Wednesday ending explained: Who is the Hyde and who is Laurel Gates?

23 November 2022, 16:50 | Updated: 19 April 2024, 09:38

Jenna Ortega says it was “weird” working with Cristina Ricci on Wednesday

By Sam Prance

A full breakdown of the mystery involving the Hyde monster and Laurel Gates in Netflix's Wednesday.

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Wednesday has finally arrived on Netflix and fans are losing it over the ending. What happens and who is the Hyde monster?

Wednesday season 1 is officially here and it revolves around a gripping mystery. When Wednesday Addams (Jenna Ortega) arrives at Nevermore Academy, she soon finds out that a mysterious Hyde monster is killing people and she takes it upon herself to find out who it is. However, as the series progresses the mystery becomes increasingly more complicated.

Is the Hyde monster one of Wednesday's friends? Has Laurel Gates returned to Jericho? Is Joseph Crackstone involved? Thankfully, everything is explained in the season 1 finale. With that in mind, here's how Wednesday season 1 ends.

Who is the Hyde monster in Wednesday?

Wednesday ending explained: Who is the Hyde monster? Who is Laurel Gates? Picture: Netflix

WARNING: Spoilers ahead for Wednesday on Netflix!

Don't scroll ahead until you've watched the final episode!

Wednesday spoilers ahead. Picture: Netflix

During the series, we find out that the Gates family were descendants of past witch-burning and outcast-hating mayor Joseph Crackstone. Not only that but they used to be one of the most powerful families in Jericho. They stole the land from the outcasts, but the outcasts later stole it back, eventually becoming the grounds for Nevermore Academy. As a result, the Gates family began harbouring a long-burning hatred towards all outcasts.

While Morticia and Gomez were students at Nevermore, Ansel Gates planned for his son Garrett to break into Nevemore's Rave’N Dance and spike the punch with poison nightshade. However, unbeknownst to Ansel, Garrett was in love with Morticia. He got into a fight with Gomez and accidentally poisoned himself during the confrontation.

In the wake of Garrett's death, his parents died and his sister Laurel was believed to have drowned overseas. However, when Wednesday learns this, she believes that Laurel is back and behind all the Hyde monster killings in a bid to get revenge for her family.

In episode 7, Wednesday becomes convinced that Xavier is the Hyde and Dr. Kinbott is Laurel. But the Hyde murders Dr. Kinbott and Xavier is arrested. Mystery solved? Not quite.

At the end of the episode, Wednesday kisses Tyler and sees that he is actually the Hyde in a vision.

Who is Laurel Gates in Wednesday?

In the season finale, Wednesday confronts Tyler and even tries to torture him so that he confesses that he is the Hyde. That being said, the police intervene and Tyler is set free. Gloating, he privately tells Wednesday that he is the Hyde. Meanwhile, Wednesday is expelled from Nevermore for torturing him.

After learning that Eugene has woken from his coma, Wednesday goes to visit him to say goodbye and he reveals that he saw someone with red boots blow up the Hyde cave. Wednesday then realises that Marilyn Thornhill (Christina Ricci) was behind it and is actually Laurel Gates, not Dr. Kinbott.

With Principal Weems disguised as Tyler, Wednesday confronts Marilyn. Marilyn then kills Principal Weems and kidnaps Wednesday. She reveals to Wednesday that she used a plant chemical to control Tyler and has been using him to get body parts to resurrect Joseph Crackstone.

Using Wednesday's blood, Marilyn brings Joseph Crackstone back from the dead. He stabs Wednesday, leaves her for dead and sets out to murder all the outcasts. However, the spirit of Wednesday's ancestor Goody Addams appears and saves her life.

With the help of her friends, Wednesday defeats Joseph Crackstone with a sword. She also saves Xavier's life and Wednesday's bestie Enid wolfs out and prevents Tyler from hurting any more people as the Hyde.

What will happen in Wednesday season 2?

As the series wraps up, Wednesday leaves Nevermore after classes were suspended for the rest of the semester and, while it's yet to be confirmed, we imagine that she'll return to the school next season.

Before she leaves, Xavier forgives Wednesday for thinking he was the Hyde and getting him arrested. He also gives her a phone with his number on it, with the hope that he'll text him while they're away from school. It looks like season 2 could set up a relationship storyline for Wednesday and Xavier in season 2.

The biggest mystery that the final episode sets up revolves around a series of mysterious text messages sent by someone threatening to kill her. Who is watching her? Why do they want her dead?

Elsewhere, we also see Tyler turning into the Hyde while being taken to a prison. Could he escape and return in season 2?

And on top of that, we never actually see what happened to Marilyn/Laurel at the endo fthe season. It's assumed that she was arrested after Wednesday knocked her out, but it's also possible that she could have escaped and could wreak havoc with Tyler again in season 2.

Finally, Nevermore is now without a principal. Season 2 could see a new character take on the role or perhaps someone like Morticia could fill the position?

What do you think will happen in Wednesday season 2?