I have another theory on him. I don't think he is actually rich or even if he is, isn't from a traditional family.
He acts like some guys i knew, that their family are from the upper middle class, but because they are surrounded by rich people they try to fit in.
Notice that even that watch was fake. Something tells me that he uses high quality fake goods to maintain this appearance. Just notice that both Jade and Stephen do dress well, but not in an ostentatious way.
The other possibility is that he is from a new rich family. His ostentation is a way to show his status because he doesn't have the weight of a powerful last name.
I think the fake watch is more an indication of how gullible Tybalt is: he'll throw money at stuff just to prove he can, and thus is easily conned. I mean, sure he
could be trying to fool his peers, but that seems way too street smart for a man who hired the HOTs to be chaste arm candy. Much easier to think the Prep version of Quinn sold him the equivalent of sugar pills.
Beyond that, Jade's discussion of her husband and what we see of her life, combined with what Maya said about Tybalt's dad making big donations to B&R all seem to support the idea that Tybalt's family is indeed rich. Of course, it's possible Tybalt himself is kept on a tighter allowance and thus is effectively poorer than the other preps. But again, does that match what we've seen?
I say no. We've only seen one scene between Tybalt and his mother, but she seemed pretty indulgent of him. Also, Tybalt's behavior is exactly what I would expect of spoiled brat who never wanted for anything. If that's not the case, then why adopt that persona? If it's just a matter of resenting the 'limits' his parents enforce on him, wouldn't you expect him to be much more upset at them? In stead, he becomes the very embodiment of largess. To behave the way we see, Tybalt would have to be cunning enough to realize he should conceal his 'weakness' from his peers, but then deliberately adopt a cover story that calls even more attention to himself AND forces him to waste much of the money he has on his pointless boasts.
I think it's much simpler to say Tybalt really is rich, and that has allowed him to remain both boorish and clueless.
Vinny being responsible for literally anything that has happened with the DIKs woud be an honest-to-God asspull of a plotline, even worse than the fire and psycho Leah.
The guy has been expelled from B&R, likely for getting caught dealing drugs, and maybe the DIKs weren't much help to him because they didnt wan't to get taken down with him, but the idea he would come back on to campus, break in to the mansion, gain access to the laptop, and post a naked picture of Cathy to get the DIKs in trouble is ridiculously lame. So too is the idea that he sent pictures to Chad, or he trashed the DIK mansion, or that he has someone like Nick helping him, because really, what's the point? To bring down the DIKs because they maybe didn't stand up for him? What actual good would that do? How pathetically petty is this guy? So they don't have a frat anymore, big deal, unless they were accused of doing something as bad as or worse than dealing drugs, they'd all still be able to stay at the college and finish their degrees, so not having a frat doesn't hurt them that much.
The whole "Vinny villain" theory in this context is weak sauce and he'd be a pretty pathetic bad guy character if this is what his role is.
I disagree. Leah was introduced as a nurse with a "Back to the Future"-esque crush on the MC, only to be revealed as serial killer in the last act. Vinny, on the other hand, was introduced as a hotheaded party animal who went on to became a drug dealer after 'leaving' college.
Obviously we'll have to see what role, if any, Vinny winds up having in this story. But in my book, a drug dealer taking revenge on his former associates for perceived wrongs is a far more logical outcome than a nurse staging an elaborate murder to force a guy she rarely interacts with to admit he loves her.
