Throughout the years of American Horror Story, there's been a lot of debate on which season is ultimately the best. While the first three definitely stand as the crown jewels of the series, Freak Show is a special one due to being the last season featuring Jessica Lange in a major role.
With a colorful cast of characters, Freak Show tells the story of one of America's last traveling freak shows led by Elsa Mars and their struggle in a 1950s society where appearing prim and proper is everything. Let's take a look at some of the most important characters and where they stand in the D&D alignment chart.
10 Stanley: Neutral Evil
Denis O'Hare takes on the role of Stanley in Freak Show, a money-hungry con artist who's desperate to obtain limbs from the freaks in order to sell them to a museum for good money. He first arrives to Elsa Mars' show under the guise of a talent agent, accompanied by Maggie. However, his influence soon tears apart the members of the freak show, as he pits them against one another in an act of greed.
Stanley is a classic example of a neutral evil character. His entire motivation is based on money and personal profit. If he doesn't see any coin coming his way or a chance to snatch one of the freaks and consequently their limbs, he won't necessarily commit evil, but he's also definitely not beyond it.
9 Gloria Mott: Lawful Neutral
Gloria is your typical delusional helicopter mom. Incredibly wealthy and widowed, she constantly babies her grown son Dandy by giving him everything and anything his heart desires. She's incredibly worried by him and tries to trick him into a meeting with a psychiatrist. However, ultimately she meets a gruesome end after pushing her son Dandy too far, even though she went as far as buying Bette and Dot for him.
Gloria isn't necessarily evil, although perhaps she could be classified as someone like that. The truth is, she's simply a mother caring immensely about her son and would do anything for him. She's completely loyal to him, and it's that loyalty that defines her moral compass.
8 Desiree Dupree: Chaotic Good
Desiree is one of the many freaks at Elsa's show, famous for being The Three Breasted Woman. Married to Dell, she's got a lot to deal with his temper. However, she wants nothing more than to live a normal, happy life, which is why she attempts to go through a surgery to get rid of her third breast, which breaks her and Dell apart as a married couple. Later on, when she finds out the truth about Maggie, she actually shows her mercy.
Desiree is a truly good and kind-hearted person. Not only does she make up with Ethel, Dell's ex-wife, but she also shows immense empathy towards Maggie. Her methods, however, are not exactly always in line with the law, as she seeks vengeance with the other freaks against their tormentors.
7 Maggie Esmeralda: Chaotic Neutral
Maggie is brought to the mix through association with Stanley. Maggie actually begins a relationship with Jimmy Darling, one of Stanley's targets, which turns her agenda on its head. She's also unable to kill Ma Petite and even confesses to Desiree the truth about her and Stanley.
Although Maggie has a pretty significant redemption arc, it would be a stretch to consider her good. She follows her own heart, her own moral compass. Occasionally, she'll side with the freaks when it's a matter of heart, such as with Jimmy, but she's also motivated by money to a degree.
6 Ethel Darling: Neutral Good
Ethel is one of the oldest members of the freak show and is considered Elsa's right. She's famous for being the Bearded Woman and was rescued by Elsa from alcoholism. She's quite protective of Jimmy and the freaks, to the point where she'll immediately confront Elsa when she believes the woman has something fishy to do with the deaths happening around. As Dell's ex-wife, she first despises Desiree, but the two make up and redeem their relationship.
Ethel has the best interest of the freaks in mind. However, she's not as hasty to act as the others, and would rather speak with Elsa first to get the truth out of her. Sadly, this neutral approach that is neither chaotic nor rule-abiding ends up being her undoing.
5 Dell Toledo: Neutral Evil
Every freak show needs their Strongman and, in Elsa's show, that's Dell Toledo's job. Dell is a bit of a trouble magnet, and when he arrives at the freak show, begging for Elsa to help him and Desiree with work, he brings trouble with him. Dell is actually Ethel's ex-husband and Jimmy's father. He eventually gets blackmailed by Stanley who knows about his visits to a gay bar, and he ends up responsible for several murders.
Dell is highly opportunistic and only cares about himself. He won't allow Desiree to become happy by going through her surgery, cutting the doctor's hands instead. In shame of his sexuality, he tries to protect himself by killing Ma Petite and attempting several other murders, making him a typical neutral evil.
4 Dandy Mott: Chaotic Evil
Dandy is the only son of Gloria Mott and lives in the lap of luxury. He has a rocky past, his family infamous for inbreeding which has resulted in mental issues down his family line. Dandy's no different in this regard, as he enjoys killing animals. His dream is to join to freak show as a result of being tired of his wealthy lifestyle, but Elsa turns him down, which causes something to snap in his head. His obsession with Bette and Dot turns unhealthier as the season progresses, resulting in him killing his mother and housekeeper.
Dandy is a psychopath down to every detail. He believes himself to be perfect in every regard and the center of the universe. Some of the scenes even have references to American Psycho, when Dandy's working out and admiring his body in a true act of narcissism. He's your true chaotic evil, indulging in violence.
3 Jimmy Darling: Chaotic Good
Jimmy is the son of Ethel and Dell, and although he's initially unable to recognize Dell as his father, he comes to find out through the hard way. He's most known as Lobster Boy, due to this deformed hands resembling lobster claws. Jimmy is incredibly close to all the freaks and considers the show as his home, at least until Maggie persuades him to plan an escape together. He begins a downward spiral after losing Ethel and breaking up with Maggie, which leads him to have his hands amputated and stolen by Stanley.
Jimmy has a tough story, but he loves the freaks more than anyone else, as shown in how he cries when Meep was brought back dead to the freak show. He's young and idealistic in a sense, ready to help the others at a moment's notice, even if it costs his own life.
2 Bette And Dot Tattler: Chaotic Neutral
Bette and Dot are The Siamese Sisters that end up getting hired by Elsa for her show. After murdering their own mother for always keeping them hidden, the outside world finally hears of their existence. Bette and Dot initially try to get Elsa to pay for a surgery that would separate them but, in the end, the sisters are too close to one another to go through with their decision.
Bette and Dot are not quite the same person, with Bette more child-like and Dot much more mature and protective. However, they make decisions on what is best for themselves, which is explained by how they were protected and controlled by their mother most of their lives.
1 Elsa Mars: Neutral Evil
Elsa is the leader of the freak show, originally from Germany. Later on, her legs are revealed to be prosthetic made for her after she lost her legs in a traumatic event. Her goal is to organize the best freak show in America, however, she's challenged by the rise of television entertainment, which she both despises and desperately wants to become a part of.
Although Elsa claims to stand for those working under her, it's quickly evident that she lets feelings like jealousy and greed control her. All she truly cares about is her own fame and the profit she can make.
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