‘American Horror Story: Coven’ Episode 3.06: ‘The Axeman Cometh’ Recap

The year is 1919, and the Axeman of New Orleans is writing his most famous letter, warning the city’s residents that he will spare all homes where jazz music is being played. On his wall are newspaper clippings of his murders.

At Miss Robichaux’s, the coven is reading the Axeman’s letter in the newspaper. One says, “Come Tuesday night, a jazz ensemble will be more precious than the Hope diamond.” The seeming leader of the coven, Mellie, tells the others they are powerful enough to try and stop the serial killer.

“If we embody our feminine might, intelligence with grace, strength with an iron will, no man can make us cower in our home,” she says.

A young woman asks Joe – who is actually the Axeman – if he can walk her home. He says the Axeman won’t lay a finger on her. “Rumor has it he’s got a thing for jazz,” he says. “You’ve got rhythm in your soul, baby.”

Joe walks the street and smiles as he hears jazz music playing in all the houses he passes. But when he gets to Miss Robichaux’s, the coven is playing classical music on the victrola. He enters the school and goes upstairs, where Mellie is reading Tarot cards. He turns off the music and tells her he gave everyone fair warning, but she continues reading her cards and draws the Death card. He tells her she has no one to blame but herself. Another young witch comes from behind and says, “That reading was for you,” and stabs him. The other witches emerge and stab the Axeman to death.

In the present day, Zoe is going through a box of Madison’s belongings. She finds a flask and a small gun. A bottle rolls across the floor and into Madison’s closet, where she finds a crawlspace hidden behind her clothes. She finds old pictures of the academy and a Ouija board. Looking through the pictures, Zoe realizes that witches are dying, and that the numbers have gone down every year. After Madison’s death, there are only three of them.

Zoe tells Queenie and Nan that Madison wants them to find her, and that they can’t afford to let any more witches die. She says they need to watch each others’ backs, but Queenie says she’s been taking care of herself for a long time and that she doesn’t need some “white girl sorority sisters” to look after her. Zoe snaps back that it isn’t a sorority, it’s a coven. She gives Nan and Queenie a shot of absinthe — the drink of the divine, which they are, she says — and takes one herself.

The girls use a shot glass as the planchette and Zoe asks the first question: Are they alone? The answer is “No.” Queenie asks if the spirit died there, and the board says “Yes.” The next question: Were you murdered? The answer is “Yes. Who killed you? “You did.” Zoe asks if it’s Madison, but the board spells out Axeman. Queenie slaps the shot glass off the board and blows out the candles.

In the hospital, Fiona realizes she has the power to read minds. She wonders if it’s the medication because she’s never had that power before. She can’t handle it, and tries to leave but the doctor tells her she can’t, and that she has to finish her treatment. He says he put a sedative in her IV to calm her nerves. Fiona says Delia needs her, and that she’s only doing the treatment for her. The doctor says they chose an aggressive form of treatment, and that they’re hoping for the best.

Fiona asks when she’ll lose her hair, and the doctor says she might not, and that everyone responds differently. Fiona wants to have one more great love affair, and the doctor tells her she still can. He tells her his mother met someone on eHarmony. After the doctor leaves, Fiona tells another patient she will make it to her daughter’s wedding and should buy a great dress.

Zoe, Nan, and Queenie are researching the Axeman when Nan realizes the class of 1919 killed him. Zoe wants to make contact so they can find Madison, but Queenie and Nan are against it. Zoe tells them witches deserve to die if they are going to be so weak. She goes back to the board and asks for the Axeman’s help to find Madison. She promises him release and goes to the attic, where she finds Madison’s body in Spalding’s chest. He comes up behind her and covers her mouth before she can scream.

Hank brings Delia back to Miss Robichaux’s. She is wearing glasses and using a cane, and smells the roses Fiona has put in her room. Delia needs chrysanthemums for strength and protection, she says, not roses. Hank touches her and she has another flashback to his affair. She asks him who the redhead was and says he will be accountable for every single betrayal. Hank says she is his heart, but Delia doesn’t want to hear it — she uses telekinesis to open the door and Hank leaves.

