Abhiroop Das
Co-created by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, Netflix’s ‘Wednesday‘ tells the story of the titular main character, whose cold nature contrasts with the exhilarating journeys she embarks on as a student at the Nevermore Academy. In the second season, the protagonist comes face to face with many antagonists, but the most fearsome of them all appears to be Slurp, a zombie miraculously brought into existence by Pugsley Addams. However, things quickly get out of hand, and Slurp’s involvement in the story begins to reveal several layers hidden behind the surface. As such, it falls on Wednesday’s shoulders to overcome all hurdles and ensure that the people she has grown to care about remain safe. Her mission sees the participation of many allies, including Thing, a disembodied yet sentient hand, hinting at even more mysteries waiting to be resolved. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Thing’s Origin is Inextricably Connected to Isaac Night’s Past
While Thing consistently proves himself as one of Wednesday’s most reliable companions over the course of two seasons, his exact origins remain shrouded in mystery. We know that he has been with the Addams family for quite some time, and the only thing he has that is indicative of a deeper past is his ring. However, Thing’s true origin story comes to light with Issac Night, who reveals that Thing is actually his severed right hand, which somehow gained sentience. This tracks back to the experiments Isaac conducted to extract outcast abilities from his sister, thus prolonging her life. This process required an immense amount of energy, and he was remorseless in sacrificing his best friend, Gomez Addams, for the cause. However, in the last minute, Morticia intervened, chopping down Isaac’s hand in one fell swoop.
It is that severed hand that goes on to become Thing. Isaac speculates that the failure of his machine resulted in a huge explosion of electricity, and the ensuing charge may have breathed life into the hand, giving it the ability to move on its own accord. Additionally, Thing’s name itself gets recontextualized, as it turns out to be an anagram of Isaac’s last name, Night. This switch of identities also represents a greater transition, as Thing has no recollection of his past and exists as a completely independent entity. This parallels the manner in which Isaac is resurrected in the first place. However, while Pugsley’s electric charge brought the antagonist back to life, his mechanical heart also plays a role. To that end, Thing’s sentience is more supernatural in nature, likely pertaining to its hidden telekinetic abilities due to Isaac’s DaVinci nature.
Thing Remains the Addams Family’s Foremost Ally
Although Thing largely acts on his own accord, he is still connected to Isaac on some level, as indicated by Isaac anticipating each and every move of the hand. This helps him capture Thing and then forcefully sew him back into his original body. With his entire limb now revived, Isaac gains complete control over his DaVinci abilities, which momentarily makes him a nigh invincible force. However, Thing proves his agency by rebelling against his original body and eventually gaining the upper hand on Isaac. Despite his best attempts, the antagonist is unable to control his hand and is subjected to a brutal beatdown, which culminates in Thing targeting his weakness, the mechanical heart. Without it, Isaac is quickly defeated and ultimately meets his demise.
Although Thing is technically a part of Isaac’s body, over time, he gains his own consciousness and personality, which exists separately from the former Nevermore student. Thing’s journey towards independence is also influenced by the Addams family and the bond they share. Gomez and Morticia reveal that the hand had no memory of Isaac’s actions upon being discovered, and potentially represented the lingering good within his heart. To that end, Thing’s relationship with the Addams family extends beyond the physical bounds of a family, and despite him often feeling abused in the household, he still understands the love they have for him. This is embodied by his dynamic with Wednesday, who even risks her life to free him from Isaac’s control. Ultimately, Thing does not require any assistance and manages to free himself from the enemy’s clutches, quite literally.
Gomez Addams Lost His Abilities to an Experiment Gone Wrong
Isaac’s failed experiment in the past directly answers one of the long-running questions about the Addams family, particularly about Gomez not having any abilities as an outcast. While both his brother, Fester, and son, Pugsley, are capable of wielding electricity, Gomez has no such specialities, and is discriminated against by Morticia’s mother, Hester. However, in the season’s climax, we learn that Gomez did have this potent ability in his youth, but Isaac misused it. The energy required to run his machine came through his best friend’s electric discharge, and it nearly took Gomez’s life. Isaac was prepared for this sacrifice and even dug a grave to cover up the incident. Although Morticia was able to save her lover, he lost all of his abilities in the process, and that has remained unchanged even in the present.
Despite narrowly avoiding death, Gomez and Morticia were forced to keep quiet about the incident, as it had ties to their professor, Augustus Stonehurst. The couple eventually decided to bury Isaac’s body in the same ground he had originally prepared, bringing his arc full circle. In a way, Gomez Addams was the first victim of Isaac’s technology, and this makes him a case study for its impacts on a person’s life. Despite having such a traumatic past, the Addams parents keep things under a tight lid to prevent problems. This includes Gomez silently enduring discrimination from others. However, Wednesday and Morticia’s perspectives on things make it clear that being an outcast is a mental phenomenon more than a physical one, and to that end, Gomez stands out as one of the most fitting outcasts, both in mind and in spirit. While he might never recover his powers, that does not detract from his nature as a human being.
Read More: Wednesday: Is Willow Hill Psychiatric Hospital a Real Asylum?
