13 Reasons Why Justin Foleys Death Was The Shows Biggest Mistake

13 Reasons Why: Justin Foley’s Death Was The Show’s Biggest Mistake

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13 Reasons Why season 4 definitively concludes the show in the shadow of one final tragedy – and it was a mistake that ultimately ruins Justin’s arc.

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13 Reasons Why Justin Foleys Death Was The Shows Biggest Mistake

13 Reasons Why concluded its series finale in the wake of one final tragedy – here’s why opting to kill off Justin Foley was the show’s latest (and arguably biggest) mistake. Based on Jay Asher’s 2007 novel of the same name, 13 Reasons Why debuted on Netflix in 2017. Season 1 told the self-contained story of Hannah Baker (Katherine Langford) and her journey towards taking her own life. However, following critical acclaim and a surge of popularity, the series was renewed for three follow-up seasons. It ultimately concluded with 13 Reasons Why season 4 in June 2020.

Played by Brandon Flynn, the character of Justin Foley was an integral part of 13 Reasons Why from the very first episode. Not only was he the first to be mentioned on Hannah’s infamous tapes, but he was named and shamed twice as contributing to her suicide. The first came when he shared a lewd photo of her, erroneously exacerbating a less-than-friendly rumor. The second time was infinitely more serious – when he initially stood by as Bryce Walker (Justin Prentice) raped Jessica Davis (Alisha Boe). Though Justin did eventually make a move to try and prevent the traumatizing situation, he also still participated in trying to keep the truth buried. As such, Justin served as a somewhat antagonizing force in 13 Reasons Why season 1, often bullying and otherwise trying to intimidate Clay Jensen (Dylan Minette).

By the end of the first season, however, the weight of his choices and actions proved too much for Justin. As well as revealing to Jessica the truth of what happened to her, Justin also turned on Bryce. Furthermore, Justin spent subsequent seasons actively trying to atone for his mistakes. He never again failed to fight for and protect Jessica – even risking his life during what seemed like an active school shooter situation to make sure she was safe. Equally, he testified on behalf of Bryce’s victims in a subsequent court case in season 2. He protected Alex Standall (Miles Heizer) in 13 Reasons Why season 3 and looked out for Tyler Down (Devin Druid) in general. And he became both Clay’s staunchest ally and adopted brother. In short, Justin Foley had 13 Reasons Why’s most (and arguably only) successful redemption arc. Unfortunately, the character’s efforts were all for naught by the series finale, when Justin Foley passed away from various illnesses caused by his past drug use and sex work. Here’s why that decision was a mistake for the show.

Justin’s Death Was A Backwards Step For Depicting HIV/AIDS

13 Reasons Why Justin Foleys Death Was The Shows Biggest Mistake

Following his collapse in the penultimate episode of 13 Reasons Why season 4, it was revealed that Justin had contracted HIV in the past. By the time of the series finale, it had already transitioned into the later stages of AIDS. His weakened immune system had also led to a case of pneumonia and fungal meningitis. With everything deemed too far along to be successfully treated, Justin’s friends and family could only watch on and say goodbye before he eventually succumbed. However, even ignoring the fact that the openly gay Flynn was the one tasked with depicting a fatal case of the disease, the decision has been widely criticized on a technical level. Even such organizations as the U.K’s National AIDS Trust have been vocally disappointed by the storytelling decision.

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It’s easy to understand why. HIV takes roughly 8-10 years to evolve into AIDS. The needle use and sex work that was said to be the cause of Justin’s infection, however, only occurred a couple of years prior. The unusually rapid progression of Justin’s illness, therefore, was but one demonstration of the show’s lack of research into the subject. Given that the show has often defended itself as shining a light on tough subject matter, it really wasn’t a good look. While the illness was once deemed an epidemic, leading to widespread fatalities, things have changed dramatically in the proceeding decades. It no longer has to be a death sentence, with many sufferers able to live long and full lives even after diagnosis.

