5 Shocking Reasons Why The '13 Reasons Why' Broomstick Scene Remains Netflix's Most Controversial Moment

The "broomstick scene" from Netflix's 13 Reasons Why is, even years after its release, arguably the single most disturbing and controversial moment in the entire series, surpassing even the graphic depiction of Hannah Baker's suicide in Season 1. Released in 2018 as the finale of the second season, this incredibly brutal and explicit portrayal of sexual assault involving the character Tyler Down sparked immediate, widespread outrage from viewers, critics, and mental health organizations alike. As of December 17, 2025, the scene remains a flashpoint in discussions about the responsibilities of media when depicting trauma, forcing a necessary, albeit painful, conversation about male sexual violence.

This deep dive explores the specifics of the scene, the showrunner's controversial defense, the actors' perspectives, and the long-term legacy of this unflinching moment, which Netflix chose to keep in the series despite removing the Season 1 suicide scene.

Key Characters and Controversial Context: Tyler Down & Monty de la Cruz

To understand the scene’s gravity, one must first look at the characters whose arcs culminated in this horrific act. The trauma inflicted was the climax of a long, dark narrative for both the victim and the perpetrator.

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• Character: Tyler Down (The Victim)
  • Played By: Devin Druid
  • Role: An initially socially awkward and bullied student at Liberty High who becomes increasingly isolated.
  • Season 1 Arc: Appears on Hannah Baker’s (Katherine Langford) tapes for non-consensual photography and stalking.
  • Season 2 Arc: Attempts to reintegrate but becomes the target of relentless, escalating bullying by Montgomery de la Cruz and his jock friends, culminating in the sexual assault. His subsequent trauma leads to a planned, but ultimately averted, school shooting.
• Character: Montgomery "Monty" de la Cruz (The Perpetrator)
  • Played By: Timothy Granaderos
  • Role: A violent, homophobic, and aggressive student-athlete who serves as the primary bully and secondary antagonist.
  • Arc: His behavior escalates throughout Season 2, culminating in the brutal assault on Tyler. Monty's violence is later revealed to stem from his own repressed struggles.
  • Actor's Reaction: Timothy Granaderos often spoke about the difficulty of playing such a vile character, with fans even creating the hashtag #TimisNotMonty to separate the actor from the role.

The Scene’s Unflinching Depiction: What Happened in Season 2, Episode 13

The "broomstick scene" occurs in the Season 2 finale, Episode 13, titled "Bye," and is widely considered the most difficult scene to watch in the entire series. It is the final act of bullying against Tyler Down, which pushes him to his breaking point.

The sequence begins with Monty de la Cruz and his friends cornering Tyler in a school bathroom. The assault is not just physical but deeply humiliating and dehumanizing. Monty and his crew shove Tyler’s head into a toilet, dousing him with water and urine, before proceeding to brutally sexually assault him with a broom handle.

The camera does not cut away quickly; instead, it lingers, showing the pain, terror, and degradation on Tyler's face. The scene’s graphic nature and the use of an object to inflict violence were deliberate choices by the show's creators to portray the full, horrific reality of the trauma. The episode begins with a content warning, specifically noting the graphic depiction of sexual assault.

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1. The Controversial Defense: Why The Creator Insisted on the Brutality

The intense backlash was met with a firm defense from showrunner Brian Yorkey, who argued that the graphic nature was essential for the show’s purpose.

• Highlighting Male Sexual Assault: Yorkey stated that the scene was included to shine a light on sexual violence against males, a topic that is significantly underrepresented in media and often stigmatized.
• Showing the "Horrific Nature": The creator's primary defense was that to shy away from the brutality would be to "sanitize" the reality of sexual violence. He argued that the scene needed to be difficult to watch to truly convey the devastating impact of the trauma on the victim.
• Contrast to Season 1 Removal: The defense became more scrutinized because Netflix had, at a later date, edited and removed the graphic three-minute suicide scene of Hannah Baker from Season 1 due to advice from medical experts and widespread concern over suicide contagion. The fact that the Tyler Down assault scene remained in its original, graphic form highlighted the show's inconsistent approach to graphic content.

2. The Actor's Stance: Devin Druid’s Commitment to the Trauma

Actor Devin Druid, who played Tyler Down, also publicly defended the difficult scene, asserting its importance despite the personal toll it took on him during filming.

• Starting a Conversation: Druid believed the scene was a necessary evil to spark a real conversation about sexual assault, particularly for male victims who often face pressure to remain silent.
• Portraying the Reality of Trauma: He emphasized that the show’s mission was to be honest about the consequences of trauma and that depicting the assault in a raw, ugly, and painful manner was crucial to honoring the victim's experience.
• The Aftermath: The scene directly led to Tyler's planned school shooting attempt, which was intended to be a revenge fantasy fueled by his trauma, isolation, and lack of support. This controversial plot point further fueled the debate over whether the show was exploiting trauma for shock value.

3. The Legacy: Shifting the Spotlight to Male Sexual Violence

Despite the justifiable outrage over its explicit nature, the scene holds a complex legacy for its portrayal of a male victim of sexual violence.

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• Underrepresentation: Male sexual assault is a critical public health issue that is often overlooked in popular culture, largely due to societal narratives that link masculinity to invulnerability. The scene forced a mainstream audience to confront this reality.
• Trauma and Retaliation: The series connects Tyler's horrific assault directly to his subsequent violent intentions, attempting to show how untreated trauma and a lack of intervention can lead to devastating consequences for both the victim and the community.
• Mental Health Concerns: Mental health organizations, while acknowledging the importance of the topic, consistently criticized the show for its lack of sensitivity and its failure to depict healthy coping mechanisms or effective treatment options, potentially harming vulnerable viewers.

4. The Lasting Impact on Netflix’s Content Strategy

The graphic nature of the broomstick scene and the earlier suicide scene fundamentally changed how Netflix approached sensitive content on its platform.

• Increased Warnings: Following the Season 1 and Season 2 controversies, Netflix added more prominent and detailed trigger warnings to episodes of 13 Reasons Why.
• The Removal of the Suicide Scene: The eventual decision to edit the Season 1 suicide scene, while leaving the Season 2 assault scene intact, highlighted Netflix's internal debate over how to balance artistic freedom with social responsibility. This selective removal continues to be a point of discussion for media critics.

5. The Unspoken Taboo: Anal Rape and Homophobia

The final, perhaps most disturbing, element is the specific nature of the assault. The use of an object in a sodomy-style attack by a homophobic bully carries significant, complex layers of trauma that go beyond general sexual assault.

• Dehumanization: The assault was an act of extreme dehumanization, intended to strip Tyler of his dignity and manhood, a common tactic in hate-motivated violence.
• Monty's Own Internalized Homophobia: Later seasons hint at Monty's own repressed sexuality, suggesting his extreme violence and homophobia were a form of self-loathing. This adds a tragic layer to the perpetrator's character, though it does not excuse his actions.

The broomstick scene in 13 Reasons Why is not merely a plot point; it is a cultural artifact that encapsulates the show's entire controversial ethos: using extreme, graphic realism to force viewers into confronting difficult societal issues. While its artistic execution remains hotly debated, its success in spotlighting the crisis of male sexual violence is undeniable.