Spoiler Alert: This summary and review contains spoilers.
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One after another, people question what if Tyler is capable of as they learn Bryce was shot. Which leads to us seeing them ask about the night of the Spring Fling.
| Network | |
| Netflix | |
| Director(s) | Jessica Yu |
| Writer(s) | Thomas Higgins |
| Air Date | 8/23/2019 |
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Jessica, Tyler, Zach, Clay, Tony | What Are You Capable Of?
As you can imagine, it’s a bit difficult for some to get behind the idea of monitoring Tyler right after the “False Alarm,” which was the Spring Fling. Especially since there are those like Zach who, while scared of Tyler to a point, have no issue with antagonizing him. Yet, there is also Jessica who thinks he is a freak since it isn’t like being a perv wasn’t Tyler’s big issue in the first season. But, when it comes to shooting up the school, she gets it to a point. However, she’d prefer he’d take back his power than spread his pain around.
Hence the beautiful thing about Tony since, while most people just keep an eye on him, from a certain distance, Tony engages him. He helps Tyler channel that anger that, because he is no longer in the heat of the moment, he isn’t really sure where it came from. However, with Tyler still not talking about what was the final trigger, hitting that bag helps.
Yet, even with a whole summer of this schedule, Clay isn’t too sure if Tyler wouldn’t have killed Bryce. Which hurts Tyler a bit, but he gets it.
Commentary
Do you think you could, realistically, be around someone who was moments away from shooting up your school? Never mind give them some semblance of friendship by having them hang around you? I get Tyler is on the tapes, and that creates a bond in a way, but this seems like a whole lot to ask of people. Jessica especially since Tyler was a creep before a murderer and imagine if he caught feelings for her? Heck, considering how nice Ani was to him, before she knew the truth, you’d have to wonder how Clay would react? Particularly since he has got feelings for Ani.
That aside, while the feeling is waning, it remains difficult not to feel that 13 Reasons Why trying to have Tyler justify why he would shoot up a school is not strange. Maybe it is because many schools will be starting up in a few weeks and once more there is that worry of what will happen because of someone like Tyler? If not this show being one of the few, if only, to not romanticize a potential killer but really try to help you understand the place they were in before they almost drastically, and brutally, changed many lives forever.
Tyler, Bryce, Monty, Clay, Tony, Casey | 2nd Chances Are Hard To Come By
With it being revealed Bryce was killed due to a blow to a head, originally a shot, later said to be a blow, so comes the reaction from many of who could have done it and their motive. Focusing on Tyler, he doesn’t seem like a likely choice until we learn Monty makes it seem he sodomized Tyler on Bryce’s orders. With that idea, Tyler took his gun to face Bryce, who honestly seemed cool with dying.
Why? Well, unlike him, no one was going out of their way to rewrite his narrative and be his friend. Clay wasn’t trying to make it so Bryce could have a new lease on life and be shielded from outsiders. Tyler, on the other hand, went from a school pervert, who Clay exposed, to someone not even on Casey’s radar that much. Which is a surprise since she seems to always be on 11 and ready to stab anyone who doesn’t agree with her. Making her look like the perfect candidate for a Bryce murderer. Hell, she even wants to protest at his funeral. A strange idea, but one she thinks will be rather effective for her and Jessica’s “Hands Off” club.
But with seeing Casey’s anger, and with how Tony has helped him, Tyler seems to realize, even though Monty may never apologize, and it may take him a long time to recover from what happened, he is getting his power back. He can fight back now and doesn’t need a gun to even the scales. Also, while Clay still may not fully trust him, he did provide him a means to get better in a way the faculty of the school couldn’t. He gave him a sense of friendship, protection, and a little bit of normalcy. Which, if he had before, maybe he wouldn’t have been assaulted, or maybe someone would have done something to Monty to make Tyler feel less alone? It’s hard to say.
Commentary
You have to wonder, what would be said and done if Monty’s actions against Tyler were revealed? He knows about what could have happened at Spring Fling, so would they be willing to risk turning him in? Would the sacrifice be worth it considering he is trying to continue Bryce’s legacy? Also, taking note Monty suffers from abuse at home, would the show dare try to humanize him like they are Bryce?
Monty aside, are we going to learn Casey’s story at all? Her whole, “Take down the patriarchy” is very one-note right now, and I’m wondering will she say anything else, talk about anything she does beyond plan the demise of jocks? It’s noted she was assaulted, was it by Bryce? Maybe Monty? How about Charlie? What’s her story beyond whatever fuels her rage when we see her?
Also, after all of Tony’s training, who’d win in a fistfight between Monty and Tyler at this point?
Amara, Ani, Alex, Zach, Clay, Justin | If This Could Happen To Them
If a rich white boy could be murdered, what could happen to an immigrant girl, a Black immigrant girl, who is nosy and likes to read people? That is the fear of Amara as things go from bad to worse and it is understandable. After all, you have someone like Clay trying to prevent someone who may be possible of killing from going to jail. Then you have those like Zach coerced into protecting someone they don’t trust, Justin is dealing with some shady character and Alex? With him having a father for a cop, combined with no one looking his direction, who is to say he isn’t part of this? That he is completely innocent?
Commentary
So is the goal of each episode to eliminate someone one by one? It wasn’t Jess, it wasn’t Chloe, likely wasn’t Zach or Alex. Tyler found the body, so it wasn’t him, and when it comes to Tony, should we assume he is innocent as well? Leaving just Justin and this weird guy, who I assume is Seth, as a possible suspect? Though, with how this show thrives on drama, even with Seth making it sound like he may have done it on Justin’s behalf, could it be he took Justin’s money and just plans to bleed him dry? Particularly since he knows Justin is working now, combined with nearly being adopted by Clay’s family, who aren’t doing too bad for themselves?
Also, can we give it up to the writers for acknowledging all parts of Ani? Not just her social intelligence, and abilities when it comes to academics, but also her culture and background? Amara noting how she doesn’t want her daughter to end up like her speaks a lot to the immigrant experience – especially since Amara has taken her daughter to two western countries in hopes of providing her a better life. To which, thankfully, Ani is grateful but it does seem while she notes the sacrifice, she isn’t going to let that get in the way of curiosity. Even if the people she surrounds herself with are rather suspicious.
