Carnivàle/The Usher of Destruction

The Usher of Destruction
Carnivàle
Actor	Don Swayze
First Appearance	[1x01] Milfay
Last Appearance	[2x12] New Canaan, CA
Series Billing	Main Cast
Episode Count	24

The Usher of Destruction is a unique creature. He has been prophesied throughout the ages but can only be manifest once. In visions, he is seen as the Tattooed Man. He can only be killed by an anointed blade thrust into the bough of his tree tattoo where the dark heart dwells.

Season 1

The Usher is not mentioned by name at any point during the first season. Most fans referred to him merely as the Tattooed Man, and no explanation of his role in things was given. We first encountered him in Ben's dream (as well as in Justin's) in the pilot episode, and he would occasionally crop up unexpectedly afterwards. Ben sees him once walking towards the carnival, only to wake up and find Sofie in his place. Sofie has a vision of her mother's rape, and it is evident that it is the Usher raping Apollonia. Ben, on a drive with Samson, sees the Usher walking towards their car, only to wake up and find another oncoming car in his place.

If that wasn't mysterious enough, the events in Loving, New Mexico, further complicate the matter. Visiting a Templar hall in search of answers, Samson and Ben fail to see a rather large mural which features a depiction of the Usher. When Ben returns to town on his own during the Day of the Dead festival, he sees a small child decorated with the tree tattoos of the Usher fleeing a large group of angry men holding torches. Later that night, Ben sees the same group, except now the men have caught the little boy and placed him on a giant throne which they carry while cheering.

Season 2

Management explains part of the Usher's nature to Ben, saying that "He is flesh. It means the end times are not near, Hawkins. They are upon us." From this, we can gather that the Usher is a non-corporeal, mystical entity whose manifestation in the real world heralds the end of the last age of magic. Justin's conversation with Wilfred Talbot Smith indicates that Justin will be the chosen vessel of the Usher, though whether this will mean a supplantation of Justin's goals for the Usher's, or merely that they already act in concert is unknown. What is known is that Justin begins seeing the Usher in visions, and eventually takes steps to replicate the tree tattoo on his own body. After killing Scudder, Justin becomes the prophet of his house which, according to what Smith said, means he is now the Usher as well.

Once the tattoo is completed, it becomes evident that it was Justin who sired Sofie (since she saw the Usher raping Apollonia in a vision). Again, this raises more questions than answers. Was Justin always destined to be the Usher, or did the Usher merely orchestrate that incident? Is Sofie's status as the Omega due to the fact that the Usher is her father?