It was a media blitzkrieg as everyone in Evergreen County were shocked to see that the infamous Hannah Baker tapes were posted online the night before anonymously. Andy & Olivia are in the courthouse with Dennis as they prepare to testify. Jackie enters the room...
Jackie: Well, there's lots of chatter online about Hannah's tapes. People are worried it's going to affect the trial.
Dennis Vasquez: I'm not concerned. It still doesn't serve the school to admit them into evidence any more than it does us.
Olivia Baker: But couldn't it work in our favor? To have Hannah's story out there in her own words?
Andy Baker: Or will it bias the jury against us?
Olivia Baker: How? How could it do that? To hear what happened to her.
Andy Baker: It's a complicated story, Liv.
As the Bakers prepare for their testimony, Clay wakes to his phone buzzing as he picks it up and see angry texts from Alex, Sheri, & Tony. Justin enters the room as he gets ready for his official return to Liberty.
Justin Foley: Ho. Today is gonna suck.
Clay Jensen: What, you mean, because of...?
Justin Foley: It's like the first day of school or something. But, like, in some weird, alternate universe where, like, everyone's been talking about me for months.
Clay Jensen: Uh, yeah, that's surreal.
Clay & Justin arrive to Liberty as every student just look at them because they've either already listened to the tapes or are currently listening to them.
Justin Foley: Listen, this is weird, right?
Clay Jensen: Um... Yeah.
They make their way inside the school as all eyes are still on them.
Justin Foley: This is about me, isn't it?
Clay Jensen: Yeah, must be.
Student: Can't believe he'd show up here.
As the students speak among themselves, Hannah appears next to Clay.
Hannah Baker: Helmet. Hate to say I told you so, but... Or did we just not think this part through? I'm curious, what happens to Jessica now? Or Alex, or Justin, or you?
Sheri Holland: Clay, did you not get any of my texts?
Sheri approaches them in the hallway.
Clay Jensen: (Stammering) My ringer must be off.
Clay's phone begins to ring as he was caught in a lie. Clay takes out his phone and sees that Skye is calling him.
Clay Jensen: Skye? Hey, hello?
Clay steps away as he takes the call.
Sheri Holland: Hey, Justin. I'd say welcome back, but kind of shitty timing.
Justin Foley: What do you mean?
Sheri Holland: I mean about the tapes.
Justin Foley: What about the tapes?
Sheri Holland: Did Clay not tell you? Maybe he doesn't even know.
Justin Foley: Know about what?
Sheri Holland: They're out. Someone posted them online. Everyone listened all last night.
Justin Foley: What?
Sheri Holland: Yes.
Justin Foley: Are you fucking serious?
Justin turns to Clay and approaches him.
Justin Foley: Jensen, did you know about this?
Clay Jensen: I, um... Yeah. I kind of, I guess I knew, but... Look, I gotta go. But...
Clay just runs off as he leaves school to go see Skye who gave him her location.
Justin Foley: Jensen. Hey, Clay! The fuck are you going?
Sheri Holland: We're having a meeting, by the way.
Sheri & Justin walk off as Marcus is freaking out as he walks through the hallway with Courtney.
Marcus Cole: My future is at stake here. What if Harvard finds out?
Courtney Crimsen: What happened between you and Hannah shouldn't keep you out of Harvard, Marcus.
Marcus Cole: You don't know that. This could blow up my entire life!
Courtney Crimsen: We'll figure out a strategy when we meet.
Courtney's phone buzzes as she checks it out.
Courtney Crimsen: Everyone's confirmed. Except... I didn't tell Jessica. I didn't know what to say to her.
Marcus Cole: Tell her that there's somebody out here trying to fuck up our lives.
Jessica enter the hallway confused as to why everyone is looking at her. Alex joins her in the hallways.
Alex Standall: Hey, Jess.
Jessica Davis: Hey. The hell is wrong with everyone today?
Alex Standall: Shit. You haven't heard?
Jessica Davis: Heard what?
Alex Standall: Maybe we should get out of here. You want to skip school?
Jessica Davis: Why? What's going on? Tell me.
Alex Standall: The tapes. They're out.
Jessica Davis: What? Oh, my God.
