American Horror Story: Freak Show Episode 3

Edward Mordrake Part 1

This week's episode is spookier than the last, because there are some ghastly elements that weren't included before. It begins with Dr. Mansfield and his assistant, Miss Rothschild, bringing in a specimen to the American Morbidity Museum. After an evaluation from an appraiser, it becomes apparent that the specimen is a fake, as well as the doctor's credentials. Even so, the museum docent urges him to find a specimen for her at a freak show because her museum exhibits have gotten stale. This leads the doctor and his assistant to Jupiter, Florida where Elsa Mars' freaks reside and perform.

Seems he's more of a swindler than a doctor

Back at the freak show, Jimmy's mother is diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver with only six months to live. This makes her grumpy and consume excessive amounts of alcohol. Jimmy returns to the tent after digging Meep's grave, unaware of his mother's situation. Seeing Jimmy's sadness about Meep's death, the twins Dot and Bette, suggest they dedicate the night's show to Meep. Being that it's Halloween, this riles up the freaks and they tell the twins of Edward Mordrake, and why no freak show ever performs on Halloween. They don't want Edward the ghost to haunt and murder them.

Handsome, until you see the other side of him.

Edward was an Englishman of noble birth who was a scholar, a poet, and a musician. His one flaw was that he had a face on the back of his head that would constantly whisper hellish things only Edward could hear. Edward tried to kill the face many times, but no matter what it wouldn't die. His family admitted him to an asylum, where he soon escaped and then joined a freak show. One day he snapped, killed all of the freaks, and hung himself. But even in death, his second face continued to smile.

We are returned to Dandy's life, and when he finds out that there's a Halloween curfew and that his mother made him a Howdy-Doody outfit, he becomes enraged and tries to force his maid, Dora, to clean up the mess he made. Dora sharply and directly tells him that she works for his mother. Dandy, in a fit of anger, begins to create his own costume.

Pretty ballsy for a maid

The assistant Ms. Rothschild is re-introduced as a psychic, Esmeralda, and is brought to Elsa. While beginning a reading on a skeptical Elsa, Rothschild sneakily glances around the room to see what information she can get. With this in mind, she gives Elsa an amazing reading and is soon hired. Rothschild then calls the doctor and tells him that she doesn't want to stay there, saying that the freaks are all she can think of now. He insists that she murder the twins and bring them as a specimen for the museum.

Now, don't think that I forgot Twisty. His creepiness only escalates with each episode. This time he first appears behind some bushes while a little girl is trick or treating. She of course notices him, while her mother ignores the her concerns, and her brother teases her. Later he kidnaps her him. That's what the brother gets for bullying his little sister.

Wow, that's a good costume Twisty!

Towards the end of the episode Elsa practices a routine because of the information she got from her psychic reading, despite her knowledge of Edward Mordrake. In the middle of her practicing,
a strange man, who we all know is Edward, except for the characters in the show, walks into the tent. Even though there's a green fog that surrounds him, Elsa doesn't find him to be suspect at
all. I mean it's pretty obvious he's a ghost, he's dressed in an 1800's outfit. Who still wore those in the fifties?

Green fog, top hat, and a weird outfit. But still no one has a clue about who he is

- Jackie -