13 Reasons Why
13 Reasons Whyconcluded with one final calamity — here ’s why Justin ’s dying on13 Reasons Whywas the show ’s biggest mistake . So , how did Justin Foley die ? play by Brandon Flynn , the character of Foley was an integral part of13 Reasons Why . He was the first to be note on Hannah ’s tapes , and he was advert and shamed twice as add to her suicide . The first come when he shared a lascivious photo of her , mistakenly worsen a hearsay . The second prison term was infinitely more serious — when he stood by as Bryce Walker dishonor Jessica Davis . Justin served as an adversary throughout13 Reasons Whyseason 1 .
By the end of the first time of year , however , the weight of his selection turn out too much for Justin and he expend subsequent season actively try out to expiate for his mistakes . He never again flunk to fight for and protect Jessica , he testified on behalf of Bryce ’s victim in a court case , and he became both Clay ’s staunchest ally and adopted sidekick . Foley had13 Reasons Why ’s most ( and arguably only ) successful redemption arc . Unfortunately , the character ’s efforts were all for aught by the series finale . Foley died from various illnesses make by his preceding drug use and sex work . Here ’s why Justin ’s death on13 Reasons Whywas a mistake .
Justin’s Death Was A Backwards Step For Depicting HIV/AIDS
Even ignoring the fact that the openly gay Flynn was the one task with depicting a fatal case of the disease , the decision has been wide criticise on a technical point . Even brass like the U.K ’s National AIDS Trust have been vocally disappoint by the storytelling determination . It ’s easy to infer why . HIV direct more or less 8 - 10 yr to germinate into AIDS . The phonograph needle usage and sex employment that was tell to be the cause of Justin ’s death on13 Reasons Why , however , only occurred a couple of years prior . The remarkably rapid patterned advance of Justin ’s illness , therefore , was but one demonstration of the show ’s deficiency of enquiry into the subject .
give that the show has often defended itself as shining a twinkle on sturdy discipline , such as Hannah Baker ’s 13 reasonsfor self-annihilation , it really was n’t a good look . While the sickness was once hold an epidemic , leading to widespread fatalities , affair have changed dramatically in the proceeding decades . It no longer has to be a death time , with many survivors able-bodied to live foresighted and full lives even after diagnosis.13 Reasons Whytried to convey this fact , with Clay stating that " it would have been so easy to save him " . It very much served as a case of telling rather than present , though .
Instead , the show prefer to explicate out the lack of diagnosing as being a outcome of Justin ’s shame - base refusal to be test . That in itself proved a problematic choice — particularly since the show skew towards a young audience . Though the show has trafficked in a fear - found approach to imparting its message and societal wisdom , it was an especially incorrect move in this case . One that could evoke a spike in the stigma border the illness and substantially set discourse back . Justin Foley ’s death on13 Reasons Whymarked the late in a long stemma of missed opportunities to civilize on a specific condition and its subsequent recovery summons .
Justin’s Death Missed the Opportunity for Positive Parallels with Season 1
13 Reasons Whyseason 4 also assay to bring several chronicle full forget me drug — with frequent parallels to season 1 . Justin ’s demise on13 Reasons Whymarked the biggest of them . After all,13 Reasons Whybegan in the wake of a withering disaster . It will now go down in chronicle as having also ended similarly . evenly , the first episode was centered on Justin , with his being the first nameon Hannah ’s tapes . As such , making him the principal focal point of the series coda do a sure lucid and thematic horse sense . However , his death marked just as much a missed chance on a storytelling floor .
13 Reasons Whyhas trafficked in much trauma and tragedy to the extent that it ’s often been criticized for glamorizing and even fetishizing it . That was especially true in terms of season 1 , with the show widely linked to a spike in real - life suicides . It ’s also part of the cause that the view in which Hannah takes her own life was finally off . That rebound has extended to other aspects of the show over the course of the subsequent seasons . Despite that , the writer continually fall into the same gob and seemed blind to the fact that their intended subject matter could be achieved in other ways .
Justin’sdeath on13 Reasons Whycould have served as both a select example of that and a origin of much - needed abreaction when take the story to a well - rounded close . Where13 Reasons Whyseason 1 featured Hannah ineffective to overcome her demons,13 Reasons Whyseason 4 could have cease with Justin succeeding in defeat or learning to know with those hassle him , both medical and otherwise .
Justin’s Death Defied 13 Reasons Why’s Own Message About Redemption
In the series finale,13 Reasons Whytalked a good biz about the time value and beauty of life . That was especially dependable in Clay ’s speech at the radical ’s commencement ceremony . regrettably , it served as little more than sassing service and further proof of the show ’s whole tell - rather - than - show mentality when it came to Justin ’s end on13 Reasons Why . Like Hannah herself , the writers had become soak up in the pain and darkness of the stories they were telling , so much so that they were seldom able to rule any joy and twinkle until it was too belated .
Yes,13 Reasons Why ’s cataclysm are an inevitable part of biography . Yes , there are things that go criminally unaddressed and guarantee having a spot shine on them . Yes , conversations regarding certain way out need to be provoked . However , there is also Bob Hope and recuperation — two things that the show repeatedly gloss over in favor of a electric shock - and - awe approach to emotional plangency with things like Justin ’s end on13 Reasons Why . After being introduce as a causer of pain , end with Justin as a symbolization of that hope and recuperation could have brought13 Reasons Whyfull roundabout in a much full-bodied , more rewarding fashion .
