Unmasking American Horror Stories: Surprising Facelift Ending Revealed with Chilling Piggy Man Connection!

Summary

American Horror Stories season 2 explores themes of vanity, beauty, and physical perfection through the story of Virginia's desperate quest for eternal youth.

In the gripping climax of "Facelift," Virginia undergoes a mesmerizing metamorphosis into a swine-like creature and becomes the prey of a cult in a ritualistic sacrifice. This unexpected turn of events serves as a significant link to the expansive American Horror Story universe.

The episode draws inspiration from the ancient Celtic mythology and the captivating tale of Étaín, the revered deity of allure. The cult fervently recites Gaelic incantations, firmly believing that the offering of Virginia will ensure their eternal beauty and personal transfiguration.

The shocking conclusion of American Horror Stories season 2, featuring the pig lady, bears a striking resemblance to the classic Piggy Man tale. Throughout the season, the episodes were primarily centered around the themes of vanity, beauty, self-reflection, and the pursuit of physical perfection. "Facelift," in particular, continues this pattern by portraying a woman's desperate attempt to combat the effects of aging through the help of a mysterious plastic surgeon.

The story revolves around Virginia, a woman from Beverly Hills, who is directed to a secretive plastic surgery establishment in her quest for a rejuvenated appearance. However, she soon discovers that the unconventional procedure performed by Dr. Enid Perle is nothing like she anticipated.

As Virginia arrives at an isolated retreat, hidden truths about the surgeon and the cult's Gaelic chants start to unravel. When the bandages are finally removed, Virginia's true transformation is unveiled - she has been turned into a pig woman. With a snout for a nose and hooves for hands, Virginia in American Horror Stories' "Facelift" bears a resemblance to Piggy Man from American Horror Story, who also had a peculiar connection to Celtic mythology. Once again, the show delves into cults, real-life legends, and ties to previous seasons of American Horror Story, providing its own interpretation of The Twilight Zone's iconic episode, "Eye of the Beholder."

What Happens In American Horror Stories Season 2 Episode 6’s Ending

In the final episode of American Horror Story Facelift, Virginia is taken to a secluded retreat in the woods by Dr. Perle, accompanied by her stepdaughter Fay who secretly hides in the SUV in order to uncover the truth about the organization. Dr. Perle gathers the other guests to witness the shocking outcome of Virginia's surgery, which reveals that she has been transformed into the American Horror Story pig lady.

Dr. Perle then discloses that Virginia is to be sacrificed during the annual retreat, where followers of Étaín reenact the day when "beauty" triumphed over "ugliness" represented by a swine. The "beautiful" individuals arm themselves with weapons and spears, giving Virginia a two-minute head start to flee through the woods. If she manages to reach the water before they catch up to her, she will be spared.

As Virginia desperately dashes through the forest, she spots her neighbor Bernie and begs for help. To her dismay, Bernie reveals himself to be one of the "beautiful" and signals the arrival of the cult members who proceed to fatally stab Virginia. However, the episode takes one final twist as it is revealed that Virginia's stepdaughter Fay is the actual special guest of the night.

Fay’s biological mother was a member of the Étaín worshipers and the sacrifice of Virginia was a gift to her from the "beautiful" family. In "Facelift," an episode of American Horror Stories, Fay reminisces about her teenage years and remembers receiving an heirloom from her mother and grandmother. The necklace she received had a butterfly pendant, which symbolized the cult. Joining the ranks of the "beautiful" group, Fay undergoes a physical and psychological transformation that boosts her confidence. During this time, she meets a fellow law student who reveals his own butterfly tattoo.

“Facelift” Ending Twist Explained – Why Perle Killed Virginia For Fay

In a horrific act of violence, Perle cold-heartedly murders Virginia and justifies her action as a twisted gift for Fay. The conclusion of "Facelift," an episode of American Horror Stories, unveils Fay as an integral part of a society fixated on beauty, and she must reclaim her position amongst them. The sacrifice of Virginia serves as a catalyst for Fay's transformation into the abominable pig lady of American Horror Story. Despite Perle's earlier claims that Fay's influence was detrimental to Virginia's recovery and mental state, the episode's finale suggests that Perle truly believed the opposite.

