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American Horror Stories: "The Thing Under The Bed" Ending, Explained

Published

4 weeks ago

October 25, 2024

Christoph Rediske

Key Takeaways

Table of Contents

Each episode of American Horror Stories ends with unforgettable twists tied to the dark themes.
The episode “The Thing Under the Bed” features a chilling reveal that is both creepy and memorable.
This episode highlights themes of trauma, grief, childhood fears, and how the past can haunt the present.

The ending of each episode of Ryan Murphy’s American Horror Stories features an unforgettable twist that drives home the theme of the dark story that was just told. While every episode uses tropes from the horror genre, there is one epsidoe in particular that uses one of the most popular ones. American Horror Stories season 4, episode 9, “The Thing Under The Bed” is about children’s fears about a monster hiding when they’re sleeping. For the protagonist, it might be reality and not a nightmare after all.

Like the ending of the AHS season 4 episode “Backrooms,” “The Thing Under the Bed” has an unexpected reveal. It’s a fairly strong episode that deals with some dark, heavy, and serious subjects. At just over half an hour, the episode is the shortest of the entire season, but packs a genuinely creepy and memorable punch. While it might not be quite as unique as the “Tapeworm” episode, this is an entry in the popular spinoff series that is worth watching.

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What Happens At The End Of The American Horror Stories Episode “The Thing Under The Bed”?

Mary as a kid in American Horror Stories "The Thing Under the Bed"

At the end of the American Horror Stories episode “The Thing Under the Bed,” Jillian Fletcher (Debby Ryan) spends a night in Mary’s (Melonie Diaz) house. Then, in a horrifying scene, Mary and Jillian connect via a nightmare and Mary murders the nurse who told Jillian about Mary’s ability to control people through their dreams, even though she has been in a coma for a long time. From the teaser for AHS season 4, it was clear that each episode would focus on nightmares. In this episode, Jillian has been having bad dreams for years.

When she realizes that she kept seeing Mary as a young girl in her dreams, Jillian knows she has to act. Unfortunately, she isn’t strong or fast enough, and she’s no match for the villain Mary has become. Mary kills Jillian and then, in a chilling final moment, viewers see Mary sitting down and grinning. Her face shifts into the face of a man, which is a memorable image.

When Mary was a child, a man escaped from a mental hospital and broke into her house. He hid under her bed, and her father murdered him. Since then, Mary has appeared under people’s beds and killed those who she thinks are obstacles to their happiness. Jillian realizes Mary killed her husband Mark Fletcher (Matthew Holcomb) because he was pressuring Jillian to get pregnant. While this part of the episode could have benefitted from a bit more of an explanation, it works on the surface. It makes sense that since Mary saw such a disturbing event as a child, she has tried to protect others and keep them safe from harm.

While streaming each season of American Horror Stories, it becomes clear that each episode has a disturbing ending. In “The Thing Under the Bed,” Jillian’s connection to Mary is her downfall. While Mary tried to help her, this supposedly compassionate act cost Jillian her life. Jillian and Mary’s monsters are disturbing memories from their past that are still haunting them. It might be a scary episode, but it also has a sad message about trauma and loss.

What Is The American Horror Stories Episode “The Thing Under The Bed” About?

Two girls in American Horror Stories "The Thing Under the Bed"

The American Horror Stories episode “The Thing Under The Bed” focuses on Jillian’s complicated marriage to Mark and their differing feelings on starting a family. When something under their bed kills Mark suddenly, Jillian tries to find Mark’s killer, and that leads her to the hospital, where she learns about Mary.

The American Horror Stories episodes cover a range of serious topics such as pregnancy, grief, and clones along with some scarier ones like monsters, haunted houses, and the concept of liminal spaces such as “backrooms.” “The Thing Under the Bed” examines how a woman can move on from her spouse’s death but also delves into childhood trauma and bad memories that follow her around. It’s a distinct horror TV series and this particular episode is entertaining while also making viewers think about some important subjects.

Debby Ryan’s performance as Jillian also deserves a shout-out as she does a great job portraying a woman who is grieving a huge loss but also trying to solve a mystery. While no one believes Jillian, she senses that she can figure out what really happened to her husband. Watching her investigate is a scary and dark journey, and that makes “The Thing Under the Bed” one of the more compelling American Horror Stories episodes.