‘American Horror Story: Apocalypse’: This ‘Roanoke’ Theory Could Explain Mallory’s Power

Each season of American Horror Story is packed with twists, turns, and mysterious characters that end up being far more than what they first appeared to be, and Apocalypse is no different. Even in the season premiere it was hinted that Mallory was more significant than simply Coco’s assistant, something that’s been borne out in every episode sense. But just how significant and powerful is Mallory? A theory tying the character to Roanoke may have the answers.

Thus far, Apocalypse has established that Mallory (Billie Lourd) is a very powerful witch. As we’ve seen in the flashback episodes “Could It Be… Satan?” and last week’s “Boy Wonder”, Mallory is a powerful witch, one who was attending Miss Robichaux’s Academy before the nuclear bombs fell and who was believed to come from a powerful lineage all the way back to the Salem witches. We’ve also seen in “Forbidden Fruit” that Mallory may be the only thing Michael Langdon (Cody Fern) fears as he unveiled his true demonic face to her and then recoiled when she made flames explode from the fireplace in reaction.

That power — and what makes Michael fear her — could be connected to another very powerful witch, the original Supreme, Scathach (Lady Gaga) from the Roanoke season. Admittedly, the ties between Apocalypse and Roanoke are tenuous at best, but there are two particular things that are worth noting. First, in “Boy Wonder”, Cordelia (Sarah Paulson) declares that Michael’s test of the Seven Wonders has to happen at the rise of the Blood Moon. That time period was a major plot point for Roanoke as it was the time when the spirits haunting the farmhouse could cross over and unleash all manner of chaos on the living.

The second nod comes in the opening credits for Apocalypse. When Billie Lourd‘s name pops up during the opening, the image behind it is one of a historic witch burning at the stake. As Roanoke fans will recall, Scathach was sentenced to be burned at the stake for witchcraft but ultimately escapes into the wild. Some fans think that the imagery is a nod not to Mallory having blood ties to the Salem witches, but to Scathach instead especially since in Roanoke it was clear that Scathach had sex with men and became pregnant, keeping the girl infants but giving the boys away. It’s possible that Mallory is the original Supreme’s descendant because of that, though some have gone so far as to suggest that Mallory might even be Scathach herself since the powerful witch is able to possess others.

If Mallory ends up being connected to Scathach, it would make for yet another tie between Apocalypse and previous seasons of American Horror Story. That said, it’s far from the only theory as to why Mallory is so unsettling to Michael and so powerful in her own right. After all, in a story steeped in witches and warlocks and Satan and the Antichrist the only thing that hasn’t shown up yet is a representative of God — something many think might be the real secret to who Mallory is.

What do you think? Let us know your best theories on Mallory in the comments below.

American Horror Story: Apocalypse airs Wednesdays at 10/9c on FX.