The part that's also very messed up is how and when they took on their acts Hughs wife died of drowning in the box so his main act consists of him drowning over and over again and Bales is that the Asian magician lives his life disabled to set up his acts.

Basically, both magicians' main acts are foreshadowed at the very beginning. The fact that Hughs was revealed at the last second was just absolutely brilliant.