Zach Dempsey

' Note: Information of this page pertains to Zach Depsey in his Netflix Incarnation as it's what focuses on his heroism leading into villainy as the books does not fully establish enough information touching basis with whether or not Zach falls into villainy or not. Therefore his crimes and actions from his Netflix Incarnation should on this page instead. '

Zach Dempsey is one of the major antagonist turned anti-heroic supporting characters in the Netflix adaptation of 13 Reasons Why based upon the book with the same name.

He has been a student in Liberty High being an athelete hanging out with Bryce and his friends. And he has been a friend and one of Hannah's boyfriends. And he had eventually progressed to going to parties and drinking a lot like how Bryce has ever since he merely beatened Bryce to death. As well as engaging in illegal activity and almost attempting to rape a girl at prom. He eventually is taking some time to do community service due to his crimes and is given a chance to possibly work as a Coach Athelete at Liberty at Liberty High.

Debated Validations

 * The death of his father is somewhat justifable with his struggle at Liberty, add along the loss of a close one Hannah Baker, plus Bryce and Monty. However, it does not really entirely excuse some of his crimes he does.
 * It is unknown who threw a rock at Tyler's house, but it at least suggests Zach was one of them at least.
 * His resentment agaisnt Tyler is also one thing worth noting. It is justifiable from his perspective thinking Tyler took photos of Zach's sister even though it was Monty. And threatened to kill Tyler and was partially one of the second part of the reason on why Tyler almost shot up Liberty High apart from Monty who rapes Tyler.
 * Apart from this, he also barely trusts Tyler and even thinks Tyler has had a motive. Which further on shows the impossible trust he could ever have for Tyler at the start being way too stubborn genuinely care enough to reason with Tyler until Tyler genuinely managed to be able to independently redeem himself for what he almost did at Spring Fling. While most other characters contain more corrupting qualities.
 * Him beating up Bryce is somewhat justified. However, him admitting to beating up Bryce and merely stating to beat him up real good shows how arrogant he is. As well as with beating up Bryce breaking his legs after he no longer posed as a potential threat.
 * Zach began to resent against Bryce for his criminal nature. In spite of the fact that Zach himself has had his character progress into villainy and lack a lot of overall redeeming qualities. He merely tried to rape a girl at prom and was stopped by Alex and Charlie. With what he slowly started to impose Bryce with before Season 4 all the way to what he potentially did in the fourth season strengthens his hypocrisy and further weakens down the good he once actively had.
 * He says that Clay is "taking all of us [him, Clay, Baker's Dozen] down with you [Clay]" implying he knew what Clay is up to as Percy. As well as him, Tony, and some others staring at Clay suspiciously. Yet, it is unknown if not only the other members of the Baker Dozens but Zach himself knew about Clay's crimes or not until Clay reveals his criminal activity to the Baker's Dozens eventually.
 * Zach seems to show standards with Clay going into the room with a drunk passed out college girl at a dorm. However, it is somewhat hypocritical considering Zach's lust which has progressed from outright perversion and would have progressed to hebephilic perversion had he not been stopped by Alex Standall and Charlie during Prom when Zach tried to have sex with a passed out girl. Thus making Zach's supposed standards if he even had any hypocritical.
 * He simply felt love for Hannah and created a genuine bond with her as well as Chloe as a friend. However, given the fact that he went for Chloe and then started hooking up with other girls and tried to rape a female hooker in prom says somewhat otherwise with whether or not he has feelings for females or not.
 * He works on community service due to his crimes working. Yet, he was still shown to be mischevious lying to his mother about a music instrument career he claims to pursue.
 * He did have some chance to redeem himself as his Coach gave him an opportunity to work for Liberty as a Coach. Yet, this information that establishes his redemption is vague and implied and is left at a cliffhanger than being confirmed.

What made him heroic?

