Spoiler alert: The following article contains spoilers from American Horror Stories Season 4, Episode 3, “X.”American horror stories returns with a new series of episodes just in time for Halloween 2024, and one of the episodes, “X” revolves around a mysterious (and creepy) patient in a hospital. Hulu's horror anthology TV show from Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk serves as a spinoff of the duo's original (and widely successful) horror series American horror story. Each episode features a different, frightening narrative and American horror stories Season 4, Episode 3, “X,” is certainly one of the scariest episodes of the series, thanks largely to the aforementioned patient. It also helps that it's the first black and white episode of the series.

Mia Isaac plays Claire Michaels in the cast of American horror stories Season 4, Episode 3. Claire is a nurse who comes across a strange escaped patient at the beginning of the story. The woman, Alice Taylor, cannot speak, but also cannot close her mouth because it is open. As “X” continues, Claire uncovers the truth behind Alice's condition and her origins – Alice is part of the Springhill program, which is apparently designed to provide life-saving (and free) care to cancer patients. Instead, they are tortured by doctors and used as test subjects. Unfortunately, Claire joins them at the end of the episode.

Ward X and the Springhill program explained

The zombified patients are held on Ward X

Claire finds out about this Ward X, where the Springhill program patients are housed, after I met Alice American horror stories Season 4, Episode 3. Alice's condition (and the fact that she murdered an orderly and is at large) causes Claire to become more concerned with her time in the hospital. Her file on the computer doesn't contain much of her story, but claims that Alice is deceased. Since Claire obviously knows this is not the case, the nurse searches for and finds Alice's file, which details what happened to her at Pinecrest Memorial Hospital.

Alice was admitted for squamous cell carcinoma (skin cancer) and the cause of death is listed as “patient died on operating table.” Then Alice, who was presumed dead, was transferred to Ward X, where Doctors involved in the Springhill program conduct experiments on cancer patients in an attempt to cure them. However, as Alice has proven, the tests have adverse side effects. Essentially, the patients are transformed into zombie-like figures as a result American horror story Spin off.

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Dr. Nostrum is responsible in Station X's story American horror stories Season 4, Episode 3. Meanwhile, Justin, the orderly whom Alice killed, was also part of the program, as was Claire's friend Lilly Mulling. Actually, Many people (except Claire, of course) at Pinecrest Memorial Hospital know about or are involved with Ward X. As a result, it is difficult for Claire to make any progress in ending the Springhill program, other than saving a boy with cancer who was about to be admitted. So it makes sense why Claire's attempts are ultimately unsuccessful.

Why Dr. Nostrum tries to kill Claire

Claire finds out about Ward X

Once Claire discovers the truth about Ward, she is unaware of his influence on the terrible program, but the oncologist soon lets her in on his secret. Dr. Nostrum tries to recruit Claire by trying to convince them that they are helping people. But after seeing what they did to Alice, Claire knows that she is Dr. Nostrum or the Springhill program and refuses to help with his research. She obviously makes the right decision when Dr. Nostrum then tries to kill Claire.

As Dr. Seeing how passionate Claire is about stopping the program, Nostrum wants to forbid her from telling anyone at the station. Claire gets the upper hand and injures Dr. Nostrum to the eye before knocking him out American horror stories Season 4, Episode 3.

Do Claire and Malcolm die in American Horror Stories Season 4 Episode 3?

Claire and Malcolm are accepted into the Springhill program

Unfortunately, neither Claire nor Malcolm have a happy ending American horror stories Season 4, Episode 3. Malcolm, the hospital security guard, helps Claire in her search for the truth in “X”. However, Malcolm's association with the nurse leads to him being transferred to Ward X with her at the end of the horror anthology episode.

As Claire and Malcolm lie on the operating table, Dr. Nostrum that he plans to give them cancer so they can become his next test subjects. However, Alice escapes again and helps Claire, Dr. Kill Nostrum and the attending nurse. Despite the oncologist's death Claire and Malcolm still end up in Station X, where they are tested and turned into “angels” (as Dr. Nostrum calls them) like the rest of the patients in the Springhill program.

Why Detective Samuels Won't Stop Ward X

District X has ties to law enforcement

Claire believes the horror is over after Dr. Nostrum died American horror stories Season 4, Episode 3. However, when she wakes up later, she soon learns that this is not the case. Claire tells Detective Samuels everything she knows about Ward X and the Springhill program after she meets Dr. Nostrum killed. I want to see the place myself, Detective Samuels has Claire show him where Ward X is. However, when they get there, it becomes clear that the police officer will not be Claire's (or anyone else's) rescuer, especially when she sees that Alice has been put back in her cage.

Detective Samuels has the other nurses take Claire to end up running tests on her American horror stories Season 4, Episode 3. He explains to Claire that his daughter has leukemia and would do anything for her. Obviously those behind the Springhill program promised to heal Detective Samuels' daughter in exchange for his silence and cooperation.

Like the Springhill program according to Dr. Nostrum's death continues

Springhill has more connections in American horror stories than first thought

Claire remarks during the finale of American horror stories Season 4, Episode 3 that Ward X should be closed because they are Dr. Nostrum killed. But as one of the nurses points out, The Springhill program is “bigger than any one person.” Its reach extends far beyond the influence of Dr. Nostrum and there are many more people involved than Claire could have ever imagined. They won't stop until they perfect the cure, and until then Claire, Malcolm, Alice and several others will continue to be tested while the world believes them to be dead American horror stories.

The creators of American Horror Story are reuniting to launch American Horror Stories, a horror anthology series created for FX and Hulu. Revolving around a new, unique horror story each episode, AHS follows various new characters in each episode as they experience their own horrific stories, often supernatural tales.

Pour

Sierra McCormick, Paris Jackson, Merrin Dungey, Matt Bomer, Naomi Grossman, John Carroll Lynch, Charles Melton, Billie Lourd

Release date

July 15, 2021

Seasons

2

Franchise(s)

American horror story