Wednesday, Netflix’s new show about the eldest Addams Family sibling, revolves around a central mystery: what is killing off the students at Nevermore Academy? Wednesday (played by up-and-coming horror star Jenna Ortega) is on the case, along with help from Thing, despite forces both natural and supernatural trying to keep them from discovering the truth. Through her visions, plus some classic snooping, she’s able to uncover the identity of the monster and save the school in the process.
While researching the monster in Episode 7 (during a visit from her creepy yet endearing Uncle Fester), Wednesday finds out the monster is actually called a Hyde. Yes, like Jekyll and Hyde. As Uncle Fester (played by Fred Armisen) explains, a Hyde is a person who is compelled to turn into a monster through hypnosis or drugs. Once they’re trained, however, they can turn at will. It makes Wednesday’s job harder, however, since the Hyde could be anyone. Not to mention, there needs to be someone to bring out a Hyde…so there’s an accomplice to the murders.
There’s no telling what the monster is capable of, considering Wednesday faced an attack from it, and her friend Eugene even got put into a coma when he found the monster’s hideout. Plus, Wednesday still fears she could destroy the school due to a premonition Rowan’s mother had years ago. The eventual reveal of the identity of the monster (and its dastardly accomplice) ends both mysteries for Wednesday, and potentially sets her up for Season 2. Turn back now if you don’t want the Season 1 finale spoiled for you.
But if you really really want to know, we can tell you…
Who is the monster in Wednesday?
The monster is Tyler (Hunter Doohan). After Wednesday kisses Tyler, she has a bloody vision of him standing over her therapist, Dr. Kinbott (Riki Lindhome) as the Hyde. She also later finds out his mother was a student at Nevermore and was also a Hyde.
Tyler in the season finale of Wednesday.NETFLIXAdvertisement – Continue Reading Below
To add insult to injury, Tyler even confesses his crimes to Wednesday after she falsely accuses Xavier. It’s not until she discovers his accomplice, the real Laurel Gates of Jericho, that she manages to put all the pieces together and finally expose the town’s murderers.
Although she first believed it was Dr. Kinbott who brought out Tyler’s Hyde through hypnosis, Wednesday realizes the real culprit is none other than Miss Thornhill (played by ’90s Wednesday Addams herself, Christina Ricci). The botany teacher used chemicals to induce Tyler’s Hyde state so he could kill off outcasts, along with anyone who got too close to finding out what Thornhill was really planning.
Thornill’s ultimate goal was to resurrect her dead relative; the founder of Jericho, Joseph Crackstone. Joseph detested outcasts and died attempting to rid the world of them. His main adversary? None other than Wednesday’s ancestor Goody Addams.
With help from her friends, Wednesday manages to defeat Laurel/Thornhill and put Tyler away. But in one of the final scenes of the season finale, it seems like it we may not have seen the last of Tyler…
Will Tyler return in Wednesday Season 2?
In the finale, we see Tyler tied up in chains and carted away from Jericho. Of course, he won’t go down so easy, and we then see him turn once more into a Hyde to try and fight his captors. If he did manage to get away, Wednesday could see Tyler return in the future to get his revenge.
In an interview with Variety, showrunners Alfred Gough and Miles Millar confirmed Tyler could definitely return. “Yeah. Absolutely. He’s out there,” Gough says. “That’s what we wanted to convey.”
There’s no real guarantee on Tyler’s return, however, until we get a Season 2 renewal.
MILAN POLK
