WARNING! This article contains SPOILERS for Wednesday season 1!Wednesday Addams spends much of the season trying to figure out the identity of the murderous monster, but Morticia and Gomez Addams at Nevermore Academy.
While it took until Wednesday season 1’s penultimate episode to give the Hyde a name, the Tim Burton series dropped early hints about the monster’s historic danger at Nevermore Academy. In Wednesday season 1, episode 2, Wednesday Addams sneaks into the Nightshades Library and takes the book that featured a drawing of her battling Joseph Crackstone. Wednesday episode 2 briefly focuses on the writing on the page behind the drawing that Rowan ripped out, with one diary entry from 30 years ago mentioning the dangers of Hydes. The entry mentions a tower dedicated to sequestering Hydes, with the Nightshades’ worries coinciding with the time that Hydes (including Tyler’s mother) were banned from Nevermore:
“Mason suggested a discussion around Nevermore’s notorious Bradbury Tower; an abandoned wing allegedly erected to sequester Hydes at the school. Mason wondered if the Nightshades should be effecting a greater influence over the tower’s utility.”
What Happened To Tyler's Mom At Nevermore In Wednesday?
Wednesday season 1, episode 8 reveals that Tyler inherited his violent Hyde from his mother, who went on to marry normie Sheriff Galpin. Teenage Wednesday Addams discovers that Tyler’s mother was on Nevermore Academy’s fencing team with Morticia, but doesn’t reveal whether the unlocking of her Hyde led to the species being banned from the school. It seems that Tyler’s mother wasn’t the only Hyde at Nevermore Academy, so she was likely one of the of the species that was isolated in the school’s Bradbury Tower.
Since Tyler’s mother went on to fall in love and marry Donovan Galpin, it doesn’t seem her Hyde was unleashed while at Nevermore. Rather, Wednesday season 1 suggests that Tyler’s mother didn’t become dangerous until her postpartum depression following Tyler's birth. The trauma and intense emotions triggered her condition, which led to violent outbursts, institutionalization, and her eventual death before Wednesday season 1. Since Wednesday season 2 will inevitably add more twists to Netflix’s Addams Family TV show, the series could reveal that the Gates family had tried unlocking Francois’s Hyde when she was a student, which would explain why the species was banned from Nevermore 30 years ago.
Why Hydes Are So Dangerous In Wednesday
Hydes seem to be the most dangerous outcast species at Nevermore Academy, as Principal Larissa Weems suggests they’re one of the few species banned from the school. Wednesday season 1 reveals that they’re unpredictable and violent, with the outcasts bending to the wills and nefarious plans of their masters. It’s unclear whether Hydes are mindless killers or conscious of their actions, but Wednesday suggests they’re manipulated very easily, such as how Laurel Gates makes Tyler more loyal by acting like his mother. Considering season 1's ending hints that Tyler may escape his chains when transforming into the Hyde, season 2 of Tim Burton's Wednesday will require even more research on the dangerous species.