As the American Horror Story franchise gears up for its ninth season, mysteriously titled "1984," it leaves in its horrific wake of tangled tales an eddy of plotholes and unresolved storylines. As taut a thriller as each season proves, there are always characters that are introduced only to be thrown away an episode or two later, or characters that are completely in the background the entire season and then make a sudden surge to the forefront of the drama for seemingly no purpose other than shock value.

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After almost a decade of twisted tales from Ryan Murphy and Co., there were bound to be some loose ends that never got tied up. From the strange logic of ghosts introduced in American Horror Story: Murder House that was then completely disregarded for all specters in Roanoke, to the fact that only certain dead freaks in Freak Show get to perform for the mysterious crowd of patrons in the afterlife, there were certain storylines that just didn't add up.

Updated on April 29th, 2020 by Matthew Wilkinson: The world of American Horror Story only continues to keep growing with every season opening up a new story with fresh characters. However, while it is fun to have a brand new story with each season, it does mean that many moments from previous seasons don't get wrapped up. 

While other shows get to spend several seasons wrapping up all the unfinished stories, American Horror Story doesn't have that benefit. While the main plots always get finished, there are countless other moments that remain unsolved mysteries. Within this list, we will take a look at 15 plot holes that American Horror Story has never resolved.

THE POLK FAMILY TEETH

Among the many jarring inconsistencies with American Horror Story: Roanoke, the concept of the Polk Family teeth was just one of the many plot elements introduced with some degree of fanfare only to be never addressed again. Sarah Paulson’s character, one half of a couple starring in a reality television program called My Roanoke Nightmare, first encounters the teeth when she walks out of her house.

The Polk family use teeth for protection, so when it starts raining teeth, it appears to be for no reason other than to provide shocking visuals. Was it purely symbolic? Was the Polk family off in the bushes with a slingshot launching teeth her way?

WHAT HAPPENS TO OZ?

American Horror Story Cult Oz

Oz is one of the main characters in American Horror Story: Cult. Even though he's only a child, he has a big role to play and unfortunately does get put through a lot of problems. Whether it be killer clowns or the fact both of his parents are totally deranged in their own ways.

It's enough to really make a kid go crazy, and it would be understandable if he ended up becoming slightly unhinged as an adult. However, the show doesn't reveal what happens to him or how he grows up, which is a shame. Other seasons have had flashforwards with little teases, and this felt like something that deserved that treatment.

TWISTY

Twisty in American Horror Story

The horrific clown Twisty was one of the most visually arresting part of American Horror Story: Freakshow, which is saying something given the title of the fourth season. Twisty became an icon, always on the periphery of the action, his toothy grin belying his sister intentions. Unfortunately for Twisty (and the viewers), his presence in Season 4 wasn’t felt for very long.

Edward Mordrake comes for Twisty because the Freak Show decides to perform on Halloween night, a night reserved for him to come and claim a soul. So what happened to Twisty? He wasn’t a part of the Freak Show troupe, so why did he have to go? He had a lot of potential as a villain, but that honor went to Dandy Mott early in the season.

DOES MAGGIE JOIN THE FREAK SHOW?

Maggie in American Horror Story Freak Show

American Horror Story: Freak Show gives one of the happier endings of any the shows seasons, however it does leave one big question and unresolved plot. While all of the freaks end up together after death, putting on circus shows in heaven, one character is notably missing.

That is Maggie Esmerelda, which leaves the question-where is she? Sure, she is never a true freak that performs on the shows, but she is close with all of them and part of the family. Every show has an audience, so clearly you don't have to be a freak to be there, so why isn't she part of it?

THE ALIENS IN ASYLUM

Aliens in American Horror Story Asylum

There are a lot of strong points about the second season of American Horror Story; the setting was changed from a haunted house to an asylum, Adam Levine guest-starred, and it proved a series based on horror could get as creepy as its audience wanted. One of the weaker points came in the form of extraterrestrial visitors, which had a narrative function but not a strong grounding in the overall plot.

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The aliens come for Kit Walker, his wife, and Grace, but it isn’t explained why they were abducted in the first place. Was it purely so Grace could get impregnated with two children with superpowers? Was it to be a reference in American Horror Story: Apocalypse with that odd Carpenters song “Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft"?

WHY IS SALLY IN THE HOTEL?

Sally McKenna looking serious in AHS Hotel

If you die inside the infamous Hotel Cortez, you become trapped inside, that is what the audience is taught during American Horror Story: Hotel. However, Sally doesn't die inside the hotel. Granted, she dies right outside of it after being pushed from a hotel window, but her actual death is on the floor outside.

Other characters who die just outside the hotel all moved on to safety and didn't become trapped in the property, so what is different about Sally? Considering she is such a key character for the series, it would have been good if this plot point could have been resolved.

THE WITCHES AND VOODOO FOLLOWERS

American Horror Story: Coven has a divided fanbase with strong opinions, not unlike its two distinct groups of magic practitioners, the witches and the followers of voodoo. The feud between these two cohorts factors into the plot of the third season in a big way, leading viewers to believe there was going to be a magical throwdown at some point.

