This Is Still the Scariest Scene in Netflix’s Wednesday

Netflix’s Wednesday has been taking the internet by storm, bringing a beloved family back to the forefront. The series is a modern spin-off from the Addams Family, focusing on the titular daughter, Wednesday Addams (Jenna Ortega). Her adoration of all things creepy is a solid foundation for the series, and that includes her compulsive need to solve crimes. The series first dropped in 2022, and luckily, Season 2 Part 1 is officially available on Netflix. That has us looking back at the scary, spooky, and haunting scenes the series has to offer. While several moments will always stand out, there’s one scene in particular that takes the cake.

Wednesday combines gothic mystery with coming-of-age, but with a Wednesday Addams twist. She may be a teenage girl, but she follows the beat of her own drum. Does that mean she’s chasing after killers in a very unhealthy fashion? Yes, but that’s part of what makes her story so thrilling—and terrifying. Season 2, Part 1 has some haunting moments, and we do not doubt that Part 2 will somehow up the ante.

Most fans can agree that while Wednesday had some things that could be changed, Season 1 was solid from start to finish. It had plenty of mystery and a ghoulish monster, not to mention charming characters and high stakes. The season finale, “A Murder of Woes,” will stand out forever due to how it carried us from one terrifying scene to the next.

Raising the Stakes & Joining the Conflict

Most fans spent Season 1 speculating who could be the Hyde and his master, but Episode 8 removed all doubt. “A Murder of Woes” did more than showcase Tyler (Hunter Doohan) as a monster; it made him a true threat. He gleefully taunts Wednesday, revealing the truth with no witnesses to defend her. Unfortunately, things only get worse for the titular character, as she’s kidnapped and forced to participate in a ritual (well, her blood is utilized at any rate). We all remember what happens next, as a ghost of the past comes back to get his vengeance on all Outcasts.

That probably should be the scariest part of the episode, but all that is merely setting the scene. Against all odds, Wednesday survives and escapes, only to run face-to-face with her monster, Tyler. Her once-potential love interest is no more, and all semblance of affection has been unceremoniously tossed out the window.

The Villain’s Transformation

There’s a lot that could be said about Wednesday and Tyler’s confrontation in the woods. There’s something deeply chilling about seeing Wednesday seemingly isolated with a twisted villain. Hunter Doohan’s performance is deeply unsettling, as this subtle menace transforms into something larger than life, and that’s before his transformation. There is something oddly human about Tyler’s need to transform before he attacks; a need to stack the odds in his favor. Perhaps that is why this scene left such a mark.

Right before her eyes, Wednesday sees Tyler transform into the Hyde. He grows in scale and slams the ground before tackling her into a tree. Realistically, this would have been the end for Wednesday Addams had she not become best friends with a werewolf.

Hidden Meanings & Interpretations

Interestingly, Tyler’s combat with Enid can tell us a lot of things. For starters, the fact that he lost a fight to an inexperienced wolf (with some help) means that this antagonist is not used to people who can fight back. Let that sink in. Tyler, as Hyde, took particular enjoyment in hunting easy prey. He’s a monster in every sense of the word, and he clearly wanted Wednesday to be his next victim. It’s hard to let that go.

This conflict sets the scene for another haunting moment, this time in Wednesday Season 2, Part 1. While some fans had theorized that Wednesday might become Tyler’s master, it’s safe to say we have a long way to go before that path could make sense. These two are still very much pitted on opposite sides, and they’re going to make it everyone’s problem before the story comes to an end.

Wednesday has created a chilling phenomenon in part because it doesn’t rely on one means of terror. It combines psychological horror with fear of the unknown. Likewise, Wednesday is a character who classically craves control over her world, so some of her most terrifying moments will always revolve around a loss of control, something we can all find too terrifyingly relatable.

Wednesday is available to stream on Netflix.

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