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Why Monty Should Be The Number One Suspect For Bryce's Murder On '13 Reasons Why'

Netflix

Bryce may be the main villain in 13 Reasons Why, but Montgomery de la Cruz is a close second. And though the two were technically friends before Bryce was murdered in Season 3, that doesn't necessarily mean Monty is innocent. In fact, he's perhaps the only character as violent and aggressive as Bryce himself — which should be the first clue that Monty killed Bryce in 13 Reasons Why.

Since the show's premiere, Monty has consistently bullied everyone around him. In Season 1, he spread rumors about Hannah and harassed her about her photo with Courtney, as well as got in a fight with Alex. In Season 2, it was revealed that Monty even saw Bryce rape Hannah, but did nothing about it. And he continued to protect Bryce by anonymously threatening the students set to testify at the Bakers' trial against the school. His most egregious act, though, came at the end of Season 2, when he beat up and sodomized Tyler. With all of that in mind, murder doesn't seem out of the realm of possibility.

Rather than ask if Monty could kill Bryce, then, the bigger question is: what would his motive be? In Season 2, Monty went to great lengths to protect Bryce and his involvement in Hannah's death. So what could have changed?

David Moir/Netflix

During the Season 2 finale, Bryce was angry that Monty had threatened Jessica, Zach, Tony, Alex, and Clay, as it reflected poorly on him during his trial for Jessica's rape. Monty was expecting Bryce to be grateful, but instead, he got the opposite reaction. "Leave me alone, we're done," Bryce told him, despite Monty pleading with him to explain how he could repair their friendship.

It's after this rejection that Monty lashed out and brutally abused Tyler, so perhaps he feels lost without Bryce as a leader and friend. And with Bryce transferring to Hillcrest and playing football for the school, Monty may have even come to view Bryce as a rival, as the above Season 3 photo hints.

In the Season 3 trailer, Monty is a pretty prominent figure. In one scene, it appears that Alex is threatening him with a knife. Monty is also shown throwing Tyler up against the school stairwell when police are in the school and asks, "What'd you tell them?" (though that could be in reference to his assault). Later, Zach punches Monty in the locker room — another clue that Monty is now isolated from his jock friends —and Monty gives Clay this advice, "If you're trying to clear your name, you need to look a little closer to home." That could insinuate Justin was involved in Bryce's murder — or it could just be Monty trying to throw Clay off his trail.

We've already seen Monty turn his feelings of hurt and confusion into anger and violence; perhaps being isolated from Bryce pushed him to do so again, this time to fatal results. Whatever the case, all should be revealed when 13 Reasons Why Season 3 hits Netflix on Aug. 23.

If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, call the National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline at 800-656-HOPE (4673) or visit hotline.rainn.org.

If you or someone you know are experiencing suicidal thoughts, call 911, or call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-8255.