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Hannah Baker (Katherine Langford) of Liberty High School committed suicide in the season one of 13 Reasons Why and made 13 tapes that accused 12 people of triggering her death. This sets in motion a chain of events that lasts three seasons and gives us one of the most controversial series in recent times. 13 Reasons Why, whose first season was based on a book by Jay Asher, had been accused of sensationalising suicide, depression, sexual abuse and mass shootings. And yet, the first season received good acclaim. The same cannot be said about season 2, that went beyond the book and stretched Hannah's story and changing her character. 13 Reasons Why Season 3 Premiere Date, Time and All You Need to Know about The Netflix Show.
Now the third season has arrived on Netflix last week, having done with Hannah Baker's story but finding a new storyline to focus on. And that happens to be the murder of Bryce Walker, former Liberty High senior and the rapist of Hannah Baker and Jessica Davies (Alisha Boe). This turned out to be a cool idea, as it gives 13 Reasons Why a refreshing twist, while also exploring more positive themes like remorse and redemption. Not to mention, the cast is truly excellent as always, with Dylan Minnette (Clay Jensen), Boe, Justin Prentice (Bryce Walker) and Deven Druid (Tyler Down) excelling here. 13 Reasons Why Season 3 Review: We Miss Hannah Baker but the Netflix Teen Series Returns Stronger and Improved Than Season 2.
So let's talk about the ending. And before that, let me warn you that this article is filled with spoilers, so tread ahead cautiously if you haven't watched the new season. Let's start with the most obvious aspect:
Who Killed Bryce Walker?
The whole season did an excellent job of building up the suspense around Bryce's killer with every main character brought under the suspicion. The makers have to be given credit for even making us doubt that Clay Jensen, the protagonist, could also be a potential killer, even though everyone continues to claim that he is a really good person. And then the reveal of the killer happens, and we have now two persons to blame for Bryce's death.
First is Zach Dempsey (Ross Butler). After spending the whole season showing us that he has reformed, Bryce becomes a victim of the residual alpha make ego in him and tackles former mate Zach during Homecoming game, breaking his leg. Bryce blames the latter for making things go wrong with him and his former girlfriend, Chloe (Anne Winters). In retaliation, Zach confronts Bryce on the same night at the pier, and incapacitates him, while breaking one of his hands and legs.
Zach confesses about this to Deputy Sheriff Standall (Mark Pellegrino), after the police arrest Clay Jensen wrongly for the same crime. Strangely, he is let go off, as the police claim that the beating Bryce took wasn't the reason for his death, drowning was. Though, why they never considered the possibility that Bryce could have fallen off the pier into the river below and drowned because of his broken limbs, is beyond comprehension.
Anyway, Zach hadn't exactly killed Bryce. It was the deputy's own son Alex Standall (Miles Heizer) who had accompanied Jessica Davies after Bryce has requested her to meet her at the pier. Alex, while trying to help Bryce get back to civilization, is angered by Bryce's anguished rants on how he would get back to Zach for what he did. Zach had been Alex's best friend, and to test his patience further, Bryce even accuses Jessica of setting him up. Alex then blames Bryce for everything bad that happened to them and pushes him into the river, thus killing him.
Alex murdering Bryce makes sense, since he - along with Jessica, Clay, Zach, Chloe and Olivia Baker - were yet to see the redemptive side of Bryce. But did Bryce really deserve to die?
Blame Falls on Monty Who is Already Dead
Monty (Timothy Granaderos) has been arrested after Tyler files a complaint against him for sexually assaulting during Spring Fling. Later, when the season's new narrator and protagonist, Ani (Grace Saif) puts up a convoluted narrative to pin the blame on Monty for Bryce's death, Deputy Standall hints to her that he knows Alex is involved in his murder. The tyre tracks at the murder place matched the tracks of his wife's vehicle, and she was at her house when the murder happened. Which means, Alex took her car.
He also tells Ani that Monty was killed in the jail by some inmate, though it isn't specified how it happened. Ani reveals to the deputy that she knows about it, which is why they came up with the ruse to pin the blame on Monty so that the living shouldn't suffer more for what happened.
That night, when the deputy meets his son at their home, he tells Alex that the case is closed without hinting that he knows who the real murderer is. Later, Deputy Standall is also seen burning the clothes that Alex had worn when he had pushed Bryce off the pier.
The Gang Listens to Bryce's Last Tape
Before the season started, I am sure many of the viewers were happy that Bryce is killed this time. But after that final episode, I don't blame you for having mixed feelings about his death. Throughout the entire season, Bryce was trying to change himself for good, but the ghosts of his own misdeeds catch upto him before he could do so completely. While we did see him helping out Tyler, Tony (Christian Navarro), Justin, et al, the real trigger of change in him happens when Bryce finally listens to the tapes that Hannah made. They make him fully understand the monstrous consequences to what he did to the girls of Liberty High, and broke him down.
The reason why he asked Jessica to meet him at the pier was to give him the tape that he had made for her. While the gang uses that tape, which has Bryce's blood over it to implicate Monty, Jessica has made a copy of the tape which they listen to.
In it, Bryce offers an apology for all he did to Hannah, Jessica, Chloe and every girl in Liberty High, saying that he won't blame them if they haven't forgiven him. He also confesses to his crimes, while hoping that this would help him change for better. The gang may not have absolved him completely, but they can take heart in the matter that Bryce at least did feel remorse for what he did.
Clay and Ani Are Together
After getting out of jail as a free man, Clay goes to meet Ani at the Walkers' residence, where her mother works. There he also meets Bryce's mother, who seems to have finally accepted that Clay is innocent and is really a good person that everyone has been reiterating. Clay also meets Ani's mother, while Ani finally tells her that she and Clay are dating, much to both Clay and our surprise. With Ani being one of the most divisive characters of the season, not to mention she had sexually hooked up with Clay's biggest nemesis, we wonder how the makers will take the relationship ahead.
The Clues for The Fourth Season
For a change, the third season actually has an uplifting ending with Clay and Ani getting together, Tyler's photos of the group getting appreciated, Tony finally connecting with his deported family who seems happy and the gang being like one cohesive unit. Justin even comes clean to his new adoptive parents, The Jensens, about his drug abuse and insists that he will go for a correctional facility. But, as you know, there is still one more season to go, which means troubles are far from over for Liberty High, clues of which are already shown in the final episode.
There is a scene where a fisherman fishes out Tyler's bag of ammunition from the river, that Tony has disposed of there. They are certain to have fingers prints of Tyler, Tony and Clay, which means the law could be on their back again.
Then there is the case of the dead Monty. Thanks to his death, the Ani and gang had managed to put the blame of Bryce's death on him, which to be fair, wasn't right. Monty deserves to be punished for what he did to Tyler, but getting accused of a crime he didn't do wasn't right. Like with Bryce, we also get to see Monty's vicious actions are a product of him coming in terms of his own sexuality and the abusive treatment he gets at the hands of his father. We are also clueless as to why he was killed in jail.
There is also the matter of Winston (Deaken Bluman), the Hillcrest High student, who hooks up with Monty the night Bryce died. He knows that Monty is innocent and is angry with Ani for putting the blame on him. Will Winston come clean to the police, and make them reopen the case? Will Alex, who always battle with his inner demons, find a new one in the form of the guilt of Bryce's death? With Hannah and Bryce out of the picture, we are really curious to see now where the new season will head, and who will turn out to be the antagonist.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 26, 2019 02:45 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
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