Perhaps the most beloved character of the season is Liz Taylor. Played by returning actor Denis O'Hare, Liz Taylor steals the heart of resident spirits, and viewers alike, with her frank manner, resilience, and caring nature. She not only stands out for her impeccable fashion choices, but also for her past, which portrays some of the realistic struggles transgender women face in society. The de facto mother figure of the hotel's misfits, Liz and the spirits make up a family, as untraditional as they may be.
During the peak of a successful Hotel Cortez overhaul, Liz reveals to her loved ones that she has been diagnosed with terminal prostate cancer. She asks for the spirits of the hotel to murder her, so she can look after them forever. Miss Evers protests, but Sally acquiesces, saying aloud what Liz Taylor really wants: "She does not want to die, she wants to be reborn."
The Countess, who was the first person to embrace Liz Taylor for who she really was, returns to take her mortal life, saying that she was her "most fondest creation" before slitting Liz's throat, allowing her to be reborn "one last time."
In every season of American Horror Story, Murphy not only pushes the envelope of horror, but he interweaves some of the more realistic and tragic moments of real, daily struggles for people of all ages and walks of life, putting a mirror up to some of the harsh realities of the real world. American Horror Story: Hotel was no exception.