Alex Standall: I know. I'm so sorry. This is... it's so fucked up.
Jessica just stops and doesn't know what to do. Bryce walks towards his locker with Monty, Scott, & Zach with him. Bryce has no idea that the tapes are out.
Bryce Walker: Yeah, the ribbon-cutting.
Scott Reed: So, with a giant pair of scissors and all that?
Bryce Walker: How the fuck else do you cut ribbon, Scotty?
Scott Reed: What? I don't know. I've never been to something like this.
Bryce Walker: Not that big a deal. But bring your appetites. My dad promised food trucks.
Monty de la Cruz: Oh, hell, yes.
Scott Reed: Cool.
Bryce Walker: Hey, you're coming today, right?
Zach Dempsey: What? Yeah, no. Totally.
Bryce Walker: Yeah. All right.
They arrive to Bryce's locker where there was a group of students were at his locker as they run off.
Monty de la Cruz: Hey! Who did this?
Someone tagged the word "RAPIST" on Bryce's locker.
Monty de la Cruz: Get the fuck back here!
Bryce Walker: Hey, relax. It's fine. It'll come off. Just a stupid fucking prank, right?
Scott Reed: Dude, that's pretty fucked up. Should we do something?
Bryce Walker: What would we do?
Scott Reed: It's messed up.
Bryce Walker: I'm not worried about it.
Bryce Walker: (Voice over Speaker) You wanna call it rape, call it rape. She wanted me. Me. She was practically begging me to fuck her. If that's rape, then every girl at school...
Bryce hears his voice playing on a speaker as they run towards a class room and finds some students listening to it.
Bryce Walker: Where the fuck did you get that?
Bryce scares them off as the audio stops
Scott Reed: What the hell was that? Was that you?
Bryce Walker: Yeah, it was me.
Monty de la Cruz: What do you want us to do? Want me to go after them?
Bryce Walker: How the fuck did this happen?
Zach Dempsey: Someone posted the tapes online. Last night.
Bryce Walker: Someone?
Zach Dempsey: Anonymously.
Bryce begins to freak out.
Scott Reed: That's fucked up. What are you gonna do?
Bryce Walker: Um... Uh, I, uh... I just... I need to think for a minute. I should call my dad.
As a reaction to the tapes, a couple of students grab Tyler and lock him in the dark room. Chlöe makes her way towards the girlsroom. Chlöe stops when she hears some of her friends talking about the tapes which Chlöe already has listened to.
Girl 1: I know. Did you hear what he said on the last tape?
Girl 2: Okay, but how could she be dating him if he really did it?
Girl 1: Unless she didn't know.
Chlöe enter the girls room and goes up to a mirror.
Girl 2: Chlöe. Hey. The ribbon-cutting today, I might be late. Are you still going?
Chlöe Rice: Yeah. Why wouldn't I be?
Girl 2: Okay. Well, we'll see you later. Okay.
Girl 1: Bye.
The girls leave the restroom as Chlöe enters a stall as she sits on a toilet as she ponders what to do about Bryce. She looks up and sees all the horrible stuff that other girls have tagged about Jessica. Jessica had already seen these graffiti on her 1st day back. Jessica enters the girlsroom as she begins having another panic attack as she hears a stall door open. Jessica turns around and sees Chlöe coming out with a Sharpie on her hand. Chlöe leaves as Jessica goes in the same stall that Chlöe was in and sees that the graffiti about her have been crossed out by Chlöe. Mackenzie goes to the yearbook room and unlocks the dark room to let Tyler free. Mackenzie let's Tyler know that she's listened to the tapes and the date is still on. Justin confronts Bryce in the hallway to let him know that he'll do whatever he has to do to make Bryce pay. Bryce tells him that nobody is going to listen to his truth because nobody gives a shit about him. As Tyler & Cyrus were walking in the hallway, Zach grabs Tyler and pins him to the locker as Cyrus tries to separate them only to get pushed away. Zach accuses Tyler of taking pictures of his sister as he shows it to Tyler, but Tyler says that he hasn't. Justin meets with a dealer before class begins and buys drugs from him. In court, Andy reveals that he cheated on his wife before Hannah's attempt and that he was caught by Hannah. Andy tells the court that Hannah told him to tell her mother or else she'd do it for him. Back at Liberty, the ribbon cutting event to reveal the naming of the baseball field "Walker Field" was about to begin. Jackie is attending the event to protestalong with some supporters for Hannah. Nora Walker isn't so sure that Bryce didn't do the things Hannah says he did on the tapes. However, Barry Walker is certain that Bryce would never do anything like that because he knows the boy he raised. Zach finds his sister, May sitting on the chairs that are set on the baseball field and checks to see if she's ok. Zach's mother is excited about the ceremony but Zach tells them that they aren't staying for the event. Mrs. Dempsey disagrees and believes Bryce is innocent, but Zach takes his sister and leaves anyway. Marcus receives another message from Tyler telling Marcus that he must choose between himself & Bryce or else Tyler will release the video. Marcus approaches the podium as the ribbon cutting event gets started.