Another one of13 Reasons Why ’s questionable decisions came in season 3 when the show bizarrely tried tohumanize Bryce Walker . It also continued that trend with Montgomery de la Cruz ( Timothy Granaderos ) , attempt to posthumously add more kindly shades to the character . The move was n’t entirely successful since the act matt-up too sharp from their previously unremorseful agency . However , the logical system was that even seemingly the most heinous person could save themselves . what is more , the show repeatedly stated that Alex murdering Bryce and Monty being kill in jail robbed them of that potential . Unfortunately , the writers ultimately did the same matter with Justin ’s expiry on13 Reasons Why .
What Justin Foley Actor Brandon Flynn Has Said About Justin’s Death
While many were rightly upturned at Justin ’s death on13 Reasons Why , some cast and crew of13 Reasons Whythought the season 4 stop rang true to the show and that it was just hunky-dory for the character . Even Justin thespian Brandon Flynn has expressed that he ’s felicitous with his character ’s dying on13 Reasons Why , and that pathetic reactions are just due to people grieving the deprivation of the character . In an consultation withEW , Brandon Flynn said,“I applaud the writers in the way they palm the storyline because I think even see some of the reply being outrage , it ’s the actual process of grief . "
While Flynn thinks the right pick was made in Justin ’s death on13 Reasons Why , the issue of theseason 4 finale was polarize in the same way thatGame of Thrones ' ending was ( though , not nearly as many mass were watching it ) . Flynn go on to explain that he believes people are reacting negatively because they are authentically mourning the last of a13 Reasons Whycharacter:“I’ve had circumstances in my life where I ’ve lost someone , and it ’s inspired anger at first . I think once we move past that first stage of ira in brokenheartedness , we get to the understanding of life and it sometimes not being fair . "
Life is n’t fair , indeed . However , that did n’t postulate to be the resounding content that13 Reasons Whywent out on . The show could ’ve ended in redemption , with Justin going on to live a full life . Rather , show creators decided to give him a painful and delimitation sickening finish . Star Dylan Minette ( who playsClay Jensen on13 Reasons Why ) also expressed that he was well-chosen with Justin ’s death on13 Reasons Whyin another audience ( viaEW ) . Minette reportedly allege the chase below :
" I remember all season Brandon and I were specifically hope that it would be Justin , and we were pushing for it , and we would plead to Brian constitute the case of why we feel like it should be him , because he and I both felt that it would have the adult aroused impact on the series given Justin ’s total discharge . "
Justin Foley had the show ’s most successful redemption discharge . In fact , he arguably had the good eccentric bow overall . Despite childhood abuse , a drug - addicted and negligent mother , abusively toxic friendships , homelessness , and his own drug addiction progeny , Justin turned his life around . He contend to be a better person . And by the time13 Reasons Whyseason 4 rolled around , Justin had finally found a loving family and was really embracing the future , include a successful coating to college .
Justin was on the verge of seeing his redemptive tale truly thrive . Unfortunately , the writers rather had him hurt more sorrow , relapse into his dependence , and ultimately die . By stay on their tendency of what could only be described as aroused torture porn , the show , too , restrict Justin ’s true electric potential as a character . As such,13 reason Whykilling off Justin ultimately robbed watcher of what could ’ve ended up live down in history as one of tv ’s most actively inspiring characters rather than just another tragical admonitory tale .
Justin Foley’s Death Is One Of Many Problems With 13 Reasons Why
Justin ’s decease on13 Reasons Whywasn’t the onlycontroversy with13 Reasons Why — the show has faced plenty of backlash over its 4 seasons . Many scene in the first season alone were highly triggering for audiences , and showing Hannah Baker ’s savage dying feel all but gratuitous . Parental groups thought that by show Hannah ’s suicide , it would prompt other teenagers face genial health struggles to follow courtship . Despite showrunner Brian Yorkey discount these remarks , saying that the show will impart about conversations between teen and adult , Netflix decided to pull the controversial Hannah Baker death picture two years after it aired .
The rape of Hannah , Jessica , and Chloe at Bryce Walker ’s hands was also a controversial import for13 Reasons Why . The depicting of sexual violence in a teenager show was a particularly brutal inclusion body , but showrunners defend this choice as well , saying sexual fury was an important issue that is n’t discuss enough . The problem was n’t that consent should be a conversation , rather , that13 Reasons Whyfocused on Bryce more than the fallout from his heinous actions . The over - exertion of drug refinement and intimidation / jock culture was also criticized .
While these things do happen in high school,13 Reasons Whyinflated the issue to ridiculous ratio . One of the victims of this bullying is Tyler Down , who is sodomized with a ling handgrip and horrifically beaten . While there was a warning prior to this episode , it for certain was n’t enough to develop audiences . Tyler ’s attempted school shooting was also ill cover , as there was little to no brainwave into his psychological state of matter . What resulted was Clay blab out the13 Reasons WhyTyler character out of it , and remove him from the scene .
In addition to Justin ’s death on13 Reasons Whybeing controversial , Bryce ’s judgment of conviction of rape only earned him 3 calendar month probation , despite one of his victims committing self-annihilation and the other receive tremendous backlash . The comprehension of Ani ’s fictional character as a13 Reasons Whyactor was also the wrong call by showrunners . Having Ani counsel Jessica about rape and recovery , all while courting her raper , understandably came off as altogether wrong . Killing off Manny ’s character in13 Reasons Whyseason 3 also upset many audience members .
