Wednesday's attempt to control Tyler Galpin in Wednesday Season 2 didn't go as planned, but diehard fans still hope the pair will set aside their differences in Season 3. While Tyler initially started as Wednesday's love interest, Season 1 ended with the revelation that he is secretly a Hyde tasked by Marilyn Thornhill to kill her by any means necessary. While Enid Sinclair managed to save her best friend, Tyler's hatred against Wednesday stemmed deeper than fans imagined because he blamed the Addams family for the death of his mom.
Wednesday and Tyler once again clashed in Season 2, Part 1 of the Netflix series, ending with Wednesday's near-death experience after being thrown out of Willow Hill. Season 2, Part 2 explored Wednesday's quest for revenge against Tyler.
Does Wednesday Control Tyler at Any Point In Season 2?
Wednesday's goal in Season 2 is to control Tyler and become his master so that she can prevent him from killing her best friend, Enid. This is on top of her quest for revenge against him and to try to put an end to his vengeful killing spree after he escaped from Willow Hill. As Wednesday puts it, "It’s the only way to get Tyler back into his cage."
It's worth pointing out that Tyler killed his former master, Marilyn Thornhill, at the end of Episode 4. Once a Hyde murders their master, they essentially seal their own impending doom. It worsens for male Hydes since they can't survive long without a master.
Part of Wednesday's plan is to use Thornhill's "organic chemistry formula" to create a serum to inject into Tyler to allow her to control him. In order for this to work, Wednesday needed to use Enid as bait to lure Tyler out of hiding. She has the newly reunited Nightshades on their corner to serve as a distraction so that she can inject the serum.
However, Wednesday's plan proved to be unfruitful after it was thwarted due to the arrival of Francoise Galpin, the same woman she freed from Willow Hill in Episode 4.
As it turns out, Morticia Addams (Wednesday's mother, who looked noticeably different in Season 2) made a deal with Francoise to control her son and leave Jericho forever:
Morticia: "Francoise gave me her word that she would control Tyler, and they’d leave Jericho forever."
Wednesday: "And you believe the words of a Hyde?"
Morticia: "I believe the word of a mother."
Although Wednesday's grand plan against Tyler didn't work, the fact that her vision changed involving Enid's death was more than enough reason to abandon her revenge plot against him for the meantime. Still, Wednesday pointed out that her plan would've worked if it weren't for Francoise's meddling:
"My plan was unfolding with the precision of a Swiss watch. Until that second Hyde showed up and smashed the watch."
Wednesday and Tyler crossed paths again in Season 2, Episode 6, but this was a different scenario because Wednesday actually switched bodies with Enid. This is an entirely unique confrontation between the two rivals since Wednesday (as Enid) was able to wolf out and confront Tyler in a physical clash.
While Wednesday didn't attempt to control Tyler again after her plan failed in Episode 5, a significant moment happened between them in the Wednesday Season 2 finale.
It was eventually revealed that Francoise and her brother, Isaac Night (the zombie known as Slurp), ultimately wanted to save Tyler from his Hyde ability (even if he doesn't want them to). This complex plan involves Pugsley Addams as the source of the machine's power, meaning that Wednesday must swoop in to save her brother.
Wednesday eventually found Tyler at his most vulnerable state, and he even asked her to kill him. In an unexpected twist, she decided to spare him and chopped his restraints off. This is a confusing moment because Wednesday already declared Tyler as someone who is irredeemable, and this decision could come back to bite her in Season 3.
Speaking with TUDUM, Wednesday co-creator Miles Millar admitted that he thinks Wednesday doesn't even know why she did that in the first place:
"I don't think she even knows herself why she did that. It’s great when you find those moments when Wednesday — who really goes into situations with great certainty — then she acts impulsively."
While sparing Tyler could be part of her strategy to distract Isaac and Francoise to save Pugsley, there is a far deeper meaning than that. Ultimately, Wednesday did not manage to control Tyler at any point in Season 2, but she could be playing the long game.
Will Wednesday Become Tyler’s Master?
Although Wednesday's plan to control Tyler failed, some fans think that she still has the potential to become his master in the future and it could even lead to a romantic relationship down the line.
As @lupainthenorth pointed out on X, Wednesday sparing Tyler could made him realize that she is the only who "actually had his back" and "her determination to control him ultimately turned into a choice to set him free:"
"the moment tyler realized that despite everything the only one who actually had his back was wednesday and the fact that her determination to control him ultimately turned into a choice to set him free OH THAT INVISIBLE STRING IS VERY MUCH VISIBLE AND VERY MUCH NOT GONE."
Whether it is strategic or not, fans believe that this is an important bit of exchange between Tyler and Wednesday because he might have realized that she is his true ally (even if she doesn't want to admit it). As for Wednesday, there is growing fan sentiment that her desire to restrain or control Tyler's Hyde side has been replaced to grant him freedom instead and it was cemented after she saved him.
It's also possible that saving Tyler could be her way of telling him that he owes her, which could come into play in the future. Wednesday is a master in mind games and she plans ahead, and this one act of sparing Tyler's life could be her way of convincing him to become her master in Season 3 because it's the only way to save him and everyone around him.
Interestingly, Principal Weems (who served as Wednesday's spirit guide after she died and was replaced by the sinister Principal Dort) pointed out to Wednesday that she has feelings for Tyler, and she has been boxing it up. By saving Tyler instead of killing him, it's clear that Wednesday still feels some type of way for him, which could play a role in their future in Season 3.
Whether it may be romantic or platonic, there is still a persistent bond between them, and it remains intact. Instead of forcing herself to be a master, Wednesday could instead be an ally to Tyler and doing this should allow him to slowly accept her as his eventual master in order to save his life.
