Here is a complete breakdown of Wizard of Id's Golden Rule from The Fall of the House of Usher and what it says about the members of the Usher family.
Warning: Spoilers ahead for The Fall of the House of Usher.
Summary
- "The Fall of the House of Usher" cleverly incorporates the "Golden Rule" from "Wizard of Id" to draw parallels between whimsical and macabre worlds.
- The "Golden Rule" states that whoever has the gold makes the rules, symbolizing the power dynamics in the show's storyline.
- The Usher family believes their wealth will protect them, but their defiance of the rule makes them vulnerable to consequences.
The Fall of The House of Usher makes a few subtle references to The Wizard of Id and its "Golden Rule" in its opening episodes, which seems trivial at first but eventually becomes instrumental to the show's overarching storyline. Created by American cartoonists Brant Parker and Johnny Hart, The Wizard of Id is a renowned comic strip that has appeared in several daily newspapers since the early 1960s. It follows the day-to-day snags of the gimmicky citizens of a medieval kingdom called Id.
The comic strip has a lighthearted tone and rarely takes itself too seriously. However, The Fall of the House of Usher cleverly uses one of its so-called "Golden Rules" in its storyline to draw serious parallels between the whimsical world of Id and the more sinister and macabre themes in Edgar Allan Poe's works. The Mike Flanagan horror show also keeps an air mystery surrounding the golden rule, leaving viewers curious about what it symbolizes in the series. Hence, here is an explanation of Wizard of Id's golden rule and how it aligns with The Fall of the House of Usher's character beats.
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In The Fall of the House of Usher's episode 2, Prospero is the first character who mentions Wizard of Id's Golden Rule. However, before he finishes reciting the rule, the scene cuts to Roderick recalling the same. Even when Roderick starts saying the rule by recounting how Prospero got it from him, the show cuts him midway through his sentence. A flashback reveals that Roderick, too, got it from his former boss, Rufus Griswold, who had a picture of the rule right outside his office. The flashback scene reveals how Roderick first saw the golden rule, "Whoever has the gold makes the rules," on a Wizard of Id poster outside Griswold's office, moments before he pitched Ligodone to him.
How The "Golden Rule" Applies To Roderick & The Usher Family's Dynasty
The golden rule means that, in any given situation, the ones with more financial leverage possess the power to set the terms and exert authority over others. Prospero proudly chimes the rule because he realizes he has more wealth and influence than any of his friends. However, The Fall of the House of Usher cuts him midway because his father, Roderick, has even more "gold" than him, making him the "rulemaker." Roderick also gets cut midway because there was a time when he did have "the gold." His former boss, Griswold, once possessed all the gold, and he had to snag it away from him to become the all-powerful rulemaker.
The "golden rule" also applies to all the other members of the Usher family dynasty because they believe their wealth and influence will forever protect them from facing the consequences of their unethical and immoral actions. However, little do they realize that no matter how wealthy and powerful they become, someone, somewhere, will defy the rule and take it all away from them. For instance, Roderick and Madeline challenge the rule by overpowering Griswold despite having lesser "gold" than him. As seen in The Fall of the House of Usher, their defiance, too, makes them a vulnerable target for Verna, who eventually punishes them for trading their morality for material wealth.
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