American Horror Story: Freak Show‘s “Curtain Call” begins with Paul (Mat Fraser), Penny (Grace Gummer) and Barbara (Chrissy Metz) hanging up banners for the final show that will star Dandy (Finn Witrock).

‘American Horror Story: Freak Show’ Recap

Inside the main tent, Dandy is preparing for his new act. When the trio arrive back at the freak show, he wants to know how many tickets they’ve sold. They inform him that no tickets have been sold yet, but that he shouldn’t worry because the banner hasn’t been up for a half an hour. For Dandy, though, it’s a sign that the freaks have done something wrong. When he threatens to give Penny horns, Amazon Eve (Erika Ervin) knocks him on the ground. Paul spits some vitriol – and spit – at him and tells him that they all quit.

On the West Coast, Elsa (Jessica Lange) is trying to become a Hollywood star. Without an appointment, she waits in the lobby puffing on cigarettes until the building closes. “If you ask me, change your act,” says the secretary. “Marlena did it better.” At that, Elsa slaps her. Michael Beck (David Burtka) then sweeps in to save the day.

Back at the freak show, Dandy is applying his stage makeup. Humming his way through the tents, the first person he sees is Paul. “We need to talk about last week’s pay,” Paul says before Dandy shoots him dead. Dandy then spots Grace behind the clothesline and shoots her too. Though Suzi (Rose Siggins) tries to crawl away, Dandy gets her as well. Barbara also gets a bullet to the head. When he tries to find Desiree, Amazon Eve makes a move to take him out, but Dandy manages to kill her too. Desiree, however, is still alive for now. The Tattler twins (Sarah Paulson), bound and gagged, receive a warm caress from Dandy and an offer to come with him.

Upon returning to the freak show, Jimmy finds it eerily quiet. He calls out for Elsa and walks into her empty tent. In the main tent, Jimmy finds a tableau of all the slain freaks that stretches from the aisle to the stage. As he starts to close their eyes, Desiree emerges and gives him a tearful embrace.

At the Mott residence, Bette and Dott walk down the aisle to marry Dandy – though it’s only Bette who actually marries him. Dott, as he puts it, is the “third wheel.” Bursting with enthusiasm, Dandy talks about going on safari and having freak babies. As he guzzles down some wine, he begins to feel woozy. Desiree poisoned him at the request of the girls, who played him to the altar. When he tries to go at Desiree with a knife, Bette pulls his own gun on him. From the kitchen, out comes Jimmy.

When Dandy wakes up, he finds himself in a glass tank. He tries to beg the twins, Jimmy and Desiree for his life, but no one is interested. They’re going to fill the tank up with water. After a scathing speech from Desiree, Dandy offers them money and then claims that he’s immortal before making a futile attempt to escape. Popping popcorn, the survivors of his massacre watch on as he drowns.

Back in Hollywood, the Hollywood Walk of Fame is having it’s grand opening. Elsa Mars now has three Emmy’s, a successful string of albums, Michael Beck as her husband and the first star on the Walk of Fame. She’s a diva now, causing problems on a commercial set. When a publicity person comes by to talk to her about her Halloween special, she tells her – and Michael – in no uncertain terms that she never performs on Halloween. Massimo (Danny Huston), the doctor who performed the surgery on her legs, comes by and she tells him of her woes. Little does she know that Mr. Gable is about to tell her that the XXX video in which she loses her legs is about to leak. Additionally, her past running a freak show in Jupiter has been uncovered. Gable then informs her that all the freaks are dead. In response, she agrees to do the Halloween show.

Elsa Mars’ Halloween Spooktacular begins with a performance of David Bowie’s “Heroes.” Desiree catches it on TV while walking down the street with her husband, and Jimmy sees it as a pregnant Bette and Dott bring him dinner. Sweeping onto the Hollywood stage, meanwhile, is the two-faced Edward Mordrake (Wes Bentley). He stabs Elsa and she awakens back at the Jupiter freak show and is greeted by Ma Petite (Jyoti Amge), Ethel (Kathy Bates) and the rest, with whom she’ll live for eternity.