Fans rewatching the first season of Netflix’s hit series 13 Reasons Why might recall the intense cliffhanger: an ambulance rushing a young man to the hospital after a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The season finale revealed this individual to be Alex Standall, leaving viewers in suspense about his fate and the reasons behind his drastic action. As audiences prepared for the second season, understanding Alex’s motivations became crucial.
:upscale()/2018/05/18/249/n/1922283/tmp_9Z7vJ2_17ce92a42285724e_13RW_205_00396R.jpeg)
The Crushing Guilt from Hannah Baker’s Tapes
Alex’s name surfaced on Hannah Baker’s tapes, detailing the thirteen reasons behind her suicide. His inclusion stemmed from two significant actions. Firstly, he ended his close friendship with Hannah to pursue a relationship with their mutual friend, Jessica. While seemingly a typical teenage relationship shift, it marked a fracture in their bond that weighed on Alex.
More damaging was Alex’s creation of “the list,” ranking girls in school. He placed Jessica and Hannah on this list, labeling Jessica as “Best Ass” and Hannah as “Worst Ass.” This objectification had severe repercussions for Hannah, contributing to her reputation and attracting unwanted sexual attention, including from Bryce Walker.
Of all the individuals implicated by Hannah’s tapes, Alex displayed the most profound and visible distress. The weight of his actions in Hannah’s narrative visibly crushed him. Unlike some classmates who sought to bury the tapes’ revelations, Alex wrestled intensely with guilt and a growing desire to confess his role, showcasing a stark contrast to others’ self-preservation instincts.
Spiraling into Depression: Recognizing the Warning Signs
Throughout the first season, Alex’s guilt manifested as a deepening depression. This wasn’t a fleeting sadness but a pervasive despair that consumed him. While all those on the tapes grappled with guilt, Alex’s was particularly acute, pushing him towards self-destructive thoughts and behaviors.
His escalating distress became evident in several instances. He engaged in a physical altercation, culminating in an unexpected fall into a pool – a moment hinting at his emotional turmoil and recklessness. Looking back, these incidents, alongside his increasingly withdrawn demeanor, served as clear warning signs of a severe depressive episode taking hold, ultimately culminating in his suicide attempt.
Season 2 Unveils a Deeper, Darker Truth
Season two of 13 Reasons Why revealed Alex’s survival and his arduous journey toward physical and mental recovery. Intriguingly, Alex himself struggled to recall the precise reasons for his suicide attempt, even after finding a note he had written, containing the cryptic phrase, “I could have stopped it.” He initially misinterpreted this, believing it related to Hannah’s death in general.
:upscale()/2018/05/18/249/n/1922283/tmp_GgQO0j_f944f3a82a0a724b_13-Reasons-Why_205_Unit_03218_R.jpg)
However, the season two finale delivered a devastating revelation. On the night of Bryce’s party, Alex and Monty were present when Hannah was sexually assaulted by Bryce in the hot tub. They heard Hannah’s cries of anguish but dismissed them, assuming it was just Bryce with another girl. This horrifying inaction, this failure to intervene and help Hannah in her most vulnerable moment, was the true root of Alex’s unbearable guilt and self-loathing. His suicide attempt was not solely about the tapes or the list, but the crushing weight of knowing he could have prevented Hannah’s suffering that night and chose not to.
By the conclusion of season two, Alex was demonstrably on a path to healing, having confronted the darkest corners of his guilt and beginning to rebuild his life.
