The biggest question that this week's episode of American Horror Story: Apocalypse raised did not really have anything to do with what happened on the episode, but rather, what didn't happen. After five full episodes spent in flashback, viewers are anxious to return to the present-day storyline, especially since there are only two episodes left to wrap up this whole, twisted season. Some fans think that with the limited time this season has left, there's no way the huge, open-ended plot can be wrapped up in just a couple more episodes. So, will AHS: Apocalypse have two seasons? That's what a number of fans are theorizing after this week's relatively slow-moving episode.
Spoiler alert: This post will contain details from AHS: Apocalypse Episode 8, "Sojourn." In its latest episode, Apocalypse continued to build up Michael Langdon's identity as the antichrist before the apocalypse. After finding out that Cordelia Goode and her coven had burned his foster mother Ms. Mead and sealed her soul away, Michael finds his way to a Satanic cult and reveals himself to be the antichrist they have been waiting for. The worshippers build him up and even gift him the robotic version of Ms. Mead that we see in Outpost 3 in the future.
It is a nice bit of backstory for Michael, but when viewers noted that this was the third to last episode of the season, most fans were confused. How can this story possibly wrap up in just two more episodes, especially since the promo trailer for next week's penultimate episode is still entirely set within the pre-apocalypse flashback. "I don't know how Ryan Murphy will finish the season without it feeling rushed," one fan posted on Reddit after Episode 8. "We need like five more episodes, not two," another Redditor noted.
Confusingly, American Horror Story: Apocalypse is tied with Roanoke as the shortest season of the series ever. Apocalypse contains only 10 episodes, whereas most other season contain 13. Next week's ninth episode is entitled "Fire and Reign," and the teaser suggests it will finally show Michael defeating the coven that's been battling against him for the past several episodes. The season finale is called "Apocalypse Then," and fans are theorizing that episode will finally transport us back to the present-day storyline in Outpost 3 and somehow undo the apocalypse.
But with so many loose ends still not tied up, will two episodes be enough for a satisfying conclusion? The consensus among fans worried that there is no way this season could end in the next two weeks seems to be that Apocalypse will continue into a second season. That would be a first for the AHS franchise, since each season of the anthology series is meant to stand alone.
Of course, this theory is a stretch since it would go against the whole point of an anthology series, but AHS has definitely broken the mold before, so nothing is totally out of the question. We will just have to see how these final two episodes go. AHS: Apocalypse airs Wednesday nights at 10 p.m. ET on FX.
