YMMV / The Case of Charles Dexter Ward

• Captain Obvious Reveal: The moment the similarities between Curwen and Ward are mentioned, you can see the Kill and Replace plot coming a mile away. Not that this is necessarily a bad thing, as it borders on Dramatic Irony. Also, this becomes a point In-Universe, since Willett immediately realizes what's going on once he accepts the existence of necromancy.
• Catharsis Factor: Seeing Curwen get turned to dust by one of his own incantations is about as close to a happy ending as you can expect with Lovecraft.
• Complete Monster: Joseph Curwen is a wicked necromancer and slave trader in the 1600s, routinely buying and murdering slaves for his dark rituals. Finally hunted down and destroyed, Curwen uses magic to ensure one of his descendants will resurrect him. Upon Charles Dexter Ward doing so, Curwen attempts to revive his old practices, including conjuring the spirits of humanity's wisest figures and torturing them for knowledge in dark rites. When Ward finally objects to the bloodshed Curwen propagates, Curwen murders him and takes his place, but ends up getting thrown in an asylum when he can't properly pass as his descendant due to his antiquated mindset. It’s further revealed Curwen is allied to a horror from beyond, where his plans could lead to the utter annihilation of all life in creation.
  • Not for nothing does the 6th edition of the Call of Cthulhu rpg rulebook have Curwen's central skills be "Blackmail", "Lack Mercy" and "Torture".
• Tear Jerker: The comic adaptation dedicates an entire page to Dr. Willett's discovery of Charles' body. We don't see the body itself, but we see Willett removing the panel, his shocked expression and the tears slowly welling up in his eyes as he can only whisper "My god..."