 * He was once a good student being good as an athlete and performed well as a student until the fourth season.
 * He hooked up with Hannah and had a good relationship and he was apologetic with not being able to stick up for Hannah and even shown remorse for not being there for her.
 * Unlike oher characters asides from Clay, Jessica, Alex, etc, Zach had confessed to a relationship him and Hannah kept in secret and felt really bad. While other jocks like Bryce and Monty (if he possibly) had sex with girls take pride in the perverted and even hebephilic criminal nature.
 * He was the one that told Clay about the Club House and was going to give the eventual polaroids to Clay Jensen.
 * He was going to confess to his crime of what he thought he himself had commited with the murder of Bryce Walker.

What made him villainous?

 * He made unwanted advances towards Hannah which caused Hannah to reasonably tell off Zach. Out of spit, he then took the notes of Hannah baker's Valentines notes.
 * To make things worse when he had a good relationship with Hannah he didn't bother defending Hannah when his friends were bullying Hannah making him somewhat responsible for Hannah's suicide and given the idea of never being able to check up on her or anything.
 * It is heavily implied Zach was one of the culprits who threw a rock at Tyler's window.
 * Although we understand why Zach, Justin, and Alex scared Clay due to his extreme vigilantism. Zach isn't any better with being responsible for an accomplice of kidnapping and conspired theft of Clay Jensen's property.
 * While he did start out as a troubled anti-hero. He has progressed to be confrontational to Tyler Down threatening and bullying him a couple of times but not as much as Monty. And even instigated some fights with Bryce beating him really badly in the third season and Diego Torres provoking him into beating him up by claiming to have murdered Alex.
 * He calls Tyler was a psychopath and refuses to help him, which is somewhat understandable. Although, Zach has bullied Tyler like threatening him and possibly being responsible for throwing a rock at Tyler's window. Along with his villainous nature overall showing how his standards aren't so anti-heroic but rather villainous as well and hypocritical. Especially with how Tyler at least redeems himself while Zach barely does so.
 * Zach beats up Bryce Walker and if he would have not stopped hestitating at doing so would have killed him. Bryce no longer was going to pose as a threat when beaten and kept throwing taunts rather than posing as a threat.
 * He punches Clay for calling him a "pussy" and "b-tch".
 * He gets into some illegal activity with Alex climbing on a roof-top, going on an illegal underaged party, and even smashing windows during the protest Clay, Ani, Justin, and Jessica does at Liberty High. And how Zach further ellaboates how insignificant the way they do their protest seems to be and instead values to destroy the School or at least part of it which is no different to what Clay and his friends do or lead others to do as well.
 * And Zach has even gaslighted Alex into going into the party Clay and Zach and others planned. By using his heroical deed in saving Alex many times, and calling himself handsome and charming as an excuse to get Alex in the party. Which is almost the same way Bryce used to lure females into the club house or get his friends to get into his illegal activities and agenda which is somewhat hypocritical.
 * Zach goes on many dates or hook ups with girls. And at least impose Bryce, Monty, and some of the other jocks or anyone part of the Club House for their perverted hebephilic nature. Even though Zach himself chose to almost have sex with a prostitute who was passed out and drunk during prom. Had he have sex with her it would have been rape. Although, he was ultimately stopped by Alex and Charlie.
 * Zach briefly refused to visit Justin at the Hospital when that was the time everyone was grieving about Justin possibly being the one to eventually die.
 * It only took Alex to talk about having more Liquor on the way to the car and a kiss between him and Alex just to get him to go to the Hopsital. Which got him to go. However, he was incredibly reluctant due to the death of his father.
 * He barely shows as much redeeming qualities. Keeping more secrets somewhat redeeming himself with letting them go and possibly being a coach for Liberty. Yet, the information implying him possibly redeeming himself remains unknown due to how it's implied and remains mostly vague due to a cliffhanger.

Trivia

 * Zach, Clay, Justin, and Alex are the only Fallen Heroes to be here who are in the Netflix Incarnation of 13 Reasons Why.
 * Zach's status here may possible change for any later on any possible installments of any sequel continuity adding up to Zach's story-arch.