Who is Ani talking to in 13 Reasons Why? Off-screen character revealed
Ani narrates 13 Reasons Why season three, but her commentary comes from a conversation with a character who is off-screen for most of the season
Netflix’s 13 Reasons Why season three introduces a new character, Ani Achola.
Ani is a new school transfer student who befriends Clay as the kids return to Liberty High School. She’s also the new narrator guiding the viewer through the show and this season’s whodunnit, taking over from Hannah Baker.
At first, we don’t know much about Ani apart from the fact she’s new to the school and has become tangled up in the new mystery, who killed Bryce Walker?
While most of the kids hate Bryce, Ani relationship with the jock is a little more complicated. Her mother works in the Walker house looking after Bryce’s grandfather and the two become close.
Most of the details we learn about Bryce’s attempts to change and the unravelling murder case come from Ani’s narration, which in turn comes from her talking to another character who spends most of the time – at least early on – off-screen.
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So who is the mysterious person Ani is speaking to?
Warning: Spoilers for season three
For most of season three the person Ani is talking to remains off-screen. We know that she’s in a police interrogation room based on the blank walls and the white desk we've seen in flashbacks. We also know she’s working her way through the events leading up to, and then after, Bryce’s death to explain each of the character’s motives.
Ani has been investigating what happened, partly with Clay, which is a major clue as to who she is speaking to – Deputy Standall, Alex’s father.
The deputy is leading the investigation into Bryce’s death and has brought Ani in for questioning after it becomes clear she had a closer relationship with the former Liberty High student than she first let on.
At first, Ani’s narration seems to be a factual retelling of the events, but as the season develops the viewer soon realises that it’s a version of events intended to mislead the deputy.
Ani knows who killed Bryce when she's brought in, she even knows what happened that night, but she’s trying to protect her friends.
Luckily for Ani, the deputy already knows who committed the crime and is keen to keep it quiet himself. Her rambling tale and numerous red herrings are lapped up by Deputy Standall who takes her word at face value.
Warning: Spoilers for 13 Reasons Why season three’s ending
Ani blames Monty, who is already in prison for what he did to Tyler, for Bryce’s murder. While Deputy Standall knows Monty wasn’t to blame he goes along with the lie to protect his son and Jessica.
We’re sure that the lies will come back to haunt the students in the fourth and final season of 13 Reasons Why when it returns.
Read more:
- Every song in 13 Reasons Why season 3
- How Monty becomes the villain
- Timothy Granaderos says season 3 of 13 Reasons Why is less controversial
- Do the trigger warnings in 13 Reasons Why do more harm than good?
- Why Winston could be key to season 4’s storyline
- What happens to Monty in season three
13 Reasons Why is now streaming on Netflix. Season 1-3 are available.
