AHS: NYC Explores Killer New Theory In Week 2 — Is [Spoiler] Behind The Mask?

American Horror Story: NYC cruised into its second week with a pair of episodes that made us question just about everything. But what else is new?

Wednesday's double feature offered up an intriguing (if not predictable) new theory about this season's masked killer, while also leaving the door open to a far more complicated possibility. (For the record, we know it can be dicey to trust one of Leslie Grossman's Horror Story characters, especially this early in the season, but she might be onto something this time!)

Read on for a breakdown of Episodes 3 ("Smoke Signals") and 4 ("Black Out"), then drop a comment with your thoughts on this week's Horror Story installments below.

A frantic Fran kicks off Week 2 by sharing some intel she picked up working as a lab assistant. (That's how she gained access to "the files.") She tells Hannah all about Operation Paperclip, a post-war program circa 1951 in which the U.S. government employed Nazi scientists to develop and weaponize diseases. Lately, Fran says, they've been testing out one of the "golden oldies" on homeless people, prisoners, drug addicts and other groups they "detest." Hannah isn't prepared to hop aboard the conspiracy train just yet, but Fran doubles down. ("The people behind this know that I know!")

The next morning, a half-naked Stew escapes from Sam's dungeon and rushes to report the incident to Patrick. But when the detectives make a house call, Sam downplays the whole thing as a consensual night of fun. ("He wasn't the first gentleman I've entertained down here... and he won't be the last.") Sam also makes it pretty clear that he has Patrick's number *wink wink* and ends their encounter with a chilling "Don't f–k with me."

More interrogations follow at home, where Gino finally gets Patrick to admit that he knows his way around a leather bar or two. Sneaking off to such establishments without permission is apparently one of Detective Mustache's kinks, so it doesn't take much convincing for Patrick to go rogue and stake out the payphone from Stew's report.

After standing outside all damn night (seriously, how did human beings pass the time before cell phones?!), Patrick finally gets the call he's been waiting for. The "unknown" caller gives him an address and a mission (find me!), which he fails. Sure, Patrick has a very good time at that address with a handsome stranger — just not the one he's looking for.

Meanwhile, Gino and Adam hit the streets for their own investigation into Big Daddy and the Mai Tai Killer, both of whom they successfully track down... for better or worse. The bad news, of course, is that Big Daddy locks everyone in the gay bar and lights the place on fire. But because Whitely is among those trapped inside, he also ends up back at the hospital with the other victims. Showdown time!

A breathless chase ensues (so many stairs!) until Gino and Whitely's dangerous dance reaches a tragic conclusion. Sticking by his promise to never spill another vet's blood, Whitely offers Gino "the peaceful way to go," tying him up and letting him freeze to death in the morgue.

R.I.P., Gino?

Just kidding! Patrick tracks down Gino in the nick of time, yanking him out of the freezer before he fully slips away — but it's a very close call. The next morning, Gino discovers lesions on his body, which he dismisses as "fleas" that Patrick must have brought home. (Gino clearly didn't watch Episode 3, or he would know that Patrick recently discovered similar lesions on himself.)

Troubled by Kathy's silence as her patrons are being targeted, Gino pays a visit to the bathhouse, where we're treated to a phenomenal drag performance of "Anything Goes" in the style of Ms. Patti LuPone. After reading Kathy the riot act, calling her a "false friend" to the queer community, Gino is finally granted his interview, in which she expresses her awareness and heartfelt concern about the tragic "changes" afoot.

Meanwhile, Theo finally confronts Sam about all of the"weird s–t" he's been up to lately, and Sam's response — a hurricane of erratic questioning and violent threats — tells him exactly what he needs to do next. "I've got a chance at something good with someone good," Theo says, all but ensuring that Sam will kill Adam before this season is over.

After kicking Bloody Face to the curb, Theo rushes to share the good news with Adam, who invites him up to his apartment for some water. Here's the weird thing, though: they don't actually drink any water. They just kiss and giggle have stunning afternoon sex. Guess they weren't thirsty after all!

That night, Sam pulls one of the oldest tricks in the book of soap villainy, driving up to Adam in the back of a black car to ask what it'll cost to get him "out of the picture." But Adam will hear none of it, including Sam's warning that Theo will eventually get bored and return to him.

Over at the precinct, a heated exchanged leads Patrick to formally come out to Marzara as a gay cop. (Well, he knew about the cop part, but the rest is new.) Moments later, a call from Whiteley sends Patrick to Central Park, where he briefly squares off against Big Daddy before losing him in the shadows. (It's at this point that I'm confident enough to share my theory that "Big Daddy" isn't an actual person, but rather a representation of... something. Shame? Let's discuss!)

When Patrick returns home, Gino confronts him with Barbara's latest discovery — a leather mask! She thinks it proves that Patrick is the killer, but Gino suspects something else. Patrick admits to countless anonymous sexual encounters, which fuels Gino's theory that despite how much progress Patrick has made in his life as a gay man, he still needs the shame and secrecy for an erotic thrill. It's something Gino says he can't handle, quite literally, as he collapses and ends up in the hospital.

The doctor asks about Gino's proximity to cats, which was also considered as a possible contribution to Hans' death — though we, the 2022 audience, know otherwise.

Also, we offer our condolences to the pair trapped in the elevator with Whitely (and his knife) during the blackout.