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| “ | What? They think that these are gonna save someones' life? 'Suicide's not an option' . Yeah, you know what? Clearly it is an option, you know? Why don't they put up a poster that says 'Don't be a fucking dick to people'? | ” |
| — to Clay about the anti-suicide posters, put up after Hannah's suicide, in "Tape 2, Side A" | ||
Alexander "Alex" Dean Standall is a main character on 13 Reasons Why. He is portrayed by Miles Heizer. Alex is a student at Liberty High School. He is the former friend of Hannah Baker and the boyfriend of Jessica Davis.
In the first season, Alex later ends up becoming friends with the "popular" crowd in school. Wanting to fit in with the crowd he creates a "hot or not" list as a revenge for his breakup with Jessica. Throughout the season, he also feels guilty about his actions and goes as far as to attempt suicide.
In the second season, Alex is slowly recovering from his injuries and goes back to school together with Jessica. He has lost an entire month of memories. That was the time he spent listening to Hannah's tapes and discovered something that made him tremendously guilty that he decided to kill himself. Throughout the season, he tries to piece together fragments of his past as it will help him uncover his role in Hannah's story.
Alex is the main antagonist in Season 3 as it was confirmed that it was him who killed Bryce Walker.
Throughout the Series
Season 1
Alex and Jessica began dating after being friends for a while but broke up because she refused to have sex with him. To get back at her, he created a "Hot List" where he awarded Hannah with "Best Ass" and Jessica with "Worst Ass." This worsens the relationship between Hannah and Jessica because Jessica, in turn, blames her breakup with Alex on Hannah.
Alex attempted to commit suicide by shooting himself in the head. This is revealed when the principal of Liberty High tells Mr. Porter that Alex shot himself in the head the night before and remains in critical condition at the hospital.[1]
Season 2
Despite the second season's cliffhanger, Alex is alive. Because he put a bullet through his head, he now has trouble using one of his arms and needs a cane to support him while walking. Unfortunately, he can't remember what happened before he shot himself, which means he doesn't remember what happened on the tapes, he seems to have been roughly told what each or some subjects did. He spends most of this season trying to remember because he's sure that he's forgotten something important. He even gets Clay to give him the tapes again so that he can re-listen to what he did to Hannah, but clay declines most of the time.[2]Alex begins having flashbacks after certain events and motions trigger his memory of the night he shot himself. After replaying a video game he was playing before shooting himself, Alex finally remembers he was at Bryce’s party the night Hannah was raped, in Bryce’s pool house with Montgomery playing the exact same video game. They heard Bryce rape Hannah outside but Montgomery watched as Bryce raped Hannah and Alex was too distracted with video games. While Alex wasn’t aware of what was happening outside, Montgomery witnessed the whole act but did not tell Alex. Alex was so guilt-ridden that he shot himself for realizing too late that his friend was raped and could have saved her.
Alex and Jessica officially get back together in "Bye", however when they go to the Spring Fling, Jessica is implied to have cheated on Alex by sleeping with Justin after reconnecting with him.
Alex's Mistake (Reason #3)
| Hannah's Reasons Navigation | |
| ← Previous "Jessica Davis #2" |
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Alex is Hannah's third reason for why she committed suicide.
Shortly after becoming friends with Hannah and Jessica, Alex eventually drifted away and made a new group of friends, though he still remained friendly with Hannah. Alex eventually started dating Jessica, and because of this, both of them drifted away from Hannah as they wanted to hang out on their own
However, Jessica and Alex eventually hit a bump in their relationship when Jessica refused to have sex with Alex, which upset him and he then decided to break up with her, though Jessica remained oblivious to the reason why. Eventually at school one day, Bryce and some of the other jocks created a "hot or not" list, and Alex decided to contribute and thus nominated Jessica with the worst ass and Hannah with the best ass in order to "piss" Jessica off due to her refusal to have had sex during their relationship. This action ultimately led to Jessica confronting Hannah at Monet's because Jessica thought Hannah was responsible for Alex breaking up with her, and she insulted and slapped Hannah. This completely ruined Hannah and Jessica's friendship and Alex's contribution to the list also led to Hannah being sexually harassed by Bryce and numerous others at school, all the while boosting his own popularity.
