Unveiling the Enigmatic Cat Twist in House of Usher Episode 4: Here's What You Need to Know

Warning! Spoilers ahead for The Fall of the House of Usher episode 4.

Summary

In episode 4 of The Fall of the House of Usher, creator Mike Flanagan clarifies that the animal violence portrayed is merely a hallucination. The spotlight shifts to Rahul Kohli's character Leo, as the story revolves around his alleged killing of a cat named Pluto and his ensuing battle against the replacement cat he brings home.

The real Pluto wearing a Gucci collar in the concluding scene, along with the shot of the vacant bathtub, serves as a visual representation of the idea that a significant portion of the events occurred solely in Leo's imagination.

The cat twist in episode 4 of Mike Flanagan's horror series, The Fall of the House of Usher, is explained by the creator himself. This latest series, set to be released on Netflix in its entirety on October 12, loosely adapts several poems and stories by Edgar Allan Poe, and follows the tragic downfall of a wealthy family that is the owner of a pharmaceutical company.

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In two recent tweets, Flanagan clarifies some lingering questions regarding The Fall of the House of Usher episode 4 and Pluto the cat.

Flanagan assures a concerned viewer that the depiction of cat killings in his other shows is merely a hallucination, emphasizing that in his version, the cat remains unharmed. Thus, he dismisses any claims that he harbors ill will towards animals.

In a subsequent post, Flanagan elaborates on the unexpected twist involving Pluto and its impact on the entire episode. He highlights the significance of the Gucci collar worn by Pluto and its absence on the new cat. By directing attention to the cat wearing the collar in the final shot and the empty bathtub, he clarifies that all instances of animal violence were figments of the imagination.

What Happens To Leo In The Fall Of The House Of Usher

Leo takes center stage in episode 4 of The Fall of the House of Usher, embodying the role of the lazy and drug-addicted member of the Usher family, played by Kohli's character. In a continuation of the pattern of his siblings' deaths, Leo encounters Verna (Carla Gugino) prior to his own demise. Convinced that he has brutally murdered Pluto, Leo acquires a similar-looking cat from a local animal shelter. Notably, his boyfriend Julius (Daniel Chae Jun) never witnesses this new addition. However, Leo is haunted by the feline throughout the episode, discovering dead rodents in his apartment and suffering scratches and bites. Filled with frustration, Leo becomes determined to kill the cat, resulting in him tearing his apartment apart in search of it.

Verna, embodying the characteristics of the animal that ultimately causes Leo's demise, bears witness to his final moments. Leo spots the cat on the railing and recklessly charges towards it, resulting in his tragic death. In a poignant closing scene, the true Pluto, who was alive all along, gracefully frolics on Leo's lifeless body. Another shot of the apartment confirms that the animal carcasses strewn about were merely figments of Leo's imagination, emphasizing the terrifying extent of the horrors that Verna is capable of inflicting upon the Usher family in The Fall of the House of Usher.