13 Reasons Why tried to convey this fact, with Clay stating that “it would have been so easy to save him”. It very much served as a case of telling rather than showing, though. Instead, the show opted to explain away the lack of diagnosis as being a result of Justin’s shame-based refusal to be tested. That in itself proved a problematic choice – especially since 13 Reasons Why skews towards a younger audience. Though the show has mostly trafficked in a fear-based approach to imparting its messages and societal wisdom, it was an especially wrong move in this case. One that will could provoke a spike in the stigma surrounding the illness and substantially set discourse back a few decades. As it stands, it marked the latest in a long line of missed opportunities to educate on a specific condition and its subsequent recovery process.

It Marked A Missed Opportunity To More Positively Parallel 13 Reasons Why Season 1

13 Reasons Why Justin Foleys Death Was The Shows Biggest Mistake

13 Reasons Why season 4 also sought to bring several stories full circle – with frequent parallels to season 1. The death of Justin Foley marked the biggest of them. After all, 13 Reasons Why began in the wake of a devastating tragedy. It will now go down in history as having also ended in a similar fashion. Equally, the first episode was centered on Justin – being the first name on Hannah’s tapes. As such, making him the principal focus of the series finale makes a certain logical and thematic sense. However, his death marked just as much a missed opportunity on a storytelling level. 13 Reasons Why has trafficked in much trauma and tragedy over the seasons. So much so, it’s often been criticized for glamorizing and even fetishizing it. That was especially true in terms of season 1 – with the show widely linked to a spike in real-life suicides. It’s also part of the reason that the scene in which Hannah takes her own life was eventually removed.

That backlash has extended to other aspects over the show over the course of the subsequent seasons. Despite that, the writers continually fell into the same trap and seemed blind to the fact that their intended message could be achieved in other ways. The fate of Justin Foley could have been both a prime example of that, as well as giving fans some much-needed catharsis when bringing the story to a well-rounded close. Where 13 Reasons Why season 1 featured Hannah unable to overcome her demons, 13 Reasons Why season 4 could have ended with Justin succeeding in overcoming or learning to live with those plaguing him – both medical and otherwise.

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In the series finale, 13 Reasons Why talked a good game about the value and beauty of life. That was especially true in Clay’s speech at the group’s graduation ceremony. Unfortunately, it served as little more than lip service and further proof of the show’s whole tell rather than show mentality. Like Hannah herself, the writers had become immersed in the pain and darkness of the stories they were telling. So much so, they were rarely able to find any joy and light until it was too late. Yes, tragedy is an inevitable part of life. Yes, there are things that go criminally unaddressed and warrant having a spotlight shone on them. Yes, conversations regarding certain issues need to be provoked. However, there is also hope and recovery – two things that the show repeatedly glossed over in favor of a shock and awe approach to emotional resonance. After being introduced as a causer of pain, ending with Justin as a symbol of that hope and recovery could have brought 13 Reasons Why full circle in a much richer, more rewarding fashion.

Justin’s Death Defied 13 Reasons Why’s Own Message About Redemption

Another one of 13 Reasons Why’s questionable decisions came in season 3 when the show bizarrely tried to humanize Bryce Walker. It also continued that trend with Montgomery de la Cruz (Timothy Granaderos), trying to posthumously add more sympathetic shades to the character. The move wasn’t entirely successful since the turn felt too sharp from their previously unrepentant ways. However, the logic was that even seemingly the most heinous person could redeem themselves. Furthermore, the show repeatedly stated that Alex murdering Bryce and Monty being killed in jail robbed them of that potential. Unfortunately, the writers ultimately did the same thing by killing off Justin Foley.

As mentioned above, Justin Foley had the show’s most successful redemption arc. In fact, he arguably had the best character arc overall. Despite childhood abuse, a drug-addicted and negligent mother, abusively toxic friendships, homelessness, and his own drug addiction issues, Justin turned his life around. He fought to be a better person. And by the time season 4 rolled around, Justin had finally found a loving family and was actually embracing the future – including successfully applying to college. Justin was on the verge of seeing his redemptive tale truly flourish. Unfortunately, the writers instead had him suffer more grief, relapse into his addictions, and ultimately die. By continuing their trend of what could only be described as emotional torture porn, the show, too, curtailed Justin’s true potential as a character. As such, 13 Reasons Why killing off Justin ultimately robbed viewers of what could’ve ended up going down in history as one of television’s most actively inspiring characters rather than just another tragic cautionary tale.

Link Source : https://screenrant.com/13-reasons-why-season-4-justin-death-mistake-bad/

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