The Fall of the House of Usher: What is the significance of the empty bathtub at the end of the episode?

In the final scene of "The Black Cat" episode of The Fall of the House of Usher, the significance of the empty bathtub holds great symbolism. Throughout the episode, we witness Leo's descent into madness, driven by his guilt and paranoia after murdering his boyfriend's cat, Pluto. Leo believes that the replacement cat he brought home is evil and possesses supernatural abilities. He becomes increasingly obsessed with the cat's presence in the house, leading to drastic measures such as smashing the walls in an attempt to find and capture it. Eventually, in his delusion, Leo sees the cat on the balcony and impulsively chases after it, resulting in his tragic death.When Leo's ex-boyfriend, Julius, finds Leo's lifeless body on the pavement, the real Pluto walks over to Leo, softly meowing. At this moment, the camera cuts to the bathtub where Leo had been collecting the "presents" left by the fake Pluto. However, the tub is completely empty, emphasizing the emptiness and void that lies within Leo's mind.The empty bathtub serves as a metaphorical representation of Leo's deteriorating mental state. It signifies the hollowness and emptiness that exists within him, symbolizing the absence of sanity and stability. Just as the tub lacks any remnants of the gruesome gifts left by the delusional Leo, his mind is devoid of rationality and clarity.Furthermore, the empty bathtub also reflects the idea that Leo's demise is ultimately self-inflicted. His obsession with the cat, fueled by guilt and drug-induced paranoia, leads him to his tragic end. The absence of any physical evidence in the tub parallels the absence of external factors causing Leo's death. Instead, it highlights that Leo's own mind was the catalyst for his downfall.In a broader context, the empty bathtub can be seen as a thematic echo of the House of Usher's decay and deterioration. The Usher family, including Leo, is plagued by their own demons and psychological turmoil. Just as Leo's mind is empty and consumed by his delusions, the Usher family's mansion is a reflection of their inner turmoil and decay. Both the bathtub and the house symbolize the destructive and corrosive nature of the Ushers' psychological state.In conclusion, the significance of the empty bathtub in the final scene of "The Black Cat" episode of The Fall of the House of Usher represents the emptiness within Leo's deteriorating mind. It serves as a metaphor for his unstable mental state, highlighting his self-inflicted downfall and the parallel decay of the Usher family. The empty bathtub captures the tragic essence of Leo's descent into madness and adds to the overall theme of psychological decay in the series.