Tyler: Representing humans and their darker sides

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This blogpost is going to be my interpretation of Tyler's character from the Wednesday series. Even if you are team Xavier, do give it a read anyway (I promise not to trick you to change your team).

As most have already seen the series or have come across spoilers on Instagram anyway, I'm free to post spoilers here too. Or if you do not want spoilers, watch the series Wednesday on Netflix (not freeload it on Telegram!) and come back here soon after finishing the first season (ofcourse I would like the additional view😂😜). 

I think Tyler, at some extent, represents all of us. We all have a negative or even monstrous side to our personality which could lay dormant for years or decades. But when something major happens (or compounding of small things until it reaches the boiling point), that side of ours come out. It may not be as severe as killing people but a explosion of bottled-up anger and frustration. It is as scary as someone who is very calm and happy-go-lucky kind of a person, but when they get angry, all the bottled-up anger comes out as a volcano.

Even his dialogue at the Rave'n dance, that he did many bad things but he is not a bad person, shows that we humans can sometimes do bad things but it may not necessarily define us. Yes, I do not support murders, rapes, acid attacks through this example. I think we all have happened to hurt someone emotionally and mentally (break their hearts) and have been hurt ourselves too.

Tyler was a hyde (a kind of monster). When he was in control of himself, he was best as a human. A friend to Wednesday, someone who loved her (atleast I would like to believe so with all his actions, smile and the way his eyes sparkle when he would see her. The eyes say it all, Chico). The initial plan may have been to eventually harm her, but in the process, he did fall in love with her and genuinely cared about her. That can also be seen when he whispers in her ears that she has no idea what's coming (he went from perfectly fine to almost teared up while whispering). Also the date in the crypt was a little too romantic to distract Wednesday, so Laurel can get that book/diary.

But after being manipulated and violated by Ms. Thornhill/Laurel Gates, his hyde personality started overpowering his human side. As per what is stated in the series, Hydes are loyal to their masters and will do anything that is ordered. He was a pawn in the game, killing normies and other outcasts, with eventual plan of Laurel/Crackstone killing Wednesday. 

Tyler was the one who was outcasted within the outcast community. He loved Wednesday but she was obsessed with finding the monster, which led to her nearly torturing him in second last episode. That would have enraged him further, leading to final episode of him hurting Wednesday and her friend, Enid.

He was the victim of abuse and manipulation. He wasn't just manipulated but also abused by being chained and injected with chemicals. Yes, near the end, he did confess that when he became conscious of what he was doing, he started enjoying murdering people (which I myself do not approve of). But for the most part, he was victim of the bigots.

This similar theme was also reflected in Kartik Aryan's Freddy, that an innocent, loving person can show their worst side, after being abused, manipulated or badly hurt.

Maybe he knew he was a hyde and thus wanted to know more about his mother whom he never got to know from his father, a normie.  After having no channel of information, Ms. Thornhill/Laurel Gates (who wanted to kill all the outcasts) took advantage of that fact and started manipulating him. This reflects the importance of communication, that how it can prevent misunderstandings (and such severe consequences). If his normie father who married an outcast (a hyde), had spoken to Tyler about his mother, he might not have been manipulated by Ms. Thornhill.

I wish to see a positive change arc in Tyler's character in the next season, that he is able to control hyde side of his personality. That he works on himself, gets therapy and get back to his loving and innocent side (which most girls fell for). 

But many people, in comment sections of posts/music edits related to Wednesday and Tyler, commented that they hope she help and fix him to get back to his Tyler side. This is something I do not agree with. This shows the patriarchal and misogynist ideology that a girl should fix a guy and help him get better. A loving relationship will help you become better versions, ofcourse, but she isn't a therapist. No woman (or partners) are. No girl have to take it as a mission on themselves to 'fix' a guy. He is his own person, and if he knows what he doing is wrong, he can work on himself to become better version of himself.

I would like to see them together as a happy couple in 2nd or 3rd season (I don't think Wednesday would forgive him so easily). But the narrative shouldn't be forced as from the starting, she is shown as someone who isn't interested in romantic relationships. 

Character of Tyler and his conversion into Hyde leaves us with many insights about human psychology and the sheer importance of communication, which can be cathartic and solve many misunderstandings, preventing any harsh consequences.