Michael's Endgame On 'AHS: Apocalypse' May Have Just Gotten Even Darker

Spoilers ahead for American Horror Story Season 8, Episode 7. Over the last few episodes, American Horror Story has filled in a lot of blanks, but Michael's endgame on AHS: Apocalypse remains one of the loose ends it's yet to address. The Antichrist himself didn't appear in Wednesday night's "Traitor," but it's implied that he's mounting his devious takeover. Warlock leaders Ariel and Baldwin say he went off into the wilderness to be "completely alone," and it's doubtful he's out there just to get back in touch with nature.

Instead, he's probably scheming with the woman we now know raised him, Miriam Mead, and her fellow Satanists. As Michael's birth mother Vivien explained in the previous episode, the Church of Satan showed Michael his "true path," and he and Mead have definitely been plotting something.

After Michael's grandmother Constance committed suicide, the black pope of the Church of Satan and his cardinals came to Murder House. They told Michael that he's "the chosen one" and showed him his full powers. During the black mass — in which Michael ate the heart of an innocent woman they'd sacrificed — a demon shadow appeared behind him. Michael said, "Father, I'm with you now," confirming his devotion to the devil.

Vivien also said that Michael was "born from the evil" of Murder House, and that it was that darkness, not Tate, that serves as his true father. Mead herself seems to confirm this during "Traitor." After the witches learn that she killed John Henry and is helping to orchestrate the end of times, potential new Supreme Mallory resurrects John Henry. Then, he and the rest of the coven burn Mead, Ariel, and Baldwin at the stake. In her final speech before her death, Mead proclaims, "You think death is a punishment. I do not fear the fire. It cleanses me, as it will cleanse this world. I've seen the end. I bear witness to the darkness. Father, take me in your arms. Your kingdom is nigh."

This suggests that Michael's plan is to destroy the Earth and let the devil reign. But after the assassination of Mead, his motivation may go deeper than that, considering he previously said, "She was the closest thing I ever had to a mother." Now, he has a real reason to go after the witches and take vengeance on the world.

In fact, Michael may even want to retain some control for himself. He's lost Mead and presumably did all this work to destroy the world, so is he really going to be satisfied just handing it over to this evil dad he's never met? The next episode, "Sojourn," may provide more insight. The preview shows Michael continuing to learn about his satanic purpose from new characters played by Sandra Bernhard, Evan Peters, and Billy Eichner (the latter two rocking some ridiculous bowl cut wigs). So his motivations should become clearer after next week.

That being said, Michael already indicated that part of his plan is to rebuild. In "Could It Be ... Satan?," he told the robot version of Mead, "I need someone to help me with the monumental task of remaking this world." But is he remaking the world for himself, or for his Satan Daddy? Either way, Michael's hell on Earth hasn't fully come to fruition yet, so perhaps Cordelia's coven of witches can restore the world before it's too late. But if not, Michael's master plan will become all too obvious and all too painfully real for humanity — or whatever's left of it after Michael makes his horror-filled kingdom.