The Fall of the House of Usher: Why did Roderick betray Dupin in court?

In the episode "The Pit and the Pendulum" of The Fall of the House of Usher, Roderick Usher betrays Dupin in court, leading to the downfall of Dupin's career. Roderick initially works with Dupin to acquire confidential documents from Fortunato Pharmaceuticals, exposing the company's malfeasance in clinical trials. Roderick plans to testify in court that his signature has been forged on these papers, exposing the company's wrongdoing. However, when Roderick takes the stand, he surprising confesses that he was actually the one who signed the papers, undermining Dupin's case. He claims to have been coerced into lying about his signatures, resulting in his arrest for perjury.The betrayal is devastating for Annabel, Roderick's wife, who had hoped her husband would do the right thing. She witnesses Roderick's confession in court and is left disillusioned. Roderick's sister, Madeline, who was involved in the plan, tries to comfort Annabel by emphasizing that Roderick will now have a promising future at Fortunato Pharmaceuticals. However, Annabel is not concerned with personal gain; she simply wanted her husband to act ethically.In the 2020s timeline, Madeline is still determined to claim power within the company. She meets with Arthur Pym to persuade him to support her bid for control, especially considering Roderick's declining mental state. Madeline envisions leading Fortunato into a new era of artificial intelligence and away from the addictive drugs that have tarnished its reputation. However, Madeline's ambitions are overshadowed by the deaths plaguing the Usher family and her encounter with Verna, a mysterious figure connected to the family's destruction.Madeline revisits her childhood home, hoping to confront Verna and understand the nature of their agreement. While the details are unclear, there is a pact between Madeline, Roderick, and Verna that seemingly involves death. Madeline attempts to alter the terms of their agreement, even resorting to violence, but Verna proves to be resilient. The situation leaves Madeline pondering the cryptic words of their contract, suggesting that death is an integral part of their deal.Meanwhile, Frederick, another Usher family member, manipulates the situation to position himself for the CEO position within Fortunato Pharmaceuticals. He subjects his wife, Morelle, to further torment and disfigurement, crossing the line even for Verna. In an unexpected turn of events, Verna ensures Frederick's demise by lacing his cocaine with a paralyzing drug. As Frederick unknowingly ingests the tainted cocaine, he ventures to the demolition site of a lab, but the effects of the drug take hold, causing him to collapse. Verna uses a walkie-talkie to impersonate Frederick's voice and authorize the demolition, resulting in a beam falling and splitting his body in half.With Frederick's death, the Usher children meet their tragic ends, except for Lenore, who Roderick deems the best of them all. However, there are hints that Lenore may have become involved in Madeline's experiments with AI and immortality. As Roderick converses with Dupin, Madeline is tinkering in the basement, potentially transforming Lenore into something beyond human existence.In light of these events, it is unclear why Roderick ultimately betrayed Dupin in court. However, it can be surmised that Roderick's motivations may have been driven by personal gain, coercion, or a change of heart. Whatever the reason, this betrayal significantly impacts both Dupin and the trajectory of Roderick's life.