The Seven Wonders

The thirteenth and final episode of the third season of American Horror Story: Coven, titled "The Seven Wonders," directed by Alfonso Gomez-Rejon and created by Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk, serves as a climactic and dramatic conclusion to a season rich with supernatural intrigue, complex character arcs, and cultural commentary. This episode ambitiously wraps up the multi-threaded narrative by focusing on the legendary Seven Wonders test, a crucible designed to determine the next Supreme witch, while delivering emotional payoffs, striking visual moments, and controversial plot twists.

The episode opens with a striking and atmospheric sequence featuring Stevie Nicks serenading the witches with an ethereal performance of Fleetwood Mac's "Seven Wonders," setting a tone of mystical gravitas and surreal enchantment that permeates the entire episode. This integration of pop music and occult lore exemplifies the season's unique blend of cultural touchstones with horror tropes, a signature of American Horror Story's style.

At the heart of the episode is the intense and often harrowing Seven Wonders test, which pits the remaining coven candidates-Zoe, Madison, Misty, and Queenie-against a series of supernatural challenges designed to measure their power and fitness to lead the coven. The tests cover classic witch abilities including telekinesis, concilium (mind control), transmutation, divination, vitalum vitalis (resurrection), descensum (descent into the afterlife), and pyrokinisis. Each character's performance on these challenges reveals their strengths, flaws, and potential futures, delivering suspenseful and character-driven drama that serves as a high-stakes finale within the overall season narrative.

The episode is notable for its emotional depth as well as its narrative twists. Misty's tragic fate-being unable to escape a hellish repetition of traumatic experiences-stands as one of the darkest and most poignant moments, underscoring themes of eternal punishment and the limits of resurrection. Zoe's death and subsequent resuscitation by Cordelia after narrowly passing the test affirms Cordelia's rise to become the new Supreme, marking a significant turning point in the coven's leadership.

Madison's refusal to save Zoe and preference to revive a fly instead highlights her characteristic cruelty and self-interest, leading to her eventual death at the hands of Kyle, which adds dramatic and thematic weight to the power struggles central to the season. Myrtle Snow's dramatic return to power culminates in a grim and symbolic execution by fire, reinforcing her fierce loyalty and sacrifice for the coven while casting a spotlight on themes of justice and retribution.

Alfonso Gomez-Rejon's direction is both stylish and emotionally resonant, using moody lighting and dynamic camera work to heighten the tension and suspense of each test. The episode's editing skillfully balances rapid, kinetic sequences with quieter, reflective moments, allowing for both spectacle and introspection. Visual highlights include the surreal and haunting imagery of the afterlife tests and the intense, fiery climax of Myrtle's burning.

The script, co-written by Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, and Jennifer Salt, weaves together horror, superstition, and social commentary with witty, incisive dialogue. It explores themes of legacy, the price of power, sacrifice, and the enduring scars of trauma, grounding the supernatural drama in rich emotional terrain.

Performances are a central strength. Jessica Lange's final portrayal of Fiona Goode as a fading but defiant Supreme showcases a nuanced mix of bravado and vulnerability. Sarah Paulson's Cordelia emerges as a sympathetic and powerful protagonist, while Emma Roberts's Madison delivers a compelling portrayal of antagonistic ambition. Lily Rabe's Misty evokes pathos in her tragic storyline, and Frances Conroy's Myrtle commands attention in her final, fiery moments. The ensemble cast brings depth and complexity to this multifaceted finale.

Key scenes include the evocative musical opening with Stevie Nicks, the harrowing Seven Wonders tests, Misty's eternal torment, Zoe's resurrection, Myrtle's burning at the stake, and the emotional transfer of Supremacy to Cordelia. These moments encapsulate the thematic and emotional core of the season's end.

Critical responses varied, with many praising the strong performances and ambitious narrative scope, while some viewers found the finale's pacing uneven and the resolution of certain storylines unsatisfying or overly convoluted. Despite these critiques, the episode is largely recognized for its bold aesthetics and emotional resonance.

Placed within the broader cinematic and cultural contexts, "The Seven Wonders" draws on American Gothic, New Orleans voodoo traditions, and feminist horror while engaging contemporary themes of power, identity, and resilience. It also reflects on the mythic and symbolic aspects of female empowerment and survival.

Thematically, the episode grapples with transformation, rebirth, justice, and the cyclical nature of power and sacrifice within marginalized communities. The coven's trials symbolize broader societal struggles with legacy, inclusion, and renewal.

"The Seven Wonders" delivers a haunting meditation on power, identity, and legacy that invites reflection beyond the horror genre. It stands as a memorable, if divisive, conclusion to a provocative season of the anthology.

I mostly enjoyed the finale except Sarah Paulson being the supreme it was lazy writing, also not a lot happens outside the seven wonders tests but I am overall happy with hownmost of it completed and concluded

Remember the season of "AHS" "Coven" about young girls and being witches and spreading their wings and this episode is highly memorable as the opening features the music and hit song from Stevie Nicks called Seven Wonders which is so fitting as the song has to do with magic, mystery, nature, earth, and the supernatural which fit the show so well as the series as in life was always an unexpected discovery. Overall good way to close out the season.

I'm not sure what happened but after Madison cam back from the dead, the show really lost its way and went off the rails, especially with characters doing random out of character things with no explanation to move the plot along. Everything episode just got worse and worse and this final is no exception.

This finale feels like the writers were sick of writing and just wanted to get the season over and done with.

Sloppy, lazy writing. Too many plot holes to count. Felt rushed, boring and incredibly anticlimactic. An important death was completely brushed off. Tons of things didn't even try to make sense. And what was up with that gratuitous, corny and inappropriate Stevie Nicks music video? Then the final scene was cheesy, appropriate to top off a total disaster of a finale.

I am so disappointed. If this had had a worthy final episode, Coven would have been my favorite season of American Horror Story by far. But it was terrible. Shame on the writers. I want that hour of my life back, and I want a rewrite, a proper ending to this otherwise exceptional story.