The Symbolic Objects Verna Places on the Graves in 'The Fall of the House of Usher' Unveiled

Article Overview

Roderick Usher's whiskey glass on his tombstone symbolizes his original deal with Verna for wealth and power.

Madeline Usher's tombstone is adorned with two sapphires, symbolizing her connection to Egyptian mythology and historical artifacts.

Verna demonstrates her dark humor by placing a cat collar on Napoleon Usher's grave.

In the final scenes of The Fall of the House of Usher, Verna (Carla Gugino) placed objects on the graves of all nine Usher family members. Throughout the limited series based on Edgar Allan Poe's short story, it was revealed that Verna was a shape-shifting demon that Roderick and Madeline had made a deal with in 1979. Verna, whose name is an anagram for Raven, symbolizing Poe's works, displayed a deep understanding of the characters' innermost desires.

Spanning eight episodes, The Fall of the House of Usher focused on building tension and delivering punishments. The first episode introduced Roderick Usher's family history, with each subsequent episode dedicated to an Usher child before culminating in the haunting conclusion of Roderick and Madeline's deaths. The chilling final scene, titled "The Raven," depicted Verna dressed in black among the graves, placing an object on each character's tombstone while reciting Edgar Allan Poe’s poem "Spirits of the Dead."

9. Roderick Usher - Whiskey Glass

Roderick's Whiskey Glass Calls Back To His Original Deal With Verna

Roderick Usher (played by Bruce Greenwood) was responsible for the deaths of his entire family. In 1979, he and his sister Madeline made a pact with Verna, aiming to acquire both wealth and power. The chain of events was set in motion when Verna presented Roderick and Madeline with glasses of whiskey on New Year's Eve. Initially, Roderick wished to remain true to his character as Jay Gatsby and declined the offer, but Madeline persuaded him to accept, demonstrating their recurring dynamic throughout the series. Notably, Carla Gugino, who portrays Verna in The Fall of the House of Usher, has now collaborated with Mike Flanagan five times.

After finalizing the agreement, the three individuals celebrated by savoring Henri IV Dudognon Heritage Cognac, pouring it into whiskey glasses. On his final night, he decided to indulge in a few glasses of the same drink, but this time using a brandy glass. As a symbolic gesture, Verna placed the very same whiskey glass that he had drunk from in 1979 on top of his tombstone, now empty. Before leaving various objects atop the graves, Verna himself received a distinct gift. In a preceding scene, Auggie (played by Carl Lumbly) was seen visiting Roderick Usher's grave, providing an update on the fate of his company following his demise. As a token of remembrance, he left behind his tape recorder used during their interview on the grave.

8. Madeline Usher - Two Sapphires

Madeline Had A Passion For Egyptian Mythology

Madeline Usher, portrayed by Mary McDonnell and Willa Fitzgerald, was also a member of the pact forged with Verna and ultimately meets her demise alongside Roderick. Throughout the series, she is frequently linked to pharaohs and the mythology of ancient Egypt, as evident by her office adorned with pilfered artifacts. The legend of Queen Twosret from the House of Usher serves as the motivation for Roderick to replace Madeline's eyes after her murder.

The sapphires, brought from Egypt, were believed to grant sight in the afterlife. They adorned the head of the pharaoh Twosret. Roderick, envisioning his sister as a queen, desired to bury her with regal honors. In the climactic scene, Madeline returns to avenge her brother's actions, donning the two sapphires. As a poignant symbol of her affection for historical artifacts, Verna places them atop Madeline's tombstone.

7. Prospero Usher - Mask

Prospero's Mask Relates To His Secret Party

Prospero "Perry" Usher (Sauriyan Sapkota), the youngest Usher child, yearned to impress his family and gain their admiration. In pursuit of this, he decided to organize a grand masquerade party, inviting 100 influential individuals, all within the confines of the Ushers' dilapidated property. Despite his family's tendency to dismiss his ideas, which included plans for an exclusive nightclub, Perry harbored a clandestine scheme: he covertly recorded every moment of the event. Perry aimed to utilize the captured footage as a form of future leverage. During his encounter with Verna, a pivotal scene took place, wherein he donned the very mask that would come to define his final moments. In a poignant gesture, Verna eventually placed the memorable mask upon Perry's tombstone.

6. Camille L'Espanaye - iPhone

Camille L'Espanaye's Need To Expose Her Sister Led to Her Death

Camille L'Espanaye, played by Kate Siegel, was employed in PR and maintained records on all the Usher children. Upon the discovery of a potential informant within the Usher family, Camille resolved to uncover their identity. Suspicion fell upon her sister, Victorine, as she seemed to be concealing something. In the cover of darkness, Camille stealthily infiltrated Victorine's laboratory to gather evidence. Her pursuit reached its climax when she startled multiple chimpanzees in their cages and captured photographs with the flash on. Unfortunately, this proved to be her final act, as Verna, assuming the guise of one of the chimpanzees, viciously attacked and killed her. The concluding scene is marked by Verna placing her iPhone on Camille's tombstone, symbolizing the last item she used, tragically leading to her demise.