Personality
| “ | I'm a fucking weak, pathetic loser who ruined the one good thing that I ever had because I wanted a fucking rapist to think I was just like him. | ” |
| — Alex describing himself.[src] |
Alex, despite having a minor reason for being on the tapes, is greatly emphasized throughout the series. He is a bright, kind and caring person who is willing to accept responsibility for his actions. However Alex is somewhat selfish as he deliberately helped make a list in order to get revenge against Jessica for refusing to have sex with him, and in the process destroyed Hannah's friendship with Jessica and completely humiliated her and led her to be sexually harassed by the jocks in the school. He even appeared to enjoy the popularity he received as a result of making the list and becoming liked by the more popular crowd. When she was alive, Alex appeared to show little remorse for what he did to Hannah and never attempted to rectify the situation between her and Jessica, nor did he apologize for the humiliation he caused her.
After Hannah's suicide, however, Alex is shown to be well aware that his actions are indeed part of what led to her suicide and is shown to be completely devastated over her death and hates himself for destroying his friendship with Hannah, her friendship with Jessica and his relationship with Jessica. Unlike a majority of the others on Hannah's list, Alex shows genuine remorse and is willing, to tell the truth about his actions and claims that Hannah was his friend and that they should not lie about her. While he helps to intimidate Clay once along with Zach and Justin, Alex tells the others on the list to leave Clay alone numerous times and does not agree with plans to silence him and claims that he and the others deserve what is coming to them. He is also disgusted at the group's willingness to hide the tapes and lie about their actions and to also suggest hiding behind Bryce in order to escape punishment for their actions and he claims that the one thing that is worse than being a rapist is hiding behind one. Despite his remorse, Alex still does not choose to expose the truth of Hannah's death to the public and maintains his loyalty to the others on Hannah's list possibly due to being afraid of reprisals by them.
As a result of Hannah's death, Alex is shown to be filled with complete rage as seen when he gets into a brutal fight with Montgomery and is shown to now be suicidal himself as he nearly drowns himself in Bryce's pool and later shoots himself in the head as a result of his immense guilt.
Physical Appearance
Alex is of average height, skinny and around 5 ft 10". His features consist of bleached blond hair, pale skin, bright blue eyes, and long eyelashes. He also wears a gold septum ring. His sense of style is very similar to Clay's, and he is often seen wearing jeans and a t-shirt with some sort of jacket. In the second season, Alex is recovering from an unsuccessful suicide attempt. He moves with a crutch, and his natural auburn hair has grown back. He also has a scar on his head after the surgery and isn't wearing his septum ring.
Alex's Attempted Suicide
A few weeks after Hannah Baker's suicide, Alex attempts suicide because he feels guilty and his new friends have only made him miserable. He takes his father's gun, who is an officer, and tries to put a bullet through his brain. The bullet ricochets and bounces through his head, to the ceiling and dents the wall. He is taken to the hospital, announced with a "gunshot wound to the head". We are not aware of who is in the ambulance being treated, but it is later revealed to be him. There are a few signs that point to Alex wanting to die.
- In "Tape 2, Side A", Alex takes down posters that say 'Suicide's not an option'. Later on, he is at Bryce's house, he becomes overwhelmed and throws himself carelessly and hopelessly into the pool. He sinks further into the water, hoping to drown himself.
- In "Tape 5, Side A", Justin asks Alex what they're going to do about Clay, they argue and Justin tells him that whatever Alex does will affect Justin too. Alex asks "So if I kill myself, you die too?".
- In "Tape 7, Side A", Alex starts to feel incredibly lonely and becomes suicidal.
