Warning: This post deals with issues of sexual assault, suicide, and gun violence that might be triggering for some readers.
Spoilers ahead.
The controversial Netflix show 13 Reasons Why has continued to include graphic, uncomfortable scenes to watch in its second season, tackling issues rarely ventured into by television networks.
This second season dealt with each character grappling with the repercussions of Hannah Baker’s suicide, but also furthered conversations about sexual assault, rape, self harm, and gun violence – all of which were introduced in the first season.
After Alex Standall’s attempted suicide in the conclusion of the first season, guns became a regularly featured mechanism throughout the Baker versus Liberty High trial, planting the seed for what was a terrifying season finale.
We saw guns used “recreationally” by Tyler Down and his new friend Cyrus in a field, we saw them used as a scare tactic when one was anonymously mailed to Alex, we saw one in the hands of Clay Jensen outside Bryce Walker’s house as he purported to give justice to Hannah, and in the final episode, we saw Tyler attempt a school shooting after being violently raped by his classmates.
If you’ve watched the entire second season, you would be aware that Clay Jensen managed to stop Tyler from fulfilling his plans to orchestrate the shooting at the school dance, with the help of Tony Padilla. Outside the hall of the dance, Clay begged Tyler, who was loaded with multiple guns, to understand it could get better for him. As police sirens sliced through the suspenseful moment of contemplation, Tony pulled up in a car to help Tyler flee the scene.
But what was a major “Phew!” moment for viewers everywhere could have been the opposite, according to Reddit and Twitter fans.
It seemed some dialogue from that final scene failed to be edited out, where you can hear someone shout, “he’s got a gun!” long before Tony showed up. This indicated to fans that initially, Tyler ended up entering the school and actually committing the shooting.
Fans have speculated that the current raw and distressing mood surrounding gun control from recent and real-life school shootings may have encouraged 13 Reasons Why show runners to scrap the original ending and re-film it.
This can not only be explained by the response dialogue, but also the fact that only Tyler and Clay appeared in the majority of the final scene. There are no teachers outside supervising, no other students opting for some fresh air over the music – it’s just the two actors, perhaps indicating a reshoot.
The theory has not been confirmed, and the re-filming of the ending to make it more climate sensitive leaves a confirmed season three open for endless possible storylines.