American Horror Story: Cult episode 6 unedited version available online
By Hector Cruz
The full, unedited mass shooting opening scene from “American Horror Story: Cult” episode 6 can be viewed on FX’s digital platforms.
Ahead of the airing of this week’s episode of American Horror Story: Cult, entitled “Mid-Western Assassin,” FX confirmed creator Ryan Murphy’s assertion that the opening scene of episode 6 would be heavily edited due to a mass shooting sequence in light of the recent tragedy in Las Vegas, which was the deadliest mass shooting in American history.
“I believe I have the right to air it. But I also believe in victims’ rights, and I believe that now is not the week to have something explosive or incendiary in the culture,” Murphy said at the New Yorker Festival, according to Deadline. He went to explain that the episode was created to serve as an “anti-gun warning about society.”
FX began the installment with the following message:
"“In light of the recent tragedy in Las Vegas, the producers of American Horror Story: Cult have chosen to edit tonight’s episode for gun-related violence.”"
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The network went on to instruct viewers to visit FXNOW, FX+ or VOD services in order to view the unedited version of the episode, which was filmed two months ago. The edited version clocks in at less than 2 minutes, while the unedited scene includes an extra 40 seconds of footage.
Most of what was cut showed the cult’s newest recruit, Ivy, (Alison Pill), experiencing the horror first hand as shots were fired all around her. Several innocent bystanders were taken down in quick succession, including an innocent bystander attempting to save her. Ivy’s terrified reaction could prove significant going forward as she continues to be reluctant about the cult’s increasingly violent acts. Even with the inclusion of the disturbing scene, the episode was far less violent than “Holes,” which saw two characters face torturous deaths as the hands of Kai (Evan Peters) and his devoted followers.
Next: American Horror Story: Cult season 7, episode 6 recap: “Mid-Western Assassin”
The remainder of the episode focused on the events leading up to the shooting, which we later learned was perpetrated by Meadow (Leslie Grossman) and not Ally (Sarah Paulson) as viewers were initially led to believe. It was all part of a scam to create a martyr out of Kai to give him a national platform beyond potentially winning a city council seat in his small Michigan town of Brookfield Heights. Additionally, it had the added benefit of framing Ally for the crime.
American Horror Story: Cult season 7 continues Tuesdays at 10 p.m. ET on FX.