'American Horror Story: Freak Show' Recap: Connected 4

Warning: This recap contains storyline and character spoilers for this week's "Orphans" episode of American Horror Story: Freak Show.

A few weeks ago Ryan Murphy revealed in an interview that all of seasons of American Horror Story are and will be linked, but other than the existence of Pepper the pinhead in Seasons 2 and 4, a connection has never been all that obvious. Until now.

The freaky fall finale of Freak Show provided a bridge between the aforementioned installments and a giant dose of Pepper backstory, which in turn gave us more insight into how Mama Mars started collecting her curious coterie. "Orphans" opened with yet another death, although Salty's passing appeared to be of natural causes, certainly bucking the show's traditions. (Of course, Stanley may very well have been involved as he certainly still found a way to benefit off of the death by tricking Elsa into letting him handle funeral arrangements.) As Pepper stretched out on the body of her beloved, Elsa delivered a haunting voiceover: "The death of a monster is always a sorrow, but never a surprise. A carney's life burns brighter and larger than most. It is bound to extinguish sooner."

Click the photo below to launch the gallery of Freak Show deaths... if you dare.

Even after they got her to let go of the body, his sudden death sparked troubling behavior in her — throwing tantrums, crying, constantly needing to be with others, and not eating. Desiree — after getting a plea from Dell to give their relationship another go and turning it down because she could never make him "truly happy" — went to Elsa with her concern that Pepper might toss herself off the Ferris wheel when Elsa left for Tinseltown.

That's when Elsa divulged how the show started and perhaps the saddest origin story of them all. Turns out Pepper was acquisition No. 1. Elsa came to America in 1936 and with bad English skills she ended up hanging with the gypsies until she could work her way to the top, but having a boss ain't Elsa's bag, baby! She foresaw the war coming, and how it would force men overseas and women into the workplace — and that meant the only people who'd be left to deliver much needed laughs would be the freaks. So she set out to cobble together her own troupe, starting at an orphanage because that's where people throw out their "human garbage." There she found Pepper, whose parents had died and whose sister loved her but couldn't handle her.

Related: 'American Horror Story: Freak Show' Cast On and Off the Red Carpet

Elsa's maternal instincts kicked in, which were satisfied when she purchased Ma Petite for three cases of Dr. Pepper. But Pepper still wasn't happy. She needed "a spiritual husband." After a six-month search, she found Salty and Elsa officiated the wedding. "It was love at first sight. The bride and groom knew six words between them [but] their's was a love story for the ages. They never hurt a soul, never sinned. Pure spirits." Now, though, with Elsa due to head to Hollywood, Des suggested that she track down Pepper's sister to see if she would reconsider taking her back. "Perhaps it's time for our little angel to go back home," Elsa sighed.

Elsewhere, Des bounced to take her new beau Theo Huxtable to get a reading from Maggie, who has apparently picked up drinking where Jimmy left off. Her crappy 'tude toward love and white picket fences only made Des more suspicious. Des later confronted her about being a fake psychic and Maggie delivered a partial mea culpa, admitting that she and Stanley were on the grift, explaining how he’d taken her in more than 10 years earlier in Kansas City, but stopped short of revealing the whole plan to sell freak parts to the Morbidity Museum, instead claiming they were fleecing the sideshow customers. Des countered, "I wasn’t born on a farm, but I do know bullshit when I smell it. There's been a whole lot of trouble since you two showed up; a lot of freaks been dying. Don't let me find out that you and your weasel friend had anything to do with hurting our kind or I will kill you dead." (Man, we like Des when she's angry.)

Related: 'American Horror Story': Everything We Know About Lily Rabe's Sister Eunice
 
Maggie had to face the music again when the Tattler Twins offered their savings to her to get Jimmy a proper lawyer. They were afraid no one would help them on account of their double heads. When she poo-pooed the idea, they spat back, "You are a phony. You don't really love Jimmy, because when you love someone, they come first. You do right by Jimmy. He could end up like Meep. Is that what you want?" She finally decided "do the right thing for once" and asked for Des’ help. "I know how to help everyone and put the real villain away forever. I need to connect the dots. If you don't help, you and everyone in this camp will be dead in a month." She took Des to the museum and when the newest exhibit was displayed, a set of lobster hands, she fainted at the realization that she might be too late. Stanley had visited Jimmy, who can't remember if he massacred the Tupperware party or not, and sold him a load about sympathizing with his plight and trying to hire Clarence Darrow's lawyer son. However, we only saw him suggest that he could cut off his hands and sell them to be able to afford a lawyer — so there's a small chance her disfigured darling is still intact.

Related: See 'American Horror Story: Freak Show' Photos

Back to the Pepper saga: Elsa found her sister Rita (Welcome back, Mare Winningham!) in Massachusetts and despite her obvious drinking problem, terrible personality, and crappy comments about her "dimwitted sister," Elsa left poor Pepper there with a teary goodbye and empty platitudes like "No matter how far away I am, I will always be your family."

 
The story flashed forward to 1962. Enter Asylum's Briarcliff and pre-devil possession Sister Mary Eunice handling the intake of Pepper. Rita concocted a tall tale about Pepper being mean, not helping around the house, lusting after her husband, who from what we can see is just as despicable as his wife, and eventually killing off the baby she was blessed with at 50. While she lied, the audience is made privy to the truth — she became a worse drunk, she and her husband didn't love their deformed and constantly cranky baby who ruined all of their plans to party, and they were the ones who took their baby out in the bathtub and then ironically pinned it on Pepper. Rita complained, "She ruined my life. You mustn't ever let her out of here."

Related: A Look at the Real Freaks That Inspired 'American Horror Story' Season 4

After much time in solitary, the nun thought she saw real remorse in Pepper’s eyes and decided to make her a "special project." It saved her from toilet duty, but got her sent to find redemption through book sorting in the library. Sister Mary promised, "I'm determined to bring out the best I you. Maybe soon you can work in the bakery with me." And to hit the nail on the head that the seasons are related one last time, there's a quick flash to a Life magazine from July 1958 featuring none other than Elsa on the cover as the owner of Friday night TV. Seems Elsa will achieve her dream of fame and fortune after all. Too bad we have to wait until at least Jan. 7 when the show returns to find out how.

American Horror Story: Freak Show returns Wednesday, Jan. 7 at 10 p.m. on FX.