This Is How the World Ends on ‘American Horror Story: Apocalypse’

American Horror Story: Apocalypse debuted tonight and while we’ve long known that the season would follow, well, the apocalypse, we know now what exactly brought upon the end of the world.

Spoilers for tonight’s episode of American Horror Story: Apocalypse below.

In the opening moments of tonight’s episode, appropriately entitled “The End”, we’re introduced to Leslie Grossman‘s character, Coco St. Pierre Vanderbilt, an aspiring Instagram influencer and daughter of a billionaire who is getting her hair done by Evan Peters‘ Mr. Gallant when an emergency alert sounds that ballistic missiles are incoming and set to destroy Los Angeles.

That’s right. In the end, it’s nukes that kill us all. In short order the episode reveals that there have been multiple missiles launched and it is absolutely not a drill. It is literally World War 3. Coco and Mr. Gallant along with Coco’s assistant Mallory (Billie Lourd) and Mr. Gallant’s grandmother Evie (Joan Collins) manage to escape Los Angeles on a private plane, witnessing the blast and the subsequent mushroom cloud from the air.

It’s an intense start for what could shape up to be an equally intense season. Apocalypse will make good on the eagerly-anticipated crossover between season one, dubbed “Murder House”, and season three, “Coven,” two of the series’ most popular installments. The season will also see the return of many familiar faces, both in terms of actors and the characters they’re playing, something creator Ryan Murphy has addressed along with the collaborative process of developing the show.

“One of the great joys of my life is doing this show. I love this show so much,” Murphy revealed at a press event earlier this year. “This great group of actors who come together and get to know each other, and trust each other, and go to places…I just love the ability to reach out to people who I love, love, love, and say, ‘Hey would you like to come play in our sandbox?’”

What do you think about how the world ends? Let us know your thoughts in comments below!

American Horror Story: Apocalypse airs Wednesdays at 10 ET on FX.