Here we are at the penultimate episode of FX's American Horror Story: Coven in which viewers get to "Go to Hell" right along with the witches.  One big question was answered tonight, which was, just what the heck are these "Seven Wonders" supposed to be anyway?  With that out of the way, the only major mystery left to be unraveled is the identity of the new Supreme.  While each of the witches has shown signs of being the next leader of the coven, we'll have to wait until next week to find out who comes out on top.  In the meantime, hit the jump for my recap and review of tonight's ep.

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Tonight's episode was all over the place, wasn't it?  More than usual? With all the jump cuts and time jumps and dips into the netherworld and back out again, it was difficult to make sense of it all at times.  So let's start with the easy stuff, namely the "Seven Wonders".

Rather than have Fiona walk the witches (and viewers) through another monologue, the idea of introducing the "Seven Wonders" through an old film reel was actually rather clever.  Here's a recap of the spells just to get on the same page:

Telekinesis, Concilium (mind control), Transmutation (teleportation), Divination (second sight), Vitalum Vitalis (balancing of scales of life forces, ie raising the dead), Descensum (descent into netherworlds of afterlife), and Pyrokinesis

Good information to know, not only because the successful demonstration of each of the "Seven Wonders" would certify the next Supreme, but because each of the powers came into play throughout the episode.  We've already seen Madison move objects with her mind, spontaneously teleport, and cause things to burst into flame; numerous witches have brought others back from the dead, including Misty, Zoe, Queenie and Fiona herself; and Cordelia appears to possess the strongest second sight of them all.  Though we see examples of the powers demonstrated over the hour, the pivotal one that we hadn't seen before is Descensum, which Queenie alone seems to be able to control.

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Image via F

In a successful attempt at Descensum, Queenie ends up in a Chubbie's Chicken Shack, selling fried chicken to a line of customers stuck in purgatory, or as Papa Legba describes it, Queenie's own version of Hell.  Once she manages to pull herself out of the world of the dead, Queenie learns that the secret to both LaLaurie's and Laveau's immortality is not only tied to each of them, but to Laveau's contract with Legba.  Once Laveau is unable to hold up her end of the deal (owing to being cut into pieces and spread across the city by LaLaurie), her contract is null and void, meaning she can die.  Queenie knows this and gives LaLaurie one last chance at showing that she's learned from the error of her ways, but no, she really hasn't.  In a nice twist, LaLaurie and Laveau are doomed to an eternity of damnation under Legba's control.

So immortal magic-wielders can never change and grow as people, and are always stuck in their old-fashioned ways ... is that the moral of this story?  Or is it that if you don't take the time to reform yourself, you'll end up trapped in a Hellish torture chamber with no chance of escape?  I guess the real answer to that question lies in the fate of the reigning Supreme, Fiona.  If Cordelia's vision (which explains the rather gruesome poster released earlier this season) rings true, then Fiona may find herself right alongside LaLaurie and Laveau before too long.  Unfortunately, my screener cut out just before the end, after the witches had gathered together to brutally murder the Ax Man (again) and as they were praising the dear, departed Fiona.  My thought is that much like the rest of the characters on this show, Fiona could find her way back before the end.  At this point, you all know more than me about how "Go to Hell" ended, so feel free to continue the conversation in the comments below.

Rating: TBD

Quotes & Miscellanea:

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Fiona: “The highest honor comes at the greatest price. Death is not uncommon, the danger inescapable…attempting the seven wonders can get you killed, but perform them, and you are the next Supreme.”

Queenie: “What the hell? You’re Papa Legba. You live in a chicken shack?”

LaLaurie: “Agree to humiliate yourself, all is forgiven.”

Ax Man: “A man shouldn’t be disturbed when he’s playing with his instrument.”

Cordelia: “You feel that? That empty, heart-broken feeling … that’s what it feels like to get close to Fiona.”

Cordelia: “When the rest of the world sees a wall, we see a window.”

Well, hey! C'mon in, Zoe and Kyle! How was your trip to Disneyworld? Killed a homeless man and brought him back to life? You don't say!

That fight between Misty and Madison was pretty rewarding, considering how awful a person Madison has been all season.

For a season so obsessed with blood, this might have been the bloodiest episode yet!

Ax Man: “I made you die those little deaths, for the first time in your sorry life. I made you sing when you had no tunes left in you.”

Misty: “Well that’s it then. Even I can’t bring somebody back once they’re gator shit.”

Misty to Kyle: “We really don’t need a man to protect us.”

What do you think of LaLaurie and Laveau's fates?  Deserved?  Unfair?

Laveau: “This ain’t for you, but I will let you choose whether or not I slide it down her throat or up her backside.”

Papa Legba: “Welcome to Hell.”

I'd sure love to know how this one ended, so feel free to share in the comments!