This post contains spoilers for American Horror Story: Apocalypse through Episode 9, “Fire and Reign.”

The American Horror Story: Apocalypse season finale is just one day away, and right now its nearly impossible to say how the questions still lingering at the center of this wild ride could possibly be answered. In fact, its possible—even likely—that some or most of the plot threads still dangling will simply remain that way; longtime A.H.S. fans know by now that a lack of resolution is a hazard of this franchise. Still, the questions that remain could amount to more than isolated unresolved stories; they could also have a bigger impact across the franchise as a whole. And if thats the case, the possibilities are both fascinating and potentially disastrous.

Right now, perhaps the biggest issue at the center of this season is timeline continuity. We know that as things stand right now, it should not be possible for Sarah Paulsons medium character, Billie Dean Howard, to pay the Hotel Cortez a visit in 2022, as she did in a Season 5 flash-forward. But it also seems almost certain that the witches of Coven, along with their newer recruits Mallory (Billie Lourd) and Coco (Leslie Grossman), will be able to stop or at least reverse the end of days, making that flash-forward viable once more. Its the how that might shake things up more broadly.

“In order to save the world,” Supreme witch Cordelia Foxx says in the teaser for the finale, “we will have to watch it burn.” That sentence is telling: it would appear that the witches, knowing they cannot stop presumed Antichrist Michael Langdon (Cody Fern) from bringing about the end of days, decide to cede the fate of humanity to him—for now. Mallory, as we saw last week, is not yet powerful enough to go back in time and change the past. But that could change. By erasing Mallory and Cocos knowledge of their powers and allowing Cocos wealth to secure them spots in Outpost 3 during the end of the world, Cordelia ensured their safety—and, perhaps, bought Mallory the time to mature she needs. Is it possible that Mallorys powers have been quietly maturing, allowing her to save the world retroactively? It seems Cordelia is hoping so.

Mallory saving the world could be fascinating—or a total cop-out, depending on just how far back she goes, and what the consequences of her actions are. Assuming this is Cordelias plan, Mallory would likely need to go at least as far back in time as Murder House to stop Michael from being born, or perhaps even conceived. If she does that, we may be left disappointed; did we really spend this entire season simply waiting to be told it was all a dream?

Then again, its impossible to know how Mallorys actions in the past could impact the present—and that presents fascinating possibilities for the world of A.H.S. as a whole. At this point, pretty much every season in this series is linked, and theres no telling what such fateful meddling could do to other corners of this world—an intriguing premise for Season 9.

And speaking of next season: theres still the possibility that Wednesdays finale will not spell the end of this story at all. Some fans think this season could turn into a two-parter, stretching its story into Season 9. Such a move would be unprecedented for this series, but that doesnt mean we should rule out the possibility. Seasons 8 and 9 were greenlit simultaneously, which could easily mean nothing—but it could also mean they were pitched together. Over time, A.H.S. has transitioned from pure anthology series to a group of interconnected but discrete stories; now, its one (mostly) cohesive universe, complete with a bona fide crossover season. Its not entirely outside the realm of possibility that going forward, it could make the jump to more serialized storytelling.

Whatever happens Wednesday night, and whatever old, beloved characters might still appear, this season deserves a hat tip for being one of the shows strongest in years. Yes, its come with the plot holes and midseason muddiness that fans have come to know and, well, tolerate, over the years. But its also brought the campy sensibility and sumptuous aesthetic that have been missing from A.H.S. Well find out soon enough whether Apocalypse manages to stick the landing or, in the end, falls flat on its face—but either way, at least the journey there has unfolded deliciously.

Get Vanity Fairs HWD NewsletterSign up for essential industry and award news from Hollywood.Laura BradleyLaura Bradley is a Hollywood writer for VanityFair.com.

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