Who Is Goody Addams? Wednesday's Ancestor Explained

This post contains spoilers for Netflix's "Wednesday."

"Wednesday" puts its titular protagonist in a precarious position. Wednesday Addams (Jenna Ortega) is promptly distanced from expected familial dynamics after her enrolment at Nevermore Academy, but this shift proves to be a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it provides Wednesday the freedom to grow on her own terms, but on the other, this social setting deems her an Outcast among her own people. As it turns out, Wednesday stands out even among a sea of werewolves and sirens, while (rightfully) refusing to fit in. If this isn't challenging enough, she gets embroiled in a mystery involving a monster and starts having psychic visions about death and destruction.

These visions, which Wednesday cannot control, feature Goody (also Ortega), who first appears during the Poe Cup in Season 1. As Goody looks almost exactly like her, it isn't hard to discern that she is also an Addams, and by extension, Wednesday's ancestor. But Goody's involvement sets up more than a bunch of cryptic messages (the first being that Wednesday is "the key" to something), as she directly factors into the climactic events that occur at the end of the season.

Halfway through her investigation, Wednesday uncovers crucial clues at Pilgrim World, which point to the late Joseph Crackstone (William Houston), a prominent pilgrim who despised Outcasts. Towards the end, Crackstone is resurrected by none other than Ms. Thornhill (Christina Ricci), who is revealed to be Laurel Gates, his descendant. This is when Goody plays a vital role in helping Wednesday foil these dastardly plans and defeat the antagonists for good. 

But what is the full extent of the role Goody plays in this story, and how is she related to Crackstone's crimes in Jericho in the early 1600s? 

Wednesday gets a vision at the Original Pilgrim Meeting House, where she sees Goody being accused of witchcraft by Crackstone, who locks her up alongside other Outcasts. While Goody is able to escape, the others (including her mother) are burned alive after being unjustifiably charged with heresy. Soon after, Goody curses Crackstone's soul and seals him in a coffin with a lock forged by her own blood. By doing so, she creates an unintended loophole: Crackstone can be revived on a full moon, and the lock can be broken by one of Goody's direct descendants. This is exactly what happens, as Ms. Thornhill uses Wednesday's blood to bring the vengeful pilgrim back to life.

In a shocking turn of events, Crackstone stabs Wednesday, given her uncanny resemblance to Goody. When all hope seems lost, Goody uses her abilities as a spirit guide to heal this serious injury, giving Wednesday the necessary strength to fight and defeat Crackstone. This life-saving aid comes at a price: Goody says that she will never be able to see Wednesday again after the latter kills Crackstone for good, as she has chosen to move on to the afterlife. This makes sense, as Goody's spirit was unable to rest due to her thirst for revenge, but now she can be at peace.

Goody's arc is supposed to be a warning for Wednesday, as she must resist the risk of being consumed by the intensity of her own powers. Morticia (Catherine Zeta Jones) believes that Goody's primary intention was to protect Outcasts, as she eventually founded the Nightshade Society at Nevermore. But Goody went too far in her quest for revenge, which inadvertently paved the path for Crackstone's return, along with the fated involvement of an Addams.

Having moved on to the afterlife, Goody doesn't return in season 2 of the show, creating a vacuum that severely impacts Wednesday. With no spirit guide to, well, guide her, she completely loses control of her powers and eventually loses them without explanation. There are subtle hints that prove that Wednesday is subconsciously clinging to her ancestor's legacy: She is seen using Goody's spellbook multiple times, and is very protective of it once Morticia asks her to hand it over. In fact, the spellbook represents her complex, combative relationship with Morticia, as the latter displays her overbearing tendencies by stealing the book without her daughter's consent. This culminates in a blindfolded duel between the two, which Wednesday ends up losing.

Goody's absence, however, is promptly filled by Larissa Weems (Gwendoline Christie), who, in a manner of speaking, returns from the dead in the form of Wednesday's new spirit guide. This creates a bit of tension at first, as Wednesday isn't eager to take orders from Weems and even states that she prefers Goody's cryptic warnings over her incessant nagging. But this changes soon enough, as Weems takes a firm but honest approach, nudging Wednesday towards decisions that help her identify blind spots and personal flaws. This dynamic also introduces lighthearted banter in a show that constantly deals with morbid themes, while allowing Weems to showcase a very different aspect of her personality.

Much like Goody, Weems also moves on to the afterlife after fulfilling her duty to help Wednesday get her powers back. While Weems' influence on Wednesday is unambiguously positive, Goody's legacy is a tad more complicated, as she represents the best and worst impulses embodied by someone as powerful as Wednesday Addams.