How Does '13 Reasons Why' End? Seasons 1 Through 4 Explained

Warning: Major spoilers from seasons 1 through 4 ahead. Trigger warning: This article contains language related to rape, sexual assault, substance abuse and suicide.

In March 2017, 13 Reasons Why aired on Netflix. Three years and four seasons later, the series — based on a Jay Asher novel of the same name — has become one of the most popular and controversial teen dramas to ever hit the streaming platform.

Unlike other shows with similar audiences (i.e. Riverdale and Outer Banks), 13 Reasons Why deals with real-life issues, and as a result, viewers aren’t given your traditional “happy ending.” Ultimately, all three season finales, as well as the series finale, are tragic in their own way.

It was important to both Jay Asher and showrunner Brian Yorkey to start a dialogue about suicide, sexual assault, substance abuse and other such issues for students, parents and educators — even if they were met with backlash.

“A lot of the controversy comes from when you write about things that are really uncomfortable to talk about,” Jay, 44, told The Charlotte Observer in a June 2017 interview. “The scenes, both in the book and the series, that make people the most uncomfortable are the scenes that I’ve heard the most from readers and viewers about being the most positively impactful.”

One of the most talked about scenes from 13 Reasons Why is Hannah Baker’s suicide. The troubled teenager (played by Katherine Langford) took her own life in season 1, episode 13, “Tape 7, Side A.” The scene, which has since been removed from Netflix, showed Hannah cutting her wrists and bleeding out in a bathtub.

“They wanted to show it as a very horrific experience,” Jay explained. “You know, we’re used to — when it comes to sexual assault or suicide — things happening in another room … or things going black at that point. We’re more comfortable with that. That’s how we’ve been doing it for so long and yet, people still then wonder why some people aren’t grasping how horrific these things are. So we felt we need to show how horrific it is, and how horrific it is to find that body when you’re the parents.”

The California native, who released his novel in 2007, added that after the show aired, he heard from “so many people” who have contemplated suicide but “never really envisioned what that hurt was going to look like.”

For a breakdown of how every season of 13 Reasons Why ends, scroll through the gallery below.

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If you or someone you know is in emotional distress or considering suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

If you or anyone you know has been sexually abused, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). A trained staff member will provide confidential, judgment-free support as well as local resources to assist in healing, recovering and more.

Season 1, Episode 13, “Tape 7, Side A”:

In the season 1 finale, Tony Padilla (played by Christian Navarro) gives Hannah Baker’s parents the 13 tapes she left behind. At the time, Olivia Baker (played by Kate Walsh) was looking for more evidence that the faculty and students at Liberty High School were responsible for her daughter’s suicide. Because the tapes included Hannah’s retelling of being raped by Bryce Walker (played by Justin Prentice), as well as Jessica Davis (played by Alisha Boe) being raped by Bryce, it was enough to set off a criminal investigation which is where the following season picks up.

Season 2, Episode 13, “Bye”:

While Hannah’s story is very much the focal point of season 2, the season finale was primarily focused on Tyler Down (played by Devin Druid). After Tyler was sexually assaulted by Montgomery de la Cruz (played by Timothy Granaderos), he decides to commit a mass shooting at a school dance. However, Clay was able to stop him before he went into the building, and later, he and Tony covered up Tyler’s actions entirely.

Season 3, Episode 13, “Let the Dead Bury the Dead”:

Unlike the previous two seasons, season 3 is somewhat of a mystery to uncover who killed Bryce Walker. After many twists and turns, it is discovered that Alex Standall (played by Miles Heizer) killed Bryce in a fit of rage, while Jessica stood nearby. The group was able to convince law enforcement that Monty — who had been sent to jail for what he did to Tyler and later murdered by fellow inmates — killed Bryce. What they didn’t realize is that Monty had an alibi. He and love interest Winston (played by Deaken Bluman) were together when Bryce was murdered.

Season 4, Episode 13, “Graduation”:

The series finale of 13 Reasons Why is the definition of bittersweet. While Justin Foley (played by Brandon Flynn) dies of AIDS, it is revealed that the rest of the group will go on to have bright futures. Clay was accepted into Brown University, Jessica was accepted to Berkeley University, Tony accepted a boxing scholarship at a college in Nevada, Tyler is going to photography school, Zach Dempsey (played by Ross Butler) is going to music school and Ani Achola (played by Grace Saif) is going to Stanford.

Additionally, during the graduation ceremony, while Clay is delivering a speech, he sees Hannah Baker for the last time. The group later decides to bury the 13 tapes together after Olivia returns them to Clay and Tony.