The Fall of the House of Usher: Who is Pym Reaper? Arthur Pym character explored

Within the enigmatic narrative of Mike Flanagan's The Fall of the House of Usher, a character emerges, one who is as complex as the Ushers themselves, and whose name invokes intrigue alike—Arthur Pym, the Pym Reaper.

The narrative of Arthur Pym weaves an intricate tapestry of literary references, one that delves deep into the works of the master of macabre, Edgar Allan Poe.

Pym, named after Poe's only novel, The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket, shoulders the weight of a legacy fraught with darkness. Poe's novel was an ambitious tale that chronicled the harrowing misadventures of a young stowaway on a whaling ship.

Like Pym in The Fall of the House of Usher, he embarks on a perilous journey that spirals into a descent into madness, culminating in shocking acts of desperation, including cannibalism and isolation beyond human comprehension.

Spoilers ahead.

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Arthur Pym: Legal sentinel in The Fall of the House of Usher

At the heart of Netflix's The Fall of the House of Usher stands Arthur Pym, portrayed by Mark Hamill, a man of legal prowess and unwavering loyalty. He's not just the family attorney; he's the fortress guarding the Ushers from the relentless tides of justice and carries an equally foreboding moniker—the Pym Reaper.

This name isn't without its chilling reasons. The Pym Reaper, akin to the grim reaper of Poe's tales, is a harbinger of unsettling truths, a spectral figure whose presence spells doom.

Assistant U.S. Attorney C. Auguste Dupin might relentlessly pursue justice, but Arthur Pym's dark presence ensures the Usher family remains beyond the reach of the law.

Unraveling the depth of Pym's enigma, we learn of his involvement in the Transglobe Expedition. This expedition, led by Sir Ranulph Fiennes, aimed to circumnavigate the Earth from north to south using only surface transport.

In a gripping revelation, we discover that Arthur Pym encountered the shape-shifting figure named Verna during his Arctic journey, who later strikes a deal with Roderick and Madeline Usher.

As the dark narrative unfolds, it becomes increasingly apparent that Pym's role in the Transglobe Expedition was not one of heroism. Instead, it was marred by cruelty and violence towards their Inuit guide and a local woman. Pym is not just a bystander in his story; he's a participant, a witness to horrors and supernatural beings.

Mark Hamill as Arthur Pym and Carl Lumbly as C. Auguste Dupin in The Fall of the House of Usher (Image via IMDb)

He bears witness to the vile deeds committed by fellow humans and, like Poe's character, sees a different, darker side to humanity. Both Pyms stand at the precipice of comprehension, their actions teetering on the edge of mere observation and complicity in the darkness they encounter.

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Edgar Allan Poe's legacy: Arthur Pym's journey

In both Poe's The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket and its modern adaptation, The Fall of the House of Usher, these Pyms share more than just a name.

Both characters venture into a realm of darkness, where ordinary human understanding begins to unravel. They stumble upon the extraordinary, from peculiar occurrences to encounters with the supernatural.

A still from The Fall of the House of Usher (Image via IMDb)

But while Arthur Pym from Poe's novel has an end that is open to the reader’s interpretations, the Pym Reaper in the show has a fate of imprisonment and remorse.

It's a side of Pym's life that directly mirrors the grim emotions of the character from Poe's novel and lends a haunting quality to his character in The Fall of the House of Usher.

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As the narrative of The Fall of the House of Usher unfolds, it becomes evident that Arthur Pym's character reflects the eternal struggle between light and darkness, a theme that permeates Edgar Allan Poe's works.

Viewers can watch The Fall of the House of Usher on Netflix.