No topic is too taboo for American Horror Story: Coven, but audiences should come to expect that by now! Catch up on all the beasts and dark secrets of this week’s episode below!

American Horror Story: Coven delivers a tried and true Murphy/Falchuck creation; throw everything at the audience and monitor the backlash. The only difference from the third hour of this season’s Coven and the previous installments of American Horror Story is powerhouse trifecta of Bates, Lange, and Basset. The women of this show shape the often disturbing narrative with haunting voice overs, commanding onscreen presences, and even a few comedic breaks.

The Dance of the Supreme: Fiona proves early on that she will stop at nothing to remain at the head of the Coven. In a flashback to 1971, a young Fiona, prematurely entering what witches refer to as their “flowering stage,” recognizes that her rise to power slowly drains the life out of the reigning supreme. Fiona learns that the rising supreme will be able to conjure the seven wonders just before slitting the throat of the headmistress. The eery servant, Spalding looks on silently.

Fiona, in the present, begins to feel her powers and all that comes with them slip away from her. In a crowded bar, the smoke and heavy notes of a New Orleans jazz band swirl through the room, where Fiona’s monologue paints her situation. Gone are the days where she could enter a room and demand the attention of every man without batting an eye. She sees her expiration date printed on the pills she takes everyday and the in results of her doctor’s prognosis. Nothing can be done for her with elective surgery. Fiona has arrived at an impasse.

A Nosy Neighbor: Guard your loins, Patti Lupone is moving in! Her very chiseled son, Luke, catches the eye of a few ladies next door and Nan makes sure that to make a nice impression. Madison, on the other hand, reveals a bit more than her skin to her Bible toting neighbor, Joan. When their visit is cut short by Bible study, Madison nearly burns the house to the ground with her eyes. This new power shocks not only Madison, but invites a visit between Fiona and Joan. Fiona could care less about the girls’ home invasion, but sees something disturbing in Madison’s quick grasp of her magical abilities.

Four days, a goat, and a mason jar: Adoption is not an option when the tribal bloodline courses through your veins. Cordelia, desperate to become pregnant, pays a visit to her hope for conception at Cornrow City. The voodoo goddess, Marie Laveau, explains a very extreme sacrifice during which a goat is slaughtered, while tribal drums guide a dance meant for the fertility gods. Marie mocks Cordelia for even toying with the idea that she will help out the daughter of the woman who saunters around like, “she’s the Queen of England.”

“There’s Nothing I Hate More Than a Racist:” Fiona creates a grand plan for Madame LaLaurie within the confines of the school; she will serve the ladies as their maid. Tensions arise quickly as Delphine and Queenie face-off. Fiona decides to create a learning experience from this by assigning LaLaurie to personally wait on Queenie for the forseeable future. One evening while waiting for a peach cobbler, LaLaurie offers Queenie some tough love on her substitution of food in the place of love.

Their heart to heart ends abruptly when a figure from Delphine’s past appears at the window. A slip of the tongue reveals the true identity and crimes of LaLaurie to her master. Queenie demands she to leave the room after taking a some of her blood to lure the beast to her. Queenie takes pity on the beast LaLaurie tortured so many years ago. This encounter leads to the first shocking moment of the night; Queenie’s experimentation with bestiality. In an attempt to find common ground with another half-human referred to as a beast, audiences witness the former slave grab Queenie’s mouth leaving her fate unclear.

The Boy is Mine: Zoe is still a bit green when it comes to covering up deeds of the past. Kyle finishes his recovery to the soothing sound of Stevie Nicks and Misty’s speeches about rediscovering your voice. Zoe arrives to pick up Kyle and bring him back to a mother on the verge of a mental breakdown. Misty becomes a bit possessive of the franken-boy she nurses back to life, but ultimately caves to the only woman Kyle has eyes for.

Zoe pulls a “Ding Dong Ditch” leaving a still mute Kyle on the stoop for his pot-smoking mother to discover. It is not until later that the second of the discomforting acts occur. Incest anyone? Ever since the family lost a father figure, Kyle replaces him as the object of his mother’s affection. However, the touching goes a bit too far for comfort. Kyle’s mother recognizes her son’s body is different from the one she is familiar with. When she reaches to touch him, he finally speaks, or rather screams his first word, “No!” Kyle then proceeds to murder his mother with a trophy and greets Zoe covered in blood.

Self Preservation: Fiona is well aware that Madison may be the one to be cause of her demise. As the ladies brunch, Fiona tests Madison’s ability to control other people’s cognitive thought. Madison convinces a man that he will feel safer standing in the middle of the road. This is the moment that Fiona’s plan goes into action.

The dance Fiona mastered all those years ago, shines once again, only this time in a tight white dress of a movie star. After a few drinks, the ladies return to the house. Fiona greets the ladies of the house and advises Madison that when it comes time to have her portrait made for the wall of supremes, have it done while she is young. As Fiona continues to explain to Madison that her time as supreme is coming to an end, Madison starts to sober up and see the fragile woman in front of her.

Fiona reveals that she has cancer and will not seek a treatment that will tarnish her image. “I’ve lead a disreputable life, but I’ve done it in style,” Fiona goes on to say. The tension mounts as Fiona begins to reach her point she needs Madison to understand. Fiona squandered her time as supreme. She took it too soon and cut the throat of the woman who taught her everything right at the place where they stand.

Passing the dagger she used to Madison, she pleas with her to help the Coven by taking Fiona out. As the struggle over the knife ensues, Fiona reaches out and cuts Madison’s throat. The deed is done and the leech draining her power is removed. Fiona marches across the room to wipe the blood from her hands on a handkerchief offered to her by Spalding. Once again, the man without the power of speech is there to clean up the mess.

Scene Stealers:
• Angela Bassett’s iPad solitaire playing voodoo goddess. Whether she is dancing around a fire to summon fertility gods or lounging in a throne laying down the perimeters of battle, Bassett’s screen time was far too short!

• The silent men: Spalding’s lack of tongue places him at the mercy of Fiona’s word. Kyle’s inability to speak in this episode led to the other women in his life putting words in his mouth. Misty starts the episode trying to find a way to make him agree to stay with her. In the end Kyle makes the first utterance against the dominant female hierarchy.

• Madame LaLaurie watching President Obama’s reelection win on the “magic box.” A welcome cameo of the Flag Lady, enhanced by Bates’ tears over the ruin of our country.

• Academy, please ship Jessica Lange’s Emmy overnight. Framing the episode with two powerful monologues, Jessica Lange’s silent moments were equally captivating.

• Fiona’s final quips: “Bury her deep, God knows what all that [stuff] in her body will do to lawn when it coms up in the spring.” And, “This Coven doesn’t need a new Supreme. It needs a new rug.”

Check out the preview for next week’s episode here:

Watch ‘American Horror Story: Coven’ episode 4, ‘Fearful Pranks Ensue’ Wednesday, October 30 at 10 p.m. ET on FX