The Hidden Truth of Madeline and Roderick's Dark Secret: A Jaw-Dropping Revelation in House of Usher's Early Episodes

Article Overview

"The Fall of the House of Usher" is a chilling horror series that humorously portrays the tragic demise of the Usher family, based on the works of Edgar Allan Poe.

In the captivating first episode, ominous scenes flawlessly synchronized with Pink Floyd's iconic track "Another Brick in the Wall" allude to the siblings' malevolent act of killing their employer and foreshadow their own inevitable downfall.

The brick wall represents the self-imposed damnation of the siblings, who made a pact with a mysterious entity to obtain wealth and power, but at the cost of their family's lineage coming to an end.

Netflix's horror series, The Fall of the House of Usher, incorporates a tongue-in-cheek approach, as evident in the show's opening song that foreshadows the siblings' significant guilty secret. Director Mike Flanagan has established himself as a renowned figure in the horror genre over the past decade, having directed acclaimed films and shows such as Hush, Doctor Sleep, and Midnight Mass. While he has skillfully created terrifying sequences, some critics have accused him of being excessively sentimental and sweet in his work.

His final Netflix series, The Fall of the House of Usher, stands out with its dark humor and wicked nature. This miniseries brilliantly reimagines the writings and poems of Edgar Allan Poe, portraying the horrifying and gory demise of the infamous Usher family. Led by the captivating performances of Bruce Greenwood as Roderick and Mary McDonnell as Madeline, the show unravels the sinister past of these malevolent siblings as they maneuvered, deceived, and committed heinous acts to secure their position of power. Their path to success involved a pact with the enigmatic entity named Verna, portrayed by the talented Carla Gugino.

House Of Usher's Opening Song Is "Another Brick In The Wall," Foreshadowing Gris's Murder

In the opening episode titled "A Midnight Dreary," viewers are presented with visually suggestive scenes accompanied by Pink Floyd's "Another Brick in the Wall." Among these scenes is a brief shot of an actual brick wall, which becomes significant as Roderick frequently visits it following the mysterious deaths of his children. The concluding episode of The Fall of the House of Usher reveals a shocking twist. In 1979, the younger Roderick and Madeline lure their unscrupulous boss Griswold to the basement of his office building, where they proceed to seal him within a wall.

Catch The Fall of the House of Usher exclusively on Netflix.

The Real Meaning Of "Another Brick In The Wall" In The Fall Of The House Of Usher Explained

This section was inspired by Poe's short tale "The Cask of Amontillado," and in the show, it was the mysterious disappearance of Griswold that cleared the path for Roderick to assume the position of Fortunato's CEO. While watching it again, it's difficult to overlook the significance of "Another Brick in the Wall" in the opening scene, although this detail might go unnoticed by most viewers upon initial viewing.

Upon sealing Griswold in the basement, "Another Brick in the Wall" resonates once more during the final episode. The song briefly accompanies the scene where Roderick and Madeline strike a bargain with Verna. In exchange for unimaginable wealth and influence, their entire bloodline will cease to exist as Roderick nears the end of his life. The significance of the song lies in the fact that, through their merciless act of killing Griswold, they not only sealed their own fates but also those of their descendants. The brick wall in The Fall of the House of Usher serves as both a literal and symbolic representation of their self-inflicted damnation.

Editor's P/S

As a Gen Z netizen, I have mixed feelings about the hidden truth of Madeline and Roderick's dark secret in the early episodes of House of Usher. On the one hand, I appreciate the show's dark humor and wicked nature, which sets it apart from other horror series. The tongue-in-cheek approach and the use of Pink Floyd's "Another Brick in the Wall" to foreshadow the siblings' significant guilty secret are clever and entertaining. On the other hand, I find the revelation of their murder of their employer to be disturbing and unsettling.

The fact that they made a pact with a mysterious entity to obtain wealth and power at the cost of their family's lineage is a bit too far-fetched for me. I understand that the show is based on the works of Edgar Allan Poe, known for his dark and macabre stories, but I think the murder plot is a bit too graphic and unnecessary. Overall, I think the hidden truth of Madeline and Roderick's dark secret is an interesting twist in the show, but it could have been executed in a more subtle and less disturbing manner.