Warning: The following contains major spoilers for American Horror Stories Season 1, Episode 1, "Rubber(wo)Man Part One," now streaming on Hulu.
Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk's American Horror Stories debuts with a familiar location -- the Murder House from American Horror Story Season 1. Couple Michael (Matt Bomer) and Troy (Gavin Creel), along with their angsty teenage daughter Scarlett (Sierra McCormick), relocate to California with plans to revamp the home into a haunted bed and breakfast. Its past of staggering death and violence doesn't phase any of them. Despite their optimism, the happy family begins to hit some obstacles, much like those who lived there before.
Scarlett experiences a number of horror movie clichés not long after moving in, including rolling balls and creaky doors. The supernatural phenomenon leads her to discover the black latex suit that also debuted in American Horror Story: Murder House. Fascinated by the find, Scarlett quickly puts on the suit, revealing her as the Rubber Woman spotlighted in American Horror Stories' trailer. As she slips on the mask to the Kill Bill tune Tate Langdon whistled in Murder House, her reflection is replaced by the Rubber Man's in the mirror. The image understandably frightens her. Her excitement turns to fear, prompting her to remove the suit and throw it away.
The scene transitions to Scarlett in school. As she dissects the difference between fear and shame for her teacher, a group of popular girls laugh at her expense. Nonetheless, Scarlett adoringly stares at Maya (Paris Jackson), who -- despite being affiliated with the mean girls -- seems different from the bunch. Later, Maya approaches Scarlett at her locker and flirts with her. However, Scarlett's friend believes Maya is likely messing with her, although Scarlett is quick to shake off the warning.
That night Scarlett fantasizes about being intimate with Maya. However, the fantasy becomes more violent when Scarlett envisions strangeling her crush. That night after drifting off to slip, Scarlett awakens to the Rubber Man hanging over her bed, seemingly attracted to the girl because of her violent thoughts. But when she screams, he disappears.
The next morning Scarlett's teenage fantasy becomes a reality when Maya invites her to a slumber party and teases a possible sexual encounter through a not-so-subtle selection of emojis. Unfortunately, her dads confront her about "extreme porn" they found on her computer, dampening her excitement. The revelation shines some light on Scarlett's violent sexual fantasy, and her dads confirm this isn't the first time they've found videos featuring serious pain and humiliation. They worry that the violence isn't good for her young brain and that she won't be able to enjoy "regular sex." Michael asks her if she fantasizes about being the masochist or the sadist, which enrages Scarlett. The conversation concludes with her agreeing to see a therapist to avoid being grounded so she can attend Maya's sleepover.
Later in the evening, Scarlett finds the rubber suit in her closet. In an eery sequence, she dons the suit and grabs a knife from the kitchen as her eyes turn pure black. She enters her fathers' bedroom. Just as it seems like she might do the worst, she removes the mask and laughs. Her dads aren't impressed by the joke, particularly Troy, who threatens to rip the suit off. However, as he approaches, Scarlett slices him with the knife and promptly apologies. Despite her many apologies, her dads officially ground her.
After the incident, her dads are relieved when the therapist arrives. Along with discussing Scarlett's fetish for violence, Michael and Troy recount when she was kidnapped for ten days when she was three years old. Although Scarlett claims not to remember anything from the incident, the scene suggests it may have something to do with her fascination with sexual violence. It adds a mysterious layer of significance beyond her hateful insult to her dads that she wished she stayed kidnapped.
While the family drama escalates, the therapist -- who asked to used the bathroom before leaving -- encounters the ghosts of Troy and Bryan, the twins from Murder House. After following them to the basement steps, the therapist is killed by the Rubber Man, unbeknownst to Michael, Troy or Scarlett. Although Michael and Troy discover the rubber suit and some blood later, they don't find a body or suspect anything particularly foul. As such, they agree to eat edibles and spend the night watching The Crown.
Meanwhile, Scarlett sneaks out of the house, determined to make it to Maya's sleepover despite being grounded. While the assorted popular girls don't seem overly impressed with her presence, Maya compliments her bravery and uniqueness. She then lures Scarlett to her bedroom, where she offers her pajamas. Upon undressing, Maya kisses Scarlett's neck and brings her to the bed. The situation prompts Scarlett to admit she's a virgin. When Maya asks her if she knows what to do from watching porn, Scarlett's embarrassed by her BDSM preferences. However, Maya says it sounds "hot" and promises not to judge her.
As Scarlett explains what turns her on, she receives repeated text messages from her school friend. When she finally looks at her phone, her friend confirms that Maya set her up, and the whole thing is being live-streamed from a phone hidden in Maya's closet. The revelation horrifies Scarlett. She flees Maya's house in tears, proclaiming that her life is over. She returns home to find her dads in a deep sleep -- likely from the edibles.
After devising a plan, Scarlett calls Maya, saying she plans to commit suicide and blame the whole thing on them. Given the live stream, Scarlett explains it will undoubtedly lead back to the girls, and they will likely get brought up on felony charges. Knowing she's right, Maya and her posse agree to meet Scarlett at her house as requested.
Upon arriving, the girls are intimidated by the lore surrounding the Murder House. They are afraid -- and they should be. Armed with cellphone flashlights, they descended into the basement where they are first spooked by Infantata (Charles and Nora Montgomery's Frankenstein-like baby from Murder House) before Scarlett, in the rubber suit, murders them one by one with a kitchen knife.
The darkness from the massacre transitions into daylight as Scarlett finishes a brick wall. Her dads enter and compliment her work. She apologizes to them and claims she built the wall to make up for her bad behavior. However, given what the audience saw, the moment suggests she may be concealing something behind it. Just before her dads leave, Scarlett answers Michael's question from earlier in the episode, admitting that she fantasizes about being the one who tortures people. Given Scarlett murdered Maya and her friends, the confession is spin-chilling and hints there will likely be more killing come American Horror Stories' second episode, "Rubber(wo)Man Part Two."