Honestly, if you look back at the chaotic four-season run of the show, few characters underwent a transformation as drastic—or as polarizing—as Zach thirteen reasons why favorite (or least favorite) jock. When we first met him, Zach Dempsey was just another face in the crowd of Liberty High athletes. He was the guy who seemed like he might be "one of the good ones," yet he still managed to land himself on one of Hannah Baker's tapes.
That’s the thing about Zach. He exists in this messy grey area between being a decent human being and a coward who lets his social standing dictate his ethics. By the time the series wrapped, he wasn't even the same person. He went from a polished star athlete to a broken, alcoholic mess, and finally, to someone who just might have found a way to move on. For a more detailed analysis into this area, we recommend: this related article.
The Tape That Started It All
So, why was Zach on the tapes? It feels like a lifetime ago, but it basically boiled down to a moment of petty revenge. After Hannah rejected his attempt to comfort her at Rosie’s Diner—admittedly, she was pretty harsh, but she was also going through a lot—Zach decided to hit her where it hurt. He started stealing the "compliment notes" from her bag in Peer Communications.
For Hannah, those notes were a lifeline. For Zach, it was a "innocent" prank. For additional context on the matter, extensive coverage can also be found on Rolling Stone.
But here’s the kicker that flipped the whole script in Season 2: the letter. Hannah claimed Zach threw her heartfelt letter on the ground. In reality, he kept it in his wallet for years. This was the first time the show really forced us to question if Hannah was a completely reliable narrator. It didn't excuse Zach’s actions, but it showed that he carried a weight of guilt that was much heavier than he ever let on to the rest of the group.
The Secret Romance Nobody Expected
Season 2 dropped a massive bombshell that still feels a bit like a fever dream to some fans. We found out that during the summer before Hannah died, she and Zach thirteen reasons why viewers were finally rooting for actually had a full-blown relationship. They spent the summer together, watched movies, and even lost their virginities to each other.
It was sweet. It was genuine. And it was also incredibly tragic because Zach was too ashamed to be seen with her in public once school started.
Ross Butler, who played Zach, has talked in interviews about how this revelation changed everything. It made Zach’s silence during Season 1 feel less like ignorance and more like a massive betrayal. He wasn't just some guy who knew her; he was the guy who loved her and still let his friends treat her like garbage. That kind of internal conflict defines his entire arc.
The Downward Spiral: From Jock to "Functional" Alcoholic
If Season 2 was about guilt, Season 3 and 4 were about the total collapse of the "Golden Boy" persona. After Bryce Walker broke Zach’s knee during the homecoming game, his future was effectively erased. No football, no scholarship, no clear path.
Zach’s reaction wasn't just to be sad; it was to be destructive. He brutally beat Bryce on the pier, leaving him incapacitated. While Alex Standall was the one who ultimately pushed Bryce into the water, Zach’s assault was the catalyst. He spent a huge chunk of the final season in a drunken haze, often used as comic relief, which felt weirdly dark considering he was clearly suffering from severe PTSD and depression.
- The Knee Injury: Ended his athletic career and his identity.
- The Guilt: He genuinely believed he killed Bryce for a long time.
- The Alcohol: A coping mechanism that nearly cost him his life.
Is Zach a Villain or a Victim?
It’s complicated. Critics often point out that Zach thirteen reasons why writers didn't always know what to do with him toward the end. One minute he's a sympathetic hero helping Alex with physical therapy, and the next he's acting like he doesn't care if the whole world burns down.
But maybe that’s the most "human" part of the show. People aren't just one thing. Zach was a guy who wanted to be good but was terrified of being different. He was a product of a toxic environment where being "the man" meant staying quiet when your friends did terrible things.
What Actually Happened to Him in the End?
By the series finale, Zach somehow manages to crawl out of the hole. He turns down a coaching job at Liberty High because he realizes he needs to get away from the place that broke him. Instead, he decides to pursue music—specifically singing and guitar—at a university. It’s a quiet, somewhat unexpected ending for a guy who started the show as a stereotypical jock.
He didn't die. He didn't go to jail for the Bryce situation (thanks to a whole lot of covering up by the group). He just... moved on.
Key Takeaways for Fans
If you’re revisiting the series or just trying to make sense of the Dempsey drama, keep these things in mind:
- The Letter is Key: It proves Zach had a heart, even when he was acting like a jerk.
- Toxic Masculinity: His story is a case study in how the pressure to "fit in" can destroy a person's moral compass.
- Redemption is Messy: Zach doesn't get a perfect "hero" moment; he gets a messy, realistic chance to start over.
To really understand the nuance of his character, pay close attention to his scenes with his mother in Season 2. The pressure she put on him to be "perfect" explains a lot about why he was so scared to be himself with Hannah. Taking a look at those family dynamics gives you a lot more empathy for a character that is otherwise very easy to judge.
