Following up from episode 3, we have Part 2 of the “Edward Mordrake” story. Episode 4 is where Freak Show starts to get really interesting. I would consider this to be the ‘Origin Story’ episode. We see Edward Mordrake visit various members of the Carnies in his search for the one he’s been summoned for and what we learn along the way is absolutely shocking. Legless Suzi, Seal Boy, Elsa Mars and Twisty the clown all receive a visit from Mordrake.
We learn that Suzi was abandoned as a child for the way she was born, left to the streets where she received no pity or help for being different and jealousy arose from the other homeless and she killed a man by stabbing him in the leg. She’s remorseful and even states that it just didn’t cross her mind that it would be so bad because she doesn’t have legs.
Seal Boy tattooed his entire body because he was already deformed, he may as well scare people but we learn the reason he never tattooed his face was because he feels he has a beautiful face, stating to Edward Mordrake that if he had been born with a normal body and that face he could have had the entire world.
The two most interesting origin stories most definitely are Elsa and Twisty’s and possibly the most anticipated. I had always assumed that the reason Elsa was an amputee because of war, given her German heritage – boy was I wrong. Elsa physically became the way she is now because of Snuff Films; that’s right. You did in fact read correctly, Snuff Films. She was a renowned dominatrix and eventually turned to pornography. She mentions that it wasn’t just men; it was men, women and more. However one time she arrives drunk and is given a drink on arrival, only this drink isn’t like the others and she is drugged. She is then tied to the bed and they hack her legs off. By now we know that Elsa craves fame more than anything else and this film gave that to her. Mordrake asks how she possibly survived and she mentions a previous submissive client who had followed her and how he’d saved her life, which she did not want. Mordrake’s demonic face wants to take her and she begs and pleads for them to kill her, to take her with them – but they don’t. This is where we learn about Twisty.
Bonnie Lipton (the girl kidnapped from the picnic) escapes and Jimmy and Esmerelda witness Twisty chase her down. Jimmy’s chivalrous nature kicks in and they go to rescue her, only to be captured themselves. From there we see Twisty and Dandy perform a sick performance where Dandy goes to saw Esmerelda in half. Jimmy once again comes to the rescue and they all escape; except for him.
Enter Edward Mordrake. We learn that Twisty is just a simpleton who was chased out by Carnies who were envious of his success with children. He was accused of Pedophilia and unable to ever work as a clown again which caused him to returned to his home town of Jupiter. He attempted to make toys from scraps but all he did was scare people, this causes him to attempt to suicide. His failure is how he comes to have the mutilated face. He is a murderer but he has no understanding that what he is doing wrong.
Twisty’s Origin story really gives a profound understanding to why he’s done what he has. He killed the store owner for being cruel to him; He kidnapped Bonnie so the kids he had taken would have a pretty babysitter. When Gloria picked him up on the side of the road, he didn’t harm her or Dandy because he just wanted to entertain whatever children lived in her home. He was a simpleton who just wanted to bring happiness to children and that was perverted by his circumstances.
This seems to be the reason why Edward Mordrake finally chooses to take Twisty. He is not damaged because of the choices that he has made, he became the way he is because of abuse and neglect; he did not choose to be that way. He was warped by those around him. Ethel chose to bring her son into the world as a spectacle, Elsa chose to be a dominatrix and appear in adulterated films, Seal Boy chose to make himself stand out more than he already did and Suzi chose to succumb to her envy and stab the man.
Edward Mordrake takes care of Twisty and Jimmy Darling gets the credit for rescuing the children and disposing of the towns serial killer, having the episode ultimately end with the townsfolk thanking the freaks and the troupe receiving a full house; oh and let’s not forget Stanley finally makes his appearance at the freak show.
It’s only episode 4 and it appears that the show’s main antagonist has already been dealt with but for any of those who don’t follow the tidbits that are released; we have been told that this is not the end of Twisty or of Mordrake. Let’s not forget the difficulty between the twins, the issues with Del and Jimmy.
Don’t think that just because Twisty is gone that all the twisted and villainous behavior will end. The Freak Show is only just beginning.
Review Score: FOUR AND A HALF STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
American Horror Story: Freak Show screens in Australia on Channel Eleven, Mondays at 9:30pm.
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