Although every season of American Horror Story has dark twists and turns, American Horror Story season 12 has a fascinating mystery about Adeline Harding’s (Annabelle Dexter-Jones) death. In the season 12 premiere, Anna Victoria Alcott (Emma Roberts) learns more about the passing of her husband Dex Harding’s (Matt Czuchry)’s first wife Adeline. While the season focuses on Anna’s fertility struggles and creepy pregnancy, along with her desire to become a famous actress,

With American Horror Story season 12 part 2 releasing on April 3rd 2024, there are many questions that should be answered by the part 2 finale. Part 1 did a great job of laying the groundwork for what is sure to be a compelling and eerie finale. What happened to Adeline on American Horror Story season 12 is one of the most important aspects of the season since it proves that something dark is going on.

While each American Horror Story season is genuinely scary, season 1 called Murder House just might be the creepiest and it has a memorable ending.

How Adeline Died In American Horror Story Season 12

At the beginning of American Horror Story season 12, fans find out that Dex’s first wife Adeline died in a fire at her restaurant. In one crucial scene, Anna reads a news article that said that Adeline died on August 10th, 2013 at Heista, the restaurant that brought her fame and fortune.

By the end of American Horror Story season 12 part 1, Adeline’s death remains a huge mystery. Whether she actually died or is somehow still alive is one of the biggest questions for American Horror Story: Delicate part 2. Since this is the American Horror Story franchise where characters usually have dark motives, anything is possible. Given that Dex seems like a mean-spirited and untrustworthy partner to Anna, it’s possible that he could have lied about Adeline’s death.

One important piece of information was shared in the part 1 finale: Adeline was part ofThe Woman in Black cult run by Miss Preecher, and they are upset that Adeline left when she began a relationship with Dex. This could either mean that Adeline didn’t really die, or the cult had Adeline killed. Either way, the cult is a key part of American Horror Story season 12. The revelation about Adeline being in the cult is shared in American Horror Story season 12 episode 5, “Preech,” when Ms. Preecher (Julie White) spends time with Dex’s mother Virgina Harding (Debra Monk) and spills these details. Ms. Preecher says that Adeline was one of their “most powerful players.”

Adeline’s death is a significant part of Anna’s character arc and also proves why American Horror Story is one of the strongest anthology TV series. Anna realizes that there is more to Dex’s life story than she previously thought, which shows that she is in danger and sets up part 2 of American Horror Story season 12.

An Interesting Fan Theory About Adeline On American Horror Story Season 12

There is a compelling fan theory about Adeline Harding and SoniaShalcross in American Horror Story season 12. According to Elite Daily, a Reddit fan @RemarkableContract_21 thinks that Adeline didn’t really die and Sonia, an artist who is Dex’s coworker, is Adeline. The fan wrote:

“Dex and Adeline make this elaborate plan where she fake dies and reinvents herself as a new artist while Dex finds a wealthy carrier for Adeline… he can have Anna carry the baby, and die mysteriously somehow leaving him and ‘Sonia’ all her money.”

This fan theory makes a lot of sense, especially considering that Ms. Preecher called Adeline one of the “most powerful players” in the cult. If Adeline was so significant, then perhaps the cult convinced her to fake her death and then pretend to be Sonia. Since Sonia and Dex work together, she’s very close to him and would they would have the opportunity to scheme.

It’s also possible that Anna’s publicist Sibhoan (Kim Kardashian) could have helped Adeline fake her death. Redditor @steverogue90 wrote in a Reddit thread about Adeline:

“I think Kim’s character has something to do with the « death » of Adeline / in the episode in the article it says Adeline died in a kitchen fire and in the intro them when we see Kim’s name a doll is on fire.”

Fans wonder if American Horror Story season 12 has ties to past seasons, especially American Horror Story: Cult, which was season 7. While they definitely appear to be different cults, it will be interesting to see if this fan theory is correct and Adeline is indeed Sonia. All will be revealed in the American Horror Story season 12 part 2 finale.