'American Horror Story: Apocalypse' goes full demonic... Hogwarts?

"You're a warlock, Michael."
 By 
Alison Foreman
 on 
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Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

Murder House, Coven, Hotel, Apocalypse... and now, American Horror Story: Hogwarts?

Episode 4 of AHS: Apocalypse explored a number of its own universes—including an unexpected visit to Season 5's Hotel Cortez—but it also seemed to borrow a lot from J.K. Rowling's wizarding world. Specifically, 15 minutes of the episode closely mirrored plot points from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.

Let's recap! The latest episode cleared up a lot of the confusion from Episode 3 through flashbacks. The first took us to Hawthorne School for warlocks aka AHS's all-male Hogwarts. There we meet a whole bunch of magical professors who are looking for the boy who lived "the one we've been waiting for."

They then watch a gruesome video of Michael Langdon (aka Satan's son) using telekinetic powers to fold up an LAPD detective like a pretzel... at the end of which the detective's head pops open like a bottle of champagne. (It's no Dudley in a snake enclosure, but it more than establishes Michael's capabilities.)

Grand Chancellor Ariel, a Dumbledore/Hagrid type, goes to visit Michael in jail. What follows is a scene that so aggressively mirror's Hagrid's first birthday visit to Harry that you might think Ryan Murphy cheated off of J.K. Rowling's homework. I mean, look at this comparison.

From American Horror Story: Apocalypse:

Ariel: "Your whole life, things have occurred around you that you can't explain. Maybe it was just a fleeting thought you had, an impulse, a moment of rage. But then, it happened... like magic."

From Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone:

Hagrid: "Well, just Harry, did you ever make anything happen? Anything you couldn't explain? When you were angry or scared?"

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Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

Stopping short of saying, "You're a warlock, Michael," Ariel then takes the fledgling magician back to Hawthorne, where he will be taught to control his powers. Of course, Michael progresses faster than the other students and the professors set up a test to see if he is "the alpha" or most powerful warlock.

"You're a warlock, Michael."

These professors include Billy Porter as Minerva McGonnagall, B.D. Wong as Filius Flitwick, and Cheyenne Jackson as Severus Snape. That last comparison is especially true. Jackson chastises Michael for not following directions, is generally annoyed by his powers, and just as sexy and stylish as the OG Snape. (Fingers crossed, he hooks up with Kathy Bates. If anyone can do Lily Potter justice, it's a Satan-worshipping android, am I right?)

Naturally, Michael passes all of the tests with flying colors and then wins the Quidditch World Cup. Okay, that second part didn't happen, but it honestly could have.

Overall, Episode 4 was by far the best of the season—and that's in part due to its intense Potter vibes. If this wizarding world trend continues, we can expect Michael to adopt an owl, share an uncomfortable kiss with a red head, and save the world from an evil bald guy! Perhaps played by Ryan Murphy himself? A girl can dream.

Topics Harry Potter

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Alison Foreman

Alison Foreman is one heck of a gal. She's also a writer in Los Angeles, who used to cover movies, TV, video games, and the internet for Mashable. @alfaforeman

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