American Horror Story is a well-known anthology FX series created by Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk. After nine seasons, it's clear there isn't a shortage of villains and monsters that make up the cast. After all, the show revolves around the shock factors and storylines involving a haunted house, asylum, a witch coven, and much more deeply disturbing narratives that keep fans coming back for more.
But amongst the creeps and the wolves in sheep's clothing are sympathetic characters that see the good in others and are the light amongst the dark. Sure, they may have their own skeletons in the closet, but they've looked at as the rare heroes in the series.
Murder House: Vivien Harmon
From the very start, Vivian Harmon (Connie Britton) was perceived as a scorned wife who has gone through extensive trauma. Not only did she recently miscarry, but her egotistical husband Ben (Dylan McDermott) had an affair with a student named Hayden (Kate Mara).
After moving across the country to salvage her family and her marriage, Vivian's life doesn't get much better. She forgives Ben, tries to play nice with the eccentric neighbors, and even finds a friend in the maid, Moira O'Hara (Frances Conroy). Amongst her angsty daughter Violet (Taissa Farmiga) and the spirits who wish her dead, Vivian is the most sympathetic character of the bunch. Of all the characters that need to come back, Vivian Harmon from Murder House is one.
Asylum: Kit Walker
Kit Walker (Evan Peters) received the short end of the stick when he was framed for murdering his wife Alma (Britne Oldford), but through Asylum, he remained hopeful and even looked out for fellow patients. To make matters worse, he was dubbed "Bloody Face," a serial killer that has been killing women around the same time.
His most sympathetic move comes at the end when Kit is freed of Briarcliff. After Sister Jude (Jessica Lange) is admitted into the asylum, she falls into a bout of insanity. With no place to go, Kit takes her in and helps her detox off of pain medication. Jude bonds with Kit and his family, leaving her life on a happy note and a sort of redemption story on her part. Evan Peters has played many terrifying and manipulative characters in American Horror Story, but Kit Walker is one of the most innocent.
Coven: Cordelia Foxx
Coven has very few heroes or light in its storyline, which is why the season is considered one of the best. Beyond Coven's scariest scenes and the beautiful costuming, Cordelia Foxx's (Sarah Paulson) ways with the coven and outside threats make her the true Supreme and the most well-liked.
Many characters like Fiona Goode (Jessica Lange) and Madison Montgomery (Emma Roberts) only care about themselves. Still, time after time, Cordelia rises above the rest and steps up for the coven. Case-in-point: she stabs her eyes out to protect the girls and finally steps up to Fiona's selfish intentions. When she makes a much-anticipated appearance in Apocalypse, she's transformed herself into a true leader as she prepares to save humanity while making dire sacrifices.
Freak Show: Ethel Darling
Ethel Darling (Kathy Bates) is Jimmy Darling's (Evan Peters) mother and known as "The Bearded Lady." She was once married to the angry and abusive Dell Toledo (Michael Chiklis) but was left for another woman. After battling alcohol addiction, she's found a home with Elsa Mars's (Jessica Lange) traveling circus, but her hardships are prevalent throughout the season.
But through it all, Ethel is the most sympathetic character of the season. She remains loyal to Elsa and is the unofficial "Mother Hen" of the group, as she remains protective and shows leadership even in the afterlife. Kathy Bates has had a heck of a career, and her roles in American Horror Story remain some of her best.
Hotel: Liz Taylor
Lady Gaga's role as the enchanting Countess in Hotel is hard to top, but Liz Taylor (Denis O'Hare) is one of the most memorable in the series. Many characters were entering and oftentimes never exiting the Hotel Cortez, while Liz remained a solid and true force in the season.
As the hotel bartender, Liz was always ready to offer a piece of advice to patrons, and throughout it all, she was loyal to The Countess and befriended Iris (Kathy Bates). She was subjected to cruelty and mistreatment but rose above it all and projected fearlessness and a strong sense of worth. All-around, Liz makes sure those around her are happy and comfortable in the process. There might be a few things fans might be confused about while they watched this season, but Liz Taylor's character is a constant throughout it all.
Roanoke: Audrey Tindall
Roanoke might've not been the shining beacon of the series to fans, but it did have moments that made it memorable. From the historical bits taken from the real-life Roanoke Colony and well-known horror movie references, there was one character in particular that showed some severance of sympathy for the situation at hand.
Audrey Tindell (Sarah Paulson) is a somewhat sympathetic character amongst all of this season's selfish and vile villains. She shows remorse for Shelby Miller after she's murdered (also Paulson) and runs blindly into the woods for help. Not knowing what could be out there or who, her bravery puts her at the top of the list.
Cult: Winter Anderson
Winter Anderson (Billy Lourd) had it rough from the get-go, with her brother being Kai Anderson (Evan Peters) and all. Her political perspective is completely different from Kai's, but she remains loyal to him. Winter's sympathy doesn't play out in the best way, but she remains one of the more likable characters in the season but easily persuaded.
Her loyalty to her brother is prominent, and Kai takes full advantage of it. Although there aren't many sympathetic characters to be had in Cult, Winter's unrelenting loyalty to the person who matters most is almost admirable, even though she knows Kai is a vile human being.
Apocalypse: Mallory
Apocalypse is a complex season with fan-favorite characters from previous seasons, as well as storylines. Apocalypse is comprised of flashbacks, witchcraft, and a new Supreme. Mallory (Billie Lourd) is believed to be a powerful witch, but initially, she's thought to be Coco St. Pierre Vanderbilt's (Leslie Grossman) assistant in Outpost 3.
After not knowing who she truly was, Mallory ascends into her own power. She realizes she has to team up with Cordelia and the rest of the coven to defeat Michael Langdon (Cody Fern), the living Antichrist. After the battle between Michael and the witches, she saves Queenie's (Gabourey Sidibe) life by warning her to stay at Hotel Cortez and plans to bring Madison back from the underworld. In the end, Mallory knows that her true identity was revealed to prepare for a new Antichrist, which she fully intends to be ready for. A notable mention in this season is Cordelia because she orchestrated the entire plan and sacrificed herself to restore Mallory's powers.
1984: Brooke Thompson
Brooke Thompson (Emma Roberts) is one of the most innocent characters amongst her friends in 1984. She's been through the wringer after her bloodbath of a wedding and Richard Ramirez (Zach Villa) breaking into her apartment, so when she becomes the classic "Final Girl," her true colors come out. Brooke might be gullible, but she's strong and stands up for those who don't have a voice, like Bobby Richter (Finn Wittrock).
After all of her trials and tribulations, she tries to give Bobby a second chance after it's revealed he's Mr. Jingles's (John Carroll Lynch) son and tries to shield him from the horrors of Camp Redwood.