13 Blink-and-You'll-Miss-Them Moments From the AHS: Apocalypse Trailer

This week, we finally got our first in-depth look at American Horror Story: Apocalypse. Not only do we have a short preview that brings us right back to Murder House and Coven — and all our beloved characters — but the full-length trailer also hints at the new world and the new characters to come. Once you get to your second, third, or 13th viewing, you'll notice that there are more exciting things to pick up about the season. Everything comes and goes so quickly, it's hard to nail it down! Luckily for you, we had time today, and we pulled out a bunch of truly exciting aspects that you don't want to miss, from both the preview and the trailer.

01
The Nature of the Nuclear Fallout
FX

The Nature of the Nuclear Fallout

In the trailer, Paulson's Venable says no one is allowed outside, and we catch a fleeting glimpse of the reason why. Individuals who have been exposed to the outside are being hideously deformed. Bleak.

02
A Zombie Apocalypse of Sorts?
FX

A Zombie Apocalypse of Sorts?

We know Ryan Murphy loves to cram in a good, meaty sideplot, and the whole nuclear fallout seems to be exactly that. It's not just that the toxic outside air is deforming people . . . it seems to be changing them, making them vicious and bloodthirsty. We also witness an outside execution scene, so it really all checks out.

03
A Bit More Character Context
FX

A Bit More Character Context

Previous rumblings on the internet had surmised that the characters played by Leslie Grossman, Evan Peters, and Joan Collins were all somehow related, and this seems to confirm it! We know Peters plays a hairdresser, so does that make Collins and Grossman his kin or his clients? Guess we'll have to wait and see.

04
It's Lily Rabe!
FX

It's Lily Rabe!

And she's looking as gorgeous as ever. Rabe is set to once again play the powerful Misty Day, who emerges in Coven as a witch with the power of resurgence. That means she can bring dead things back to life. The catch is Misty gets trapped in Hell at the end of the season. I wonder how they'll get out of that one?

05
The Presence of the Rubber Man
FX

The Presence of the Rubber Man

The presence of the Rubber Man could only mean one thing: Apocalypse is set on the land that use to be home of the Murder House. Outpost 3 is clearly an entirely different building, but we don't need the same structure to encounter all the ghosts from season one. My guess is they built right on top of the remains of the Murder House, and that's why the Harmons, the Rubber Man, and all the other spirits are still around.

06
The Return of Michael Langdon
FX

The Return of Michael Langdon

It's so brief, I missed it the first few times. But yep, there he is: it's Michael Langdon in the flesh! And he's looking rather, well, creepy. I mean, he is the Antichrist, after all.

07
All the Other Witches
FX

All the Other Witches

Here, we can see that Cordelia, Madison, and Myrtle definitely end up at the horrifying Outpost 3. Are they trying to resurrect dead residents? This could be how Misty factors into the whole plot. And, moreover, it could explain how Madison, Myrtle, Zoe, and all the other dead witches come back for Apocalypse.

08
All the Dinner Party Guests
FX

All the Dinner Party Guests

We get a few spare wide shots in the trailer, and they show a bunch of stars we'd only heard about. Here, we can see Adina Porter, Joan Collins, Jeffrey Boyer Chapman, and, of course, Leslie Grossman!

09
The Biblical Implications
FX

The Biblical Implications

There's a good chance there will be heavy biblical allusions throughout the season. The end of the world brings us back to Genesis. These two are clearly come kind of Adam-and-Eve pairing, and this shot of them sharing a (forbidden!) kiss under the stairs is followed by a crawling snake. It all makes sense!

10
A Sneak Peek at "Mallory"
FX

A Sneak Peek at "Mallory"

We knew to expect Billie Lourd in the new season, but we know precious little about her character. Even Lourd herself said the name is "just Mallory." Hey, at least now we can put a face to the name.

11
An Extra Dose of Evan Peters
FX

An Extra Dose of Evan Peters

Peters seems to get more sinister at some point in Apocalypse. Is this the same hairdresser he plays in the beginning of the preview, or will he wear multiple hats throughout the season? It's a bit confusing, because we can see his character getting punished by Kathy Bates's character in one scene. But hey, maybe he rises through the ranks. After all, he played so many cult leaders in Cult, and he's reprising his roles as Tate and Kyle. Who knows? Maybe we'll be seeing one more character in the mix.

12
Michael as the Antichrist
FX

Michael as the Antichrist

As if there was any doubt Michael would rise as the son of Satan himself. Here, we see him presiding over the dark aftermath of the outside world.

13
A Glimpse of Jessica Lange
FX

A Glimpse of Jessica Lange

It's her, it's her! We knew Lange would be back for Apocalypse — we just didn't expect to see her so soon! By the looks of it, this is a scene featuring her Murder House character, Constance Langdon, who has taken Michael under her care at the end of the season. We'll level with you: it looks like recycled footage from Murder House. But hey, it's still an exciting tease of what's to come! And here's hoping she returns to reprise Fiona Goode as well. (Pretty please?)