WednesdaySeason 1 set up two different social groups in the small town of Jericho, Vermont. The first are the “outcasts”. These include people in the world with abnormal abilities, such as Wednesday and her psychic powers, as well as supernatural beings including werewolves, sirens, gorgons, vampires, and hydes. The other group are garden variety humans without any special abilities, called “normies”. (Think of themuggles fromHarry Potter.) While the majority of Season 1 focused on outcasts, there were some normies that were important to the plot as well.
Within Jericho, there are tensions between both groups. Deputy Donovan Galpin is not only distrustful of outcasts, but suspicious of Nevermore Academy as well, leading Principal Larissa Weems to take drastic measures to protect her students. There’s also Lucas Walker, the mayor’s son, who starts off the series bullying outcasts beforegetting to know Enidand sparking a romance with Bianca. However, of all the normies introduced last season, The Gates Family was by far the most important to the plot and could continue to play a key role in seasons to come.
They Are Related to Joseph Crackstone
The Gates Family and The Addams Family go way back. Way, way back. In fact, they go back to the beginning of the normie and outcasts feud. Joseph Crackstone was one of the original pilgrims who settled in Jericho in 1625. He implemented fire and brimstone rhetoric to rile up his fellow normies against outcasts, accusing them of being ungodly. He eventually came toe to toe withWednesday’s ancester Goody Addams. He accused her of being a witch and planned on burning her alive in a crypt with her fellow outcasts. Goody was able to escape, but the other outcasts, including her own mother, were not so lucky. Joseph was hellbent on ridding the world of outcasts forever, but Goody killed him and sealed his coffin with a blood lock. She went on to foundThe Nightshade Society, the purpose of which was to protect outcasts from harm.
Laurel Gates Was Last Season’s Main Antagonist
Centuries later, Crackstone’s descendent Ansel Gates carried his ancestor’s torch for killing all outcasts. At the night of the 1990 Rave’N, Ansel gave his son Garrett nighshade poison and instructed him to pour it into the punch, thereby killing all the outcasts at Nevermore. However, unbeknownst to Ansel, Garrett had fallen in love with Morticia. When he sawMorticia with Gomez at the dance, he tried to confront him, but when he accidentally slammed into a column, the vial of nightshade broke apart in his breast pocket, and he was poisoned instead. According to Mayor Noble Walker, Ansel had confessed this to him and used his significant wealth to cover it up by supporting Mayor Walker’s campaign. While Garrett’s death was tragic enough, his family members all met tragic ends. His mother committed suicide, his father drank himself to death, and his sister drowned.
…Or did she? The end of Season 1 revealed that Marilyn Thornhill, the first normie teacher at Nevermore, was actually Laurel Gates all along. She decided to take revenge for her family’s deaths as well and continue Joseph Crackstone’s mission to get rid of all outcasts. While she successfully revived Joseph temporarily, Wednesday killed him for good by stabbing him in the heart. Laurel decided to shoot Wednesday, but was stopped byEugene and his bees. As Laurel was on the ground, writhing from the insect attack, Wednesday stomped her.
How Could The Gates Family Continue to Be Featured?
With Joseph Crackstone officially dead for good and Laurel defeated, how could it be possible for The Gates Family to continue to be featured? Well, viewers never saw what happened to Laurel after Wednesday stomped her. She may be imprisoned or institutionalized and might be an asset down the line fornext season’s stalker. Although Ansel was said to have drank himself to death by Mayor Walker, since Mayor Walker had covered up for Ansel in the past, it could be possible that he is still alive. It would also be interesting if he reappeared in a remorseful way. After all, his hatred of outcasts led to his family’s demise. Perhaps he could be alive and desperately trying to turn a new leaf. Or maybe he could continue to blame his misfortunes on outcasts. Another possibility is that although Season 1 focused on the immediate Gates Family, perhaps Season 2 could introduce the extended members of the family. That would make for an interesting contrast with an Addams Family reunion.
Additionally, Garrett couldcome back in a flashback episodewith some other information about The Gates Family’s secrets. Also, given that this is a supernatural show, he could make an appearance haunting the halls of Nevermore as a ghost, which could provide an opportunity for him to get some closure with Morticia and Gomez years after his death.
Next season ofWednesdayis bound to up the stakes. Since the bad blood between the The Gates Family and The Addams Family has been going on for centuries, it makes sense that their rivalry would continue to be woven in Season 2. There are all sorts of fun narrative opportunities with this complicated clan. Regardless of how they’re utilized next season, it’s bound to be creepy, kooky, and spooky.
Netflix
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