What made Twisty the Clown turn into a ruthless killer in American Horror Story? The character, played by John Carroll Lynch, was introduced in the horror anthology’s fourth season, Freak Show. Based on his tragic backstory, Twisty became one of the most compelling figures in the series.
Twisty made his American Horror Story debut in the season 4 premiere episode, “Monsters Among Us”. In his first scene, two teenagers were having a romantic picnic by a lake when the crazed clown appeared. He killed the teenage boy and chased the girl before catching up to her. Twisty then kidnapped a young boy named Corey after he murdered the young boy’s parents. Corey and the teen girl were held captive in a makeshift cage on an abandoned bus.
Following Twisty’s grand entrance, he instantly joined the ranks of American Horror Story’s most horrifying characters. Up to that point, the show created quite a few frightening figures such as Rubber Man, Bloody Face, and the Axeman. Twisty wore a grimy clown suit and a grinning mask on his face to cover up his missing jaw. His injuries left him unable to speak but his appearance was enough to scare those who encountered him. Twisty’s reason for his criminal actions made more sense when his origin story was unearthed later in the season.
Through flashbacks, Twisty was shown as a feeble-minded, yet gentle, human working at a freak show in 1943. His performance as a clown at the carnival was a major hit with attendees, especially the children. Out of jealousy, the other freak show performers started rumors that Twisty was a child molester. He was driven out of town but he failed to support himself when he returned to his hometown. Twisty attempted suicide by shooting himself with a shotgun but he failed. The gunshot blew off his lower jaw, leaving him greatly disfigured, which is why he used the grinning mask. Twisty arrived at Elsa’s freak show for a job but it was an unsuccessful attempt. The rejection absolutely crushed Twisty but more importantly, this was the moment that caused him to go insane.
After Twisty snapped, he went on a killing spree and kidnapped children. In his mind, the clown felt the need to rescue children from their “mean” parents. He forced the captive children into becoming his audience since he still had the urge to perform as a clown. Twisty truly believed that he was saving the kids through his skewed perception. His actions ultimately got easier when Dandy Mott became his accomplice. The planned to host a special magic show on Halloween night but the plan was thwarted by Jimmy Darling and Maggie Esmerelda. As Jimmy and Maggie were fighting Twisty and Dandy to free the kidnapped children, the ghost of Edward Mordrake arrived. Mordrake took pity on Twisty after hearing his story so he invited him to join his entourage of damned souls. To fulfill the invitation, Mordrake stabbed and killed Twisty, freeing his tortured soul and preventing any more potential victims.
Twisty reappeared in American Horror Story in season 7, Cult. Twisty’s rampage had since become the focus of a comic book series, Twisty: The Clown Chronicles. The young boy in the season, Ozzy, even owns a Twisty action figure. At one point, Ozzy had a nightmare that involved Twisty showing up in his room and chasing him through the house. Lynch notably reprised his portrayal as the terrifying character.
Next: American Horror Story Timeline: When Each Season Takes Place
