WARNING: The following contains major spoilers for American Horror Stories Season 1, Episode 4, "The Naughty List," now streaming on Hulu.
Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk deliver a Christmas-inspired story with "The Naughty List." American Horror Stories debuts Danny Trejo's Santa, but instead of bringing gifts, he's bringing death. The horror genre is no stranger to killer Santa stories. Holiday slashers like Silent Night, Deadly Night and Krampus have garnered quite the cult following. While American Horror Stories puts its own modern twist on the trope, it's not the first time the franchise has featured a deranged Santa Claus. American Horror Story: Asylum's Christmas episode spotlighted Leigh Emerson, a Santa Claus killer that makes the spin-off's not-so-jolly killer look like child's play.
American Horror Stories' "The Naughty List" focuses on the Bro House, a group of obnoxious social media influencers looking to hit the milestone of five million subscribers. After posting a horrific video of a man committing suicide, their following substantial decreases. Their desperate attempt to regain their reputation leads them to the Santa's Village at a local mall. However, the Bro House's prank gets out of hand, leading them to anger the wrong Santa Claus.
Come to find out, the unnamed Santa is an imposter. He murdered the real Santa's Village employee, discarding his body in a present box. After his less than stellar interaction with the Bro House, Santa follows them to their mansion, where he picks them off one by one. The slasher-inspired deaths range from electrocution by string lights to crossbow shots from the rooftop. However, the big, gruesome reveal comes at the episode's conclusion. Santa does a little decorating of his own, topping the Bro House's Christmas tree with a member's head. Various dismembered body parts act as ornaments backlit by the blood-red lights. While it's truly a terrifying sight, it's nothing compared to the horrors performed by Asylum's Leigh Emerson.
A patient at Briarcliff, Leigh primarily appeared in the Christmas-themed episode, "Unholy Night." His story from petty criminal to mass murder began years earlier when he stole a loaf of bread. While in his cell on Christmas Eve, five men raped him. The traumatic incident ignited a deep hatred of the holiday. In December of 1962, Leigh shot a sidewalk Santa collecting charity. Later, he donned the costume and killed 18 people from five different families. Spouting a plethora of holiday puns, Leigh tied his victims up with string lights -- much like American Horror Stories' killer -- and promised to leave "a little terror" under the tree.
Given his instability and preoccupation with Christmas, Leigh was institutionalized at Briarcliff. After attacking an orderly during a holiday photoshoot, Sister Jude punished him with a year-long solitary stay that did more harm than good. However, a possessed Sister Mary Eunice changes all that when she releases Leigh and dresses him as Santa for 1964's Christmas celebration. Later, Dr. Arden and Sister Mary Eunice toss him in the office with Sister Jude in an attempt to get rid of the head nun. Leigh proceeds to beat her with a cane and attempts to rape her, although Jude stabs him with a letter opener, ending the attack. Leigh survives the stabbing and later helps Dr. Arden and Sister Mary Eunice frame Jude for murder. The opportunity allows him to escape, resulting in him killing seven nuns.
The biggest difference between the two deranged Santa killers, aside from Leigh's substantially higher kill count, is their respective backstories. While Leigh's is detailed via present time and flashback, American Horror Stories lacks a definitive origin for its unnamed St. Nick. Although it's said he's killed before and seems to dislike those that disrespect the holiday, his reason for targeting mall Santas is unclear. In that regard, Asylum's Leigh becomes a more fleshed-out villain. That said, neither Santa spreads holiday cheer, and they'd rather deck victims in the face than deck the halls.
American Horror Stories tackles a new horror subject each week. New episodes air each Thursday on Hulu.
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