As American Horror Story: Hotel Season 5 Episode 12 begins, Liz recounts all the ways life at the Hotel Cortez has not been wonderful since she and Iris took over. They've sold the Countess' art and begun redecorating the rooms in order to achieve a four star rating on the internet. But Sally and the other ghosts keep killing everyone who comes to review the place.

Liz decides to call a meeting.

She asks that the ghosts stop killing the guests so that the Cortez can be rebuilt into something great. Sally remarks that she and Will are the only two causing any mischief and Will declares he won't stop as he's never felt more alive. James steps in and sides with Liz and Iris. The Ten Commandment killings were the epilogue to his work and he's done with killing.

Sally hates March's demands and threatens not to follow his orders. Iris tries to appeal to her by apologizing for trapping Sally's soul inside the hotel. When Iris mentions John, Sally bristles and threatens to kill her. Iris gives Sally a cell phone and introduces her to the internet and social media. Sally drops her drugs out the window.

Will Drake, however, keeps killing people. 

It's been over a year since he died and Drake's business is still floundering. Liz inspires him to sketch again, having come up with a plan to get Drake's designs out into the world again. It works, but Liz has mixed emotions over the relaunch of Drake's brand since it brings up memories of her time with Tristan.

Iris gets Billie Dean Howard to come to the hotel to help Liz communicate with Tristan. Tristan doesn't want to talk to Liz. Instead, Billie Dean gives Iris a message from Donovan. Liz's heart heals following the loss of her great love, and she's able to fill that void in her life with her son, Douglas, and his family. Later, Liz confesses to Ramona that she's dying.

She decides to die in order to continue living at the hotel, but the ghosts are worried they won't be able to carry out her request. Sally lets them know that this is a rebirth and not a murder and they each choose the weapons of their choice. Just before Sally drives a needle into her chest, the Countess arrives.

As soon as Liz is reborn, Tristan shows up. He confesses his love for Liz and says that the reason he wouldn't speak through Billie Dean is because Liz had more living to do and he didn't want to interfere. 

On Devil's Night, in 2022, Iris and Ramona discuss closing the Hotel Cortez to keep out the weirdos attracted by Billie Dean Howard's primetime specials. Just then, John shows up. He's been revealed as the Ten Commandments Killer and Billie Dean wants to connect with him. She finally gets her chance to interview him. 

Life for John Lowe after the hotel was not easy. He and his family had a hard time adjusting to life on the outside, so they returned to the hotel. John, Alex, and Holden stayed in the hotel, but Scarlett went to school with Will Drake's son. John was killed in a shootout with the police and couldn't make it back onto the hotel property before he died. 

John invites Billie Dean to sit down to James Patrick March's annual Devil's Night dinner. The serial killers and Ramona scare her away from the Hotel Cortez and he returns to visit his family on the one night he can see them.

The Countess manages to find a way to live peacefully in the hotel after her death.