‘American Horror Story’ Season 13 Episode 4, 5 & 6 Recap and Ending Explained: Cordelia’s Fate and the Cortez Devils

The latest drop of episodes on FX and Hulu pushed the milestone season of ‘American Horror Story’ deep into its complicated plot, with extra time spent on Constance and her family. It ended with the ghost James Patrick March recruiting his band of murderers to attack the witches at Miss Robichaux’s, seemingly killing off a fan favorite.

This ‘American Horror Story’ recap covers the three episodes in order, from the sacrifices beneath the Apollyon to the brand on Ben’s back and the ambush in New Orleans. It also looks at what the final scene means for the coven and whether the Supreme is really gone.

Episode four recap and the Jezebel Ball

The episode begins in the basement of the Apollyon, known as the portal hell, where Wilhelmina Venable guides a frightened Elizabeth Short toward her final unrest. Upstairs, Ben wakes to find Mr. Nas, who force feeds him black goo from an ornate chalice and appears to him in a younger form played by Paul Anthony Kelly.

Elsa Mars returns to sing the Peggy Lee song “Is That All There Is?” with a band of familiar faces from ‘Freak Show,’ including Mat Fraser on drums. She then announces thirteen women to be sacrificed to Mr. Nas, a group that includes Hypodermic Sally, Eva Braun, Wallis Simpson, Ayn Rand, Margaret Thatcher and Elizabeth herself.

The count comes up one short, so Venable offers herself as the thirteenth sacrifice with a hearty hail to Satan. The scene plays as both a showcase for Sarah Paulson and a reminder of how many past characters this season is willing to fold into a single ritual.

The next morning Constance and Mr. Phibes explain that the number is the perfect way for Nas to revitalize his biomarkers, and that Ben is his son, the new Antichrist. Constance also describes how she became Nas’s caretaker, trading her soul for the chance to be a mother again and to get it right this time. Mr. Phibes notes that Nas is only four points away from his goal of one hundred.

Episode five recap and the Piggy Man story

“Date Night” shifts the focus to Ben’s home life, where a visit from Kira’s friend Ashley, played by Elle Chapman, is meant to cheer him up. Ashley says she took Xanax before boarding the flight and believes it ultimately saved her life. She is the only other survivor of the plane crash that killed Kira.

Ashley also had a horrific history with the number, tied to a family wedding celebration in New Jersey in May 2020. There she watched Piggy Man, the killer previously seen in ‘Roanoke,’ attack the gathering and slaughter her relatives. The killer first appeared in ‘Murder House,’ which makes this return a deliberate nod to longtime viewers.

Ben admits that his childhood memories are blurry, but says he was born on Friday the thirteenth and that his mother died at childbirth. He was raised by a group of people who seemed to worship him before landing in foster care. He adds that his father was killed while driving drunk, and that his one good foster mother died on his thirteenth birthday.

The shared trauma leads the two to spend the night together, and the next morning Ashley notices the number 616 branded on his lower back. It is not a tattoo, and the recap suggests Nas may be responsible. The mark gives the season a new thread to follow.

Episode six recap and the Devil’s Night reunion

“The Return of Devil’s Night” opens with a reunion between James March and Jeffrey Dahmer, played by Seth Gabel. The two ride in a self driving car and marvel at the technology of 2026, while James looks to get the old gang back together.

Back at Miss Robichaux’s, Cordelia is horrified by how quickly her new recruits are developing their powers, especially Morwenna, played by Alex Consani, who can bring a dead frog back to life as a tadpole. When Morwenna won’t explain, Cordelia throws her against the ceiling, a callback to Fiona’s treatment of Zoe and Madison in ‘Coven.’

Cordelia concludes that magic knows something the coven doesn’t and is arming the young witches for battle. She begins to doubt her role as the Supreme and wonders whether she must become more like Fiona to defeat the coming threat.

The witches drink absinthe and gather as a coven of thirteen to summon Fiona with a spirit board. When the pointer begins to move, Cordelia believes her mother is arriving and sends the others upstairs for a private reunion.

The ending explained and what it means for Cordelia

It is James who appears in the doorway, not Fiona, and he starts a battle with Cordelia right away. She briefly has the upper hand and sends his own scythe flying into his head, but he is already a ghost and the wound heals instantly.

The situation turns when the Cortez Devils join the fight, including Jeffrey Dahmer and Richard Ramirez, played by Zach Villa. They also target Ophelia, and the distraction lets James throw his scythe into the back of Cordelia’s head, leaving her on the school floor.

Whether she is truly dead is the open question, and TVLine guesses she will spend time in limbo, long enough for a reunion with Fiona, before rising again. The episode closes with the Cortez devils setting their sights on the twelve remaining witches.

The season is performing well for FX and Hulu, with the premiere episodes drawing more than four million global views in four days, the biggest streaming launch for Ryan Murphy on Hulu and Disney+. That also makes it the most watched ‘American Horror Story’ installment on those platforms, growing fifty percent over ‘Delicate.’ If James March and the Cortez Devils really have ended Cordelia’s reign, would you rather see Fiona answer the next summons or watch Morwenna step into the Supreme’s place?