American Horror Story (2011–…): Season 4, Episode 12 - Show Stoppers - full transcript

The freaks exact poetic justice after learning of Stanley's sins. Maggie tries to make amends with Jimmy, and Dandy tells the Tattlers some troubling information about Chester.

(thunder crashes)

(thunder crashes, rumbles)

(bluegrass music playing,
people talking and laughing)

? ?

(chatter, laughter continue)

(man whooping)

(thunder rumbling)

(conversation quiets)

Ladies and gentlemen...

the time has come
for us to bid farewell.

But not before we toast
the new owner



of the show, Chester.

MAN:
To Chester.

(light applause)
ELSA: I hope he will cherish

these magnificent monsters
as much as I have

over these many years.

Cheers.

OTHERS: Cheers.
All right!

(sighs)

Um... Miss Elsa,
you have given me

the dream of a lifetime.

I promise to uphold

the standards
of this extravaganza

and do you proud.

Safe travels
to the land of make-believe.



(chuckles)
Good riddance.

I can't wait
for the sour Kraut

to leave,
so we can take over.

Marjorie, that's not...

(laughter, snickering)

Thank you, Chester.

And now, if you don't mind,
it's time

for the original family--
our troupe

of monsters and curiosities--

to spend these last few moments
alone together.

Oh... oh, sure... all right.

Bye-bye.
Bye.

Bye.

We have another man to thank--
my manager,

Mr. Richard Spencer.

ELSA:
He has transformed the course

of all our lives.

Cheers!

OTHERS: Cheers! Hear, hear!
STANLEY:
Hey, thank you, thank you.

Mm!

Because of him...

you will all be on television

very soon,

on The Elsa
Mars Hour.

But first, tonight,

we feast,

and later, for entertainment,
we will watch a movie

from my own collection.

Not The Sign of the Cross again!

(thunder crashes)
(laughs): No.

We will enjoy Freaks.

Do you know that picture,
Richard?
Uh...

I can't say that I do.

Oh, it's a wonderful picture.

Explain the plot to him,
Eve, Paul.

AMAZON EVE:
Well, the film is set

in a traveling circus--
a freak show.

Ah.

PAUL:
Cleopatra,

a "normal" trapeze artist,

marries the sideshow midget.

But actually,

she's trying to poison him

for his inheritance.

PAUL: She plays all the freaks
for fools until, one day,

she gets drunk
and reveals her true intentions.

AMAZON EVE:
Then the freaks

turn on her.

They take their revenge out
at night

with knives and guns.

ELSA:
Eve, Eve.

Darling...

don't spoil the ending for him.

Well, it sounds
like a hit!

(thunder crashes, rumbles)
(laughter)

Ah... actually,

I have to go.

So many things to do
before we head out west.

Nonsense. Oh, no.

You can't leave
before your present.
No,

I couldn't.
MAGGIE: Shut up and sit down.

You deserve this.

(thunder crashes)

What's gotten into you?

Come on, Richard,
open it.

I thought about you
long and hard when I made this.

Oh, thank goodness.

Well, we have had
our share of patrons

who felt lightheaded
at the sight of our
exhibits, but...

we have never
had anyone

faint before.

Are you all right,
young lady?

DESIREE: What happened
to those security guards?

Well, it's past closing.
I... I sent them home.

DESIREE: That's
good to know.

Now it's your turn.

Jesus Christ.

Oh. I'm innocent.
I-I-I...

I don't even know
who this is.

I already told them
everything...

Stanley.

Elsa...

(chuckling):
Come on...

Talk to them.

What about... what about

uh, your... the dream?

Hollywood!

I'm afraid...

that's all it is.

(whispers):
Just a dream.

(Stanley yells)

ELSA:
Go ahead,

spin him.

Aah! Jesus...

No.

(grunts)

STANLEY:
Please.

I may not have been
completely truthful, but...

I do know people in Los Angeles.

My cousin works
at the Garden of Allah.

Please...
You tried to kill my dreams,

but they cannot be murdered.

(thunder crashing)
But you did...

(seething breath)

...you brought death
into this place...

and for that...

you must pay.

Take him down.

ELSA:
Hurry, hurry.

Elsa, come on, now...

you and me must have a
private conversation.

We can come
to some kind of understanding.

(yells)

So you think you can run?

(gasps)

She... killed...

Ethel.

