How Verna Ties 'The Fall of the House of Usher' Together
In Netflix's The Fall of the House of Usher, Edgar Allan Poe's most famous horror stories are mixed into one tale about a wealthy and powerful family that quickly meets their doom. Each family member arrives at death's door by reenacting elements of "The Pit and the Pendulum," "The Tell-Tale Heart," "The Masque of the Red Death," and many more. But Verna—a mysterious character who is present at the end of all their lives—ties the series together. Who is this ominous presence, and what does she have to do with their deaths?
Played by The Haunting of Hill House's Carla Gugino, Verna portrays the black raven from Poe's "The Raven." She acts as a harbinger of death, collecting an item from each family member as they depart. Later, she places the items on their gravestones. In fact, "Verna" is just an anagram of "Raven." Though she's rarely not in human form, she does occasionally appear as a raven—especially in the first episode, when patriarch Roderick Usher realizes what he's done.
Why Is Verna Invested in the Fall of the House of Usher?
Though this isn't fully revealed until the final episode, Roderick Usher and his sister Madeline struck a deal with Verna at a bar—on New Year's Eve, no less—before he had any children. The devil's bargain granted them wealth, power, and freedom to commit any crime, in exchange for the lives of everyone with his bloodline. When it would be time for Roderick Usher to go, the House of Usher would fall with him.
It's never confirmed by Verna, but "The Raven" acts as an amalgam of Poe's titular bird, the Devil, and the Angel of Death. She also isn't without reason, as the character clearly expresses that she favors taking out the greedy and the wealthy. Lenore, an innocent girl and the youngest of the Usher family, is granted a swift and easy death in bed compared to her older family members. Verna also gives many of the Usher family members a way out, even if none of them heed her advice. Whatever her reasons, the Usher family certainly learned their lessons the hard way.
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