This Theory About Hannah's Parents In '13 Reasons Why' Season 2 Already Has Fans Devastated

While the kids are undoubtedly the main focus of 13 Reasons Why, the adults can certainly pack a punch, including Hannah's parents Olivia and Andy Barker. In Season 1, Olivia was obsessed with the circumstances leading to Hannah's death, often leaving a more shaken Andy in the dust. What initially seemed like an underlying tension between them in the first season may become more evident soon, as fans have noticed that Andy hasn't appeared in any Season 2 promo footage yet. With that detail in mind, do the Bakers split up in 13 Reasons Why Season 2? Fans are convinced that the show's teasers confirm that something's up with them in Season 2.

When we last saw the Bakers, they were still in the throes of grief about losing Hannah, but Andy (Brian d'Arcy James) suggested they move out of town to help with their loss. Olivia (Kate Walsh) didn't think that would help, becoming even more invested in the lawsuit the couple formed against Liberty High for contributing to Hannah's death. The couple was understandably grappling about how to cope with their tragedy, putting their relationship on the back burner. However, the most optimistic fans still finished their binge of Season 1 thinking that the Bakers could pull through and avenge Hannah's death together.

On the other hand, when the trailer announcing Season 2's May 18 release date dropped, viewers noticed that not only is Andy absent from it, but Olivia also has a drastically new haircut. We all know that teen magazines and bloggers alike preach the importance of changing up your look after a breakup, and Olivia's makeover has convinced people that Andy is no longer in the picture. A Reddit thread theorizing about Andy's role in Season 2 seems to believe that the parents' different reactions to Hannah's death have put an irreconcilable wedge between them. User UnkieHerbivore writes:

I can see them splitting up in this season. I don't think it's necessarily that Mrs. Baker is 'obsessed.' They were both very righteously angry about what happened, but they never quite synched up on how they felt they should deal with it. He was in favor of settling. Justice was more important to her. The death of a child can strain a marriage no matter how healthy it is. I think them splitting up would be very realistic.

Reddit commentator haveanicedaytoo adds about Olivia:

She really does come off as 'single mother lioness ready for vengeance!' with her new haircut and promo photos. I wonder what happened with her and Hannah's dad?

Going along with the teaser video and photos' theme of polaroids revealing darker sides of each character, Olivia's individual Season 2 photo features her initially looking very calm with her new pixie cut. The all-telling polaroid then shows her wearing headphones and looking distraught. It looks like Mama Baker is listening to Hannah's tapes this year and that it will inevitably pull her into an even more complicated mindset as legal proceedings begin in relation to Hannah's death.

Whether or not Andy will listen to the tapes is unclear, but we do know that d'Arcy James did film scenes for Season 2. Speaking to IBT last summer, he said about Season 2:

Suffice to say is that I’m just starting to learn what my character is doing as well what the whole story is, and I can say, generally speaking, that people say, ‘How can you do ‘13 Reasons Why’ when you’ve already exhausted the 13 reasons?’ My answer to that — and as what I’ve read has proven to be true — there’s a lot of aftermath.

We'll finally get some more clarity about their relationship when the show returns for Season 2, but these hints from the teasers are definitely valid. For a series that mainly focuses on high school students' lives, a subplot detailing the Bakers' divorce (or trial separation? or marriage counseling?) would be perfect to draw in more adult viewers.

Season 2 of 13 Reasons Why debuts on Netflix on Friday, May 18.