Marcus Cole: Good afternoon. I'm Marcus Cole, student body president.
The crowd cheer and applaud for Marcus.
Marcus Cole: Happy to be here. Happy to be here today. Since 1913, Liberty High has been committed to helping students achieve academic excellence in a safe, supportive environment. But in recent years, our values have... gone to shit.
The crowd begins to get confused.
Marcus Cole: I'm part of the problem. I lead a group called EnGUYtened, which is supposed to be for enlightened guys. But today, I'm... officially resigning from that group. Because I'm a hypocrite. How can I say that I care about protecting girls when I've been protecting... a rapist like Bryce Walker?
The crowd was shocked to hear what Marcus just said, especially Bryce. Marcus just runs off.
Jackie: BRYCE WALKER SHOULD PAY FOR WHAT HE'S DONE! HANNAH BAKER WAS A VICTIM OF BRYCE WALKER. LIBERTY NEED TO CHANGE THE CULTURE OF THEIR SCHOOL.
Principal Bolan gets on a podium.
Pricinpal Bolan: Okay, okay. All right. Uh... Well, our students are playing some sort of prank. One that's in poor taste, obviously. But let's move ahead with our program. We are so thrilled to be he...
The protesters continue to shout out loud.
Principal Bolan: Excuse me. Can we have some quiet, please? Thank you. We're thrilled to be here. Would you please join me... the parents of our team captain, Bryce Walker.
Bryce & his parents get up from their seats to cut the ribbon to officaly name the baseball field, Walker Field. After the ceremony, Bryce goes to confront Marcus in a empty hallway.
Bryce Walker: What the fuck did you just do?
Marcus Cole: Hey! Look, I came to you for help and you didn't do shit, man! They're blackmailing me. They made me say that!
Bryce Walker: Who the fuck is "they"?
Marcus Cole: I don't know! How do I know? Look, if that video gets out, man, it's out forever, okay? And I still have a future. But for you, the tapes are out. I didn't say anything that hasn't been said already.
Bryce Walker: Big mistake. Big fucking mistake.
Bryce exits the school in anger. Tyler & Cyrus were at the ceremony to watch as they enjoyed what Marcus just did. After school, they go to shoot some guns.
Tyler Down: I can't believe he actually fucking did it.
Cyrus: We're like the fucking puppet masters of the school.
Tyler Down: We can get anyone to do anything.
Cyrus fires his gun as it hits a can.
Tyler Down: All right.
Tyler fires next as it hits a beer bottle.
Cyrus: Mmm! Nice. You're getting good.
Tyler Down: Well, success builds confidence.
Cyrus: Pranking the president... pulling the ladies. And by ladies, I mean my sister. Kenzie told me you guys are going on a little date this weekend.
Tyler Down: I was gonna tell you about it, you know. I just, I don't want it to be weird. I just wanna...
Cyrus: No, it's all good. I mean, I trust you. As long as you're not actually some crazy stalker who follows girls around with a camera.
Suddenly, a crow lands where the the cans and bottles are at. Tyler looks at the crow while Cyrus reloads as he aims his gun and pulls the trigger as he kills the crow.
Tyler Down: Holy shit!
Tyler goes to check on the crow as he sees that he killed it.
Tyler Down: Shit. Hey! Yo, dude. Dude, come look at this.
