Barb on Stranger Things got a lot of love from fans after her dramatic death at the hands (claws?) of the Demogorgon, but if there's one Netflix character we're still seeking justice for, it's Brandon Larracuente's Jeff Atkins.
In a new Instagram post, the 13 Reasons Why actor shared the most heartbreaking flashback to season 1, and reminded everyone that Jeff's story should not be over — even if the character is no longer with us.
As fans of the series know, Jeff died in a car accident after Hannah (Katherine Langford) and Sheri (Ajiona Alexus) knocked over a stop sign that led to Jeff plunging through traffic. That would be a tragic end for any character, but it was particularly awful that it happened to Jeff, considering he was one of the few teens on this show who was truly too pure for this world.
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Jeff gave Clay (Dylan Minnette) pep talks. He was adorably bad at writing essays but never got mad about it. He invited Clay to parties. He never drank and drove. And, as far as we know, Jeff didn't mess with the vicious lies or gossip that seemed to fuel the students at Liberty High School.
That's why my heart broke all over again when Larracuente shared this throwback photo to that day on set when Clay found Jeff dead behind the wheel of his car. Ugh.
All. The. Feels.
(Warning: The photo below is pretty disturbing, even if it is just makeup.)
"I’ve definitely seen better days #tbt @13reasonswhy," tweeted the Netflix actor.
The comments section was flooded with fans who shared their sadness over Jeff's demise:
"JEFF DESERVED BETTER," wrote dozens of commenters.
"[W]hy must you haunt me with those memories," cried another fan.
"I'm still not over this death," another added.
With season 2 of 13 Reasons Why right around the corner (the show began filming its sophomore season this spring) it's possible that we'll see more of Jeff onscreen. After all, if the deceased Hannah can make a return to the series — which she reportedly will — why can't we get more bittersweet Jeff moments?