10 unforgettable American Horror Story characters
By Tina Wargo
American Horror Story: Murder House, episode: “Halloween: Part 1;” screengrab via FX.
#9: Adelaide Langdon (AHS: Murder House)
Addy is the first of the main characters we meet this season who immediately spooks us. We meet her almost right away, and as she stands outside what we come to know as the Murder House, she issues a warning to the two little boys who’ve just run inside that we can’t help but wonder if we should heed, too. “You’re gonna die in there.” Talk about an intro.
As too many are in Ryan Murphy’s world, Addy’s story is utterly heartbreaking. Her mother’s a destructive narcissist whose love is real, but conditional. Her curiosity and desire to fit in are constantly getting her into trouble. And her deep yearning to be “a pretty girl,” which her mother staunchly and wrenchingly assures her she will never be, ultimately leads to her untimely death. And, unlike most characters this season, once Addy dies, she stays dead. We don’t get any more super-creepy (but totally accurate) warnings, we don’t get any more dress-up and gossip sessions between she and Violet, and she no longer makes surprise-visits to Vivienne’s kitchen in the middle of the afternoon. And though we miss her spunk the minute she’s gone, at least we know she isn’t stuck in the perpetual turmoil of the Murder House. And at least she died a pretty girl.
Next: #8: Desiree Dupree