Cyrus approaches as he looks at the dead crow.
Cyrus: Did you hit it?
Tyler Down: Shit. Dude. Look at it, it was like... It was, like, flying, like, 30 seconds ago, and now it's just... I mean...
The crow was only the beginning for Tyler as a darker fate looms. Alex tries calling Clay on his phone but he's not answering. Back in court, Olivia reveals that anxiety runs in her family and that she received treatment from a mental health care professional but Hannah never did, leaving everyone to believe that Hannah may have had mental health problems. Clay goes to visit Skye who's been at a mental health facility. Skye reveals that she just got back her phone privileges and that she hasn't been dodging him and that she heard all of his voice messages at once. Skye gives Clay a tour of the facility as she explains what's been going on with her.
Skye Miller: Like, everyone's brain chemistry is different, so it might take them a few tries before they can find the right combination of meds. Wait, is this too much right now?
Clay Jensen: No, no, no. It's just... Look, are they sure it's bipolar? It feels like kind of a blurry line between someone being manic and also just, you know, being in a really good mood.
Skye Miller: (Chuckles) Clay, I tried to jerk you off in front of your parents. I mean, that wasn't just a "good mood."
Clay Jensen: Yeah. (Chuckles) Yeah, point taken. That was pretty fucked up. But the meds and everything... What if that all, like, changes you?
Skye Miller: I hope it does. Look, the person that I was, it wasn't really working for me. Like, the good moods, they could be amazing, but... I was like... dancing on the edge of a really high cliff and the fall was just really fucking hard and far.
Clay Jensen: I'm sorry.
Skye Miller: Wait. You know it's not your fault, right?
Clay Jensen: No, I... I know.
Skye Miller: I don't know if you do.
Skye & Clay sit down on a outdoor table.
Clay Jensen: So, when do you come home?
Skye Miller: The thing is, my mom doesn't want me to go back to Liberty. She wants me to transfer schools.
Clay Jensen: Like East County?
Skye Miller: Like another state. I'm going to live with my aunt and uncle.
Clay Jensen: Wait, you... You're never coming back?
Skye Miller: I need to hit the reset button.
Clay Jensen: The reset button. To delete everything that came before?
Skye Miller: No, not what I mean. Not delete, not you, not our friendship, but I need to move on.
Clay Jensen: They're making you do that?
Skye Miller: No. I'm doing it. I can't keep pretending like I'm okay, like I don't need to work to get well, like it's everyone's fault but mine. I wanna live a better life than that.
Clay Jensen: You're gonna forget me.
Skye Miller: Oh, my God, I never could.
Clay Jensen: I'm just gonna be this one guy you knew one time.
Skye Miller: I can let you go and still love you. I'll always love you.
Clay Jensen: I'm gonna miss you.
Skye Miller: I'm gonna miss you, too.
Tears begin to fall down on both Skye & Clay. They both get up and embrace in one last hug.
Skye Miller: (Sniffles) You're a good person, Clay. And you can help people. Just maybe not how you think they need to be helped. And when Hannah wakes up... be there for her.
Clay smiles and nods at Skye. They say their goodbyes as Clay departs the facility. After court was adjourned for the day, Olivia & Andy stayed in the courtroom.
Olivia Baker: All this time... How could you keep that from me?
Andy Baker: I'm sorry, Olivia. I thought I fixed it. I didn't wanna make things worse for you or Hannah. I just wanted to move on.
Olivia Baker: Clearly.
Andy Baker: I didn't know how to talk to you anymore.
Olivia scoffs at Andy
Andy Baker: I didn't know how to tell you that I needed to... (Stammers) feel loved and held, and I needed to be needed.
Olivia Baker: Oh. Oh, so this is my fault?
Andy Baker: It's not your fault. I'm not blaming you, I'm blaming us. We should have communicated. We should have noticed that our baby girl was suffering. We should have done something.
Olivia Baker: Don't you dare, okay? Don't you dare make me feel like I failed my daughter. Okay? If we lose this trial, it's your fault.
Andy Baker: If we win this trial, it's my fault. How can you not see that? How can you not feel that sitting on that stand?
Olivia Baker: That's all it took? This lawyer gets in your head, and suddenly we're on trial?
