs, as well as season 8, Apocalypse, there's now a connected AHS universe. Now, these connections in the world of American Horror Story will grow with the show’s 13th season, simply titled 13. The new season of American Horror Story is bringing back the show’s most notable frequent collaborators, such as Jessica Lange, Evan Peters, Sarah Paulson, Emma Roberts, Billie Lourd, and Frances Conroy, among others. Most of the returning cast are reprising multiple roles from past seasons, these being Murder House, Asylum, Coven, Freak Show, Hotel, Cult, Apocalypse, and Double Feature. Thanks to all this, expectations are high for American Horror Story season 13, as well as curiosity, as plot details haven’t really been revealed. The trailer for American Horror Story: 13 doesn’t give many story details away, but it does show many deceased characters coming back while other new ones rise. To better understand what’s coming, the official Instagram account of American Horror Story shared the 13 must-watch episodes, which can give some hints of the events in this new season. Murder House Episode 1 - “Pilot” The very first episode of American Horror Story is an essential rewatch for season 13. “Pilot” follows the Harmon family – father Ben, mother Vivien, and daughter Violet – as they move from Boston to Los Angeles and into the house known as Murder House. As the Harmons adapt to a new city, they have to deal with their intrusive neighbor Constance (Lange), Ben’s psychotic patient Tate (Peters) befriending Violet, and strange things happening in the house. “Pilot” is the introduction of some of the returning characters in American Horror Story: 13, such as Tate, Constance, Addie (Jamie Brewer), and Elizabeth Short (Mena Suvari), making it an important episode for those unfamiliar with the show and those who need a refresher. Murder House Episode 9 - “Spooky Little Girl” Murder House’s “Spooky Little Girl” goes back to the 1940s to meet Elizabeth Short, a young woman and aspiring actress who is sexually assaulted by a dentist while under anesthesia, with the latter being too much and killing her. In the present day, a disturbing truth about Vivien’s pregnancy is revealed, as well as the horrific consequences it could have. As mentioned above, Elizabeth Short, known as the Black Dahlia, is returning in season 13. Murder House Episode 12 - “Afterbirth” “Afterbirth” is the season finale of Murder House, where the fate of the Harmons and Vivien’s twins is revealed. Most importantly, right at the end of the episode, American Horror Story makes a huge reveal as Constance finds that her three-year-old grandson has murdered his nanny. While Constance’s grandson isn’t a character confirmed to return in season 13, this is a key moment for understanding Apocalypse, and thus will be important for 13. Coven Episode 1 - “Bitchcraft” “Bitchcraft” introduces viewers to the witches at Miss Robichaux’s Academy, led by Cordelia Foxx (Paulson), who welcome a new witch: Zoe. After a young witch is burned at the stake, Cordelia’s estranged mother and the current Supreme, Fiona (Lange), arrives to protect the coven. This episode also tells the story of Madame LaLaurie (Kathy Bates), her cruel actions, and what voodoo priestess Marie Laveau (Angela Bassett) did to her, only for her to still be alive, with Fiona digging her up. American Horror Story: 13 is bringing Cordelia, Fiona, Madison (Roberts), Nan (Brewer), Queenie (Gabourey Sidibe), Myrtle Snow (Frances Conroy), LaLaurie, Laveau, and Papa Legba (Orlando Jones) back, and “Bitchcraft” is the introduction to most of these characters, their powers, and intentions. Coven Episode 12 - “Go To Hell” In “Go To Hell”, Fiona’s fate is decided, while Cordelia foresees a terrifying future for the coven. This episode also sees Queenie visiting her personal hell and the fates of LaLaurie and Laveau. Fiona’s return in American Horror Story: 13 is one of the biggest surprises given the events of this episode, as are those of LaLaurie and Laveau, but knowing what happened to them will help viewers understand their return. Coven Episode 13 - “The Seven Wonders” Coven’s finale is “The Seven Wonders”, in which the remaining witches – Zoe, Madison, Misty, and Queenie – undergo the title test to define who will be the next Supreme. Cordelia is convinced by Myrtle to take the test as well, becoming the new Supreme. The fates of every witch are also shown, and Cordelia decides to go public with the presence of the Coven. “The Seven Wonders” is also important to understand Apocalypse, as it sees the coven’s return, and knowing how Cordelia became the Supreme might be key to 13, as Madison mentions a new Supreme in one of the teasers. Freak Show Episodes 3 & 4 - “Edward Mordrake” Freak Show follows Elsa Mars (Lange) and her “monsters” as they travel as a freak show while they all deal with personal struggles and dreams. The two-part episode “Edward Mordrake” sees Elsa dismissing a superstition around performing on Halloween and paying the price, as the ghost of Edward Mordrake appears and looks to take a soul from the saddest “freak” to join his spiritual troupe in hell. This episode features Twisty the Clown (John Carroll Lynch) and his backstory, which is the most important part for American Horror Story: 13. The returning characters from Freak Show are Elsa, Twisty, and Paul the Illustrated Seal (Mat Fraser), whose backstories are explored in this episode. Hotel Episode 4 - “Devil’s Night” “Devil’s Night” is one of the most notable episodes of American Horror Story thanks to the characters who get together on the title night. Devil’s Night takes place on October 30 at Hotel Cortez, and it’s an annual dinner hosted by James Patrick March (Peters). In it, the spirits of some of the most infamous American serial killers who once checked into the hotel while alive return to celebrate their crimes. Among them are Richard Ramirez, Jeffrey Dahmer (Seth Gabel), John Wayne Gacy, the Zodiac Killer, and Aileen Wuornos. One of the most exciting returning characters in American Horror Story: 13 is March, accompanied by Dahmer and Ramirez (now played by Zach Villa), so it’s possible that season 13 will see another Devil’s Night, though one that might get out of control, as Dahmer is shown in the trailer terrorizing Madison and Queenie. Cult Episode 10 - “Charles (Manson) In Charge” Cult sees the rise of Kai (Peters) and his followers, as well as the reign of terror they unleash. In “Charles (Manson) In Charge”, Kai reveals his big plan for a mass murder of pregnant women, but he also learns that there’s a mole in his cult. This leads to paranoia and betrayal among Kai’s followers, with his sister, Winter (Lourd), meeting her fate. American Horror Story: 13 sees Kai and Winter’s return, and this episode gives a good idea of Kai’s views, plans, how evil he was, and his dynamic with Winter. Apocalypse Episode 1 - “The End” Perhaps the most important season to understand American Horror Story: 13 is Apocalypse. As previously mentioned, Apocalypse is a crossover season, bringing together Murder House, Coven, and Hotel. The first episode of Apocalypse sees the beginning of the end of the world as nuclear missiles start a nuclear winter. A group of survivors – socialite Coco St. Pierre Vanderbilt (Leslie Grossman), her assistant Mallory (Lourd), her hairdresser, and her grandmother, as well as people selected by The Cooperative – are sent to the underground base Outpost 3, led by Ms. Wilhelmina Venable (Paulson). Months later, with food supplies in critical condition and following strict rules with severe punishments, Michael Langdon, a man from The Cooperative, arrives to judge who deserves to be saved. Now, Michael isn’t a confirmed returning character in American Horror Story: 13, but Mallory, Coco, and Wilhelmina are, so their first appearance is important for context.