Wednesday had a shocking twist with the revelation that Tyler was the Hyde, but season 2 needs to redeem him to truly develop Tyler’s character.
Wednesday provided a shocking twist by revealing Tyler as the Hyde in season 1, but Tyler should be redeemed in season 2. Tyler’s (Hunter Doohan) reveal as the Hyde came as more of a shock due to the relationship he had built with Wednesday (Jenna Ortega), especially as Tyler seemed to be the first-person Wednesday connected with romantically. It is not clear in Wednesday season 1 how long Tyler was using Wednesday, especially as there is an obvious switch in his demeanor when the Hyde is talking through him. However, it is implied that Thornhill (Christina Ricci) had unlocked the Hyde in Tyler before Wednesday’s arrival at Nevermore.
The shock of Tyler being the Hyde and betraying Wednesday caused a huge divide online but also overrode the fact that Tyler is not the real villain of Wednesday. According to Wednesday, “the Hyde lays dormant until unleashed by a traumatic event or unlocked through chemical inducement or hypnosis,” and botany teacher Thornhill uses plant chemicals to do just that. Unlocking a Hyde makes it obedient to that master, meaning Tyler’s Hyde would do anything Thornhill requested, and Tyler as a person would be unable to stop it.
Wednesday Season 2 Needs To Show The Separation Between Man & Hyde
It is unclear how separate Tyler and the Hyde are, but as the Hyde is inspired by The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, it is presumed Tyler and his Hyde are separate beings in the same body. Tyler is just a teenager, and the Hyde probably would not have been unlocked without Thornhill, emphasizing that Tyler’s real personality is suppressed by the release of the Hyde. Season 2 of Wednesday needs to show how separate man and Hyde are to answer who Tyler is and how much of his actions are his own.
Plus, as Tyler was revealed to be lying to Wednesday for most of season 1, audiences do not know what Tyler is really like. Season 2 is the perfect opportunity to explore Tyler’s own battle with the Hyde and present them as two separate beings in Tyler’s body. This will give the audience some explanation as to what the Hyde’s powers are and how much control it has over its human body. Exploring Tyler’s fight with the Hyde will add much more depth to his character and open the outcast world of Wednesday even more.
Tyler Should Be Redeemed, But Not For A Relationship With Wednesday
Many fans believe Tyler’s feelings for Wednesday were real and that his changing into the Hyde was out of his control. This is true to an extent, but Thornhill made Tyler pursue Wednesday, and even Hunter Doohan said Tyler’s feelings were not real. Tyler should be redeemed in season 2, but not for a relationship with Wednesday, as it would just be a fan service and go against Wednesday Addams’ personality. Instead, Tyler’s redemption should be about fighting the Hyde and overcoming Thornhill’s control. Not only would it be a darker storyline for Tyler, but it would also mean Tyler’s character is not just Wednesday’s romantic interest.
Also, Tyler should be redeemed to counteract his mother’s story and change views on Hydes, which are banned from the supposedly outcast-inclusive Nevermore. Tyler’s mother’s tragic story as a Hyde causes a strained relationship between Tyler and his father (Jamie McShane), so showing Tyler’s fight to beat his own Hyde would be a way to not only redeem Tyler but restore the relationship with his father too. Tyler’s Hyde redemption would bring much more torment and emotion to Tyler’s character, giving him a strong arc and progressing the understanding of outcasts in Wednesday season 2.
