"13 Reasons Why" Season 1 Recap: Everything to Know Before Season 2
Trigger Warning: This post contains language about sexual assault, suicidal ideation, and substance use that some readers may find disturbing.
Netflix's 13 Reasons Why returns for its second season on May 18, more than a year after its initial debut in 2017. Based on the book by Jay Asher, the television adaptation was met with a variety of responses. Some lauded the series, which is executive produced by Selena Gomez, for jumpstarting conversations about mental health, sexual assault, bullying, and a variety of other sensitive topics. Meanwhile, it also faced criticism from a number of mental health experts and other viewers who worried about how the show addressed those same topics.
The first season of the show followed Liberty High School student Clay Jensen (Dylan Minnette), as he tries to piece together the events leading up to the death of his friend Hannah Baker (Katherine Langford). Before dying by suicide, she recorded a set of tapes chronicling her experiences with a number of other classmates. Since the first season had so many characters, storylines, and plot twists, here’s a refresher on where all the key people stood at the end of the season, particularly in the final episode, to prepare you for the second season. Warning: Spoilers ahead.
Hannah
On the final tape, Hannah says that — after recounting her time at Liberty High — she has decided to give “life one last try” and ask for help. In a flashback, we see her last day. Hannah meets with the school counselor, Mr. Porter (Derek Luke), and describes her depression. She has a tape recorder and a microphone hidden in her bag, recording their conversation for the final tape. She says she needs life to stop and describes how Bryce (Justin Prentice) sexually assaulted her; she doesn't mention his name or explicitly say that he raped her (but on that point, she doesn't need to; it's clear she was uncomfortable). Porter says she can go to the authorities or move on. Unhappy with his advice, she leaves his office, and waits for him to follow her — but he doesn’t.
She finishes her final tape, saying: “No one is coming forward to stop me. Some of you cared. None of you cared enough.” She delivers one box of tapes to Tony and takes another to the post office, presumably to send to Justin (Brandon Flynn) and begin the cycle.
Clay
Clay tells Tony he secretly recorded Bryce confessing that he assaulted Hannah and that he wants to go to the authorities. Clay also reveals Sheri (Ajiona Alexus) told the police she knocked down the stop sign, which inadvertently led to Jeff's car accident and death. Then, he meets with Jessica (Alisha Boe) to discuss next steps.
He also confronts Mr. Porter about his meeting with Hannah, whom he accuses of failing her by not taking action to help her. Porter makes excuses and Clay reveals it was Bryce who assaulted Hannah, describing Hannah’s final hours and moments. He tells Porter about the tapes and gives them to him, including Bryce’s confession. Considering what happened to Hannah and looking forward, Clay says that everyone needs to treat one another better.
He sees Skye in the hallway and asks her to hang out for the first time in years. In the final scene, they’re riding in Tony’s car with Tony and his boyfriend, Brad, listening to the radio.
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Jessica
Justin and Jessica's relationship comes to a melting point. By the end of the season, Jessica knows that Justin didn’t stop Bryce from sexually assaulting her at the party and then lied about it. She has stopped using alcohol but is still struggling to cope with the knowledge of what occurred. Later, Clay asks Jessica if she wants him to burn the tapes or if she wants to go to the authorities about Bryce. She says she can’t tell everyone what happened, but she doesn’t want Clay to destroy the tapes.
During her deposition for the Bakers’ lawsuit against the school, Jessica says that guys at the school “do things to girls that no one talks about,” but she won’t specify. She denies knowing about the tapes. At home, she tearfully tells her dad: “Something happened to me.”
Justin
Justin confronts Jessica and says he has no place to live. In the previous episode, he was physically assaulted by his mother’s boyfriend, packed a bag, and left home. He tells Jessica he almost acted on suicidal ideations but didn’t because of her. He’s distraught and asks what she wants, even offering to kill Bryce if that will fix things. Jessica says she never wants to see him again.
He meets up with Bryce to get some alcohol “to travel.” Justin is angry and stony-faced. He says he skipped his deposition and tells Bryce about the tapes. Justin says he now knows the truth (probably about what kind of person Bryce really is, a rapist and a fake friend) and that he likely won’t see him again.
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Alex
Alex (Miles Heizer) isn’t in the final episode of season one. However, Zach (Ross Butler) receives a text from Alex’s phone, asking him to call.
Later, the principal tells Mr. Porter that Alex shot himself and is in critical condition. Previously, Alex seemed upset that his dad was trying to get him out of the deposition, and he was wracked with guilt about how he treated Hannah. Although we saw a male teen being rushed to the hospital earlier, we didn’t actually see what happened to Alex.
Tyler
Tyler (Devin Druid) has a hidden cache of weapons. He tells his mom that, when it comes to the other students, he can take care of himself. He seems fed up with the way they’ve been treating him. During the deposition, he says he and Hannah were bullied frequently and discloses the existence of the tapes.
Next, he’s developing photos and has a flashback of Alex defending him from a bully. Tyler takes down a photo of Alex that was hanging up. The other photos hanging up are of Bryce, Sheri, Justin, Clay, and Marcus — presumably all the other students on the tapes, who had bullied and excluded him.
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Hannah’s Parents
The Bakers (Kate Walsh and Brian d'Arcy James) are getting ready to hear the depositions and discuss plans to sell their house. Hannah’s mom is determined to find out what happened at Liberty High. In a flashback, Hannah’s parents find her after she has died by suicide.
In the present, Tony apologizes to the Bakers for keeping Hannah’s secrets and gives them a flash drive containing the tapes, saying he thinks they need to hear them and that maybe it’ll help prevent this from happening to someone else. They hear the depositions and then begin listening to the tapes in private.
If you or someone you know is contemplating suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-8255 or text Crisis Text Line at 741-741.
*If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, you can seek help by calling the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800-656-HOPE (4673).
For more resources on sexual assault, visit SafeBae, RAINN, End Rape on Campus, Know Your IX, and the National Sexual Violence Resource Center.*
Related: 13 Reasons Why Finally Has an Official Season 2 Teaser and Fans Are Trying to Decode It
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