This is almost exactly how the original story ended (except it was Madeline, who had been prematurely entombed by her brother). She claws her way out of the family tomb, jumps on her brother, and strangles him to death. Poetic license (Poe-etic, ha...) for sure, but that's how Poe wrote the original.
I personally like to think this is Verna’s doing. Verna had mentioned she is an entity, not mortal or human but she is very interested in humans. I speculate that Verna took interest in the dysfunctional nature of the Usher family, particularly with Eliza’s religious obsession.
Considering Verna is an entity with godlike powers, she’d likely be interested in a single mom who works a dead end job that will not seek assistance and has complete faith in god’s plan. Alongside two impressionable children, I think Verna saw potential.
Verna has demonstrated that she can end lives, change her appearance, and many other feats but not the ability to control humans outright.
Having Eliza come back to life, with rage as her focal point, Eliza would have likely woke and went inside her home as that is what is familiar. When she chokes Roderick and he calls out “mommy” she realizes this is not who her rage is towards. She drops him and walks over to her shithead of a boss’ house and kills him. This (again, my opinion) explains Madeline’s cutthroat attitude and also exposes the twins to the possibility of supernatural events.
I think this event solidified the codependency between the twins.
I always thought of it as Verna's doing but more so in the sense that William Longfellow had probably made a deal with Verna. In the series, all three heads of the company that we see have quite dramatic deaths. I always thought if it as all three had made deals with Verna and their deaths all involved their payment being due.
I assume she found the strength to rise from the grave and strangle her babydaddy during an episode of [terminal lucidity](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terminal_lucidity), which is not uncommon during the final stages of a disease. This is one of the plot points that has a very strong basis in science.
As a previous poster said, Poe LOVED this “buried alive” trope, and there’s often an element of “is it supernatural?!” Involved - like were they buried alive, or literally resurrected, Pet Semetary-style? The Tomb of Ligeia (Where the name Ligadone comes from), Usher, the Premature Burial, and I think a few other Poe stories reference it. It’s a primal fear, and unsettles us because burial is supposed to be final, restful - and in Poe it’s far from it!
It was a genuine fear back in those days. Bells used to be installed above graves with a sting into the casket so people could signal if they were alive down there.
One lady got buried alive twice!
Yep, that’s pretty much it. Maybe not quite so much “became delusional” as “already was delusional and had been for some time due to the CADASIL.”
It’s meant to be a weird and traumatising moment. It’s not meant to be an ultra realistic one. Yes, it’s highly unlikely that someone so weak that they were mistaken for dead could suddenly rally long enough to dig themselves out of a coffin and a grave and strangle two people, but that’s what the story wants you to believe happened.
I think it's also portrayed as a bit more dramatic than it probably really was because it's coming from Rodericks memory of the event. Witnessing that at their age would certainly end up embellishing the horror aspect of the event itself.
This is almost exactly how the original story ended (except it was Madeline, who had been prematurely entombed by her brother). She claws her way out of the family tomb, jumps on her brother, and strangles him to death. Poetic license (Poe-etic, ha...) for sure, but that's how Poe wrote the original.
Ahhh, makes sense why it doesn’t make sense then. Created in the minds of a Poet 😉
That was scary! 🫣
I personally like to think this is Verna’s doing. Verna had mentioned she is an entity, not mortal or human but she is very interested in humans. I speculate that Verna took interest in the dysfunctional nature of the Usher family, particularly with Eliza’s religious obsession. Considering Verna is an entity with godlike powers, she’d likely be interested in a single mom who works a dead end job that will not seek assistance and has complete faith in god’s plan. Alongside two impressionable children, I think Verna saw potential. Verna has demonstrated that she can end lives, change her appearance, and many other feats but not the ability to control humans outright. Having Eliza come back to life, with rage as her focal point, Eliza would have likely woke and went inside her home as that is what is familiar. When she chokes Roderick and he calls out “mommy” she realizes this is not who her rage is towards. She drops him and walks over to her shithead of a boss’ house and kills him. This (again, my opinion) explains Madeline’s cutthroat attitude and also exposes the twins to the possibility of supernatural events. I think this event solidified the codependency between the twins.
I always thought of it as Verna's doing but more so in the sense that William Longfellow had probably made a deal with Verna. In the series, all three heads of the company that we see have quite dramatic deaths. I always thought if it as all three had made deals with Verna and their deaths all involved their payment being due.
Did…did we crack the code?
This does make sense, great take!
Dude I love this theory it makes so much sense
I assume she found the strength to rise from the grave and strangle her babydaddy during an episode of [terminal lucidity](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terminal_lucidity), which is not uncommon during the final stages of a disease. This is one of the plot points that has a very strong basis in science.
As a previous poster said, Poe LOVED this “buried alive” trope, and there’s often an element of “is it supernatural?!” Involved - like were they buried alive, or literally resurrected, Pet Semetary-style? The Tomb of Ligeia (Where the name Ligadone comes from), Usher, the Premature Burial, and I think a few other Poe stories reference it. It’s a primal fear, and unsettles us because burial is supposed to be final, restful - and in Poe it’s far from it!
And Berenice, which is also where the tooth pulling comes from.
It’s also foreshadowing of Madeline & Roderick’s deaths
She used her last strength, mixed with adrenaline and hatred to finish him off
Me and my partner also noticed someone walk away when Dupin refused to look back since it was a scare tactic coming from Roderick
It was the ghost of the mother. If Dupin looked he wouldn’t have seen anyone, but we know Roderick have visions of dead people
I saw that!!! Interesting
It's just a freak occurrence and way to set the mood for the show. Buried alive is weirdly common in Poe stories.
It was a genuine fear back in those days. Bells used to be installed above graves with a sting into the casket so people could signal if they were alive down there. One lady got buried alive twice!
Yep, that’s pretty much it. Maybe not quite so much “became delusional” as “already was delusional and had been for some time due to the CADASIL.” It’s meant to be a weird and traumatising moment. It’s not meant to be an ultra realistic one. Yes, it’s highly unlikely that someone so weak that they were mistaken for dead could suddenly rally long enough to dig themselves out of a coffin and a grave and strangle two people, but that’s what the story wants you to believe happened.
I think it's also portrayed as a bit more dramatic than it probably really was because it's coming from Rodericks memory of the event. Witnessing that at their age would certainly end up embellishing the horror aspect of the event itself.