Tyler (Netflix/13 Reasons Why)
13 Reasons Why might be one of the darkest (and deepest) shows that you’ve seen on Netflix for awhile. And that ending likely left you with a lot of unanswered questions. This post will explore the top theories and discussions about Tyler, including the final thirteenth episode.
This post has spoilers through Episode 13. Don’t read on unless you’ve finished the Netflix series.
At the end of the series, we found out that Tyler was potentially a lot more troubled than anyone knew. He was hiding a cache of guns and weapons in his bedroom and he had photos hung up in a darkroom that looked very eerie. Tyler was picked on a lot, but he also had a tendency to sometimes stalk students. At least, we know he did this with Hannah. But there was a lot more going on in Tyler’s mind besides stalking.
So what exactly was the show hinting at regarding Tyler?
One of the themes in this show revolves around what happens to friends and loved ones when someone takes their own life, and the lasting effects it can have. Hanna’s suicide affected Tyler in ways that no one knew. He felt bullied before, and as the tapes were released, it appears that he felt more bullied and became angrier and angrier.
From that brief glimpse of Tyler’s chest where he had a hidden stash of ammo in his bedroom, it looks like he’s planning something big at the high school. In that chest, Tyler had guns, a pump shotgun, ammo, and pipe bombs.
One of the big questions we’re left with is whether Tyler played any role in Alex’s death. At one point, we see that he has pictures hanging in a dark room of everyone who bullied him. It’s almost like a bunch of photos of his “target” list. But then he takes down Alex’s photo and we hear the news that Alex was shot. Some viewers believe that Tyler already took out his first victim and it was Alex, despite our hearing that Alex had shot himself. But other fans think that because Tyler had a flashback to Alex defending him right before he took down the photo, he actually chose to “spare” Alex because Alex was nice to him.
Viewers are left with the uneasy feeling that Tyler is planning to hurt people at the school, and he will be the next focus of a “13 reasons why.”
What do you think was going on with Tyler? Let us know in the comments below.
Note: If you or someone you know is dealing with depression, there are many places you can go to get help. A suicide hotline is 1-800-784-8433. You can also read a Reddit thread here that lists online communities and hotlines for people who need help with issues ranging from depression to sexual assault and surviving abuse.