Relationships
Jessica Davis
Jessica and Alex hugging in "The Box of Polaroids"
Current relationship: Dating
Season 1
In the flashbacks, Alex and Jessica became friends when Hannah and Jessica decided that he could be in their group, after making him take a test and getting a "good enough" from Hannah. Monet's became their "office" and they would go there when they had anything to talk about, for example: Jess's Dad being deployed again, and the photo of Hannah that was sent around. Jess perceives Alex as weird most of the time, especially when he reveals he is going through the drinks section on Monet's menu. Alex tells Jess he is "a searcher", she tells him that him calling himself "a searcher" is also weird. Unfortunately this group didn't stay so stuck together for long. On the tapes, Hannah says Alex stopped coming first, finding some other friends and trading up and then, a little later, Jess.
However when Clay confronts Jess in Present Day, she says that Hannah was the first one to stop coming. On the tapes, Hannah says that they all went their separate ways, but, in a flashback, during lunch in school one day she sees Alex and Jess laughing and holding hands realising that they are spending time together without her. In Present Day, Clay sees Alex and Jess talking it seems that they are disagreeing with each other or having an argument.
In a flashback Hannah is working at The Crestmont on a Wednesday, which Jess wasn't expecting, while taking to Hannah, Jess is joined by Alex (in the second season, while Jessica is under oath on the witness stand, Jessica saw Hannah working from afar and told Alex that she will go and get a ticket and he will wait a while and then come and get a ticket after she is gone, but he didn't and joined Jessica instead of coming after, "...but of course he didn't wait, he didn't get what it would feel like for a girl" Jessica states.) Hannah realises that they are on a date. Hannah charges Alex after allowing Jessica in for free. Later, we learn that Jessica and Alex are fighting although we don't know what it's about. We later understand that it's about Alex breaking up with Jessica because she refused to have sex with him.
A few weeks later, Alex contributes to a list, that labels girls as having the best or worst body parts. Jessica is listed as having the worst ass by Alex and Hannah is listed as having the best by him. Jessica and Hannah meet at Monet's one last time. Hannah is unaware of her suspicions. Jessica confronts Hannah about the list that was made, with Alex's contributions. Jessica thought it meant that Alex and Hannah had got together and that she was the reason for their break up and the contribution being made. Alex reveals to Clay in Present Day that the contribution was supposed to make Jessica mad but not at Hannah, he felt a lot of guilt about breaking up a friendship that he didn't mean to. Hannah tried to tell the truth but Jessica was so convinced that she saw it as lying and manipulation.
The list destroyed both Jessica and Hannah's relationship and Jessica and Alex's relationship. After Hannah's suicide, and after understanding a few things, Jess refuses to speak to Alex although, he keeps trying and tells her at the Winter Formal, that he loves her after she tells him not to say it. He tells Clay that he will hang out around Jessica and piss her off until she loves him back again. Throughout the series, it's shown that Alex still loves her, and Jessica still cares for him very much. She even protects him from Justin, saying, that Alex might be a pain in the ass at times, but he's a decent person who has never lied to her. By the beginning of the second season Alex and Jessica have reconciled their once damaged friendship and have supported each other over the five months they were away. Alex tries to be supportive of Jessica at school but Jessica is finding it harder and harder each day because of everyone’s mistreatment.
Hannah Baker
Alex and Hannah kissing in a flashback in "The Drunk Slut"
Alex and Hannah were friends for a while before he started dating Jessica, which caused the trio (consisting of Hannah, Jessica, and Alex) to drift apart because of Alex and Jessica wanting to hang out on their own. This leaves Hannah feeling outcasted and left out. As a result, Hannah and Alex go from being close friends to distant acquaintances, even after he and Jessica break up. Alex is Hannah's 3rd reason as to why she killed herself.
Alex is no doubt completely distraught and saddened by Hannah's death and feels immense guilt for what he did to her and regrets doing what he did. He even claims that his friendship with Hannah and Jessica is the one good thing he ever had and hates himself for sacrificing it in order to make a rapist (Bryce) like him.
