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The horror of Will’s situation is more than just him possibly being made of wax, and the original maybe having died long ago. To me, that type of speculation often falls more into plot speculation/lore theorizing than character analysis. I’m going to be talking about what I see the horror of Will’s experience, rather than questions of how his existence functions. What I view as the defining element of this horror is a profound lack of agency.

Will cannot remember what Montresor did. We know it’s possible for him to regain these lost memories, but that it is very difficult to do so. Specifically it seems what Will forgets are memories that could break him/his sense of reality. He forgets his death, and the lead up to it, both because it’s incredibly painful and it shatters his idea of himself and the world around him. It is a turning point he could not ignore: a change he can’t come back from. His mind seemingly could not handle the truth and so it buried these traumatic memories. And we see him do it again here. His encounter with Montresor was traumatic. Will was terrified and in pain. He was burned, dehumanized, physically intimidated and restrained, chased down, and threatened with murder—though Montresor ultimately decided not to go through with it (though Will had no power, no agency, in that situation, he survived cause Montresor let him). His identity was also systematically stripped away from him, he was told the way he was being himself was wrong, and pushed to remember painful things. Everything he thought he knew about himself turned out to be false. So he forgot. To protect himself.

But this is a double-edged sword, yes it keeps him from quite literally breaking down, but it also keeps him trapped. Will doesn’t get to be angry at Montresor, or question him. He doesn’t even get to be scared of the man who did that to him, or hesitant. Instead he’s stuck at the moment before, unable to change things—unable to define the relationship on his terms. No it’s always on Montresor’s terms. We don’t know if Will would have forgiven Montresor if he kept his memory. We don’t know if he would’ve wanted to leave: but it’s painful that he didn’t even get the opportunity to decide. Will doesn’t get a choice—he’s a puppet on strings, forced into the archetype of his spectre.

And this is not the first time we’ve seen the motif of “turning a blind eye” or “self-deception as a method of self-protection” appear in relation to Will. Back in the manor arc, he had this very interesting exchange with Eulalie.

I would not be surprised if this theme appeared in his backstory as well. I think this is something Will is going to have to confront. He has to face the monster, whether that is his own traumatic memories, or his own repressed identity he has learned to suffocate. The skeleton needs to come out of the closet. It is the only way he can grow. The only way he can “blossom for [his] own joy”. But as for now he can’t: he’s a prisoner to a vicious cycle.

But that’s not the only way Will’s agency has been called into question. There is also the matter of the deal. I view the deal as a microcosm of Will and Montresor’s relationship. Their bond and feeling of mutual obligation to the other.

The gist of my interpretation is this. Will and Montresor are, in my opinion, clinging to a deeply unhealthy, dying relationship. Both because of the obligation/dependence they feel towards the other, and also because of their fear of being alone, especially in such circumstances. Neither of them are benefitting the way they used to when it started, yet they cling to it anyway. Montresor quite literally clings to Will’s ghost and what could have been. And Will to his own fragile version of reality where everything’s okay, and the light (strength, certainty, etc) Montresor provides in such a dark, cruel world.

At first, things were good, and this deal benefitted them both. Though there was always an undercurrent of something darker. A mutual dependence that could doom them both, and a power imbalance which comes with one person “saving” the other in a vulnerable place. But they both needed each other—they both needed a friend. So it was easy to ignore. But it has twisted and grown now. And in a way I would say Montresor has become more dependent than Will. We were told that Dybbuks are spirits which “latch onto people” and “get into their heads” and I believe that in a very real way Montresor has become something of a parasite to Will, even though it wasn’t intentional (I know it sounds harsh, stick with me). He clings to to him, he cannot live without him—even though he feels as if this Will is not his Will he still keeps him around because he needs him. He can’t end the relationship, because Will, in a way, saved him. Mundanely, with small actions of protection and care. And he hated it, just as he hates Will’s fawning, but he kinda needs it too. He needs Will’s adoration—the love and trust he was always denied. But Montresor has only been taught of a version of love which is consumptive. So that’s what he does, the flame consumes the candle and when it’s gone it too shall burn out. He cannot live without him, and one day that may kill Will, but Montresor won’t cut him off, not even to save him. Because he wants to be loved more than he loves Will. And what a painfully, beautifully human desire—and what a cruel fate for Will.

Because again this circles back to Will’s agency. The deal seemingly, from what we saw in 115 (and possibly 81 but that’s another post for another day), has one central provision: Will can’t leave. The one choice you should always have in a relationship, Will doesn’t have. We saw what happened when he so much as considered going with Eulalie.

He is quite literally bound in chains! Not even afforded the choice. He is imprisoned in a cycle, forever giving more and more of himself to this relationship to try and make it work. Trading away his identity and opportunity to grow—to live his own life—for Montresor. When Will kissed Montresor it was not him who developed—it was Montresor. When Montresor nearly killed him, it was not him who got development—it was Montresor. Will is not allowed to change, because if he changed, he might leave.

Now both of them are stuck in this relationship. Montresor clinging to a ghost, to what it could have been, unable to let go. Quite literally chained by the memory of their Friendship. He knows Will is different now but maybe he can pretend. Maybe they can both pretend. And Will is stuck in a relationship which hollows him out, but he can’t leave—he has an obligation. He is a prisoner now, in a way, denied the freedom to choose, the chance to answer the question: after everything Montresor has done for him, everything he has done to him, will he stay?

And that to me is the real horror of Will’s situation. Not the cloning and the eldritchness of it all (though that is fun), but the way Will has been denied the freedom necessary to grow. The way so much of him, and his character, is given to Montresor. I really do hope that he gets the opportunity to grow, but that might be a long ways from now as it seems the status quo has been reinforced, the cycle reset, the pact upheld.

I can only hope these two find a way to change—meaningfully change. Also I need Will to remember and confront Montresor/hold him accountable for what he did. Or for Montresor to feel some sort of guilt/remorse for how he hurt Will (cause just cause Will doesn’t remember at the moment/it didn’t seem to leave marks doesn’t mean it didn’t happen) [please please please let it eat Montresor alive… torture the blonde man some more]