This 'AHS: Cult' Theory Hints That Kai Is Not The Cult Leader

OK, American Horror Story fans, we are three episodes into the newest installment of the series, AHS: Cult, and, sh*t is really starting to hit the proverbial fan. While the first two episodes of Season 7 were every bit as dark, creepy, and horrifying as we would expect, they only laid the groundwork for the sinister twists and turns the rest of the season has in store for us. That being said, one major plot twist was hinted at during the third episode, and it has us all asking: is the psychologist the cult leader in AHS: Cult?

Of course, by now, you've probably assumed and/or read something on the internet that suggests Evan Peters' character, Kai, is the leader of the show's cult of maniacal clowns. Looking at the first few episodes, it's easy to see how that theory was born. Kai seems to have uncompromising control over certain characters like Winter and Meadow, he has an eerie aura of righteousness about him, and he has all the quintessential qualities of a textbook zealot, all of which make him the perfect candidate to lead a cult.

Looking deeper, though, that all seems too simple for American Horror Story. Indeed, painting Evan Peters as the leader is what Ryan Murphy wants us to do so our jaws hit the floor when the actual ideologist behind all of the mayhem is revealed; the first thing any Horror Story fan will tell you, however, is that whatever appears on the surface may not always be the truth.

Such is the case, it seems, when it comes to Ally's hot psychiatrist, Dr. Rudy Vincent, played by Cheyenne Jackson. To this point in the season, Dr. Vincent appeared to be only a secondary player; a little odd, perhaps, but nothing overtly malevolent about his character. Episode 3, "Neighbors from Hell," however, subtly suggests that Dr. Vincent may, in fact, be the leader of the murderous clown cult that's been terrorizing people and bumpin' uglies in the produce section.

Indeed, according to one Redditor, YoSoyEpic, the scene in which Jackson's character is on the phone with Ally and playing with several clown-faced buttons could potentially represent the psychiatrist's thought process as is plotting his cult's next move.

YoSoyEpic's theory suggests,

The scene in which [Dr. Vincent] is one the phone with Ally, he's playing with buttons, at first I thought he was aligning them for something related to OCD, but another look at it, he retrieves two of them and then pushes one out. My theory is that the buttons represent the clowns in the cult and he's scheming on who he is sending to the next victim's house.

Now, this is more Ryan Murphy's speed. Taking a character who fans assume is just a minor, secondhand player (and a benevolent one at that), and making him the primary antagonist... that's got American Horror Story written all over it (in blood, most likely). I can't be the only one having intense flashbacks of Dr. Oliver Thredson "helping" Lana escape Briarcliff, can I?

If you really think about it, the theory does make sense. Who aside from Dr. Vincent would have known enough about Rose's feretrophobia (fear of caskets) to summon the clowns to her house to lock her and her husband inside two caskets? And why else would the psychiatrist have been organizing several clown-faced pins resembling the cult clowns on his desk? On top of all of that, his attitude while talking to Ally on the phone about her stresses was dismissive and curt, which doesn't necessarily scream "psychiatrist of the year" if you ask me. All in all, it looks like we have a new potential leader.

Dr. Vincent is not the only character in Cult who appears to be good on the surface but is actually manipulative and evil. Indeed, subtle hints from the first few episodes suggest that Ally's wife, Ivy, is actually a member of the cult, as well. Talk about your mind-blowing plot twists.

Of course, this is all speculation at this point. It's still early in the season, so there will undoubtedly be plenty of dark twists and sinister turns to come (and hopefully many more theories). For all we know, Evan Peters is indeed the cult's leader, and we're all just spinning our wheels here. One way or the other, one thing is clear: Ryan Murphy came to play this season.

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