The students of Liberty High have faced a lot of trauma over the years. And before they embark on a life outside of those hallowed halls, they still have a few obstacles to overcome. Unfortunately — given the show's history — there’s a pretty good chance that not all of them will be able to make it out of the final season alive. However, figuring out who dies in 13 Reasons Why Season 4 is far from simple. Each of these students are dealing with some serious personal baggage that could factor into how the rest of their story plays out. But as this series has proven time and time again — life doesn’t always have a happy ending, which means there’s bound to be some grim episodes still come.
So who stands the best chance of making it to graduation in one piece and who is most likely to face a much darker fate? These theories attempt to shed some light on the matter.
Clay Will Take His Own Life
In the trailer, Clay looks to be on the edge of a psychotic break and is shown being haunted by the ghosts of both Bryce and Monty. Considering how involved Clay has been in pretty much everyone’s storyline right from the very beginning, it makes sense that the burden of all the secrets will be heavily weighing on him. While it seems positive that he is shown attending therapy, it’s still possible that he’ll continue to spiral if he lets his feelings of guilt and anxiety get the best of him.
“Clay's mental health is very central to the season and very central to some of the mysteries that crop up,” series showrunner told Entertainment Weekly in a recent interview. “One of our driving questions is: How is he going to ultimately process everything he's been through and the secrets he's keeping and can he continue to keep these secrets and find some way back to balance and to health?” If he's unable to find his way back to health, then it’s possible Clay will end up taking his own life by the end of the season.
Justin Will Succumb To His Addiction
Fans on Reddit are somewhat torn about this theory. Many think that Justin will tragically lose his life after succumbing to his long standing addiction problem, while others believe that while it’s likely that he’ll overdose, they remain hopeful that he’ll survive and be able to overcome his addiction once and for all. Either way, there seems to be a strong consensus that his life will be put in jeopardy at some point this season, and given how this series isn’t afraid to kill off its main characters, it stands to reason that Justin could die.
Zach Won't Make It To The End
In the same EW interview with Brian Yorkey, he mentioned that Zach has a very intriguing storyline this season. “I will say that in season 4 we take Zach places that I had not expected until we really got into the room and delved into his story,” Yorkie shared. “We took Zach some really interesting places.” The details behind that statement are conveniently vague, but some fans could take that to signify Zach's impending death. Being given a standout storyline could end up resulting in his demise.
Jessica's Guilt Will Get The Best Of Her
Aside from Hannah, Jessica has endured more suffering than any other character on the show. Even though she has come out of all that trauma stronger than ever, her real-life counterpart Alisha Boe revealed to Entertainment Tonight that her character still has some dark days ahead of her, especially since she'll be forced to cope with the fact that she's at least partially responsible for Bryce Walker's death.
"[There] may or may not be some reciprocation or consequences," Boe told the outlet. "Definitely you'll see her battling with the internal turmoil of being responsible. She's always going through something... You're gonna see her happy, sad, screaming, the whole enchilada."
Will she be able to overcome the demons of her past? Fans will have to watch Season 4 to find out for sure, but given the amount of baggage these students are carrying around with them, it's impossible to rule out anyone's death at this point. When it comes to these Liberty High students, no one is safe.
If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts, call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-8255 or text HOME to the Crisis Text Line at 741741. You can also reach out to the Trans Lifeline at 877-565-8860 or the Trevor Lifeline at 1-866-488-7386, or to your local suicide crisis center.