5. Napoleon Usher - Cat Collar

The Cat Collar Placed On Leo's Tombstone Reflected His Death Arc

Napoleon Usher (Rahul Kohli) had a troubled relationship with his boyfriend's cat, Pluto. After a wild night of excessive drug use, Leo starts to hallucinate that he has killed the cat. In a panic, he disposes of all evidence and decides to replace Pluto with a similar cat, but without the expensive collar. Leo's only explanation is that someone must have stolen the cat's Gucci collar, which he forgot to remove when getting rid of the body. Later, Verna returns to torment him in the form of the cat, and in his frenzy to catch her, Leo jumps after her and meets his demise. Verna's dark sense of humor is evident when she places the cat collar on Leo's tombstone.

4. Victorine LaFourcade - Plastic Heart

Victorine's Life Work Actually Led To Her Death

Victorine LaFourcade (T'Nia Miller) dedicated significant effort to perfecting a mechanical heart that could serve as a replacement for the organic one. She conducted extensive testing on chimpanzees, with Roderick providing substantial financial support for the research. Despite the device's insufficient readiness, Victorine unexpectedly encounters Verna, who pretends to be a patient with heart complications. Victorine resorts to deception in order to persuade Verna to participate in the trial phase.

However, the doctor responsible for the surgeries, her partner, Alessandra, adamantly refuses. Following a heated argument, Alessandra attempts to leave. In a desperate attempt to halt her departure, Victorine hurls a marble bookend, unintentionally resulting in her tragic demise. Not content with this, Victorine tries, albeit unsuccessfully, to revive her using the mechanical heart. The haunting memory of this futile endeavor torments her until she eventually succumbs to her inner demons and inflicts a fatal self-inflicted stab wound. As the story reaches its conclusion, Verna pays tribute to her life's work by placing a plastic heart on her tombstone.

3. Tamerlane Usher - Golden Scarab

The Symbolism of Verna's Object for Tammy Reflects Her Stolen Project

Tamerlane Usher (portrayed by Samantha Sloyan) faced numerous challenges while striving to release her upcoming project, Goldbug, a clear imitation of Gwyneth Paltrow's Goop. The main focus of her storyline revolved around the launch of Goldbug, with her fitness influencer husband, William Wilson, providing assistance. Throughout the narrative, Tamerlane showcased immense concern regarding the presentation, displaying little regard for the actual products or her marriage. However, as she prepared to present the products during the brand's launch, it became evident that she lacked a true understanding of what she had created. The golden scarab Verna places on Tamerlane's grave in the final scene serves as a symbolic representation of her life, which was filled with pretense and deceit, though it does not accurately reflect the brutal nature of her demise.

2. Frederick Usher -- Bag of Cocaine

The Cocaine Reflects Frederick Usher's Addiction

In his final years, Frederick Usher (Henry Thomas) became notorious for his drug addiction. He emerged as one of the most despicable members of the Usher family, mistreating his wife Morelle and neglecting his responsibilities at work. This negligence resulted in the failure to demolish all the abandoned Usher factories within the given time frame. During the course of caring for his wife, Patrick engaged in a deeply disturbing act in The Fall of the House of Usher, subjecting Morelle to the excruciating extraction of her teeth while sedating her with Nightshade. Verna both intervened and manipulated Frederick, persuading him to mix Nightshade with cocaine, ultimately leading to his demise.

1. Lenore Usher - Raven Feather With White Rose

Lenore Usher Is the Only One Verna Felt Love for

Lenore Usher, portrayed by Kyliegh Curran, was the sole innocent member of the Usher family. However, her untimely demise was necessary to bring an end to the Usher lineage, as it was sealed with Roderick's pact. Lenore possessed a heart of unwavering goodness and fearlessly confronted the injustices perpetuated by her family, recognizing them as villains. In an act of tender farewell, Lenore's tombstone was adorned with a raven feather, symbolizing Verna's manifestation as a raven, while a white rose was delicately fastened to it. This gesture highlights Verna's profound love for Lenore, who tragically became the ultimate victim among the characters in The Fall of the House of Usher.

Editor's P/S

In the final scenes of "The Fall of the House of Usher," Verna, a shape-shifting demon, places symbolic objects on the graves of the Usher family members. These objects represent the characters' innermost desires and the dark pacts they made with Verna.

The whiskey glass on Roderick Usher's grave symbolizes his original deal with Verna for wealth and power. The sapphires on Madeline Usher's tombstone represent her connection to Egyptian mythology and historical artifacts. The cat collar on Napoleon Usher's grave demonstrates Verna's dark humor. These objects serve as haunting reminders of the characters' tragic fates and the consequences of their actions.