Well, vol 1 of season 2 dropped a few days ago and while I've been quite busy, I wanted to remark a bit of a vague view on Wednesday's character and theorize a bit on vol 2 based on the foreshadowing we've been given since episode 1. Yapping time!
Spoiler Warning for Season 2 Vol. 1
As of now, all we've seen of Wednesday is a tale as old as time with her visions. Something is shown, an enigma is revealed and the mystery begins to unravel as the investigation proceeds.
During the beginning of S1, we find a Wednesday who's completely detached of Nevermore itself and Jericho Town. She views companionship and emotions as weaknesses that should be purged of her own flesh, as they makes us waver. And from that perspective, she began her investigation and the mystery from s1 woven itself.
However, as season one progressed, she delved into all sorts of relationships (Enid, Tyler, Eugene and others), which established an emotional impact on her that not only prevails after s1, but it blooms even further in s2.
Now, said impact has turned into an emotional turmoil which foreshadows to the audience how badly it could end if Wednesday doesn't decide to hit the turning point.
But when I mention this "emotional turmoil", what am I referring to? Well, no other emotion but fear and anxiety, which stirs no other than the main flaw of Wednesday this season, anticipation.
Many people experience this defense mechanism as a way to regain the sense of control and cope with any potentially stressful situations. The act of preventing something from happening or, at the very least, preparing ourselves for the blow, for blood to be spilled and getting hurt, either physically or emotionally. And, surprisingly for no one, it stirs from fear and anxiety.
To this, Wednesday is no exception. It's almost self-explanatory as to why she would revolve around anticipation. A fierce fan of mysteries, murder cases and a need to be faster than your opponent, right?
Despite the useless rage bait thrown by Tyler, I do see a cunning remark that supports this exact view in a sentence describing Wednesday.
While it may root from anger and Tyler's distorted views about Wednesday, it insinuates that she tries to present herself as a figure of control, consciously or not, through intelligence and cleverness. Namely, her capability to anticipate her adversary's move. If something were to happen, she would be ready. No one would catch her by surprise. No one... and no emotion.
Yet, they did. In s1, Thornhill and Tyler caught her by surprise. And Wednesday knows.
She's afraid of her visions, not because it involves a murder (which btw, she would care too, bfr.), but because it's Enid's death. One of the only characters aside from Tyler (before the reveal) that managed to crumble down her walls in s1.
Yet Enid is the only one that sees Wednesday outside one's own biases and cares enough to try and understand her, aside from the Addams. (Yeah, sorry, Enid is still a teenager, foremost, a damn human being fully capable of making teen mistakes. We still need vol 2... leave that little guy alone!)
Yes, fear is inevitable. It's human. We can only fear because we care. But it doesn't make us weak, Wednesday.
So, under such pressure, what does Wednesday do during volume 1 in order to regain her sense of control lost by Enid's premise? Yeah. That's right. She digs into the first hypothesis crafted around the stalker (Agnes is such a fun addition) and the Avial murderer...
which, ironically, causes Tyler's escape.
Now THAT'S a real threat for Enid in vol 2. Woops. Guilt and suffering on its way to eat Wednesday alive. And not the pleasant one.
Interestingly, the foreshadowing of Wednesday actions 'n consequences had been teased all over volume 1, for example:
Bianca's keen remark, subtly insinuating how we can't face our fears by evading them or running away from them. (coof coof Wednesday)
Or Miss Capri's quotes, which reveal us in a not-so-subtle metaphor on how Wednesday is failing the notes as her need for control spikes.
Wednesday needs to view the present moment. She needs to feel, not anticipate. She's evading her current emotional status, closing off to everyone and patching it up by preventing a wound that hasn't even happened and might have never happened since visions are naturally unreliable.
However, due to her unspoken fear and anxiety, she's thrown herself and Enid's fate into the exact? same danger she's been trying to stop (for now).
Perhaps, all of this plus her need for emotional closeness might lead to her personal lesson for this season. We'll see, we'll see...
What do you guys think about this? Any other scenes that might have foreshadowed the storm that's brewing? We're in for a ride in volume 2!
As always, have a great day and stay safe!
I find quite interesting Miss Capri as a character. Her first scene during episode one felt as if she deeply understood something that Wednesday can't fully grasp yet. And, during episode 3, they went out of their way to show us a brief interaction between her and Enid. Coincidence?
All this, plus her being a fellow werewolf and some scenes from the teaser of volume 2 might indicate that Isadora Capri helps Enid at some point with her current plot, which seems to go around in circles between expectations and needs. I have high hopes for Capri's influence and the current stakes after episode 4. Wednesday... my shayla.
P.S.: many viewers might say this mechanism started with the knowledge of Enid's impending doom, but it seems as if Wednesday has been deep into it for a long time. No matter the issue, the need for control remains. However, this time is highly maladaptive. Either way, it wouldn't be strange for her to rationalize a lot as it is, in fact, a conscious action that tends to revolve around detective-like shows.
P.S.2: I have the strangest feeling that her fear is manifesting itself against her and prevents her from using her Raven abilities. Mmh... fatigue + bottling up one's emotions + stress ain't a good combo, that's for sure.
P.S.3: did someone else catch a bit of a gay, fruity vibe between Dr. Fairburn and Miss Capri? Fairburn is dead, but she could have turned into a zombie by what we've seen on vol. 2 teaser... we'll see how things unfold. Soon.
P.S.4: loved a lot of scenes this season. A bit weirded out by Thing's plotline, the Addams care about him a lot me thinks. Fester stays iconic as always. I would like to see more screentime for Bianca and friends, but vol1 is an improvement. I hate Principal Dort. LOVE Tyler as a villain, damn, Hunter was great. Rip my sweet boy Eugene, welcome home Pugsley? I welcome any Addams, except for Grandmama (for now, poor Ophelia). Horror was slightly enhanced and I'm glad (a bit more...?). Slurp... no thoughts yet. He's in for a ride too ig. I can't shake the feeling that some s2's storylines might migrate to s3 tho.
P.S.5: Alfred. Miles. Triangles. It's almost like a trigger word atp. It was shorter at least this time around.
Edit: oh and adding Thornhill was a nice touch, I'm glad we saw her ending too.
