Ep 25. The Masks

In The Twilight Zone season 5 episode 25, titled "The Masks," a wealthy but dying old man named Jason Foster invites his self-centered and greedy heirs to his mansion for Mardi Gras, his last celebration before he passes away. Jason despises the way they've lived their lives, prioritizing their own desires over helping others. He has one final test for them that will determine who inherits his fortune: they must each wear a grotesque mask during the evening's festivities, and the one who wears their mask the longest will receive their inheritance.

As the night progresses, the masks begin to have a strange effect on their wearers. The masks seem to reflect the wearers' true selves, manifesting their inner ugliness and showing their true natures. The family members begin to realize that they have underestimated their grandfather and the power of his final game.

Throughout the episode, tensions rise as the heirs struggle to keep their masks on and hide their true selves, and eventually, one of them experiences a shocking realization about themselves. This realization leads to a moment of clarity that demonstrates how the masks bring out the truth, resulting in a bittersweet ending that leaves you contemplating the nature of family, greed, and the masks we wear in life.

Overall, "The Masks" is a masterfully crafted episode that uses the symbols of Mardi Gras to explore the nature of humanity and our true desires. It's a haunting and thought-provoking work that leaves a lasting impression on its viewers.