Here's Why Gordon Lightfoot Plays a Role in the '13 Reasons Why' Finale

Warning: This piece contains spoilers for the final season of 13 Reasons Why.

The fourth and final season of 13 Reasons Why wraps up the story of Liberty High School and Clay quite succinctly.

While the series protagonist has been battling his declining mental health as a result of intense guilt he feels about Hannah's, Monty's, and Bryce's deaths, and Clay's involvement in the lives of these characters, the season wraps up on a hopeful note.

Clay manages to pull himself together for prom, and although Justin dies in the finale while holding Clay's hand, Clay eventually recovers and even looks forward to the future.

So, what happens at the end of 13 Reasons Why and what role does Gordon Lightfoot play in the finale? Keep reading for answers.

Although the first few episodes of the season are relatively somber, the final moments are quite hopeful, as Clay recovers and begins to open up about his recent mental health battles.

Following his acceptance into the prestigious Brown University, Clay delivers a speech at graduation where he addresses his struggles with anxiety and depression.

During the ceremony, Clay even sees a vision of Hannah, which serves to close the circle of the series, though the vision is quickly interrupted by Heidi, who it is implied Clay might fall in love with during their shared first semester at Brown.

As the show ends, we watch Clay and his group of friends finally bury Hannah's tapes from Season 1, thus truly coming to terms with her death and putting the past behind them before they each embark on the next chapter of their lives.

The group emphasizes their unwavering commitment to each other's friendship, putting in place a code word: "Gordon Lightfoot." The friends promise that if anyone texts the others the code, the rest of the group would show up to help with no questions asked.

"What's gordon lightfoot mean," one fan asked on Twitter after finishing the season. The name refers to a Canadian singer-songwriter, whose song "Sundown" plays in the credits of Episode 8.

The song is significant because the Liberty High kids had previously planted information about a Gordon Lightfoot concert to trick their parents, who had been tracking their phones and reading their emails and texts.

It's comforting for the kids to know they can count on each other in the future, no matter where college takes them, by just typing this code word on their phones.

The very last moments of the series see Clay discussing a treatment plan with his therapist, so they can figure out how to approach the summer and college in the fall. As Clay finally leaves his home for college, it feels like he can finally put this chapter of his adolescence behind him for good.

Watch all four seasons of 13 Reasons Why on Netflix.

If you or someone you know is contemplating suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.