“I wanted to sever his arms and throw him out the window,” Delia tells Fiona. “I have to stop myself.” Fiona touches Delia and she sees “Auntie Myrtle” being burned at the stake. Fiona wanted to tell her, but she was in so much pain. Delia is in disbelief.

Zoe, Queenie, and Nan confront Spalding about Madison’s death. Zoe brands Spalding and asks him if he killed Madison. Nan reads his mind and he says yes. When Zoe asks why, he says he is a man of “uniquely developed appetites.” “Sex,” Nan says. Zoe asks if she was his first. Spalding says yes, he had to have her. He asks what they’re going to do next, turn him in to police? Queenie uses the brand on her face, and Spalding passes out. Zoe says she doesn’t think he really killed Madison.

Misty is tending her garden, and Myrtle’s hand pokes out of a mound of dirt. She says to have patience, it won’t be long. Kyle comes up behind her and she asks him where he’s been. He needs a bath, she says, and takes him into her cabin to get him washed up. Fleetwood Mac is playing. Kyle doesn’t really like it, and has a flashback to his mother’s sexual abuse. He starts breaking stuff in the cabin, including Misty’s radio. She is distraught, and says he’s just a “big ole monster.” Zoe comes in and Kyle runs to her.

“Take him out of here,” Misty says. “He broke Stevie.” Zoe says she’s taking them both out of there.

Marie is leaving her shop when Hank walks up to her. “We have a problem,” he says.

Zoe brings Madison’s body to Misty and asks her to bring her back. Madison’s body is pretty decomposed, and she’s missing an arm. Zoe brought it with her and says she can sew it back on like she did with Kyle. Misty tells her she isn’t very good with a thread and needle and puts Madison’s arm back on with mud. She tells Zoe there’s too much death inside her and tells her to put her hands on Madison’s stomach and push. Madison starts to come back and coughs up blood and insects. She screams in pain and then says she needs a cigarette.

Hank accuses Marie of blinding Delia with the acid, and says she made his job harder. Turns out, Hank is a witch hunter. In a flashback, it turns out the girl he had an affair with, Kalee, is also a witch. She was charged with arson twice, but not convicted. Kalee was engaged, but her fiancé says he can’t marry her because there’s something not right with her. As he reaches for the door, she sets his arms on fire. Kalee tells Delia she doesn’t want to be powerful, that she wants to find a husband, have three kids. Hank is listening.

In the present, Hank tells Marie he found nine Salem descendants with Delia’s research. Marie mocks him and says that he’s gone soft after falling in love with Delia. She tells him that the witches have brought her enemies back to life and says that Fiona killed Bastien after she brought him back to life. She tells Hank to bring her all of the witches’ heads and then burn the school to the ground.

Queenie asks Zoe what she plans to tell Fiona about bringing Madison back. Misty wants to go back to her swamp, but doesn’t want to stay at the school. She says she has bad vibes, and that there is something foul in the house.

Delia goes to her room and starts to get undressed. The Axeman is there and says he’s always hated that room.

Madison asks if she was in a car crash. Zoe gives her ginger ale and she throws up. She tells Madison she died and that they brought her back. Madison says the last thing she remembers is red, and that there’s nothing on the other side. “It’s just black, forever,” she says.

The Axeman tells Delia he wants release and she says she can’t do that. He tells her a “sweet young witch” offered him release, but never came and left him between. Delia says the only way she can help him is if he lets her out of the room. Delia screams and the girls come running. Jazz music starts playing. Zoe says they need a spell and magically finds a book with the correct spell in Latin. She says the spell, but the Axeman is already gone. He leaves Miss Robichaux’s.

Fiona is at the bar — the same one where Delia was blinded — and realizes that her hair is starting to fall out. The Axeman sits down next to her and says, “Hello, pretty lady. What ya drinking?” Fiona smiles — she’s found her next great love affair.