Warning: The following contains major spoilers for American Horror Stories Season 1, Episode 1, "Rubber(wo)Man Part One," and Episode 2, "Rubber(wo)Man Part Two," now streaming on Hulu.
Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk's spin-off series American Horror Stories dropped with a two-part premiere that brought American Horror Story fans back to the Murder House. Michael (Matt Bomer) and Troy (Gavin Creel), along with their teenage daughter Scarlett (Sierra McCormick), have big dreams of renovating the famed location into a haunted bed and breakfast. However, they don't count on contending with the spirits the lurk inside its halls. While the ghosts present a problem for Michael and Troy, Scarlett engages in a romance with one named Ruby (Kaia Gerber). Although Ruby and Scarlett's relationship arguably ends on a happier note, it elicits strong similarities to one of AHS most toxic couples -- Tate and Violet.
In AHS: Murder House, misunderstood teenager Violet (Taissa Farmiga) meets Tate (Evan Peters). The two bond over their shared family drama and quickly fall into a messy romance. After Violet uncovers Tate's past as a school shooter and now ghost, their relationship is tested. Given Tate's dead, he wants Violet to spend eternity with him in the Murder House. While he ultimately gets his wish, their romance comes to an emotional end after Violet discovers Tate raped her mother.
While Violet and American Horror Stories' Scarlett share color-inspired names, the similarities don't end there. Scarlett and Ruby's relationship follows a familiar trajectory to Tate and Violet's. Being a ghost, Ruby fears that Scarlett will move from the Murder House and leave her behind. As such, she encourages Scarlett to kill herself, much like how Tate did in AHS. Following in Violet's footsteps, Scarlett refuses and asks Ruby not to kill her because she doesn't want that choice taken from her.
Ultimately, Scarlett decides she wants to leave the Murder House and explore the world. Ruby is heartbroken but allows Scarlett her freedom. The two part on amicable terms, and "Rubber(wo)Man Part Two's" ending implies that Scarlett continues to return every Halloween -- the day the dead can walk the Earth -- to visit her ghostly lover.
In that regard, Scarlett and Ruby have a much happier ending than Violet and Tate. While the American Horror Stories pair are both violent sociopaths, Ruby still respects Scarlett's wishes. In many ways, Ruby and Scarlett are compatible, given they have no qualms about murder. In contrast, Tate's darkness caused him to commit heinous acts of violence and sexual assault. Violet was an innocent teenager who ultimately became another one of Tate's victims. While Tate also respected Violet's wish of not wanting to kill herself to be with him, his propensity for evil sabotaged their love.
Although Scarlett and Ruby had to tackle the same problem of being in a ghost/human relationship, their path split from their AHS counterparts. They managed to make it work, whereas Tate's evil actions destroyed Tate and Violet's prospective future -- though, a heartwrenching breakup was a somewhat fitting punishment for Tate. As such, it seems strange for American Horror Stories to reward its murderous villain with a happy ending, but that's exactly what it did.
AHS fans looking to watch the spin-off can find American Horror Stories on Hulu. New episodes drop each Thursday.