AHS Fans Think Stanley And Dandy's Deaths Should Have Been Switched
In many ways, death is one of the central themes of "American Horror Story." The horror anthology series features supernatural creatures like demons, ghosts, and vampires, though the human characters depicted on the show can be just as deadly. There are plenty of controversial moments in "American Horror Story: Freak Show," though the sheer amount of murder that happens in the final episodes of the season is hard to forget. With Elsa (Jessica Lange) on the run, Dandy Mott (Finn Wittrock) has taken over Fräulein Elsa's Cabinet of Curiosities. The people who live on the property have cultivated a community where they are free from scrutiny, though that illusion of safety is quickly shattered when Dandy methodically kills all of the carnival performers in a psychotic rage.
Meanwhile, a con man named Stanley (Denis O'Hare) begins terrorizing the performers, exploiting their differences so that he can make a quick buck. Thankfully, both antagonists get what's coming to them. To avenge their fallen friends, the troupe mutilates Stanley beyond recognition and leaves him displayed in a cage. Meanwhile, Desiree (Angela Bassett), Jimmy (Evan Peters), and conjoined twins Bette and Dot (Sarah Paulson) trap Dandy in a Chinese Water Torture Cell, condemning him to a watery grave. Their deaths are satisfying to watch, especially since they brought so much pain to people who were just trying to live peacefully. However, some viewers think that Stanley and Dandy's deaths would have been more impactful if their fates were reversed.
Stanley and Dandy's deaths would have been more impactful if they were reversed
"American Horror Story: Freak Show" is all about otherness, ignorance, and isolation. The lives of the carnival performers are marred by violence, although they are also coveted and subject to voyeurism. Thematically, it's a very interesting season, though some viewers think that switching the manner of Stanley and Dandy's deaths would have made a lot more sense considering their respective storylines. In a Reddit thread discussion, fans explained why Stanley should have died in the water tank, while Dandy should have been maimed and left in a cage.
"Stanley should have met his end in [a] water-filled glass case (like oddities he coveted), and Dandy as the 'star of the show,'" wrote Reddit user u/MonkeyMan504. Some viewers even wondered if those plotlines were mixed up. "I completely agree. It's almost like their deaths were mixed up during the script writing by accident," said u/RoseOfDawn. Reddit user u/the_skeleton_queen couldn't help but concur, writing, "Exactly! To me, it would have really brought a sense of karmic justice to the characters and made the finale a lot more fulfilling." This version of events made more sense for a lot of viewers. "Wow. Reading this makes me angry that it ISN'T this way. Fantastic idea. Kind of shows how they didn't think things through as much as they could have," said Reddit user u/I_Trust_OP.
It's far too late to change the story now, but these fans certainly have a point.