Ultimately, the Salem Coven and the voodoo tribe led by Marie Laveau end up joining forces to stop the threat of witch hunters, so the big showdown never takes place. Once that’s taken care of, did they go back to business as usual? Or was that simply a plot device to make them work together?

WHO IS THE SUPREME?

Cordelia Foxx coming through the fog In American Horror Story Coven

Speaking of the Coven, the witches play a huge role in American Horror Story: Apocalypse, but the identity of the Supreme Leader is something that isn't really explained by the end of the series. Because the timelines end up being blurred, with Mallory remembering her previous timeline which she helped reset, it's unclear who really is the Supreme Leader.

Cordelia is technically still in charge of the group, and she doesn't know any different in regards to what has happened. With Mallory having all of the powers to be the Supreme Leader that defeated the Antichrist, is she the Supreme Leader, or will she simply have to play down her powers to not upset the balance?

SCATHACH

For fans of American Horror Story: Hotel and Lady Gaga’s performance in it, there was excitement when it was announced she would be appearing in the sixth season as a new character. That character was Scathach, a primordial witch that stalked the Roanoke property with scalps and a serious crush on Matt. Was it any breathing healthy man, or did she need Matt specifically?

Whether it was to conceive an Antichrist (one of many found throughout the series) or not was never addressed, as Scathach disappeared from the plot after oh-so-threatening Shelby chased her from her house. Was there a point to her presence other than just being somewhat creepy?

THE GHOSTS OF ROANOKE

Kathy Bates in American Horror Story Roanoke

The spirits in American Horror Story: Roanoke seemed to have none of the logical parameters of the first season, where there were some put in place to explain their behavior and limitations. Ghosts in Murder House had to remain on the property they were killed on, for example, haunting it forever.

None of the victims of Return to Roanoke appeared again in the season as ghosts, whereas all of the victims of The Butcher came back, forced to do her bidding and remain on the grounds of Roanoke forever. This is odd given that we never see Matt, Shelby, their alternates, or any of the others return as ghosts. Did they go anywhere specific?

PIGGY PIGGY

In American Horror Story: Murder House, we see the Piggyman make his first appearance in the series. However, while the character provides a great visual and an obvious fright, he doesn't really serve much storyline purpose, with this very much being an unresolved plot.

While the character does return in season six, there is no linkback or explanation as to why he appeared inside the house. While it proved that the Piggyman legend did exist, it didn't really make sense or add in with the rest of the characters that inhabited the property.

JOHN'S FATE IN HOTEL

Wes Bently and Evan Peters in American Horror Story Hotel

John’s fate in the final episode of American Horror Story: Hotel posed several questions that left viewers yearning for resolution, especially given the tragic nature of his demise and resurrection. He was cursed to only see his family on Devil’s Night every year, but the parameters of the curse weren’t fully explained.

Does he just crawl into bed with his family and fall asleep? If they stayed up all night, wouldn’t they be able to see him? Why would they sleep at all on the only night they could see him? And is Scarlett okay with this? She seemed pretty fine her dad was a ghost now, sort of like how she was fine with her brother and mother being vampires.

RUBBERMAN

One of the most frightening aspects of American Horror Story: Murder House, as well as an icon of the franchise, Rubberman made his mark on the series all the way back in Season 1. He appeared again in the latest season, American Horror Story: Apocalypse, and left everyone asking - who is the man behind the mask?

In Season 1 it was revealed to be Tate, but in Apocalypse, Evan Peters (who played Tate in Season 1) is playing another character, Mr. Gallant. He thinks Rubberman is Michael, but Michael was the Antichrist Rubberman conceived. So if it’s not Michael, or Tate, who is it? Mr. Gallant’s grandmother? A figment of his fractured mental state?

MICHAEL

The Antichrist of American Horror Story: Apocalypse, Michael, had been able to survive a machine gun, fires, and bombs. Yet viewers were supposed to believe that he could be run over a few times in a car and die? This is precisely what occurs in an episode where Mallory goes back in time to when Constance Langdon threw Michael out of the house.

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Mallory uses that moment to run him over with a car. Michael asks Constance to bring him in the house so he can heal, but she refuses. He dies in the street. Is it because his powers weren’t developed at a young age? If that’s the case, this was never fully explained and just ends up making his death very unsatisfying.

THE MYSTERY OF THE PILOT IN APOCALYPSE

Coco, Mr, Gallant, and Evie on the plane looking scared in AHS Apocalypse

When we first meet Mr. Gallant, Evie Gallant, Coco, and Mallory in American Horror Story: Apocalypse, they’re taking off in an airplane without a pilot. Somehow it’s possible to have a plane fly without a pilot and land Outpost 3 without a pilot. This issue is never resolved nor brought up again.

Did Michael have something to do with it? As the Antichrist, he would have some powers of manipulation, of clairvoyance, maybe even controlling airplanes. But for what purpose, and why to ferry those specific people to him? Some brief lines of dialogue would have cleared it up, but Michael was too busy making a half-baked Apocalypse happen.

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