I'm telling the truth.
She killed her.

I helped her cover it up.
She's...
ELSA: Will you, Mr. Spencer...

She's not who you think she is!

Stop talking,
She killed Ethel!

and start running.

(thunder crashing)

Run! Run!

Run!

(gasping, muttering)

(yells)

(thunder crashing)

(moaning)

(yells)

(gasping)

(screaming)

ELSA:
Just because you were raised
without a father

doesn't mean
you get to romanticize him

now that he's gone.

How did he die?

Who killed him?

We all did.

He broke our code.

He had it coming.
That's all you need to know.

Now, here.

Eat some food.
You need your strength.

Come on.

(coughs) He was my father!

He killed a freak!

(panting softly)

The most vulnerable among us.

Well, you're gonna take
her word for it?

That deceitful
little slut?

I saw my beloved
Ma Petite

in a jar with my own eyes.

I heard him confess
with my own ears!

And as for Maggie,
we'd have

a lot more corpses on our hand

if she hadn't come clean.

I don't forgive.

She can rot in Hell,

for all I care.

Seems to me like
you need all the friends

you can get right now.

Maggie is going
to change your bandages.

No!

I'll keep the dirty ones.

You will not!
Now, your mother is not here

to look after you,
so it falls to me.

I have seen you grow
from a boy to a man,

a man to a leader--
and we need you now.

I have no hands!

I can't even take a piss
by myself!

I have found a old friend.

He's coming to help you.

He's a true artist.

Darling, he'll
make you new hands,

a fresh start.

But those wounds
have to heal first.

Maggie's going
to help you.

You let her.

(gasps, groans quietly)

(sighs)

(exhales)

(hissing inhale, groan)

(trembling breath)

(groans)

(Jimmy inhales, pants)

(screaming)

(grunts, screams)

(Jimmy grunts, groans)

(coughing)

(panting)
I'm sorry.

I hate hurting you.

(groaning)

(panting)

Oh, really?

(panting)

I thought that was
your whole gig--

to hurt people.

I love you, Jimmy.

That part is real.

It always was.

I want a clean start.

We can still go to New York,
like we planned.

Why not?

You're kidding, right?

You think,
after everything you've done,

you think we're just gonna
ride off into the sunset?

My hands...

are in a goddamn jar,

and that's all because of you.

I am so sorry.

I'm gonna make
it right with you

and with them... I promise.

You're gonna bring Ma Petite
back from the dead?

Hmm?

I've changed, Jimmy.

If I was you...

I'd get the hell out of Dodge
before I get those new hands.

I'm gonna make things right--

with them and with you!

(inhales deeply)

Ach!

I knew you were stupid,

but let's add blind
to the list, huh?

Find me someone
who can focus a lamp!

I have to stick around here.

I'm gonna have
correct lighting

for the first time,
you understand?

Now, try it again!

Scheisse!

Elsa.

Oh. You came.

Of course.

(insects chirping)

? That comes
with every memory... ?

(moaning, gasping passionately)

? And try to find the perfect
prayer that will convey ?

? A dream from me to you... ?

She's watching us.

DOT:
Can we put her away?

Just this once?
(Chester mutters)

Please?

All right.

Yeah.

Mm.
BETTE:
Oh.

Thank you, Chester.

(all moaning)

? I reminisce
with heartache... ?

(moaning passionately)

? That comes
with every daybreak... ?

MARJORIE:
You put me on the floor.

Like an old sock.

I'm sorry, Marjorie.
I... I knew you'd get upset.

I got a little... carried away,
but I'm finally happy.

I've got them
and my magic and you.

Maybe I should leave.

Why? Why would you do that?

We'll... we can...

We can work it out, Marjorie.

The-the twins accept you.

They-they just...
they just don't

want you watching us
while we're, you know...

They're using you, Chester.

You're the boss.

No, they are not.

They love me.

And they are
going to cure me

of everything
that's wrong with me. They...

They know the real me. I'm just
a... a regular man trying to...

trying to find love,
just like everybody else.

You're a murderer.

No, no.

No.

That's not me. That's you,

Marjorie.

I know you don't like

to talk about it, so I don't
bring it up much, but you...

killed them.

You killed Alice and Lucy.

MARJORIE:
That's impossible.

I'm a doll.

(gasps)

(wheezing)

Hmm.

Love destroys you, Chester.

You lose control.

