Warning! Major 13 Reasons Why Season 4 spoilers ahead!
The fourth and final season of Netflix's extremely controversial teen drama 13 Reasons Why may have ruffled a lot of feathers (and for good reason), but as misguided as the storyline surrounding out actor Brandon Flynn's character Justin dying from complications related to AIDS was, it turns out some of the show's stars were actually pushing for it to happen.
"I remember all season Brandon and I were specifically hoping that it would be Justin," 13 Reasons Why actor Dylan Minette, who plays series lead Clay, said during a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly about Justin's tragic passing. "We were pushing for it and we would plead to [creator Brian Yorkey], making the case of why we feel like it should be him, because he and I both felt that it would have the biggest emotional impact on the series given Justin's entire arc."
Minette continued:
"Of course it's devastating and tragic and we know that people would love to see him survive, but I think that's what makes it all the more powerful."
"Obviously it's the most depressing move the show could make, but I feel like it's also in line with the show to make that choice in the last episode, to make the most devastating choice. It feels really poetic because the biggest arc of a relationship that Clay has had in the show is with Justin."
If you were upset about the finale of 13RW, then you definitely aren't alone. After that bombshell storyline, many fans and critics of the show were quick to point out how irresponsible and mishandled the end of Justin's arc was, especially considering that in this day and age, HIV is no longer a death sentence and takes much, much, much longer to progress to AIDS (if left untreated) than the few months that was portrayed in the show.
While there's not much that the show can do now to make up for Justin's demise, considering that was the series finale, the one positive thing to note is that 13 Reasons Why is finally over, and after four seasons of such an emotional, messy rollercoaster, the fans who have been on this ride from the beginning can finally rest now.
It's done. It can't haunt us anymore.