Clay Jensen
Clay and Alex talk to Jessica in "The Box of Polaroids"}
Alex and Clay are friendly acquaintances who occasionally talk to each other but don't classify themselves as full-out friends. Alex often tries to defend Clay whenever Justin, Montgomery, and Bryce tease him and try to pressure him into doing things. Although he tries to defend Clay, Alex is almost always overruled by the other guys.
Tyler Down
Alex and Tyler in "Two Girls Kissing"
Alex and Tyler do not talk to each other that often, but when they do, it's usually Alex defending Tyler against people making fun of him. In return, we see Tyler taking Alex off of his "hit list" at the very end of Season 1. In the second season, Alex and Tyler talk more to each other and Tyler gets along well with Alex's dad. After Alex shoots himself in the head, Tyler visits Alex in the hospital and takes pictures, which Alex later asks him to show. Alex invites him to his birthday party, but Tyler gets sent away by Zach and Jessica.
Justin Foley
Justin and Alex shake hands in "The Box of Polaroids"
Alex is manipulated by Justin and his group of friends throughout the entire first season. He pretends to be Justin's friend but is actually miserable and wants out. When Clay asks him why he pretends to be friends with Justin, Alex tells Clay that it's easier that way. Even though Alex never sees Justin as a real friend, Justin thinks Alex is a good guy and liked him until the tapes came out. Alex continues to be manipulated by Justin for the rest of the season until Justin came up with the idea to kill Clay and to adjust everything like suicide because of unhappy love. Justin tries to threaten Alex, reminding that whatever happens to them, it will happen to Alex, too. Alex asks if he kills himself, will they die, too. However, when Justin asks Alex to let him spend the night in his house, Alex lets him stay, after which they go to Bryce, for Jessica, and Alex pushes Justin to tell Jessica the truth about what happened at her party. In Season 2, Alex isn't happy with Justin because it seems like Jessica isn't over him yet. When he goes to Clay's house, he finds Justin laying on the bed, choking on his puke after shooting heroin. Alex uses all his strength to turn him over so he doesn't die. After Justin reports to the police about the rape, they shake hands without saying anything.
Zach Dempsey
Zach and Alex in "Two Girls Kissing"
Alex and Zach are close friends. Their relation seems deepens in season 2. Zach looks after Alex and gives him occasional rides to and from the school after Alex' attempted suicide. Zach and Alex were friends in the first season, mainly because they were in the same friend group. They become very close in the second season. Zach gives Alex rides to and from school, helps him with PT and with a lot of other small things. At first, Alex still doubts their friendship as he still hangs out with Bryce and doesn't want to tell his Mother that he is with Alex. At one point, Alex gets aggressive towards Zach in the locker room. Zach tries to calm him down, and Alex gets a boner.
Appearances
Season 1
|
Season 2 |
Quotes
| “ | Why don't they put up a poster that says 'Don't be a fucking dick to people'? | ” |
| — Alex to Clay in Liberty Hallway[src] |
| “ | I meant it to piss Jessica off. Because she wouldn't have sex with me. | ” |
| — Alex revealing to Clay why he helped to make the list that humiliated both Jessica and Hannah.[src] |
| “ | So not only did everyone think Hannah gave it up for me I took away her best friend. And who knows? If she had a friend, maybe... | ” |
| — Alex expressing his regret over his actions.[src] |
| “ | No, it's not. It's not okay. You want it to be okay because then you get off the hook, but you're losing your shit. You want to think whatever you did couldn't be why Hannah killed herself. But the truth is that I did, I killed Hannah Baker! And Justin killed Hannah Baker. And Jessica. And you. We all killed Hannah Baker. | ” |
| — Alex to Clay.[src] |
| “ | Do you wanna know what's worse than being a rapist? It's hiding behind one! | ” |
| — Alex to the group, after Tyler suggests using Bryce as a scapegoat to minimize the damage on themselves.[src] |
| “ | You want to get the story straight? We all know the story. Everything Hannah said on the tapes is true. You're gay. So what? Tyler, you're a stalker. Ryan, you're an arrogant asshole. Zach, you're just an entitled idiot who does cruel, stupid things even though you probably have a decent heart. And Sheri's a fucking coward who got a kid killed. (.....) No, Marcus. You'll do anything to keep up your perfect reputation. And, yeah, I'm a fucking weak, pathetic loser who ruined the one good thing that I ever had because I wanted a rapist to think I was just like him. Hannah was my friend. And we should tell the truth about her. Because I know that if I had still been friends with her if anyone of us had still been friends with her, she'd be alive today. | ” |
| — Alex lashing out at the group after suggesting using Bryce as a scapegoat to escape punishment for their actions.[src] |
- Alex: "You look beautiful today."