What The Cult Is Chanting In American Horror Stories Facelift

Rather, Fay's intimate bond with Virginia, who wasn't part of the glamorous society, hindered her progress towards joining the cult and attaining a more attractive, self-assured, and affluent version of herself. The conclusive sequence in American Horror Story Facelift effectively demonstrates this as Fay, following Virginia's demise, undergoes a remarkable metamorphosis, revitalizing both her physical appearance and mental outlook, wholeheartedly embracing the blessings bestowed upon her by Étaín.

During the American Horror Stories Facelift, members of the secret society often communicate in Gaelic. As part of the surgical procedure, they engage in a repeated chant in the ancient language. The surgeon and her fellow cult members utter the phrase "tha bòidhchead na fhìrinn," which loosely translates to "beauty is truth." While the group continues their rhythmical chant in the operation room, Perle sets to work on Virginia and softly speaks another Gaelic expression.

American Horror Stories S2 Ep 2 True Story – Is The Étaín Legend Real?

Her message to Étaín can be loosely summarized as "the guardian of all things beautiful, bestow upon us blessings as we make this offering in your honor." Gaelic speakers were unsurprised by the unexpected turn of events in the American Horror Story spinoff episode, where Virginia was chosen as the sacrificial victim.

Referencing the mythological figure Étaín, Perle frequently alludes to her role as the "keeper of the beautiful ones" in American Horror Stories. Although she did not engage in the practice of sacrificing pigs for beauty, Étaín originates from authentic Celtic mythology. Explored in the American Horror Story episode titled "Facelift," Étaín manifested as both a butterfly and the sun, serving as a guardian of beauty. According to the contemporary rendition of the tale "The Wooing of Étaín," a spell metamorphosed Étaín into a butterfly, with additional Irish texts extolling the figure's aesthetics.

“Facelift” Puts A Twist On American Horror Story’s Piggy Man Legend

: The character's name, which means "shining one," is frequently used by the characters in American Horror Stories. Originally, she was a sun goddess, and many aspects of the mythological character in the episode accurately reflect her true legend. However, American Horror Stories takes creative liberties by portraying the cult sacrificing humans, like the American Horror Story pig lady, to maintain their beauty.

The "Facelift" episode of American Horror Story may not have a direct connection to the Piggy Man legend, but it does exhibit some peculiar similarities. Piggy Man is an apparition and local myth exclusively created for American Horror Story, introduced in Murder House during the first season. In that season, one of Ben Harmon's patients confesses to an intense dread of the Piggy Man legend, which suggests that the ghost can be summoned by gazing into a mirror and repeating the phrase "here piggy pig" several times.

Virginia, the protagonist in "Facelift," expresses her desire to feel content when she looks at herself in the mirror. However, her wish takes a dark turn as she is transformed into a pig woman and becomes the target of hunters who mockingly chant "here piggy pig." This transformation seems more than coincidental when compared to Piggy Man, a character who dons a pig's head and is bound by pig feet on his hands, but the two are distinct in their nature.

It is important to note that American Horror Stories does not provide a new origin for the Piggy Man legend, as this character's history is already explored in American Horror Story: Roanoke. Yet, both Virginia's metamorphosis in "Facelift" and the Piggy Man's story in Roanoke draw inspiration from Celtic mythology. While the pig lady in American Horror Stories is connected to the mythological goddess Étaín through a sacrificial ritual, Piggy Man's creation is tied to the Old Gods and the witch Scáthach, who is influenced by Celtic mythology.

What Critics Said About American Horror Stories Facelift

Thanks to the similarities between American Horror Story's "Facelift" and both Piggy Man and Twilight Zone, it was easily perceived as a derivative horror story. A connection to the film Death Becomes Her, which explores the desire for eternal youth and beauty, was also observed by Vulture in their review of the episode. However, unlike the movie, the reviewer felt that "Facelift" aimed to convey a moralistic message but failed to fully address the theme of vanity.

In contrast, horror-centric site Bloody Disgusting regarded American Horror Story's "Facelift" as a successful horror story. The reviewer highlighted that the entire episode, including the eventual reveal of the American Horror Story pig lady, was executed with great enthusiasm, overshadowing the lack of originality regarding the exploration of vanity and the never-ending pursuit of beauty. The reviewer expressed disappointment that Virginia, the character, experienced a fate more grim than being transformed into a deformed creature – she was denied the opportunity to live at all.