It’s not just the conspiracy theorists and hyper-obsessed among us that believed it to be true: Ryan Murphy has now confirmed that each of the past four seasons (and any future ones we’ve yet to see) of American Horror Story — Freak Show, Coven, Asylum, and Murder House — are all, in their own ways, connected. It’s a universe, you guys! A universe of freaky, spooky, horrific business! Yessssssssssss.

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, the most demented man in television creation confirmed a long-held, dreamy-eyed theory some of us Internet folk sure did hope would be true, particularly given the inclusion of Pepper in both Asylum and now Freak Show. With the recent announcement that Lily Rabe’s Sister Mary Eunice would be returning? Well that all but cemented it!

“I don’t want to say much about it but obviously she’s playing Sister Mary Eunice,” Murphy remarked regarding Rabe’s return. “The interesting thing about doing a show like this is every season is incredibly its own story and its own beginning, middle and end. Its own journey. But we have always from the very beginning in the intertwining mythologies and how things connect. This is the first year where we begin to tell you that season two is connected to season four which is connected to season one.”

“Lily coming back and dealing with Pepper is sort of the first unveiling of that connectedness. I was thrilled she was able to come back and … show how Sister Mary Eunice and Pepper are connected and how it’s all connected. I’m glad she’s back in the habit!”

Yes, that’s right — it’s all ~connected~! And apparently there are even connections to season one’s Murder House and this year’s Freak Show. (Now go dust off your sleuthing hats, Internet.)

“There’s definitely a rhyme or a reason and a connectedness to all of these seasons,” Murphy confirmed. “But in the same way, they’re standalones, which is the fun of it. But it is a puzzle. Part of the fun of the show is the Rubik’s cube design of it, but, yes, there are purposeful connections, character connections, and similarities and things that connect that we’ll continue to connect moving forward.”

“We’re just beginning to tell you how they’re connected. They’re all very separate but there’s clues every season that we’re now telling you how the different worlds are intertwined.”

Perhaps the best explanation of these connections was done by Lindsey Weber and Tara Abell over at Vulture, where the duo broke down any similarities and chance mentions of people, places, and things that may or may not be what Murphy and Brad Falchuk (the show’s other co-creator)’s had in mind/purposefully planted within each season. It’s an A+ read if you’re a fan of going down the rabbit hole.

Also a fun fact gleaned from the interview? “Twisty is not over, and neither is Edward Mordrake. They both make triumphant returns.” So stay tuned for that creeptackery.

What do you think about the interconnected AHS Universe? Leave us your thoughts and theories and speculations (oh, what fun!) in the comments.

Image: FX