Orphans (American Horror Story)

Orphans, in the context of American Horror Story, refers to a recurring theme and a specific episode within the series, most notably in American Horror Story: Asylum (Season 2) and American Horror Story: Apocalypse (Season 8).

In a broader sense within the show, "orphans" represent characters who are isolated, abandoned, and lacking familial support structures. This often manifests as literal orphans, individuals who have lost their parents, but also includes characters who are estranged from their families or who have been rejected and ostracized by society. The theme of being orphaned extends to feelings of displacement and a search for belonging.

Specifically, in American Horror Story: Asylum, "Orphans" is the eighth episode. The episode delves into the backstories of several patients residing at Briarcliff Manor, a mental institution. It explores the circumstances that led them to Briarcliff and the emotional trauma stemming from their disrupted childhoods and lack of parental figures. This episode features significant development for characters like Jude Martin and Sister Mary Eunice, revealing events that shaped their present conditions.

The concept of orphans recurs in American Horror Story: Apocalypse through Miss Robichaux’s Academy for Exceptional Young Ladies, a school for witches. The young women attending the Academy, while not all literal orphans, are often presented as outcasts who find family and a sense of belonging within the coven. Their magical abilities often set them apart from mainstream society, further reinforcing their isolation.