'American Horror Story: Coven' Or 'X-Men: The Phantom Menace Of Hogwarts'

BY AARON SAGERS


American Horror Story: Coven” might share more pop culture DNA with geek culture than horror and the supernatural. Sure, the third season of the anthology series revolves around witchcraft and voodoo, but I mainly noticed all the homages to “X-Men,” “Star Wars” and the Harry Potter books.

Personally, I happily exist as a well-rounded geek who loves horror, super heroes, fantasy and more. And, not to lean on my Campbell too much, but the archetypes and themes of great stories are often repeated. So it is possible I could be reading too much into this but there were multiple shout outs to mutants, Muggles and Siths than can be dismissed -- and we should all know by now that "AHS" creator Ryan Murphy loves his shout outs.

These are just the five I noticed in the first episode of Season Three. Whether these continue or not, we’ll see soon enough, but based on the premiere alone, I’m ready to re-name “American Horror Story: Coven” to “X-Men: The Phantom Menace of Hogwarts.” Let me know what I missed.

Miss Robichaux’s Academy for Exceptional Young Ladies aka Xavier’s School For Gifted Youngsters
When a young women’s mutant witchy powers manifest during adolescence, they’re sent to a school to learn how to hone them and not attract attention from an intolerant public. Headmistress Cordelia Foxx (played by Sarah Paulson) is, philosophically, Professor Charles Xavier -- except she opted for expensive digs in New Orleans instead of Westchester, NY. (Gambit would love the Academy.)

Jessica Lange is Magneto
If Cordelia is Prof. X, then Lange’s Fiona Goode is clearly Magneto. She is an incredibly powerful “Supreme” (Homo sapiens superior?) who wants to emerge from the shadows and rule the world. Fiona uses her powers without restraint, and appears to take the Ian McKellen “god among insects” mantra towards Muggles. Of course, Magneto also eventually took over Xavier’s School in “X-Men” comics, and Fiona does so as well. Will Fiona and Cordelia’s differences of opinion lead to warring factions between their students – and can we hope for an X-Witch vs. Sisterhood of Evil Witches showdown?

Taissa Famiga is Rogue … and Harry Potter … and Luke Skywalker
Famiga’s character Zoe Benson has a Rogue problem, but instead of not being to touch another human being, apparently she just can’t touch them with her vagina (#SuperPowerProblems). She has sex with boys and they die. (Come to think of it, Gambit would not love the Academy). Zoe decides her curse has some good use and rapes a rapist to death. But I’m betting that Zoe is also a “Chosen One” character. She only wanted to go into Tosche Station to pick up some power converters (and lose her virginity) but will eventually develop other powers and become a rare Supreme witch. If she ends up becoming the Harry Potter of this Crescent City Hogwarts, this means she’ll have to have a showdown with another witch of exceptional power.

Someone is Darth Vader and Voldemort
Darth Vader was a fallen Jedi who eventually became middle management to a meaner Sith. While Vader suffered a lot of physical and psychological trauma that sent him to the Dark Side, Palpatine was pretty much always evil – sort of like Tom Riddle aka Lord Voldemort. If “American Horror Story: Coven” follows the same path, we need a master and a damaged apprentice. My guess is that Emma Roberts’ character Madison Montgomery could be a great Vader. The character is raped in what ranks as the most disturbing scene from all three “AHS” seasons so far. What if the anger and trauma from that experience is honed by another? Might Madison become the apprentice to Lange’s Fiona?

Jessica Lange Jedi mind tricks a tour guide
When the tour guide of the LaLaurie mansion attempts to charge Lange’s character Fiona Goode and her young field-tripping coven, she pulls a “These are not the droids you’re looking for” to get a freebie. She totally Obi-Wan'd that shit.