Elsa Mars

Fräulein Elsa Mars is a fictional character and protagonist appearing in FX's American Horror Story: Freak Show. She was primarily created by Ryan Murphy and portrayed by Jessica Lange, debuting in the 2014 episode "Monsters Among Us". Often portrayed as a villain by her fictional troupe of freaks, Elsa serves as one of the main characters during the events of Freak Show who tries to introduce her fame to the world of "monsters." She is the fourth and last character portrayed by Lange in American Horror Story, with the exception of Constance Langdon, who she reprised in American Horror Story: Apocalypse.

In the fictional universe of American Horror Story, Elsa resided in Jupiter, Florida who ran one of the last surviving freak shows in the country. She recruited unwanted and unusual individuals to join her troupe, including the likes of Ma Petite and Pepper. To gain more attention from the public, Elsa escorted the newly discovered conjoined twins, Bette and Dot Tattler, to Fräulien Elsa's Cabinet of Curiosities where she intended to receive recognition for her singing and general talents. Throughout the events of Freak Show, Elsa Mars was often portrayed as a villain-type figure by her troupe and attempted to become a star by any means necessary, leading her to become a client for a false agent, known as Stanley, who attempted to distract her while selling members of her troupe to a local museum. But when she reached her desired goal in life, Elsa felt incomplete knowing that she betrayed all her friends for fame and popularity.

Elsa Mars reception has been well-received by critics, with praise towards her complex characterization and anti-heroine storyline. Jessica Lange commented on the character herself, claiming Elsa was her favorite character portrayal on American Horror Story, and is her favorite character in the series.^[1] On the contrary, Elsa Mars is often cited as one of the worst characters on the show by fans.^[2]