Justin Foley has become one of the most beloved 13 Reasons Why characters over the course of its 4-year run. Justin has struggled with drug addiction for years, and he admitted to Clay and Mr. and Mrs. Jensen in the season 3 finale that he wasn’t clean and needed help. Even though it appears Justin is in a better place at the start of season 4, some fans think Justin will die by the end of the season.
One Reddit user has a number of points that back up the Justin death theory. The fan, baldemen, provides some behind-the-scenes casting evidence that hints at Justin’s possible death and notes “Justin is the character that is most likely to die considering he has a drug addiction and has problems with the drug dealers and Seth.” The fan also brings up that “there was a picture on the last day of filming of the whole cast and crew and Brandon Flynn (Justin) had on a hospital gown.”
While those points could be clues about Justin’s possible death, Justin’s recovery could be the focus of his season 4 arc. Justin could end up in the hospital, whether it be for an overdose or something else, but he could very easily survive.
Another fan, mbattagl, commented on the same Reddit thread and brought up an interesting point about Justin and Jessica. “Back in season 1 there was a scene when Justin and Jessica dressed up like Sid Vicious and Nancy for Halloween because they knew they were a famous couple, but Clay joked about what happened to them in the end. Neither of them understood what Clay meant, and after last season I got to thinking it was foreshadowing his or both their fates,” the fan wrote. On Jessica’s poster for the final season, Justin wrote: “Nancy – Love always, Sid.”
Sid Vicious was the bassist of the Sex Pistols, and Nancy Spungen was his girlfriend. Sid was accused of murdering Nancy after she was found dead of a stab wound in the Chelsea Hotel. Sid was arrested in connection with her death in 1978. While out of on bail, Sid died of a heroin overdose.
13 Reasons Why has had a number of character deaths over the years — Hannah, Jeff, Bryce, and Monty. Killing off another character would be a lot for these teenagers to handle. All will be revealed when season 4 is released. The final season of 13 Reasons Why will begin streaming on June 5.