What Twists Can We Expect From 'Freak Show?'

Are you prepared to be seriously freaked out? If not, don't tune into the premiere of American Horror Story: Freak Show. The fourth installment of the creepy anthology series has already made some big promises on what scares it will bring our way. So far we know that the series will feature a killer clown, a woman with two heads (played by the three-time American Horror Story vet Sara Paulson), and fan favorite Pepper from American Horror Story: Asylum . Yep, things are about to get seriously freaky on Wednesdays this fall, and I, for one, can't wait.

As with any American Horror Story season, we can gather all of the spoilers we want and still not be able to navigate the television show's many twists. Watching American Horror Story is hitching yourself onto one seriously twisty ride — you never know what direction the show will take you next. Of course, while we can't predict the exact plot points of American Horror Story: Freak Show, one thing we can do is take a look at the twists from previous seasons. Each season of American Horror Story may be a brand new concept, but there are certain themes, twists, and plot devices that the show has used more than once. Here are some things we might be able to expect from American Horror Story: Freak Show — if only because we've seen it before in Murder House, Asylum, and/or Coven. (Warning: Spoilers for all three seasons of American Horror Story ahead!)

Everyone Will Die (Eventually)

I was shocked to see all of my favorite characters offed on the first season of American Horror Story. Of course, this was before I knew it was an anthology series and just assumed that they were writing themselves into a hole for Season 2. One of the many benefits of an anthology series is that killing off characters is easy — you don't need them to further the plot for seasons on end. Most of the characters on Asylum also met their maker by the end of the series' run, and though most of the witches on Coven returned from the grave by the finale, the show was quick to kill of anyone and everyone. For those of you who were worried that death would be meaningless, a la Coven, there's no reason to fear. According to Ryan Murphy, death will be "permanent" on Freak Show — so prepare for a lot of it.

Historical Figures Will Make An Appearance

Each season of American Horror Story featured at least one historical figure, albeit in a very non-historically accurate situation. Murder House brought us the Black Dahlia, Asylum gave us (maybe?!) Anne Frank, and Coven featured several historical figures from 1800s New Orleans, like Marie Laveau and Madame LaLaurie. We can arguably expect at least one historical figure to walk into the freak show come October — perhaps the infamous conjoined twins Daisy and Violet Hilton will show up to battle with Paulson's Betty and Dot.

The Big Bad Is Someone We Knew All Along

American Horror Story: Murder House introduced us to an S&M figure realllly heavy on the sadism. The murderer behind the mask was revealed to be none other than the dead boy next door, Tate, a character that we had come to love despite his, uh, "questionable" traits. We were fooled again in Asylum, when "good doctor" Thredson revealed that he moonlighted as serial killer Bloody Face. Coven's big bad didn't have a secret identity, but Cordelia's husband Hank was revealed to be the hunter preying on the witches at Cordelia's school. In conclusion, expect the characters you like the most to be secretly evil on Freak Show. Sorry.

Images: FX; Giphy (3)