Well, I know...

I'm a monster.

You don't need them.

You have me.

I know.

(shudders)

Just please
don't ever leave me, Marjorie.

Those twins?

Uh-huh.

They have to go.

I know.

They will.

? Well, my Dad
or Mother's dead... ?

(blues riff playing
on guitar)

Ethel looks so glamorous

in this one
with all her chorus girls.

Oh, that was
from her Barnum days.

She really was
a dame like no other.

(laughter)

To Ethel.
To Ethel.

To Ethel.
SUZI:
You think Elsa's
gonna stick around

now that her big Hollywood
dreams have been shot to hell?

AMAZON EVE:
She's already sold the show

to Chester. She's definitely not
gonna give him his money back.

Yeah, she'll probably let him
think he's running things

for a while, but we
all know that anyone

who gets in the way of Elsa
isn't long for this world.

What are you saying?

Didn't any one hear what that
creep Spencer said last night?

It finally makes sense.

Elsa killed Ethel.

The woods.

The car crash.

It was all a cover-up.

I believe it.

She put a knife in my Paul,

that crazy, vindictive woman.

All Elsa cares
about is Elsa.

The whole business never
sat right with me.

I know Ethel.

She wasn't a one
to off herself.

She wasn't a coward.

She wouldn't have done that
to her kid,

and she wouldn't have
done it to us.

And she would have
bloody well left a note.

We know what we do when people
come after one of our own.

There's only one way
to secure our future.

Make sure Elsa doesn't have one.

(thunder crashes, rumbles)

Did you ever imagine

that it would feel
like that, Dot?

And thank goodness you said
something about Marjorie.

To his credit, all he needed
was that little nudge.

I do seriously believe
we're a good influence on him.

DANDY:
Good evening girls.

DOT:
What are you doing here?

How dare you just walk
into our boudoir

in the middle
of the night!
Yeah.

I come hat in hand
in friendship.

I have some relevant information
about your current... situation.

We don't want
to hear anything from you.

Kindly leave.

Oh, Dot, I don't blame you.

I behaved
like an absolute jackass

that last day,
when all seemed lost.

But recent events have softened
some of my coarser edges.

? Why do I love him so? ?

Mother died.

It was sudden and...

just horrible.

BETTE:
I'm very sorry, Dandy.

It's a big sorrow for
anyone, losing their mother.

It was.

It is.

And it made me realize
that I need to reach out

to the few that matter to me.

I think you should know,
we met a man.

Truthfully,
I'd already heard the news.

I can't tell you
how sublime it would have been

to have taken your hands
in marriage.

If I had it all
to do over again,

believe me, I...

I come in friendship.

I'm well aware
that I missed my chance.

I'm not half the man
you deserve.

? Just forget me... ?

But I asked myself,

"Dandy, what could you do

to be of support
to those beloved girls?"

And it occurred to me,

the one thing
I can offer is protection,

so I hired a proper gumshoe,

and gathered all the information
I could on your new beau.

And it breaks my heart,

but it appears
your Chester Creb

is an absolutely
beastly sicko!

We don't need
to see that.

What is wrong with you?

You are a troublemaker,

and we don't trust you,
not one single bit!

Well, ta-ta, then.

I've done what I can.

Mother always told me,

never argue with a woman
when she's angry.

(car approaching)

(Jimmy groaning)

(door creaks open,
footsteps approaching)

Who's there?

My boy.
(thunder crackling)

(groaning softly)

My boy... you look like shit.

Here. Drink.

(coughing)

(groans)

(shuddering breaths)

(sighs, panting)

What's that?

Penicillin.

I would hate to make you whole

only to see you die
of an infection.

Who the hell are you?

I am Massimo Dolcefino.

I have come to make you
your new hands, hmm?

Okay?

ELSA:
Massimo is an old
friend of mine

from before the war.

He's a master artisan.

Just a carpenter. Here.

JIMMY:
You want to make me

wooden hands?
They will be

mostly decorative,
but you will decide

on appearance and functionality.

No, thanks.

I seen those army guys

who got their hands
blown off by grenades.

They got those nifty hooks.

Can't jerk off
for shit with them,

but at least I can hold
a cigarette all myself.

And it beats worrying about
termites the rest of my life.

What Massimo offers
is more elegant

than a pair of
rusty hooks.

And more convincing.

Look.

You see?

