It’s time for the finale. Oddly, this season has felt both long and short. Ryan Murphy has that effect. I’ve enjoyed 1984, though. There were some rough spots, but it held my attention. Plus, it had a great 80s soundtrack. Always a plus. Let’s see how this ends.
Bobby
Were’ in 2019 with AHS veteran Finn Wittrock. He has ventured into Redwood. Voluntarily. The camp grounds are overgrown and the stages from the 1989 music festival are still up. Montana arrives on the scene. She’s surprised to see anyone since they haven’t had visitors in years. Finn reveals that he’s Jingles’ son, Bobby, and he’s looking for his dad. Didn’t see that coming. His aunt informed him that Jingles came to Redwood to avenge his mother’s death and was never heard from again. But Bobby has been receiving anonymous checks ever since. He thinks it’s his dad. Trevor pops up and he and Montana graphically show Bobby that they’re ghosts. After he finishes freaking out, the two tell him that Jingles is dead too, but they haven’t seen him since 1989.
Ghost community
In a flashback, were at the music festival. None of the talent has shown up. No Debbie Gibson or Belinda Carlisle. Oh, that would have been a good lineup. Courtney confesses to Margaret that he told Trevor about the Kojagoogoo massacre causing him to send the concertgoers away. She reacts by shooting Courtney in the head. It really doesn’t pay to be her assistant. Margaret confronts Trevor at the camp entrance. He threatens to tell the cops about all of her evil deeds. In response, she shoots him in the crotch. Oh no, not the dick! She does this just outside of camp so he can’t come back to life. Margaret takes off as Montana shows up. She begs Trevor to crawl into camp, but he can’t make it. Luckily, Brooke happens upon them and helps Trevor get into camp. He dies and is quickly resurrected. Montana is moved by Brooke’s selfless act. She decides to be a better person. She and the other ghost folk bond together as a community. We see Trevor and a counselor trick, stab, and kick Bruce over the camp line so he won’t come back. Then all the ghosts kill Ramirez. It’s disgustingly bloody. Or bloody disgusting. In order to prevent him from being saved by Satan and leaving camp, they’ve been killing him consistently for 30 years. That’s dedication. Back in 2019, Montana and Trevor wrap up their story and order Bobby to go. Ramirez will kill him if he finds him there. Of course, Ramirez has come back to life just then and managed to avoid being slaughtered by that night’s ghost watchers. He nearly succeeds in killing Bobby, but the ghosts save the day. Montana tells Bobby to go to the asylum and look for the medical director. They’ll have answers for him.
Final Girls
At the asylum, Bobby meets the director: Donna. Yay, a black person survived! She tells Bobby that his father was innocent and Margaret was the real killer. And we’re back to 89. Donna comes after Margaret, but isn’t able to kill the bitch. Then Brooke tries to take her out, but Margaret manages to shoot her. Before she can get away again the ghost gang grabs her. In a funny, yet gory scene, Margaret is chopped up, thrown in a woodchipper, and expelled over camp lines. She had it coming. Back in 2019, Bobby remarks that Donna is the final girl. He also thinks she’s the one who has been sending him those checks over the years. But she denies it. Someone else made it out of camp. They trace the checks back to a savings & loan in Oregon. Bobby’s benefactor is actually Brooke. Eh, that was anti-climatic. Turns out she didn’t die at Redwood after all. Ray found her and got her across camp lines. Someone called an ambulance and Brooke was rescued. She wanted to move on from Redwood and start a new life, so she didn’t tell Donna she was alive. She hoped Bobby could live beyond the shadow of Redwood, thus all the checks. Did anyone else think there was more to this story? Like it was actually Satan who saved Brooke? Just me? Anyways, Brooke and Donna are both final girls. That happens sometimes…the latest Halloween. Later, Bobby tells Donna that he’s going to Redwood to find his dad. Real smart.
Final showdown
Bobby encounters Margaret on his trip back to camp. Why is she there?! Turns out she died in the woodchipper a second before her bits were launched over the camp line. She’s been hiding out from the others ever since. She promises to take Bobby to Jingles. Lies. Instead she tries to kill him. Jingles appears and kills her instead, saving Bobby. Father and son have a touching reunion. Aww. But then resurrected Margaret kills Jingles. Damn! Bobby takes off. Thankfully, Jingles’ mom pops up, kills Margaret, and has a nice moment with her grandson. The other ghosts arrive to deal with Margaret. I’m guessing she’ll get the Ramirez treatment. Montana tells Bobby to go, but to remember them and tell their ghost stories. The 80s will never die. Ok, girl. At the entrance to Redwood, Jingles, his mom, and his brother wave goodbye to Bobby as Mike + the Mechanics’ “The Living Years” plays. This had to be the sweetest ending to an AHS season ever. I was surprisingly moved.
NostalGeoff 