Netflix's The Fall of the House of Usher might have the best plot twist of the year. When Netflix announced a gothic drama based on the works of Edgar Allen Poe—helmed by horror movie maven, Mike Flanagan, no less—we knew it would be something special.

The series follows Roderick and Madeline Usher, two siblings who run a pharmaceutical company. Their lives are full of glamor and wealth—until the death of Roderick's children unspools a thread of dark family secrets. Over the course of eight episodes, we watch the Usher family descend to madness as they grieve the loss of their family and empire. In the first episode, Attorney Auguste Dupin accuses the Ushers of running a faulty business, claiming that a secret informant shared information that could ruin their lives. To make matters worse, the informant is suspected to be one of the Ushers. Naturally, this sends everyone into a tailspin. Who would snitch on their own family members?

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Later on, Auguste admits there is no informant. He hoped the lie would cause the Ushers to become paranoid and reveal the truth about their company. Instead, the Ushers face different horrors, as they’re slowly killed off one by one—which Auguste suspects is his fault. Eventually, Roderick reveals that the lie didn't kill his children. So, what gives? Apparently, when Roderick and Madeline were kids, they made a deal with the devil to become wealthy and successful in exchange for their future children's souls. Throughout the season, they behave as if they have no idea what’s going on—but truthfully, their demise is their own doing.

The series ends with Roderick and Madeline reflecting on their sins in their childhood home. Roderick attempts to poison his sister and mummify her, but in the episode's final moments she strangles him—and they both die in the hell they’ve created.

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