After a season of more questions than answers, American Horror Story tried to wrap its divergent stories in one neat bow. With the finale, “Madness Ends,” we discovered the fate of Briarcliff’s former residents.

The Players:

• Director: Alfonso Gomez-Rejon
• Writer: Tim Minear
• Cast: Zachary Quinto, Joseph Fiennes, Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, Lizzie Brocheré, Jessica Lange

Episode Title: “Madness Ends”

Set mostly in present day and told via flashbacks, “Madness Ends” attempts to close all the loose ends. Lana is being interviewed about her impressive journalistic career and gives insight into what eventually became of our Briarcliff favorites.

The Good:

• Old Lady Lana: It’s satisfying to see that Lana not only had an illustrious career, but she’s being honored for her achievements. In present day, she’s being interviewed for a piece by the Kennedy Center and finally opens up about some hidden truths about her past (i.e. her son didn’t die in childbirth). The rest of the stories have endings that are too neat (and too tainted by the still-unexplained aliens), but Lana’s victory feels earned.
• Mother/Son Showdown: As promised, Johnny appears to enact his revenge on Lana for giving him up. He sneaks in during her interview and confronts her when it’s over — gun in hand. Lana uses the power of compassion to talk him down and just when you think they’re going to be a happy family, BAM! Lana shoots Johnny, killing him and ending the Bloody Face line.

The So-So:

• Timothy’s End: The story with the least audience interest got the least attention. Monsignor Timothy moved on from Briarcliff before Lana was able to shut it down. But she confronted him later, after he was promoted within the church. Even though he denies his involvement officially, actions speak louder than words when he commits suicide soon after.

The Bad:

• Kit and Jude’s Death stories: We learn that Kit continued visiting Jude and eventually brought her to live with his family. She was still crazy until his daughter took her to the woods for some unspecified alien voodoo. Jude becomes more or less herself, able to live out the remainder of her days (about six months) happily with the Walker family. As for Kit, he’s diagnosed with pancreatic cancer when he’s 40 and disappears. Apparently, he was called home by the aliens before his death.
• The Aliens: Why, Ryan Murphy? Why? The aliens have loomed overhead all season, but ultimately to no end. They’re a clunky deus ex machina and dragged down the quality of the entire season.

Overall:

The AHS: Asylum finale managed to tie up its loose ends, but not necessarily to any satisfaction. The season was really Lana’s story and hers ends nicely, but the array of supporting characters (most of whom were never adequately developed), were more or less written off in random deaths. The aliens were never explained, and not in a good way. They seemed to swoop in when the writers found themselves in a corner. Recently, AHS has lost a lot of momentum and “Madness Ends” might have been the biggest disappointment of all.

Rating: 6/10

American Horror Story: Asylum airs Wednesdays at 10 p.m. on FX.

What did you think of this week’s episode?

Evan Peters and Sarah Paulson

Sarah Paulson and Evan Peters will return forAmerican Horror Story‘s third season, Ryan Murphy told reporters Thursday after a screening of the Season 2 finale.

Paulson and Peters, who have been with the series since Season 1, will join other returning vet Jessica Lange in the third season, which Murphy revealed would be a modern-day set story line. Additionally, Murphy noted that we’ll see actors from the first season return this year.

“What Season 3 is about is more historical in nature,” Murphy said. “I’m also interested into getting into a horror romance. That’s certainly something that’s going to be in the water for Season 3.”

Get Committed: Will Lana survive American Horror Story: Asylum?

Following seasons that featured a haunted house and an insane asylum, Murphy said they’re aiming for something lighter for its next iteration. “You’re going to see a very different tone in Season 3,” Murphy said. “As a person right now, I do feel lighter and wanting to embrace something a little bit more fun. I want to do something next season that’s funnier. I really miss that Jessica Lange as [Season 1's] Constance, and I know she missed it, too.”

Unlike the first two season, the third outing will take place in multiple cities, along with several time periods. “It’s really about female power,” Murphy said. “I got Jessica to do it because I did everything she asked — which was the location — and I also told her she will have complete hair and makeup and the best designer gowns.”  

American Horror Story: Asylum‘s Sarah Paulson talks Lana’s fate

Murphy would not reveal what roles Paulson and Peters would play, but he said that Lange would play “a really glamour cat sort of lady in Season 3.”

Although the new season seems to be shaping into a glitz and glam affair, Murphy promised there will still be an antagonist a la Rubber Man and Bloody Face.  “We do have a great icon, and it’s a woman,” he said.

American Horror Story‘s Season 2 finale airs Wednesday at 10/9c on FX.