Tyler Lockwood's morals fluctuated throughout The Vampire Diaries, making it difficult for fans to form a solid opinion about him. He was the classic jock character when the show started, but he underwent massive character development after triggering the Lockwood curse.
Not everyone appreciated Tyler's redemption arc or found it believable. He lashes out at Caroline and betrays her trust, and his obsession with Klaus makes him revert back to his old self. Alternatively, it could be argued that Tyler never changed at all. Fans of the series have plenty to say about the werewolf, and they took to Reddit to express their unpopular opinions.
Tyler Deserved Better
Tyler's death wasn't treated as a big deal onscreen or offscreen. Matt was the only one of his friends that was genuinely distraught when they heard the news. Everyone was more concerned with Damon's role in it, and Tyler is low on the list of The Vampire Diaries.
A Reddit argues that Tyler deserved a better ending. He had great character development, despite all the times he was dragged into dangerous situations. They go on to express how angry they get every time they rewatch the show, knowing Tyler's fate.
Tyler Had Better Character Development Than Damon
While he's famous for having the best character arc, some fans believe that The Vampire Diaries. In fact, a Reddit criticizes his development and claims that Tyler is the only character that had a real redemption.
There's already validity in this given that Damon murdered Tyler near the end of the show when the latter was trying to help him. That alone could make a strong argument. The believes that Tyler genuinely changed, while Damon only kept himself in check so Elena wouldn't hate him.
Tyler Was Under-Utilized By The Show
According to a Reddit , Tyler could've been a much better character. That in itself isn't an unpopular opinion, given that many fans don't like how he was written. They go on to say that Tyler was done wrong long before his death and he should've played a bigger part in the series.
He was set up for a great redemption arc, but the show dropped it for no reason. The also agrees with the previous opinion, which stated Tyler had better character development than Damon did.
Tyler Was Right Most Of The Time
Most viewers and characters found themselves at odds with Tyler, so this is definitely a controversial statement. A Reddit expresses the unpopular opinion that Tyler was right most of the time.
They continue on to say that Tyler always helped his friends, and they wouldn't have known about Selene if it wasn't for him. Tyler did help the other characters throughout the seasons, but lines were blurred when he went after Hayley to get revenge on Klaus.
Caroline Didn't Deserve Tyler
Caroline is one of the most popular characters in the series, while Tyler is one of the least. Most viewers who disliked Caroline and Tyler's relationship saw Tyler as the enemy, but a Reddit offers a differing point of view.
As an example, the says it would've been wrong for Tyler to hook up with Katherine after Katherine turned Caroline into a vampire. Therefore, it was wrong for Caroline to hook up with Klaus. Caroline took Klaus's side, despite what he did to Tyler's mom.
Tyler Is Over-Hated
While viewers have reasons to feel bad for Tyler in The Vampire Diaries, they also have reasons to hate him. The audience tends to find him annoying, and there are other characters in the show who they think are more interesting. A Reddit feels as though fans began to dislike Tyler after The Vampire Diaries in Season 3.
Tyler's character got messier the more his feud with Klaus intensified, and he was even willing to hurt Hayley and her baby if it meant getting his revenge. While the is a Klaus fan, they argue that Tyler was right in wanting to harm him. He was a template for a good character, but he had an unjust demise.
Tyler Had Better Chemistry With Caroline Than Klaus Did
Klaus, Caroline, and Tyler were one of many controversial love triangles in The Vampire Diaries. However, Caroline and Klaus were almost as popular as Damon and Elena, so the majority of viewers appeared to be on Team Klaroline.
Fans do have their reasons why Klaus and Caroline wouldn't be a good couple, but a lack of chemistry is never among them. A Reddit expresses the unpopular opinion that Caroline had more chemistry with Tyler, and the replies were full of mixed reactions.
Tyler Was The Least Selfish Of The Characters
There was a large cast of characters in The Vampire Diaries, so calling Tyler the least selfish is high praise. The Reddit also believes Tyler is the least annoying, which is definitely an unpopular opinion. In fact, many fans see him as the opposite.
They it that Tyler has anger issues, but to be fair, a large part of that was attributed to the werewolf gene. Either way, all the supernatural creatures have violent tendencies, so it probably doesn't factor too much in the audience's general feelings on him.