American Horror Story: Do The Vampires Use Mind Control?
From ghosts to aliens to witches, "American Horror Story" has featured plenty of supernatural beings over the years. Vampires first joined the anthology series in "Hotel" and recently reappeared in the first half of the ongoing "Double Feature."
While the sex-obsessed vampires at the Hotel Cortez and the miniature vamps running amok had transformed because of a blood virus, the jittery, pale creatures lurking in Provincetown turned after experiencing the side effects of a drug used to enhance one's natural talents. Neither of the seasons explicitly stated which powers the vampires had, which has led some fans to raise questions.
On the "American Horror Story" subreddit, u/C4ners started a thread asking whether or not the Season 5 vampires can use mind control. "I just rewatched Hotel, and I realized that (Lady) Gaga's character (The Countess) may 'mind control' a man in a flashback from the 70s with Angela (Bassett)'s character (Ramona Royale), but I think that sometimes she could have just mind controlled other characters to have what she wanted. So — can vampires mind control?"
The Redditor raises a good question that viewers of the series have been asking for some time. Some "American Horror Story" fans are offering their own theories regarding mind control and the "Hotel" vampires.
Is it mind control, or is it just The Countess?
While "American Horror Story" fans were confident that the glamorous hotelier could enchant just about anyone, not everyone was convinced that her vampiric skillset included mind control. "I always interpreted it as The Countess being viewed as so beautiful that she's otherworldly and has more of a charismatic/seductive sway over people," suggested u/TheWonderingPonderer.
Others alluded to the idea that her presence alone was enough to draw people toward her. "I don't think mind control but I think she's able to make anyone sexually attracted to her gay or str8, male or female," said u/zombiedude245. Another user, u/nicogly, pointed to the opening scene of "Hotel," where The Countess effortlessly summons a couple who winds up becoming her midnight snack.
However, one fan delved into vampire lore to offer a counterpoint. "It seemed pretty specific to The Countess. Then again, vampires being able to put people under their thrall is definitely a big thing in vamp mythology," said u/MonicaBe. "Perhaps it's something really old powerful vampires can learn over time? Most of the vampires in Hotel were relatively 'young' in comparison."
While fans may never know for sure, some theories suggest that there's a connection between "Hotel" and "Double Feature" — which means these vampires could be revisited in a future season à la "Apocalypse."