- Jessica: "So do you."
- Alex: "I look damaged."
- Jessica: "It's a good look on you. See everybody's checking you out."
- Alex: "They're checking you out. You're pretty and sad. People love that."
- Jessica: "You have a cane and a scar. All my scars are inside. "
- Alex:: "We're definitely going to hell for joking about this."
- Jessica: "Alex, my friend, we're in hell already, I plan to look like I'm enjoying it."
- ― Alex and Jessica on why people are staring at them, after coming back to Liberty High for the first time.[src]
- Alex: "I meant to ask you guys about my note."
- Zach: "What note?"
- Alex: "My suicide note. [takes it out]"
- Zach: "Jesus, put that away!"
- Alex: "It's not radioactive.
No, I know, it's just... we're not allowed to talk about suicide. Or you, or Hannah." - Jessica: "Says who?"
- Zach: "Says the school. They made a rule, the day after you... after that day. And if you talk about it on campus, you get suspended."
- Alex: "That's so fucked up."
- Zach: "Yeah."
- ― Zach, Alex and Jess on the new suicide-suspension rule at Liberty High.[src]
| “ | What does this mean 'I could've stopped it.' What does that mean? And how could I have stopped it? | ” |
| — Alex to his Mom after reading his suicide note("Tape 7, Side A") for the first time.[src] |
Trivia
- Alex made it his goal to try every beverage on the menu at Monet's, Jess called him weird because of it and he defended himself by saying he is "a searcher".
- It's been said that Alex was taken off of Tyler Down's photographic hit list because Tyler remembered a time when Alex defended him, or because he had already tried to kill himself with a gunshot to the head.
- According to a video posted on 13 Reasons Why's Instagram account his iPhone password is 1379.
- He was 17 in the first season & half of the second season up to the seventh episode in the second season[3], when he turns 18. Since he's still a Junior, he might have been held back for one year at some point. In Tape 1, Side B, Alex states (in a flashback) at Monet's that he was put in remedial math, implying he has problems with this subject.
- According to an Instagram Story posted on 13 Reasons Whys' Instagram account, Alex's email is 'therealalexstandall@gmail.com'
- Alex was not called upon to testify because of his memory loss[4].
- Alex was the one who killed Bryce by throwing him into a river to drown after his legs were broken.
Gallery
- See also: Category:Images of Alex Standall
References
- ↑ Yorkey, Brian (writer) & Alvarez, Kyle Patrick (director) (March 31, 2017). "Tape 7, Side A". 13 Reasons Why. Season 1. Episode 13. Netflix.
- ↑ Tyler, Hayley (writer) & Moncrieff, Karen (director) (May 18, 2018). "The Second Polaroid". 13 Reasons Why. Season 2. Episode 4.
- ↑ Yorkey, Brian & Moore, Kirk (writers) & Morris, Michael (director) (May 18, 2018). "The Third Polaroid". 13 Reasons Why. Season 2. Episode 7.
- ↑ Yorkey, Brian (writer) & Alvarez, Kyle Patrick (director) (March 31, 2017). "Tape 7, Side A". 13 Reasons Why. Season 1. Episode 13. Netflix.