Wednesday makes it clear from the first episode that Jenna Ortega's heroine has a strained relationship with her family, even though she loves them deep down. AND Wednesday Addams' most strained relationship is with her mother, Morticiawho she claims she doesn't want to be like. Wednesday is a rebellious teenager, so perhaps it's not surprising that she tells Morticia that "never"wants a life like hers. Still, this comment may seem surprising to viewers, especially those familiar with other shows and films about the Addams family.
Wednesday changes the dynamic between Wednesday and Morticia, moving beyond a mother-daughter relationship defined by sarcasm and teenage defiance. Ortega's lead appears to have a much more difficult relationship with Morticia than with her father or brother. As Wednesday rolls his eyes and mocks them all, she doesn't really want to become like Morticia - a feeling that seems strange given how supportive her mother tries to be. Wednesday season two is supposed to address this dynamic, but season one offers clues as to why this is the case.
Wednesday and Morticia's complicated relationship explained on the Netflix show
Jenna Ortega's leadership keeps her mother at arm's length
Wednesday it didn't show the Addams family together - or delve into its heroine's past - enough to fully understand their relationships. However, Wednesday's bond with Morticia in the Netflix series is interesting, as the two don't seem to completely dislike each other. Even so, Wednesday resists the idea of becoming like Morticiaand it's obvious that she keeps her mother at a distance. Ortega's character struggles to differentiate herself from her mother, and the Netflix show doesn't give the clearest explanation for this.
The distance between Wednesday and her parents is noticeable, and this is especially true in the case of Morticia.
The Addams Family leans into each other in other projects about them, and there are still hints of that in Netflix's take on them. Gomez and Morticia don't hold Wednesday's whore incident against her, and their pressure for her to attend Nevermore Academy seems well-intentioned. That said, none of them offer much support until the end of the year. Wednesday 1st season too. The distance between Wednesday and her parents is noticeable, and this is especially true in the case of Morticia. This is at least partially because Wednesday is adamant about not becoming her.
Why Wednesday doesn't want to be like her mother
It's a mix of teenage rebellion and the desire to contradict expectations.
Wednesday doesn't give us a concrete explanation for the protagonist's feelings towards his mother, but they seem to result from several things. Wednesday is a teenager in the Netflix series, which emphasizes this detail of her character. As it takes place in a magical boarding school full of teenagers, It's no surprise that this caters to the experience of rebelling against one's parents. This is how Wednesday ends up at Nevermore Academy, although her actions at the beginning of the show suggest there may be more going on at home than meets the eye.
We don't have a good idea of Morticia's expectations for Wednesday — or Gomez's, for that matter — so It's very possible that Wednesday believes they want her to be like Morticia. Since she's not interested in the same future or experiences, this would likely be irritating for Ortega's character. Wednesday says to Morticia: "I will never fall in love, nor be a housewife, nor have a family,"and she is certainly less interested in romance than her parents upon arriving at Nevermore. Morticia calls Wednesday's words "painful”, so maybe she pressured you into wanting those things.
It seems less like Wednesday has a real problem with Morticia and more that she simply wants to be appreciated for her distinct identity.
It's equally possible that Wednesday is putting this pressure on herselfas she grew up in an environment where this future prevails and is normalized. Her desire to build a reputation in Nevermore separate from Morticia's supports this idea, as Wednesday seems to see her mother as the ideal. And people like Director Weems consider her one and the same, causing Wednesday to step back and forge her own identity. So it seems less like Wednesday has a real problem with Morticia and more that she simply wants to be appreciated for her distinct identity.
Why Wednesday still wears Morticia's necklace
Despite having a tense relationship with his mother, Wednesday still wears Morticia's necklace in Wednesday season 1. Morticia gives her the talisman when Wednesday arrives at Nevermore, and it initially seems like an ordinary parting gift. This proves more important later on, as it is the reason why Goody is able to get past Wednesday and save her in the final. It's a good thing Wednesday actually uses the talisman, even if it's surprising given his relationship with Morticia.
More than anything else, Wednesday's attachment to the necklace suggests she likes her mother and the Addams family; she just doesn't feel comfortable showing it. And it's possible that Wednesday rejects her mother's ideas about her own future while also appreciating her as a person. It is also possible that Wednesday, who has extraordinary gifts, inadvertently senses the power of the necklace. Just Wednesday season two may fill in those gaps, but there's clearly a lot of nuance when it comes to the Addams family's ties in the series.