The Fall of the House of Usher: How does Verna slither her way into the lives of the Usher siblings?
In the third episode of The Fall of the House of Usher, titled "The Murders in the Rue Morgue," the Usher family is dealing with the aftermath of Prospero's death. While the family tries to spin a narrative about Prospero being a charitable young man, Verna manages to infiltrate their lives. Verna, who has an irregular heartbeat, willingly becomes the first human test subject for Victorine's experiment. Verna also takes on the persona of Crystal, a call girl involved in Tamerlane and William's sexual domesticity games. Furthermore, Camille, obsessed with finding dirt on Victorine, encounters Verna disguised as a security guard at RUE, the laboratory where her sister conducts experiments. Unbeknownst to Camille, this encounter with Verna will have severe consequences for her.The Usher siblings each have their roles within the family and the Fortunato pharmaceutical empire. Camille, the tale-spinner, crafts the family and company's public image. While the family grieves in their own ways, Camille tries to turn Prospero's death into a story that will crush Auguste Dupin and further their business interests. However, behind the scenes, Madeline Usher suspects that Prospero's death was not accidental. Camille enlists the family attorney, Arthur Pym, to investigate the events at Perry's nightclub and they discover a photo of an unidentified masked woman who potentially saved everyone. This woman turns out to be Verna.Slowly but surely, Verna finds her way into the lives of all the Usher siblings. She goes to Dr. Ruiz's clinic to complain about her irregular heartbeat, opening the opportunity for her to become a test subject for Victorine's experiment. Verna then replaces the usual participant in Tamerlane and William's complex fetish games, biding her time to bring down each Usher sibling. However, it is Camille who becomes the main target in this episode. Camille suspects Victorine of being the informant within the family and hires assistants Toby and Tina to investigate the animal trials at RUE Morgue. They uncover Victorine's falsified test results, but when Toby and Tina reveal their romantic relationship, Camille fires them.Left to uncover the truth on her own, Camille heads to Victorine's lab, unaware that Verna is disguised as a security guard. Verna tries to warn Camille not to go inside but to no avail. Camille discovers the stitched-up, excitable chimps and begins photographing them. In a shocking turn of events, Verna reveals her own stitched-up chest and, when Camille tries to capture a picture, Verna transforms into an enraged ape and attacks her. The next morning, the lab is covered in blood, with Camille's mangled body and a chimp nearby.The episode also provides a glimpse into Roderick Usher's rise within Fortunato Pharmaceuticals. After learning that the company acquired Ligodone without involving him, Roderick confronts Mr. Griswold, who offers him a promotion and money for future business ideas. Madeline sees this as an opportunity for Roderick to eventually destroy Mr. Griswold.Overall, Verna manages to insinuate herself into the Usher siblings' lives, taking advantage of their vulnerabilities and desires. Her presence brings chaos and tragedy, leading to the demise of Camille in this episode. The intricate web of deceit and manipulation surrounding the Usher family continues to unravel, with Verna playing a vital role in their downfall.