(knocking)

The other one, too.

Massimo saved my life.

If it weren't for him,

there would be
no Fraulein Elsa's

Cabinet of Curiosities.

Your mother
would have died in that

drunk tank and you would
have starved on the street.

I would have married him...

(wry chuckle)

(whispers): ...if you
hadn't been such a fool.

(speaks Italian)

"My only sin..."

Si.

"...was loving you..."

Too much.

ELSA:
(breathing heavily) No!
(chainsaw starts)

MASSIMO: The men who took
my beloved's legs--

they weren't
your average psychopaths.

They were
the institutionalized ones.

Judges, representatives of
the Foreign Office,

even members of the Party.

And they had a leader--
a doctor by trade.

ELSA:
For two years,

Massimo took care of me.

He taught me to walk.

And then to dance.

Then Hindenburg died.

Nuremberg, the Rhineland...

It was time for us to get out

while we still could.

We had a plan.

How could I look
at my amore in the eyes

knowing that I'd run away
from those monsters?

Huh? They had to pay.

They had to pay.

I hunted them down, one by one.

Aah!

(grunting)

MASSIMO:
Finally, I-I found the leader.

Uh, the monster-in-chief.

Dr. Grouper.

I would make sure that
he would not die quickly.

(gunshot)

(breathing heavily)

And I would not die quickly
either, apparently.

He took my attempt
to kill him personally.

Very personally.

(Massimo screaming)

(electric buzzing)

I was tortured for months.

For months.

Then months in
a windowless cell.

JIMMY:
How did you survive?

An SS General,

a man of higher authority

than my torturer, Dr. Grouper...

he wanted new bookshelves--

he was an avid book collector--

for his new library
of stolen books.

So I spent the
rest of the war

in Austria.

And, uh, I went
to America in-in '47.

And I searched for
Miss Mars for years.

When I finally located her,

I wrote to her.

But I did not hear back.

JIMMY: Well, if you
loved her so much,

and you knew where she was,

why not just
sweep her off her feet?

My body survived the torture,

but I...

I am like Pinocchio.

I have no humanity
left in me anymore.

I... no soul, I cannot love.

But, uh...
(speaking Italian)

Sweet irony.

Sweet irony.

CHESTER: Now I know
you've been together

for a long time

and change can be difficult
for an established show.

And again-- this is not
about ego, all right?

This is about flow, so...

BETTE:
He looks so normal.

DOT:
I thought we agreed

that we wouldn't judge him

until we had definitive proof.

BETTE:
What about the file?

It said he murdered his wife.

DOT:
You're letting Dandy's lies
cloud your judgment.

CHESTER:
...the company into and

then-then we'll start
with Desi, twirling

her titties, and then
Toulouse and Penny will do their

beauty and the beast act,
with a twist,

uh, followed by
Bette and Dot and then Paul,

which will give the twins
time to change

into their
assistant costumes

and we'll finish the show

with Marjorie
and the magic act.

BETTE:
Dot and I have had a talk.

We don't care to be your
assistant any longer.

Why?

We just... don't wish to.

Maybe you'll change your mind

after you hear about my finale.

Instead of a volunteer,

I'm gonna saw you two in half.

Two bodies
for two heads.

It'll be a sensation.

A first
in the history of magic.

Come on, girls...

let's do a little rehearsal.

BETTE:
We are not getting
into that box.

No, Chester...

we are not getting
into that box.

Now, if you'll
excuse us...

Where are you going?
I haven't dismissed anyone.

MAGGIE:
I'll do it.
You...

I... I know how the trick works.

I can be
your assistant.

I want to be part of the show.
All I got to do

is smile and show
a little leg, right?

Right.

Get in the box, Lucy.

My name's Maggie.

Oop!

Is this your magic act?

It's a little pathetic.

Shut up.

(gasps)

I didn't say anything.

What are you all looking at?

Backstage.

Places! Places!
This is a run-through!

(drumroll)

(applause, whistling)
Ladies and gentlemen,

prepare yourselves to witness

the death-defying feat

first performed by the
great Torrini

for Pope Pius VII.

Originally called The Magic Saw.

Tonight I will be
presenting it to you

with my own...

dangerous variation.

Manacles.

(audience gasps)

MAGGIE:
Uh... Ow...

Hey, I...

I don't-I don't know this part.

I went to a war for you.

You should have died over there.

