Nightmare Fuel: Ranking the Most Terrifying American Horror Story Scenes

From sinister clowns to grotesque rituals, the anthology series has consistently raised the bar for horror in television, gifting us some genuinely terrifying scenes throughout its seasons.

Here are the most nightmare-inducing AHS scenes ranked from least to most terrifying the show has ever spawned.

10. Sophie and Milo's Deaths - S6 (Roanoke)

Sophie and Milo appeared as two amateur paranormal enthusiasts who fall victim to the spirits that haunt the Roanoke house. As they explore the sinister site, tension builds as it turns to night, and they are forced to flee. Their head-mounted cameras capture the terror from a first-person perspective, making the scene all the more horrifying. Its realism, combined with the characters being brutally impaled and burned to death, certainly leaves its viewers unsettled.

9. Michael's Nanny Slaughter - S8 (Apocalypse)

The terrifying backstory of the Antichrist - Michael Langdon, is unveiled in Apocalypse. One of the most shocking moments is the season's finale. After Michael's defeat, Emily and Timothy are shown in the new timeline together and having a son. Yet repeating the same events from season one, a young Devon is found after murdering his babysitter. The shock of a child exhibiting such violent tendencies, combined with the dark implications of his future as the next Antichrist, creates an unforgettable and disturbing way to end the season.

8. Camp Counselors' Descent - S9 (1984)

1984 brings a classic slasher vibe to AHS, where the camp counselors are hunted by the infamous Mr. Jingles, making this one of the series' goriest seasons. Yet the death of the original camp nurse, Rita, is maybe its most disturbing. Close to being rescued by the others, the camp killer Benjamin ultimately finds her and brutally impales her through the mouth using an oar as his weapon.

7. Cult's Gruesome Massacre - S7 (Cult)

Cult introduces a different kind of horror, where the real terror lies in the disturbing indifference of the cult members. In a chilling display of their madness, they casually kill a victim using a nail gun, aiming to break their previous record of 13. The unsettling nonchalance with which they discuss and carry out the act, finding pleasure in the gruesome violence, makes this scene profoundly disturbing.

6. The Alien Hybrid Birth - S10 (Double Feature)

The anthology's tenth season, Double Feature, was split into two stories. In the season's second half, a horrifying moment features the birth of an alien hybrid. However, things only get more discomforting when the mother is subsequently beheaded, made to become a breeding vessel for more alien offspring. The combination of horror and sci-fi terror, coupled with the cold and emotionless replacement of a human with a machine, creates an unsettling atmosphere, to say the least.

5. Twisty's Rampage - S4 (Freak Show)

If there is one thing almost everyone hates, it's clowns. Freak Show, therefore, introduces the serial-killing circus entertainer, Twisty. In a bone-chilling sequence that demonstrates his dark nature, Twisty surprises his unsuspecting victims while enjoying a rather intimate picnic. His eerie appearance, silent demeanor, and sudden bursts of violence make this scene horrifying and unforgettable due to his disturbing persona.

4. Vampire Feeding Frenzy - S5 (Hotel)

In season 5, Hotel, the vampires The Countess and Donovan, portrayed by Lady Gaga and Matt Bomer, seduce a couple and take them back to their suite. However, after some passionate foreplay, they proceed to slit the couple's throats and gorge on their blood. The abundant display of blood and the casual way they engage in their grisly feast creates an unnerving sense of horror as they prey on others' vulnerability.

3. Delphine LaLaurie's Atrocities - S3 (Coven)

In Coven, the dark past of Madame Delphine LaLaurie comes to light through haunting flashbacks. One scene depicting her sadistic torture and mutilation of her victims (and also her slaves) from inside her mansion is powerfully alarming. The historical basis adds an extra layer of dread as it reminds you of the real dark history of slavery, making it both a spine-chilling and thought-provoking experience to witness.

2. The Doctor’s Baby - S1 (Murder House)

Murder House, the original AHS season, includes many terrifying scenes to choose from. However, Dr. Montgomery's horrifying experiment to bring his dead son back to life is undoubtedly the worst. The grotesque act of stitching the dismembered pieces of his child together, combined with the use of a heart from an aborted baby, is truly the most sickening the series has ever reached. If that wasn't sickening enough, the baby returns to life as a monstrous creature that terrorizes the house.

1. Leigh Emerson's Festive Killing Spree - S2 (Asylum)

Lastly, the most horrific moment from AHS's entire series must be Leigh Emerson's twisted backstory as a killer Santa Claus, culminating in a harrowing killing spree. Dressed in a festive costume, he visits people's homes, leaving a trail of violence and death in his wake. What makes this one of the most disturbing moments in the show's history is it feels all too grounded in reality. It is one of the few horrendous acts of the series that feels like it could happen for real.

American Horror Story Season 12: Delicate is expected to debut later this summer, although the official release date is still unknown.