Monty de la Cruz is one of those characters in 13 Reasons Why you will not easily forget. He walks into the show like a wrecking ball, always loud, always angry, and always ready to make someone else's life miserable. If you have ever met a school bully who took things way too far, Monty might feel oddly familiar.
From Troublemaker to Something Much Darker
In the first season, Monty is mostly seen hanging around, throwing insults, and feeding off the energy of bigger bullies like Bryce. He is the kind of guy who laughs at someone else's pain and never once thinks about how that person feels on the inside. Think of that friend who joins in just to get a few laughs, even when everyone else has already crossed a line.
Then came Season 2, and everything changed. Monty brutally sexually assaults Tyler Down in the boys' bathroom, and this moment becomes one of the most chilling scenes in the entire series. It is the scene where you pause, sit back, and think, How did nobody stop this?
Must Read
Jail, Anger, and Denial
After Bryce Walker is murdered, Monty becomes the prime suspect. The evidence stack against him feels like a mountain made of small pebbles, each one more damning than the last. He gets arrested, and the police waste no time slapping the charges on him.
But here is the thing: Monty did not actually kill Bryce. He is the wrong person behind bars for this one crime, even though he has done other terrible things. It is like accidentally accusing your coworker of eating your lunch when someone else grabbed it from the fridge.
’13 Reason Why’: Clay, The Gun, And 9 Other Burning Questions for
Monty visits Bryce's sister Wil in jail and fiercely denies everything. He looks genuinely desperate, as if he finally understands what it feels like to be trapped. It is one of those rare moments where you almost start to feel a flicker of sympathy for him.
His Final Moments
Monty is sent to prison, and shortly after arriving, he is killed by another inmate. The scene happens off-screen, and the other characters learn about it through a phone call. Someone you know gets a news alert on their phone and suddenly the room goes quiet.
13 Reasons Why: 5 Actors Who Nailed Their Roles (& 5 Who Fell Short)
His death feels abrupt and almost anticlimactic, which is exactly what makes it so unsettling. You expect some big courtroom showdown or a redemption arc, but instead, justice arrives in the coldest way possible. Life does not always wrap things up neatly, and this show drives that point home hard.
Why Monty's Story Matters To You
Monty is a reminder that bullying is never just harmless fun or kids being kids. Every cruel joke, every hallway shove, and every ignored cry for help is a brick in a wall that someone eventually collapses under. If you have ever witnessed bullying and stayed silent, his story might nudge you to speak up instead.
Ramaj Media — 10 Loki Memes Only Real Fans Will Understand
You do not have to be a hero or a vigilante to make a difference. Sometimes just checking on the quiet kid in class or telling your friend to ease up is enough. Monty's arc in 13 Reasons Why sticks with you because it shows how far things spiral when no one steps in early enough.
So next time you see someone getting pushed around, remember Monty. A little kindness from the very beginning might have saved a lot of lives.