Andy Baker: I never wanted to go to trial. I never wanted to, but deep down, I thought we had a case. I believed that the school, the bullies, that monster were responsible for almost losing our Hannah, but we're in this, too, Liv. We're part of it too, Liv. And if you can't see that now, I don't think you ever will. I don't want to fight anymore. I don't wanna fight. I don't wanna fight with you and not in this courtroom. I think this case is better off without me. And so are you.
Andy had decided to drop out of the case and no longer fight. Alex decides to go to Clay's house to confront him for posting the tapes online. He goes up to Clay's room and finds Justin on the bed, passed out. Alex goes up to Justin and see a syringe needle inserted into Justin's arm. Alex tries to wake him up but to no avail. He tries to turn him over but doesn't have the strength, when he starts to choke on his own vomit Alex becomes more worries and uses enough strength to turn him over as the vomit comes out of his mouth, saving him. Alex stays with him through the night as Justin explains to him what happened.
Justin Foley: I think it's a tolerance thing. I don't know. I've only ever shot up a couple times.
Alex Standall: You could've fucking died.
Justin Foley: (Scoffs) Like anyone would even care at this point.
Alex Standll: Dude, don't joke about that.
Justin Foley: Shit. Sorry.
Alex Standall: Hey, hey. Drink this.
Alex offers him a glass of water as Justin takes it and drinks. Justin looks at Alex's hair...
Justin Foley: Where's the scar?
Alex Standall: Oh, it's... There's scars. But they're under my hair. That's why I grew it out.
Justin Foley: Yeah, I remember how it used to be. When you first started at Liberty, some of the guys were like, "That hair makes him a fag." But I was like, "That's fucking stupid."
Alex Standall: Well, that's super kind of you.
Justin Foley: Yeah, well... Whatever.
Alex Standall: You're still in love with Jessica, aren't you?
Justin Foley: It doesn't matter.
Alex Standall: Look at you. It clearly does.
The door opens as Clay finally arrives home.
Clay Jensen: What the hell happened?
Alex Standall: He shot up and then he almost choked on his own puke.
Clay Jensen: What the fuck is wrong with you, Justin? You were just clean...
Alex Standall: Leave him alone, okay?
Clay Jensen: What? Now you're defending him?
Alex Standall: Yeah, what the hell were you thinking with the tapes, Clay? You have any idea what you did to Jessica?
Clay Jensen: Yeah, I was trying to get justice for Hannah. And I'm sorry if it hurt Jessica, but maybe it's time for her truth to come out, too.
Justin Foley: What the fuck gives you the right to decide what needs to come out?
Clay Jensen: Look, I've done everything I can, everything I can think of to make things right. But I can't do it alone. Okay? Look, I'm sorry about the tapes. But it's gonna get worse before it gets better. And I need you guys.
Meanwhile, Jessica goes to visit Olivia since she called and wanted to see if there was anything she could do. Jessica, Jackie, and Olivia sit on the dinner table go over Hannah's poems...
Olivia Baker: "I'm saying that the house is on fire, and all I know how to do is write poems. All I know how to do is arrange flowers on the table of a burning home. I am pressing against the frame. I am chanting the right words. I am gripping my fists and letting them go."
Jessica Davis: Wow. Hannah wrote that?
Olivia Baker: I must have read it a million times. The whole time, I thought it was about that school. The suffocating, oh, my God, it's right there in front of me. The burning home, the flowers... It was about her dad's affair. There she was, trying to comfort me, when I should've been trying to comfort her. I mean, why didn't I see it?
Jackie: Olivia, you can't blame yourself. This is Andy's fault.
Olivia Baker: Jackie, please don't tell me how to feel right now.
Olivia snaps at Jackie.
Jackie: I'm sorry. You're right.
Olivia Baker: No, I'm sorry. It just... It's more complicated than that.
Jackie: I didn't mean to overstep. You know, I think maybe I should head to bed.
Jackie gets up as does Olivia.
Olivia Baker: No, no, no.
Jackie: No, it's been a long day. Really, I need to get some rest. It was nice meeting you, Jessica.
Jackie head off to bed as Olivia sits down next to Jessica.
