The Fall of the House of Usher: What happens to Roderick's family during dinner?

In "The Masque of the Red Death," the second episode of The Fall of the House of Usher, Roderick Usher's family experiences a series of unfortunate events during dinner. The episode explores the theme of change and the consequences of actions, as each character faces the repercussions of their choices.Roderick's youngest son, Prospero, feels neglected by his family and seeks to assert his own power by throwing a lavish party. He plans to film prominent individuals engaging in debauchery and use the footage to blackmail them. However, a mysterious woman named Verna warns Prospero about the consequences of his actions, urging him to call off the party. Ignoring her advice, Prospero proceeds with his plan.As the climax of the party approaches, Prospero intends to activate the lab's sprinklers, but unknowingly connects them to tanks of acid rather than water. Verna tries to warn the guests, including Prospero's love interest, Morelle, to leave the building. Unfortunately, they are unable to escape in time, and acid rain falls, killing everyone at the party, including Prospero himself. Verna leaves Prospero with a kiss and covers his face with her mask, the symbol of the red death.Meanwhile, Roderick's daughter, Victorine, is conducting research on a revolutionary heart mesh that can diagnose and slow down Roderick's vascular dementia. However, her experiments have not been successful, and her last test subject has died painfully. Victorine's sister, Camille, suspects her of being an informant and has her assistants investigate her trials.Roderick's wife, Madeline, desires eternal life and uses their grandniece, Lenore, to develop an artificial intelligence capable of mimicking human consciousness. Madeline's ambitions drive her to explore dangerous realms of scientific experimentation.In flashbacks to the 1970s, a young Roderick attempts to sell his drug, Ligodone, to a top executive at Fortunato Pharmaceuticals. The drug is meant to provide relief without addiction, but the executive dismisses Roderick's pitch. Back at home, Roderick dines with his wife, Annabel, his sister, and their children. Madeline assures Roderick that they will succeed with Ligodone despite the executive's rejection, even if it means destroying people like him along the way.As the episode concludes, Roderick's family faces the consequences of their actions. The party's disastrous outcome signifies the dangers of unchecked power and the inevitability of facing consequences. Roderick's family is on a precarious path, with their desires for change and immortality leading them down a dark and uncertain road.