Here's The Reason Why '13 Reasons Why' Is Ending With Season 4

Season 3 of 13 Reasons Why hasn't even dropped on Netflix yet, but fans already have reasons to reach for the tissues. While the Season 3 teaser revealed a major character death bound to release tension at Liberty High, news about the show's future hints at a fitting final chapter for the teen drama. It turns out, 13 Reasons Why is ending with Season 4, and in the final season, the kids' slightly hellish high school experience will finally come to an end.

On Aug. 1, Netflix announced Aug. 23 as 13 Reasons Why's Season 3 premiere date and then confirmed that its fourth season would be its last. The series launched in 2017 as an onscreen adaptation of Jay Asher's young adult novel of the same name, telling the story of high school student Hannah (Katherine Langford) and the people implicated in her decision to kill herself. Continuing past the timeline of the book, 13 Reasons Why began utilizing original storylines in Season 2 and will continue to do the same in the 13-episode Season 3.

The creative team plans to wrap the series with a logical ending. Variety reports Season 4 is currently in production and will revolve around the characters' high school graduation. Given how traumatic their time has been at Liberty High, does anyone actually think these kids will be sad to leave school behind?

Before reaching this special milestone, though, the students will also deal with the unexpected death of Bryce Walker (Justin Prentice), as confirmed in the Season 3 promo. The footage also references some of Season 2's unfinished stories, including Tyler (Devin Druid) escaping the school dance with Tony (Christian Navarro) and the jocks clashing with other students.

Netflix's press release describing Season 3 reads:

Eight months after preventing Tyler from committing an unthinkable act at Spring Fling, Clay (Dylan Minnette), Tony, Jessica (Alisha Boe), Alex (Miles Heizer), Justin (Brandon Flynn), and Zach (Ross Butler) find ways to shoulder the burden of the cover-up together while helping Tyler move toward recovery. But when the aftermath of a tumultuous Homecoming game culminates in the disappearance of a football player, and Clay finds himself under police scrutiny, it’s up to a shrewd outsider to steer the group through an investigation that threatens to lay bare everyone’s deepest secrets. The stakes are raised in this riveting third season of 13 Reasons Why, as the consequences of even the most well-intended actions can alter a life forever.

The outsider the description mentions is new character Ani (Grace Saif), who appears in the trailer washing blood out of a white material. It's still unknown what kind of role Ani will play alongside the other main characters, but if she becomes entwined with this group, she will probably be eager to leave high school behind come Season 4. The show's final season may not involve a carefree senior week for these characters, but it's certainly bound for an epic sendoff — fans just have to get through Season 3 first.

Season 3 of 13 Reasons Why premieres on Friday, Aug. 23, on Netflix. Season 4 will likely launch on the streaming service in 2020.