American Horror Story: The Best Character Of Each Season So Far

9. AHS: 1984 - Mr. Jingles

Mr. Jingles starts 1984 as a campfire horror story. According to the legend, he killed nine teens at Camp Redwood over a decade earlier, and was sent to a mental institution. Real name Benjamin Ritcher, he earned his chilling moniker because of the rattling keychain he wore on his belt.

Played by the ever-brilliant John Carrol Lynch, an AHS regular known for portraying twisted killers with surprisingly tragic pasts, Mr. Jingles initially seemed like a fairly cut-and-dry antagonist, escaping his confined life and enjoying a brief killing spree with the infamous Night Stalker.

As the season twisted on, though, Benjamin Ritcher's life was more thoroughly explored, revealing a past built on lies, betrayal and deceit. Not only was he framed for the Redwood massacre, but his eventual return to the camp is revealed to be a mission to protect his young son from old ally Richard Ramirez.

As terrifying as he may appear, the brilliance of Mr. Jingles lies in his tragic complexities and Lynch's searing performance. 1984 may have had its flaws, but Ritcher never disappointed, no matter where the twists took him.