This 'AHS: 1984' Theory Suggests A Major Connection To 'Coven' & 'Apocalypse'

Season nine of American Horror Story still has a lot to reveal, but fans already have a pretty major theory that would connect AHS: 1984 to both Coven and Apocalypse. So far, AHS: 1984 kind of feels like it is basically just a fun, campy riff on '80s slasher movies, but since this is AHS, fans are expecting a big twist to totally flip Camp Redwood on its head, and the latest fan theory has everyone wondering: Is Brooke in AHS: 1984 actually Madison Montgomery? Let's go over why some fans are convinced Emma Roberts is secretly playing her witchy Coven and Apocalypse character in the new season.

Brooke Thompson clearly fits the horror movie trope of the "final girl," the innocent but scrappy ingenue who manages to survive the killer's constant attacks and outlast her doomed friends. This pretty much sets her up to be AHS: 1984's main protagonist — that is, if the season really does choose to follow the formula of the slasher movies that have inspired it. Given the franchise's penchant for turning genres on their heads and taking big swings with unexpected twists, most fans are guessing there will be much more to Roberts' character than just the "final girl" trope.

One of the earliest and most prominent theories about AHS: 1984 is that the new season is actually showing viewers a movie set, and all the characters are actually actors just playing parts in a horror movie that they're filming. This theory sprung up after the season's cast announcement video was filmed in the style of a screen test, and it is bolstered by the fact that AHS: 1984 is so much more heavily reliant on classic movie tropes than any other season of the show. Plus, the Orwellian implications of "1984" also suggest some sort of meta narrative that viewers just are not seeing yet.

With this movie theory running rampant among the AHS fandom, some have taken it one step further and suggested Madison Montgomery is actually playing the character of Brooke. Obviously, this would make sense looks-wise, given that Roberts played Madison and is now playing Brooke, but there are more convincing reasons why this could be the case. For one, Madison is an actress, having been introduced in Coven after she used her telekinetic powers to kill a director who was critical of her performance. Even more eyebrow-raising, fans pointed out that while trapped in her personal hell in AHS: Apocalypse, Madison mentioned she had an upcoming role in a Michael Myers movie. Could that have been an easter egg planted to tease her part in the following season?

Obviously, Madison's personality is the polar opposite of Brooke's, which would make for a total 180 if the twist turns out to be true and fans see Madison return to her commanding, aggressive self after the director calls "cut" on her performance as the sweet, soft-spoken Brooke.

Of course, this is all just a theory right now, so fans will have to keep tuning in to AHS: 1984 on Wednesday nights at 10 p.m. on FX to see if Madison really is hiding in plain sight.