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"Battle Royale" is the eleventh episode of Hotel. It premiered January 6, 2016.

Synopsis[]

Ramona draws vitality from an unlikely source. Sally uses her past to negotiate her future. Scarlett learns the truth of her family's affliction.[1] A familiar face checks into the Hotel Cortez.

Plot[]

Liz Taylor loads a revolver and hands it to Iris, who heralds the arrival of Elizabeth. They plan their raid on the penthouse and enter, guns blazing. Donovan attempts to be a human shield for Elizabeth, who is hit but makes a hasty exit, leaving a trail of blood. Iris and Liz carry the severely injured Donovan out the door to the curb as he pleads not to be trapped as a ghost with her former lovers. He asks if he is safe before he dies in the street.

Sally digs the bullets out of a screaming Elizabeth in the dungeon, as Elizabeth was able to make it to the body dump chute. Elizabeth wonders why Sally saved her, and she responds that she "needs" her and won't be left behind again. Sally demonstrates her mastery of anatomy, remarking that they don't call her "Hypodermic" Sally for nothing. Elizabeth insists that she will not leave Sally. Sally relates her story about former neighbor, a drug dealer, and her former associates: grunge musicians Nick Harley and Tina Black. The two treated her like an artist, not just a drug hookup. Sally brought them to the hotel after a recording session of one of Sally's songs, and they shot up with heroin. Shortly before they overdosed, Sally playfully stitched their three bodies together and to the mattress. The Addiction Demon manifested and tortured her from the third to the fifth day that she remained before ripping herself away.

The Lowe family returns home. Scarlett wonders how long it has been since anyone was in the house, which has spoiled food. She also wonders how to explain Holden, or how the Afflicted will obtain blood. John says that he will take charge of gathering what their reconstituted family needs.

Elizabeth reveals that she must drink Afflicted blood to heal, and Sally tells her that Donovan, the likely donor, is dead. Sally brings the remaining towheads for Elizabeth's harvest, but their "Mommy" is afraid it will kill them. They offer their help anyway, since Iris and Liz are likely to kill them regardless. The saddened mother is emotionally sickened (but alive) from the fatal result.

Liz incinerates Donovan and brings Iris his ashes, in a Campfire Gold coffee can. She wants a few moments to commune with the ashes, which she dumps from a shortening container onto the bedspread and runs her fingers through. Later, Hazel asks if Iris had an accident as she is coated with ashes. Iris responds that she wants every mote of ashes vacuumed up, and she heads to the roof to face the dawn.

Iris and Liz discuss freeing Ramona as a weapon against Elizabeth, having failed to kill her themselves. They were unaware of the Lost Boys and Will being inside, but are terrified when they discover Ramona is already free. Ramona is skeptical about their loyalties and she assumes that Elizabeth sent them to finish her off. They try to mollify her, and she feels ill. She needs to take a fresh life. They are about to bring in someone off the street and are armed to do so, and they find Queenie who is reserved for three days, prepared for a The Price is Right ticket enchanted by her Supreme. Liz recognizes Queenie from her coven's announcement on CNN. They lead her to her room, but Queenie is reluctant when she sees danger signs and a dark sensation in the room. Ramona emerges from behind a shower curtain and slashes at her. Queenie reveals that she is a witch and displays her power, which Ramona thinks will make her strong. After a fight, Ramona is seriously injured. Mr. March materializes and intervenes, stabbing Queenie. Queenie's power does not work on ghosts, and she can't disable him. Ramona drains her dry, and March reveals that he wants Ramona to kill Elizabeth on premises, but that Elizabeth can't suspect he's behind it.

John returns home with a victim for Alex, but she is missing and a Hotel Cortez key is left behind. He tracks back to the indicated room, where Sally is waiting. He wants to know what she has done with his family, but she reminds him that she can't leave the premises. She tells him that March has taken his family after John broke his promise to him. He just needs one more kill.

Ramona gets ready and puts on one of Liz's glamorous dresses. Liz offers her some weapons to pick from, but Ramona says she doesn't need any of that as she has witch's blood running through her veins. Iris reminds her that The Countess is currently at her most vulnerable state ever, which is another opportunity for Ramona. Ramona confronts Elizabeth in the penthouse, but Elizabeth tries to apologize and convinces her old lover for one more round of sex and then she'll let Ramona kill her. Ramona's fate is not obvious, but Elizabeth is packed and ready to leave before she's gunned down trying to enter the elevator.

John's final kill is "Thou Shalt Not Commit Murder", and he presents Elizabeth's head as a trophy to an elated March. Sally wants John dead in order for him to be with her, but March wants him alive to continue killing off-premises. John just wants to get back to his family. He leaves to look for them.

March asks Hazel when first she realized she was a ghost, and her reaction. She is confused, but March guides her. March expects Elizabeth will be similarly confused. The doorbell rings, and he leads Elizabeth in. The new ghost feels like all her driving passion is gone. March tells her that he can finally forgive her for turning him in to the police, but after 90 years she admits that she didn't. Hazel admits that she did, so that she could have him to herself, so that they could die together and be together forever. Hazel reminds him that she has always shown him her loyalty and love, in contrast to Elizabeth. Hazel hopes that he will finally accept her as his lover. He spurns her instead, saying she is banished from his presence. Reluctantly, she feels strangely free that she no longer has to wait on him and his "whore". Elizabeth wonders what Hazel will do without being his sycophant, and Hazel retorts that there are always more stains. She leaves the eternal husband and wife to their toast, as Elizabeth cries.

Quotes[]

  • Liz (to Iris, packing her gun)
    Are you ready for this, girl?
  • Queenie (to Ramona)
    I'm not letting some raggedy-ass red-dotted blood-whore freak take up another second of time!
  • Elizabeth
    I've never known another woman whose blood smelled like walnuts.
    Ramona Royale
    Yours still smells like black licorice.


Notes[]

  • This episode continues the tradition of bringing back characters from previous seasons of American Horror Story, which started with the fourth season, Freak Show.
    • Queenie, a witch from the third season, subtitled Coven, makes an appearance. This is the first time a character from Coven appears in another season.
  • Queenie considers Iris's belief that witches marry Satan to be ignorant and offensive, and states that witches are born this way and their power comes through bloodline. This statement disproves the possibility of witchcraft coming from the Devil.

Gallery[]

References[]

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