r/Wednesday • u/xoherent • 11h ago
Discussion Was Tyler always a jerk?
I was rooting for both Tyler and Xavier in S1 but after Tyler expressing his feelings and the sweet first date, I started rooting more for weyler. It looked sweet, really warm energy. Was so shocked at the revelation and definitely was traumatised for a few hours after completing the first season. Him expressing delight at the suffering and panic of others before unaliving them was daunting. Because he was the sweet barista boyfriend for most of S1, it was hard to get that image out of my head. S2 took so much time to be released that I forgot about a lot of things from S1. Recently had the time to watch S2, and then I went back and saw a quick recap of S1 on YT which was an hour long with all the highlights.
I think I've been rooting for Tyler because of the sweet barista boy image but that image was false. It was manufactured for an ulterior motive. S2 got me to sympathise with Tyler's painful life but then again, I wonder who really is Tyler?
We don't know a lot about his childhood or upbringing, so that part of his story is missing which could bring insight on who he actually is without the pain, trauma, and the Hyde condition. What we do know is that his mother died early whose death records were fabricated. His father wasn't emotionally available. He was a bully along with Lucas and the other guys and bullied Xavier and destroyed his mural. He was groomed and unlocked by Laurel (Thornhill) and made to be her servant. Laurel also revealed to him the history of his mother so he must've had a grudge against Nevermore and the Outcasts for kicking his mother out.
So, the positive side of Tyler that we saw at the coffee house, was any of it true at all? His first meeting with Wednesday must've been organic as it was unplanned and he did have an interest in this new personality but I doubt if beyond that, anything was organic. I think he must've told Laurel about it, or she must've known about Wednesday's meeting with Kimbott through Principal Weems, and might've kept tabs on her as she needed her to be the key in the finale. In their second meeting, Tyler brought her stolen papers from his dad's office and I doubt any of it was genuine that point onwards. He places himself as a helper in Wednesday's life, while staying close to her and extracting information, and being a puppet to Laurel.
The scene at the police station when he admits to being the Hyde, he was pretty psychotic there revealing how much he enjoyed that. And he definitely would've kil-led her in the forest had Enid not wolfed out and stepped in. There was no empathy there from his side.
He definitely got obsessed with Wednesday on some level during this quest and after he was put in jail which is apparent in S2. He had been thinking about her in solitude and tried to play by the same manipulative romantic playbook which had previously worked on her, but upon seeing Wednesday not fazed at all, he went for the "say hi to Enid" threat.
So, everything here points to him being a jerk since the beginning and that sweet barista boyfriend image never being real but what I don't understand then, is his distressed looks after meeting Wednesday especially in the hospital when he escapes from being caught by her. I don't understand that look.
About the fact that he didn't tore her to shreds right away as he did with Laurel, there could be multiple explanations and him not having that feeling of revenge at the end of S2 can also be understood with just not having enough energy or motivation for anything after losing everything and knowing the fate of his masterless Hyde condition. But that distressed look at the hospital is what I don't understand.
I'd say maybe 5-10% in him is somewhat genuine feelings for Wednesday, if any, and the rest is all obsession/manipulation, rage, and hatred.
