Side Characters With Importance
Somehow I was able to break down all of the 13 cassette tapes that Hannah has left behind to tell “her truth” as in why she committed suicide… but I’m not done. Just like I did an entry on Hannah herself and her importance to the story there were other characters that were not on the tapes that played a role in the advancement of the story told in the series. So I want to take the time to briefly talk about a few side characters on: who they are, why they are important in any way, and what I want them to do on the next season. I will be brief on most of these… but one or two of these characters I do have a lot to talk about.
Tony – Tony was the most important person in the book that wasn’t one of the “Baker’s Dozen” but played a very important role in the cassette tapes. 1. I mentioned back during Justin’s first entry that Hannah mentioned that there were a second set of tapes that would be released had someone disobeyed the rules and broke the chain of passing the tapes…. Tony was the one that possessed the other tapes and would release the tapes as Hannah promised. Tony silently stalked everyone on the list like a ghost only making his presence vaguely known to motivate them out of fear to follow the rules. 2. Tony inadvertently inspired Hannah with the concept of recording herself with cassette tapes because tapes are very hard to leak out and can be controlled in any manner you want it too… simple yet effective. Tony even unknowingly gave Hannah the tape recorder that she used to record her suicide tapes, had he known he would have never gave her the recorder at all.
Tony was the very first person to listen to what Hannah had recorded on the tapes, unlike the original set she dropped off at the post office that would take a day or two to arrive at Justin’s house, Hannah delivered the copy tapes directly to Tony’s house the day of her suicide. Tony didn’t answered the door when she dropped off the tapes but once he eventually saw the tapes and listened to them he realized what she was gonna do. Tony called her parents and he sped to her house in his car but it was too late…. she was already dead. Tony then re-listen to the tapes and noticed that his name never was spoken in any of the tapes at all quickly realizing that HE was the person Hannah was talking about when she said “someone has the second set of tapes ready to release them to the word if my rules are not obeyed…. You are being watched”. Feeling extreme guilt over the fact that he wasn’t quick enough to save Hannah from death Tony honors her final wishes to play the guardian of the tapes and making sure the tapes are being passed along.
Other than Clay, Tony was the only person man who Hannah felt completely comfortable around, probably because he was gay so he wasn’t sexually harassing her like most of the guys at school did due to her toxic “slut” reputation. Tony was also the only person that Clay would was mentally breaking down from this journey of truth could turn to for help. Tony was the rock of this story keeping everyone in line. Tony’s representation was also weird in that he was an old school guy with an old school mustang car who only listen to cassette tapes living and interacting in a new school modern technology world. Tony’s personal life wasn’t too much of a focus during season 1 but from the season 2 trailer it looks like he will have a major story arc… Tony won’t be bulletproof as he once was back in season 1.
Kat – Kat was Hannah’s first friend when Hannah moved to her new neighborhood and school. Just as Hannah was about to start school Kat and her family moved to another neighborhood so Kat and Hannah never seen each other again. Kat bookend season 1 by being only on the first and last episodes. It was through Kat that Hannah first met Justin although Kat did warned Hannah about the jocks. I wish Kat had stayed around because Kat may have been the friend that Hannah needed to help her through her dark times…. But then again it may be possible that Kat may have ended up as a name on the list of cassette tapes on why Hannah’s life had ended. It’s interesting that on the last episode Kat came back and said that the jocks ran the school and put on a pedestal. I assuming that may be a plot point of season 2 on how the jocks at the school do get away with things. She also wished death upon Justin as well…. something to remember moving forward.
Jeff – Jeff is a minor character with a respectable fan base for him and he deserves it. Jeff was a good friend of Clay. Jeff was one of the jocks that was on the baseball team and possibly one of the only jocks that wasn’t an asshole. Clay was Jeff’s tutor and in exchange for helping him in his studies Jeff help Clay try to talk to Hannah and girls in general. Jeff’s character was portrayed as a very good guy which makes his death due to Sheri accidentally knocking down the stop sign on the night of Jessica’s party even more tragedy. I have a feeling that Jeff and his fate and possibly his past may be brought up again in season 2 and hell maybe he’ll appear again in a flashback of some kind.
Montgomery – Montgomery was an interesting character in that he fully represented the bully jock stereotypical character in high school themed stories. Most of the time we see he’s either bullying Tyler making his life a living hell or him savagely beating up Alex for little to no reason. For the most part he was a part of Bryce’s crew in the background hanging out in the background. I’m unsure of how fucked up of a person Monty is but given that he’s seen in the season 2 official trailer most likely his character will be fleshed out more to explore.
Skye – Not gonna lie to you… I didn’t give a fuck about Skye. I didn’t like her in the book and I damn sure didn’t care for her negative ass in the show so hopefully she doesn’t take up too much screen time.
Hannah’s Parents – Hannah’s parents were a big plot point of season 1 since they were suing the school because of Hannah’s suicide. Hannah’s mom especially was going batshit crazy trying to find out the truth since Hannah didn’t leave them a note before she died. In the book Hannah did say that she did not want her parents to find out to truth and asks everyone who listens to the tapes to keep it a secret from them. In the show however in the conclusion of season 1 Tony gives Hannah’s parents a MP3 copy of Hannah’s tapes for them to listen so they will know all of the ugly truth. In the season 2 trailer it looks like Hannah’s mom is driving herself crazy trying to connect all of the dots with the new information just like what Clay had to go through in season 1.
Clay’s Parents – Clay’s parents played a minor role in the show for me… they were pretty much just concerned parents noticing the inner turmoil that Clay was going through. Clay’s mom is a lawyer that was on the case of the School Board vs Hannah’s Parents so she is connected to the Hannah drama as a result. Thanks to Tyler snitching Clay’s mom knows that there are a set of tapes floating around somewhere and Clay may be involve. Now while I really didn’t care for Clay’s parents at all I didn’t hate them either… they were just there. Come season 2 they may know the truth since Clay will be summoned to testify on Hannah’s behalf in court and I’m pretty sure they will have Clay’s back.
It’s only one more thing to talk about and it’s my predictions and wishes for season 2 but that will be for the next entry.
Fractured Mindframe 