Two cannot play in the Countess’ game on tonight’s AHS: Hotel episode 9. When “She Wants Revenge,” she gets it.
The Countess opens the episode with a voiceover about control, namely who has it and who doesn’t. In the Hotel Cortez it’s easy to point to the speaker herself and declare her the head honcho of the joint. But does she?
Tonight’s AHS: Hotel, “She Wants Revenge,” pitted quite a few people against the Countess, but she always managed to stay one step ahead of their plans, relying on her cunning sense of betrayal and other’s weaknesses. As she mentions, perhaps she is not as in control as she believes. In her last century on this earth, the Countess populated her world with those who are weak and in need of her attention. When she grows weary of their presence, or too involved, she removes them with a wave of her sharp finger.
How long can she stay in front of the pack currently circulating the Hotel Cortez? Let’s bet on who gets next week’s episode title, “She Gets Revenge.”
Frontrunner: Liz Taylor
“Bitch, you honestly think I would lift a finger to help you with your wedding?” Liz Taylor is pissed and she is not afraid to show it. Liz Taylor still has some deep seeded fear of the Countess, but after the death of Tristan she is not afraid to air some of her grievances. What strikes a chord with Liz the most is that the Countess brushes off Tristan’s love for Liz without a second thought. His body may be gone, but Liz will not let the Countess take away what she knew to be true.
Sure, her outburst at the wedding is the second and last moment we see Liz Taylor in tonight’s episode, but she is the only person the Countess is not calculating into her plans. Her mind is occupied with Will, Donovan, Ramona, and March. The outlier of the group is pissed, for certain, but would she ever act against the woman who gave her a home? Yes. In fact, next week, we expect her to do just that.
Runner Up: Ramona, Donovan, and Iris
From the start of the episode it seemed that Donovan was back in the Countess’ good graces. Donovan is able to recognize his own shortcomings when it comes to his relationship with the Countess. He is addicted to her like a drug. So when the Countess swears to not only take Donovan back as her one true love and make him her partner in a killing spree of their enemies, he is more than happy to oblige.
Ramona, however, falls for a convincing acting performance on Donovan’s part. He admits that yes, in the past the Countess wound him up in a tizzy. When the duo eventually team up to kill the Countess, Donovan turns on Iris and Ramona, bringing Ramona to a prison made by the Countess in March’s former steel hall. Drake is not out of the running yet for his own revenge. His unfinished business with the Countess will likely check his spirit into a vacant room.
But Donovan’s plan does not pan out as he hoped. Just like March, Donovan follows the Countess to the motel one afternoon and sees her leave Valentino’s room.
Out of the running: Valentino
The Countess has found her way out of a bind — marry Will Drake, murder him, take his fortune and rebuild the Cortez into a fortress against the modern world where she and Valentino can live together forever. Natacha would be out of the picture, but if Valentino can bed a Countess, what good is a century year old wife?
In a motel just outside of L.A. Valentino sits in wait for the Countess to enact her plan against Drake and set one more, which requires luring Natacha away to the Cortez for one final private moment, in motion. Valentino is disenchanted with the new world, but remains enchanted with the woman who is promising him a trip to back to the reality he once recognized.
The real odds may depend on whom Jimmy March offers a pep talk. His magic truly worked on the construction worker and Will Drake tonight.
Sidenotes:
• Ramona lived decades with her father who suffered from Alzheimer’s until she finally killed him to end his misery. She officially rivals Twisty’s backstory as the most shockingly depressing tale of an AHS character.
• Alexis tried to “fix” the problem she created with the band of children killers she created. She failed, naturally.
• Mrs. Evers was once the apple of Jimmy’s eye and he left her for the Countess. Rude side note, AHS. Just rude. We hope Evers kills everyone in a passion play for Jimmy’s heart.
Watch AHS: Hotel episode 9, “She Gets Revenge,” Wednesday, December 16 at 10:00 p.m. ET on FX.
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