Netflix’s much-anticipated original series “Wednesday” came out over the Thanksgiving weekend, adding a touch of horror to the festive season. This coming-of-age show follows the titular character, Wednesday Addams (Jenna Ortega), during her first term at Nevermore Academy, a school for Outcasts, young adults who are mythical beings like sirens and werewolves or possess magical abilities.
Wednesday begins to uncover her own psychic abilities as the school’s town of Jericho deals with vicious attacks from a mysterious monster. Not one to shy away from spookiness, Wednesday becomes immediately intrigued by investigating the beast terrorizing townies and students at Nevermore. But who, or what, is the monster in Wednesday?
Who Is The Hyde Monster in “Wednesday”?
Wednesday believes the monster terrorizing the town is Xavier Thorpe (Percy Hynes White), an artist and psychic student at Nevermore who immediately takes a liking to Wednesday. Xavier has the unique gift of bringing his drawings to life. Wednesday finds drawings he created of the monster which had appeared to him in dreams.
In episode 7, we learn from Wednesday’s infamous Uncle Fester (Fred Armisen) that the monster is called a Hyde. Getting its name from the story of “Jekyll & Hyde,” a Hyde is typically harmless but has a dark side that literally brings out the monster in it. Fester and Wednesday discover that the Hyde lays dormant until it is unleashed by a “traumatic event or through chemical inducement” from someone else. Once a bond is created between the Hyde and its master, it will do whatever the master wants it to.
Uncle Fester says it best, “Anyone willing to unlock a Hyde is a next-level sicko.” So, Wednesday not only needs to identify the Hyde, but she must also figure out who is manipulating it.
It isn’t until Wednesday’s love-interest Tyler Galpin (Hunter Doohan), a “normie” from town – and the sheriff’s son – kisses her, that the Hyde’s identity is revealed. The kiss triggers Wednesday’s psychic visions, at wehich point she learns Tyler is the Hyde.
Who is Controlling the Hyde in “Wednesday”?
We discover in the finale that Miss Marilyn Thornhill, the botany professor and first “normie” teacher at Nevermore (played by none other than “Addams Family Value”‘s Wednesday Addams, Christina Ricci), is the person manipulating Tyler.
Wednesday learns that Miss Thornhill’s real identity is Laurel Gates – sister of Garrett Gates, who was allegedly murdered by Wednesday Addam’s father Gomez when they were students at Nevermore. This leads Miss Thornhill to avenge her brother’s death by attacking the community, especially the Addams Family.
So while Tyler is an actual monster, in a delicious turn of events, the real monster of the “Wednesday” TV series is actually 1991’s Wednesday Addams. This twist is delightful and really, altogether ooky. We’re looking forward to what Wednesday gets into if its renewed for season two.
All episodes of “Wednesday” are streaming on Netflix.