Olivia Baker: Well... (Sighs deeply) You guys must think I'm an idiot, wanting to protect a man who doesn't deserve it.
Jessica Davis: I get it. I mean, I really get it. You love him, right? Despite everything, and it's crazy, but you love him.
Olivia Baker: I do.
Jessica Davis: Even though he hurt you so bad.
Olivia Baker: You know, Jessica, if there's... If there's anything you ever wanna talk about... Sometimes I think if Hannah would have come to me, maybe things would have been different.
Jessica Davis: Maybe it was too painful for her to talk about it. Maybe she kept it all in to protect herself. I can't. I'm not good at that. The more I think about it, she was really brave.
Olivia Baker: Oh, but, honey, we both know that didn't work. Keeping it in, that's not brave. Feeling the pain, facing it... that takes courage. It's okay to let it out. It's okay.
Those words hit Jessica deep down as she begins to break down. She goes up to Olivia as she cries on her shoulder.
Olivia Baker: It's okay.
Tony is at Caleb's gym boxing when the guy he beat up walks in. He greets Tony as he looks at him as maybe recognizes him. Tony got out of there quickly before he can even recognize him. Alex is in his room as his dad comes in to check on him. Alex asks his Dad if he can play a shooting video game because it helps him remember. He tells his Dad that there is something he has to remember but his Dad is unsure. Clay's parents arrive and Clay finally tells him about Justin's drug problem out of concern for Justin.
Laine Jensen: Why didn't you tell us he was on drugs?
Clay Jensen: He was getting better, okay? Anyway, I didn't even know about the drugs when I first brought him here.
Matt Jensen: Should we call social services?
Clay Jensen: No. Dad!
Laine Jensen: Call social services, he disappears into the system, he doesn't testify.
Matt Jensen: Jesus, is that what we care about?
Laine Jensen: No, I care about keeping the kids safe, which is hard to do when they're both fighting us.
Clay Jensen: How am I fighting you?
Laine Jensen: The Register called me today, Clay. Those audio files were watermarked. You stole them from my computer.
Clay Jensen: You told me you weren't working on the case.
Laine Jensen: That's no excuse.
Clay Jensen: You told Sonya. About Zach texting Hannah. That's how they knew everything.
Matt Jensen: Is that true?
Laine Jensen: She's a colleague. I pointed her in a direction. It's hardly the same thing.
Clay Jensen: It's worse.
Laine Jensen: You endangered my job, my license, our livelihood.
Clay Jensen: You ruined my fucking life!
Matt Jensen: Jesus, you sound like children. And there's just one child here.
Laine Jensen: What is that supposed to mean?
Matt Jensen: Clay needs us to be his parents now.
Clay Jensen: I don't need anything from you guys.
Matt Jensen: Clay, go to your room.
Clay Jensen: What? How is that fair?
Matt Jensen: Go to your goddamn room! Now!
Clay gets up frustrated as he walks out of the kitchen.
Matt Jensen: Enough is enough. This family will not be destroyed. Not for any case, not for any other parents' kid, not by drugs. We will not let this happen. I get it, you're mad. I'm mad at him, too, but he is a child!
Clay sees Justin sitting on the stairs feeling bad as Clay just passes by him and goes to his room as he slams the door shut.
Hannah Baker: Clay.
Hannah appears as she's sitting down by his desk.
Clay Jensen: No. You don't talk. You don't get to say anything. This is your fucking fault, Hannah. This mess started with you. I put out the tapes, and that was stupid, but you made them. You fucked up people's lives!
Hannah Baker: I know. I'm sorry.
Clay Jensen: Are you? Are you sorry? That doesn't do a fucking bit of good because you are basically gone! You tried killing yourself and you didn't fucking care.
Hannah Baker: I did!
Clay Jensen: No, or you never would've done it.
Hannah Baker: I was hurting, and I didn't think about who I might hurt.
Clay Jensen: You did an evil thing. Get the fuck out.
Hannah disappears as Clay is still pissed off. Justin has decide not to be a burden anymore. Justin packs up his stuff and leaves. Justin goes to the only place he can think of, his mother. Justin goes to Seth's house as he knocks on the door. Amber Foley answers the door and is surprised to see his son return.