13 Reasons Why season 2 finale: ‘Bye’
Photo Credit: Netflix
13. Tyler plans to shoot up the school.
Again, this is very difficult to write, mainly because the day Netflix released this show, another school shooting occurred in Santa Fe, TX. It’s the storyline the show has been hinting at since the end of last season. I know this is topical. I know it’s difficult. But I don’t know if this particular storyline is necessary.
In any case, Clay gets wind that Tyler is on his way to the dance with guns from Mackenzie, who received a warning text from Tyler. Clay takes it upon himself to run outside to stop Tyler from entering the school. I hope that other teenagers know how incredibly dangerous it is for someone to bear the burden of stopping a gunman the way Clay did on the show.
This is not typical. I know it’s a fictional television show and I don’t know what the right thing to do at that moment is. What I do know, is that the risk Clay took is too high and 99 times out of 100 could end tragically.
In Clay’s case, he’s able to stop Tyler. He takes the assault rifle away from him just as Tony pulls up and yells for Tyler to get in his car. We can hear the sirens approaching the school.
Clay stands in front of the school in shock, as Justin and Jess run out to him. And that’s how the 13 Reasons Why season 2 finale ends.
13 Reasons Why season 2 finale bonus takeaway: Nina stole the box of Polaroids. She opted to skip the dance in favor of burning the Polaroids.
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This season was painful to watch. Some storylines bothered me because I think they were added for shock value instead of for the integrity of the story. I don’t think the show sensationalized suicide. But in an effort to be topical, they decide to insert storyline about guns and a potential school shooting. Maybe they wanted to start a conversation. It’s too much trauma for one group of teenagers to take. And it’s also too much for audiences to take, too. That’s why I think critics have judged season 2 so harshly.
We want to hear from you. Share your thoughts about the 13 Reasons Why season 2 finale in the comments. You can also read yesterday’s recap for 13 Reasons Why.