We loved each other.

Then you had to come back
with your metal plate

and your head full of bees.

(murmured groan)

(cackling)

Chester, stop,
I-I can't pull my

my feet through!
Stop...

Stop talking.

You're distracting me.
MARJORIE:
When are

you gonna do real magic?

Stop it, Marjorie.

Haven't you done
enough to ruin my life?

You're nothing without me.

I'll show you.

Every one of you.

Chester! Chester!

(screams)

Chester, stop!

PAUL:
What the bloody hell?!

(Marjorie cackling)

(quiet grunt)

Relax, folks...

it's just a magic show.

It's a magic show.

I can put her
back together. Watch.

I can put her...

Alakazam!

(Marjorie cackling)

Abraca...

Abracadabra.

That'll pack 'em in, Chester.

(Marjorie cackling)

Sh... She made me do it.

She had it coming.

What do we do now?

Steal her jewelry

and bury the bitch.

What's this?
Why are you packing?

You screwed up again.
Time to leave.

You confused me.

You did this on purpose,
to sabotage me.

I was finally happy.

Then stay. I'm leaving!

Not without me, you're not.

Watch me.
I'm sick to death of you.

(grunting)
(grunts) Oh.

I loved you.

Chester...

(sobbing):
Oh, God...

Marjorie?

Stay with me.

Marjorie.

(sobbing)

(Jimmy retching)
ETHEL: In his debut act as

a juggler,
please welcome

your favorite
lobster boy--

and my precious son--

Jimmy Darling!

(jaunty music playing,
audience applauding)

I can't. I'm not ready, Ma.
I need more practice.

I'm not a performer
like you, Ma.

I-I'm happy
just waving my claws,

just watching them
ooh and ah-- I can...

Listen to your ma.

You got a winning smile
and a winsome way.

You got star quality, Jimmy.

Now you get your ass
out there and you show 'em

why your ma is so proud of you.

(rain falling)

AMAZON EVE:
Jimmy.

Maggie's dead.

You want the details?

Elsa's next.

Tonight.

Well...

looks like...

you get a shot at
a normal life now.

Jimmy...

I'm happy for you.

(thunder rumbling)

(thunder rumbling)

(gasping)

How dare you come in here
unannounced.

What do you want?

You need to leave.

What are you babbling about?
Your monsters.

They have been plotting
their revenge all day

in Ethel's caravan.

They're gonna kill you.

Why should I believe you, huh?

My monsters love me.

I'm like their mother.
Ethel

was more a mother to them
than you ever were.

You murdered their true mother.

No.
Everybody knows that now.

Rantings of a desperate man.

Who's desperate now?

You saw what
they did to him.

(click)

But where will I go?

Anywhere but here.

(sobs)

(click)

(chuckles)

You would save me.

Now we're even.

(thunder rumbling)

There you are.

How's Jimmy doin'?

He'd be here if he could.

It's time.

Give me that.

Ethel!

(rhythmic stomping)

Let's get our girl...

some justice.

(operatic German song playing)

(thunder rumbling)

(door opens)

Oh.

(grunts)

Thank you for coming.

I never refuse
a lady in distress.

I'm not in distress.

But I am in a rush.

(sniffles)

Oh.

(sighs)

(door shuts)

(thunder rumbling)

I'd like to report a murder.

Whose murder?

A young lady.

Set it down.

Slowly.

I...
Take a step back.

Keep-keep your hands
where I can see 'em.

(sobbing)

I did it.

Send me to the chair!

(crying)

(car approaching)

(sighs)

What are you doing here?

I'm here to
take inventory.

I'm your new owner.

Where's Elsa?

She's gone.

Off to follow
her dreams.

Elsa sold us again.

For $10,000 in cash.

A pittance.

Everything here,
including your contracts,

belongs to me now.

And I want to see what's mine.

Has it always been a
dream of yours, sir?

To be in show business?

A dream.

Yes.

And now it's come true.

(chuckles)

I'm thirsty.

Fetch me a lemonade
with a paper straw.

Right away, sir.

(chuckles)

(kissing)

(clucking, groaning
in distance)

(clucking, groaning continue)

(moaning)

(thunder rumbling)

Are you ready?

Yes.

(inhales, sighs)

They're perfect.

I want
to try them on now.

Yes.

One more.

(clacking, rattling)

You do it.

Thank you.