As if there were not enough mysteries to solve in American Horror Story: Roanoke, series creator Ryan Murphy just dropped a tantalizing hint about Season 6's connection to Freak Show. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Murphy said Roanoke will reveal the origin of Freak Show 's Dandy and the Mott family. Now, this is a particularly curious turn of events since Freak Show was set in 1952 Florida, while Roanoke appears to be set in modern day South Carolina — that's not a setup conducive to telling the origin story of a family who lived in the past.
That is, unless you are in the world of American Horror Story.
"We explain how the Motts began, which is funny," Murphy revealed to EW. Sure — those who remember the infantile serial killer Dandy Mott from Freak Show have to be wondering how anything about his family's origin story could be funny. The character was terrifying both for his childlike behavior and his deadly apprenticeship under Twisty the clown. Dandy was in many ways a product of his upbringing, which was full of wealth and desire from his mother and his keepers to indulge in his refusal to grow up.
The most straightforward way for Roanoke to introduce the Motts would be through discovering the house once belonged to their ancestors. The Mott family always felt like they came from old money, and it's not much of a stretch to believe they moved from South Carolina to Florida at some point. An interesting twist could be the trio of locals who tried to outbid Shelby and Matt in Roanoke's first episode are actually descendants of the Mott family and the now rundown house is their ancestral home.
Dandy may not be the family's first serial killer. Perhaps, the Motts' dark legacy has something to do with the ghostly happenings in Shelby and Matt's home. The family's roots could even go back as far as the Roanoke colony — maybe American Horror Story is going to suggest the colony's colonists were not as lost as history has led the world to believe.
This being American Horror Story, time travel cannot be ruled out either. The show is already hinting at a rift between times allowing Roanoke's troubles to seep over into the modern day. If the Motts are connected to the house, then Dandy's descendents could end up paying Shelby and Matt a visit too. Since Finn Wittrock is set to guest star this season, I am not ruling out Dandy himself appearing to shed light on his family's twisted beginnings — remember, his deepest wish was to be an actor, so this would be a fitting season for him to reappear.
Murphy is all about connecting the disparate seasons of American Horror Story together, and whatever he has planned for the Mott family it is sure to be equal parts disturbing and delightful for longtime fans. In a season where everything is still a mystery and Season 1's Piggy Man has already made an appearance, expecting the unexpected is a given. In other words, do not be surprised if a version of Dandy comes strolling down the halls to make the reenactors scream before the season ends.
Images: FX; Giphy (2)
